This is a piece of mountain land that Xuanji Pavilion bought. The mountain has been hollowed out and is where Xuanji Pavilion trains its assassins and death squads. Bamboo groves sway on the top of the mountain, surrounding a clearing in the middle. A cement floor has been laid to form a training ground.
Two people sat facing each other at a stone table and benches by the field.
"This is top-quality bamboo leaf green tea, won't you try some?"
"I am not a strong drinker."
Di Xiu wiped the sword with a silk cloth and then put it away.
Yan Ling seemed perfectly normal at the moment. He pushed the wine jar in front of him and said with a smile, "With your skills, if you plan to join the army, you can't do without drinking."
Emperor Xiu neither accepted nor fell for the trap: "There's no need for that."
Yanling raised an eyebrow slightly, a dark glint flashing in his eyes, then laughed heartily, took the wine jar back, and enjoyed it himself.
"Are you planning to stay under the emperor's nose forever? He's in his prime, and his eldest son is only nine years old. Are you willing to endure this?"
Thanks to the Empress's family planning policy and the Emperor's reluctance to enter the harem as a sign of his love for her, the royal family has few offspring; currently, only two princes and four princesses are still alive.
"Please speak frankly if you have something to say."
Yanling actually disliked "Wei Zixiao" quite a bit. He was used to being in control of the whole situation, but this person was completely out of control. No matter what he said or how he tried to probe, he couldn't elicit any emotion from him.
The only emotion I've ever seen in him is disdain. Occasionally, he'll show confusion, which is more like saying, "What nonsense are you talking about?" or as if he's too lazy to speak, so he squeezes out some emotion to avoid wasting his breath.
"The emperor is clearly suppressing the powerful families, and because you refused the marriage proposal, you have become a thorn in his side. Don't you really plan to find a way out?"
Here it comes again, this guy is showing that annoying, puzzled look again.
After lingering on his tongue for a moment, Yan Ling chuckled, "If you ever encounter any difficulties, just go to any of Xuanji Pavilion's outposts, give them your name, and Xuanji Pavilion will definitely protect you."
Di Xiu did not ask what the other members of the Wei family would do at that time, as he would not allow such a situation to occur anyway, and besides, he trusted Yan Ling.
Not receiving the expected thanks, Yan Ling was slightly disappointed, but she understood his attitude. Feeling helpless, she couldn't help but become more curious about the source of his confidence.
The Xuanji Pavilion was a power that emperors from all over the world feared and coveted. This person clearly guessed his identity at first glance, but did not take him seriously at all.
But only someone like him deserves such unparalleled martial arts skills.
However, this qualification is simply too astonishing.
"Brother Wei, do you believe in face-changing magic?"
"Nonsense."
"Then why do you think the two ladies of the Wu family suddenly have such conflicting personalities? If it's not true, how could the matriarch of the Wu family bear to drive her own daughter out of the house?"
"The Xuanji Pavilion, with eyes and ears everywhere?"
"..." I was just asking you a nice question, why are you making sarcastic remarks?
Yan Ling picked up the wine jar and took a big gulp. Under the cover of this, his eyes gleamed, and he said half-jokingly, "To be honest, I almost thought you had also swapped faces with someone else."
Under the same roof, Wei's parents knew their son's capabilities well. They had tried to test him, but no matter how they tried, they couldn't find any flaws. They even made excuses to invite Taoist priests and monks, but naturally, it was all for naught.
After the conversation, the parents accepted his explanation: as they grew up, they wanted to make a name for themselves, but the emperor's attitude might bring trouble to the family, so they became more cautious and restrained their ambitions.
As long as the reason is convincing, they will choose that reason rather than some unorthodox face-changing technique. Even Mu Ruoling, who had experienced rebirth and believed in supernatural things, never imagined that Wei Zixiao had already had a different soul.
Normally, Yanling wouldn't believe that Wei Zixiao had been replaced. The reason is simple: he had never seen or heard of Wei Zixiao's martial arts style, and none of the long-lost peerless techniques matched.
Most importantly, someone with such skill and at such a young age wouldn't be unknown, and such a person wouldn't just come to replace someone else for no reason.
But you can't say that for everything. Didn't he also enter the Yan family as an illegitimate child?
Seeing that the man had no reaction, Yan Ling sighed inwardly, thinking how difficult he was to deal with.
Aren't you curious at all?
"What are you curious about?"
"I heard you're quite close to the Wu family. Haven't you inquired about it?"
"What does it have to do with me if it's someone else's business?"
Yanling choked, then hugged the wine jar and drank it all in one gulp. He drew his sword and said, "Let's fight again."
"cost."
"When it comes to martial arts, you insist on getting involved with mundane matters."
"A contest?"
Despite the seemingly casual question, Yan Ling easily detected the sarcasm in his words and retorted angrily, "What do you want this time?"
Di Xiu tilted his head slightly, as if deep in thought. Yan Ling was even angrier, feeling as if he, the dignified Pavilion Master of Xuanji Pavilion, was worthless.
After a long pause, he said, "A commission."
"You need to specify the level of the commission first."
"It is calculated according to the Heavenly Rank."
Yanling frowned beneath his mask, looking at him suspiciously: "Do you want to influence the situation on the continent, or are you simply unable to tolerate it any longer and want the emperor's head?"
"It sounds like something your Xuanji Pavilion would do."
Yan Ling's eyes immediately turned cold.
Even without client requests, they would resort to certain means to maintain Xuanji Pavilion's unparalleled status on the continent. But he was certain that no one could possibly discover these things.
Yan Ling concealed his thoughts and laughed, "We don't do things without pay. You weren't making such outrageous demands before, did something happen?"
"I don't think this is asking for the moon."
After careful consideration, Yan Ling had to admit that this Heaven-level commission was probably similar to a Profound-level or Earth-level commission in his eyes.
After much deliberation, he finally negotiated on another front.
"Ten encounters, one Heaven-level commission."
"It makes me sound cheap."
Yanling, with a clear conscience, refused to yield an inch.
Gold is easy to come by, but a worthy opponent is hard to find. But to exchange a Heavenly-level commission for just one match is simply not worth it.
Ultimately, the two settled on six times.
Yanling tossed aside the wine jar, spilling the remaining wine all over the ground. The two drew their swords and rushed into the training ground, facing each other again. The swords flashed, accompanied by the fierce clash of their weapons.
Yan Ling held his breath and fought with extreme ruthlessness. Di Xiu used his sword to defend and gradually turned the tables, while 001 clapped and cheered from the side.
After World War I ended, the two returned to their respective homes.
Before long, someone delivered a pot of Zhuyeqing tea, and the gatekeeper brought it to his eldest son along with the box.
Di Xiu took out a black wooden plaque from the compartment. The front was inscribed with "Heaven," and the back was engraved with seven dots representing the Big Dipper.
He put away the wooden sign and other items, 001 peeked out, clapped, and said, "Thank you, my old friend Yanling, for all the supplies."
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