NOVPUB"Fine, fine, just try to keep your distance from Fang Jiu next time," the people around him advised in twos and threes.
"Junior Sect Master," Xu Zimei muttered to himself while twirling the wine cup in his hand.
...…
After Li Kui had his fill of food and drink, the sky outside had gradually darkened.
He left the inn and started making his way home.
When he reached a secluded alley, he saw a bald man in Taoist robes coming towards him. 𝘯𝑜𝑣𝑝𝑢𝘣.𝑐𝑜𝑚
Perhaps because the attire was unusual, Li Kui gave it several glances. As they brushed past each other, his vision suddenly went black, and he collapsed.
When Li Kui opened his eyes again, he found himself in a narrow alley with three people standing in front of him.
He was startled and hastily inquired, "Who are you? I haven’t offended anyone."
"I ask, you answer, got it?" Xu Zimei commanded.
Li Kui quickly nodded, not daring to hesitate in the slightest.
"Who is Fang Jiu?" Xu Zimei asked.
"He, he is a disciple of the Tianlun Sect," Li Kui quickly replied.
"And what’s the deal between the so-called Young Master Tianxun and Fang Jiu?" Xu Zimei wanted to confirm once more.
"Young Master Tianxun is the Junior Sect Master of the Tianlun Sect, destined to inherit the position of the Sect Hierarch," Li Kui responded.
"Fang Jiu was originally just a small-time hoodlum around here, never doing anything legitimate.
But for some reason, he caught Young Master Tianxun’s eye and was taken under his wing."
"Where can Fang Jiu be found?" Xu Zimei asked.
"The gambling house. He comes out irregularly every month and always goes to the gambling house," Li Kui replied.
"At other times, he’s within the Tianlun Sect and can’t be seen."
"Have him draw a portrait of Fang Jiu," Xu Zimei softly said, patting the shoulder of the monk Da Zhi.
"Then kill him."
......…
The weather at Red Dust Palace is capricious.
One second the sun could be blazing down, and the next, snowflakes are already drifting.
But clearly, the people here are accustomed to such weather.
The sky today was somewhat overcast, with dark clouds piling up across the entire sky.
It gave off a very oppressing feeling, rather like the calm before the storm.
Under the dark clouds, it seemed as if small raindrops were beginning to fall.
The bustling gambling house is always the liveliest.
Inside, it’s a hive of activity, with shouts and calls incessantly flooding the air.
Fang Jiu walked out of the gambling house, having had bad luck today, losing quite a bit.
However, the owner of the gambling house knew how to conduct business and returned what he’d lost intact.
He was thin, wearing a blue long gown.
On his back, he still had the type of long braid from ancient times, strutting with an air of arrogance as he walked.
Two men followed behind him.
One was burly with well-developed muscles.
There was another with eyes sharp like an eagle’s and features that were stern and meticulous.
At a glance, both men appeared to be far from ordinary.
"Let’s go, it’s time for us to head back," Fang Jiu said to the two men.
The men didn’t respond but followed behind Fang Jiu like bodyguards.
As the trio was halfway through their journey, they saw the monk Da Zhi holding a wine pot, staggering by them.
"A light in the sheath, a blade descending from the heavens," he chanted softly, holding a curved blade and praising it.
The blade was slowly drawn a fraction from its sheath, and already a sharp blade aura overflowed, accompanied by endless Blade Qi.
"What a fine sword," he praised aloud, then strode forward with an air of nonchalance.
Watching Da Zhi monk’s retreating figure, Fang Jiu slowly halted, saying, "Follow him."
"Fang Jiu, the Junior Sect Master instructed us not to start trouble," the burly man beside him said.
"Did you see that sword? What do you think?" Fang Jiu asked.
"Although I didn’t see it completely, just the mere presence of it is enough to be deemed ’peerless,’" another man with hawk-like eyes said.
"The Junior Sect Master always favors swords. If we offer it to him, there will be rewards for us," Fang Jiu said.
"Look at him, a mere Taoist priest with such an excellent sword; it must have a dubious origin."
The two men pondered for a moment, hesitant and undecided.
"If you hesitate any longer, that Taoist priest will have run off," Fang Jiu replied.
His cultivation was low, so for anything he had to rely on these two, naturally he didn’t dare to chase after him alone.
"Let’s go," the two men exchanged glances, and together with Fang Jiu, they quickly chased after Da Zhi monk.
......…
Because Tianlun City was so crowded, Xu Zimei decided against taking action on the main street.
Da Zhi monk purposely walked towards less populated areas and eventually stopped in a deserted alleyway.
"Run away, aren’t you very good at running?" Fang Jiu, out of breath, said as he looked at Da Zhi monk.
"What is it that you gentlemen want from this poor monk?" Da Zhi monk turned around and asked, composed and unhurried.
"I’m very interested in the sword you’re carrying, so I plan to buy it from you for a Spirit Crystal," Fang Jiu said.
"I’m sorry, but this sword is not mine to sell," Da Zhi monk shook his head and tossed the Curved Blade towards Fang Jiu.
The Curved Blade transformed into a streak of light in mid-air, bypassing Fang Jiu and the others, returning to Xu Zimei who was behind them.
"This is bad," realising that they were trapped in the alley by Da Zhi monk and Xu Zimei, it was clear to the three men that their opponents had planned this in advance.
"Who are you?" the hawk-eyed man asked in an indifferent tone.
"You might as well lie down first," Xu Zimei said with a smile.
As his great hand came down, it suppressed them mightily.
With tens of thousands of Spiritual Energy swirling in his hand, the three of them didn’t even have time to react before they felt completely stiff and immobilized on the spot.
Each of them turned pale with shock as cold sweat trickled down their foreheads.
After sealing the Vein Gates in their bodies, Xu Zimei then said with a smile, "Now we can have a chat."
I swear we had no intention of offending you, sirs," Fang Jiu hastily replied, "Whatever you ask of us, we won’t shirk, not even if it’s to climb a Blade Mountain or dive into a Fiery Sea."
"I would like to meet your Junior Sect Master," Xu Zimei said with a smile.
"That," Fang Jiu hesitated for a moment.
"Is that a problem?" Xu Zimei asked.
"No, no, no, it’s just that the Junior Sect Master is always inside the sect; I can’t bring him out," Fang Jiu replied nervously.
"Then you take me into Tianlun Sect," Xu Zimei said.
"Ah," Fang Jiu paused in surprise before he exclaimed.
"You, you want to enter our sect."
"You three have two choices: either take me to meet your Junior Sect Master or die here waiting for him to come and deal with you," Xu Zimei said.
"Make your choice."
"Well, we," Fang Jiu turned to glance at the other two, then said.
"We’ll take you to meet the Sect Hierarch inside the sect."
Xu Zimei smiled and took out three Pills from his pocket, giving one to each of them to swallow.
"This is the Myriad Gu Devouring Heart Pill. After meeting your Junior Sect Master, I’ll give you the antidote," he said.
" Should anyone deceive me, consider the consequences."
