Chapter 33 – Sisters, Both Prodigies

Li Fan asked several baffling questions in succession, leaving Yin Yuzhen somewhat dazed and unable to understand why he was asking them.

A sudden thought seemed to strike her, and she stared at Li Fan with a slightly pale face: “Could it be that you’re our long-lost father?”

But she quickly dismissed the idea herself: “No, that can’t be right. You don’t look anything like us.”

“Just curiosity, nothing more,” Li Fan said mildly, paying no mind to the girl’s somewhat erratic train of thought.

“I know, I know. Curiosity about people of the same kind — perfectly natural,” Yin Yuzhen nodded repeatedly with an expression that said she understood completely.

Li Fan couldn’t be bothered to explain.

Yin Yuzhen let out a sigh and spoke slowly: “We were originally from Nightfall Island in the north. Our parents died in a disaster when we were little, leaving just my sister and me to depend on each other. In my memories, my sister and I could only survive by begging every day, never knowing where our next meal would come from.”

“But starting from some point I can’t quite pinpoint, my sister began finding all sorts of valuable things in different places.”

“And so our lives gradually improved, day by day. After that, my sister single-handedly established Heavenly Treasure House,” Yin Yuzhen recalled.

“Unfortunately, I haven’t seen my sister in several years now.” Her eyes were filled with longing.

“Oh? Where did she go?” Li Fan furrowed his brows.

“Three years ago, a passing immortal master took a liking to my sister and took her away. At first, she would still send messages through people to let us know she was safe. But later, we never heard from her again,” Yin Yuzhen said, resting her chin in both hands with a pitiful expression.

“Taken away by an immortal master? Could it be that she was taken to cultivate?” Li Fan couldn’t help but ask.

Yin Yuzhen sighed: “If only that were the case. In her earlier letters, my sister used a code that only the two of us understand to tell me that her situation was very dangerous. She said that if she stopped writing, it would mean something terrible had happened to her. She told me not to come looking for her.”

Hearing this, Li Fan couldn’t help but ask: “Could it be that her Spirit Treasure Body’s special constitution brought this misfortune upon her?”

“That’s exactly what puzzles me too. While the Spirit Treasure Body is certainly impressive — able to sense treasures within a certain range — the ability has its limits.”

“My sister is just an ordinary mortal. What she could sense were only things of some value to mortals. In the eyes of those immortal masters, such treasures are probably no better than scrap metal.”

“It’s not as if no immortal masters noticed my sister’s gift before, but none of them ever thought much of it. I don’t understand why that particular immortal master ended up taking her away.” Yin Yuzhen sighed again, a trace of sorrow showing in her eyes.

“Though things look grim for my sister, the legacy she left behind still stands. Heavenly Treasure House, which she worked so hard to build over most of her life, must not be ruined in my hands.” As she spoke, Yin Yuzhen fixed her large eyes firmly on Li Fan.

“That’s also why I sought you out today.”

Li Fan raised an eyebrow but said nothing.

Yin Yuzhen continued explaining on her own: “I don’t have my sister’s miraculous ability. After she disappeared, Heavenly Treasure House’s business has been declining by the day. On top of that, I later misjudged several items, failing to recognize them as counterfeits, which cost us a huge sum.”

“The senior members gradually grew dissatisfied with me. Some even wanted to conspire with outsiders to oust me and carve up Heavenly Treasure House’s assets.”

“Fortunately, they still harbor some reservations about my sister, who was taken away by an immortal master, so they haven’t made their move yet.”

“So I used the excuse of expanding into new markets to come from Nightfall Island to Glazed Glass Island, just to lay low for a while.”

“Originally, I planned to develop here for a few years, build up some strength, and then go back to settle scores with them. But I never expected to encounter another Spirit Treasure Body here on Glazed Glass Island.”

Yin Yuzhen was visibly excited: “With your help, I’ll surely be able to reclaim control of Heavenly Treasure House.”

“Why should I help you?” Li Fan remained unmoved. “I have no interest in the affairs of your Heavenly Treasure House. My sole desire lies in cultivation.”

“You previously promised that as long as I helped you secure the fleet, you would help me obtain a spot at the Body-Purifying Spirit Pool. You haven’t gone back on that, have you?”

Yin Yuzhen seemed to have anticipated Li Fan’s response. She nodded: “At Heavenly Treasure House, integrity always comes first in business. What we promised you, we will certainly deliver. However…”

She paused, eyeing Li Fan with a shrewd gaze.

“However what?” Li Fan’s expression darkened.

Yin Yuzhen smiled lightly: “Even if you manage to enter the Body-Purifying Spirit Pool, then what? Purging the miasma from one’s body is no easy task. Of those who enter the spirit pool each year, barely half succeed. And the older you are, the higher the chance of failure.”

“You’re not exactly young yourself. Are you one hundred percent certain you’ll succeed? Everyone only gets one chance to enter the spirit pool in their lifetime. If you fail, I’m afraid you’ll have to say goodbye to cultivation forever.”

“I’m aware that the Body-Purifying Spirit Pool doesn’t guarantee success. But with a fifty percent success rate, it’s already worth attempting. Although, from what you’re implying…” Li Fan looked at Yin Yuzhen, his eyes narrowing slightly.

“That’s right.” Yin Yuzhen wore a self-satisfied expression, clearly knowing Li Fan would take the bait. “Along with my sister’s final letter, she also sent a pill called the Dust-Parting Pill.”

“According to what my sister wrote in her letter, taking this pill would greatly increase the chances of successfully purging the miasma from one’s body. Combined with the Body-Purifying Spirit Pool, even at your age, there would be a very high chance of success.”

“If you have such a miraculous pill, why haven’t you taken it yourself?” Li Fan couldn’t help but ask.

“Mister, not everyone is as determined as you to pursue cultivation. My wish is simply to do good business and protect the Heavenly Treasure House my sister left behind,” Yin Yuzhen replied.

“To each their own aspirations…” Li Fan nodded slowly.

“So, does this mean you agree?” Yin Yuzhen looked at Li Fan with expectant eyes.

“Let me go back and think it over. I’ll give you my answer in three days.” Li Fan deliberated for a moment and did not agree immediately.

“Alright then, I’ll be waiting for your answer.” Though somewhat disappointed, Yin Yuzhen nodded.

“Farewell!”

……

“I hope I haven’t misjudged this time.”

Watching Li Fan’s departing figure, Yin Yuzhen’s expression turned serious as she murmured softly.

In her dealings with Li Fan, Yin Yuzhen had always played the role of a “junior” and “young girl.”

Her intuition told her that Li Fan did not dislike her acting this way.

Moreover, interacting with Li Fan as a junior would make things easier to accomplish.

Yin Yuzhen didn’t possess her sister’s innate ability to sense treasures through some mysterious intuition.

But she had her own unique gift.

Apart from her sister Yin Yueting, nobody knew that Yin Yuzhen had been able to faintly sense the fortune or misfortune of events since she was a child.

It was precisely through her sister’s Spirit Treasure Body and the younger sister’s ability to seek fortune and avoid calamity that the two sisters had managed to grow up safely.