Chapter Nine: The Yin-Yang Formation

(1/3)

In the sweltering heat of summer, a gentle male voice suddenly drifted out from a small courtyard.

“... And these are the Thirty-Six Stratagems.”

“Ding! Congratulations, Host. You have successfully completed the task: Having Li Haoran memorize both Master Tai Gong’s Art of War and the Thirty-Six Stratagems within three days. Special reward: a big red envelope!”

Hearing the system’s voice echo in her mind, Chu Bing could no longer contain her joy; a radiant smile blossomed at the corners of her lips.

Suddenly, a sizable red envelope materialized before her eyes. Wasting no time, Chu Bing opened it, and a book floated serenely in midair.

“The Yin-Yang Formation!”

Chu Bing’s eyes shone with excitement. Formations were rare treasures, and if used well, could be a formidable weapon!

However, this book was so thick—if she had to learn it all from scratch, who knew how long it would take? If only she could absorb its contents instantly, just as martial arts skills could be implanted directly into her mind!

As the thought crossed her mind, the red envelope dissolved into a stream of light and shot into her forehead. Instantly, her mind brimmed with new knowledge, and whenever she focused, she could summon it at will!

...

Li Haoran set down the book in his hands and looked up, catching sight of Chu Bing lost in thought, gazing at him with a silly smile. A gentle warmth spread through his heart; never before had anyone smiled so happily simply because he had memorized a book.

What a foolishly sweet girl.

“Miss Chu, I have finished memorizing both books,” Li Haoran said, his gaze filled with respect. Over the past three days, Chu Bing had studied both military treatises with him from start to finish. Through this time together, he had come to recognize her abilities.

It was a pity, he thought, that Chu Bing was a woman. Otherwise, he would have insisted on feasting and talking strategy with her!

Chu Bing struck a teacherly pose, hands clasped behind her back and chin held high, brimming with pride. “Not bad, not bad. But don’t get complacent—you must truly internalize these books to master their essence.”

Li Haoran nodded solemnly. “Yes.”

His seriousness, as if she truly were his teacher, made Chu Bing feel a little out of sorts.

She cleared her throat, then suddenly remembered the formation she had just acquired. Her eyes brightened. “Since you have nothing else to do today, why not give me a hand?”

Li Haoran raised an eyebrow. “Help? With what, may I ask?”

(2/3)

An hour later.

Chu Bing and Li Haoran stood in the rear courtyard of the tavern Chu Bing had acquired.

In just three days, the place had undergone a dramatic transformation. Some curious new fixtures had appeared; the old, large, round tables had been replaced with rectangular ones, each covered with a tablecloth and lined neatly against the wall.

A pot of spider plant adorned each table, adding a fresh and elegant touch that made it hard to look away.

Most striking of all, the tavern’s walls were now covered in wallpaper depicting sunrises and seascapes. At a glance, it felt as though one had stepped into another world entirely.

Li Haoran was full of admiration. He had no idea where Miss Chu found such inspiration, but he could already imagine how the tavern would draw crowds once it reopened.

“Step outside first, then re-enter the tavern,” Chu Bing instructed, entirely focused on testing her formation.

If she deployed it properly, this formation might become her ultimate life-saving trump card!

Li Haoran couldn’t guess what Chu Bing was up to, but obediently stepped outside.

He’d been to this tavern several times, and there was only one hallway connecting the front and rear doors. Yet, as he thought he was nearly through, he suddenly realized he’d been walking in circles!

Baffled, he looked around in astonishment. The open door was clearly beckoning to him, visible in his line of sight.

Certain he hadn’t lost his way, he pressed on, but again found himself looping endlessly.

Time and again he walked, the scenery unchanged, yet he’d been at it for what felt like ages, never reaching the end.

Li Haoran’s brows knitted in a tense frown. Outwardly calm, he was inwardly thunderstruck.

Such skill! If word of Chu Bing’s talents spread, every noble in the land would stop at nothing to secure her.

Standing in place, he let out a long sigh and called out loudly, “Miss Chu, I concede defeat.”

His tone was forthright, without a hint of gloom.

Hidden at the heart of the formation, Chu Bing heard him and immediately waved her hand, dissolving the illusion.

(3/3)

At that moment, Li Haoran finally saw clearly—he had never left the main hall; he’d been standing there all along. Across from him, Chu Bing regarded him with a quiet, smiling gaze.

Chu Bing was overjoyed. As expected, anything produced by the system was extraordinary!

With this formation, her base of operations was now unassailable.

She strolled cheerfully over to Li Haoran. “Well? This is one of the formations my master taught me. With this, aren’t we safe from any black-clad intruders who might burst in?”

Possessing such a treasure, her only thought was self-preservation!

Li Haoran couldn’t help but smile. He truly hadn’t expected Chu Bing’s motivations to be so simple. Yet he said nothing of the formation’s full potential; if she wished to remain as she was, so be it.

“You’re absolutely right, Miss Chu. This formation is both illusory and substantial; ordinary people would never break through.”

Receiving his praise, Chu Bing’s pride nearly soared to the heavens.

She struggled to control the grin threatening to stretch to the back of her head, dismissing it with a wave. “It’s just a little trick, nothing worth mentioning. Now, let me teach you the incantation to enter, so next time, if I’m not here, you’ll be able to come in on your own!”

Li Haoran started, his gaze turning deep.

He understood well that Chu Bing had set up the formation as a safeguard for herself, yet now she was sharing this only escape route with him!

This girl trusted him completely, without a trace of reservation.

A surge of emotion welled up in Li Haoran’s chest. Never had anyone treated him with such open sincerity. This genuine trust... he could never hope to repay.

He lowered his eyes to hide the emotion within and said hoarsely, “Miss Chu, you needn’t do this. This formation is your unique skill—if you share it with me, it’s as though you’re handing me your one weakness. If, in the future... if we should part ways, it might not bode well for you.”

Chu Bing burst out laughing. Li Haoran was amusing in his own way. Though the formation was rare, it wasn’t such a big deal to her—there were many such tricks in the Yin-Yang Formation manual. Yet seeing how moved he was, her eyes sparkled with mischief. Assuming a magnanimous air, she clapped him on the shoulder and said with a laugh, “You worry too much, Li. Since I’m willing to tell you, it means I trust you. If you ever betray me, it’s my own fault—no one else’s.”

Li Haoran’s heart swelled with emotion. He looked deeply at Chu Bing, cupped his hands, and declared, “Rest assured, Miss Chu. I will never fail you in this lifetime.”