"Oh, so you're the ruthless young man Black Hawk mentioned?" Elder Qing looked Lu Li up and down.
Lu Li nodded.
Just then, Lu Li suddenly heard Black Hawk's voice coming from the stairs. "Well, I didn't expect you to get here so quickly!"
Black Hawk strode over, his bulky frame straining against his night clothes.
"Quick, quick, Elder Qing. Give me my referral fee. As luck would have it, I saw a pill upstairs that I want, but I'm short on funds."
"Haha." He laughed a few times and patted Lu Li on the shoulder, his admiration for him growing. "You came at just the right time. That referral fee will fill the hole in my pocket."
Lu Li smiled faintly as he studied Elder Qing and Black Hawk, gauging their expressions.
The two seemed to be on quite familiar terms.
"Still as impatient as ever." Elder Qing laughed and scolded him, then took out a banknote and handed it to Black Hawk.
Lu Li caught a glimpse of it from the corner of his eye. It was a very large banknote.
Taking a closer look, he realized it was worth a thousand taels.
He couldn't help drawing in a sharp breath.
Just for introducing someone, Black Hawk had earned a thousand taels of silver!
That was enough to let an ordinary person live a life of wealth and comfort!
The Wind and Rain Pavilion really was flush with cash!
Then Black Hawk happily took the banknote and went upstairs to buy the pill.
"Weapons, pills, martial arts—most of the martial resources you want can be bought at my Wind and Rain Pavilion," Elder Qing explained.
"I can tell from your steady aura that you have some ability."
Elder Qing continued to study Lu Li and said slowly, "However, to become an assassin for my Wind and Rain Pavilion, you'll first have to complete a mission."
"Consider it a test."
"But don't worry. Even for a test, you'll still receive the usual payment."
With that, he opened a drawer and flicked out several sheets of paper.
The limp sheets spun through the air like cards and landed in front of Lu Li.
They listed the details of various missions.
The mission on the first sheet was to assassinate a wealthy man in Cangyuan County. The reward was three hundred taels.
"Cangyuan County borders Changfeng County, but it's relatively far away. Let's see what else there is."
The mission on the second sheet was to wipe out bandits in Pingshan County. The reward was five hundred taels.
"The rewards all start at a hundred taels. The Wind and Rain Pavilion really is a place to get rich!"
Then he looked at the third sheet, and his eyes flickered.
It listed a mission to assassinate two members of the Incense Fragrance Sect named Gao Huaiyi and Zhang Tianlong.
According to the details, the two had already come to Changfeng County and entered the county seat.
Both were at the Tendon-Refining Realm.
"Tsk, they really did come after me." Lu Li's heart hardened.
"I'll take this one." Lu Li immediately selected the sheet and placed it in front of Elder Qing.
Elder Qing looked it over and raised an eyebrow.
"Are you sure you want to take this mission?"
Lu Li hesitated. Seeing the meaningful look on Elder Qing's face, he didn't dare underestimate his opponent, even if the man was only at the Tendon-Refining Realm.
He asked cautiously, "Is there something I should know?"
Pointing to the mission sheet, Elder Qing explained, "One of the Wind and Rain Pavilion's assassins fell to them."
He paused, then continued, "Although both men are at the Tendon-Refining Realm, their strength isn't as simple as it looks."
"Gao Huaiyi is skilled with a greatsword and is incredibly powerful. They say that when his blade falls, even metal and stone split. He's known as the Gold-Stone Blade."
"Zhang Tianlong is skilled in poison. One careless moment, and you'll fall victim to it."
"Without the strength of the Organ-Refining Realm, you probably won't be able to take them down."
Elder Qing finished and shook his head.
"I suggest you pick another mission. Leave this one for Black Hawk and the other Organ-Refining Realm assassins."
As Lu Li listened, his brows knitted slightly.
But the moment he heard that the Organ-Refining Realm could handle them, his misgivings vanished.
Although he hadn't reached the Organ-Refining Realm, he was its equal.
Completing the mission wouldn't be a problem!
No matter how fierce the Gold-Stone Blade was, or how potent the poison, in the face of absolute strength, it was all just a passing cloud.
"I'll take this mission," Lu Li confirmed.
"You certainly have courage." Elder Qing smiled, though it was hard to tell whether he was impressed or mocking him.
"A newborn calf isn't afraid of tigers. That about sums it up."
"Young man, those who refuse to heed an old man's advice suffer for it. Why not think it over?"
Lu Li shook his head. "This junior is absolutely confident I can kill them both."
Elder Qing shrugged and said nothing more. He waved a hand, signaling Lu Li that he could leave.
"By the way, one more thing. Some powerful people won't be listed on mission sheets, but if you kill them and bring me their heads, you can still advance."
"The assassins of my Wind and Rain Pavilion are divided into ranks."
"Oh, and pick a mask and choose an alias." As he spoke, Elder Qing tossed out several masks.
Lu Li looked them over and picked a blood-red ghost mask. "I'll go by Blood Ghost."
Elder Qing nodded slightly.
"Thank you, Elder Qing!" Lu Li said, then turned and left.
Elder Qing tapped the desktop with his fingertips. When Black Hawk happened to come downstairs, he beckoned him over.
"Didn't you say that kid was at the Tendon-Refining Realm? How come he was confident enough to take on a mission against the Incense Fragrance Sect?"
"What?" Black Hawk was stunned. He'd wanted to take that mission himself, but Lu Li, a newcomer, had beaten him to it.
Black Hawk rubbed his big head, utterly baffled.
The last time he'd seen Lu Li go all out, he'd indeed been at the Tendon-Refining Realm.
He'd seen how ruthlessly Lu Li fought and recognized his talent, so he couldn't help recommending him—and earning a referral fee in the process.
Seeing Black Hawk looking just as bewildered, Elder Qing gave a derisive snort. "Looks like you won't be getting the rest of your referral fee."
There were two payments in all: one when the person you referred came to the Wind and Rain Pavilion and accepted a mission,
and another when they completed a mission and became a full-fledged assassin.
"Tsk, I still believe in him." Black Hawk snapped out of his daze after a moment.
"In my experience, anyone that ruthless has to have his head screwed on straight."
He glanced at Elder Qing and continued, "The last man who called him a newborn calf has probably been torn apart and devoured by wild beasts by now."
"Hey, you little bastard! Are you cursing me?" Elder Qing snapped in displeasure.
Black Hawk laughed. "Want to bet?"
"Not a chance." Elder Qing gave a cold laugh.
Black Hawk looked at him in confusion. "Didn't you just say he was bound to lose? Why are you suddenly afraid to bet?"
"Sigh, why do you get more foolish with age?"
Elder Qing wasn't annoyed. He shook his head with mock solemnity. "I think you have a point, so I've decided to believe in that kid."
Black Hawk was dumbfounded. He wanted to slap himself across the mouth.
"Old fox!"
By the time Lu Li returned to Changfeng County,
it was already the hour of Chen the next day.
"Good thing I had Hu Niu. Otherwise, there wouldn't have been enough time to make the trip there and back. Looks like helping Hu Niu break through is important too."
"Huh, the snow's gotten heavier."
In the twelfth month, great flakes of snow swirled through the air, obscuring the view.
The snow grew heavier, and bones became more and more numerous along the roadside.
Lu Li entered the county and looked at the area around the shantytown, his feelings complicated.
There was noticeably less human waste on the roads than before, and the stench wasn't as unbearable.
But—
Rows of emaciated, ragged people huddled by the roadside, begging.
Anyone who froze or starved to death by the roadside was immediately descended upon by a frenzied mob.
They were like zombies.
A woman clutched her child tightly, warily watching the people around her, their eyes fixed hungrily on them.
She feared they would snatch her child away and devour it.
Meanwhile, the human butcher stalls in the distance had little business.
"In a chaotic age, people eat people. Now even the human butcher stalls have no customers."
"The streets are clean only because people can't afford food."
Lu Li sighed and continued deeper into Changfeng County.
He sensed someone watching him with hostile intent, so he quickened his pace.
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