Chapter 13: Squeezing Persimmons

The newcomer moved with an elegant grace, her white robes fluttering in the breeze. Her unadorned face was as flawless as jade, delicate yet resilient. Her brows furrowed before she even spoke, and her eyes sparkled with a determined light; this contrast lent her a unique charm. Three others walked at the beauty’s side, all male disciples from the inner sect at the Foundation Establishment stage. With only fourth-layer Qi Refining cultivation, Hansu would not usually be able to see through the four’s true levels, but she carried a treasure capable of discerning such matters, so she faced no difficulty.

The white-robed beauty offered a courteous greeting. “Junior Sister.” Hansu had no choice but to halt and return the bow. “Senior Sister. Masters?”

“Junior Sister, the spirit fruit in your hand is exquisite and lovely. I find it quite appealing. Would you part with two for me?” With that, she and her inner sect companions fixed Hansu with their gaze, and one even released a pressure of intent.

Hansu was exceedingly surprised. The spirit fruit in her hand was just purchased from a stall; others only saw it as a common Red String Fruit. Yet, from the time she’d learned to read, Hansu had recited the herbal compendium daily, and a Nascent Soul cultivator skilled in nurturing spirit plants had taught her about all manner of rare species. She recognized at a glance that this was a mutated Twining Thread Fruit. Unlike the Red String Fruit, which merely tasted sweet and slightly increased spiritual power, this mutated fruit could grant additional lifespan—specifically, a twenty percent extension based on the consumer’s current cultivation stage. For Hansu, in the Qi Refining stage, this meant thirty extra years. But if her father, a Nascent Soul cultivator, consumed it, he would gain one hundred and sixty years.

Thus, Hansu had immediately bought out the entire stock from the stall. She had intended to use one to attract the attention of a Nascent Soul cultivator on the brink of demise, but had not expected to draw interest so soon. She had pinched the ends of the fruit in a way that to outsiders, it appeared no different from the ordinary Red String Fruit. Still, what now?

After a moment’s thought, Hansu replied, “Of course, Senior Sister. This is a Red String Fruit—if you want it, I can give it to you.” She swiftly slipped the Twining Thread Fruit into her storage pouch under the cover of her sleeve and produced two ordinary Red String Fruits, which she handed to the white-robed beauty.

The beauty accepted them, inspected the fruits, and frowned. “This doesn’t seem to be the same fruit you had just now.” At once, one of her “protectors” glared at Hansu. “You crafty little junior, how dare you deceive us!” Another companion, sharp-eyed, noticed the identity token at Hansu’s waist and quickly exchanged a glance with another, tugging at his companion’s sleeve.

This man was Lin Yuansheng, son of a Golden Core master from Spirit Release Peak, and was used to lording it over others in the inner sect, with several minor clan disciples following in his wake. Today, he accompanied this beautiful outer sect junior sister—not a fragile flower who clung to others, but a strong, resilient woman of striking beauty and real cultivation. Her fortune was extraordinary; she could not take a stroll without stumbling upon a fortuitous encounter. Lin Yuansheng, long used to the company of juniors eager for gifts at the mere sound of “Elder Brother,” had been captivated since meeting Lu Tanxian. Since she desired the Red String Fruit, there must be some secret to it, so he stepped forward to support her. But when his junior brothers tugged his sleeve, he realized trouble was brewing. The garments and accessories worn by this little junior were clearly not common items; combined, his own treasures wouldn’t buy even her belt, not to mention her unassuming identity token…

Hansu felt exasperated. The sister before her was already being forceful, but this senior brother’s sense of righteousness was truly misplaced! She had intended to simply give them the fruits and be done with it, but now matters were escalating. So she raised her voice sweetly and said, “How bold of you all—to so brazenly take what belongs to others! Yet when I offer you the fruit, you claim it’s not the same. Why not let someone knowledgeable determine whether these are indeed Red String Fruits? Or is the fruit just an excuse, and you intend to claim everything I possess? I would gladly present these to Senior Sister, but I must ask my parents’ consent. Why not accompany me to Spirit Mist Peak, or perhaps I should simply crush this jade talisman in my hand—then someone will arrive to bestow you all with a ‘great gift.’ What do you say?”

At her words, the faces of her challengers flushed red with embarrassment. Among the bystanders, some had already recognized the token at Hansu’s waist, and a few began to gather around, laughing and jeering: “To think you’d try to rob the daughter of a Nascent Soul elder right inside the sect—have you tired of living?” The group exchanged uneasy glances, preparing to leave, but Lu Tanxian spoke up.

“Junior Sister, do not speak so recklessly. I merely wished to see if you would let me have two fruits, and I intended to offer you something in exchange. You placed the fruit in my hand yourself, but I simply remarked that it did not appear to be the same as the one you first held. Even as the daughter of a Nascent Soul elder, you must not make baseless accusations.”

Her delicate appearance inspired sympathy, and coupled with the crowd’s resentment of the wealthy, the tide of opinion turned in her favor. Hansu could not help but roll her eyes. “Then, Senior Sister, please return the fruits. I bought these Red String Fruits to eat myself. Since you don’t want them, kindly give them back. I meant to gift you two, but it seems I was mistaken. Hurry and return them—I’ll give them to the elder over there instead!” The crowd followed her gaze to the vendor, a masked cultivator who smiled meaningfully and released a wave of his own oppressive aura. At once, all fell silent.