Chapter 4

Sheng Yuanyao thought she had failed to catch up with Lu Xingzhou after descending the mountain and was still puzzled by how fast the Little Daoist pushed the wheelchair... Actually, Lu Xingzhou was still halfway up the mountain and had not gone down at all; she had overshot him.

When they reached the halfway point of the descent, the master and disciple saw a woman sitting alone in a wheelchair by the cliff edge on the western fork, gazing silently at the distant setting sun in a trance.

Her demeanor was desolate and melancholy, the wheelchair very close to the cliff edge, looking as if she could fall at any moment.

The Little Daoist walked slower and slower, looking back at the woman's figure with every step.

Lu Xingzhou, expressionless, asked, "What's wrong now?"

The Little Daoist's chubby face twitched: "Master, is that sister going to commit suicide?"

Lu Xingzhou turned to look; from behind, the woman indeed looked like someone who had lost all hope in life, yet he still said, "What does that have to do with you?"

The Little Daoist pleaded, "But she's in a wheelchair too, and all alone... so pitiful..."

"So you've always thought Master is pitiful?"

The Little Daoist patted his chest: "Master isn't alone; Master has me!"

"It's precisely because of you little thing that Master is pitiful."

The Little Daoist's chest-patting motion froze there, his expression infinitely resentful.

Lu Xingzhou wanted to laugh at that cute look but ultimately said nothing more to oppose him. The Little Daoist understood his meaning and happily pushed the wheelchair, sprinting over.

Shen Tang sat by the cliff edge, quietly watching the rosy clouds in the sky, seemingly lost in thought. A clear, cold voice transmission of unknown origin quietly entered her ear: "Bai Chi has already become the Chief Alchemist of the Danxia Gang; the former alchemist Lu Xingzhou has been expelled. Should we execute Bai Chi here and now?"

Shen Tang moved her lips slightly; it seemed silent, yet the sound actually traveled far: "What about that Lu Xingzhou?"

"His cultivation is ordinary, his body is disabled, but he seems to have secrets. As for his alchemy skill, it appears comparable to Bai Chi's."

Shen Tang pondered for a moment: "Let's not consider killing him for now. We have just arrived in Xiazhou; making too much noise is unwise, and we shouldn't cause trouble for Yuanyao either."

With that, the communication ceased; she had already sensed someone approaching from behind.

Soon, a man's gentle voice was heard: "Miss, please move aside; you are blocking my path."

Shen Tang glanced back, her gaze lingering for a long time on the wheelchair and Lu Xingzhou's legs, finding it quite interesting: "This is a cliff; where is the path? Could it be that you dislike me blocking your path to suicide?"

"Yes," Lu Xingzhou said. "Shall we queue? Miss, you go first. If I jump down after you, we can merge into one indistinguishable entity; that would be quite profitable."

Shen Tang was slightly stunned; her gaze fell again on the Little Daoist's face, with half his head poking out from behind the wheelchair. The Little Daoist blinked his eyes, seeming sympathetic.

Shen Tang found it amusing in her heart; this master and disciple seemed to have misunderstood something... Lu Xingzhou's words sounded like flirting, but upon closer thought, they were actually a roundabout way of stopping her from jumping off the cliff.

He had just been expelled himself, yet he had such a kind heart to meddle in others' affairs.

Thinking of this, Shen Tang's eyes shifted slightly, and she smiled lightly: "Then why are you seeking suicide? Is it because you were just driven out of the Danxia Gang like a homeless dog, your heart dead as a stone?"

Lu Xingzhou sighed: "You know?"

"Because I came following Bai Chi. Now he has stayed, and you have come out. As for your identity, the wheelchair is too easy to recognize, isn't it?"

"Then what about you, Miss? Why are you like this in the prime of your life?"

Shen Tang sighed similarly: "Because the alchemist Bai Chi I had so hard to hire was poached as soon as he arrived in Xiazhou. Do you think if I jump down here, I can add a thorn in the Danxia Gang's side?"

Both paused for a moment, then suddenly laughed at the same time.

Their experiences regarding this matter were strongly correlated; they were both in wheelchairs, which was extremely fated.

Lu Xingzhou also realized he had misunderstood the first impression; this woman looked desolate but was definitely not here to jump off the cliff. She probably came here intending to try to win back Bai Chi or for similar reasons. Logically, she should have had a servant to push the wheelchair; he didn't know what situation had arisen to make that person absent at the critical moment, so she was just waiting for someone here.

"If your servant is not here, sitting in a wheelchair this close to the cliff edge alone is very dangerous; if you slip down, it will be too late to regret." Lu Xingzhou made a hand gesture to the Little Daoist.

The Little Daoist ran over with a thump-thump; seeing that the other party had no intention of stopping him from approaching, he immediately became happy, pulled the wheelchair back several feet, and turned it around, facing Lu Xingzhou directly.

Before, when she turned her head to speak, he could only see her profile. Now facing her directly, Lu Xingzhou discovered that this woman was truly beautiful.

She wore no makeup, yet her eyebrows and eyes were as painted and her skin as congealed fat could not be hidden. Although sitting in a wheelchair, her slight smile made her appear gentle and dignified; the first impression was very comfortable. Judging solely by this elegant demeanor, let alone the gang's young lady Liu Yan'er, even Sheng Yuanyao from Jingcheng with her considerable background seemed to fall short in comparison.

The sun was gradually tilting; a stretch of rosy clouds in the sky reflected upon the woman, adding a touch of mystery and etherealness, like a goddess descending to the mortal world.

Shen Tang was also sizing up Lu Xingzhou, secretly marveling in her heart. Both sat in wheelchairs, both possessed the temperament of young masters and ladies from noble families; the two could almost see a gender-swapped version of themselves in the other.

The Little Daoist exclaimed: "Sister is so beautiful..."

Lu Xingzhou laughed helplessly: "You call everyone beautiful; just now you called Sheng Yuanyao 'beautiful sister'."

The Little Daoist mumbled: "She really is very beautiful too..."

Shen Tang smiled slightly: "Little sister, you will be more beautiful than anyone in the future."

The Little Daoist became happy: "Really? Master thinks I'm fat."

Shen Tang: "..."

Lu Xingzhou was too lazy to deal with her and said to Shen Tang: "A Grade Eight Upper Alchemist is rare in Xiazhou but common as cattle hair outside. Having Bai Chi poached is not a big deal; Miss, there is no need to dwell on it. Alright, I see Miss is not the type to seek suicide; just now I misunderstood. Let us part ways here."

The Little Daoist pushed the wheelchair reluctantly, unable to turn back for a long time.

This sister is so beautiful and gentle!

Shen Tang smiled: "I thought you would offer yourself."

"Why would you think that?"

"Is it not good? The Danxia Gang poached Bai Chi from me and drove you away. If you come to me and build a career, suppressing the Danxia Gang and making them regret it endlessly, wouldn't that be satisfying?"

"There are many ways to take revenge. Making people regret losing you is just what you women like to use."

Shen Tang was stunned for a moment, not knowing what she was thinking, and pondered in silence.

"Even if you just want to make people regret it, there are many ways; you don't necessarily have to gamble your future." Lu Xingzhou smiled: "So if Miss sincerely invites me, I hope we discuss something more practical. For instance, discuss your current situation, your goals, and the treatment you offer me. So far, I don't even know Miss's name; why would I think I would offer myself to join a faction I know nothing about?"

"It was I who was abrupt." Shen Tang sized Lu Xingzhou up and down: "You... do not look like a young man."

"No choice." Lu Xingzhou turned, reached out, and pinched his own Little Daoist's cheek, smiling very gently: "After all, a man who has to support a family has no qualification to act on impulse."

The Little Daoist rubbed his face resentfully: "You clearly think I'm fat."

Shen Tang smiled with amusement, then quickly suppressed it; her expression returned to the desolation of their first meeting, and she said in a low voice: "My name is Shen Tang. I was originally the Young Master of the Tianxing Sword Sect in Yongzhou. A month ago, my sect offended someone, suffering heavy casualties; even my master... Only I, with the remnants of our forces, transferred to Xiazhou, using the guise of an outside merchant."

"Why choose Xiazhou?"

"Since it is a remote place where one can hide from enemies and also has decent medical conditions to try to treat the legs, there are not many places to choose from."

"You trust me so much; are you not afraid I will spread it?"

"We sincerely invite Mr. Lu; we cannot even deceive you about our own origins." Shen Tang smiled: "I believe Mr. Lu has no need to sell me out either."

Lu Xingzhou remained noncommittal, staring at her legs for a while: "Were your legs broken in a previous fight?"

"Yes." Shen Tang said calmly: "From the perspective of our sect's development, our Sword Sect also lacks alchemy talent, which is unbalanced, so we seek... Young Master's concerns are not wrong; we are dogs without a home and outsiders, with conditions far inferior to the Danxia Gang. If Young Master is unwilling to come, then it cannot be blamed on Young Master; we can only say there is no fate. If you are willing to come, I am willing to pay twice the salary the Danxia Gang offered you, and appoint you as Master of the Alchemy Hall, handing over all major powers related to alchemy and medicine production."

These conditions were quite good. Previously, why did Lu Xingzhou in the Danxia Gang not become Hall Master, but only Chief Alchemist? Because the Alchemy Hall Master was actually Liu Yan'er, even though she did not manage affairs. After all, a Hall Master is a high-level figure in the sect and cannot be given to an outsider casually; there must always be a period of assessment, so Liu Qingcang's approach was not unreasonable. That Shen Tang directly offered this position showed great sincerity.

Lu Xingzhou, however, did not buy it: "Your sect has powerful enemies outside, and the situation is unpredictable... Forgive me, but I am bringing a child and will not stand under a dangerous wall; even if you gave me the position of Sect Master, it would be meaningless."

Shen Tang sighed, nodded, and simply called out toward the mountains: "Miss Qingli, let us return."

A figure flickered, and a young woman in white robes appeared beside her. With a blank expression, she supported the wheelchair and pushed it right past Lu Xingzhou and his disciple, not even glancing at Lu Xingzhou once.

Lu Xingzhou blinked his eyes, and the master and disciple turned their heads in perfect synchronization, their gazes following Miss Qingli.

The young woman had white hair, slightly blue eyes, and skin whiter than snow, cold and peerless. Having been born into this world for nineteen years and having seen many demons and monsters, this was the first time she had seen such a two-dimensional human in this world!

Shen Tang, looking somewhat apologetic, explained to Lu Xingzhou: "Miss Qingli has a cold temperament; Mr. Lu, please do not take her rudeness to heart."

Lu Xingzhou stared at Miss Qingli for a long while, then suddenly said: "From what you say, you are new here; is there a place to stay?"

Shen Tang paused: "Temporarily staying at an inn, currently seeking a suitable place."

Lu Xingzhou flashed eight neat white teeth: "Joining your sect is not very convenient... but I can be your landlord; what do you think?"

The two women and the Little Daoist all looked at Lu Xingzhou with very strange expressions.

Even if you are just being a landlord, that is still standing under a dangerous wall... In a storyteller's tale, wouldn't this be called disliking the Young Lady but falling for the maid?

(End of this chapter)