Li Xian was worried because his purse was empty, making it hard to pay off his wife's fines. His wife seemed gentle and charming on the surface, but in reality, she was extremely malicious.

If he could pay off the fines, he would gladly give it a try.

But he must remain vigilant, lest he be used as a pawn. Li Xian asked, "Sister Lin, you just said that although you are strong, you don't dare to face the Flower Cage Sect directly, why is that? Are there stronger individuals among them?"

Lin Aoshan's delicate face blushed, and she said, "A disorganized group, yet with some formidable players, but nothing more. In terms of martial arts mastery, in terms of cultivation and moral character, I could crush them with a single finger. But… but..."

She became too embarrassed to continue.

"But what?" Li Xian pressed.

Lin Aoshan said, "Don't you know? The Flower Cage Sect specifically targets women, and their skills are utterly despicable with many strange techniques aimed at women. If I faced them alone, I might fall into their traps. By then, I wouldn't conquer them, but fall into their clutches instead."

"Also, the Flower Cage Sect roams around, so I wouldn't know where they'd take me. Wouldn't I be in great trouble? Facing them alone, I don't have the courage."

When Li Xian first heard "Flower Cage Sect," he thought that the Jianghu was vast and full of wonders. Strange sects and schools are countless. After pondering for a moment, he thought this was a trouble he could help with.

After some discussion, Lin Aoshan was overjoyed she made this special effort. The two made a pinky promise to never betray each other.

Li Xian was thinking about the "three thousand taels," while Lin Aoshan was thinking about "honor."

It turned out to be a perfect match.

Lin Aoshan, full and content, left the Martial Captain Hall. She returned to the Lin Family residence and found no one there, feeling a bit deserted. Not accustomed to the surroundings, she thought of renting a room in an inn.

But it would be beneath the Lin Family's little ancestor. So she returned to the Martial Captain Hall, temporarily staying there.

Li Xian arranged for an empty guest room next to Luo Xia. Both women noticed that the night was deep and felt sticky all over, wishing to wash themselves. Lin Aoshan, having ridden her horse, was drenched in sweat, and Luo Xia had practiced her spear technique, training the constables. The physical exertion was immense.

But the bathhouse was large enough to accommodate them.

Li Xian rode back to the manor. He practiced martial arts in the courtyard. Around midnight, his wife sent Qiuyue to summon him to the inner courtyard to share the rain.

The moon tonight was full like a plate, its light spilling everywhere, the scenery was beautiful.

Inside the bathhouse, there was an outdoor bathing spring. Medicinal soup was channeled into the spring, and the steam rose like a fairyland. While enjoying the bath, they admired the stars in the sky.

[You share the rain, Setting Sun Bloodsword skill level +398]

At the second watch of the hour, clouds covered the moon. After the shared bath, Li Xian wiped off the dew, his long hair untied, simply tied with a cloth strip.

His hand wrapped in white cloth, his palm full of sword scars. Although his wife was stunningly beautiful, a peerless beauty, bathing with her was more suffering than joy.

During the bath, once she said, "You're like a block of wood, don't you find me beautiful? If you're so useless, I might as well cut it off."

Another time she said, "How dare you have wicked thoughts? Such audacity you have."

No matter which side she spoke from, they were both hard to serve. His wife not only wanted Li Xian's devotion, but also wanted to control his desires and thoughts.

Li Xian strolled around the manor with an open heart, understanding his wife's intentions, carefully cooperating. He walked to the side of the lake, a strong wind blew, scattering the clouds covering the moon. Li Xian amused himself by skipping stones across the water.

"Though hard to serve, the benefits to me are real. Setting Sun Bloodsword improves rapidly, physique, inner qi… all have improved. With these few shared baths, I feel vitality surging, like a lively dragon."

"Moreover, I only need to steadily progress without stopping, and there will come a day of reversal. Eventually, there will be… a day to overcome my wife. The beauties under the heavens are infinite, only with enough strength can one appreciate and revel in them. Before that, I shall lie low and progress."

"My wife will go into seclusion tomorrow, saying it's for… some Dragon Appreciation Banquet preparation. Speaking of which, what is a Dragon Appreciation Banquet? Could there really be dragon beasts in heaven and earth? Admiring dragons and dining? That would indeed be a refined interest."

"My wife said, if my Setting Sun Bloodsword reaches Minor Achievement in the second layer, she'll take me as well. I've already mastered the second layer, and Minor Achievement is within reach. If I can go and broaden my horizons, it wouldn't be bad."

Li Xian's mood was calm, he pulled a blade of grass by the lake, chewed it in his mouth, and hummed a tune as he returned to the courtyard.

Knowing the pros and cons, enjoying the benefits and enduring the hardships, thus maintaining a calm mindset. He enjoyed hundreds of benefits, and also bore hundreds of harms. His heart was as strong as iron, his steps steady.

...

...

The next day.

At the Martial Captain Hall, Luo Xia was drilling the constables, while Lin Aoshan sat with her legs crossed, observing under a tree. She nodded from time to time, instinctively finding Luo Xia mysterious, but there was no need to inquire further.

Lin Aoshan was momentarily stunned, seeing Li Xian return, her heart whispered continuously, this Military Officer truly possessed rare charm.

"Sister Lin, please tell me about the specific situation of the Flower Cage Sect!" Li Xian got straight to the point.

"Straightforward!" Lin Aoshan laughed. Li Xian, Lin Aoshan, and Luo Xia entered a room to discuss.

Lin Aoshan said, "Actually, I'm unclear about the Flower Cage Sect's specific location at this moment. I only have a vague idea that their general area is around Qingning County."

Li Xian asked, "Did the Flower Cage Sect flee all the way from Huaiyin Prefecture?"

Lin Aoshan replied, "Indeed. I initially led over a dozen constables from the Celestial Patrol Bureau to intercept around Glazed Mountain. Glazed Mountain is a famous Shenxiu Mountain in the Southern Yu area, and its scenery is quite nice… cough cough, I digress."

Lin Aoshan took a sip of water, animatedly continued, "I lingered nearby for quite some time without seeing anyone. So I dispersed the constables and returned to the Prefecture City alone."

"On my way, I passed through a Feiyun Cliff, and coincidentally encountered a group of fierce Flower Cage Sect bandits."

"Being naturally beautiful, if I clashed with them, I wasn't seeking trouble with them, but they would undoubtedly join forces to capture me. I dared not approach rashly, only dared to listen in from afar. At that time, they were discussing destinations, and someone among them was quite cunning."

"That person said, 'Now we are surrounded, and every place is extremely dangerous. But I do know of a place where we can find safety, resume our former occupations, and quietly observe the situation.'

Another person asked, 'Where is this place?'

That person replied, 'I've heard about a place in the Qiong Heavenly Mansion—Qingning County. The Martial Captain there claims to act on behalf of the heavens and has executed the local County Magistrate. This place is a mix of rogues and villains, buzzing with activity. We could flee there, recuperate in peace, observe the situation, and then slowly decide our future moves. Wouldn't that be perfect?'

Lin Aoshan spoke in a deliberately low voice, mimicking the other's tone.

Li Xian thought to himself, "That Flower Cage Sect sure knows how to scheme, but even though I did execute the County Magistrate, Qingning County is not in chaos." He asked, "Did you stop following them afterward?"

Lin Aoshan nodded, "If I kept following, I'd surely be exposed. They've got members from all walks of life, with every kind of trick. I wish to earn some merits, but it's not worth risking my life."

Luo Xia laughed and said, "You are cautious indeed."

"Of course," replied Lin Aoshan, looking at Li Xian and asking, "I've explained the situation clearly. The Flower Cage Sect is surely nearby. What are your thoughts?"

Li Xian pondered for a moment and said, "The urgent task is to lure this sect out. Since they've come to Qingning to 'resume their former occupations', they are bound to abduct women from the vicinity."

"Before identifying their exact location, Luo Xia, you continue to train the constables. Sister Lin, accompany me to investigate. Let's first ascertain the situation, then proceed with other plans."

Lin Aoshan said, "That makes sense..." Suddenly she paused, frowned, and said, "Wait, why should a member of the Celestial Patrol Bureau like me take orders from a Little Martial Captain like you?"

"Then please, give your orders." Li Xian smiled.

After thinking for a moment, Lin Aoshan said, "Luo Xia, continue training the constables and be ready for action at any time. Li Xian, accompany me to survey the city and see if any women are missing."

She paused, then added, "Get to the bottom of it first, then seek other strategies. Make sure every strike is decisive and hits the enemy's throat!"

Li Xian and Luo Xia laughed and said, "Understood."

...

...

That midday.

Li Xian dressed in plain clothes, slightly disguised himself, and concealed the red mole on his forehead. He guessed that even if the Flower Cage Sect had made a misstep, their thinking was logical—they would surely have someone clever staying around Qingning's outskirts, keeping an eye on the Martial Captain's appearance and movements.

All prepared, he went out to investigate. Lin Aoshan said, "Although the Flower Cage Sect is vile, their eye for targets is sharp."

"The women they abduct must be as beautiful as flowers and come from decent families. They wouldn't even look at ordinary farmer's homes."

Li Xian laughed, "Still having superficial eyes?"

Lin Aoshan replied, "Now that you mention it, I guess they do."

"Why do you think they abduct women? Is it just lust?" Li Xian asked.

Lin Aoshan, pinching her chin, replied, "Beauty is one reason, but also for money. There are so many strange people in this world, and their motives can't always be clearly explained."

Li Xian understood. Fulai Manor's Zeng Taian, for instance, had a penchant for exotic birds and beasts. Without asking further, he continued to search for clues.

According to his instinct, they should start investigating from the noble families. If women from a family go missing, it's certainly the work of the Flower Cage Sect. In Qingning County, there are four prominent families: Lin, Luo, Zhao, and Wang.

Li Xian first headed to the Wang Family. But as he was about to enter, he stopped. He pulled Lin Aoshan away.

"What are you doing?" Lin Aoshan asked.

Li Xian replied, "It's not right. Just walking in directly is not right."

"Hmph, paranoid!" Lin Aoshan said, "We've disguised ourselves. Why worry about being spotted by passersby?"

"Not afraid of being seen by passersby, but by housekeepers," Li Xian explained.

"What do you mean?" Lin Aoshan asked.

Li Xian pulled her to hide at the alley's end, pointing at the Wang Family's main house, and asked, "If the Flower Cage Sect targeted the women of the Wang Family, do you think they'd storm the house to abduct her forcibly, or use some sly trick to secretly capture her?"

"Naturally the latter," Lin Aoshan thought for a moment.

"Since it's the latter, it's highly probable that the Flower Cage Sect has placed housekeepers as spies within these families," Li Xian said, "Firstly, they can check for beautiful women; secondly, they can monitor movements."

"If we go directly to ask, we'd surely be seen by those spying housekeepers. Then the Flower Cage Sect... would you still be able to find them?"

"Ah!" Lin Aoshan exclaimed, patting her chest in relief, "I really didn't think of that. Li, you are really smart..."

Being of higher rank in her family, Lin Aoshan was about to praise Li Xian's intelligence but instinctively assumed a "grandma" demeanor, then changed her tone, "Hmm... keep it up, don't get complacent. I was just testing you on purpose, well done, you've passed the test."

"What should we do now?" Lin Aoshan asked.

"Play it safe," Li Xian said, "When night falls, we'll pretend to be flying thieves and break into the mansions. Once inside, we can find out if any family girls are missing."

"In this way, the Flower Cage Sect would not be alerted."

"Besides..."

Li Xian, with empty pockets, was quite poor and indeed considered helping himself to something as a bonus.

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