Chapter 117: Bathhouse Encounter

"Let's go find a place to talk."

Seeing Li Yan’s serious expression, Sha Lifei quickly pulled the two into the city, weaving through left and right alleys until they reached an unassuming inn.

This inn wasn’t a famous establishment among martial artists, so its guests were mostly merchants, and the atmosphere was quite refined.

Sha Lifei led the two into a room, checked the corridor for onlookers, shut the door tightly, sat down, and sighed, “Lu San—though quiet as a clam—is a true hero!”

He even gave a thumbs-up.

Li Yan frowned. “Has the word gotten out?”

Sha Lifei said gravely, “Only after we left did this fellow return to Wujiagou, leave his name, and take full responsibility for the murders and arson himself.”

“When we inquired at the Fengwen Pavilion for information, though bound by martial world rules not to speak carelessly, we still revealed too much—Lu San’s actions have completely cleared us of any suspicion.”

“This brother is worth befriending!”

Li Yan fell silent for a moment. “What’s the current situation?”

Sha Lifei whispered, “With so many dead, Chang’an has issued a nationwide manhunt warrant with a generous bounty, drawing many swordsmen who are now rushing toward Shangzhou.”

“Even the Canal Guild at Manchuan Pass dares not shelter him anymore—they’ve publicly declared Lu San was merely a hired guardian, and his actions have nothing to do with them, distancing themselves completely…”

Li Yan frowned. “Where’s Lu San?”

Sha Lifei was speechless. “Of course he ran—vanished without a trace. Qiao Sanhu’s men in Fengyang have searched everywhere but found nothing.”

“Rumors in the martial world say he fled Shaanxi overnight and sought refuge in Ezhou.”

“Better he ran.”

Li Yan exhaled, letting out a faint sigh.

To be honest, he was no stranger to the martial world; most people he’d met preached righteousness with their lips but schemed selfishly behind the scenes, betraying friends for profit.

Recalling Lu San’s childlike smile on Black Wind Gully when facing the Fox, Li Yan felt an odd pang in his chest.

“Forget it—thinking about it won’t help.”

Seeing Li Yan’s grim expression, Sha Lifei slammed his fist on the table. “Don’t worry—I’ll keep a close eye on all martial world developments.”

“If Lu San gets caught, we’ll hijack the prisoner cart, storm the execution ground, and rescue him! If he’s dead, we’ll avenge him!”

“I’m putting this on record—don’t try to stop me!”

Though moved himself, he said this mostly to reassure Li Yan, fearing he’d brood over it and do something reckless.

Li Yan glanced at him. “I’m fine—I know what I’m doing.”

It’s done now; overthinking won’t change anything. We’ll deal with the future as it comes—if an opportunity arises, we’ll help Lu San clear his name.

He could already picture how reluctant that young man must have felt leaving his hometown…

Thinking of this, Li Yan asked, “What about Old Meng and the others?”

“Don’t worry.”

Sha Lifei smiled. “I happened to find an opportunity—a wealthy merchant from Shangluo is transporting goods to Chang’an. I arranged things so Old Meng and the others were substituted in—time, witnesses, all accounted for. This has nothing to do with them now.”

“Good.”

Li Yan nodded. “We’ll rest tonight, then leave Shangluo for Mount Taibai!”

Sha Lifei grinned. “Need anything prepared? Just say the word—I’ll go handle it.”

Li Yan thought for a moment. “Just get us some clean clothes.”

Wang Daoxuan also stood up. “Perfect—I need new robes; this one’s torn beyond repair. There are many Daoist sects on Mount Taibai—I can’t let them laugh at me.”

Sha Lifei’s eyes twinkled mischievously. “Hey, fellows, we’ve been through so much hardship on this journey—I heard Shangluo has a fantastic bathhouse where you can soak, listen to music, and relax. Why don’t we go have some fun?”

Wang Daoxuan looked tempted. “Is it expensive?”

“What kind of question is that?” Sha Lifei raised an eyebrow. “Of course it’s expensive—but does that mean you won’t go?”

Wang Daoxuan answered honestly. “I’ll go!”

Sha Lifei burst out laughing. “There you go!”

Saying that, he quickly pulled Wang Daoxuan out.

After they left, the room fell silent.

Li Yan smiled wryly, then looked at his left hand, rolled up his sleeve, and saw a leather wristguard with a mechanism—when flicked, a short blade would spring out into his palm.

In the martial world, you always keep a hidden trick.

This sleeve dagger was left to him by his father.

Though he now has some reputation, the secret lies precisely here.

His father once said: never draw the sleeve dagger lightly.

If others know you have this trick, they’ll guard against it—your timing and intent will reveal weaknesses.

And every time you use it, it must be at a critical moment.

In short, it’s a psychological deterrent—its actual power is weak, relying entirely on surprise to wound.

That’s the true brilliance of the sleeve dagger.

So normally, Li Yan rarely used it.

What he truly focused on was the mark on his left palm—the Gou Diao seal.

At this moment, he could feel a cold energy swirling within his palm, tracing the lines of the Gou Diao talisman.

This was the spirit realm’s power: the Soul-Grabbing Chain.

All martial arts powers rely on the six senses—sight, hearing, smell, taste, touch, and mind—mostly for perception. He never imagined a spirit realm power could be used offensively.

Of course, ordinary people couldn’t perceive this power at all.

Only those with Yin-Yang Eyes or the ability to perceive qi could see an invisible chain.

The greatest use of this power is to snatch souls.

If strengthened further, it could entangle and shred a soul.

It could even damage magical artifacts.

Thinking of this, Li Yan focused his spirit and activated it.

Rattling… he seemed to hear the clinking of chains, while a cold, sinister energy surged from his palm, coiling like a snake.

Li Yan smiled.

With his current cultivation, the Soul-Grabbing Chain could only extend a foot—seemingly unimpressive.

But if concealed by the sleeve dagger,

then he’d have a terrifying Soul-Cutting Blade!

…………

Shangluo, also called “Shangluo,” was originally built during the Qin Dynasty.

This county is surrounded by mountains and bordered by water on three sides—ideal feng shui, yet this also limits its size.

Three main streets divide the city; though small in area, as the core of Shangzhou, it’s exceptionally bustling.

Those who own homes within the city walls are usually wealthy; truly poor commoners live in villages surrounding Shangluo.

Precisely because of this, the entire town remains remarkably clean.

Bathing has been a tradition since ancient times; during the Song Dynasty, public bathhouses became wildly popular in cities, where ordinary people could pay a small fee to bathe and receive back-rubbing services.

Many literati loved bathing—especially Su Dongpo—who not only enjoyed it but demanded skilled masseurs. In his poem “Ru Meng Ling: Who Ever Received Dirt?” he wrote:

“Who ever received dirt? Look closely—there’s none. Tell the scrubber: all day you’ve labored with your elbows. Gentle hands, gentle hands—the hermit is naturally clean.”

In short, Su Dongpo complained in a public bathhouse in Sizhou about a heavy-handed masseur: “Hey, master, you’ve been elbowing all day—be gentle, gentle—I’m naturally clean!”

Nowadays, bathhouses are divided into tiers. “Lu Tang” is the most luxurious in the city—not only elegant, but after bathing, you can drink wine, sip tea, and listen to girls sing ballads.

“Oh, miss, a bit harder…”

Amidst the misty steam, Wang Daoxuan was complaining too.

“Tang Yu” was luxurious, and the masseuses were all women—soft hands, gentle strokes, emphasizing subtlety and refinement.

But the three had traveled through dust and grime, desperate to be clean—Wang Daoxuan naturally felt this “Tang Yu” was just putting on a show.

The masseuses were annoyed too.

Here we are, “Tang Yu”—not exactly for commoners, but a refined place—and today, out of nowhere, three rough men show up, filthy from head to toe, and even after scrubbing until our arms ache, they’re still not satisfied.

Thinking this, the girl whispered, “If you’re dissatisfied, I’ll send someone else.”

She gave a subtle glance to her companion.

The girl scrubbing Sha Lifei immediately nodded and left.

！。

Only the girl beside Li Yan kept her head down, pretending not to notice.

Soon, two burly female attendants entered, rolled up their sleeves, and scrubbed Wang Daoxuan and Sha Lifei until they howled like demons.

“Master Dao, why did you open your mouth?!”

“Hahaha…”

After leaving the bathhouse, Sha Lifei kept grumbling, while Li Yan laughed heartily.

Fortunately, after washing and changing into fresh robes, the three leaned back on soft couches beside the pool.

Soon, servants brought wine and dishes.

In the center of the opposite pool stood a pavilion-stage.

Naturally, this place didn’t feature the booming Qin opera—it was filled with Shangluo Daoqing opera, originally a Tang Dynasty Daoist chanting style that later spread among the people, each region developing its own flavor.

Onstage, they were performing “The Great Luo Heaven,” about Lü Zu and Zi Yang descending to earth to enlighten Chong Mozi, but Chong Mozi was deeply entangled in wine, lust, wealth, and greed—hard to convert…

The night breeze was cool; the three ate, drank, and listened to the ballads, feeling all their fatigue melt away.

“I’m going for a walk.”

Sha Lifei couldn’t sit still; tired of listening to music, he turned and opened the door, wanting to see what new wonders this “hot bath” had to offer.

But as soon as he opened the door, he quickly pulled his head back and shut it, muttering, “What a coincidence—I saw someone I know.”

Wang Daoxuan asked curiously, “Who?”

Sha Lifei whispered, “Fu Ping, the guard from the Lu family.”

Li Yan pondered, “The Lu family has always been a major household in Shangluo; running into them here isn’t surprising. We have matters to attend to—ignore them.”

Sha Lifei nodded and lay down on the soft couch, drank a few cups of wine, and soon began snoring loudly…

…………

“Fu Ping, what’s wrong?”

A tall, young man asked.

“Young Master, I spotted a familiar face,” Fu Ping bowed respectfully. “He once gave us space to shelter from the rain on the road, but he’s just a wandering cultivator—no need to pay him mind.”

“Hmph, I told you not to come here.”

Beside the young man stood another noble youth, noticeably older, dressed in lavish robes, with puffy eyelids and the look of one worn out by wine and women.

Though the “hot bath” was opulent everywhere, he viewed it with disdain, muttering, “This place is for servants—I’d never even glance at it in Chang’an…”

The two young men were Lu Kang’s two sons.

Though Lu Kang enjoyed a prosperous official career, he was a devoted husband, deeply fond of his wife, and never took a concubine in his life.

His elder son, Lu Xiaowen, raised alongside his father’s rise without strict discipline, became a notorious playboy in Chang’an.

His younger son, Lu Xiaowu, was born to them in their old age; having learned from Lu Xiaowen’s mistakes, they doted on him, hiring renowned masters from childhood to teach him both scholarship and conduct—he was remarkably refined in both.

Hearing Lu Xiaowen’s complaint, Lu Xiaowu shook his head slightly and whispered, “Brother, Mother told us to settle the family estate quickly. The only one in Shangzhou bold enough to take it is Qiao Sanhu.”

“This man is ruthless and cunning—he invited us here to intimidate us. Brother, don’t provoke him…”

Lu Xiaowen’s face darkened with anger; he cursed inwardly: “Qiao Sanhu—years ago he came to Chang’an, groveling to meet me, humble as dirt. Now he’s acting high and mighty—what a…”

“Brother!”

Lu Xiaowu’s expression turned grave. “Times have changed. Our Lu family hangs by a thread—you can’t act recklessly. If you can’t bear the insult, go back. I’ll handle him.”

“No way,” Lu Xiaowen shook his head. “You’re too clever. Mother wants to divide the estate—I won’t fight you over it, but don’t think you can trick me.”

Lu Xiaowu’s eyes flickered with a hint of killing intent, yet his face remained blank as he patiently said, “If you don’t trust me, come along—but you must follow one rule: say nothing.”

“If you can’t, I’ll turn around and leave!”

“Fine, fine, I’ll listen to you.”

Lu Xiaowen grumbled.

After Lu Kang’s death, Mother insisted on dividing the estate—he had no desire to stay in this small Shangluo town and was desperate to get the silver and return to Chang’an.

In Chang’an he had many friends; with his old connections, even a small business would make him rich!

Travel thousands of miles to Qilu?

He wouldn’t endure such hardship…

Fu Ping watched from the side, silently shaking his head.

Under the servant’s guidance, the three reached a secluded courtyard behind the hot bath—its facilities were even more luxurious, and it was a private compound, costing far more.

Qiao Sanhu had already soaked to his satisfaction, sipping tea and humming a tune. Seeing the two brothers enter, he glanced at them indifferently and smiled, “Oh? Young Masters have arrived? Please, sit, sit! Bring tea!”

He had rushed from Fengyang solely for the Lu family’s estate.

Under Lu Kang’s protection, the Lu family had flourished like oil on fire—besides numerous shops, they owned astonishing amounts of land.

Other families dared not move against them, fearing accusations of bullying widows and orphans.

Perfectly suited for Qiao Sanhu.

Whether he could swallow the whale depended entirely on tonight’s negotiations…

…………

Two hours later, Li Yan and the others emerged from the hot bath, chatting as they walked toward the inn.

They had already decided their plan: leave tomorrow.

Two more hours passed; night was deep when the Lu brothers and guard Fu Ping finally emerged from the hot bath—all with grim expressions.

“Lu Xiaowu, how could you agree to these terms!”

Lu Xiaowen’s face turned purple with rage, cursing without restraint.

“Brother, we had no choice.”

Lu Xiaowu sighed and turned away.

Lu Xiaowen snorted, climbed straight into a nearby carriage, and ordered, “Take me to Zui Hualou—I’m furious right now!”

Lu Xiaowu returned to the Lu manor and told the old Lady Lu everything in detail.

“Sigh~”

The old Lady Lu had lost all hope in her eldest son. “Let him go. Xiaowu, when will you depart?”

Lu Xiaowu’s eyes flashed with sharp resolve. He bowed his head. “Mother, Father’s fake funeral has fooled everyone.”

“Time waits for no one—I’ll depart tonight in secret, escorting Father’s coffin to the sacred burial site…”

(End of Chapter)