No Fighting Allowed in the Inn

Uncle Zhang left the inn, clutching the shopping funds.

Zhu Yue wasn’t idle either. After cleaning the entire inn, he went to the front courtyard to practice martial arts diligently.

He had learned swordsmanship since childhood, but without a sword at hand, he could only grab a piece of firewood from the kitchen to use as a makeshift sword, practicing each move with precision.

Meanwhile, Lu Jianwei moved a stool to the third-floor corridor, basking in the sunlight while cultivating her inner energy. Having grasped the essence of the cultivation method, she progressed effortlessly, simply guiding her internal energy to circulate within her body to advance her progress bar.

Practice makes perfect, and now she could multitask with ease.

As her internal energy flowed, her gaze inadvertently fell on the young man practicing swordsmanship in the courtyard, and she raised an eyebrow.

“Little Guest, am I seeing this right?”

The system replied, “What?”

Lu Jianwei said, “Zhu Yue’s family background was quite respectable, so the swordsmanship he learned shouldn’t be bad. Yet, as someone who’s never studied swordsmanship, I can spot flaws in his moves.”

“Oh.”

“Is this related to the cultivation method?” Lu Jianwei smiled. “You’re so good to me.”

The system retorted, “It’s your own talent for swordsmanship. His internal energy is weak, and he’s only learned the basics of swordsmanship. It’s normal for you to spot weaknesses.”

“Really?” Lu Jianwei said, “Open the system shop.”

A blue screen appeared before her eyes.

She scrolled through the list of items and asked, “If I learn other skills first, will I still be able to learn the ones you recommended later?”

“They don’t conflict.”

In the martial world, there were many “jacks-of-all-trades” who dabbled in various martial arts. Skills were merely mediums for channeling internal energy, allowing it to be expressed in different forms. Of course, exceptional skills were like wings to a tiger for martial artists.

At the pinnacle of martial arts, one could even discard skills entirely, killing with a mere flick of a flower or a leaf.

But in the early stages, skills were still crucial.

Whether it was swordplay or saber techniques reliant on weapons, or palm and fist techniques reliant on the body, they all played a key role in combat.

Lu Jianwei’s newfound ability was particularly extraordinary at this stage.

If she continued to grow, she would easily discern her opponent’s weak points and defeat them in a single strike.

“Little Guest, do you think I should exchange for a few low-cost skills first, to experience the elegance and freedom of being a ‘master’?”

The system asked, “Aren’t you saving up for the top-tier lightness skill?”

“Look, ‘Wave Palm’ is only 1,000 copper, ‘Heart-Returning Sword Art’ is 2,000 copper, and ‘Trace of the Wild Goose’ is 2,000 copper. I can afford these.”

“You can, but it’s unnecessary,” the system reminded her. “You can pretend to be a master without using internal energy, but once you use martial skills, your disguise will fail.”

Lu Jianwei sighed, “Alright then. By the way, can you tell me which is more advanced, the ‘Heart-Returning Sword Art’ or the swordsmanship Zhu Yue is practicing?”

“Everything in the system shop is extraordinary,” the system said with a hint of pride. “I naturally wouldn’t provide skills below the average level of this world.”

Lu Jianwei smiled, “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.”

“Little Guest, I have a bit of a teaching inclination. Now that I’ve spotted flaws in Zhu Yue’s swordsmanship, I can’t help but itch to correct him. Can I teach him?”

“Of course, you can.”

Lu Jianwei asked calmly, “But I’m cultivating a method from the system. Can I use your cultivation method to teach someone else’s martial skills?”

“Of course, you can.”

“Then, if I learn martial skills in the future, can I teach them to others too?”

The system hesitated for a few seconds before asking, “Aren’t you afraid they might surpass you?”

“Not at all. What’s there to fear? If martial artists hoarded their knowledge, the martial world wouldn’t exist,” Lu Jianwei declared righteously. “The various sects in the martial world are all places where cultivation methods and martial skills are taught, aren’t they?”

The system felt a pang of guilt, “I had some prejudice against you before.”

It had assumed that someone as frugal as Lu Jianwei wouldn’t possess such a broad-minded spirit.

Lu Jianwei smiled faintly, “It’s fine. I’ve just been hiding it well. Exchange ‘Wave Palm,’ ‘Heart-Returning Sword Art,’ and ‘Trace of the Wild Goose’ for me.”

The system exclaimed, “Huh?”

“And I need to buy a weapon.” She scrolled through the weapon section, comparing the details of each item. After a moment, she made up her mind and bought the cheapest sword, priced at five taels of silver.

The system asked, “What are you planning to do?”

Lu Jianwei countered, “Don’t you think the inn needs comprehensive, multi-layered development?”

“So?”

“I’m only one person. When the inn gets more guests, I won’t be able to handle everything alone. It’s better to train a few more fighters to share the burden.”

The system was astonished, “You mean…”

“Exactly.”

“You’re willing to spend money on them?”

Lu Jianwei stated solemnly, “This is for the overall development of the inn.”

“Aren’t you afraid of exposing your weak internal energy?”

“Little Guest, using techniques doesn’t necessarily require internal energy, does it?”

“That’s true.”

Seeing that she had successfully convinced the system, Lu Jianwei smiled, “In the future, to enhance the inn’s overall combat strength and ensure its safety, I might exchange for more martial skills. Don’t be stingy, okay?”

“I won’t.” It couldn’t possibly be more frugal than its host.

Lu Jianwei’s eyes curved into a smile, “Good.”

She stood up and leaned against the railing, looking down at the young man sweating profusely in the courtyard. From her personal inventory, she took out a sword with a plain scabbard.

“Zhu Yue.”

The young man stopped his sword practice and looked up at the third floor.

The woman stood by the railing, bathed in sunlight, as radiant as a beauty from a painting.

“Sister Manager, do you need me to do something?”

Lu Jianwei held the sword and tossed it down.

“Catch.”

The sword fell from the third floor, and Zhu Yue instinctively caught it. The substantial weight in his hand made his face light up with joy.

Practicing with firewood was like writing with a straw—it just didn’t compare.

He eagerly drew the sword, and a flash of cold light dazzled his eyes—

This sword was no ordinary weapon!

Though he wasn’t fond of practicing swordsmanship, he couldn’t help but feel a deep affection for this exquisite blade.

His family once had an armory filled with various weapons. Swords, being the gentleman of weapons, were well-represented, and each one was worth a fortune, some even costing tens of thousands of taels. Yet, this cold, sharp sword in his hand was no less impressive than those in his family’s collection.

Zhu Yue’s eyes trembled slightly as he asked, “Sister, why are you giving me this sword?”

“How can you practice swordsmanship without a sword?” Lu Jianwei observed his expression and knew that this sword must be extraordinary in his eyes. “Use it for practice.”

Zhu Yue was stunned. Gratitude and respect welled up in his chest, but his throat felt clogged, as if stuffed with cotton, leaving him unable to express his thoughts.

By the time the lump in his throat subsided and he could speak, Lu Jianwei had already returned to her room.

“Little Guest, I’ll start learning ‘Trace of the Wild Goose.’”

A thin booklet fell into her hands, and Lu Jianwei opened the first page.

This was the lightness skill she had longed for. Though it was far inferior to “Timeless Flow,” it was still a lightness skill!

Every martial skill had a varying number of techniques, each building upon the previous one. Only by mastering the earlier techniques could one progress to the later ones.

“Trace of the Wild Goose” had nine techniques, as most martial skills did, likely because nine was considered the ultimate number.

The first technique was called “Flying Goose,” as even geese had to learn to fly first.

With the help of her cultivation method, Lu Jianwei quickly grasped the essence of “Flying Goose.”

Standing on the floor, she channeled her internal energy to her feet, relying on its support to float shakily toward the ceiling.

“Thud.” She failed to transition mid-air and fell back to the floor.

Thanks to her internal energy, the fall didn’t hurt.

She got up and continued practicing.

No matter how talented Lu Jianwei was, martial skills required practice to master. She repeated the process over and over, falling countless times before finally managing to “float” from the floor to the ceiling, as graceful as a goose gliding through the sky.

A sense of immense accomplishment filled her heart.

Lu Jianwei’s enthusiasm for learning grew even stronger. Once she overcame the initial clumsiness, the rest came naturally.

By the time Uncle Zhang returned with the carriage, she had already mastered the third technique.

Her personal information updated in real-time.

Skill: Trace of the Wild Goose (3/9) (Such a clumsy goose is rare indeed.)

Lu Jianwei: “…”

She ignored the comment in parentheses and walked downstairs, filled with joy.

Uncle Zhang parked the carriage outside and heard the sound of a sword being wielded in the courtyard, leaving him puzzled.

Was someone practicing swordsmanship?

He pushed the door open.

Zhu Yue saw him and hurried over, her face beaming with excitement. "The innkeeper lent me a precious sword!" she exclaimed.

He proudly held up the sword in his hand, as if presenting a treasure.

Uncle Zhang's pupils contracted slightly, his gaze fixed on the sword, unable to look away for a long time.

With his decades of experience, he could tell that the value of this sword was immeasurable.

The Eight Directions Inn was indeed no ordinary place if it could casually lend out such a rare treasure.

His reverence for the inn deepened even further.

Uncle Zhang looked up and spoke earnestly, "From now on, dedicate yourself wholeheartedly to serving the inn."

"Of course!" Zhu Yue agreed without hesitation, then craned her neck to look at the goods on the donkey cart. "Uncle Zhang, how did you manage to transport so much stuff?"

The unruly martial artists of the jianghu had become increasingly brazen, and the authorities couldn't just stand by and do nothing. As a result, the rules for entering and exiting the city had become much stricter.

Not only was there a thorough inspection upon entering the city, but leaving the city also required a check.

If a martial artist stole a large amount of treasure within the city, their only option was to transport it out of the city—lightweight techniques weren't foolproof, and beyond a certain weight, even the most skilled martial artists couldn't carry the loot with them.

Transporting goods out of the city required a travel permit and proof of purchase, which helped prevent theft and smuggling.

Of course, such regulations only deterred low-level, unimaginative martial artists. There were plenty of ways to move goods out of the city without being inspected.

Uncle Zhang explained, "I made up an excuse and hired a villager to transport the goods out of the city. Then, I met up with them outside the city gates."

"I see," Zhu Yue replied.

"I'll go unload the goods. You keep practicing your sword skills," Uncle Zhang said as he led the donkey into the stable. He took some hay from the cart and poured it into the trough for the donkey to munch on.

After handling all the goods, he dusted off his clothes and respectfully entered the main hall. Seeing Lu Jianwei behind the counter, he bowed deeply.

"Innkeeper, I've brought back the lumber and tools. There's also something I need to discuss with you."

Lu Jianwei smiled warmly. "You've worked hard. Go ahead."

"The villagers outside the city are interested in selling ingredients to the inn on a long-term basis. They're also willing to supply lumber. Would you be open to that?"

Entering the city required paying fees, so the villagers preferred to walk an extra ten miles to sell directly to the inn rather than go into the city.

"The inn doesn't have many guests right now. Buying so many ingredients would just go to waste."

Uncle Zhang had mentioned this before, but Lu Jianwei had thought it was a one-time deal and hadn't paid much attention, so she had agreed.

Uncle Zhang suggested, "The villagers make their own pickled vegetables, cured meats, and salted fish. Preserved ingredients last longer, so the inn could stock up on some."

Lu Jianwei's eyes lit up. That made sense!

Even if the villagers didn't have fresh produce or meat, they could be hired to go into the city to buy and preserve ingredients. They'd likely be happy to do so for a small fee.

Other miscellaneous tasks could also be delegated to the villagers, so Uncle Zhang wouldn't have to personally go into the city for supplies.

After all, Uncle Zhang was the inn's strongest fighter, and it was best if he didn't leave unless absolutely necessary.

"That works," Lu Jianwei agreed. "You can handle the negotiations and draft a contract with the villagers."

"Understood," Uncle Zhang replied, preparing to leave.

Lu Jianwei stopped him, casually asking, "What kind of martial arts are you skilled in?"

"I'm ashamed to admit it, but I only know some basic palm techniques."

Lu Jianwei chuckled. "Don't sell yourself short."

She had guessed correctly.

Uncle Zhang's palms didn't have the thick calluses left by weapons, so he likely specialized in fist or palm techniques.

Her decision to purchase the "Ripple Palm" technique had been a good bet after all.