Opportunity Arrives

Creak.

The door opened.

It was the Head Attendant, Lin Yun.

Lin Yun was wearing a light green robe today. Though in his forties, his presence was contained and carried an air of authority. However, the observant Xie An noticed a hint of worry between Lin Yun's brows, and his spirits seemed low.

Lin Yun simply nodded at Xie An and the other person, acknowledging their presence, and then said, "The Incense Master is injured and recuperating. Please keep your voices down when you speak."

Xie An nodded in agreement and followed Lin Yun into the courtyard. While surveying the surroundings, he mused, The Incense Master is injured? No wonder Lin Yun isn't in high spirits. Judging by Lin Yun's expression, the Incense Master seems to be quite badly hurt.

Over the past month, Xie An had been discreetly gathering information about this Incense Master.

Starting from humble beginnings, he had climbed his way up to the position of Incense Master. Eventually, at the request of the Tiger Wolf Gate, he established the Blood Ridge Black Market, growing it from nothing to its current scale.

He had presided over the Blood Ridge Black Market for over a decade without any major incidents.

His strength was also top-notch. He was seriously injured?

As a newcomer, Xie An naturally didn't pry further.

It was Zhang Lin who spoke up first, "Wasn't the Incense Master fine a few days ago? How did he get injured so suddenly?"

Zhang Lin wasn't a martial artist with grand ambitions. He had followed the Incense Master for years, seeking stability and wealth. If this great tree, the Incense Master, were to fall, Zhang Lin would naturally feel very insecure.

Sigh.

Facing the two attendants, Lin Yun didn't conceal anything and sighed, "A while ago, bandits from Great Yin Mountain descended to plunder the Chen Family Manor in Water Lantern Town. The Incense Master was dispatched by the main hall to suppress them. He injured his vital organs. He is currently undergoing treatment. This is a secret matter, and as attendants, you must not leak it. Otherwise, it will cause panic among the subordinates."

Xie An nodded in agreement.

Lin Yun then led the two to the bedroom. As soon as they entered, Xie An smelled a strong, pungent medicinal odor. Through the curtain, he could vaguely see an old man with white hair lying on the bed, and he could hear his soft cough.

Based on Xie An's experience from his stroke, this Incense Master Wei Dian was severely injured, possibly even to the point of his life force being depleted, even though he was a martial artist and a master. Xie An wondered if he would be able to recover.

Wei Dian coughed lightly twice and spoke weakly, "You've arrived."

"Incense Master Wei, how did you get injured like this..." Zhang Lin leaned forward, asking with concern through the curtain.

Wei Dian said weakly, "A while ago, when we were surrounding the Great Yin Mountain bandits at the Chen Family Manor, I was injured in my vital organs by the Plum Blossom Monster... Never mind, let's not dwell on the past. Is this the new attendant appointed by Elder Tang?"

Xie An cupped his hands and stepped forward, "Yes."

Immediately, Xie An felt a sharp gaze looking at him through the curtain, as if trying to see through him. After a moment, the gaze slowly softened, and then turned into a sigh.

After some pleasantries, Wei Dian spoke slowly, "Since I was injured, Incense Master Zhang Hengshui has been coveting our Blood Ridge Black Market. You are all my people, and you need to manage the Blood Ridge Black Market properly. Don't give Zhang Hengshui any opportunities, and don't give him any excuses to attack. Stabilize the Blood Ridge Black Market, and everyone will be better off. If the Blood Ridge Black Market has problems, and he uses them to attack or target us, none of us will have a good outcome."

Xie An and Zhang Lin nodded in agreement. After a few more pleasantries, Wei Dian dismissed the two. However, to Xie An's surprise, Wei Dian asked Lin Yun to personally escort him out.

After seeing off Zhang Lin and Xie An, Lin Yun returned to the bedroom and voluntarily prepared medicine for Wei Dian.

While the medicine was brewing, Wei Dian asked Lin Yun, "Lin Yun, what do you think of this new attendant?"

Lin Yun replied, "Logically, this person shouldn't cover his face when meeting the Incense Master for the first time. But since he was appointed by Elder Tang, I can't say much. I'll just assume he's cautious by nature and doesn't fully trust us.

I've been observing him discreetly for a month. Although this person is old, he is very steady in his work. He spent a full month familiarizing himself with the black market's various businesses before coming to the main hall to collect martial arts and medicinal supplements. This kind of temperament is rare."

Lin Yun then added, "I heard from Zhang Lin that when Elder Tang tested this person, he could lift seven hundred jin with one arm and accurately shot a small sparrow a hundred meters away. It's just that he's a bit old..."

Sigh.

Wei Dian sighed, "Help him out as much as you can. Go and see what martial arts and medicinal supplements he wants. If you can provide convenience, then do so."

"Yes, Incense Master."

Meanwhile, after leaving the courtyard, Xie An and Zhang Lin headed straight for the Library Pavilion.

It was a six-story wooden building, exceptionally grand.

Many disciples entered and exited with tokens. However, disciples had to pay a certain fee to enter. Attendants, on the other hand, were exempt from this fee.

The doorman's attitude immediately became much more respectful after seeing Xie An and the other's tokens, "Please, esteemed attendants, come in."

He led the two inside and introduced the rules of the Library Pavilion.

"On the first floor, you can browse martial arts and notes freely. Borrowing once costs two taels of silver, with a limit of no more than three months. If you wish to go to the second floor, you need to pay five taels of silver. Borrowing martial arts notes there costs ten taels of silver per borrowing, with a limit of no more than one month. As for the third floor... you do not yet have the authority."

Xie An secretly clicked his tongue.

This was simply daylight robbery.

As expected of a martial arts sect, their methods were wild.

Zhang Lin, familiar with the process, directly paid five taels of silver to go to the second floor and advised Xie An not to waste time on the first floor. After browsing some martial arts manuals on the first floor, Xie An found them uninteresting and decided to pay five taels of silver to go to the second floor.

Although five taels of silver was not a small amount, it wasn't something that would cause Xie An much heartache at this point.

Just then, a voice called out.

"The second floor isn't that interesting either. I'll take you to the third floor."