This is not how immortals cultivate

Chapter 423 If someone treats me with respect, I will treat them with even greater respect.

On Xiang Yuan's first day at the Fengxian County Government Office, Lao Liu was his mentor. According to the rules, he had to charge a "guide fee" for leading Xiang Yuan in.

Not much, just five taels.

At that time, Xiang Yuan was penniless, his pockets were emptier than his face, and even his sword was issued by the county government. Where was he going to scrape together five taels of silver?

Old Liu didn't press him; he just treated it as if Xiang Yuan owed him five taels of silver.

After that, he saw Xiang Yuan and Xiao He becoming sworn brothers. This was mainly because Xiao He had been trying to win Xiang Yuan's favor, but Xiang Yuan had been desperately trying to become sworn brothers with him. He figured that by clinging to Xiao He's coattails, Xiang Yuan was essentially clinging to the coattails of King Zhao of Han (Xiao Yan), and that Xiang Yuan would surely rise to prominence in the future.

I don't want the five taels of silver, I only want a favor from Xiang Yuan, I'll repay him when I become a big shot.

Old Liu never dreamed that it wasn't Xiang Yuan who clung to the Zhao Prince's Mansion, but rather the Zhao Prince's Mansion that clung to Xiang Yuan, soaring to great heights, with the entire Zhao Prince's Mansion moving into the palace.

Looking back, the idle Xiao He suddenly became unfathomable, and Old Liu finally understood that Xiao He was not mentally challenged, but a great talent and very shrewd!
The reason why they shamelessly clung to Xiang Yuan was because this powerful dragon could bring the Zhaowang Mansion into the imperial palace.

Xiao He not only shamelessly introduced his sister to Xiang Yuan, trying to tie her tightly to the Prince Zhao's mansion.

Xiao He: You're talking nonsense!

Old Liu knew that Xiang Yuan would rise to prominence, but he didn't expect Xiang Yuan to soar so high. He dared not mention the favors anymore, and if anyone inquired, he dared not use Xiang Yuan as something to brag about over tea.

Even when someone invites him for drinks, he doesn't dare to drink too much.

People who drink too much will talk nonsense!
What? You mean Xiang Yu, the Hegemon-King of Western Chu? I know him. Don't be fooled by his current imposing presence. Back when he was working for me, he wouldn't dare chase a dog if I asked him to catch a chicken, and he wouldn't dare go west if I pointed east. He's always lived in my shadow.

You can't just drink this kind of alcohol like that, can you? You think there are too many people in your family?

Old Liu has been struggling in the lower rungs of society for many years. He may not be particularly powerful, but he has some understanding of human nature. The reputation of Xiang Yu, the Hegemon-King of Western Chu, should not be tainted. If he dares to speak recklessly, his life will be in danger.

He can't even be associated with the Overlord!
This immense wealth is not something he is entitled to enjoy.

Unexpectedly, Xiang Yuan acted unpredictably, approaching him directly to repay the favor.

For a moment, Lao Liu was filled with emotion. No wonder he was capable of great things. How many people in the world have such a mindset?

Those who have achieved great success cherish their reputation and are eager to sever ties with their past selves, striving to live a flawless life from birth.

"Your Highness, I dare not have spoken in jest..."

"Think it over carefully. If you really dare to refuse this favor, I really dare to forget it."

Xiang Yuan smiled and said, "I'll give you one more chance. If you don't want it, I'll leave now."

I'll take it then!

Xiang Yuan smiled and said, "No need to hold back. Just say what you want. If you want to be an official, I have quite a few connections in the capital. What kind of official do you want, and how high up can you be? I can arrange it for you."

That's true, you can even arrange things for the emperor and the crown prince.
Around them, pairs of eyes were red with envy and jealousy towards Lao Liu, wishing they could replace him on the spot.

Why didn't I lend him money back then? I didn't need those few taels of silver! xN
Old Liu frowned. Becoming an official was out of the question. One should have self-awareness and not just accept whatever is offered. He asked for a large courtyard house and dozens of acres of land, wanting to quit his stifling job as a constable and become a complacent landlord.

The moment he opened his mouth, he changed his words to: "Your Highness, I have a daughter who is fifteen years old this year. She is fond of martial arts. I would like to ask her to find a master."

As he spoke, he looked longingly at Xiang Yuan.

That's it? xN
They have absolutely no ambition.
Xiang Yuan nodded. He had eaten with Lao Liu's family and met Lao Liu's daughter, who was eleven or twelve years old at the time. She was a quiet and reserved little girl, not nearly as thick-skinned as Lao Liu.

"Your Highness, this humble subject is not asking you to take him as a disciple, but..."

"No need for further words, I have my own arrangements."

Xiang Yuan showed little interest in taking on disciples. He raised his hand and pretended to do some calculations, then frowned and said, "I have no master-disciple relationship with your daughter, but I can introduce her to a famous master. I can arrange a grandmaster-level master for her from the top-tier schools in the Western Chu region, such as Tianzong, Jianxinzhai, Wushuang Palace, and Huangquandao. If you don't like them, there are also top-tier schools in the Northern Qi and Southern Jin regions. I have some influence in those areas."

What are you saying? It should be that they look down on me.

Old Liu said that anything within the Western Chu territory would be fine; anything too far away would make it difficult to see his daughter in the future. After much deliberation, he finally chose Tianzong.

With the future sect leader's approval, the daughter of the young sect leader of the Heavenly Sect will certainly not be mistreated once she arrives at the sect.

"Heavenly Sect..."

Xiang Yuan nodded and pointed a sword into the void. In a few breaths, a beautiful figure teleported over.

The newcomer wore a cool, elegant palace dress, her robes billowing like clouds. She wore no makeup, and her refined demeanor made her seem like a fairy untouched by worldly concerns.

"Mingxia greets the Young Sect Master."

"Let me introduce you to a disciple..."

Looking at Mingxia standing obediently in the distance, she was the former head of the Heavenly Sword Pavilion and the current elder of the Heavenly Sect. Her cultivation level as a Grandmaster was beyond question. Being a woman herself, it was convenient for her to take on female disciples.

Those around were astonished by Mingxia's celestial beauty, feeling as if a fairy had descended to earth. They instinctively held their breath, afraid of making a sound and disturbing her.

Upon hearing that Xiang Yuan would use her to repay a favor, Mingxia was overjoyed. The young sect leader would think of her first when he needed something, and regardless of Old Liu's daughter's aptitude, she immediately agreed.

If you don't have the qualifications, then use rare and precious materials; you have to pile them up to reach the Nascent Soul stage.

loyalty!

Zen'er Peeks Out.JPG
Inside the carriage, Chan'er squinted, and for some reason, an ancient mirror of reincarnation appeared in her hand.

Where did this vixen come from? Her flirtatious behavior is utterly despicable. I'll kill you with this!
Hearing Xiang Yuan's voice transmission, he snorted and angrily put away the Reincarnation Mirror.

What do you mean by "little scoundrel"? There's no such pretty little scoundrel. You're clearly having an affair with her. Otherwise, why didn't you look for other Heavenly Sect elders? Why did you think of her first?
That's how enchantresses are; when they're being unreasonable, they don't reason at all. Xiang Yuan didn't take it to heart; he figured he could just coax her a bit later.

Xiao Lingyue knew that Chan'er was very easy to coax.

Xiang Yuan chatted with Lao Liu for a few more minutes. As he turned to leave, his gaze met Liu Jingsheng's, a golden glint flashing in his eyes, and a phantom image of a striped tiger leaped out from within.

With its agile body and gleaming silver stripes, the tiger roared to the sky and pounced on Liu Jingsheng.

Roar! !

The tiger's roar was like thunder, exploding deep within Liu Jingsheng's primordial spirit. His whole body trembled violently as he saw the fierce and domineering aura rushing towards him. The tiger's roar was terrifying, and he suddenly understood the sword intent. The shackles in his heart shattered.

Xiang Yuan had a deep impression of this third-class constable. Years ago, he had watched his swordsmanship and his head was throbbing with pain. He had learned to be "calm as still water and fierce as a tiger." Today, he was returning the favor, so it was a fair exchange.

Rumble————

Xiang Yuan mounted his black horse and led his group of armored cavalry away.

Although it was late, he did not intend to stay in Fengxian County; he had already arranged a place to stay for the night.

Xiang Yuan returned to Dezhou in glory to show off, or rather, to repay a favor. He had three main destinations: Fengxian County, the martial arts school where he first traveled back in time, and Juhai Manor in Yongchuan County.

Tonight, he plans to stay at Juhai Villa.

Lu Ming, the martial arts instructor, can be considered Xiang Yuan's first angel investor. The Five Tigers Breaking the Gate Saber, the foundation of Xiang Yuan's business, came from him.

In addition, Lu Ming also gave Xiang Yuan a method of internal energy cultivation called the "Six-Character Breathing Technique". Although he didn't use it much and it was quickly replaced by the Formless Seal Technique, Xiang Yuan always remembered this kindness.

When Lu Ming was passing on his skills, he said that he wouldn't give them away for nothing. He was a down-on-his-luck martial arts instructor with no children and no one to rely on in his old age. He was passing on his skills only to make a good connection. If Xiang Yuan ever becomes successful in the future, he should not forget that there was an instructor named Lu Ming.

After thinking it over, Xiang Yuan felt that he was now considered successful, neither too big nor too small, and had a certain status in Xi Chu, so he came to the martial arts school to repay this favor.

Lu Ming burst into tears. Like Lao Liu, he never imagined that his small, dilapidated martial arts school would produce a Hegemon of Western Chu.

The key thing is that Xiang Yuan really came back!

Like Lao Liu, Lu Ming was a shrewd man. He was afraid that his small body couldn't handle such a huge windfall. Moreover, he had no children, and at his age, there was no point in pursuing a future. So he simply sought wealth and a comfortable old age where he wouldn't have to worry about food and drink.

My small wish is to point my fingers into a sword and get the capital to pay up the bill.

Lu Ming's wishes were not grand. Firstly, he was too old to ask for too much wealth and status. Secondly, he had invested in more than just Xiang Yuan back then; he cast a wide net and caught many fish. Almost every young man in the martial arts school had a copy of the Six-Character Breathing Technique.

What if it gets exposed someday and Ba Wang finds out...

Well, to be on the safe side, I wouldn't dare ask for anything recklessly, even if it's just a small request for wealth.

……

Yongchuan County, Juhai Mountain Villa.

Under the cover of night, the lamplight illuminates the night as if it were daytime.

Xiang Yuan leaped off his horse, brought Chan'er out, laughed loudly, and strode forward: "Brother Zhang, it's been a long time! You look as radiant as ever!"

Zhang Celiang led his wife and children in a line and bowed respectfully: "Zhang Celiang of Juhai Manor greets Your Highness and Your Highness." Chan'er nodded secretly; this man of the martial world was indeed tactful in his speech.

"Brother Zhang, there's no prince here. I'm just asking for lodging tonight..."

Xiang Yuan didn't know many people in Dezhou. He buried himself in his work, spending his days either cultivating or eating. While traveling in Dezhou, he eliminated the demoness of the Illusionary Annihilation Path at Juhai Manor and happened to save Zhang Celiang's entire family.

In gratitude, Zhang Celiang not only shared his family's traditional swordsmanship techniques and bought Xiang Yuan a small courtyard in Fengxian County, but also sent him a pile of gifts.

Most importantly, he spent money to hire online trolls to help Xiang Yuan gain traffic, creating the reputation of "Fengxian Hubaoyi" and "Dezhou Shijiyu".

Although the two nicknames sounded unlucky and a bit like "useless brother," Xiang Yuan felt bad for accepting the favor and thought Zhang Celiang had given too much. Later, he returned the property in Fengxian County and even gave Zhang Celiang a "Blood Qi Pill" as a friendly gift, which cured the hidden injury that had been bothering Zhang Celiang for many years.

If someone treats me with respect, I will treat them with even greater respect; if someone squanders a single grain of my millet, I will take three bushels from them.

Xiang Yuan's simple and unpretentious values ​​made him quite fond of Zhang Celiang, so he made a special trip to Juhai Mountain Villa to stay overnight and return the traffic he had received a hundredfold to the other party.

The mountain villa prepared a simple banquet, and the guests enjoyed themselves immensely. After resting for a night, they returned home in glory the next day.

Before leaving, he left behind a sword technique as a gift for Zhang Celiang.

After leaving Juhai Villa, all that lay ahead were strangers. Xiang Yuan had nothing to pretend to do, so he headed straight for Zhen Dian Prefecture.

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

The Overlord's Mansion.

The renovated gate of the Prince's Mansion is more magnificent than the previous Prince Zhao's Mansion. The gate is made of vermilion and studded with gold. Two stone statues of guardian beasts stand in front of the mansion, their eyes glaring and their claws pressing against the map of mountains and rivers. They are imposing and domineering.

Previously, the Zhaowang Mansion served as the residence of the Grand General of Guanshan Road. The front courtyard had several grand halls that overlooked eight prefectures. However, Xiang Yuan was not the Grand General, and the civil and military affairs of the eight prefectures were none of his concern. The grand halls were either demolished or rebuilt and replaced with a formation to protect the Overlord Mansion.

The Xiao family of Shendu spent a huge sum of money to build it, making it quite extraordinary.

Xiang Yuan had studied it a few days ago, commented "What a piece of junk," removed the array, built his own simulating the Heavenly Sect's grand array, and set up layers of spatial restrictions in the backyard to ensure that the house wouldn't actually be destroyed when they demolished it.

The main focus is on prevention.

Just as he expected, before Chan'er even entered the Overlord's Mansion, the atmosphere became tense as soon as she got off the carriage.

Jinse Liushi stood on either side, some holding incense burners, some carrying jade artifacts, and some carrying ancient zithers. Each of them had their hair styled in high buns, adorned with golden hairpins and swaying hair ornaments. Their features were exquisite, and their demeanor was graceful and elegant. They moved with light steps, their skirts not fluttering as they walked. Each of them revealed a remarkable level of cultivation and artistic conception, and even the hem of their clothes exuded an ethereal charm.

Chan'er walked in the center, wearing a flowing moon-colored fairy dress and a frost-like cloak. Her face was half-covered by a silver moon veil, revealing only a pair of delicate and powerless eyes.

I don’t know what she was so delicate about, but she just seemed weak in all four limbs, languidly draped her arm over the zither, as if she couldn’t walk without someone supporting her.

With light, graceful steps, each step shone brightly, and with every step, moonlight and ripples of water bloomed beneath her feet.

Surrounded by admirers, her status and prestige were beyond compare, demonstrating her extraordinary position and status, far surpassing those mere concubines who were just there to fill a quota.

Xiang Yuan watched with a dark expression, shrugged, and let her be.

Upon entering the palace, Chan'er, exuding the majesty of a princess, lazily raised a finger and declared, "This hall is too dark, it's unlucky. Tear it down and rebuild it. That hall's door is too red, it's too auspicious. Tear it down and rebuild it."

Blah blah blah, waibi waibi.

It wasn't until Xiang Yuan casually remarked that the first wife wouldn't be so affected, only concubines vying for favor would, that she hummed twice and took back her previous words.

This princess is returning to the palace, so what's wrong with being a little glamorous? Why are you talking nonsense here?

Zen'er: ╭(╯^╰)╮

If she's unhappy, you have to coax her; otherwise, Chan'er won't leave!

The front yard of the Overlord's Mansion was not small, and the back yard was even larger. It was worthless for a hundred million coins. The journey, which was already long, took a full half hour because Chan'er dawdled and deliberately slowed down.

Judging from her still-enjoyed appearance, she seemed to want to go through it a couple more times.

A vixen is a vixen; even wearing a phoenix hairpin doesn't make her look like a princess!

Xiao Lingyue stood under the corridor, expressionless as she watched Chan'er walk over leisurely. Jinse, the sixth incarnation, was stunningly beautiful, and her graceful figure holding the zither was equally captivating. Such a grand display infuriated Xiao Lingyue.

Beside her, Xiao Lingyan stared wide-eyed.

Baoqin is alright; although she is beautiful, her downtrodden temperament is too prominent, making her far from the main character. Jinse, on the other hand, has six incarnations, each with a fairy-like appearance and an extraordinary demeanor. Some are fresh and elegant, while others are quiet and graceful. No two are alike, and any one of them would be a stunning beauty of national renown.

In the words of her mother, Chen Qiaofeng, this woman is a femme fatale!

So, who exactly is the Holy Maiden of the Underworld?
Could they all be...?

The two sides faced each other under the corridor. Chan'er glanced at the other side and lightly swept her eyes over Xiao Lingyan. She thought, "Silly couple, not very smart. You can easily take them down with a little trick."

The key is still this woman! x2
Their eyes met, and Xiao Lingyue and Chan'er simultaneously narrowed their eyes. Invisible arcs of electricity crackled and popped in mid-air, and the large red lanterns under the corridor swayed violently without any wind.

The air suddenly thickened, and a chilling atmosphere spread instantly. Baoqin was the first to be affected, her face turning deathly pale as she staggered to the side.

Although Xiao Lingyan had already reached the Nascent Soul stage, she was no match for the two Grandmasters' oppressive power. Fine beads of sweat appeared on her forehead, and after barely holding on for a moment, she couldn't withstand it and had to retreat several steps.

In the courtyard outside the corridor, Xiang Yuan had found a stone bench and sat down at some point. He lazily crossed his legs, snapped his fingers, beckoned to Bao Qin, and then pointed to his own shoulder.

Baoqin, the wronged girl, felt as if she had been granted a pardon. She scurried up behind the master, placed her ten fingers on his shoulders, and began to knead them with all her might.

This isn't the first time I've massaged Xiang Yuan's shoulders; I know he has thick skin and it takes a lot of effort for him.

Under the corridor, Xiao Lingyue and Chan'er had finished clearing the area, and the standoff was escalating. They kept calling each other "little sister" affectionately.

Xiang Yuan yawned as he watched, and seeing that Xiao Lingyan was even braver than him, standing at the very front to watch the show, his face immediately darkened, and he waved his hand to beckon her over.

Why are you getting so close? Next time, learn from me and stay back.

Also, that's not how you eat melons. You haven't learned a single thing all these years in Prince Zhao's mansion!

Xiao Lingyan nodded silently after hearing what Xiang Yuan said. She looked at the two women facing off in the arena and said in a low voice, "I saw this scene before at the Prince Zhao's residence. Now that someone has stepped forward to persuade us, it's not too late."

No, there are no Grandmasters in the backyard of Prince Zhao's residence; this is the first time you've seen one.

Xiang Yuan looked at Xiao Lingyan and realized that she was truly beautiful inside and out. He rubbed his hands together, hooked his arm around her slender waist, and pulled her into his arms to sit down.

This was the first time Xiao Lingyan had been so intimate with Xiang Yuan. Her waistline immediately tightened, her face flushed slightly, and when she saw Xiang Yuan looking at her with a half-smile, she looked away in fright, her eyelashes trembling and her heart racing.

But he didn't get up and move away.

If they were all like you, even if I were invincible and could fight anyone in the world, I would be happy to have women on my left and right every day, eating and drinking, living a carefree and happy life!

Xiang Yuan teased Xiao Lingyan a little, and seeing her blush and her heart race, she felt the sensation of first love.

He wasn't her first love, but Xiao Lingyan was!
"You may not know this, but it's no use trying to stop these two. They fight every time they meet. Stopping them only addresses the symptoms, not the root cause. The right approach is to let them work out their differences."

Xiang Yuan said with a serious face, "Before me, the two of them were a couple. They were so close, calling each other 'older sister' and 'younger sister'."

Xiang Yuan wasn't just making things up; it was the truth. Before he got together with Xiao Lingyue and Chan'er, the two women had achieved dual cultivation, sharing the same heaven and earth, and their relationship was exceptionally close.

It's a sad story. Outsiders only know that the Overlord was incredibly powerful and had the final say in Western Chu, but they don't know that he was also a cheat. His two wives had already been tainted by other men long before he entered the scene.

They even secretly made a magical artifact for cultivating both body and spirit!
Afterwards, the two princesses still maintained ties with their exes, occasionally bumping into each other, sometimes in the Qianyuan Realm, and sometimes by opening a door to other places.

Especially the last time, in front of him, on the same bed, under the same blanket, we hugged and kissed.

What can an honest man do? He loves them so much, what else can he do but leave them? He has no way to express his bitterness, so he can only swallow his grievances and forgive them.

"what?!"

Xiao Lingyan exclaimed in surprise, astonished to learn that the two women had once been best friends. She asked in confusion, "If that's the case, why have they become such bitter enemies?"

"She has a man now."

Xiang Yuan said helplessly, "The ship of sisterly friendship couldn't withstand a scoundrel like him, and it capsized on the spot."

"..."

You're clearly smiling!
"Enough talk, they're fighting."

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

10,000 words, please vote with monthly tickets!

(End of this chapter)