Chapter 142: Danger Approaching

Purple walked over in a hurry, which showed her state of mind.
"Sister, this is my aunt, and she has come specifically to see you," Nongyu said with a face full of smiles.
Lady Hu looked even more spirited than Madam Hu, even though they were of a similar age.
"I have long heard of the great reputation of Zixuan House's proprietorship, Lady Purple, and you truly live up to it."
In reality, Purple was not all that mature; her attire was merely chosen to match her status.
Lady Hu did not express her thanks in words, but Purple deeply understood the gratitude shining in her eyes.
"You flatter me, Madam. Your beauty is even more breathtaking and admirable."
Nongyu chimed in, "We are all our own people, so neither Aunt nor Sister needs to be so formal."
"Then I shall call her Aunt as well. I truly regard Nongyu as a sister." Thinking of how she had never even laid eyes on her own birth mother, Purple felt a deep sense of envy toward Nongyu.
Madam Hu also knew that Purple was effectively an orphan. After a moment of thought, she spoke up, "If Purple does not mind, would you be willing to take me as your adoptive mother?"
"Ah! Mother~" With a slight tremble in her heart, Purple whispered the word.
In truth, she had not yet fully processed the situation, but she could not possibly refuse.
As night fell, the Zixuan House truly came alive.
The zither music stirred the emotions, and the fiery dances of the charming maidens grew increasingly intoxicating.
"Splendid! Marvelous! Coming to Zixuan House was not a mistake at all!" a minor merchant praised aloud as he drank his wine.
That could still be considered restrained; many excited patrons immediately headed straight for the second floor.
"I can't take it anymore! No, I'll come back to watch later!" More and more patrons began rushing upstairs in a hurry.
Long skirts and sweeping sleeves revealed tantalizing glimpses of spring scenery with every raised leg.
"Is it pretty, Young Master Lin?"
With a sudden pain at his waist, Lin Shu immediately shook his head. "Not pretty at all! Let's go, Young Master Yan, let's head to the second floor."
"What second floor?" Consort Yan applied even more force! That second floor was a combat zone in the truest sense!
Lin Shu winced in agony and hastily changed his tune, "We're going to the third floor!"
"Hmph, that's more like it." Only then did Consort Yan release her grip.
The moment Lin Shu and his companion departed, a young swordsman squeezed through the crowd.
"It's him! Is it really him?" Fire Charm wandered her gaze all around, but unfortunately, many people were heading upstairs, and the surrounding aura was utter chaos!
The first floor of Zixuan House was a place to watch dances for free, though purchasing wine and small dishes was required to secure a table.
The second floor consisted of private boxes for listening to music and watching dances, as well as some spaces dedicated to physical exertion.
The third floor was the most exclusive area of Zixuan House, and the maidens there were the most breathtaking. However, the third floor had no fixed prices; winning the favor of the maidens required slow and steady cultivation—namely, the endless giving of gifts, money, and intelligence.
Very few people were ever able to engage in genuine practical encounters on the third floor, yet it remained a sanctuary where dignitaries, wealthy merchants, talented scholars, and fair maidens whispered sweet nothings to one another.
Previously, Nongyu had been the top courtesan of Zixuan House, rarely receiving guests in ordinary times and seldom showing her face even when playing the zither for nobility.
"Two young masters, do you have a reservation?"
As soon as Lin Shu reached the staircase, a young maiden asked with a smile.
A reservation, so-called, was actually just proof of identity.
After all, stepping foot onto the third floor incurred a fee, even if one merely went in to take a single look and turned right back around.
"What reservation?" Lin Shu shook his head; he knew nothing of these customs.
Consort Yan smiled, causing the welcoming maiden's face to flush red with sudden shyness.
"This is the identity token we just acquired."
Consort Yan raised her hand, yet Lin Shu could clearly see that there was nothing in her palm at all.
"Please proceed, two young masters." The maiden hurriedly bowed in invitation, though upon careful recollection, she could no longer remember the token number she had just laid eyes on.
Lin Shu chuckled softly. "Heh, my wife is truly amazing."
Lin Shu couldn't help but envy this illusion technique, though unfortunately, it was something he simply could not learn!
Ordinary martial arts involving fists and kicks were within his grasp, but advanced cultivation methods and sword techniques seemed to him like utter nonsense and complete gibberish!
Of course, he dared not voice such thoughts aloud, lest little Yan'er mock him as a "clumsy daddy."
"Huh?" Wei Zhuang felt a sudden, inexplicable jolt of surprise, but when he reached out with his perception again, he found nothing. He assumed he had merely grown overly sensitive once more.
Lin Shu requested a room right next to the one occupied by Han Fei and his companions. Having consumed an abundance of live streams, he was already quite familiar with the layout of the third floor.
"Bring up a few side dishes and two catties of fruit wine first."
The attending maiden nodded. "Would the young masters like some maidens to accompany you in drinking, or to play the zither and dance? Or perhaps you would prefer the full selection?"
Had Consort Yan not been present, Lin Shu might have wished to try the full package to inspect the service standards of Zixuan House.
"Not for now. We are here to discuss business. Once the wine and food are served, we decline all disturbances."
The serving maiden was hardly surprised; she had seen all sorts of peculiar people.
"Ah! Could it be a fondness for the path of Longyang!" Remembering the affectionate closeness between the two young masters, the maiden couldn't help trembling! Two men mutually inflicting damage upon each other! Just thinking about it was terrifying!
The wine and food were served promptly, and the moment the dishes were laid out, the maidens hurried away, not even daring to cast a second glance.
"Eh! They seem a bit scared of us! My makeup isn't that frightening, is it?"
Lin Shu chuckled, giving the matter no further thought.
"Husband, why are you taking out this long needle?" Consort Yan felt her scalp tingle just looking at the slender needle, which was finer than a strand of hair.
"Heh! This isn't a needle; it's a sound-transmission tube." Lin Shu didn't bother to explain further as he thrust the long needle straight into the wall.
The third floor featured not only double-layered soundproofing but also two thick layers of hardwood partition, yet they could do nothing to block the slender needle.
"Oh, what is this now?" Consort Yan's eyes widened.
With a gentle click from Lin Shu, the mini speaker began emitting sound. "This is a mini speaker. I'll have Xinying give you a detailed explanation when there's time."
Hearing the conversation between Han Fei and Zhang Liang, Consort Yan could not help but smile!
"You, oh you! No matter what the occasion, you never forget to eavesdrop!" Consort Yan felt a twinge of disappointment, having assumed tonight would be dedicated entirely to their private rendezvous.
Lin Shu scooped up Consort Yan into his arms. "Husband is conserving his energy tonight; you had better not try to hide tomorrow night."
"Hmph! Don't talk about that!" Consort Yan hastily sealed her lips and even closed her eyes.
At that moment, a carriage had already halted atop the rooftop, while several figures clad in black drifted downward without being detected.
[Commander, five figures in black are approaching, with a peak spiritual energy reading of 2,200.] Anything under two thousand wasn't even worth Xinying's mention.
"Let's ignore them for now and see what they're up to."
"Wife, another good show is about to begin."
Hearing Lin Shu's words, Consort Yan opened her eyes once more.
The projection was activated in turn, while the mini speaker was switched off instead.
The leader of the men in black instructed his subordinates to conceal themselves properly before he began to drift downward silently between the roof tiles.
The masked assassin would stop and walk intermittently, frequently lowering his body to press his ears against the tiles and listen for sounds.
"Ah! It's them! Ha ha, excellent! Liu Yi, you ought to thank me! Soon, your family will be reunited."
Having located his target, the man in black summoned his subordinates forward.
"Xinying, go set up a force field for Nongyu and the others, but wait for them to make a move first!" Lin Shu had figured it out; this person must be Vulture!
Vulture was a leader among the Night's Roost of Birds, as well as one of the Three Wolves of Severed Hair who had conspired with Liu Yi over the Fire Rain Treasure, though by now only a single wolf of the three remained alive.
"Who are you?" Startled, Purple placed her chained sword directly in the path of the assassin, recognizing the distinct emblem of the Birds.
Vulture was quite pleased. Originally, he had come to see if there might be an opportunity to dispatch Han Fei, but he had never expected to stumble upon two old acquaintances.
"Madam Hu, Lady Hu, so you were hiding here in Zixuan House all along. You certainly gave me quite a search."
Nongyu stepped forward to shield her mother, glaring at the assassin. "Who are you, and what do you want?"
"Heh heh! Rest assured, I shall take good care of you. Though I imagine Li Kai and Liu Yi would dearly wish for you to join them below." Vulture wore an arrogant expression, acting as though Purple did not even exist.
"Hmph, courting death!" With an angry shout, the three-meter chain sword swept directly toward him.
Vulture retreated in a flash, drawing his blade to parry the strike simultaneously.
Shadows of swords fluttered, and the clashing ring of steel echoed through the air.
"You truly do possess some skill!" Forced back into the courtyard, Vulture was compelled to admit that he was no match for this woman!
"You're a dead man!" Guards from all directions were already rushing over, and Purple's sword techniques began to slow down. She had never been fond of protracted brawls; letting her subordinates swarm the intruder would suffice.