Chapter 4
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Chapter 4: The Leaves Fall, Signifying Autumn
Within the sect, many disciples donned clothes and accessories crafted from Lingfeng Silk.
From elders down to outer disciples in the Spirit Motion stage, whether hosting guests or celebrating birthdays, one could not go without the exquisite wine and dishes from Fuyuan Tavern.
This trend had nearly formed a monopoly, largely thanks to Li Hui’s dedicated efforts.
Li Hui, nicknamed Li Yingjun, was well-known among the outer disciples. He was handsome and dashing, appearing youthful and wealthy, capturing the attention of many Senior Sisters and Junior Sisters. If it weren’t for the fact that cultivators cared more about their cultivation, he might have had many secret admirers.
Whenever Lingfeng Silk released a new line of clothing, he was always the first to wear it. Those Senior Brothers and Junior Brothers who wanted to attract the attention of the many Senior Sisters would often spend money trying to follow the trend.
This trend was certainly fueled by Li Hui’s deliberate guidance, and even his white snow-like nightgown had become a signature piece.
With so much effort put in, one would think that Li Hui’s wealth would be substantial, yet the reality was quite the opposite; he had only a few sets of new high-end clothing and nothing more!
"Beautiful on the outside, but a mess on the inside," truly described Li Hui’s life!
The Chief Steward Jin Buduan was miserly; unless he was fed well, he would never take responsibility for the purchases of the outer disciples.
Purchasing standard clothing and mid-grade ingredients was entirely entrusted to Lingfeng Silk and Fuyuan Tavern. Li Hui played a significant role; without him managing things in the sect, these two businesses would not have thrived.
However, this morning, when he awoke to find himself in an unusual state and suddenly received an edict to carry out a task for the sect, an inexplicable tension gripped his heart, making him feel as if something was about to happen. Perhaps this unease had already existed without him paying attention.
“This order came too suddenly; it must have been given directly by the inner sect, bypassing Jin Buduan. Otherwise, that miser would never allow me to leave, fearing he would lose a lot of money, especially with the recent surge in purchases.”
“Recent surge?” Li Hui’s mind raced, realizing the source of his anxiety.
“Is something happening in the sect? Why else would there be so many significant purchases? Surely more than in the past decade combined, especially the items related to the Fire Symbol and Fire Collapse Symbol from half a month ago.”
“These Fire Symbols and Fire Collapse Symbols are no trivial matter. They are considered strategic resources of the Daling Dynasty. I’ve seen them from afar on the battlefield. Although the sect occasionally stocks them…”
Thinking of this, Li Hui shivered.
He felt like everything was going wrong! Why was he worrying about wars when his life was supposed to be peaceful? Hadn’t the corpses he carried years ago been enough?
“If it weren’t for my youth and cleverness back then, alongside the care of my brothers, how would I have survived to this day?”
“What should I do? Trouble is brewing; I can’t deceive myself. These purchases are not coincidental, and Jin Buduan is exceedingly cautious with the accounts. If he didn’t need me to handle them directly, I wouldn’t even get to see the accounts!"
“There must be something going on, likely of great significance.”
Even though Li Hui thought of sect wars, he never considered the Jade Symbol Sect could face destruction. At worst, he expected a shaky situation that could negatively impact his hard-won business. Yet this realization showed that he was wise, and his sense of danger surpassed that of ordinary people; a single leaf falling signified the arrival of autumn.
At that moment, Li Hui glanced at the silver snake bracelet on his wrist, feeling cloaked in fog. He thought something must have happened last night, yet he couldn’t remember anything, no matter how hard he tried.
This situation gave him a tremendous headache!
“I don’t know who is plotting against me or where the danger lies! Moreover, the sect has issued an edict. Even if Jin Buduan manages the outer disciples’ affairs, he has no authority to stop this seemingly simple task.”
“Will this trip to the markets to check the accounts end with someone harming me on the way?”
The more he thought about it, the worse his headache became. Even with the Night Soul Incense still burning in his room, he felt a pounding pain in his head, as if numerous chaotic thoughts were trying to escape but were suppressed by an unknown force.
“Forget it; I’ll take it one step at a time! I need to hand over my duties and pack up first,” Li Hui said, splashing water on his face to feel a bit more awake. He pondered briefly and selected a set of white arrow-sleeved dragon robes from his wardrobe.
The robe’s back was embroidered with a verdant dragon, its claws stretched powerfully, surrounded by gorgeous dragon patterns—only the princes of the royal families could wear such attire. He topped it off with a golden lion-headed crown and carefully styled his long hair, looking every bit the handsome royal.
Such ostentation was rare, even for Li Hui, who had played the role of a “good-looking man” for two years.
He retrieved a yellow package from his wardrobe and, after contemplating for a moment, resolutely walked toward the door. Tomorrow, he would be traveling far, and he needed to sell things in advance.
The spring was bright and beautiful, with flowers competing in splendor!
While snow and wind battered the world outside, there was no trace of coldness within the sect. Walking through the medicinal garden, he could still smell the pleasantly fragrant earth.
Following the winding path, Li Hui’s residence was neither too far nor too close to the inner sect’s activity area. Upon calculating the time, morning class must have ended, and if he wanted to see Brother Cheng, he should head to the Artifact Pavilion.
Just after walking a short while, he heard the sound of breaking air. Several figures, originally walking straight, suddenly changed direction and circled back.
“Hahaha, I wondered who dressed like this, turns out to be the flashy Li Yingjun!” sneered a triangular-eyed youth at the front.
Beside the youth, a frail man taunted, “Oh, I said, Little Li, today’s outfit is even more striking than the one from two days ago. Tsk tsk, you’ve got some guts! Brother Zheng said your outfit looks like that of a palace eunuch. Just two days, and now you’re dressed like a prince? You’re going to be in for it!”
Li Hui didn’t feel like wasting words with these people. His parents gifted him a handsome appearance, which was his advantage. Using it to model for the silk shop and showcase the clothing wasn’t hurting anyone, yet some people seemed to look at him unfavorably.
“Heh, this kid is not just a eunuch; he’s also a fool! He only understands frivolous romance, not hard work in cultivation. What good is a pretty face?”
“Exactly! We cultivators should prioritize our training!”
“I heard this kid hasn’t even awakened a Spirit Motion mark. Any miscellaneous disciple dragged out would be stronger than him.”
Their cold taunts filled the air. Had it not been for Li Hui managing the expenses for the outer disciples, these comments would have likely escalated, and to curry favor with Brother Zheng, they might even have drawn blades!
Li Hui took a deep breath, his finger joints trembling slightly, as a cold light flickered in his eyes.
At that moment, another sound of breaking air approached.
An enormous figure, over ten feet tall, blasted toward him, creating a deafening boom. A shadow slowly retracted the massive wings made of yellow talisman paper stuck to its back and gazed at Li Hui with ill intent. The figure sternly reprimanded, “Boy, what kind of nonsense are you up to? Even if ordinary people say sect disciples are comparable to royalty, they mean Inner Sect Disciples. What are you? How dare you wear that dragon robe?”
