Chapter 22: The Poetry Gathering at Orchid Garden
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“Whew…”
[Cao Chengyu]
Age: 14.8
Cultivation: Early stage of Spirit-Refining Realm (62%)
Cultivation Method: The Yellow Court Dao Song
Skills: Basic Pill Refining Arts (Tier One), Basic Artifact Forging Arts (Tier One Artefact)
Techniques: Object Manipulation, Wind Striding, Azure Flood Dragon Sleeve (Medium Grade, Incomplete)
Secret Arts: Venomous Pupil (Low Grade, 32%)
Divine Powers: None
[Assessment]: A Spirit-Refining White Guard who has joined the Celestial Observation Tower, possessing the strength to roam the Great Yue Dynasty.
It had been some time since his last visit to the Spring Blossom Hall, and afterwards, Cao Chengyu went three more times, each visit yielding modest gains.
Luo Yuzhu’s favorability remained at 79, unchanged for a while.
He had refined the Human Poison Pill five times in total, spending just over a month, progressing rapidly.
His wealth had accumulated handsomely; currently, he had 450 spirit stones, 12 Meridian-Clearing Pills, two pounds of Jade-Spirit Rice, and 500 Celestial Observation Tower contribution points.
Some of the spirit stones had been used for cultivation.
The rest was an impressive fortune for a White Guard at the early Spirit-Refining stage.
Especially the 500 contribution points—enough to exchange for two new low-grade techniques.
And 450 spirit stones had considerable purchasing power, easily enough to buy a medium-grade, low-tier artefact.
However, he was in the capital, the safest place in the Great Yue Dynasty, with no immediate need for combat techniques.
Cao Chengyu was in no rush to strengthen these methods.
He saw himself as a logistical support role, planning to devote himself to the arts of pill and artifact crafting, without needing to join others for demon-slaying or other field missions.
With Luo Yuzhu’s protection, he could wander the capital freely.
On this day, he intended to finish using his cultivation resources, then find an opportunity to confess his feelings to Luo Yuzhu—perhaps reaching 80 favorability, to mutually express their hearts.
But then Liu Yun showed up, inviting him to a poetry gathering.
In the dormitory hall, Liu Yun grinned and massaged Cao Chengyu’s shoulders.
“Brother Cao, do me a favor and come along, will you?”
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“I need to cultivate. I really have no interest in poetry gatherings.”
“Ah, Chengyu, last time you helped me and Brother Luo get close to the Poetry Courtesan, and that poem of yours is still being talked about…”
“Me and Brother Luo…”
At this, Cao Chengyu glanced at him in surprise. Good heavens, he’d even appropriated his role as the behind-the-scenes helper.
No wonder he wanted him to come along. Likely, he’d promised someone but, lacking poetic talent himself, wanted backup in case some impromptu verse was needed.
What could Cao Chengyu say? Truly, a sly little fox.
With things at this point, he could only agree. Liu Yun broke into a broad smile.
He threw an arm around Cao Chengyu’s shoulder.
“Brothers for life! Here, take this as thanks for helping me and Brother Luo.”
He tossed something onto the table and hurried off, probably to make some last-minute preparations for the poetry gathering.
The Orchid Garden Poetry Gathering was being held that evening, so there was no rush.
The gift Liu Yun left was a jade toad pendant. The moment Cao Chengyu put it on, his mind felt clear and focused; it was actually a Calming Jade.
This item was similar to spirit incense, aiding cultivators in achieving enlightenment and clarity—quite useful for pill refining and cultivation.
A fine little treasure.
Having received such a gift, Cao Chengyu didn’t feel put out. The boy knew how to handle people.
He gave him a mental thumbs-up.
Evening fell quickly.
The group gathered at the Jade Artefact Pavilion. Aside from the familiar Luo Yongsheng and Liu Yun, there was one man and one woman.
Introductions soon followed, and Cao Chengyu learned the identities of the newcomers.
The man’s name was Ning Que, at mid-stage Spirit-Refining, from a collateral branch of the Ning clan—one of the Great Yue Dynasty’s top Purple Mansion immortal families.
Ning Que’s line boasted an old ancestor at the peak of Purple Mansion, and Ning Que himself was a core talent among the collateral branch. Normally, he wouldn’t mix with the likes of Liu Yun or Luo Yongsheng.
The reason lay with the woman.
She was stunningly beautiful—delicate and ethereal, with bright, limpid eyes that seemed to hold the world.
Her nose was like jade, lips like cherry blossoms, her skin flawless and fair.
An absolute beauty in the making.
Most astonishing of all, she was from a wandering cultivator background. Her grandfather ran a bookstore in the capital called Allure Pavilion.
Its collection was renowned as the most extensive in Great Yue, containing secret histories of cultivation, legends of mythical beasts, alchemical biographies, Daoist classics, ingenious crafts—truly a trove of wonders.
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In the capital, opening such a shop meant her grandfather was no ordinary man—likely possessing at least a Golden Core cultivation.
The young woman’s name was Song Zhihua, herself at mid-stage Spirit-Refining.
It was clear Ning Que attended for Song Zhihua’s sake, while Song Zhihua was interested in…
“Brother Liu, after tonight, may I copy that ancient pill-refining text of yours?”
The young beauty asked earnestly, entirely unaware of any double meaning in her words.
The seasoned elders present were momentarily speechless.
Liu Yun blushed furiously, but instead of annoyance, he readily agreed: “Of course, of course. What I’ve promised, I will certainly do—I never go back on my word.”
“Splendid,” Song Zhihua replied. Her bright eyes glanced briefly at Cao Chengyu—his handsome features naturally drew her gaze.
This did not escape Ning Que’s notice; he was somewhat displeased but said nothing.
Under his father’s orders, he was pursuing Song Zhihua, hoping to draw her grandfather into the Ning clan’s collateral branch, thereby strengthening their position—a well-known scheme among the so-called ‘second-generation’ scions.
This boy, being so close to Liu Yun, was surely another scion; he should know his place.
And indeed, things went as expected.
The five of them strolled around the Orchid Garden Poetry Gathering, with Cao Chengyu barely speaking to Song Zhihua. The few words exchanged were only hints for Liu Yun to solve lantern riddles.
Ning Que felt quite satisfied.
Little did he know, Cao Chengyu had no designs on Song Zhihua; his sights were set on Ning Que’s aunt.
No. 21 “Ning Wenjun”
Profile: Age 92, Peak Daoist Physique Realm, main branch disciple of the Ning clan’s literary generation, cultivator of Confucian law, skilled in wielding words as spells, fond of white and of reading, obsessed with the classics of the Great Scholars.
She favors men with resolve and ideals, cherishes the world, and longs to open the path of immortality to ordinary people.
Current favorability: 0
Ning Wenjun was Ning Que’s aunt. In terms of cultivation, she couldn’t match Luo Yuzhu, but only because her ambitions and aspirations delayed her progress—still, she’d certainly reach Purple Mansion before age 100.
In Cao Chengyu’s eyes, such scholars were the easiest to dupe; stories of love between literati and noble ladies had echoed through the ages.
Even with the roles reversed, it was possible.
Such virtuous women were easy to win but hard to let go.
But Boss Cao cared little for that. With the SF leaderboard as his guide, he was determined to become a heartbreaker.
The road ahead was long, and much remained to be learned—he’d take things one step at a time.