Martial Alliance

White Snake Martial School, inside a room.

Lin Nan slowly removed the black silk cloth covering his face and happily washed the blood from his hands in a basin.

"Zhong Jing will probably be bedridden for quite a while this time."

Fortunately, he had gathered information in advance on Zhong Jing's usual routes and waited at a blind spot.

Normally, even after mastering the Serpent-Transforming Force, he would have needed at least ten moves to defeat Zhong Jing.

But this time, he had seized the initiative with lime powder. Combined with Zhong Jing's severe lack of real combat experience, Zhong Jing had been badly wounded by a single move and had never been able to fight back.

Lin Nan could not help but sigh at the importance of actual combat for martial artists.

"Still, after Zhong Jing caused this mess, my chances of becoming a guard in the inner city are probably completely gone."

Lin Nan sat on the mat, quietly considering his future path.

"Now that the Blood Blade Sect is constantly lying in wait for me outside, there's only a thief who steals for a thousand days—never someone who guards against thieves for a thousand days. If the Blood Blade Sect keeps its eyes on me, I probably won't even dare go far from home."

"If I don't go out and keep hiding in the martial school, I won't be able to take missions, and my supply of demon meat will be cut off. With my aptitude, my progress will be slow."

"Besides, Hall Master Jie can't stay at the martial school protecting me forever. Once she has business outside, that'll be trouble too."

It had to be said that Tu Kui was shrewd. This tactic of trapping him had accurately seized his weak point.

Even after racking his brains, Lin Nan could not think of a way to break the deadlock besides running away.

Thinking of this, Lin Nan turned to look at the wooden cabinet holding the bronze cup, a glint flickering in his eyes.

"Do I really have to try using this bronze cup?"

Just then, Lin Nan suddenly caught the scent of flowers and fruit.

For no reason, his heart stirred, and he abruptly turned around.

In an instant, goosebumps rose all over his body.

A woman in white was sitting behind him, watching him with great interest. He had no idea how long she had been watching.

It was Li Nianru of the Li Family—the woman who had remained silent in the martial school's main hall earlier!

Lin Nan's scalp tingled, though he was also relieved. He had nearly gone to retrieve the bronze cup just now.

Had he truly moved, the matter of the bronze cup would have been exposed.

"Lady... Lady Li, hello. May I ask why you have paid a visit so late at night?"

Li Nianru looked at him with a face full of curiosity. "I'm very curious. Why couldn't you endure it? You actually attacked a fellow disciple in the middle of the night. Aren't you afraid of being discovered?"

Lin Nan sighed softly. "Who says I didn't endure it? I already endured it for an entire day."

The smile on Li Nianru's face stiffened slightly. "Mo Ming and the others all misjudged you. A talent who could cultivate basic boxing to Force at the Blood Qi Realm actually slipped away right under their noses."

She had been following me all along, yet I didn't notice!

Lin Nan's heart skipped a beat, but his expression remained calm.

"You must be joking, Lady Li. Lin Nan is merely a minor third-level Blood Qi martial artist. How could I have mastered any boxing art?"

"You needn't hide it. I didn't come specifically to expose you."

Li Nianru smiled faintly. Her appearance was ordinary, and she was not as tall as Jie Ling, yet she possessed an indescribable temperament that gave others a sense of tranquility.

"May I ask what business Lady Li has with this humble one?"

Lin Nan no longer tried to argue. Instead, he stood and respectfully cupped his fists.

Better bow first and ask questions later!

"I can help you resolve the matter with the Blood Blade Sect. In exchange, you must do something for us."

Li Nianru continued, "I'm currently short on manpower. Are you interested?"

"You... you are from the Li Family?"

Lin Nan noticed Li Nianru's wording. She had not said "I," but "we."

"Not the Li Family... My status as an outer branch disciple of the Li Family is only a cover. My true identity is that of a Sky Guard in the Martial Alliance."

"The Martial Alliance... Could it be?" Lin Nan's eyes widened slightly, his face full of disbelief.

"That's right."

Li Nianru stood up and brushed the dust from her clothes, her expression gradually turning solemn.

"The dynasty is decaying, demons and monsters run rampant. Only our Martial Alliance can save the common people!"

All right, never heard of it...

"So you are from the Martial Alliance. I have long admired your great name. Now that I see you today, you truly are extraordinary." Lin Nan nodded, putting on an expression of immense admiration.

"Don't rush. There's another line." Li Nianru chuckled softly.

"A foolish ruler governs the realm, great clans stand in ranks. The Martial Alliance raises its banners, swords pointed at heaven and earth!"

Damn, they're rebels!

Lin Nan's brow twitched wildly, and he cursed himself for speaking too quickly. If Zhong Jing heard this and reported it to the authorities, ten lives would not be enough for him to lose.

For a moment, he wanted nothing more than to rush outside and shout, "Help! Someone is rebelling!"

As if she had seen through Lin Nan's thoughts, Li Nianru's expression remained unchanged, still calm and indifferent.

"Don't bother. Even if you scream your throat raw tonight, no one will come. I forgot to tell you that everyone in the martial school has already been drugged unconscious with incense, including Hall Master Jie. They likely won't wake up anytime soon."

Was that really necessary? Was that really necessary...

Lin Nan's mouth twitched. He had not expected even an expert like Hall Master Jie to fall for it.

"What is your purpose? Why help me, and why me?"

There was no such thing as a free meal in this world. Lin Nan did not believe the Martial Alliance would act without seeking anything in return.

"Because you're sly enough."

A booming voice sounded from outside the door. The next moment—

Creak.

The wooden door opened, and a familiar figure slowly walked in from outside, nearly making Lin Nan's eyes pop out of his head.

"Elder Yu?!"

It was Elder Yu, the man from Fortune and Prosperity Hall who handled mission assignments and inner disciple promotions, and who had seemed to idle around from beginning to end?!

"Earth Guard Yu Xinchang greets Sky Guard Li!"

Elder Yu grinned at Lin Nan with a smug expression that seemed to say, Didn't expect that, did you?

Li Nianru chuckled. "Elder Yu said he had observed you for years. He said you are sly, cunning, adaptable, exceptionally skilled at concealing yourself. Seeing you today, your reputation is indeed well deserved."

"Th... thanks for the compliment." Lin Nan gritted his teeth.

If you're so good at talking, then talk more.

"However, compared with that scheming fellow from today, you still have principles and a bottom line."

"And your background is clean enough. You're not young, you have no family martial foundation, and no wealth. Aside from a small group at the White Snake Martial School, no one else knows your true circumstances. Therefore, I intend to entrust this important task to you!"

You really didn't need to mention that I have no family martial foundation or money.

"What important task?" Lin Nan asked with a puzzled look.

At the mention of the important task, Li Nianru's expression gradually grew grave.

"I want you to act as an undercover agent and infiltrate a place, helping us uncover the truth behind a case!"

An undercover agent? That sounds dangerous. Can't you just report this case? Why do I have to go?

Lin Nan's expression froze.

"Can I refuse?"

"Of course. That is your freedom."

Lin Nan let out a long breath.

"However, to prevent leaks, we usually choose to silence anyone who learns the Martial Alliance's secrets. Eliminating those who know classified information is also our freedom."

"This disciple is willing to devote himself body and soul to the Martial Alliance! From this day onward, in life I am a man of the Martial Alliance, and in death I am a ghost of the Martial Alliance!"

"Don't force yourself."

"I'm not forcing myself. I came for justice."

Li Nianru revealed a satisfied expression. She raised her hand and tossed out a round white jade pendant.

Lin Nan caught the pendant and found it smooth and round. Within the jade's texture were several extremely faint, fine streaks of blood-red, forming the character for "Martial."

"From today onward, you are an Earth Guard of the Martial Alliance."

Blood Blade Sect, Execution Hall.

Tu Kui lounged lazily on a reclining chair, a spread of exquisite delicacies laid out before him.

Several beautiful women stood on either side, carefully taking turns to personally feed him.

In the hall, dancing girls sang softly with lowered eyes, their gentle melodies drifting through the air.

"Nothing to do today, so I'll listen to music at the pleasure house. What a fine tune. This tune deserves to be heard."

Tu Kui opened his mouth and swallowed a mouthful of shark fin mixed with rich broth, his face full of enjoyment.

"Young Master, what if Lin Nan stays hidden in the martial school and refuses to come out?" A woman fed Tu Kui a grape and asked with a light smile.

Tu Kui swallowed it in one bite and laughed dismissively. "Let's see how long that brat can keep hiding. What I want, no one can stop me from getting. No one!"

"I'm afraid someone can."

Just then—

Crack.

A faint sound suddenly came from the ground in front of the Execution Hall.

Tu Kui suddenly noticed that the women on both sides had stopped moving, and his brows furrowed slightly.

When he raised his head, he found that the women beside him and the dancers in the hall had somehow silently collapsed onto the floor.

This strange sight made his heart tighten for no reason. He sharply turned toward the entrance.

A woman in white, wearing a white mask, was standing there silently. He had no idea when she had appeared.

"Who are you?!" Tu Kui shouted sternly.

The woman in the white mask did not answer. Instead, she raised her hand, formed her fingers into a sword, and pointed them at Tu Kui from afar.

"Morning rays melt gold to temper the talisman's core; primal breath divides, and all trees are born. This is the Primordial Vitality Art!"

In an instant, Tu Kui was horrified to discover that his entire aura had been locked onto by those two fingers. No matter how he retreated, it was as though he could not evade that finger-sword!

"What kind of martial realm is this?!"