Be More Careful Next Time

Black Dragon Outer City, White Snake Martial School.

Winter had fully set in. The north wind howled, snowflakes filled the sky, and thin white caps lay atop every roof.

Vermilion lanterns hung before the martial school, while firecrackers crackled loudly at the entrance.

"After the New Year, I'll be twenty-one..."

Lin Nan looked back. The martial apprentices were bustling about the school, finishing the decorations and filling the place with the festive spirit of the New Year.

"I heard there was a locust plague in the Northern Wastes of Great Qian this year. The swarms blotted out the sky and covered the land, and the harvest was terrible. There are suddenly so many refugees in the north..."

"I heard the northern official roads are littered with starved corpses, and there are all sorts of rumors about demons eating people..."

"Good thing Jiangzhou Prefecture is still some distance from the Northern Wastes..."

At the banquet, the martial school disciples chattered noisily among themselves.

Hearing the terrible news from the north, the solemnly festive New Year atmosphere became much more oppressive.

"Brother Lin, you're leaving after the New Year?" A trace of gloom flickered through Yu Qianqian's eyes.

"Yes, but don't worry. The outer city isn't far from here, only half an hour away. I'll come back to see you often," Lin Nan said with a smile.

"Really?" Yu Qianqian immediately brightened again.

"Brother Lin, I really envy you sometimes."

Liu Feng looked at him with a face full of envy. "We joined at the same time, but in so little time, you've transformed into an important figure in the inner city."

"What important figure? I've told you before, no matter how big or small the position, it's all about serving the people of Black Dragon City."

Lin Nan shot him a glare.

"Hehe, my mistake." Liu Feng chuckled.

For a moment, the three of them seemed to have returned to those days when they sat eating in the training grounds.

"Congratulations." Headmaster Jie and Jie Ling approached, and even Third Senior Brother Luo Meng was there. Only Eldest Senior Brother Zhao Xun was absent.

"I never expected that the one entering the inner city this year wouldn't be Zhong Jing, but you."

Headmaster Jie sighed with emotion, filled with boundless regret for Zhong Jing, his exceptionally talented disciple.

"By the way, which inner-city martial school did you join?"

"True Yang Temple."

"True Yang Temple?" Headmaster Jie's hand froze as he raised his cup. His brows drew tightly together.

"Why not Black Serpent Martial School? This True Yang Temple..."

Headmaster Jie's lips moved, but he did not continue. True Yang Temple had always had a poor reputation, and its inner disciples suffered a high casualty rate.

Other than being able to live in the inner city, there were no special benefits. Many outer-city disciples would rather hold positions in the outer city than enter it.

Lin Nan briefly explained what had happened with Black Serpent Martial School. Only then did Headmaster Jie understand, though his expression remained full of regret.

After the meal.

Lin Nan had already packed his belongings. As he passed through the training grounds where he had trained for so many days, Liu Feng and Yu Qianqian were already waiting there.

"Brother Lin, I'm at Blood and Qi Level Three now too. Next year, I'll work hard to place in the top three and enter the inner city. Remember to wait for me."

A blush rose on Yu Qianqian's face as she stuffed a palm-sized cloth purse into Lin Nan's hand.

A pair of swallows carrying coins was embroidered on the front of the purse.

Lin Nan did not refuse. He tucked the purse into the leather bag on his back. "I'll wait for you in the inner city. Keep it up!"

As he bid the two farewell and walked out through the martial school gates, Jie Ling was already waiting at the entrance.

"Take care." Jie Ling clasped her fists. "Come back and visit when you have time."

"I will. Take care."

Lin Nan returned the salute with clasped fists, then turned and headed toward the inner city. In moments, he disappeared from Jie Ling's sight.

Jie Ling let out a soft sigh.

From today onward, perhaps the training grounds of White Snake Martial School would be missing one diligent figure.

After walking some distance and passing through several narrow alleys, Lin Nan suddenly stopped and sharply turned around.

There was no one there!

Lin Nan gave a silent laugh, then turned back and continued onward.

At that moment, two figures slowly emerged from the corner of the alley. One was a man in a long blue cloth robe, dressed like a scholar. It was Zhao Xun!

"I didn't expect this kid to be so cautious. Even while walking normally, he keeps looking back every so often."

Zhao Xun watched Lin Nan's back disappear around the corner, his expression icy.

"Elder Zhao, was he the undercover agent who infiltrated the Blessed Life Cult that day and ruined the Blessed Life Cult's ritual?"

The other man wore a black robe, his eyes filled with hatred.

"It's very likely. From what I learned afterward, Zhong Jing never entered the cult at all. Among the disciples who joined this year, aside from Zhong Jing, only he had that kind of strength. Damn it, we were all fooled!"

Zhao Xun gritted his teeth in fury.

That was right. The Blessed Life Cult actually had four great elders, and he was the one who had hidden himself the deepest. That day, he had believed the ritual was already a sure thing.

But when he arrived, he found that the Blessed Life Cult's main headquarters had been completely wiped out.

Only after investigating did he discover that a member of the Martial Alliance had infiltrated the cult as an undercover agent. Not only had they sabotaged the ritual, but they had also crippled Zhong Jing, the hidden pawn he had been about to convert into the cult.

"But how did he bypass the restrictions of the three trials for joining the cult..."

"That's why he has a secret, and it must be a huge one."

Zhao Xun stared darkly ahead. "Follow him. We absolutely can't let him enter True Yang Temple, or it'll be troublesome to make a move then... Hmm, why does it smell so nice?"

The other black-robed man was also startled. He frowned. "A floral and fruity scent?"

"Does it smell nice?" A faint voice sounded behind them.

"Mm, it really does smell quite nice." Zhao Xun and the other man nodded instinctively.

"Then that's good. It means I mixed my incense properly."

"???"

Zhao Xun and the other man's expressions changed abruptly. They spun around.

A tall young man with a fair face was standing behind them at some unknown point, looking at them with great interest.

It was Lin Nan!

Lin Nan sighed with feeling.

The incense-making technique he had learned from Li Nianru was really useful!

In an instant.

Without the slightest hesitation, Zhao Xun let the dagger in his sleeve fall into his hand and stabbed toward Lin Nan's chest with lightning speed.

Splat!

But Lin Nan was faster. Wave-Treading Step erupted beneath his feet as he evaded Zhao Xun's thrust with blinding speed, closed in, and struck Zhao Xun squarely in the chest with an Earth Fiend Fist.

Crack!

Zhao Xun felt bones shatter in his chest, followed by searing pain. His entire body flew backward, slammed into a wall, and coughed up a mouthful of blood.

The other black-robed man turned and ran without another word. Yet before he could take two steps, his gait became unsteady, and he collapsed limply to the ground.

The incense had taken effect!

"Des... despicable!" Zhao Xun gritted his teeth, his face full of unwillingness.

He had actually concealed his martial cultivation. He was truly at the first level of the Sinews-and-Bones Realm, a sinew-refining martial artist. He believed that in a fair fight with Lin Nan, the outcome would have been uncertain.

Yet this bastard had used incense to ambush him. He had no martial honor at all?!

"You... how did you find out?"

"Eldest Senior Brother, you were too careless. Ever since you threatened me, I started secretly investigating you..."

Lin Nan sighed. "I just didn't expect that you, Eldest Senior Brother, were also a mole for the Blessed Life Cult."

"Just because I threatened you, you started investigating me?"

Zhao Xun's eyes widened. He could not believe such a person existed.

"Since you might harm me, naturally I had to prepare a response plan. That's called being prudent."

Lin Nan drew his steel blade and calmly walked forward. "Don't be afraid, Eldest Senior Brother. Lin's blade is very fast. It won't hurt."

Seeing Lin Nan approach, Zhao Xun and the black-robed man panicked. They tried desperately to struggle, but the incense had not yet worn off, and they could not stand at all.

Even with all their strength, they could only wriggle and crawl toward the alley entrance.

"Don't kill me! I know a lot about the Blessed Life Cult's secrets. There are many Blessed Life Cult followers in the inner city too! I know who they are!"

Zhao Xun shouted anxiously, "This time, I was wrong. I apologize. I shouldn't have threatened you over trash like Zhong Jing. We can work together..."

"It's fine. Be more careful in your next life."

Zhao Xun and the other man froze.

The next moment.

Splat!

A spray of blood splashed through the alley.