Chapter 23

The thunderstorm had finally passed, and Shen Jiangling managed to rise to his feet. The players immediately helped him into the carriage and escorted the group in grand procession toward Clear Wind Fishing Ground.

The big map showed that Clear Wind Fishing Ground lay within East Sea Bay. The surrounding area was dotted with rocky salt mines, martial training halls, island fishing villages, and various local powerhouses tied to smaller Clear Wind Fishing Grounds.

Heart Washing Manor was en route to Clear Wind Fishing Ground, but the journey was far from peaceful.

Occasional roadside shops catered to passing travelers. One such shop was run by an elderly man in an apron, who greeted his few patrons with a kindly expression, doing his best to serve them.

Spotting the large group, he called out enthusiastically, “Esteemed guests, why not sit and rest your feet? My humble shop has wine and meat—and the finest tea to boot. I guarantee your satisfaction!”

The shopkeeper’s daughter chimed in sweetly, “Please, great heroes, take a seat.”

Five-Colored Mottled Black caught the aroma wafting from a nearby bun shop, and his stomach let out an involuntary growl as his mouth watered.

Ruan Xuezong showed no intention of dismounting.

Yet when he lifted the carriage curtain, he noticed the old man’s temples streaked with white hair and his tense expression—like a silent plea for help, or perhaps a gesture urging them to stop. The signals were deeply contradictory.

Ruan Xuezong’s mind stirred. He ordered everyone to dismount and said mildly, “Everyone must be hungry. Let’s sit and take a break.”

He took the lead, settling at a square table. The chairs and benches gleamed new and polished, and the chopstick holder on the table was spotless. Even so, the ever-diligent players pulled out rags and wiped everything down, going so far as to rinse the chopsticks in hot water.

It was as if they disdained the little shop entirely. When the shopkeeper’s daughter approached, her face stiffened slightly.

“Zongzong, all disinfected,” Sichuan Pepper Little Bunny said, handing him a pair of chopsticks. She passed another pair to Shen Jiangling. When the handsome man smiled faintly and thanked her, she clutched her chest in an instant.

Ruan Xuezong accepted the chopsticks, his long lashes lowering as he began to nitpick once more. “Shopkeeper, you invited us to sit, but surely you saw how many of us there are. There aren’t nearly enough seats.”

He spoke mildly while shooting a glance at one of the players.

That player often assisted Ruan Xuezong and had honed a special skill for reading his young master’s subtle looks.

He caught on immediately, rose to his feet, and shooed away the other diners. “You all done eating? Hurry up and clear out—vacate those seats!”

“We haven’t finished!” the guests protested, rising unhappily. But facing the imposing caravan and its numerous escorts, they dared not complain further and grabbed their bundles before leaving.

Ruan Xuezong directed the scene with imperious ease, putting Heart Washing Manor’s domineering reputation on full display. He had assumed that Shen Jiangling, as the protagonist, would take issue with such bullying tactics.

To his surprise, Shen Jiangling merely sighed. “Young friend, you truly have a kind heart.”

A faint smile curved Ruan Xuezong’s face beneath his mask. He accepted the praise and turned his head to call out, “Shopkeeper, bring a pot of your finest tea. I want only the best.”

It was likely the first time the old man had encountered such a noble and discerning guest. He rubbed his palms nervously, but his daughter stepped forward with poise. Her delicate hands prepared the tea in elegant motions, like a figure from a refined lady’s portrait. Wisps of white steam rose from the brew, carrying a pure, mellow fragrance that refreshed the mind and spirit.

“The finest tea has been served. Please enjoy,” the girl said with a graceful bow, a subtle smile playing at her lips.

That smile vanished in an instant.

Ruan Xuezong lifted the tea bowl, sniffed it once, and poured it aside. “What kind of ‘finest tea’ is this? Utterly disappointing. Your brewing technique could use some practice.”

The girl’s face darkened immediately, her murderous impulse barely restrained. But the Heart Washing Manor “retainers” only escalated the outrage.

“Exactly, what passes for good tea here?”

“Our Zongzong only drinks premium West Lake Dragon Well or Bi Luo Chun—those are purple-rarity glowers, purple-grade stuff. You know, the rare kind that’s super scarce… This tea’s green-grade at best. No wonder Zongzong won’t touch it.”

The players, reveling in their first taste of throwing weight around, glowed with excitement as they critiqued away.

“It’s just a rural teahouse, after all. The shopkeeper’s daughter is a local village girl—her skills aren’t up to snuff yet. Next time you solicit customers, don’t claim it’ll satisfy everyone.”

Their chatter reduced the lofty Demonic Sect Saintess to a mere country bumpkin. These people’s mouths were infuriating! Tao Caiyan’s eyes blazed with killing intent. Any thought of courtesy before force evaporated.

“Get them!”

She slammed her palm on the table. Wood splintered as dozens—no, over a hundred—black-clad assailants burst from the shop’s rear, armed with knives and crossbows. In broad daylight, their dark garb encircled the group, the bloodstained weapons glinting coldly in the sun.

In such a dire moment, Tao Caiyan figured the Heart Washing Manor rabble would finally shut their traps. Instead, their voices grew even louder.

“I knew it—Zongzong’s never that rude usually. Every time I bring him tea, no matter how badly I brew it, he at least takes a sip.”

“His attitude tipped me off this place was sketchy. Ambush confirmed! Good thing I started screen-recording ages ago, haha!”

“First time bullying feels amazing.”

“From the second we got the quest, I smelled blood. Escort missions are never easy. Guessing there’s an ambush at the river bridge ahead too—if we hadn’t stopped here, the bridge might’ve collapsed under us.”

“God-tier instincts, boss!”

“With Linghu Xiao absent this time, who’s taking command?”

“Me!” “I can do it!” Before long, they were squabbling over it outright, shoving and grabbing without a care for her dignity. Tao Caiyan seethed with rage. “Loose the arrows! Fire! Everyone dies except Shen Jiangling—no survivors!”

Playtime was over. When the BOSS flew into a true fury, the players snapped into action, assigning roles on the spot.

They fell into their familiar formations and positions, clustering protectively around Ruan Xuezong—with Shen Jiangling now added to the circle. Amid the dense arrow barrage, they shielded the pair with their own bodies.

“Watch for poison arrows! They tick 5% HP per second plus a stun debuff!” The player who shouted the warning took an arrow to the chest the next instant and crumpled to the ground.

Shen Jiangling gave a wry smile. “Even with your precautions, young friend, these black-clothed foes are ferocious, and that woman harbors malicious intent—she’s no good sort. I’ve dragged you all down.”

Had he not been gravely injured, his martial prowess could have held them off for a time. As it was, he could only play the frail protected one.

Player after player fell before him, yet even in death, their faces bore smiles, utterly free of regret. The sight shook Shen Jiangling to his core.

If he claimed to feel no guilt, it would be a lie.

For his sake alone, Heart Washing Manor had lost so many hands. What merit did Shen Jiangling possess to warrant this?

Ruan Xuezong had already saved his life once, leaving him at a loss for repayment. Now he owed another—likely unrepayable even in his next life.

His injuries seemed unusually severe this time, with side effects like dizziness and blurred vision. For a moment, he thought he saw the fallen young heroes enveloped in golden light, rising fully restored.

Shen Jiangling rubbed his eyes, but he only swelled those keen, perceptive orbs without piercing the mystery.

Ruan Xuezong was biding his moment.

Unlike the players, he was mere flesh and blood. The original protagonist could weave through arrow storms unscathed by narrative inertia, but a villain enjoyed no such privilege.

Any move he made would expose a flaw.

And the flaw appeared swiftly—the ground bristled with arrows, the black-clothed attackers’ quivers depleted. Their fierce onslaught halted.

In that instant, Ruan Xuezong vaulted forward. A dizzying flurry of palm shadows filled the air, and in a single breath, he had deflected every shaft and closed in on Tao Caiyan.

She jolted in fright, her face draining of color as she retreated five full paces.

Ruan Xuezong’s palm carried a fearsome heat, like hellfire scorching the earth. She had no doubt that a solid hit would leave her dead or flayed alive.

As the Demonic Sect Saintess, she cultivated chilling yin martial arts that countered countless temperate techniques. But it came with drawbacks: she craved men’s warmth and dreaded all things hot.

This weakness was known to few!

Truth be told, she had relished hunting Shen Jiangling through the woods these past days—like toying with prey, keeping him in terrified limbo. Now she knew what it felt like to become the hunted.

His assault brimmed with menace. Tao Caiyan dared not clash directly, dodging left and right while inwardly cursing her frailty as her deadliest flaw. Soon, a hand clamped her slender neck.

…She had become the hostage.

It all unfolded in mere heartbeats, flipping the battle in an instant. The timeless principle—capture the leader to rout the bandits—held true across any era.

The black-clad attackers froze. Ruan Xuezong gripped Tao Caiyan’s throat with one hand, pressing his palm to her cheek with the other—a clear threat that any further move meant her immediate death.

“Go back and tell your leader the saintess is in my hands. If he dares act rashly, I’ll kill her on the spot.”

The searing heat was like a red-hot branding iron nearing her face. One side of her burned as if her skin’s fine hairs were singeing away; the other paled as rampaging yin chill tore through her body. She let out a terrified sob, tamed into perfect obedience like a kitten.

“Hm? Not obeying?” Ruan Xuezong tightened his grip, a soft menace issuing from beneath his mask.

The black-clad men exchanged glances and could only lower their weapons, retreating with evident reluctance. Ruan Xuezong knew demonic sect “brotherhood” was flimsy as plastic, but a saintess held marginal value—enough to force their withdrawal.

“Holy crap, Zongzong’s badass! He nabbed the Demonic Sect Saintess!”

The players erupted in cheers. The screen-recorders zeroed in on Ruan Xuezong and the humiliated saintess under his palm, capturing every angle.

Sparks flew from Tao Caiyan’s eyes as she gnashed her teeth. “Kill me if you’ve got the guts!” She dared boast because she knew he needed her alive.

Once fixated solely on the handsome Shen Jiangling, now her gaze burned only for this bronze-masked freak. She yearned to devour his flesh and crunch his bones—yet at the mere prod of a finger, she shriveled like facing a natural predator, whimpering pathetically.

Ruan Xuezong extended his finger to seal her acupoint. The players blurted instinctively, “Coach, teach me…”

It was pure reflex.

To their shock, Ruan Xuezong agreed. “This is just a basic acupoint technique. Tomorrow, I’ll put it up in the warehouse along with a manual on human acupoints.”

He’d discuss pricing with System 007 tonight. Personally, he didn’t care, but the system constantly stressed balance—not too high, not too low, lest it skew the game’s economy. In Jianghu, players slaved away as outer disciples just to learn from other sects. Heart Washing Manor’s casual pricing would spark envy across the world, drawing hordes their way.

“Holy crap! We can actually learn it!” The players were stunned.

These players hoarded contribution points like thrifty squirrels, agonizing over every spend. Now the official warehouse was stocking new goods—what were they waiting for? Learn it!

Ruan Xuezong replied calmly, “Mastering acupoints requires inner force cultivation. Duration depends on your inner force depth—for instance, I sealed her shoulder and neck points. Since my inner force surpasses hers, she’ll be immobile there for at least twelve hours. After that, I’d need to reapply it, or she’d regain freedom…”

“Salty Fish King, you try. Seal her leg acupoints.” He beckoned casually to one player, and Salty Fish King stepped forward obediently.

“Salty Fish King’s inner force is top-tier among you all. His seal should hold her legs for half an hour.” He imparted a verbal formula. Salty Fish King memorized it and promptly struck the point with convincing form.

Tao Caiyan’s legs went instantly numb, utterly immobile, her blood flow sluggish. She ached to kick Ruan Xuezong but couldn’t budge.

“Five-Colored Black, your inner force is too weak. Even sealing her arm would last only the time for a cup of tea…”

After instructing just a few players, Tao Caiyan’s face was slack, her limbs rigid. Her features twisted in fury. “Heart Washing Manor, don’t push people too far!!!”

“You’re noisy.” Couldn’t they see he was teaching?

Ruan Xuezong said coldly, then struck again, sealing her mute acupoint.

With the Demonic Cult saintess as a live demonstration, the lesson proved an unprecedented success. Even the stingiest point-hoarders grasped how vital acupoint skills were for roaming the rivers and lakes.

…

The escort team soon reached East Sea Bay. Their vast numbers were enough to alarm anyone in sight. The moment they entered Clear Wind Fishing Ground’s territory, they drew attention from all sides.

The steward bolted in panic to report. “Master, it looks like the Demonic Cult has come to slaughter us!”

“What!?” Gong Xiao shot up from his seat in disbelief. “Are you certain?”

“Positive!” The steward’s face was grave as he described the scene. “The caravan is massive. At the lead is a man in a white cloak and cyan mask—his martial prowess seems unfathomable. Shen the hero stands beside him, along with that Demonic Cult witch who provoked us before.”

Gong Xiao clutched his head in agony upon hearing this. “With the witch present, they must be Demonic Cult. Clearly, they’ve taken Shen the hero hostage. Whatever shall I do?”

Within a cup of tea’s time, word spread through all of Clear Wind Fishing Ground: the Demonic Cult was attacking. The women in the rear quarters panicked, dissolving into chaos.

The true infiltrator from the Gong household overheard and fell silent: “…”