Dark Hall

"Master Ge!"

Lu Chen shouted, but it was already too late to stop him.

Using that previous slash to force Lu Chen back, the man in black had already taken a step to the bedside.

On the bed, Ge Ye seemed to still be unconscious, half his face buried in shadow, showing no reaction at all.

The black-clad man's short blade reflected a chilling glint beneath the moonlight.

A smile curled at his lips, and his eyes gleamed with the excitement of a mission on the verge of completion.

But suddenly, a fierce gust of wind howled past. The black-clad man's head was struck by a massive hand and shattered on the spot.

He was dead.

"Hmm?"

Lu Chen was greatly startled.

"Who is it?"

A figure slowly emerged from the darkness.

Looking at the man's outline, Lu Chen found it strangely familiar.

Once he relit the lamps in the room, he finally saw clearly that it was Qiao Yuan.

"Senior Qiao?!"

"Why are you here?"

Lu Chen's face was full of confusion.

Qiao Yuan withdrew his hand, glanced down at the corpse on the floor, and remained as calm as though he had merely swatted a fly that had wandered into the room.

He went to sit at the table and poured himself a cup of tea.

He took a sip, frowned slightly, then set the cup back down.

"I can't get used to the tea at Gao Manor."

Then he looked at the baffled Lu Chen and explained, "I've been here all along. You simply didn't notice."

"..." Lu Chen had no reply.

Qiao Yuan was in a good mood and patiently continued, "Ge Ye has always been a thorn in the Huang Family's eye. They have long wanted to get rid of him as quickly as possible."

"If I hadn't been protecting him at his side, he would have died who knows how many times already!"

"Ge Ye is just too stubborn, and I can't be bothered to argue with him, so I only protect him in secret."

"So that's how it is." Lu Chen suddenly understood.

Ge Ye was extremely important to the Yam Herb Shop. He could refine Foundation-Stabilizing Pills, precious medicinal pills that could help martial artists at the peak of Blood Transference break through to the next realm.

With him around, the Yam Herb Shop could attract and recruit martial artists who had reached major accomplishment in Blood Transference.

Qiao Yuan's residence at the Yam Herb Shop was right next door to Ge Ye's.

It was precisely so he could protect Ge Ye at all times.

Then Lu Chen recalled that life-and-death instant from earlier, and a lingering fear rose in his heart.

He looked at Qiao Yuan. Though he felt somewhat resentful, he did not dare show it, and only said, "If Senior Qiao had acted sooner, Master Ge would not have been put in danger."

Qiao Yuan caught the faint note of grievance in Lu Chen's words.

After all, Lu Chen had nearly been separated from his head by the black-clad man's blade.

He looked at Lu Chen, a trace of appreciation in his eyes. "I originally intended to act immediately."

"But when I saw that you could actually hold that man back..."

"I waited a little longer, to see whether he had any accomplices. If they showed themselves, I could kill them all at once."

Lu Chen was slightly stunned. Qiao Yuan had actually been trying to draw out more fish.

Qiao Yuan deliberately tried to soothe Lu Chen's emotions, praising him, "You're only an initial-realm martial artist, yet you managed to entangle that black-clad man for three breaths. That is quite remarkable—you have made me see you in a new light!"

Lu Chen clasped his fists. "You praise me too highly, Senior. This junior merely did his utmost."

The more Qiao Yuan looked at Lu Chen, the more pleased he became. He asked in detail, "How old are you this year?"

Lu Chen had not expected Qiao Yuan to suddenly ask such a question, but he answered honestly, "Sixteen."

"I recall that you are a disciple of Hidden Dragon Martial Hall. You haven't been at the Yam Herb Shop for long, have you?" Qiao Yuan asked again.

Lu Chen nodded. "Just over a month."

"Good!" Qiao Yuan said, a meaningful smile appearing on his face.

The next morning.

Lu Chen handed the black-clad man's corpse over to Gao Manor.

The head of the guards, Han Lie, looked at the body. He first apologized to the Yam Herb Shop party, then began investigating the black-clad man's identity.

Before long, Han Lie uncovered the man's identity.

"He was an assassin from the Dark Hall."

Lu Chen asked, "What sort of organization is the Dark Hall?"

Han Lie glanced at him and said, "An underground organization in the black market. They have people throughout Gaolin County and Scarlet Cloud County. They take assassination, cargo robbery, and silencing jobs. They recognize silver, not employers."

"As long as the price is high enough, they would dare kill even the Son of Heaven."

Zhou Li cursed, "So someone paid to buy Master Ge's life?"

Han Lie said, "This man had reached minor accomplishment in Blood Transference. An assassin of that level does not come cheap."

Wang Qinian asked, "Can you find out who hired him?"

Han Lie fell silent for a moment.

The atmosphere in the courtyard immediately turned cold.

Ge Ye narrowed his eyes. "What? You can't find out, or you can't say?"

Han Lie slowly said, "The Dark Hall has always recognized silver, not people. They would never leave behind information about their employers."

Wang Qinian's expression darkened further. "So there is no way to trace it?"

Han Lie nodded.

There were no clues or evidence whatsoever regarding the employer. There was simply nowhere to begin.

But some matters needed no evidence at all.

The Yam Herb Shop had no enemies in Gaolin County. No one else would go to the trouble of hiring an assassin to kill Ge Ye.

He gave a cold laugh, anger surging in his eyes. "Who else could it be but the Huang Family?"

But without evidence, Gao Manor would not take Ge Ye's one-sided accusation and arrest members of the Huang Family.

Wang Qinian knew that accusing the Huang Family at this moment would be of no use.

Since the Huang Family had thought to hire the Dark Hall, they had naturally considered the possibility of failure. Without evidence leading back to them, Gao Manor would have no grounds to do anything to them.

Continuing to argue would only put Gao Manor in a difficult position and solve none of the problem at hand.

So he said to Han Lie, "During this visit, we purchased a large quantity of medicinal herbs from your manor, and we are about to return home."

"After what happened last night, we are especially worried that trouble may also befall us on the road."

"Someone even dared act within Gao Manor. Once we leave Gao Manor, it goes without saying..."

He paused, his tone becoming more earnest. "Could Gao Manor send guards to escort us for part of the journey?"

Han Lie readily agreed. "This matter was a lapse on the part of Gao Manor, and it gave everyone quite a fright."

"Since Wang Firm purchased medicinal herbs at the Gao Manor medicine fair, Gao Manor naturally cannot stand by and do nothing."

"This time, we will certainly escort you all the way back to Scarlet Cloud County and ensure your safety."

With Han Lie's agreement, Wang Qinian let out a breath of relief. "Thank you, Commander Han."

Han Lie waved a hand. "No need for thanks. This is what Gao Manor should do."

Then he solemnly reminded them, "Everyone should be more careful in the future. There may not be no repeat of such an incident."

Everyone from the Yam Herb Shop nodded.

Master Ge's assassination attempt had also sounded an alarm for them all.

No one knew whether they might have offended someone unknowingly, or whether someone might hire assassins to kill them.

After Han Lie and the others left, Zhou Li cursed under his breath, "One day, I'll wipe out those beasts from the Huang Family."

Wang Qinian sighed. "Without evidence, it's useless even if you curse until the sky breaks."

Then some of the gloom on his face faded as he said, "Still, it is not bad that Gao Manor will protect us on the return journey."

"At least it saves Wang Firm a hefty sum in escort fees."

They had purchased a large quantity of medicinal herbs during this trip to Gaolin County. Under the original plan, they would have hired a team of escorts in Gaolin County to transport them back to Scarlet Cloud County.

The cost of such an escort service was not low.

Now that Gao Manor was sending people to escort them, they would not only save silver, but also gain another layer of protection.