A Good Fighter Has No Brilliant Achievements, A Good Doctor Has No Famous Reputation

Xu Residence.

"Brother Yuan, you're finally here. I've prepared a banquet to welcome you."

As Xiang Yuan and Xiao He entered the door, they saw Xu Jixian let out a shout and stride over, his dark, horse-like face unchanged from the first time they met—still the same pervert who used to wet his pants.

It's all over, what are you still acting for?

Xiang Yuan looked at Xu Jixian with cold eyes. The latter immediately knelt down with a bang. "If Brother Yuan doesn't forgive me, I, your brother, will remain kneeling."

Who are you trying to scare!

"Then you can stay kneeling!"

Xiang Yuan stepped around Xu Jixian and strode into the long corridor. Previously, seeing the Xu Residence in decline, with only an old servant, he had scorned Xu Jixian for not striving for progress, spending all the rent money to please his second brother.

Now, looking again, every arrangement was deliberate. The Xu Residence was the Imperial City Department's secret base in Fengxian County, and with too many people around, it was indeed inconvenient.

As for whether all that money was spent on his lover, it was probably just a persona to cover his tracks.

Xu Jixian knelt stiffly on the ground. When Xiao He passed by, he reached out and grabbed his sleeve.

Xu: "What's going on? Didn't you say you could handle it?"

Xiao: "Stop with the nonsense. I'm not kicking you, so just kneel as you're told."

Xu: "What do you mean? After suffering for outsiders, now it's his turn to suffer?"

Xiao He quickened his pace to catch up with Xiang Yuan, leaving Xu Jixian sighing on the spot. "Since ancient times, wise and talented men have faced many hardships. A widow's door is always a place of gossip. Someone like me, wise and talented, will ultimately have to endure some suffering."

With that, he knelt properly.

Xiao He led him straight to Xu Jixian's room, lifted the bed board, activated a mechanism, revealing a secret tunnel.

This was somewhat unexpected for Xiang Yuan. He had thought the dry well was the entrance, and that moving the giant stone would grant access—a focus on simplicity and returning to nature.

"A cunning rabbit has three burrows. The well opening is both an entrance and an exit, and it's protected by a formation, making it inconvenient to move easily."

Xiao He explained, then crouched and entered the tunnel. Xiang Yuan followed, discovering that this base was extremely large. After walking dozens of steps, it opened up, almost as large as the entire Xu Residence above.

"The Xu family spent generations operating here, taking three generations to build this underground palace. There are also formations set up, so even if a master entered the Xu Residence, they wouldn't be able to discern the hidden world beneath," Xiao He said, walking ahead and introducing the various areas of the underground palace. The most precious part was a secret room for storing documents, detailing the various forces in the Southern Border, all obtained by the Xu ancestors with their lives.

The wilderness map is here!

Xiang Yuan's eyes lit up, but he didn't immediately start flipping through. He maintained a composed demeanor, merely nodding.

Other secret rooms contained either armories and weapon caches—swords, sabers, spears, halberds, axes, battle-axes, hooks, and forks, each meticulously crafted and incredibly sharp—or collections of books and secret manuals, covering both literary and martial arts, including medicine, divination, and astrology. There were also numerous quiet rooms for meditation and cultivation, with the walls possibly adorned with cultivation diagrams or inscribed with mental cultivation techniques and incantations to guide practitioners.

All in all, it resembled a maze, with passages in all directions, and several hidden mechanisms and secret tunnels for escape during times of crisis, preventing one from being trapped underground.

Observing this underground palace, Xiang Yuan gained a deeper understanding of the Western Chu court. The court wasn't just talking; it had been planning for the Southern Border and targeting the top-tier forces within its territory.

"You can take or read any of the weapons and secret manuals here, Brother Yuan. Especially the cultivation manuals. I guarantee they are better than what that demon man gave you. He has ulterior motives, but I am your true friend," Xiao He said sincerely.

Xiang Yuan flipped through the manuals and found several fundamental cultivation methods, spanning from Acupoint Opening to Foundation Establishment and then to Innate. The progression was seamless, and they all had extraordinary origins, including cultivation methods from the imperial Xiao clan and secret techniques of contemporary top-tier forces.

"What about after Innate?"

"We need to request permission from Shendu and receive a special commendation."

Xiao He shook his head slightly. "The border regions are not as stable as the central provinces. The Imperial City Department operates under the guise of the Six Doors when dealing with matters outside. If you have any special requests, I can go to the Western Street pharmacy for you and contact Shendu through there."

"Elaborate on this."

"The Imperial City Department..."

Xiao He slowly explained, and Xiang Yuan understood.

The Imperial City Department had a tightly structured internal organization. The higher-ups only knew their immediate subordinates, and the subordinates only knew their immediate superiors. There were no direct connections across levels. The subordinate of my subordinate is not my subordinate. The system was strict, and it had been this way since its establishment.

This system was designed to protect the Imperial City Department's secret agents. Undercover work was a dangerous profession, and their identities absolutely could not be revealed.

Furthermore, since the Imperial City Department placed agents within noble families and major sects, any exposure of their identities would inevitably incur the dissatisfaction of numerous top-tier forces, leading to retaliatory assassinations. The losses would be unimaginable.

Therefore, all members of the Imperial City Department referred to themselves as Six Doors secret agents, most adept at shifting blame to the Six Doors. They used this internally chaotic organization as a shield. Sima Qingyan and County Lieutenant Qin Yun both believed Xiao He was from the Six Doors and were unaware of his Imperial City Department identity.

The Imperial City Department pursued secrecy to the extreme. Xiao He belonged to the Twelve Earthly Branches, specifically the Snake sign, codenamed "Guo Shan Feng" (Wind Crossing Mountains). His subordinates were Wang Wenxu and Xu Jixian. His superior was in Shendu. Unless there was a major incident, they would contact each other every six months through the Western Street pharmacy.

There were many secrets within this place, and Xiao He spoke for a full half hour.

Xiang Yuan's teeth ached as he listened. "If your superior dies, wouldn't your Imperial City Department identity disappear?"

"Yes."

Xiao He nodded. If he died, no one would know who Wang Wenxu and Xu Jixian were. While ensuring safety, proving his identity would also be incredibly troublesome.

Xiang Yuan nodded. It was much stricter than the Six Doors.

"I've confessed everything, Brother Yuan. What are your thoughts?"

Xiao He said resentfully, "If you're unwilling, just tell me directly. Stop being so distant and vague. I'm tired; I don't want to continue like this."

"I'm unwilling."

"I don't believe you!"

"Believe it or not, as long as I'm happy."

Xiang Yuan raised an eyebrow. "Hypothetically, if I were to join the Imperial City Department, how would you arrange things?"

"Pills and weapons will be plentiful. Little Yuan, you don't need to risk your life. Just focus on practicing martial arts," Xiao He said with a smile.

There's such a thing as being taken care of?

Xiang Yuan didn't believe him. He frowned and stared at Xiao He, telling him not to lie anymore.

"Everyone has their own aspirations and strengths. Little Yuan's future lies in the Martial Path. How could I, as your brother, abandon the root for the branches?"

Xiao He stated with certainty. Although he couldn't figure out Xiang Yuan's master, he could tell how high Xiang Yuan's martial arts talent was with his eyes closed.

Take the night at the mass grave as an example. Sima Qingyan unleashed a supreme technique from his Sect Gate, intending to turn the tide. As a result, Xiang Yuan learned it after one viewing and could simulate seventy to eighty percent of its essence with a borrowed sword after two viewings.

It's important to remember that Xiang Yuan had always practiced the saber. This talent was truly unbelievable.

Having found this uncut jade, he naturally had to let the other party develop in the direction of martial arts. Sending him out to take risks would not only be underutilizing his talent but would also be a terrible waste, ruining the opportunity he had worked so hard to obtain.

Xiao He was sincere, offering many conveniences and inviting Xiang Yuan to bring his talent to the Imperial City Department.

Listening to his explanation, Xiang Yuan nodded secretly and said directly, "It's good that you want to protect me, but martial arts are like sailing against the current; if you lose the drive to advance, at best you'll stagnate. My master says that cultivation cannot be done in isolation; one must borrow external forces to temper oneself. Only by learning from the strengths of various schools can one overcome all hardships, reach the summit, and see the insignificance of all mountains."

"It's not difficult. Fengxian County is adjacent to the Southern Border, and there's no shortage of whetstones here."

Xiang Yuan nodded upon hearing this. In that case, he was the one getting the better deal. Alright, I'm trying really hard to butter him up.

"Little Yuan, your brother has thought it all through. First, I'll get you a legitimate identity, and then I'll teach you the art of disguise. One overt and one covert, complementing each other. In three to five years, I guarantee you'll become a master in your own right," Xiao He said, narrowing his eyes.

In three to five years, Xiang Yuan would at least be at the Xiantian realm. Ten years from now, he wouldn't even dare to imagine. By then, it would be his turn to latch onto the coattails of this fated person.

If he could also get close to Xiang Yuan's mysterious master, he wouldn't even need to think. He could achieve his aspirations just by lying down.

"But there's one thing. Your brother has to be upfront with you. Little Yuan, you need to be prepared."

Xiao He's expression turned serious. "Everyone in the Imperial City Department is an unknown. We live in the shadows and die in the shadows. Like me and Brother Xu, he's a nobody, and so am I. You won't achieve great righteousness or fame in the Imperial City Department. Even if you gain fame, it will be a cover. This involves many of my arrangements, and I'm not deliberately deceiving you."

A good general has no conspicuous victories; a good doctor has no dazzling reputation. Sneaking around and attacking from the shadows, brilliant!

Xiang Yuan wasn't particularly interested in fame. Like Old Daoist Quexin, who guarded Dezhou for ten years, who knew he was a divine being with unfathomable methods? Even contemporary powerhouses could discard fame like dirt. What did he have to fuss about?

Besides, the Ganyuan Realm was just one world. The myriad worlds shining brightly were true glory.

Fame? I don't need it!

Xiang Yuan had no further questions and turned to ask, "What about Mister? Why didn't he come?"

"He's too shy. The food and drinks are ready. He said he'd come tonight to apologize, so he'll definitely be here."

Xiao He led Xiang Yuan out of the underground palace and found Xu Jixian, who was still kneeling. He asked Xu Jixian to demonstrate the wonders of disguise and transformation.

Xu Jixian's codename in the Imperial City Department was 'Black Rat Snake,' which was quite fitting for his dark complexion. Wang Wenxu's codename was 'Red Hundred Joints.' When it came to Xiang Yuan, Xiao He originally wanted to give him 'Five Paces Fall,' but Xiang Yuan found it unpleasant and changed it to 'Bamboo Leaf Green.'

At least it sounds more refined.

Xu Jixian brought out his tools and, in front of Xiang Yuan, made a lifelike human skin mask. He put it on his face, and it was so realistic that it was almost indistinguishable from Xiang Yuan.

A long face, prominent ears, tall and burly physique, like a Xiang Yuan who had grown up poorly in three to five years.

"Little Yuan, does it look like me?"

Xu Jixian said proudly, "Your brother has many skills, and I'm best at making human skin masks. This mask doesn't fall off when wet, doesn't bleed through when bloody, is thin and breathable, and has many other advantages. Coupled with my eyes, I can change my appearance to match anyone after just one glance. No one would be able to find fault."

It looks nothing like me!

You're only good for impersonating big, rough water ghosts. You can't handle delicate faces.

Xiang Yuan's face was covered in black lines. The big ape-like person in front of him, apart from his refined features, looked nothing like him in any other aspect. Such terrible disguise skills, who was he trying to fool!

"It's a bit lacking, but your brother has another trick. Qingyan has a similar figure to you. When needed, she can impersonate you," Xiao He said with a heavy nod.

Xiang Yuan's eyelids twitched. Their heights might be similar, but Miss's exaggerated chest muscles made it unsuitable... probably.

Besides, he was still growing. Sima Qingyan might be able to fool people for a while, but in less than half a year, the disguise would be exposed.

At a certain moment, Xiang Yuan thought of the Formless Seal Method. If it came to disguise and transformation, this divine technique, which embodied myriad forms, was undoubtedly the best!