157: Inheritance Cave

On the other side.

Back at the Hundred Herbs Hall's backyard, Jiang Yumei leaned against the door panel, her hand still stroking her burning cheeks. The scene of her parting with Situ Jun earlier kept replaying in her mind, to the point where she didn't even hear her apprentice calling "Master" twice outside the door.

"Master? Are you alright?"

Seeing that she hadn't opened the door for a long time, the apprentice's voice carried a hint of worry.

Jiang Yumei finally snapped back to her senses. She took a deep breath to suppress the throbbing in her heart. When she pushed the door open, her face had returned to its usual composure, though the crimson on the tips of her ears had not yet fully faded.

"What is it?"

"I just saw you and the City Lord..."

The apprentice scratched his head. Before he could finish, he was swept back by her sharp gaze and hurriedly changed his tune:

"The Solomon's Seal in the warehouse is almost gone. Should I go to the herb market tomorrow to restock?"

"Yes, and see if there's any newly arrived Angelica Sinensis while you're at it. Get the kind produced in the Southern Frontier."

While giving instructions, Jiang Yumei walked toward the inner hall, her fingertips unconsciously rubbing the jade bottle containing the body tempering pill in her palm.

The icy sensation spread up her fingertips, causing her racing heart to slow down slightly.

Entering the room, she first carefully tucked the jade bottle into a secret compartment in her dressing table, then tidied her collar in front of the bronze mirror.

The woman in the mirror still had a hint of spring-like affection in her eyes, with a few strands of hair at her temples damp with light sweat—it was clearly the look of someone who had just experienced intimacy.

She gave the person in the mirror a mock-reproachful glare and turned to find a change of clothes.

White mist rose from the hot water in the wooden tub. As Jiang Yumei soaked in the water, warmth spread through her limbs, yet it couldn't dispel that sweet bit of longing in her heart.

Situ Jun said he was going to East Lin City to pick up Xuan'er and also had to set up defenses. Although she didn't say it out loud, she couldn't help but feel a slight tinge of jealousy in her heart, like it had been soaked in plum juice.

As she was thinking, her fingertips suddenly touched the jade pendant hanging around her neck. It was the protective jade Situ Jun had given her at the Hundred Herbs Hall back then; pressed against her skin now, it actually felt like it carried his body temperature.

She looked at the reflection of the jade pendant on the water's surface and suddenly let out a low laugh—what was wrong with her, becoming so prone to gains and losses.

At dawn the next day, Jiang Yumei went to the front hall to see patients.

But after the whole morning, even the Waiter dispensing medicine could see she was distracted; she nearly wrote the wrong dosages for several prescriptions.

"Master, you seem out of spirits today. Why don't you rest for a while this afternoon?" the Waiter advised softly.

Jiang Yumei rubbed the space between her brows and was about to agree when a sudden rush of hoofbeats came from outside, followed by several City Lord Manor guards walking in:

"Boss Jiang, we have been ordered by General Zhu Changpo to post a notice here. From now on, the Hundred Herbs Hall is under the protection of the City Lord's Manor!"

Jiang Yumei's hand holding the brush paused, and a drop of ink bloomed into a small black shadow on the yellowed prescription paper.

She looked up at the leading guard. He was directing two men to paste a gold-embossed notice onto the main pillar of the hall; the wooden frame wrapped in red silk was dazzling in the morning light.

"General Zhu?" She put down her pen and lightly tapped her fingertips on the desk. "City Lord Situ didn't mention this to me."

The guard's face was full of smiles, but his tone was fawning as he said:

"Rest assured, Boss Jiang. General Zhu must have received the City Lord's instructions to do this. From now on, if the Hundred Herbs Hall encounters trouble, you can directly mobilize the manor's troops."

While they were speaking, the notice had been posted.

The Waiter dispensing medicine leaned in and read aloud:

"By order: Jiang Yumei of the Hundred Herbs Hall is benevolent and saves the world. She is hereby granted an Imperial Decree of Protection. Within my jurisdiction, any petty criminals who cause trouble shall be executed on the spot—Written by City Lord Situ Jun."

Those last few words were like a pebble thrown into Jiang Yumei's heart, sending out ripples.

She huffed "Nonsense" under her breath, but the corners of her eyes couldn't help but curve. Turning around, she caught her apprentice staring blankly while holding a medicine mortar, so she put on a stern face:

"What are you still standing there for? It's time to brew the Foundation Strengthening Soup for Wealthy Wang from the west of the city."

...Another night passed.

On the flat ground by the official road, the ashes of the campfire were still emitting faint wisps of smoke.

Bai Yu had just finished feeding the horses when the curtain of the carriage next to him was lifted.

Situ Jun stepped out of the carriage, his gaze falling upon Bai Yu.

Seeing that the spiritual energy within him was robust and his aura had become more restrained and profound—even the wrinkles on his face seemed to have smoothed out a bit—Situ Jun reckoned his internal injuries were no longer a major issue and nodded inwardly.

Seeing Situ Jun rise, Bai Yu immediately bowed respectfully:

"Master."

Situ Jun nodded and said:

"Has Zhu Changpo sent any news to you?"

Hearing this, Bai Yu said in a heavy voice:

"Reporting to Master, General Zhu said he has sent people to guard the Hundred Herbs Hall. All is well in the Northern Frontier, so you need not worry."

Pausing, he said with a hint of hesitation:

"Regarding the matter of Chief Zhou Kang of the Elder Council colluding with the forces of the Heavenly Dragon Dynasty, I have also overheard some fragmented news. I do not know if I should speak of it..."

"Speak."

Situ Jun's voice rang directly in Bai Yu's Sea of Consciousness, concise and to the point.

"Yes," Bai Yu replied respectfully. "That mysterious force doesn't seem to be the official Heavenly Dragon Dynasty, but rather a hidden, secretive cultivation clan. They seem to be looking for something... or rather, the Legacy Immortal Cave of a certain powerhouse.

Grand Elder Zhou Kang's contact with them also seems to be an attempt to use their power to find this Legacy together, using it to stabilize his own position or even... as a bargaining chip to further control the Zhou Dynasty. As for whose Legacy it is, my rank was too low to find out."

"Legacy Immortal Cave?"

Situ Jun's fingertip lightly tapped on the cushion, a habitual movement when he was thinking.

A Legacy that could make the Chief of a Dynasty's State Protection Elder Council take such pains, even to the point of inviting a wolf into the house, was definitely no ordinary thing.

"Is there a range? Or is it related to any specific location?"

"I am ashamed. I only vaguely heard that it seems to be related to ancient ruins or some kind of lost Legacy. The range... seems to point toward the south of the Tianqi Dynasty, near the Hundred Thousand Great Mountains, but the exact location is unknown."

Bai Yu's voice carried an apology as he continued:

"Zhou Kang is extremely secretive about this matter; all clues are highly classified. I only managed to piece it together by chance from a few words spoken by one of his confidants during a drunken slip-up."

South of the Tianqi Dynasty, the Hundred Thousand Great Mountains... Thoughts flashed through Situ Jun's mind.

That place was already mysterious and unpredictable with countless legends; it was a place where the Yao Race dwelled and also hid many undiscovered ancient Secret Realms.

If there really were a powerhouse's Legacy there, it would make sense.

"Note this matter and keep an eye out for related intelligence."

After a pause, Situ Jun instructed:

"Since you were forcibly kept here by the Elder Council, lie low for now and do not expose yourself unless necessary. Put on a mask in a moment. If there is new information regarding this Legacy or the mysterious force from the Heavenly Dragon Dynasty, find a way to pass it to Zhu Changpo."

"Your servant obeys!"

Bai Yu responded solemnly, his heart filled with even more reverence for Situ Jun's calmness and foresight.

Not only was the Master's strength unfathomable, but even in the face of such a complex situation, he could still grasp the key points and arrange his moves with composure.

Situ Jun said no more, repeatedly deducing the information provided by Bai Yu in his mind.

The covetousness of the Great Zhou Dynasty, the conspiracy of the State Protection Elder Council, the mysterious undercurrents of the Heavenly Dragon Dynasty, and the powerhouse Legacy concerning ancient ruins... these clues were like a tangled mess, yet they faintly pointed toward a more magnificent and dangerous future.

He, this City Lord of the Northern Frontier, might seem to be living in peace in a corner, but in reality, he was already at the center of the storm's vortex.

The dissatisfaction of the Tianqi Dynasty's Ruler and Li Danying being blocked in the Northern Frontier were likely also related to this surging undercurrent of the general situation.

Perhaps the Ruler had noticed something, or perhaps he himself was a pawn in some chess game?

He had already positioned the Bei Batian in the Southern Frontier, which meant three sides of the Tianqi Dynasty were under his control. As long as the danger wasn't great, everything was within his controllable range.

It seemed this trip to East Lin City was not just as simple as picking up Xuan'er and the others.

That place was one of the most important hubs in the Tianqi Dynasty besides the Imperial Capital. Information was readily available there, and various forces were intricately intertwined. Perhaps he could find more clues about the southern Hundred Thousand Great Mountains and that mysterious Legacy...