Young hero, stay put and don't be reckless.

Chapter 106 Does the Young Master Have a Plan?

In the north, Chen Lei pointed to three names: "We need to be careful with these ones—Xiao Rui, Hu Yanfei, and Tuoba Feng."

Jiang Xun's gaze fell on the three characters "Tuoba Feng," and a thought struck him—as expected, he was there.

Just as he was thinking, he suddenly felt a gaze fall on him. When he looked up, he saw Ye Qingying looking at him with a half-smile.

He quickly adopted a casual demeanor: "Is this Tuoba Feng the northern warrior from the Meng family in Qiantang last time?"

"That's right, it's him." Chen Lei nodded. "The Tuoba family is a powerful clan in the Northern Border. Although they are not as strong as they used to be, their foundation is still there. You have witnessed Tuoba Feng's martial arts skills, and they are no less than mine."

"What about Xiao Rui?"

"He is a member of the Empress of Da Han," Chen Lei said in a low voice. "The Xiao family has a great deal of influence in Da Han. Xiao Rui is the most outstanding among the younger generation of the Xiao family. His swordsmanship is sharp, and he is deep in thought. He is not easy to deal with."

"Hu Yanfei?"

"The eldest son of the Huyan family," Chen Lei said. "The Huyan family's power on the grasslands is second only to the Tuoba and Xiao families, and they are famous for their horsemanship and archery. Huyan Fei grew up on horseback, and he is skilled in both archery and horsemanship, and he is also good at foot combat."

Jiang Xun memorized each of these names, then asked, "Just these few people? Such a momentous event as the Sword God's inheritance—why isn't even a Grandmaster here?"

Ye Qingying explained, "There is an unwritten rule in Shuofeng City: as long as Grandmaster Helian Bo is in the city, no other Grandmaster can step into it."

Jiang Xun frowned: "What if those people from the Northern Border renege on their promise? This is their territory, you'll inevitably suffer losses..."

Chen Lei thought for a moment and said, "The whole world is watching this; they wouldn't dare."

"That's not necessarily true," Jiang Xun thought to himself.

His eyes darted around, but he couldn't help asking, "Is this sword guardian reliable?"

"Senior Huang's identity is genuine," Chen Lei said. "My father visited Sword God Lu Qingfeng more than ten years ago and met Senior Huang once."

Chen Lei's father was Chen Yang, the head of the Hidden Sect, a grandmaster.

Jiang Xun nodded and didn't ask any more questions.

The masters all thought there was no problem; why should a mere thief bother with such a thing?

After finishing his meal, Chen Lei called the waiter to settle the bill.

"I've already arranged accommodations for Junior Sister Ye at an inn in the south of the city; it's quiet and peaceful." He turned to Jiang Xun, "Brother Jiang, if you don't mind, I can arrange a room for you as well."

"No need, no need," Jiang Xun refused outright. "I'll find a place to stay myself."

Chen Lei glanced at him but didn't press the matter.

"Alright, farewell then."

The three left the restaurant and parted ways on the street.

Chen Lei headed south to escort Ye Qingying to the inn.

Jiang Xun went east alone to find a brokerage firm.

He was doing something in Shuofeng City that couldn't be done in public, so it would be more convenient for him to rent a place himself.

Jiang Xun had already looked at the map and knew that the East Market was to the east, a place for buying and selling goods.

I don't know if the people of Shuofeng City have the habit of taking a nap, but it's just past lunchtime and most of the shops are closed.

The streets were deserted, with only one or two pedestrians hurrying by occasionally.

Jiang Xun stopped in front of a blacksmith shop.

The shop wasn't big; the door panels were already half-installed, and the lights inside were still on. The light from the stove fire shone through the cracks in the door, casting a reddish glow on the ground.

He squatted down, pretending that something was stuck to the sole of his shoe, and took out the wooden plaque with the character "Shadow" engraved on it from his pocket. He deliberately let it slip through his fingers and fall to the ground.

Then he picked it up, dusted it off, and put it back in his pocket.

The movement was quick, but enough for the people in the shop to see.

He stood up and continued walking forward as if nothing had happened.

Behind me, the blacksmith's shop light flickered, and it seemed as if a figure moved.

At the end of the East Market, there is a brokerage firm with a small storefront. The sign reads "North and South House Rentals" and looks like it's been around for a while.

Jiang Xun pushed open the door and went in. A skinny, middle-aged man stood up from behind the counter, smiling broadly.

"Sir, would you like to buy or rent a property?"

"Rent a place," Jiang Xun said, "one with a yard, something quieter."

Skinny Monkey's eyes lit up: "Yes, yes, yes! There's a house in the west of the city, with a small garden, fully furnished, and you can move in right away."

"How much?"

"Two ounces a month."

Jiang Xun frowned.

Two ounces, more expensive than expected.

But this is Shuofeng City, surrounded by desolate wilderness, so it's normal for it to be expensive.

"Can I take a look?"

"Sure! Shall we go now?" Skinny Monkey had already taken the keys and was eagerly leading the way.

The courtyard is located in the west of the city, not far from the East Market, within a short walk.

There was a quiet alleyway at the entrance, with several old locust trees planted on both sides. The leaves had not yet grown, and the bare branches cast dappled shadows in the sunlight.

The skinny monkey opened the door, and Jiang Xun walked in, then paused for a moment.

The courtyard is not large, with blue bricks paving the ground. There are three main rooms facing south, and there are side rooms on the east and west sides.

The best part is that there's a small attic behind the main house, with a wooden ladder that you can climb up.

It's practically identical to the house he bought in Jiangning Prefecture.

Jiang Xun stood in the courtyard, suddenly feeling a little dazed—it was as if he had returned to Jiangning, where the Master Thief was hiding in that pavilion.

He took a deep breath: "This is it, I'll rent it for a month first."

The skinny monkey grinned from ear to ear, pulled out the contract from his pocket, and signed it on the spot.

Jiang Xun paid the money, took the key, and sent the skinny monkey away.

He pushed open the door and entered the main room.

The room contained a wooden bed, a table, and two chairs; it was simple but clean.

New paper was pasted on the window paper, and the light that shone through was very soft.

Jiang Xun threw his bundle onto the bed, lay down, and let out a long sigh.

Finally, I have a place to stay.

midnight.

Jiang Xun lay on the bed, eyes closed, breathing evenly.

But he didn't fall asleep; he was waiting.

Sure enough, just after midnight, a soft sound came from the courtyard—very soft, like a cat stepping on a tile.

Jiang Xun opened his eyes and placed his hand on the hilt of his sword.

The window was pushed open from the outside, and a dark figure silently vaulted in, landing almost without a sound, as if melting into the darkness.

"Shadow Seven?" Jiang Xun suddenly asked.

The dark figure stopped in the shadows, remaining silent for a moment: "You're Jiang Xun?"

"Exactly." Jiang Xun took out the wooden plaque engraved with the character "Shadow" from his pocket and tossed it towards the direction of the shadows. "Old Man Shen told you everything, right?"

The figure in black caught the wooden plaque, glanced at it, and then knelt on one knee: "Your subordinate, Shadow Seven, greets Young Master."

"Young Master?" Jiang Xun was familiar with this title; Old Yu had called him that the first time he met him.

However, the name does sound pleasant.

He didn't beat around the bush: "Do you have a layout map of the city lord's mansion?"

Yingqi emerged from the shadows and handed over a roll of silk paper—clearly prepared beforehand.

Only then did Jiang Xun see Ying Qi's eyes clearly. His face was covered with a black cloth, revealing only his eyes, which were calm and sharp.

Jiang Xun took the silk paper and spread it on the table.

"I've sketched out part of the layout of the City Lord's Mansion." Ying Qi tapped a few times on the paper with her finger. "This is the outer perimeter, this is the middle courtyard, and this is the back courtyard."

Jiang Xun looked down.

The drawings were very detailed, with every corridor, courtyard, and sentry post clearly marked.

But deep in the backyard, there are several empty spaces.

"What about these places?" Jiang Xun pointed to the empty spaces.

"I can't get in." Ying Qi's voice was calm, but there was a hint of resentment beneath it. "The city lord's mansion is heavily guarded. I've only managed to sneak in twice. But each time, as soon as I approached the backyard, a powerful pressure would hit me, forcing me to retreat."

"Is it Helian Bo?"

"It should be him," Yingqi said. "Although we didn't see him, that aura he exudes is not something an ordinary person could have."

Jiang Xun stared at the blueprints, his brows furrowing.

The treasure map is most likely in the city lord's mansion, and he has to go and explore it no matter what.

But this Helian Bo is a problem.

After a moment's thought, Jiang Xun suddenly spoke up: "There will be a competition at the City Lord's Mansion in three days."

Yingqi looked up at him.

"Young Master, are you referring to the duel between the Sword God's successors?"

"That's good," Jiang Xun said. "At that time, the guards of the City Lord's Mansion will definitely be concentrated in the training ground, and the backyard should be a bit less crowded."

"Does Young Master mean to go in then?" Ying Qi's eyes lit up. "Does Young Master have a plan?"