In the bustling marketplace in front of the sect entrance,
The former head maid of Jinwei Mansion of the Blazing Dawn Sect, Xiao Min, was carefully selecting vegetables from a vendor. The lively market was filled with the sounds of haggling merchants, chatting customers, and the occasional clucking of chickens. The air was rich with the scent of fresh produce and the faint aroma of nearby food stalls preparing breakfast.
As she handed a few wooden coins to the vendor and placed the vegetables into her basket, she mused over the unofficial currency system. These were wooden teals, a makeshift currency among commoners, allowing a family of four to live off 400 copper coins easily. Each region of the empire had its own version of wooden teals, but the conversion rate was always the same: 10 wooden coins equaled 1 copper teal. The official currency then progressed from 1000 copper teals to 1 silver teal, and from 100 silver teals to 1 gold teal.
Her eyes wandered towards the entrance of the sect. There, in the distance, she noticed a line of imperial carriages. This sight was not particularly unusual, as inspections by imperial officials were a common occurrence. However, something about the scene caught her attention and made her pause.
Amidst the array of formal black and gold carriages, a flash of a familiar red color stood out. Her heart skipped a beat as she strained to see more clearly. The vibrant red hair was unmistakable. Xiao Min had only ever known one person with such distinctive hair, a color so unique that it was memorable to anyone who had seen it.
It was Edina Cha Ling Von Nemesis.
Xiao Min's mind flooded with memories of her time as the head maid of Jinwei Mansion, a position she had secured despite her youth thanks to Mistress Li Mei’s influence. She remembered the disdain Mistress Li Mei harbored for Edina, a sentiment Xiao Min had adopted over time. Following Mistress Li Mei's orders, she had tormented Edina, faked expenses, and engaged in various schemes against her. Initially hesitant, Xiao Min eventually grew to enjoy it, fueled by her own resentment towards Edina—a half-blood cripple, as she saw her—who lived in luxury while she, despite her hard work, could never attain such privileges.
A month ago, everything changed. Edina had seized financial control of Jinwei Mansion, scrutinized the account books, and used them against her, leading to Xiao Min's dismissal. If not for Mistress Li Mei’s generosity in giving her a silver teal, Xiao Min would have been unable to afford her sister’s wedding. This act of kindness from Mistress Li Mei only deepened Xiao Min’s loyalty and her animosity towards Edina.
Now, seeing Edina here in Dongu Village, Xiao Min’s curiosity was piqued. She knew she had to investigate further and report back to Mistress Li Mei. The sight of Edina, so confident and commanding, stirred a mix of emotions within her.
Stolen novel; please report.
Inside Upper Mount Hua Sect, Mount Hua Peak, Hua Province,
Lu Shun Cha Ling entered the grand hall with a great sense of accomplishment in his heart. Following his grandmother’s advice, he had managed to break through to grade 2 and had been working on stabilizing his qi for the past few weeks. This was his first time coming to the main hall since his breakthrough.
The grand hall was abuzz with activity. The Dragon and Phoenix Tournament was set to begin in four days, and all the participants who had passed the initial test of climbing the mountain were present. They were chatting and enjoying breakfast, filling the air with a sense of camaraderie and anticipation. Most of the participants were at least grade 2 or grade 4, making Lu Shun's accomplishment of climbing the mountain as a grade 1 half-step martial artist even more impressive. He had never really thought he would be able to fight in the tournament due to his low qi capacity, but now that he had broken through to grade 2, it seemed possible to earn a title in the tournament.
Lu Shun scanned the room, looking for a place to sit. What he saw made him somewhat uncomfortable. Everyone was pairing up and sitting together with the political factions they supported. The Mount Hua Sect participants sat with the First Prince faction participants, the Imperial Ministry of Finance participants with the Second Prince faction, and so on. Lu Shun decided it was best to sit alone at a table since the Blazing Dawn Sect officially maintained a neutral stance in the imperial court. It was safer to avoid mingling with other members, as people might misconstrue his actions as a political statement.
As he sat down and started eating, he felt a sense of relief in the solitude. However, his peace was soon interrupted by a voice with a thick Western Continent accent. “My, my, so you are Young Master Lu Shun Cha Ling? I thought you would be older.”
Startled, Lu Shun looked up to see a tall, imposing figure standing before him. The man had a striking appearance, with sharp features and piercing blue eyes that stood out against his sun-kissed skin. His clothes were richly embroidered with intricate designs, indicating his high status and wealth.
Lu Shun said, “Ah, you must be... Ri... Ri...” Trying to pronounce the foreign name took a lot from Lu Shun.
“Richard Von Clause,” the man interjected with a friendly smile. “Just call me Rin if it’s tough to pronounce my name.” He sat down with a casual air.
Lu Shun nodded appreciatively. “Thanks for understanding, Rin. And thank you for taking on the responsibility of teaching our little Edina Leonese.”
Richard chuckled. “There's not much to be thankful for, young master. The Leon Empire paid me handsomely, and I haven’t even started teaching her highness anything yet.”
Richard Von Clause was the Leonese teacher hired by the Leon Empire after they learned about Edina's bullying—a fact Grandfather Liang Feng had informed Lu Shun about before departing for Mount Hua.
“Don’t worry, Mister Rin,” Lu Shun said with a smile. “Once the tournament is over, I am to escort you to Blazing Dawn Sect immediately.”
Richard raised an eyebrow, a playful smirk on his lips. “Yeah, yeah, I know. Keith sent me the letter explaining that. But you know, it’s quite the long wait. You guys sure love to take your time, huh? Are you sure it’s not because you’re hiding something?” He chuckled, a hint of mischief in his eyes.
Lu Shun gulped, trying to mask his nervous laughter. Of course he was nervous. The whole reason Grandfather Liang Feng had instructed him to personally escort this man was to delay his departure. Richard would have to wait for Lu Shun to finish competing in the tournament, giving Liang Feng time to sort things out back at the sect and hide Edina’s bullying from Richard.
It was pretty clear that Richard was not just a Leonese teacher but a spy that the Leon Empire wanted in the Blazing Dawn Sect to protect Edina after the reports they had received.