My Name Is Shang Xinci...

"If you don't come back within two years, then if you want to find me afterward, you'll have to go to the Black-Corner Region.

You can ask around about me there, or leave some sort of clue. If I see it, I'll come find you. But!"

As Han Chen spoke, his expression suddenly turned deadly serious, giving Xiao Yi Xian quite a fright.

"But when you're in the Black-Corner Region, you must never mention the name Li Feiyu, or it could get you killed."

At this, Xiao Yi Xian's lips twitched, and she gave Han Chen an exasperated thump.

"So you do know you've been using a fake name! I still don't even know your real name."

"Ahem. Let's introduce ourselves again. My name is Han Chen, and I'm the second young master of the Nalan Family in the Imperial Capital."

Han Chen also realized his mistake. Mostly, he had simply grown too used to using the name Li Feiyu.

Yet after hearing that name, Xiao Yi Xian still looked doubtful, suspicion written all over her face.

"Can't you tell the truth for once? Why would a young master of the Nalan Family have the surname Han?"

Han Chen didn't know whether to laugh or cry. Why did no one believe him even when he gave his real name?

"My name really is Han Chen. I'm an adopted son of the Nalan Family. If you don't believe me, go ask them yourself."

"Hmm... fine, I'll believe you this once. I'm leaving, then. I'll be back for the three-year agreement."

As she spoke, Xiao Yi Xian waved to Little White and Little Jade at her feet, then to Little Blue in the distance. Finally, she strode forward and hugged Han Chen.

"I'm leaving. Don't go around tricking other girls, all right? Otherwise... I've learned a few new poisons lately. Hehe."

Xiao Yi Xian chuckled softly beside Han Chen's ear, then quickly ran off.

Han Chen scratched his cheek. He really hadn't meant to deceive anyone. It had all been for his own safety.

"Teacher, this is Qingshan Town."

As evening drew near, a black-robed youth stood at the entrance to Qingshan Town and wiped the sweat from his forehead. Watching the people coming and going within, he finally relaxed a little.

"Yes. You can enter the Magic Beast Mountain Range from here. Rest up first."

Once inside Qingshan Town, Xiao Yan saw that every mercenary along the way looked hurried. The streets, which should have been bustling, were instead utterly deserted.

"Strange. Why is there hardly anyone here?"

"Because something major happened a while ago, straining relations between the town's main factions."

Just as Xiao Yan was puzzling over it, a gentle woman's voice suddenly came from behind him.

Xiao Yan turned at the sound, and his eyes widened the instant he saw who stood behind him.

"M-miss, who are you?"

Before Xiao Yan stood a woman in green robes, carrying a herb basket on her back and holding a paper umbrella. She watched him quietly.

Her glossy black hair fell over her shoulders, its fine strands accentuating her gentle beauty. Her brows were like pale willow leaves veiled in mist, her eyes like a bright moon reflected in clear ripples. Her skin was snow-white, her cherry lips soft pink.

She was lovely as a lotus and gentle as water, yet carried a fresh, understated elegance, along with an icy aloofness that kept others a thousand miles away. Even compared with Xiao Xun'er, she was every bit her equal.

Xiao Yan froze a little at his first glimpse of her, stunned by her beauty and puzzled that such a woman could be found in a remote little town like this.

The woman gave the black-robed youth a slight nod. Her voice was like a clear mountain spring, like a kingfisher singing in the woods, lilting and lovely, yet utterly cool.

"My name is Shang Xinci. I'm a physician who recently arrived in town."

"Shang Xinci..."

Xiao Yan rolled the name around a few times. Something about it struck him as odd, though he couldn't put his finger on what. Those green robes seemed strangely familiar, too.

"May I ask what happened in this town, miss? Why do all the mercenaries on the streets seem to be in such a hurry?"

After only a moment's hesitation, Xiao Yan chose to dismiss the question. What good would overthinking it do?

Shang Xinci gave Xiao Yan a meaningful glance, then stepped past him and headed into town.

"Come with me. Standing here will only make us targets."

Xiao Yan followed, surveying Qingshan Town as they walked. Within a few steps, he spotted two wanted posters.

Just then, Shang Xinci spoke again.

"It was about seven or eight months ago. An Alchemist came to town, and at first everyone thought the God of Wealth had arrived.

But less than half a month later, that Alchemist disappeared along with a physician from town. Afterward, the town sent out large numbers of people to search for them."

Hearing this, Xiao Yan looked at the wanted posters on the wall.

"Those two on the wall? Surely... taking a physician away wouldn't warrant all this? Is the town desperately short of physicians?"

Xiao Yan found it rather melodramatic. Had an Alchemist simply run off with a physician, prompting the entire town to hunt them down?

Shang Xinci shook her head.

"Of course not. After they disappeared, Mu Li, the young leader of the Wolf Head Mercenary Group, believed they were searching for treasure in the Magic Beast Mountain Range, so he took some men inside.

But unexpectedly, they encountered a powerful magical beast in the Magic Beast Mountain Range, and all of them died there."

Shang Xinci said no more, but Xiao Yan understood what must have followed. The people of that Wolf Head Mercenary Group had surely refused to let it go, resulting in these two wanted posters.

"And those wanted posters have stayed up until now? It's been over half a year."

"Naturally, there's a reason. Two months ago, the whole matter had already faded into silence. But then members of the Wolf Head Mercenary Group suddenly started getting murdered, stirring up a storm throughout the town."

Understanding dawned on Xiao Yan's face. He thought to himself that this town didn't seem peaceful either.

Seeing that Xiao Yan had no more questions, Shang Xinci turned to leave.

"If there's nothing else, young master, I'll take my leave."

"Thank you, miss."

After thanking her, Xiao Yan picked an inn at random.

"Teacher..."

"I know. Something is strange about this town. And that person called Shang Xinci is far from simple. Be careful."

At Yao Lao's warning, Xiao Yan's eyes grew solemn, and he walked into the inn.

Meanwhile, after returning to her courtyard, Shang Xinci casually tossed aside the paper umbrella and sat down on the bed with a sigh.

"That was exhausting. Still, Xiao Yan finally showed up."

With a wave of her hand, Shang Xinci's face and figure began to change. Before long, she had transformed into Han Chen.

Indeed, this was Han Chen using the Form-Changing Art. Since Xiao Yi Xian had already left, without someone to guide Xiao Yan, everything he had left for him earlier would have gone to waste.

Thus, the current Shang Xinci had come into being. As for why he had chosen a woman rather than a man, wasn't it because a woman could more easily build rapport and was less likely to arouse suspicion?

"Tomorrow, I'll find a way to take him into the mountains. I only need to lead him to that cave. The rest will have nothing to do with me."

Having settled his plan for tomorrow, Han Chen sat cross-legged on the bed and began cultivating the Great Evolution Art.