The Old Proprietor

Yellow Bamboo Town had no curfew. When it came to the outlaws active on Compassion Mountain, it had always been better to channel them than to block them. To that end, the old proprietor had established all manner of pleasure dens throughout the town—from gambling houses to the bloody Ghost Gate Arena, from cheap Smoke Willow Alley to high-class brothels. Every primitive human desire could be satisfied in Yellow Bamboo Town, and thus the town became even more prosperous after nightfall than it was by day.

At the end of the bustling streets, within the northernmost bamboo grove, a seven-story building rose from the ground. Its upturned eaves outlined the tranquil moonlight, while the wild, dragon-like calligraphy of "Immortal Guest House" upon its plaque looked down from on high over the entire town.

Behind the tower stretched a yellow bamboo forest spanning dozens of acres. A winding corridor paved with blue stone passed through the woods, linking to a three-courtyard residence at its far end.

The overlapping shadows of bamboo and cypress scattered across the ground at their feet as two figures emerged from the tower's side entrance and stepped onto the winding corridor.

The person in front was a middle-aged man clad in a moon-white scholar's robe. It was made from the finest Shu brocade, its hidden patterns faintly revealing woven clouds and cranes.

Half a step behind him walked a long-haired woman of twenty-five or twenty-six. Her features were ordinary, but her full chest more than made up for it. She wore a fitted martial outfit with narrow sleeves and a cinched waist, the taut fabric clinging closely to her body and outlining her graceful figure.

Their quiet conversation blended into the rustling of bamboo leaves.

Weariness from a long journey showed between Luo Liuyi's brows. Her voice was soft and gentle.

"...War has broken out again in the Central Plains. When I set out south this time, refugees had already begun gathering. By next spring, the first wave of displaced people will likely reach us."

As Nie Junyue listened to her report, there was no worry in his narrow phoenix eyes. He merely looked up at the cold moon with faint emotion.

"It has only been ten years, yet it has begun again. Faster than expected, but it does not matter. We have already begun felling forests and opening farmland. When the time comes, we will take in as many refugees as we can..."

Yet Luo Liuyi remained troubled, her words filled with concern.

"Proprietor, this time is somewhat different from last time. It is only a matter of time before Ancient Shu is dragged in as well."

Nie Junyue pondered briefly, then turned his head. His phoenix eyes narrowed slightly, and a reassuring smile surfaced at the corner of his lips.

"Do not worry too much. Ancient Shu's ruler has neither great ambition nor exceptional talent; he only wishes to keep peace in one corner. Even if those ministers wish to meddle in the Central Plains, it will have to wait several years. That gives us ample time."

At this, he paused. His steps stopped before a stone lantern, and his tone suddenly turned serious.

"Liuyi, it has been three years since you went to the Central Plains. What have you gained?"

Luo Liuyi fell silent for several breaths. She instinctively lifted a hand to touch the hilt of the sword at her waist before answering softly.

"Not much. Most businesses in the Central Plains are monopolized by local gentry and wealthy merchants. Whether intelligence or trade, after three years, we have only managed to gain a preliminary foothold. Development is out of the question. However, if the war continues to expand, there may be some opportunities... I am sorry."

Nie Junyue did not blame her. His smile remained gentle.

"You said it yourself—Ancient Shu may be dragged into this war as well, so there is no need to be overly anxious. By the way, have you found the kind of people I asked for?"

Luo Liuyi subconsciously glanced at the mild and refined middle-aged man beside her. Her red lips pressed together as she spoke in a low voice.

"I found several internal martial arts experts, but people born with divine strength are truly too rare. I..."

"Very well. It does not matter."

As though he had expected this long ago, Nie Junyue waved his hand.

Moonlight stretched his shadow long across the blue stone slabs on either side of the corridor.

Luo Liuyi opened her mouth, but a question that had accumulated for years lodged in her throat.

Why did they have to go to the Central Plains?

Immortal Guest House had poured vast manpower and resources into the Central Plains, even reaching the point where it had once threatened their foundation.

Nie Junyue seemed to understand the confusion in her eyes, and his voice was gentle.

"Lift your head and look ahead. Set your sights farther away. Not every investment in this world bears fruit immediately. Without the investment of the past three years, we would never have the chance we have now to gain a foothold in the Central Plains through this war. Is that not so?"

"But why?"

In the end, Luo Liuyi asked the question in her heart. Her voice lowered further, carrying earnestness. "If Immortal Guest House had focused on developing in Shu, with you here, and the resources invested in the Central Plains had been used elsewhere, we would likely already have..."

Nie Junyue stopped walking and looked back. The gentleness in his narrow eyes stirred slightly. It was not anger, but something even more unsettling.

Disappointment.

He looked directly at Luo Liuyi and smiled.

"As the manager of Jade-Rinsing Studio, you cannot come to me for verification in every matter. You have been in the Central Plains for three years. Many answers are things you must seek out yourself, are they not?"

"..."

A chill ran through Luo Liuyi's heart, and she instinctively looked away.

After several breaths of silence,

Nie Junyue finally sighed softly and muttered in silence.

"Under heaven, most people cannot fight against those terrifying demon calamities. So they imagine immortals, Daoists, cultivators, even gods, coming to save them, then pass such tales down through writing, illustrated storybooks, and operas."

Luo Liuyi wore an odd expression, unable to understand.

"Proprietor, why are you saying this..."

Nie Junyue waved a hand to cut her off, then suddenly asked,

"If I told you that the events in those storybooks were gradually becoming real, would you believe me?"

"...?"

Luo Liuyi halted, and her chest swayed with the sudden stop.

Nie Junyue suddenly smiled.

"At first, I did not believe it either. I have seen grandmasters whose internal martial arts had reached perfection, but what could it mean to say that people could fly through the sky while spitting fire?

"But later, more and more people said it—especially when it came from those in the prefectural capitals. I had no choice but to reevaluate the matter..."

At this point, Nie Junyue spoke each word with utmost seriousness.

"Liuyi, a great transformation is already taking place in the world. Perhaps in the future, one person holding off a thousand, even one man standing against ten thousand, will no longer exist only in storybooks. And the center of this upheaval should be the Central Plains."

"..."

Luo Liuyi froze instantly upon hearing this. After a long silence, she finally asked in a low voice,

"Why did you..."

"Not tell you directly?"

Nie Junyue interrupted her. He pressed hard against his brow, not allowing the woman to see his eyes. "Perhaps I already told you, but you simply did not take it seriously? In the letters I sent you, I repeatedly instructed you to search for 'strange people,' to watch whether there were any medicines or minerals on the market with abnormal effects, to have you..."

Before his reproach could finish, hurried footsteps interrupted Nie Junyue. He drew a deep breath and forcibly suppressed the anger in his heart.

Tap, tap, tap...

Following the sound, they saw a burly figure running over from the other end of the corridor. He wore the half-body light armor of an Immortal Guest House night patrol captain, a long saber sheath slapping against his thigh.

Upon reaching them, the burly man dropped heavily to one knee before Nie Junyue. He removed his ring-pommel saber and set it on the ground beside him, his voice breathless and urgent.

"Pro... Proprietor, something happened to Ruan Su!"

Nie Junyue adjusted his expression and slowly turned around. His voice was once again calm enough to put people at ease.

"Do not panic. Peng Jun, tell me slowly."

Peng Jun remained half-kneeling, taking several breaths before barely calming his breathing.

"Ruan Su and the others were supposed to be on night patrol today. I went to the guardhouse to find her for a spar, but I found Ma Chun's corpse instead."

Nie Junyue frowned slightly. The sleeves of his moon-white robe fluttered softly in the night breeze.

"I remember that besides Ruan Su and Ma Chun, Jiang Xuan should also have been on duty today. How are you certain that Ruan Su is the one in trouble?"

Peng Jun subconsciously lifted his eyes to look at the old proprietor.

Lantern light shone across Nie Junyue's face. Concern and scrutiny interwove in his phoenix eyes. Peng Jun did not dare conceal anything, and his voice sank lower.

"Judging by the wound, Ma Chun was killed by an axe."

Nie Junyue's brows instantly furrowed tighter, and the air grew several degrees heavier.

"You mean Ruan Su killed him?"

Blades and swords could not bring out the girl's strengths. Among the capable fighters in all of Yellow Bamboo Town and the surrounding counties, only Ruan Su used an axe.

"Ruan Su could not have killed him of her own accord."

Without the slightest hesitation, Peng Jun immediately defended Ruan Su. "That girl is too simple-hearted. She would not attack Ma Chun for no reason."

Everyone in Yellow Bamboo knew that as long as no one provoked Ruan Su's two younger brothers—or rather... did not provoke her younger brother Qin Yi—she rarely killed anyone directly outside of carrying out a mission.

Nie Junyue realized this as well and murmured softly,

"Something happened to Qin Yi?"

"Most likely."

"..."

Nie Junyue fell silent for several breaths.

Moonlight filtered down through the gaps in the bamboo leaves. Nie Junyue's phoenix eyes were half-closed as he gathered the scattered clues in his mind one by one and linked them together.

"...A dragon crossing the river? No. If they could buy off Ma Chun and Jiang Xuan, then it should be those enemies Ruan Su made in the county."

Realizing this, Nie Junyue slowly closed his eyes and drew a deep breath. For the first time, his voice revealed a trace of self-reproachful irritation.

"...Was it because of the repercussions of that girl burning her own face after the last marriage proposal?"

Peng Jun hesitated for a moment. His gaze flickered beneath his thick brows. He clasped his fists in salute and volunteered himself.

"Proprietor, how about I take some men to the small courtyard where they live..."

"No."

Nie Junyue opened his eyes, his tone decisive and beyond question. He cast a sideways glance at the martial-clad woman who had remained silent beside him.

Luo Liuyi stood at the edge of the lantern light, moonlight and flame interweaving over her graceful figure.

Nie Junyue's gaze lingered on her for a moment before turning to Peng Jun.

"If those people dared to make a move against Ruan Su, they must have made thorough preparations. I will arrange for Liuyi to handle Ruan Su's side. It may be dangerous if you go."

Only then did Peng Jun notice the person beside the proprietor. He was faintly startled, wondering when she had returned to Ancient Shu, but when he thought of her skills, the tension in his heart eased, and he let out a breath.

"Yes. Everything will be arranged according to the proprietor's orders."

Peng Jun picked up the ring-pommel saber from the ground, rose, and strode away, gradually swallowed by the shadows of the bamboo forest.

Several breaths of silence passed.

Watching the last trace of Peng Jun's silhouette vanish at the end of the corridor, Luo Liuyi tilted her head slightly. She knew he was angry, but she still could not help asking carefully,

"Ruan Su... is that pretty maid you specifically arranged to enter the Iron Guards?"

Nie Junyue ignored her question and did not continue their earlier topic. He gave her a deep look, then turned away directly, leaving only an order.

"You need not concern yourself with Ruan Su's matter. Go to Qi County tonight. Someone will meet you there. Bring me the head of the Zhou family patriarch."