Ying Chang and Fang Ling exchanged glances, both showing disbelief.
"Brother Lu, you must be mistaken. I saw no cultivation in her, how could she be an assassin from Lingxiao Pavilion?"
"Indeed, the girl looks so pitiful. Bai Sheng said her father sold her off to pay off gambling debts," Fang Ling added.
Lu An shook his head slowly.
"I'm merely speculating, but her sudden appearance seems suspicious, so I can't afford to be careless."
"If she is just an ordinary girl, I won't mistreat her, of course."
Understanding dawned on Ying Chang, and he nodded in agreement.
"Being cautious isn't a bad thing. Don't worry, leave it to me. If she really is an assassin from Lingxiao Pavilion, I'll make sure she reveals herself."
Fang Ling, however, frowned and offered:
"You're a man, keeping an eye on her might not be appropriate. I should handle it instead."
She looked at Lu An, seeking his approval. Lu An smiled and nodded.
"That's even better. I trust you with this, Sister Fang."
"Besides, Brother Ying has to spar with me daily—he's probably too busy to keep watch."
Fang Ling confidently patted her chest and promised:
"Alright, leave it to me."
The next few days passed in a flurry of activity for Lu An as he worked diligently on completing the Mind-Calming Talismans. With the looming battle against the Senior Brother of the Divine Talisman Pavilion, he needed to be prepared and aimed to surpass his rival.
As for Xiao Qian, she was exceptionally obedient, diligently handling all menial tasks without complaint. Despite her disfigured face, her humble and considerate demeanor quickly won over everyone, and she became well-liked by the entire household.
Surprisingly, even Lu An grew to appreciate her presence. Her addition to the house seemed to bring new life, making the atmosphere livelier than before.
Fang Ling did not forget her mission, observing Xiao Qian for several days without noticing anything suspicious. Over time, her vigilance waned, and she began treating Xiao Qian like a younger sister, feeling pity for her tragic circumstances.
On this day, Li Ziyou arrived at Lingfu Residence once again.
"Brother Lu, the day for the Young Master's contest has arrived. Are you ready?"
Lu An smiled modestly.
"I've prepared as best I could, but with such formidable opponents, I can't say I'm confident."
Li Ziyou sighed lightly.
"No matter, Brother Lu, just do your best. Win or lose, fate will decide."
"Our family patriarch has invited many important figures to watch the event. If you win, you might catch someone's eye, and who knows, your future might change for the better."
At that moment, Xiao Qian brought two cups of tea and placed them before the two men. Li Ziyou picked up his cup and, glancing at Xiao Qian, was startled by her appearance. His hand trembled, spilling some tea.
He frowned slightly and asked Lu An:
"Brother Lu, where did you find this servant girl? Her appearance is quite unsettling—doesn't it affect your mood?"
"If you're short-staffed, I could send you a few girls, all of them beauties."
Lu An helplessly shook his head.
"Thank you, Brother Li, but my place isn't large, and Xiao Qian here is enough."
Xiao Qian kept her head lowered, her expression unreadable.
Li Ziyou didn't press the matter and moved on to more pressing issues.
"Brother Lu, we should depart soon. Bring Brother Ying and the others—they've been cooped up here for days. A trip will do them good."
Surprised, Lu An asked:
"Is that allowed?"
Li Ziyou laughed heartily and explained:
"You're my honored guest, of course it's allowed."
Lu An's lips curved in a teasing smile as he said, "If we all go, and you lose, just be careful not to lose face."
Li Ziyou sighed deeply, his heart heavy with bitterness. "To be honest with you, Brother Lu, I have almost no hope for this contest. I already conceded defeat in the previous challenge for the Young Master title. Even if I win in the Four Arts of Immortal Cultivation, it will just result in a tie. After that, the elders will vote, and it all depends on connections. With my elder brother's reputation, my chances are slim."
Lu An understood and patted his shoulder. "Don't give up. The outcome is still uncertain. You never know—maybe something unexpected will happen, and the elders will end up supporting you."
Li Ziyou forced a smile and nodded. Although Lu An's words were just meant to comfort him, they did help him feel a little better.
As they prepared to leave, Lu An suddenly glanced at Xiaoqian in the shop and raised an eyebrow. "Why aren't you coming?"
Xiaoqian bowed slightly and spoke timidly, "Young lady would rather stay and watch the shop. If I go outside, I might scare people and trouble the young master."
Lu An gave her a glance and calmly said, "You come too."
With that, he led the way out of Lingfu Residence, heading toward the Li family estate. Xiaoqian stood frozen for a moment until Fang Ling pulled her along. "Come on, Xiaoqian, come with us."
At the gates of the Li family estate, many factions had sent people to participate in the grand event, and the place was bustling with activity. Today was the day the Young Master position would be decided, so even the guards were on high alert to prevent any trouble. As one of the three major families in Guyang County, the Li family commanded significant respect, with people coming and going to offer gifts.
"From the Sun family of Black Wind Mountain, presenting a century-old ginseng and a pair of Heart-Nurturing Jades."
"From the Wang family of Guyang County, presenting ten white jade bamboos and a coiled dragon pearl."
"From the Lin family of Guyang County, presenting a vial of purple-gold essence and a foundation-building pill."
The crowd gasped in amazement at the lavish gifts, unsurprised by the grand gestures. Today's gift-giving, while aimed at the Young Master, was really a way to curry favor with the future head of the family. Once the Young Master was chosen, the decision was unlikely to change. After defeating the Ding family, the Li family's influence had grown even stronger, so everyone was eager to show their sincerity.
"The Ding family of Qingfeng County, presenting… presenting…"
The announcing servant's face paled as he read the gift, too terrified to continue.
A middle-aged man at the gate, his face darkening, shouted, "The Ding family dares to come here? Do they have a death wish? Who delivered this gift?"
The guards all shook their heads; no one had noticed when the gift had been placed there.
Cursing them for incompetence, the middle-aged man turned back to the servant and coldly asked, "What are they presenting?"
The servant hesitated, but seeing the man's furious expression, he stammered, "A jade coffin."
The middle-aged man erupted in anger, his powerful aura surging as he revealed his Foundation Establishment cultivation. "Bring it here."
Trembling, the servant hurriedly handed him the jade coffin. It was only the size of a palm, blood-red and made from some unknown material.
The middle-aged man exerted pressure with his hand, but the jade coffin didn't budge, not even a crack appearing. This startled him, and after some thought, he pocketed the jade coffin and rushed to where the head of the family was.
Once that incident passed, the entrance resumed its lively atmosphere. Li Ziyou led the group into the estate, explaining the layout of the Li family mansion as they walked.
Suddenly, an excited voice called out, "Mr. Lu!"
Lu An turned to see a familiar face, breaking into a smile. It was none other than Lu Xuan from the Shenfu Pavilion.
Since they had last met, some time had passed. Lu Xuan had been thinking about him often, pestering Shen Mi daily for stories about Lu An.
As Lu An was about to greet her, a young man in white robes stepped forward from behind Lu Xuan and said, "You must be Lu An?"