’Miss Zhou is as beautiful as ever.’

Fang Shuwen admired her in silence for a moment before speaking.

"With things settled here, it’s time for me to take my leave."

The smile on Zhou Qingmei’s face instantly melted away like spring snow. Her brow furrowed slightly.

"The scenery on Jiuning Mountain is lovely. Why don’t you... stay a few more days? I could show you around."

Fang Shuwen smiled.

"If I get the chance, I’ll be sure to come back and properly enjoy the sights.

"It’s just that I left in such a rush this time. I didn’t leave a single word for my master, so I have to go back, give him an explanation, and let him know I’m safe."

Hearing this, Zhou Qingmei knew she couldn’t press him to stay.

She just looked a little downcast.

Zuo Qingshuang’s gaze swept over her disciple before finally settling on Fang Shuwen.

"Where is your home, Young Hero Fang?"

"I’m staying in Julu City for now."

"Ah, so you and Qingmei are both from Julu City."

Zuo Qingshuang said with a smile,

"In that case, you should stay in touch and help each other out in the future."

At these words, Zhou Qingmei’s eyes instantly brightened, and she looked up at Fang Shuwen.

Fang Shuwen nodded.

"Of course."

But Zhou Qingmei kept her eyes on Fang Shuwen.

"So, will I still be able to see you in Julu City?"

Though some things were left unsaid, Zhou Qingmei had a feeling that a small place like Julu City couldn’t contain Fang Shuwen.

Hearing this, Fang Shuwen did fall silent for a moment before replying,

"I think so."

’I have to go back to Julu City eventually.’

’But before that, I want to make a trip to Guangning City first.’

’I can’t shake the feeling that the Fang Family and Fang Mingxuan are deliberately hiding something...’

’After all, it involves my own background. I want to investigate it as thoroughly as possible.’ 𝗳𝗿𝐞𝕖𝘄𝗲𝕓𝗻𝚘𝚟𝕖𝐥.𝚌𝕠𝕞

Zhou Qingmei didn’t say anything more, just nodded silently.

Together with Zuo Qingshuang, she saw Fang Shuwen out of the main gate of Zhuji Pavilion.

Xu Chongshan didn’t come to see him off.

For one, he hadn’t expected Fang Shuwen to be leaving so soon.

For another, he had just caught that scoundrel Guan Tianyue the day before and was currently busy torturing him to vent his frustrations, with no time to spare for anything else.

As for Lu Xiaoqing... there was no need to disturb someone with mobility issues.

On the way from the Treasure Tower to the front gate, Zuo Qingshuang gave Fang Shuwen a detailed explanation of Zhuji Pavilion’s secret contact signals. When necessary, he could use them to find Zhuji Pavilion disciples and then use the Jade Pearl Order to give them commands.

Fang Shuwen committed it all to memory. ’As for whether he’d actually use it... that was a matter for another time.’

Before long, they stood before the mountain gate. Zhou Qingmei and Fang Shuwen waved their goodbyes. With a final "Take care," Fang Shuwen turned and departed.

Zhou Qingmei stood there, watching him go in silence, her face betraying no emotion.

Zuo Qingshuang didn’t speak either, her gaze resting on her treasured disciple. She didn’t know how to comfort her.

’After all, how could she explain something she herself had never experienced?’

Just as she was about to let out a soft sigh, she saw Fang Shuwen suddenly turn around and come back.

Zuo Qingshuang froze, and Zhou Qingmei’s eyes brightened slightly.

Fang Shuwen strode up to them.

"Oh, right! I almost forgot. When you find your dad, tell him to send the silver notes—the ones for two thousand taels of gold—to the Four Seas Martial Arts Hall.

"And also, tell him not to forget my payment for protecting you."

Zhou Qingmei:

"..."

Zuo Qingshuang:

"..."

...

...

「Guangning City.」

Fang Shuwen opened his eyes on the bed in his inn room. He got up, walked to the table, and poured himself a glass of water.

A conflicted expression crossed his face as he gazed at the sunlight streaming in through the window.

Half a month had passed since he’d said goodbye to Zhou Qingmei at the gate of Zhuji Pavilion.

He had been in Guangning City for several days now.

His original plan had been to see if he could find an opportunity to investigate the Fang Family’s situation here in Guangning City.

And while he was at it, he hoped to pick up another mission, perhaps as a Family Guard.

But as it turned out, there was nothing to report regarding the Fang Family.

He had snuck into the Fang Family estate a few times, but he couldn’t tell if his Lightweight Technique was simply too poor and he had been detected, or if the family was genuinely as peaceful as it appeared. Either way, he hadn’t discovered anything strange.

As for missions... he had visited several large, wealthy households in a row, but none had triggered a task from his system.

This was the primary source of Fang Shuwen’s current predicament.

’I can put the Fang Family’s situation aside for now. After all these years, there’s no need to rush.’

’But what’s the deal with the system’s tasks?’

Fang Shuwen pushed open the window. He frowned slightly as he watched the people already bustling about on the street below.

’From the looks of it, my system tasks don’t just trigger randomly.’

’The system activated back at the Zhou Family, and it clearly specified a three-month period... so three months later, to the day, the Zhou Family was besieged and nearly wiped out.’

’After that, I got the task from Zhou Feixiong to protect Zhou Qingmei, and that was because she was being hunted by the Black Death Sect.’

’Looking at the current situation, it seems that if there’s no problem or danger, my system probably won’t trigger a task.’

’And once it does trigger... it means something is bound to happen?’

To be honest, Fang Shuwen wasn’t too bothered by this.

No risk, no reward. It was a fair trade.

It just meant that his original idea—to find a quiet place, lie low for a few months, and get rewards for free—was clearly not going to work.

Besides, with so many people bustling about in the world, how was he supposed to know who would trigger his next task?

With this system, tasks were his primary path to growth, which was extremely important to him.

’Whatever. I’ve been in Guangning City a bit too long. I should head back to Julu City first to see Master and Eldest Brother.’

’I still haven’t given them that Ten-Year Dust-Breaking Pill.’

’As for the Fang Family... it wouldn’t be too late to come back after I’ve returned to Julu City and checked in with my master and brother.’

Just as he was thinking this, his gaze swept casually across the street, then suddenly froze.

He saw a burly man striding quickly down the street, clutching a conspicuous, bulging object to his chest.

He kept stopping to look back over his shoulder, his face grave, as if someone was secretly following him.

And in fact, someone was.

With a single glance, Fang Shuwen spotted two black-clad figures silently tailing the man.

Though they were stealthy, the man had clearly sensed them. Suddenly, as if having made a decision, he ducked into a small alley off the main road.

Seeing this, the two black-clad men knew they had been exposed. They stopped hiding, leaped out from the shadows, and used their Lightweight Technique to give chase.

Such a scene was not uncommon in the Jianghu, but Fang Shuwen couldn’t just ignore it.

Not because he was some natural-born hero, always ready to fight for justice... but because the burly man being chased by the two black-clad figures was no stranger. It was his Eldest Martial Brother, Mo Beidou!!