Chapter 32

"You're talking about Kong Xiannian of the Huaqing Sect?"

Wu Tu was stunned when he heard the name, then hurriedly asked: "He took action against you?"

Li Rui shook his head: "He just asked me some things."

He concealed the fact that Kong Xiannian had used an illusion technique on him.

Wu Tu breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing this: "I've heard of this person. This time, the Huaqing Sect sent two 'Agents' to Qinghe, and Kong Xiannian is one of them."

"Agents?"

Wu Tu explained: "Those like Zhu Yue who join the Huaqing Sect are outer disciples. The Huaqing Sect has a very strict examination system, held every three years. If one fails the examination, they must leave the Huaqing Sect. However, there is another path, which is to work for the Huaqing Sect; these people are called 'Agents' by outsiders."

"If an Agent performs well, there is a possibility of becoming a disciple again."

Li Rui nodded.

Translated, that meant temporary workers who had a chance to become full-time employees in the future.

Wu Tu continued:

"This time, Kong Xiannian is responsible for capturing the traitorous Huaqing Sect disciple, while the other person is responsible for searching for evidence of the Ghost Ming Sect."

"I am working for Agent Liu."

Li Rui suddenly understood.

Wu Tu: "Old Brother Li, we have nothing to fear if our conscience is clear. There's no need to fear Zhao Wei and the man surnamed Kong. If anything happens, you can go find Vice Helmsman Zhang."

Li Rui: "Many thanks for the reminder, Brother."

Wu Tu told him quite a bit more about the Heaven and Earth Alliance, and even after a full hour, he still hadn't finished.

Li Rui walked out of the gambling den overseen by Wu Tu.

He headed straight back to the Hun Tian Yi Hall.

The Hun Tian Yi Hall was as cold and quiet as ever.

Occasionally, one could see one or two disciples from the Dharma Hall coming to collect copies of cultivation techniques; Zhou Shulin and Liang He were enough to handle these matters.

"Hall Master."

Zhou Shulin stood up and bowed when he saw Li Rui appear.

Li Rui waved his hand.

"You continue."

There were only three people in the Hun Tian Yi Hall, one of whom was a super-connected individual; if Zhou Shulin and Liang He left, he, the Hall Master, would have to register things himself.

Therefore, Li Rui didn't skimp on showing concern for them.

This moved the two naive youths to tears.

They had even gone out for drinks several times.

Zhou Shulin and Liang He only felt that their current Hall Master was a kind and understanding older brother, and after getting drunk, they had poured their hearts out to him.

Li Rui remembered everything one by one.

Perhaps it would be useful in the future.

Of course, it would be best if there were no opportunity to use it.

The biggest taboo in the Jianghu is to speak deeply when the acquaintance is shallow; he did this naturally to better manipulate the only two laborers in the Hun Tian Yi Hall.

Li Rui wouldn't take the initiative to harm others, but he also knew the principle of keeping a card up his sleeve.

People's hearts are separated by skin; who can say for sure?

Li Rui returned to his single "office" in the Hun Tian Yi Hall.

Just as he picked up the "Scripture of Supreme Goodness" he hadn't finished reading yesterday, Liu Tong knocked on the door, which was a rare occurrence.

"Liu Tong, is something the matter?"

Li Rui looked at Liu Tong with concern.

For those with connections, the best approach was to build good karma whenever possible; perhaps there would be unexpected benefits.

Whether he checked in or not didn't matter at all.

It was just an uncle's concern for his nephew.

A month later, Liu Tong still looked like a sickly young master; he chuckled: "Hall Master, my brother-in-law asked me to work at the Civil and Martial Arts Hall. The transfer order will come down in a few days, so I thought I'd invite Hall Master Li and the two brothers to get together."

Li Rui wasn't too surprised.

Anyone with eyes could see that Liu Tong leaving the Hun Tian Yi Hall was only a matter of time.

"Good, there's no time like the present. How about tonight?"

"Agreed."

Liu Tong immediately accepted.

In the evening.

Flower Hua Yelou.

"Old Li has also made something of himself, coming to the Flower Hua Yelou twice in a row."

Looking at the familiar room and the familiar plump girl.

Li Rui felt a sense of emotion.

It seems his understanding of feudal, decadent culture was still insufficient; one is never too old to learn.

Zhou Shulin sat beside a beautiful woman, his face flushed red, clutching his crotch.

As for Liang He.

He had to be on duty, so he could only regret missing out on tonight's free meal.

Liu Tong was a veteran of the pleasure quarters and was more at ease in the Flower Hua Yelou than at home; most of the women in the pavilion knew Liu Tong, and at least a dozen courtesans greeted him familiarly as he went upstairs.

This made Zhou Shulin envious.

Both were connected, but the treatment was like heaven and earth.

Liu Tong raised his wine cup: "I've troubled the Hall Master and Brother Zhou during this time. Since Brother Liang isn't here, I'll keep it in mind for him and repay it another day. I'm going to work at the Civil and Martial Arts Hall tomorrow; it's all my brother-in-law's idea, but our friendship remains."

"Excuse me, I've said too much. I'll drink this cup first, you all please yourselves."

Before the words had even faded.

He tilted his head back and drank the wine in the cup.

Although the ancient wine didn't have a high alcohol content, it had many impurities; after a few cups, Liu Tong and Zhou Shulin were already seven-tenths drunk.

"Brother Zhou, it was my fault before; I hope you'll be more forgiving."

Zhou Shulin waved his hand with a red face: "It's all small stuff, Brother Liu, don't take it to heart."

Li Rui listened quietly to the conversation between the two youths.

He shook his head inwardly.

On the surface, Liu Tong seemed to be constantly flattering Zhou Shulin, occupying a weak position, but in reality, everything was under Liu Tong's control.

Liu Tong wanted to go to the Civil and Martial Arts Hall, which required sending someone to evaluate him according to the rules; if Li Rui, Zhou Shulin, or Liang He had sabotaged him at this time.

Even if he could have passed in the end.

He would inevitably have left an image of being incompetent in the eyes of his brother-in-law.

Liu Tong was indeed very skilled at managing human relationships.

One could also say he was deep and calculating.

Li Rui didn't feel disgusted by this; dealing with such a smart person made things much easier for him.

Of course, another reason was that Liu Tong's brother-in-law's surname was Zhang.

It was the same surname as Wu Tu's backer.

Since Zhao Wei couldn't be relied upon, he naturally needed to find a new backer within the Heaven and Earth Alliance; having Wu Tu's connection was far from enough.

He needed to have more contact with that Vice Helmsman Zhang.

Imperceptibly, he naturally became a part of that Vice Helmsman Zhang's faction, so that when Zhao Wei really made things difficult for him, there would be someone to help.

Of course, this didn't mean that Zhao Wei would definitely take action against him.

It was just that Li Rui had long been accustomed to taking precautions.

Liu Tong gradually became seven-tenths drunk.

He waved his hand, and the courtesans accompanying them tactfully withdrew; Zhou Shulin looked reluctant to let them go.

Liu Tong lowered his voice: "Li Tangzhu, Brother Zhou, we're all family, so I won't hide anything from you.

I heard our Alliance Master has already broken through; the status of the Heaven and Earth Alliance will surely soar, and our status will rise with the tide.

Now that the Qinghe branch is newly established, it's the perfect time to secure a position. Once the Alliance Master truly announces his strength to the world, it will be too late to grab one.

I truly treat you as brothers, which is why I'm saying this; don't tell anyone else."

Zhou Shulin's eyes widened, and he nodded repeatedly.

Li Rui suddenly saw the light.

He suddenly understood why Zhu Ping, the head of a major clan, would suddenly show him favor; so that was why.

(End of Chapter)