162: Lin Jingyu's "guess"

As he pushed open the heavy nanmu wood doors of Miaoling Pavilion, carved with ancient cloud patterns, Lin Jingyu instinctively narrowed his eyes.

The last time he visited, this place was brilliantly lit and filled with the curling smoke of sandalwood incense, exuding the elegant demeanor of a long-established shop in the cultivation world.

But the scene that met his eyes now made Lin Jingyu's heart sink slightly.

The light inside the doors was noticeably much dimmer.

Several of the glazed palace lanterns, originally hanging from the dome and inlaid with night-luminescent pearls, were missing, and the remaining ones seemed covered in dust, their glow no longer bright and clear.

Instead, they emitted a dim, listless, and weary light.

The air was filled with a faint, musty scent, like the smell of accumulated dust in corners that hadn't been thoroughly cleaned in a long time, mixed with the lingering fragrance of herbs, making it seem somewhat desolate.

The antique shelves, once filled with an array of goods, were now empty and covered in a layer of dust, as if silently recounting a bygone era of prosperity.

The entire front hall appeared exceptionally empty; one could even hear the faint echo of footsteps landing on the floor tiles, further highlighting an indescribable sense of bleakness and decay.

Qin Yue was wearing a simple and elegant moon-white palace dress, her hair loosely tied up, with a few stray strands falling across her smooth forehead.

Her phoenix eyes, which usually sparkled with vitality, now seemed veiled in a layer of mist, carrying clear signs of fatigue and lingering frustration.

She forced a smile, but it looked like it was made of paper, ready to shatter at the slightest touch. Her voice was even more listless, filled with an exhausted lethargy:

"Sigh…"

She let out a long, heavy sigh, the sound seemingly weighing a thousand pounds as it echoed leisurely through the empty hall.

"Jingyu… you both saw it, didn't you?"

Her gaze swept across this shop that she had once been so proud of, her eyes filled with helplessness:

"The state of Miaoling Pavilion… tsk tsk, it really is getting worse by the day, so desolate that even the horses and carriages rarely stop by; not a single passerby has come in all day.

The way I'm managing this shop, I've practically become a joke for Daling Pavilion to watch."

Before she could finish, Yun Momo, standing beside Lin Jingyu, bristled instantly like a kitten whose tail had been stepped on.

Her large, round, sparkling eyes widened, her cheeks puffed up with anger, her delicate little fists clenched tightly, and her small chest heaved up and down.

"Sister Yue! It's all those bad guys from Daling Pavilion!"

Yun Momo's voice was sharp and urgent, filled with deep grievance and indignation, as she blurted out:

"They are too evil! Simply rotten to the core! They poached our staff, stole our business, and spread rumors everywhere saying our Miaoling Pavilion Medicinal Pills are defective!

They even specifically sent people to guard our entrance, and whenever they saw customers coming, they would go up to block them and badmouth us! Isn't this bullying? It's just too shameless! Shameless! Despicable! Vile!"

The more she spoke, the angrier she became, her little face flushed red. The last few words were almost shouted, her crisp, childlike voice sounding exceptionally loud in the empty hall, carrying a hint of helpless sobbing.

She was genuinely heartbroken, pained for the place that held so many of her memories, and even more pained for Sister Yue, who had always taken care of her.

Lin Jingyu's gaze slowly swept across the desolate front hall once more, and the sense of heaviness in his heart deepened a little more.

He, of course, knew of Daling Pavilion's relentless pressure; this was practically a situation of life and death. The decline of Miaoling Pavilion was even more shocking than it had been during his last visit.

However, when he saw Qin Yue's forced exhaustion and Yun Momo's indignant frustration that was on the verge of tears, his expression remained calm.

The corners of his mouth lifted slightly, sketching a warm smile with a touch of youthful cunning, his tone as relaxed as if he were talking about the weather today:

"Momo, stop getting angry; if you get too angry, you won't be pretty anymore."

He reached out and gently patted Yun Momo's shoulder, as if comforting a small animal.

The little girl felt his movement and twisted her body in a huff, but she didn't pull away; it seemed this comfort really helped ease her tense emotions just a little bit.

Lin Jingyu's gaze turned to Qin Yue, carrying a near-blind certainty. His voice was not loud, but it clearly reached Qin Yue's ears:

"Sister Yue, doesn't the saying go, 'The boat will naturally straighten when it reaches the bridge, and there will be a road when the cart reaches the mountain'? Heaven never blocks every path; our Miaoling Pavilion hasn't reached the end of its rope yet."

He paused, a flash of insight gleaming in his eyes, and lowered his voice, adopting a somewhat mysterious tone:

"Besides, what kind of person is Shopkeeper Feng? She is a heroine who could prop up such a large shop in the Southeast Market Town and maneuver between various forces! Would she just watch as Miaoling Pavilion falls? I don't believe it!"

Lin Jingyu walked closer to the counter, leaned forward slightly, and moved closer to Qin Yue, lowering his voice even further with a strong hint of suggestion:

"Think about it, how many days are left until the Pill Refining Grand Competition? That is the key to determining the qualification for hosting our auction!

Shopkeeper Feng is holding her ground right now, letting Daling Pavilion jump around, and even deliberately making Miaoling Pavilion look so… dilapidated…"

He paused intentionally, looking meaningfully into Qin Yue's eyes, his voice as light as a whisper:

"Sister Yue, what do you think? Could it be that Shopkeeper Feng is 'feigning weakness'? Letting Daling Pavilion think they have victory in their grasp, causing them to lower their guard?

And then, on the day of the competition, she suddenly reveals her trump card, catching them off guard! Winning the championship in one fell swoop! By then, whatever schemes or plots they have, in the face of absolute strength, they will all be paper tigers!"

He had long since learned the final outcome from his intelligence.

In the end, Miaoling Pavilion would win a great victory, and Daling Pavilion would be left with nothing to show for all their busy work.

Stating this "guess" now was simply to put the two of them at ease.

Qin Yue's originally dim eyes gradually lit up with a faint glimmer of light following Lin Jingyu's analysis.

She suddenly sat up straight, the previously listless posture swept away, and for the first time, a complex emotion other than worry appeared on her weary face.

It was surprise, contemplation, and even more so, a sense of sudden realization and the hope that followed.

"Feigning weakness…"

Qin Yue murmured to herself, her fingers unconsciously tracing over the smooth counter. Yes!

What kind of personality does Feng Xixi have? Fierce as fire, decisive in killing and cutting!

How could she possibly sit and wait for death? She had been so exhausted by the successive blows these past few days that why hadn't she thought of this? Could it be… that the First Manager really is plotting something in the shadows?

Qin Yue's heart uncontrollably pounded a few beats faster, like a drowning person suddenly grabbing onto a straw.

Although this thought was a bit wishful, Lin Jingyu's words were indeed like a fresh breeze, blowing away the thick haze in her heart and allowing her to see a glimmer of light.

"Right! Right! Sister Xixi is the best!"

Yun Momo was a beat slow to react, but upon hearing Lin Jingyu say that Feng Xixi might have a backup plan, she immediately broke into a smile through her tears. Her little face regained its luster as she nodded vigorously, as if she had already seen the scene of Daling Pavilion being defeated.

"If only… that were the case."

Qin Yue took a deep breath, barely suppressing her surging emotions. Although her face remained pale, there was finally a bit of spirit in her eyes.

Although she wasn't particularly certain in her heart, she had gained a bit more hope.

She stood up, straightened her slightly wrinkled skirt, and said to the two of them: "Let's go, let's go inside to talk. Standing in this front hall is just more upsetting to look at."