Brocade Robe Unparalleled

Chapter 120 Meeting or not

Sizhou.

At the beginning of the new year, firecrackers continued to light up Sizhou City, and new peach blossoms under the eaves reflected the remaining snow.

The air was thick with the smell of alcohol. A group of children chased and played with sugar figurines at the alley entrance. The shouts of vendors mingled with the clamor of drums and music, making the New Year celebrations in this small border town incredibly lively.

Deep in an old alley in the south of the city, it was unusually quiet, and the hustle and bustle outside did not penetrate in the slightest.

Zhang Hu and Chen Bao squatted in the courtyard filled with fallen leaves. A half-bowl of turbid wine sat on the bluestone slab, and the ashes of a few unburnt paper money were swept up by the cold wind and fell into the wine bowl.

Zhang Hu swallowed hard, his eyes reddening, his voice filled with regret: "If only we had forced Brother Lin to resign with us back then, things wouldn't have turned out like this. Sigh, he's gone, and A Luo is gone too. I haven't seen Miss smile since..."

Chen Bao poked at the dying embers in the brazier without saying a word.

He simply got up silently, picked up a broom, and swept the withered branches and fallen leaves in the yard together.

Lin Xuan likes things tidy and probably wouldn't want to see such a messy courtyard.

After sweeping up all the fallen leaves in the yard, the two squatted down and cleared away a few weeds that were sprouting from the cracks in the stones.

Then, Zhang Hu picked up his wine bowl, poured the half-bowl of wine into the courtyard, and said in a deep voice, "Brother Lin, we're leaving now. We'll come to see you again in a while..."

As the courtyard gate slowly closed, a figure appeared silently in the courtyard.

Lin Xuan let out a soft breath. The memories of his first arrival in this world, the moments he shared with Zhang Hu, Chen Bao, and A Luo in this courtyard, vividly surfaced in his mind.

A moment later, he took one last look at the familiar courtyard, then turned and left.

Tianji Goods Shop.

In just six months, Tian Long had gone from a waiter to a manager.

The Tian family's business expanded rapidly within the past six months.

Tianji Salt Shop has become Tianji Goods Shop.

The Tian family took over several shops next to this branch, and the shops sold more than just salt; they included almost all daily necessities, and customers flocked to the store every day.

After becoming the manager, Tian Long no longer had to work as hard as before. He could sit comfortably behind the counter, and the other odd jobs were taken care of by the staff.

He was idly fiddling with his abacus when a shop assistant ran over and said, "Manager, a customer wants to see you."

Tian Long stepped out from behind the counter and saw a young man carrying a bundle and holding a Miao knife sitting on a chair in the shop.

Tian Long dared not delay and quickly stepped forward, asking in a low voice, "What can I do for you, sir?"

The young man said, "I have a business deal I'd like to discuss with your Tian family."

Tian Long immediately asked, "What kind of business?"

The Tian family's current prosperity began with the eldest daughter's deal with that man for refined salt.

He was the one who went to invite the young lady back then.

The young man remained calm and said, "You can't make this decision. Please ask your young lady to come."

Tian Long shook his head and said, "If this guest wishes to see the family head or an elder, I can arrange it for you, but the young lady is not in Sizhou right now, so you won't be able to see her..."

The young man looked at him and asked, "Where did she go?"

Tian Long said, "Miss went to Bozhou a month ago and hasn't returned for the New Year. If you have anything to say, you can tell me, and we will consult her through the telescope..."

The young man slowly stood up and said, "No need."

After saying that, he got up and left.

Tian Long chased after him to the palace gate, but the man had already disappeared into the crowd.

He scratched his head, feeling completely bewildered, and then turned and walked back to the shop.

After leaving Tianji's shop, Lin Xuan walked on the streets of Sizhou.

After not returning for several months, many shops on both sides of the most bustling street in Sizhou City now display the Tianji sign.

He walked straight out of the city gate, walked along the official road for a distance, and then his whole body rose into the air and quickly disappeared into the mountain peaks.

On the official road, someone witnessed this scene and was utterly shocked, exclaiming in a trembling voice, "He... he can fly! We've encountered a top-tier expert!"

A martial artist needs at least a third-grade cultivation level to fly.

There are only a handful of experts at the top three ranks in the entire southwest.

Someone beside him said, "He might not be a third-rank martial artist. I remember that a fourth-rank sorcerer can fly using their mental power. Does this old monster have some kind of secret technique to preserve his youth? He looks so young..."

"Shh, keep your voice down, or he might hear you!"

"Tch, look at your guts. Even if he's a fourth-grade sorcerer and a third-grade martial artist, he can't hear us from this distance..."

He looked at his companion with disdain, but his voice was still much softer than before.

……

Banshu.

Although it was still the Lunar New Year holiday, there wasn't much of a festive atmosphere in the entire Bozhou region.

Over the past month, the An and Song families have been relentlessly pressuring the Yang family, seizing much of the Yang family's territory. In order to resist the An and Song families, the Yang family has been actively recruiting people, offering extremely generous rewards, which has attracted many martial artists to Bozhou.

Moreover, members of the Yang family have been frequently targeted for assassination these days.

Killing members of the Yang family in Bozhou is tantamount to provoking a major disaster.

But it's been almost two months, and the Yang family has not only failed to catch the murderer, but the people they sent to catch him have also suffered heavy losses.

Within Bozhou City, wanted posters are posted at regular intervals.

Simply providing reliable information about the assassin would earn a reward of a thousand taels of silver.

A reward of five thousand taels of silver will be given to anyone who can provide her accurate whereabouts so that the Yang family can successfully capture the assassin.

The assassin was captured and sent to the Yang family, with a reward of ten thousand taels of silver.

Above the notice was a portrait of a veiled woman.

Every day, people would gather around the notice. Although the Yang family was used to bullying others in Bozhou, and the assassins had killed no good people, causing great harm to the people of Bozhou and even the small and medium-sized chieftains, the reward money was still a considerable sum.

Even the lowest reward is enough for a family of five to live comfortably for the rest of their lives.

Because of the appearance of the masked assassin, in recent days, no woman on the streets of Bozhou has dared to wear a veil or a curtain, for fear that others will mistake them for the female assassin.

This has directly resulted in a significant increase in the number of attractive women on the streets compared to before.

Lin Xuan stood under a wanted poster, looking at the portrait of the woman on it.

Even though it was just a portrait with a veil, Lin Xuan recognized her at a glance.

A flicker of emotion crossed his eyes.

Is she seeking revenge for herself?
This is not the behavior of a competent spy.

She had taught him that as a spy, he shouldn't have personal grudges, and he certainly shouldn't let impulses control his mind and cause him to do anything unnecessary...

It seems she herself can't do it.

He turned and walked out of the crowd, onto the crowded streets of Bozhou.

He slowly stopped in front of a tea stall.

Lin Xuan glanced at the familiar alley but didn't go in. Instead, he sat down at the tea stall at the alley entrance and said, "Boss, a pot of tea, please."

The middle-aged owner behind the tea stall greeted him with a smile: "Hello, sir. We have tea for ten coins a pot, or twenty or thirty coins a pot. Which would you like?"

"The best kind."

"Alright, please wait a moment, sir, it'll be right there!"

Lin Xuan sat at the tea stall, slowly sipping his tea.

His gaze remained fixed on that alley.

At one moment, a figure emerged from the alley.

His hand, which had just picked up the teacup, suddenly stopped.

She seemed to have lost some weight in the two months I hadn't seen her.

Lin Xuan gazed at the figure, slowly stood up, but the next moment, his body trembled slightly, and he sat down again.

A'Luo chased after Tian Qingluan from the alley, took her arm, and said, "I'll go with you."

Tian Qingluan shook her head slightly: "I'm going to discuss business, what are you going to do there..."

A Luo said, "I'm bored at home, so I'll go with you. I want to see how you conduct business."

Helpless, Tian Qingluan could only say, "Alright then..."

Watching the two figures disappear into the distance, Lin Xuan slowly stood up.

Surprisingly, they're still together.

He stood up, paid for the tea, and was about to leave.

A figure carrying a vegetable basket walked out of the alley.

Wenren Yue was about to go buy groceries when she suddenly felt something and looked toward the tea stall on the street.

Two pairs of eyes met in mid-air.

Lin Xuan withdrew his gaze and left silently.

Wenren Yue stared at that back view, momentarily lost in thought.

For a moment just now, she felt as if she were hallucinating.

That person gave her a strange sense of familiarity.

But that wasn't him, and it couldn't possibly be him.

Even so, she kept staring in a certain direction until the figure completely disappeared before slowly walking away...

……

Banshu.

Inside an inn. Lin Xuan had been sitting in his room for a short while when there was a knock on the door.

The knocking sound consisted of three long knocks followed by two short knocks, a pre-arranged signal between him and Lu Feng.

This inn is the secret stronghold of the Jingye Division in Bozhou.

Lin Xuan opened the door, and a figure walked in from outside.

Lu Feng closed the door, casually set up a mental barrier to block out sound, and then said, "You've been gone for so long, I almost thought something had happened to you..."

Lin Xuan clasped his hands and said, "I was delayed by some matters, and I'm sorry to have troubled Commander Lu."

Lu Feng waved his hand and said, "It's alright, it's good that you're back."

Lin Xuan said, "I have taken care of my personal matters and we can begin this mission now."

He did not reveal his true strength, but asked Lu Feng for the next level of the Zhenyue Gong technique.

After all, he had only broken through to the seventh rank not long ago, and then broke through to the sixth rank again after only a month. There was no excuse for that.

It's best not to let him know about the Jiuli tribe.

With his mental strength, combined with the Nine Li Secret Technique, as long as he doesn't actively reveal himself, even a third-rank martial artist wouldn't be able to discern his true cultivation level.

Lu Feng nodded and said, "Your return is timely. The Yang family suffered losses at the hands of the An and Song families, and somehow, they've offended the Nanzhao Secret Service. They've been frantically recruiting martial artists lately, making this a perfect opportunity to infiltrate the Yang family..."

He looked at Lin Xuan and asked, "Do you still remember your current identity?"

Lin Xuan nodded and said, "My name is Chen Yu, I am nineteen years old, from Chenjia Village, Luan County, Bingzhou. I am an only child. My parents were killed by corrupt local officials. In a fit of rage, I killed the officials and was wanted by the imperial court. I fled to the southwest. I practice the 'Rock-Solid Skill'. I also have an aunt and two uncles in my hometown..."

The Jingye Division had made very detailed arrangements regarding his identity.

Everything he said was true.

Chen Yu is indeed a real person.

However, he had already been caught and secretly executed by the court for murdering an official of the imperial court.

Lin Xuan was about the same age as him, had similar cultivation levels, and even their cultivation techniques were extremely similar. In fact, the "Rock Stone Technique" was originally a low-end version of the "Mountain Suppressing Technique." The Rock Stone True Qi and the Mountain Suppressing True Qi were from the same source and could not be distinguished at all.

Moreover, Bingzhou was located near the capital.

Lin Xuan's parents both moved from the capital, and he grew up surrounded by it, so his accent is similar to that of the capital.

The Jingye Division paid meticulous attention to detail in selecting its undercover agents.

Even if the Yang family specifically sent people to Bingzhou, thousands of miles away, to investigate, they could not find any flaws.

As the largest secret intelligence agency on the mainland, the Jingye Division's professional capabilities are beyond doubt.

Lu Feng asked Lin Xuan some more questions, which he answered fluently.

He nodded slightly and said, "Although we have made thorough preparations, you still need to be extremely cautious and prioritize your own safety. If you sense any danger, abandon the mission immediately to protect yourself..."

Lin Xuan clasped his hands and said, "Thank you, Commander Lu. I understand."

Lu Feng patted him on the shoulder and said, "Take care..."

……

Banshu.

At a city gate.

Dozens of people lined up in a long queue at the city gate.

These days, the Yang family is offering huge sums of money to recruit martial artists, and notices are posted everywhere.

A ninth-rank cultivator can receive five taels of silver per month, an eighth-rank ten taels, a seventh-rank twenty taels, and a third-rank cultivator receives even more. A sixth-rank cultivator receives fifty taels per month, and a fifth-rank cultivator receives a whopping two hundred taels...

The martial artists near Bozhou were almost all attracted by the generous reward.

However, most of them were ninth-rank martial artists.

With the strength of a ninth-rank cultivator, one cannot shoulder any great responsibilities, and naturally, there is no danger.

As for those above the ninth rank, although the rewards are even more generous, the Yang family has been rather unstable lately. No matter how high the reward, it's useless if you can earn it but not live to spend it.

After chasing away several incompetent individuals, a young man carrying a bundle stepped forward. Yang Jing, who was in charge of registration, yawned and habitually asked, "What's your strength?"

The young man replied, "Seventh rank."

Yang Jing immediately perked up. Although his family was willing to spend a lot of money to recruit people, martial artists of the middle third rank were sought after everywhere and would not risk their lives for money. Sometimes they would not even meet a sixth rank martial artist in a day.

A seventh-rank strength is not weak; one could even serve as a captain in the Jingbian Division.

He would receive a reward of two taels of silver for each seventh-rank martial artist he recruited.

He immediately stood up and said with a smile, "Young hero, let's talk inside!"

He led the young man to a nearby courtyard and first said politely, "Young hero, would you mind demonstrating your strength first?"

The young man clenched his right fist and punched forward.

A loud bang was heard in the air.

He looked at Yang Jing and asked, "Is that enough?"

Rank 9 and Rank 8 martial artists couldn't make such a commotion. Yang Jing nodded repeatedly and said, "That's enough, young hero, this way please."

After entering the room, he first invited the young man to sit down, poured him a cup of tea, and then asked, "What is your name, young hero?"

The young man said, "Chen Yu."

"Judging from Young Master Chen's accent, he doesn't seem to be from the Southwest. What brings you to the Southwest? And why did you come to the Yang family..."

"You're giving me a lot of money."

Yang Jing then asked, "What kind of martial art do you practice, young hero...?"

The young man stood up impatiently and said rudely, "Why so many questions? Stop being so fussy. If it's okay, it's okay; if not, forget it. Don't hold me up while I'm looking for somewhere else..."

Yang Jing quickly stood up, grabbed the young man's sleeve, and said, "Young Master Chen, please calm down. This is what the family asked us to ask. You don't know, the Yang family is going through a lot of trouble right now. This is to prevent people with ulterior motives from infiltrating the Yang family. We didn't mean to interrogate you, young master..."

The young man sat down again, his tone still somewhat impatient: "I practice the Rock-Solid Technique. My hometown is Bingzhou. My parents were murdered by a corrupt official there. I infiltrated that official's house, beheaded him, and was wanted by the imperial court. With nowhere to go, I thought I'd come to the southwest to hide. I saw you recruiting people as soon as I entered the city, so I came to try my luck..."

After saying this, he slowly placed his hand on the knife at his waist, his eyes fixed on Yang Jing.

It seemed that if Yang Jingruo made any unusual move, his knife would strike at him in the next moment.

Yang Jing quickly said, "Young hero, don't be nervous. This is Bozhou. The officials here are not under the jurisdiction of the imperial court, nor do they concern themselves with the matter of you beheading that corrupt official. I greatly admire your character, young hero..."

He questioned the other party so thoroughly because he feared that the other party was sent by the An or Song families to cause trouble, or that he was a spy sent by the imperial court.

For the Yang family, these desperate criminals who committed capital crimes were actually considered to have a clean record.

The Yang family needs someone like that right now.

The more someone tried every means to get into the Yang family, the more suspicious he became.

Those who threaten to leave at the slightest disagreement must be kept.

He smiled and said, "Young Master Chen, I've finished asking my questions. Welcome to the Yang family. You have a seventh-rank cultivation level, and you'll receive a monthly salary of twenty taels of silver. The Yang family will provide you with accommodation, and if you wish to live on your own, you'll receive an additional two taels of silver as a subsidy..."

It must be said that the Yang family's treatment was indeed very generous.

At least it's more generous than the imperial court. The commander of the Jingbian Division only receives four taels a month, and the subsidies aren't that much.

He thought for a moment and said, "I live on my own. Also... is there anything the Yang family needs me to do?"

Yang Jing smiled and said, "That depends on your choice, young hero. You can choose to escort goods, guard the mine, or serve as a bodyguard to protect important figures of the Yang family..."

Lin Xuan thought for a moment and said, "I choose the guard."

Yang Jing said, "You can find a place to stay first, and go directly to the prefectural government office tomorrow. Someone there will arrange a job for you."

Lin Xuan nodded slightly, then turned and left.

Yang Jing saw him off, and a figure approached from afar. He immediately stepped forward and said respectfully, "Steward, we've just recruited another seventh-rank martial artist..."

The middle-aged manager asked, "Is the origin of this item clear?"

Yang Jingdao said, "He said he was wanted by the imperial court and fled from Bingzhou. I think he was not lying."

The middle-aged manager waved his hand and said, "Where they come from isn't important, as long as they're not people planted by the Song family, the An family, or the Jingbian Division. Ask them all the questions you need to know, and write down everyone's background and identity for future verification. Be careful..."

Yang Jing clasped his hands and said, "Yes..."

……

Bozhou, a certain alley.

A'Luo and Tian Qingluan got out of a carriage. She took Tian Qingluan's hand and said angrily, "The way that guy looked at you was so lecherous. I really wanted to gouge his eyes out!"

Tian Qingluan didn't say anything. She had been running the family business for so many years and had encountered many people who coveted her beauty. She was already used to such looks.

Looking at A'Luo, she felt a pang of sadness.

Since he left, the once gentle and obedient A-Luo, who always spoke softly, has become much more irritable.

When the two returned home, they found a courtyard gate at the entrance of the alley open.

Some people from the pawnshop are cleaning the courtyard.

No one used to live here; it must have been rented out today.

In recent days, Bozhou has seen a significant influx of outsiders, mostly drawn by the Yang family's promise of great profits.

A figure passed by in the courtyard.

The two glanced at it briefly and then left.

Their figures disappeared through the doorway, and Lin Xuan stood there, silent for a long time.

Returning to his old haunts, he could no longer find his way back to where he was before.

The mandala did not leave.

He also couldn't appear before Qingluan with his true face, otherwise everything he had done before would have been in vain.

Before she left, Lin Xuan could only wait silently...

(End of this chapter)