◎Dou Ting’s Residence, Reunion with the Phantom Thief, and the Envy of Beauties◎
Bai Guo’s voice rang out.
"Master, Sister Shangguan Yao and Little Tao from Luzhou Academy are here, and they’ve brought a friend."
"Understood." A serene female voice responded. "Go call them in. I’ll check on Yao’s condition first."
"Mm-hmm."
Bai Guo’s footsteps grew closer. She first called for Shangguan Yao and Little Tao, then approached Lu Jianwei’s door.
The door suddenly swung open from the inside, startling her.
She patted her chest and said, "Miss Shen, my master has returned and wishes to see you all."
"Thank you."
Lu Jianwei stepped out with long strides, while Bai Guo trotted behind, nearly struggling to keep up.
"Miss Shen, slow down a little. Sister Shangguan doesn’t walk fast—she might not even be there yet if you rush."
"Ah, thank you for the reminder." Lu Jianwei smiled and slowed her pace.
Bai Guo blinked. "You’re so polite."
"Is politeness a bad thing?"
"Not at all. We’re not familiar with each other, so it’s only natural to be courteous."
"You’re right."
Bai Guo studied her for a mont before asking, "Miss Shen, are you a physician too?"
"Why do you ask?"
"You carry a faint dicinal scent. My nose is quite sharp."
Lu Jianwei replied calmly, "A friend of mine fell ill, and I often helped prepare their dicine. Perhaps that’s how the sll lingered."
"Oh? What illness?"
"I’m not sure." Lu Jianwei listed a few symptoms of the "Three-Month Death" poison, then added, "A month ago, they were perfectly healthy, but then they suddenly took ill. Their condition worsened day by day, and no ordinary physician could diagnose it. That’s why I ca to Divine Physician Valley seeking help."
"So you’re here for treatnt." Bai Guo mused. "Those symptoms sound familiar. I’ll ask Master about it later."
Before long, Lu Jianwei, Shangguan Yao, and her maid gathered in the main hall.
Seated below was a woman dressed in gray robes, her features delicate and her deanor refined.
Her gaze swept past Lu Jianwei and settled on Shangguan Yao.
"Sit. Let check your pulse."
Shangguan Yao obediently extended her wrist.
"Aunt Yuan, I really am much better. I’ve been traveling for so long without any issues—you don’t need to worry."
Doctor Yuan examined her for a few monts before withdrawing her hand.
"Indeed, there’s no cause for concern. However, leaving ho without permission was rather reckless."
"I left a letter," Shangguan Yao protested weakly. "And Little Tao was with ."
Doctor Yuan cut straight to the point: "If she could truly protect you, how did you end up eting this new friend?"
"..."
Seeing her dejected expression, Doctor Yuan sighed. "Well, you’ve lived a sheltered life. It’s only natural to yearn for the world beyond. Now, won’t you introduce your friend?"
"Her na is Shen Shier. She saved in Wuzhou." Shangguan Yao spoke loyally. "Aunt Yuan, she has a friend who’s fallen ill and ca to the valley seeking treatnt. But since she didn’t know anyone here, she feared she wouldn’t find a physician. That’s why I brought her in."
Doctor Yuan turned to Lu Jianwei.
Tall and poised, though not strikingly beautiful, she carried an air of distinction. Strangely, Doctor Yuan couldn’t sense even a trace of martial energy from her.
"Miss Shen, are you a martial artist?"
Lu Jianwei nodded. "Just so rudintary skills. Yao exaggerated earlier—I rely stepped in to block an attack for Little Tao. Even without , she could have dodged it."
"No, that’s not true! If not for you, I’d have lost at least an eye," Little Tao shook her head vigorously.
Doctor Yuan chuckled lightly and didn’t press further.
Those who walked the martial world all had their secrets. As long as they didn’t harm others, there was no need to pry.
"What are your friend’s symptoms, Miss Shen? If it’s within my ability to treat, you may bring them here."
Shangguan Yao bead. "Aunt Yuan is so kind!"
"Thank you, Doctor Yuan." Lu Jianwei described the symptoms of Three-Month Death intermittently, tossing in a few misleading details.
Her current persona was that of soone ignorant of dicine—ordinary people often made mistakes or omissions when describing illnesses.
After listening, Doctor Yuan frowned slightly.
"From what you’ve said, it sounds like poisoning."
"Poison?" Lu Jianwei feigned confusion. "It didn’t seem like that to ."
Doctor Yuan explained, "There’s a poison called ‘Three-Month Death.’ It’s a slow-acting toxin. After exposure, the victim gradually experiences dizziness, vomiting, chest pain, and other symptoms. Their organs deteriorate, and in severe cases, they may suffer a stroke. Once the three-month mark arrives, they perish—as if struck by a sudden terminal illness."
"No wonder it sounded familiar just now!" Bai Guo exclaid. "Miss Shen, how did your friend get poisoned with sothing like this?"
"What’s special about this poison?"
"Its origins lie in the southwest. It’s quite rare in these parts."
Lu Jianwei wore a worried expression. "Can it be treated?"
Of course she knew it was rare—that’s precisely why she’d chosen it as her cover story.
Doctor Yuan said, "My expertise lies in ridian therapy, not detoxification. I can handle common poisons, but Three-Month Death is beyond my abilities."
Then what should we do?" Shangguan Yao fretted. "Which physician in the valley specializes in detoxification?"
Doctor Yuan pondered for a mont. "Tomorrow is Dou Ting's birthday banquet. You may accompany there. He excels in detoxification. If he's willing to intervene, your friend may yet have hope, Miss Shen."
Dou Ting.
That was the na signed on the invitation.
Lu Jianwei considered herself fortunate to have t soone like Shangguan Yao—a well-connected individual who’d allowed her to enter Divine Physician Valley discreetly.
If she could stay a few more days and uncover the whereabouts of the other half of Lin Congyue’s dical texts, that would be ideal.
"Thank you, Doctor Yuan."
"No need for thanks."
At precisely 7 a.m. the next day, Lu Jianwei followed Doctor Yuan to Dou Ting’s residence.
Dou Ting’s courtyard bore no flowers—only dicinal herbs. Even from a distance, their faint scent lingered in the air.
As a sixth-rank physician in the valley, his cultivation and dical skills were both formidable. Outgoing and warm, he had a wide circle of friends, and guests stread in continuously for his celebration.
Dou Ting, unpretentious, stood at the entrance personally welcoming visitors.
Lean with a flowing beard, he wore pristine white robes that lent him an air of scholarly grace.
"Doctor Yuan, your presence honors my humble abode!"
Yuan Qiong returned the courtesy.
"I’ve brought a few youngsters along to broaden their horizons. I hope you don’t mind, Doctor Dou."
"Not at all!" Dou Ting stroked his beard, smiling. "The more, the rrier. Young people especially bring vitality."
His eyes swept over Lu Jianwei and the others, pausing in surprise.
Only one—the tall, sturdy girl—was a martial artist. The other two showed no signs of internal energy.
"Doctor Yuan, might you introduce them?"
Yuan Qiong replied mildly, "This one is from Luzhou Academy—Shangguan Yao. This is Shen Shier, Yao’s friend."
"So this is Dean Shangguan’s daughter! My apologies for the lack of hospitality." Dou Ting cupped his hands, then admitted sheepishly, "As for Miss Shen’s background, I must confess I’m at a loss."
Lu Jianwei demurred, "I’m but a nobody, rely fortunate enough to have t Miss Shangguan, which granted passage into the valley."
"Nonsense! Your bearing speaks otherwise—no need for modesty. Please, co in."
Past the threshold lay a spacious courtyard, banquet tables neatly arranged, laden with fruits, tea, and delicacies.
"Doctor Yuan, I must return to greeting guests at the front. Do excuse ."
Yuan Qiong nodded faintly.
Lu Jianwei discreetly surveyed the courtyard’s layout.
Unlike most aloof physicians of the Divine Physician Valley, Dou Ting was gentle and hospitable, treating even naless nobodies like her with courtesy—a man of impeccable social grace.
For soone so ticulous, planting psychological hints in Du Hanqiu’s mind would be child’s play.
He sent an invitation, promising her access to the valley to transcribe dical texts and notes—was it really just to settle the matter?
Lu Jianwei didn’t need to think hard to know it wasn’t that simple.
A physician’s pursuit of dical knowledge was endless.
Dou Ting was renowned inside and outside the Divine Physician Valley for his detoxification skills, but that didn’t an he wasn’t eager to master other techniques.
Such as the ability to cure patients with severe internal injuries.
Hadn’t Du Hanqiu appeared at the Eight Directions Inn precisely to kidnap her and force her to hand over her dical knowledge?
Lost in thought, she suddenly felt a nudge on her arm.
A tea-colored pastry was offered to her.
“Why aren’t you eating? If you don’t, I’ll finish it all,” Little Tao urged.
Lu Jianwei looked up.
Most of the fruit platter and pastries on the table had vanished, and the waste bucket beside Little Tao was already filled with peels and crumbs.
Her appetite was as hearty as ever.
“I’m not eating,” Lu Jianwei replied with a smile, shaking her head.
Little Tao’s eyes lit up. “Then can I have it all?”
“Mm, it’s all yours.”
With her permission, Little Tao buried herself in eating again.
Shangguan Yao said kindly, “Shier, don’t worry too much. After the banquet, we’ll ask Doctor Dou together.”
“Alright,” Lu Jianwei said. “I need to use the restroom.”
“I don’t know where it is either,” Shangguan Yao glanced around. “Let ask a servant for you.”
“No need, I’ll ask myself.” Lu Jianwei stood and walked toward a guard nearby.
The guard stood with his back to her, dressed in black martial attire with a sword at his waist, dutifully watching over the courtyard.
Hearing footsteps, the guard turned sharply.
It was Du Hanqiu!
After botching his mission, Dou Ting hadn’t discarded him? Was he really that rciful?
Her disguise kept Du Hanqiu from recognizing her.
“Miss, what do you need?”
Lu Jianwei altered her voice. “Where is the restroom?”
“Go right from here, then straight, then right again. It’s by the courtyard wall,” Du Hanqiu answered curtly.
“Thank you.”
With her system’s map, Lu Jianwei could easily survey the entire estate from above.
Along the central axis lay the front courtyard, main hall, rear courtyard, and master bedroom, interspersed with rockeries, ponds, and pavilions.
The east and west wings of the rear courtyard were symtrical, while functional rooms like the dicine hut, study, and kitchen were arranged as needed.
Lu Jianwei followed the winding paths to the restroom.
Dou’s estate had designed its restroom with elegance—spacious, with bamboo baskets of fresh herbs on the walls to mask odors and windows for ventilation.
After observing for a mont, she purchased a slightly rough disguise mask from the system shop, swapped it onto her face, and pulled a green robe over her white clothes. She changed her hairstyle, then slipped out through the window.
The study was in another courtyard, so distance away, but with the aid of "Unconcerned by Ti," she arrived in monts.
At sixth-level cultivation, her martial arts were unique—using qinggong barely caused any detectable energy fluctuations.
No one in the estate noticed.
Like a wisp of wind, she landed silently outside the study door.
It wasn’t locked.
The Divine Physician Valley was heavily guarded, Dou Ting himself was sixth-level, and the estate had sixth-level protectors—why worry about thieves?
This made things easier for Lu Jianwei.
No one was around, and the door had no traps.
She pushed it open and stepped inside.
The study was vast, with towering bookshelves nearly reaching the beams, neatly arranged and packed with dical texts.
The books were categorized, most focusing on pharmacology and toxicology.
With so many texts, finding Lin Congyue’s dical notes would take ages.
If she delayed too long, suspicions would rise.
“Xiao Ke, can you scan and copy everything?” Lu Jianwei saw nothing wrong with her plan.
Dou Ting wanted to sche against her—she was just returning the favor.
“If I can make the ink Feng Yan wanted, scanning is child’s play,” Xiao Ke said. “But it’ll cost you, and it’ll take ti—there are too many books.”
Lu Jianwei: “Deduct whatever you need. Just scan pharmacology and toxicology.”
“Got it.”
Xiao Ke activated the scanning function, copying book after book from left to right into her inventory.
“Miss Shen?” A maid’s voice called faintly from the direction of the restroom. “Miss Shen, are you still there?”
“Miss Shen? Miss Shen?” The voice grew more urgent.
Lu Jianwei asked, “Done scanning?”
“Almost.”
“Miss Shen, are you alright?” The maid said, “I’m coming in.”
Lu Jianwei frowned. “Xiao Ke, let’s go.”
Just as she was about to leave, commotion erupted nearby—shouts and frantic footsteps.
“The dicine hut’s on fire! There’s a thief!” Guards rushed toward the flas.
Lu Jianwei raised a brow. Talk about perfect timing—so kind soul had handed her an escape.
Amid the chaos, Xiao Ke sped up the scanning.
Dou Ting had been greeting guests outside. The mont the fire broke out, he dashed over with qinggong. The flas were fierce, but the nearby pond helped douse them quickly.
Staring at the charred door, his heart suddenly lurched.
Sothing was wrong.
In a flash, he bolted toward the study.
Xiao Ke had one shelf left when energy fluctuations rippled outside. Lu Jianwei held her breath, hiding in the shadows.
The door swung open. White robes swept past the threshold, pausing briefly before heading straight for the pharmacology and toxicology section.
“Co out. I see you.”
Lu Jianwei: Classic bluff. She wasn’t falling for it.
“Xiao Ke, how much longer?”
“Almost. One minute.”
The study had no real hiding spots. Behind the shelves, she’d be found eventually.
Just one more minute, and she could leave.
Dou Ting stepped closer to her hiding place.
“Manager Lu, I sent you an invitation. Why not enter the valley openly? Sneaking in like this puts in a difficult position.”
Lu Jianwei: Keep bluffing. Whoever admits it first loses.
Dou Ting guessed it was her because she was the only one interested in his dical texts—and capable of acting on it.
From Jiangzhou to the Divine Physician Valley, any ordinary traveler would arrive before the birthday banquet.
In truth, today’s banquet was a trap set for her.
Most guests were physicians from the valley, and any physician would covet the “cure for severe internal injuries.” With a few well-placed words, Dou Ting could corner her.
If she ca, she’d face moral coercion; if she didn’t, she’d seem cowardly.
Compared to a groundbreaking dical technique, Lin Congyue’s notes mattered little to Dou Ting.
But for Tiao, they were the key to survival.
Dou Ting was waiting for her to walk into his snare.
Luckily, she’d been cautious from the start.
“Manager Lu, today is my birthday banquet. Since you’ve graced us with your presence, why not step out and greet everyone? No need to be so reserved.”
His footsteps drew closer—only one bookshelf separated them now.
“Weiwei, scanning complete,” Xiao Ke announced just in ti.
Lu Jianwei summoned all her inner energy and swept past Dou Ting like the wind, rushing toward the study door.
"Stop!"
Dou Ting, also a sixth-level martial artist, possessed extraordinary vision. Though he couldn’t clearly make out the intruder’s face, he could discern her facial outline and clothing.
He gave chase at full speed.
Lu Jianwei used the garden’s foliage as cover, darting back to the reincarnation chamber. Just as she was about to change masks and remove her outer garnt, she sensed another presence behind her.
She spun around instantly, fingers curled like claws, aiming for the stranger’s throat.
"Wait!" The man retreated swiftly. "We’re on the sa side here, no need to fight each other."
Sa side?
Lu Jianwei scrutinized his figure and assessed his inner energy level.
What a coincidence.
"Did you set fire to the dicine hut?" she asked, altering her voice.
"Yeah. I ca for dicine. What about you?" He glanced at her face. "No offense, but your disguise is pretty lousy."
Lu Jianwei: "..."
Thanks to Liang Shangjun unintentionally buying her ti, but now, even the reincarnation chamber wasn’t safe.
Without hesitation, she said, "Play along," knocked him out with a chop, and leaped out the window.
In the split second she vaulted through, her mask changed, the green outer robe vanished into her system’s storage, and she reappeared as Shen Shier, clad in white, before the crowd.
Outside the reincarnation chamber, Dou Ting and his guards stood sternly.
Lu Jianwei reacted swiftly, pointing inside.
"There’s a scoundrel in there!"
Dou Ting narrowed his eyes, studying her closely.
"Miss Shen, why are you here?"
Lu Jianwei feigned confusion. "Isn’t this the reincarnation chamber? Am I not allowed?"
"Not at all." Dou Ting ordered his guards, "Search inside."
Though the outline and clothing color didn’t match, the intruder might have hidden the discarded garnts inside.
As for the facial outline, the figure he’d glimpsed moved with such speed and skill that he might have misjudged.
This Shen Shier, seemingly devoid of inner energy yet befriended by Shangguan Yao, was suspicious from the start.
Dou Ting wanted to test her, but as Yuan Qiong’s guest, he couldn’t act recklessly.
He scrutinized Shen Shier’s face.
A seasoned traveler of the martial world, he couldn’t perform disguises himself, but most disguises couldn’t fool his eyes. This face showed no trace of alteration.
He’d seen portraits of the Eight Directions Inn’s proprietor, Lu Jianwei, and this Shen Shier bore no resemblance.
Was he overthinking it?
It wasn’t impossible that Lu Jianwei excelled at disguise.
But a woman in her twenties, already possessing unfathomable inner energy, mastering dicine, and now disguise too? Wouldn’t that put the entire martial world to sha?
Privately, Dou Ting dismissed the thought.
The guards returned monts later, finding nothing but the unconscious man inside.
The man was plain-faced, dressed in coarse hemp clothes—clearly a lowly laborer.
"It’s him!" Lu Jianwei exclaid indignantly. "He barged in suddenly. If I hadn’t recovered just in ti… what a scoundrel!"
The guests gathered around promptly.
Hearing this, Shangguan Yao hurried over with Little Tao, reaching out to comfort Lu Jianwei.
"I haven’t washed my hands," Lu Jianwei said.
Shangguan Yao’s hand froze midair, her brow furrowing in conflict.
If she withdrew, would Shen Shier think she was disgusted? If she didn’t, she couldn’t stomach it either.
Lu Jianwei added, "I’m fine, just startled."
"That’s good." Shangguan Yao retracted her hand, righteous fury burning. "Little Tao, hit him!"
Little Tao rolled up her sleeves, but the guards blocked her.
"What’s the aning of this? He harassed my friend! I’m avenging her!"
Dou Ting said amiably, "Little Tao, this man may be connected to the arson at the dicine hut. Let question him first. Once I’m done, you can beat him all you want."
"Little Tao." Yuan Qiong signaled for her to stand down.
Little Tao glanced at Shangguan Yao, who nodded, before reluctantly stepping back.
"Just you wait. I’ll puml him to pulp for daring to ss with my friend."
Lu Jianwei inwardly apologized: Sorry, Liang Shangjun.
Dou Ting asked, "Miss Shen, why is he unconscious?"
"He rushed in suddenly. I panicked and hit him, and he just collapsed." Lu Jianwei wrinkled her nose in disdain. "How could such trash exist in Divine Physician Valley?"
"Perhaps an outsider snuck in." Dou Ting salvaged the valley’s reputation before ordering a guard to fetch a bucket of water and dump it over the man’s head.
The man jolted awake, his gaze locking onto Lu Jianwei’s face, shock flickering in his eyes.
The crowd: Disgusting lecher, can’t even take his eyes off her. How vile.
Yuan Qiong turned away, unable to stomach the sight, pulling Shangguan Yao with her.
Shangguan Yao: "..."
"Who are you?" Dou Ting demanded.
Liang Shangjun altered his voice to sound rough and grating.
"This lowly one is a laborer in the valley. For Doctor Dou’s birthday celebration, I was assigned to help with chores."
"Scoundrel!" Lu Jianwei accused again.
Liang Shangjun caught the cue and launched into his act.
"You’ve got it all wrong, miss! I just had an urgent need and went to the wrong place! I didn’t an any harm! Please, have rcy—don’t drive out of the valley! I worked so hard to get this job, I—"
"Enough." Dou Ting’s face darkened. "My dicine hut was burned to the ground. As fellow physicians, you must understand my grief. This man is suspicious and full of lies. Without… persuasive thods, he won’t confess."
"Burning a dicine hut is unforgivable! If it were , I’d have severed his tendons already!"
"Daring to cause trouble in Divine Physician Valley? Make him pay!"
"How outrageous! To destroy a dicine hut like that!"
Liang Shangjun trembled. "I know nothing about any fire! Why would I dare? With all these guards around, how could soone like even get close?"
Soone said, "The arsonist must have exceptional lightness skills. This man’s just a laborer—probably not him."
Liang Shangjun also possessed superb energy-concealing techniques, making his inner energy undetectable. To others, he seed like an ordinary man—a perfect disguise.
Dou Ting declared solemnly, "Rest assured, it’s just a minor asure. No harm will co to him. This is for the sake of justice. As a valley laborer, shouldn’t you contribute?"
The crowd agreed. "Question him thoroughly!"
"Compensate him afterward if needed!"
Dou Ting retrieved a vial from his sleeve.
Lu Jianwei had no intention of letting him proceed. She instructed her system, "Throw a few stones from the storage outside the courtyard."
At critical monts, her system proved useful. Though it couldn’t surveil areas outside the inn, it could freely manipulate items in her personal storage.
A heavy thud echoed. The crowd startled. Dou Ting paused, eyes snapping toward the courtyard wall.
Seizing the mont, Liang Shangjun moved.
The number one thief of the martial world lived up to his reputation. If not for the delay in the reincarnation chamber, he’d have escaped long ago, free to roam the rivers and lakes once more.
Still, despite the close call, the rewards made it worthwhile.
Liang Shangjun trusted his instincts.
Though the young lady had removed her mask, completely altering her appearance, he recognized her at a glance.
This trip had not only secured the dicinal herbs and burned down the apothecary hut but also led him to encounter a "miraculously skilled" kindred spirit.
It was truly worth celebrating.
Yet, he couldn’t fathom how the disguised lady had managed to remove her mask and perfectly conceal her outer garnts in just a few breaths.
Amidst the crowd’s stunned confusion, he executed his peerless lightness skill, vaulted over the courtyard wall, and vanished without a trace.
Dou Ting: "…"
A guard promptly reported, "Soone threw stones outside the courtyard wall."
The crowd: So there was an accomplice creating a diversion outside!
"That scoundrel got away!" Little Tao’s focus diverged from the others. "I didn’t even get to punch him!"
Dou Ting, already frustrated, grew even more so upon hearing this.
Forcing a composed deanor, he clasped his hands and said, "Today, my household was robbed, and I’ve made a fool of myself in front of everyone. My apologies for the poor hospitality."
The guests, perceptive as they were, quickly assured him it was no trouble and excused themselves from the Dou residence.
Yuan Qiong also led Lu Jianwei and her two companions back to the Peony Residence.
"Doctor Dou likely has no mind for other matters today. Your request for a consultation will have to wait a few more days. Can your friend hold on that long?"
Lu Jianwei replied, "Thank you, Doctor Yuan. She should be able to endure a little longer."
"That’s good," Shangguan Yao remarked. "Who knows why those thieves burned the apothecary hut? They’ve only added unnecessary trouble."
Lu Jianwei excused herself and returned to her room.
"Xiao Ke, did the scan yield any findings?"
The books had been digitized into the system, making retrieval effortless. The answer ca swiftly.
"Nothing."
Lu Jianwei had braced herself for this and wasn’t disappointed.
If she were Dou Ting, she wouldn’t keep sothing so important out in the open either.
These dical texts were still valuable resources—acquiring them was no loss.
In the coming days, Dou Ting would undoubtedly be preoccupied with hunting down the arsonists. With ti to spare, she might as well stay and peruse his treasured collection.
For a healer, owning so many dical texts and notes was a true joy.
Over the next few days, Lu Jianwei imrsed herself entirely in this "exchange" of dical knowledge.
The Divine Physician Valley lived up to its na—these texts were rare finds in the outside world.
On the fourth day, Lu Jianwei picked up another handwritten journal by Dou Ting.
The pages were slightly yellowed with age, suggesting it had been written years ago. The first few pages contained common prescriptions for dicines and poisons, which, from Lu Jianwei’s perspective, were quite sophisticated.
She flipped idly to the next page—then her gaze abruptly sharpened.
Written clearly on the paper were the words:
"Beauty fades, and flowers vie in envy."
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