One-Ear

"Young Master Ji, wait a moment, it's me."

A familiar voice reached Ji Qing's ears.

At the same time, a figure emerged from a shadowy corner.

"It's you... from Listening Wind Tower..."

Ji Qing couldn't actually recall the other person's name.

He hadn't asked for it back then.

But he remembered the other person's "one ear" vividly.

After all, Ji Qing was the one who had "sliced" off the missing ear.

"Young Master Ji, I've been sent by Manager Yu to invite you to Listening Wind Tower."

"Manager Yu?"

"She's the head of Listening Wind Tower in Anyang City, referred to as Manager within our organization. You should have met her, the woman who provided you with information..."

Ji Qing remembered.

The woman in the underground secret room who sold various pieces of intelligence.

Ji Qing sized up the "acquaintance" before him.

He had spared the man's life at the mule and horse inn, and in return, he had acquired the movement technique, Grass on Wings.

"I cut off your ear, don't you hate me?"

Ji Qing asked.

"What are you saying, Young Master Ji? It was my carelessness that you detected me. Fights between martial artists in the jianghu are unpredictable; injuries are inevitable. Moreover, I benefited from you; I've gained some reputation in the jianghu now."

"Oh? What reputation?"

"People in the jianghu call me 'One-Ear,' the most well-informed informant for Listening Wind Tower. Heh heh, actually, it was by tracking your movements that I became famous. I'm very grateful to you, Young Master."

Ji Qing understood.

This "One-Ear" had gained fame by associating with him, the "eighth-ranked villain on the Villain Ranking," a great demon.

He was likely highly valued within Listening Wind Tower.

Therefore, losing an ear was nothing!

It wasn't worth mentioning at all!

"Manager Yu specifically sent me to Anyang City this time, essentially to build a bridge of communication between Listening Wind Tower and you, Young Master Ji. Ultimately, Manager Yu has a request for you, Young Master. Why not hear what she has to say?"

"One-Ear" and Ji Qing were quite familiar with each other.

Furthermore, "One-Ear" understood Ji Qing's temperament deeply.

Manager Yu had paid a certain price to specifically invite "One-Ear" to the Listening Wind Tower in Anyang City.

"Lead the way."

"Certainly, Young Master, please follow me."

With One-Ear leading the way, Ji Qing was soon back at Listening Wind Tower.

It was still the same hidden secret room underground.

This time, One-Ear didn't leave but stayed in the secret room.

Ji Qing saw Manager Yu, still wearing her veil.

"You're here, Young Master. Please, have a seat."

Ji Qing sat down opposite Manager Yu, while One-Ear stood beside her.

"Manager Yu, you specifically brought 'One-Ear' to Anyang City and made such a fuss. What is this all about?"

Ji Qing asked.

Manager Yu smiled and said, "Indeed, it's something very important that required me to trouble you to come to Listening Wind Tower again. This involves some special requests from one of our important guests. We at Listening Wind Tower have considered it for a long time, and it seems only you, Young Master, can fulfill our esteemed guest's request."

"What request?"

"That guest shares a similar experience with you; their entire family was murdered, and the skin was peeled off their faces..."

Boom.

Ji Qing's mind roared.

His heart churned like a stormy sea.

Skin-Peeling Demon!

He had actually been searching for traces of the Skin-Peeling Demon himself during this time, but without much success.

He had originally planned to use Listening Wind Tower's intelligence network to track the Skin-Peeling Demon, but now it had come to him?

However, Listening Wind Tower was the one seeking his help now, so Ji Qing suppressed his inner excitement, maintaining a calm expression.

"Can you tell me why Listening Wind Tower, an intelligence-selling organization, is doing something like 'hiring' out?" Ji Qing asked.

Shopkeeper Yu lowered his head in thought for a moment, then raised it and sighed, giving a wry smile. "To be frank, young master, the reason we're doing this is quite simple. It's just that the guest offered too much..."

"How much?"

"Ten thousand taels of silver."

"..."

Ji Qing fell silent.

Alright, he was too hasty.

Facing such a generous "distinguished guest," who could resist?

No wonder Listening Wind Tower was taking on "side jobs," even specifically finding One-Ear to communicate with him.

"What benefits can Listening Wind Tower give me? If you can hide my information..."

"No. Young Master Ji, Listening Wind Tower makes a living by selling information; that's our bottom line! We absolutely cannot hide your information... However, if you are willing to do us this favor, while we cannot hide your information, we can 'delay' the time limit on it."

"For example, we'll only provide information from three days ago. This is equivalent to giving you three days of buffer time. What do you think, young master?"

Ji Qing was carefully considering this in his mind.

Delay for three days?

That would give him three days of 'buffer' time, and no one could track his movements in real-time through Listening Wind Tower.

This was indeed a tangible benefit.

It must have been difficult to get Listening Wind Tower to make this 'concession'.

"I also need an internal cultivation technique, preferably a top-tier second-rate one."

"Listening Wind Tower cannot provide you with a top-tier second-rate internal cultivation technique, but perhaps that distinguished guest can. If you are willing to wait, young master, we will give you a reply in three days."

"Alright, I'll wait."

Ji Qing stood up, preparing to leave.

"Oh, right. To show our sincerity, Listening Wind Tower is willing to give you a piece of information for free. Qingzhou's number one constable, Du Chen, the Wind Chasing Blade, has already set out to personally pursue the fugitive Ji Qing from Liang City!"

Ji Qing's body paused slightly upon hearing this.

"Thank you."

After speaking, Ji Qing left Listening Wind Tower.

Whoosh.

One-Ear chased after him.

"Du Chen is a second-rate martial artist and is famous throughout the land. You must be careful, young master!"

One-Ear's figure quickly disappeared without a trace.

Three days later, Ji Qing arrived at Listening Wind Tower again.

Shopkeeper Yu got straight to the point. "The distinguished guest is very satisfied with your 'experience,' but the guest does not have a second-rate internal cultivation technique, only a top-tier third-rate one! Furthermore, regardless of whether you can resolve the guest's problem, as long as you are willing to go, the guest will give you a top-tier third-rate internal cultivation technique."

Ji Qing frowned.

Experience?

He knew that Listening Wind Tower must have leaked his information to that mysterious distinguished guest.

It was only with similar experiences that the distinguished guest would agree to let him go.

But the other party didn't have a second-rate internal cultivation technique either?

In the martial world, a profound internal cultivation technique was difficult to obtain.

Ji Qing thought for a moment and finally nodded in agreement.

"Can I know the other party's information now?"

"The Lei Family Fortress's daughter, Lei Yu!"

"Where is the specific location?"

"The location isn't far, it's at the Lei Family Fortress outside Anyuan City. And Miss Lei... well, how should I put it? One look is enough to make her unforgettable. If you go to the Lei Family Fortress, young master, you should be able to recognize Miss Lei at a glance."

Ji Qing didn't ask any further questions.

He got up and left Listening Wind Tower, heading straight for the Lei Family Fortress outside the city.

A few hours later, Ji Qing stopped.

He had arrived at the Lei Family Fortress.

The Lei Family Fortress was very quiet at the moment. It was already a relatively remote place, and hardly anyone came here.

After walking a few steps, Ji Qing saw a woman standing with her back to him, looking out into the distance outside the Lei Family Fortress.

"Eighth on the Villain Ranking, Ji Qing the scholar from Liang City?"

The woman slowly turned around, perhaps because her body was so heavy that the ground itself trembled slightly.

This woman was tall and powerfully built, with a face full of coarse flesh. Her thighs were thicker than her waist, and she stood a head taller than Ji Qing.

From a distance, she looked like a mountain of flesh.

"Miss Lei..."

Ji Qing fell silent.

No wonder Shopkeeper Yu had said Miss Lei was unforgettable at first glance.

With a face like that, it was hard to forget her.