Three days later—

Noon.

Inside the main hall of the Jiang Residence, Ye Anping was standing in front of a large table, holding a brush and using a ruler to draw on a blank piece of paper. Beside him, Pei Lengxue was helping to grind ink while also organizing the Eye-Shifting Talismans they had acquired earlier from Du Chun City.

Thud, thud—

Two annoyed footsteps approached from the doorway. Zhuang Hu briskly walked into the room, holding “Erotic Art of the Immortal Palace,” and slammed the book down in front of Ye Anping.

Ye Anping glanced at the book, placed his brush on a nearby shelf, and sighed. He asked, “What’s wrong?”

Zhuang Hu’s eye twitched in frustration, and he said resentfully, “Take care of this trashy book of yours.”

“This book wasn’t given by me; it was given by my wife.”

?

Zhuang Hu was momentarily stunned, then turned to look at Pei Lengxue standing next to him. His face displayed a surprised expression that seemed to say, “Wow, you, the seemingly pure and virtuous lady, not only kept such a book but also gave it to a twelve-year-old girl?”

Pei Lengxue looked bewildered, took the book back from her storage pouch, and asked, “What’s wrong with this book?”

Ye Anping smiled faintly, repeated his junior sister’s question, and said, “What’s wrong with this book?”

Watching the “married couple,” Zhuang Hu couldn’t find words for a while. Finally, he rolled his eyes at the “couple” and said, “Never mind. I have secured some supply of Startle Soul Pills, two thousand pieces, would it be enough?”

Ye Anping furrowed his brow slightly, thinking it might be a bit insufficient. “Only two thousand pieces?”

“It’s not a commonly traded pill, and there are only two thousand available in the black market.”

Ye Anping tapped his chin thoughtfully and asked, “What was the purchase price?”

“Twenty each.”

“That’s quite high— Try to negotiate it down to fifteen. If you manage to do that, we’ll sell them for fifty each when we return to the Chi Dragon Mansion.”

“How should I negotiate?”

“I’m not familiar with the black market in Du Chun Chity. You figure it out.”

Zhuang Hu took a deep breath. Did you think people in the black market are easy to deal with? But he didn’t say that out loud. After sighing, he nodded in agreement. “I’ll give it a try.”

“Alright.”

At that moment, Zhuang Hu looked at the map in front of Ye Anping. Although it wasn’t finished yet, he asked, “Is this a map of the Chi Dragon Mansion?”

“Why? Is there something wrong with it?”

“I don’t know.”

The markings on the map were roughly distributed at some intersections within the Chi Dragon Mansion or at places outside the mansion like taverns, brothels, theaters, and inns. He hadn’t figured out the significance of these markings but didn’t ask further.

Just then, a scar-faced man entered the room with broad strides. Seeing Zhuang Hu, he nodded in acknowledgment before bowing to Ye Anping. “Young Master, I’ve brought the sixty-four people you requested. They are all old members of the Dragon-Slaying Society, with most of them at the seventh or eighth level of Qi Refining.”

“Good, thank you, Branch Master Chen.”

“It’s a small matter.” Branch Master Chen smiled and shook his head. “Young Master, are you going out now? I had them wait in the courtyard.”

“Big Brother Zhuang, hold onto the map for me.”

Am I your servant?

Zhuang Hu gave him a disdainful look but then raised his hand to make a sword gesture, causing the map on the table to float up.

The four of them walked out of the main hall, and the courtyard, which was initially noisy with Dragon-Slaying Society members, suddenly quieted down. They quickly lined up in eight rows of eight.

“””Greetings, Young Master!”””

Ye Anping scanned the rows and received a total of 128 Eye-Shifting Talismans prepared by Pei Lengxue.

He waved his hand, and all the talismans floated in the air before landing in the hands of the people.

Clearing his throat, he spoke with the same tone he had used to guide his wife in her cultivation, “Each person takes two talismans, keep them on your person. After the Chi Dragon Conference begins, place one on your chest and one on your back.”

The people looked somewhat puzzled, but they accepted the talismans, and when they saw what Eye-Shifting Talismans were, they understood that they would be stationed as lookouts.

“The first four rows, come up and take a look at the map. Each of you memorize one location in order. Your task is to stay in that location as much as possible, whether you act as ordinary cultivators or passersby having tea. Try not to reveal the presence of the Eye-Shifting Talisman.”

Ye Anping then looked at the people in the last four rows and continued, “As for the last four rows, after the Chi Dragon Conference begins, you’ll wander around the Chi Dragon Mansion randomly. Form pairs, and there are no specific requirements for you.”

“Yes, Young Master!”

“Don’t you have any spirit? Louder!!”

He cleared his throat, and then turned to Branch Master Branch Master Chen, saying, “Branch Master Chen, distribute three times the usual monthly pay to these people, and also prepare some ordinary-looking clothes for them.”

“Understood,” Branch Master Chen replied, but hesitated for a moment before asking, “May I ask, Young Master, what is this for?”

“Just a small business, to make some money for the Dragon-Slaying Society.”

“But…” Branch Master Chen looked at the floating map and asked, “Young Master, this map appears to be that of the Chi Dragon Mansion, and our people can’t get in. That’s the Chi Dragon Mansion.”

“They can get in.”

“Young Master… They can’t get in.” Branch Master Chen shook his head, explaining stubbornly, “The Chi Dragon Conference is only open to sect disciples, and entry to the inner mansion is restricted to those with an invitation letter. This…”

“Trust me, they can get in.”

“Young Master… I don’t think they can.” Branch Master Chen sighed and continued, “The Chi Dragon Conference has always been…”

“Believe me, they can get in.” Ye Anping patted his shoulder and said, “You need to prepare as well. The Chi Dragon Mansion will invite seven merchant guilds, including the Dragon-Slaying Society and the Green Peak Society from Du Chun City, to assist with various behind-the-scenes work inside the mansion, such as logistics. At the same time, they will also provide us with shops. This is a big business opportunity.”

Branch Master Chen was half doubtful but still somewhat surprised. “Really? Previous Chi Dragon Conferences were–”

“I wouldn’t lie to you. I have some inside information.”

As Ye Anping spoke, two servants from the Jiang Residence were seen escorting a young girl, aged around sixteen or seventeen, dressed in ragged clothing, towards them. They had the girl kneel in front of Ye Anping and then bowed to the four people present.

Branch Master Chen examined the girl, who looked like a beggar, and asked first, “What happened to her?”

“It’s like this…” one of the servants pointed to the girl and explained, “This girl suddenly came to the front of the Jiang Residence and claimed to be the young master of the Jiang Residence.”

Ye Anping slowly turned his head to look at Zhuang Hu standing beside him, his eye twitching slightly: Why is it a girl?

Zhuang Hu shrugged subtly: You look the same

“… …”

After the servant’s words, silence fell over the courtyard. Not only Branch Master Chen was dumbfounded, but even the sixty-four people lined up below were also stunned.

Everyone was thinking that if someone wanted to impersonate the young master of the Jiang Residence, they should at least check whether they are a “young master” themselves or not.

Ye Anping hesitated for a moment, then approached the girl, crouched down, and asked, “Miss, did you say you’re the young master of the Jiang Residence?”

The girl pondered for a moment and nodded vigorously, “Yes! I was robbed on my way here, and my identification was taken. I am indeed the young master of the Jiang Residence!”

Ye Anping hesitated for a moment, then turned to Branch Master Chen, pretending to be ignorant, and asked, “Branch Master Chen, even though it may sound disrespectful to ask this– During the seven years I’ve been away for cultivation, could it be that my father is…”

“How is that possible?!” Branch Master Chen looked astonished and quickly shook his head. “Young Master, this person is obviously trying to impersonate you. Such incidents are quite common. I remember that last year in Du Chun City, the Zhou Mansion had a similar case, and the imposter ran off with several valuable porcelain bottles.”

“I see…”

Ye Anping examined the girl, whose clothes were tattered and hair covered in dirt. He then turned to the two servants nearby and said, “Give her some steamed buns and escort her outside.”

“Ah— Yes, Young Master.”

“Don’t harm her, be gentle.”

The two servants looked bewildered as they glanced at the girl now kneeling beside them. They each took her hand and escorted her out of the Jiang Residence’s gates.

After receiving the steamed buns from the servants, the girl quickly bowed in gratitude and then hurriedly left.