"All right!"
Xu Yang did not hesitate. He was just about to leave with the woman when Bao Gang's voice rang out: "Wait!"
Everyone looked at Bao Gang in confusion. He continued in a deep voice, "I am a disciple of the Tiger Roar Martial Arts School. Xu Yang merely comes from Mighty Far Hall. It would be safer for me to escort the Fifth Miss."
The implication was that he was stronger than Xu Yang.
To an outsider, that did indeed seem to be the case.
Among Qingyuan County's many martial arts schools, the Tiger Roar Martial Arts School ranked far above Mighty Far Hall.
Mighty Far Hall charged only two taels of silver a month in tuition, while the Tiger Roar Martial Arts School dared to charge three-and still had more disciples.
Xu Yang said nothing, instead looking toward Zhang Bo.
He had a fair idea of what Bao Gang was thinking. The man simply wanted to use this opportunity to get close to the Liu residence's Fifth Miss and eventually win both the woman and her wealth.
Marriage alliances between great Lineages and Qi Gathering Martial Artists were commonplace in Qingyuan County's martial world. Yet not every newly established Qi Gathering Martial Artist caught the eye of a great Lineage. Many relied on opportunities during their service as Attendants to win the favor of those Lineages' young ladies.
"That won't be necessary. Attendant Xu will do!"
Just then, the woman dressed as a maid spoke up.
Zhang Bo nodded. "Xu Yang, go with Miss Cui'er. Remember to keep the Fifth Miss safe and follow her instructions."
"All right!"
Xu Yang nodded and followed the woman named Cui'er out of the Attendant Courtyard at a brisk pace.
"Brother Zhang Bo, I'm clearly stronger than Xu Yang. Why didn't you assign me?"
Even after Xu Yang had left, Bao Gang could not quite let it go.
"I'm even stronger. How about I go?" Zhang Bo said sarcastically.
He had served the Liu Family for over a decade and had seen countless young men fresh out of martial arts schools. Naturally, he understood Bao Gang's little calculations.
Yet Bao Gang had challenged him on the very first assignment he handed out. Even if Bao Gang had a point, Zhang Bo could not possibly agree. Besides, his choice had not been arbitrary.
Bao Gang's face flushed crimson. "I... that's not what I meant."
Zhang Bo snorted coldly. "Put those little schemes of yours away. The Fifth Miss may not be born of the principal wife, but the family head dotes on her. Even if she is married off to form an alliance, it will never be to someone like you."
Anger flashed in Bao Gang's eyes, but he said nothing more.
"Greetings, Fifth Miss!"
Following Cui'er, Xu Yang soon met the Liu residence's Fifth Miss. She looked like a woman who had stepped straight out of a painting, the very model of a well-bred young lady of old.
Even her training clothes and the fine sword in her hand could not conceal her gentle, graceful bearing.
Cui'er stepped forward. "Miss, this is Xu Yang, our residence's newly appointed Attendant Xu, a talented young man from Mighty Far Hall."
Xu Yang noticed that when the Fifth Miss heard his name, ripples seemed to stir in her eyes, which had been as still as water.
First, she looked him up and down curiously, then said politely, "Sorry for the trouble, Attendant Xu, but please escort me to Pure Maiden Hall."
"It's part of my duties."
Xu Yang shook his head, then followed the Fifth Miss alongside Cui'er. They soon left the Liu residence.
He had heard of Pure Maiden Hall, an elite martial arts school in Qingyuan County that accepted only women. Tuition alone cost ten taels a month. Anyone without a substantial family fortune could not possibly afford it.
Throughout the journey, Xu Yang kept to his duties and simply followed behind them. There were no disturbances along the way, and they soon arrived at Pure Maiden Hall.
"Pure Maiden Hall doesn't allow outsiders inside. You needn't wait here for me, Attendant Xu. It's very safe here. Just have the Attendant Hall send someone to pick me up this afternoon."
"Understood!"
Xu Yang cupped his hands, then turned and left.
"Someone back at the Attendant Hall tried to snatch the escort assignment, but I thought Xu Yang was rather handsome, so I chose him. Miss, what do you think of my taste?"
As soon as Xu Yang left, the previously solemn Cui'er became lively.
The Fifth Miss dropped her earlier decorum as well and smiled. "He is rather handsome. Spend more time getting close to him. If things work out, I'll ask Father to grant you your freedom."
Cui'er shook her head. "He even turned down a marriage alliance with the residence. He wouldn't fancy me."
The Fifth Miss put on a stern expression. "Since you know that, why are you still standing here swooning over him? Come along!"
Cui'er stuck out her tongue and hurried after her into Pure Maiden Hall.
When Xu Yang returned to the Liu residence, everyone in the Attendant Hall had gone out. Even Zhang Bo was absent.
Following Zhang Bo's instructions, he did not cultivate, instead resting in the Attendant Hall to conserve his strength.
As lunchtime approached, those who had gone out began returning one after another.
"Well? Was the Fifth Miss beautiful?" Wang Yun sidled over with a lewd grin.
Xu Yang thought for a moment. "Like someone from a painting."
Wu Yongfeng chuckled. "The Sixth Miss I escorted was a heavenly beauty too."
Wang Yun looked amazed. "Why don't I ever get such a cushy assignment? I spent half the day patrolling the perimeter of the Liu residence."
Bao Gang's expression was rather gloomy. He, too, had failed to secure an assignment escorting a young lady of the Liu Family and had been patrolling the residence until now.
After eating at the Liu residence, another shift arrived to relieve them. Xu Yang told Zhang Bo about sending someone to collect the Fifth Miss that afternoon, then returned to Mighty Far Hall with Wu Yongfeng.
The inner courtyard, once so bustling, now held only two people. Sun Tao, Lu Ren, Jiang Ping, and the others had all stayed away from Mighty Far Hall that day, as though they had arranged it beforehand.
The two present were none other than Zhang Yong and Zhang Hong.
"What's going on? Why are there only two of you?" Wu Yongfeng asked curiously.
Zhang Hong stopped his stance training. "It's all because of the uproar over Jade Butterfly. Our fellow senior disciples have all been summoned back by their respective factions to protect the chastity of their women."
The day passed quickly, and Xu Yang heard no further news about Jade Butterfly.
The next day, he arrived at the Liu residence and heard the latest news about Jade Butterfly. Yesterday, another woman from a wealthy household in the outer city had fallen victim to Jade Butterfly-this time from the Huang Family. Apparently, she had been attacked in her own home.
The Liu Family adjusted its arrangements accordingly. Until Jade Butterfly was caught, none of its young ladies were allowed to leave the residence.
Thus, Xu Yang did not escort the Fifth Miss to Pure Maiden Hall that day. Instead, Zhang Bo assigned him to patrol a corner of the Liu residence. Even the other daytime shift of Attendants was called in, with both shifts patrolling together to prevent Jade Butterfly from slipping into the residence.
He was unable to visit Mighty Far Hall that day. Only after dark, when the Attendant Martial Artists responsible for the Liu residence's nighttime security arrived to relieve them, did the day's patrol end.
Walking beneath the moonlight, Xu Yang left the Inner City and headed home.
As he approached White Stone Ward, he saw someone lying in the grass beside the road.
The person lay half-reclined with their head lowered, so he could not make out their features. Thinking that someone from White Stone Ward had suffered an accident and collapsed there, he immediately hurried over to see who it was.
As he drew closer, he caught the smell of blood. Looking carefully, he discovered a pool of vomited blood beside the person, splattered in a spray.
The blood had not yet dried and appeared to have been vomited only recently.
"Brother, wake up!" Xu Yang stopped three paces away, rather than approaching recklessly.
He called several times, but the person lying there still did not respond. Quietly gathering his true qi, he continued forward.
He had taken only two steps when the person on the ground suddenly sprang up, five fingers hooking toward his throat like an eagle's talons.
Before you continue