A clear and bright moon shone upon the city of Dong Yi, a place of countless architectural oddities stacked upon each other. The light was not particularly dazzling, and coupled with the slightly salty sea breeze wafting from the harbor outside the city, it filled the air with an alluring aroma. It was like dried salted plums thrown into a glass of clear Wuliangye liquor, the pale blue color subtly hiding the pungent intent to kill within its fragrance.

The back door of a two-story residence opened silently. Two figures, intertwined, darted inside like a gust of wind. Immediately, the person behind the door closed it, while several coded signals indicating safety and no pursuers were transmitted from outside.

This was a hidden stronghold of the Fourth Bureau of the Southern Qing Supervising Department in Dong Yi City. The owner of the calligraphy and painting shop in charge of this base had been waiting here all evening, never expecting to receive a wounded man. After opening the door, he tensely gripped the dagger in his hand, sitting motionless behind the back door, carefully observing the surroundings. He was determined to ensure that he could raise the alarm at the first sign of trouble.

The moonlight in the courtyard suddenly dimmed. The owner of the shop anxiously looked up, but found nothing unusual. He did not notice a shadow drifting in through the crack of the wooden door on the second floor of the residence.

Inside, Fan Xian placed Wang Shisanlang on the bed, carefully observing his pale face for a long while. Then he pried open his lips, checked his tongue coating, and listened to his pulse and lung sounds, his brow furrowing slowly.

For the formidable Shisanlang to have his true qi scattered and his body weak and limp, the poison must be something truly terrifying. Time was too short. Fan Xian still couldn't precisely determine what medicine Yun Zhilan, the chief disciple of Jianlu (Sword Workshop), had given Wang Shisanlang, but he had a general idea of the main components and effects of the drug.

After thinking for a moment, he took out a small bag that he always carried with him, selected a slightly brownish medicinal blade, snapped it open with two fingers, and stuffed it into Wang Shisanlang's lips. He took half a pot of cold water from the table and forced it down his throat.

The cold water soaked Wang Shisanlang's front, but this brave and powerful warrior, who had killed the Xihu Zuo Xianwang and fought his way out of the royal tent, showed no reaction, because he had already fallen unconscious.

A glint of coldness flashed in Fan Xian's eyes. He pursed his dry lips, and with a single palm pressed and stroked Wang Shisanlang's chest, his technique smooth as flowing water, sending a small amount of true qi to help him swallow the water and medicine.

Having done all this, Fan Xian felt somewhat relieved, silently sitting beside Wang Shisanlang, waiting for the medicinal effects to take hold. He glanced at the shadow beside the door, silent and seemingly pondering another important matter.

The medicine gradually took effect. Sweat began to bead on Wang Shisanlang's forehead. Fan Xian knew the time had come. He sat cross-legged on the bed, closed his eyes, and began to use his pure and benevolent Tianyi Dao true qi to dispel the poison and heal his injuries.

Back in Jiangnan, Fan Xian's meridians had been shattered, and it was only with the help of Haitang Duoduo's Tianyi Dao techniques that he was able to repair them. Today, Wang Shisanlang was deeply poisoned, and his meridians were a chaotic mess, with countless holes that could be felt on the veins, but at least he was easier to treat than Fan Xian had been back then.

The medicine couldn't completely expel the poison from Shisanlang's body, but combined with Fan Xian's healing true qi, it would be a different story. Since Fei Jie's departure, Xiao En's death, and the disappearance of the poison master in Dong Yi City, Fan Xian could be said to be the foremost expert in poison and detoxification in the world. Although the medicine Yun Zhilan administered was extremely potent, it couldn't defeat him.

The shadow silently guarded the doorway, watching the increasingly flushed Wang Shisanlang with a cold expression, no one knew what he was thinking.

After an unknown time, Wang Shisanlang finally opened his eyes and woke up. However, the moment he awoke, he did not look at Fan Xian, who had painstakingly saved him, but shot two chillingly sharp gazes directly at the middle-aged man in the shadows beside the door.

Wang Shisanlang didn't know who that middle-aged man was, only that he was about forty years old. He had seen him once in Qingzhou City under extremely accidental circumstances and knew he was one of Fan Xian's confidants. Wang Shisanlang had thought that the inscrutable middle-aged man was a secret agent from the Supervising Department. However, earlier, while still conscious on Fan Xian's back, he had clearly seen that in the moonlight, this middle-aged man had delivered that sword strike to his Fourth Senior Brother.

The Four Styles Sword! Jianlu's secret technique, never passed on to outsiders, only the thirteen direct disciples of Jianlu could possibly learn it!

"Who exactly are you?" Wang Shisanlang was weak, but his gaze was extremely wary and complex. He stared at the shadow and asked in a hoarse voice.

...

...

Fan Xian slowly withdrew his palms from Wang Shisanlang's back. His physical strength and true qi were greatly depleted, and sweat poured down his body like porridge, drenching his face. He heard Wang Shisanlang's question, full of shock and tension, and frowned slightly. He hadn't expected that Shisanlang, having just escaped the gates of hell, would return to Jianlu's position and show such intense hostility and attention toward the shadow.

The shadow lowered his head slightly, his eyes fixed on his toes, not answering Wang Shisanlang's question at all, perhaps because he found it uninteresting, perhaps because he found it boring, or perhaps because he disdained it.

He was the younger brother of Si Gu Jian. Being questioned like this by Si Gu Jian’s young apprentice naturally felt absurd. Moreover, there were no more than four people in the entire world who knew his true identity. Without Fan Xian’s permission, the shadow would not allow anyone to know his relationship with Jianlu.

However, this huge secret, with the shadow’s forced action tonight, would probably cause many people to speculate.

Fan Xian moved down from the bed, sat beside Wang Shisanlang with his head buried between his shoulders, looking extremely tired, the sweat on his body exuding an unpleasant smell.

Wang Shisanlang didn't thank him, but stared at the shadow like a tiger, as if if the shadow didn't give him an answer, even in his current weak state, even having just been subdued by his Jianlu brothers with insidious methods, he would still attack the shadow in the name of Jianlu.

Fan Xian buried his head and gently sniffed his right index finger, which carried the sweat forced out of Wang Shisanlang's body, feeling slightly oily. He immediately identified the components of the medicine, his heart sinking and his eyes filled with murderous intent. He said, "What potent poison. Shisan, your eldest brother truly cherishes you."

Hearing this, Wang Shisanlang fell silent, unable to respond, after all, it was two Southern Qing experts who had rescued him from his own brothers tonight.

Fan Xian suddenly waved his hand, extremely wearily saying, "This poison is too potent, I don't have the right medicine on hand. Forcing out the poison with true qi alone won't clear it completely. You'll need to recuperate for several days before you can recover. Anything you want to ask, ask when you wake up tomorrow."

Wang Shisanlang coughed twice, seemingly unwilling, but felt his eyelids getting heavier and heavier, and he fell onto the bed.

Fan Xian pulled out the thin needle from Wang Shisanlang's neck, shook his head, and sat up from the bedside, picked up half a pot of cold tea and poured it into his stomach, which stirred up another round of sweat, making him feel even more exhausted.

He pushed open the door and sat in the shadows under the eaves, the shadow also came to his side.

"I'm glad you came just now." After a long silence, Fan Xian said softly, "Otherwise, I really don't know if I could have come back alive."

Thinking of the four cold swords with the strength of Ninth Rank experts in Jianlu, thinking of the seemingly casual but actually dangerous situation just now, Fan Xian felt a wave of lingering fear and coldness in his heart. He truly couldn't underestimate the heroes of the world. In a one-on-one fight, he wasn't afraid of anyone, but being surrounded by several Ninth Rank experts was truly terrifying, especially since he couldn't bear to abandon Wang Shisanlang. If the shadow hadn't suddenly appeared in that moonlight, who knew what his fate would have been today.

At the ice stall selling saury, Fan Xian's instruction to the shadow had been to contact the nails that the Supervising Department had planted in Dong Yi City. He had gone to Plum Orchard Compound alone, never expecting that the shadow could complete the mission so quickly and return to his side, saving his life.

"Before handling the affairs of the Sixth Bureau, I am first and foremost a shadow." The shadow said coldly beside him.

Fan Xian was silent for a moment, knowing what the other party meant. He used to be Chen Pingping's shadow, so he never left Chen Pingping's side. Later, Chen Pingping ordered him to come and protect him, and he became his inseparable shadow.

Even if Fan Xian was a little presumptuous and asked the shadow to handle the affairs of the Supervising Department, leaving his side for a short moment, the shadow would still feel intense unease, choosing to find Fan Xian as quickly as possible - his style of action was to secretly follow behind Fan Xian, protecting him at all times.

The sea breeze blew, making Fan Xian's sweaty body even colder, and he couldn't help but shiver. He was already a Ninth Rank Upper expert, immune to the cold and heat, but the fact that he shivered proved the coldness in his heart at this moment.

The coldness in his heart was because of the internal strife in Jianlu. Yun Zhilan actually dared to attack Wang Shisanlang, and so ruthlessly, and with so many Jianlu experts standing by his side, could it be that the dying Si Gu Jian had lost control of Jianlu?

The coldness was also because of the dangerous situation earlier, the sweat on his body was not only caused by forcing out the poison for Wang Shisanlang, but also because of those four terrifying swords. Fan Xian was still shaken.

And there was something even more frightening in his heart, this thing pressed on his heart, making it difficult for him to breathe, fear occupied his entire mind and body.

Obviously, the shadow knew what he was afraid of at this moment, so he also looked unprecedentedly solemn, sitting beside him, saying nothing.

This scene reminded Fan Xian of many years ago when he first went to Jiangnan, under the eaves outside the Shazhou Inn, he and this world's number one assassin had sat side by side, their conversation not pleasant, but he had gained a lot of benefits. Today, they sat side by side again, both of them feeling very heavy-hearted.

"Why didn't you kill that Jianlu expert just now?" Fan Xian's voice had become dry because of tension.

"The other party had four Ninth Rank experts. We were able to defeat them with one move because we relied on catching them off guard, using sword intent to shock their minds." The shadow closed his eyes and said silently, "Even so, I could only seriously injure one person. You didn't truly injure the third... If the other party comes to their senses, we might be able to escape, but we still can't kill them all."

"I have to admit, my idiot brother's ability to teach disciples is the best in the world."

The shadow's words stated a fact known to the world. Among the Four Grandmasters, Ye Liuyun didn't accept disciples, Emperor Qing probably had a strange turning disciple like Fan Xian, and although Ku He's Tianyi Dao had many disciples, it was only Si Gu Jian who truly cultivated countless top experts. Jianlu alone had twelve Ninth Rank experts, which was an astounding number.

After a long silence, Fan Xian suddenly said, "I've been very careful for the past three years. Once I use the Four Styles Sword, someone is bound to die under my sword. I've never let a living person see me use the Four Styles Sword."

"There have never been survivors under my sword." The shadow stated the fact coldly. This world's number one assassin had never had any survivors when he drew his sword.

"What about Yun Zhilan?" Fan Xian mentioned a name. Three years ago in Jiangnan, the shadow led the swordsmen of the Sixth Bureau, chasing and killing Jianlu disciples led by Yun Zhilan all over the world, forcing the dark forces of Dong Yi City out of Suzhou and Hangzhou, making great contributions to Fan Xian's efforts to rectify the order of Jiangnan.

"When I killed Yun Zhilan, I didn't use the original sword." The shadow responded after a moment of silence.

Fan Xian nodded lightly. Even when the shadow launched a surprise attack on Yun Zhilan by the West Lake fishing boat outside the Louwailou restaurant in Hangzhou, he only seriously injured the other party. It seemed that the shadow was also worried that he wouldn't be able to kill Yun Zhilan, so he had left a backup plan in his technique to avoid revealing his identity.

"So, in the entire world, there are only these five tonight, no, six... If we add Shisanlang, that's seven people who might know this secret." Fan Xian thought, lowering his head. "The problem is, we still have no way to silence these people. When do you think Si Gu Jian will guess that you are his younger brother who was lucky enough to survive?"

After a long silence, the shadow slowly said, "Maybe a long time ago, he knew that the shadow of the Supervising Department was me."

Hearing this, Fan Xian fell into a state of helpless calm, knowing that the thing he feared most might become a reality because of this trip to Dong Yi City.

He looked up at the bright moon, lowered his head and thought of his hometown, murmuring, "If Si Gu Jian could keep it a secret for us, that would be great."

The shadow glanced at him, saying nothing, but the teasing meaning was unmistakable.

Fan Xian suddenly sighed deeply, looked at the shadow and smiled, asking, "How did it feel to assassinate His Majesty in the Suspended Temple that day?"

After thinking for a moment, the shadow said, "It felt good."

Fan Xian shrugged and said nothing more.

On the day of the assassination in the Suspended Temple, His Majesty had blurted out that the assassin was the younger brother of Si Gu Jian of Dong Yi City who had left home as a child. Now everyone knew that Emperor Qing was a Grandmaster, and his eyesight would naturally not be wrong. If Si Gu Jian guessed that the shadow was his younger brother after hearing the reports from his disciples tonight, this news would be sent back to Southern Qing...

The Sixth Bureau of the Supervising Department orchestrated the shadow's assassination of Emperor Qing! Would Chen Pingping still be able to sit properly in his wheelchair? This was what Fan Xian and the shadow feared most. Both of them had a sincere and deep love for that lonely old cripple. Now, they regretted that moment earlier when they revealed a flaw, a flaw that exposed the biggest secret of the Supervising Department.

"Maybe things aren't as bad as we think." Fan Xian said suddenly, calmly, "I will meet Si Gu Jian within tomorrow, discuss business with him, and discuss this matter as well."

-------------------------------------

Just as Fan Xian thought and said, this matter might not affect Southern Qing, but he was cautiously preparing, and the main purpose of this trip to Dong Yi City needed his careful handling. If this matter was handled well, perhaps all problems would be solved.

"Are we friends?" Fan Xian asked, drinking thin porridge and looking at Wang Shisanlang, who was sitting by the bed, his face pale and his injuries not yet healed.

After thinking for a moment, Wang Shisanlang nodded.

Fan Xian put down the porridge bowl and said extremely solemnly and seriously, "If you don't want to lose me, this friend, then from today onwards, don't say a word about everything that happened last night, don't ask."

Wang Shisanlang nodded again. Although Fan Xian told him not to ask, he had to ask clearly about what had happened in Dong Yi City yesterday and in the previous days. He tapped the table with his fingertips, signaling Shisanlang to eat some rice porridge to nourish his stomach, and considered his words, saying, "I dared to go to Plum Orchard Compound alone to find you yesterday, it's not that I didn't think Yun Zhilan would send people to watch that place, but I think you also know that I've had the Supervising Department keep some people watching your residence."

"The biggest problem is that I always thought that with your strength, even if something terrible happened within Jianlu, you should have been able to notify my subordinates, or leave me some traces." Fan Xian stared into Wang Shisanlang's eyes, "You were almost surrounded and killed last night. This problem was caused by you. I don't understand how you could be trapped in the house and defeated so miserably."

Hearing these words, a trace of pain flashed in Wang Shisanlang's eyes. It seemed that the secret attacks of the senior brothers within the sect had caused the young expert with an extremely clear mind to feel an unbearable pain.

After a long while, Shisanlang said in a hoarse voice, "Three days ago, the Eldest Brother invited me to drink, talking about the future of Dong Yi City. The Eldest Brother was very emotional at the banquet, but I was a little ashamed, because I knew that what the Eldest Brother said and did was correct."

"But what you did was arranged by Si Gu Jian, you have no way to resist." Fan Xian interrupted him.

After a moment of silence, Wang Shisanlang said, "Yes, if it weren't for the Master's order, I would rather resist the Southern Qing army with my sword than become a character despised by my brothers like I am now."

"It doesn't feel good to be a traitor, does it?" Fan Xian's lips curled slightly, and he said with a smile, but he was thinking of himself.

Wang Shisanlang didn't quite understand the meaning of the word traitor, shook his head and said, "I believe that the Master is also considering the future of Dong Yi City and the tens of thousands of people, and no one knows what the Master will do."

He paused and continued, "There were only the Eldest Brother and me at the banquet. You know, before I left seclusion, although I had never met the Senior Brother, but in the past two years, our brothers had a very good relationship. I even regarded him as my own brother."

Fan Xian sneered, "So he gave you poisoned wine to drink, and you drank it all in one gulp."

A look of pain flashed in Wang Shisanlang's eyes, and he said with a trembling voice, "The Eldest Brother is not such a treacherous villain. I know that he poisoned me for the sake of Dong Yi City. He doesn't want you Qing people to see the Master through my channel."

"You... are a little too naive." Fan Xian sighed and said, "In this world, either you kill people, or people kill you. With your personality, if you want to take charge of Jianlu, it's like a fool talking in his sleep."

"The Eldest Brother doesn't want to kill me, he just wants to kill you and destroy the possible agreement." Wang Shisanlang suddenly became angry and stared at Fan Xian.

Fan Xian's heart trembled slightly, and suddenly softened, and he said gently, "I believe that. I've checked the poison. Although it's harmful to your body, as long as you don't recklessly use your true qi, it won't be fatal. Yun Zhilan and those Jianlu senior brothers still had a trace of goodwill towards you."

Fan Xian's words were actually just to comfort Wang Shisanlang. Perhaps even he didn't want to see the most innocent person among the young generation of experts in the world obscured by these filthy things.

"Yun Zhilan trapped you, intending to lure and kill the Southern Qing liaison, and the previous scouts reported that Jianlu was heavily guarded and prohibited anyone from entering. It is obvious that the people from Northern Qi have already entered Jianlu and are beginning to try to persuade your master."

Fan Xian said, "What I want to know now is, who exactly is the big shot from Northern Qi?"

"Don't know." Wang Shisanlang said very simply, "This matter was arranged by the Eldest Brother from the beginning, and I have been locked in the compound all these days because I was poisoned."

"I want to see Si Gu Jian, is there any way?" Fan Xian stared into his eyes.

Wang Shisanlang's expression was a little lonely, and he said, "I haven't seen the Master for ten days either. I don't know how his body is, whether he can hold on."

Fan Xian was extremely annoyed to hear him completely not answering the question, but he also knew that there was nothing he could do, and sneered, "The big shot from Northern Qi... does he really think I can't guess who it is? Although Jianlu's defenses are strict, Yun Zhilan can't cover the sky with one hand. If you walk into Jianlu openly, will the Second Brother, who has always remained neutral, turn a blind eye to others killing you in front of Jianlu?"

Wang Shisanlang looked at him like he was looking at a ghost, and said, "You were almost killed by your senior brothers last night. Are you going to die again today?"

Fan Xian fell silent. He had to see this eccentric Grandmaster before Northern Qi persuaded Si Gu Jian, and it was also related to the life of the person he cared about most. If he didn't go to his death, he was afraid that many people in the world would die.

"You are Jianlu's Thirteenth Disciple, you always have some methods in Dong Yi City. I'll send the people from the Supervising Department to help you again. If I can't get into Jianlu today... but I must see that big shot from Northern Qi." A rather intriguing and strange expression flashed in Fan Xian's eyes, as if he was very confident in how to deal with that big shot from Northern Qi.

...

...

A young man with a pale face got out of the carriage with great difficulty, looking at the rows of thatched houses of Jianlu in the distance, and countless complex emotions rose in his eyes. He tidied up his clothes and walked towards that side.

The Jianlu disciples responsible for the defense, looking at this person's expression and appearance, all showed shocked expressions on their faces. Some people subconsciously reached out to their waists and grasped the hilts of their swords, but no one dared to make a move first.

Someone, in a somewhat dry voice, called out, "Little Martial Uncle, the Master has ordered that the Patriarch is in seclusion and cultivation, and must not be disturbed."

Gradually, people gathered around and surrounded Wang Shisanlang. All the Jianlu disciples knew that Yun Zhilan, who was in charge of all matters of the sect, had many problems with this Little Martial Uncle, who was most loved by the Patriarch.

Last night, Little Martial Uncle was rescued. Everyone was guessing whether it was a Southern Qing expert, but no one thought that Little Martial Uncle would actually walk to the gate of Jianlu in broad daylight.

Everyone was very nervous, not knowing whether to take him down immediately, or what to do.

Wang Shisanlang took a deep breath, his face calm but with infinite persistence, and walked towards Jianlu step by step. Then he saw someone he wanted to see very much, bowed and said, "Second Senior Brother, I want to see the Master."

The Second Sword of Jianlu had not participated in this matter. He looked at Wang Shisanlang with a trace of pity, and said softly, "Junior Brother, go back."

...

...

Just as a commotion was brewing at the front of Jianlu, behind Jianlu, outside a secluded small courtyard on the side, a figure quietly slipped over along the shadows at the foot of the mountain. At this time, the attention of the Jianlu disciples was all attracted by the valiant appearance of Wang Shisanlang, but no one noticed this point.

This secluded small courtyard was used by Jianlu to entertain the most distinguished guests. However, the guest was currently in Jianlu, so the defensive strength of the small courtyard was not very strong, and the figure easily slipped in.

Dodging the experts from Northern Qi that he had brought with him, Fan Xian, like a civet cat, groped to the backyard. Smelling the faint fragrance that he would never forget, he came to a room, drifted in, and couldn't help laughing as he looked at the woman who was putting on makeup in front of the mirror, releasing the palace women's resentment.

He walked behind the woman, leaned over and gently blew a breath into her ear, saying flirtatiously, "Lili, are you missing men?"

The woman trembled all over, looking at her charming, resentful, and incomparably beautiful self in the mirror, as well as the face beside her that was unforgettable and no less beautiful than her own, so shocked that she couldn't say a word.

Lord Fan!

She hadn't seen the owner of that face for several years. Why would he appear in Dong Yi City so silently, next to Jianlu, by her side!

Si Lili suddenly turned around, looked at Fan Xian, who appeared beside her like a ghost, with terrified eyes, opened her mouth, but forcibly suppressed herself, not making a sound. Her eyes, filled with gentle light, were full of shock.

Fan Xian was very satisfied with the woman's performance, smiled slightly, and said softly, "It seems that he really dotes on you, to the point of bringing you with him for such a big event. Is he afraid that you'll give him a green hat?"

Si Lili clenched her sleeve, her whole body trembling slightly, her lips pursed tightly, and there was a slight look of fear in her eyes. She and Fan Xian were old acquaintances. They had traveled north together, met in prison, and she didn't know what kind of character Lord Fan was, outwardly gentle, but in reality ruthless. At this time, the other party was in a dangerous place. As long as she made a slight move, she was afraid that the other party would not care about their former friendship at all and would ruthlessly destroy the flower.

Fan Xian gently touched her chin, her skin feeling smooth and greasy. His thoughts drifted to the carriage heading north that year, and his heart swayed slightly. He said softly, "Do you want us to sew a green hat for your demon emperor of the Qi Dynasty?"

Si Lili's fear subsided a little, but she smiled, pursing her lips. She was originally the number one beauty in Kyoto. Now that she had become a noble concubine of Northern Qi, deeply loved by the Qi Emperor, and had been exposed to endless noble aura, she was even more beautiful and radiant. This smile, made her eyes sparkle like flowing water, so alluring.

Fan Xian also smiled. It was indeed very convenient to deal with a woman who knew his roots. He smiled and gestured, Si Lili smiled bitterly, put her hand in his big hand, and walked behind the curtain.

Si Lili was too familiar with his style of doing things, knowing that in this situation, he couldn't possibly want to mess around, but just wanted to borrow her room to wait for someone he had been waiting for. But for some reason, when she put her hand in Fan Xian's warm hand, the woman sighed deeply in her heart, as if fulfilling a wish of several years, incomparably satisfied. At that moment, she didn't even think about whether there would be any danger when that person came back later.

...

...

Time was long, perhaps short. A series of rapid footsteps came from outside the room, and a very young man, surrounded by many people, entered the room. This man's eyebrows were like double swords, not knowing where their sharpness pointed, his eyes were like the sea, not knowing how deep they were. He was wearing a plain suit, with a bright yellow ribbon tied around his waist. His steps were like a dragon and a tiger, and an aura was born naturally.

"Your Majesty, the Lili girl is not here, perhaps she went to play in the garden." A eunuch dressed as a servant reported in a shrill voice.

The young man might have some troubles in his heart, nodded lightly, and sat down on the chair, habitually raising his two feet. A eunuch had already taken off his boots.

Fan Xian quietly watched this scene from behind the curtain, his lips curled slightly, mocking, thinking that several years had passed, this little emperor was still used to sitting with his legs wide open, his feet were still so smelly and big, there was no womanly look at all... He really deserved a beating.