Qi Yun listened from the side, her delicate brows furrowing slightly. "Shen Lie is from Po Mountain Martial Arts Hall in South City. He rarely comes to West City, so why would he suddenly show up here in Chengping Square?"

Xu Hong also found it strange but couldn’t make heads or tails of it. He could only shake his head and say, "Regardless, he was a Martial Artist at the Peak of Dark Energy. His sudden death is bound to cause quite a stir."

Standing in the crowd, Yang Jing’s heart skipped a beat when he heard Zhao Wenzheng’s words, and the look of surprise on his face became a little more genuine.

He hadn’t expected Shen Lie to have actually been in Chengping Square yesterday.

’Shen Lie was from Anxing Square in South City, while Sun’s Martial Arts Hall is in Chengping Square in West City. The two places aren’t close. What was he doing here for no reason? And right near Chengping Square, of all places...’

Yang Jing’s gaze darkened. He instantly made a connection: Shen Lie was likely coming for him.

’It seemed Shen Lie had been planning to make a move on me, and might have even been staking out the area around the Martial Arts Hall.’

At this thought, Yang Jing couldn’t help but feel a sense of relief.

’It’s a good thing I was decisive and finished Shen Lie off last night. Otherwise, if I had waited for him to find an opportunity to strike first, I might have been the one lying on the ground as a corpse.’

’Indeed, the path of the Jianghu is perilous. One can never be too careful.’

Yang Jing lowered his gaze, concealing the cold glint in his eyes.

’After this, I must be even more cautious than before.’

He took a deep breath, his fingers clenching slightly at his sides. A hidden worry quietly surfaced in his heart.

’Just a moment ago, I was only thinking that Shen Lie was probably after me. But now, thinking it over, another concern has arisen. I had no idea Shen Lie had been in Chengping Square yesterday.’

’If I’d known, I would have made my move on a different day.’

’After all, Shen Lie appeared near the Martial Arts Hall yesterday, and today he’s found dead in his home. Such a coincidence might lead people to connect the two events and follow the clues back to Sun’s Martial Arts Hall.’

He subconsciously scanned the disciples around him. They were still fervently debating the cause of Shen Lie’s death, with most speculating it was either a revenge killing or a robbery. For now, no one was making a connection to their Martial Arts Hall. He let out a small sigh of relief, but the worry didn’t completely dissipate.

Then, Yang Jing gently shook his head.

’So be it. Perhaps acting yesterday was fated.’

’If I had delayed for another two days, Shen Lie might have struck me first.’

’If an expert at the Peak of Dark Energy was dead set on scheming against me and made thorough preparations—even using underhanded tricks like poison or traps—then with my current strength, even if I could handle it, I’d inevitably end up in a sorry state. I might even fall for it and suffer a loss.’

’If I was any more careless, I might have really met my end at his hands.’

At this thought, a cold, harsh glint flashed in Yang Jing’s eyes.

’It’s already come to this. Further worry is useless.’

’I’ll just have to take it one step at a time and deal with problems as they arise.’

He was confident enough in his methods. He had acted cleanly and left no trace behind.

On the surface, he had no deep-seated grudge against Shen Lie. The spar on the training grounds had been restrained.

What’s more, no one knew he had broken through to the Dark Energy stage with his Raging Wave Kicks. No one would believe he was capable of killing Shen Lie so easily.

Thinking about it this way, the chances of suspicion falling on him were, after all, extremely slim.

The discussions in the front courtyard continued, with the disciples all talking at once, speculating about the cause of Shen Lie’s death.

Shen Lie was a rather famous expert in Yuhe County. His sudden death naturally made him the hot topic of gossip for everyone.

...

「West City, Fengle Square」

Zhao’s Escort Agency.

In the open space outside the Escort Agency’s main gate, several horse-drawn carriages were packed and ready to depart.

A flag, apricot-yellow and embroidered with a striking "Zhao" character, was fastened to a carriage shaft, snapping in the wind.

Zhao Yuman was dressed in a crisp, lake-blue martial outfit. Her long hair was tied back with a matching ribbon, revealing a smooth forehead.

She stood beside a carriage, bent over to carefully inspect how the cargo was tied down. The hemp ropes were pulled taut, wrapped several times around the wooden crates. The knots were even reinforced with wooden wedges to ensure they wouldn’t loosen during the bumpy journey.

She reached out and knocked on a crate. Hearing the dull thud from within, she confirmed everything was in order before straightening up. She took a cowhide ledger from her waist, picked up a brush, and recorded the quantity, specifications, and destination of the goods. Her handwriting was elegant, yet possessed an undercurrent of strength.

"Be careful on the road," Zhao Yuman instructed the Leader of the Escort, her voice clear and bright. "Stick to the planned route. Go around the mountains and cross the rivers; don’t get greedy for speed."

"Don’t worry, Miss!"

The Leader of the Escort cupped his fist and replied, his dark, weathered face filled with conviction. "We know this route like the back of our hands. I guarantee there won’t be any mistakes!"

Zhao Yuman nodded slightly, watching as the escort convoy’s carriages slowly drove away. The wheels rumbled over the bluestone road, the sound gradually fading as they disappeared at the end of the alley.

She turned and strode into the Escort Agency’s main hall.

The main hall was furnished with several large, square tables. A weapon rack stood in the corner, holding sabers, spears, swords, and halberds, exuding the atmosphere of the Jianghu.

Zhao Yuman walked to the tea table next to the head seat, picked up a white porcelain teacup, and lifted the copper kettle from the table, filling the cup with warm tea.

Steam rose in wisps, carrying a faint aroma of tea. She was about to sit down and take a sip to wet her throat.

Just then, the frantic THUMP-THUMP-THUMP of footsteps sounded from outside the door.

Her personal handmaiden, Qinghe, burst in through the Escort Agency’s main gate in a flurry. Her skirt hem fluttered in the wind, her face was filled with panic, and she didn’t even bother to fix the beaded flower hairpin that had gone askew on her head.

Seeing Qinghe’s flustered state, Zhao Yuman’s brows immediately knitted into a knot.

She slammed the teacup in her hand down on the table with a sharp CLANG, her tone tinged with displeasure. "What are you panicking about? Look at the state of you! Your hair is a mess, your hairpin is crooked. What kind of behavior is this!"

"We are an Escort Agency! We travel far and wide, and our reputation depends on being calm and steady. Panicking at the first sign of trouble, acting so unbecomingly... if word got out, wouldn’t we become a laughingstock?" Her voice was clear, laced with admonishment. "Have you forgotten all the rules I’ve taught you?"

Qinghe shrank back from the scolding and quickly lowered her head, nervously wringing the hem of her skirt. She even quieted her breathing, her earlier panic largely suppressed by fear. In a small voice, she said, "Yes... I lost my composure."

Seeing that she admitted her mistake, Zhao Yuman’s expression softened slightly. She picked up her teacup, took a sip, and then said coolly, "Speak. What was so important that you had to come running in like that?" 𝑓𝘳𝘦𝑒𝑤𝑒𝘣𝘯ℴ𝘷𝘦𝓁.𝑐𝑜𝑚

Qinghe took a deep breath and looked up, a terrified expression returning to her face. Her voice was hushed but trembling. "Miss... something terrible has happened! Young Master Shen... Shen Lie... He—he’s dead!"

"PFFT—"

The mouthful of tea Zhao Yuman had just taken spewed out, spraying directly onto Qinghe’s face.

The slightly hot tea trickled down Qinghe’s cheeks. A few damp strands of hair stuck to her forehead, dotted with tiny tea leaves.

Qinghe flinched from the heat but didn’t dare to wipe her face, simply standing there stunned.

Zhao Yuman slammed her hand on the table and shot to her feet, her eyes wide with disbelief. "What nonsense are you spouting!" she barked.

"Do you have any idea who Young Master Shen is? An expert at the Peak of Dark Energy, a Core Disciple of Po Mountain Martial Arts Hall! How could he possibly be dead?" Her voice rose sharply with anger. "If Young Master Shen heard you saying that, he’d think you were cursing him! How many heads do you have for him to twist off? If he finds out, you’re dead!"

She stared daggers at Qinghe, clearly convinced her handmaiden was spouting baseless rumors. The anger on her face had not faded, and her chest heaved slightly with agitation.

Qinghe trembled under Zhao Yuman’s furious gaze but still gritted her teeth and explained hurriedly, "Miss, I know I’d be dead if Young Master Shen heard me say this! But... but he’s the one who’s dead now!"

Seeing Zhao Yuman’s still-tense face, she grew even more flustered, afraid of another scolding. She quickly added, "I’m really not talking nonsense! The news is all over the streets! The neighbors over in Anxing Square are all talking about it, and a lot of people have gone to see what’s happening!"

...