“Mm.” He actually had the audacity to nod with a serious expression.
“I merely wished to observe this artifact, said to be as formidable as killing intent. Since the Dark Lord doesn’t wish to reveal it, so be it.” Yun Qingfeng spoke with an air of indifference, as if he truly harbored no ambition to seize the divine artifact.
“Thank you, Night Lord, for your protection. How about we meet tomorrow at noon in the Red Plum Pavilion of Futian Tower for a meal, as a proper thanks?” Ye Lanshan didn’t know his name, so she followed Yun Qingfeng’s lead and called him Dark Lord.
“Fine. Take this token. If you encounter any trouble, come find me at Fusheng Auction House directly. As for her, try not to summon her again.” The Dark Lord pointed coldly at the Wood Heart Lotus beside her.
In truth, this Dark Lord was Ye Yutian. He forbade Ye Lanshan from summoning Ye Xinlian because Yue Shu and the old man beside him knew of the Wood Heart Lotus’s existence. If they saw Ye Xinlian, they would surely recognize that the man before them was actually Ye Lanshan.
What he didn’t know was that besides Yue Shu and the old man, there was another person who knew about the Wood Heart Lotus—Mo Ran. Fortunately, he was unaware of this, or the word “try” wouldn’t have been used.
Ye Lanshan raised an eyebrow as she took the token. “You sound a lot like someone I know.”
Ye Yutian showed no change in expression. Even if she discovered that the Dark Lord was him, it often didn’t matter much—though later on, he would come to think otherwise.
Ye Lanshan examined the token repeatedly, then tossed it back.
“I never take back what I give. If you don’t want it, you don’t have to return it to me.” Ye Yutian’s face, hidden beneath the mask, darkened slightly.
Ye Lanshan took a deep breath and asked, “We’re strangers to each other—why go out of your way to help me?”
“You said it yourself earlier: there’s a fifty percent chance your enthusiasm will return to my Fusheng Auction House. Until that happens, it’s only natural for me to ensure your safety.” Ye Yutian turned her own words against her.
After hesitating for a moment, Ye Lanshan finally took the token. “Fine then. We’ll meet tomorrow at Futian Tower.”
With that, she turned and left. The path was clear all the way, with no one blocking her, which eased her mind somewhat. It seemed the trouble caused by this divine artifact wasn’t too severe. Once word spread that she was dining with the Dark Lord tomorrow, anyone else itching to seize the artifact would likely lose their nerve.
What she didn’t know was that there were indeed people planning to intercept her—they had simply been dealt with by Ye Yutian.
Late at night, Xia Ri practiced swordsmanship in the backyard’s center, with Ye Lanshan watching from the side. After the routine ended, Ye Lanshan clapped and praised, “Your swordsmanship is coming along nicely.”
Xia Ri smiled shyly, knelt on one knee, and said earnestly, “It’s all thanks to your excellent teaching, master. I’m truly fortunate to have such a good master.”
With that serious face and such flattering words, what was she playing at? Ye Lanshan never imagined someone could deliver flattery with such a straight face.
“Master, I mean every word. I’m genuinely grateful to you.” Xia Ri’s tone quickened, but the sincerity in her words was unmistakable.
“Alright, for that sincerity, I’ll teach you another sword technique—the Seven Stars Sword Technique. Watch closely.”
This technique was simple in some ways, yet truly complex in others.
It was adapted from the positions of the Seven Stars, drawing on the power of the Big Dipper, but it was too rigid, requiring other moves to mask it.
The Seven Stars Sword Technique held a status similar to the one Ye Lanshan had taught her earlier—except the former was a basic technique any cultivator knew, while the latter was a foundational skill only taught to disciples within sects.
It wasn’t that Ye Lanshan didn’t want to teach her more advanced techniques; it was that Xia Ri’s foundation was too weak. For now, only the basics would do.
Still, with some foundation and natural talent in cultivation, Xia Ri could remember most of the moves after Ye Lanshan demonstrated them just once.
They practiced until dawn. The sun hadn’t risen yet, but the sky was faintly bright. This was when primordial energy was at its richest, making cultivation three times more effective than at other times.
Ye Lanshan led Xia Ri to sit cross-legged on the spot, meditating until the sun emerged.
“Young master, what are you doing?” Qing Dai, the first to appear, was startled to see Ye Lanshan and Xia Ri sitting back-to-back in the center of the backyard.
Ye Lanshan opened her eyes just then, rose gracefully, smoothed her slightly wrinkled clothes, and uttered two words: “Cultivating.”
“Here? Cultivating here?” Qing Dai was astonished.
Cui Zhu, who happened to overhear, was equally stunned.
“We really are cultivating. These past few days, the young master has been teaching me swordsmanship. Now I have some ability to defend myself—at least enough to spar with someone at the sixth level of Mystic Warrior.” Xia Ri stood up as well.
“So the young master has been teaching you swordsmanship! No wonder I’ve noticed you’re gone every night when I wake up.” Cui Zhu believed Xia Ri’s words, but a hint of resentment crept in—why did Xia Ri get the young master’s favor while she got nothing?
“Call the others over tonight,” Ye Lanshan said, noticing the hidden bitterness in Cui Zhu’s eyes. She figured she had time tonight, so she might as well open up their meridians. Since she’d already taught Xia Ri the basic sword technique, Xia Ri could pass it on to the rest.
“Understood, young master.” Xia Ri wasn’t foolish; she grasped Ye Lanshan’s intent and wholeheartedly agreed. She hadn’t called the others earlier only because she hadn’t found the right opportunity. Now that Ye Lanshan had spoken, Xia Ri was happy for them.
“Master, Tao Yao requests your presence—she says she has something to discuss,” Qu Shui appeared in the courtyard and addressed Ye Lanshan.
“I understand, but let me change clothes first.” Though the Wood Heart Lotus had been the main force in cutting through the siege, that didn’t mean her clothes were free of bloodstains. No one had looked closely earlier, so they hadn’t noticed the specks of red on her garments.
Now spotting the blood, Qing Dai and Cui Zhu exchanged glances, confusion in their eyes.
“Xia Ri, didn’t the young master go to the auction yesterday? How did blood get on his clothes?” Cui Zhu crept over to Xia Ri and whispered.
Her sudden question startled Xia Ri, who rolled her eyes and replied curtly, “How should I know? I didn’t go with him.”