From slave trader to the Immortal Lord of Ten Thousand Laws

"Qiao'er, what nonsense are you talking about!"

Xu Qingyue blushed and lowered her head, her beautiful almond-shaped eyes sweeping over Qiao'er's hair as she playfully scolded:

"What I mean is that you must be tired from the journey. Go and tell the servants to cook some fragrant soup for Young Master Jiang to warm him up and relieve his fatigue."

"Ah! So that's what you meant, Miss!"

Qiao'er covered her mouth and chuckled, giving him a look that said, "There's definitely something wrong between you two."

Xu Qingyue frowned.

She knew she had said the wrong thing, but over the past few months, she had grown accustomed to having Jiang She by her side.

"Jiang She, I'm going to take a bath. You're not allowed to peek."

"Yes, miss."

"Jiang She, were you peeking?"

"No, miss."

"Then tell me, which side of my chest do I have a mole on?"

"left."

"...Liar! You still say you didn't peek!"

Xu Qingyue chuckled; her mole was actually on the right side.

"Miss? Miss?"

A clear, crisp voice interrupted Xu Qingyue's reverie. She looked up and let out two awkward hums.

"Yes, yes, go quickly and prepare some fragrant water. I need to bathe and change before I go to the Zhao residence in person."

Go in person?

Upon hearing this, Xu Ningyuan was taken aback: "Yue'er, this is different from what we said before. How can we ask you to go in person?"

"You worry that if I go to the Zhao family in person, those stubborn old men in the clan will definitely use this as an opportunity to attack me, saying that I have disgraced the family."

But what about you?

You are the only daughter of the Xu family's direct line, and the future head of the family. If you were to personally go to the Zhao family, what would people say? How would your family criticize you?

As he said this, his chest heaved slightly, clearly indicating his emotional state, and he said in a deep voice:

"You are an unmarried young lady, your reputation is of utmost importance! It would be better if your uncle went to the Zhao family instead."

Xu Qingyue listened silently, her fingertips curling gently inside her sleeve. How could she not know her father's worries? She was not unaware of the possible foul language he might use.

But...

She raised her eyes, her gaze clear and resolute:

"Uncle, it is precisely because I am the future head of the family that I should be the one to handle this matter. If I were to fear what others might say, or worry that the elders of the family would gossip and spread rumors behind my back..."

"How can someone with such limited capacity be worthy of the title of head of the family?!"

Upon hearing this, Xu Ningyuan was taken aback.

He knew he couldn't persuade her otherwise.

This niece, whom he watched grow up, has long been tempered by trials and tribulations, and has developed her own decisiveness and sense of responsibility.

"If that's the case..."

Xu Ningyuan spoke slowly, his voice regaining its usual composure, and said gently:

"Moon, you can go ahead. I'll take care of everything at home. If the elders dare to have any criticism of you..."

"I wouldn't mind playing the villain!"

Before he finished speaking, a cold glint flashed in his eyes, and his unfinished words condensed into a single, blood-soaked word: "kill."

Xu Qingyue stood up and bowed deeply to Xu Ningyuan.

As the sunlight outside the window grew longer, it filtered into the room in a soft, diffused manner.

...

...

"Young Master Jiang, Miss sent me to bring some fragrant soup."

"Understood."

Jiang She pushed open the door and looked up to see Qiao'er standing outside the door holding a lacquer tray. On the tray was a white porcelain soup pot with wisps of steam rising from its spout. Beside it were soap pods, a towel, and a set of clean, starched black everyday clothes.

"Young Master Jiang".

Qiao'er curtsied slightly, a smile playing on her lips, and handed over the lacquered tray: "Miss instructed that some fragrant soup be prepared for the young master to cleanse himself. This is made from sweet spring water and mugwort, and it is most effective in relieving fatigue and moisturizing the skin."

"Thank you for your trouble, Miss Qiao'er."

Jiang She accepted the lacquer tray and raised his hand in thanks.

Qiao'er covered her mouth and chuckled, "My lord, please bathe. This servant will take her leave." With that, she turned and gracefully departed.

Seeing her leave, Jiang She went back to his room, bolted the door, took off his clothes and got into the tub. Soon, he soaked in the warm water, and the refreshing scent of the herbs soothed his body and dispelled the fatigue accumulated from days of travel.

He closed his eyes and leaned back, looking completely at ease.

Just then, a gray-clad guard suddenly emerged from behind a pillar, peeked into Jiang She's room, stared at the direction Qiao'er had left for several moments, then turned around, strode through the moon gate, and ran toward the secluded courtyard where Li Nian lived.

Not long after.

The gray-clad guard, panting heavily, rushed into the courtyard and saw a man in white sitting upright at a stone table, head bowed, wiping his long sword with a cloth. He quickly stepped forward, bowed, and said urgently:

"Brother Li...no, something terrible has happened!"

"What's the matter that you're so panicked?"

Li Nian didn't even look up, calmly picking up the teacup.

The henchman swallowed hard and whispered:

"Just now, I saw that Miss sent someone to deliver fragrant bathwater for that scoundrel Jiang She to bathe in..."

Click!

The teacup that Li Nian had just raised to his lips was suddenly crushed.

His face suddenly darkened, becoming as gloomy as frost, and his eyes glared fiercely at the guard, saying:

"What did you say?"

The gray-clad guard's lips trembled:

"I said... Miss sent fragrant soup to Jiang..."

boom!

Before he could finish speaking, the stone table was smashed to pieces with a punch.

Li Nian gritted his teeth: "Miss... even when bathing in fragrant water, she's thinking about this good-for-nothing... Does he even deserve it?"

The gray-clad guard lowered his head tremblingly, not daring to speak easily. He glanced up furtively and saw that Li Nian's eyes were burning with jealousy, which was so intense that it made people tremble with fear.

After a long while, Li Nian took a deep breath and threw the longsword back onto the weapon rack with a loud clang.

He turned his back to the bamboo grove in the courtyard, his shoulders trembling slightly, and said in a hoarse voice:

"Get out!"

"Yes, yes..."

The guard felt as if he had been granted a pardon and hurriedly left the courtyard.

The courtyard returned to deathly silence.

Li Nian stood frozen for a long time.

Suddenly, he gritted his teeth and said, "I must master that rolled-up boxing manual so that Miss... will look at me with new eyes!"

only...

Since Instructor Chen obtained the boxing manual from Xu Qingyue and taught it to the guards for several months, not only have none of the guards in the Xu family learned it, but even Chen Kun himself has not figured it out.

Just then, the gray-clad guard who had just left rushed back to report:

"Brother Li...no, something terrible has happened!"

Li Nian frowned: "What are you going to say now?!"

The guard caught his breath and hurriedly pointed outside the courtyard, saying anxiously, "I just saw that Jiang She and Miss leave the house in the same carriage!"

"What did you say?!"

Before the guard could finish speaking, Li Nian suddenly turned around. The wind from the hem of his robe swept away several bamboo stalks behind him. His face turned from blue to purple, then from purple to black. His eyes were bloodshot, and veins bulged on his forehead.

He couldn't take it anymore.

He had been licking Xu Qingyue's boots for over ten years, yet they could only exchange a few words through a screen.

But now, this Jiang She...

After not seeing you for months, how come you're so close to me now?!

Li Nian dared not think about it anymore.

The more he thought about it, the more horrified he became.

Could it be that... he'll end up like his father and grandfather, spending over a decade licking the boots of women, only to have them all become wives and concubines of the Jiang family?!

...

...

"Knock knock knock!"

In the streets and alleys.

The wheel hubs made a crisp sound as they rolled over the bluestone pavement.

The carriage is furnished with brocade cushions, spacious and clean, and filled with a light and elegant fragrance, which is very calming.

Jiang She, however, felt unwell all over.

He straightened his back, avoided the side wall of the carriage, and chose a seat that was a little far from Xu Qingyue and close to the door. His posture was slightly stiff.

Xu Qingyue sat upright in the main seat. Seeing his appearance, the corners of her lips curled up almost imperceptibly, and she smiled:

"What's wrong, Young Master Jiang? Does riding in the same carriage with me make you uncomfortable?"

"I wouldn't dare."

Jiang She quickly shook his head, glanced at the exquisite furnishings around him, and apologized:

"This place is far too refined, and my rough and uncouth manner might tarnish the elegance of your carriage, Miss."

"Besides, this is my first time sitting in a train carriage."

"first?!"

Xu Qingyue's eyes lit up, and she felt a strange sense of joy. However, upon hearing the word "exquisite," her gaze gradually dimmed. She lowered her head, touched the peony embroidery on her sleeve, and murmured:

"Yes, now that we're back home, we should be more 'disciplined'. From now on, there will be rules everywhere, and we must think carefully about every step we take..."

As she spoke, she looked up at Jiang She and said softly:

"Speaking of which, I haven't properly thanked Young Master Jiang yet. Young Master Jiang, is there anything you would like to reward me with?"

After she finished speaking, the carriage fell silent for a moment.

Only the rumbling sound of wheels rolling over the bluestone slabs and the bustling noise of the market could be heard.

Jiang She was silent for a moment, then said, "Miss, you flatter me. Escorting you back was merely my duty."

"I have no intention of asking for any reward."

Before he could finish speaking, a deliberately suppressed chuckle suddenly came from inside the carriage.

"Oh dear, Young Master Jiang, you are mistaken!"

Qiao'er, drawing out her words in a long, drawn-out tone, said with a mischievous grin, "Young Master Jiang, you are the first man to ride in the same carriage as my young lady. In my opinion, you should also be her first son-in-law!"

"Qiao'er!"

Xu Qingyue's face flushed bright red instantly, like a ripe persimmon, the blush spreading all the way to her ears.

She was both ashamed and angry, and reached out to teach this outspoken brat a lesson:

"You little brat, you're getting more and more unruly! If you keep talking nonsense, I'll fine you your monthly allowance!"

Qiao'er nimbly dodged, her laughter like silver bells scattering across the ground, and said in a coquettish tone, "Oh dear, Miss, I know I was wrong, I know I was wrong, please don't punish me for my monthly wages~"

As she spoke, she turned her head to look at Jiang She again:

"Young master, you should say something for Qiao'er!"

"you!"

Xu Qingyue's raised hand paused slightly, but her gaze unconsciously glanced at Jiang She.

Jiang She remained seated upright, his face calm and expressionless, as if he had not heard Qiao'er's shocking words. His eyelashes were slightly lowered, making it impossible to see the expression in his eyes.

She was momentarily unsure whether she felt a sense of relief or a subtle, almost imperceptible melancholy.

To conceal her emotions, Xu Qingyue coughed lightly, feigning composure, and said to the grinning Qiao'er in an annoyed tone:

"Qiao'er, what nonsense are you spouting!"

"You mean 'the first son-in-law'? Judging from your tone, do you... want several sons-in-law?"

She thought to herself:

"Are you sure you can manage all that?"

As her personal maid, Qiao'er was also required to be a concubine after Xu Qingyue's marriage.

She needs to connect to each room as many times as she has sons-in-law...

Qiao'er blushed, clearly having thought of these things as well.

The carriage fell silent.

Xu Qingyue sat upright, her gaze falling on her folded hands, her fingertips unconsciously tracing the embroidery on her cuffs.

Qiao'er's joke just now, though a jest, was like a pebble thrown into a lake, creating ripples in her heart that were hard to calm down for a long time.

She recalled Jiang She's words from earlier:

"Besides, this is my first time sitting in a train carriage."

first....

So... I was his first time...

"Knock knock knock!"

The carriage moved steadily through the bustling street.

Not long after, the carriage stopped in front of a mansion.

Qiao'er hurriedly lifted the curtain to look, and saw that the mansion in front of her was magnificent and imposing, no less impressive than the Xu family's.

The mansion's main gate was painted vermilion as if it had just been painted, with two stone lions, each over ten feet tall, standing on either side, their heads raised, eyes wide open, teeth bared, and beards bristling as if they were alive. The door was carved from a single piece of nanmu wood, painted vermilion, and studded with nine large gilded copper nails, arranged in a vertical and horizontal pattern, symbolizing "supreme status." Above the door hung a black plaque with gold characters engraved on it, bearing the words "Zhao Residence," written in bold, powerful strokes, exuding an air of profound wealth and nobility.

Looking up, the mansion wall was built of blue bricks, more than two zhang high, and stretched for an unknown length. The top of the wall was covered with dark blue tiles and neat rows of eaves. The steps in front of the gate were paved with white marble and carved with cloud patterns. Two servants in blue robes stood guard at the bottom of the steps, their hands on their swords, their eyes gleaming as they scanned the passersby.

"stop!"

A servant in blue robes, brandishing a knife, stopped the carriage and said:

"Who is it?"

Upon seeing this, Qiao'er gracefully stepped down from the carriage and said in a clear voice, "I have come to inform you that I am Xu Qingyue from the Xu family in the capital, and I have come to pay my respects to your master."

"The Xu family?"

The servant's eyes sharpened as he glanced at the ornate carriage behind Qiao'er, then returned the greeting with clasped hands.

"Please ask my master first."

After saying this, he turned and quickly went inside to announce his arrival.

...

...

The Zhao family.

Inside the living room, a celadon tea set was placed on a rosewood table, and a wisp of white steam rose from the spout of the teapot.

Seated at the head of the table was a young man in brocade robes, about twenty years old. He wore a sky-blue silk robe with flowing cloud patterns embroidered in gold thread on the collar, and a jade belt around his waist with a mutton-fat jade pendant hanging from it.

He leaned against the table, holding a cup in one hand, his fingertips lightly tapping the rim of the cup, his gaze sweeping across the person opposite him with a half-smile.

A young Taoist priest sat opposite him.

Dressed in white as snow, his long hair was loosely tied up with a bamboo hairpin, with a few strands falling in front of his forehead, making his brows and eyes appear as clear and serene as cold water. His back was straight as a pine tree, his hands were loosely placed on his knees, and his whole body seemed to be shrouded in a layer of light and pure air, which was out of place with the rich and luxurious furnishings in the room, as if he was about to turn into a crane and return to heaven at any moment.

The young man in brocade robes was named Zhao Jiaren.

He is now the person in charge of the Zhao family.

The young Taoist priest was named Dong Yunqi. Unlike other unorthodox cultivators, he was a legitimate cultivator whose name was recorded in the Great Qian Dynasty Taoist register.

At this moment, Zhao Jiaren took a sip of tea, gently tapped the teacup on the table, and smiled:

"Thanks to you, sir, my family has now secured our position among all the merchants as having the favor of the mountain god's messenger."

The Daqian people liked to call enlightened hermits and Taoist priests "Master," and Zhao Jiaren's way of addressing them was in accordance with etiquette.

Upon hearing this, Dong Yunqi raised his eyelids, his gaze still serene, and said calmly:

"You flatter me, sir."

"I have only obtained the Taoist register by chance and am honored to be listed in the Xuanmen. My skills are but a few minor ones and are not worth mentioning."

"To confirm the matter of the messenger with your esteemed family is merely a matter of my own path. I need to 'borrow the tiger's power' to achieve this. My relationship with the Zhao family is simply a matter of each getting what they need."

now....

Within the Great Qian Dynasty, the Qi Refining Throne already had an owner.

Although that Grand Preceptor has not appeared in the world for sixty years and it is unknown whether he is dead, his prestige still remains.

Dong Yunqi dared not overstep his bounds, nor dared to confront him directly. Therefore, he compromised and abandoned his path of cultivation to start anew.

The path he is currently cultivating is the one he obtained from the Wild Fox Zen lineage. He must find a place blessed with spiritual energy and beauty, borrow the reputation of others to enhance his own prestige, and spend more than ten years using the reputation of others to gain power before he can gather a wisp of incense energy. It takes ten wisps to condense into a single "Qi Refining" wisp. The chance of becoming a Qi Refining Immortal is only one in ten thousand.

It takes a hundred years to cultivate one's "qi," and how can a mortal's lifespan withstand such a long and arduous process?

But Dong Yunqi had no other choice.

He had long since collected numerous longevity-enhancing items, and his own magical power had condensed into thirty-six strands. He had already drawn an inner landscape diagram in his Qi Sea acupoint. What he needed to do now was to collect "Qi Refining" and incorporate it into the diagram so that the inner landscape would "come alive" and thus achieve his position as a Qi Refining Immortal.

This method is already a shortcut among all Qi cultivators; in just over a hundred years, one can achieve the Qi cultivation level.

But the worst thing about this method is that the main culprit might return halfway through.

Once the true messenger of the mountain god returns and draws everyone's attention to him, Dong Yunqi will lose this opportunity.

Although Dong Yunqi did not say it out loud, he knew it perfectly well in his heart.

He must first find the mountain god's messenger and eliminate him completely.

Upon hearing this, Zhao Jiaren's lips curled into a playful smile. He put down his teacup and clapped his hands in light praise:

"Hahaha! What a win-win situation!"

"Sir, your words are very frank! They resonate with me perfectly."

"In this way, once the Ointment for Longevity spreads throughout the capital, and the common people all consume this 'highly nourishing substance,' even the imperial relatives and nobles vie for it, then my pawn in Suzhou can seize the opportunity to wreak havoc on their land!"