The Rescue, The Resort, and The Shrewd Immortal’s Deal

——Yesterday——

“Hmph! Dad only knows how to keep me at home reading, practicing the piano, and learning needlework. It’s so boring!”

A little girl, perhaps six or seven years old, dressed in a light pink and red dress, walked along the street, idly kicking a small stone from her path after speaking.

The girl was Wen Ningyu.

Having secretly learned a smattering of martial arts, Wen Ningyu had scaled a wall and quietly snuck out.

“I’ll play until dusk before heading back!”

‘Come to think of it, the storybook I was reading recently seems to have a sequel out; I should go buy another copy!’

Just then!

A pair of large hands suddenly materialized from a nearby alley, silent as shadows, seizing Wen Ningyu’s hand in a vice-like grip!

Wen Ningyu: “!!”

Just as Wen Ningyu was about to cry out, another hand shot out, swiftly clamping over her mouth and nose!

Immediately, Wen Ningyu felt her vision begin to blur.

She quickly lost consciousness and was dragged into the alley’s depths.

Every motion was executed with seamless precision, clearly betraying the practiced hand of a seasoned abductor.

“Where is this place?”

After an unknown period, Wen Ningyu awoke from her stupor to find herself confined within a dungeon!

Her hands and feet were bound tightly with hemp rope, yet her mouth remained uncovered.

It seemed her abductors harbored no fear of her shouting.

At the entrance to her cell stood two bandit guards.

“Hey! You two! Do you have any idea who I am?!”

“Release me at once! My father is the richest man in the city!”

Perhaps it was the dim, damp, and chilling environment of the cell that agitated Wen Ningyu, who was accustomed to a life of luxury.

Clang!

Hearing her outburst, one guard impatiently slammed his long saber fiercely against the iron bars, producing a grating metallic clang.

Wen Ningyu instinctively recoiled, her head drawing back into her shoulders in a sudden surge of terror.

“Little brat, do you think you’re still in your own home?”

“This is Coiled Serpent Stronghold! Keep quiet!”

“Speak another word, and I’ll gag you!”

“Tsk, the boss and the others are having a grand time drinking in the hall, while we’re stuck in this cavern watching this brat…”

“It’s freezing…”

“Quiet. We’re counting on this girl to make us rich.”

“Tsk.”

Hearing the other man speak, the first guard grumbled but continued his watch.

Wen Ningyu, too terrified to speak further, huddled into a small ball in the corner, weeping softly…

‘Wuwuwu… I want to go home… Papa…’

A few minutes later—

Wen Ningyu sat on the wild grass covering the dungeon floor, tears streaming down her face as she thought regretfully to herself…

‘Papa… I was wrong… I’ll never be so mischievous again…’

‘I’m so hungry…’

As Wen Ningyu wallowed in regret, a young boy’s voice, speaking to himself, echoed through the dungeon.

“Searched all over the stronghold and couldn’t find her; turns out she was underground.”

“Speaking of which, while I was wandering earlier, there seemed to be a spring underground.”

“Who are you?!”

The two guards, having heard the voice, charged towards the cavern entrance. Soon, accompanied by several metallic clangs, dull thuds, and the sound of bodies hitting the ground, the guards’ voices vanished.

Wen Ningyu: “?”

Unable to see the exit, Wen Ningyu quietly remained seated, staring at the iron bars of her cell.

‘What’s happening? Has someone come to rescue me?’

A slow, approaching set of footsteps grew louder.

Wen Ningyu saw a young boy, appearing to be around her age, clad in black fur robes with long black hair, wielding a black sword.

The boy, holding his black sword, casually swung it a few times at the iron gate. In an instant, the gate was effortlessly sliced through as if it were tofu!

The cleanly severed iron bars clattered heavily onto the ground.

The boy stepped over the fallen iron, approached Wen Ningyu, then used his sword to sever the hemp ropes binding her. Bending down, he extended a hand and asked,

“Can you stand?”

The newcomer was none other than Bai Qiuyuan.

By the wavering glow of the dungeon torches, Wen Ningyu’s gaze sharpened, allowing her to make out Bai Qiuyuan’s features.

The moment she clearly saw Bai Qiuyuan’s features, for some reason, Wen Ningyu’s mind, without warning, flashed back to the vivid tales her maidservant had once read from an old storybook.

‘As the maiden’s scream pierced the air, a handsome young man in red, wielding a sword, descended from the heavens like a divine warrior! In an instant, he struck down all evildoers with his blade! This was the Red-Clad Sword Immortal! Su…’

Before Wen Ningyu could finish her recollection, Bai Qiuyuan grasped her slowly extended hand and pulled her to her feet.

Remembering the storybook’s continuation, where the woman rescued by the Sword Immortal married him, Wen Ningyu’s face instantly flushed crimson, and she dared not look Bai Qiuyuan directly in the eye.

“The mountain path is dangerous in the dark. I’ll take you back.”

Wen Ningyu lowered her head, shyly nodding.

As they passed the dungeon entrance, Wen Ningyu saw the guards lying unconscious, weapons still in hand, and timidly asked,

“Little… brother?”

“Hm?”

“Are they… dead?”

“No, I merely knocked them out.”

“Oh, oh…”

Employing his Lightness Art (TL Note: A martial arts technique allowing practitioners to move with incredible lightness and speed, often seen as superhuman agility), Bai Qiuyuan carried Wen Ningyu down the mountain and back to the Imperial City in mere minutes, bringing her to the vicinity of the Wen Manor.

Witnessing Bai Qiuyuan’s Lightness Art, Wen Ningyu became even more convinced that he was indeed the Sword Immortal from her storybook!

In truth, in Wen Ningyu’s heart at that moment, even if Bai Qiuyuan wasn’t the Sword Immortal, he was certainly close enough!

“I’ll see you off here.”

Bai Qiuyuan spoke, then prepared to turn and return to the stronghold.

“Wait! Little brother!”

“Hm?”

After a moment of hesitation, Wen Ningyu asked,

“Will we meet again?”

“If you want to play with me, you can come find me at the stronghold,” Bai Qiuyuan said with a smile.

Wen Ningyu, hearing this, asked curiously,

“The stronghold? The one from just now?”

“But aren’t there a lot of bad people there?”

“That’s right. Although the stronghold still belongs to the bandits for now, after tonight, it will be mine!”

Upon hearing this, Wen Ningyu gazed at Bai Qiuyuan’s confident smile, her own face etched with an expression of profound bewilderment.

Bai Qiuyuan chuckled, gently patting Wen Ningyu’s head.

“Go home quickly!”

“Mm!”

“Little brother, wait for me! I’ll come find you tomorrow!”

Wen Ningyu said with a smile.

With that, she bid farewell to Bai Qiuyuan and returned to the Wen Manor…

“Master! Master! The Young Miss has returned!”

As Bai Qiuyuan turned to leave, he suddenly noticed a vendor still selling candied hawthorn (TL Note: A traditional Chinese snack consisting of hawthorn berries coated in hardened sugar syrup, typically served on a stick) nearby, even late at night. He approached the vendor with a smile.

“Hello, I’d like a skewer of candied hawthorn!”

“Eh? It’s you again, young master.”

“While candied hawthorn is delicious, be careful of cavities if you eat too much.”

“I know. I’ll take two skewers.”

“…Alright!”

In the Wen Manor’s Reception Hall—

“Thank you for saving my daughter last night.”

Wen Zhenping bowed solemnly to Bai Qiuyuan.

“It’s nothing, merely a small effort,” Bai Qiuyuan replied with a smile.

Hearing this, Wen Zhenping returned to his main seat and sat down.

“Sword Immortal, may I ask if there’s a particular reason for your visit today?”

Rumor had it that a Sword Immortal could hold his own against a thousand-man cavalry, and their flying sword could slay enemies from a thousand miles away!

Knowing that this child before him was a Sword Immortal who had also saved his daughter, Wen Zhenping dared not be negligent and spoke respectfully.

“I have a business proposition that I’d like to discuss with Lord Wen,” Bai Qiuyuan said with a smile.

Bai Qiuyuan then proceeded to explain his hot spring resort plan to Wen Zhenping.

A quarter of an hour later—

“So that’s it, a resort with a hot spring source?”

Wen Zhenping fell into deep thought upon hearing this.

Just then, Wen Ningyu entered the reception hall, carrying a pot of freshly brewed tea. She approached Bai Qiuyuan, poured him a cup, and smiled.

“Little brother! Try the tea I just brewed.”

“Thank you,” Bai Qiuyuan said, smiling as he picked it up and took a sip.

“Is it good?”

“It’s delicious. I wouldn’t have guessed someone so young could brew tea this well,” Bai Qiuyuan said sincerely.

The tea in his hand, Bai Qiuyuan realized, possessed an incredibly rich aroma and an unparalleled refreshing clarity, far surpassing the brew he had tasted at the inn the day before.

Hearing Bai Qiuyuan’s praise, a look of profound satisfaction instantly bloomed on Wen Ningyu’s face.

Wen Ningyu suddenly felt that learning the tea ceremony had been an exceptionally wise decision.

“Cough, cough, cough…”

Just then, Wen Zhenping, seated in the main chair, suddenly began to cough.

Wen Ningyu looked over, only to see her father coughing while subtly glancing at the teacup beside him.

Wen Zhenping thought, feeling a little dejected.

‘Why only pour for him and not for me?’

‘This little girl’s elbow always bends outwards (TL Note: A Chinese idiom meaning to favor outsiders over one’s own family).’

Wen Ningyu instantly understood, and smiling, she carried the tea to her father’s side.

“Papa, you try some too.”

She then poured a cup of tea for her father.

Wen Zhenping picked up the teacup and took a sip. Only then did the furrow in his brow, shaped like the character ‘川’ (chuan, meaning river), relax, replaced by an expression of contentment.

Recalling Bai Qiuyuan’s hot spring resort plan, Wen Zhenping pondered for a moment before speaking.

“The stronghold is deep within the mountains; the roads are rugged, making it difficult for carriages to ascend.”

“The bandits within the stronghold are also a hidden danger…”

Bai Qiuyuan, having clearly anticipated such concerns, merely chuckled.

“Lord Wen, rest assured. As for the mountain path, I carved one out with my sword when I descended today.”

“Carriages are guaranteed to pass smoothly, with no obstructions going up or down the mountain.”

“Should you worry about the jackals, wolves, and tigers in the mountains, I can arrange for escorts to accompany carriages up and down.”

“As for the bandits, I have already subdued them all and gained their submission; you can fully rest assured about safety.”

“If you’re still uneasy, guests can bring several personal bodyguards with them into the resort.”

“The stronghold has now been renamed ‘White Egret Villa’. The interior and exterior have been largely managed, but due to its bandit past, we currently lack personnel skilled in management.”

“My visit today is to request Lord Wen’s assistance in recommending individuals with good character who are adept at business management and financial affairs to help at the villa.”

Wen Zhenping fell into deep thought after hearing this.

Seeing Wen Zhenping’s hesitation, Bai Qiuyuan knew he had already succeeded for the most part.

‘Merchants are driven by profit. Lord Wen, as the city’s foremost wealthy merchant, has no reason to abandon the business opportunity of hot springs.’

‘Now, I just need to press the advantage!…’

Bai Qiuyuan then continued with a smile.

“Lord Wen, there’s no need to rush a decision. In a few days, when the villa’s renovations are complete, I can invite you as my guest.”

“You can consider whether to agree to cooperate with me after experiencing it for yourself.”

Wen Zhenping took a sip of tea, looked at Bai Qiuyuan, and after a moment of silence, asked,

“How old are you this year?”

“Eight years old.”

Wen Zhenping, after hearing the revelation, remained silent, simply continuing to sip his tea.

‘An eight-year-old Sword Immortal…’

‘This child actually managed to subdue the bandits overnight with such swift, decisive action…’

‘And he even created this “hot spring” thing on the mountain all by himself…’

‘Hot water emerging from underground, suitable for bathing and health preservation—the Imperial City has never heard of such a thing…’

‘If everything he says is true, then hot springs are an absolutely incredible business opportunity…’

‘Furthermore, with the bandits subdued, the probability of merchant caravans being robbed outside the city will decrease by at least thirty percent!’

‘If I didn’t know that even a cultivator who reaches the Sword Immortal realm cannot reverse their age…’

‘I might think this child was some kind of ancient monster that appeared out of nowhere…’

‘Truly, the younger generation is formidable…’

‘Humble in character, not arrogant despite his high cultivation; he is certainly worth befriending.’

“Considering you returned my daughter yesterday, I am willing to help.”

“As for the profits, let’s split them fifty-fifty.”

Wen Zhenping stated.

Bai Qiuyuan chuckled upon hearing this.

“Lord Wen, I still have several hundred people in my stronghold to feed.”

“How about eighty-twenty?”

“Seventy-thirty. I cannot go any lower than that,” Wen Zhenping said, his eye twitching as he looked at Bai Qiuyuan.

“Deal!”

“Qiuyuan thanks Lord Wen here and now!”

Bai Qiuyuan said with a cheerful smile.

Seeing Bai Qiuyuan agree so readily, Wen Zhenping suddenly realized that Bai Qiuyuan had intended to settle for a seventy-thirty split from the very beginning!

Wen Zhenping rubbed the bridge of his nose, speechless.

“Are you truly just a child?”

Bai Qiuyuan chuckled. “Genuine, no substitutes.” ‘At least, in this world,’ he thought.

Wen Zhenping: “…”

‘I wouldn’t have guessed he was such a sly fox.’

‘It’s good to be cunning…’

Thinking this, Wen Zhenping began to look forward to Bai Qiuyuan’s White Egret Villa…

In the Imperial Palace—

“You mean, rumors are spreading in the city about an unknown Sword Immortal appearing?”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“Hahaha! Interesting! Truly interesting! It has been a long time since I’ve seen a newly ascended Sword Immortal!”