Marquis Ding Mountain's Residence

Liu Xiaoyu had spent several days in the Marquis of Dingshan’s residence, yet she remained anxious, wishing to go out and search for her younger sister.

She was originally a koi of the Jinhua River, the only one of her clan to have cultivated magical power, though still not enough to take human form. On the day she and her sister went out to play, they stumbled upon an amber zhuti tree bearing twin fruits. She had her sister eat the larger one, which granted five hundred years of cultivation, while she herself ate the smaller, gaining three hundred years of power.

Thus, both sisters acquired the ability to transform into humans.

But scarcely had they eaten the amber zhuti fruits when an evil turtle spirit sprang out, intent on devouring them. Fleeing in terror, the sisters were separated amid the chaos.

Earlier, she had told her sister to meet at Southgate City, so she arrived there ahead of time to wait.

Unexpectedly, while passing through the Li Family Village outside Southgate City, she encountered a handsome human youth. He appeared to be a noble, yet was gentle and courteous, approaching her to ask her name and origin.

Without hesitation, she told him her name was Liu Xiaoyu, the daughter of a fisherman on the riverbank, and that she’d lost track of her sister and was searching for her in Southgate City.

The youth kindly invited her to stay at his residence, introducing himself as Xia An, the young marquis of the Dingshan household. He promised that with the power of the marquis’s estate, he could help her find her sister quickly, whereas searching alone would be like looking for a needle in a haystack.

Though Liu Xiaoyu was a spirit who had lived many years, she’d never left the Jinhua River and lacked worldly experience. In just a few words, the young marquis convinced her to come to the marquis’s estate.

In this unfamiliar place, with the youth so gentle and considerate, her innocent heart was quickly moved. She fancied herself like the little demon girls of legend, who, upon first venturing into the human world, would immediately meet their fated beloved. She imagined that once her sister was found, she could marry him, share a bridal chamber, bear children, and live a life of happiness.

Yet after a few more days, she began to sense something was amiss. The young marquis left early and returned late each day, busy with his own affairs, only occasionally checking in on her. There was still no news of her sister.

She did not doubt Xia An’s words, but grew increasingly worried for her naïve sister. If her sister did not share her own “good fortune” in meeting a “good person” like Xia An, what then?

Unable to contain herself, she went out to find Xia An, intending to tell him she wished to search for her sister as well—perhaps, with the bond between siblings, she might find her quickly.

The household servants had become familiar with her these days, so she made her way unhindered to Xia An’s study, where she saw the lights burning bright within—he must be inside.

As Liu Xiaoyu approached, she heard voices from within.

Inside the study, the young marquis Xia An was stroking a long, ancient zither on the desk, clicking his tongue in admiration. “An ancient sandalwood spirit—could have been crafted into a legendary artifact, yet it was made into a useless instrument. What a waste.”

“To you, young marquis, perhaps it’s a waste. But to a lover of music, this is priceless,” the steward flattered him. “The marquis paid a high price for this zither and asked you not to let his efforts go to waste.”

“Even with this sandalwood zither, it’s just a stepping stone to get close to Xue Lingxue at the Nanyin Pavilion,” Xia An laughed. “Winning over such a leading lady will require far more effort. Father has really given me quite the task.”

“The marquis heard confidential news from the palace—Chen Qingyan of the Nanyin Pavilion is likely to become the crown prince’s consort. Xue Lingxue is close to her, and if she were to marry into our house, your future would be secure,” the steward continued to flatter. “You are a master at charming young women, and your skills will surely come in handy.”

“You make me sound like a freeloader,” Xia An shot him a look. “If Xue Lingxue weren’t such a rare beauty, I’d never have agreed.”

“Yes, yes,” the steward nodded repeatedly.

The inner disciples of Nanyin Pavilion rarely concerned themselves with romance at this stage. Even if they had relationships, they would only be made public after the chief of their generation was determined—any earlier, and it could hurt their popularity, as many bitter lessons had shown.

Still, though such matters weren’t made public, many had made arrangements in private—no one would know, after all.

This did nothing to dampen Xia An’s determination to pursue Xue Lingxue.

Though such women were goddesses out of reach for most, to a noble-born like Xia An, they weren’t entirely unattainable.

Anything was possible.

And from his past experience, the more divine and untouchable a woman seemed, the fewer dared approach her, making her, in fact, easier to win. If only he could get close, enter her life, then winning her heart wasn’t as difficult as it seemed.

“By the way, have you spoken to my father about the business?” Xia An asked. “He’s focused on cultivation, seeking longevity, but all the resources are supplied by the estate. If the East Whale Gang really cuts us off, he won’t be able to pursue immortality so leisurely.”

“The marquis is aware, but he’s at a critical juncture in his cultivation and can’t spare the time for such worldly matters… so you’ll have to take charge for now,” the steward replied helplessly.

“My father is so talented, yet after all the resources wasted, he still can’t reach the peak of the sixth realm. If not for the human trafficking business, the whole estate would be ruined by his obsession. Why can’t he just give up?” Xia An said with a trace of mockery.

“If he did, his days would be numbered,” the steward dared not comment further, only smiling apologetically. “If he succeeds in breaking through to the seventh realm, a whole new world will open up.”

“‘Days would be numbered’…,” Xia An sneered.

Clearly, he cared little for his father’s fate.

The steward, knowing the true nature of their father-son relationship, dared not say more, only feigning ignorance and chuckling along.

The two laughed and talked inside, but outside, Liu Xiaoyu’s heart turned cold. Innocent she might be, but no fool—she understood perfectly well what Xia An’s words meant.

So the man she thought was her destined beloved was nothing but a fickle scoundrel?

With that realization, she wanted nothing more than to leave at once. But as she turned, a startled cry escaped her lips.

Behind her, at some unknown point, stood a tall, thin figure in black, his face cold and expressionless, silent as a ghost.

“Heh.” Seeing she had discovered him, the man in black gave a cold laugh and, without hesitation, pressed his palm to the crown of her head.

Thud.

With a single blow, Liu Xiaoyu fell unconscious, her centuries-old demon form offering no resistance.

Hearing the commotion, the young marquis rushed out and called, “Master Lu?”

“Young marquis…” The man in black, addressed as Master Lu, replied in a chilling tone, “This girl was eavesdropping outside. I caught her.”

“How long has she been here?” Xia An asked.

“A while, I’d say,” Master Lu replied.

“Ah…” The young marquis shook his head with a sigh. “What a pity. Looks like we can’t keep her. I thought, with her innocence, I might enjoy a pure romance for once. What a shame.”

“I’ll kill her, then,” Master Lu said matter-of-factly, his right hand poised over Liu Xiaoyu’s head.

“Don’t waste her,” the young marquis waved him off. “Take her to the ship’s hold outside the city and sell her with the next batch.”

“Yes.” Only then did Master Lu withdraw his hand, lift Liu Xiaoyu, and vanish in a flash.

Watching Master Lu disappear, Xia An curled his lip and muttered, “Who knows what kind of freak he is—never interested in women, but always eager to kill them.”

The steward, long accustomed to Xia An’s backbiting, only dared to chuckle and echo, “Master Lu is of the Seven Killings branch of the Heavenly Star Arts—perhaps that’s why he’s so cold and unfeeling. As long as he’s loyal to our house, that’s all that matters.”

“Seven Killings…” Xia An turned and reentered the study. “I asked him to teach me, but he always says I lack the fate for it. Who knows what kind of precious legacy it is. Tch.”

－－－－－－Author’s Note－－－－－－

Thanks to “leoliye” for becoming this book’s ninth patron. An extra chapter is owed, but since I have no draft stock, am in poor shape lately, and need to build up chapters for the launch...

Also.

Let me say this up front: this fish elder sister is not an important character, has no interaction with the protagonist, much less a romance arc. I’ve deliberately avoided any sexual plot—nothing happened, end of story, so please don’t make unwarranted assumptions. I’d appreciate it if people would stop jumping out with these bizarre takes about side characters having affairs or the protagonist being cuckolded. I’m really tired of such strange comments—whenever a female character does anything, someone claims it’s cuckoldry.

Maybe I didn’t grow up reading only web novels, but I really don’t understand the green-hat PTSD mentality that comes from reading too many harem stories.

I just want to write a lighthearted, enjoyable book and will never include anything truly disgusting by normal standards. Normal comments are welcome; my comments are aimed only at the truly unhinged. Please, just let it go.