Inside the office of the chief official of the Judicial Review Bureau.
Luo Xuanqing was organizing official business behind her large desk, and she had changed into a black dress with a rare, ascetic style.
The robe was still impeccably tailored, but its plain color suppressed any hint of allure. Her hair was styled in an updo with a hairpin, and her face was unadorned. Overall, she looked like... a widow?
In addition, Luo Xuanqing changed all her underwear to black and even wore black stockings!
The stockings are made of a black tulle material, with excellent elasticity and a silky feel.
These socks were originally designed for tall, elegant women; they are lightweight, breathable, and do not expose the legs, making them very comfortable to wear.
Following this trend, wealthy young ladies followed suit, and tailors made various modifications, creating styles such as pantyhose, garter stockings, and full-body stockings...
Although it was meant to cover the body, for some reason, certain powerful and wealthy individuals particularly liked it and had their women wear it even at home.
Luo Xuanqing was completely wrapped up, clearly to remind herself that she was a cold and aloof fairy, and that she needed to be serious and not fall into depravity again!
After waiting for an unknown amount of time, a greeting came from outside:
" Xingge, here I come!"
Good morning, Lord Chen...
Luo Xuanqing heard the noise but did not get up. When the knocking sounded, he said calmly:
"Come in."
The door was then pushed open, and the person outside stepped into the study, after which a voice said:
"Hey?!"
Luo Xuanqing raised her eyes to look at the doorway, where she saw Ye Xingge, dressed neatly, looking her up and down as if she didn't recognize her. Her eyes narrowed slightly.
What are you hehe about?
Ye Xingge looked at the 'widow' behind the table, feeling a sense of novelty. She thought to herself that she was even more alluring than the concubine in green from last night.
What does that mean?
Last night's kiss sealed their love. Is this the beginning of women dressing up for those they love? What a charming and sophisticated man!
However, Great Beauty Luo's eyes narrowed slightly, and Ye Xingge still said seriously:
Good morning, Lord Luo.
"Hmph~"
Luo Xuanqing adopted the demeanor of an icy female boss, took a piece of intelligence from beside her, and pushed it to the edge of the desk:
" The Inspection Bureau received a tip last night. Take a look and take care of it when you have time."
"Oh?"
Ye Xingge had come here to obtain false information. Hearing this, he thought the Mountains and Rivers Association and the Inspection Bureau were indeed efficient. He immediately became serious and picked up the briefing to examine it:
Qinghe Villa ordered a batch of weapons from Xuanbing Pavilion, including one hundred pieces of sword-nurturing materials, which were recently delivered and sent to Yingzhou.
The Inspection Bureau's informants received reliable intelligence that the Return to Origin Cult had its eye on the shipment and was planning to rob it...
After reading Ye Xingge nodded secretly, thinking that the intelligence compiled by the Mountains and Rivers Association was very professional.
One hundred pieces of sword-nurturing materials, worth around ten million coins on the market, are enough to attract the attention of the Return to Origin Cult, and also enough to attract his attention...
However, Clear River Manor and Mysterious Armament Pavilion are both among the Eight Great Sects of the Cang River, with their leaders ranking Second Rank and seventeenth respectively in the second class. It is impossible for the sect leaders to personally escort the goods for such a small amount of money.
If the Return to Origin Cult wanted to seize something, they wouldn't need to send a Second Rank expert like Kang Jinlong; sending someone like Neck Metal Dragon would be considered an exceptional honor.
Therefore, this matter just happened to fall within his jurisdiction. Upon receiving the news, Heaven-Observing Pavilion would naturally send him, who urgently needed to "fight to sustain war," to handle it.
After briefly reading through the information, Ye Xingge put it away.
"Then I'll go over later?"
Luo Xuanqing had been scrutinizing Ye Xingge. Seeing that the young man was very upright and showed no intention of giving his female boss a good morning kiss, his expression softened, and he got up to help pour tea.
"Normally, you should go, but if you're unlucky, you might follow them from the Mysterious Armament Pavilion all the way to Yingzhou and nothing will happen, and then the birthday banquet will be over..."
Ye Xingge; once he reaches the Mysterious Armament Pavilion, He Lin will die. Then he can act freely, picking and choosing his targets based on the Mountains and Rivers Association's intelligence. He doesn't need to worry about making a wasted trip. However, outwardly, he will still respond:
"I can't expect to become an expert overnight. Going out for a run and doing some patrols is much better than just sitting around in the Heaven-Observing Pavilion waiting... uh..."
As Ye Xingge was speaking, he suddenly noticed that the Great Beauty Luo was carrying a teacup, sitting down by the chessboard, crossing her legs and striking a leisurely pose like a noble concubine.
She wore black embroidered shoes, and because of her posture, her left leg was dangling in the air, revealing sheer black stockings around her ankle...
Hey?!
Ye Xingge caught a glimpse of an unbelievable object, his pupils contracting slightly. He approached to examine it closely, then half-squatted down, lifting Great Beauty Luo's jade-like feet and slightly lifting her skirt to peek inside. There, he saw long, black-stockinged legs and a halter top draped over the side of her fair thighs...
Thump~
Unsurprisingly, it was flipped over and fell to the floor.
Seeing Ye Xingge, Luo Xuanqing thought he had discovered something amiss, but when she reached out and lifted Ye Xingge's skirt, his eyes widened in surprise:
" Ye Xingge!"
Ye Xingge sensed something was wrong and quickly got up:
"I'm sorry, I'm so shocked and abrupt. Where did Sister Luo get these socks?"
Luo Xuanqing pulled his leg back, completely bewildered.
"The previous dynasty already had them, haven't you seen them?"
"I've never seen it in Qingxi County before; I'm truly ignorant..."
As Ye Xingge spoke, he glanced at the black Daoist robe he was wearing, wondering if there was also a semi-transparent lace breastplate underneath...
Snap
Luo Xuanqing suspected he was wearing the wrong clothes, so he lightly tapped the small table and adopted the posture of a chief official:
"Is this never going to end?"
Ye Xingge slightly raised his hand, Orthodox God, and glanced at the doorway:
"Then I'll leave?"
Although Luo Xuanqing was somewhat embarrassed and annoyed, he was also worried that this brat would never learn his lesson and would ignore such a beautiful and aloof fairy to go and risk his life. After thinking for a moment, he said:
" The Mysterious Armament Pavilion is quite far away, Heaven-Observing Pavilion cannot provide timely assistance. I will go with you."
"Ah?"
Ye Xingge felt this was probably inconvenient. He wanted to go out and freely devour anyone he wanted, but with the Great Beauty Luo following along, how could he possibly hunt enemies in the void...?
Seeing Ye Xingge deep in thought, Luo Xuanqing assumed the boy had misunderstood and earnestly clarified:
"You are very important to the court. I am worried about you making a mistake, and at the same time, I am testing your ability to handle affairs. Don't let your mind wander on the way, and don't expect me to intervene and help you out..."
Ye Xingge thought for a moment and said tactfully:
"I'm used to being alone, and I'm careful in my actions. Sister Luo's powers haven't fully recovered yet..."
Luo Xuanqing's eyes left no room for doubt:
"Even with only one-tenth of my strength remaining, I'm still stronger than you. You can come and go as you please, how could I possibly hold you back? Go pack your things, we're leaving soon, that's an order!"
"Well..."
Ye Xingge figured he couldn't refuse, so he nodded...
Night falls, north of Jingzhou.
"Drive--"
Under the bright silver moon, two swift horses galloped across the country road.
Luo Xuanqing took the lead, dressed in black clothes, a black skirt, and black stockings, looking like a widow chasing after her husband for thousands of miles.
Ye Xingge his horse to follow behind Three Feet One, enjoying the view while also feeling a bit troubled.
After all, Great Beauty and Three Feet One Man fought to a standstill, and currently, the two of them combined can probably only muster about 10% of their strength, half a brain, and four reliable Nanas...
Although he didn't expect his two older sisters to help him, they shouldn't put pressure on him either!
Although Great Beauty can't fight, he used to be able to provide some intelligence.
And the Great Beauty Luo followed suit, so even though he had intelligence, he couldn't use it. Wasn't this like turning off his cheat code?
Fortunately, Ye Xingge is capable enough, so he's not worried about Great Beauty Luo suddenly turning him into a complete novice during her assessment.
Whether it was because Great Beauty didn't believe in Great Beauty Luo's abilities or because she was jealous and afraid of being the one who suffered, she must have followed along and set off a few miles ahead.
Ye Xingge was worried about encountering Wang, so he deliberately slowed down along the way.
After a full day of speeding, the two arrived at the Mysterious Armament Pavilion in northern Jingzhou.
Mysterious Armament Pavilion, as one of the Eight Great Sects of the Cang River, is even closer to the island than to Black Dragon Island.
The night was not too dark at this time, and from a distance, one could see a magnificent complex of buildings built along the river. The blast furnace on the riverbank is said to have stood along the Cang River for nearly eight hundred years.
Meanwhile, countless martial arts practitioners gather in the surrounding towns, along with representatives from various sects, to order what they need within their sects.
Ye Xingge his horse along the road, admiring the night view, and asked curiously:
"Does Sister Luo know the Fire Phoenix Wen Zhuohua?"
Wen Zhuohua is the current leader of the Mysterious Armament Pavilion, and she is a woman. She is ranked only two places below Luo Xuanqing. The next female martial artist above her is Mantanghong.
Because they were in the same group, Luo Xuanqing naturally recognized him and slightly turned his veil upon hearing the voice.
" The Mysterious Armament Pavilion has been forging weapons for the imperial court for many years, so I'm quite familiar with it. What brings you here? Would you like me to introduce you?"
"Oh, how could that be? I was just asking out of curiosity..."
"Hmph~" The two chatted idly as they entered the riverside town.
The town is called Stone Furnace Town, and its name comes from the Mysterious Armament Pavilion.
Legend has it that eight hundred years ago, the first head of the Wen family was a blacksmith. He worked diligently in blacksmithing from a young age, regardless of the weather, and made farm tools for his fellow villagers free of charge. His sincerity moved Laojun in heaven, who bestowed upon him the Samadhi True Fire to melt all things and forge famous weapons with spiritual power.
Whether the legend is true or not, Ye Xingge has no idea, but the Mysterious Armament Pavilion is indeed rich in resources. After eight hundred years of exploration, it has mastered the forging methods of at least two hundred famous weapons and is skilled in armor.
As for casting artifacts, it's quite mystical. Not only are the techniques, shapes, and materials important, but it's also said that the artifacts must be consecrated with blood after being cast. In any case, only one in a hundred will be successful, and it's extremely expensive.
There are many sects in the martial arts world that are capable of forging famous weapons. Shangshui Sword Cottage Pavilion, Flowing Cloud Manor in the north, and others can all forge them, but they specialize in different areas. Some are good at swords, while others are good at fabrics and jewelry.
Ye Xingge had only been in the martial world for a few days and was quite curious about these places he had heard about since childhood. After entering the town, he dismounted and walked, looking around with the Great Beauty Luo. He could see that both sides of the street were lined with weapon stalls, and people were hawking their wares.
"Fine swords and blades, genuine products from the Mysterious Armament Pavilion..."
"Wristbands, leg guards..."
"A top-quality embryo, tempered in the ancestral furnace, guaranteed by the Wen family, honest and trustworthy..."
The so-called "embryo" refers to a weapon that has just been forged and hasn't been consecrated yet. If you're lucky, you might be able to forge a divine weapon. Ye Xingge bought a sword to try it out on his first visit.
Let's not dwell on the outcome.
After walking for a while, Ye Xingge suggested:
"A major transaction like that with the Clear River Manor should, in principle, be handled personally by the head of the Mysterious Armament Pavilion's Foreign Affairs Department. Shall we go and inquire about the situation first?"
The head of the Foreign Affairs Department of the Mysterious Armament Pavilion is none other than Heart Moon Fox He Lin.
Luo Xuanqing nodded in agreement and headed towards the Mysterious Armament Pavilion.
Meanwhile, inside an inn on the street.
Hongyu, dressed in a dark red female knight-errant's dress, leaned against the window, peeking through the crack at a couple walking across the street, and whispered:
"I've already inquired. He Lin is in the large warehouse outside town. He's the head of the Foreign Affairs Department and is indeed in charge of the transaction with the Clear River Manor. The goods are waiting to be loaded onto the ship in the warehouse. You can just go there later."
Hearing this, Ye Xingge didn't say much. He inquired about the weapons procurement at the Clear River Manor and then accompanied them to the large warehouse outside the town...