Qin Enuo, Pure as Ice and Jade

Three days later, outside Yuzhou City.

Sword Qi came from the east, surging thirty zhang.

Then plum blossoms danced across the sky, and a lovely, otherworldly figure came riding a sword, her arrival grand and imposing.

"Wow, the Plum Blossom Sword Immortal is here!"

Inside Yuzhou City, the common people watched the Plum Blossom Sword Immortal ride through the sky, their faces filled with admiration and respect.

A breeze passed, the plum blossoms scattered, and Qin Enuo landed, putting away her ancient sword.

Before their eyes stood a woman like an immortal banished to the mortal world, her features as exquisite as a painting, her beauty almost unreal. Her white dress was untouched by dust, spotless and flawless.

"Fairy, I love you! Fairy, you're my idol!"

Among the bustling crowd was Li Ziye, who had nothing better to do. Watching Qin Enuo's spectacular entrance, he obligingly played the part of an extra, stretching out his arms and waving as he shouted.

"..."

"..."

Perhaps Li Ziye had shouted too loudly. The people around him turned to look at him as though he were an idiot, all instinctively taking a step back.

And so Li Ziye became the most conspicuous lad in the entire crowd.

"Fairy... I love..."

Seeing this, Li Ziye froze, forcibly swallowing the final word.

What happened? Why wasn't anyone shouting?

Wasn't this how important people always made their entrances? He was being very cooperative!

"Isn't that Li Baiwan's son? Why is he an idiot?"

"No idea. I'd never heard that Li Baiwan's son was an idiot."

"What the hell do you know? Young Master Li is a genius. Geniuses always have something unusual about them. That's called having character."

Someone in the crowd recognized Li Ziye, and whispers spread, some puzzled, some admiring.

Of course, those offering praise were clearly lying through their teeth.

"..."

Li Ziye was speechless. Seeing the situation turn against him, he covered his face without another word and slunk away.

How humiliating!

At the front of the crowd, Qin Enuo glanced at Li Ziye as he slunk away, a thoughtful look in her eyes.

An idiot?

When Li Ziye returned to the Li residence, Zhang Lata was resting with his eyes closed beside the lake in the rear courtyard. Without even opening them, he asked, "Did you see her?"

Li Ziye rubbed his nose sheepishly. "I did."

"Well? Is Qin Enuo worthy of being your master?" Zhang Lata asked flatly.

Li Ziye stopped and stared at the shabby old man for a long while. "Old Zhang, are you mocking me?"

"Yes." Zhang Lata nodded.

"Old Man Zhang, you sold your integrity for ten jars of Drunken Flower Brew, and you have the nerve to mock other people?"

After that sneer, Li Ziye sat down beside Old Man Zhang and lay back. "Old Zhang, Old Qin looks so young. Is she really as powerful as you said?"

"In martial arts, age isn't all that matters."

With his eyes closed, Zhang Lata said calmly, "You have to admit that there are people in this world called geniuses. Qin Enuo is a genius among geniuses."

"I'm so envious," Li Ziye said wistfully.

"Everyone has their strengths and weaknesses. You can't force these things, and you needn't be too fixated on them," Zhang Lata said.

"Then what's my strength?" Li Ziye asked.

Zhang Lata fell silent, then remained silent. Only after an unknown stretch of time did he finally say, "You're fairly good-looking. You could be called gold and jade on the outside."

"Old Zhang, your skill at insulting people just keeps improving. I'm impressed."

Li Ziye gave a smile that never reached his eyes. This Old Man Zhang could insult people without a single dirty word. Gold and jade on the outside—wasn't the next line rotten stuffing within?

"What? Am I wrong?"

Zhang Lata said flatly, "I heard another young maid in the residence went into your room of her own accord last night. Well? Are you still a virgin?"

"Get lost!"

Li Ziye snapped, "It's not my fault I'm handsome. It troubles me too."

"That really makes someone want to punch you," Zhang Lata said.

"Old Zhang, I've decided!"

Li Ziye suddenly sat up straight and declared firmly, "I'm going to become Old Qin's disciple, successfully embark on the martial path, then make my name known across the four seas and become invincible beneath heaven."

Zhang Lata opened his eyes and studied the young man before him. After a long while, he asked, "Are you serious?"

"Of course."

Li Ziye nodded.

"It's good to be young."

Zhang Lata sighed. "Even your daydreams sound so imposing."

"..."

This old man was rotten to the core. Li Ziye couldn't be bothered with him.

"Young Master, the master is calling for you."

Just then, a servant hurried over and spoke urgently.

"What is it?" Li Ziye asked.

"The Sword Immortal-the Plum Blossom Sword Immortal is here," the servant said.

"Old... Old Qin?"

Hearing this, Li Ziye sprang to his feet and said in surprise, "So soon?"

With that, Li Ziye immediately strode toward the front courtyard.

"Young people really can't keep their composure."

Beside the lake, Zhang Lata closed his eyes again and spoke with unruffled ease.

In the main hall of the front courtyard.

Li Baiwan kept Qin Enuo company with the face of an utter bootlicker. For the great undertaking of finding his son a master, dignity and all that was nonsense.

"Fairy, is this tea to your taste?"

"Fairy, I also have some excellent Cloud Mist Tea."

"Fairy, do you drink? I have ten-year-old Drunken Flower Brew here. Or Daughter's Red? Twenty years old."

"Fairy..."

"Fairy..."

When Li Ziye arrived in the main hall and saw his father's bootlicking manner, he wished he could stuff him into a crack in the ground.

How humiliating!

"Fairy, you must be tired after so many days on the road. I learned a few massage techniques from our household physician. Shall I help ease your fatigue?" Li Ziye hurried forward, his smile blooming like a flower.

"No need."

Qin Enuo was having none of the father and son's act. With an indifferent expression, she said, "You presumably know why I've come. My conditions for taking a disciple are simple. Pass my tests, and you may become my disciple."

"What tests?"

Li Ziye immediately perked up and asked.

Beside him, Li Baiwan also leaned closer, pricking up his ears.

"Don't block me. Your face is too big."

Li Ziye pushed Li Baiwan's face aside and spoke irritably.

Li Baiwan gave an embarrassed, apologetic smile, then took two steps back.

"Three tasks."

Qin Enuo glanced at the oddly interacting father and son and said calmly, "Complete three tasks, and I'll acknowledge that you've passed my tests."

"Three?"

Li Ziye's heart tightened. That many? Old Qin really wasn't easy to fool.

"Of course, I won't make you complete all three immediately. I'll give you time. Today, I've come to tell you the first test."

Qin Enuo rose and said flatly, "For the first task, you have one day to find or forge a sword. It must display distinctive craftsmanship and be out of the ordinary."

With that, Qin Enuo lingered no longer and offered not a word of guidance. She walked out of the main hall, then departed gracefully.

Inside the hall, father and son exchanged a glance, their expressions differing.

"Is Old Qin going easy on me?" Li Ziye asked, looking puzzled.

Who didn't know his father was rich? Never mind one sword-he could buy ten thousand.

"Could there be a catch? Fairy Qin said it had to display distinctive craftsmanship," Li Baiwan asked, somewhat worried.

Li Ziye gave him a scornful look. "Dad, could you stop being so naive? What does distinctive craftsmanship or out of the ordinary even mean? It's like an open-ended exam question. Whether the answer's right is entirely up to Old Qin."

At this point, Li Ziye suddenly seemed to remember something and asked urgently, "Right, Dad, did you slip Old Qin any silver when she came?"

"Oh, this memory of mine."

Li Baiwan slapped his thigh, his belly quivering, and said remorsefully, "I was so busy entertaining Fairy Qin that I forgot."

"Old Li, why don't you forget to eat?"

Li Ziye said, exasperated at his failure to do better, "Hurry up and send someone to find out where Old Qin is staying, then go slip her some silver!"

"No need to investigate. I sent someone to follow Qin Enuo as soon as she entered the city."

Just then, a beautiful woman with a shapely figure walked in from outside the hall. She bowed respectfully to Li Baiwan and addressed him, "Foster Father."

"Sister Youwei."

Seeing her, Li Ziye immediately went forward, smiling delightedly. "Sister Youwei really is the best. You're always dependable, unlike Dad. He's not reliable at all."

Li Youwei smiled faintly and said softly, "You have good taste, little brother. Qin Enuo is pretty, and her bottom is perky too. One look tells you she'd be good at bearing children. Become her disciple first, then win her over. A fine strategy."

Li Ziye: "..."

Li Baiwan: "..."

Such ferocious, outrageous words!

"Sister Youwei."

Li Ziye hurriedly changed the subject. "You said you've had someone following Old Qin all along. Have you found out where she is?"

"The Yuelai Inn in the west of the city. One of our family's properties. There's nothing special about it except one word: expensive! That tells us Fairy Qin is a woman of discerning tastes," Li Youwei said.

"Discerning tastes make things easy. Dad, did you hear that?"

Hearing this, Li Ziye immediately turned around and barked, "Hurry up and prepare gifts. They must be valuable-as valuable as possible. We have to let Old Qin fully appreciate our sincerity."

"I'll go right away."

Li Baiwan gave an ingratiating smile and left the hall to make preparations.

Watching his father leave, Li Ziye looked back at his elder sister in the hall and smiled. "Sister Youwei, sorry for the trouble, but I'll need you to deliver the gifts to Old Qin later. I wouldn't trust anyone else."

"Mm."

Li Youwei nodded and answered softly, "Your affairs are the Li Residence's most important affairs, little brother."

At sunset, as the sun sank in the west, Li Youwei came alone to the Yuelai Inn.

Knock, knock.

There was a knock at the door, and then Qin Enuo opened it.

"Li Youwei, Li Ziye's elder sister," Li Youwei introduced herself without preamble.

"What is it?" Qin Enuo asked.

Li Youwei stepped forward and, without any unnecessary words, set down the bundle in her hands, took out three boxes, then opened them one by one.

"An East Sea luminous pearl, found on the seabed of the East Sea. Worth a hundred thousand in gold."

"Heavenly Silkworm Soft Armor, impervious to blades and spears, water and fire. Worth a million in gold."

"The Fish Intestine Sword, once owned by Duke Wei in ancient times. Priceless."

The three boxes displayed three supreme treasures of the mortal world. Having set them down, Li Youwei did not linger and prepared to leave.

Before going out, Li Youwei turned around and asked just one question. "Fairy, do you have any guidance?"

Qin Enuo was silent. After a moment, she said, "He need only do his best."

Li Youwei nodded, asked nothing further, and walked away.

The night stretched on. Li Ziye stood in the courtyard, gazing at the night sky. After a long while, poetic inspiration surged within him.

"Ah, money can make ghosts turn the millstone! Ah, money can make the millstone turn ghosts!"

"My son truly is a heaven-sent genius!"

Inside his room, Li Baiwan watched his son through the window, his face filled with pride.

The next day, at the appointed time.

Under everyone's gaze, plum blossoms danced across the sky, and the fairy arrived riding her sword, otherworldly and untouched by the slightest dust of mortal life.

She was just like an ice-and-snow fairy descending into the mortal world, so perfect, so ethereal, so pure as ice and jade.

In the main hall, Li Ziye took out a precious sword cast from pure gold and handed it over.

It glittered golden, dazzling to the eye.

Qin Enuo accepted the golden sword and studied it for a long while. Then she nodded with an indifferent expression and praised him:

"Good. For a sword cultivator, cultivation matters, not the sword. At the highest realm, flying blossoms and falling leaves can all serve as swords. Excessive attachment to external things instead relegates one to a lesser path. An excellent answer. You pass."

Li Baiwan: "..."

Li Ziye: "..."