What is luck! What is destiny!
Shen Jianxi decided she would never call herself unlucky again!
Was there anyone luckier than her?
No!
Looking at the young man on the other side of the street arguing with someone, Shen Jianxi smiled genuinely and happily.
Wasn't this the target she had been tirelessly searching for, her feet nearly worn out?
77's voice echoed in her mind like heavenly music:
[Name: Lin Xinglan
Gender: Male
Identity: Youngest direct descendant of the Beast Taming Lin family of Southern Changzhou, junior disciple of the Lotus Immortal Lord of the Mingxin Sect
Frequent Haunts: Mingxin Sect
Ideal Type: Unknown (Host, please discern for yourself)]
The Lotus Immortal Lord was known throughout the entire Chongjian Continent. However, he was a sword cultivator. How did Lin Xinglan, a son of a beast-taming family, become his disciple?
With no time to ponder, she saw that the delicate young man across the street was no match for the shopkeeper and his several burly assistants. She entered with Lu Yuan, and their voices reached her ears:
"Why is that jar of wine priced at 5 spirit stones for him, but it becomes 10 spirit stones when I ask?"
"It just increased in price, is that a problem! You've already had a drink, are you looking for trouble!" the shopkeeper said fiercely, his thugs gathering behind him.
As Shen Jianxi approached, she realized the young man looked somewhat dazed. While they were arguing, his tone remained level, and it was clear the shopkeeper was being unreasonably arrogant.
Perhaps his demeanor made him seem easy to bully, which was why the shopkeeper was fleecing him without mercy.
A crowd had gathered around, pointing and chattering, but no one stepped forward. For a moment, the young man's slender figure appeared quite helpless.
She walked forward. Upon seeing her, shopkeeper Li Quan's face broke into a fawning smile, "Miss Shen, you've arrived! Please come in, what would you like to eat today?" he said, attempting to usher her inside.
Sifang City in Northern Changzhou was the main stronghold of the Four Great Families. Here, no one from the direct lineage of these families was unknown to each other.
Before Shen Jianxi could speak, the young man stepped forward and grabbed Li Quan's sleeve. His handsome brows furrowed slightly, and his tone remained unhurried, "You're not allowed to leave. Give me back my spirit stones."
Li Quan impatiently pushed him away, intending to leave. He was, after all, a cultivator in the late Qi Refining stage, more than enough to handle a mere boy.
But to his surprise, the young man didn't budge an inch.
"Brat, let go of my sleeve, or don't blame me for being impolite!" He glanced at the increasing crowd of onlookers, threatening in a hushed voice while gesturing for his thugs to approach the young man.
Faced with so many people, the young man showed no fear or anger. He stubbornly stared at Li Quan and repeated, "Give me back my spirit stones."
Li Quan's patience had completely run out. He signaled for his thugs to move, and it was then that Shen Jianxi spoke, "Shopkeeper Li, this is not a fair way to do business. I'd like to know, how much would it cost for me to buy this jar of wine!"
Her sudden intervention caused Li Quan's expression to stiffen. He cursed her inwardly for meddling, but outwardly, he had to put on a smile, "What are you saying, Miss Shen. If you like our shop's wine, I will naturally offer it to you with both hands. Why would you need to pay!"
Shen Jianxi ignored his flowery words and focused on one question, "How many spirit stones?"
Her voice suddenly sharpened, and her gaze, like a sword, pierced Li Quan's heart with a chilling light. He stammered, frightened, "Five... five spirit stones."
Upon hearing his reply, Shen Jianxi said no more, simply standing aside and staring at him.
Li Quan had assumed this outsider would be easy to bully and that he could extort a large sum. He never expected Miss Shen from the Shen family to intervene.
Now, despite his reluctance, he had no choice but to grit his teeth and endure the pain of losing money to return the extra five spirit stones to the young man. Although the Shen family ranked last among the Four Great Families, they were not someone he could afford to offend.
With the spirit stones returned, Shen Jianxi didn't intend to linger. She turned to the young man, who had been silent since the beginning, and asked, "Are you leaving?"
"Food."
Shen Jianxi: ???
What was this guy saying?
Seeing that she didn't understand, the young man explained, "I haven't eaten my meal yet."
His wine and dishes had just arrived, and as he was about to eat, he heard Li Quan's pricing for someone else. He was so focused on getting his spirit stones back that he hadn't eaten.
Only after he explained did Shen Jianxi understand. She said helplessly, "I know a place with even better food. I'll take you there."
With that, she walked past him. The young man stood there for a moment, seemingly contemplating whether it was safe to go with her. In the end, he slowly followed.
Never mind, he was too hungry.
...
Shen Jianxi's mouth twitched as she watched the young man who hadn't stopped eating. This was the first time she had met someone with a comparable appetite to hers.
She had sent Lu Yuan to wait outside. She poured a glass of water and offered it to him, "My name is Shen... Jiaxi."
She had changed her name.
This time, she wasn't going to use her real name; it was too easy to be exposed.
Seeing the fair wrist extended towards him, the young man realized she was speaking to him.
Reluctantly putting down the duck meat he was about to put in his mouth, he looked up and said earnestly, "My name is Lin Xinglan."
He looked dazed and seemed very sleepy, lacking energy.
Just by this simple exchange of names, Shen Jianxi couldn't help but feel as if they were performing some kind of solemn ceremony.
Shen Jianxi chuckled, "Is there anything else you'd like to eat?"
After asking this, she saw the young man's previously listless eyes suddenly fill with light. His eyes were so pure and clear.
"Can I?" he asked obediently.
Shen Jianxi's heart softened involuntarily. She said gently, "Of course. Add whatever you want to eat, don't be shy."
77: "Beep! Favorability +10. Current Lin Xinglan favorability is 10."
As soon as 77's voice faded, she saw the young man lick his lips, put down his chopsticks, sit up straight opposite her, and say word for word, "Thank you, you are a good person, I like you."
Shen Jianxi seemed to have found a way to win him over. After a moment of thought, she asked, "Are you from Northern Changzhou?"
He was looking at the dishes on the table, contemplating which one to add, and when she asked, he replied with a casual "Mm" without looking up.
Then, feeling that such an attitude towards someone treating him to a meal was not right, Lin Xinglan shifted his gaze from the table to her, "I am a disciple of the Mingxin Sect."
Although she already knew from 77, Shen Jianxi pretended to be surprised, "Then why didn't you fight back when the shopkeeper treated you like that?"
He was silent for a moment, then replied, "Because my senior brother said that those with higher cultivation should not bully those with lower cultivation based on their strength. As a disciple of the Mingxin Sect, one must set an example. If one cannot correct oneself, how can one correct others?" Su Dan Novel Network.
It was evident that he had immense trust in his senior brother. Despite the unwillingness in his eyes, he strictly adhered to his senior brother's teachings.
Shen Jianxi didn't entirely agree with his senior brother's words but had no intention of refuting them. Everyone had their own way of handling things; there was no need to impose one's own ideas on others.
"How many days do you plan to stay in Northern Changzhou this time?" she asked the question she most wanted to know. She needed to know how long he would be here to strategize the capture.