Translator: AnubisTL
Inner City, Pingxing Street.
Upon returning to Shengtian, Gao Yudong immediately used the silver he had embezzled to renovate a grander and more luxurious mansion for himself.
Under the Marauders' regime, he could spend this wealth without fear of being investigated by the court.
Though the Grassland tribesmen were a bit rough around the edges, their policy of overlooking past transgressions suited him perfectly.
At least he no longer had to live in constant fear of being executed and having his family wiped out—that alone was a great relief.
The only fly in the ointment was the recent surge in troublemaking by Jianghu Warriors, which made it difficult for him to sleep soundly.
Whenever he thought of these unrestrained, lawless ruffians, Gao Yudong's face would darken.
He knew all too well that many people now had their eyes on his head. The Southern Dynasty had offered a bounty of 100,000 taels for it, making him almost tempted to turn himself in.
"Hmm?" Gao Yudong, already in a foul mood, suddenly heard commotion coming from the main residence. He immediately looked over.
In the next moment, his face darkened so much it looked like it might drip ink.
It was his legitimate son, Gao Liang. Ever since returning to Shengtian, Gao Liang had been drinking heavily every day, staying out late, and frequenting brothels.
Once, because of his father's strict demands, the boy had endured a life of poverty and hardship. Now that he was back, he could no longer restrain himself, spending money like water in the brothels every day.
It's easy to go from frugality to extravagance, but difficult to go from extravagance to frugality.
Gao Yudong understood this principle perfectly. He thundered, "You good-for-nothing! Get over here!"
His voice was like thunder, jolting Gao Liang out of his drunken stupor.
The notorious playboy of Shengtian rubbed his eyes and stammered, "Father, why aren't you asleep yet?"
"Look at yourself! Do you even look human anymore? You've wasted your studies! You spend your days with those Grassland playboys, robbing women, harassing decent families, and drinking in brothels until all hours of the night! Is this how you behave?!" Gao Yudong roared.
But Gao Liang remained unfazed. He hadn't expected to keep his actions secret from his father anyway. After all, like father, like son. If his father was a corrupt official, what did he have to fear?
Finding this excuse in his heart, Gao Liang fell silent again, his conscience clear.
Seeing his son's silence, Gao Yudong's anger flared. He raised his hand to strike, but stopped himself.
"Do you even realize how many Jianghu ruffians are eyeing us right now? If you keep this up, you might lose your head any day!" Gao Yudong said, his voice laced with frustration.
Gao Liang, however, remained nonchalant. "What's there to fear? I'm spending time with young people from the Grassland Tribes, and the Holy Sovereign has people secretly watching over us."
"Besides, I still have the life-saving Spirit Talisman you gave me. Killing me won't be so easy."
Gao Yudong's gaze turned icy. He said sternly, "Spirit Talisman? Do you really think those things are foolproof?"
"It's always better to be cautious."
"And besides, you only have two left. Even the Holy Sovereign himself doesn't have many."
Hearing this, Gao Liang finally gave a half-hearted reply: "Understood."
"You... Sigh. The Holy Sovereign's fiftieth birthday is coming up soon. Until then, stay home and behave yourself. I have a feeling those Jianghu warriors will try something." Gao Yudong said, his expression grave.
At this moment, the Gao Family father and son had no idea that their entire conversation had been overheard by someone hiding perfectly on the rafters above.
A Spirit Talisman?
Li Qing, who had originally planned to capture the corrupt officials father and son in one fell swoop, immediately muttered to himself, barely restraining the urge to strike.
It seems there are still many secrets behind the Wu Dynasty that I don't know about!
Take this Spirit Talisman, for example. I'd barely heard of them in the Maple Country before. Who would have thought someone from the Grasslands would possess such a miraculous item?
Li Qing temporarily shelved his plan to attack. He decided to observe further, hoping to catch a glimpse of this so-called Spirit Talisman in action.
Huddled on the rafters, Li Qing watched the Gao Family father and son's movements closely. But the next moment, he witnessed a scene that left him utterly stunned.
A figure in red, one he knew all too well, had appeared in the room. She was hidden so well that Li Qing, had he not been perched on the rafters, might not have noticed her at all.
The red-clad figure shadowed Gao Yudong, moving like a phantom, as if waiting for an opportunity to strike.
Commander Qian! Shouldn't she be in the south? What's she doing here?
Yes, the familiar figure in red was indeed Qian Hong. Li Qing never imagined he'd see her here.
Perched on the rafters, Li Qing watched Commander Qian Hong's actions with curious eyes.
Four years had passed, but her appearance hadn't changed much. Her skin had even become noticeably fairer, and her face still wore that cold, alluring expression.
Thanks to her martial arts training, her figure remained in excellent condition—her waist was trim, and her curves were perfectly defined.
After observing for some time, Li Qing saw Commander Qian Hong follow Gao Yudong back to his room. He immediately abandoned his plan and flipped over the courtyard wall.
Didn't strike?
Li Qing was surprised. For an Inner Strength Martial Artist, that distance was already close enough to decide an ordinary person's life or death in an instant.
It seemed Commander Qian was aware of the Spirit Talisman's existence and understood its extraordinary power, likely maintaining a cautious distance.
After some thought, Li Qing decided to follow her, trailing behind Commander Qian.
He didn't rush to reveal himself, wanting to see how long it would take her to detect him with his current Lightness Technique.
Thus, the two figures—one in front, one behind—moved through the heavily guarded streets of the Inner City.
Finally, after leaving the Inner City, Qian Hong stopped. Her voice cold, she said, "You've followed me this far. It's time you revealed yourself."
As she spoke, she pressed her slender hand against the Qing Hong Sword at her waist, ready to draw it at any moment.
Seeing this, Li Qing decided there was no point in hiding any longer. He laughed heartily and said, "Commander Qian, it's been four years since we last met. Your grace has only grown with time."
Under the moonlight, Li Qing's tall figure stood on the eaves of a building. His ordinary face was lit by a confident smile.
"Master Li!" Qian Hong exclaimed, her eyes widening in surprise. "What are you doing here?"
Leaping down from the roof, Li Qing clasped his hands in a gesture of respect. "Hehe, my Martial Art has made some small progress. Sensing something, I decided to return to Shengtian for a nostalgic visit."
Gazing at Li Qing's current demeanor, Qian Hong's beautiful eyes flickered. "Your Martial Path cultivation... it's nearly at the Grandmaster level?"
(End of the Chapter)
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