CHAPTER 64: CHAPTER 61 ARRIVING AT THE DIVINE CAPITAL (PART 2)

The reach of the Six Gates is indeed vast, their intelligence network brazenly establishing itself even in the Northern Zhou Capital City.

Qing Yu was no fool. Time and again, intelligence was sent and received through Yunlai Inn, clearly indicating a link between the inn and Six Gates. At Yunlai Inn, it wasn’t just guests that came and went, but also the intelligence they carried.

Qing Yu once again felt fortunate that he hadn’t fallen out with Six Gates; otherwise, it would be uncertain if there was any safe haven left to flee to.

However, now the extensive reach of Six Gates’ intelligence could be beneficial to him. At the very least, he shouldn’t worry about failing the entry examination of Mountain River Academy. If he couldn’t handle even that, it would truly waste the swagger of establishing an intelligence network in the Divine Capital.

"Let’s go, let’s go inside."

······

Half an hour later, Jin Mingxuan was idly sipping tea downstairs. "Why is Brother Meng so slow, like a woman?"

This was already his third pot of tea. Thirty minutes earlier, Jin Mingxuan had finished bathing and was waiting for Qing Yu downstairs. Jin Mingxuan was not the sort of nobleman who spent time applying makeup; a quick bath and a change into clean clothes, and he was ready to meet Qing Yu.

And then he waited, for thirty minutes.

With a "creak," the wooden stairs echoed with the sound of footsteps, and Jin Mingxuan looked up countless times.

This time he was not disappointed. A dashing gentleman dressed in a white Confucian robe, fanning himself, stepped down the stairs.

"Brother Meng, you...," Jin Mingxuan’s mouth hung open.

No wonder he was shocked. With just the time it took to bathe and change clothes, Brother Meng seemed like a completely different person. The face was still the same, but now it shone brightly, giving off the impression of shedding layers of grime to reveal a genuine radiance.

"I’ve merely cleansed myself of the dust from our travels," said Qing Yu, shaking his fan rather pretentiously.

It seemed the effort was worthwhile. Seeing the shock on Jin Mingxuan’s face, Qing Yu thought smugly.

For someone like Jin Mingxuan, born into a great family, flattering and fawning over him would not make you his friend. Flattery and sycophancy are more than familiar to him, what he needs isn’t a servile flatterer but a companion who suits his tastes.

Therefore, to become friends with Jin Mingxuan, you had to appeal to his personality and get him to take the initiative.

Qing Yu remained in his room for an hour, but naturally, he was not getting dolled up like a woman. Well, it was almost the same since the goal was to let others see a better version of oneself.

He stimulated his muscles slightly with his Inner Strength, not intending to alter his appearance but to make each feature look more appealing to the aesthetic senses of others. In terms of his previous life, it was akin to having innate Photoshop abilities, exhibiting the best versions of oneself.

"Brother Jin, this won’t do for you," Qing Yu said, scrutinizing Jin Mingxuan up and down.

"What’s wrong with it, is there something improper?" asked Jin Mingxuan, turning around.

He had changed into a new sapphire blue garment, his head still adorned with the golden crown, a few strands of hair loosely framing his face, creating a carefree and irresistibly charming look, appealing to women who fancied the wild type of man.

"You’re missing a bit of an elegant demeanor, which is why you need..." Qing Yu waved his folding fan.

"It’s almost winter now," Jin Mingxuan looked at Qing Yu as if he were a fool.

The season was deep into autumn and winter was approaching; the weather had already turned chilly. Waving a folding fan at this time, one might be considered a fool.

"Isn’t it stylish?" Qing Yu fanned himself, a breeze lifting his hair, the very image of a debonair gentleman of turbulent times.

"Handsome," Jin Mingxuan’s eyes shone.

"Handsome is enough. A man needs style. What’s the use of warmth? Can it win a girl’s affection? Moreover, from your energy, Brother Jin, you must be a Martial Artist who practices Inner Strength, so you shouldn’t fear a little cold breeze," taught Qing Yu earnestly.

"So that’s how it is." Jin Mingxuan suddenly realized why he could only sneak around with the serving girl in his household—he always lost out to those playful and charming guys when he went out. It turned out he wasn’t charming enough.

"I’ll go buy a folding fan right now!" Jin Mingxuan hurriedly declared his intention to purchase a fan.

"No rush, no rush," Qing Yu stopped the overly eager Jin Mingxuan, "First, let’s fill our stomachs, then we can go buy it later."

"Can’t we just eat something at Tianyue Workshop?" Jin Mingxuan asked in surprise.

"Brother Jin, do you know what ’drinking flower wine’ is?" Qing Yu showed a hint of frustration as if he was lecturing, "Drinking flower wine is, as it suggests, about drinking wine, not eating vegetables. We’re not going to some place where any riffraff can pay their way in; we’re going to a refined place. At places like Tianyue Workshop, where there’s never a shortage of wealthy customers, standing out from the crowd and catching a lady’s eye requires showing one’s best self.

If you go on an empty stomach and it rumbles, isn’t that rude? If you’re starving and gobble up the food, that’s rude too. And if you try to kiss her with a mouth full of the taste of food—that’s utterly disrespectful. Come on, let’s go eat first."

With that, Qing Yu took the lead and strode out of the inn.

Playboy. Jin Mingxuan cursed inwardly, then scurried after him; he was determined to make friends with this guy.

"Brother Meng, wait up."

"Don’t eat too much later on, just enough to line the stomach, or you won’t be able to drink much."

"Oh..."

...

Outside the True Martial Dao Sect, a spacious carriage came rumbling along.

"We’ve arrived, Uncle Master Xuanfeng," Qingzhou jumped down from the carriage and informed the passenger inside.

"Are we there..." A weary voice came from within the carriage.

As the carriage door opened, Qingling helped Xuanfeng step out.

"True Martial Dao Sect..." Xuanfeng looked at the nearby gate, both familiar and somewhat unfamiliar.

Xuan Guang had kept his promise; he did not kill Xuanfeng. Instead, he treated him well until the battle of Yang City ended, after which he released him.

"We’re finally here..." Xuanfeng exhaled heavily with fatigue.

Xuan Guang hadn’t hurt him, but Xuanfeng’s heart had been in turmoil these past two months. In just two months, he aged what felt like twenty years, and his hair had started to turn gray.

Suddenly, Xuanfeng realized that the True Martial Dao, where he had grown up, felt a little unfamiliar. Not only was it the Sect Leader, who he had long since lost clarity about, but him...

Xuanfeng glanced at Qingzhou, who stood to the side. To his knowledge, this disciple was the trusted aide of Sect Leader Qingxu. Qing Yu had also been present at his death. Or rather, Qing Yu’s death had something to do with him, albeit indirectly.

If it were the old days, Xuanfeng would never have doubted a disciple of True Martial Dao, but now, nothing was certain.

"Senior Brother Xuan, what should I do..."

Xuan turned to look back at the spacious carriage as if he could see through the coffin inside it, and the body of his revered Senior Brother Xuan.