Chapter 373: Upper-Stage of the Fourth Rank! (Requesting Monthly Tickets)

Chapter 373: The Upper Part of the Fourth Rank! (Seeking Monthly Votes)

Xiao Wan'er, unaware of the thoughts churning within Chen Yi’s heart, rose to stretch her limbs, feeling a renewed warmth radiating through her body.

Chen Yi noticed her movements and cautioned, “Your body, remember, must not be overexerted.”

“If...”

Xiao Wan'er anticipated his words, lifting her finger to gently silence his lips, only to retract it swiftly.

The gesture, perhaps deemed too forward, left her cheeks flushed.

“You... Brother-in-law, just relax.”

“After the guests depart from the manor, I’ll rest for a while.”

“Alright...”

After a few idle words, Xiao Wan'er hurriedly bid him farewell.

Chen Yi escorted her out of the Spring Lotus Garden, watching her lead Shen Huatang toward the courtyard.

Tomorrow would be the day the Old Master hosted a grand banquet for guests from all directions.

Throughout Zhou’s mansion that day, from the highest ranks down to the servants and maids, everyone busied themselves with preparations, occasionally exchanging light banter.

“Unmatched, the Zhou family’s residence—truly magnificent, far surpassing the homes in Jiangnan.”

“Damn brat, don’t be so showy. With Master Wei’s laws, how dare we transgress?”

“I’m just saying... Father, these days you’ve been constantly mentioning Master Qingzhou, yet you haven’t visited him?”

“Besides that, if you could win his favor and secure a scroll of inkstone, we could display it in our home.”

“Master Qingzhou wouldn’t be so easily swayed?”

“Moreover, he’s merely a son-in-law from the Xiao family. If we approached him unannounced, what would that say about Xiao’s family?”

“Enough chatter. This time, we’re here at the Zhou Master’s invitation, so let’s first handle the matters at hand...”

Some understood, others did not, especially those from Guangyue Prefecture and southern counties of Jiangnan.

The accents were different, which was quite natural.

“Tomorrow...”

Chen Yi, recalling the Old Master’s special instructions to him and the dispatched invitation to the head of Bai Caotang, felt a tinge of resignation.

So far, he remained oblivious to where he had left a trace.

Unable to fathom the situation, he could only do his best to patch things up, allowing Shu and Tong to impersonate Chen Yu in attending the banquet.

Otherwise, he couldn’t guess what further tests the Old Master might devise.

With such thoughts, Chen Yi leaned close, listening intently, then returned to the Spring Lotus Garden, chatted briefly with Xiao Hè, and made his way to the study.

Recently, the weather in Shu had grown milder.

The sky was clear, cloudless, and the sun blazed intensely.

Sunlight filtered through the towering camphor trees before the wooden pavilion, casting a bright glow into the study.

A cool breeze swept through, scattering petals and fallen leaves from the courtyard.

Xiao Hè was diligently sweeping, her movements steady despite the effort.

From the direction of the Purple Bamboo Grove, a sharp voice could be heard.

Pei Menglu was practicing the Blooming Flower Palm, the faint sound of palm strikes echoing through the trees.

Chen Yi inhaled the fragrance of flowers and grass, laid a sheet of cypress paper on the table, and set his gaze upon Xiao Hè outside the window.

He dipped his brush and began to write.

Soon, a scene of the Spring Lotus Garden under the winter sun materialized on the paper.

With the harmony of earth and heaven, the colors danced vividly, and Xiao Hè’s smiling figure seemed to twirl in the painting.

The artwork captured this beauty in a timeless form.

Chen Yi studied it for a moment, then penned a short poem, affixed his seal, and completed the masterpiece.

He set down his wolf-hair brush, held the cypress paper to his nose, and blew on the ink to dry it, placing it aside, awaiting framing.

Should someone of great stature indeed summon Xiao Wan'er to request his inkstone, he’d be ready.

Afterward, Chen Yi stretched lazily by the window.

The beauty of the scene filled his senses with tranquility.

Yet, alas...

Chen Yi was, after all, a man of toil.

Even though he longed for a peaceful, leisurely life, circumstances often defied his wishes.

The Xiao family’s patriarch now sought to rally the Xiao clan’s banners anew.

Xiao Jinghong remained abroad, refining the military forces of the three cities.

The three departments of Shu—Civil Affairs, the Military Commission, and the Censorate—were either recently replaced or still undecided.

Ma Shuhuan, the student official of Shu, had been assassinated, and the entire Xiao family fell victim to treachery. Even “the little road master” Huang Huayang perished in a smile, his life cut short by a sudden illness.

These matters intertwined with the mountain clans and another major faction, the Wudang Sect, demanding swift resolution.

And Song Jin Jian...

Until these affairs were settled, how could Chen Yi ever find true leisure?

He glanced toward the Purple Bamboo Grove, then at Xiao Hè clearing fallen leaves from the pavilion’s roof.

“The tree yearns to be still, yet the wind does not cease; what can be done?”

Chen Yi shook his head in thought, turned back to the chamber, and sat cross-legged on the bed, practicing the Four Symbols Technique.

It had been over ten days since his last breakthrough.

During the imperial examination period, he couldn’t practice, relying instead on the Xuanwu Subduing Escape Method to passively absorb the harmony of the world, his progress in cultivation lagging behind the previous breakthrough by several days.

Thankfully, after the examinations, he had been diligent.

His cultivation advanced steadily.

Now, he had reached the moment of breakthrough.

A faint harmony of the world slowly filled the chamber, and the scene transformed entirely.

The bed and desk vanished, replaced by a splendid pavilion nestled by a mountain stream.

A towering structure, green waters, and blue mountains surrounded him, with lively flowers, birds, fish, and insects. The scenery surpassed the Spring Lotus Garden in grandeur.

Chen Yi seated himself within the pavilion, eyes gently closed, exerting his full effort in the Four Symbols Technique.

In the three dantian, a faint glow of spiritual energy flickered.

True qi flowed forth, circulating along the twelve primary meridians, illuminating his meridians with radiant light.

Soon, Chen Yi himself seemed gilded with a layer of golden light.

When that radiance shone forth, shadows flickered in all four directions around him.

Upon careful observation, the faint outlines of the four divine beasts—Azure Dragon, White Tiger, Vermilion Bird, and Black Tortoise—emerged.

Chen Yì remained unaware, his spirit already submerged in cultivation.

As time passed,

Chen Yì felt his entire body brimming with warmth, the four divine positions formed by the convergence of celestial and terrestrial qi within his chest and mind, solidifying not only his physical form but also sharpening his eyes' awareness.

It was as if the divine beasts had truly been condensed by him.

Once formed, four streams of spiritual energy surged forth, gradually merging with the primal qi.

After one great cycle, the luminous currents along his meridians blazed more brightly.

In the second great cycle, the qi and spiritual energy refined his limbs and bones, strengthening his body.

How long had passed?

Chen Yì stirred, his eyes slowly opening as the surrounding radiance seeped back into his form, merging seamlessly with the three great qi seas.

He inhaled deeply, his body lighter than before.

Then he summoned a light curtain and glanced at it.

[ cultivation level: Fourth Grade—Upper ]

[ fate: 337 ]

Chen Yì scanned the rest and fixed his gaze on the final fate count.

All his paths had reached their pinnacle; even the least-developed path, music, had achieved great completion.

The paths of literature, martial arts—body, martial arts—spear, and chess had all been refined to perfect completion.

“To elevate these to the ultimate realm would require a fate count of astronomical proportions.”

A completed path requires a thousand fate.

A completed path seeking to break into the ultimate realm demands ten thousand fate.

Chen Yì’s current knowledge encompassed eleven paths; elevating all to the ultimate realm would require over ten thousand fate.

He shook his head silently, “Relying on fate is futile; daily cultivation might lead to enlightenment.”

Just as his chess and spear paths had broken through through enlightenment, such moments could spare the need for fate expenditure. Yet enlightenment requires insight, and he could not know when it would come.

Just then, the sound of Xiao Bie reached his ears.

“Master, over a dozen guests have arrived at Jia Xing Yuan; the princess wishes for your assistance.”

Chen Yì replied with a nod, rising to his feet and heading outward, asking as he walked:

“Which guests have come?”

Xiao Bie followed closely, saying, “Sister Huo mentioned they’re all from distant regions.”

“Most are from Jizhou.”

“Jizhou?”

Chen Yì glanced toward Jia Xing Yuan, thinking, “Has Grandfather returned home?”

Earlier, he’d heard Grandfather was invited by Yang Ye, the provincial governor, to meet the new right provincial governor, Fan Yuanzhe.

It should have been back by now.

Xiao Bie shook her head. “Master, Grandfather hasn’t returned yet.”

Chen Yì nodded thoughtfully, leading Xiao Bie straight to Jia Xing Yuan.

Upon arrival, he heard a high-pitched woman speaking at length.

She praised Xiao Wǎn'ěr’s generous disposition in one breath, then remarked on how she’d reached marriageable age in the next.

The surrounding people frowned but seemed wary of the speaker, mostly offering shallow smiles.

Xiao Wǎn'ěr, accustomed to such praise, smiled and said, “I cannot accept my aunt’s compliments; I have no intention of marrying yet.”

Many of the noblewomen here had sought to arrange her marriage, all rebuffed.

Hearing these words, she found them easy to handle.

Chen Yì surveyed the area, seeing no cause for concern, and approached lightly, bowing.

“My lady, I apologize for my tardiness.”

Xiao Wǎn'ěr, upon seeing him arrive, felt a slight relief, their previous rapport resuming smoothly.

Within moments, laughter and chatter filled Jia Xing Yuan.

The woman who’d orchestrated the wedding arrangements masked her lips and laughed outright.

Yet she couldn’t help but fix her gaze on the pair seated together—Chen Yì and Xiao Wǎn'ěr—her mouth twitching:

“If only I’d known Mr. Qin was the husband of the famed ‘Hundred Flowers’ lady, I’d have assumed you two were husband and wife.”

Xiao Wǎn'ěr’s face flushed, her voice tinged with embarrassment. “Auntie, you shouldn’t speak so carelessly.”

The poised, dignified demeanor she’d worn moments before now seemed beneath her.

Though Chen Yì disliked this woman’s lack of propriety, he maintained his composure.

He smiled faintly. “My lady is virtuous and gentle; it is a blessing to sit with her.”

After a pause, he turned to her, eyes twinkling. “Then which young man shall I introduce to you?”

“Surely someone far superior to me?”

“This….”

The woman was at a loss for words, her heart seething silently.

Superior to Qin?

In talent? In background? In reputation?

“Probably not as good as Mr. Qin…”

“Indeed, Mr. Qin may be young, but he’s already renowned across the three provinces and four prefectures of Daliang.”

“His poetry, especially ‘Moonlight Over the Lake,’ is still widely recited.”

“His prose is masterful; after the provincial exam, even my lord praised him as a genius.”

“More so?”

“Because his exam essays have made him a model for scholars, especially the youth.”

“And some eminent philosophers speak highly of his scholarly mastery…”

When the topic turned to himself, Chen Yì subtly winked at Xiao Wǎn'ěr, signaling her turn.

Xiao Wǎn'ěr nodded, steering the conversation toward tomorrow’s banquet for Grandfather, her expression settling quickly.

Chen Yi stood nearby, engaging in idle chatter with the guests from Jizhou, one sentence after another, while his thoughts wandered elsewhere.

After the annual exam, his papers were torn to pieces by Ma Shuhuan.

He had assumed a fifth-grade score would suffice.

But Professor Yue Ming stepped forward to assess the rankings.

Though he did not claim the top spot, he was granted a third-place result.

Neither high nor low, it was just enough to preserve his title as a xiusha.

“It seems after finishing the old matriarch’s affairs, I should find time to visit the academy.”

Chen Yi mused as he mingled with the others, his mind elsewhere, until night fell.

Xiao Wan’er had arranged a feast with three tables of wine.

The atmosphere was lively.

At parting, Xiao Wan’er’s distant cousin remarked, “That remarkable woman, Xiao Jinghong, hasn’t returned in ages—how is she faring?”

Chen Yi smiled, “No need to worry, Mistress Xiao is well.”

He could never reveal Xiao Jinghong’s whereabouts, lest this woman harbor other schemes.

Just thinking of it, he felt some relief that she hadn’t returned.

Otherwise, he’d be at a loss how to fulfill the appointment.

After all, he’d promised to aid “Sword Spirit Lord” Ye Genxian, which meant he’d have to visit eventually.

“How is Mistress Xiao these days?”

……

Meng Shu Pass.

Named for its construction along the rushing waters.

The terrain was perilous, its towering walls nestled between steep mountains, stretching for dozens of miles.

The soldiers on guard stood tall, scanning the distance under moonlight and torchlight.

Even without conflict, their strings were taut, none daring to relax their vigilance.

Some old soldiers recalled five years prior, when the Miao vanguard had launched a night raid on Meng Shu Pass, many soldiers instantly slain by their swift response.

Since then, commanders and troops alike never dared to slacken.

Xiao Jinghong stood atop the pass, gazing far ahead.

The full moon hung high, its silver light casting down, revealing dense, towering forests in the distance.

Between those trees, pairs of eyes glinted with a reddish hue.

Xiao Jinghong knew those eyes belonged to Miao scouts hiding in the woods.

Though their strength was modest, she harbored no contempt for them.

These Miao were merely sacrifices dispatched by their clans—killing them would be futile and invite more Miao.

She observed for a moment, about to return to the pass, when Su Zhemo approached quickly.

“General, everything is arranged. Tomorrow, a column of Xuanjia troops will move beyond the pass.”

Xiao Jinghong nodded slightly: “Let them be cautious, do not venture too far, lest history repeat itself.”

Su Zhemo agreed, then added: “There is another matter.”

“Lord Blue’s aide recently reported that bandits had passed through the pass, heading toward the Black Bear Tribe.”

“Bandits?”

Xiao Jinghong pondered, then signaled: “Tell Ma Kui, have him stay with the Xuanjia column for the coming days.”

“If they meet those bandits again, capture them all.”

“Understood…”

After Su Zhemo departed, Xiao Jinghong glanced once more beyond the pass.

The Black Bear Tribe was where Miao left king Mu Hage resided.

How dare those bandits return?

Earlier, on the Tea Horse Road, bandits had abducted the Black Bear Tribe’s young heir—surely they’d learned their lesson by now?

(End of Chapter)