After quickly looting the bags and purses from the two corpses, Zhang Rongfang stood up and looked around.
The only way now is to go back to Tanyang, but... "If you go back now, it will definitely be too late." Suddenly a voice drifted from the woods on the side.
Zhang Rongfang felt a chill and immediately looked up.
Following the direction of the sound, he quickly saw a woman in blue leather armor walking slowly and calmly towards him.
The woman wore Black Mask, revealing only her narrow eyes.
From a distance, there was a white vertical mark on the forehead of the mask, like a third eye.
"Do you need help?" She raised her finger and pointed to the Feather Token hanging at Zhang Rongfang's waist. "It will only cost one of those."
"Feather Token?" Zhang Rongfang immediately understood the other party's identity.
People from the Golden Wing Tower!?
"You guys have a really good grasp of the situation." Zhang Rongfang's expression quickly calmed down.
He knew that pointless anger would only affect his decision-making at crucial moments.
"To be precise, from the moment you received the Feather Token, we have had people watching you at all times," the woman in blue armor said calmly.
"How should I address you?" Zhang Rongfang asked in a deep voice.
"Qing Su," the woman replied.
This name is clearly a code name.
She scrutinized Zhang Rongfang carefully. To be honest, she was very reluctant to come and meet this potential new member.
In the Golden Wing Tower, she was about to take up her post in the Tanyang region, which was a third-level Eagle Position.
In the entire Tanyang, only two Eagle Rank positions are permitted, one for the chief and one for the deputy chief.
This spot should have originally belonged to her.
However, according to the orders above, as long as Zhang Rongfang joins the Golden Wing Tower, this Eagle Rank spot should be given to him directly.
Just because Zhang Rongfang is a genius? Qing Su felt indignant. According to the simple information provided, Zhang Rongfang is a genius, but isn't she a genius too? She's twenty now and already at the Fourth Grade of martial arts. Zhang Rongfang is eighteen and at the Third Grade, only slightly better than her in terms of aptitude.
Not to mention all the contributions she made to the organization and the many tasks she undertook!
Why? Why should Zhang Rongfang give up the position that should have been hers to a newcomer who hasn't made any achievements yet as soon as he arrives?! "Then, Miss Qing Su, if I ask for your help, can you take me to Qinghe Temple in Huaxin County within three days?" Zhang Rongfang asked seriously, unaware of the other party's thoughts.
"No need for three days. Starting from here, at our speeds, it will only take one day," Qing Su replied calmly.
Zhang Rongfang picked up the Feather Token and fell into thought.
A little while later, he asked again.
"I'd also like to ask, if I join your organization, what do I need to do? What can I expect to receive?"
"You need to complete a task assigned by the organization within a year. As for what you'll get in return?"
Qing Su laughed.
"You can obtain various intelligences corresponding to your position level. You have the privilege of requesting intelligence corresponding to your identity level once a month for free."
Furthermore, you will receive instruction in the top-tier lightness skill techniques of my Golden Wing Tower.
"Aren't there any restrictions?"
"My Golden Wing Tower has six levels: Peng, Ling, Ying, Xiao, Jiu, and Que. If you are at the Owl Rank or below, there will naturally be restrictions."
But you are different. If you join, you will be at the Eagle Rank from the start, so..."Qing Su paused, seemingly slightly unwilling.
"Therefore, apart from keeping the existence of the Golden Wing Tower a secret, there are no other restrictions."
Zhang Rongfang understood perfectly; he knew that this was Golden Wing Tower's high regard for him and their investment in him.
It's said there are no constraints, but this organization holds the secret of his two identities, so how could there be no constraints?
But at this moment, there was nothing he could do.
If something really has happened to his master, then everything he's doing now is the right thing to do.
If nothing's wrong over there, and he was just scammed, then it's not too late to back out later.
Anyway, there are no restrictions.
If all else fails, he can simply abandon his identity as Zhang Ying and directly confront her.
Furthermore, Zhang Rongfang has now realized that he is all alone, without intelligence or manpower support, which is extremely inconvenient.
If we can leverage the powerful intelligence capabilities of the Golden Wing Tower to grow rapidly, things will be much easier and safer in the future.
"Alright, I promise you. I will use the Feather Token to ask for your help. Please take me to Huaxin County and help me resolve the trouble my master Zhang Xuan is in this time."
"Only one request is allowed," Qing Su said coldly.
"Then, I want to see my master Zhang Xuan's troubles resolved with my own eyes!" Zhang Rongfang replied quickly.
The eyes beneath the Qing Su mask narrowed slightly.
Don't play word games with me.
"Isn't this okay?" Zhang Rongfang asked rhetorically.
"Of course not!" Qing Su felt frustrated, but suddenly a new idea came to her mind.
She was all alone there. That is to say, "However..."
She stared into Zhang Rongfang's eyes, a hint of mockery in her gaze.
"If you kneel down and beg me, I might be in a good mood and agree to lead the way."
Tanyang City's only Eagle Rank position now undoubtedly belongs to her.
In an instant, Zhang Rongfang's gaze froze, staring intently at her, motionless.
"Are you forcing me?"
"What do you think?" Qing Su's voice was ambiguous, as if she were smiling but not laughing.
After a long silence, Zhang Rongfang slowly spoke.
"I understand. You're afraid. Afraid that if I really join, it will harm some of your interests. So you're deliberately forcing me to refuse to join Golden Wing Tower. Right?"
A slight change in her expression beneath the Qing Su mask. She wanted to speak, but was immediately interrupted by the person opposite her.
"Then I will use the Feather Token as proof and demand that you take me to Huaxin County immediately," Zhang Rongfang said quickly.
The more someone discourages him from joining, the better he will get if he does join.
So he decided to join in and see what happened first.
As for dealing with the trouble with Teacher Zhang Xuan? Once we get to Huaxin County, with his true strength, would he need the Golden Wing Tower's help? "Have you thought this through?" Qing Su asked in a deep voice.
"Certainly."
***The next day.
Qinghe Temple.
Wealth God Hall.
In the early hours of the morning, incense smoke rose from the temple, creating a hazy, misty atmosphere.
Zhang Xuan knelt on the Prayer Mat and respectfully offered three sticks of incense to the God of Wealth.
After bowing, he stood up and whispered a few words to the old Hall Master was chanting scriptures beside him.
The old Daoist priest nodded, got up, and slowly went to the back hall.
Soon, he was the only one left in the entire Wealth God Hall.
Ding, ding, ding. The Daoist priest on patrol outside rang the bell, and the timekeeping chimes echoed slowly, only serving to accentuate the secluded tranquility.
Zhang Xuan sat cross-legged on Prayer Mat and quietly practiced his Civilian Skill.
Not long after, a man with thick eyebrows and a Chinese character for "Sichuan" slowly walked into the Temple of Wealth.
The man was muscular and tall, wearing a black leather vest and a row of small, sharp silver darts strapped to his chest.
"Brother Zhang." He waved to Zhang Xuan in greeting.
"Aqi is here." Zhang Xuan nodded and pointed to the Prayer Mat in front of him.
The two quickly sat down facing each other.
The man's name was Fang Qi, and he was one of the seven leaders of this Righteous Army.
The Righteous Army claimed to be six people, but in reality, there was another Zhang Xuan hiding in Qinghe Temple, who was in charge of coordinating logistics for everyone.
Whether it's provisions or weapons and military equipment, everything is distributed from Old Daoist Zhang Xuan.
Of the seven, Zhang Xuan Fang Qi were the closest.
Years ago, Zhang Xuan saved Fang Qi's life, and Fang Qi also helped Zhang Xuan a lot on many occasions.
The two were very close, their relationship already like that of brothers.
After sitting down, Fang Qi spoke softly.
"Han Lao Er's side has been causing increasingly trouble lately. The Han Family Three Brothers control two-thirds of the entire Righteous Army's manpower, and they won't listen to anyone. If this continues, what will become of them in the future?"
"Han Da Ge contributed money, effort, and manpower back then, and he is highly respected. There's nothing more to say. With him keeping things under control regarding Han Lao Er's matter, nothing serious will happen. But what about that batch of grain I arranged from the north? How's it going?" Zhang Xuan asked, frowning.
"It's still with Lao Dai; he's holding it." Fang Qi shook his head.
"What is he thinking? Does he want to become a mountain king?" Zhang Xuan said with dissatisfaction.
"Lao Dai wants to have a serious talk with you alone the day after tomorrow." Fang Qi shook his head. "He talked to me and said that you always favor his branch. This has been going on for a long time and it should be resolved properly. After all, the three of us used to be the closest."
"Doesn't he even consider why I'm specifically targeting him?" Zhang Xuan Great Way. "He secretly took a third of the grain allocated to him and sold it for his own pocket. Does he think I don't know?"
"Lao Dai was just too poor in the past. We'll talk to him properly and he'll be able to get back on his feet. Don't worry," Fang Qi comforted him.
"I hope so," Zhang Xuan sighed. He then changed the subject, "I heard you managed to snag another jar of thirty-year-old Date Velvet Wine?"
Fang Qi's expression froze for a moment, then he shook his head helplessly.
"Brother Zhang, this news is really something. Even Qing He and Xin Tai should advise you to drink less."
He clapped his hands gently.
Suddenly, a woman carrying a knife on her back entered the room, holding two delicate Blue and White Porcelain bottles.
The woman placed the two bottles in front of the two people and then silently withdrew.
"Look, I knew you'd like this. Here, one for each of you." Fang Qi shook his head helplessly, picked up a bottle of liquor, opened it, and took a big gulp.
Zhang Xuan smiled, picked it up as well, uncorked it, and smelled it.
"Good wine!"
The wine has a rich and intense aroma, without any off-flavors or pungent smells. Instead, it has a pleasant, intoxicating quality that soothes the nose, making it a truly superior product.
"Speaking of which, Brother Zhang, what place did your daughter-in-law's apprentice find? I'd like to send my son there too," Fang Qi asked casually.
"Where else can we go these days?" Zhang Xuan picked up the bottle and took a sip.
"We found a way to get it to Tan."
He let out a burp.
"It was sent to Tan Laozhuang."
"Tan Lao Zhuang? That's really far away." Fang Qi was taken aback.
"It's far. If you want to deliver it, you can't go now. The main road is blocked. We'll have to find another way," Zhang Xuan sighed.
"Ugh, this is so annoying," Fang Qi nodded.
The two of them immediately took turns drinking and chatting, and quickly finished the two bottles of wine.
More than an hour later, the two of them fell asleep, leaning against the wall.
Fang Qi had just fallen asleep when he gently opened his eyes.
"Brother Zhang?" he called softly.
There was no movement.
The alcohol mixed with a little bit of Sleeping Drug worked really well.
Fang Qi sighed and silently pulled a Plum Blossom Dart from his body.
Looking at Zhang Xuan opposite him, he suddenly thrust forward.
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