Chapter 16: Deception

The pair traveled in fits and starts, finally arriving near the city of Fuzhou. Even around the turn of the millennium in Wang Jingyuan's original world, there were plenty of highwaymen and bullies; in these mid-Ming Dynasty times, such lawlessness was a given.

Wang Jingyuan had left a trail of severed heads along the way. At first, Yue Lingshan had tried to stop him, but eventually, she grew numb to the carnage. She even began helping him search the bodies, ensuring that at least those she tended to looked somewhat more presentable.

Using the Huashan sword style to kill granted a steady increase in proficiency, and coupled with the sparring sessions Wang Jingyuan initiated whenever they had a moment, his mastery of the art had far surpassed Yue Lingshan's.

Regrettably, his internal energy cultivation remained as sluggish as ever, leaving him roughly evenly matched with Yue Lingshan during their bouts. He was only learning basic Huashan techniques, not the specialized "black technology" of the Sword Sect that allowed the weak to overcome the strong. Still, in Yue Lingshan's eyes, his progress was remarkably swift.

Upon arriving outside Fuzhou, Yue Lingshan was eager to enter the city and scout the Fuwei Escort Agency. Wang Jingyuan stopped her. "Wait, let's make some preparations first."

Yue Lingshan paused. "Prepare what?"

"I saw a troupe of musicians back there. I'll be right back." With that, Wang Jingyuan spurred his horse and rode off.

"Musicians? Aren't those wind-and-percussion bands only for weddings and funerals?" Yue Lingshan muttered in confusion, though she didn't try to stop him. She knew her junior martial brother wouldn't listen to her anyway.

Soon, Wang Jingyuan and Yue Lingshan entered the city gates, flanked by the troupe of musicians. As they crossed the threshold, Wang Jingyuan gave a signal: "Start singing!"

The old man leading the troupe let out a resounding cry:

"Hey—!
Clouds churn and waves surge atop Mount Huashan,
A single azure blade shakes the mountains and rivers!
The Master of the Yue family stands tall in the sun,
With Purple Mist energy piercing—the—heavens!"

Then, the clappers joined in:

"The left hand holds the righteousness of the pugilistic world,
The right hand hoists the banner of justice!
Known throughout the Three Mountains and Five Peaks,
The name of the Gentleman Sword spreads far—and—wide!"

The rhythm picked up:

"A tiger in the forest, just reaching its prime,
Pride in the eyes, spirit in the bones!
Today we open the mountain to welcome a fledgling,
Adding a new star—to—the—Huashan—gate!"

The *erhu* began to wail:

"Do not say the rivers and lakes are perilous,
Righteousness shall guard you through it all.
Three bows in the Hall of Righteousness,
No fear for the road—ahead—is—smooth!"

Finally, the entire troupe sang out in unison:

"Ya—!
The peerless arts of Huashan have an heir,
Look there—
A bird alights on the branch before the Fuwei gates,
Young Lin shall henceforth ascend—the—clouds!"

Wang Jingyuan bobbed his head to the rhythm. "Little Junior Sister, what a coincidence, isn't it? Who knew we'd find a band that knows the Huayin Old Chamber style right here near Fuzhou. This is the only way to do things properly."

He turned to the troupe and shouted, "Play louder! I won't be stingy with the red envelopes afterward!"

The already robust, raw tone of the Huayin Old Chamber grew even louder, startling the city dwellers who stopped on the roadside to watch. Unlike the carefree Wang Jingyuan, Yue Lingshan kept her head down the entire way, gripping the reins tightly, her toes curled in embarrassment. She was different from him; she cared about her reputation.

Wang Jingyuan had no intention of keeping a low profile. He circled the entire city before finally heading toward the Fuwei Escort Agency. First, he wanted the whole city to know they had arrived. Second, he needed to give the agency time to report their presence to Lin Zhennan.

As expected, by the time they reached the gates, Lin Zhennan was already waiting with his wife and child. Regardless of the spectacle, they were flying the banner of the venerable Master Yue of Mount Huashan; he could not afford to be disrespectful.

The troupe stopped, and Wang Jingyuan dismounted, reaching for his banknotes. Lin Zhennan, smiling, stepped forward to stop him, signaling for an escort to bring out a tray of copper coins to pay the musicians and inviting them to the back courtyard for tea.

Wang Jingyuan nodded slightly. Lin Zhennan was a man of the world, though his martial arts were sadly lacking.

The gate was no place for conversation. After formal introductions, Lin Zhennan invited them inside. After some polite pleasantries, he played dumb. "Miss Yue, Young Master Wang, to what do I owe the pleasure?"

Wang Jingyuan went straight to the point: "The Buddhist shrine in the old residence on Xiangyang Lane."

Since he already possessed the core intelligence, there was no point in dragging things out. Unlike those players who enjoyed immersive roleplay, he preferred to fast-forward through the plot.

As expected, Lin Zhennan’s pupils dilated. However, years of running an escort agency had taught him to keep his emotions hidden. He stood up, bowed to the two, and asked them to follow him to a private room in the back.

Once they were alone, Lin Zhennan asked, "What did you mean by that?"

Wang Jingyuan didn't beat around the bush. "I made such a grand entrance to show that Huashan intends to take your son as a disciple. I'm sure you heard. You played dumb earlier because you feared Huashan was coveting your family's *Bixie Sword Manual*, right?"

"Huashan is a righteous sect. I would never—"

"Enough. Time is short, let's skip the pleasantries. You don't have to play dumb, Uncle Lin. We both know the manual is hidden in the Buddhist shrine of your Xiangyang Lane residence. Specifically, under the tile pointed to by the statue of the Buddha."

"How... how do you know this?!"

Wang Jingyuan feigned confusion. "Did Old Man Lintong not tell his descendants? He brought the manual to Huashan back in the day; every generation of Huashan masters has known its contents. Lean in, Uncle Lin."

Lin Zhennan leaned in cautiously. Wang Jingyuan whispered a few words into his ear. Immediately, a look of profound shock and uncertainty crossed Lin Zhennan's face, making Yue Lingshan itch with curiosity.

Wang Jingyuan didn't know which version of *The Smiling, Proud Wanderer* this world followed, but he knew Lin Yuantu was dead—dead men tell no tales. He was betting on an information gap.

Lin Zhennan hesitated. "I will verify this myself later. But why have you come here today?"

"To save your Fuwei Escort Agency."

Lin Zhennan was used to such alarmist tactics and didn't believe him easily. "From what danger?"

"The Qingcheng Sect and the Songshan Sect."

Lin Zhennan countered, "They are both righteous sects."

"Old Man Lintong once fought the Qingcheng master, Chang Qingzi, and defeated him with the 72-style Bixie Sword. Though they agreed to keep the result secret, word leaked out. Chang Qingzi died of resentment. The current master, Yu Canghai, is not a man of broad mind. He has been looking for revenge, but more importantly, he has been spying on your agency and realized your descendants' martial arts are mediocre. He covets the manual that once defeated his master."

"And the Songshan Sect?"

"Oh, they’re just inherently evil, and they want the manual too."

Lin Zhennan pondered for a moment, still skeptical. "Do you have proof?"

Wang Jingyuan stepped back and drew his sword. After just a few moves, Lin Zhennan turned pale with fright; he was far too familiar with those techniques.

As Wang Jingyuan finished the set, he received a notification: [Proficiency in "Bixie Sword Manual" (Fake) +1].

If the master of Huashan could discover the Qingcheng disciples stealing the manual, how could he not have learned it himself? Under Wang Jingyuan's pressure, he had taught the stolen techniques to him.

Wang Jingyuan sheathed his sword. "The Qingcheng Sect is training in this style, which proves their intent. But they realized it’s incomplete, so they suspect the accompanying internal art is the key. We have news that they are already on their way. You’ll see their tracks in Fuzhou soon. They will look for any excuse to provoke your agency. Once a grievance is established, Yu Canghai will have his pretext. We came ahead of them to save you."