Qin Shuying finally looked back.
When her gaze swept over that male cultivator, his legs turned to jelly.
Her main concern wasn’t the Spirit Chicken.
It wasn’t the Dao companion.
It was Su Wan’er.
The two had grown up together, learned to read together, and practiced the sword together.
They had agreed to join Yunyin Mountain together, but in the end, only Su Wan’er had succeeded.
“Shuying,” Su Wan’er stood under the locust tree, sunlight filtering through the leaves onto her face.
“I asked around. Your talent isn’t actually bad; it was just that the examiner that year… Why don’t you try again next year?”
Qin Shuying remembered smiling at the time.
“No need,” she said. “I have other plans.”
As she turned to leave, she heard Su Wan’er calling her name from behind. She didn’t look back.
That year, Su Wan’er was 15 and joined Yunyin Mountain.
That year, Qin Shuying was 14 and followed a Loose Cultivator passing through the village to the North Realm.
What happened after was simple.
Su Wan’er’s path at Yunyin Mountain was smooth, rising from an outer disciple all the way to Peak Master.
Everyone said Peak Master Su was exceptionally gifted, a cultivation genius rarely seen in a century.
Qin Shuying struggled in the North Realm. Starting as a servant for a Loose Cultivator, she fed spirit beasts, guarded medicinal fields, and blocked blades and swords for others.
When she was 100, she killed a Golden Core demon cultivator despite being at a lower realm.
Her name became known throughout the world, and she was taken in by the Peak Master of Heavenly Sword Peak.
100 years to form a Core.
Another 100 years to reach Nascent Soul.
Now, standing at the summit of Heavenly Sword Peak, she was the youngest Nascent Soul peak stage cultivator in all of Yunyin Mountain.
Meanwhile, Su Wan’er was still stuck in the early Nascent Soul stage, having made no progress for 4 years.
Qin Shuying occasionally thought back to the conversation under the locust tree.
‘Your talent isn’t actually bad.’
Yes, her talent wasn’t bad.
But so what?
Growing up, Su Wan’er was always the one being praised.
When practicing the sword, Su Wan’er was one step faster; when studying, Su Wan’er knew a few more characters; even when the examiner came to the village to select candidates, they chose Su Wan’er, not her.
She had fought for 100 years and finally trampled that name under her feet.
Yet, every time she heard the three words “Su Wan’er,” she would still, in some inadvertent moment, remember the days of standing behind her and looking at her back.
That feeling was like a thorn.
It couldn’t be pulled out, nor would it rot away.
After the Spirit Beast Garden manager finished relaying the “strange occurrence” at Jiaoyue Peak, she waited cautiously for the Peak Master to speak.
Qin Shuying remained silent for a long time.
“That husband… what is his name?”
“Reporting to Peak Master, his surname is Shen, and his given name is Mo. Mo as in silence.”
Shen Mo.
Qin Shuying rolled the name over her tongue but had no memory of it.
She had met Su Wan’er several times, always during sect ceremonies or peak meetings. Su Wan’er never brought a husband with her, and she had never asked.
Just a man who had married into the family.
In this Female-dominated World, a man married to follow his wife; he was nothing more than an appendage. What skills could he possibly have?
“Are you certain he was the one who raised that Spirit Chicken?”
“Absolutely certain. I heard that when the Spirit Chicken first hatched, it was a cripple. Both its legs were limp, and it shouldn’t have survived. But after Shen Mo went to see it once, the chicken recovered. Then, after being raised for 2 months, it suddenly turned into a… a spirit bird I’ve never seen before this morning.”
“Never seen before?”
“Yes. Its feathers are a pure reddish-gold, and its cry sounds like a bird of prey. It doesn’t look like a Golden-feathered Chicken, nor does it resemble any common spirit chicken. I approached it quietly to look, and there seemed to be a very sharp aura inside its body, like…”
She paused.
“Like what?”
“Like a sword.” After the person said it, she felt it was absurd herself and quickly lowered her head.
Qin Shuying fell silent.
A man who relied on marriage for protection, a virtuous husband who handled trivial matters for his wife, someone everyone said was “talentless.”
Yet, he had raised something with Sword Qi inside its body.
Did he raise it, or was he himself —
Qin Shuying stood in the sunlight, looking at the distant rolling mountains.
The mountain wind blew, carrying the unique coldness of the twelfth lunar month.
She suddenly felt a bit of interest in this person.
Just a bit.
……
At the same moment, thousands of miles away on Jiaoyue Peak.
Shen Mo sneezed.
“Did the Lord catch a cold?” a disciple in charge asked.
“I’m fine.” Shen Mo rubbed his nose and continued looking down at the list in his hand. “Which shop is this batch of Talismans from?”
“Reporting to the Lord, they’re from the Spirit Treasure Pavilion in the market at the foot of the mountain.”
“Spirit Treasure Pavilion…” Shen Mo frowned as he thought. ‘I remember they didn’t sell Foundation Establishment Talismans in previous years. How do they suddenly have them this year?’
“They say the new manager has broad connections.” The disciple lowered her voice. “However, Lord, their prices are 30% higher than other shops.”
Shen Mo’s hand paused.
30% higher.
He looked up. “You bought them despite being 30% more expensive?”
“I had no choice.” The disciple’s face was bitter.
“I don’t know what happened this year, but several shops’ Talismans were reserved in advance. The remaining shops either have poor quality or are jacking up their prices. I’ve been running around for 3 days, and only this batch from the Spirit Treasure Pavilion was decent.”
Shen Mo was silent for a moment.
He read the list again from beginning to end.
There were thirty-six Talismans in this batch, and the quality was indeed good. There were defensive, offensive, and escape types, covering all bases. But the price…
“30% is too expensive,” he said. “Go and negotiate with them. At most, we’ll pay a 10% premium.”
“I already tried.” The bitterness on the disciple’s face deepened. “That manager was completely stubborn. She said this price is a favor to the ‘Lord of Jiaoyue Peak.’ If anyone else came, they wouldn’t even get this price.”
Shen Mo was stunned for a moment.
A favor to the Lord of Jiaoyue Peak?
He suddenly understood.
Over these 7 years, he had managed the affairs of the peak for Su Wan’er, and everything he did was under the name of Jiaoyue Peak.
To outsiders, he was the Lord of Jiaoyue Peak, Su Wan’er’s Dao companion, and a respectable man managing his wife’s affairs.
But respect was only skin-deep.
The truly shrewd people could see through him at a glance.
A man who relied on marriage for protection, a husband whose wife was away all year, a waste who was only at half-step Foundation Establishment.
What was there to fear about such a person? What was there to respect?
They would be polite on the surface but fleece him behind his back.
“Lord?” the disciple looked at him cautiously.
Shen Mo snapped out of it, folded the list, and tucked it into his sleeve.
“I’ll go personally,” he said.
“The Lord is going personally?” The disciple was shocked. “That place is very chaotic. There’s no need for the Lord to…”
“It’s fine,” Shen Mo interrupted. “Go attend to your other duties.”
The disciple wanted to say more, but meeting his gaze, she didn’t dare speak again. She bowed and withdrew.
Shen Mo sat where he was, looking at the snow outside the window.
He knew what the market at the foot of the mountain was like.
A mix of all sorts of people. There were those doing honest business and those who specialized in scamming outsiders. He knew exactly how much weight his title as the Lord of Jiaoyue Peak carried there.
But he had to go.
Chao’er was going into the Secret Realm when spring arrived. A single Talisman could mean the difference between life and death.
He couldn’t refuse them just because they were 30% more expensive, nor could he switch shops just because the manager was being sarcastic — another shop might not even have stock.
He was just going to negotiate the price.
If they could reach an agreement, they would. If not… he would see.
The market at the foot of the mountain wasn’t far from Jiaoyue Peak. It would take half an hour by sword.
Shen Mo didn’t fly on a sword. He was at half-step Foundation Establishment; while he could fly, he flew slowly and low, like a fluttering sparrow. It was too embarrassing.
He rented a carriage.
The carriage swayed for 1 hour before reaching the market entrance.
The market wasn’t large; it took only the time of an incense stick to walk the main street from beginning to end.
Both sides were lined with various shops selling Dharma tools, Elixirs, Talismans, and spirit beasts, along with a few teahouses and taverns.
The Spirit Treasure Pavilion was at the end of the street. Its location wasn’t the best, but its storefront was grand.
It was a three-story building with vermillion gates and two shop assistants at the Qi Refining stage standing at the door.
Shen Mo stepped down from the carriage, straightened his robes, and walked inside.
There weren’t many people in the shop. A few Loose Cultivators were picking out items at the counter. Shen Mo swept a glance around but didn’t see the manager.
“What does the customer need?” an assistant came forward to greet him.
“I’m looking for your manager,” Shen Mo said. “I’m from Jiaoyue Peak.”
The assistant looked him up and down, his gaze lingering on his face for a moment before suddenly revealing a strange smile.