2: Gongsun Da Niang is dead, I killed her!

“Isn’t this something a shady inn would do?” Lu Jiuyuan pointed at the corpse on the ground.

“I don’t know!”

“He doesn’t know, but I do!” A chilling voice came from outside. The person was tall and thin, with long, narrow eyes, a long, narrow nose, and thin lips, like a bamboo pole with large, knobby joints. His light-body Cultivation Technique was excellent.

He made almost no sound upon entering, drifting in and stopping three meters away from Lu Yuan.

“In this world, wealth moves hearts, Lu Jiuyuan. Your life is worth a thousand taels of silver.” Mo Yaowen grinned, revealing thin, gapped teeth.

“A thousand taels of silver, if spent carefully, can let one live freely for a year or two. It’s worth fighting for!”

“Ghost Shadow Mo Yaowen!”

Lu Jiuyuan slowly stood up: “Ghost Shadow and Bloody Handprint have always been inseparable. Since you’re here, where is Bloody Handprint Jiao Buzhi?”

“I’m here.” Another deep voice sounded from behind.

Lu Jiuyuan didn't turn around, but he could feel a strong scent of blood approaching from behind him.

Bloody Handprint Jiao Buzhi and Ghost Shadow Mo Yaowen were a relatively famous assassin duo in recent years.

One was tall and thin, the other short and stout; one was as fast as a ghost, the other possessed immense power, capable of splitting rocks.

“You two come at me together,” Lu Jiuyuan said calmly, “to save me the trouble of killing you one by one.”

Mo Yaowen sneered: “Arrogant!”

Before his words finished, his figure had vanished from its spot. The next moment, a cold light pierced directly at Lu Jiuyuan’s throat!

Fast! Ghost Shadow’s light-body Cultivation Technique and hidden weapons were always known for their speed!

However, Lu Jiuyuan’s sword was even faster!

“Clang—!”

A clear, ringing clash. The Guhong Sword shot out like lightning, precisely deflecting Mo Yaowen’s hidden weapon.

Immediately after, the sword’s momentum didn’t diminish, aiming directly for Mo Yaowen’s throat!

Mo Yaowen was greatly alarmed and quickly retreated, but the sword tip had already drawn a bloody line across his neck.

“What a fast sword!” Covering his neck, he exclaimed in horror.

At the same time, Jiao Buzhi’s Bloody Handprint was already striking at Lu Jiuyuan’s back!

Lu Jiuyuan spun around, the sword blade thrusting from behind his left armpit, piercing his throat before the Bloody Handprint could strike his back.

“You’re too slow!” Lu Jiuyuan pulled out his sword, wiped it on his elbow, and slowly said, “My sword, even through a person, is a little longer than your arm!”

Strands of cool Qi flowed from the Guhong Sword into his hand, subtly enhancing his Physique and Internal Energy.

In this world, only life is the most nourishing.

“Your speed is very fast, just a little slower than mine. This makes me very curious. Hand over your light-body Cultivation Technique and Internal Skill, and I can spare your life and let you go.” Lu Jiuyuan’s sword pointed at Mo Yaowen’s head.

“And don’t even think about faking it. My speed is faster than yours; I won't practice your Cultivation Technique. I will only refer to it and absorb some essence. Faking it within the technique is meaningless and will only cut off your own path to survival.”

Mo Yaowen’s Adam’s apple bobbed, and a trace of struggle flashed in his long, narrow eyes.

He clutched the wound on his neck, blood seeping through his fingers: “If I give it to you, will you truly let me go?”

Lu Jiuyuan’s sword tip remained motionless: “I, Lu Jiuyuan, always keep my word.”

“Alright!” Mo Yaowen gritted his teeth, pulled down his pants, and pulled out a thin silk booklet from his crotch.

“I am known as Ghost Shadow. My Internal Skill and light-body Cultivation Technique all come from this volume, “Ghost Shadow Maze.” I obtained it by chance, pondered it day and night, and never let it leave my side.”

Lu Jiuyuan did not touch the silk booklet but had him spread it out on the table, his sword tip still pressed against the other’s glabella: “Now, explain this content to me in detail.”

Mo Yaowen nodded: “Alright!”

After explaining it once, Lu Jiuyuan randomly selected a few sections and had him explain them again.

Only after confirming there were no mistakes and that he had completely memorized it did he nod.

“You may leave!” Lu Jiuyuan retracted his sword.

“You actually let me go?” Mo Yaowen’s eyes showed surprise. He thought the other party was only trying to trick him into revealing his method.

He didn’t expect him to actually keep his word; such people were rare now.

“Next time we meet, I will kill you,” Lu Jiuyuan said coldly.

“Next time we meet, I won’t give you a chance to kill me.” Mo Yaowen snorted, cast a reluctant glance at the silk booklet on the table, activated his light-body Cultivation Technique, and floated out.

And just as he exited the main door, Lu Jiuyuan’s figure also darted away.

He stood with his back to Mo Yaowen, blocking his path about 20 meters ahead.

In Mo Yaowen’s astonished gaze, Lu Jiuyuan turned around: “Ghost Shadow, we meet again.”

“Damn it… you bastard… you don’t play fair…” Ghost Shadow wanted to run, but he couldn’t.

Because a sword pierced through his glabella.

“I, Lu, always keep my word. I said I’d kill you next time we meet, and so I will. I never go back on my word.”

Returning to the restaurant, Lu Jiuyuan’s gaze swept over the silk booklet on the table; there were signs it had been moved.

“Honored guest, please have some tea! I’ll clean up!” The waiter, Xiao Sanzi, brought a pot of tea, poured some for Lu Yuan, and then started laboriously cleaning up the corpses.

He gathered all the silver and respectfully placed it on the table next to Lu Yuan.

“Why did you help me?”

“The boss had no family and adopted me to work for him. I didn’t get wages, but I got food, so I was his apprentice. Now that he’s dead, this restaurant is mine.

You are my benefactor, so I must thank you.” Xiao Sanzi dragged the corpse towards the back kitchen, explaining respectfully and earnestly.

“Benefactor, please have some tea!”

“If I am your benefactor, then what is this boss to you?” Lu Jiuyuan didn’t drink the tea but looked at him and asked.

Xiao Sanzi’s body stiffened, and he lowered his head: “The boss was half a Master to me! Without him, I would have starved to death long ago.

But he beat and cursed me, so I couldn’t truly feel close to him. He was kind to me, but for more than 10 years, I toiled from morning till night, working hard without receiving a single coin from him. That debt of gratitude is settled.”

As he spoke, he lifted his clothes, revealing a body covered in scars, many of which were old wounds.

“Benefactor, it’s best to drink it while it’s hot. This tea is the boss’s treasured collection; it won’t taste good when it’s cold!”

Lu Jiuyuan stared at the steaming cup of tea, a slight smile playing on his lips: “Xiao Sanzi, how old are you this year?”

“To answer Benefactor, this humble one is twenty-three this year.” Xiao Sanzi lowered his head, his fingers unconsciously rubbing the corner of his clothes.

“Twenty-three…” Lu Jiuyuan’s fingers gently tapped the tabletop, “How many years have you worked in this shop?”

“Six… sixteen years.” Xiao Sanzi’s voice grew softer and softer.

Lu Jiuyuan suddenly laughed: “You’ve worked for sixteen years, haven’t married, and haven’t received a single coin from the boss. You’ve truly been wronged.”

“But why are you not a virgin?”

“Do you know, in this world, whether a woman is deflowered can be seen, and a man can also…”

Xiao Sanzi’s body trembled violently, and fine beads of sweat appeared on his forehead.

Lu Jiuyuan’s finger stopped at the edge of the teacup: “What did you put in this tea?”

“N-n-nothing…” Xiao Sanzi suddenly looked up, a hint of ruthlessness flashing in his eyes.

Before he finished speaking, a sharp butcher knife suddenly slid from Xiao Sanzi’s sleeve, stabbing directly at Lu Jiuyuan’s throat!

Its speed was astonishingly slow, without any martial arts or skill, only a full measure of foolishness.

“Ding!”

The Guhong Sword had, at some unknown moment, pierced out, brushing against the tip of the butcher knife. Even without triple speed, it directly knocked the butcher knife away.

“Why? None of these martial artists are my match, why would you, someone without martial arts, get involved?”

“A thousand taels of silver is enough for me to go to Chunfeng Brothel to see Ouyang Qing twenty times!” Xiao Sanzi seemed to have all his courage drained away, slumping to the ground and stammering, “Only she never looks down on people. Even for a mere waiter like me, she can make me feel like an immortal.”

“Ouyang Qing! I finally understand why your boss beat you. You deserve it! If I were your boss, I’d beat you to death too!”

Lu Jiuyuan nodded, and the Guhong Sword passed through Xiao Sanzi’s throat.

“You want to be an immortal, do you? Why bother looking for Ouyang Qing? I’ll send you to meet an immortal!”

He packed the silver, having already memorized the Cultivation Technique. To be safe, it was best not to touch it. He went into the back kitchen, set the building on fire, and Lu Jiuyuan withdrew.

Ouyang Qing, the fourth among the Red Shoes.

There were nine people in this organization, each with a different identity. Killing one and stirring up a whole nest was indeed no small trouble.

In front of Chunfeng Brothel, Lu Jiuyuan looked up at the gilded plaque, a relaxed smile playing on his lips.

“Ouyang Qing…” He softly murmured the name, his fingers unconsciously caressing the sword hilt.

Chunfeng Brothel was the most renowned brothel in the city, with various guests coming and going at its entrance.

Lu Jiuyuan, dressed in coarse cloth and leaning on his peculiar four-edged sword, seemed somewhat out of place.

As soon as he entered, he saw a plump madam, dressed in colorful attire, coming to greet him.

“Sir, do you have a familiar lady in mind?”

The madam wore a plastered smile, but after assessing Lu Jiuyuan’s attire, her smile froze on her face.

Lu Jiuyuan took out a silver ingot from his in arms and casually tossed it to the madam: “I’m looking for Ouyang Qing.”

The madam took the silver, and her smile returned: “Oh, Sir, you’ve come at an inconvenient time. Miss Qing is not feeling well today and is not seeing guests. I can arrange for you…”

Before she finished speaking, Lu Jiuyuan took out another silver ingot and dangled it in front of the madam’s eyes: “Is she feeling better now?”

The madam’s eyes lit up, and she reached out to take it: “Although she’s not fully well, she’s not entirely unusable.”

Lu Jiuyuan slapped the silver into her hand: “Then lead the way.”

“Sir, please come this way.”

The interior of Chunfeng Brothel was luxuriously decorated, exuding an atmosphere of debauchery. Lu Jiuyuan followed the madam through the corridor, his ears filled with the sounds of men and women flirting.

“Sir, it’s this room.” The madam stopped in front of a carved door, knocked, and said, “Qing’er, your old patron is here!”

Lu Jiuyuan didn’t wait for her to finish and pushed the door open directly.

The room’s furnishings were elegant, and incense that stirred men’s desires wafted through the air.

A woman in a light purple gauze dress was facing away from the door, grooming herself in front of a bronze mirror.

Hearing the door open, she didn’t turn her head: “I said I don’t want to see guests today.” Her voice was like a nightingale’s song, melodious and captivating.

“I am not a guest!”

The woman in front of the bronze mirror paused, then slowly turned around.

It was a face capable of making any man’s heart pound: willow-leaf eyebrows, almond eyes, and a slightly upturned cherry mouth, carrying three parts languor and seven parts charm.

Her eyes were especially unique, like two pools of spring water, seeming to Gou Hun and mesmerize when she looked at someone.

“This Young Master is quite unfamiliar.” Ouyang Qing stood up and moved with light, lotus-like steps, “May I ask your name?”

“Lu Jiuyuan!”

“Gongsun Da Niang is dead.” Lu Jiuyuan cut straight to the chase: “I killed her!”