Wandering Swordsman |

In that instant, Wang Daniu's expression, which had been lecherous, changed drastically. He stood up abruptly as if struck by lightning, his body trembling involuntarily. His eyes widened as he stared in disbelief at the token in his hand, as if he had seen something incredible. The family crest on the token shone with a golden light in the morning glow, appearing exceptionally dazzling.

"The Murong... the Murong family?" Wang Daniu's voice trembled slightly, clearly affected by this sudden shock. He quickly abandoned his previous attitude, bowed respectfully, and plastered a fawning smile on his face, "So you are a distinguished guest of the Murong family, my apologies for my rudeness!"

Murong Qing retracted the token, her tone still cold: "We're pressed for time. We'd like to inquire about information regarding the Black Wind Gang?"

Wang Daniu nodded vigorously, saying repeatedly, "Of course, of course! Please come with me."

Then Wang Daniu stood up and walked towards the seemingly ordinary wall behind him. He reached the wall and gently patted one of the old paintings on it. The painting trembled slightly in response to his call. Then, Wang Daniu took a step back and made a few subtle movements with his hands at his waist. With a soft "click," the ground suddenly cracked open, revealing a hidden stone staircase before everyone's eyes.

"Please, distinguished guests!" Wang Daniu's voice was deep and steady, a stark contrast to his previous lecherous demeanor. He stepped onto the stone steps first, lighting an oil lamp in his hand, its dim light illuminating the path ahead. The three followed in single file, the stone door behind them slowly closing with a heavy thud, shutting out the world above.

Descending the winding stone steps, the air was filled with an old, musty smell, a mixture of earth and smoke. The surrounding walls were damp, with occasional water droplets dripping and making soft splashing sounds. As they went deeper, the temperature seemed to gradually drop, causing a shiver to run down their spines.

Finally, the group arrived at a spacious underground space. Contrary to their expectations of darkness and dampness, it was surprisingly clean and orderly. Several rows of long wooden tables were arranged horizontally and vertically, piled with various items—some were maps, some were bamboo slips, and some seemingly ordinary yet mysterious trinkets.

Inside the basement, several Beggars' Sect disciples were engrossed in their respective tasks: some were studying maps, others were recording important information, and still others were busy organizing weapons and equipment. Although their numbers were small, each person was working diligently and methodically at their post, without the slightest slackening.

"This is the true face of our branch," Wang Daniu explained. "Don't be fooled by the fact that we are just homeless beggars on the surface. In reality, the underground of each town is the core area where our Beggars' Sect branches gather intelligence and plan operations. All the information from other branches will be shared here."

Liu Xiaorong nodded, glanced around, and a hint of approval flashed in her eyes. "I didn't expect the Beggars' Sect to have such a well-organized layout here."

"The world of martial arts is treacherous, and with the Black Wind Gang's growing power in recent years, our Beggars' Sect must prepare for the future," Wang Daniu replied, a hint of pride in his voice. "May I ask what kind of intelligence the three of you would like to know about the Black Wind Gang?"

As the lights flickered, Wang Daniu's expression grew even more serious. He began to detail the intelligence the Beggars' Sect possessed: "Currently, we have obtained one Class A, five Class B, fourteen Class C, and fifty-two Class D intelligence reports concerning the Black Wind Gang."

Murong Qing's gaze was fixed on Wang Daniu, and she said without hesitation, "I want all four categories of intelligence!"

Upon hearing this, the air seemed to freeze. Wang Daniu and the surrounding Beggars' Sect members were stunned. Even the usually calm and collected Liu Xiaorong seemed hesitant to speak, simply staring silently at Murong Qing. Only Shen Mo seemed bewildered by all this, his brows slightly furrowed.

Realizing she might have said something wrong, Murong Qing's expression changed slightly, and she quickly added, "Money is not a problem!"

Wang Daniu quickly waved his hand and explained, "Young lady, this isn't about the money."

"What is that?" Murong Qing frowned slightly, her eyes showing confusion.

Before Wang Daniu could continue, Liu Xiaorong interjected softly, "Qing'er, the Beggars' Sect's Class A intelligence is generally only provided to the leaders of the Nine Gangs and One Faction, the Eight Great Families, and the Four Great Academies, while Class B, Class C, and Class D intelligence is sold to the outside world."

Hearing this, Murong Qing's cheeks flushed slightly, feeling a little embarrassed by her earlier rashness. She lowered her head and straightened her clothes, trying to hide her embarrassment.

Wang Daniu, noticing Liu Xiaorong addressing Murong Qing as "Qing'er" and recalling the Murong family token Murong Qing had previously shown her, immediately concluded that she was indeed the seventh young lady of the Murong family. He then asked in a questioning tone, "Could it be that you are the seventh young lady of the Murong family?"

Murong Qing looked up and saw the surprise and respect in Wang Daniu's eyes, then nodded.

"So it really is Miss Murong Qing!" Wang Daniu said respectfully. "In that case, we can provide you with Class A intelligence on the Black Wind Gang, along with Class B, Class C, and Class D intelligence, all free of charge."

As soon as Wang Daniu finished speaking, Liu Xiaorong's brows furrowed instantly, and she blurted out warily, "Wait!"

Her voice was cold and direct, carrying an unquestionable authority. "What is your purpose?" she questioned, her gaze fixed intently on Wang Daniu's face.

Shen Mo stood to the side, his mind filled with doubt. His gaze darted back and forth between the two, not understanding why Liu Xiaorong looked at him with suspicion in the face of such a generous offer. He opened his mouth slightly, as if he wanted to say something, but didn't know where to begin.

"Master, what are you doing?" Murong Qing's voice was filled with confusion and anxiety. She gently tugged at Liu Xiaorong's sleeve, trying to ease the suddenly tense atmosphere.

Seeing that Murong Qing was somewhat puzzled by the current situation, Liu Xiaorong immediately explained, "Qing'er, you are still inexperienced in the martial world, so naturally you don't know that free things are the most expensive!" As soon as she finished speaking, a flash of enlightenment appeared in Shen Mo's eyes, as if a lightning bolt had streaked across the night sky, deeply imprinting this profound truth into his heart.

Wang Daniu's smile remained gentle, but now it carried a hint of caution. He spoke slowly, "Please calm down, heroine. I have no other intentions. It's just that Miss Seven's identity holds infinite possibilities for the future of the Murong family. This is merely to ensure that the Beggars' Sect leaves a good impression on you."

Liu Xiaorong's gaze softened slightly, but she remained vigilant. She nodded, signaling Wang Daniu to continue. A subtle tension hung in the air; everyone's nerves were taut, as if something unexpected might happen at any moment.

"Although our Beggars' Sect keeps a low profile, we still have a place in the martial arts world," Wang Daniu continued. "If we can establish a deeper connection with the Murong family, it will benefit both of us."