Chapter Thirty-Five: The Effects of the Fragrant Condensation Flower

The streets bustled with people coming and going, their voices mingling with the cries of vendors. As Lu Han walked on, he sensed something amiss—he couldn't shake the feeling that a pair of eyes was fixed on him from behind. Yet every time he turned, he saw no one, only empty air. With a quick turn of thought, he slipped into a narrow alleyway to the side.

Before long, a young man in his twenties followed him in.

"Strange, where did he go?" the man muttered, scratching his head.

"Are you following me for a reason?" Lu Han suddenly appeared behind him, sword resting coldly against the man's neck.

The man trembled, his knees nearly giving out. "Brother, let's talk things through! I mean no harm to you," he stammered, hands raised in placation, his eyes darting nervously toward the glinting cold edge of the Biluo Sword.

"Speak. Why are you following me?" Lu Han's tone was laced with curiosity. He had only entered this part of the city yesterday and knew no one here, yet he was being tailed so soon after stepping out.

"Well, I noticed your cultivation's at the seventh level of Postnatal Realm and wanted to discuss a business deal," the man explained, turning to face Lu Han with his hands behind his back to show he meant no harm.

Lu Han motioned for him to continue.

"In Halfmoon City, people call me Swift Legs Third. I usually run errands for others. Yesterday, Brother Chen Jun asked me to find someone above the seventh level of the Postnatal Realm for an escort mission—one thousand gold coins as payment," the man said, holding up a finger.

Lu Han was momentarily surprised—so it was an escort job.

Many people, when traveling far from home and fearful of dangers on the road, would hire skilled mercenaries as escorts, offering generous rewards.

"Escort work?" Lu Han shook his head. He needed to hurry home; there was no time to be escorting anyone.

Disappointment flickered in Swift Legs Third's eyes. Brother Chen had promised five gold coins for each recruit found.

"It's true—so many refuse to go to Tianlan City, it's so far away," he muttered, preparing to leave.

Lu Han's eyes gleamed with sudden interest. He stepped forward and blocked the man's path. "What did you just say? The escort mission ends in Tianlan City?"

"That's right. Tianlan City is way out west, quite a journey—nearly twenty days even at a fast pace. I’ve asked so many, but none would go; otherwise Brother Chen wouldn't have asked me to help," the man explained, surprised by Lu Han's sudden change in demeanor.

"Tianlan City! Alright, I'll go! Swift Legs Third, when do we depart?" Lu Han seized the man's arm in excitement.

Tianlan City was the very place his maternal grandfather lived. Lu Han had traveled there many times with his parents, and it wasn't far from Maple Leaf City.

"So, you really want to go? Where are you staying? I’ll come fetch you tomorrow morning; they set off at dawn," Swift Legs Third replied, surprised by Lu Han’s sudden eagerness.

"My name is Lu Han. I’m staying at the Halfmoon Inn," Lu Han answered.

...

Knowing he would leave for Tianlan City tomorrow, Lu Han was in high spirits. He arrived at the gates of the Treasure Pavilion, its three golden characters shining above.

"The Treasure Pavilion."

"It’s said the Treasure Pavilion is the property of the Imperial Royal Family of the Great Xia Empire. Seems that’s true—there’s one in every city," Lu Han thought as he entered. Though he no longer needed a map, he still had several martial arts manuals and techniques to sell, spoils from the mercenaries he’d bested earlier. Most were intermediate Yellow Rank, with one advanced Yellow Rank technique, but to him, they were of little use.

As he stepped into the resplendent hall, a graceful attendant approached. Dressed in a low-cut palace gown, her beauty was apparent. Lu Han glanced down, catching a glimpse of snow-white skin, and blushed.

He was nearly a grown man, after all.

"Young master, may I help you find something today?" she asked with a sweet, gentle voice.

"No, actually, I’m here to sell some martial arts techniques. Your Treasure Pavilion should be interested, right?" Lu Han replied, turning his head aside.

She noticed his flushed face and stifled a laugh behind her hand.

"Certainly. Please, follow me."

Guided by the attendant, Lu Han was led to the second floor, where they approached a counter behind which a bored-looking middle-aged man sat. At the sound of their footsteps, he slowly rose.

"Uncle Wang, this young master has martial arts techniques for sale," the attendant said, then waited quietly to the side.

Rustle, rustle...

As soon as she finished, Lu Han took out five or six scrolls from his pouch.

Uncle Wang examined them one by one.

"Young friend, aside from this 'Black Tiger Fist,' which is an advanced Yellow Rank technique, the rest are intermediate Yellow Rank skills and manuals. Altogether, they are worth one hundred thousand gold coins. What do you think?" Uncle Wang regarded Lu Han with some respect—one so young, already at the seventh level of the Postnatal Realm, and possessing an advanced Yellow Rank technique, was certainly impressive.

"That will do," Lu Han replied. He hadn’t cared much about the sum anyway—the manuals were useless to him.

"Here you are, young friend. This white gold card contains exactly one hundred thousand coins, and the card itself is yours as a gift, a token of friendship from the Treasure Pavilion," Uncle Wang said, handing him the card.

"Xiao Yi, take this Incense Blossom over to the City Lord’s Mansion. The lord has been urging us," Uncle Wang instructed.

Lu Han accepted the gold card and turned to leave, when a familiar fragrance caught his attention. The scent was hauntingly familiar, yet he could not quite place it.

Watching the attendant descend the stairs with the flower pot, Lu Han turned back to Uncle Wang.

"Young friend, is there something else?" Uncle Wang asked as Lu Han approached the counter once more.

"Forgive my curiosity, but what is that Incense Blossom you mentioned?" Lu Han asked, convinced he had encountered this fragrance before.

"You mean the pot just taken away? That’s for the City Lord’s Mansion. The lord’s youngest son has reached the peak of the fifth level of the Postnatal Realm. They intend to help him leap over the dragon gate, to break through to the sixth level," Uncle Wang patiently explained, clearly favoring Lu Han.

The Incense Blossom, it turned out, was of little use for most, but invaluable to those at the peak of the fifth Postnatal level. Its fragrance quickened the cultivation of internal energy, helping one break through to the sixth level more swiftly.

Yet only one was needed—too many would cause internal energy to run rampant and disrupt the flow. Though not technically an herb, the Incense Blossom was even rarer and more expensive, difficult to cultivate and little-known, so few used it for breakthroughs.

Lu Han wandered the streets, pondering Uncle Wang’s words.

"Breaking through to the sixth level! Now I remember—the family training grounds," a flash of understanding lit Lu Han’s eyes.

Now he recalled why the scent was so familiar—he had smelled it in the family training grounds the day he broke through. He’d even wondered, that day, why there were extra flower pots scattered about.

It all made sense now.

Lu Ran had deliberately led him to the training grounds, where the Incense Blossom had already been placed. Back then, Lu Han had felt he was two days away from a breakthrough, yet not long after entering the grounds, his internal energy had become chaotic, forcing him to sit and break through immediately.

"So, you were behind it all along."

His months away had matured him, not to mention the sage guidance of Old Man Ling.

"Lu Ran surely didn’t know about the Incense Blossom—this must have been orchestrated by my uncle behind the scenes." Recalling that day, Lu Han broke into a cold sweat; he had come so close to failure.

Lost in thought, he returned to the Halfmoon Inn.

Lying on his bed, hands folded behind his head, Lu Han pondered how he would explain all this to his father upon his return, how to make him understand. The thought left him restless and uneasy.

"Boy Han, I have a clear sense of what happened. Don’t dwell on it—when the cart reaches the mountain, there will be a way through. No matter how great the trouble, your master will shoulder it for you," Old Man Ling’s voice echoed in his mind, and for reasons unknown, Lu Han’s heart grew calm. He drifted quietly into sleep.

"Family power struggles—such things have always existed since ancient times. How many have suffered from their bitter fruit?" Old Man Ling shook his head. Was he not a victim himself? With a sigh, he returned to the ring.

The streets fell silent, the crowds thinning, and one by one, the lanterns went out.