Beauty

Huang Mansion was also abuzz with discussion.

The old guards all wore looks of shock.

"I saw those two from a distance. They seemed to be Tendon-Refining Realm martial artists. They were killed just like that, with such ease?"

"My goodness, this is unbelievable. When did our Changfeng County get such a ruthless figure?"

"I heard they were assassins from the Wind and Rain Pavilion, and that their methods were extremely brutal."

"Hey, Lu Li, you're familiar with Uncle Zhao. Did you see Blood Ghost yesterday?" Li Qing hurried over to ask when he saw Lu Li arrive.

He had heard about what happened yesterday, and his yearning for the path of martial arts had grown even stronger.

To kill Tendon-Refining Realm martial artists with a casual blow—just how immense did one's power have to be?

He had already started imagining himself as Blood Ghost, fantasizing that he had been the one who killed those men yesterday.

Lu Li shook his head. "No. I was at home, but Uncle Zhao was scared half to death yesterday."

Li Qing nodded in disappointment. He now regarded Blood Ghost as an idol, imagining what he looked like and wishing he could fall to his knees before him.

Hearing that Lu Li hadn't even seen him, Li Qing felt an enormous sense of regret.

He looked at Lu Li's face, calm as an ancient well, and saw that he seemed utterly uninterested in Blood Ghost. He couldn't help feeling puzzled.

This was what everyone in Changfeng County was talking about.

Li Qing asked, "Lu Li, aren't you curious about Blood Ghost at all?"

Lu Li shook his head. "I'm not him, so why should I be curious?"

"Heh. If it weren't for Blood Ghost, you'd have died yesterday too. You're not even grateful? You're a heartless ingrate. Pah!"

Li Qing snapped at Lu Li, then turned and left. They had nothing to say to each other.

Lu Li froze, bewildered by what had just happened.

Watching Li Qing's retreating figure, he suddenly understood that Li Qing worshipped Blood Ghost. He couldn't help finding it amusing.

He wondered what they would think if they learned that he was Blood Ghost.

"Old Huang, we're in serious trouble this time!"

In Huang He's study, Wang Ju wore a troubled expression.

Some people were happy, while others were worried.

They had been the ones to receive Gao Huaiyi and his companion when they arrived.

But trouble had struck right after they'd received them. The Incense Fragrance Sect would certainly send someone to ask questions.

When it came to the lives and deaths of its followers, the Incense Fragrance Sect had always been domineering.

Once, the Incense Fragrance Sect had merely suspected someone of something, yet had slaughtered everyone in their entire household.

The incident had caused an uproar.

"Old Huang, what do you think we should do? This has become such a huge mess. We'll have a hard time explaining ourselves."

Huang He was writing with his brush, trying to numb his worries.

At Wang Ju's words, his calm was instantly disrupted.

He furrowed his brows and said gravely, "The Wind and Rain Pavilion did this. It has nothing to do with us."

"If they want us to cooperate, then we'll cooperate obediently."

Wang Ju's worried expression didn't ease. "Sigh, I'm just afraid the Incense Fragrance Sect will make unreasonable demands and force us to help spread their faith."

"Then not only will we fail to escape the county magistrate's control, we'll be taken in hand by the Incense Fragrance Sect too."

"Sigh, we had a chance to work together, but now it's all gone!"

At that, his face filled with anger. "Hmph, that county magistrate only cares about lining his pockets. Even when something major happens, he turns a blind eye."

Huang He sighed. "What can you do? They're stronger than us."

"Take the Wind and Rain Pavilion, for example. It's full of experts and dominates the martial world."

"When it gets angry, even the Imperial Court has to think twice."

"What are we, compared to them?"

"They're secretive in their dealings. If this hadn't happened, I wouldn't have known the Wind and Rain Pavilion had already established itself in Changfeng County."

"From now on, we have to be cautious. We mustn't let the Wind and Rain Pavilion set its sights on us."

"Still, I heard people say Blood Ghost was a man of justice, and that he'd been disgusted by the way Gao Huaiyi and his companion acted. That's why he killed them."

Huang He quickly considered the matter. "From now on, we should pay the people under us a little more and show them more concern. We can't keep casually docking their wages."

Hearing Huang He speak from the heart, Wang Ju's expression darkened.

For them, skimming money from the lowly commoners under their authority was as ordinary as eating and drinking.

He wouldn't have minded paying more.

But Wang Ju had a peculiar taste. Even if he had only offended those dirt-poor peasants, these were unusual times, and he had no choice but to proceed with caution.

Wang Ju's face darkened at once. His phoenix brows drew together, and his hair came loose, revealing eyes as limpid as autumn waters.

He didn't think he could restrain his desires.

He drew a deep breath and sighed. In these troubled times, one truly had no choice but to do as circumstances dictated.

He and Huang He discussed the matter for a while longer, but in the end, all they came up with was to wait and see.

With his mind in turmoil, he felt a heat stirring in his lower abdomen again.

By then, it was just about time for Lu Li to leave Huang Mansion.

It was rather funny. After what had happened with the Wind and Rain Pavilion yesterday, the old guards hadn't made things difficult for Lu Li and the other newcomers. They'd started behaving themselves.

Now everyone in Changfeng County was on edge, afraid to offend anyone lightly.

After all, assassins from the Wind and Rain Pavilion had entered the city. Who knew where they were hiding now?

"The authorities are incompetent, leaving the people to suffer and order in disarray."

"But as soon as a martial-world assassin organization shows itself, public safety in the city improves."

"Tsk, tsk, what irony."

As Lu Li passed by Huang Mansion, he saw a group of people hauling rice and carrying pots as they streamed out.

"Quickly, quickly! Keep dawdling and it'll be dark before you know it."

"Master Huang said to set up a shelter and hand out congee, so as many people as possible can make it through this cold winter!"

Seeing that, Lu Li couldn't help shaking his head.

He couldn't help reflecting that in troubled times, force was more intimidating than the law.

After this incident, the rich had all started putting on an act of benevolence.

When Lu Li reached the gate of Huang Mansion, he was about to turn and leave when he suddenly sensed something.

Someone was watching him!

He turned around and happened to meet the gaze of Master Wang, who was about to climb into his sedan chair.

A flush appeared on Wang Ju's face at once. His eyes lit up, and he stared straight at Lu Li.

As the head of one of the two great families, Wang Ju was someone Lu Li recognized, of course.

Looking at his absurdly androgynous face and loose hair, Lu Li thought he looked exactly like a man with a woman's face.

A chill ran through him, raising goose bumps all over his body. He hurriedly looked away and turned to leave.

Lu Li remained worried all the way home.

He remembered Zhang Hu introducing him to Wang Ju. Wang Ju must recognize him.

He admitted that his brows were sharp, his features well-proportioned, and his face crisply defined. Now that he'd put on some weight, he really could be called handsome as a tree in the wind.

"Could Wang Ju really have taken a liking to me?"

Remembering Wang Ju's heated gaze, Lu Li felt a chill creeping deeper into his heart.

"Beautiful!"

"Beautiful!"

"So beautiful!"

Wang Ju murmured to himself, staring blankly at Lu Li's retreating figure.

He had many male companions in his residence, but he'd never had anyone as handsome and refined as Lu Li.

"Hm? I feel like I've seen him somewhere before."

Wang Ju tapped his head with the folding fan in his hand, then suddenly remembered. His eyes sparkled.

"Right, his name is Lu Li. Zhang Hu showed me his portrait."

"He used to be as skinny as a monkey, but he's filled out now. He looks so much better—an unparalleled beauty!"

Wang Ju's heart fluttered, and his eyes shimmered with autumn waters.

Just thinking about sharing a bed with him made his body tremble uncontrollably.

But then he remembered that these were troubled times, and that Lu Li was a guard at Huang Mansion. It was like having a bucket of cold water poured over him; his excitement instantly wilted.

He sighed and climbed into the sedan chair.

The sedan chair began to move slowly. Tea, pastries, and dried fruit were laid out before him, but he found them all tasteless.

He gazed out the window at the scenery rushing past. He had no appetite for food or tea; Lu Li's beautiful face filled his mind.

The fire in his heart burned hotter and hotter, until he could barely contain himself.

"No. Zhang Hu said Lu Li is just a poor peasant. His parents are both dead, and he has no background."

"I have to have him!" he roared inwardly, no longer able to suppress his longing for Lu Li.

Unbeknownst to him, Lu Li was watching coldly from behind the sedan chair.