Chapter 31

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"First, what we need most is a fan."

"A fan...?"

Kang Lip blinked.

"Yes. And that family's sword manual. It was called the Golden Goose Sword Technique, right?"

Since the request to obtain the sword manual was understandable, Kang Lip quickly nodded.

While the secret martial arts manuals of martial arts sects or families are not easily seen even by family members, the basic martial arts manuals of places with a long history can be obtained without much difficulty.

As the number of lay disciples increased and the family branches spread, it became natural for more people to practice these martial arts.

For example, the Twelve Swords of the Danmu Family were taught to all the family's bodyguards, and in Hangzhou's market, one could obtain them with a reasonable amount of money.

"The fan should be white, with no patterns or drawings."

"Do you prefer a plain white fan?"

"Any plain white fan will do."

Lian answered this way and folded the letter sent from the Golden Duck Manor. As the letter, which seemed to have been written by someone else on behalf of someone from the Golden Duck Manor, was folded, the characters of the previous scene scattered.

'Writing on sleeves, looking at the sky, and looking in the mirror every time is not very readable.'

So, she thought of a fan.

Although it might look a bit silly for an eight-year-old to hold a fan, it would be strange to carry around a blank piece of paper.

The next day, the steward Kang Lip brought a white jade fan, carved from a round piece of white jade, and a neatly bound new book. The fan, which seemed to be one of the gifts sent by the Man Song Trading Company, looked very precious.

Crafted White Jade Fan: Spirit Capacity 3

You can now store spirit energy.

'No, can this fan really store some spirit energy?'

"Ah! It's really good."

After trying to display characters on the fluttering sleeves and on the mirror where her face was reflected, it felt natural to see them on a flat surface, and she started humming a tune.

"…Do you really like that fan so much?"

Hwaryun, who was standing beside her, looked somewhat displeased and asked.

It was rare to see Lian, who usually didn't show much desire for things, like this.

Lian glanced at Hwaryun and confidently opened the fan.

"Hmm."

The characters slowly appeared on the white surface of the fan.

Hwaryun

Trait: Heavenly Demon Puxun / Partial synchronization failed.

Martial Arts: Partial synchronization failed.

Talent and Five Virtues: Partial synchronization failed.

Concerns: Partial synchronization failed.

'Sure enough, nothing is showing up… Wait?'

On the white, round fan, the familiar characters took their place. Then, an unfamiliar word caught her eye.

'Heavenly Demon…?'

She brought the fan close to her eyes to check again, but the words didn't change.

"Really, you like it that much."

"A, ah, no, you…"

Until now, it had only shown "partial synchronization failed," but the first word that appeared in the traits was "Heavenly Demon"?

Lian, with a blank expression, alternated her gaze between Hwaryun and the fan, then slumped her shoulders.

She had known that Hwaryun had an unusual side, but she had always thought that he wasn't a bad kid. This seemed to contradict that thought.

"What? Why are you like that? You were so happy just a moment ago…"

Hwaryun approached Lian and looked at her white jade fan, which was smooth and transparent.

"A, ah, it's nothing…"

'He's still young, maybe that's why…'

Yes, that must be it.

Lian thought this while unfolding the basic sword manual of the Golden Duck Manor.

When she had looked at the manual a few times, Hwaryun said,

"Should I fight in your place?"

Lian looked up. Hwaryun was leaning against the railing, holding a white lotus in his arms, and tapping his toes.

Perhaps he was bored just sitting beside her, and he had a lazy look on his face.

Lian glanced at the martial artist Jeong Young standing far away and then looked back at Hwaryun. It didn't seem like their conversation could be overheard.

"Who with? Jin Zhongha?"

"Yes."

"Who?"

"Me."

"How? You don't want to learn martial arts, so you haven't learned anything."

"But I have seen and heard things, so I can do it to some extent."

"If we go by what you've seen and heard, I should be stronger, right? Compared to baby Hwaryun?"

Lian said this with a smile, and only then did Hwaryun turn his head to look at her. He had a very frustrated expression.

"Even compared to the young master of the Golden Duck Manor?"

"I don't know, that's why I'm studying now."

"What if you lose in the fight?"

"If I lose, I lose."

"Ugh, frustrating."

Hwaryun said this as if he were an adult, pounding his chest. Lian couldn't hold back her laughter, but Hwaryun finally abandoned his indifferent attitude and quickly approached her. However, Lian waved her hand.

"If I lose to Jin Zhongha, you, who are weaker than me, will naturally lose too."

"I might not lose."

"How?"

"It's not about how."

"Then can you beat me now?"

"Of course…"

Hwaryun, who was about to say something, suddenly looked as if the bottom of a large jar had been punctured, and all the water had drained out, and he slumped his shoulders.

"Fine. Do as you please."

"Our Hwaryun, are you worried that this big sister might lose?"

Seeing Hwaryun like this, the worry about the "Heavenly Demon" trait suddenly disappeared.

Lian closed the book she was reading and approached Hwaryun with a smile.

Hwaryun, though he made a face, didn't push her away. He let Lian mess up his hair, and Lian smiled brightly.

'That's right! No matter what he becomes in the future, no matter what his trait is, what does it matter? He's actually such a good kid.'

The unusually sharp Hwaryun might have realized that if the eldest grandson of the family, Lian, were to lose in this martial arts competition, the Danmu Family's reputation in Zhejiang Province would be at risk.

He might have thought it would be better for him, a servant, to fight in her place.

Lian tried to tousle Hwaryun's hair and hug him tightly, but he recoiled and ran away.

Lian's giggles echoed.

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That evening, a stranger visited the family. It was a person called Taixu Zhenren, wearing a tattered robe with fluttering sleeves, and a young Taoist.

"Taixu Zhenren? Who is he?"

Both Jeong Young and the wet nurse looked puzzled, indicating they didn't know who he was.

However, it was clear that he had come from a very far place, and Dangmu Qiange was very pleased to see him.

"People say he's from the Kunlun Sect…"

Hwaryun, who was standing beside Lian, hesitated slightly. Lian turned to look at him, but Hwaryun gave her a look as if to say, "Why are you looking at me?" Lian tilted her head and headed towards the reception hall.

The reception hall was already full of family members. When Wijiching saw Lian, he rushed over to pick her up, but then, realizing the guests, he put her down, embarrassed.

"Heavens, the young lady might not let you go. If it were Kunlun Mountain, they would have placed this child on the altar and revered her as Xuan Dong."

The guest, Taixu Zhenren, tried to ease Wijiching's embarrassment with a joke.

Lian bowed while carefully observing him. This was a visitor she had never seen in her previous life.

"Lian, greet him. This is Taixu Zhenren of the Kunlun Sect. He is an old friend of your grandfather."

"Old… What? An old friend! If you say that, I cannot accept it, sir!"

Taixu Zhenren was startled and waved his hands. His sleeves, which were so long they almost touched the ground, fluttered noisily, but he didn't touch any of the teacups on the table.

"If we shared the same purpose and worked together, we are friends, what else?"

Taixu Zhenren's lips moved. Lian realized the relationship between these two.

A long time ago, during the Dongting Bloodshed, Dangmu Qiange and Taixu Zhenren had worked together.

"I greet you, Taixu Zhenren. I am Dangmu Lian."

Lian neatly placed her hands together and bowed. Taixu Zhenren smiled broadly and nodded repeatedly.

"You've grown so much already. Time flies."

Taixu Zhenren said this with a bittersweet expression, as if he was nostalgic, sad, and angry all at once.

"Even the age of Xiancheng's daughter is unknown…"

"That's enough. What good does it do to talk about it now?"

Dangmu Qiange, who was sitting in a chair, lightly tapped the armrest and cut off Taixu Zhenren's words.

"Rather, how did you come all this way after so long?"

"Haha… One morning, I suddenly had the urge to visit you, so I came."

"From Kunlun Mountain to here, a journey of ten thousand miles, just for that?"

"Exactly."

"Who would blame you for not coming such a long distance?"

"Indeed. But…"

Taixu Zhenren smiled faintly, as if he himself didn't understand.

"But I thought it wouldn't be right not to come, so I came."