On the street.
Ye Xingge left the crowd Jade Immortal House without looking around. He then adjusted his straw hat and casually asked:
"What's going on? The assassins are here?"
Hongyu stood on the second floor of the rouge shop across the street, her gaze fixed on the Mysterious Armament Pavilion's Foreign Affairs Hall Master who was strolling around:
"Twelve steps to your left, there's a middle-aged man in a blue robe. Follow him discreetly, don't get spotted, and figure out what he's here for."
Ye Xingge glanced around the street with a normal expression and quickly spotted his target. After a brief look, he could tell that the other party was probably a martial artist, but his specific background was unclear. Without saying much, he picked up his knife and pretended to patrol the street, then followed the target.
And that's when the problem arose, wasn't it?
A few dozen steps ahead.
Heart Moon Fox He Lin walked along the street like an ordinary passerby, holding a jade pendant in his sleeve and writing with his fingertips:
"Has Jade Immortal House arrived yet?"
Duan Lianshan couldn't take the express courier service, so he arrived slightly later than the four commanders. He had just arrived in the capital when he replied:
"Follow me, right now."
He Lin ran his thumb over the inscription on the jade tablet, knowing that his superiors were arriving soon. He then pretended to admire the night view while glancing back out of the corner of his eye.
He then discovered that his "target" was patrolling the streets behind him, walking towards him!
?
As the head of the Foreign Affairs Department of the Eight Great Sects, He Lin was very professional. He naturally withdrew his gaze and continued walking forward, while a little doubt remained in his heart.
He entered the city at noon and inquired about Ye Xingge everywhere.
Ye Xingge was investigating Dong Baoquan's case that afternoon. He had indeed been to the tavern and the place where the patrons were, using the Great Memory Restoration Technique to help recall the details of the case. Afterwards, he also revealed his identity and left a trace of his actions.
After hearing the commotion, He Lin went straight to Jade Immortal House, where Dong Baoquan was located, and then squatted down next to Ye Xingge, who had come to handle some business. He had just been startled by the boy's arrogance.
According to He Lin's judgment, this person had finished his errand and would normally either return to his residence or have a meal. He really didn't expect that the other party would continue to patrol the streets.
They're already armed with divine weapons and treasures, and the government office only pays them a meager salary—is it really necessary to be so proactive?
Could it be that this kid wants to kill people to practice his skills...?
He Lin thought it was possible. His task was to track, and he couldn't just walk ahead of the target and lead the way; turning around would definitely alert Ye Xingge.
Therefore, He Lin changed to strolling around, stopping and starting, and subtly slowed down his pace to let the boy overtake him!
But this kid is damn thorough when he patrols the streets!
Several dozen steps behind.
Ye Xingge secretly followed, but found that his target was strolling around like a street urchin. He couldn't very well follow along, stopping and starting at the same time; that would be very unprofessional!
Therefore, Ye Xingge had no choice but to slow down his pace appropriately.
For example, if he finds someone in a tavern discussing national affairs, he will stop and listen carefully; if he encounters a storyteller telling his tales, he will take a look.
It turns out the person they were tracking had really gone through a damn thorough search!
The street vendor selling gourds could ramble on for ages, and in the end, he didn't even buy anything. He then went to the tavern, leaned against the window, and lined up five large coins...
Even if Ye Xingge wanted to follow, he couldn't walk in front of the target and lead the way!
Therefore, he had to rack his brains to come up with a solution. He figured the other party would drink for a while, so he asked the Great Beauty girl behind him to keep an eye on things. He went into a jewelry shop on the street and picked out some small accessories for " Three Feet One " and " Great Longevity Peach ".
As it turned out, he had just killed someone at Jade Immortal House when the manager saw it. Being sensible, the manager refused to take the money.
But in Qingxi County, he didn't wear official robes and ate watermelon for free, which was fine. But in the capital, he wore official robes and still ate watermelon for free. Wasn't that wearing the robes for nothing?
Ye Xingge still gave the money, and after the target finished drinking, he went out to follow him again.
To his surprise, the person he was tracking returned and continued chatting with the vendor, trying to bargain down the price to ten coins for the gourd...
Are you fucking crazy?
Ye Xingge held the hairpin box, his eyes wide with surprise. After all, he couldn't turn back and continue searching; it would be too easy to arouse suspicion!
After a moment's thought, Ye Xingge made a snap decision, pretended to be thirsty, went to a tavern on the street, and laid out nine large coins:
"Give me a bowl of Linyang liquor and a plate of fennel beans."
"Oh, sir, you're too kind. You've spoken up for the people, so consider this bowl of wine a small token of my respect..."
"Sensible..."
Then the pressure returned to He Lin.
When professionals clash like this, no one ends up with an easy victory.
The two racked their brains and dawdled for ages, still stuck near the Jade Immortal House, almost driving themselves crazy.
In the end, it was naturally He Lin was at the front, who noticed the anomaly first.
After He Lin didn't know where to go. He deliberately waited and made way, but he couldn't get through no matter what he did. Even though Ye Xingge's acting was so seamless, he could still realize that he was in a maze.
Realizing she was being counter-tracked, He Lin's heart skipped a beat, and she quickly sent a message through her sleeve:
"But they caught up instead, a last-minute rescue."
Upon receiving this message, Duan Lianshan naturally realized something was amiss and immediately replied:
No one else comes to Pu'an Temple, but others go to the Yong River Chamber of Commerce.
Pu'an Temple is an outer city temple. It was built in a scandal during the previous dynasty, and its incense has declined, with few monks remaining. It is an ideal place for murder and robbery.
As its name suggests, the Yong River Chamber of Commerce is a conglomerate in Yongzhou. Mysterious Armament Pavilion has a deep partnership with it, and the bigwigs within it have extensive connections and influence.
He Lin's identity as " Heart Moon Fox " has not been exposed. At this moment, as the head of the Mysterious Armament Pavilion's Foreign Affairs Hall, he is going to the Chamber of Commerce to conduct business normally. Neither Hongyu nor the imperial court would find his whereabouts suspicious.
However, through investigation, He Lin was able to confirm that the boy was acting alone and there was indeed no one around. He must have just accidentally discovered his whereabouts and followed him to see what was going on.
After a moment's thought, He Lin decided to play along and headed towards Pu'an Temple.
And then.
Ye Xingge noticed that the street urchins had finished their stroll and were leaving the bustling area. Feeling a great weight lifted from his shoulders, he downed his drink in one gulp, his expression unchanged, and continued to follow them, while discreetly asking:
"Who is this person? They seem to be quite capable."
Hongyu walked further back, also wandering around:
"His figure and appearance are very similar to the head of the Foreign Affairs Department of the Mysterious Armament Pavilion, but I'm not entirely sure."
Ye Xingge knew the top experts on the Gold List like the back of his hand. He knew that the head of the Foreign Affairs Hall of the Mysterious Armament Pavilion was named He Lin. He had only entered the Gold List at the beginning of the year. Because the bottom Third Rank changed almost every half month, his position fluctuated constantly in the bottom 30, and his ranking was not fixed.
Even if he finishes at the bottom of the Third Rank, it will still be a great boost to his skills, enough to recover more than a year's worth of experience.
However, Mysterious Armament Pavilion is a prestigious sect, and the head of the Foreign Affairs Hall is responsible for social interactions, so it's normal for him to travel to the capital. This person shouldn't be killed.
Ye Xingge felt a little regretful about this.
But before long, he smiled and realized that Great Beauty was indeed reliable...
The silver moon hangs high in the sky.
The ancient temple, which has stood for over two hundred years, is located in a remote neighborhood. It is surrounded by lush trees, and its red walls and white bricks are damaged. Only deep inside the temple can one see a faint glimmer of Buddha's light.
Duan Lianshan, cloaked, silently leaped over the wall of the Sanmen Hall and landed on the white stone square in front of the Tianwang Hall. The huge temple was in disrepair, with weeds growing in the cracks between the bricks, and there was no human presence to be seen around.
After briefly looking around, Duan Lianshan quietly arrived at the east bell tower, disappeared into the doorway, took out his bag from his back, and twisted and assembled the four sections of the spear shaft to form a nine-foot-long spear.
Tap tap~
Once everything was ready, Duan Lianshan took out the token and first gave it to his subordinate He Lin, and sent the following message:
"Clock Tower, ready to go."
After saying that, he flipped to the other side and reported the situation to his superior.
If they take action in the capital, they must act quickly and decisively. If they cannot kill the enemy, they must flee immediately, possibly requiring backup from higher-ups.
The higher-ups of the Return to Origin Cult would certainly oppose the two men's risky actions.
It wasn't easy for the Return to Origin Cult to develop its core members. Taking action in the capital was too risky. The loss of two Third Rank was a loss no one with any power would be willing to bear. Therefore, they were asked to stay put and wait for Neck Metal Dragon and the others to arrive before making their move.
But Duan Lianshan was well aware of Ye Xingge's value; once he got his hands on the item, he would be the " Gold-Chasing Gentleman " wielding the Fate-Robbing Saber.
Moreover, as a newcomer, he has ten years to hone his skills and is already Third Rank martial artist with a high chance of advancing to the First Rank. Why would he still have the mind to continue risking his life for the Return to Origin Cult?
After explaining the situation, Duan Lianshan put away the sign and began inspecting the equipment.
The Autumn Mountain Sect is a minor, third-tier sect, but Duan Lianshan, as its leader, ranks more than ten places higher than He Lin on the Gold List, giving him some merit. His personal treasure is the family heirloom, the " Kou King Armor."
Its miraculous effect, [ Immovable Wisdom King ], can increase the durability of personal items by 30%.
Thirty percent may not seem like much, but this miraculous effect is not to bless famous weapons, but to protect all the items you carry.
Wearing this item will make even a simple sesame seed cake require more effort to bite.
Although the effect is quite good, this armor is plate armor and is not suitable for everyday wear by martial arts practitioners. However, it is still acceptable even if it is the lowest grade of Third Rank. Having a high-quality breastplate with a large protective area already makes one stand out from the crowd.
The reason it's called " Kou King Armor " is because among the famous weapons in the same series, those with a 40% upgrade are called " Sun King," those with a 50% upgrade are called " Moon King," those with a 60% Wisdom King are called "Myo-o," and only those with a 70% upgrade are worthy of being called "Immovable Wisdom King"!
In addition, Duan Lianshan also made a mask called " World-Surpassing Face Armor "!
This thing has a miraculous effect [ Dove Occupies the Magpie's Nest ], quite like a domineering CEO -- not thinking of himself as the boss of weapons, but rather overthrowing his superiors and thinking of himself as the master of weapons!
Its function goes without saying; even the Heaven-Obscuring Arm is miles ahead of it.
However, the special and miraculous weapons of famous soldiers already have formidable basic defensive capabilities. Duan Lianshan was wearing Mouth King Armor and a face shield, leaving only the back of his head and limbs as weaknesses.
Placing this in the Third Rank can only be described as a madman's wits, a remedy specifically for external martial arts practitioners.
After a brief inspection, Duan Lianshan felt that this set of equipment should be sufficient to deal with the Ravine-Leaping Tiger and the Fate-Robbing Saber, so he remained silent and waited patiently.
Soon after, a faint sound came from afar...
Whew~