Shen Xiuhan took a deep breath and bowed with cupped hands. “May I ask, young lady... could you introduce me to Hall Master Mei?”
Hearing this, the woman in martial attire frowned slightly. She sized him up once more and shook her head without hesitation.
“My master is in secluded cultivation and does not receive guests. If you are not here to apprentice yourself, please leave.”
Feeling helpless, Shen Xiuhan glanced around. Seeing that no one was paying attention to them, he quickly lowered his voice.
“Please wait, young lady. I have... news of a Precious Fish.”
Swoosh!
The woman's pupils dilated instantly, and she said without hesitation:
“Follow me!”
She turned and led Shen Xiuhan briskly toward the inner courtyard.
Shen Xiuhan's heart stirred.
He did not know this woman's identity, so he did not dare to speak rashly.
Therefore, he had only mentioned having news of a Precious Fish... He hadn't expected her reaction to be so intense!
It seemed that the Mei Family Martial Arts Hall's desire for a Precious Fish was far more urgent than he had imagined.
Or rather...
Was the rarity of the Silverback Fish even greater than he had anticipated?
The inner courtyard.
Outside the doors of the main wing.
The woman in martial attire paused, let go of her grip, and stared at Shen Xiuhan.
“Are you truly certain you have news of a Precious Fish? Let me warn you beforehand—if you dare to deceive us with lies, once you step through this door, it will be too late to regret it.”
News?
No, no, no!
I have the real thing!
Shen Xiuhan thought to himself. With a calm smile on his face, he cupped his hands.
“You can rest assured, young lady. Even if I were given ten times the courage, I wouldn't dare boast blindly in front of Hall Master Mei.”
The woman gave him a deep look, as if evaluating the weight of his words.
After a moment, she threw down a sentence:
“Wait here.”
She turned, pushed open the door, and entered.
In the cold wind, Shen Xiuhan let out a long sigh, though he still felt a bit anxious.
To be honest, he really didn't want to gamble on whether the intelligence's claim that “Mei Shuangfeng also possesses a righteous style” was true or false.
But someone was forcing him onto the gambling table.
From the moment he stepped into the Inner City and was watched, Shen Xiuhan was certain.
Ma Xianyang would definitely not let things slide.
Although he had learned from Feng Xiaobao that Ma Xianyang had gone to Changshui County, fifty miles away, and wouldn't return for ten days to half a month.
But ten days to half a month was merely a blink of an eye.
Once he returned...
Shen Xiuhan didn't dare gamble on whether Ma Xianyang also “possessed a righteous style.”
Therefore, he had to take advantage of this gap to find a backer at all costs and strive for a sliver of hope!
Offering the Precious Fish to the Mei Family Martial Arts Hall, which was secretly collecting fish, in exchange for protection and the opportunity to learn martial arts...
This was the strategy he had devised to break the deadlock after careful consideration!
Before long.
The wooden door opened again.
The woman in martial attire stepped out, stood aside, and said in a deep voice,
“Master has permitted it. Follow me inside.”
Shen Xiuhan composed himself and stepped over the high threshold.
Rounding a carved red sandalwood screen, the scene inside the inner room slowly unfolded before his eyes.
In the exact center of the hall stood a large cauldron.
Behind the cauldron was an ebony writing desk.
Behind the desk sat a person.
Upon seeing that person, Shen Xiuhan couldn't help but feel a jolt in his heart.
This Hall Master Mei was actually a beautiful woman of about thirty years old!
She wore a moon-white long robe draped with black gauze, her sleeves hanging down. Her long hair was loosely tied with a jade hairpin, with a few strands of dark hair spilling over her shoulders.
Her appearance was elegant and graceful, her brows and eyes exuding the noble aura of someone accustomed to a pampered life.
At first glance, she looked like a reclusive matriarch of a grand estate.
And yet—
the expression in those phoenix eyes was a jarringly fierce and ominous one.
Cold and gloomy, they seemed to harbor an unresolvable intent to kill.
But what made his heart palpitate the most were her hands resting on the desk.
Her ten fingers were slender and well-defined.
Her fingertips were slightly curved, showing faint calluses, resembling eagle claws forged from iron and stone. Just a single glance sent a chill down one's spine.
It felt as if they could burst forth through the air at any moment to tear open a person's throat!
Mei Shuangfeng sat upright behind the desk, her gaze drifting lightly over him as she spoke slowly,
“You... have news of a Precious Fish?”
Shen Xiuhan took a deep breath. Instead of beating around the bush, he said directly,
“Replying to the Hall Master, I have already caught the Precious Fish!”
“What?!”
The woman in martial attire suddenly whipped her head up, looking at him in disbelief.
Mei Shuangfeng also paused, her eyes flashing like lightning as they pierced straight toward him.
“Where is it?”
“Outside the city.”
The hall fell silent for a brief moment.
Mei Shuangfeng stared at him for a while, doubt surging in her eyes.
“What kind of Precious Fish is it?”
“A Silverback Fish!”
The woman's breath hitched, a look of pleasant surprise bursting from her eyes as her breathing grew rapid.
Mei Shuangfeng glanced at her imperceptibly, then retracted her gaze, landing it back on Shen Xiuhan's face. She said slowly,
“Since you obtained such a stroke of fortune, why do you insist on selling the fish to me?”
Shen Xiuhan had already prepared his response. He cupped his hands and bowed.
“Replying to Hall Master Mei, it is because yesterday while selling fish at the market, I happened to run into a close friend and his senior brother who were searching for a Precious Fish. I heard from him that Hall Master Mei has always possessed a righteous character... so I wanted to try my luck.”
Mei Shuangfeng's eyes narrowed slightly, staring intently at Shen Xiuhan's face.
Shen Xiuhan met her gaze calmly.
After a moment, a touch of playfulness entered Mei Shuangfeng's tone.
“Not bad, you didn't lie.”
But immediately after, she suddenly changed her tone, a faint smile playing on her lips.
“However... you said the one who told you I have always possessed a righteous character was that friend of yours?”
“...Uh, yes.”
“Hahaha!”
Mei Shuangfeng actually burst out laughing and shook her head.
“Stay away from that friend of yours.”
The woman in martial attire also lowered her head, pursing her lips as her shoulders trembled slightly.
Shen Xiuhan remained calm on the surface, but his heart skipped a beat.
What did that mean?
Could the intelligence have been wrong?
Wait...
He remembered!
The Daily Intelligence System had written it very clearly:
Mei Shuangfeng, the Master of the Mei Family Martial Arts Hall, although bearing an infamous reputation, also possesses a righteous style.
...bearing an infamous reputation!
Damn it!
Shen Xiuhan wanted to slap himself—this was what he got for skimming through things!
Though his heart was pounding, he forced himself to look calm, pretending to be completely oblivious.
Naturally, Mei Shuangfeng did not know what he was thinking. Suppressing her laughter, she said flatly,
“Forget it, forget it. Bring the Precious Fish over first. Once I verify its authenticity, we can...”
Midway through her sentence, she suddenly paused as if remembering something, and asked casually,
“By the way, you mentioned earlier that your friend and his senior brother were collecting Precious Fish? Which hall are they from?”
Here it comes!
Shen Xiuhan cupped his hands and answered honestly,
“Replying to the Hall Master, it is Senior Brother Ma, Ma Xianyang, from the inner courtyard of the Tongbei Martial Arts Hall.”
Tongbei Martial Arts Hall!
Ma Xianyang!
The moment those words were spoken, the temperature in the hall seemed to drop by several degrees.
A cold light flashed in the eyes of the woman in martial attire.
Mei Shuangfeng's hands resting on the desk tightened slightly, curling like eagle claws.
“Are you sure it is him?” the woman in martial attire asked in a deep voice.
“I am certain.”
Shen Xiuhan said hastily, his tone sincere.
“My friend is apprenticed in the outer courtyard of the Tongbei Martial Arts Hall. I heard with my own ears that they were looking to buy a Precious Fish.”
“Yesterday, I caught a few Silver-Striped Fish, and Senior Brother Ma was very accommodating. Not only did he buy them at a high price, but he also instructed me that if I caught any more Silver-Striped Fish or even better fish in the future, I should send them to the Tongbei Martial Arts Hall, promising that the price would never disappoint me.”
He paused, showing a trace of helplessness.
“Just now, I also went to the Tongbei Martial Arts Hall first. However, Senior Brother Ma Xianyang was not there, and they said he had gone to Changshui County.”
“My friend wasn't there either, and I don't know anyone else at the Tongbei Martial Arts Hall. Fearing that the Precious Fish would lose too much of its vitality if left out of the water for too long, I took the liberty... to come try my luck with Hall Master Mei.”
As his voice fell, Mei Shuangfeng and the woman in martial attire exchanged a glance.
A trace of relief flashed in both of their eyes simultaneously.
Ma Xianyang...
went to Changshui County?
Good.
Very good.
Ma Xianyang, how wonderful of you to go!
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