Love from the Male Protagonist’s Harem

Chapter 103-Xuan-Level Liandan Master Part 3

After making sure that Mao Qing’s eyelids were staying closed, Xia Ge slowly made her way through the courtyard, walking right past where Chang Lan and the other Jianfeng disciples were standing.  She didn’t spare the visitors a second glance, instead heading directly back towards the furnace room.

“Xia Wuyin!  So what if you have Danfeng’s [Command] token?!  Don’t take a chicken feather as an arrow banner!  You’re going too far!!”  The Jianfeng disciple standing next to Chang Lan had his thoughts filled with Jianfeng’s many injured and poisoned disciples.  So when he saw the little bastard he thought responsible for it all giving Chang Lan no mind, he rolled up his sleeves and made to rush at Xia Ge with righteous indignation.  But Chang Lan pulled him back.

Given the horrible day he’d had, a frowning Chang Lan didn’t appreciate Xia Ge’s arrogant attitude either.  Only Xia Wuyin was the one holding Danfeng’s [Command] token.  And that meant Xia Wuyin, if he felt like playing a dirty trick, had the right to not distribute pseudo-Xuan level Baihun dan to anyone.

The situation was already bad enough as it was.

Holding onto Wei Yu, Chang Lan swallowed his anger and tried to remain calm: “Xia Wu……”

Xia Ge suddenly interrupted: “Are you Jianfeng’s senior disciple?”

Chang Lan’s frown deepened.  Being asked such a question by some wet-behind-the-ears kid hurt Chang Lan’s pride.  But again, as Chang Lan kept reminding himself, Xia Wuyin held Danfeng’s [Command] token.  Chang Lan couldn’t just coercively take him to Jianfeng.  Danfeng’s face had to be preserved.  Tensions between Jianfeng and Danfeng were already bad enough.  If it got out that Chang Lan took Danfeng’s [Command] token by force, unpleasant things would be said and Danfeng’s disciples would not hesitate to make passionate accusations.  If Lingxi Sect’s elder came out of seclusion, not even she would be able to spare Chang Lan.

So Chang Lan endured, answering: “Yes.”

Xia Ge: “Oh, so you are……”

Brow furrowed, Chang Lan waited for more.  Who knew that Xia Wuyin would just sigh at him and then keep on walking.

Chang Lan: “……”

Wei Yu couldn’t help himself.  He followed Xia Wuyin out of the courtyard, and this time Chang Lan didn’t stop him.  While Xia Ge was trying to look at materials, Wei Yu pointed a finger at Xia Ge’s nose and began berating: “What kind of scoundrel are you?!!  You’re nothing more than a Demon Sect spy trying to act all high and mighty!  Senior Brother gave you a little respect and now you cross the line! Don’t you disgust yourself?!!”

The not very imposing Xia Wuyin calmly weighed materials, mumbling to himself and acting as if he hadn’t heard Wei Yu at all.  When Chang Lan and the other disciples entered as well, Chang Lan ordered: “Wei Yu, shut up.”

Staring hatefully at Xia Ge, Wei Yu unwillingly closed his mouth.

For his first question Chang Lan decided not tackle the spy accusation, but instead inquired: “Xia Wuyin, what are you doing?”

Busy sorting materials, Xia Ge didn’t answer.  Just when Chang Lan was about to give up on getting a reply, Xia Ge asked in a puzzled tone: “Senior Brother, what do you think the true meaning of being a liandan master is?”

Wei Yu sneered: “Shouldn’t you be asking what the true meaning of being a puppet master is?”

Ignoring Wei Yu, Xia Ge kept her eyes on Chang Lan.

Chang Lan took a few seconds to answer: “I’m not a liandan master.”

“Ohh.”  As Xia Ge threw materials into the furnace, the flames sparked and rose higher.  “Then let me ask, what’s the true meaning of being a sword master?”

Under the weight of Xia Wuyin’s clear gaze, an unwilling Chang Lan eventually said: “……kill devils and eliminate evil spirits.”

Retracting her gaze, Xia Ge crossed her legs and rested her chin in her hand, the flickering fire reflected in her eyes: “I see.”

A different Jianfeng disciple became wary: “What are you doing?”

Wei Yu: “Senior Brother, what if he’s refining poison?!”

The second Wei Yu said that, almost everyone promptly retreated a few feet, staring at Xia Wuyin with disgust and fear.  Only Chang Lan stayed put.  Xia Ge laughed as if she found that amusing, and asked him: “You don’t think I’m refining poison?”

Chang Lan did not reply.

Taking out her token, its delicately carved maple leaves highlighted by the glow of the fire, Xia Ge solemnly kissed it, smiled faintly, and closed her eyes.

The air in the room subtly changed, a breeze beginning to circulate.

Chang Lan’s hand went to the hilt of his sword, his eyes narrowing.

“What’s he doing?”

“Isn’t it just liandan……?”

“Are you joking?!  He’s a Demon Sect spy!  It can’t be possible, he must be refining poison——”

“……”

Regardless of whether it was liandan or refining poison, Xia Ge kept on.  She moved her hands and the next second divine light burst from the dan furnace!  Her black hair and red ribbon fluttered in the vigorous wind that’d sprung up, her black eyes flashing as surging lingqi coalesced!

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Everyone else instinctively took a step back!

Amidst the high flames and roiling lingqi, the materials in the furnace slowly separated into two fluid balls.  Yet apparently something was missing, because instead of becoming two dan, the two clumps of snow-white liquid stayed as they were.

It seemed Xia Ge had a bottleneck she couldn’t break through.

Xia Ge gazed into the furnace, anxious and unsure.

What exactly should she do?

Lowering her head, she looked again the [Command] token.

She remembered Bixi’s voice.

——“This is what Senior Sister told me to give you.”

“Keep it safe, don’t lose it.”

Pausing, Xia Ge shot the Jianfeng disciple Wei Yu a sharp glance.

—— Don’t take a chicken feather as an arrow banner!

Xia Ge’s scrutiny was very heavy.

Caught off guard, Wei Yu blustered: “You……what are you looking at me for?!”

Such a……scary expression!

Xia Ge remained silent and withdrew her gaze.

No one noticed that the moment Xia Ge retracted her eyes, some kind of transparent trace, like an unknown thought, was drawn into the surging lingqi of the furnace.

拿着鸡毛当令箭  [ná zhe jī máo dàng lìng jiàn]

treat an utterly worthless thing like an order from on high; take a chicken feather for a warrant to issue orders — treat one’s superior’s casual marks as an order and make a big fuss about it

令箭lìngjiàn

arrow banner of command (archaic- used as symbol of military authority)

给点颜色就开染坊的意思是

The original meaning of “Give some color to open a dyeing workshop” is to open a dyeing workshop when there is a little color. It is a metaphor to see that someone has a good attitude and go too far; or get carried away with a little flattery.

Citation: Chapter 58 of “Jin Ping Mei Ci Huo” by Xiao Xiaosheng: “The man slept in the house all night, and after gaining some color, he opened the dyeing room.”