At Canhu Town in Jiangnan.
Canhu Town was famous for raising silkworms and because it was a town people had to pass by to reach Luo Sword Manor at Taihu Sword Island. As soon as there were a plethora of people from the martial world gathered there, it was bound to be messy, with factions from everywhere crowding there.
A youth drooling at the sight of a girl raising silkworms said, "Hey, Good Looking, how about keeping me company on my journey? I'll make sure to shower you with love, and make sure you have plenty of white fluff. Ow! Why did you hit me? Hey, stop! Not my face!"
The youth had every visual cue suggesting he was a long-time lecher. Not even planting a big hand mark on his face could reduce the lecherous look he inherently had. It wasn't common to see someone with his looks among the various visiting groups.
Usually, hooligans who took beatings as he did would swear they'd come back to challenge her tomorrow or make empty threats. Some would threaten to call someone to destroy her shop, but he'd vanish for years. This youth, however, walked around with an upward curve to his lips. He continued strolling and making suggestive eye gestures. He remarked, "I love that temper of yours. Gimme a kiss."
They called him the number one scum, Lord Zha Pi. He probably scared her enough to make her consider taking him serious. He laughed and lifted her chin with a finger, acting as if he completed his mission and was moving onto his next target. He kept up his flirting antics wherever he went. Howbeit, his eyes were darting back and forth.
Bai Yeshuang, Zhapi and the team of female constables didn't need to change out of uniform, allowing them to take main roads and switch horses at stations along the way. Ming Feizhen didn't want them to have a high profile; however, that was exactly what they did. People from the martial world did everything they could to avoid the group.
Bai Yeshuang's squad appeared two days and a night ahead of the Emperor's escort. Once they entered the city, she reached out to official military teams. The troops who were on the delivery mission had spread their forces out to search for Shen Yiren. The issue was the lack of a leader, so Bai Yeshuang acted as a coordinator.
Meanwhile, Zhapi and the constables interacted with shifty people in the city. On one hand, the constables could use their authority to make the underground folks pay attention to things the constables demanded. On the other hand, Zhapi could return to his roots and collect information as a thug.
There were so many people from the pugilistic world that it annoyed Zhapi. His mouth was going off all day as he flirted with girls. At the same time, he had to memorise every person's unique traits.
On a particular day, he was about to give up on teasing a married woman when he heard, "Scum like you need to be removed from Huzhou. Men, get rid of him."
Two men pulled Zhapi away from the woman.
The woman wasn't intimidated when Zhapi teased her; she was merely frustrated. Having someone give him a beating would help her blow off some steam. The young man she thanked for offering to beat up Zhapi was always smiling confidently and spoke in a gregarious tone. Strangely, she was more interested in his sword than his handsome looks. The sword looked ordinary, but not taking a few looks rendered one uneasy.
The young master had several men with him but wasn't dressed in opulent clothing. He was from a wealthy family but wasn't haughty. He had a reserved demeanour befitting of his sword. The young master bowed back after the woman thanked him. Then, he turned his attention to Zhapi: "Let's not let scum like him delay us. Let's go."
The young master went off to an inn with his men without waiting for Zhapi to take the beating. He knew Zhapi wouldn't cause trouble after the lesson, but he didn't know who Zhapi was. Before the young master's two men even reached hitting range, Zhapi unleashed his ultimate technique. He begged for mercy on his knees, bringing their parents and every relative into it. He swore to the sky and every religious entity that came to mind that he wouldn't do it again, or lightning would strike him where he stood. Before they could comment, tears and snot were pouring out. They couldn't bring themselves to hit him when he looked so pitiful. In the end,they let him off without even reproaching him. Little did they know, Lord Zhapi was watching them.
"Good looks, has money and power, if I don't dig up something on him, I would've used my ultimate technique for nothing." Zhapi spat and then sneaked into the inn.
The young master had an appointment in a room, so he opened the door and straight in without knocking.
"Ha, why didn't you let me know you two were coming to Huzhou? I'm totally unprepared for your unannounced visit. People are going to say Luo Sword Manor slacks on guest treatment now."
"Brother Siming, this place is perfect already. Moreover, had you not come to welcome us, we would take a while to get through the Lotus Flower Four Seasons Sword Formation."
"Hahahaha, you're still a wordsmith, I see. You…"
The person sitting opposite laughed: "Let me preface it by saying that I'm now called Kuang Lu. Don't frame me now."
"Kuang Lu? What about Brother Ling?"
Another youth replied, "My surname is still Ling, of course. I'm not him. If Kuang Lu didn't invite me to drink with you, I'd have liked to challenge the lotus flowers and see how incredible the sword formation is."
One of them was Mount Lu Sword Sanctuary's Young Master Ling. The other one was the scholar Ming Feizhen also met.
Siming: "Don't. My clan's Four Seasons Sword Formation is no match for you Flying Thrust Technique and Furong Divine Sword. I dropped what I was doing to come welcome you."
Kuang Lu clapped his hands: "You're not honest at all. Have a drink as punishment."
Young Master Ling: "Says the honest one who now has a glib tongue."
Siming knocked back the drink and wiped his mouth: "This is good. I have no means of repaying you, so I shall drink the first three drinks to get us in the mood."
Siming was the current master of Luo Sword Manor and the clan's fourth young master, now called Master Luo, Luo Siming.