A Backer

Twelve more days passed. Deep winter was drawing to a close, and Yuan River Prefecture welcomed a rare stretch of sunny weather.

Days of breathing exercises and martial cultivation had made Chen Lingxi's breath increasingly steady.

When he pushed open his door that morning, sunlight fell across his face. He felt his blood and qi surging beneath his skin, warmth rising and circulating through his entire body.

Though his frame had not grown more burly, the lines of his shoulders and back had become distinct, while a faint, gentle jade-like luster showed beneath his skin.

This was a sign of abundant blood and qi, and gradually strengthening internal organs.

He had risen early today to gather flowering branches from the rear garden and prepare the vase arrangement he needed to present to Lin Longyue in three days.

The weather had warmed these past few days. Some early spring flowers in the garden had quietly poked through, reflected against the lingering snow of late winter. They possessed a vitality that had burst forth through the cold, making them perfect material for a vase arrangement.

Carrying a bamboo basket, Chen Lingxi slowly passed through the moon gate of the western courtyard. The moment he stepped onto the bluestone path on the eastern side of the rear garden, a chill ran down his spine.

An icy gaze, like a tangible cone of frost, stabbed into him from the side.

Ever since his breathing method had grown more practiced and the strand of qi within his dantian had become stronger, his senses had grown increasingly sharp.

Chen Lingxi immediately followed that sensation and looked over.

Under the covered walkway beside a rockery not far away stood two people.

One of them was Wang Kong.

His narrow eyes were slightly narrowed as he stared unblinkingly at Chen Lingxi. His gaze contained scrutiny, surprise, and a trace of undisguised gloom.

What made Chen Lingxi's heart tighten even more was the man standing half a step ahead of Wang Kong.

He was a middle-aged man in his early forties, tall and straight as a pine. He wore a plain white scholar's robe beneath an unadorned black crane cloak.

His face was exceptionally handsome, his features refined as if carved by a master. His eyes in particular were bright and clear, their outer corners slightly elongated. Yet whenever his gaze shifted, they carried a chilling sharpness, like two famous swords hidden within their sheaths.

He did not deliberately radiate any aura. He merely stood there casually, yet an indescribable sense of keenness lingered around him.

Even the air seemed to grow stagnant and murderous because of his presence.

At that moment, the handsome middle-aged man was also looking at him indifferently.

The instant their gazes met, Chen Lingxi's blood and qi abruptly fell into turmoil!

The tame strand of "qi" in his dantian suddenly trembled, circulating on its own to protect his heart meridian. Meanwhile, his newly cultivated and still feeble blood and qi became like startled wild horses, crashing recklessly through his limbs and bones.

His heart shook with alarm.

This middle-aged man... his cultivation was unfathomable!

A single glance had actually stirred his newly formed, still unstable blood and qi.

Wang Kong had evidently noticed Chen Lingxi's disordered aura and instantly pale face as well.

The surprise in his narrow eyes deepened before turning into mockery.

The way he looked at Chen Lingxi seemed to conceal killing intent beneath that mockery.

The handsome middle-aged man's gaze lingered on Chen Lingxi for two breaths, as though he had merely seen an insignificant servant.

He calmly looked away, gave Wang Kong a slight nod, then turned with his hands behind his back and slowly headed along the covered walkway toward the southern courtyard.

Wang Kong hurriedly concealed his outward emotions, respectfully stepping aside to make way as he watched the middle-aged man depart.

Only after that white-clad figure vanished around the corner did he turn back toward Chen Lingxi, who still stood where he was.

This time, the chill and murderous intent in his eyes were no longer concealed in the slightest. A cold sneer even curled at the corner of his lips.

He said nothing. He merely raised his right hand, slowly curled his five fingers together in a crushing gesture, then turned and hurried after the middle-aged man.

Chen Lingxi shook his head.

This Wang Kong...

He was nothing more than an official slave. Even if his skill at flower arrangement had temporarily earned him a sliver of Lin Longyue's attention, he posed no threat whatsoever to Wang Kong. They had held no grudges against each other before this.

Yet the killing intent in Wang Kong's eyes was as intense as though they bore a blood feud.

Wang Kong would not want to kill me for no reason.

His thoughts turned, and suddenly everything became clear.

This is not difficult to guess. The crux still lies in those words: testing medicine.

That day, Wang Kong had attacked without reason and mentioned "the two who survived the medicine testing."

Wang Kong was surprised by his changes, but they were not wholly beyond his expectations.

He seemed to have anticipated that Chen Lingxi would recover quickly, even step onto the path of martial cultivation...

Or perhaps what surprised him was merely the speed of his progress?

Thinking of Wang Kong's unprovoked test that day, as well as his mention of "the two who survived the medicine testing"...

Chen Lingxi's heart sank slightly.

Zhao Yong! Wang Kong!

The two of them seemed to care greatly about me, this medicine slave. There was killing intent beneath the mockery in Wang Kong's gaze, as though... he were looking at prey already within his grasp.

Chen Lingxi did not know what secret lay hidden behind the words "testing medicine."

But after seeing Wang Kong today and sensing his killing intent, he knew he had no choice but to be on guard.

I have only just found the path of immortal cultivation. If I die at Wang Kong's hands, that would be far too great a pity.

Though he had cultivated bitterly day after day, his blood and qi were plentiful, his body gradually taking on the toughness of iron. His muscles, bones, and tendons had all undergone immense changes.

Still, he had cultivated for too short a time. Wang Kong's fist wind that day had been extremely powerful, his blood and qi blazing like fire. There was no need to think further—Wang Kong had certainly reached the Copper-Red Realm.

With spiritual qi remaking my body and my blood and qi growing fuller by the day, before long I will be able to cultivate the River-Entering Stance of the Seven Forms of Ceasing War.

By then, my sinews and bones will be like iron, my blood and qi like fire. I may not be unable to contend with Wang Kong.

Chen Lingxi plucked an old plum branch, then gathered several holly leaves.

Thoughts churned through his mind.

But behind Wang Kong stands the unfathomable Zhao Yong. And who exactly was that handsome middle-aged man just now, whose aura was like a sword and whose cultivation was terrifying?

Judging by Wang Kong's respectful attitude toward him, this man was most likely connected to Zhao Yong. Or perhaps he was a newly arrived guest retainer of the marquis's residence? Could he be that new guest retainer, Zhao Qinglou?

How could I possibly contend against two such figures?

Chen Lingxi only felt like a small boat amid raging winds and monstrous waves, liable to be torn apart at any moment.

I must prepare before the rain comes! I must find someone to rely on as soon as possible!

A backer...

Chen Lingxi picked up several clumps of withered yellow reeds.

Lin Longyue? She gave me a thread of hope, but she also clearly warned me that I had no right to ask for more.

Besides, my value to her lay mainly in flower arrangement. I did not carry enough weight.

The past several times I delivered flowers, I did not see her. That tells me she did not truly value these flower arrangements all that much... she merely wished to befriend the Yunhe Commandery Princess.

His gaze grew increasingly calm.

My blood and qi are growing stronger. Soon, I will be able to circulate them throughout my entire body, and my blood and qi will develop the nature of fire.

By then, I will not be able to hide it from the experts in this residence at all... especially since Wang Kong attacked me that day. Anyone with intent probably already knows that I have been reborn.

Rather than wait for others to discover it, I might as well reveal my talent on my own initiative... If anyone truly asks, Zhao Yong's medicine will be the explanation.

Memories from Chen Lingxi's past fluttered through his mind, and he suddenly thought of an opportunity.

The western courtyard! Jiang Yuan, the new guest retainer!

When he had gone to the martial training courtyard a few days ago, Instructor He Duan had said that Jiang Yuan intended to accept a disciple in the western courtyard and teach the Mountain-Crushing Force!

Accepting a disciple?

Chen Lingxi took a deep breath. Icy air filled his lungs, suppressing both his surging blood and qi and the worry in his heart.

His gaze returned to the depths of the garden. There, several tender yellow narcissus flowers were breaking through the snow, stretching their fragile vitality beneath the morning light.

He bent down and carefully picked the strongest stalk, placing it into his bamboo basket.

He still had to continue arranging flowers. This was his threshold for entering the eastern hall of the western courtyard.

It was also the "value" before the Yunhe Commandery Princess's eyes. Such value might perhaps prove useful someday.

But beyond that, he also had to display his martial talent before Lin Longyue.

That new western courtyard guest retainer who wished to accept a disciple was another way to solve this problem!

I only wonder... whether my current talent, natural aptitude, and blood and qi can surpass the disciples of the western courtyard and catch Jiang Yuan's eye.