Green Robe Pavilion

Green Robe Pavilion

"Da Li, this mission won't be easy. We should try to capture the target if possible, but killing her is permitted."

In Black Wind Stronghold's spacious council hall, the broad-waisted, thick-backed Xiong Ba sat in a large pearwood chair draped with tiger skin, smoking a pipe as he looked approvingly at Jiang Dali, who was as strong and robust as a tiger or leopard.

He was already forty-six. It had been years since he had personally fought anyone, and his body had gone soft and out of shape. In the past two years, he had even taken two concubines who needed looking after. The hot blood of his younger days, when he had dared to block roads and rob escorts alone with a single axe, had long since faded.

Fortunately, Jiang Dali had appeared over the past few years, like a heaven-sent lucky general. He had become the fastest and sharpest blade in Xiong Ba's hand, handling many troublesome matters for him. Every so often, they could seize escort shipments without lifting a finger, allowing him to gain both fame and profit without risking his life.

As a result, Xiong Ba found Jiang Dali more and more pleasing to the eye and treated him like his own son.

If not for the fact that one of his recent concubines suited him so well, he might even have bestowed her upon Third Boss as a reward.

Black Wind Stronghold's Great Mountain Lord Xiong Ba has given you a capture mission.

Mission: Capture or kill Qiu Xuemei of the Ancient Tomb Sect, wielder of the Gale Whip.

Mission Difficulty: Grade C, Level B

Qiu Xuemei: Newly entered the Inner Qi Realm. An expelled disciple of the Ancient Tomb Sect, skilled with a long whip. Her whereabouts are detailed in the sealed letter.

Capture Reward: 50 Cultivation Points, 50 Potential Points, 50 Jianghu Reputation.

Kill Reward: 30 Cultivation Points, 30 Potential Points, 30 Jianghu Reputation.

Accept?

"Only a Grade C mission. I'll take it!"

Jiang Dali hesitated for less than a breath before answering in a powerful voice.

If it had been an old Jianghu veteran who had been in the Inner Qi Realm for a long time, he would have refused without hesitation.

Though he would not truly die in this world.

Still, deliberately courting death and actually dying would bring heavy losses. There was no need to take such a risk.

But since it was merely an expert who had just entered the Inner Qi Realm, he figured he could give it a try.

"Third Boss, have you thought this through? She's no simple character. She's made quite a name for herself in Yuanzhou."

Deathly Scholar, the Second Boss seated to the left, sipped his tea and smiled. "Though she has only just entered the Inner Qi Realm and cannot yet project her inner qi, she is still no trifling opponent. If you really run into her, I suggest using some underhanded tricks—the ones I taught you. Don't be too reckless."

"I understand."

As Jiang Dali spoke, he took the mission letter, picked up the jug of aged wine Xiong Ba had placed on the table, then turned and strode away with his saber on his back.

"Once I leave, whether I complete the mission or not, I will return within a month."

"Haha, good! When the time comes, I'll prepare a feast in advance to welcome you back, brother." Xiong Ba rose with a laugh and watched Jiang Dali leave.

Deathly Scholar slowly set down his teacup, a smile still resting on his fair face. "If Third Boss really completes this mission, the merits he has accumulated should be enough for the higher-ups to notice him and transfer him up early, shouldn't they?"

Xiong Ba took a puff of smoke and sighed. "Third Boss is damn well a talent. What a pity our Black Wind Stronghold is too small a temple."

Deathly Scholar rolled his eyes. "Big Brother, what if I also wanted to go to the higher-ups with Third Boss? What would you think?"

Xiong Ba glared. "What nonsense are you thinking? The only one who can go to the higher-ups is Third Boss. If he rises to great heights, you and I brothers will naturally get to enjoy the good life too."

"Big Brother, Big Brother..."

Deathly Scholar lowered his gaze and sighed inwardly. Water flows downward, but people climb upward. That is why, after all these years, you can only remain a bandit chief at Black Wind Stronghold. You are far too softhearted. I am different. I can only apologize to Third Brother. Still, what a pity to lose such a fine fighter.

There were many mysterious organizations in this Jianghu.

One of them made many Jianghu people pale at the mere mention of it.

No one knew who the mysterious master behind this organization was.

He might be the most ordinary and boring friend by your side. He might be the old woman selling vegetables at your door every day. He might be the owner of a tea shop with peerless skill in tea arts, or perhaps a flower thief who proclaimed that flowers should be plucked while they could still be plucked...

No one knew who the master of this organization truly was, or what he looked like.

Those of the Jianghu only knew that such a person definitely existed.

Just as they knew Little Li Flying Dagger was accurate. As for how accurate it was, only the dead knew.

Jiang Dali's other identity was as a member of this organization—a Green Robe Pavilion assassin.

In the nearly two years since his rebirth into this world, Jiang Dali had spent one year rising from a minor bandit leader to Black Wind Stronghold's Third Boss, then another year becoming a Green Robe Pavilion assassin.

Thus, he had identities both in the open and in the shadows.

He also had access to information from both the open and hidden sides of the Jianghu.

With the identity of a well-informed Green Robe Pavilion assassin, it was far more convenient to do many things while traveling through the Jianghu.

Two days later, on a remote road leading to Yuanzhou.

A carrier pigeon flapped across the azure sky and landed on Jiang Dali's callused outstretched hand.

After taking out the note from the message tube and reading it, Jiang Dali's eyes flickered, and a smile appeared on his face.

"Go!"

He released the pigeon and swung himself onto his horse.

"Hyah!"

With a fast horse and a golden saber, Jiang Dali—his appearance and attire altered by a peculiar human-skin mask—galloped away, whipping his mount onward.

He wore a blue-green robe, while black gauze hung from his conical hat to conceal his face. He looked every bit like a Green Robe Pavilion assassin.

Over the past two days, he had used Green Robe Pavilion's channels to uncover information that even Black Wind Stronghold's superiors had failed to investigate—information regarding Qiu Xuemei, wielder of the Gale Whip.

Two days ago, Qiu Xuemei had traveled by water and secretly returned from Huizhou to Yuanzhou.

She was now staying at a Hidden Inn in Qingyang County, Yuanzhou, avoiding the authorities' pursuit.

A Hidden Inn was an inn not registered with the authorities, one that was not permitted to operate.

Those who ran such inns were usually people from the underworld, serving mainly those who did not wish to show their faces too openly.

Since Black Wind Mountain Stronghold's superiors were White Path forces, it was naturally difficult for them to investigate the guests staying at such Hidden Inns.

But Green Robe Pavilion was an assassin organization, not some White Path force. Naturally, it could obtain such information with ease.

Jiang Dali had not only found Qiu Xuemei's whereabouts, but had also investigated all the martial arts she practiced, as well as her personality, preferences, and more.

There were countless Jianghu sects under heaven, and quite a few were strange.

For example, the Xi Xiang Corpse Herding Sect, whose members spent their days in the company of corpses.

Then there was the White Lotus Cult, which spent all day plotting against the authorities; the Sun Moon Divine Cult, which constantly clashed with the Five Great Sword Sects; and the Star Constellation Sect and Five Poisons Sect, which researched insect crossbreeding every day. Every one of them acted bizarrely and was steeped in Evil Qi.

Yet compared with the Ancient Tomb Sect, whose members remained shut away all day in secluded cultivation and almost never appeared in the Jianghu, these sects were far more open.

Ever since Lin Chaoying founded the Ancient Tomb Sect, the only disciples to emerge from the ancient tomb over all these years had been Crimson Serpent Fairy Li Mochou, who rebelled against the sect, along with Yang Guo and Xiao Longnv, who had left of their own accord. Qiu Xuemei might be considered the fourth disciple to leave the ancient tomb.

From the moment she left the ancient tomb that year, Qiu Xuemei became an expelled disciple of the Ancient Tomb Sect. She had done no good in the Jianghu, instead committing many senseless killings and setting foot upon the same twisted path once taken by Crimson Serpent Fairy Li Mochou. That was why the authorities had put out a warrant for her arrest.

However, Qiu Xuemei was nowhere near as skilled as Li Mochou. With only mediocre martial arts and no backing to speak of, less than half a month after becoming wanted by the authorities, she was already fleeing everywhere in a miserable state.

Regarding this, Jiang Dali could only sigh, "She's a pitiful woman locked away so long that she became depressed and never learned the laws of the outside world." Beyond that, he had nothing more to say.

He could even imagine it.

A woman who had lived for years in an isolated ancient tomb, knowing only martial arts and understanding nothing of propriety, shame, worldly ethics, or imperial law—when she entered the mortal Jianghu, how great would the shock and influence upon her be?

Perhaps any man with a few honeyed words could win over the inexperienced Qiu Xuemei.

Then came the old tale of seduction followed by abandonment.

After that, it was easy enough to imagine Qiu Xuemei turning dark and taking revenge on society.

It was practically the same bitter Jianghu history as her sect ancestor Li Mochou.

Even Xiao Longnv, if she had not had Yang Guo whom she deeply loved, and if Yang Guo had abandoned her, would likely have turned dark in the end and followed the same path as Li Mochou.

That was why Jiang Dali utterly despised the Ancient Tomb Sect's damn outdated system created by its founder Lin Chaoying. It completely twisted a person's normal worldview and values.

But that did not stop Jiang Dali from intending to kill Qiu Xuemei.

Emotional sympathy did not mean going easy on her physically.

"Qiu Xuemei loves listening to songs. After settling in Qingyang County, she went yesterday to hear a traveling performer named Xiao Ling sing.

"She really is the sort of foolish simpleton one would expect from the Ancient Tomb Sect. She has roamed the Jianghu for years and still has so little Jianghu experience. She's wanted by the authorities, yet she still went to listen to songs.

"And a traveling performer just happened to pass through Qingyang County at exactly that time?"

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