Chapter 96: Chapter 94: What’s a Noble Scion Worth?

As he stepped outside, Xie Yunxiang suddenly shuddered.

The sun had now completely set. The vast, fiery clouds that had once painted the horizon had all sunk behind the mountains, leaving only an inky-blue sky above the dazzling lights of Bright Moon Square.

Deep within Bright Moon Square, the enormous, luminous moon still hung in midair, bathing everything in its brilliant white light. It seemed so very close to the Mortal World.

The Mortal World was still bustling with activity. Standing before the steps of Yao Fang Courtyard, Xie Yunxiang was suddenly overcome by an indescribable sense of dread.

Song Ciwan, who had been walking ahead of him, noticed him stop and turned back. "Daoist Xie, why have you stopped?"

"I... I..." Xie Yunxiang stammered, shivering.

After sputtering out a few syllables, he hurried to catch up with Song Ciwan.

Song Ciwan turned and resumed walking. She was a woman of few words, simply weaving through the bustling streets at a deceptively fast pace.

Before long, she had exited Bright Moon Square.

She passed through the magnificently embroidered gate and glanced back. Xie Yunxiang had managed to keep up.

It had clearly been a struggle for him, though. When Song Ciwan looked at him, she saw he was drenched in sweat and pale-faced. His legs wouldn’t stop trembling even as he walked.

"B-Brother Xin," Xie Yunxiang said, his voice trembling. "I... back there, it was like I’d lost my senses."

Song Ciwan gave a slight smile. "Dazzling blossoms can easily blind a man. It’s only natural to be captivated by beauty."

Xie Yunxiang blushed. He took a moment to regulate his breathing before hurrying to catch up with Song Ciwan again. As they walked, he asked, "Brother Xin, this Princess Chunshui... did you figure out what’s so mysterious about her?"

Song Ciwan countered with a question of her own. "Daoist Xie, may I ask who posted the bounty for Princess Chunshui’s secrets at Wangjiang Cave Mansion? Is that something you can disclose?"

Xie Yunxiang paused. "According to the rules, we’re not supposed to disclose information about who posts a bounty. But since it’s you asking, Brother Xin, that’s another matter entirely."

As he spoke, his awkwardness and unease gradually faded, and some of his usual sophisticated air returned.

He adopted a secretive tone and quietly sent a voice transmission to Song Ciwan. "The one who posted the bounty is a madam from the seventh branch of the Dong Family. Her only son was the one who got into a jealous brawl over Princess Chunshui and ended up dead... That was Dong Shiba."

Song Ciwan knew nothing about the various clans of Pinglan City and asked in confusion, "Dong Shiba?"

Xie Yunxiang quickly explained, "In smaller towns, many clans only need one or two experts within the Innate Ten Acupoints. Some don’t even need to have undergone Enlightenment; as long as they step into the Innate Stage and reach the First Transformation of the Realm of Illusion and Reality, they can be called an Innate Clan."

"But here in Pinglan, a clan must have an expert with at least one hundred and eight opened acupoints presiding over it to be considered an Innate Clan."

"And the Dong Family is one of the ten great Innate Clans of Pinglan City!"

In the Great Zhou, Martial Artists actually outnumber Cultivators.

Comparing the two, Martial Artists have the advantage of sheer numbers and formidable early-stage combat prowess. The upper limits of a Martial Saint’s power are also incredibly high. Many can even fight above their level, completely dominating Cultivators of the same rank!

However, it’s also undeniable that Cultivators possess a much wider array of techniques.

More importantly, Cultivators live longer.

A Low Level Martial Artist’s Life Force may seem more vigorous than that of an ordinary person, but martial arts practice takes a toll on the body. Even with Secret Techniques and various medicinal supplements, hidden injuries are often unavoidable. As a result, any who live to be a hundred are considered to have died a peaceful, natural death and to have been exceptionally lucky.

After entering the Innate First Transformation Void Realm, a Martial Artist’s lifespan can, at most, surpass the mortal limit and reach between 120 and 150 years.

Only upon reaching the Innate Second Transformation and entering the Refining Acupoint Realm can a Martial Artist’s lifespan increase again.

But if they cannot reach the Innate Third Transformation and enter the Creation Realm, the lifespan of a Second Transformation Innate Martial Artist is typically capped at around 200 years.

Even for a Creation Grandmaster at the Innate Third Transformation, whose combat power is comparable to top-tier Martial Artists between the Divinity Transformation and Returning Void realms, their lifespan rarely exceeds 300 years.

This is very different from Cultivators. The saying "seize every moment" is much more vividly embodied by Martial Artists.

Consequently, some Martial Artists are extremely focused on producing heirs to strengthen their clans.

Take the Dong Family, for example. They have five Innate Martial Artists of the Second Transformation with more than one hundred and eight opened acupoints. They are considered one of Pinglan City’s long-standing Innate Clans, with immense power passed down through generations.

However, the number of their descendants is often so great that outsiders can’t even keep count.

The seventh branch of the Dong Family descended from a minor, unofficial line. To the couple of the seventh branch, Dong Shiba’s death was a world-shattering catastrophe, but within the greater Dong Family, very few were willing to stick their necks out for him.

So, the madam of the Dong Family’s seventh branch brought Primordial Pearls to Wangjiang Cave Mansion and posted a bounty, hoping to find evidence that something was wrong with Princess Chunshui. With that, she could implore the upper echelons of the Dong Family to step in and avenge her son.

When Xie Yunxiang first came out of Yao Fang Courtyard, he had been light-headed and muddled. But now, after explaining the whole situation with the Dong Family to Song Ciwan, his mind grew increasingly clear.

He suddenly sighed. "A young master from a great clan like Dong Shiba... he may seem to have been born into an extraordinary life, raised in luxury with servants at his beck and call, but what does it really amount to? Heh. Nothing at all!"

His words seemed to carry a deeper meaning. Having started talking, Xie Yunxiang didn’t even need Song Ciwan to prompt him. "It’s embarrassing to say," he continued, "but I... my situation is surprisingly similar to Dong Shiba’s."

He went on to explain that he, too, came from a great clan. The Xie Family was a renowned Earth Immortal Clan in Pinglan City.

And what is an Earth Immortal?

Qi Refining and Divinity Transformation, Refining Spirit and Returning Void... those in the Divine Refining Stage are known to the world as living Immortals!

The Xie Family was an even more powerful clan than the Dong Family. The Xie Family Ancestor already possessed an Immortal Lifespan of nearly a thousand years. Xie Yunxiang’s own family, however, was just a minor offshoot of a minor branch, countless mountains and rivers removed from the direct line.

Xie Yunxiang’s expression darkened. To say his situation was similar was just him flattering himself. The reality was that his circumstances were even more awkward than Dong Shiba’s had been!

No matter how powerful the Earth Immortal Ancestor was—and it was true that his name commanded reverence and envy from all—it was all just surface glory. The internal hardships were not something one could speak of to outsiders.

He said, "I had to go through hell and high water just to obtain this position as a Steward at Wangjiang Cave Mansion. But it wasn’t all for nothing. At least I got to befriend someone like you, Brother Xin."

After speaking, he gave Song Ciwan a solemn, clasped-fist salute. "Brother Xin, I am eternally grateful for you saving me today. When you come to Wangjiang Cave Mansion in the future, I may not have many other skills, but I can certainly find you the best location and offer you a ten percent discount on a cave mansion rental."

Song Ciwan returned the salute. "Then I thank you, Brother."

Xie Yunxiang laughed heartily. "Brother Xin, you’re a real straight-shooter! We’re brothers now, no need for thanks!"

At this, his earlier gloom finally lifted completely.

The Heaven and Earth Scale materialized. A mass of Xie Yunxiang’s emotions overflowed: [Human desires. The joy, relief, and gratitude of a Qi Transformation Stage Cultivator. Weight: two catties and one tael. Can be traded.]

Expressionless, Song Ciwan retracted the Heaven and Earth Scale.

The two continued to walk and chat. Xie Yunxiang didn’t summon another Puppet Carriage, but the street scenery remained vibrant. He pointed things out casually, not just commenting on the strengths and weaknesses of various shops, but sometimes delving into the people behind them, their backgrounds, and related anecdotes.

While he didn’t know everything about Pinglan City and couldn’t be called a true sage, he could certainly earn the title of a "walking encyclopedia."

This was precisely the kind of information Song Ciwan lacked, and she found the conversation with him extremely enjoyable.