Duan Jian

The shop owner happily walked through the street. His steps are very light, that if Lin Xiao’s group didn’t quicken their pace, they might’ve lost the shop owner already.

Though Long Yinlian could walk on his own without a problem, Lin Xiao still took his hand to help lead him along. They went past four stores before they came face to face with a building that appeared less crude than the rest.

Bai Chenyi felt that the building looks familiar, but he couldn’t recall it. That is, until he saw a figure of a young woman working in the shop. Almost immediately, Bai Chenyi pulled up his cloak and covered his head, hiding his presence.

Long Yinlian noticed this movement, and he couldn’t help but ask the young general. “General Bai, is there anything wrong?” he whispered his inquiry.

“Nothing is wrong. Please do not worry about it, Master Long,” Bai Chenyi replied.

This short exchange went unnoticed by Lin Xiao whose attention are currently focused on the building before him.

“This is the place?” Lin Xiao asked the shop owner.

“Yes! This is the place,” the shop owner replied enthusiastically. Then his eyes seemed to have caught something because Lin Xiao could see it move, as if following a movement.

Looking at the direction of the shop owner’s gaze, Lin Xiao finally saw the one who made the shop owner lost his reason. ‘Indeed, it was a young woman!’ Lin Xiao finally confirmed his suspicion.

The young woman in question was indeed beautiful. But for her to work at the western side of the marketplace, surely she is not your typical woman. Just with how she handled the weapon in her hand, Lin Xiao knew that she practices martial art.

Then, Lin Xiao looked back at the shop owner’s figure. Just from his lanky body, it was clear that the shop owner didn’t practice martial art at all. This observation was only solidified when Lin Xiao hear his breath. Shaking his head, Lin Xiao wondered that even if the shop owner was successful in his pursuit, how can he satisfy his woman?

The young woman also noticed the gaze of the shop owner and looked at their direction. “Oh, if it isn’t Mo Daren! Welcome!” she greeted them as she walked over towards them. “Are you here bringing customers again?”

Shop Owner Mo immediately nods his head. “This Esteemed Master is looking for a weapon for his young disciple,” he said as he gestured to Long Yinlian then pointed to Xia Yushen who is currently within Lin Xiao’s arm.

“I don’t have anything that is suitable for this boy, so I thought that maybe your shop would have it.”

The eyes of the woman landed on Lin Xiao, then to the child in his arm. She took a few steps closer before reaching out to take hold of Xia Yushen’s arm.

“His muscle is still developing. It seems that he started late?” she asked as she looked over at Long Yinlian.

Before Long Yinlian could even answer, Xia Yushen spoke up first. “Big sister, how can you know that?” he asked, surprised that the woman could figure out just by touching him.

The young woman let out a small laughter when she heard Xia Yushen’s soft, innocent voice. “Young boy, once you become better in martial art, you will know,” she replied as she pats his head. Then she turned her attention back to Long Yinlian. “What style of martial art are you teaching him?”

“Sword style,” Long Yinlian replied.

“Hmm… We do have something but,” she glanced at their group then to the Shop Owner Mo. “Mo Daren, do you not have duan jian at your shop? I thought you mentioned few days ago that a new shipment had just arrived.”

Hearing this, Lin Xiao turned his head and gave the shop owner a questioning look. The shop owner merely turned his head sideways, unwilling to meet Lin Xiao’s gaze as his little lie had been found out.

“Duan jian?” Xia Yushen was able to catch the most important point from the woman’s sentence. “Big sister, what is that?”

“You haven’t seen duan jian before? They are just like a jian but smaller and shorter,” she replied to Xia Yushen in a gentle tone. “Come, let big sister show you.”

Then, she glanced over at Lin Xiao before she chides him. “And you, how long are you going to carry him? Put him down. Walking is also part of training!”

Lin Xiao was sceptical, but still placed Xia Yushen down. Unfortunately for him, his expression was caught by the young woman.

“You don’t believe me? Did you not remember how you first started martial art?!”

“I… don’t,” Lin Xiao replied.

The young woman seemed to want to speak more but when she observed Lin Xiao, she only let out a sigh. “You said you don’t remember but you clearly remember the basics well. In any case, don’t spoil your shidi too much or it’ll stagnant his growth,” she told Lin Xiao.

“…?”

Her sentence only left Lin Xiao to be more confused, and he wanted to ask more but unfortunately, the young woman already started to speak with the shop owner from before.

“Mo Daren, thank you for bringing customers here. If you like, how about staying for a cup of tea? I will ask Xiao Ji to make them.”

“If it is not a trouble, then I will stay for a tea. I’m also curious about this child’s choice,” Shop Owner Mo replied, though Lin Xiao could clearly hear the lies.

“Then come on in,” she gestured for them to follow her.

“Xiao Ji!” she called out as soon as they stepped inside her shop. “Go and make teas for our guests! And tell Xiao Mu to bring those newly acquired duan jian out!”

Lin Xiao looked around the interior of the shop. There were several umbrellas, canes, staff, jade pins, fingernail guards, pendants, head dresses, armlets and bracelets. If the shop weren’t located in the western part of the market, then Lin Xiao would’ve suspected himself being in a jewellery shop.

“Please have a seat while my servants bring the tea and the duan jian,” she gestured to the tables that were provided inside the shop. “Also, Chenyi biao di, until when are you going to keep hiding?”