The receptionist gestured to a modest waiting area near the side of the hall. Jian had barely taken a step toward it when a shadow flickered past him—silent as mist.
Like a ghost, a man in a black leather robe materialized without warning.
"Are you Lou Jian?" the man asked, voice low and firm. His gaze scanned Jian from head to toe, sharp and unsettling.
Jian tensed. He hadn't even sensed his arrival.
"Yes. You must be Yun Ji."
The man gave a single, curt nod.
"What makes you think you're in danger?" Yun Ji asked bluntly, his tone edged with disdain. "Don't tell me you came here to flaunt your wealth. That's not what I do."
He said it like an insult. It was clear Yun Ji had little patience for pampered nobles.
"I can't go into full detail," Jian replied calmly. "But I know enough to say this—you'll die if you underestimate what's coming. That's all you need to know."
Yun Ji let out a short, sharp laugh. "Kid, I'll give you that. You've got guts."
His amusement faded as quickly as it came. "If anyone tries to kill you, I won't ask questions. Friend, relative, servant—I'll kill them on sight. I don't babysit."
"I'd prefer if you left a few of them breathing," Jian replied smoothly. "There's information I might need to extract. But aside from that? Do as you wish."
Yun Ji raised an eyebrow. He hadn't expected that. Most nobles begged for mercy on behalf of their enemies—family drama, political games, fragile egos. This one was different.
"You're either bold or stupid," Yun Ji said with a smirk. "Either way, I'll take the job."
"I don't care what you do with the pay," Jian added. "But if it's all about thrill for you, let's make it interesting."
Yun Ji tilted his head, intrigued.
"For every enemy you kill," Jian said, smiling faintly, "you forfeit a spirit stone. Think of it as an incentive to let me do some of the work."
The room fell quiet for a beat.
Then Yun Ji's grin stretched wider.
"For a mortal, you've got quite the balls on you."
He stepped closer, his voice turning gravelly. "Fine. But on my terms. For every opponent that makes me draw my sword, I forfeit a stone. That fair?"
Jian nodded. "Good enough."
From behind the desk, the receptionist stared at them, stunned. She had never seen Yun Ji speak this much, let alone banter. Most clients quaked in his presence. Yet here was a young noble matching his energy, word for word—cool, calm, even cheeky.
And what disturbed her most?
Yun Ji looked like he was enjoying it
Breaking out from her dazed state, the receptionist quickly pulled out a different scroll. It was ocean blue, embroidered with faint silver lines that shimmered under the light. Placing it on the desk between them, she looked at Jian and said, "Place your hand on the scroll."
Jian obeyed without a word. Then she turned to Yun Ji. "You know the drill."
Yun Ji stepped forward and placed his hand beside Jian's.
A soft blue glow pulsed from the scroll, and a faint ripple of spiritual energy passed between their bodies—calm but final.
"Your lives are now bound to one another," the receptionist said solemnly. "This is the binding scroll, a guarantee that the protector will guard the client's life like it were his own. If the client dies, so will the protector. But if the protector dies, the client survives. This contract also prevents betrayal—under any circumstance."
Jian gave a slow nod, understanding the weight of the pact. Without another word, he turned and walked out of the guild hall, Yun Ji silently trailing behind.
---
Elsewhere, within the Lou mansion, Maria stood in the courtyard garden, hands clenched, brows furrowed. Tugged by a tide of emotion, she had been restless all morning. Her thoughts wouldn't settle. Work had piled up, but nothing she touched stayed complete. Her fingers trembled whenever she reached for the brush or paper.
Last night's incident haunted her.
The look in Jian's eyes—the coldness, the certainty—it was burned into her mind like a brand.
She took a deep breath and sat on a bench, burying her face in her hands. Her chest ached. It wasn't fear. It was something deeper. Something she couldn't quite understand at the moment.
---
Back outside the mansion, Jian stopped near the gates and turned to Yun Ji.
"This is Mo Heng," he said, motioning to the man waiting silently nearby. "My personal guard."
Yun Ji gave Mo Heng a cursory look, then squinted slightly. His eyes sharpened, reading the aura.
Core Refinement Realm?. Disciplined. He looks Stronger than he appears.
"Why hire me if you already have him?" Yun Ji asked, tilting his head. "He could hold off most threats in Lianzhou."
Jian's eyes didn't waver. "He's strong, yes. But I don't want him to die."
There was a beat of silence.
"I doubt they'll send anyone weaker than him," Jian added flatly.
Yun Ji's mouth twitched into a smirk. "Heh. Fair enough."
As they finally reached their carriage, another guard stood alongside the carriage driver. Mo Heng stepped forward and spoke, "This is Zhao Lin. He's my escort guard."
Yun Ji gave the new face a brief but thorough scan.
Core Formation Realm. Calm presence. Loyal.
He nodded in quiet acknowledgment.
Without another word, they all climbed into the carriage. The wheels creaked softly before beginning to roll once again.
---
Soon enough, they arrived at a bustling district filled with tightly packed shops and business establishments. The streets echoed with footsteps, laughter, and the rhythmic clang of metalwork. Without waiting, Jian stepped down from the carriage.
"Wait here," he said to Mo Heng and Zhao Lin before entering one of the shops. Yun Ji followed silently behind him.
Inside, the scent of oil, leather, and forged steel filled the air. Rows of weapons lined the walls—some wrapped in silk, others glowing faintly with embedded enchantments.
Behind the polished counter stood a middle-aged man, his once-black hair now dusted with patches of silver. The moment he saw Jian, his face lit up in a grin.
"Welcome! Whatever weapon you can think of—we have it!" he said cheerfully, eyeing Yun Ji for only a second before turning back to Jian.
Yun Ji frowned slightly.
He couldn't read the man's cultivation. Nothing. Like staring into a still lake that reflected nothing back. That wasn't normal.
"Old Man Lee," Jian greeted with a smirk.
The smile on the shopkeeper's face faltered for a moment, his brows creasing. "Tch. So even death is afraid of you, huh?" he muttered. "Don't tell me you're here for more equipment. I hope you've brought money this time."
Jian only chuckled and tossed a pouch through the air.
Old Man Lee caught it effortlessly without even glancing up. "What do you want?" he asked, weighing the pouch in his hand.
"A sword. And a long-range weapon," Jian replied.
Old Man Lee narrowed his eyes. "You in trouble again?"
"Nothing I can't handle," Jian said, brushing his robes aside with that same calm air.
"Hmph. Suit yourself," Lee muttered. "Come with me."
As he turned to lead Jian deeper into the store, Yun Ji instinctively moved to follow—but the old man raised a hand without turning back.
"Wait here."
Yun Ji bristled but said nothing. Before he could protest, Jian glanced over his shoulder.
"He's not a threat," Jian said. "I'll be back."
Yun Ji watched the two disappear into a dim hallway that looked more like a tunnel than part of a shop. A strange stillness hung in the air. Something about that old man didn't sit right with him.
> When I think I've seen everything, this kid finds a way to blow me away again, Yun Ji thought, folding his arms.
---
Several minutes passed. Finally, Jian returned—now with a sword in his grasp and a sleek bow tucked beneath his arm, which he then stored in his new upgraded spatial ring. Old Man Lee followed behind him, looking smug.
"You've got the money. Pay up!" the old man barked.
Jian sighed and handed over his remaining pouches of gold.
Old Man Lee caught them without flinching and grunted, "Still not enough—but I know you'll be back soon enough. Next time, pay what you owe."
Jia
n merely smiled, already turning toward the door.
"Stay safe out there death might not reject you a second time," Old man Lee he said as he waved him off