No Fighting Allowed in the Inn

Inside the wooden box were three banknotes, each worth one thousand taels, totaling three thousand taels.

There were also eight pearls, each of superior quality. Based on market prices, each pearl was worth at least three hundred taels.

Adding the balance in her personal account, Lu Jianwei now had over five thousand eight hundred taels of silver!

She opened the system's marketplace.

The combined cost of "Unheeded Years," "Sparse Star Sword Technique," and "Frost Coiling Blade Technique" was four thousand taels, while "Spring and Autumn Medical Classic" alone cost five thousand taels.

After some thought, she decided to purchase the first three books.

In this dangerous world, having formidable combat skills was essential for survival.

After clicking "Buy," her account balance dropped to just over one thousand eight hundred taels.

She browsed the weapons section, and her gaze suddenly fixed on one item.

"Little Ke, wasn't the first item in the weapons section something else before?"

The system replied, "After you selected 'Sparse Star Sword Technique' and 'Frost Coiling Blade Technique,' the marketplace automatically recommended the most suitable weapons for you. Only compatible weapons can unleash their full potential."

Lu Jianwei: "..."

This feels like they're trying to bleed me dry!

"So, you don't care whether others give gifts or how much money the inn has. In the end, all the money I earn will just be spent in the marketplace."

The system responded, "But you gain knowledge, and knowledge is priceless."

Lu Jianwei retorted, "But the tools that carry that knowledge are way too expensive!"

In the weapons section, the first item was the Sparse Star Sword, priced at one thousand five hundred taels—the same as the sword technique. The second item was the Frost Coiling Blade, priced similarly.

Lu Jianwei couldn't help but suspect, "Little Ke, are you recommending these to me because they're unsold items, repackaged as hidden gems that no one can master, just to scam me?"

"We're in this together. I wouldn't do anything to harm the inn," Little Ke explained earnestly.

"Fine, but if you sold them cheaper, wouldn't my strength improve faster?"

"That would encourage a culture of entitlement and greed. As they say, 'the greedy snake tries to swallow an elephant.'"

Lu Jianwei: "..."

Whatever, let's just get this over with.

She gritted her teeth and bought the Sparse Star Sword.

With only three hundred taels left in her account, she switched to the daily necessities section and bought a few sets of clothes.

It had to be said, the clothes in the marketplace were not only stylish but also of excellent quality, with each set costing only a few hundred coins.

In addition to a beautiful fairy-like dress, she also picked out a few practical outfits suitable for traveling the martial world, storing them in her personal backpack for future use.

She also bought several sets of hair accessories, rouge, earrings, perfumed powder, and bathing supplies.

After all, who wouldn't want to look and smell their best?

These items only cost a few taels in total.

The thrill of shopping was simply exhilarating!

After finishing with the daily necessities, she clicked on the medicine section, which displayed a wide array of medicinal powders, pills, and the like, capable of treating external and internal injuries, as well as defensive and offensive poisons.

Medicine wasn't cheap, so Lu Jianwei carefully selected treatments for external injuries and internal ailments, along with a few bottles of poison powders with varying effects, all stored in her personal backpack.

The medicine alone cost her over one hundred taels.

She decided to save the remaining two hundred taels for emergencies.

With her shopping desires satisfied, Lu Jianwei calmed her mind and took out "Unheeded Years" from her backpack to begin studying.

"Little Ke, why does this manual only have seven moves?" Most other martial techniques usually have nine.

The system replied, "Seven moves are more than enough."

"Don't tell me the other two manuals also only have seven moves?"

"That's correct."

Lu Jianwei didn't argue and focused on comprehending the first move.

The first level of "Unheeded Years" was called "The Passage of Time." If she hadn't previously studied light-footed techniques, she wouldn't have realized how vast the differences between them could be.

She had already mastered the fourth move of "Traces of the Wild Goose," but the power of the first move of "Unheeded Years" was comparable to the third move of the former.

This truly lived up to its reputation as a system-recommended masterpiece!

Compared to "Traces of the Wild Goose," "Unheeded Years" was far more intricate and profound. Lu Jianwei even had a faint premonition that if she could fully master this technique, she would become unrivaled in the martial world when it came to escape skills.

In the staff quarters on the first floor.

Zhu Yue helped Xue Guanhe tidy up his room and explained the inn's rules before turning to leave.

"Wait," Xue Guanhe called out. "What exactly does 'no fighting allowed' mean?"

Zhu Yue replied, "It means exactly that. Once anyone steps into the inn, fighting or brawling is strictly prohibited."

Xue Guanhe asked curiously, "Why is that?"

"I'm not sure," Zhu Yue shook his head. "But I think it might be because the landlady doesn't like violence. Look at how beautifully she dresses—she probably doesn't want anything bloody or messy to ruin her skirts."

"That makes sense," Xue Guanhe said happily. "At least within the inn, my safety is guaranteed."

After Zhu Yue left, Xue Guanhe eagerly opened "The Floating Heart Sutra."

This was an internal martial arts manual!

He had spent a fortune and begged so many people before, but never managed to obtain one.

Yet the landlady had been so generous!

Xue Guanhe's eyes reddened, his heart filled with gratitude. He gently caressed the pages and began to comprehend the first level of the manual.

I expected to encounter obstacles, but surprisingly, things went quite smoothly. It seemed that the innkeeper, recognizing his potential, had deliberately chosen a cultivation technique suited to his constitution.

From now on, I must show proper respect and gratitude to the innkeeper!

Early the next morning, Xue Pingshan returned to the inn, bringing with him gifts for the master and the tuition fee.

The gifts included eight treasures: porcelain, pearls, jade, silk, and other items, each of considerable value. The tuition fee alone amounted to three thousand taels of silver.

"This three thousand taels covers a year's tuition. If more is needed, please feel free to notify me in the city," Xue Pingshan said with a respectful bow. "I entrust my son to your care, Innkeeper Lu."

Lu Jianwei accepted the gifts. "You're too kind, Master Xue."

"Innkeeper Lu, may I have a private word with my son?"

"Of course."

The father and son stepped outside the inn.

"Father, what did you want to say?"

Xue Pingshan studied his son for a long moment. Though only a night had passed, his son's demeanor had changed dramatically.

"Guanhe, has Innkeeper Lu mentioned when she will start teaching you martial arts?"

Xue Guanhe's face lit up with excitement. "She already taught me yesterday! She gave me a cultivation manual and a set of palm techniques to practice."

"Really?!" Xue Pingshan could hardly believe it. "She really gave you a cultivation manual?"

It was well-known that cultivation techniques were the foundation of martial arts. Without a proper technique, one could never develop internal energy, rendering even the most exquisite martial skills useless.

"Yes!" Xue Guanhe leaned in closer. "Father, I practiced all night and feel like I'm on the verge of a breakthrough. It won't be long before I develop my internal energy."

"So quickly!"

"I think Innkeeper Lu specifically chose a manual that suits my constitution, which is why I'm progressing so fast."

Xue Pingshan was overjoyed. "Guanhe, our Xue family has truly struck gold this time. Innkeeper Lu is the most generous and kind-hearted martial artist I've ever met. You must devote yourself wholeheartedly to her teachings."

"Don't worry, Father, I will!"

After a few more words of conversation, Xue Pingshan left, thoroughly satisfied.

In the days that followed, the inn returned to its usual tranquility.

With one more person around, the division of labor among the staff became more defined.

Uncle Zhang was responsible for purchasing supplies and handling miscellaneous tasks, Zhu Yue took care of cleaning the inn, and Xue Guanhe took on the responsibility of preparing three meals a day.

"Brother Xue, what's for breakfast today?" Zhu Yue asked as she poured a bucket of water into the storage jar.

Xue Guanhe replied cheerfully, "Pork congee, scallion pancakes, and some pickled vegetables. How does that sound?"

"Sounds great!"

Zhu Yue had tried the scallion pancakes a few days ago and had been craving them ever since.

Noticing Xue Guanhe's unusual cheerfulness, she couldn't help but ask, "Did you manage to develop your internal energy last night?"

At the mention of this, Xue Guanhe's face lit up with joy.

He nodded with a proud smile. "Yes, I've mastered the first level of the cultivation technique and officially become a martial disciple. If I keep practicing, I'll become a great hero someday!"

"How's the palm technique coming along?"

Xue Guanhe chuckled awkwardly. "Still working on it. I feel like palm techniques might not be my strong suit."

Zhu Yue: "..."

Sometimes she couldn't help but envy Brother Xue for having so many options.

If palm techniques didn't suit him, he could always switch to another martial skill.

In a room on the third floor, Lu Jianwei sat in front of a mirror, fixing her hair while bargaining with the system.

"Xiao Ke, can't you lower the price of the medicinal ingredients?"

The system replied, "No."

Lu Jianwei sighed. "At this rate, I'll be broke again soon."

The gifts and tuition fee from the Xue family, when converted into her personal wealth, amounted to about ten thousand taels of silver.

Without hesitation, Lu Jianwei spent five thousand taels on the "Spring and Autumn Medical Classic" and another fifteen hundred taels on the Frost Coiling Blade.

After these purchases, she had a little over three thousand taels left, and she thought she would be comfortably wealthy for a long time.

Little did she know, the "Spring and Autumn Medical Classic" was a money pit.

Despite its name, the book covered not only medicine but also pharmacology and toxicology.

To study medicine, one first had to master the human body's meridians and acupoints, which required purchasing a human anatomy model—complete with exams and grading—for a thousand taels. She reluctantly accepted this cost.

As for pharmacology and toxicology, mastering the thousands of medicinal herbs and poisons required purchasing the "Complete Compendium of Medicinal Herbs" and the "Complete Compendium of Poisons," which cost another thousand taels combined.

The "Spring and Autumn Medical Classic" was an extremely advanced medical text. It only recorded treatments for symptoms and taught how to prepare medicines and poisons, without a single wasted word.

Whether the learner could understand it or recognize the herbs and poisons was not its concern.

It was like buying a calculus textbook without knowing what one plus one equals.

What a scam!

Two thousand taels gone, just like that.

After falling into this trap, Lu Jianwei, foreseeing her future financial woes, quickly checked the prices of medicinal ingredients in the system. Unsurprisingly, they were exorbitant.

To make matters worse, the system claimed that the quality of ingredients outside the system was inferior. For the same amount of money, one could only obtain lower-quality ingredients compared to the system's offerings.

Lu Jianwei sighed inwardly.

Fortunately, Xue Guanhe's cooking skills lifted her spirits.

After breakfast, Xue Guanhe excitedly ran up to her.

"Boss, I successfully cultivated internal energy last night!"

Lu Jianwei had noticed it the moment she saw him.

She smiled and nodded. "Well done, keep it up. How's your palm technique coming along?"

Xue Guanhe lowered his head in frustration. "I still can't grasp it properly."

"You can consult Uncle Zhang for guidance."

"But..." Xue Guanhe hesitated, "Isn't this martial skill too precious to just let anyone see?"

He had initially thought that Uncle Zhang, Zhu Yue, and the boss were all part of the same sect. However, after spending some time with them, he realized that wasn't the case.

Uncle Zhang and Zhu Yue had ended up working at the inn because they had nowhere else to go.

The boss had been teaching them martial skills simply out of kindness and generosity.

Deep down, Xue Guanhe felt that as the boss's disciple, he naturally stood on the same side and had a duty to protect the "sect's" martial techniques from being leaked to outsiders.

Lu Jianwei didn't expose his thoughts and simply smiled. "It's fine, it's just a palm technique. If you're really worried, you can start by only asking about the first move."

"I understand." Xue Guanhe thought this approach was reasonable, especially since he had only learned the first move so far.

He copied the first move onto a piece of paper, then took some silver coins and hurried off to find Uncle Zhang.

"Senior Uncle Zhang, may I ask for your guidance on this palm technique?" He handed over the paper and a small pouch of silver coins without hesitation.

Uncle Zhang didn't say a word, ignoring the silver coins, and quickly took the paper instead.

The black ink on white paper depicted a single, seemingly simple move, yet it immediately captivated him.

Incredible, absolutely incredible!

He had always been curious about the palm technique Lu Jianwei had shared, and now that he had a glimpse of it, he was so excited he couldn't contain himself. He instantly made up his mind and rushed to Lu Jianwei.

"Boss, this palm technique is truly extraordinary. In all my years, I've never seen anything like it. I wonder..."

"Wait." Lu Jianwei interrupted him, her gaze shifting to the courtyard gate. "Someone's coming."

She had heard the system's alert—there were five people approaching: three at the fourth level, one at the fifth level, and one who had even reached the sixth level!