Chapter 91 Jin Yong

Xiao Shinian invited, “Guest, please sit.” “Brother Hu says your talismans are good,” she continued, “so they must be. You may pay for as many sheets as our house receives.”

She noticed the Daoist nod and heard him say, “This is naturally excellent. Yet you need not always address me as guest. After we announce our names, simply call me Xinzhan.”

She nodded in return. “Very well. Then you need not call me Daoist friend either—simply Xiao Shinian.”

Both found the titles strangely formal.

Yet the Daoist felt the arrangement even odder. What sort of name was Eleventh Niang? It sounded like a woman’s personal name, and that was apparently how it was done in the north—though it differed markedly from the south.

He turned to Hu Gongfeng and asked, “Then how does the honored guest propose to price these talismans for this poor Daoist?”

Hu Gongfeng had clearly decided on a figure the moment he saw the talismans. “According to market conditions in Baiyu Jing, thunder, wind, water, and fire talismans command higher rates. I calculate twenty sheets per gold for Brother Cheng, while the others are twenty-five sheets per gold. Does that suit?”

Cheng Xinzhan had not expected such a sum and immediately agreed.

Hu Gongfeng smiled. “Brother Cheng has already met our boss. Brother Wang even offered a discount, so our Hai City will further present the Daoist with a five-mu water bag. It will hold live fish and fit within cave stones. Only remember not to leave the stones in the water too long.”

“Those sea fish—can they be raised in mountain ponds?”

“No difficulty. Still, for best freshness, sea water is preferable. We will also give you salt clams. These clams can dye pond water to resemble the sea; it is a specialty of Hai City and not sold elsewhere.”

He kept thanking them, already planning to purchase extra sea fish for his third sister. Yet taking them home worried him. This solution was ideal. He could raise them in the forest pond and feed her for a long time.

Then he suddenly remembered something else and looked at the woman. “May I ask, Xiao Shinian, what do dragons of the azure race prefer to eat?”

The others in the private room were unsurprised. Raising a few dragons on Three Pure Ones Mountain was not unusual, and Xiao Shinian was the palm jewel of a dragon ancestor in Bohai. They were old acquaintances who knew dragons were greedy eaters, so she answered readily, “Dragons also love eels and clams.”

“Then please exchange my talismans for two portions of sea eels and one portion of clams.”

As he spoke, Cheng Xinzhan removed the practice talismans from his cave stone.

Hu Gongfeng’s thoughts turned quickly. “I notice the paper and ink the Daoist uses are ordinary—no gold or jade sheets, no deer or musk ink. Why?”

The Daoist smiled. “This poor Daoist mainly draws these talismans to comprehend their inner meaning.”

Hu Gongfeng guessed the reason and asked, “Then does the Daoist keep personal talismans? May I see one?”

Cheng Xinzhan nodded and produced a thunder talisman. “This one uses thunder-struck jujube wood bark for paper and thunder paste for ink. It is an attack talisman—the Five Thunders Bombs the Top.”

Hu Gongfeng’s eyelids jumped. Purple lightning flashed across the surface, and he did not dare reach out.

“I wonder whether the Daoist plans to sell this sort?”

He shook his head. “I do not keep many of these. I will not sell.”

Hu Gongfeng did not press the point but asked tentatively, “Then would the Daoist consider this offer? Our Hai City supplies the paper and ink; the Daoist draws them for us and we pay. Or we provide ten sheets of raw materials and the Daoist gives us eight finished sheets, with the remainder as reward. How does that sound?”

Cheng Xinzhan’s eyes brightened. Good materials were rare. “This can be discussed, though…”

“Though what?”

Hu Gongfeng asked again.

“This poor Daoist is still in the first realm. Coming to Baiyu Jing is inconvenient. How will I deliver the finished talismans?”

Relief eased Hu Gongfeng’s expression. He laughed. “The guest overthinks. This is no problem. We do business across lands and have means of communication. We will give the Daoist one. If the Daoist wishes to visit Baiyu Jing, simply send word and someone will escort him. If he prefers to meditate in seclusion, send word too. We will come to Three Pure Ones Mountain to pay respects to the high immortals and bring the talismans with us.”

Xiao Shinian’s eyes gleamed. If they could forge ties with Three Pure Ones Mountain…

Cheng Xinzhan saw the business sense and nodded.

Hu Gongfeng laughed. “Then, honored guests, why not discuss details over wine in the private room? Our boss is here as well.”

Xiao Shinian rose at once to invite them.

The young Daoist agreed.

The Gongfengs put away the existing talismans while the servant fetched eels and clams. Xiao Shinian personally led Cheng Xinzhan to her own restaurant.

In her private room, she removed her veil, revealing a fair beauty of pearl-round grace. Her face was like a goose egg, brows finely curved, eyes bright and watery, lips red as peaches after rain. Though young, she carried the dignified air of a woman who ruled her house.

They conversed pleasantly. The third sister bit into a plate of freshly fried sea eels. The lion cat tried to approach but was stopped by the others. The cat scratched at Xiao Shinian’s skirt, yet she never noticed, her gaze fixed on the young Daoist.

They spoke for about an hour and a half, all arrangements settled, host and guest in harmony.

“I wonder if Xinzhan has lodging tonight? Today is the twenty-ninth; many come to Baiyu Jing. Without advance booking, empty rooms in Peacock City will be scarce, and prices will not be low. Especially the wine district where we drank earlier—I myself went there to taste the wines. Lodging there would cost far more than ours.”

This question truly caught Cheng Xinzhan off guard. Brother Miaozhu’s visits to Baiyu Jing were few, so he knew little. He did not know whether rooms were booked or whether they had enough money.

Seeing the Daoist silent, the woman continued, “Our Hai City restaurants always keep rooms. If Xinzhan and the several high disciples of Three Pure Ones Mountain have not yet reserved, come to our side. You are our honored guest and we will extend discounts.”

She smiled.

Cheng Xinzhan cupped his hands. “Then I thank Eleventh Niang for her kindness. I will seek my fellow disciples first. If rooms remain unavailable, I will trouble you again.”

“A small favor—trouble indeed? Oh, by the way, Qing Yu, bring over a pair of Ru Wuxin.”

A servant entered, far more poised and finely dressed than ordinary restaurant attendants. Clearly she attended Xiao Shinian.

A servant who owned a cave stone spoke volumes.

Qing Yu drew two letters from the stone, handing one to the Daoist and one to Xiao Shinian.

“Xinzhan, these are Ru Wuxin. Write on them the words. We can read them here too. When your talismans are finished, inform us and write here. Any future needs for paper or ink, or other requirements, note them. When you meet your fellow disciples, whether you will stay can be recorded. All handwriting will reach us and we will arrange.”

The Daoist found the letters novel.

Only after mastering divine abilities in the second realm could a cultivator transmit sound across a thousand li. Yet most cultivators remained in the first realm, so many clever methods had been devised for letter transmission. The trumpet flower by the door was one example; these Ru Wuxin held similar interest.

“Daoist, your eels and clams.”

Qing Yu presented a tightly tied pouch. “Untie the rope later and pour the eels and clams with the water.”

The Daoist accepted it, intrigued.

“This is the paper and ink.”

A book box of spiritual paper and ink was handed over, radiating spiritual energy.

Cheng Xinzhan placed everything into his cave stone.

“Today’s visit to Hai City yielded many gains, thanks to Eleventh Niang’s blessings.”

“It is we who should thank the Daoist.”

Xiao Shinian smiled, her bright eyes and white teeth like summer blossoms, heartening all who saw her.

She then veiled her face and escorted them from the restaurant herself.

Only when the Daoist’s figure vanished did Qing Yu ask, “Master, we have same-voice insects and green-bird talismans. Why use Ru Wuxin?”

Xiao Shinian glared. “What do you know?”

She added, “Brother Hu is excellent. Raise his monthly salary by one gold.”

Qing Yu agreed; Hu Gongfeng thanked profusely on the side.

Cheng Xinzhan returned to the nearby restaurant and wandered until he met Sun Miaozhu hurrying.

Seeing his haste, Cheng Xinzhan stopped him. “Dao brother, did you not find lodging?”

“Ah, Xinzhan.”

Sun Miaozhu wiped sweat from his brow. “Yes, I only brought you here for the fun and forgot lodging is so hard.”

“No rush. I have found one, though farther.”

Sun Miaozhu brightened. “How did Xinzhan find it?”

The two strolled the surroundings, chatting as they waited for the others.

While they walked, Cheng Xinzhan drew his talisman pen and retrieved a sheet from the Ru Wuxin. The paper was green, patterned with natural leaf veins—origin unknown. He wrote:

Xiao Shinian, I have seven fellow disciples. Tonight we seek lodging at Hai City restaurant. If any rooms remain, please reserve one. Grateful, Xinzhan.

Opposite Hai City lay an estate, rare in land-scarce Peacock City. This was the foothold Xiao Shinian had purchased after arriving.

In her boudoir, the Ru Wuxin envelope on the bed glowed. After a long day’s work, Xiao Shinian opened her eyes, examined the letter, and smiled. She addressed the amber bead bracelet on her wrist. “Qing Yu, Cheng Daoist is coming. Receive him personally and arrange seven rooms.”

A woman’s voice answered from the bracelet, “Understood, master.”

Xiao Shinian wrote back with eyebrow pencil: “Good, no need for thanks, Xiao Shinian.”

The Daoist’s cloud script was soft yet dignified; the female boss’s hairpin flower small regular script was neat and proper.

That evening the group gathered at Hai City restaurant. Xiao Shinian did not appear; Qing Yu arranged the seven rooms with care. The luxurious furnishings in the rooms left the visitors astonished, but details are unnecessary here.

The next morning they emerged to be led by Qing Yu to a splendid dim sum. Midway Sun Miaozhu tried to settle the bill but learned it had been charged to Cheng Xinzhan’s account.

Sun Miaozhu reached for money, but Cheng Xinzhan pulled him away with a smile.

They savored the food while noticing the street people all flushed with excitement.

Cheng Xinzhan asked Qing Yu, “Gongzi, what stirs the city?”

“Early this morning the city lord’s mansion announced that this year’s Peacock City will hold a joint celebration with the Pearl-Returning Pavilion. The pavilion will fly over directly.”

“Which is the Pearl-Returning Pavilion?” asked He Jiyuan.

Qing Yu sighed. “It is one of Baiyu Jing’s twelve pavilions. Its master is a sword immortal who has lingered in the mortal realm and not yet ascended.”

Everyone understood.

“Is the joint celebration lively? Everyone seems so happy,” Cheng Xinzhan observed.

“Not only that. It is well known that the Pearl-Returning Pavilion holds sword-duel meetings. Some say ‘heavenly Pearl-Returning Pavilion, earthly Emei Peak,’ referring to the two most famous sword gatherings in the cultivation world. Yet the Pearl-Returning Pavilion’s meetings depend on its mood and time; they come by fate alone. Five or six years have passed since its last gathering. All speculate whether this joint celebration will host another. That would be a tremendous spectacle.”

Interest rose. Feng Jihu inquired, “What makes the Pearl-Returning Pavilion’s sword-duel meeting special?”

“Divided into flying swords, law swords, and body swords, it is also held by the Pearl-Returning Pavilion. Yet its master limits the duel to first- and second-realm sword cultivators. He believes that beyond the third realm most sword cultivators have killing power but lack spiritual energy and cannot escape that rut. By contrast, the Emei sword meetings include great cultivators of the fifth realm!”

“When the master presides, he comments directly. This is guidance from a sword immortal, and the victor receives extra rewards.”

Qing Yu glanced at the Three Pure Ones Mountain disciples. “Would the Daoist masters care to try?”

All eyes turned to Cheng Xinzhan, the only one fond of swords.

He was tempted. Since beginning sword cultivation, he had rarely had the chance to demonstrate techniques against renowned sword masters from across the world. Missing this opportunity would be a pity. Thinking of it, he asked, “Are there any requirements to enter this sword-duel meeting?”

Qing Yu shook her head. “First- and second-realm cultivators are welcome. If one truly occurs today, following custom the master will set a question on the spot; those who pass enter the arena.”

Cheng Xinzhan nodded. Then perhaps he would test himself.