Chapter 31: Xu Ruyan

"Unprovoked favors are either a trap or a trick."

When Li Qi'er mentioned the prospect of a romantic encounter, Yang Le’s eyes flickered with guarded alertness. Since arriving in Cizhou nearly half a month ago, he had rarely left his small courtyard, spending almost all his time cultivating. Aside from purchasing essential supplies, he had not stepped foot outside. He was barely familiar with his own neighbors, let alone the local haunts of pleasure.

Under such circumstances, to have a young, beautiful woman appear before him—to Yang Le’s mind, this was less of a romantic opportunity and more of a harbinger of trouble.

"My lady, is this a formal visit, or do you have other designs?"

After signaling Li Qi'er to stay back, Yang Le stepped forward to observe the woman. It had to be said, she was truly stunning. A vibrant crimson dress clung to her graceful figure, accentuating her delicate, fair skin and exquisite features.

Yet, after only a glance, Yang Le leaned against the fence, his tone cold. "I am no saint. Are you not afraid that coming here alone might invite trouble?"

"If you were so inclined, it would not be impossible, though my status as a faded flower makes me unworthy of your regard," the woman replied. Seeing his demeanor, she wasted no time. She brushed a speck of dust from her skirt and smiled. "My name is Xu Ruyan. I work in the pleasure districts of Linqing City. My visit today..."

"Surely you aren't here to play matchmaker for some sheltered noble girl who has taken a fancy to me?" Yang Le interrupted sharply. "If that is the case, there is no need to continue. Please, return the way you came."

Yang Le was not a man without patience, but he refused to waste it on such trifles.

"That is not it," Xu Ruyan said, noticing his displeasure. Her expression turned serious. "You have brought a great calamity upon yourself."

"Oh?" Yang Le’s interest was piqued. "Tell me, what kind of calamity?"

"There are three classes of people in Linqing City: pure-blooded humans at the bottom, half-human half-demons in the middle, and pure-blooded demons at the top. And you..." Xu Ruyan looked him up and down. "You are a genuine human, aren't you?"

"And if I am?" Yang Le asked, his gaze fixed on her, his vigilance undiminished.

"You will be eaten."

Ignoring his piercing stare, she continued in a low voice, "A seventh-rank martial artist, so young and walking about Linqing City so openly—and a pure-blooded human at that—there will be those who simply cannot resist consuming you."

"Is that the reason for your visit?"

Yang Le was not overly alarmed. Since his battle with Zhangsun Ji, he had known that the martial arts world of the Great Qian was a place where the strong devoured the weak. He was not surprised by her words, but rather by the woman herself.

"Of course not. I simply saw such a young human martial artist in Linqing and could not bear to see him become medicine for the demons." She looked at him with an inexplicable sense of pity. "There is a poetry gathering at Linghua Pavilion tonight. It is attended only by humans. You should come if you are interested."

Without hesitation, she pulled a gilded invitation from her robes, the characters "Linghua Pavilion" inscribed upon it.

"Whether you come or not, remember not to provoke the pure-blooded demons for no reason. Your seventh-rank cultivation is not enough to protect you in Linqing City." Sensing his skepticism, she offered this sincere warning before turning and disappearing in the blink of an eye.

"Sixth-rank cultivation, and a human."

The moment she left, Yang Le sensed the fluctuations of her martial energy. The movement technique she employed was far from ordinary. Most importantly, he could feel a resonance in her aura, the signature of a fellow human practitioner.

"Master," Li Qi'er said, her eyes serious now that Xu Ruyan was gone. "Linghua Pavilion is one of the largest powers in Linqing City, outside of the City Lord's own influence. They collect a vast array of human cultivation techniques and are one of the few organizations in the Great Qian that forbids demons from joining. They have branches across the nine provinces, and this pavilion in Linqing is the headquarters for Cizhou."

Li Qi'er had heard of their reputation, but she had never expected her master to receive an invitation so soon after arriving. To her knowledge, unless one possessed extraordinary talent or cultivation, one didn't even have the right to step through their doors, let alone receive an invitation. "If you are interested, Master, it might be worth a visit. It is one of the few reliable channels for human practitioners to obtain techniques."

After a long silence, Yang Le turned back toward the house. He tossed the invitation—which others would have treated as a priceless treasure—toward Li Qi'er. "Scrape the gold leaf off this invitation, then burn the rest."

"Master, what are you doing?" Li Qi'er asked, bewildered.

"Do you know how to obtain the second half of the Qingyun Sword Manual?" Yang Le asked, ignoring her shock.

"I do. It is here in Cizhou, though it is not easily acquired in the short term."

"That is enough, then," Yang Le said, closing the bamboo door. "The Qingyun Sword Manual is excellent; there is no need to change to another technique." He pointed at the invitation in her hand. "To your master, the only value this thing holds is the gold leaf on the cover."

He was not joking. To Yang Le, non-sword techniques were worthless, and he doubted any other sword manuals could surpass the one he already possessed. Why, then, should he entangle himself with the so-called Linghua Pavilion?

Xu Ruyan’s origins were strange, her identity unclear. If he were to blindly accept an invitation, he would be a fool indeed.