Chapter 101: Yin Manor (Bonus Chapter for the Alliance Master

Xikou is about one hundred and fifty li west of Mount Shenwu, roughly in the Xiangdong region; two hundred li further west lies Dongtinghu, and beyond that, one can pass through Tianmu Mountain to return to Xiangxi’s Wulong Mountain.

Though he had never been to Xikou before, at this moment Liu Xiaolou suddenly felt homesick—for the humble, dilapidated courtyard, the unremarkable bamboo grove, the ceaselessly rushing Wuchao River, the village’s wisps of cooking smoke below the mountain…

And the big white goose flapping its wings and darting about.

When will I go back to get Daibai and let it taste dragon whisker golden carp and ao shrimp, spirit rice, and take a few sips of Dan Gui fragrance?

Nine Niang did not enter Xikou Town immediately; instead, she led Liu Xiaolou around to the northeast, stopping at the edge of a dense forest.

“Stay here. Don’t move. Find a tree, hide behind it. Don’t reveal your presence.”

Liu Xiaolou obeyed obediently, leaning against a tree and sitting down. Nine Niang leapt onto the tallest, most densely canopied tree, gazing intently through the dappled branches toward the northeast.

There stood a manor, grand in scale, with layered pavilions and overlapping eaves, half-hidden among green trees and flowers, hinting at opulence.

Such manors were typically owned by high-ranking noble families.

“Nine Niang, whose manor is this?” Liu Xiaolou asked, looking up from beneath the tree.

“Yin family,” Nine Niang replied, her eyes fixed on the manor.

“Yin family? Are they powerful?” Liu Xiaolou asked again.

“Decent. They’ve been attached to Qingyu Sect for two hundred years.”

“Who are you planning to target?”

“What? Don’t talk nonsense—I’m not targeting anyone!”

“Alright, then are you planning to break into the manor?”

“Even more nonsense! Why break in? Hey—did you or didn’t you do it during that Zhou family manor incident last year?”

Liu Xiaolou quickly protested a couple times, then shrugged and fell silent.

Nine Niang watched the Yin manor from the treetop for a long time, then landed lightly and paced back and forth before Liu Xiaolou.

After circling around countless times, she finally found another tree, sat cross-legged beneath it, pulled out a spirit stone, and closed her eyes to cultivate.

This was too much for Liu Xiaolou—he’d traveled all night from afar just to sit in the wilderness watching her cultivate? Even if you’re beautiful, that’s not how you’re supposed to be watched!

“Nine Niang? Nine Niang?”

“What?”

“What are we doing next?”

“Nothing. We wait.”

“Wait until when?”

“Until someone comes out.”

“Who are you waiting for?”

“One person.”

“Someone from the Yin family?”

“Yes! Stop nagging!”

“How long will we wait?”

“Until he comes out.”

“What if he doesn’t come out?”

“Shut up!”

“Alright…” Liu Xiaolou replied verbally but continued: “Back when we were in Wulong Mountain, if we wanted to find someone, we had many methods—we didn’t have to just sit and wait, because we couldn’t be sure when they’d emerge; it might take three or five days, and we’d miss our chance.”

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Nine Niang opened her eyes, stared at Liu Xiaolou with clear disdain, but didn’t tell him to be quiet.

So Liu Xiaolou went on: “Everyone has relatives and friends. We just need to find someone who knows him—whether by request, deception, or even direct threats or force, we can always find a way to force him out. Does the person you’re looking for have any relatives or friends?”

Nine Niang frowned: “Why involve the innocent?”

Liu Xiaolou said: “As long as we don’t kill them, it’s fine. Of course, if the matter is serious and the person is stubborn, we must use force—how else can we make them suffer?”

After a moment of silence, Nine Niang suddenly stood: “Let’s go!”

Liu Xiaolou followed Nine Niang out of the forest, circling to the southeast of Xikou, where several small manors stood—only about ten or so houses, nowhere near the scale of the Yin family’s estate.

Nine Niang pointed to one: “This is the outside residence of Yin Wugong’s concubine—he can’t bring her into the main household, so he built this secondary home.”

“Yin Wugong?”

“The Yin family’s legitimate son, named Gong, meaning ‘respectful’—yet he’s arrogant as hell, so people call him Wu Gong—‘no respect.’ The nickname stuck, then got mispronounced, but it fits perfectly. He’s soft-spoken on the surface, but full of malice inside—no different from a venomous insect.”

Liu Xiaolou asked: “How do you plan to deal with him?”

Nine Niang shook her head: “Just make him back off.”

Liu Xiaolou nodded: “Understood. This brat is despicable—he dares to set his sights on you? Truly an outrage! Let’s get him!”

Nine Niang bit her lip: “Don’t act rashly. The Yin family is a branch of Qingyu Sect, and their status is higher than the Zhou family of Dongtinghu. My family can’t afford to openly feud with them.”

Liu Xiaolou said: “Our Su family is the main branch of Danxia Sect—Danxia is a Celestial Sect, far above Qingyu Sect in status. So what if we feud?”

Nine Niang shook her head: “Even so, the Yin family is vital to Qingyu Sect—the divine incense used in their Divine Strike technique is produced only by their secret methods. And this incense is indispensable for the spirit beasts we raise on Mount Shenwu. For the past two years, the Yin family has drastically reduced their incense supply to Mount Shenwu. If we provoke them further and they cut off the supply entirely, it’ll be a disaster.”

Liu Xiaolou finally understood: “Cunning bastards—this centipede is trying to hold our Mount Shenwu hostage, forcing you to submit? What a clever plan.”

He ventured: “Do you know any elders of Qingyu Sect? Could we ask for help through the Zhou family? I remember you’re close to them. Or what about Jing Zhao? Do you know Jing Zhao? He’d definitely have influence.”

Nine Niang snapped: “How could I possibly speak of this openly? Besides, they’re all from the same sect, and I’m an outsider. Jing Zhao? I don’t know him!”

Is she really unfamiliar, or just pretending? Liu Xiaolou muttered inwardly—he didn’t understand the intricacies, so he let it drop, saying only: “So we must avoid a feud, yet still make the Yin family back down? That won’t be easy.”

Nine Niang said: “So we need a way to lure out Yin Wugong’s concubine.”

Liu Xiaolou thought: “Kidnap her? Easy enough—but then what?”

Nine Niang gave him a look of disdain: “Forget your Wulong Mountain tricks. Just get her to come out—then you and I show ourselves to her, and that’s enough.”

Liu Xiaolou was skeptical: “Will that work?”

Nine Niang said: “It will—but we must wait until evening.”

“Why?”

“Because it’s hard to see clearly in the evening.”

“Hard to see? You’re not suggesting the Yin family’s concubine will be watching me, are you?”

“Enough. Think now—how do you lure her out?”

“That’s easy.”

“Say it.”

“Set fire.”

Nine Niang frowned: “I told you—no more of those underhanded tricks!”

Liu Xiaolou explained: “After we set the fire, we pretend to pass by and then save the house—simple.”

Nine Niang still shook her head: “No. Too low-class.”

Liu Xiaolou sighed: “Then do you have any better ideas?”

Nine Niang concentrated, thinking: “Think again.”

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