No Fighting Allowed in the Inn-Chapter 101

◎Rescuing, Pleading, Making a Resolution◎

Lu Jianwei stepped into the consultation room, where Yuan Qiong sat by the bedside with a deeply furrowed brow.

Lying on the bed was a young woman, her face pale, eyes tightly shut, her breathing nearly imperceptible.

On the other side of the bed stood another person, silent and unassuming in appearance, yet unmistakably a Martial King at the early eighth rank.

Lu Jianwei was more concerned about Shangguan Yao’s condition. After only a brief glance, she turned to Yuan Qiong and asked, "How is she?"

"Manager Lu, A'Yao was born with fragile meridians. I’ve been treating her all these years, but this time is different—her meridians are severely damaged. I’ve managed to prevent further deterioration, but..." Yuan Qiong shook her head with a sigh.

"But what?"

Yuan Qiong looked toward the eighth-rank Martial King. "Perhaps Dean Shangguan should explain."

Dean Shangguan?

Lu Jianwei raised her gaze to meet his.

"I am Shangguan Huai. Forgive my intrusion and impropriety," he said courteously, clasping his hands in greeting. "My daughter has spoken highly of you since returning home. Now that I’ve met you, I see she was right—you truly are extraordinary."

Lu Jianwei had long grown immune to flattery. No amount of praise could stir even the slightest ripple in her heart.

"Dean Shangguan, did you come all this way just for A'Yao’s treatment?"

"No," Shangguan Huai admitted frankly.

Lu Jianwei nodded. "Then let’s focus on treating A'Yao first. We can discuss other matters later."

She sat by the bed and took Shangguan Yao’s pulse.

Shangguan Huai explained, "A'Yao was born with meridians too weak for martial arts. Though she appears delicate, her spirit is unyielding—she’s never accepted her limitations. Fortunately, she has a talent for martial techniques, so I devoted myself to teaching her..."

"Get to the point," Lu Jianwei interjected with a frown.

"Ah, yes." Shangguan Huai quickly reorganized his words. "She went out to explore the world, but after returning home, she secretly began studying internal techniques, trying to cultivate inner energy. That’s what led to this severe backlash."

His voice was hoarse with suppressed emotion, though the rough mask he wore concealed any change in expression.

After checking her pulse, Lu Jianwei understood Shangguan Yao’s condition.

Her meridians were indeed severely damaged. Without prompt treatment, she might spend the rest of her life bedridden as an invalid.

"Manager Lu, what do you think?" Yuan Qiong asked anxiously.

Lu Jianwei withdrew her hand. "Do you have a treatment plan, Physician Yuan?"

"I do, but the risks are too great." Yuan Qiong sighed guiltily. "I specialize in meridian therapy, but my knowledge of other areas is limited."

Lu Jianwei explained, "A'Yao forcibly used her meridians to store inner energy, but her naturally weak meridians couldn’t withstand the flow. They’ve begun rupturing from the inside out. Right now, a trace of inner energy remains trapped in her meridians. Without expelling it, further treatment is impossible."

"Exactly. If it were ordinary meridian damage, I could treat it. But a case like A'Yao’s... I don’t know where to begin." Yuan Qiong hesitated before adding, "Manager Lu, you’ve treated cases of 'inner energy parasitism' before. Do you have a suitable method?"

Lu Jianwei retrieved her acupuncture kit and turned to Shangguan Huai.

"I need to perform acupuncture on A'Yao. Dean Shangguan, please step outside for now."

Shangguan Huai cupped his hands respectfully. "We are in your debt, Manager Lu."

With that, he left the room.

Little Tao had been waiting anxiously in the front courtyard. Seeing him emerge, she hurried over. "Master, how is the young mistress?"

"Manager Lu seems confident. I believe she can heal A'Yao," Shangguan Huai replied gently. "Little Tao, there’s no need to worry."

Little Tao was consumed by guilt. "It’s all my fault for not being attentive enough. I didn’t notice the young mistress practicing internal techniques, and now she’s suffering so much."

"Don’t blame yourself. If A'Yao wanted to hide it from you, no amount of vigilance would have helped."

Inside the room, Lu Jianwei employed the "Soul-Separating Needle Technique" to meticulously extract and cleanse the inner energy Shangguan Yao had cultivated.

Such a minuscule amount of inner energy—her own, no less—had wreaked such havoc on her meridians. It was a testament to just how fragile they truly were.

Once the inner energy was cleared, the remaining meridian damage was left to Yuan Qiong.

Too focused to speak, Yuan Qiong merely cast her a grateful glance before devoting herself to Shangguan Yao’s treatment.

Lu Jianwei exited the room and returned to the front courtyard.

Shangguan Huai and Little Tao sat side by side on the steps, their postures tense with worry. At the sound of the door opening, they turned in unison, their eyes pleading for news.

Little Tao’s expression was understandable, but Shangguan Huai—the dean of Luzhou Academy and an eighth-rank Martial King—carried himself without the slightest air of superiority.

Truly a remarkable man.

"Manager Lu, how is A'Yao?"

"I’ve cleared the inner energy from her meridians. With Physician Yuan’s care, she’ll recover."

"Thank you, Manager Lu, for saving her life." Shangguan Huai bowed deeply.

Lu Jianwei waved it off casually.

Tiao brought over a chair, while Yun Hui set down a low table and teacup.

"Manager, why not sit and rest for a while?"

Lu Jianwei obliged, accepting the teacup with a smile. "With Madam Yun in the shop, everything feels more at ease."

Yun Hui replied without hesitation, "If you’ll have me, Manager, I’ll work for you for the rest of my life."

"That would be wonderful." Lu Jianwei chuckled before a practical concern crossed her mind.

She turned to Tiao. "The other day, when we went to White Crane Manor, you stayed behind at the inn, so I didn’t get a chance to tell you. Come spring next year, I’ll be leaving Jiangzhou and returning to the main inn in Fengzhou. What are your plans?"

"I’ll go with you," Tiao blurted out.

She had vowed to earn money to repay the debt of her life being saved. Since the manager didn’t have a dedicated medicine attendant, Tiao could assist her in treating patients rather than leaving everything to Lu Jianwei alone.

Lu Jianwei then looked at Yun Hui. "Madam Yun..."

"I’m not a martial artist, so I won’t hold you back," Yun Hui said with a smile. "As long as Tiao is safe, I’m content. Staying in Jiangzhou to manage the shop is just as well."

Having experienced the pain of losing her own parents, Lu Jianwei couldn’t bear to see others separated from their loved ones.

After a moment’s thought, she said, "I’m a lazy person by nature. Once we return to the main inn in Fengzhou, I’ll miss having someone as capable as you around. If you can bear to leave Jiangzhou, why not come with us to Fengzhou?"

Yun Hui was taken aback. "But I don’t know martial arts. If we encounter trouble—like those two assassins in the stable—Uncle Zhang and Physician Yuan nearly... and I couldn’t do anything to help."

"How so?" Lu Jianwei praised warmly. "Uncle Zhang told me everything. If you hadn’t thrown those medicinal pellets to subdue the enemy, the situation would’ve been far worse."

At the same time, she silently asked Xiao Ke, "Is it possible for someone Madam Yun’s age to learn martial arts?"

"Would you like me to run a scan?" Xiao Ke asked eagerly.

After a brief pause, Lu Jianwei said, "Scan both Tiao and Yun Hui."

"Jianwei, I’ve noticed you’ve become more generous," Xiao Ke remarked cheerfully as it deducted ten thousand copper coins. "The old you would’ve pinched every penny."

"When I first arrived, I had nothing and no way to protect myself. Of course, I had to save up for tools and martial skills. Besides, it’s not like I’m giving it away for free."

These were high-quality workers. Once trained, they wouldn’t even require wages—just a small upfront investment in martial skills. Hardly an act of generosity.

Xiao Ke pressed, "Aren’t you afraid they’ll take the skills and leave—or even betray you?"

"Do they look stupid to you?"

"What do you mean?"

"Employees leave for three reasons: insufficient benefits, a terrible boss, or hitting a ceiling with no room to grow." Lu Jianwei countered, "Which of those applies to Eight Directions Inn?"

Xiao Ke remarked, "That makes sense, but it doesn’t stop some people from having unusual minds."

"If something like that really happens, I’ll make sure they regret ever being born."

Xiao Ke: "…"

"Finished the assessment?"

"It’s done," Xiao Ke replied. "Tiao has a bone and talent aptitude of 85%, which is upper-tier. Recommended cultivation method: Everlasting Joy. Recommended martial technique: One-Inch Whip Technique."

"What about Yun Hui?"

"Yun Hui, bone and talent aptitude of 80%, mid-to-upper tier. Recommended cultivation method: Gentle Rain at Dawn. Recommended martial technique: Two or Three Points."

Lu Jianwei: "Hidden weapons?"

"Exactly. Yun Hui is meticulous and gentle by nature, unsuited for direct confrontation."

"I see. I just didn’t expect her aptitude to be this good too. What a waste."

"Tiao is exceptionally talented. As her mother, Yun Hui naturally wouldn’t be far behind." Xiao Ke couldn’t wait to ask, "Are we buying now?"

Lu Jianwei: "No rush."

The mental exchange took only an instant.

Yun Hui, pleased by her affirmation, didn’t notice her momentary distraction.

"That was all thanks to Tiao’s medicinal pills. I just threw them."

Deep down, she longed to stay with her daughter, but after everything Lu Jianwei had done for Tiao—traveling all the way to Dianzhou, venturing into the perilous Soul-Severing Ridge—she couldn’t bear to impose further.

Lu Jianwei cut straight to the point: "Yun Hui, if you had the chance to learn martial arts, would you take it?"

"Ah?" Yun Hui was stunned. "Martial arts? Me?"

"Why not?"

"But I—I’m slow, and I’m already so old. It’s impossible." Conditioned by society, she was filled with self-doubt.

Lu Jianwei said simply, "Don’t you want to protect Tiao with your own strength?"

She did. More than anything!

Every time Yun Hui remembered the past, she wished she could go back ten years, armed with the power to defy her clan and flee with Tiao.

She resented those who had hurt Tiao, but she despised her own helplessness even more.

Now that the opportunity was before her, how could she refuse?

She couldn’t!

"Lu Jianwei, if this chance is real… I want to learn."

If she could master martial arts, she wouldn’t be a burden anymore. She could even be of greater help.

Lu Jianwei nodded. "Understood. We’ll discuss the details later."

The door opened, and Yuan Qiong stepped out.

"Dean Shangguan, I’ve stabilized Yao’s meridians. She’s out of immediate danger, but she must rest and recuperate. She can never cultivate internal energy again."

Shangguan Huai: "Thank you, Physician Yuan. I’ll make sure Yao is well cared for."

"If not for Lu Jianwei removing the erratic energy first, I wouldn’t have been able to treat Yao." Yuan Qiong turned to Lu Jianwei. "Dean Shangguan knew I was in Jiangzhou and brought Yao straight to me. Given her critical state, moving her again wasn’t an option, so I sent Little Tao to the manor. I apologize for making you come all this way."

"No need for apologies. Yao is my friend. Saving her was only right." Lu Jianwei paused. "Dean Shangguan, though I haven’t known Yao long, I can tell she isn’t reckless. If she had truly disregarded the risks to cultivate internal energy, she wouldn’t have waited until now."

Shangguan Huai sighed. "You’re absolutely right. Truthfully, I think so too, but with Yao in such danger, I haven’t had time to investigate."

"My apologies for overstepping."

"Not at all!" Shangguan Huai waved his hands. "You clearly care for Yao deeply. I’m only grateful. May I see her now?"

Lu Jianwei: "Go ahead."

Shangguan Huai and Little Tao entered the room, while Yuan Qiong hesitated, seeming to want to speak.

"Physician Yuan, feel free to say what’s on your mind."

"Earlier, you didn’t shield your acupuncture technique from me. I should have excused myself, but I was too worried about Yao. My apologies."

Lu Jianwei hadn’t intended to hide it. Recalling Tiao’s confusion about the needle technique in Dada City, she asked curiously, "Did you understand what you saw?"

"Only a few steps stood out to me. The deeper principles remain beyond my grasp." Yuan Qiong smiled wryly. "Back at the Divine Physician Valley, everyone praised me, and I thought myself highly skilled. But after leaving, I realized how limited my knowledge truly was."

Lu Jianwei teased lightly, "No need for self-deprecation. The day we returned from Dianzhou, the line of patients seeking your help stretched down the entire street."

"Compared to you or Elder Lin, I’m far from adequate."

Bai Guo, smelling of herbs, rushed over. "Master, the medicine is brewing now."

"Good," Yuan Qiong said. "Go sort the herbs."

"But Master, I have a question for Lu Jianwei."

Lu Jianwei patted her braided hair.

"What is it?"

"Lu Jianwei, since your medical skills are so amazing, can you cure Shangguan Yao’s condition?"

"Bai Guo!" Yuan Qiong scolded sharply.

Lu Jianwei chuckled. "You want to heal Shangguan Yao?"

"Yes. She’s suffered so much."

"Then study hard. Strive to heal her yourself one day, alright?"

"But I’m too young, and I learn too slowly. Shangguan Yao can’t wait that long." Bai Guo shook her head vigorously.

Lu Jianwei: "Then take it step by step. Every day’s progress adds up. A year from now, you’ll have come far."

"Okay!" Energized by the encouragement, Bai Guo dashed off to organize the herbs.

The topic was dropped.

Shangguan Huai emerged, leaving Little Tao to watch over Yao.

"Lu Jianwei, might we speak privately?"

Lu Jianwei: "Here is fine."

With Yao’s emergency, Yuan Qiong had suspended consultations, leaving the inn free of outsiders.

Shangguan Huai clasped his hands. "Have you received the Martial Alliance’s Hero Summons?"

"I have."

"Do you plan to attend?"

Lu Jianwei caught his meaning. "You want me there?"

"Not just want—I’m pleading. Every martial arts tournament brings injuries, even deaths. Luzhou Academy is no exception. Our focus is on refining techniques, not combat. Our fighters are few and lack prowess. Each time we participate, we suffer losses…"

"Get to the point."

"Right." He took a breath. "I’m asking you to treat any injured academy disciples. Payment: twenty thousand per patient."

Lu Jianwei smiled. "Dean Shangguan, I’m a businesswoman. While your offer is generous, it holds little value for me. If no one gets hurt—or only a handful do—why should I travel all the way to Luozhou for mere thousands?"

"If you agree, beyond the fees, I’ll add five hundred thousand for travel expenses."

Lu Jianwei: "…"

Now that was lavish.

A few thousand meant little now, but half a million? That eased the pressure of Xiao Wu’s "tuition" of over three and a half million.

Still, she hesitated.

"Shopkeeper Lu, this is your first time receiving the Hero Invitation, so you might not be familiar with the Grand Competition," Shangguan Huai began enthusiastically. "The Grand Competition consists of arena matches and private duels. Arena matches are official contests where winners receive generous rewards, including a prize of up to three hundred thousand taels. Private duels involve martial artists seeking out opponents and issuing challenges. Once a challenge is accepted, the duel must proceed unless the challenged party pays a forfeit fee of one hundred taels. Before the duel, both sides stake a wager, and the winner takes the opponent's wager."

Lu Jianwei nodded. "Thank you, Dean Shangguan, for the clarification."

"Ah, have I been talking too much?" Shangguan Huai scratched his head sheepishly. "Shopkeeper Lu, would you be interested in collaborating?"

"Dean Shangguan, do you always wear a mask when discussing business with others?"

"My apologies, I forgot about it." Shangguan Huai touched the edge of his mask but didn’t remove it. "How impolite of me. Please forgive me, Shopkeeper Lu. I was too eager today. Tomorrow, I’ll bring the consultation fee and pay you a formal visit."

Lu Jianwei replied, "No need. A'Yao hasn’t woken up yet. Let’s discuss other matters after she recovers. The consultation fee can wait until then."

"Very well, then I won’t disturb you further."

Lu Jianwei didn’t linger. Before returning to the manor, she instructed Tiao, "Once A'Yao wakes up, you and your mother should come to the manor together."

"Understood."

By the time she returned to White Crane Manor, the sun was setting, just in time for dinner.

As she stepped over the threshold, instead of the familiar screen wall, she was met with an odd sight—artificial hills and a pond.

An illusion array?

She stood still.

Within moments, the array dissipated, revealing the manor’s true appearance.

Wen Zhuzhi walked around the screen wall, his expression gentle.

"It was Yue’s doing."

Lu Jianwei carried a clay pot as she slowly made her way to the dining hall.

"When I first met him, he still needed protection. Over time, I grew accustomed to it. You were right—he has matured."

Wen Zhuzhi walked beside her, softly humming in agreement, a smile lingering in his eyes.

"Not just Yue—Guan He, Uncle Zhang, Yan Feicang, and Tiao have all improved greatly."

"That’s thanks to your guidance."

"Yue wasn’t taught by me," Lu Jianwei chuckled before shifting the topic. "What do you think of Shangguan Huai from Luzhou Academy?"

Wen Zhuzhi replied, "An early-stage eighth-rank Martial King, easygoing by nature, rarely engages in fights, and is said to be quite the talker."

Quite the talker?

What a diplomatic way to put it.

Lu Jianwei neither agreed nor disagreed, simply stating, "Someone who holds the position of dean at Luzhou Academy can’t be a fool."

"He’s certainly no fool—in fact, he’s quite astute. His martial prowess isn’t the highest in the academy, and he has few staunch supporters. His appointment as dean was the result of a compromise among factions."

Lu Jianwei was relieved. Commander Pei’s encyclopedic knowledge of the martial world spared her from stumbling in the dark.

"So, he’s just a figurehead, placed there for balance?"

"Indeed. Did you meet him today?"

"He invited me to join the Grand Competition at the Martial Alliance as Luzhou Academy’s hired physician." Lu Jianwei pondered further. "On the surface, it seems reasonable, but my instincts tell me there’s more to it." freewebnσvel.cѳm

"Jianwei, you’re underestimating yourself—and the reputation of Eight Directions Inn."

Lu Jianwei waited for him to continue.

"Your medical skills alone make you worth the effort, not to mention your current standing in the martial world," Wen Zhuzhi explained. "By inviting you, he hopes to reduce casualties during the competition and borrow your influence. But perhaps what he truly values is your title as the 'Heroine of Justice.'"

"Does he have a grievance?"

"Shangguan He of Jingzhou—do you remember him?"

Lu Jianwei replied, "Of course."

She could forget anyone but not the man who had generously contributed to her experience.

"He secretly researched 'internal force symbiosis.' When discovered, Luzhou Academy stripped him of his lineage status and expelled him. But within the academy, many have lost their minds delving into martial techniques."

Lu Jianwei understood. "So others are still researching this?"

"There are some leads, but no concrete evidence yet."

"What does Shangguan Huai want? For me to cleanse his academy?" Lu Jianwei shook her head. "That’s wishful thinking."

Wen Zhuzhi smiled. "What if, during the Grand Competition, you happen to expose such wrongdoers? Would you intervene?"

"So that’s his plan." Lu Jianwei grasped Shangguan Huai’s "good intentions."

When evildoers crossed her path, their misdeeds were inevitably exposed, punished, and scorned by the entire martial world.

Since the inn’s rise in the martial world, such incidents had never ceased.

If some fool dared provoke her at the chaotic Martial Alliance gathering, she would surely reveal their true nature for all to see.

Even figureheads had their own schemes.

"Shopkeeper, Young Master Wen, dinner is ready." Xue Guanhe’s voice approached from a distance.

The two stopped their conversation and headed to the dining hall together.

Lu Jianwei still carried the clay pot. She placed it in a corner before taking her seat at the head of the table.

The staff didn’t ask about its contents.

"Shopkeeper, is everything at the inn alright?" Uncle Zhang inquired. "The manor doesn’t need much attention now. I’ll return to the inn tomorrow."

Lu Jianwei nodded. "That’s fine."

Midway through the meal, she asked Yan Feicang, "Were the prizes you won from arena matches or private duels?"

"Some from arenas, others from challenges."

"What happens if a martial artist is injured during a match?"

"Those with physicians rely on them. Otherwise, the Martial Alliance provides physicians—for a fee."

"Is medical treatment free?"

"Only for one’s own faction. The Martial Alliance charges."

"Is the Grand Competition always held at the Martial Alliance in Luozhou?"

"Yes."

Lu Jianwei lowered her gaze in thought.

Another’s territory was never as safe or comfortable as one’s own.

While the staff needed experience, there was no need to play by others’ rules on their turf.

The ultimate goal of running the inn was to rewrite the rules—to become the one who set them.

The eight thousand acres of land in Fengzhou shouldn’t go to waste either.

If ​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‍so, why not start dismantling the old system with this Martial Alliance Grand Competition?

She looked at her staff and announced, "Next spring, we’ll return directly to Fengzhou."

"Shopkeeper, aren’t you attending the Martial Alliance’s Grand Competition?"

Lu Jianwei smiled. "There can be a competition, but it doesn’t have to be at the Martial Alliance. Take your time eating—I’ll retire first."

She left the dining hall, taking Xiao Ke with her.

A stunned silence followed.

Xue Guanhe was the first to break it. "What did the shopkeeper mean just now?"

"I think she’s saying we won’t attend the competition," Yue Shu replied. "Not going is fine. I still need to improve my mystic arts."

Liang Shangjun, gnawing on a chicken leg, mumbled, "Are you all daft? She’s saying she won’t accept the Martial Alliance’s invitation but could host her own event."

"Hosting the Grand Competition at Eight Directions Inn sounds intriguing," A'Nai teased, turning to Wen Zhuzhi. "Young Master, doesn’t Shopkeeper Lu always come up with such novel ideas?"

Wen Zhuzhi answered candidly, "Naturally."

"But the Martial Alliance has already sent out Hero Invitations. Would martial artists really snub them and change their plans?" Xue Guanhe asked, puzzled.

Yan Feicang stated with certainty, "They would."

When the stakes are high enough, not only will the rogues of the martial world seize the opportunity, but even the righteous alliance itself won't let such a chance slip by.