“However, you need to act with propriety. Don’t cause too much ruckus,” Siao Qi frowned, “High Duke Song’s temper is not very good. If you really went overboard and got into a fight, we will be the one who suffers.”
Chu Li laughed despite himself, “He is a friend of the High Duke, isn’t he? So the situation will not develop to the extent of fighting with each other, right?”
“Who knows?” Siao Qi shook her head and sighed, “There is no real friendship between the public houses, only gains and personal interests.”
“What benefits are there to fight for?” Chu Li asked.
The public houses were founded during the establishment of the country. The title of High Duke can be inherited in perpetuity, so the public houses were unshakable. No matter how much troubles they caused, the title of High Duke would not be taken away. They just need to make sure that they had a successor so it was unnecessary for them to fight for profits.
Siao Qi said, “Humans will die for money and birds will die for food. This is the greedy nature of human beings. They will fight for even the slightest profits. Moreover, there was someone stirring up this matter.”
Chu Li nodded with sudden realization. Naturally, it was the Imperial Household who were stirring up these fights between the public houses.
“In short, only you can do this task,” Siao Qi sighed, “It was somewhat inappropriate to let others do it and I would not rest assured too.”
“Don’t worry, my Lady,” Chu Li said.
Siao Qi turned to look at him, “I am actually very worried. You are young and vigorous, you are not someone who can endure provocation. This task obviously needed you to act in accordance with the will of others.”
Chu Li laughed, “My Lady, why must we endure it? Even if we are not as powerful as them, we still don’t have to be afraid of them!”
“Don’t be foolhardy!” Siao Qi frowned.
Chu Li said, “I know the limits.”
Siao Qi stared at him.
The more Chu Li said he will act in propriety, the more worried she was. She had seen Chu Li’s boldness before.
Chu Li smiled, “I will not act recklessly. I will look at the situation first.”
Siao Qi nodded slowly.
Chu Li had great insight into the heart of others, which was one of the reasons why they let him go. The sense of propriety was subtle and in fact, apart from Chu Li, nobody was able to see through the thoughts of High Duke Song. If it was someone other than Chu Li, he will inevitably be subjected to the restraints of the other party and brought shame to their public house.
After Chu Li went back to the small courtyard, he continued to analyze the Scripture of Life and Death.
The second level of the Scripture of Life and Death was infinitely mystery. Until now, he failed to grasp it fully.
His spiritual energy went up tremendously, the scope of his Omniscient Mirror and Scripture of Life and Death surged greatly and his body became stronger and sturdier. In addition to that, the Aura he abstracted was purer and the Aura can be differentiated between pure and turbid as well as weak and strong.
During the study of these two days, he found a new advantage. Besides having a stronger body, his body can also be differentiated into weak and strong like the Aura, similar to a plant which can display two states: withering and flourishing.
With the first level of Scriptures of Life and Death, he can disperse his inner energy, leaving only a small amount of it in his cinnabar field in his abdomen. With a thought, an influx of Aura can instantly restore his inner energy. Therefore, he usually looked like someone who had not practiced martial arts.
When he reached the second level of Scripture of Life and Death, his body can display two states: weak and strong.
Usually, his body was full of vitality, far better than the average people, but he can also make his body seemed like a dead wood, without the slightest inner energy in his body. Integrating his body with the earth and completely losing the breath of life. Even a Grandmaster will not be able to feel his presence.
He can become an ordinary person who did not practice martial arts, a sick person, a dying person, a dead person and all of them seemed real. Others will not be able to distinguish between the real and fake.
He sighed to himself: with such wonderful ability, if he became an assassin, it will be really effective, without any failures.
It was a pity that a Grandmaster had a keen instinct for danger, thus, they were hard to assassinate. Otherwise, he may not be unable to assassinate a Grandmaster.
In the evening, the sun was setting. Chu Li went to the Tower of Stargazing and trained with Siao Qi. The two’s cultivation levels were now quite similar, hence, training with each other benefited them.
At this moment, Lin Quan came to tell Chu Li that Master Siao Tie Ying invited him over.
Chu Li followed Lin Quan to Iron Eagle Island. Siao Tie Ying had been waiting in the main hall.
Chu Li gave a fist salute. After sitting down, he took the teacup that was handed to him by Lin Quan and sipped lightly. He put down the teacup and looked at Siao Tie Ying quietly.
Sunset dyed the house red, Siao Tie Ying’s handsome face was somber, “Chu Li, you depart to Huay Public House tomorrow!”
“The evidence was found?”
“We found two witnesses. They saw the brothers in Desolate Town.”
“They did not see the assassination with their own eyes. High Duke Song will not admit it.”
“It is impossible to find someone who saw the assassination with his own eyes. We can only find this much but this is already enough.”
“…Very well, I’ll go.”
“High Duke Song has a bad temper. Don’t bother yourself arguing with the likes of him but fight for it when necessary,” Siao Tie Ying pondered, “It’s no big deal as long as you don’t make a ruckus until things get out of hand!”
Chu Li smiled.
Siao Tie Ying said, “We might be weaker than them but we are not afraid of them too… I believe you can handle the matter with propriety!”
Chu Li nodded with a smile, “Yes, I will be careful.”
“But you have to be careful. People are sinister,” Siao Tie Ying said, “If they went too far, retaliate fiercely. If the opponents are too powerful, just run away. It will be fine as long as you are not the one in a disadvantageous position.”
“Yes,” Chu Li smiled.
He did not expect Siao Tie Ying’s attitude to be more intransigent than Siao Qi’s.
Siao Tie Ying sighed, “This is a very troublesome matter, happening in our territory. If we cannot give an explanation, our public house’s reputation will be the one that suffers.”
Chu Li said, “The imperial court will not give us pressure, right?”
“We are dragging it,” Siao Tie Ying shook his head, “But we can’t drag for much longer.”
Chu Li said, “The best way is to keep dragging.”
“Hai..,” Siao Tie Ying sighed, “We are powerless everywhere! …you have to reach the Grandmaster’s Boundary as soon as possible.”
Chu Li smiled.
He could feel the exhaustion and helplessness of Siao Tie Ying.
The public house was in a weak state. They were subjected to the restraints of others everywhere and this feeling was really uncomfortable.
After pressing forward day and night without halting for five days, Chu Li arrived at the Huay Public House that was located in Nanyang Town.
Nanyang Town’s prosperity was on par with Chong Ming Town. People coming and going on the streets endlessly.
Huay Public House occupied a street, looking grand and magnificent. Although it was not as big as Yi Public House that covered a wide area, it had a different style. Right after he entered Nanyang town, he can feel its overbearing air.
He led the horse and walked slowly to the front of Huay Public House.
There were two awe-inspiring stone lions that looked as if they were going to leap forward. They were bigger than the stone lions at Yi Public House. Standing in front of the stone lions will make one feel like backing off involuntarily.
Next to each stone lions, there were four burly Protectors. They were broad-shoulder and sturdy, with a long knife strapped to their waist and an imposing air surrounding them. At a glance, one will know that they had killed someone before.
With a glare from them, the legs of those who were timid will be trembling and their bodies will become limp from fear.
Chu Li led the horse before the public house and gave a fist salute. After that, he took out a name card and handed it over to the Protector that looked like the head, “I’m Chu Li Chu from Yi Public House. I came here to visit High Duke Song.”
The burly leader of the Protectors took the name card lazily, glanced at it and then looked at Chu Li, sizing Chu Li up with gazes like electric, as if he was trying to see through Chu Li.
Chu Li frowned. This person was quite rude and this was not the proper manner of treating a guest.
After the burly man had studied Chu Li, he said, “Wait for a moment!”
He turned his head and strode away. The remaining seven Protectors stared at him with piercing eyes, as if they were watching a prisoner.
Chu Li shook his head inwardly. The style of this Huay Public House was different from Yi Public House’s style. They were really arrogant and overbearing.
However, he cannot say anything. Each public house had a different style of conduct. Yi Public House had a gentle style of conduct, but it was also due to their lack of confidence. If they were powerful, they might not necessarily be as friendly as now.
After a moment, a purple clothing man came slowly. When he stepped out of the door, he gave a fist salute and smiled, “I’m Hu Guang Hui, the chief of Guest Relation Courtyard. Scribe Chu Li, please follow me!”
Chu Li lifted a brow and smiled, “I wonder if High Duke Song is in?”
“The High Duke is busy so he cannot come and greet you. Scribe Chu Li, please don’t mind it,” Hu Guang Hui smiled and bowed.
A Protector took the horse from Chu Li.
Chu Li gave a fist salute and smiled, “High Duke is a busy person. It’s my bad for visiting suddenly. Sorry to intrude.”
“Please, come in!” Hu Guang Hui gestured with a smile and walked inside, “It’s nothing. Our public houses’ relationship is close. We welcome the arrival of Scribe Chu Li!”
The two entered the door while talking and went inside the Huay Public House.