Preparation
Xiulan was panting with excitement after the Patriarchs left. Forty thousand gold. The system through a wet blanket over her excitement, “Well done host! Remember that the host owes the system six thousand gold coins for items purchased on credit.”
Xiulan rolled her eyes and discreetly gave the system six thousand gold from her newly earned fortune. The system snapped up the gold without pause. Xiulan imagined that she heard a crazy laugh of delight as the system took its price.
Zheng Ling was staring at the gold uncomfortably. Xiulan moved to her side and hugged her close, “don’t worry little Ling we did not take this money from a good person. Besides we can use this capital to open up a store to send your medicine everywhere.
Zheng Ling relaxed a little and nodded slowly. Xiulan looked over at a corner and said, “you can come out now Yanlin. Your shadows are impressive, but you are still only at the first level of Qi condensation. Probably best not to test the senses of cultivators many levels above yours.
A puddle of shadows in the corner melted away revealing the newly minted cultivator. A few days of cultivation and eating well had him looking much better. No longer the street urchin he had been.
Yanlin went down on one knee, “I am ready to work for you Long Xiulan.”
“Stand up,” replied Xiulan, “among close subordinates I will not be too formal.”
Yanlin stood up but still looked impressed at how Xiulan had earned so much gold, “what should I do now,” he asked.
“I need you to leave the city for the mountain mines near Rockcreek. The Kang Clan has several iron mines in that area. Find out which mines they own outright and which they only contract from the local prefect.”
Yanlin seemed confused by the instruction. He had a certain streetwise cunning, but he had never been involved in business before.
Xiulan handed him twenty gold coins and said, “also there is a spiritual herb in the mountains that Zheng Ling will describe to you. Hire a few locals to gather as much of that plant as they can find. Have them gather some other random plants at the same time and then send everything you have gathered back here to us.”
Yanlin bowed unnecessarily and then slipped out of the house. He had been making an effort to go unseen when he could to practice his cultivation. It was probably for the best as he could not actually fight very well yet.
Yen Wen came in just after he left. She had a cut over her left eye that both Xiulan and Zheng Ling immediately began to question her about.
“I am fine,” comforted Yen Wen, “I just had a run in with a few hired cultivators. It was probably Kang Gang trying to avert the duel before it can happen.”
Xiulan felt more anger and had to restrain herself from eliminating Kang Gang right then. She had the money for it now. Dealing with the Kang Clan before she had stripped them of status and wealth would not be as satisfying. She had to be patient.
Zheng Ling had been setting out a plan to roll out a medical supply shop in town. There was a doctor who was retiring near the docks, and she could buy his business to use. Xiulan gave her the gold to do buy the shop and to have it redecorated. Zheng Ling had already made a goodly supply of the Qi gathering pills or at least enough for the time being.
Xiulan would not release the cheap versions until after Yen Wen’s duel anyway. It would have the most impact after the Kangs were humiliated then.
Xiulan kissed Yen Wen on the cheek, “you must humiliate that arrogant coward. He deserves nothing less.”
Yen Wen nodded and left to train. She was at higher cultivation level than Kang Gang would likely be but this was still her first duel.
Xiulan wanted to help Yen Wen train but had no fighting techniques of her own. When both women left to prepare the doctors rooms and train respectively Xiulan started to browse the shop for a combat technique of her own.
The system warned her, “warning the host is a merchant. Fighting on your own behalf is unbecoming.”
Xiulan sighed and thought, “I promise I will leave the actual fighting up to Yen Wen this is just helping my lover train for fun. Merchants can have fun can’t they?”
The system replied by rote, “of course the perfect merchant leads an idle life of pleasure while money is made for them.”
Satisfied at the win Xiulan browsed through the list of techniques she could choose from. As she had feared the system only offered up options that were slightly wrong in some way.
Xiulan ended up customizing a technique for herself. She chose to build a technique mostly around evasion coupled with well-timed decisive strikes of a qi infused pair of fingers. Her index and middle fingers would strike together like a sword jab and inflict damage with a razor-sharp blade of qi.
She hoped the sudden subtle strikes would help to train Yen Wen’s battle instincts. It was of course also a heaven grade technique. She could not be stingy with herself. After she made her purchase, a scroll appeared in her hand and infused into her skin as she had seen the scrolls do with the others. It was an odd sensation suddenly knowing how to do something you did not know how to do before. Even the value of goods she had to look up with the system. She did not just know the information.
Feeling curious at the feeling of actually fighting instead of hiding behind her lover Xiulan joined Yen Wen in the central courtyard of their rented home. Yen Wen was circling a stone pillar in the centre of the yard that had been placed there for training.
She would throw out qi infused kicks and jabs at the stone sometimes pulling themback or reversing her momentum as a feint.
Xiulan watched for a while and admired Yen Wen’s taught muscles. She had such compressed strength and grace. When Yen Wen took a break Xiulan walked to the pillar and tried out her own technique. It quickly became apparent that her own technique struggled against an opponent that was not fighting back. There was no way to train the evasive skills that were the core of the style.
She decided to surprise Yen Wen and quick as lightning Xiulan thrust a qi blade at Yen Wen’s inner thigh. Yen Wen reacted instantly but still received a small cut. The blade also a tear in Yen Wen’s pants revealing a tantalising glimpse of her panties.
Yen Wen did not waste anytime asking what Xiulan was planning. It had clearly been the opening salvo of a training game where the two competed to se who could undress the other first.
Yen Wen rushed forward and launched a sideways kick at Xiulan’s chest that ripped the buttons off of her shirt. Xiulan’s undershirt was exposed to the breezy afternoon air.
Xiulan responded by leaning backwards and slicing a section of Yen Wen’s other pant leg off, exposing the huntress’s lovely calf muscle.
They traded blows back and forth, both of them becoming more adept at avoiding the loss of clothing.
Xiulan redirected an arm that had been snatching at her undershirt by moving it gently aside with her fingers. She simultaneously used the other hand to rip the buttons of Yen Wens shirt off too. Unlike Xiulan Yen Wen wore no undershirt and her breasts popped free.
After a few minutes Xiulan was almost naked and was surprised when Yen Wen abandoned the chess match of a fight they had adopted and rudely tackled her to the ground.
Yen Wen pinned Xiulan’s hands to the ground and growled, “you know this is not the only kind of training I need you, temptress.” Yen Wen kissed Xiulan aggressively and bit her lower lip.
When Yen Wen pulled away Xiulan giggled, “I suppose we cannot neglect your cultivation.”
The two moved to the bedroom and cultivated until Zheng Ling came back to join them.
Preparation
Xiulan was panting with excitement after the Patriarchs left. Forty thousand gold. The system through a wet blanket over her excitement, “Well done host! Remember that the host owes the system six thousand gold coins for items purchased on credit.”
Xiulan rolled her eyes and discreetly gave the system six thousand gold from her newly earned fortune. The system snapped up the gold without pause. Xiulan imagined that she heard a crazy laugh of delight as the system took its price.
Zheng Ling was staring at the gold uncomfortably. Xiulan moved to her side and hugged her close, “don’t worry little Ling we did not take this money from a good person. Besides we can use this capital to open up a store to send your medicine everywhere.
Zheng Ling relaxed a little and nodded slowly. Xiulan looked over at a corner and said, “you can come out now Yanlin. Your shadows are impressive, but you are still only at the first level of Qi condensation. Probably best not to test the senses of cultivators many levels above yours.
A puddle of shadows in the corner melted away revealing the newly minted cultivator. A few days of cultivation and eating well had him looking much better. No longer the street urchin he had been.
Yanlin went down on one knee, “I am ready to work for you Long Xiulan.”
“Stand up,” replied Xiulan, “among close subordinates I will not be too formal.”
Yanlin stood up but still looked impressed at how Xiulan had earned so much gold, “what should I do now,” he asked.
“I need you to leave the city for the mountain mines near Rockcreek. The Kang Clan has several iron mines in that area. Find out which mines they own outright and which they only contract from the local prefect.”
Yanlin seemed confused by the instruction. He had a certain streetwise cunning, but he had never been involved in business before.
Xiulan handed him twenty gold coins and said, “also there is a spiritual herb in the mountains that Zheng Ling will describe to you. Hire a few locals to gather as much of that plant as they can find. Have them gather some other random plants at the same time and then send everything you have gathered back here to us.”
Yanlin bowed unnecessarily and then slipped out of the house. He had been making an effort to go unseen when he could to practice his cultivation. It was probably for the best as he could not actually fight very well yet.
Yen Wen came in just after he left. She had a cut over her left eye that both Xiulan and Zheng Ling immediately began to question her about.
“I am fine,” comforted Yen Wen, “I just had a run in with a few hired cultivators. It was probably Kang Gang trying to avert the duel before it can happen.”
Xiulan felt more anger and had to restrain herself from eliminating Kang Gang right then. She had the money for it now. Dealing with the Kang Clan before she had stripped them of status and wealth would not be as satisfying. She had to be patient.
Zheng Ling had been setting out a plan to roll out a medical supply shop in town. There was a doctor who was retiring near the docks, and she could buy his business to use. Xiulan gave her the gold to do buy the shop and to have it redecorated. Zheng Ling had already made a goodly supply of the Qi gathering pills or at least enough for the time being.
Xiulan would not release the cheap versions until after Yen Wen’s duel anyway. It would have the most impact after the Kangs were humiliated then.
Xiulan kissed Yen Wen on the cheek, “you must humiliate that arrogant coward. He deserves nothing less.”
Yen Wen nodded and left to train. She was at higher cultivation level than Kang Gang would likely be but this was still her first duel.
Xiulan wanted to help Yen Wen train but had no fighting techniques of her own. When both women left to prepare the doctors rooms and train respectively Xiulan started to browse the shop for a combat technique of her own.
The system warned her, “warning the host is a merchant. Fighting on your own behalf is unbecoming.”
Xiulan sighed and thought, “I promise I will leave the actual fighting up to Yen Wen this is just helping my lover train for fun. Merchants can have fun can’t they?”
The system replied by rote, “of course the perfect merchant leads an idle life of pleasure while money is made for them.”
Satisfied at the win Xiulan browsed through the list of techniques she could choose from. As she had feared the system only offered up options that were slightly wrong in some way.
Xiulan ended up customizing a technique for herself. She chose to build a technique mostly around evasion coupled with well-timed decisive strikes of a qi infused pair of fingers. Her index and middle fingers would strike together like a sword jab and inflict damage with a razor-sharp blade of qi.
She hoped the sudden subtle strikes would help to train Yen Wen’s battle instincts. It was of course also a heaven grade technique. She could not be stingy with herself. After she made her purchase, a scroll appeared in her hand and infused into her skin as she had seen the scrolls do with the others. It was an odd sensation suddenly knowing how to do something you did not know how to do before. Even the value of goods she had to look up with the system. She did not just know the information.
Feeling curious at the feeling of actually fighting instead of hiding behind her lover Xiulan joined Yen Wen in the central courtyard of their rented home. Yen Wen was circling a stone pillar in the centre of the yard that had been placed there for training.
She would throw out qi infused kicks and jabs at the stone sometimes pulling themback or reversing her momentum as a feint.
Xiulan watched for a while and admired Yen Wen’s taught muscles. She had such compressed strength and grace. When Yen Wen took a break Xiulan walked to the pillar and tried out her own technique. It quickly became apparent that her own technique struggled against an opponent that was not fighting back. There was no way to train the evasive skills that were the core of the style.
She decided to surprise Yen Wen and quick as lightning Xiulan thrust a qi blade at Yen Wen’s inner thigh. Yen Wen reacted instantly but still received a small cut. The blade also a tear in Yen Wen’s pants revealing a tantalising glimpse of her panties.
Yen Wen did not waste anytime asking what Xiulan was planning. It had clearly been the opening salvo of a training game where the two competed to se who could undress the other first.
Yen Wen rushed forward and launched a sideways kick at Xiulan’s chest that ripped the buttons off of her shirt. Xiulan’s undershirt was exposed to the breezy afternoon air.
Xiulan responded by leaning backwards and slicing a section of Yen Wen’s other pant leg off, exposing the huntress’s lovely calf muscle.
They traded blows back and forth, both of them becoming more adept at avoiding the loss of clothing.
Xiulan redirected an arm that had been snatching at her undershirt by moving it gently aside with her fingers. She simultaneously used the other hand to rip the buttons of Yen Wens shirt off too. Unlike Xiulan Yen Wen wore no undershirt and her breasts popped free.
After a few minutes Xiulan was almost naked and was surprised when Yen Wen abandoned the chess match of a fight they had adopted and rudely tackled her to the ground.
Yen Wen pinned Xiulan’s hands to the ground and growled, “you know this is not the only kind of training I need you, temptress.” Yen Wen kissed Xiulan aggressively and bit her lower lip.
When Yen Wen pulled away Xiulan giggled, “I suppose we cannot neglect your cultivation.”
The two moved to the bedroom and cultivated until Zheng Ling came back to join them.
