Chapter 9

A man and a woman turned into Niping Alley. The young man wore a tall hat and a green pendant at his waist, looking more like a wealthy young master than the descendants of the town's richest family, the Lu family. The woman's age was hard to determine; at first glance, she appeared to be a young girl with tender skin and a pointed chin, like icicles hanging from the eaves in winter. Upon a second look, she seemed to be in her thirties, with a pair of phoenix eyes and a seductive figure, exuding a charm that was entirely different from the town's women, her waist swaying as she walked.

The woman looked around curiously, even reaching out to touch the yellow mud walls. Finding no trace, she asked curiously, "Funan Hua, is this really one of the hidden blessed places you mentioned? Why didn't the geomancy map given by our old ancestor mark this alley specifically?"

The young man dodged the question, "If we really find something unexpected here, how will you repay me?"

The woman turned her body, interlocking her fingers behind her back, making her chest appear even fuller. She smiled softly, half-seriously, "For you to pick, how about that?"

The young man, not expecting such a direct response, was momentarily at a loss. After all, he had come to "visit relatives and seek friends" with the heavy responsibility of the family's prosperity for a hundred years, or even a thousand years. No matter how much of a playboy he was, he dared not have a fleeting affair with the woman in the town where everyone knew everyone.

So he quickly changed the subject, pointing deeper into the alley, "Cai Immortal, friends are friends, business is business. I must repeat, according to our previous agreement, there are two households in this Niping Alley: a master and servant, and a mother and son. You can choose one of them first. The capital for the bet is the Yun Root Stone from your Yunxia Mountain, ten pieces per year to our Old Dragon City."

The woman nodded, her smile charming, "Of course, I agree."

The young man continued forward, "Next, if you gain an unexpected opportunity here beyond your family's expectations, that item must be appraised by both our ancestral masters to determine a fair price. Then, your Yunxia Mountain must provide half the equivalent Yun Root Stones. Cai Jinjian, do you have any objections? Or can you ensure that after you gain the benefit and secure it, you can convince the ancestral masters of Yunxia Mountain to approve this bet?"

The woman's expression changed, becoming solemn and dignified, as if a courtesan had transformed into an empress. The woman known as Cai Jinjian of Yunxia Mountain said firmly, "I can!"

The young man narrowed his eyes, his face darkening, and stopped. He looked directly at the woman, who was as tall as him, "Let's be clear, our alliance today is mutually beneficial, not because of any instant attraction or shared ideals. It's the result of the accumulated goodwill between Old Dragon City and Yunxia Mountain over hundreds of years. If we mess this up and anger the old masters, neither I, Fu Nan Hua, nor you, Cai Jinjian, nor even our parents and teachers, can bear the consequences!"

Cai Jinjian smiled, "So during our time in the town, we must be honest and cooperate sincerely, right?"

Fu Nan Hua, showing his charm and elegance in the dark alley, smiled, "In addition to that..."

Fu Nan Hua glanced back, then lowered his voice, "We need to be careful about those two. They're not from Zhengyang Mountain, so they're not a well-known and reputable sect. Moreover, I've heard that those two are quite wild and don't follow the rules."

The tall woman narrowed her phoenix eyes, as if saying, "That's why I, Cai Jinjian, chose you, Master Fu."

Fu Nan Hua whispered, "Let's go. Although there are sages here to maintain balance, we still need to be cautious. It would be disastrous to make a mistake in a small place. In short, whether we can leap the dragon gate depends on this."

This young man, a renowned prodigy, became even more determined, silently repeating in his heart, "The Great Way is within reach. Those who block my path, be they immortals or buddhas, can be eliminated!"

He looked deeper into the alley, seeing a slender young man walking towards him from the opposite end.

It was their second meeting.

The two continued walking, like a pair of celestial lovers descending to the mortal world.

The tall woman also saw the young man and teased, "We've met twice in this alley. Do you think this young man is—"

She left the sentence unfinished, but Fu Nan Hua understood her meaning and said with a wry smile, "My great Cai Immortal, there are six hundred households in the town, plus the servants and laborers of the ten major families, nearly five thousand people. Even if the town hides many talented individuals, over the years, those with good roots, fortune, and connections have already been divided up. The reason we can 'find a bargain' this time is that those powerful figures are deliberately letting us slip through."

The woman laughed at herself, feeling embarrassed by her naive thoughts.

After a moment of hesitation, she still said, "I don't know how your ancestral master imparted the divine knowledge, but my father told me that if someone makes you feel cold, you must retreat and keep your distance, never provoke or challenge them. This place is full of hidden dragons and tigers, deep and unfathomable. Those who make you feel hostile are likely your opponents in this exploration. Those who make you feel close might be the ones with great fortune in this region, and you can turn them into your opportunities. As long as you don't kill easily and don't break the unbreakable rules, you can buy, deceive, or take by force, depending on—"

Cai Jinjian's lips curled, "Depending on our mood."

She suddenly frowned, "Master Fu, why didn't you let me bring the descendants of the Zhao family, who are rooted here, even though I learned some of the local dialect before I came?"

Fu Nan Hua interrupted her, shaking his head, "Those major families have secret channels to the outside world, allowing them to pass some trivial messages under the sage's watchful eye without being considered overstepping. Over generations, they have accumulated deep roots, which our Old Dragon City and Yunxia Mountain still fall short of. Moreover, relying on outsiders is not ideal and can lead to complications and delays. If you don't want to speak, I can do it for you."

She smiled, "No problem, it's just some awkward words. I'm not that delicate."

Fu Nan Hua smiled and let it go, and Cai Jinjian didn't say more.

After all, an alliance formed halfway is not the same as a family.

Moreover, to those with ambitious goals and aspirations for enlightenment, what do family ties mean?

Fu Nan Hua's smile was calm and noble, like a young master from a top noble family.

The reason he revealed the divine knowledge and shared the "heart method" his father secretly taught him with Cai Jinjian was simple.

Compared to the other two companions, the taciturn middle-aged man and the cold black-clothed girl, Fu Nan Hua felt a killing intent towards the woman, Cai Jinjian of Yunxia Mountain, the moment he stepped through the town's gate.

Fu Nan Hua subconsciously reached for the green pendant at his waist.

The old dragon brings rain, and the craftsmanship is exquisite.

A gentleman does not remove his jade without a reason.

Cai Jinjian thought for a moment, closed her eyes, and then opened them, saying, "Song Jixi, Gu Can... I'll choose Gu Can."

Fu Nan Hua raised an eyebrow, "Good. It's a deal!"

In their field of vision, the young man turned and jumped, heading towards a door in the alley, about to unlock and enter.

Fu Nan Hua and Cai Jinjian quickly approached, smiling, "What a coincidence, we meet again."

The poor young man, Chen Ping'an, who had just left Gu Can's house, turned around, nodded, and asked, "Is there something?"

Fu Nan Hua spoke in fluent local dialect, "This is Niping Alley, right? I want to ask if a man named Song Jixi and a child named Gu Can live here. I'm from the capital, and my family is an old friend of Song Jixi's father. The lady next to me, surnamed Cai, is related to Gu Can's mother. So we came together and ended up in the same alley. Isn't that a coincidence? Everything seems to come together, as they say, 'No coincidence, no story.'"

Fu Nan Hua's smile was calm and composed. Even when speaking to a poor young man in the town, the tall young man bent slightly to maintain eye contact, neither appearing artificial nor suspicious, but rather gentle and respectful, like a true gentleman.

The young man nodded, his smile shy, "It is a coincidence."

Fu Nan Hua's smile grew warmer, and he said softly, "So, where do these two families live?"

Unexpectedly, the young man shook his head, "I was an apprentice at a dragon kiln outside the town for many years and just moved here. I'm not familiar with the neighbors yet. Why don't you ask someone else?"

Fu Nan Hua smiled, not speaking immediately, as if considering his words.

The tall woman laughed, "Little brother, lying is not good. Do we look like bad people? Even if we did, what could we do in broad daylight?"

Chen Ping'an blinked, "But I really don't know."

Cai Jinjian, returning to her usual tone, asked Fu Nan Hua, "Does this child want a reward?"

Fu Nan Hua's expression remained unchanged, "I don't think so."

The tall woman's eyes showed a faint irritation, "If that's the case, we'll ask house by house. We'll find them eventually."

Fu Nan Hua waved his hand at her, patiently guiding the young man, "Help us with a small favor, and I'll give you something. How about that?"

The young man scratched his head, his body thin, his eyes clear.

Fu Nan Hua suddenly stood up straight.

He saw a scholarly young man sitting on a nearby wall, looking at them.

Near the young man, a girl stood, her face partially visible, clear and clean, her eyes like ink.

At that moment, Fu Nan Hua's mind was set.

The young man in front of him would definitely be his.

The young man stood up and called out loudly, "Are you looking for someone?"

Fu Nan Hua and Cai Jinjian looked up, and the former said, "Yes, I'm looking for you. The lady next to me is looking for Gu Can. Can you help us?"

The young man frowned, "Do you know me?"

Fu Nan Hua smiled, "I don't know you, but I know the Song family, who now serves in the Ministry of Rites."

Song Jixi asked straightforwardly, "Helping you find the snot-nosed Gu Can, what's in it for me?"

Without hesitation, Fu Nan Hua took off the green pendant from his waist and threw it high to the young man on the wall, "It's yours."

Song Jixi caught it, slightly startled, but his expression remained unchanged. He looked down at the maid, Zhi Gui, and said, "Go ahead."

She nodded and left the yard. When the girl stood quietly in the narrow alley, the entire Niping Alley seemed to brighten up.

Fu Nan Hua smiled at the young man in the straw shoes, "Little guy, let me give you a piece of advice: 'Heavenly rain, though wide, does not nour