Huang Rong from The Return of the Condor Heroes: Brother Jing, let's get a divorce.

Changlu Town is located 60 li south of Huxian County and is a necessary route from Guanzhong to Hanzhong.

The town is small, with a main street running north to south, lined with shops and residences on both sides.

Because of its convenient location on the main north-south route, the town was bustling with merchants, making it more than twice as prosperous as Huxian County.

Yang Guo and Lu Wushuang arrived at Chang Le Town before dark.

Yang Guo found an inn called "Drunken Immortal Abode" to stay in. He only asked for a superior room.

Lu Wushuang didn't care, since she was sharing a room with Yang Guo at the Quanzhen Sect anyway.

However, the young girl was shy, and Yang Guo's shouts were loud, so Lu Wushuang blushed.

After entering the room, Yang Guo lay down on the bed and fell asleep. Lu Wushuang went to the kitchen to fetch a basin of hot water and brought it into Yang Guo's room. She wrung out a towel, walked to the bedside, and helped Yang Guo wipe the dust off his face.

Yang Guo opened his eyes and grasped Lu Wushuang's wrist. Lu Wushuang's fingers were very cold.

"Are you scared of killing people?" Yang Guo sat up and pulled Lu Wushuang to sit down on the edge of the bed.

"I'm not afraid of killing people." Lu Wushuang lowered her head. "I'm afraid something will happen to you. Your name is on that list. The words 'intercept and kill' are drawn with two lines in vermilion."

Yang Guo didn't reply, but pressed his thumb against the back of her hand and squeezed it twice. Lu Wushuang's hand was still cold, her fingertips a little stiff, not because of the cold weather. The seven lives lost at Qingfeng Inn ultimately fell on her shoulders.

"There are plenty of people on the list, Guo Jing and Huang Yaoshi are even ahead of me." Yang Guo smiled casually. "If the Mongols want to deal with me, they'll have to see if they have the guts. Your master is a first-rate expert after all; his fifth-grade One-Finger Divine Skill wasn't learned for nothing."

Lu Wushuang slapped his hand away and turned her head away.

"Be serious. What's next?"

"No rush." ​​Yang Guo leaned against the headboard. "A businessman needs to maintain his composure. Let's rest for the night and meet with them tomorrow. Go and bolt the door shut."

He closed his eyes after saying that.

Lu Wushuang sat on the edge of the bed without moving, looking down at Yang Guo's face for a long time. She didn't lock the door, but reached out to pull the blanket up for Yang Guo, then got up and dimmed the light.

……

The next day at Chenshi (7-9 AM).

When Yang Guo pulled Lu Wushuang out of bed, her legs were weak.

She stood for a while, leaning against the bedpost, before recovering. Her face flushed, she playfully punched Yang Guo on the back. Yang Guo chuckled and dodged the punch, urging her to wash her face and get dressed.

Liu Cunhou's efficiency was not bad.

After Yang Guo finalized the bracelet deal with Magistrate Zhao in Hu County, Magistrate Zhao immediately sent Liu Cunhou to Chang Le Town to make preparations. The three wealthiest people in the area had already arranged to host a banquet at Zui Xian Ju at noon today, ostensibly to welcome the "enlightened master from Zhongnan Mountain."

Yang Guo spent a long time choosing his clothes when he was changing.

The sect leader's robes are too conspicuous; wearing them outside Zhongnan Mountain is no different from waving a flag and shouting "Come and kill me!" The gray cloth short shirt is too shabby; it wouldn't be presentable when receiving guests.

He pulled out a moon-white long robe from the bottom of the bundle.

This dress was hastily made by Xiaolongnu, using the finest Shu brocade that had been stored in the ancient tomb for decades. The cuffs and collar are embroidered with Tai Chi patterns in a hidden thread, which are not noticeable unless you look closely, but the patterns will become visible under the light, understated yet stylish.

Yang Guo straightened his hair and headdress in front of the bronze mirror, and looked at himself from left to right.

Lu Wushuang stood beside him, straightening his collar, and took two steps back to look him over.

"Like a fortune teller fraud."

"A fortune teller can make millions a year?" Yang Guo flicked the wrinkles on his sleeve. "I call this persona. Think about it, what kind of Taoist priests do those three nouveau riche usually see? They're either unkempt and wearing tattered robes, or they're slick-haired and have a thieving look on their faces, always talking about donating to good deeds for a better next life. Now, if a young, handsome, and distinguished master sits opposite them, the contrast is striking, and their wallets open on their own."

Lu Wushuang didn't understand what "persona" meant, but she could smell the deception in it.

"Then what should I wear?"

Yang Guo glanced up and down at the coarse brown dress she was wearing.

"Change it. It's too tacky; it'll embarrass you if you go out with me."

He rummaged through his bundle and threw out a light blue silk skirt.

"Wear this. Comb your hair neatly and put on lipstick. Your job today is just one thing—stand behind me, don't say a word, and be responsible for handing things over and pouring tea."

Lu Wushuang took the dress, unfolded it, and examined it. The material was very smooth, much better than what she was wearing.

What are you doing standing behind me?

"Show-off." Yang Guo didn't turn around, smoothing the stray hairs at his temples with his fingers in front of the bronze mirror. "When a master goes out, he's accompanied by a beautiful female disciple. Men think this Taoist priest is skilled, and women think he has good taste. You are my living decoy."

Lu Wushuang clutched her skirt, her expression twisted terribly.

I wanted to yell at him, but I couldn't suppress the urge to swear.

"Can't you just say something serious?"

"Hurry up and change it, or the food will get cold by lunchtime."

Noon.

The private room on the second floor of Zuixianju.

Twelve dishes were laid out on the octagonal table: roasted lamb leg, braised carp, steamed venison, and cold bamboo shoot salad. The wine was two jars of locally brewed sorghum wine from Changle Town, sealed for three years, and its aroma could be smelled even through the mud seal.

Liu Cunhou sat at the end of the table, all smiles as he made the arrangements.

The three landlords sat on either side.

The fat man on the left is Qian Dayou, the biggest grain merchant in Changle Town. He owns 3,000 mu of fertile land and is quite well-known in Guanzhong.

The tall, thin man on the right is Sun Bo'an, who runs a tea business with three shops in Chang'an.

The short, stocky guy at the end of the list is surnamed Ma. He owns a pawnshop and is said to have assets of over three thousand taels of silver.

The three of them share common characteristics: a thick waist and lively eyes.

Yang Guo sat in the main seat, not in a hurry to speak.

He first picked up his teacup and took a sip, his eyes slowly sweeping over the three people's faces.

There's something significant about that glance.

In his previous life, Yang Guo had seen behind-the-scenes footage of a fantasy drama, which featured a character who was a reclusive master.

The director and the actor spent three days working on just this one look.

You need to see through the other person, but you can't be aggressive.

Be aloof, be composed, and let the person opposite you feel that you know everything but don't care about anything.

He had been pondering that look for a long time, and now that he was using it, it was easier than breathing.

Qian Dayou was the most restless of the three and spoke first.

"Master Yang, I heard from Magistrate Liu that you are the leader of the Quanzhen Sect in Zhongnan Mountain? It's quite remarkable that you're in charge of a sect at such a young age."

Yang Guo put down his teacup.

"You flatter me, Master Qian. My cultivation is still shallow, and I dare not accept the title of sect leader. Several senior members of my sect are in seclusion, so I am just managing the affairs of the sect on their behalf, barely managing to keep things afloat."

He spoke humbly, but his back was very straight, and his tone was neither too loud nor too soft, so that everyone in the private room could hear him clearly.

Tea merchant Sun Bo'an put down his chopsticks.

"Master Yang, County Magistrate Liu mentioned to us that you have the skill of consecrating objects? I wonder what the procedure is?"

"The word 'consecration' is too heavy for this humble Taoist priest to bear," Yang Guo said slowly. "Since childhood, I have practiced Taoist internal energy cultivation, and a wisp of primordial energy resides in my dantian. When this energy is infused into an object, it can soothe the mind and regulate the flow of qi and blood. To put it simply, it's a health maintenance method, nothing mystical."

Mr. Ma, the pawnshop owner, rubbed his fingers together and rolled his eyes twice.

"Master Yang, you speak so eloquently, can you let us see for ourselves?"