Chapter 200
Thus, not only did they resolve the threat posed by the Xi Yu Lou, but they also plunged it into internal strife.
It was truly a case of killing two birds with one stone!
Xiao Li felt like a genius!
“Ah?”
Qian Bufan and Xue Jing’s minds instantly opened up, falling into deep thought.
The more they pondered, the brighter the light of wisdom shone in their eyes.
According to the rules of Xi Yu Lou...
What Li Mo said didn’t violate a single one!
Is that really possible!?
Wait, can that actually work?!
...
P.S.:
It’s been ages since I went to bed before two. Little Pu Jie really needs to recharge; a good night’s sleep is essential for maintaining quality writing.
Lately, my sleep quality has been terrible. Just last night, I dreamt I got up to play on the computer, and no matter what game I opened, I ended up in the comments section, where all I saw were readers urging for updates...
It was terrifying.
I’ll write two updates today and try to get to bed early tomorrow.
Sending out a wave of energy, muah~
---
**Chapter 217: All Eyes on Me**
As night fell, the moon hid behind dark clouds, and silence enveloped the surroundings.
In the woodshed, a cricket chirped incessantly, its sound mingling with a rhythmic snoring, as if they were exchanging signals.
Splash—
A basin of water splashed onto his face, and Xu Yi jolted awake, his eyes opening to see three pairs of eyes staring at him, blocking the candlelight.
“Shopkeeper?”
Xu Yi looked at the three of them, involuntarily shivering:
“Are we... in a black shop?”
Three figures stood before him.
The woman, ethereal as a fairy, wore a blank expression, but the scrutiny in her gaze pierced through to the depths of one’s heart, making it hard to meet her eyes.
Another woman in palace attire was toying with a bone-cutting knife, a trophy she had filched from a failed assassin.
Only the shopkeeper seemed relatively normal, still wearing that warm smile.
But upon realizing he was tied up like a pig, Xu Yi felt that smile shift from friendly to sinister.
“He’s awake.”
Ying Bing’s expression remained unchanged.
“Awake, but not fully conscious.”
Li Mo squinted and shook his head.
“Let’s get to it; it’s nighttime.”
Shang Wu sounded a bit impatient.
Xu Yi: “!”
Get to it?
His mind raced to unpleasant possibilities, and he felt his hair stand on end:
“Boss, don’t turn me into a meat bun!”
“I can join too! I can run a black shop!”
“What are you thinking?”
Li Mo didn’t quite understand.
A beam of moonlight suddenly illuminated Xu Yi from behind.
After much exploration, Xiao Li discovered that his soul essence not only had the ability to slightly alter the flow of time but could also soothe the mind, helping one return to their true self.
Uh...
Xu Yi’s head was wrapped like a mummy, making it hard to read his expression, but from his eyes, it was clear he had seamlessly transitioned into that money-hungry king of hell.
“I was indeed planning to send a message to Xi Yu Lou that day, but it wasn’t for...”
“No need to explain.”
“...Then go ahead.”
Xu Yi’s gaze dimmed; how could an assassin from Xi Yu Lou expect anyone’s trust...
Swish—
The flash of a blade.
He closed his eyes, yet the anticipated pain never came.
“I believe you now.”
The ropes fell away, and Xu Yi stood frozen, a flicker of emotion breaking through his stone-like facade.
He wasn’t particularly curious, but he couldn’t help but ask:
“Why?”
“I recognize your greed.”
The obscurity in Li Mo’s eyes dissipated.
“...Thank you.”
Xu Yi wasn’t sure if he should feel happy.
Li Mo continued, “Also, when you killed Zou Gong and Luo Wubing, it wasn’t because your soul essence malfunctioned, was it?”
Xu Yi’s eyelids twitched, and he lowered his head in silence.
“Alright, everything will go as we previously arranged. You’ll take us to the black shop.”
Li Mo casually tossed aside the ropes and clapped his hands.
Xiao Xu was also someone who had strayed into the wrong profession.
Otherwise, he could have been a decent ghostwriter.
Xu Yi didn’t say much on the matter, turning to grab his dining utensils, leaving the three with his back:
As he changed into his night gear and picked up his weapons, he said:
“Just having the swallows in front of the hall isn’t enough; we need to disguise ourselves.”
“I have some experience in this area and can help you.”
The boss and the boss lady were too prominent, making them prime targets.
“No need for that (in a bubbly voice).”
“Hmm?”
The voice sounded off, and Xu Yi turned around.
Unbeknownst to him, Li Mo had already changed into a fitted outfit, wearing a dragon mask that made him look both fierce and mysterious.
Ying Bing had also donned the attire she wore during the trial of the Underworld.
Limited edition skins making a temporary comeback...
And it wasn’t just the three of them.
Elders and senior brothers and sisters from Qing Yuan Sect had also changed into their gear, quietly standing outside the woodshed.
All of them were villains.
Xiao Li, wearing the dragon mask, stood at the forefront.
He looked just like a boss of a criminal organization.
Xu Yi: “...”
Who exactly is the professional assassin here?
He suddenly felt a bit out of his depth.
...
The eastern part of Yunzhou City’s Bai Li Street belonged to the old district. Like most cities, Yunzhou had its own murky underbelly, with local powers intertwined.
Where there is light, there is darkness; it’s better to let things flow than to block them.
“‘The Overbearing Empress Fell for Me’ latest edition, 200 taels of silver each.”
“Two hundred taels? Is the cover made of gold or the pages?”
“Do you want it or not?”
“If it’s the real deal, I’d definitely want it. Look, there’s no watermark for authenticity.”
The banter was sharp, but the onlookers remained unfazed, engrossed in their own affairs, with no one shouting or making a fuss.
A group of people stepped onto Bai Li Street.
Shang Wu felt a stir in her heart and smiled brightly:
“This place isn’t bad; I quite like it.”
“Focus on the task at hand,” Qian Bufan reminded.
You like it?
Then this place is rather unfortunate.
The group seemed like a drop of water thrown into the ocean, dispersing according to their plan, breaking into smaller units.
Only Li Mo and the others went with Xu Yi to the black shop.
That place was deep within Bai Li Street, and the further they went, the more fierce and ruthless individuals they encountered.
Finally, they reached the end of the street, where they saw a building larger than an inn, with the words “Ting Feng” inscribed on the plaque.
In the dead of night, Ting Feng Lou was bustling with activity, with people coming and going in a steady stream.
“Are you sure no one is allowed to make a move inside Ting Feng Lou?”
“Absolutely, that’s the rule set by the owner.”
“And they can also issue multi-person tasks, allowing multiple assassins to take on the same job?”
“Yeah, because some jobs can’t be done by one person.”
“Then it’s settled.”
Li Mo learned a bit more about the inner workings of Xi Yu Lou.
It seemed he hadn’t truly been a part of Xi Yu Lou before, as he was still unfamiliar with the details.
But this didn’t affect his overall plan.
So, they all entered the building together.
For a moment, Li Mo felt as if he had stepped into the Outer Affairs Hall of Qing Yuan Sect, only this place was much larger, and the people coming and going were no longer fellow disciples but assassins, each wary of the other, navigating the shadows.
“Ten Xuan Crystals, one hundred thousand taels of gold, three bottles of six-patterned elixirs?”
Li Mo saw his bounty.
Xu Yi took a deep breath: “Well, boss, you know why assassins are flocking to you, right...”
Li Mo nodded, sighing, “So it turns out being an assassin is this poor.”
Xu Yi: “.....”
That bounty was equivalent to the wealth of a powerful inner realm expert, okay?
“Do you two also want to take on Li Mo’s job?”
The receptionist at the front desk was a thin old man with a green birthmark on his face.
Li Mo didn’t answer, just stared at the tasks.
“Today even the inner realm failed, so Li Mo must have strong protectors around him.”
“What if there are protectors? There will always be those they can’t fend off.”
“Ha, number nineteen on the Hidden Dragon List, quite the reputation.”
“There was once someone ranked twelfth on the Hidden Dragon List, and he still fell victim to the endless schemes of Xi Yu Lou.”
“That time, the Holy Maiden personally intervened.”
“Some of us love to kill geniuses; I’ll take that job for a spin!”
“I wonder if he’ll hide away. If he goes off the grid, I’ll have to spend money to buy his information...”
Other assassins were eager to jump in and take the bounty.
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