Chapter 5: Water Control Art
Chapter 5: Water Control Art
The Zhu Residence occupied an extremely vast area, with over twenty courtyards in total. The largest one was the size of a football field and naturally was the residence of the patriarch Zhu Qijun. The second largest belonged to the mistress’s second son Zhu Feifan. Miss Fuqin resided in the third largest courtyard, which covered five acres. She had more than twenty maids at her disposal, as well as three retainers whose cultivation had reached the Second Rank Peak.
The young lady was not present, so Lü’e explained the rules of the Zhu Residence to Lu Hangzhi.
The patriarch’s courtyard was a forbidden area, the warehouse was a forbidden area, no one was allowed to approach them. Servants were also not allowed to enter other places randomly unless they were carrying out orders directly from the young lady.
Within the residence, the young lady and the young master Zhu Feifan had never gotten along. The servants under their respective commands did not interact with each other. Lü’e repeatedly warned him that unless absolutely necessary, he must never go near the young master’s courtyard. In the past, several maids had accidentally been caught by the young master and taken into his courtyard, vanishing without a trace.
The disappearance of these young girls in the bloom of their youth immediately made Lu Hangzhi’s imagination run wild, but it did not stop him from labeling Zhu Feifan as a “dangerous species.”
“Sister Lü’e, what do you all usually do?”
“There are many tasks.”
Lü’e pointed to the garden and said:
“The young lady has five acres of spirit paddy fields, twenty-seven spirit tea trees, and five spirit wells, all entrusted to us servants to manage.”
“I remember that spirit paddy fields and spirit trees all require the Water Control Art to manage…” Lu Hangzhi said with slight surprise. “Could it be?”
Hearing this, Lü’e showed a proud expression. “The young lady specifically taught us the Water Control Art. You could say we are half-cultivator apprentices. What do you think?”
Lu Hangzhi genuinely showed envy.
“Don’t worry. Since the young lady has accepted you, she will definitely teach you the Water Control Art too. Although it’s difficult for people with our aptitude to master it, the Spiritual Energy in the courtyard is abundant, so it’s much easier to perform here than outside. You will grasp it quickly.”
Lü’e explained, “Besides these, we servants receive three Spirit Coins and one Spirit Fruit each month. Isn’t that better than your situation at Cultivator Liu’s place?”
“One is in the heavens, the other is on the earth. There’s no comparison.”
Lu Hangzhi spoke sincerely.
Just the teaching of the Water Control Art alone showed the confidence and boldness of the Zhu Residence as a cultivation family. Their achievements today weren’t obtained by a trap falling from the sky.
“Sister Lü’e, could you perform the Water Control Art once for me to see?”
“Of course, but I can’t guarantee success on the first try.” Lü’e agreed without hesitation. She walked in front of a spirit tea tree and repeatedly stated that now was not the time when Spiritual Energy was most abundant, so the spell might fail, and he was not allowed to laugh if it did.
The next moment.
Lu Hangzhi was surprised to notice that the air around Lü’e became noticeably moist. Gradually, transparent liquid condensed in front of her and gathered in her hands, finally forming a water sphere about ten centimeters in diameter.
It worked!
Lü’e showed a happy expression.
But the spellcasting was not over.
Gathering Spiritual Energy was the first step of the Water Control Art. The second step was to use the gathered water elements to nourish the spirit tree in the form of rainfall.
The water sphere began to wobble and change shape, stretching into a small cloud of water.
Tiny beads of sweat appeared on Lü’e’s forehead. Her expression, however, was very focused and serious, completely immersed in the spellcasting motion for the rainfall.
The water cloud floated above the spirit tea tree. Glimmering, silky threads fell down. The leaves of the spirit tea tree made faint rustling sounds, soaking in the rainwater, happily and slowly stretching their branches and leaves.
This continued for quite a while. As the water cloud gradually disappeared, Lü’e finally stopped the rainfall. She wiped the scented sweat from her forehead and said, “Whew, that’s exhausting. Did you see it clearly, brother Hangzhi? From starting the spell to finishing, it takes a long time. Only then is it complete. I can only perform the Water Control Art twice a day at most. Now my spiritual power is depleted; I have to wait until tomorrow morning to recover… Ah! Young Lady, you’re here?”
As she finished speaking, she quickly bowed.
Lu Hangzhi was also startled. He turned his head and saw Zhu Fuqin standing less than two meters behind him, her expression calm. It was unclear how long she had been there.
“Hangzhi pays his respects to the Young Lady.”
This girl, really. She arrived without making a sound.
Zhu Fuqin naturally didn’t know Lu Hangzhi’s internal monologue. She nodded and said, “Has Lü’e already explained the Residence’s rules to you?”
“Yes, Sister Lü’e said that without orders from the Young Lady or the Patriarch, we stay in the courtyard to tend to these spiritual items and not run around everywhere.” Lu Hangzhi replied with a respectful expression.
Hearing this, Zhu Fuqin nodded with satisfaction.
“Lü’e can teach you the incantation for the Water Control Art. Also, from now on, you will live in the room east of here, next to Lü’e’s. I have already had someone make an Identity Tablet for you. With this, you will officially become a servant of the Zhu Residence.”
“…”
“First, answer me one question.”
“Please instruct me, Young Lady.”
“Back at Purple Lake, what was the real reason you refused to accept the Spirit Coin? Tell the truth.”
Why are women in this world like this too? They love to get to the bottom of every matter.
Lu Hangzhi thought with a strange expression, but he didn’t dare hide the truth again—lying to a cultivator was not a good idea.
“I was afraid of dying.”
“Oh.”
Zhu Fuqin’s reaction was flat. She had actually already heard this answer from her Senior Brother. She just wanted to confirm if this guy was truly that intelligent.
Indeed, he was somewhat interesting!
Zhu Fuqin said:
“Lü’e probably told you that my Senior Brother is very interested in you, and also gave you a difficult problem…”
“Yes, Sister Lü’e told me.”
“What do you think?”
Zhu Fuqin lifted her chin slightly. For some reason, she felt a faint sense of anticipation.
“This humble one will follow the Young Lady’s arrangements.”
Lu Hangzhi’s answer made Zhu Fuqin momentarily stunned. Then, with keen interest, she nodded, turned, and walked away.
“Follow me.”
Lu Hangzhi lifted his leg to follow, leaving behind a dazed Lü’e, her face full of shock and envy.
…
The young lady’s cultivation was at the Third Rank Peak, which was considered quite talented among cultivators in Violet Cloud Town. Especially since she was only eighteen years old, she had a clear advantage compared to those cultivators who were often decades or even hundreds of years old.
Following the young lady into the main building within the courtyard, they descended via a hidden passage down steps to a spacious, concealed basement. Lu Hangzhi’s thoughts became increasingly clear and definite.
Four luminous pearls were embedded in the corners of the basement. Their faint glow cast the young lady’s silhouette. An invisible pressure filled the basement; a Barrier had been activated.
“My Senior Brother is an outstanding figure among the Inner Sect Disciples of the Xuanxin Sect. He is usually approachable but rarely praises anyone. Today, he unusually praised a mortal, which greatly interested me.”
The young lady spoke calmly but never turned around, making it impossible for Lu Hangzhi to guess her intentions, so he remained silent.
“…”
After a long silence, the young lady spoke again, sighing.
“Do you know where I went just now when I left?”
“This humble one does not know.”
The young lady turned around, an expression of keen interest on her face. “I heard that during the day you helped Lü’e and Cong Fang purchase Spirit Fruits and Spirit Spring… So, I was curious and asked your friend about it.”
Lu Hangzhi’s heart jumped.
Then he heard the young lady narrate in a voice that made one’s heart tremble with fear. “You are indeed very smart. You didn’t touch the interests of your masters, kept a very low profile to protect yourself, and then secretly profited from the price difference through your friend. Did you want to accumulate one hundred Spirit Coins through this method to join a small sect nearby?”
“Yes.”
Since the young lady already knew, Lu Hangzhi didn’t try to deny it. He nodded frankly and admitted it.
The smile on the young lady’s face deepened. Her gaze swept over Lu Hangzhi’s face seriously a few times. “I found it strange. The banquet at the residence was clearly decided on a whim, yet you managed to formulate a plan in a short time, secretly earning a fortune that is unimaginable for you mortals. Your thinking is meticulous, worthy of my Senior Brother’s high praise.”
“Nothing can escape the Young Lady’s discerning eyes.”
“Don’t flatter me. Lü’e has been by my side for many years. I know she wouldn’t entrust such business to you for no reason. You trusted her and, without any deposit, collected spiritual goods worth over two hundred Spirit Coins from two cultivators. That itself was a risk taken with your life on the line. Such boldness is hard to believe could come from a mere mortal servant. So, based on my observation and judgment, my Senior Brother’s evaluation of you is probably still too low…”
“…”
“Don’t be afraid. I just didn’t expect someone so young to act with such experience. Also, I brought you here because I want to make an agreement with you.”
“Please speak, Young Lady.”
Lu Hangzhi took a deep breath and said.
The young lady’s eyes held increasing admiration for Lu Hangzhi’s calm composure.
“The Zhu Residence has deep roots in Violet Cloud Town. However, the situation of three powers standing firm has existed for a long time. My father told me that for clan leaders of other small families, obtaining the position of Elder is very easy; they just need the support of the three major families. But for someone from the three major families to get the position of Guard Camp Elder is as difficult as climbing to the heavens! To break this deadlock, one must suppress the other two families using the strength of just one family. The Zhu Residence still lacks the power to do so, and the sects would not allow the balance in Violet Cloud Town to be disrupted.”
What does this have to do with me?
Lu Hangzhi showed a strange expression, inwardly grumbling. Could it be this girl wants me to become the Zhu Residence’s strategist?
While he was pondering, the young lady’s tone shifted. “Once you’ve been to the Xuanxin Sect, you realize how insignificant Violet Cloud Town is. The three major families are stuck in their old ways. Sooner or later, they will be annihilated by the Monster Beasts of the Primordial Wildlands. My Senior Brother warned me that the Zhu Residence’s thinking has been rigid for too long. To achieve something, we must break all the old rules, establish a new order, and cultivate our own strength. I hope… you can become my first helper.”
As the last sentence reached his ears, Lu Hangzhi was utterly shocked.
This…
Is this a joke?
Does the Primordial Wildlands have April Fool’s Day too?
“I am just a mortal.”
“Because of a vow, I cannot teach you the Xuanxin Sect’s techniques. But over the years, our Zhu Residence, holding the Auction House, has also kept quite a few technique secrets. Helping you become a cultivator is more than enough.”
The young lady’s casual words made Lu Hangzhi’s heart race.
Become a cultivator!
This was the goal he dreamed of and strived for.
Once he became a cultivator, he would leave the mortal registry. As long as he was within the sphere of influence of Violet Cloud Town, he wouldn’t have to fear being arbitrarily killed by other cultivators. His safety would be guaranteed.
The young lady continued:
“Don’t worry, I won’t bind you for too long. My goal is to unite all the cultivators in Violet Cloud Town, then go to the Xuanxin Sect to focus on cultivation. And the Zhu Residence must become a stable rear base supplying me with resources. Once that day comes, whether you stay or leave is up to you.”