No Fighting Allowed in the Inn

The poison administered by Lu Jianwei took three days to wear off.

Cao Haozi understood that this was meant to punish Lv Hudie, so he dared not ask for an antidote. He could only watch as Lv Hudie lay immobilized for three full days.

On the third day, as soon as the effects dissipated, the two slunk out of the inn without even reclaiming their deposit.

Business was slow, so Lu Jianwei spent her time cultivating and teaching her apprentice.

She wasn’t worried about others stealing her techniques—if mastery could be achieved so easily, everyone would be a martial arts expert.

Uncle Zhang treasured the "Crosswave Palm" manual like a priceless treasure. After finding skilled gardeners in Linyue Village, he devoted himself entirely to mastering the technique.

The inn was gradually furnished with wooden tables, chairs, and a few amusing little toys.

The kitchen’s firewood was stacked high.

Everyone had their roles, and the days passed leisurely.

After sharing meals with the others, Wei Liu and Tao Yang decided to stop ordering separate dishes.

With only two guests staying at the inn—fewer than the number of staff—preparing individual meals was too troublesome. It was easier to just eat together.

They enjoyed the food, and it saved Xue Guanhe a lot of effort.

Five days passed, and still, no new guests arrived.

After lunch, Yue Shu and Xue Guanhe were clearing the table as usual when Yue Shu glanced behind Wei Liu and gasped in surprise.

“Sister Wei, you’re injured?!”

Wei Liu blinked. “Huh?”

Everyone turned to look—there was indeed a faint smear of blood on the back of her clothes.

“You’re really bleeding!” Xue Guanhe said urgently. “You should go to a doctor in the city right away!”

The two younger ones had little experience with such matters and had no idea what was happening. Meanwhile, Tao Yang, Uncle Zhang, and Yan Feicang—all grown men—tactfully turned their backs.

Lu Jianwei unhooked her apron from the kitchen and tied it around Wei Liu’s waist, covering the bloodstain. She explained matter-of-factly, “She’s not injured. It’s just her monthly cycle—something all women experience. No need for alarm.”

Yue Shu looked utterly bewildered.

Xue Guanhe, being slightly older and more worldly, flushed red with embarrassment, grabbed the dishes, and bolted for the kitchen.

“Ah Yue, go boil some water,” Lu Jianwei instructed before turning to Wei Liu, who was hanging her head in silence. “Let’s head upstairs first.”

Wei Liu nodded.

Once in the room, she murmured, “I didn’t expect it to come early this time. Manager Lu, I’ve embarrassed myself in front of you.”

“There’s nothing embarrassing about it,” Lu Jianwei said calmly. “It’s a natural bodily function—something both you and I share.”

“But earlier…” Wei Liu’s eyes flickered with shame. “There were so many men around, even my senior brother… Matters like this are… indelicate.”

Though normally bold and confident, Wei Liu still felt deeply self-conscious about such private matters.

The societal conditioning of women was subtle yet deeply ingrained—even she couldn’t escape it.

Lu Jianwei didn’t press further. “Once the hot water is ready, wash up and change your clothes. Avoid cold water these next few days, soak your feet before bed, and stay warm. No spicy or raw foods either.”

Her tone was even, but Wei Liu could sense genuine, unfeigned concern in her words.

“Thank you, Manager Lu.” Some of her tension eased, and she offered a sincere smile. “No one’s ever explained these things to me before.”

“Mm. Rest well.”

“Wait—” Wei Liu hesitated, then asked shyly, “I don’t have any… sanitary cloths. Could you lend me some?”

“I have a few unused ones. I’ll fetch them for you.”

Lu Jianwei left and headed upstairs.

“Xiao Ke,” she suddenly said, “I just realized something.”

“I was just thinking the same thing,” Xiao Ke replied, sounding a little guilty.

Lu Jianwei snorted.

“If Wei Liu hadn’t brought it up, I might’ve forgotten entirely. It’s been nearly two months since I arrived in the Qi Dynasty—why hasn’t my period come yet?”

This monthly visitor was a nuisance when it arrived, but its absence was strangely unsettling.

Xiao Ke explained, “Menstrual cycles can shift due to environmental factors. Your body hasn’t fully adjusted to the Qi Dynasty yet. It’ll normalize with time.”

“Fine. I’ll take your word for it.”

Lu Jianwei entered her room and browsed the system’s marketplace, selecting breathable, comfortable sanitary pads. She bought several dozen in one go.

She certainly didn’t have any traditional cloths on hand, but thankfully, the system’s store carried products far superior to anything in the Qi Dynasty—cleaner and more comfortable.

From what she knew, most women here used makeshift pads stitched from cloth strips and stuffed with rags or ash.

The ones sold in the system’s shop were lined with cotton—soft, dry, and infinitely more comfortable.

Still, no matter how good they were, they couldn’t compare to the convenience of modern industrial products.

Lu Jianwei scrolled through the marketplace. The special items section at the very bottom remained grayed out—still locked.

To unlock it, she needed to earn the friendship of at least one fifth-level martial artist.

“Xiao Ke, where am I supposed to find a qualified martial artist to befriend?”

“There’s actually one right here in the inn.”

“You can’t mean Yan Feicang?”

“Mm.”

Lu Jianwei shook her head. “Men like him seem simple, but earning their genuine respect is difficult. Besides… he’s face-blind.”

“Face-blind?” Xiao Ke was surprised. It hadn’t noticed.

“Wei Liu and I dress similarly, but our faces are completely different—yet he couldn’t tell us apart. Isn’t that face-blindness? Not to mention, I doubt he’d ever consider befriending a woman in the first place.”

The system sighed on her behalf. “Looks like your wish won’t be easily granted.”

“No worries, I’d rather not be friends with a natural-born schemer either.”

She wrapped a few menstrual cloths in fabric and carried them upstairs to the second floor.

Wei Liu was burning clothes in a copper basin.

“You’re burning your sect’s robes, just like that?” Lu Jianwei raised an eyebrow in surprise.

“They’re too filthy.”

Lu Jianwei’s expression turned intrigued.

That was… an oddly ambiguous remark.

Wei Liu seemed to realize her words were improper and looked up with a faint smile.

“I prefer the robes you gave me, Lu-jie. They smell nice and are clean. Good thing I wasn’t wearing them today.”

Lu Jianwei thought of the golden coptis flowers described in the medical texts—bright and delicate, yet bitter to the taste.

She handed the menstrual cloths to Wei Liu.

The moment Wei Liu touched them, she could tell they were unusual.

“These… are remarkable. Your things are always so extraordinary, Lu-jie.”

“I’ve always lived by my own rules—comfort comes first.”

“These must be expensive. Lu-jie, I’ll pay for all of them.” Before Lu Jianwei could respond, Wei Liu cut her off, “You’ve already helped me so much. If you refuse, I’ll feel guilty.”

“Fine.”

Lu Jianwei didn’t argue further.

She had bought each strip from the system’s store for thirty coins and told Wei Liu the exact price.

Wei Liu knew they couldn’t possibly be that cheap, but she didn’t press further, paying the full amount and silently tucking away her gratitude.

“Lu-jie, how old are you?”

“Twenty-five.”

Wei Liu’s almond-shaped eyes curved into crescents.

“I’m eighteen. Lu-jie, if you don’t mind, you can call me Xiao Liu—that’s what my martial sisters call me. And… may I call you jiejie?”

“If you like.”

Lu Jianwei gave a slight nod before retreating to the third floor to practice her cultivation techniques.

Yue Shu carried a bucket of hot water upstairs, calling out a quick greeting through the door before hurrying back to the kitchen.

Xue Guanhe was washing dishes.

“Xue-ge,” Yue Shu frowned, “It’s really pitiful how women have to bleed every month. No wonder most of them seem so delicate.”

Xue Guanhe: “…”

He forcefully changed the subject. “How’s your martial training coming along?”

Yue Shu immediately scratched his head in frustration.

“I feel like such an idiot. No matter how hard I practice, I make no progress. I can’t even grasp basic swordplay.”

Xue Guanhe understood all too well—he used to believe he had no talent for martial arts either. But after becoming the innkeeper’s disciple and learning cultivation methods tailored to him, he could clearly feel his improvement.

“Have you considered that maybe swordsmanship just isn’t where your talent lies?”

Yue Shu reflexively replied, “Of course I’ve thought about it, but it’s not like we can just pick and choose—”

Wait. There was someone right in front of him who could!

He shot Xue Guanhe an envious look.

“I wish I could try different paths too, to find what suits me.”

Xue Guanhe patted his shoulder reassuringly. “You’ll get your chance.”

Upstairs, after washing up and changing into clean robes, Wei Liu heard Tao Yang knock on her door.

“Shimei, are you alright?”

Wei Liu opened the door. “Come in.”

Tao Yang turned his head away, refusing to enter.

“Glad you’re fine. Just checking—I won’t come in.”

“Shixiong, wait.”

“What is it?”

“Get inside first.”

“…Alright.”

Tao Yang hesitated before stepping in, too awkward to sit.

“What did you want to say?”

“It’s been five days.” Wei Liu’s delicate brows furrowed. “We haven’t received any reply.”

Five days ago, they had sent a carrier pigeon. By now, they should have received a response—yet there was nothing.

Tao Yang’s expression darkened.

“I’ve been thinking about that too. Maybe the pigeon was delayed. Let’s wait a bit longer.”

But Wei Liu pressed on. “Remember how Lv Hudie and Cao Haozi left?”

“They were kicked out for stealing.”

“But they were clearly wealthy.”

Tao Yang shrugged. “Some people just crave money, no matter how rich they are.”

“True, but Lv Hudie and Cao Haozi have been infamous in the jianghu for years. I’ve never heard of them stealing before. And I doubt they’d be foolish enough to provoke a mysterious inn like this.”

“You’re right,” Tao Yang’s eyes widened in realization. “They barely did anything after arriving. Could they really have been after Yue-gongzi?”

“It’s possible.”

Tao Yang frowned. “After White Crane Manor was wiped out, it did send shockwaves through the martial world. But aside from Shifu, who else would care about Yue-zhuangzhu’s heir? Shifu only sent us to track them down so we could offer protection. What would Lv Hudie and the others want?”

“It’s more complicated than we thought.” Wei Liu paused, weighing her words. “If our goal is to protect them, why don’t we just reveal the truth now and bring them back with us?”

“Absolutely not!” Tao Yang paled. “Shifu said the ones who destroyed White Crane Manor are still at large. With just the two of us, we’d never keep them safe. We must wait for Shifu to come himself—only he can protect them properly.”

Wei Liu lowered her gaze, hiding the coldness in her eyes.

“But if they stay here, the inn could be in danger too.”

“Shifu warned us not to act rashly. Once he arrives, Lu-jie won’t be in danger either. Besides, there’s also Yan Feicang.”

“Do you really believe that?”

“Shifu knows best.”

Wei Liu fell silent for a moment before sipping her tea—an implicit agreement.

“Oh, one more thing.” Tao Yang asked casually, “Did you figure out anything from those clothes and jewelry?”

Wei Liu replied firmly, "No."

Thus, three more days passed, yet the carrier pigeon still did not arrive. Tao Yang could no longer restrain himself.

"Junior Sister, I’ll make another trip to Moonview City tomorrow."

He hurried out of the room, brushing past the railing when his gaze flickered toward the inn’s exterior.

The night was deep, the outside world shrouded in darkness and silence, save for the two lanterns illuminating a small patch of ground by the inn’s entrance.

Three figures approached swiftly, gradually nearing the courtyard gate.