Sun Xiaoyang stared vigilantly at Chu Li.
Chu Li stared into Sun Xiaoyang’s eyes and smiled, “Do you want to enter Innate Mastery’s Boundary and become an Innate Master?”
Sun Xiaoyang frowned.
Chu Li said, “Sun Xiaoyang, the big brother of Rising Sun Faction.”
“Who are you exactly?”
“I’m just a passer-by, but we can make a deal.”
“What deal?” Sun Xiaoyang became more vigilant.
Chu Li said, “I’ll help you enter Innate Mastery’s Boundary and you help me be my informant for ten years.”
“Informant?” Sun Xiaoyang frowned, “What do you want?”
“I won’t do anything bad and I will not harm your master and your master’s senior,” Chu Li said, “After all, your two masters will leave. If you stay in Rising Sun Faction in the future, use Rising Sun Faction to help me collect intelligence. If you follow your master back to Fairy’s Capital, collect the intelligence of Fairy’s Capital for me.”
“What intelligence?”
“Big and small events in the martial arts world, rumors of the Imperial Court, news of the marketplaces and bureaucratic changes—all of these are fine. There are no restrictions.”
“You’re not afraid that I’ll trick you?”
“If you trick me, our deal will be canceled. I do not like to force people.”
Sun Xiaoyang frowned and looked at him. How can there be such a good thing? He did not seem to pay any price.
Chu Li said, “If you go to Fairy’s Capital because of your master, the news that you think is useless is very important in my opinion. This is where your value is. Sometimes, a news may save a life.”
“Who are you exactly?” Sun Xiaoyang said.
Chu Li threw a white jade waist tag to him.
Sun Xiaoyang took and looked at it. He looked up and said, “Yi Public House’s rank two Chu?”
Chu Li said, “Yi Public House’s Chief, Chu Li.”
Sun Xiaoyang had learned some common sense from his master so he knew that the existence of the public house was only second to the Imperial Household and it can be described as monolithic, while a rank two Chief was definitely a very important person. It was an existence that he needed to look up to. Even though he had a Grandmaster as his master, he was only an Acquired Master himself.
With this thought, he said gruffly, “Can you really help me enter Innate Mastery’s Boundary?”
Chu Li smiled, “It is up to you to believe it or not… you can think for a night. I’ll come again tomorrow.”
“Wait!” Sun Xiaoyang said hurriedly and returned the sword to its sheath, “Ten years?”
Chu Li said, “Ten years of news in exchange for an Innate Master—do you feel it is worthwhile?”
“You really will not harm my master?” Sun Xiaoyang was still not convinced.
Chu Li waved his sleeve. The door suddenly opened and a cold wind blew inside.
He waved his sleeve again and the door closed.
“Grandmaster!” Sun Xiaoyang blurted out.
Chu Li said, “Do you think I need to use other means if I want to harm your master?”
Sun Xiaoyang stared wide-eyed at him incredulously.
Such a young Grandmaster was simply a peerless genius with limitless future. Chu Li was also a chief of the public house so he was definitely a top-notch important person. Even his master was inferior to him.
Chu Li looked as young as him and yet Chu Li was already a Grandmaster while he was still an Acquired Master!
An intense discontent rose in his heart like surging waves.
He completely put down his wariness.
If a Grandmaster wanted to harm him, he did not need to use trickery. He can just kill him with a palm. He did not need to resort to underhanded practice to deal with his master too. He was a rank two chief of Yi Public House and Yi Public House had a lot of Grandmasters so it was easy to get rid of an Imperial House’s Protector who was cast here.
“It’s a deal!” Sun Xiaoyang said.
Chu Li nodded with a smile, “Splendid, then let’s start now.”
Sun Xiaoyang said excited, “What do I need to do?”
“Meditate and relax. Get rid of distracts and stayed focus,” Chu Li said, “I will help you.”
Sun Xiaoyang sat cross-legged on the bed and began to meditate.
When he had calmed his breath, taking long and slow breaths, Chu Li came near him and pressed his thumb between his eyebrows.
After a short while, Chu Li pulled his thumb away and flew away.
In the afternoon, Xue Ling and Bi Liu sat in the East Garden’s pagoda and drank tea.
Xue Ling held a teacup and looked at the lake in a daze.
Both of them were wearing white casual wear, with wide sleeves and a wide waist. Their belts were worn loosely, showing their slender waist, strong yet graceful, valiant and casual.
“What are you daydreaming about?” Bi Liu laughed, “You are thinking of your Master, right?”
“No,” Xue Ling denied quickly.
Bi Liu smiled.
Xue Ling blushed and said hurriedly, “I was thinking: how the sisters who were redeemed from the New Moon Brothel live their lives. Are they living badly?”
“Hmm… it is inevitable that there will be good and bad,” Bi Liu nodded her head slightly and sighed, “Men are all like that. In the beginning, they will talk sweet words and give promises, but once time passed, they are like a different person.”
“Women are afraid of becoming older—when their beauty is lost,” Xue Ling lamented.
She secretly thanked God that she had eaten Dream of Pearls, so she will always be beautiful.
“You don’t say!” Bi Liu nodded gently.
At the mention of age, she also cannot help but worry. She was very afraid of this sword called time. No matter how beautiful you were, time was merciless. It will eventually turn you into an old woman whom nobody will spare a glance for.
Xue Ling laughed, “I’m not afraid.”
“You—?” Bi Liu shook her head and laughed, “Sister Xue Ling, you are still young now so you don’t know the fear of growing old helplessly. Wait until you are as old as me, you will understand.”
“Sister, have you heard of Dream of Pearls?”
“Of course!” Bi Liu laughed, “That’s a woman’s halidom!”
Xue Ling said with a smile, “I have eaten a Dream of Pearls.”
Bi Liu’s bright eyes suddenly widened, “You have eaten a Dream of Pearls?”
Xue Ling nodded with a smile.
Bi Liu held Xue Ling’s hand immediately, “Sister, you have Dream of Pearls?”
“I don’t,” Xue Ling laughed, “But Master has.”
Bi Liu released her hand and sighed, “I really envy your fortune.”
“Why not, I request one from Master for sister?” Xue Ling said.
Bi Liu’s eyes brightened and then dimmed again. She sighed, “No gains without pains. It is too valuable, I cannot afford it.”
“Don’t be shy,” Xue Ling laughed, “In Master’s eyes, Dream of Pearls is just normal. It is not that valuable.”
“How is it possible!” Bi Liu shook her head and laughed despite herself, “Taking out one Dream of Pearls is enough for any woman to go crazy.”
Xue Ling laughed, “Master has a high standard. Average women cannot enter his eyes. He would not even touch them… you don’t have to be so polite. Wait until Master is back, I will ask for one for sister!”
“Please don’t,” Bi Liu waved in a hurry, “I do not want Master Chu Li to think that I am greedy.”
“Sister, you are too polite!” Xue Ling laughed.
“Master Chu Li is very generous to you, but I’m nobody to him,” Bi Liu shook her head and said, “It’s really inappropriate.”
Xue Ling tilted her head and laughed, “If so, what relationship do sister want with Master?”
Bi Liu reached out to tickle her while Xue Ling was grinning and trying to escape. The two women played together happily.
Lee Yue was weeding in the flower garden with Sun Ping. He heard the girls’ silver bell-like laughter and shook his head while smiling.
Sun Ping said, “Brother Lee Yue, let’s take a rest.”
“What rest? We are not that delicate,” Lee Yue scoffed, “Don’t always think of slacking off, do your work obediently!”
“Hai…, I want to practice martial arts!”
“There will be time for you to practice martial arts. Weed the grass first!” Lee Yue said.
“Did Chief Chu Li do the same work in the past?”
“He’s more hardworking than I am!”
“…Very well, let’s work!” Sun Ping gave a sigh of resignation.
Lee Yue smiled. This little guy loved to play smart and he was lazy. He looked like he was not a big deal, just like himself. Most likely, he will not become a Protector and he can only stay as a Scribe obediently.
“Sister Bi Liu, which sister is not living well?”
“I heard that Sister Hong Xiu did not have any children since she was married and her mother-in-law did not like her.”
“Let’s go and visit her tomorrow!”
“She’s just in the town. It’s good to visit her too.”