From slave trader to the Immortal Lord of Ten Thousand Laws

"Oh! It's Jiang She!"

Zhao Qiaoling spotted Jiang She at the door from afar, and her eyes lit up instantly. Her round, adorable face blossomed with undisguised surprise and a smile. She skipped and hopped off the carriage, ran straight to Jiang She, and winked, saying:

"Jiang She, I've come to buy you as promised!"

"Forehead...."

Jiang She paused for a moment, then, maintaining his composure, raised his hand in a gesture of respect: "Miss Zhao, we meet again."

"Uh-huh."

Zhao Qiaoling nodded happily.

She tilted her little face up, her crescent-shaped eyes sparkling as she stared intently at Jiang She, her eyes brimming with joy and the excitement of discovering a treasure.

"Xing'er said that it would cost ten times the price to buy you."

"I'm on my way to buy you!"

At this point, she showed no sign of worry about money. Instead, she puffed out her still-developing chest, raised her chin, and displayed an arrogant and self-righteous air, as if to say, "I can handle anything."

Jiang She smiled but didn't say anything.

He turned around and entered the house through a side door, while Zhao Qiaoling was introduced by a servant through the main gate after being notified by the doorman.

Upon entering the courtyard, Zhao Qiaoling was like a little sparrow entering a novel garden, her eyes curiously taking in everything. Sometimes she would point at the strange rocks under the eaves and exclaim in surprise, "So ugly, so ugly!" Other times she would scoop up water with her jade-like hands, startling the koi in the pond.

The girl was innocent and carefree, her eyes filled with curiosity.

"Xing'er, look at that rock, it's so ugly. Doesn't it look just like your brother?"

"Miss, you mustn't speak ill of Young Master Cricket behind his back."

"oh."

Zhao Qiaoling stuck out her little tongue and looked at the screen wall again.

"Xing'er, look at the screen wall of the Xu family. Isn't it better than ours?"

"Miss, that looks like mutton fat jade..."

"Oh? Is that so? Then what about the wood in this covered walkway? Isn't it getting a bit old?"

"...Miss, that's top-quality Phoebe zhennan wood."

"Hmph! Damn it, we can't compete! The Xu family is really rich!"

Zhao Qiaoling was so angry that she showed her two little tiger teeth.

She spoke as if no one else was around, and soon followed the servant to a spacious guest room.

Faint voices could be heard coming from inside the hall.

Without waiting for an announcement, Zhao Qiaoling lifted her skirt and excitedly stepped over the threshold, calling out in her clear voice:

"Xu Xiao, Sister..."

Before she could even utter the word "sister," the smile on her round, adorable face suddenly froze.

In the main hall, two men and a woman sat at the head of the table. One of them, a young man in brocade robes, was holding a teacup and had just raised it to his lips to take a sip when his gaze fell on her.

"Little sister?"

Zhao Jiaren looked horrified.

Clearly, he hadn't expected to run into his younger sister here. His brow furrowed almost imperceptibly, and he put down his teacup, questioning her with displeasure:

"Little sister, what are you doing here at the Xu family instead of staying quietly at home?"

Zhao Qiaoling shrank back instinctively when he looked at her, but then remembered the purpose of her trip and became more assertive:

"I...I'm here to buy something!"

"Buying something?"

Zhao Jiaren was stunned.

"What do you want to buy?" he asked, his gaze piercing.

Zhao Qiaoling shook her head and hurriedly waved her hands, saying, "Ah! No, no! He's a scoundrel!"

But after saying that, she felt like something was off.

Sigh, garlic birds, garlic birds, life isn't easy for anyone.

The older brother is a pervert who can keep anything as his own, and the younger sister only likes women. This family has really had a tough time.

"Um?"

Seeing that his younger sister was speaking incoherently, Zhao Jiaren was completely confused and asked her:

"Little sister, what exactly do you want to buy?"

"Hey! I want to buy people!"

"people?"

Zhao Jiaren's expression froze for a moment, and he stared at Zhao Qiaoling with a surprised look before saying:

"You want to buy slaves again?"

"What, aren't all those delicate maids in your household enough for you to play with?"

What he said was true. The women Zhao Qiaoling bought were never just lowly maids, but rather daughters of officials who were to be sent to the brothels. Those women were naturally well-bred, and every gesture they made exuded a refined and noble air. These women, born into noble families but reduced to maids, were the most alluring and captivating.

"Not a maid."

Zhao Qiaoling shook her head and poured out her heart like beans pouring from a bamboo tube:

"It's that young man named Jiang She! He's so handsome! I'm going to buy him and turn him into a woman! Brother, could you lend me a few more of your gender-changing pills?"

Zhao Jiaren was taken aback.

He almost didn't react, staring blankly at Zhao Qiaoling, and asked:

"What did you say, little sister?"

"You want to buy men?!"

"Yes, that's right."

Zhao Qiaoling nodded without hesitation.

Upon seeing this, Zhao Jiaren became furious.

"Nonsense!"

He roared, his lips trembling, "You...you're a girl, how could you buy a man!"

"Brother, aren't you also buying women?"

Zhao Qiaoling blinked and said seriously.

Upon hearing this, the living room fell silent instantly, as if even the air itself had frozen.

Zhao Jiaren's lips twitched, and his condescending, reprimanding expression froze. He had no choice but to cough awkwardly and say, "Don't talk nonsense! I... I was just recruiting people and managing the family business. Um... yes! Those women are all extremely capable!"

He spoke rapidly, clearly lacking confidence, and only wanted to get over this awkward topic as quickly as possible. So he changed the subject, his face hardening, and said:

"Don't mention this matter again. Little sister, go home quickly and don't embarrass yourself here."

"That won't do, I haven't bought Jiang She yet!"

Zhao Qiaoling shook her head, her expression somewhat stubborn.

Xu Qingyue, standing to the side, was getting restless.

As soon as Zhao Qiaoling blurted out "I want to buy Jiang She," her jade hand holding the silk handkerchief tightened slightly. Although her expression remained composed, she was extremely uneasy inside.

Buy Jiang She?

Why buy Jiang She?

What did Jiang She do to her?

These words kept echoing in Xu Qingyue's mind, making her feel a tightness in her chest.

She couldn't help but recall the moments she had shared with Jiang She over the past few months: from being helpless in the hands of the old Taoist priest to relying on each other for survival on the eight thousand miles homeward journey... Unconsciously, this man named "Jiang She" seemed to have quietly occupied a corner of her heart.

Now, this little brat from the Zhao family is so casually declaring that she wants to buy him...

No!

This is absolutely unacceptable!!

Thinking of this, Xu Qingyue forced herself to remain calm and said softly to Zhao Qiaoling:

"Miss Zhao, I wonder what my husband has done to offend you that you would want to buy him to teach him a lesson?"

Upon hearing this, Zhao Qiaoling shook her head slightly, her eyes sincere, and said, "It wasn't about provoking him; he asked me to buy him back!"

"W-what?"

Xu Qingyue's heart skipped a beat, her face filled with disbelief, her beautiful almond-shaped eyes staring intently at Zhao Qiaoling:

"Did he really say that?"

"Uh-huh."

Zhao Qiaoling nodded: "Yes! He said if I really want him, then I'll buy him back."

Upon hearing her words, an indescribable bitterness and a sharp sense of crisis instantly surged into Xu Qingyue's heart.

Xu Qingyue felt a pang of heartache.

For a moment, he was speechless with murmurs.

"That one?"

Upon hearing Xu Qingyue utter that word, Zhao Jiaren immediately became suspicious. He thought to himself:

"Xu Qingyue didn't say 'my servant' just now, but 'that person in my family'. Who is this Jiang She...?"

"My family member" and "my family servant" have different weights. The former blurs the boundaries of servants, and has the ambiguity and partiality of "a lover is less than a friend."

And Zhao Jiaren.....

But it was precisely this favoritism that I detected.

Thinking of this, he interrupted Zhao Qiaoling, turned to Xu Qingyue, and smiled:

"Miss Xu, I shouldn't interfere in your family's private affairs, but... don't forget about the martial arts contest to choose a husband."

A martial arts contest to find a husband...

These words were like a boulder thrown into Xu Qingyue's already turbulent heart.

Her delicate body trembled, and her face instantly turned ashen. Her almond-shaped eyes glanced at Dong Yunqi unconsciously, only to see the white-robed Taoist sitting calmly, sipping tea with an air of ease.

Yes, this person might really be able to save my father.

But I'm being asked to agree to Zhao Jiaren's martial arts contest to find a husband...

A martial arts contest to find a husband...

These four words kept churning in Xu Qingyue's heart, bringing waves of pain. For some reason, she thought of Jiang She, and of the Jiang Langjun who no longer knew martial arts...

On one side is her father who gave her life, and on the other is the man who is causing her distress. No matter which side she struggles towards, she is caught in a dilemma. Xu Qingyue feels bitter and powerless.

She hesitated, pausing for several breaths before finally mustering the courage to speak, when Qiao'er, who was standing beside her, stepped forward and said:

"Young Master Zhao, I have a disagreement with what you said."

Ok?

Zhao Jiaren's expression froze, and the smile on his face vanished.

He stared blankly at Qiao'er, completely unprepared for this turn of events.

Just as he was about to speak, Qiao'er raised her head, her eyes blazing, and said loudly, "Indeed, the messenger is incredibly powerful, but the 'martial arts contest for marriage' that you and my young lady agreed upon is a matter for another time. My master is still bedridden, so why are you bringing this up?"

"Wouldn't that make us a laughingstock?"

"..."

Zhao Jiaren frowned but remained silent.

It's not that he doesn't want to talk.

He couldn't find the words to answer her.

Qiao'er's words were clear and logical. Before Master Xu had recovered, Zhao Jiaren's words were indeed abrupt.

Speechless, Zhao Jiaren vented his anger on Zhao Qiaoling.

"Come on, hurry and come home with me!"

"No! I'm not going back!"

"I haven't bought Jiang She yet! Sister Xu, how much is Jiang She?"

Zhao Qiaoling blinked and looked sincerely at Xu Qingyue.

Her words were so naive, as if she were asking how much a pound of pig's head meat cost at the market.

"Nonsense!"

Zhao Jiaren was furious.

He felt a strong desire to possess and control his only younger sister, and naturally wouldn't allow any other man to touch her.

That's why he guided Zhao Qiaoling... to the woman he liked from a young age.

With this in mind, Zhao Jiaren no longer wished to linger.

He abruptly stood up, his face ashen, and strode to Zhao Qiaoling. Without a word, he reached out his right hand and pinched Zhao Qiaoling's small, delicate earlobe, angrily saying:

"Come on, let's go back!"

"Ouch! That hurts!"

Zhao Qiaoling winced in pain, her round, pink face contorting in agony, but she only cried out in pain and did not beg for mercy.

Zhao Jiaren disregarded all gentlemanly manners, turned around and pulled her away, not wanting to stay a moment longer.

Zhao Qiaoling stumbled as he pulled her along, calling out "Hey, hey!" When they reached the entrance to the guest hall, Zhao Jiaren paused slightly, turning his head to look at Xu Qingyue inside the hall, and said:

"Miss Xu..."

"My sister has been very kind to me today, please forgive her. Our two families will pay our respects again at the high platform ceremony in seven days."

After saying that, he grabbed Zhao Qiaoling, who was still whimpering, and strode through the door.

Dong Yunqi then left as well.

"Tap tap tap—"

The footsteps faded into the distance.

The living room suddenly fell silent.

Qiao'er stared at the empty doorway, patted her chest, and muttered softly:

"Ah, finally some peace and quiet, Miss."

As she spoke, she turned her head to look at Xu Qingyue, only to see Xu Qingyue let out a deep sigh:

"Sigh, yeah, finally some peace and quiet..."

Seeing that her mistress was distracted, Qiao'er could easily guess what she was thinking and said bluntly, "Miss, if you don't want Miss Zhao to buy Young Master Jiang, just say so."

Xu Qingyue shook her head, saying bitterly, "Silly Qiao'er, what's the use of my thoughts? You heard it yourself, he asked Zhao Qiaoling to buy him away..."

"Moreover...the more you talk, the more mistakes you make."

"Zhao Jiaren is a shrewd and ruthless man, meticulous in every detail. If I had shown too much favoritism towards Jiang She in front of him just now, given his nature, he would definitely have become suspicious afterward. I'm afraid it would have backfired and cost Jiang She his life..."

Upon hearing this, Qiao'er remained silent.

She was shocked and slowly came to her senses. Only then did she belatedly realize that behind the young lady's deliberate distancing, there was such a deep concern.

...

...

"It's done!"

Inside the room, Jiang She let out a long sigh of relief.

He gently placed the brush in his hand on the inkstone, his gaze falling heavily on the scroll on the table.

After expending a great deal of effort and energy, he finally dissected and refined the three chapters of "Last Month's Qi Induction Scripture," taking the best parts and compensating for the weaknesses, and integrated them into a completely new cultivation method.

Although it is still listed in the "Qi-Inducing Classic of the Previous Month".

But Jiang She gave it a different name:

—The Qi-Inducing Classic for the Next Month!

He carefully examined the text written on the silk. He found that the handwriting was neat and elegant, and the content was quite different from any of the previous ones. Originally, all three cultivation methods were techniques of replenishing one's energy through cultivation, but this silk book did not mention it at all. It only guided women to strengthen their foundation and cultivate their magical power, while secretly turning the women who practiced this technique into his furnace.

"call--"

Jiang She blew the ink dry and then unfolded the silk scroll again.

He examined the silk book carefully.

This silk book was not made of new silk, but rather a tattered piece of silk that was deliberately aged. The silk was yellowish in color, and the edges were slightly worn. After being crumpled, it had some wrinkles, making it look like it had been around for many years.

However, Jiang She was cautious in his actions, even when alone.

With a slight movement of his fingertips, his magical power flowed, carefully brushing across the silk surface, making its color appear even darker and more ancient. He then deliberately added a few natural cracks and rough edges to the corners, and lightly scented it with the smoke from the incense burner, giving it an even more ancient and weathered feel.

Before long, an ancient Taoist book that seemed to have been passed down for generations was born in his hands.

"Hmm, this appearance should be enough to fool people."

Jiang She weighed the silk scroll in his hand and nodded in satisfaction. However, amidst his joy, a trace of doubt surfaced between his brows: "This cultivation method is a compilation of three Daoist scriptures. Although it has been modified to be specifically for women, it is still a composite, and some of the methods have been altered. Whether the methods of circulating qi and energy through the acupoints are truly seamless and allow one to cultivate with peace of mind remains to be seen..."

"We must first find a woman to test whether this technique is safe before we can let Xu Qingyue practice it."

Jiang She thought to himself.

Just as I was pondering this, I suddenly heard a light footstep approaching from outside the courtyard.

He pushed open the window and saw a woman gracefully walking towards him through the moon gate in the courtyard.

The woman was in her early twenties, with an oval face, fair and tender skin like a freshly peeled lychee, arched eyebrows, and watery eyes. Her every glance exuded charm and elegance.

She wore a light green, double-breasted ruqun (a type of traditional Chinese dress) with a white half-sleeved outer garment. Her waist was slenderly cinched by a lake-colored silk sash, while her breasts were full and rounded, stretching the ruqun taut like ripe peaches bending their branches. Her buttocks were also full and pert, swaying gracefully as she walked, much like two millstones grinding away at a man's granary.

This woman was voluptuous and vulgar, her body so plump it seemed like it could be pinched and would drip with moisture; she was none other than the Xu family's rather authoritative head maid.

—Xu Rong!

Jiang She glanced at her, and small words appeared before his eyes:

"Today you have encountered Xu Rong, a maid of the Xu family. You can spend 10,000 coins to control this slutty hussy."

"Got it!"

Jiang She smiled, having already chosen someone to test his skills.