Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
After quite some time, Zhuo Feiyang decided to challenge Chu Li again, but was once again held at knifepoint before he had a chance to make a move. His face frozen with apprehension.
The sword had pierced him in the shoulder almost serenely, rendering him immobile.
He grit his teeth and braced himself for what would come next. Remaining silent, he simply ignored everyone including Su Ru and Zhao Ying on his way out as he turned around while holding onto his injured shoulder. Zhuo Feiyang had walked away with shame.
Just as Zhao Ying was about to board the boat, she stared daggers at Chu Li. She did not know that this senior of hers would be so cunning to the extent that even she was fooled. All her prior worries for him were for nothing.
Chu Li smiled back with a hint of apology embedded on his face.
As he watched the boat disappear from his sight, he turned around and met Su Ruâs beautiful eyes.
Su Ru smiled cheekily. âChu Li, you have a thing for Zhao Ying, donât you?â
Chu Li responded with a faint smile.
Su Ru giggled. âI can see that Zhuo Feiyang likes her too. If I compared the both of you now, he looks to have the upper hand here.â
Chu Li fell silent.
Su Ru smiled and looked at him. âZhao Ying seems to be very popular.â
âSheâs pretty, courteous, and kind-hearted. Who wouldnât fancy her?â Chu Li sighed. He was just a touch apprehensive, as he realized that Zhao Ying had, indeed, not fallen for him.
âYou think you have a chance?â
âOf course!â
âI say forget it!â Su Ru couldnât contain her giggles and responded. âYou think you can beat Zhuo Feiyang?â
ââŚâ Chu Li furrowed his eyebrows.
Zhuo Feiyang was not only extremely talented, but very handsome as well. The ladies were always very fond of him. Chu Li wasnât one to lie to himself; he knew that he could not beat Zhuo Feiyang at this game. Plus, the ladies prefer types like Zhuo Feiyang; masculine and charming. When compared to him, he was nothing but average.
Fortunately, Zhao Ying wasnât an average girl either. She was kind-hearted and sympathized with the weak.
Since Zhuo Feiyang was now the weak one, would she turn her sympathy towards him? That was the real the question.
âFeeling hopeless?â Su Ru smiled as she asked, her bright eyes watching him intently.
Chu Li shook his head. âNot on my watch!â
âNow thatâs the spirit!â Su Ru smiled. âGiving up doesnât sound like you at all! Do you need my help then?â
Chu Li raised an eyebrow.
Su Ru laughed. âYou donât believe Iâll do much?â
âNo, itâs much appreciated, Chief!â Chu Li gave his respects and bowed. âPlease, do help!â
The key to winning a womanâs heart was the willingness to let go of oneâs ego and unhesitatingly ask for help!
Su Ru giggled and then laughed. She gently shook her head and said, âYou boys are so typicalâŚâ
Chu Li was embarrassed and laughed too. He then replied, âI canât stand by losing the girl that I like to someone! Besides that, Zhuo Feiyang is not a good person. I canât watch Zhao Ying to descend into that hellhole!â
âDid you actually think that I wouldnât know whatâs on your mind?â Su Ru gave a look and added, âYou men always think that youâre the only one in this world who deserve that one pretty girl, and that any other guy doesnât deserve to be with her!â
Chu Liâs lips felt dry.
Su Ru then continued, âAlright, Iâm not going to joke around with you anymore. I stopped by to discuss a serious matter.â
âRight!â Chu Li facial expressions instantly became serious.
Su Ru looked around to make sure Li Yue wasnât there. Nothing was with them beside the gentle breeze of the night and the calm waters. The atmosphere was peaceful.
âCan you culture the Godâs Mane en masse?â
âIf the destruction of the land in question isnât in question, then it wonât be a problem.â
âThen good, this time we need a great supply of Godâs Mane, and you have to hurry up and produce them!â
âHow much?â
âAt least twenty acres!â
âTwenty acres!?â Chu Li frowned and looked back at her. âThese twenty acres of land will be rendered useless. It will be at least fifty years before they can be recovered!â
âYeah.â
âItâs best we cultivate them outside the federal Public House. The richer the soil, the better.â
âJust as I thought!â Su Ru nodded and said in a low voice, âYou must keep this a secret!â
Chu Li slowly nodded in agreement.
By the look on her face, he could already tell that this was indeed a secret that must not be revealed.
âNear the Millennial Mountains, there is a valley. Itâs extremely secluded and you may head over to start cultivation of the plant. The soil there is rich as well.â
âYes.â Su Ru nodded without hesitation.
âIt must be kept a secret, donât draw any unnecessary attention.â Su Ru shook her head. âThereâs no room for any mistake, so Iâve decided to grant you the company of a Protector.â
âAnother person involved would mean additional risks.â Chu Li exclaimed, âSo it might be best to have me go at it aloneâ
âWhat if a problem surfaces during progress?â Su Ru gave him look and said, âDo you really think you can handle it?â
Chu Li raised an eyebrow, smiled. His gaze turned toward the direction where the boat had just disappeared into the distance.
Su Ru grumbled, âAlright, you can have Zhao Ying!â
âThank you, Chief!â Chu Li was on cloud nine. He held his fists together and paid her a grateful sign of respect.
âHumph, you got what you wanted. But if this business goes awry, Iâll demote you by two ranks and Zhao Ying will be kicked to the bottom!â
âYes!â
âWhen you encounter any trouble, you would know what to do. Correct?â
âDonât worry, Chief, Iâll never expose our identities!â
âGood!â Su Ru nodded in satisfaction. For Su Ru, giving this task to Chu Li could be considered as a test for him, to see if he was as useful as he seemed to be.
âŚ
Dawn approached the south gate of the Federal Public House.
Beneath the warm sunlight, the two brass lions in green almost seem alive under the golden glow. It was almost as if the giant statues would rise and pounce on the prey passing by at any moment.
Zhao Ying was donned in an azure green dress, while her crimson red horse stayed alongside her. She stood quietly beside one of the giant lions, her bright eyes transfixed on the gates.
The day had barely begun as no one was passing through the gates just yet. Zhao Yingâs thin, elegant eyebrows furrowed from time to time. She seemed curious about her upcoming mission.
The moment she received her mission, the only detail disclosed to her was that she would be escorting a person. She would go undercover, and the nature of the mission could not be told to anyone else. Not even the person she was escorting was revealed to her. She was only instructed to wait for their arrival at the south gate of the Public House during the break of dawn.
She was curious, but at the same time excited. It had been such long time since she was sent out on a mission.
Questions kept flooding her mind. She did not know how many people would be involved in this mission, and neither did she know who she would be protecting. Maybe it was someone from the higher ranks. Only a big shot would need someone like her to cover their tracks. Itâs always the same story, theyâre either afraid of people snooping about their business or the fear of intervention. This was where Zhao Ying came in.
The Federal Government House was a giant figure in the eyes of the world; their fame and honor had spread far and wide, even into many faraway provinces. The mountain they stood on, however, was built on skulls and corpses. The government had a mass of enemies, and were well-known to swiftly eliminate them. They had a thirst for blood, and would risk losing their lives just for the sake of vengeance. This was why those in the higher ranks need protection or cover for their tracks. Once their motives were revealed, it would attract the savages that would stop them at all cost.
Zhao Ying herself was merely a rank nine Protector. This was her first experience on a secret mission such as this. She felt thrilled and her eyes beamed with joy. She had waited for quite a long time for their arrival, but that did not diminish her patience.
Suddenly, she saw Chu Li from afar. She nervously waved her petite hands at him, signaling him to not come over. She thought to herself, âGo away, there is no need to come over to say hi.â
Then, a question flashed across her mind. Why had Chu Li brought a horse with him? He looked like he had planned out to go to town as well. She didnât mind him despite all this as she was anticipating someone else to appear. She clearly didnât want to miss her clients and leave a bad first impression.
Chu Li guided his crimson red horse over and slowly arrived in front of Zhao Ying.
Zhao Yingâs bright eyes looked around for a moment and then she lowered her voice. She hissed, âChu Li, what are you doing!?â
Chu Li smiled, âZhao Ying, who are you waiting for?â
âIâm not waiting!â said Zhao Ying as she tried to cover up her anxiety.
She reminded herself that this mission was to be done in confidence. She could not disclose the slightest piece of information to anyone.
Chu Li shook his head and his smile disappeared, âArenât I the person youâre waiting for?â
âNonsense! Iâm not waiting for anybody!â Zhao Ying gasped. She waved her hands again and shooed him away. âChu Li, whatever it is that you want to talk about, letâs do it some other day, alright? Now go on, you can carry on with your business. Iâm just about to leave!â
Chu Li licked his dry lips.
Zhao Ying gave him a confused, puzzled look.
Chu Li again smiled and replied, âZhao Ying, the person that you have been waiting for, is me.â
âChu Li!â Zhao Ying stomped lightly in embarrassment, her face blushed red.
Chu Li followed up, âYour mission this time, is to escort me!â
âWhat?â Zhao Yingâs eyes widened.
Chu Li nodded repeatedly. âYes, thatâs right. Itâs me. You have to protect me on this secret mission.â
âAre you⌠serious?â Zhao Ying blinked her eyes in disbelief and stared back at him with her mouth agape.
Chu Li laughed. âDidnât you notice your mission briefing? Wasnât there a word âLiâ at the end of the page?
Zhao Ying was startled, her eyes looked blank.
Chu Li said, âYou have the official seal of the government with you, correct?â
Zhao Ying nodded.
âYou cannot take it with you, leave it back at your place. For this mission, weâre not allowed to bring along anything that may give away our identities.â
âSo it really is you?â Zhao Ying asked again, dejection setting in.
Chu Li stopped smiling, and said, âHurry up, we should depart while itâs still early.â
âWill there be any other more Protectors?â
âNo, it is just you. You hold a huge responsibility!â
âBut, why me?â
âIâll explain to you on the way, now hurry up!â Chu Li waved at her.
Zhao Ying gave her a look. She turned towards the gates and walked inside. In the blink of an eye, she was nowhere to be found.
After a while, she returned. âAlright, letâs go!â
They rode on their horses and started their journey, side by side.
The Federal Houseâs south gate was in fact, the north gate of Chong Li Yuning city. The two strolled along the city square surrounded by a busy crowd. The city was bustling with activity. The whole of Chong Li Yuning city resembled a day market, but today with more people than usual.
âSo, why only me?â
âTo avoid unnecessary attention. The two of us could easily pass off as a couple. No one would suspect us.â
ââŚNo one agreed to be couples with you!â
âHahaâŚâ
âIâm just a rank nine Protector. My skills arenât amazing.â Zhao Ying admitted shyly.
This was her first ever secret mission, and it was one requiring such secrecy. An undercover missionâs rewards were typically 3 times more than usual missions. Not just any Protector had a chance to participate in a mission such as this. She couldnât stop thinking to herself that, logically, she shouldnât be qualified for this kind of mission.
âIt is best to avoid using your inner strength and skills as much as possible.â Chu Li said as he sat on his horse, steering it sluggishly.
âWhat about when we face trouble in the future?â
âOne word â run!â
âThen why am I even here!â
âTo disguise yourself as my love interest!â
âChu Li!â Zhao Ying was clearly dissatisfied with his answer. She glared at him.
âZhao Ying, are you saying youâll reject the mission?â Chu Li smiled and said, âIf you really want to turn it down, I can swap you for someone else.â
Zhao Ying gave him a look and sneered, âI didnât say that, okay?â
Chu Li continued, âYou wonât hate me for this, right?
âHate you for what?â
âI defeated Zhuo Feiyang, donât you feel sorry for him?â
âWhat nonsense, who said that!â Zhao Ying added, âItâs just a friendly battle. Senior Zhuo Feiyang is a genius at inner strength, it wonât be long before he comes and gets you. Itâs not good of you to take pride in that, Chu Li!â
âWho said Iâll lose to Zhuo Feiyang?â
Zhao Ying stopped herself. She did not want to tear open Chu Liâs old scars. He was labeled a weakling due to his lack of basic training, and was unworthy of practicing inner strength arts. It was such a pity. Zhao Ying decided to keep this to herself..
Chu Li laughed. âZhao Ying, could it be that you like Zhuo Feiyang?â
Zhao Ying shot a look at him and did not reply.
Chu Li shook his head and sighed, âGod has blessed Zhuo Feiyang with such a lovely face. Everyone is so fond of him. Sigh⌠I just didnât expect that even you would be someone that prioritizes appearance.â
âChu Li, stop spouting nonsense will you?! Who told you I was like that?â Zhao Ying retorted, âAnd Iâm not fond of senior Zhuo Feiyang!â
âAnyone can tell that you like him!â
âThatâs not true!â Zhao Ying was annoyed. âIâm just learning from him for the sake of improving my inner strength skills!â
âWell then you might as well learn from me!â Chu Li laughed disapprovingly. âTypes like him only locks himself away to train alone. If you have never read books as religiously as he did, your knowledge of the inner strength would fall short by a great margin!â
âChu Li, they call it training. You need to train with your own two hands. Books alone wonât help!â Zhao Ying bombarded.
Chu Li again shook his head and said, âZhao Ying, if you have this mindset then youâre wrong.â
The two of them kept on their bickering as they led their horses into a crowd nearby. The pair did, however, draw some attention to themselves. Chu Li obviously was not the most handsome of men in the world, but he did exhibit a commanding spiritual force. On the other hand, Zhao Ying was a fine beauty and they both did look the part for a couple.
Chu Li kept his cool and went to retrieve his horse. He saddled up and continued the long stroll, savoring the hustle and bustle of life around him. It had been long since he last felt this calm and relaxed. Ever since he had possessed the Ku-Rung scriptures and constructed for himself the foundation for practicing inner strength, his mind felt less muddled. His heart was less heavy, and he could finally let go of his worries.
Zhao Ying exclaimed, âChu Li, how am I wrong?â
Chu Li explained, âYou lot think that the inner strength skills that youâre practicing are one of a kind. That, in context, is just repeating the mistakes of those before us. Inside the Sacred Temple lies a lot of meditation notes which record the spiritual findings of those who have trained. All of you ignored reading those, and resorted to experimenting the inner strength by yourselves insteadâŚâ
He shook his head midway, and disappointingly said, âThat, is just a waste of time!â
âExploring the inner strength yourselves makes the experience more vivid!â Zhao Ying defended herself.
Chu Li denied it. âIf we did things according to what you say, we wonât even need a teacher. Why donât we just sit down at home and practice it ourselves!â
âHumph, Iâm not playing your game!â Zhao Ying had run out of valid points to say.
Chu Li diverted the topic and asked, âZhao Ying, the skill that you had been practicing âŚis it the âFlight of the Sparrowsâ swordsman technique?â
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âNot bad.â
âShow it to me when you have the time.â
âChu Li, you know of the technique too?â
âA little bit. Iâve read about it on several meditation archives.â
ââŚGreat.â Zhao Ying replied, unimpressed. She wanted to see for herself. Maybe he was only pulling her leg.