Chapter 36: This Young Master Almost Had Fun

Chen Haoran sat in his office, paging through a book. Various invitations and letters were haphazardly scattered across his desk and spilled onto the floor.

Lan Fen’s prediction of the Lan family’s troubles had proven accurate. Every day her informants came to report some new family making a show of visiting their compound, or other cultivators challenging members to public duels. Not to mention whatever was going on behind the scenes.

The Lan family for their part tried to operate as if it was business as usual. Strongly denying these false rumors and attempting to smear Chen Haoran. Notably, Lan Yao and Lan Junjie hadn’t been seen at all since this mess started. Chen Haoran could only imagine that they were being given a rough time by the higher-ups in the family.

Not to say they weren’t having a rough time themselves. There was currently a large hole right in front of his property’s gate. A Liquid Meridian realm had tried to sneak into the manor the other night. Lan Fen had of course spotted him long before he trespassed and Song Yuelin wasn’t far behind her, immediately sensing the man as soon as he jumped over the walls and wasting no time in slitting the man’s throat and tossing his body out into the streets to serve as an example. While they hadn’t seen the fight directly he could tell by the grudging respect Lan Fen had shown while she narrated the events that it wasn’t a close fight at all.

His window opened and with the breeze came the devil himself. “I have returned, Young Master Chen!” Song Yuelin sang.

The wind swept through and scattered all the paper on his desk. Chen Haoran looked down at his book. He lost his page.

He closed the book with a sigh. “How did speaking with the City Lord go?”

“My infiltration into his palace was a complete success!” Song Yuelin clapped his hands in joy. He paused. “He will have to replace his roof though.”

Chen Haoran stared.

“Don’t look at me like that. It was your fault anyway.”

“How is it my fault?”

“You told me to leave a note on his pillow.”

“You actually did that?”

“Of course I did,” Song Yuelin said, his eyes starting to water. “Were you really trying to get me killed?”

Chen Haoran ignored his blubbering. “What did the City Lord say?”

Song Yuelin’s crocodile tears disappeared. “He’s given his approval for your little plan. He’ll be posting more guard patrols around the manor, and will make sure to check any overt retaliation by the Lan family.”

“That’s a relief.”

" I imagine he’s relieved too. I don’t think that coward would have made a move at all until the Palace Exams were over.”

“Are they really that serious to worry him that much?”

Song Yuelin shrugged. “The officials who oversee the exam are a higher rank than he is and report directly to the Palace. Should something disturb the exams then one word from them could spell the end for his career.”

“I see.” His estimation of the Empire rose again. “It’s good that everything is settled now.” Chen Haoran rose and made to leave. “I’m going to go train, you can do whatever.”

“May I accompany you then, Young Master Chen?”

Chen Haoran considered it.“Fine,” he grudgingly agreed. He wanted to practice the Canyon Carving Sword today anyway. Having Song Yuelin around would help preserve the training grounds.

They left his office and made their way down the manor’s grand hallways. Song Yuelin nattered away while Chen Haoran paid half attention and politely said a word now and then.

“This isn’t the way to the inner courtyards,” Song Yuelin suddenly said.

“No,” Chen Haoran casually replied. “I want to use the outer training ground today.” It had been a while since he’d gone after all. Plus he had to admit he was getting a bit tired of getting slapped around in clear view of the servants. The inner training ground wasn’t exactly private and the courtyard was heavily trafficked.

“Do you often use that training ground?”

He could recognize the attempt to fish for information, he didn’t know for what purpose though. “Yes,” Chen Haoran cautiously answered. “I have before.”

“I see,” Song Yuelin said. He spoke no further, seemingly dropping the topic.

Chen Haoran chewed over the exchange in his mind. Lan Fen had said Song Yuelin used the outer training ground before. Was he worried that he’d lose a place to privately train? If so he didn’t mind the shoe being on the other foot for once.

Chen Haoran stretched and breathed in qi and fresh air, he smelled wildflowers and pine needles. The outer training ground was as pristine as the last time he had left it. Whatever Song Yuelin had been doing here didn’t seem to leave any marks either. Then again the assassin was probably better at cleaning up his tracks.

Chen Haoran shivered at the thought and turned to more relevant issues instead.

Lan Fen was here.

A small table had been arranged with tea and sweetmeats. Lan Fen, the picture of a perfect noble, elegantly sat beside it with a cup in hand. A maidservant with short, steel-gray hair stood behind and he recognized her as one of the people Lan Fen brought into the manor. A Fourth-Layer cultivator.

Lady Fen! What a pleasant surprise!” Song Yuelin called out. “What brings you here?”

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Lan Fen took a long, drawn-out sip from her teacup. Chen Haoran counted the seconds. Three minutes later she deigned to respond. “Relaxing.”

“At a training ground?”

“They are familiar territory to me after all.” She offered her cup to the maid who immediately refilled it. “It is good that you came, now I have some entertainment to go with my tea.”

“Is it truly safe for you to be so close to a cultivator training though?” Song Yuelin asked, his smile was sly. “While I know you were once a promising cultivator yourself it’s not good to risk your safety by ignoring reality.”

Lan Fen raised an eyebrow. “I assure you Manager Song, I am fine. I am sure that you and Chen Haoran will protect me from any accidents.” She smiled. “Not that I expect any accidents to occur with a Liquid Meridian realm supervising.”

“Can we get on with it?” Chen Haoran interjected. He had heard enough of their veiled sniping to last a lifetime.

“Of course, Young Master Chen.” Liquid Shadow fell from Song Yuelin’s hands and flooded over the ground; reaching Lan Fen’s chair and stopping just short of her startled maidservant.

Lan Fen idly kicked her foot out and watched the shadows swish up with the motion. “Most impressive,” she said. As if praising a dog who had performed a particularly clever trick.

Chen Haoran and Song Yuelin faced each other in the field of shadows. “Hey,” he whispered. “Can you not hit me in the face this time?”

Song Yuelin lifted an eyebrow but he subtly nodded back in understanding. Chen Haoran felt appreciation for the man. He wasn’t trying to impress Lan Fen with his skill or anything, but there were more graceful ways to lose than getting backhanded across the face.

“The first move is yours, Young Master Chen,” Song Yuelin beckoned.

He rushed forward fast and low, his sword trailing liquid shadow. Song Yuelin twisted into a roundhouse kick and Chen Haoran, startled at the unexpected move, dropped down. The kick rushed past his head so fast that he felt wind blast his face. With terrified instinct, he stabbed his sword into Song Yuelin’s chest. He was bracing himself for the inevitable counter when he felt the sword sink in. Song Yuelin flew backward and, like a stone in water, fell into the liquid shadow with a splash.

Chen Haoran looked at his sword with wide eyes. Then back to where Song Yuelin had fallen. “Song Yuelin?” he tentatively called out.

The shadows erupted.

“Oh, the pain!” Song Yuelin wailed. He convulsed on the ground like a dying fish.“Young Master Chen it’s only a practice match, you needn’t be so forceful!”

Chen Haoran’s concern vanished.

“Is that blood!? I’m bleeding!” Song Yuelin raised a finger high into the air, a single bead of blood resting on the tip. “Young Master Chen call a doctor quickly!”

“What did I even expect from you?” he sighed.

“I was only trying to help you!” With shadows covering the rest of his body, Song Yuelin looked like a disconnected head and arm floating in black water.“You wanted to look good in front of Lady Fen did you not?” His voice was both loud and obnoxious.

Chen Haoran facepalmed.

Lan Fen chuffed a laugh. “Go on,” she encouraged. “Your opponent is still moving, you should finish him off.”

“That’s not a bad idea,” he growled. His sword glowed blue.

Song Yuelin’s eyes went wide. “What happened to mercy for the fallen?” he cried out.

“Canyon Carving Sword!”

Chen Haoran got to train the Canyon Carving Sword. Lan Fen got her entertainment. Song Yuelin almost got what was coming to him. Unfortunately, the man was as slippery as an eel and remained unscathed.

Chen Haoran, sweaty and tired, strolled over to Lan Fen’s little table and picked a few choice sweets before sitting on the ground next to her. Song Yuelin cleared the liquid shadows with a wave of his hand and kept his distance.

“Did you have fun?” Lan Fen asked.

“I did,” Chen Haoran replied. He was familiar with those words and that tone. It meant what she was about to say next would not be as fun. “So what un-fun thing do you have in store for me?”

“This will be very fun I assure you.”

“The Lan family?”

“Now is about the right time,” Lan Fen smiled. It was vicious in its joy.

She rose from her chair and offered her hand.

“Are you up for a bit of night hunting?”

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