Roaring Dragon-Chapter 13: Hunter or Prey

Xie Jinhuan followed the red-robed spirit’s instructions and performed the needle strikes from a distance. Not long after, Lin Wanyi’s complexion visibly improved.

Once he confirmed there were no lingering issues, Xie Jinhuan set the needle pouch aside and returned to his seat at the tea table.

“How are you feeling?”

Lin Wanyi, still rattled by the experience, couldn’t shake her astonishment. She even temporarily ignored the cold chill that had lingered behind her. She gave Xie Jinhuan a long look, curious.

“Thank you for the help, Master Xie. May I ask—which noble house are you from?”

“Nothing noble about it. My father was just a low-ranking official in the capital. Went south three years ago, only just returned.”

“Is that so?” Lin Wanyi clearly didn’t buy it and asked again, “What about your mother’s side?”

Xie Jinhuan frowned. She’d only just recovered, and already she was checking his family registry—with a gaze full of... ownership?

According to the rumors, witches of the Cult were famously difficult to shake. They’d implant love-gu curses that forced men to fall for them, and made it lethal for them to ever touch another woman again...

Sure, Lin Wanyi was beautiful—ample chest, curvy hips, textbook combat-ready figure—but Xie Jinhuan had no desire to become some witch’s breeding slave.

Lin Wanyi had been working through her own schemes, but seeing Xie Jinhuan’s wary eyes, she realized she was being too calculating. She quickly composed herself.

“I was only asking out of curiosity, nothing more. It’s just... you’re young, yet your skills are exceptional. It’s surprising to see that without a prestigious background.”

Xie Jinhuan remained three parts cautious and brought the topic back to focus.

“We can talk small later. Just now, you had an incident—it looked like your cultivation method went wrong. And it was a Cult technique, no less...”

“?”

Lin Wanyi’s expression froze. She knew the moment her body reacted like that, her secret had been laid bare.

Shit. What now? If he reports this to the authorities...

Xie Jinhuan hadn’t come to expose her. He wanted medicine, not a curse. He quickly added:

“Relax. The Cult may be deemed heretical by the court, but not all its members are evil. There are healing shamans, too—Samanist priests even served as state preceptors in Northern Zhou. You come from a medical family. I assume there are reasons you chose this path. I won’t use it against you.”

Truth be told, there weren’t any deep reasons. Her father had fallen seriously ill and in desperation had turned to the Cult. That led to Lin Wanyi being apprenticed into the Gu Poison Sect—the largest and most core faction of the Cult, based deep in the southern wastelands.

Still, she’d grown up near Jingzhao Prefecture and had never done anything truly harmful. Flustered, she adjusted her now slightly askew gold-rimmed glasses and explained awkwardly:

“I only studied Cult medicine out of interest. I’ve never practiced corpse arts or harmed innocents. You’re free to investigate if you like. If you’re willing to understand... I would be grateful.”

Xie Jinhuan nodded slightly and steered back to business.

“Cult techniques are riddled with poison, curses, and yin energy. One misstep can backfire. If your method’s flawed, I can help you stabilize it. And the cold energy in your body—I could assist with that too.”

Lin Wanyi lifted her hand and politely declined.

“That chill has been there for a long time. I have my own way of managing it. There’s no need to trouble yourself. Unless... was your concern part of a favor you hoped to ask?”

She was sharp.

Xie Jinhuan wasn’t surprised. Fixing that problem was simple—she just needed a man to balance the yin with yang. No surprise she didn’t need his help for that. With that door shut, he got to the point.

“I need a body-tempering elixir. Do you have anything of that level?”

“Elixir?”

Lin Wanyi quietly exhaled and gave a smile.

“The Lin family is known for both medicine and alchemy. Of course we do. What kind are you looking for?”

Given his situation, only a top-grade pill could possibly save him. He answered honestly:

“The best kind. Something that’ll build my foundation so thoroughly I won’t hit a bottleneck until I reach peak rank.”

That was a tall order.

Lin Wanyi was constantly short on funds, so hearing him ask for something this extravagant made her momentarily forget the earlier awkwardness. Her voice softened.

“The best body-tempering pill currently available is the Dragonblood Pill. The recipe comes from the Imperial Apothecary in the capital. It’s been passed down for centuries, mostly used to heal or build up top-ranked experts. In just a month, one could be reborn.”

A whole month...

Xie Jinhuan thought it was a bit slow—but better than waiting around to die.

“The Apothecary only supplies the royal family and those with great merit. Can you really get your hands on it?”

Lin Wanyi smiled, eyes gleaming. She leaned in and whispered:

“Zisu studies at the Alchemical Academy. She knows the formula. She can file a request to refine it as ‘practice.’ As long as we report it, we can prepare °• N 𝑜 v 𝑒 l i g h t •° one for you. But... it’s expensive. Even without factoring in labor, just the ingredients cost eight thousand silver taels.”

“Eight thousand?!”

Xie Jinhuan knew the Dragonblood Pill wasn’t cheap, but that was ridiculous.

He had lamb soup for breakfast—twenty copper coins a bowl. Eight thousand silver taels could buy him and Meiqiu lamb soup for several lifetimes.

No wonder it was top-tier.

Lin Wanyi saw his expression and spoke gently:

“Even in the capital, few people can access this. Skilled alchemists are rarer still. That’s already the lowest price. Materials alone are costly, and we must pay a 20% tribute to the academy. There’s no cutting corners. If you don’t believe me, ask around Wencheng Street. Director Zhang from the academy can make it too—but without at least a hundred taels just for the meeting, you won’t get in the door.”

Hiring a renowned alchemist to make a custom pill was always expensive. Normally, materials and labor costs split evenly, and that didn’t even guarantee they’d take the job.

But Xie Jinhuan had no money. He wasn’t here to buy—he was here to barter. Seeing Lin Wanyi’s enthusiastic pitch, he thickened his skin and countered:

“You’ve got some serious issues with your technique. I could help you fix the flaw—completely. In exchange, could you...”

“?”

You’re trying to freeload off me?!

Lin Wanyi straightened up a little, instinctively covering her money pouch. Still, because he had helped her, she answered softly:

“Eight thousand silver is no joke. I only charge three qian per house call—I can’t cover that. But since you saved me yesterday, I owe you something. I can offer you a bottle of Vein-Fortifying Pills.”

This 𝓬ontent is taken from fгeewebnovёl.co𝙢.

That pill was decent for body-tempering, not cheap either—but it was meant for novice trainees.

Xie Jinhuan was about to go up against Daqian’s Iron Fist. Those wouldn’t even scratch the surface.

Lin Wanyi noticed his hesitation and added quickly:

“I know you’re not the kind of person who’d blackmail a woman about her Cult background. But please keep it secret. I have connections. If word gets out, they can handle it—but it’ll be messy.”

Connections...

Well, I’ve got none!

This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight.

Xie Jinhuan wasn’t stupid. That was a warning: don’t mistake a witch for a pushover.

Seeing that neither persuasion nor threat would get him the pill, and unwilling to stir up more trouble, he stood up.

“Fine. I’ll stay quiet. Just pretend I was never here.”

But Lin Wanyi raised a hand quickly:

“Wait, Master Xie.”

“Hmm?”

He assumed she wanted to renegotiate the price. Maybe offer a discount.

Even if she dropped it to 10%—he still couldn’t afford it. Not unless he pulled something like what Steward Hou did...

Thinking of that twisted rental experience, he sat back down.

“I don’t have much cash. Unless you’re offering a 99% discount, this deal’s not happening.”

99% discount?

Lin Wanyi didn’t follow, but didn’t press. She smiled calmly.

“The Dragonblood Pill is too expensive for most. It’s normal if you can’t afford it. As it happens, I have a small problem. If you help me resolve it, the pill is yours. No payment. Just friendship.”

Payment by labor...

Xie Jinhuan perked up. This might work.

He glanced around, then leaned in and asked quietly:

“Who do you want killed?”

“...?”

Lin Wanyi blinked, stunned.

“Who... what?”

Xie Jinhuan was also confused. He spread his hands.

“Eight thousand silver could buy dozens of lives. If not a hit job, what—do you want me to grind herbs? Grind who?”

Grind who?!

Lin Wanyi finally got it—and quickly explained:

“You’ve misunderstood! I’m a proper lady. I don’t engage in illegal activity.”

Xie Jinhuan blinked and, seeing her sincerity, coughed.

“I was joking. I’m a righteous hero. I don’t take dirty jobs.”

Yeah right.

She didn’t believe a word of that. Just now he’d been fully prepared to kill.

Still, she clarified:

“It’s not a dirty job. Just a difficult one.”

Xie Jinhuan immediately assumed the worst.

“What is it?”

“There’s a copy of The Dragon-Marching Combat Formula stored in the Dan Prince’s pavilion...”

Xie Jinhuan’s eyes widened.

“You want me to steal from the Dan Prince?!”

“Not steal—study. Then teach it to me. I’m interested in martial arts too.”

She had supported so many poor students in hopes of cultivating someone who could access the martial arts classic. Xie Jinhuan was clearly such a talent. She explained sweetly:

“In the capital and here, martial artists and officers with enough merit are allowed to study it. You’re young and gifted. If you win the Dan Prince’s favor and learn it, just teach it to me. That’ll settle our deal.”

It sounded simple.

But Xie Jinhuan had grown up in the capital. He knew better.

The Dragon-Marching Combat Formula was rumored to be a supreme manual passed down from the Martial Ancestor. Gaining access was hard enough—mastering it even harder.

He’d only heard of two people who’d done it: Chief Eunuch Cao of the Chilin Guard, and Lu Wuzhen of the Astronomical Bureau.

Anyone who could learn that... didn’t need to barter with silver.

To learn it, he’d need to charm the Dan Prince, live inside the pavilion surrounded by experts, and network with all kinds of powerful figures...

He could barely stay hidden right now—was she trying to get him killed?

“Even if the court doesn’t prohibit teaching it, it’s still taboo to share a sacred martial manual. And I’m not strong enough...”

“No rush.”

Lin Wanyi reclined in her chair, eyes glimmering with warmth.

“I’ll give you three years. Even if you can’t master it, memorizing it is enough. If you fail, you can pay the market price then. No interest. I’ll give you the pill now—the first batch will be ready the day after tomorrow.”

Xie Jinhuan couldn’t refuse. Honestly, he was a little thrilled.

“That’s eight thousand silver! You’re giving it now, trusting I’ll repay in three years? Aren’t you afraid I’ll just disappear?”

Lin Wanyi smiled faintly.

“I’m not alone. If you want to spend the rest of your life avoiding the Witch Cult over some silver—good luck. I’ll consider it a karmic tie.”

She had a point.

Offend the Confucians, Buddhists, or Taoists, they’d beat you to death and be done with it.

Offend the Witch Cult? You’d have to suspect every drink, fear every step, and burn your bones to keep them from using you as a puppet...

If he didn’t repay this, it’d either be servitude... or worse. Puppet or husband—her mood would decide.

Still, for the sake of his life and survival, he couldn’t say no.

“Alright. Within three years, I’ll teach you the martial classic. If not, I’ll pay. Do you want a written contract?”

Lin Wanyi was generous.

“No need. I’ve seen your face. Whether your name’s real or not doesn’t matter.”

“..."

That confirmed it—she had some terrifying power behind her. He could flee to the ends of the southern wilds and it wouldn’t matter. He nodded slightly.

“Alright. I’ll come get the pill the day after tomorrow?”

“Yes. I’ll go with you now to purchase the materials, so you can see the cost. That way you won’t think I’m overcharging.”

She stood, now fully recovered, and walked into the side room to remove the needles.

Xie Jinhuan stayed seated, mentally analyzing the potential risks of this deal. He heard faint rustling—probably from her opening her robes to retrieve the needle lodged in the middle of her chest.

He’d heard tales about Witch Cult women: once they let you see, you had to marry. And it had to be for life. Even glancing at another woman could be fatal.

So, despite the enticing sounds, he didn’t dare let his thoughts wander.