274 - Destroyer of Ice and Fire

It seems the condition for A Sheng's exchange was their bloodline and spiritual root. Then what about Master? Mutual dependency... Master, did you exchange your own life for that great formation? Master was already gravely injured and hasn't fully recovered. This time, he must have been implicated because of me. Some questions can be clarified over time, and even if not thoroughly resolved, it doesn't really matter. But Master's health... This is the most important thing. Chapter 106: Reunion Is this A Sheng's demon god bloodline? A Sheng awakened the bloodline of the demon god. Doesn’t that mean the people of the Ye family should also possess it? What is Rong Yuan trying to achieve, aiming to become a minister spanning four or even five dynasties? ...Absurd. It should be true. After all, Junior Sister Liu's Reincarnation Mirror indicated that she was a minor spirit beside the demon god. Speaking of which... What exactly is the dual soul concept? And that bronze mirror, I've never heard of such a miraculous artifact existing before. Forget it, just pack it up and bring it back to the sect. Someone will care about it. How bumpy! "My Lord, everything has been arranged." The young man said softly. Ning Songwu, eager to return home, did not notice the cold glint in the eagle-like eyes behind him. Upon arriving home, she packed up her belongings. Together with Zha Le, they set out on horseback first, followed closely by Ran Fanyin, Zhou Huaxiu, Ning Jingyang, and a group of servants, all heading towards Zhongzhou County. On the third day after the wedding, according to custom, the newlywed must visit her parents with her husband. However, Ning Songwu, bound to atone for his sins, had to put it on hold. Shengzong secretly entrusted Ning Jingyang with a daunting task: to visit Yongzhou and invite the legendary physician "Hua Tuo" to come out of retirement. Hua Tuo, known as the immortal physician, is a title passed down from generation to generation, and no one knows if the current bearer is male or female. The Hua Tuo family has diligently studied medicine, living in seclusion in the mountains and rarely entering the mortal world. It is rumored that they have been sighted in Yongzhou in the past two years. The Empress Dowager contracted a strange illness that left many imperial physicians at a loss. Shengzong ordered Grand Tutor Wang Chong to seek renowned folk doctors, eventually finding a young male physician named Nian Junhua. After the Empress Dowager took the cold-dispelling medicine he concocted, she felt significantly better—the mind clearer, the body stronger, and her complexion improved. But the improvement was short-lived. Soon after, the Empress Dowager experienced symptoms such as irritability, dry heaving, and severe loss of appetite. Nian Junhua, unable to obtain the rewards he sought, disappeared after leaving the palace. Shengzong then pinned his hopes on the immortal physician Hua Tuo. *After vomiting the filth in the latrine, Ning Songwu felt instantly relieved, the whole person much lighter. Wanting to return to his residence to rest, he was about to call someone to inform Lu Jin, but Yin Shinang stopped him before he could speak. "Ning Gongzi, it seems you can't hold your liquor well. Do you need a relieving soup?" Yin Shinang noticed Ning Songwu holding his waist, appearing somewhat exhausted. Ning Songwu: "Thank you for your kindness, Miss Yin. Ning's appreciation is heartfelt. However, my head is buzzing, and I am feeling dizzy; I must return to rest first. Please inform Master Lu on my behalf; I won’t be going upstairs, thank you!" "Alright, Ning Gongzi, take care. Come visit whenever you have time." Yin Shinang, seeing that Ning Songwu did not linger here, knew he wasn’t in league with Lu Jin's group, and did not insist on keeping him. * On a midsummer night, the evening breeze was refreshing. The streets were brilliantly illuminated, bustling with tourists, and lively beyond measure. The sound of merry laughter and music emanated from taverns, teahouses, and brothels. In Shihua Tower, women in heavy makeup were everywhere, entertaining a steady stream of customers. Across from it, Fengming Yard stood with its gates wide open but empty, starkly lonely compared to the lively streets. Ran Fanyin and Xiao Liu exited from Shihua Tower's main entrance, avoiding the crowds as they went to the rear door of Fengming Yard. "You're back. Earlier than I expected. Did you gain anything?" Yun Niang fanned herself with a woven fan. A girl beside her picked up a water pitcher from the table, seemingly ready to refill it in the kitchen, showing they had been awaiting her for some time. "Of course," Ran Fanyin glanced around. "You all may rest now. There’s much to do tomorrow." Yun Niang signaled to the others to leave them alone to talk. Ran Fanyin cautiously said, "Walls have ears, better to talk inside." Shihua Tower, famous for its Relaxing Powder, imitated Chenfan Stream, making Fengming Yard fall out of favor. Without using genuine strategies, it was impossible to surpass it. Ran Fanyin never imagined that her true rival would be herself. Although there was an excellent benchmark, solutions were always available for difficulties. Initially intending to revamp Chenfan Stream after her divorce, the plans had long been set; all that remained was execution. Now she had to prioritize them in an emergency. Inside the room, Ran Fanyin detailed each strategy to Yun Niang while removing her makeup. The gum from the false mustache reddened her lips, causing some itching, which required occasional breaks to clarify things. Her focus was on remodeling the house's decorations, and staff attire, improving dishes, incorporating new skills, and creating amusing activities. It aimed to be fresh, unique, refined, and popular—meeting the basic entertainment needs of the lower classes while appealing to the upper class's obsession with status. Seeing Shihua Tower as the primary competitor meant retaining and enhancing customer retention mechanisms, promoting "What Shihua Tower has, we also have. What we have, Shihua Tower doesn’t," emphasizing high value and high return. Particular attention was given to training the girls in dance and song. They incorporated contemporary girl group dance styles and adjusted a few ancient-themed songs' lyrics while keeping the original melodies to appeal visually and audibly more than Shihua Tower's version. The first floor was made semi-open, selling special drinks, with the musicians playing the zither to entertain the guests. The servers wore veils, creating a mysterious allure. The left side of the second floor contained guest rooms, promoting a luxurious experience available in limited quantities through high bids. The right side housed private rooms, offering one-on-one storytelling services where a unique short story was tailored with the guest as the protagonist, including dramatic plots like heroes rescuing beauties, commoners rising to prominence, and valiant exploits. Fengming Yard’s overall style was significantly elevated.