The day after the incident in the underground prison, the county magistrate received news that the matter had been resolved.
The individuals sent to carry out the task also committed suicide by poisoning themselves after succeeding.
The county magistrate initially suspected that there might be deception involved, but upon seeing that the special envoy took no further action and only occasionally sent a few letters to the capital, he realized that they were merely reports trying to take credit for their own work.
It's all just superficial showmanship while engaging in flattery and sycophancy behind the scenes.
With that, a heavy burden was lifted from the county magistrate's heart.
Now, all he needed was to obtain the account books and orchestrate the special envoy's unexpected demise, just like the former inspector, and Nanlong Prefecture would be under his control.
Little did he know that at the moment he let his guard down, the genuine letters had already been dispatched from Nanlong Prefecture and were on their way to the capital.
Wuji Sect.
"Master, we've received news from over there. As long as the mission is completed, we can set the price ourselves," the steward of Wuji Sect said while standing below.
The condition offered by the buyer greatly intrigued the sect's master. However, considering the level of danger associated with the mission, he couldn't make up his mind immediately.
"What do you think, Second Brother?" the sect's master asked the person sitting on his left.
This person was The Worrying Ghost, who had been severely injured by Gong Xiaohua.
At this moment, he had recovered his original appearance, with a pale face and lips, clearly indicating that his injuries had not yet healed.
Looking at the deep, downward hooks on both sides of his nose, he gave off an overwhelmingly sinister and dangerous vibe.
"Those people on the other side, except for that little girl, pose no threat," he replied.
"We've already sent two waves of men before, but they returned empty-handed. Now their preventive measures will only be more stringent, making it difficult to strike."
"Unless the boss takes action himself, perhaps there's still a chance of success."
"The boss kills people purely based on his mood, so he's completely unreliable. We'd better think of other strategies," the steward said.
Just as he finished speaking, a questioning voice came from behind.
"I say, old man steward, are you talking bad about me again?"
The steward, standing in the middle, stiffened his body and turned around awkwardly. The Worrying Ghost on his left also stood up and bowed to the newcomer, saying, "Boss."
Only the Wuji Sect's master remained seated at the head, calling out, "Nangong."
The newcomer appeared to be around seventeen or eighteen years old, dressed in dark green attire. Half of his hair was tied up while the other half draped over his shoulders. He held a folding fan in his hand, exuding a rather elegant aura.
This person was none other than Nangong Jue, the number one killer in Wuji Sect and the top-ranked assassin on the Jianghu Killer Leaderboard.
He was a genuine martial arts prodigy, having single-handedly challenged the top assassins on various leaderboards, gaining fame and becoming the number one assassin in the martial world, a position that no one has surpassed to this day.
Within the Wuji Sect, the ranking of assassins was determined by martial prowess, not age.
Even though Nangong Jue was the youngest, his martial strength was unmatched, earning him the title of "Boss" within the sect.
In theory, a proud individual like him should never willingly submit to a sect.
However, it was because the sect's master had once shown him kindness that he had made a five-year commitment to stay in Wuji Sect.
But when it came to accepting or executing missions, it solely depended on his personal mood. When he was in a good mood, he spared his targets, regardless of the requests made.
When feeling displeased, one could annihilate the other party without leaving a trace, not even sparing a mouse.
That's why for most crucial tasks within the sect, other assassins are usually assigned, and Nangong Jue merely plays a front-facing role.
Nangong Jue glanced at the Worrying Ghost seated to his right and was taken aback. He exclaimed, "Who is this old man with such an ugly appearance? He's blinding my eyes! Quickly, make him leave, or my poor heart won't be able to handle it."
The corners of everyone's mouths twitched, and the Worrying Ghost's face turned pale.
The steward quickly tugged at Nangong Jue's clothes and whispered, "Master, this is the Second Young Master."
"What? He's that old ghost who wears heavy makeup every day?" Nangong Jue stared at the steward, his face filled with disbelief.
The steward nodded, thinking to himself, "Master, you truly are a master. At least consider the Second Young Master's dignity."
"Sorry, old ghost, I didn't expect you to look like this without your makeup. And you, why bother with those things only women would use within the sect? You're getting older, and no one is interested in you." Nangong Jue retorted, pointing at the Worrying Ghost, his expression one of incredulity.
"Cough, cough, Nangong!" The Sect Master of the Wuji Sect intervened, stopping Nangong Jue's increasingly outrageous remarks.
Only then did Nangong Jue shut his mouth and took a seat.
"Nangong, why have you come?" asked the Sect Master.
"I heard that you encountered a tough opponent in this mission, even the old ghost was defeated by him. I was curious and came to have a look. Sect Master, if you can't defeat him, you can send me. It's been a long time since I've had a worthy opponent. Let me meet him," Nangong Jue proposed.
"You want to go?"
"Yes, I want to go."
"This mission is of utmost importance, unlike the previous ones. After you act recklessly, there won't be anyone to clean up after you."
"Sect Master, rest assured, this time I won't act recklessly. I will definitely complete the mission."
The Sect Master of the Wuji Sect didn't respond immediately. Instead, he pondered for a moment and said, "You can go, but you have to promise me one condition."
"Alright, as long as I can go, any condition is acceptable. Please tell me."
"I need you to sign a 'Military Order' to guarantee the completion of the mission. Otherwise, you'll have to serve the Wuji Sect for the rest of your life."
Upon hearing the Sect Master's request, Nangong Jue wanted to refuse. However, deep down, his nature as a martial arts fanatic made him eager to know the strength of the opponent they spoke highly of.
"Alright, I'll sign it."
As they watched Nangong Jue's departing figure, the onlookers couldn't tell whether they hoped he would succeed or fail in this mission.
But when all was said and done, the Wuji Sect would benefit the most.
"Sect Master is wise," said the Worrying Ghost.
Gong Xiaohua had been feeling a bit annoyed lately. The reason was that a few days ago, one evening, Gong Xiaohua was on duty outside Lord Li's room with her small squad.
Suddenly, a pebble fell at her feet. She looked up and saw a remarkably seductive man sitting on the opposite rooftop, grinning with a mouthful of white teeth, repeatedly challenging her to a duel.
"Hey, girl, I heard you're formidable. I've come to challenge you."
"Drive him away."
"Yes."
The person was none other than Nangong Jue, who, despite being ordered to leave multiple times by Gong Xiaohua, persisted and pestered her every day for a duel.
Moreover, when did he arrive each time? She hadn't even heard the slightest sound.
The other party possessed extraordinary skills, possibly even slightly surpassing her own.
The motives of the intruders were unclear, so she chose to wait and see since they hadn't made any moves.
At the border of Nanlong Prefecture.
"Sir, the next intersection is the dividing line between Nanlong Prefecture and Sishui Prefecture. The palace ladies are currently lodging at the Nanlong Prefecture station. Should we go there directly, or should we first go to Sishui Prefecture?"
Qin Chuyuan didn't hesitate and rode his horse straight towards Nanlong Prefecture.
The few guards behind exchanged glances and followed their master.
When Qin Chuyuan arrived at the station, this was the scene he saw.
Gong Xiaohua held a decorative knife and stood guard in front of a room. By her side stood a young man dressed in bamboo green attire, holding a folding fan, diligently fanning her.
Not only did Gong Xiaohua not drive the man away, but she also allowed him to chatter on the side, asking, "How's the strength of this strike?"
Qin Chuyuan's jealousy flared up, and with a tinge of unbeknownst bitterness, he asked Gong Xiaohua, "Who is he?"
