Chapter 293 - 290: The Remarkable Woman of the Fang Family

Chapter 293: Chapter 290: The Remarkable Woman of the Fang Family

A mission that was supposed to take a month was completed in just a few days.

The rest of Bai Yuan’s group’s journey became much simpler.

They first stayed with the Cao Bang for three days. Qiu Yang showed them many fine things, and they spent the time sightseeing and enjoying the scenery. For Bai Yuan and Li Huan, who had spent their whole lives in the Northern Ling Province, it was a dazzling experience.

Afterward, at Fang Yan’s invitation, they visited the Fang Family.

Unlike the Cao Bang, the Fang Family was a great clan of Jiangnan. They had once produced a minister who ranked among the Three Ducal Ministers.

It was just that the current generation had fallen into a temporary decline.

Even so, they had still produced a genius like Fang Yan, whose strength was formidable.

Among experts of the same level, Fang Yan was one of the youngest—of course, an anomaly like Bai Yuan was an exception.

Therefore, even if the Fang Family couldn’t become the leading power among the Jiangnan aristocratic families like the Yan Family, they wouldn’t be too far behind.

The Cao Bang’s pleasures were wild, while the Fang Family’s were much more refined; after all, they were a scholarly family with a thousand-year heritage.

Just in tea alone, Bai Yuan tasted no fewer than a hundred varieties. It was a true eye-opener.

Yan Lei showed no intention of rushing them either.

He came from a great family and naturally understood the ways of the world. If they didn’t extend their stay in Lu State for a while, it would be a slight to the hospitality of the Cao Bang and the Fang Family.

As for their final stop, Chuzhou, that was the Yan Family’s home base, and Yan Shao’an had already made arrangements.

Thus, this period could truly be described as luxuriously blissful.

Li Huan, in particular, was reveling in it. Even the Qingzhou Royal Mansion couldn’t compare.

On this day, Lu Yu finally came looking for them.

Li Huan saw Lu Yu and said, "You brat, what took you so long?"

They had already been at the Fang Family’s residence for a day, and Lu Yu was only now making his tardy appearance.

Lu Yu grinned cheekily. "I had some business that took me on a long trip. I just got back today."

The sharp-eyed Li Huan immediately spotted the gentle woman in a pale yellow dress standing behind Lu Yu.

"Is this your wife?"

Hearing this, Bai Yuan also looked over with curiosity.

It was, after all, their first time meeting Lu Yu’s wife.

Lu Yu said, "My wife, Fang Wan."

Li Huan and Bai Yuan: "Greetings, Sister-in-law."

Yan Lei, who was standing to the side, looked somewhat astonished. "The wonder woman of the Fang Family, Fang Wan?"

Apparently, Lu Yu’s wife, Fang Wan, had a reputation that preceded her.

Only then did Fang Wan slowly speak. "Fang Wan greets the three young masters."

Fang Wan spoke softly, yet her voice had a peculiar quality, as if it were drifting from ten thousand miles away.

Li Huan chuckled. "Lu Xiaoyu, you’re one lucky bastard. To think you could find such a fine wife even in Ling Province. Why don’t I have your luck?"

Lu Yu replied, "I’ve done many good deeds. This is heaven’s reward for me."

Lu Yu had actually mentioned this to Bai Yuan and the others before.

The reason he was able to meet Fang Wan, who lived a thousand miles away, was that he happened to run into her while she was traveling through Ling Province. That’s how their fates intertwined, and they eventually married.

Li Huan scoffed.

’He knew Lu Yu’s character all too well. He might not have done any good deeds, but he had certainly done his fair share of bad ones. It was a miracle he hadn’t faced karmic retribution yet.’

Just as Li Huan and Lu Yu were bantering—

Fang Wan, who had been silent all this time, suddenly spoke up. "Brother Bai, you understand the Divination Technique as well?"

Bai Yuan was a little surprised. "I know a little."

He then looked at Fang Wan in a new light.

Yan Lei explained from the side, "Brother Bai, this Sister Fang is a renowned wonder woman in Jiangnan. Legend has it she was a prodigy who went up the mountain to cultivate the Dao at the age of three. Her Divination Technique is unmatched in Jiangnan."

Hearing this, Bai Yuan raised an eyebrow.

’So Fang Wan is also an expert in the Divination Technique,’ he thought. ’And from the sound of it, her skills are probably superior to mine. No wonder she could tell at a glance that I know this art.’

Fang Wan seemed to be choosing her words carefully. After a long pause, she finally said, "Brother Bai, I wonder if you would be willing to step inside for a private conversation with me."

The moment she said this, everyone’s expressions turned strange.

Lu Yu’s expression was the strangest of all. His wife, alone in a room with another man—it was odd no matter how you looked at it.

Fang Wan also sensed the awkwardness. She tugged on Lu Yu’s sleeve. "I just want to discuss the Verification Technique with Brother Bai."

Of course, Lu Yu trusted his wife. The main issue was that he didn’t quite trust Bai Yuan’s character.

Bai Yuan gave a light cough. "Sister Fang, we can just as well talk about it here."

But Fang Wan remained firm, insisting they had to go inside to speak.

In the end, Lu Yu had no choice but to agree.

Seeing Bai Yuan and Fang Wan enter the room, Li Huan patted Lu Yu on the shoulder.

"Sister Fang could have taken another husband anyway, that’s the custom for men who marry in. Xiaoyu, you should be more open-minded..."

"Screw you, Li Huan!"

...

Bai Yuan followed Fang Wan into a room.

His eyes subconsciously swept over the room’s four walls.

Because he was skilled in the art of mechanisms, he could tell that the room was filled with contraptions, and the soundproofing was top-notch.

He was curious why Fang Wan would go to such great lengths just to discuss an academic matter with him.

Fang Wan slowly closed the door.

After ensuring no one outside could hear them, she finally spoke. "Brother Bai, have you been to the Divine Mansion?"

As soon as she said this, Bai Yuan’s expression remained unchanged, but inside, his heart was in turmoil.

He never expected that Fang Wan sought him out because of the Divine Mansion.

"What are you talking about? I don’t understand."

"I know a little about the Divination Technique. There’s an aura about you that I can’t see through at all. I’ve only ever encountered such power in the Divine Mansion."

Bai Yuan could no longer remain calm.

He discreetly observed his surroundings. Only after confirming that he was 100 percent certain he could control the situation did he relent.

"What exactly do you know?"

Hearing Bai Yuan’s words, Fang Wan finally revealed a smile.

"Brother Bai, I have no ill intentions. In fact, our goals are aligned. I am also searching for the Divine Mansion."

"Since childhood, I was taken in as a disciple by a master from a Daoist Sect. My Master taught me the Divination Technique and told me that the founder of our lineage once visited an Immortal Cave Mansion."

"But when he tried to find it again later, he never could. Therefore, the founder devoted himself to studying the Divination Technique, hoping to find that cave mansion once more."

"After nearly a thousand years of effort from our lineage, we discovered that the Divine Mansion might be related to a place in Ling Province called Shenfu Mountain."

...

Bai Yuan listened intently.

He hadn’t expected that there were others in Xuan Yang who were also searching for the Divine Mansion.

According to Fang Wan, she had traveled a thousand miles to Ling Province precisely to search for the Divine Mansion, and it was there that she met Lu Yu, who was also searching for it.

As for the Immortal Cave Mansion that Fang Wan’s founder had visited, Bai Yuan guessed it must be one of the three palaces built by the Raccoon Power.

He was incredibly excited to have unexpectedly heard news about the Divine Mansion in Lu State.

He originally thought he would have to wait until he could cultivate the Divine Mansion Technique to learn more about the Divine Mansion, but now he had found a clue ahead of time.

Fang Wan said, "Brother Bai, if you have any information about the Divine Mansion, I wonder if you would be willing to exchange it with me. You can name any condition you wish."

Bai Yuan adopted a thoughtful expression.

He mulled it over for a long time before finally deciding to join forces with Fang Wan.

After all, the Divine Mansion was too mysterious, and Fang Wan clearly had her own methods. She might prove useful in the future.

"Actually, I know very little myself. I only know that a great master built three Divine Halls, which hold a great secret. Ling Province is just a red herring; the three palaces are not in Ling Province."

Bai Yuan concisely told Fang Wan what the Great Demon Raccoon Power had told him.

He omitted the existence of the Raccoon Power.

After all, if others were to find out that a Tier Eight Great Demon was on Shenfu Mountain, it would likely attract huge trouble.

Even though Fang Wan was Lu Yu’s wife, Bai Yuan had no intention of revealing this secret.

Fang Wan was a little disappointed.

She had originally thought she could learn the specific location of the Divine Mansion from Bai Yuan, but it turned out he didn’t know either.

Because she cultivated the Divination Technique, she could tell whether someone was lying.

Everything Bai Yuan said was the truth.

Fang Wan said, "Thank you, Brother Bai."

She gave a graceful bow.

Finding the Divine Mansion was her Master’s lifelong dream, something he was still fixated on at the end of his life.

Grateful for her Master’s kindness, Fang Wan had resolved to find the Divine Mansion.

"Brother Bai, if you get any news about the Divine Mansion in the future, could you let me know? I just want to see what an Immortal Cave Mansion looks like. I don’t want anything else."

Bai Yuan pondered for a moment, then nodded. "Alright."

Fang Wan’s Divination Technique was truly unique; he might have a use for her skills someday.

The two of them immediately agreed to share information about the Divine Mansion.

「An hour later.」

The door was slowly pushed open.

Lu Yu, who had been waiting anxiously outside, saw his wife and Bai Yuan walk out and hurried to greet them.

Fang Wan smiled faintly. "Brother Bai is truly a remarkable person. I didn’t expect him to have such a high level of attainment in the Divination Technique."

Lu Yu wasn’t surprised at all that Bai Yuan knew divination.

After all, Bai Yuan already knew more than enough things; one more skill didn’t seem particularly strange.

Being a reasonable person, Lu Yu didn’t press them for details about what happened in the room.

Bai Yuan said, "Lu Xiaoyu, you actually know."

Lu Yu’s eyes narrowed slightly, a guess forming in his mind.

"Since we’re all in Lu State, we must have the East Lake vinegar fish! My treat tonight!"

...

Besides the canal that ran through Lu State City, another major body of water was the East Lake outside the city.

On the shore of East Lake, an elegant seven-story tower stood out conspicuously.

This tower was called the Star-Picking Tower, a must-visit spot for any tourist in Lu State.

With a local like Lu Yu around, Bai Yuan and Li Huan naturally didn’t have to worry about a thing. They quickly found a table by the lake and sat down.

The beautiful lakeside scenery, the cool breeze from the water... it was utterly delightful.

Before long, a waiter came over carrying a steaming platter of fish.

Bai Yuan and Li Huan picked up a piece of fish with their chopsticks and tasted it carefully.

The piece of fish tumbled around in Li Huan’s mouth for several moments, but he still hadn’t swallowed. It wasn’t because it was too delicious, but because it was truly disgusting.

Li Huan looked at Lu Yu with an expression like he had just eaten shit.

Seeing Lu Yu’s mischievous grin, he knew he had been pranked.

Lu Yu chuckled. "This is the fish I ate when I first came to Lu State. I had to let my brothers try it too."

Bai Yuan stared at the large platter of fish on the table, which was drenched in a scorched-black sauce.

He couldn’t believe it. He had transmigrated to another world, yet he was still getting screwed over by this dish for a second time.

He suddenly understood why Yan Lei had refused to come with them no matter what. It turned out he knew all along.