Xu Lanyi steeled her nerves and looked around at her surroundings. The city center where she stood was surrounded by a large traffic circle. More than six avenues branched off from the circle. There were hundreds of horse carts, ox carts, and hand-pulled carts coming and going. Those were swamped by thousands of people rushing about on foot. It was barely organized chaos. If she stumbled, she was liable to get trampled before people even noticed.
She pulled out a map and after consulting it for a long time, started down one of the avenues. She was alone this time and could not rely on Li Yuechan.
She walked along the sidewalk, away from the main stream of traffic. The buildings were unlike Ember Cliffs. They had a nondescript color of ash and dirt. They were made of bricks that were crumbling and wood that was rotting. Some houses were simple shacks.
There were shops and stalls, the same as any other busy city or town. Yet there was also something that she did not expect to see in the metropolis for human cultivators, beggars.
Beggars weren’t something new to her. They were common in Glacier Province, Dragon Flower Province, and every other place with human society. She had high hopes for the metropolis but this was dashed and reality set it. This place was no better than anywhere else.
“Lady! Spare some change?”
“Miss, would you like to buy a wooden carving?”
“Please help me!”
Voices called out to her as pass by but she ignored them out of habit. Back during her days with Glacier Palace, she never had a lot of money. Allowances were slim and she could not afford to give it away.
Now things were different. Ten Thousand Flower Valley had completely changed her concept of money. She had no real need for money anymore as her master showered everyone with gold and treasure at every opportunity. Her camouflaging spatial bag, in the form of a necklace, was filled with things she could never have afforded. Her extra money bag that she used day-to-day was filled to the brim with gold taels.
She looked around at the poverty around her and her shell began to crack. The sack of gold weighed heavily in her pocket. The final blow came when a group of kids no older than ten came into view. They wore dirty, tattered clothes and were peddling small flowers, probably grown in an alley or back garden and completely worthless.
“Special flowers! One tael of silver each!”
Their voices tugged at Xu Lanyi. She was reminded of the difficult years of her childhood and the beginning years in the sect. Her money pouch felt too heavy.
She didn’t even know she stopped. Her hand moved on its own and withdrew a handful of gold taels. Using her spiritual energy, she dropped one golden nugget in each of the children’s hands.
“Thank you, big sister!”
“Dummy, call her princess!”
“Generous princess!”
Other children noticed and gathered around her. Seeing the expressions on their faces after being given the money kept her going. Her hand moved automatically as her heart swelled. When they smiled, she smiled. When they laughed, she laughed.
More children rush up and the commotion attracted older ones as well as grownups. They all saw a generous person and were eager to get a share.
“Make way.”
“Give me!”
Pushing and shoving started. Xu Lanyi quickly became surrounded. They hemmed her in, hands extended, all desperately begging. Grown men started overpowering the children and cut in line. She gave them gold as well. She had plenty to spare and she didn’t mind as long as it helped everyone.
However, what followed next shocked her and brought her down to reality.
“Eyy!” She yelped.
Someone had touched her, groped her butt!
In the sea of dirty faces and dirtier hands, she could not tell who it was. She didn’t want to stop just because of this but then… a rough hand grabbed at her breast.
“That’s it!” She was infuriated.
Icy energy blew out, knocking everyone around her away by several meters.
“Who was that?” She yelled.
No one answered. The crowd back away, frightened by her show of force.
She stamped her foot in frustration. Perhaps there were one or two perverts among the crowd of innocent. She couldn’t go around beating everyone up. She felt dumb and naïve for being swindled in more ways than one.
“Don’t move!” A forceful voice cut through the hubbub.
A female cultivator wearing purple flowing robes leaped over the stunned beggars and kicked one in the head. The man crumpled to the ground and before Xu Lanyi could react, the new arrival rummaged through the man’s clothes and pulled out a distinctive money bag, it was hers. She had been pickpocketed without even realizing it.
The purpled garbed woman stood back up and held out the money bag. Xu Lanyi received it and bowed slightly.
“Xu Lanyi of Ten Thousand Flower Valley. Thank you, heroine, for your assistance. May I ask your name?”
The woman had a similar stature, equally tall with an unspectacular but nonetheless pretty face. She smiled and bowed back.
“Tang Xiang of the House of Axes. It was my duty to help Sister Xu. I could not sit still and do nothing.” Tang Xiang pointed to the man beneath her feet, “These people cannot be trusted. Sister Xu was too generous and attracted this type of people.”
“I know…” Xu Lanyi said, embarrassed.
“Come, let’s take this criminal to the enforcement branch office. That is where you are headed, am I right?” Tang Xiang asked.
“How did you know?”
“The House of Sabers is responsible for law and order in this area. We are given direct authority by the Spirit Kings in this matter. I am one of the enforcement officers on duty.”
Xu Lanyi nodded, “In that case, I shall follow Sister Tang.”
“Good, come.”
Tang Xiang wrapped up the criminal in rope and then woke him up. After a short one-sided conversation, the man was forced to march in front of them as they headed to the enforcement office.
---
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Okay after this chapter the most interesting and my favourite of the Ice sisters plummeted to rock bottom of my ranking of Chen Wentian disciples. I really hate stupid charity! Charity with a plan is a good thing but the thing Xu Lanyi did was criminaly stupid.
That was my worry about the way Chen Wentian raised his disciples. They are pampered, almost spoiled rotten. They are protected from almost any harm. They need some reality checks. Because when they turn into immortals and start they own sub sects or even stay as his disciples they would be easy to manipulate or take advantage of. First 3 disciples have some maturity: 1st because of her sub sects, 2nd because of her inteligence and merchant knowledge and 3rd because she is the most level headed and experienced of the bunch. But ALL of them didn't have any chances to see how they would react and behave in life threathening situation or combat without the safety net that is Chen Wentian. Also all of them (apart from the 3rd and last disciples) were not in any hard fight. Yeah Ice sisters were, 3rd disciple, last disciple and Long Yifei too but it were only single occasions.
I hope that this quest will make Xu Lanyi grow some brain, maturity and teach her to not delegate all thinking and responsiblity on Chen Wentian and the eldest if Ice sisters. And she is too naive. This whole situation could be an act. I mean someone molests her, rob her on orders of this girl and then this girl appears like a heroine.
Thanks for chapter
Edit: Does this female cultivator comes from House of Axes or House of Sabers? Because in 2 diffirent lines there are those two names.
You say they are pampered and spoiled as if it’s a bad thing for the narrative. The three first the disciples have been appreciative And kind hearted. Here, Lanyi, for the first time has enough to share. It’s a character growth moment.
Chen Wentian is not a fan of the attitude of the other immortals towards the common folk, so it fits the story for each girl to navigate her privilege in a way that is more warm and responsible. If this is an act, it’s completely ib character for Lanyi to be deceived. How she grows is the story we’re here for.
As always, thanks for the chappie!
Lol, sensitive much?
I agree that the MC is way too protective... but the opposite of that is writing plots where his women get into danger... and I just don't know how popular that would be in a smut novel :P
@Kirbyisgreen oh you would get a lot of hate if you did try this aproach that the waifus are in danger (not from me but from the most vocal "majority"). The "ups" of internet "annonimity" I suppose. And don't take my previous comment as attack on you as an author. It is more attack on MC and his heroines.
And let's be honest in most cultivation novels characters are so shallow that they are almost 1 dimesional. The same is for harem stories with their unrealistic depiction of women. And in smut too.
So let's enjoy it as it is served
Also @Kirbyisgreen you didn't answear and/or correct if this Tang Xiang is from House of Axes or from House of Sabers.
@GavDark usually I am to lazy to reply but:
Zhou Ziyun kind and appreciative? Really? You are joking right? She is using Chen Wentian and his sect to strenghten her family a lot. That if there will be no new Immortals in his sect and he dies, they will control whole province or even more. Real life examples are king's concubines in our history espescially from turkish or chinesese empire harems. In chinesese history it often happened that 1st wives or favourite concubines strenghtened the families they came from so much that they overthrow the ruling dynasty to instal their own Emperor or like in Empress dowager Cixi case she ruled herself first killing her son (it is suspected that she did) then grandson (it is certain that she did) because those two tried to reform China so it could resist western european domination and she was on a payroll (although she thought that SHE herself was using those agents).
That and to manipulate Chen Wentian Zhou Ziyun even forced on Chen Wentian promise to make her pregnant before she ends 35 years old. So that Zhou Ziyun can reinforce her position. And her acting spoiled is to make Chen Wentian listen to her, spoil her more and forgive her if in the future she would defraud more (than now) of sect's assests
Second case you really think that Xu Lanyi acted responsible? And that is a growth moment? Really? She acted from pure self satisfaction because she felt bad about having money! You really think that giving money and a lot of it at that to beggars, espescially weak ones like childreen, in plain sight in such lawless and dangerous district is a good idea? Really? Then I ask you what will happen to those that get these gold pieces! If they are lucky and work for a strong beggars organizations then they will have to return everything to their superiors. If they are less lucky ir they don't work for strong organizations they will be robbed. But the most probable outcome US they will be robbed and killed, so they won't enjoy this gold pieces for long. And then there will be more killing band eventualy the strongest crime organizations in this district will get more funds thanks to Xu Lanyi. She ended lives of many because she is so naive, because even in a non cultivation/magic world if the poorest in lawles zones suddenly got a lot of money they rarely get to enjoy it. Unless they are very smart and they got it on such a way that others didn't see they got it.
So yes I don't think that Xu Lanyi did a good deed orveven smart. If she wanted to help she should do it like the 1st disciple did: create and manage an organizations that will help these people. Funny Xu Lanyi because of her laziness for both thinking and taking responsiblity ended being more stupid and immature than Lin Qingcheng.
Edit: wow I wrote a lot and ranted a lot
@Mikss Re: Zhou Ziyun, I agree she has taken advantage of Chen Wentian. I disagree that it is malicious or imbalanced. While she looks our for her family (which is a character plus) she has only brought strength to the Thousand Flower Valley. At the point the Zhou family have been reliable allies. Ziyun is driven and has clear objectives. She hasn’t stepped on people (aside from business rivals, but that gets a pass).
I do think Xu Lanyi was grossly irresponsible, but the next chapters show how that action, and its consequences, open her eyes to how she wants to operate. I completely agree that Xu Lanyi can learn from how Lin Qingcheng (who had support from Zhou Ziyun) helps people.
I think @Kirbyisgreen has done a good job with the first three disciples having different strength, #1 - heart #2 brains #3 brawn. He’s also shown that they are willing to lend their strength to support each other.
@GavDark ahah, very perceptive. you are right about the first 3 disciples. They are the most important and also my favorites.
@Mikss It should be axes, I don't know why i wrote sabers.
@Mikss Sexually threatening women in the MC's life is a very weak writing form. Personally speaking it just stresses me out and if repeated rapidly decreases my like for the series. It's like the Godwin of creative writing, because it's often just lazy writing and lack of creativity or any good plot devices to move plot forward (and it often doesn't even drive the plot forward).