Holding Hands Already, Could Kissing Be Far Behind?

The County Magistrate was completely baffled and cast an inquiring look at the Straw Bag Strategist.

The Straw Bag Strategist hurriedly said:

"County Magistrate, the Imperial Guard must have extracted evidence through interrogation, and that evidence must be hidden in the bandits' den. Whoever leaves the Imperial Guard will surely head to the bandits' den to retrieve it!"

County Magistrate Han Zhang suddenly understood and looked toward the Brown-robed Martial Emperor.

"Ancestor?"

"Cao Bao has some brains after all. He's right," the Brown-robed Martial Emperor said calmly,

then looked at County Magistrate Han Zhang, disappointment showing on his face.

Having received praise from a Martial Emperor, the Straw Bag Strategist was overwhelmed with flattered surprise and hurriedly knelt to kowtow.

But County Magistrate Han Zhang panicked and sprang to his feet.

"What should we do? What should we do!"

Ever since he had sent the Six Bandit Overlords to assassinate Ning Chuan and failed, with the Six Overlords falling into the Imperial Guard's hands, County Magistrate Han Zhang had completely lost his head.

Left with no other choice, he had invited the Han Family's Dao-protecting ancestor to act.

This concerned the Lineage's grand plan. No matter the cost, they had to defuse this crisis.

He, Han Zhang, could not bear such heaven-sized responsibility.

The Brown-robed Martial Emperor glanced toward the Imperial Guard, a cold smile curling over his lips.

His aura was mutually locked with that of the Green-robed Martial Emperor. Every move either made was under the other's watchful eye.

"The Six Bandit Overlords possess evidence of dealings with my Han Family. Keeping it would only invite disaster. We can use the Imperial Guard's hand to find and destroy that evidence."

"Once the evidence is destroyed, the Six Bandit Overlords in the Imperial Guard's hands will lose their value. Gahaha..."

Upon hearing this, County Magistrate Han Zhang's eyes lit up. He immediately knelt and kowtowed.

"Ancestor, brilliant! Please take action, Ancestor!"

"Kehehehe..."

The Brown-robed Martial Emperor let out a smug, bizarre laugh. His body flickered, splitting into two identical brown-robed old men.

Han Zhang and the Straw Bag Strategist widened their eyes and cried out in shock!

"Two Ancestors!"

"Kehehehe... you two fools, this is the Ancestor's substitute!"

The true body of the brown-robed elder gradually concealed its aura, then suddenly transformed into a breeze and vanished from the room.

On the meditation cushion, the substitute was lifelike, radiating the unique aura of a Martial Emperor.

County Magistrate Han Zhang and the Straw Bag Strategist were horrified, frozen where they stood and unable to speak for a long time.

The Brown-robed Martial Emperor's true body locked onto Ning Chuan and Xiao Lian, following them all the way, intending to be the oriole waiting to catch the mantis.

Inside the Imperial Guard's government office, the Green-robed Martial Emperor opened his eyes and looked toward the County Yamen, puzzled.

He sensed the Brown-robed Martial Emperor's aura fluctuate slightly before returning to normal.

This minor disturbance did not draw his attention.

South of Qingshan County lay Bishui Lake, several hundred li in both length and width.

Half of Bishui Lake was managed by Qingshan County, while the other half belonged to neighboring Huangshi County.

An island in the lake, more than ten li in both length and width, was called Bishui Dock and happened to sit in a no-man's-land between the two counties.

The island was ringed by sheer cliffs, its terrain treacherous and strategically advantageous—easy to defend, hard to attack—with only one path leading up.

More than ten years ago, Bishui Han had broken through to become a Martial Arts Sixth Rank grandmaster and received the Han Family's support.

He came here, claimed the island as king, recruited troops, and drilled them day and night.

All he awaited was a command from the Han Family to raise the banner in rebellion.

Every successive County Magistrate of Qingshan County had been a pawn of the Han Family. They had joined with neighboring Huangshi County in putting on several token bandit-suppression campaigns.

In truth, they had secretly shipped Bishui Dock considerable strategic supplies, allowing Bishui Dock's reputation and might to grow ever greater.

Ning Chuan and Xiao Lian arrived by the lakeshore. Looking out, they saw rippling emerald waves stretching seemingly without end.

At the edge of their vision, hazy mist obscured Bishui Dock from sight.

"Ning Chuan, what do we do?"

Xiao Lian looked at him questioningly.

Along the way, Ning Chuan had teased her to the utmost, leaving Xiao Lian so delighted that she forgot herself. She gradually let down her reserve and even began to depend on him a little.

"Call me husband, and I'll tell you what to do!"

Ning Chuan wore a wicked grin.

"You have no proper manners at all. Hurry up and tell this young lady!"

Pretending to be angry, Xiao Lian poked at Ning Chuan with one delicate jade-like hand.

Ning Chuan was overjoyed and grabbed Xiao Lian's hand. Warmth, softness, and smoothness flowed into his palm.

A tender, romantic feeling rippled through his heart, and Ning Chuan immediately recalled a line from the comment section of his previous life: This old man has an immature idea!

"Little thief, let go!"

Xiao Lian yanked hard, yet she could not budge Ning Chuan in the slightest.

No matter how much strength she used, it was like a caterpillar wriggling in Ning Chuan's palm.

"Xiao Lian, we have serious business to handle next. We'd better pretend to be husband and wife!"

Xiao Lian struggled for a while, her face flushing with shy embarrassment. As the force of her struggling seemed to gradually weaken, Ning Chuan conveniently gave her a way out.

Sure enough, upon hearing this, Xiao Lian gradually stopped struggling.

She said softly,

"Just this once. There won't be a next time!"

"As Lady Xiao Lian commands!"

Ning Chuan beamed and hurriedly agreed, secretly feeling delighted inside.

"Once there's a first time, there'll be countless times!"

"We're already holding hands. Could kissing and the rest be far behind!"

"Gahaha..."

In high spirits, Ning Chuan held Xiao Lian's hand. After walking only a short distance, they found a dock.

Several dozen cargo ships of various sizes were moored alongside it. Ship hands bustled about, loading goods aboard.

These supplies were the daily provisions being transported to Bishui Dock.

Bandits had to eat and drink too. They could not rely entirely on robbery, so some bold merchants spotted a business opportunity and secretly began trading with the bandits.

In any case, Qingshan County's authorities were controlled by the Han Family and did not interfere much with such matters.

Ning Chuan stopped a cargo ship steward, smoothly slipping a silver ingot into the man's hand.

"Greetings, Steward. I am Zhang Chao, and this is my wife, Lian Xin.

"My wife and I have wandered the martial world. Having heard of Bishui Dock's great reputation, we wish to join them.

"But we are unfamiliar with this place and cannot find the right path. Does Steward have any connections?"

The steward only felt something cold in his hand as a large, hard object was pressed into it. Looking down, he was instantly overjoyed.

He hurriedly tucked the silver into his robe, then glanced around. Only after seeing that no one had noticed his earlier action did he relax.

This large silver ingot was a full ten taels, worth several months of wages for him as a steward.

Having made a small fortune, his spirits immediately soared, and everything he looked at became especially pleasing.

He sized up Ning Chuan and Xiao Lian. Seeing that they carried themselves with considerable bearing and were clearly martial artists, he was even more jubilant.

"I've struck it rich, struck it rich! Recommending a martial artist to join Bishui Dock comes with a hefty reward too!"

"Heaven is practically chasing me down to feed me, sending people over to deliver silver!"

The steward was ecstatic, though he barely suppressed the delight on his face. Stroking his beard, he said:

"Oh, so it's Brother Zhang. We are fated to meet, and we even share the same surname. Ordinarily, this matter is highly confidential, and I should not reveal it to outsiders..."

Steward Zhang deliberately paused there, as though he were hesitating.

Ning Chuan immediately understood and promptly pressed another silver ingot into the steward's hand.

"Please enlighten me, Steward Zhang. Once it is done, there will be further generous rewards!"

Steward Zhang's face blossomed with smiles as he slapped Ning Chuan on the shoulder.

"Hahahaha... Brother Zhang, you're too polite. We're all of the same clan. Leave such a trivial matter to your elder brother!"

"How about this? I happen to have a shipment headed to Bishui Dock today.

"You just give this old man one hundred taels of silver. Once we reach Bishui Dock, I'll pull some strings for you. This will definitely succeed!"

Half an hour later, the cargo ship set sail.

Ning Chuan held Xiao Lian's hand as they stood at the bow, feeling utterly refreshed.

"Gahaha... Bishui Dock's Attribute Points, your daddy is coming!"