Chapter 494: One Difficult Matter After Another

Steward Yang’s words made Nie Qianyu feel a little hurt. Yet Steward Yang had watched her grow up since childhood and was also a representative of the Incense Spreading Sect. Nie Qianyu regarded him as an elder, so she could only force a smile and say: “Perhaps the next time Uncle Yang comes, this niece will have grown up.”

Steward Yang gave a bitter smile. “If there really can be a next time, then when this uncle returns to the Incense Spreading Sect, I will certainly help Little Yu see whether there are any good medicinal pills. Unfortunately, this is already my last time coming down the mountain. In the future, you may not be able to see me again.”

“What???” Not only Nie Qianyu, but even Valley Master Nie was greatly shocked. “Brother Yang, why is that?”

Steward Yang rallied his spirits and said: “There’s no particular reason. I’m simply getting old, and there are some matters I no longer have the strength to handle. It’s also time for the younger generation to come out and gain experience. Old Brother Nie, just now I hinted at this again and again, yet you didn’t catch it at all. It seems your heart truly wasn’t in it.”

Valley Master Nie said awkwardly: “What my brother says is indeed correct. This old man is making a request of you for the first time—ah, also the last time—and my heart is truly uneasy.”

Nie Qianyu was also at the side, pleading: “This is also this niece’s wish. I ask Uncle Yang to grant it.”

Steward Yang looked at Nie Qianyu and smiled. “Little Yu, don’t forget this: if your destined husband does not go to the Incense Spreading Sect, then in two or three years, even if I cannot obtain any marvelous spiritual pills for you, you can still enter the bridal chamber and live a life that envies only mandarin ducks, not immortals. But if I take him away, then during those two or three years, you won’t be able to see your husband at all. Can you really bear that? Moreover, there are also many female disciples within the Incense Spreading Sect. Aren’t you afraid…?”

Nie Qianyu’s face flushed crimson, and hesitation filled her eyes. All of this was clearly seen by Steward Yang.

Only to hear Nie Qianyu perform a salute and say: “I ask Uncle Yang to grant this. Though this niece is extremely reluctant to part with Ren Lang, he is, after all, still young. If he only indulges in romantic attachments between men and women, then even if the foundation of Spring Rebirth Valley were handed over to him, he might not be able to carry it forward. Only by sending him to the Incense Spreading Sect can he truly learn the essence of pill refining. When he returns, he will then be able to inherit Father’s mantle. As for the female disciples of the Incense Spreading Sect—hehe—since Uncle Yang is there, why would this niece need to worry so much?” [TL_Note: Lang = Gentleman]

After hearing this, Steward Yang burst into laughter. “Little Yu is still as eloquent as ever. You’ve made this uncle very happy.”

“Then Uncle is agreeing to this matter?” Nie Qianyu said happily.

Steward Yang shook his head. “This is no small matter. I still need to discuss it carefully with your father.”

Steward Yang called Nie Qianyu in, first to see her, but more importantly, to observe her reaction and determine whether what Valley Master Nie had said was truly the case. Now that the thoughts in his heart had been confirmed, it was only natural that he still needed to discuss matters with Valley Master Nie.

Seeing this, Nie Qianyu glanced at her father, performed a salute, and withdrew.

After Nie Qianyu left, Steward Yang shook his head and said: “I finally understand your painstaking intentions, old brother. Little Yu looks to be only twelve or thirteen years old—indeed, it wouldn’t be easy for her to immediately go through the wedding rites. If Ren Xiaoyao were to… oh, right—speaking only of Ren Xiaoyao being young, just how old is he?”

“Fifteen years old,” Valley Master Nie replied.

“Oh, fifteen. He’s quite a match for Little Yu, but as a medicine boy, that’s rather old.”

“That’s why I still need Brother Yang to smooth things over a bit.” Valley Master Nie said, as he once again took a jade box from his robe and handed it over.

Steward Yang didn’t understand and asked curiously, “And what is this?”

Valley Master Nie smiled. “This is the Forget-Worry Grass grown within Spring Rebirth Valley.”

“What?” Steward Yang exclaimed. “You mean that three-hundred-year-old Forget-Worry Grass? You’re actually willing to harvest it?”

Valley Master Nie said: “Medicinal herbs are meant to be harvested. If we don’t take it now, we’ll have to sooner or later. This Forget-Worry Grass has just reached three hundred years this year—it’s at its best for use. Take it to the Hall Master and say it’s my humble offering, hoping he’ll be willing to make some concessions.”

“Ah, Old Brother Nie, it’s not that I want to criticize you, but there are countless paths to success in this world. Why have you set your sights solely on the Incense Spreading Sect? Haven’t you seen that over the past hundreds or even thousands of years, how many medicine boys sent to the Incense Spreading Sect have actually returned to the jianghu? To my knowledge, aside from that genius recorded in the texts a hundred years ago, in recent decades only one—Lu Lihong—has managed to rise from medicine boy to outer sect disciple. And you should know that from outer sect disciple to being able to roam the jianghu is still a very long road. Even when the time comes to roam the jianghu, one must still… still break through a formation.”

“Break through a formation?” Valley Master Nie asked in surprise. “Why have I never heard of this?”

Steward Yang gave a bitter smile. “This is an internal affair of our Incense Spreading Sect. How could you possibly know? Don’t look at me coming out once every few years and think that roaming the jianghu is easy. The disciples of our Pill Expansion Hall are different from other disciples—we have tasks to go out and gather medicinal herbs and recruit medicine boys. This task is only temporary. If your future son-in-law can truly reach the level of roaming the jianghu, his martial cultivation must be far higher than mine, and he must pass one of our sect’s formations to successfully complete the assessment and obtain permission to roam the jianghu.”

Then he sighed again and said: “Usually, once it reaches this stage, an outer sect disciple’s martial cultivation is already very high. At the same time as being granted permission to roam the jianghu, he also gains the qualification to advance to an inner sect disciple. And within the Incense Spreading Sect, the treatment and the martial arts cultivated by inner sect disciples and outer sect disciples differ vastly. Any outer sect disciple takes becoming an inner sect disciple as his lifelong goal. I can’t guarantee that once your son-in-law enters the Incense Spreading Sect, he’ll be able to pass that assessment. If he fails, he’ll have to remain in the Incense Spreading Sect for his entire life. Even if he passes, I can’t guarantee that your son-in-law will still be thinking about your Spring Rebirth Valley’s position, or still thinking about our Little Yu. After all, you’re not in the Incense Spreading Sect—you don’t know just how great the temptation of being an inner sect disciple is.”

Valley Master Nie’s face was filled with astonishment. He said: “Naturally, I know the difference between inner sect and outer sect disciples in your esteemed sect. Lady Kongque(Peacock) is an inner sect disciple—she’s much younger than you, yet you still take your cues from her and let her act as the official envoy. Her status is, of course, higher as an inner sect disciple. But these inner workings are something I’m hearing about for the first time. Let me think it over.”

In truth, there was nothing to think over at all. Zhang Xiaohua only sought entry into the Incense Spreading Sect; the rest of the matters had nothing whatsoever to do with Spring Rebirth Valley. It was even uncertain whether Zhang Xiaohua would ever return to Spring Rebirth Valley at all. Still, since Steward Yang had brought things to this point, if Valley Master Nie did not put on a show of careful consideration, it would appear far too false.

Valley Master Nie went out for a short while and soon returned. With a grave expression, he said: “Brother Yang, I’ve already explained the key points to Little Yu. Little Yu insists on sending Xiaoyao to the Incense Spreading Sect. I think this matter should be settled as such. I ask Brother Yang to take special care of him. In addition, when Brother Yang returns to the sect, please look after Xiaoyao as well. When he reaches his final test, if you can help, then help—let him come back a bit earlier.”

Steward Yang gave a bitter smile. “Old Brother Nie, do you really think your brother here has much of a role within the sect? When I come out, it’s nothing more than borrowing the tiger’s might. Within the sect, I have no say in anything at all.”

Valley Master Nie cupped his hands and said: “This old man knows this matter is extremely difficult. I ask my brother to convey these words to the Hall Master. Spring Rebirth Valley will certainly not forget the Hall Master’s benevolence.”

Steward Yang clenched his teeth and said: “Very well. Since this is the first time Old Brother Nie has ever asked me for a favor, I can’t very well refuse and make you lose face. In any case, this is also my last visit to Spring Rebirth Valley. From now on, matters of the jianghu will have nothing to do with me. I might as well give my old brother some face. This matter—I agree to it!”

After all this talk, Steward Yang finally nodded. Valley Master Nie was overjoyed and hurriedly performed a salute, then turned and called out: “Little Yu, why aren’t you coming in at once to thank Uncle Yang?”

Hearing this from outside the door, Nie Qianyu ran in with a face full of delight. She performed a deep bow and repeatedly said: “Thank you, Uncle Yang. Thank you, Uncle Yang.”

Steward Yang seemed quite fond of Nie Qianyu. Smiling broadly, he helped her up and said: “Silly girl, what’s there to thank me for? This uncle hasn’t really helped with anything—just a matter whose fortune or misfortune is yet unknown. Little Yu, if something happens to your husband in the future, you mustn’t blame me.”

Nie Qianyu smiled and said: “This niece can’t thank Uncle enough—how could I possibly blame you? Being able to go to the Incense Spreading Sect to cultivate and become an outer sect disciple is a great honor for Brother Ren. On Brother Ren’s behalf, I thank Uncle Yang.”

Hearing this, a thought stirred in Steward Yang’s heart, and he asked: “That’s right, Little Yu. I’ve been here for quite a while now, and the matter has been settled. How come this Brother Ren of yours hasn’t come out to let this old man have a look at him? As your uncle, I can help you take a look and give him a once-over.”

“Well…” Nie Qianyu hesitated for a moment. “Brother Ren is temporarily not in Spring Rebirth Valley.”

“Hm?” Steward Yang frowned and looked toward Valley Master Nie. “The envoy is set to leave Spring Rebirth Valley early tomorrow morning. If Ren Xiaoyao isn’t here, how is he supposed to depart with us?”

Valley Master Nie again put on a conciliatory smile and said: “This is precisely another difficult matter. However, Nephew Ren will return by tomorrow evening. On ordinary days, we would treat this as a troublesome affair, but since this is Brother Yang’s final visit to Spring Rebirth Valley, if we delay for one more day and allow this old man to fulfill his duties as host, I trust Lady Kong will not take offense, will she?”

Steward Yang forced a bitter smile. “Old Brother Nie… Old Brother Nie, this isn’t just one difficult matter, but two! Each one is harder than the last. The matter from before was just bending things a bit with my Hall Master. This one, however, will require going directly to Lady Kong. Sigh… in the past, if it had been some other envoy, trying to change the schedule would have been nearly impossible. But since I’ve accompanied Lady Kong all the way, I feel she is somewhat different from other inner sect disciples—very approachable. And since this is my final trip outside the sect, if I speak with Lady Kong tonight, perhaps there will be some chance of flexibility.”

Hearing this, both Nie Qianyu and Valley Master Nie were overjoyed. Valley Master Nie’s face practically beamed—his five years of effort were about to pay off. Could he not be excited?

At that moment, Steward Yang added: “However… I can’t guarantee whether it will succeed. If Lady Kong insists on leaving tomorrow morning, Old Brother Nie, then everything you just told me will have been said in vain.”

Valley Master Nie nodded. “That is only right.”

With that, Nie Qianyu withdrew. Steward Yang picked up his teacup and took a sip—but before he could swallow, he heard Valley Master Nie say: “Brother Yang, there is still one more matter…”

“Spit!” Steward Yang immediately sprayed the tea from his mouth, his face turning pale.