Xu Yi truly did not know what to say. Although Gu Jianming had a request for him in return for helping him, Gu Jianming had thought up an extremely thorough plan for him, and he could not help but feel touched.

“Brother Gu’s kindness, I shall forever carve in my heart!” he said emotionally.

“Your words are too kind!”

Gu Jianming held his fists in a salute and said, “Take care when you head to Guang’an City, Brother Yi. Go, let’s not delay any longer. I have already called for a carriage, it is parked in front of the gate. Be on your way now!”

Xu Yi nodded. He turned and walked out the door.

In just a few minutes, in the darkness of the night, two horses were pulling a carriage that was lined with thick covers. Like a swift wind, they sprinted towards the direction of Guang’an City!

…

Night time, in the meeting hall of the Black Dragon Hall’s White Horse Branch Hall.

Two rows of dozens of oil lamps lined the sides of the hall, illuminating the giant carving of a dragon on the ceiling, creating a spooky atmosphere.

In the middle stood a tiger shaped iron chair. On it, Jiang Shaochuan, the master of White Horse Branch Hall quietly sat, staring quietly at the door with eyes like a tiger’s. Ever since Hall Master Jiang had received the news that his only son Young Master Jiang was decapitated by a constable at the Furong Town pier, he seemed to have lost the ability to move.

Thud thud thud…

Suddenly, rapid footsteps rang throughout the hall, sounding as though a metal file were rubbing against a sheet of copper.

White Horse Branch Hall’s private advisor entered in a hurry. Under the glow of the lamplight, the advisor looked as though he had just been fished out of a pot of boiling soup. He was drenched in sweat, and even his whisker-like moustache was not spared.

Before he came close, the advisor began to shout with his hoarse voice, “Hall Master, this is bad, this is bad, ah! Young Master, Young Master, he…”

“I know, my son is dead!”

Jiang Shaochuan’s voice sounded as though it had gone through a gutter. It was cold and reeked of decay.

“Hall Master, the metal spirit was taken by Young Master. The metal spirit has been stolen!” the advisor continued in his hoarse voice.

“What! Say that again!”

Jiang Shaochuan was like a giant praying mantis. The moment he heard the news, he sprung from his seat, leaping right in front of the advisor and squeezing him at the neck.

“I, cough cough, I’ll say, cough cough…”

But with his throat squeezed so tight, how could he continue to speak?

Jiang Shaochuan loosened his grip, and the advisor repeated his words.

Boom!

Jiang Shaochuan moved as though he’d been jolted by electricity. Like a spectre, he swept into the hidden chamber, and a moment later, he came sweeping out again. With a kick, he toppled the burner in the room. Then, he grabbed his polearm and began a mad flurry, thundering throughout the place like a storm. In mere moments, the grand meeting hall of the White Horse Branch Hall looked like a dump.

Finally, Jiang Shaochuan put down his weapon. With a vicious look on his face, he mumbled, “Bastard, bastard! He deserves to die, that bastard!”

“Hall Master, this is not the time to put the blame on anyone. We need to find a way to get the metal spirit back, then eliminate any possible traces. Or else, if the main hall finds out that we stole such a precious treasure for ourselves, the consequences would be unimaginable!”

The advisor anxiously tried to persuade Jiang Shaochuan.

Jiang Shaochuan felt a shudder throughout his body. Only then did he realize that the biggest danger has not yet been taken care of.

This metal spirit was obtained a few months back when he led the White Horse Branch Hall to secretly raid the south-eastern merchant group. This merchant group was no ordinary merchant group. This group was given the heavy responsibility of sending an envoy to the imperial court, bearing a birthday gift from the Guang’an government.

Jiang Shaochuan had come to hear of the south-eastern merchant group’s secret mission and had gathered his forces to lay an ambush at the Celestial Eagle Cliff. At the cost of many lives, he had managed to finally rob them of their treasures.

The metal spirit was found in a treasure chest by a team led by the advisor. When he first saw it, Jiang Shaochuan was shocked to see such a divine treasure. According to the rules of Black Dragon Hall, any spoils gained by the branch halls must be submitted to the main hall and added to their inventory. Only then will the treasures be distributed accordingly.

With the metal spirit being such an amazing treasure, they would surely never see it again once they submit it to the main hall. The advisor clearly saw what Jiang Shaochuan was thinking, and on his own accord, killed off the entire team that was involved in obtaining the metal spirit.

With the advisor’s actions, Jiang Shaochuan was thus half coerced and half convinced to take the metal spirit for himself.

Although the metal spirit was clearly an impressive treasure, the method of obtaining it was not proper, and it was therefore not a treasure that could be openly used.

Jiang Shaochuan kept it in his secret chamber, only daring to play around with it in the dead of the night.

But little did he know, that Young Master Jiang had the gall to steal the metal spirit and take it outside. What was worse was that he had so irresponsibly died out there as well.

At that moment, Jiang Shaochuan had no more room to grieve over the death of Young Master Jiang. Only fear filled his heart.

If the news of the metal spirit spread, it would be almost impossible for him to escape what would come to him.

The advisor knew what Jiang Shaochuan was thinking and said, “Fret not, Hall Master, I have investigated clearly. Back then, at the pier, although there were many people, they were all commoners. I’ve only heard people say that a white sword was used to hurt the constable, but no one had seen clearly that the white sword was derived from the metal spirit. Thankfully, the metal spirit is an unusual and unique treasure. Even if the constable managed to get his hands on it, he would not spread word of it. Hence, we temporarily do not have to worry about word of the metal spirit getting out.

“That constable is a new recruit of the Furong Town guards. I have just received news that he has rushed towards Guang’an City. Clearly, he has planned to go there in case we make a move on the old man and the little girl. But it’s all the better that he has gone to Guang’an. We can use more straightforward means. By beating him to death in a duel, the matter would be resolved completely! Our utmost priority should be to send word to Guang’an straight away and find out where he has gone to.”

The moment the advisor finished speaking, the steely face of Jiang Shaochuan finally bore a smile. “Utmost priority? Hehe, I thought the utmost priority was to keep this matter a secret. The fewer people that know about the metal spirit, the better. It’s best that I am the only one who knows.” With that Jiang Shaochuan’s hand shot out. With a cracking sound, the advisor found his eyes staring at his own back.

With a swing of his arm, Jiang Shaochuan tossed the advisor’s body into the fire next to him. In moments, the smell of burning flesh wafted through the air.

Jiang Shaochuan stared into the fire, gritted his teeth, and said, “No matter who it is, anyone who dares take my hard-earned treasures, I shall make sure you wish you were never born!”

…

At dawn, the weather was chilly, and a strong wind blew. Although the windows and doors were shut, the half-burnt candlestick, which was less than an inch tall, had a constantly flickering flame due to the cold air blowing in.

After helping Uncle Mu drink his tonic medicine, Xu Yi tossed a large lunchbox to Little Qiu in her room, then changed into a new set of green garments. Finally, Xu Yi went to his desk in the main hall, and quietly sat in his seat.

This was an ordinary home with an office out front and living quarters in the back. It was complete with a main house, bedrooms, a kitchen, and bathrooms. Two rows of banyan trees lined the courtyard, providing ample shade and cover. It was a good home indeed.

Furong Town’s authorities had rented this place for quite a few years already. The office was set up here to specially house officials from Furong Town who have been sent to Guang’an City, and to receive documents going to and from Furong Town.

Xu Yi drank two cups of tea, then set out to the nearby station to collect and send a few documents. Before that, he locked up the room for receiving guests, left a note on the door, shut it, then headed out.

He purposefully headed towards the busiest crowds, then turned into a large square until he found the largest wine shop. He then spent some coins and got his hands on a jar of ten years aged Bamboo Leaf Green. After finding out the location of Iron Cat Ear Alley, he made his way there quickly.

Entering Guang’an City, Xu Yi did not feel that he was that lucky. He knew well that the Black Dragon Hall would not leave him in peace. Not because of that darned black robed teen, but because of that mysterious white piece of metal, there would be bloodshed.