Chapter Eighteen: Descending the Mountain with a Clear Mind, Leisurely Wooing Beauties

As Gu Ye rushed forward, Lu Liao shifted swiftly. The branch in Gu Ye's hand stabbed at empty air, but his lower abdomen suddenly throbbed with pain—Lu Liao had struck him fiercely. Gu Ye twisted his wrist, thrusting the branch in retaliation, but Lu Liao sidestepped, landing another hard blow right on Gu Ye's backside.

His rear burned with fiery pain—he had never suffered such torment. From childhood, Gu Ye was cherished like a precious treasure, never subjected to hardship, let alone the humiliation of being struck on the buttocks. He was a dignified young man—how could he endure such disgrace?

"Lu Liao, I'll fight you with everything I've got!" Gu Ye lunged at Lu Liao, brandishing the branch wildly, his movements growing erratic.

Thigh, back, backside—again and again, his body took the brunt of Lu Liao's fierce attacks. Tears sprang to Gu Ye's eyes, uncontrollable—he truly was in pain.

Seeing Lu Liao grasping the branch with ill intent, his gaze fixed on Gu Ye's backside, Gu Ye shrank back in terror, but still shouted defiantly, "Lu Liao, just you wait—you'll regret this!"

Lu Liao sneered, "A brat is always a brat. When things go wrong, you just go crying to your elders."

Gu Ye froze, his face flushing with anger as he retorted, "Whoever tattles to the elders is a coward!"

Lu Liao smiled with satisfaction. "You've trained with the sword for ten years, yet you can't beat me. Do you know why?"

Gu Ye was puzzled. He didn't think Taoist swordsmanship was inferior; he believed his own practice lacked skill and experience. Seeing Lu Liao's smug expression, he couldn't stand it. "I don't want to know, and I won't listen to you."

Lu Liao, as if performing a trick, produced the sword Chengying, slashing it at a nearby thick tree. The tree stood unmoved.

Gu Ye's tear-streaked face couldn't help but twist into a mocking smile.

"Your swordplay is cluttered with useless techniques, so you can't focus all your strength. As a result, your speed and force are weakened, leaving you vulnerable. To kill, one needs only a single stroke—like this." As Lu Liao spoke, she gently pushed the tree with her hand. With a crisp sound, the tree crashed to the ground, a clean, neat cut visible on its trunk.

Gu Ye was startled, but still refused to admit defeat. "Who wants your advice? You really think I'm a child, to be rewarded with a treat after a beating?"

Lu Liao grinned slyly. "Who said I'd reward you? Do you know my swordmaster, Master Taibai? Though his sword is renowned from Ghost Valley, his skills aren't solely inherited from there. He studied the sword arts of many schools. Did you know that he once competed with the Sword Saint Pei Min? He considered himself slightly inferior at the time. Later they exchanged knowledge, and he was taught the 'General’s Sword.'

This sword technique arose from the battlefield—fierce, ruthless, simple, and bloody. If you learn it, it will benefit you greatly."

"Do you really intend to teach me such a sword technique?" Gu Ye eyed Lu Liao, whose fox-like smile made him suspicious.

"Who said I'd teach you for free? You have to trade me something," Lu Liao's expression changed.

Gu Ye was tempted and hesitated. "I have a set of 'Willow Breeze Sword' from the Shangqing Temple. How about I trade it for your technique?"

Lu Liao shook her head. "I've already mastered it."

Gu Ye took off his sword, stroking it with reluctance. This sword had accompanied him through ten years, and he was attached to it. But now he had the famous sword Ganjiang, so he could part with it.

"This Pine Pattern Sword is forged from fine steel—very sharp. Will you trade your sword technique for it?"

Lu Liao glanced at the sword and saw its excellent quality, surely worth a considerable sum. She was tempted and asked, "How much is this Pine Pattern Sword worth?"

"Less than two hundred taels, and you won't get it," Gu Ye replied honestly.

Lu Liao silently swallowed—this long sword was nearly the entire estate of a middle-class family, and this little Taoist tossed it over without a care. Who knew how wealthy he really was?

"This is the Sword Saint Pei Min's technique, you know. Isn't your sword worth a bit less?" Lu Liao tried to see if she could squeeze more from him.

"How much do you think it's worth?" Gu Ye asked brazenly.

Lu Liao steeled herself, her eyes shining. "At least, at least five hundred taels."

Gu Ye smiled coldly. "Who carries silver around? Anyway," he said, pulling a silk pouch from his chest and tossing it to Lu Liao, "the gold leaves inside are worth no less than seven hundred taels."

Lu Liao caught it, her hand trembling.

"If you wanted money, you should have said so—why all the roundabout nonsense?" Gu Ye looked at Lu Liao with disdain.

Lu Liao clutched the pouch tightly, afraid it would vanish the moment she let go. Only after Gu Ye had left did she finally sigh deeply.

"Ah! Nothing compares to having a good mother," she murmured.

She stared at the glittering gold leaves, carefully put them away, then headed down the mountain to Zizhou City. By then, dusk was falling.

She saw Tang Xiaoqi on the street, pulling out a string of coins to buy snacks. Lu Liao asked curiously, "You poor girl, who can't even afford a meal, now have money for treats? Tell me honestly, where did you get it?"

Tang Xiaoqi raised her head fearlessly. "My aunt gave it to me, so what? She even gave me twenty taels for emergencies. You got a problem?"

Lu Liao stood there for a long moment, gritting her teeth as she complained to the direction Tang Xiaoqi had come from, before finally calming down. She patted her chest grandly, forgiving her elders. Lord Lu was now wealthy, too lazy to argue.

They chose the best inn in Zizhou as usual, but when it came time to pay, Lu Liao stayed well away. No matter how rich she was, she couldn't match Gu Ye the little Taoist—so why pretend to be generous?

The finest rooms were on the second floor, three adjoining suites, with Lu Liao in the middle. The best, most expensive dishes were served in each room, and Lu Liao ate every bit.

As she sipped her tea contentedly, she heard Tang Xiaoqi singing next door. Her mood soured instantly.

She knocked hard on the wall and shouted, "Tang Xiaoqi! Come over here!"

Tang Xiaoqi answered warily, "What is it?"

"The medicine is ready, come and get it."

Tang Xiaoqi stood at the door and held out her hand.

"I'm not as kind as my master's wife—did you think I'd help cleanse your poison for free?" Lu Liao lounged lazily in her chair, waving at Tang Xiaoqi.

Tang Xiaoqi nervously covered her chest with both hands. "What are you planning?"

Lu Liao scoffed. "Do you really think I'd be interested in a little vixen like you?"

Tang Xiaoqi remained suspicious, refusing to move.

"Come here, massage Lord Lu's legs and shoulders, and I'll give you the medicine." Ever since she received the gold leaves worth seven hundred taels, Lu Liao had started referring to herself as Lord Lu.

Tang Xiaoqi had no choice but to grumble inwardly as she dutifully massaged Lu Liao's legs and shoulders.

That night, Lu Liao tossed and turned, unable to sleep—confused about her future, caught up in tangled thoughts, and exhilarated from her sudden wealth.

No matter what, once she returned to Chang'an, she was determined to cling tightly to her benefactor.

At dawn the next day, Gu Ye and Tang Xiaoqi took turns knocking on her door, but Lu Liao refused to open it, claiming she was at a crucial stage of her training and absolutely not to be disturbed.

It was nearly noon when Lu Liao finally finished washing, yawning as she strolled out.

"Hmph! Clearly just sleeping in—who are you fooling with talk of training?" Tang Xiaoqi grumbled.

"If you spent four years, only sleeping four hours a day, always training or studying, what would you most want once you relaxed?" Lu Liao tilted her head, looking at Tang Xiaoqi.

"Buy new clothes, eat delicious food," Tang Xiaoqi replied matter-of-factly.

"Sleep, of course! There's no point talking with you," Lu Liao turned away, clearly unwilling to say another word.

"A lazybones is always a lazybones, no matter what excuse," Tang Xiaoqi said indignantly.

When a young man acquires a novel treasure to gift his beloved, what would his mood be? Gu Ye the little Taoist was excited and impatient, unable to contain himself.

Zizhou was close to Chengdu Prefecture, where they had arranged to meet. As noon approached, Gu Ye grew anxious. "Liao, senior brother! Let's go to the horse market and buy a few horses, so we can travel faster."

Lu Liao glanced at Tang Xiaoqi, saw her eager expression, and realized she could ride. She looked up at the sky and said lazily, "Better buy a carriage—I don't want to end up soaked in a rainstorm."

Tang Xiaoqi protested, "How do you know it'll rain?"

"Because Lord Lu knows astronomy and geography," Lu Liao answered proudly, gazing at the sky.

Gu Ye was too anxious to argue, so he bought a high-spirited white horse, a fine carriage, and hired an old driver.

Seeing Gu Ye riding with vigor, Lu Liao recited, "When thousands of flowers dance in spring, young men in the world wear thin robes."

She climbed onto the carriage as Tang Xiaoqi looked on in admiration.

Riding alongside the carriage, Gu Ye suddenly heard a cry of pain, followed by Lu Liao's irate shout, "You wild girl! Can't you be gentler?"

Tang Xiaoqi retorted angrily, "Lu Liao, you really treat me like a servant girl! Leg massages, shoulder rubs—when will it end?"

Lu Liao replied shamelessly, "If you really feel some lingering scent, more like a little vixen, you can always refuse."

The carriage fell silent. Gu Ye smiled slightly—no need to ask, Tang Xiaoqi had yielded once again.