News About Quan Nha

The City Lord’s residence stood in the central district of Tam Thành, not far from the library. After leaving the western streets, Hao Nhien headed straight there, still thinking about what Tieu Lan had told him the night before.

Quan Nha had left Tam Thành three days earlier after receiving a message delivered through the City Lord’s residence. She had only said that she needed to go out and deal with a matter and would return after a few days. With Quan Nha’s cultivation and experience, three days was hardly enough to make anyone truly worried, but Hao Nhien still wanted to confirm the situation for himself.

He did not doubt Quan Nha. Now that he had returned, however, there was no reason to remain ignorant about things he could simply ask.

Two rows of guards stood outside the entrance to the residence. When Hao Nhien approached, one of them recognized him almost immediately.

“Fellow Daoist Hao.”

Hao Nhien nodded and took out the Frontline Support Token. After checking the aura on the token, the guard stepped aside.

“Deputy City Lord Lanh Huyen is in the western study. If Fellow Daoist wishes to see him, you may go there directly.”

“Thank you.”

Hao Nhien put the token away and entered. After crossing two courtyards and a stone corridor, he reached the western study.

The door was open.

Lanh Huyen stood before a large map spread across the table, a black brush in hand as he marked several positions along the northern route. Hearing footsteps, he looked up.

“Hao Nhien?”

He set down the brush and laughed.

“I thought you would stay in that little courtyard until tomorrow.”

Hao Nhien stepped inside.

“News of my return spread that quickly?”

“You passed through the city’s anti-air formation using the Frontline Support Token. Of course the formation guards had to report it.”

Lanh Huyen gestured toward the chair opposite him.

“Sit. Are you here because of Hoa Van Town, or because of someone?”

Hao Nhien did not bother circling around the subject.

“Quan Nha first.”

Something in Lanh Huyen’s gaze shifted slightly, though he did not look surprised.

“I guessed as much.”

Hao Nhien asked,

“Did she receive a mission from the City Lord’s residence three days ago?”

Lanh Huyen did not answer immediately. He pulled a thin register from a drawer, flipped through several pages, then stopped at one entry and turned the book toward Hao Nhien.

“There was no military assignment.”

Hao Nhien frowned slightly.

Only a single short entry was written on the page.

Quan Nha requested leave from Tam Thành to return to the Eastern Plains for family matters. Estimated duration: three to five days.

Below it was the seal of the military affairs office.

Seeing Hao Nhien’s expression, Lanh Huyen explained,

“She has not received any military mission in the past several days. The person who came to the courtyard was indeed from the City Lord’s residence, but he was only delivering a letter from the Quan family, not a deployment order.”

Hao Nhien remained silent for a moment.

It was different from what Tieu Lan had understood, but not enough to suggest that anything was wrong.

Quan Nha had never been someone who enjoyed explaining private matters. If something had happened in the Quan family, it would be perfectly in character for her to simply say she had something to deal with for a few days so Tieu Lan would not ask further.

“Do you know why she returned to the Quan family?”

“No.”

Lanh Huyen shook his head.

“It was a private family letter. The City Lord’s residence only forwarded it. No one opened it.”

“Have the eastern posts reported anything unusual?”

“No incidents.”

Lanh Huyen replied.

“There has also been no distress signal connected to her. Today is only the third day, so she is still within the period of leave she requested.”

Only then did Hao Nhien relax more fully.

“So she probably just did not want to explain too much to Tieu Lan.”

“That is what I think as well.”

Lanh Huyen closed the register.

“If there is still no news after the fifth day, come back and ask again. At that point, I can have someone make further inquiries along the eastern route.”

Hao Nhien cupped his hands.

“Thank you.”

“No need to be so polite.”

Lanh Huyen waved it off.

“She has helped Tam Thành before. She is not an outsider.”

Hao Nhien nodded, then asked,

“Where is Phong Van Squad right now?”

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Lanh Huyen laughed again.

“I knew you would ask.”

He pulled the map closer and pointed to a route north of Tam Thành.

“Tieu Kiem is leading the squad on an outer patrol. Lam Phong and Tieu Van are both with him. Several northern communication points went silent, so they were sent to investigate.”

“Is there anything serious, Deputy City Lord?”

“Nothing major has been found so far. Unless something unexpected happens, they should return in three or four days.”

Hao Nhien studied the position for a moment, then said,

“When they return, please pass along a message for me. I want to ask whether they are willing to spend some time helping at Hoa Van Town.”

Lanh Huyen nodded.

“I will pass it on, but the decision is theirs.”

“Of course.”

Hao Nhien replied.

“I only want to ask. If they are unwilling, there is no need to pressure them.”

Lanh Huyen looked at him, then added,

“The survey team for Hoa Van Town has also been arranged. Tomorrow morning, a formation master, someone experienced in locating groundwater, two builders who have worked on desert stations, and several terrain surveyors will depart.”

Hao Nhien looked slightly surprised.

“That quickly?”

“City Lord Lieu already sent the instructions earlier.”

Lanh Huyen replied.

“Do not assume everything has to wait for you to do it with your own hands.”

Hao Nhien smiled faintly.

“I am still getting used to that.”

“Then get used to it properly.”

Lanh Huyen said.

“If you truly want to build a place where many people can live, you cannot carry every task yourself.”

Hao Nhien nodded.

“I understand.”

Lanh Huyen glanced out the window.

“If there is nothing else, go back. Tieu Lan is probably waiting for news.”

Hao Nhien stood.

“Then I will take my leave.”

Lanh Huyen nodded.

“There is no need to worry too much about Quan Nha for now. When you return to the Eastern Plains, you can ask her directly after you meet.”

“I was thinking the same.”

Hao Nhien replied before leaving the study.

By the time he walked out of the City Lord’s residence, the sun had already begun to lean westward, though there was still plenty of time before dusk. Hao Nhien did not hurry as he walked along the stone streets of Tam Thành.

Quan Nha had only returned to the Quan family for private matters. Phong Van Squad was still carrying out a normal mission, and the Hoa Van Town survey team would depart the next morning. Those answers were enough to dissolve most of the thin layer of concern that had remained in his heart.

When Hao Nhien returned to the courtyard, Tieu Lan was standing beneath the eaves, checking the spirit herbs that had been carefully wrapped for transport. At the sound of the door, she immediately turned.

“Young Master?”

Her eyes instinctively flicked behind him.

Hao Nhien noticed and spoke at once.

“I found out what happened.”

Tieu Lan stepped closer.

“How is Sister Quan Nha?”

“She did not leave on a military mission.”

Tieu Lan paused.

Hao Nhien continued,

“The Quan family sent a message. Quan Nha requested leave from Tam Thành to return to the Eastern Plains for family matters. She expected to be gone for three to five days. Today is only the third day.”

Tieu Lan frowned slightly.

“But Sister Quan Nha told me she was going on a mission.”

“She probably did not want to explain her family matters.”

Hao Nhien said.

“Or she simply gave you a shorter answer so you would not ask more.”

Tieu Lan thought for a moment, then nodded lightly.

“Sister Quan Nha would do that.”

“I think so too.”

Only then did the tension in her expression ease.

“That is good.”

Hao Nhien looked at her.

“Once we finish the first stage at Hoa Van Town, I still have to return to the Eastern Plains. If Quan Nha has not returned by then, we will go directly to the Quan family and ask.”

Tieu Lan nodded.

“Yes.”

Neither of them continued discussing it.

Quan Nha had matters of her own. As long as there was no sign of danger, there was no reason to torment themselves with things they did not know.

Hao Nhien looked down at the bags of spirit herbs beneath the eaves.

“How far have you gotten with the preparations?”

At the mention of that, Tieu Lan’s eyes immediately brightened.

“Almost finished.”

She led him inside.

The table had already been divided into several sections. On one side were spirit herbs dug up with their root balls intact, with three bags of soil from different oases beside them. On the other were books, jade slips, and the herb-processing tools they had just obtained.

Tieu Lan pointed to the first group of plants.

“I only chose the ones with the most stable vitality. The younger ones are still in the garden. Once we reach the site, we need to test the soil and water before deciding where to plant anything.”

Hao Nhien nodded.

“The survey team will also leave tomorrow morning. There will be someone who can locate groundwater and a formation master with them.”

Tieu Lan’s eyes lit up.

“That is good.”

She pulled the plan for Hoa Van Town closer.

“I have been thinking more about the medicine garden.”

Hao Nhien sat beside her.

“Tell me.”

“We should not place every spirit herb in the same area.”

Tieu Lan pointed with the tip of her brush toward the eastern part of the map.

“Some need more water, some tolerate drought, and for others we do not yet know the proper growing conditions. If we divide the garden into several smaller zones, it will be easier to compare the results later.”

Hao Nhien studied the places she indicated.

“How do you want to divide it?”

Tieu Lan marked three smaller sections.

“The area closest to the water source should be used for plants that need moisture. The outer section can test heat-tolerant and low-water varieties. The middle section should be reserved for plants whose conditions we do not yet understand, but it needs enough separation that if something goes wrong, it will not affect the entire garden.”

Hao Nhien looked at her for a moment, then laughed.

“You have already started changing my map.”

Tieu Lan paused.

“Am I not allowed to?”

“You are.”

Hao Nhien replied.

“The medicine garden is your responsibility. If every decision still has to wait for me, then giving it to you would mean nothing.”

Only then did Tieu Lan lower her head and continue marking the plan.

“The medicine room does not need to be too large either. At first, it only needs enough space to process, dry, grind, and preserve medicinal ingredients. The experimental area should be separate, especially if we are going to use Fire spiritual power later.”

“To prevent fires?”

“Not only that.”

Tieu Lan said.

“If the temperature becomes unstable or the medicinal properties change unexpectedly, at least it will not affect the materials already in storage.”

Hao Nhien nodded.

“That makes sense.”

He looked toward the blank space behind the medicine room.

“And alchemy?”

“For now, we only study.”

Tieu Lan answered.

“We still do not know whether our fire control is refined enough, and we do not understand how Fire spiritual power will alter medicinal properties. We should begin with medicinal liquids and powders, obtain stable results, and only then think further.”

Hao Nhien did not object.

“Then we begin with what can be verified.”

Tieu Lan took out a new notebook.

“I will record every experiment separately.”

“How?”

“Which medicinal ingredients we used, how much of each, how long they were processed, how their color and scent changed, and what differences appear before and after using Fire spiritual power. If a small test does not produce stable results, we repeat it.”

Hao Nhien listened for a while before asking,

“What do I handle?”

Tieu Lan looked at him.

“Young Master handles the Fire spiritual power.”

“That is all?”

The corner of her lips curved slightly.

“And the records.”

Hao Nhien fell silent for a moment, then nodded with great seriousness.

“Fine.”

Tieu Lan could not hold back her laughter.

Hao Nhien laughed with her.

The atmosphere in the room became much lighter.

Quan Nha’s absence now had a reasonable explanation, while the marks on the map of Hoa Van Town were beginning to turn into things they could actually accomplish one step at a time.

The two remained beside the table, refining the plan and checking what they would take with them. Tieu Lan did not pack many spirit herbs, and Hao Nhien did not suggest adding more. They both understood that this first return was mainly for surveying and experimentation.

When the afternoon light began to lower, Hao Nhien looked out the window.

“We leave tomorrow.”

Tieu Lan paused with her brush in hand.

“For the Hoa Van Town site?”

“Mm.”

Hao Nhien replied.

“Before returning to Tieu Dao Sect, I want to personally check the water source, soil, transport routes, and the important locations. It will be better to know exactly what we are missing before going back to the sect to ask for resources.”

Tieu Lan nodded lightly.

“I will have everything ready before tonight.”

Hao Nhien looked at the spirit herbs whose roots had been carefully wrapped and said nothing more.

He knew she understood that part better than he did.

Outside the window, the evening light spread across the lotus pond. The pair of white swans still drifted close together among the leaves.

On the table, the map of Hoa Van Town now carried three new sections marked by Tieu Lan’s own hand.

Hao Nhien looked at the fresh ink, then slowly folded the map.

“Tomorrow, we go see the real land.”

Tieu Lan nodded.

“I will bring the first plants.”

This time, when they returned to the Western Wastes, they would not be carrying only a plan drawn on paper.