Liver into a martial arts legend: starting with Embroidered Spring Blade

Chapter 131 The Plum Blossom Thief, Trouble Comes Knocking! You're Blind to the Truth! [Two-in-One]

The snowflakes that had just stopped began to fall again, covering the whole world in a blanket of white, as if it were wearing a thick layer of armor.

The northern sky is always like this, with four distinct seasons.

On the snow-covered official road, a young man in thin clothes walked slowly. He had neither an umbrella nor a hat or cloak. Melting snow flowed down his cheeks and down his neck, soaking his clothes completely, but he did not care and continued walking forward.

It looked so lonely, yet it was full of stubbornness.

"Stop for a moment," Jiang Xuan instructed.

The law——

The carriage stopped beside the boy, and Jiang Xuan said, "Where are you going, kid? Get in, I'll give you a ride."

The boy seemed not to hear him at all. He didn't even stop walking or look back. The snowflakes on his body fell slowly as he walked, making him look like a moving snowman.

"Are you deaf?" Jiang Xuan asked.

The boy suddenly gripped the hilt of the sword at his waist. His hands were frozen whiter than snow, yet they remained remarkably nimble.

Jiang Xuan said calmly, "Since you're not deaf, get on. I need someone to drive the carriage for me. You drive for me, and I'll give you a ride. It's a fair deal, isn't it?"

A hint of hesitation flashed in the boy's eyes, as if he was considering it.

"Do you know how to catch the train?" Jiang Xuan pressed.

"I'm going to Baoding City," the boy suddenly said. Although he didn't answer, his meaning was clear: he would take the carriage, but not necessarily the same route.

"Fellow traveler, come on up." Jiang Xuan smiled and gestured for Lan Fenghuang to return to the carriage, giving the young man his seat.

Lan Fenghuang was overjoyed and quickly lifted the curtain, returned to the carriage, sat down next to Ren Yingying, and breathed on her bright red hands to warm them.

Seeing this, the boy said no more, turned around and climbed onto the carriage shaft, flicked the whip, and the carriage sped forward.

"Slow down, don't rush, running too fast will cause the vehicle to overturn," Jiang Xuan reminded him.

"I've never overturned." The boy seemed to be bad at communicating, saying only one sentence before falling silent, and his speed didn't stop at all, but instead increased.

"A strange fellow," Ren Yingying murmured, quite curious about the boy.

Jiang Xuan smiled, not caring, and leaned lazily against the carriage, saying nothing more.

The objective has been achieved; whether or not we can win over this kid depends on our interactions from now on.

He doesn't have a penchant for collecting celebrities.

But for a young swordsman like A-Fei, who is new to the martial arts world, it is truly unfortunate that he first gets involved with an unlucky guy like Li Xunhuan, and then eventually falls for a 'martial arts public bus' like Lin Xian'er.

Since they happened to meet, this descendant of a famous hero should shine with his own brilliance, rather than becoming a mere foil to Li Xunhuan.

……

Shiqiao Town is a small town located between Beijing and Baoding, standing beside the official road.

As the snowstorm intensified, many travelers chose to rest in the town.

There was only one inn in the town, which was not very big to begin with. Now it was full of travelers who were stranded by the wind and snow, so it naturally seemed very crowded.

Even the restaurants in front of the inn were packed with all sorts of merchants and travelers, speaking in different accents, drinking and eating heartily, quite boisterously and lively.

Ren Yingying and Lan Fenghuang were, after all, women, and two women with exceptionally good looks and figures. As soon as they entered the shop, all eyes that were chatting and laughing focused on the two women, as if they wanted to devour them whole.

The two women frowned slightly, clearly uncomfortable with the situation.

However, in such a public place, and seeing that the group of people were dressed and had an impressive air about them, no one dared to come up and cause trouble. At most, they would just glance at them a few times and then lower their heads to talk about some dirty business with their tablemates.

"Let's go upstairs." Jiang Xuan didn't care much. He had seen this kind of scene more than once. People only glanced at it. He couldn't just draw his sword and kill them all.

The two women went upstairs first.

Jiang Xuan glanced at A Fei beside the carriage and said, "Let's go up and have a drink, rest for the night, and set off again tomorrow morning."

"I can't afford it." Ah Fei was as concise as ever; he never wanted to owe anyone a favor if he hadn't earned it himself.

"Consider it an advance payment. Tonight, you'll kill a few people for me to settle the debt," Jiang Xuan said calmly.

"Who are you going to kill?" Afei's gaze swept over a group of travelers in the shop, and finally he shook his head: "I won't kill these people."

"Don't worry, they're all experts. You'll find it interesting," Jiang Xuan said, and went straight upstairs.

master?

Ah Fei narrowed his eyes, hesitated for a moment, and then followed.

Compared to the shops outside, the second floor was a bit quieter. Jiang Xuan casually ordered a few hot dishes, a bowl of mutton, and a pot of wine, and the four of them began to have dinner.

After a long internal struggle, Ah Fei finally couldn't resist and started drinking and eating meat.

However, she began to calculate the value of the food and wine in her mind, considering how many people she would need to kill for Jiang Xuan to offset the cost.

"Does Your Excellency think that someone will cause trouble tonight?" Ren Yingying, who had also overheard Jiang Xuan and A Fei's conversation, asked with a puzzled look.

"Maybe," Jiang Xuan said calmly. From the moment he obtained the Golden Silk Armor, the trouble had already shifted to him.

But for him at this moment, this little trouble was nothing at all.

In short, the source of this trouble is simply the Plum Blossom Thief.

Once the plum blossom thief is dealt with, the trouble will be over.

Moreover, if the Plum Blossom Thief reappears, and things escalate, the local government will be unable to catch him, and in the end, the Imperial Guards will have to step in.

Since we've already encountered this problem, we might as well resolve it conveniently, which will save us a lot of trouble.

His demand for the golden silk armor from Zhuge Lei was not just a whim or a sign of a desire to cause trouble; it was a preemptive strike to nip the threat in the bud.

really.

The four had been sitting for a short while when people around them started discussing the martial arts world, and then the topic of the Plum Blossom Thief's reappearance came up.

"Have you heard? The 'Plum Blossom Bandit,' who roamed the land thirty years ago, has reappeared!"

"The Plum Blossom Thief?" The person next to him asked in confusion, not understanding the meaning behind the name.

His companion explained in a low voice, "You were young when the Plum Blossom Thief was rampant in the martial arts world, so you may not know how powerful he was. But I can tell you that back then, no one in the world was unaware of his power. Even Wu Wentian, the leader of the Diancang Sect and known as the number one swordsman in the South, died at his hands."

Those nearby were moved: "Is this 'Plum Blossom Thief' so skilled? Can't the authorities catch him?"

"That's for sure. At that time, the Plum Blossom Thief committed over a hundred crimes, not only robbing people of their money but also sexually assaulting them, causing widespread panic in the martial arts world. Local governments mobilized a large number of people, but instead of catching them, many people were killed or injured."

His companion looked on with awe: "It is said that in the end, it was because the Plum Blossom Thief offended the Huashan Sect by raping the daughter of the sect leader, which angered Huashan. In the end, the Huashan sect leader joined forces with Shaolin, Wudang and other major sects, and dispatched a large number of experts to kill him at the foot of Plum Blossom Mountain."

"Since the Plum Blossom Bandit has been killed, how could he suddenly reappear? Could he be a descendant of the Plum Blossom Bandit?" the person next to him asked, puzzled.

"Probably!"

The companion nodded: "It is said that a month ago, the Plum Blossom Bandit suddenly reappeared in the martial arts world. His methods of committing crimes are exactly the same as those of the original Plum Blossom Bandit. He rapes, kidnaps, and commits all kinds of evil. Moreover, those he kills all have a row of plum blossom-shaped bloodstains on their chests. The bloodstains are as small as pinholes. This is the Plum Blossom Bandit's unique killing method."

"In just over a month, he has committed more than twenty crimes. I heard that local governments have already filed cases against him and even hired accomplices to arrest him, offering a reward of a thousand taels of silver."

"A thousand taels?!" The person next to him gasped, a look of longing on his face: "If we're lucky enough to help catch the Plum Blossom Bandit, we won't have to come out in this heavy snow. We can go back to our hometown, build a house, and live out the rest of our lives in comfort."

"Hiss...Are you out of your mind?!"

His companion wished he could shut him up, glancing around as if afraid the Plum Blossom Thief would suddenly appear behind them and take their lives.

Seeing that everything was normal and no one was paying attention, he breathed a sigh of relief, then lowered his voice and said, "If even the government can't catch him, how can we possibly catch him? It is said that even Cheng the Blind and Bai Tou Gong, two of the Four Great Swordsmen, have come out of the mountains and have been looking for the Plum Blossom Thief for half a month, but they still haven't found him."

"That Plum Blossom Thief isn't stupid. He moves on to a new location after each crime. I heard he's recently come to the capital. With our pathetic skills, you should be praying you don't run into him. You're dreaming if you think you can catch him!"

"I just said it casually."

The person next to him chuckled awkwardly and then asked, "If the authorities can't catch this Plum Blossom Thief, won't we have to wait for him to offend the martial arts world again, and for all the major sects to join forces to get rid of him, just like back then?"

"maybe."

His companion shook his head and said, "The world is not what it was thirty years ago. There are still many powerful people in the court. For example, the commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard in the capital. Even the White Lotus Sect was eliminated by that man. It is said that three months ago he killed a grandmaster in Tang County. He was known as 'Overlord Blade' and was very powerful."

"If the local officials and the thieves can't catch the Plum Blossom Thief, this matter will eventually reach the capital, and then the Embroidered Uniform Guard will definitely take action."

"Of course, if even the Embroidered Uniform Guard can't catch them, then things are hard to say."

"Anyway, this matter has nothing to do with us. Let's just talk about it in private and not spread it around. If it attracts the Plum Blossom Bandit, we'll die in vain."

"Too……"

……

"Plum Blossom Thief?"

Although the people at the next table were talking quietly, Jiang Xuan and his companions could hear them clearly.

Ren Yingying frowned slightly and said, "The Plum Blossom Thief died under the Vajra Finger of the Great Compassion Master of Shaolin Temple back then. I didn't expect that there would be a successor left behind, and that he would dare to reappear in the martial arts world and commit crimes?"

"It's not necessarily that he's a descendant of the Plum Blossom Thief."

Jiang Xuan said calmly, "Killing someone with a little skill using the plum blossom hidden weapon technique is something anyone can do."

Ren Yingying's eyes flashed: "Does Your Excellency mean that someone is impersonating the Plum Blossom Thief? But what is the point of him doing this?"

"What do you think is the purpose of people in the martial arts world?" Jiang Xuan asked in return.

"Either for fame or for profit, but of course, I mainly want to be famous," Ren Yingying replied.

"That's the answer."

Jiang Xuan said, "The fastest way for someone to become famous is either to kill someone more famous than themselves, or to impersonate someone who was once famous to commit a crime."

"Anyway, the real Plum Blossom Thief is already dead. As long as someone comes out claiming to be the new Plum Blossom Thief, with the same modus operandi as the previous Plum Blossom Thief, and the government can't catch her, then whether she is truly the successor of the Plum Blossom Thief is no longer important."

"At this point, everyone will think that the successor of the Plum Blossom Thief has returned to the martial arts world, causing panic and manipulating everyone. Then her goal will be achieved."

Ren Yingying asked, puzzled, "But what's the point of such fame? Does he really think he can make enemies of the whole world and be so confident that the government can't catch him?"

"Perhaps that's what she was thinking."

Jiang Xuan narrowed his eyes slightly and said, "Or perhaps she came specifically for me!"

Ren Yingying felt a chill run down her spine.

Everyone knows that the Embroidered Uniform Guard is currently the highest law enforcement agency in the Ming Dynasty.

If major cases occur in various places and the local government cannot arrest the perpetrators, they will eventually be reported to the capital and the Embroidered Uniform Guard will take action to arrest them.

Given the high profile of the Plum Blossom Thief, it's impossible that he hadn't considered this.

It seems he was deliberately provoking the authorities, confident that they couldn't catch him, and thus drawing out the Imperial Guards.

Among the Embroidered Uniform Guards, the one with the greatest reputation in the martial arts world is undoubtedly Commander Jiang Xuan.

So the real target of the Plum Blossom Thief might actually be Jiang Xuan!

"If I kill the Plum Blossom Bandit, will I become more famous than him?" At this moment, A-Fei suddenly spoke up, asking with burning eyes.

Ren Yingying looked at him curiously: "Do you really want to be famous?"

"I'd rather die than not be famous!" Afei said this very seriously, as innocently as a child, but everyone could hear the determination in his words; he was not joking.

For him, he would rather die than not become famous.

Ren Yingying and Lan Fenghuang looked at each other, both puzzled, not understanding why this guy had such a strong obsession.

Jiang Xuan was well aware of A Fei's obsession.

For Afei at this moment, becoming famous is his greatest obsession.

Before he became famous, he didn't even want to tell others his surname.

This is because his father was the number one swordsman in the world twenty years ago, known as "Invincible Canglang".

Before that, in terms of fame, almost no one could rival him. It was only after he went overseas that figures like "Heavenly Sword" Nameless and "Divine Sword" Yan Nantian, who were equally renowned in the martial arts world, emerged.

As the saying goes, a tiger father begets no dog son.

As Shen Lang's son, even if he was just an illegitimate child born out of Bai Feifei's wishful thinking, he still had his own pride.

He will become famous through his own efforts, not through Shen Lang's fame.

He even wanted to surpass Shen Lang on his own before he could use the name 'Shen Fei' with dignity.

He was abandoned by his father at birth, so he must have harbored resentment towards him.

He was a contradictory young man, but his goals were very clear.

Jiang Xuan gave him a deep look and said, "Perhaps you have the chance to kill the Plum Blossom Bandit with your own hands, it just depends on whether you can bring yourself to do it."

"If I ever have the chance to meet him, I will definitely kill him with my own hands!" Afei said firmly, setting his first goal after entering the pass.

Jiang Xuan smiled, hoping so.

"Step aside!"

"Golden Lion Escort Agency is here to handle business, all of you get out!"

Suddenly, a commotion arose downstairs, accompanied by the sound of horses' hooves. It seemed that a large number of people and horses had stopped outside the inn and then rushed up in a swarm.

"Trouble is brewing." Jiang Xuan picked up his wine glass and took a sip.

Ah Fei put down his wine cup and gripped the iron sword at his waist.

stomping on...

Amidst a dense chorus of footsteps, a group of martial arts practitioners stormed upstairs with menacing air.

The leader was a robust middle-aged man wearing a yellow brocade robe with a golden lion's head embroidered on his chest.

The people following behind him were mostly dressed similarly, all wearing golden lion patterns.

Dozens of people quickly filled the small building. The guests at the tables on the second floor turned pale with fright and fled downstairs as if they were escaping, not daring to join the commotion.

The people from the Golden Lion Escort Agency did not stop them, but looked directly at Jiang Xuan and his group of four who were still at the only table, their eyes filled with hostility.

During the day, Jiang Xuan encountered Zhuge Lei, the "Swift Wind Sword," who was also among them. He was now following behind the middle-aged man, his eyes darting away, not daring to look at Jiang Xuan.

"Is it them?" The middle-aged man in the yellow robe who was leading the group turned to look at Zhuge Lei and asked sharply.

“Yes, Chief Escort, it’s them. I have already…” Zhuge Lei explained in a low voice, but before he could finish, he was interrupted by the middle-aged man in the yellow robe.

"No need to say it!"

The middle-aged man said coldly, "Although my Golden Lion Escort Agency may not be considered particularly powerful in the martial arts world, it is by no means something that can be bullied by others."

As the middle-aged man spoke, he strode forward, glanced at the four people, and then looked directly at Jiang Xuan, who was wearing a purple fur coat and had a calm demeanor. He cupped his hands and said, "I am Cha Meng, the chief镖头 (bodyguard/escort) of the Golden Lion Escort Agency. May I ask which esteemed person you are here with?"

Jiang Xuan didn't even lift his eyelids, and said indifferently, "Since you know where I come from, you still dare to bring people here. I must say, you are indeed very bold."

Cha Meng narrowed his eyes slightly and said, "I know you come from the Embroidered Uniform Guard, but even the Embroidered Uniform Guard should abide by reason and law, right?"

“My Golden Lion Escort Agency has also escorted goods for the imperial court before, and we are not without connections within the court. Even your company’s commander has met me once.”

"Today, my Golden Lion Escort Agency merely blocked your path, yet you dared to forcibly seize our agency's treasures. Isn't that against the rules?"

Upon hearing this, Ren Yingying and Lan Fenghuang's expressions suddenly became somewhat strange.

They still thought that the people from the Golden Lion Escort Agency, knowing Jiang Xuan's identity, still dared to bring people to demand the Golden Silk Armor, and they admired the courage of the Golden Lion Escort Agency.

Unexpectedly, these people didn't even know Jiang Xuan's identity.

In front of Jiang Xuan, did you claim to know the commander of the Imperial Guard?

Jiang Xuan was also taken aback, looking at Zhuge Lei behind him with some doubt: "You didn't tell him my identity?"

"This..." Zhuge Lei was also slightly stunned, and then a bad premonition suddenly surged in his heart.

He was so frightened by just seeing the four characters 'Imperial Guard' on the front of the token during the day that he trembled with fear, and dared not look at the back of the token.

But after returning home, he felt increasingly resentful.

Golden Lion Escort Agency is at least a second-rate force with extensive connections in the martial arts world. What if the other party is just a junior officer or a senior officer, or even just an ordinary member of the Imperial Guard?

He was so frightened that he ran away and even handed over the golden silk armor. If word got out, wouldn't the Golden Lion Escort Agency lose all face?
However, the news had already spread among the people in the escort agency. Even if he got the treasure back, he probably wouldn't be able to keep it. So he reported the matter to the chief escort, Cha Meng, hoping that Cha Meng would bring people to get revenge and take back the treasure.

That way, if you really encounter someone you can't handle, you'll be more at ease.

Did we really run into a brick wall?
Cha Meng frowned, sensing that something was amiss.

His previous thoughts were similar to Zhuge Lei's: a Jinyiwei officer who went out on business in such weather couldn't possibly have a high rank.

At most, he'd be a junior officer or a company commander.

The Golden Lion Escort Agency can handle such characters.

At worst, we'll just have to spend some money; we have to get that golden silk armor back no matter what.

That golden silk armor was far too important. Putting aside its intrinsic value as metal, its defensive capabilities alone made it an invaluable treasure that would be priceless in the martial arts world.

Recently, the Plum Blossom Thief has reappeared in the martial arts world, and many martial arts practitioners are seeking this treasure. They hope to use its defensive power to block the Plum Blossom Thief's deadly plum blossom hidden weapons, subdue the Plum Blossom Thief, and thus become famous in the martial arts world.

The Golden Lion Escort Agency was naturally unwilling to miss such an opportunity to gain fame.

That's why, after learning that Zhuge Lei had obtained the Golden Silk Armor but it had been stolen by the Embroidered Uniform Guard, he risked everything to lead his men in pursuit, hoping to retrieve this treasure.

But now that he's seen the person in question, he's a little unsure.

These people were incredibly calm; they didn't take their group of dozens of people seriously at all.

"May I ask which esteemed person is here?" Cha Meng asked in a deep voice, bowing slightly. He was more polite and wanted to find out Jiang Xuan's identity before making any plans.

"Didn't we meet once before? I'm sitting right in front of you, and you still don't recognize me?" Jiang Xuan looked at him sarcastically.

This governor?

Cha Meng's heart skipped a beat, his pupils contracted, and his body began to tremble uncontrollably. Could it really be such a coincidence?!

He did indeed meet Jiang Xuan once. Three months ago, the Golden Lion Escort Agency accepted a mission from the imperial court to escort supplies to Huguang to relieve the people. He personally escorted the mission, but he only saw Jiang Xuan's figure from afar in Yongzhou and didn't even get a clear look at his face.

After he returned, this became something he boasted about to others.

"M-Sir, could it be..." Cha Meng's voice trembled, incredulous.

But upon closer inspection, the purple-robed youth before him did indeed bear some resemblance to the distinguished figure he had seen from afar.

blah blah blah!

A token was thrown onto the table, the front still bearing the four characters 'Imperial Guard'.

"Gulp..." Cha Meng swallowed hard, braced himself and stepped forward, picked up the token, turned it over to look at the other side, and froze.

Commander: Jiang Xuan.

The five large characters are arranged in two columns, like sharp blades tempered with golden light, extremely dazzling.

sigh~
The next second, Cha Meng's body went limp, and he knelt down, drenched in sweat, his voice trembling and bitter: "I was blind and ignorant, I didn't know you were here in person, please forgive me!"

He had no doubt about the authenticity of the token.

Throughout the entire Ming Dynasty, anyone who dared to impersonate the commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard was undoubtedly asking for trouble, like an old man eating poison.

But he never expected that such an important person would go out on business in such weather, and in such a low-key manner.

Now, having been instigated by that idiot Zhuge Lei and angered this lord, the fate of the Golden Lion Escort Agency is now in the hands of this lord's every thought.

slam-la-

Cha Meng had already knelt down, and even the most foolish members of the Golden Lion Escort Agency knew something was wrong. They dared not stand any longer and quickly knelt on the ground.

The entire restaurant was so quiet you could hear a pin drop.

Afei put down his sword, turned to look at the young man who was only a few years older than him, and looked somewhat dazed and complicated.

Commander of the Imperial Guard?

Unexpectedly, on his first trip into the pass, he encountered such an important figure.

And is this what it feels like to be famous?

There was no need to lift a finger; merely by revealing his identity, the head镖师 (chief镖师) of a镖局 (镖局 is a type of security escort agency) disregarded his dignity and knelt down without hesitation.

At that moment, he seemed to see another way to become famous...

Jiang Xuan didn't notice A Fei's gaze. He quietly looked at Cha Meng in front of him and said calmly, "Now that you know my identity, how do you think this matter should be handled?"

Cha Meng broke out in a cold sweat and said in a trembling voice, "I was blind and did not recognize your greatness. It is my honor that the golden silk armor came into your hands, sir. I would never dare to ask for it again."

"Is this the end?"

Jiang Xuan said calmly, "This golden armor is the price your escort agency paid today for offending me and speaking rudely."

"You brought men here again tonight, disturbing my enjoyment of dinner and drinks. That's a different matter. You'd better think it through before you speak."

Cha Meng's expression changed slightly. He gritted his teeth, then suddenly turned around and struck Zhuge Lei on the head with a palm strike.

Zhuge Lei's eyes widened instantly, blood spilling from his seven orifices, as he stared at Cha Meng in disbelief: "Chief Escort, you..."

Bang!
Before he could finish speaking, "Cha Meng" exerted force, and Zhuge Lei's head exploded like a watermelon, spilling red and white matter all over the ground, leaving him lifeless.

Everyone was taken aback, surprised by Cha Meng's palm strike and shocked by his cold-bloodedness and decisiveness.

Cha Meng, however, remained indifferent. After taking a deep breath, disregarding the blood splattered all over him, he turned to Jiang Xuan, respectfully wiped the token in his hand, raised it above his head, and presented it to Jiang Xuan, saying, "This whole affair was caused by Zhuge Lei, who instigated me to come and reclaim the Golden Silk Armor, which led to my offense against you, sir. To avoid soiling your hands, I personally executed him. I hope you are satisfied."

Jiang Xuan gave him a deep look, took the token, and said, "Send 100,000 taels of silver to the capital another day, and let's call it a day."

"Yes, thank you, sir. You are very magnanimous." Cha Meng did not dare to say a word more and respectfully agreed.

"Clean this place up and get out."

Seeing this, Jiang Xuan waved his hand and didn't make things difficult for him anymore.

"Yes!"

Cha Meng breathed a sigh of relief, quickly waved his hand to signal, and led his men to clean up the ground. Then, carrying Zhuge Lei's body, he fled downstairs as if his life depended on it.

They arrived in a haughty manner, but left looking disheveled, creating a stark contrast.

Ta-da, ta-da——

Just as the Golden Lion Escort Agency personnel left, a carriage arrived at the inn's entrance.

The driver was a burly, towering man with a thick beard, while inside the carriage sat a man in his late thirties, dressed in fine clothes and handsome, but with an overall melancholic air that was quite eye-catching.

The two sides passed each other.

The men from the Golden Lion Escort Agency glanced at it casually, then ignored it and quickly left with grim faces.

The people inside the carriage were somewhat surprised.

"Young Master, these people seem to be from the Golden Lion Escort Agency. The one leading them should be Chief Escort Cha of the Golden Lion Escort Agency. Why are they in such a sorry state?" the burly man with a bushy beard said in a low voice.

"Well, it's him."

The man in the carriage nodded, holding a small knife in one hand and an unfinished wooden carving in the other.

He withdrew his gaze from the people from the Golden Lion Escort Agency, then looked thoughtfully upstairs at the inn, his eyes flashing slightly, and said, "The truth should be upstairs."

"It seems we're in luck. We've run into some impressive people as soon as we got back. The changes in the Central Plains martial arts world over the years have been quite significant."

As they spoke, the two had already gotten off the carriage and were heading upstairs.

(End of this chapter)