For Li Guanyi, the only known wanted criminal requiring the Ti Qi to issue a communication order was Yue Qianfeng; encountering a similar situation now naturally led him to think of that individual, a notion subtly stirring in his heart as he quietly moved closer.
There were many onlookers, and Li Guanyi being among them was not unusual.
Chen Country was economically affluent and fond of culture, enjoying considerable freedom of speech, and was the core of literati across the land.
It was just past noon; the citizens, having eaten and drunk their fill and not yet back to work, felt somewhat lazy and listless with nothing much to do—ready to crowd around a spectacle. Li Guanyi glanced over and felt a sigh of relief that the communication order depicted a thin man.
Extremely tall,
with a large face.
He looked as if a burlap sack was fitted over a bamboo pole, his large pancake-like face sprinkled with sesame seeds.
Yet his eyes were slanted downward at the edges, fierce and threatening.
The Ti Qi shouted, "This man is named Qian Zheng, formerly a squad leader in the border troops, created a rout, led a dozen men to commit crimes everywhere, ruthless and brutal, seen blood on his hands, murdered a dozen lives, and raped many women. Recently, citizens entering or leaving cities and villages should never travel alone."
"Those who provide accurate and effective information will be rewarded with ten taels of silver."
"Whoever beheads him will be rewarded with one hundred taels of silver."
According to Yue Qianfeng, a military squad leader would be a Martial Artist at the Entering Realm.
And also from the border troops, he must be a ferociously skilled combatant.
Chen Country shares borders with two regions: Tuyuhun to the northwest of Ying Country, and directly with Ying Country, which is closer. This Qian Zheng likely came from the border troops of Ying Country, roving to this area.
To provide "accurate and effective information" means the provided information must lead the Ti Qi to capture this fugitive, after which you will receive ten taels of silver.
Li Guanyi pondered thoughtfully, then reassured himself, initially thinking it was Yue Qianfeng again.
Just as he was about to leave, he noticed the Ti Qi were not yet finished and pulled out an even larger communication order, hung it up, and the depicted person had slightly wide tiger eyes, disheveled hair and beard, but there was an intimidating aura about him, like a demon among men, incomparable to the earlier Qian Zheng.
Li Guanyi paused in his steps.
It was indeed Yue Qianfeng.
The Ti Qi's expressions grew solemn as they said,
"The criminal Yue Qianfeng."
"Those who can provide accurate information..."
The Ti Qi's voice faltered, then they took a deep breath and said,
"will be granted a thousand gold coins, and a title!"
Li Guanyi's gaze froze.
Granted a thousand gold coins?
A title?!
The young man looked at the communication order, clearly larger and clearer than before, his expression subtly frozen as he muttered involuntarily—
Damn!
All you need is to provide accurate information.
Granted a thousand gold coins, a title?
Old Yue, what have you been up to these past few days? Did you pull off another big one?!
Or more than one?
Li Guanyi stood transfixed, staring at the term 'accomplice' on the communication order, his lips twitching. A thousand gold coins was one thing, but a title was an extremely serious and cautious matter for any country, and the lavish reward offered in Yue Qianfeng's communication order was extraordinarily high, so high that it defied the laws of Chen Country.
It could only prove one thing.
The high officials who issued this communication order were desperate.
He suspected that Yue Qianfeng had done something significant enough to scare the high officials of Chen Country who ordered it, to death.
Mingling among the astounded citizens, Li Guanyi did not stand out, perfectly ordinary. As he watched the Ti Qi leave, holding a scroll that seemed to contain records of all wanted criminals in Chen Country, a thought unconsciously surfaced in his mind—
He wondered if his own and his aunt's names were on that list.
If he and his aunt were also listed.
Then where would they rank?
Li Guanyi withdrew his gaze, such thoughts rising and dissipating quickly like ripples on water, vanishing without trace. The incident this morning was merely an episode for him now.
However, while heading to the Xue Family, Li Guanyi suddenly wondered why, if Yue Qianfeng was abroad, Guan Yi City needed to post this notice?
Was Yue Qianfeng planning to return?
And if so, where would he appear?
Li Guanyi paused slightly, then looked up toward where the Mountain God Temple originally stood.
In that case...
He raised his hand, touching his chest where only a dragon's head and claw emerged from the Red Dragon.
Perhaps, the chance for his Red Dragon Dharma Form to fully emerge from the bronze tripod might soon arrive.
.........
Li Guanyi arrived at the Xue Family.
It was not yet time to tutor Xue Shuangtao and her younger brother in mathematics, and it was rather leisurely. He used his familiarity with the Xue Family as an excuse to wander around the extensive Xue Family grounds for almost an hour before finally sitting down on a stone bench next to the Martial Arts Arena.
He watched people in the arena, some lifting stone locks, others waving heavy swords, training their bodies.
Some were engaged in combat training, sparring with each other.
Li Guanyi gazed down.
Couldn't find it, simply couldn't find it.
He had wandered for an hour and still hadn't seen the White Tiger Dharma Form again.
The Jade Liquid in the bronze tripod had accumulated to a third. Yesterday's brief contact had matched the effectiveness of the previous ten days. But clearly, he was already at the Xue Family, yet he had no chance to get close to that old man and the Jade Liquid in the bronze tripod just stubbornly remained as it was.
"Oh, isn't that Mr. Li? You've come early today."
There was a crisp, laughing voice, belonging to a handsome and plump lady.
Li Guanyi lifted his head, recognizing her as one of the managers from the Clothing Workshop. A warm, shy, youthful smile appeared on his face, as he stood up to greet her, saying, "It's Qu, isn't it?"
"Today's my first day lecturing, so I thought it's best to come early."
"Giggle giggle giggle, the young master is indeed diligent."
Manager Qu's eyes shone brightly as she looked at the handsome youth in front of her, not hurrying to do her work, but sitting on another stone bench, smiling and saying, "Mr. Li, just now you were lost in thought watching those practicing martial artists. Do you want to try your hand at it too?"
Li Guanyi responded shyly, "No, I was just thinking that these martial masters are already so powerful."
"How strong then must a Guest Elder be?"
Manager Qu wistfully said, "A Guest Elder... they even get their own detached residence."
"The treatment is much better than that of our external affairs managers."
"Unfortunately, to become a Guest Elder, one must at least be a martial artist of the Entering Realm. Even the strongest martial artists here might not be a match for them in a few moves, not to mention some Guest Elders who have had guidance from our ancestor and whose martial arts have improved leaps and bounds—ordinary martial artists can't handle them at all."
The ancestor...
Li Guanyi caught onto this key phrase.
Curiosity illuminating his face, he asked, "Guidance from the ancestor?"
"Qu, how could one have the opportunity to be guided in martial arts by the ancestor?"
Manager Qu answered with a smile, "Mr. Li also wants to be guided by the ancestor? It's difficult but also not difficult to say."
"The difficulty lies in entering as a Guest Elder, which also requires one to have good martial talents to be appreciated by the ancestor."
"Moreover, it depends on your performance as a Mathematics Master."
Manager Qu found the youth endearingly naive. With his good looks and innocence, she enjoyed the timeless conversation with Li Guanyi until another lady came to push them along, reluctantly ending their chat. She left laughing and saying, "Mr. Li, if there is anything big or small here at the Xue Family that you do not understand, feel free to ask me."
The young man smiled warmly, "I will definitely bother you."
Manager Qu laughed and left, her figure graceful and voluptuous, capturing the attention of many men at the Martial Arts Arena. Soon, a guide brought Li Guanyi into the inner courtyard, instructing him to wait at a pavilion before leaving.
Li Guanyi was deep in thought.
To be guided and to meet the old ancestor bearing the White Tiger Dharma Form, he either had to participate in the monthly assessment when the direct descendants were tested on the Six Arts, where outstanding individuals were personally invited for tea by the Xue family ancestor and given extra rewards.
Well, teaching mathematics, huh...
Li Guanyi thought of the brother mentioned by Xue Shuangtao, stood up, and began pacing, when suddenly he heard a loud shout from afar: "I don't want to study mathematics!!!"
"I! Don't! Want!"
Li Guanyi looked up to see a child around seven or eight years old, exquisitely adorable, running headlong and crashing into his vicinity. Li Guanyi let the Breaking Formation Song's Inner Qi circulate in his body, stopping the child in half a step. He said, "Are you alright…?"
But the child, almost falling over in his haste, waved his hands frantically, grabbing Li Guanyi's sleeve, and said, "No, I don't care anymore. Do you, do you have any safe place? The 'tigress' is still chasing me!!!"
"She wants to force me to meet a new math teacher!"
Li Guanyi contemplated the child.
This must be Miss Xue's brother, right?
That is, he wanted to skip class and ended up bumping into the substitute teacher.
The young man's lips curved up in a slight smile, warmth evident on his face:
"Alright, come, let's hide together."
He and the child hid behind a big clump of flowers, lush enough to conceal them. The child lay prone watching tensely from the bushes, while Li Guanyi sat behind him, curious about the 'tigress' he mentioned, surely not the gentle Xue Shuangtao.
The child suddenly tensed up, "She's coming, she's here!"
Li Guanyi looked up, slightly startled.
It was probably around five o'clock in the afternoon by now, the sun already soft.
The sunlight filtered through the gaps in the leaves, casting shadows as a young woman in vigorous attire approached in the sunlight.
Around her waist, she wore a leather belt like a War General, her right hand in a gauntlet, her left holding an ancient longbow, her smooth black hair tied back in a ponytail with a golden ring, her gaze stern, quite different from the previously gentle and soft demeanor.
"Come out, I won't make you study anymore, and I've prepared some snacks for you."
The child shouted loudly, "I don't want it, you just want to trick me into learning math."
Li Guanyi's eyes showed pity.
You're still tricked, aren't you?
Xue Shuangtao's eyes sparkled, she hurried forwards, saying, "Come out quickly, stop being naughty!"
"I don't want to, tigress, tigress!"
The young lady's eyebrows raised slightly, she firmly called out, "Xue Changqing, come out!"
At the calling of his full name, the little boy stiffened noticeably.
Simultaneously, Xue Shuangtao spun around and kicked a leg towards her brother's previous position, inadvertently unaware that someone was behind it. The foliage was kicked aside, and Li Guanyi, unsuspectingly there, felt a kick nearly hitting his head.
He had to stretch out his arm to block, pressing down and capturing the move skillfully.
Soon, he was holding the young lady's ankle in his hand.