Cultivating for a hundred lifetimes to ascension Chapter 5 Golden Wind Jade Dew Meet Once

"This..." Zhao Sanchong paused for a beat, his expression clouded with a look of deep apology. "Our Young Master has a long-standing aversion to receiving strangers."

Witnessing his reluctance, Wang Yuqi instantly shouted toward the entrance of the shop, "Wang Si."

The echoes of her voice had barely faded when the middle-aged coachman, who had been waiting outside, seemed to step through the very air. In a flash, he crossed a distance of three zhang and materialized before the group.

Moving forward with a respectful bow, he asked, "Miss, what are your commands?"

Zhao Sanchong felt a surge of inner alarm. This coachman possessed extraordinary martial arts prowess, clearly a peak expert of the Martial World, yet he was serving the Wang Family in such a lowly capacity.

Wang Yuqi gave her command: "Wang Si, ensure he takes us to meet his Young Master."

"Wait!"

Realizing his charade was about to fall apart, Zhao Sanchong shouted in haste, "There is no need for conflict, I shall escort you there."

"Then lead the way!" Wang Si replied, his voice cold and demanding.

...

After fifteen minutes of walking under Zhao Sanchong’s guidance, the party arrived at a courtyard of exquisite elegance.

Even before they stepped through the gate, the Wang sisters were greeted by the melodic strains of a guqin drifting from the rear of the property.

The music fluctuated between majestic heights, resonating like the grandeur of mountains, and gentle trickles that felt as soft as a flowing stream, carrying profound emotional weight.

Captivated by such mesmerizing guqin music, the two sisters found themselves becoming lost in the melody.

Zhao Sanchong secretly marveled at the Ninth Young Master’s brilliance, noting how perfectly he manipulated the strings of the human heart.

When the final notes eventually dissolved into silence, the Wang sisters finally snapped out of their trance, feeling as though they were waking from a dream.

One should not be surprised by their loss of composure. The reason lay in the history of the Wang Family, whose founder had been a Loose Cultivator.

Because they understood the hardships of the path to immortality, the Wang Family focused entirely on Cultivation. Pursuits like the guqin, chess, calligraphy, and painting were dismissed as trivial hobbies.

Consequently, life in Fragrant Swallow Valley was always cold and the social atmosphere was incredibly dull; never in their lives had the sisters heard guqin playing of such caliber.

"Quickly, take us to see your Young Master," Wang Yuqi urged the moment she recovered.

Though her sister, Wang Yu Yan, remained silent, the look of anticipation in her eyes betrayed her own curiosity.

"Ladies, follow me!"

With those words, Zhao Sanchong led them through the courtyard, past the main hall, and down a long corridor. They soon entered a garden decorated with rockeries and artificial streams.

In the heart of the garden, sitting within an Octagonal Pavilion, was a Young Master dressed in white. With a face as refined as fine jade and eyes that sparkled like stars, he possessed an extraordinary and graceful aura as he quietly tuned an ancient guqin.

As the saying goes, "When Golden Wind encounters Jade Dew, they surpass countless encounters in the mortal world."

The elaborate trap Zhao Sheng had set for the sisters was proving effective from the very first moment.

Appetite and desire are fundamental to human nature. In this world, the appreciation of beauty is not exclusive to men; women are equally susceptible.

Approaching the pavilion, Zhao Sanchong announced loudly, "Young Master, visitors have arrived!"

Zhao Sheng acted as if he were being startled out of a deep reverie, slowly raising his gaze to look at the two sisters.

They were now at a very close distance.

Zhao Sheng’s stunningly handsome features were fully revealed to them.

What young woman in her prime does not have romantic thoughts? Even though they could tell the man before them was merely a mortal, the Wang sisters felt their hearts flutter uncontrollably.

Zhao Sheng seemed to hesitate before asking in a low, resonant voice, "Manager Zhao, who are these guests? Why have you brought them here?"

Sticking to the plan, Zhao Sanchong explained the reason for the Wang Family’s visit and naturally steered the conversation toward the perfume and the concept of the 'destined individual.'

Upon hearing the explanation, a soft smile finally touched Zhao Sheng’s lips, and his demeanor grew warm.

He gestured toward several cushions placed near his zither table, saying, "Please, honored guests, take a seat!"

The sisters traded a quick look before entering the Octagonal Pavilion and seating themselves with perfect poise on the cushions.

"I am Zhao Zhiqin. May I ask for the names of these two ladies?"

"I am Wang Yu Yan."

"And I am Wang Yuqi."

The sisters answered simultaneously the moment Zhao Sheng finished his question.

"Ah, the two daughters of the Wang Family. Please forgive my lack of manners!" Zhao Sheng nodded, his behavior flawlessly polite.

Wang Yu Yan spoke plainly, "Our visit today concerns that unique perfume. Young Master Zhao has stated it is only for one who is destined. I wonder, who exactly is this person?"

Zhao Sheng fell into a brief silence before beginning to recount a heartbreaking tale of love in a somber tone.

He had crafted the story by blending famous romantic tragedies like the Magpie Bridge Meeting and the legend of the Butterfly Lovers.

He spoke of a poor scholar and a wealthy girl whose love was cruelly dismantled by her father. Driven by humiliation, the youth trained until he became an Innate Grandmaster, while the girl was forced into a high-society marriage, eventually dying of a broken heart in her youth.

"...In her final moments, that tragic woman formulated a scent to honor their lost love, calling it Golden Wind Jade Dew. There is even a poem to mark the tale!"

At that moment, Zhao Sheng began to recite: "Clouds drift in delicate shapes, shooting stars convey grief, the silver river spans dark and far. When Golden Wind and Jade Dew meet, they surpass all others in this mortal world. Feelings flow like water, our meeting but a dream, the path back from Magpie Bridge is hard to face. If love is meant to last, what does it matter if we are apart through the passing of days and nights?"

The beauty of literature truly knows no bounds. Even in this different world, the poignant emotions of the 'Magpie Bridge Immortal' verses immediately struck a chord within the hearts of these sheltered young women.

Wang Yuqi’s eyes grew misty with tears, her heart aching with sympathy, while Wang Yu Yan remained outwardly still, though her gaze had softened significantly.

Observing their reactions, Zhao Sheng felt satisfied. He then let out a staged exclamation: "What is love, that it demands such devotion unto death? Golden Wind Jade Dew is reserved solely for those who truly comprehend the heart’s passion."

"Ladies, do you believe yourselves to be such people?"

Wang Yu Yan and Wang Yuqi looked at one another and slowly shook their heads.

Raised in a Cultivation Family, they had no concept of romantic love. Their relatives were married off based on the arrangements of elders, leaving no room for such sentiments.

Zhao Sheng let out a quiet, sorrowful sigh and said with regret, "I am sorry, but it appears the Golden Wind Jade Dew is not meant for you."

Wang Yuqi started to protest, but a quick tug from Wang Yu Yan silenced her.

"Young Master, hearing such a poignant story is a reward in itself. If we are not destined to have it, we will not be difficult."

Wang Yu Yan regained her composure and added, "However, I have a bold request. I hope you will consider it."

"Please, go ahead," Zhao Sheng replied with a nod.

"I wish to know if the Young Master would be open to selling the formula for the perfume?"

I may be interested in your beauty, but you are even bolder, aiming for my source of wealth.

"Could it be that the perfume’s worth is greater than I realized?"

The thought flashed through Zhao Sheng’s mind, but he firmly shook his head. "The recipe is an ancestral inheritance. It cannot be shared with those outside my family."

Upon hearing his refusal, a shadow of disappointment crossed Wang Yu Yan’s face.