The next morning, the morning light of the Chu Estate passed through the carved window lattices, casting mottled shadows on the blue-brick floor.
Chu Wanran lightly knocked on Li Xuan’s door, his voice carrying a hint of a smile:
“Brother Li, the sun is already about to roast your butt! If you still don’t get up, the roasted goose for lunch will be eaten by the steward!”
From inside the room came a rustling sound. After a while, the door creaked open.
Li Xuan stood there with sleepy eyes, a few strands of hair sticking up foolishly, his inner robe wrinkled, yawning as he said:
“Brother Chu… good morning…” His voice was soft and fuzzy from just waking up, making Chu Wanran’s heart itch slightly.
“What do you mean morning, it’s almost noon!” Chu Wanran smiled as he stepped aside to let him out, casually handing him a cup of warm tea.
“Looks like last night’s osmanthus wine was quite strong, it actually made you sleep through breakfast. Hurry and wash up. I’ve already had the kitchen prepare hangover soup. If you’re any later, the signature sweet and sour fish for lunch will get cold.”
Li Xuan took the tea and gulped it down, a slightly embarrassed foolish smile appearing on his face, while inside he was frantically complaining:
“Slept in? It was clearly because I used up all my stamina giving that purple-eyed berserker an ‘ultimate SPA’ last night! Not charging service fees feels a bit unfair!”
After washing up and changing into a plain moon-white robe, Li Xuan followed Chu Wanran toward the dining hall.
Along the way through layered corridors, they passed a central courtyard filled with calming green bamboo. Beneath the bamboo was a lotus pond.
Pink-white lotus flowers stood gracefully upright. Servants and stewards each carried out their duties, walking lightly—an atmosphere of a wealthy noble household.
Li Xuan clicked his tongue inwardly:
“Brother Chu… you’re rich!? This courtyard is bigger than a basketball court. This is clearly top-tier rich second-generation energy!”
In the dining hall, the octagonal table was already filled with dishes. The sweet and sour fish was glossy and bright, the roasted goose glistened with oil, and there were several stir-fried vegetable dishes—fragrant and appetizing.
Just as the two sat down, Li Xuan couldn’t help but ask:
“Brother Chu, I’m just curious—what exactly do you do for a living?”
Chu Wanran gently waved his fan, a hint of self-mockery in his eyes:
“You flatter me. I do run a few tea houses and inns, just enough to let scholars and refined guests pass their leisure time.”
He closed the fan slightly, his tone turning a bit more desolate:
“In troubled times, merchants are like ants. Without the protection of Prince Guang’s troops and the heir’s forces, my little property would not be preserved. In the end, I’m just someone who occasionally runs errands for the Grand Commander’s estate and earns a bit of petty silver.”
Li Xuan raised an eyebrow, smiling as he sipped tea:
“A small-time guy can live in such a big mansion? Brother Chu, your humility is faker than the vegetable vendor next door saying, ‘I’m just casually setting up a stall.’”
He changed the topic:
“By the way, what happened to that troop last night? Was the rift beast resolved?”
“This morning a notice was posted outside the city gate. The beast has been slain, and the rift is slowly closing. There won’t be danger for the time being,” Chu Wanran said, placing a piece of fish into Li Xuan’s bowl.
His gaze drifted across Li Xuan’s face as he teased:
“Rather than worrying about beasts, you should worry about yourself—your face is prettier than a girl’s. Walking on the street, you might attract criminals. You could even be forcibly taken back to someone’s estate.”
Li Xuan’s eyes widened in fright, his face instantly turning red as he waved his hands:
“Brother Chu, you’re joking again! My face is clearly the righteous hero type!”
“Alright, alright, hero face,” Chu Wanran laughed, raising his folding fan and lightly lifting Li Xuan’s chin.
His tone was teasing:
“Since we’re now considered life-and-death friends (after surviving the rift together), don’t call me Brother Chu anymore. Call me ‘Ziyi’ instead.
If you want something closer, you can call me ‘Chu Lang.’ As for you, I’ll call you ‘A Xuan,’ how about it?”
Li Xuan twitched his mouth and said expressionlessly:
“Ziyi is fine. Simple and elegant.”
Chu Wanran refused to give up:
“Do you have a courtesy name? It’s not proper to always call you Li Xuan.”
Li Xuan thought for a moment. A name from a hospital near his past life flashed through his mind.
“Chang Geng.”
“Chang Geng?” Chu Wanran savored the words, then nodded approvingly:
“Good name! Like the Venus star in the night sky—bright and dazzling, very fitting for you.”
Li Xuan changed the topic:
“By the way, what about casualties from last night’s team? I saw there weren’t many of them, and quite a few were ordinary soldiers. It’s too dangerous to deal with rifts like that.”
At this, Chu Wanran’s expression turned serious.
“The problem is serious. Originally, dealing with rifts always required Nether Cleansing Masters alongside the Shura.”
“Nether Cleansing Masters?” Li Xuan pretended ignorance.
“They are extremely rare, especially high-level ones,” Chu Wanran said after sipping tea.
“High-level Shura who have long fought rift beasts accumulate massive amounts of chaos energy. Ordinary cleansing masters cannot handle it. In recent years, high-level cleansing masters have become fewer and fewer, while berserk Shura have increased. The imperial court is short on troops, so they can only recruit Shura from civilians to deal with it.”
He sighed:
“Moreover, most high-level cleansing masters and Shura are controlled by nobles and corrupt merchants. To hire them costs enormous money, and also requires status and power. Ordinary hunters simply cannot afford it.”
“If ordinary Shura go berserk, do they just wait to die?” Li Xuan asked.
“Not necessarily.” Chu Wanran said, covering half his face with his fan, sneaking a glance at Li Xuan.
“The Academy has also trained some cleansing masters, but there are too few. Hunters have to wait in line for months. There’s also another way—go to ‘Meixiang Tower’ to find prostitutes or male courtesans who know some purification arts. Although their level is low and efficiency is poor, after a few times it can still relieve the madness.”
Li Xuan was stunned:
“So even cleansing masters have ‘official army’ and ‘civilian workshops’… Meixiang Tower really is suitable for immersive cleansing…”
Seeing him lost in thought, Chu Wanran placed a large piece of roasted goose into his bowl:
“Stop thinking so much. Eat first. Look how thin you are. Last time you leaned on my shoulder drunk, your bones hurt me.”
Li Xuan looked at the mountain of meat in his bowl, then at Chu Wanran’s sincere eyes, and felt something stir inside him:
“This Chu Wanran… though he likes teasing, he’s genuinely kind.”
“Not only does he feed and house me, he also patiently answers my questions.”
“He seems like someone worth trusting.”
“Moreover, he’s rich and powerful. If I befriend him, I’ll have a backing in this world.”
“Anyway, I have nothing right now. Even if he’s a villain, as long as I can eat and live well, it doesn’t matter for now. I’ll gamble on it—he’s a good person!”
After lunch, the two moved to the rear courtyard’s “Listening Pavilion” to rest.
Inside the pavilion was a low table with tea brewing, its fragrance lingering.
Li Xuan placed down his cup, his expression becoming serious:
“Ziyi, there’s something I want to confess, and I also want your advice.”
Chu Wanran also put away his joking demeanor:
“What is it? You look so serious—could it be some earth-shattering secret?”
“It is indeed an earth-shattering secret,” Li Xuan said earnestly. “You must swear you won’t tell anyone, and you must take an oath.”
Chu Wanran raised his hand with a smile:
“Alright! I swear, if I tell anyone your secret, then I will…”
He paused, unable to think of a punishment.
Li Xuan immediately added:
“Then you won’t be able to find a wife, and you must pay me three thousand taels!”
“What?!”
Chu Wanran widened his eyes in disbelief.
“A Xuan, that punishment is too harsh! Forget the three thousand taels, but you’re also cursing me to not find a wife?”
“I may be elegant and handsome, but I’m not without prospects!” he said dramatically.
“Fine! I’ll choose not to listen!”
Li Xuan raised an eyebrow:
“Then change it. No wife curse, just three thousand taels.”
Chu Wanran narrowed his eyes:
“Are you sure your secret is worth three thousand taels?”
“I think it’s too little!” Li Xuan snorted.
Chu Wanran stood up and patted his chest:
“Alright! I consider you my sworn brother! I, Chu Wanran, swear here that if I leak Li Xuan’s secret to anyone, I will compensate him five thousand taels of silver! Is that sincere enough?”
He drank the tea in one gulp.
“Enough sincerity!” Li Xuan clinked his cup with his.
“Good brother, I trust you. Actually… I am a Nether Cleansing Master.”
“A Nether Cleansing Master?”
Chu Wanran’s eyes flashed with surprise, then he asked:
“Do you know Nether Cleansing Masters have levels? What level are you?”
“I don’t know your system. Tell me,” Li Xuan said.
Chu Wanran explained:
“The levels of Nether Cleansing Masters and Shura correspond to the severity of rift disasters. Yellow is ‘Calamity,’ corresponding to Soldier level. White is ‘Disaster,’ corresponding to General level. Blue is ‘Wilderness,’ corresponding to Master level. Purple is ‘Tribulation,’ corresponding to Army level.”
“If you reach Master-level cleansing ability or above, that’s extraordinary. I’d have to hide you and protect you strictly.”
Li Xuan touched his chin:
“And if it’s above Master level, is it worth five thousand taels?”
Chu Wanran slammed the table, staring at him:
“More than five thousand taels! Ten thousand taels of gold, even a city wouldn’t be too much! A berserk Master-level Shura can destroy a city. If you can cleanse one, it’s equivalent to saving a nation—comparable to the Four Divine Generals!”
Li Xuan felt secretly pleased:
“So my ability is this valuable!”
Outwardly, he remained calm:
“So, you’ll help me keep this secret?”
Chu Wanran placed both hands on his shoulders:
“Brother, it’s not that I don’t believe you, but this is too big. Can you prove it to me?”
Li Xuan smiled slightly and took his hand:
“Brother, you are also a Master-level Shura, aren’t you? I can sense you haven’t been cleansed for a long time.”
Chu Wanran’s expression changed dramatically.
“How does he know? I’ve never told anyone!”
“Give me your hand,” Li Xuan said, holding it and lightly rubbing his thumb across his finger.
A warm flow entered Chu Wanran’s body.
“Close your eyes and feel it.”
Chu Wanran obeyed. The warmth spread through his meridians. The accumulated chaos energy melted like snow under sunlight. His entire body relaxed as if bathed in a warm spring.
A faint floral scent lingered around Li Xuan, making his mind drift.
A suppressed groan escaped his throat:
“…Ah… mm…”
His body trembled slightly, overwhelmed by comfort and subtle desire.
After a moment, Li Xuan withdrew his hand.
Chu Wanran instinctively leaned forward, trying to grasp the warmth, but found nothing.
He breathed heavily, face flushed, eyes still dazed.
Li Xuan smiled:
“How does it feel? Much better, right?”
Chu Wanran covered his face with his fan, ears red:
“…It is indeed much better. Then… how do you want me to help you?”
Li Xuan explained everything about his amnesia and his fall from White Light Mountain.
Chu Wanran’s expression filled with pity:
“What a tragic experience! I will definitely help you find your identity with all my connections.”
“Thank you, brother.”
“The second thing,” Li Xuan said, “I want to join the Guang Prince’s recruitment as a Shura. I want to understand the current situation and earn some living expenses.”
Chu Wanran frowned:
“Why not join as a cleansing master? That would be much safer!”
Li Xuan grabbed his hand again, gently calming him with warmth.
“You said cleansing masters are rare. If I appear as one, wouldn’t I attract too much attention?”
Chu Wanran softened, but still worried.
After more persuasion, Li Xuan finally convinced him.
“Then at least promise me—if anything happens, run immediately!”
“Don’t worry, brother!”
Li Xuan smiled brightly.
As the sun poured into the room, their shadows stretched long—marking the beginning of an adventure between a cleansing master and a shura.