3
Fame is Tiring
Although Withered Ghost had lost an arm, he still held some advantage with his remaining hand.
Chang Weiqi, having missed his strike, knew his chances of victory were slim. Yet seeing Qian Lingyan severely wounded while saving him, he resolved to fight to the death.
Enduring excruciating pain, Qian Lingyan pulled out Withered Ghost’s severed arm and threw it forward. “Weiqi, a sword.”
Withered Ghost’s arm was unusually long; even just the forearm held in hand served as a short sword. Seeing Qian Lingyan bleeding profusely and pale-faced, Chang Weiqi tightly gripped the severed arm, his knuckles cracking, squeezing out the black blood within that splattered onto the snowy ground.
With the sword in hand, Chang Weiqi seemed transformed, and the situation shifted.
Withered Ghost, seeing Chang Weiqi’s expression, couldn’t help but startle—it was exactly the same as Qian Lingyan’s expression not long ago. Ultimately, anger overcame fear, and Withered Ghost decided to fight. He even found it absurd that he could fear a child.
Withered Ghost lunged forward in an attack. Chang Weiqi didn’t evade but instead countered with a move called “Sacrificing Life Without Regret,” a tactic that traded life for life. Withered Ghost hastily changed his stance, and in doing so, fell into a disadvantage. Chang Weiqi swiftly struck with his “sword,” slicing open Withered Ghost’s left shoulder.
After several more exchanges, Withered Ghost grew increasingly alarmed and fearful. Chang Weiqi, driven by bloodlust, disregarded his own life entirely. Moreover, having diligently practiced the Soul-Grasping Sword Technique from his family’s teachings since childhood, he had achieved some proficiency. Qian Lingyan watched in silent amazement, thinking that Chang Weiqi’s swordsmanship was rare even among the Seven Great Families.
Both were wounded in multiple places, yet Chang Weiqi’s offensive remained relentless. Withered Ghost, however, began to consider retreat. Feinting a move, he seized an opportunity to flee.
With Withered Ghost defeated, Chang Weiqi, concerned for Qian Lingyan’s injuries, hurriedly bandaged him.
Covered in bloodstains, the two supported each other and finally reached the main road, preparing to enter the city.
By then, many vendors were already on the road, heading into the city. Having heard rumors of monsters along the way, most traveled in groups. The vendors who had fallen victim were likely those who had set out early for profit, thus meeting this misfortune.
Upon seeing Qian Lingyan and Chang Weiqi, some bystanders watched coldly, fearing trouble. Yet there were still those with a chivalrous spirit. After inquiring and learning of their deeds, they set down their goods, carried the two on their backs, and went straight to Qian Manor.
Arriving at Qian Manor, Qian Lingyan invited the helpers to stay. The vendors, citing their goods still on the road, declined to linger and promptly took their leave. Qian Lingyan sent someone to reward them, but they had already gone far.
Zhao Boqian, upon hearing reports of Qian Lingyan’s injuries, hastily dispatched people to assist. He then went to inform Qian Lingyan’s mother.
Supported by servants, Qian Lingyan and Chang Weiqi entered an elegant garden in the side courtyard. It turned out that Qian Lingyan was not the son of the family head but the son of the head’s younger brother, Qian Daoxuan. The head’s lineage had four brothers of the “Dao” generation, named “Zong, Xuan, Ming, Yi.” The family head, Qian Daozong, resided in the main courtyard. Qian Lingyan’s father, the second eldest, was named Qian Daoxuan and lived in the western side courtyard.
Mother Qian, upon hearing of Qian Lingyan’s severe injuries, was frantic with worry. As she rushed out, she encountered Qian Lingyan. Though pale from excessive blood loss, Qian Lingyan managed a faint smile upon seeing his mother.
Qian Lingyan’s mother, named Yang Yi, was truly a rare beauty in this world. She carried herself with dignified grace, with bright eyes and pearly white teeth, and an air of heroic spirit emanated from between her brows. Yet at this moment, Yang Yi’s entire body spoke of anxiety and heartache, her eyes filled with love and worry for Qian Lingyan. She had lost her usual solemnity; now she was simply a mother afraid of losing her son.
Qian Lingyan lay on the bed, with Mother Qian gently stroking the back of his hand.
“Uncle Zhao, please go and fetch Doctor Mo. Everyone else may leave,” Yang Yi said weakly.
Yang Yi’s heart was solely occupied with Qian Lingyan, paying no attention to Chang Weiqi. Chang Weiqi had no choice but to withdraw, sitting on a stone bench in the courtyard to rest for a while.
This Doctor Mo, named Mo Yuan, was in his thirties or forties and was a close friend of the family head, Qian Daozong. Whenever anyone in the household fell ill, he would come as soon as called. However, relying on his status as an old friend of the family head, his attitude was far from pleasant, which was why Qian Lingyan did not like him.
Before long, Mo Yuan arrived carrying his medicine chest. Yang Yi greeted him, but Mo Yuan merely nodded before beginning to examine Qian Lingyan. Cleaning the wound, applying medicine, and bandaging it—the pain nearly brought Qian Lingyan to tears.
Qian Lingyan thought to himself, “Couldn’t you go a little slower? Are you trying to kill me with pain, you quack?” With such injuries, whether treated quickly or slowly, the pain was inevitable. However, seeing his mother’s heartache made Qian Lingyan feel even worse. Since he had never liked Mo Yuan, he couldn’t help but feel that Mo Yuan was deliberately tormenting him.
Despite his cold demeanor, Mo Yuan’s skills were beyond reproach. In no time, Qian Lingyan’s wound was properly bandaged.
“Thank you, Doctor Mo,” Yang Yi said, bowing gratefully.
“Hmm,” Mo Yuan replied, his attitude still cold. He then took out two medicine bottles—one red and the other blue.
“The red bottle is for external application; change the dressing every three days. I didn’t bring the oral medicine with me, but I’ll send someone to deliver it later. The blue bottle is for the one outside—also for external use. Return the bottles after using the medicine; they’re not free gifts.” With that, Mo Yuan stood up and left without looking back.
Zhao Boqian, who had brought Mo Yuan, had not yet withdrawn.
“You may go now. Thank you for your hard work today, Uncle Zhao.”
“Yes, Madam. I’ve heard that when a person sleeps, their body tends to grow cold. So, when the young master rests, please add an extra blanket.” As he spoke, Zhao Boqian kept his eyes fixed on Qian Lingyan, as if hinting at something deeper. After finishing, he took his leave.
Now, only Qian Lingyan and his mother remained in the room. Qian Lingyan recounted the events from beginning to end, naturally mentioning Chang Weiqi. Suddenly, he remembered that when he had touched Chang Weiqi’s body earlier, it had felt distinctly warm. This meant that Chang Weiqi had not been asleep at the time.
So that was what Zhao Boqian had meant. As a mere servant, he couldn’t openly interfere in the affairs of the master’s household, so he had simply offered a reminder. As for how Qian Lingyan decided to act, that was beyond his control.
Unsure of what to do, Qian Lingyan turned to his mother for help.
“Do as your heart tells you. The medicine bottles are on the table now. Whatever you decide, Mother will support you.”
After a brief hesitation, Qian Lingyan made up his mind. “Mother, I am unable to move easily. Please take the medicine to Chang Weiqi and arrange a place for him to stay.” Recalling the figure that had stood before him, fighting desperately against the Withered Ghost, Qian Lingyan decided to let him stay.
Chang Weiqi remembered being so exhausted that he had fallen asleep on the stone table in the courtyard. Now he lay in a clean room, surrounded by unfamiliar things. He sat up, pulling at his wounds, which still ached sharply. On the table, he saw some scattered silver pieces, a set of new clothes, and a blue porcelain bottle with a yellow slip of paper beneath it. On the paper were elegantly written characters, strong and graceful, which read: “Lingyan respectfully requests that Chang Jun remain at Qian Manor. Here are two taels of silver as compensation. If Chang Jun does not wish to stay, the silver is still offered as travel funds. Apply the medicine in the bottle externally.” It was clearly dictated by Qian Lingyan and written by his mother.
Chang Weiqi had long wanted to stay at Qian Manor and gladly agreed. He pushed the door open and saw that the sky was slightly bright—he had slept through the night.
The sky had just brightened, and it was still quite cold. Qian Lingyan was sitting in the courtyard and smiled happily when he saw Chang Weiqi emerge.
“Young master, good morning,” Chang Weiqi also smiled.
Qian Lingyan had been waiting for Chang Weiqi’s reply, and now that he knew the answer, he felt at ease.
“I asked Aunt Wang to prepare hot water. Go wash up first; today will be a bit busy.”
“Alright,” Chang Weiqi turned to leave.
“When no one is around, just call me Lingyan,” Qian Lingyan’s voice came from behind.
The Withered Ghost should have been lying low recently, but Qian Lingyan still couldn’t rest easy, so he sent Ziyu to meet Qu Yue.
By the time Chang Weiqi had washed off the grime, applied the medicine, and tidied his clothes, the sky was fully bright. In the courtyard, three people were chatting and laughing. Qian Lingyan and Qu Yue were among them, along with a young man in coarse white clothes, also in his teens, whom Chang Weiqi did not recognize.
When the others saw Chang Weiqi approaching, they stopped their conversation. Qian Lingyan beckoned him over and introduced him to the young man in white. As expected, this was Zhao Ziyu.
The four of them were chatting idly when, not long after, Qian Lingyan’s mother approached. “Yan’er, your uncle and your cousin Lingxue have come to see you. Let Qu Yue and Ziyu play for now.”
“Ziyu, take your senior sister out for a stroll. Weiqi, come with me.”
Weiqi followed Qian Lingyan to the parlor. There, he saw a man of imposing presence seated in the center of the room. He had a long beard, was only in his thirties or forties, and exuded a heroic aura—clearly Qian Lingyan’s uncle, Qian Daozong.
Beside Qian Daozong sat a young woman. She was in the prime of her youth, dressed in a blue-white robe, with hair cascading like a waterfall. Her skin was fair, and her fingers were slender, as pure and flawless as snow.
This was Qian Lingyan’s cousin, Qian Lingxue. Her features were exquisite, and Chang Weiqi had never seen anyone so beautiful before. He couldn’t help but steal a few more glances.
Qian Lingyan greeted Qian Daozong and Qian Lingxue before taking a seat nearby.
“Lingyan, are your injuries better?” Qian Daozong asked.
“Thank you for your concern, Uncle. They are much better now. It’s just that the monster escaped, so I must trouble you to issue a Weidao Order to hunt it down and prevent more people from being harmed.”
“This…” Qian Daozong hesitated. “Lingyan, the Weidao Order is not issued lightly. I heard this was just a minor monster, and it only preyed on a few travelers. It won’t amount to much. By now, it probably wouldn’t dare to wander around Weidao City anymore.”
“Uncle, this monster causing trouble near Weidao City is likely no simple matter. Besides, those travelers are human beings too. As Demon-Slayers, how can we stand idly by and allow monsters to run amok?” Qian Lingyan recalled the mutilated body in the forest outskirts, anger surging through him, his words carrying a sharp edge.
Qian Lingxue, seeing Qian Lingyan contradict her father, was deeply displeased. “If even you couldn’t defeat it, how serious could it be? I think slaying the monster is just an excuse—you really want to vent your personal grudges.”
“You…” Qian Lingyan knew that in Qian Manor, he had never been taken seriously by anyone. Was it just because he couldn’t master the Qian family’s Qi techniques that even his determination to slay monsters was met with suspicion?
“Xue’er, hold your tongue. Lingyan, your injuries haven’t fully healed yet. Rest well these next few days. As for that monster, leave it be.”
Qian Daozong left with Qian Lingxue. Qian Lingyan knew that with these words from Qian Daozong, the matter would sink like a clay ox into the sea. He wasn’t sure what he was feeling at that moment—anger, sorrow, or confusion. He simply remained seated, lost in thought.
Chang Weiqi was also lost in thought, pondering his own concerns. “She’s so beautiful, how could she speak to Qian Lingyan like that?”
Winter days were short, and night soon fell. Qian Lingyan urged Chang Weiqi to rest early and returned to his own room. Opening the door, he found his mother sitting inside, waiting for him. He called out, “Mother.” Yang Yi motioned for him to sit beside her and gazed at him quietly.
“Mother, when will Father return?”
“It’ll be another three to five days.”
Qian Lingyan already knew his father’s return date, but today his heart was heavy, and he didn’t know what else to say, so he made idle conversation.
“Do you know why your uncle refused to issue the Weidao Order?” Yang Yi suddenly asked softly.
Qian Lingyan looked at Yang Yi and said, “Slaying monsters costs a fortune, while common lives are as cheap as grass. How could one trade a fortune for mere grass?”
Yang Yi nodded slightly and continued, “The Qian family is one of the seven great families of the Weidao Alliance, renowned across the land, admired by all under heaven. But the Qian family is also burdened by its reputation. How could the illustrious Qian family issue a Weidao Order for a mere minor monster?”
Qian Lingyan smiled bitterly. “It’s only because I’m incompetent, unable to handle even a minor monster, that I’ve tarnished the Qian family’s name. If it had been Qian Lingxue who was injured that day, I wonder if Uncle would still be so concerned about preserving the family’s reputation.”
“I overheard Lingxue’s words from behind. They were indeed excessive. She is your uncle’s only daughter, and she carries too much on her shoulders. Don’t hold too much resentment toward her. At the very least, she did come to see you.”
Qian Lingyan had an elder half-brother named Qian Lingfeng and a younger half-sister named Qian Lingling. Qian Lingyan’s mother was a concubine, and the two households had never gotten along, so when the main household learned of Qian Lingyan’s injury, they didn’t visit. Of course, Qian Lingyan hadn’t expected them to come.
As for Qian Lingxue, raised under her father’s guidance, she naturally hoped the Qian family would be as solid as a fortress, with no weak links, which was why she held some dissatisfaction toward Qian Lingyan. Qian Lingyan understood this well.
“Mother, I’ll remember Qian Lingxue’s words for the rest of my life. I’ll make her realize how foolish her own words were. But don’t worry, Mother—I know what’s important.”
“Good. You’ve spent all your time on Qi techniques and haven’t learned any boxing or sword moves. Continuing like this isn’t ideal. By the way, how is your Qi technique training going?”
“Same as before—only reached the first two levels. Making further progress has been difficult.”
The Qian family’s Ice-Snow Technique: the first two levels merely nourish the meridians; true Qi refinement begins from the third level. Qian Lingyan only felt sensitive to Qi but couldn’t convert it into biting cold energy. Each time cold energy was generated and sent into the heart meridian, it inexplicably vanished. As a result, Qian Lingyan’s Qi remained relatively mild, proving rather useless in combat.
“Will you continue cultivating the Qi technique?” Yang Yi probed.
“Since progress is so difficult, why bother?” Qian Lingyan replied simply.
“Then what boxing or sword techniques do you plan to learn?”
“The Qian family’s ‘Ultimate Cold Sword’—Uncle definitely won’t give it to me.”
Yang Yi smiled helplessly. “Yan’er, you’re just too greedy. It was the same with the Withered Ghost incident—you only thought about vanquishing the demon, disregarding the danger. You don’t know how frightened I was that day.”
Yang Yi dared not utter the word “death,” nor say anything like “if anything happened to you.” She feared anything unfavorable to Qian Lingyan—even speaking of it was too much.
“Mother, this time you needn’t worry. Weiqi—this is timely assistance.”