Lao Tzu is Ji Gong

"Ah~ intelligence agencies, you say? Well, you don't need to worry. You're not a member of the Wen family, so why are you in such a hurry?" Saint Buddha said with a shrug, completely unconcerned.

"Of course I have to care. I'm dealing with two people who have betrayed the Wen family right now, and we're always together. If I'm accused of being an accomplice, I'll never be able to clear my name."

"Of course I have to care. I'm dealing with two people who betrayed the Wen family right now, and we're always together. If I'm accused of being an accomplice, I'll never be able to clear my name." Li Xiuchen's voice sounded aggrieved. He didn't want to be unfairly blamed and unable to get away with it; that would be a real problem.

"Do you know the name of the place you're living in now?" Saint Buddha didn't answer Li Xiuchen's question or pay attention to his emotions. Instead, he suddenly changed the subject and asked Li Xiuchen about the shop.

"Huh? Ah~ You mean this shop? The Tonglai Inn, right? It's not like I can't read." Li Xiuchen was taken aback by the question and didn't react for a moment, looking a little confused.

"No, I mean, do you know what this shop is called?" Saint Buddha suddenly grinned upon hearing Li Xiuchen's answer; Li Xiuchen had misunderstood him.

"This place is called Tonglai Inn. I even looked at the signboard when I came in. Why are you asking me about this place..." Li Xiuchen answered the Buddha's question with a blank expression. But suddenly, as if he understood something, his eyes widened in realization, filled with shock, as if he had discovered some incredible secret.

"You mean, this shop... is the Wen family's intelligence agency!" Li Xiuchen seemed a little excited.

"Yes, that's right. You guessed correctly. This shop is indeed the Wen family's intelligence agency." Saint Buddha nodded with a smile, it seemed that Li Xiuchen had finally figured it out.

"Wenxiang... he's too bold. He just moved in like that. Isn't he afraid someone will come and arrest him? Or is he thinking something like the most dangerous place is the safest place?" Li Xiuchen figured he wouldn't be able to recover from this for a while.

"No, Wenxiang has lived most of his life. He's not as stupid as you. The most dangerous place is the safest place. Nobody would believe that ridiculous theory." Saint Buddha grinned when he heard Li Xiuchen's seemingly confident words. What nonsense.

“Then he still…” Li Xiuchen wanted to struggle a little more.

"Because this intelligence agency belongs to Wenxiang, and because all the intelligence agencies in Tianwu City are under his control. Do you accept this reason?" Saint Buddha seemed a little confused by the structure of Li Xiuchen's mind.

"But aren't intelligence agencies all directly under the Wen family's upper echelons? Are they divided into factions or something?"

"No, they do belong to the upper echelons of the family. But they have the right to choose whom to serve and the right to choose their final allegiance. Did you see that little yellow flag by the door before you came in? That's the symbol."

"As long as they remain loyal to their superiors, the flag will not be pulled down. They will only have the right to choose again if their superiors die, change hands, or commit a rebellion."

"But according to you, Wenxiang and Wenchong have already betrayed the Wen family. The little flag at the door is still there, which means they have chosen to remain loyal to Wenxiang, right?"

“The owner of this shop is not a member of the Wen family, but Wenxiang once saved his life and helped him open this shop. So, who do you think the owner of this shop is loyal to?”

"Ah~ so there's this connection. I really didn't expect that. Things in big families are indeed much more complicated." Li Xiuchen nodded thoughtfully, now understanding why Wenxiang had chosen to work at this shop.

"So you're saying that it's normal for the waiter to know my, Wenxiang's, and Wenchong's identities?" Li Xiuchen casually mentioned.

"Waiter? What waiter?" But when he heard Li Xiuchen muttering to himself, the Buddha's expression changed instantly.

"It's that waiter who escorted Wenxiang and me to our room. He not only knew who Wenxiang and Wenchong were, but also that they were in disguise, and he even said my name directly. What's wrong? Is something amiss?" Li Xiuchen didn't know why the Holy Buddha's expression had suddenly changed, but he still answered the Holy Buddha's question honestly.

"That shouldn't be the case. Apart from the shop owner and his confidants, no one else in this shop knows about these things. And most importantly, how could he know you?" Saint Buddha muttered to himself, his brows furrowing slightly without him even realizing it.

"Wait, wait, wait! So you're saying that person isn't the waiter at this shop!" Li Xiuchen suddenly realized this.

"He also left me a letter, saying that someone gave it to me. What should I do with this letter? Could it be fake too?" Following this line of thought, Li Xiuchen remembered the letter he had in his pocket, and for a moment he was unsure of its authenticity and reliability.

"There's another letter? Show it to me." Upon hearing this, the Holy Buddha immediately asked Li Xiuchen to do as he was told.

"It's alright, this letter should be genuine, it's just that someone tampered with it. I reckon that person tried to open it, but unexpectedly, they couldn't. They couldn't break the barrier set up on the letter." After Li Xiuchen took out the letter and examined it according to the Holy Buddha's instructions, the Holy Buddha breathed a sigh of relief. Hearing the Holy Buddha's reply, Li Xiuchen also breathed a sigh of relief. Thank goodness.

"Oh no! If this is a trap, then Wenxiang is in danger!" After calming himself down a bit, Li Xiuchen suddenly remembered Wenxiang. He had spoken with the waiter, but he hadn't had any conversation with Wenxiang. Thinking of this, Li Xiuchen immediately jumped out of bed, rushed out the door, and ran towards Wenxiang's side.

"My lord, I have done everything you asked me to do. However... I was not capable enough to open the letter that was given to Li Xiuchen."

"Okay, I understand. You can go down now."

Chapter 1240 Untitled

"Oh no! If this is a trap, then Wenxiang is in danger!" After calming himself down a bit, Li Xiuchen suddenly remembered Wenxiang. He had spoken with the waiter, but he hadn't had any conversation with Wenxiang. Thinking of this, Li Xiuchen immediately jumped out of bed, rushed out the door, and ran towards Wenxiang's side.

"My lord, I have done everything you asked me to do. However... I was not capable enough to open the letter that was given to Li Xiuchen."

"Okay, I understand. You can go down now."

"Li Wei!" Before long, Li Xiuchen arrived at the "Tian" room where Wenxiang was. As soon as he pushed open the door, Li Xiuchen shouted Wenxiang's current alias. Although Li Xiuchen was anxious, he had not lost his composure. He knew that although his, Wenxiang's, and Wenchong's identities had been exposed, he still could not openly and blatantly spread the news.

Because of the influence of this environment and that environment, Li Xiuchen knew to avoid the limelight, lest others not spread the word but he exposed his identity first, which would truly be a loss and make him look like a complete fool.

"What's wrong? Is there something you need?" Wenxiang was a little puzzled when he heard Li Xiuchen call him. He wondered what was wrong with Li Xiuchen and why he was suddenly acting so tactlessly.

When Li Xiuchen pushed open the door, he saw Wenxiang sitting at the table, completely unharmed. Li Xiuchen's heart, which had been in his throat, instantly sank back into his stomach. "It's alright, it's alright."

"Ah~ I have something to think about..." Hearing Wenxiang ask him, Li Xiuchen subconsciously started to answer, but he suddenly stopped halfway through his sentence because he noticed that there was another person sitting at the table looking at him along with Wenxiang.

Li Xiuchen was momentarily unsure whether he should continue speaking, so he had to stop himself for the time being.

"Ah~ It's alright, this is one of us, you can speak freely, what's the matter?" As soon as Li Xiuchen paused for a moment, Wenxiang understood what Li Xiuchen meant, smiled and nodded at Li Xiuchen, indicating that he could continue.

After receiving confirmation from Wenxiang, Li Xiuchen pondered for a moment, nodded, and prepared to speak. Since Wenxiang was certain everything was alright, there was no need to hide it anymore, and it didn't matter if the person in front of him wasn't one of their own. If he wasn't one of their own, it would be a good opportunity to verify, and it would also be good to leave these issues to Wenxiang to handle.

“I think we might have been exposed.” Li Xiuchen looked directly into Wenxiang’s eyes and said this seriously. Wenxiang could tell from his eyes that Li Xiuchen was not joking with him.

"What do you mean? What do you mean we've already been exposed? That doesn't make sense." Wenxiang stared into Li Xiuchen's eyes, not moving his gaze, simply looking at Li Xiuchen quietly, while asking Li Xiuchen the reason in an unusually calm tone.

"Do you remember the waiter who brought us to our room just now?" Li Xiuchen had a strange feeling that Wenxiang seemed to know something, but he was still unsure.

"I remember, what's wrong? Is there something wrong with it?" Wenxiang smiled and nodded, agreeing with Li Xiuchen. There was indeed no problem with it. Besides, it was all true; what was there to argue about?

"That waiter revealed your identity, mine, and with exceptional accuracy." Li Xiuchen stared intently at Wenxiang, trying to see even the slightest hesitation in his eyes. If he did, it would mean that Wenxiang was also being kept in the dark.

Sure enough, Wenxiang's gaze paused for a moment, though only briefly, but Li Xiuchen still sensed it. Wenxiang glanced lightly at the person on the other side of his divine shore, who immediately stood up and walked behind Li Xiuchen. Li Xiuchen didn't turn around; he knew that if anything happened, he wouldn't be able to escape either.

However, the man simply closed the open door behind Li Xiuchen, then walked back to sit down next to Wenxiang without saying a word. During that time, Li Xiuchen and Wenxiang kept looking at each other. Although they had cooperated, their relationship wasn't particularly close. Moreover, they had already reached a consensus that their relationship was ultimately just one of mutual exploitation.

Wenxiang was interested in the Panlong within Li Xiuchen, while Li Xiuchen was interested in Wenxiang's background. In essence, both of them simply wanted to use each other as a stepping stone for their future development; neither was particularly important or special.

"Alright, tell me, what exactly happened?" Wenxiang nodded at Li Xiuchen, asking him to recount the person Li Xiuchen had encountered and what had happened.

"It was like this at the time. Out of curiosity, I asked the waiter a question..." Li Xiuchen pondered for a moment, then told Wenxiang the whole story.

"Is there anything special about the rooms here? Why are they divided into 'heaven' and 'earth' rooms?" The two had been silent the whole way, but Li Xiu finally couldn't hold back any longer. After all, it was his first time visiting an inn like this, and he hadn't expected such a division. So Li Xiu wanted to learn more about it, hoping to broaden his horizons.

"Young master, is this your first time visiting our inn?" Upon hearing Li Xiu's question, the waiter walking ahead did not turn around to look at Li Xiu, nor did he stop walking. He simply asked in a calm voice.

“Yes, that’s right. This is my first time at this inn. As you know, I’ve always stayed at home and haven’t been out much. This time, my dad brought me here, so this is my first time at this inn.” Li Xiu nodded with a smile, trying to make his identity seem more authentic.

“Young master, you are not a member of the Wen family. You are not Brother Wenxiang’s son either. Of course, I don’t mean anything by saying this. I just want to say that if you don’t belong to this circle, I hope you won’t know too much. After all, everyone has to consider their own interests in life.” The waiter’s voice was still calm, as if he already knew everything, but he did not show it.

Although the waiter's words were very calm, and what he said was true, it was still enough to shock Li Xiu. Every step, every detail, had been flawless. So why did the waiter reveal the whole truth without knowing anything?

"I didn't know what you were talking about. My name is Li Xiu, and my father's name is Li Wei. You just escorted my father to his room. How could I be the son of that Wenxiang?" Li Xiu was unsure whether the waiter in front of him truly knew the whole truth or was just bluffing. So Li Xiu decided to play dumb and act as if he didn't understand.

Upon hearing Li Xiu's words, the waiter walking ahead stopped abruptly. His eyes were fixed on Li Xiu, a smile still playing on his lips. He watched quietly for only a short while, but for some reason, Li Xiu felt as if half a century had passed.

“Young master, some things can indeed be hidden very well, but you must also know that some things are impossible to hide no matter what you do. I must say, the three of you are quite good at disguising yourselves, but there are some things, as I just said, that you simply cannot fake.” With that, the waiter stopped looking at Li Xiu and turned back to continue walking forward.

"Don't worry, I won't tell anyone about these things, and I won't report you to anyone. For example, Li Wei's name is Wenxiang, Li Long's name is Wenchong, and your name is Li Xiuchen." With just a few simple words, Li Xiuchen was speechless. He was indeed quite shocked by what the waiter said.

Although the waiter in front of them said he wouldn't reveal this, if even a mere waiter could see through it, then what about the others? They could expose their identities anytime, anywhere. What difference would that make if they weren't wearing this mask at all?

"Young master, we've arrived at your room. Please rest well. If you need anything, please feel free to ask. I'll take my leave now." Just as Li Xiuchen was lost in thought, the waiter led him to his room and respectfully gave him some instructions.

"That's the whole story. I think I've made myself clear enough." As Li Xiuchen explained each sentence to Wenxiang, subtle changes were clearly visible in the expressions of both Wenxiang and the person beside him. Li Xiuchen noticed all of this and secretly breathed a sigh of relief. However, at the same time, his heart was in his throat; he knew that what was about to happen was not good.

Moreover, although Li Xiuchen recounted the entire course of events to Wenxiang and the person beside him, he still concealed some things. For example, he didn't mention what Xiao Er had told him at the end—the letter that Xiao Er had mentioned, which was now lying quietly in Li Xiuchen's arms.

It wasn't that Li Xiuchen didn't trust Wenxiang, nor that he didn't want to tell Wenxiang. In fact, Li Xiuchen had considered revealing the letter during his own recounting of the story. However, he ultimately decided against it. After all, Wenxiang's expression made him somewhat uneasy.

If Wenxiang's identity has been exposed, it means his current situation is extremely precarious. Moreover, it seems Li Xiuchen has no reason to tell Wenxiang about the letter. After all, the letter was left to him by someone else, and judging from Wenxiang's expression, he doesn't know anything about it, so there's no need for him to drag himself into this mess.

Of course, although Li Xiuchen is now in a predicament, fundamentally, there is no necessary connection or direct link between the two matters. Therefore, Li Xiuchen decided to wait and see, and reveal the letter only when things had developed to a certain point. This would at least protect himself, and also indirectly protect the person who gave him the letter.

Hearing Li Xiuchen's words, Wenxiang fell into deep thought. Although Li Xiuchen didn't know what Wenxiang was thinking, he could clearly feel a low pressure filling the room. This feeling made Li Xiuchen very uncomfortable. But of course, Li Xiuchen didn't intend to say anything, as there were more important things to deal with right now.

"Xiuchen, I'm asking you, where did you find out about this?" After a short while, Wenxiang raised his head and looked at Li Xiuchen, asking calmly, but clearly, there was a hint of accusation in his tone.

"As for where I learned about this, it doesn't seem to have any necessary connection to the matter at hand. And where I got the information doesn't seem to be any of your business either." Li Xiuchen stared intently at Wenxiang, answering Wenxiang's question directly and without any mercy.

After hearing Li Xiuchen's answer, Wenxiang didn't say anything, only nodded. Because Li Xiuchen really didn't need to tell Wenxiang where he had heard this news from.

Just as Wenxiang was pondering what to do next, the door was suddenly pushed open again. Li Xiuchen was startled and instinctively turned around to look behind him. Wenxiang also snapped out of his thoughts and looked towards the doorway. In that instant, both of them were stunned.

Chapter 1241 Panic

"Hey, young master, young master, don't bite the burnt parts, or you'll get an upset stomach tomorrow!" Old Huang hurriedly reminded Wenlong when he saw him about to bite into a piece of meat that was clearly burnt. As he spoke, he ran forward to try and take the game from Wenlong's hand so that he wouldn't eat the burnt meat.

"Oh, it's nothing, it's nothing, I'm in great shape!" Wenlong replied to Lao Huang with a smug look on his face.

"That won't do! Give it to me right now, spit it out!" Old Huang answered him decisively.

"Tsk tsk tsk, Lao Huang, you're really getting old, you're so nagging." Wen Long couldn't help but complain.

"Hahaha, you think I'm nagging? So what if you think I'm nagging? Go ahead and hit me if you dare!" Old Huang suddenly chuckled, revealing a bright and cheerful smile. Following behind Wen Long, the two couldn't help but tease each other in the night.

"Young Master, we're going into the city tomorrow. Are you ready?" Wenlong and Lao Huang stood on either side of a high hill, looking at the city that was now clearly visible in the distance.

"Old Huang, I don't know. I have something to tell you." Wenlong stared at the city for a long time, seemingly lost in thought. After a while, he finally answered Old Huang's question. As he spoke, Wenlong turned around, walked down the hill, and returned to his and Old Huang's campsite.

"What's wrong, young master? What's on your mind? If you feel pressured or aren't ready, we can stay in the mountains for a couple more days and go later." Old Huang sensed that Wenlong seemed to have something on his mind, so he didn't try to persuade him further. Instead, he followed Wenlong down the hill and tried to comfort him.

"No, Lao Huang, it's not that I wasn't prepared, it's just that I don't know why, but I feel really uneasy here, like I have a really bad feeling. But I can't quite put my finger on it." Wenlong was fiddling with a tree branch, clearly in a terrible mood.

"It's alright, young master. Maybe you're just not ready yet. Perhaps you're not prepared to face these things. Let's stay in these mountains for a couple more days, and when you're in a better mood, we'll head to the city. What do you say?" Old Huang gently patted Wenlong's back to comfort him. Indeed, Wenlong wasn't very mature yet; after all, he was still just a teenager.

Facing such a large operation and such heavy workload, it is indeed a bit overwhelming for a teenager, and it doesn't quite fit the pressure he should be under at this age. So it's normal for Wenlong to be in a bad mood and a bit irritable.

"Old Huang, how often do the Wen family members report back to the clan, especially those who run shops in the city and manage intelligence stations?" Wen Long didn't answer Old Huang's question but pondered for a while before asking him this question.

"Those who run shops should report to the family once a month. Those who run intelligence stations need to report immediately if there is any information, otherwise they should report once a week to half a month on average. What's wrong? Do you think there's a problem?" Although Old Huang was a little puzzled by Wen Long's sudden question, he still answered it.

But actually, everyone in the Wen family is very familiar with this, and Wen Long, as a key figure being groomed, certainly wouldn't be unaware of it. After answering Wen Long's question, Old Huang suddenly felt something was off, but he couldn't quite put his finger on what it was.

“That’s true, but what if something really happens and there’s no time to report it?” Wenlong nodded and raised another question.

"No, our Wen family has a dedicated intelligence transmission mechanism and organization, and there are very few people in this martial arts world who know these people's true identities. So it's not a big problem." Old Huang shook his head and explained with a smile.