224 Informan

Sun Xiaoyang stared vigilantly at Chu Li.

Chu Li stared into Sun Xiaoyang's eyes and smiled. "Do you want to enter the 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 the Innate Mastery's Boundary and in return, you can 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 have to leave in the end anyway. If you do stay in Rising Sun Faction in the future, you can use Rising Sun Faction to help me gather intelligence. If you follow your master back to Fairy's Capital, gather Fairy's Capital intelligence 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 could there be such a good thing where it seemed like he did not need to pay any price?

Chu Li said, "If you do go to Fairy's Capital because of your master, the information that you assume is useless is very important to me. This is where your value is. Sometimes, an information may even save a life."

"Who are you exactly?" Sun Xiaoyang asked.

Chu Li threw a white jade waist tag at him.

Sun Xiaoyang took it and gave it a look. He looked up and asked, "Yi Public House's rank 2 Scribe, Chu Li?"

Chu Li said, "Yi Public House's Chief, Chu Li."

Sun Xiaoyang had learned some knowledge from his master, so he knew that the existence of the Public House was only second to the Imperial Household. Although it could be described as monolithic, a rank 2 Chief was definitely a very important person. It was someone that he needed to look up to because even though he had a Grandmaster as his master, he was only an Acquired Master himself.

With this thought, he said gruffly, "Is it really possible for you to assist me in breaking through the Innate Mastery's Boundary?"

Chu Li smiled. "It's up to you to believe it or not... you can think it through 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 information in exchange for an Innate Master — do you feel it's worth it?"

"You will not harm my master, will you?" Sun Xiaoyang was still not convinced.

Chu Li waved his sleeve. The door suddenly opened and a cold wind blew into the room.

He waved his sleeve again and the door closed.

"Grandmaster!" Sun Xiaoyang blurted out.

Chu Li said, "Do you think I would 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. Not forgetting that Chu Li was also a Chief of the Public House, so he was definitely one of the very important people. Even his master was inferior to him.

Chu Li looked as young as him, yet he was already a Grandmaster while he was still an Acquired Master!

An intense discontent rose in his heart like surging waves.

However, he completely put down his wariness.

If a Grandmaster wanted to harm him, he did not need to use trickery. He could just kill him with a palm strike. Moreover, he did not need to resort to underhanded practice to deal with his master as well. He was a rank 2 Chief of the Yi Public House and the Yi Public House had a lot of Grandmasters. So naturally, it would have been 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 with excitement, "What do I need to do?"

"Meditate and relax. Get rid of distracts and stay focus," Chu Li said. "I'll help you."

Sun Xiaoyang sat cross-legged on the bed and began to meditate.

When he had calmed his breath by 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 back 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 while she looked at the lake in a daze.

Both of them were wearing white casual wear that was wide at the sleeves and had a wide waist. Their belts were worn loosely, showing their slender waists that were strong yet graceful, valiant and casual.

"What are you daydreaming about?" Bi Liu laughed. "You're thinking of your Master,isn't it?"

"No," Xue Ling quickly denied.

Bi Liu smiled.

Xue Ling blushed and said hurriedly, "I was thinking about how the sisters who were redeemed from the New Moon Brothel live their lives. Are they living poorly?"

"Hmm... It's 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 sweet talk and give promises, but once time has passed, they're 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 the Nightmare Flower. Therefore, she would always be beautiful.

"You don't say!" Bi Liu nodded gently.

At the mention of age, she could not help but worry as well. She was very afraid of the sword that was a metaphor of time. No matter how beautiful you were, time was merciless. It would eventually turn you into an old woman whom nobody would spare a glance for.

Xue Ling laughed. "I'm not afraid."

"You—?" Bi Liu shook her head and laughed. "Sister Xue Ling, you're still young so you don't know the fear of helplessly growing old. But when you're as old as I am, you'll understand."

"Sister, have you heard of the Nightmare Flower?"

"Of course!" Bi Liu laughed. "That's a woman's halidom!"

Xue Ling said with a smile, "I've consumed a Nightmare Flower."

Bi Liu's bright eyes suddenly widened. "You've eaten a Nightmare Flower?"

Xue Ling nodded with a smile.

Bi Liu held Xue Ling's hand immediately. "Sister, you have the Nightmare Flower?"

"I don't." Xue Ling laughed. "But Master does."

Bi Liu released her hand and sighed. "I really envy your fortune."

"Why not, I can request one from Master for you?" Xue Ling said.

Bi Liu's eyes brightened and then dimmed again. She sighed. "There are no gains without pains. It's too valuable, and I cannot afford it."

"Don't be shy." Xue Ling laughed. "In Master's eyes, the Nightmare Flower is nothing special. It's not that valuable."

"How is that possible!" Bi Liu shook her head and laughed despite herself. "One Nightmare Flower is enough for any woman to go crazy."

Xue Ling laughed. "Master has a high standard. Not every woman is up to his standards and he's untouchable to them... You don't have to be so polite. Do wait 'till Master is back, then I'll ask for one for you!"

"Please don't." Bi Liu waved in a hurry. "I do not want Master Chu Li to think that I'm greedy."

"Sister, you're 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 does sister want with Master?"

Bi Liu reached out to tickle her while Xue Ling grinned and tried to escape. The two women played together happily.

Li Yue was weeding in the flower garden with Sun Ping. When he heard the girls' silver bell-like laughter, he shook his head as he smiled.

Sun Ping said, "Brother Li Yue, let's take a rest."

"What rest? We're not that delicate," Li Yue scoffed. "Don't think of slacking off, do your work obediently!"

"Haih... I want to practice my martial arts!"

"There will be time for you to practice martial arts. But weed the grass first!" Li Yue replied.

"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.

Li Yue smiled. This little guy loved to play smart, but in fact, he was lazy. Although he did not look like he would have a future, Sun Ping was just like Li Yue. He would not become a Protector, but he would be an obedient Scribe.

"Sister Bi Liu, which sister is not living well?"

"I heard that Sister Hong Xiu hasn't had any children since she was married and her mother-in-law does not like her."

"Let's visit her tomorrow!"

"She lives in town. It's good to visit her as well."