Ha, Karma! – Chapter 101

【Extra Chapter · Ancient IF Timeline】

The Bright Moon of Bygone Years (3)

Ye Zhaoqiu decided to go check on the Liao family.

Since she happened to know about this matter, it would naturally be best if she could help the Liao family in some small way.

Fu Lianxue accompanied her, leaving the inn.

It wasn’t that she wanted to go on some kind of training expedition or save those in distress; she was just used to following Ye Zhaoqiu.

Besides, following Ye Zhaoqiu meant she wouldn’t have to worry about food and drink, which was quite good.

The human and the yao followed the path the innkeeper had shown them, and soon they saw the Liao Clan Bank¹.

This was the only bank in town, and it was still open at this time.

However, upon inquiring, they learned that the lady boss² had not been in for the past few days, and everything was temporarily being managed by the bank supervisor.

The bank supervisor was a woman surnamed Lin³, reliable in her duties and skilled at accounting; she was the lady boss’s capable assistant.

Manager Lin came out from the back. Knowing they were asking about the lady boss, she proactively approached them and asked, “What business do you two have with our lady boss?”

Ye Zhaoqiu got straight to the point⁴, speaking politely and appropriately, “We are disciples of the Taixian Sect. We came down the mountain for training today and happened to pass through this place. We heard there’s an evil yao on East Mountain that has also harmed your lady boss’s elder brother, so we came over on our own initiative to see if we could be of any help.”

Fu Lianxue chimed in from the side, “She’s very formidable.”

“Taixian Sect?”

Upon hearing this, Manager Lin took a slight step back and sized them up.

She knew of the Taixian Sect; its reputation was renowned. However, she couldn’t be sure if these two individuals before her were indeed disciples of the Taixian Sect.

Still, this young girl with indifferent eyes, dressed in simple and elegant attire, did indeed resemble someone from a Xuanmen.

The girl next to her, eating a lotus pastry, was much more casual, bright and flamboyant, with an air of nonchalance. The two formed a stark contrast.

Both looked to be only sixteen or seventeen, not very old.

Manager Lin couldn’t help but say, “I cannot confirm if you are indeed disciples of the famous Taixian Sect, and you both look quite young. East Mountain is very dangerous. Are you sure you want to help?”

“Not retreating in the face of difficulty is also a form of training,” Ye Zhaoqiu replied with utmost seriousness.

Manager Lin looked at her earnest expression, seemingly moved by it, and finally decided to take them to see Boss Liao to try their luck.

She would lead the way personally.

On the road, she spoke as she walked, “Our lady boss has indeed been looking for experts to enter the mountain and capture the yao recently. If you have confidence, then go and recommend yourselves. I hope you can truly help her.”

Ye Zhaoqiu and Fu Lianxue followed closely behind her, step by step.

Passing by a riverside pavilion, they saw a person sitting inside.

It was a man, dressed plainly, wearing a white eye-sash, and holding a mingzhang⁵ in his hand—he was a blind man.

He sat quietly in the pavilion, with no one around, looking desolate and lonely.

Only when he heard approaching footsteps would he move slightly, cocking his ear to listen.

Manager Lin told them, “This is Young Master Lin, Lin Lan⁶.”

Fu Lianxue had a sudden realization, “Oh, so he’s the friend who brought back your young master’s body.”

Manager Lin nodded lightly.

Ye Zhaoqiu looked at the silently seated man and asked softly, “What is he doing here?”

Manager Lin couldn’t help but sigh.

“Young Master Lin has no relatives or friends in this place, and was closest only to our young master. Now that our young master is gone, he is left alone in this world. He is inevitably heartbroken, yet he doesn’t know what to do, so he sits here in a daze every day.”

“He used to sit here and listen to our young master count the river lanterns for him…”

Ye Zhaoqiu and Fu Lianxue were momentarily speechless.

He was, in his own way, mourning his friend.

Unfortunately, the dead cannot be resurrected…

A gust of wind blew, striking Lin Lan’s thin frame, making his solitary figure appear even more wretched.

Seeing this, Manager Lin spoke out, unable to bear it, “Young Master Lin, the wind is strong outside, and your injuries haven’t healed yet. Don’t catch another chill. Please go back and rest.”

Hearing the familiar voice, Lin Lan, who had been staring blankly at the river surface, turned his head, cocking his ear slightly as if trying to distinguish, “Manager Lin?”

“It’s me.”

“Why are you here at this hour?”

“Oh, two young immortal masters have come to town, so I’m taking them to see our lady boss.”

Hearing this, Lin Lan straightened his posture slightly, his hand gripping the mingzhang, and his face turned completely towards the source of the sound, remaining silent.

To Ye Zhaoqiu and Fu Lianxue, it seemed as if Lin Lan was silently gazing at them.

But on second thought, they could understand.

His best friend was dead, and demon hunters had come to help capture the yao. It was understandable that he would be emotionally stirred and want to see what the demon hunters who could avenge his friend looked like—only, unfortunately, he couldn’t see at all.

After a long while, Lin Lan spoke again, “Young immortal masters, oh, good, good… I hope the two young immortal masters can truly find that tree yao and avenge Ah Chen…”

Ah Chen, that is, Young Master Liao, Liao Muchen⁷.

His closest friend, his irretrievable… friend.

Ye Zhaoqiu saw him clenching the mingzhang in his hand as he spoke, guessing he had probably recalled the events of that day again, unable to come to terms with his friend’s death, and said softly, “Young Master Lin, please accept my condolences⁸.”

Fu Lianxue glanced at her, then looked at Young Master Lin, also said “condolences,” and then carefully asked, “Do you want a lotus pastry…”

Lin Lan heard her tone, smiled, and shook his head, “No need, thank you.”

“You should go. I’ll sit here a while longer. I want to continue being alone for a bit.”

Manager Lin agreed upon hearing this, no longer disturbing him, and led Ye Zhaoqiu and Fu Lianxue away.

The Liao residence was reached.

The main gates were tightly shut, adorned with white cloth, and the surroundings were steeped in an atmosphere of sorrow.

Just then, a horse-drawn carriage approached from a distance, and then the main gate of the Liao residence suddenly opened, and a woman walked out from within.

She wore plain clothes, her hair ornaments simple and elegant, her features gentle and noble, and her every move exuded the grace of a well-bred lady.

This was the owner of the Liao Clan Bank, Liao Yueting⁹.

Liao Yueting saw Manager Lin and immediately walked over to ask, “Why are you here? Did something happen at the bank?”

Manager Lin shook her head and stepped aside to reveal the people behind her.

“I brought these two young immortal masters to see you.”

Liao Yueting’s gaze shifted over.

Only then did Ye Zhaoqiu and Fu Lianxue notice that her eyes were very beautiful, a light, pale brown, like translucent amber in the sunlight.

Fu Lianxue directly praised, “Wow, your eyes are so beautiful.”

Liao Yueting smiled and replied politely, “Thank you for the compliment.”

Manager Lin added from the side, “Yes, our Boss Liao and Young Master’s eyes are famously beautiful in this town.”

The Liao siblings’ looks and eyes were renowned for their beauty in Yunshui Town.

And because they treated people gently and politely, the town residents were very fond of them both.

It was just that the other pair of beautiful eyes was now…

Liao Yueting patted her hand, signaling her not to say more, then asked, “What business do you have bringing them to me?”

Manager Lin came back to her senses and said, “Oh, these two are disciples from the Taixian Sect, down the mountain for training. They heard about the Young Master’s matter and proactively offered to help capture the yao, so I brought them to see you.”

—Taixian Sect?

Hearing this, Liao Yueting turned her head and looked Ye Zhaoqiu and Fu Lianxue up and down.

These were two young girls who looked younger than them.

She didn’t know their capabilities yet, but she knew that in the cultivation world, outward appearance didn’t necessarily represent anything. After all, there was the art of preserving one’s youth. What if these were two senior experts who had maintained their youthful looks?

Even so, she first asked worriedly, “East Mountain is very dangerous. Have you thought this through?”

Fu Lianxue looked at Ye Zhaoqiu.

Ye Zhaoqiu’s gaze was firm, her eyes shining, “Boss Liao, please rest assured, I know what I’m doing.”

Fu Lianxue retracted her gaze and silently took a bite of her lotus pastry.

She was indifferent and didn’t care.

She was just here for fun.

“Good.”

Liao Yueting stepped aside, “Please come in, young immortal masters.”

Then she instructed the coachman to take the carriage back.

She had originally planned to go out and visit those accomplished experts, inviting them to Yunshui Town for assistance. Now that two immortal masters from the Taixian Sect had come to her door, she would place her hopes on them for the time being!

Ye Zhaoqiu and Fu Lianxue finished understanding the course of events at the Liao residence.

It was more or less the same as what the innkeeper had said.

Liao Muchen and Lin Lan had an extremely good relationship, almost inseparable in their daily lives.

Lin Lan said that Liao Muchen had proactively suggested going via East Mountain. It was also Lin Lan who said Liao Muchen was attacked by a tree yao, and Liao Muchen told him to run quickly. Finally, it was also Lin Lan who desperately brought Liao Muchen’s body back, sustaining injuries himself.

Lin Lan only found out that Liao Muchen’s eyes had been gouged out after he returned, through others telling him.

He was grief-stricken at that moment, and coupled with his severe injuries, he fainted on the spot.

Fu Lianxue, sitting beside Ye Zhaoqiu, heard this, and her brow twitched slightly, then she became expressionless again, saying nothing.

Liao Yueting hoped they could capture the yao that killed Liao Muchen, to avenge¹⁰ Liao Muchen, and at the same time, rid the residents of Yunshui Town of a great scourge.

“If the two immortal masters can rid us of this scourge, I will definitely reward you heavily!”

Ye Zhaoqiu replied solemnly, “We will certainly do our best.”

Liao Yueting was moved by her seriousness, her eyes glistening.

“Young immortal master, if it’s possible…”

Her words paused here, somewhat hesitant.

Ye Zhaoqiu said, “Boss Liao, please feel free to speak.”

Only then did Liao Yueting say, “If possible, I would also like to trouble you to help me find my brother’s soul.”

Speaking of this, her chest felt tight, and she unconsciously raised her hand to press it, “These days, I’ve been constantly restless, always feeling that brother hasn’t left, that he’s still in this world, just unable to come back and see me.”

She looked at them with anticipation, “If you really find him after entering the mountain, please tell him I’m waiting for him at home, and be sure to bring him home. I beg you!”

Fu Lianxue once again looked at Ye Zhaoqiu.

She saw that the other party indeed nodded solemnly again.

She calmly retracted her gaze.

Xuanmen disciples who take it upon themselves to vanquish yaoguai and eliminate evil are just like this.

Liao Yueting immediately stood up and bowed respectfully to them, “Good, then I will await your news. Please be extremely careful when you enter East Mountain!”

Ye Zhaoqiu and Fu Lianxue bid farewell to Liao Yueting and left the Liao residence.

After going out, Fu Lianxue asked, “Are you really going to East Mountain?”

Ye Zhaoqiu replied without hesitation, “En, we’re going.”

Fu Lianxue: “Right now?”

Ye Zhaoqiu: “There’s no time to lose.”

Fu Lianxue said, “They all say it’s very dangerous there.”

Ye Zhaoqiu, however, was very calm, as if she had long expected it, “When is vanquishing yaoguai and eliminating evil not dangerous?”

Fu Lianxue said “Oh,” and said no more.

Eliminating evil and defending the righteous path was Ye Zhaoqiu’s business, and also Ye Zhaoqiu’s lifelong pursuit; others had no right to comment.

Fu Lianxue didn’t care either; anyway, she was here to play. Since there was nothing else to do, she might as well follow along to East Mountain and see what was there.

She was definitely not worried about Ye Zhaoqiu’s safety.

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The Author has something to say:

No ranking list to end on, wuwu.

Sigh, forget it, Jian Wang San¹¹, activate!

Looking at the Mo Wen¹² skill changes, damn it! 【Slams table】

Grumbling as I go sightseeing in Jiu Lao Dong¹³!

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