Who let him join the Sword Sect?!

Song Qingpao is quite the talent, especially in intelligence gathering.

Upon receiving Zhang Ze's instructions this morning, he immediately sprang into action.

Zhang Ze's instructions were not complicated.

[Deliver a note to Qiu Jidan.]

[The note should say, "Madam of Cold City is very disappointed in you."]

[Do not let Qiu Jidan know it's from you.]

[Then inform me of Qiu Jidan's reaction.]

He didn't make things explicit, but Song Qingpao would fill in the blanks himself.

Zhang Ze believed that with Song Qingpao's skills, he would definitely handle this matter in a mysterious way.

Zhang Ze was even more certain that if Young Master Qiu had any insider information, he would inevitably reveal a thing or two.

If Madam Han Yao was indeed part of the Hundred Demons Sect, Young Master Qiu would certainly know something.

And as Zhang Ze had expected, Song Qingpao indeed executed it beautifully.

In fact, it was almost too well done.

In Song Qingpao's mind, being tasked with such a mission by a senior was surely an acknowledgment of his recent diligent efforts in demon slaying and infiltration into the Righteous Path.

It meant his abilities were recognized by the senior.

Until now, when speaking, the senior had never used more than six words with him.

This time he said four sentences, forty-four words in total!

What an immense honor.

Calming his excited heart, Song Qingpao immediately began to plot meticulously.

"This task is both a test and a reward."

"It shows I finally qualify to be on the senior's game board, becoming a piece in his strategic game, rather than just a scythe for clearing weeds."

Yangguan Road connects to Cyan Thorn both north and south, a hub of information convenience, and over these years, Song Qingpao had developed his own information channels.

He knew vaguely that there was indeed a significant figure from the Hundred Demons Sect up north.

And this person held a special status.

He thought the senior intended to engage in a showdown with this person, and Qiu Jidan might hold some key information.

Or Qiu Jidan's identity could be dubious!

He must be an insider! A mole within the ranks of the senior!

He's working for the Cold City person!

Thinking of this, Song Qingpao trembled with excitement. After careful consideration, to prove his worth to the senior and to ensure the mission was foolproof, Song Qingpao decided to act personally.

"This is a high-stakes game among the Hundred Demons Sect's elite, a power struggle."

"Although Lin Feng, Wang Ma, and others are reliable, I must take action myself."

Given his observations and summaries of Qiu Jidan's personality and habits over the past months, Song Qingpao completed all preparations within just one two-hour period.

"As long as Qiu Jidan doesn't recognize me."

"I must deliver this note to him personally."

"Though there's risk, I can also gather more intelligence."

So when Qiu Jidan received this note, he was almost scared witless.

The twisted method by which Song Qingpao delivered this note bore a strong resemblance to Madam Han Yao's style, coincidentally matching it eightfold.

Qiu Jidan's fear of his mother was ingrained deep within his bones.

After all, his father, though ill, could still be communicated with; otherwise, he wouldn't have given him this opportunity to prove himself in Cyan Thorn.

But that woman, in Qiu Jidan's eyes, was a complete lunatic.

Especially when it came to her own flesh and blood.

While others say a tiger, no matter how fierce, will not eat its cub, she found her own son quite crunchy.

Her schemes went on around the clock.

So when Qiu Jidan received the note, he felt doomed.

Surely there was a mistake in his intelligence, causing that woman to waste her time.

If she was displeased, she would undoubtedly seek revenge.

Walking the streets, Qiu Jidan felt a chill in his spine, believing the note essentially meant.

"Your mother's reach has already extended from Cold City to Yangguan Road."

After much deliberation, Qiu Jidan made a decision that went against his ancestors.

From today onwards, he would start studying earnestly.

The Sword Hall rules state that Loose Cultivators with good conduct and excellent morals can enter the Outer Sect of the Sword Sect for three months of training.

Qiu Jidan believed that within all of Cyan Thorn, only the Sword Pavilion was safe.

The woman's reach likely couldn't extend into the Sword Pavilion.

Based on the timing, it would be three more years...

Enduring it might just get him through.

Once the Hundred Demons Sect's plot in Cyan Thorn concluded, he would immediately leave Cyan Thorn, putting as much distance between himself and that woman as possible.

After all, her main body couldn't currently leave Cold City, so her reach surely had limits.

With resolve made, Qiu Jidan felt a little better, though his lungs still ached.

"If there's nothing else, I'll take my leave."

"After all, now that you're part of the Sword Hall, disappearing for so long would be inappropriate."

Disguised, Song Qingpao, with a hoarse voice carrying a faint hint of blood, spoke.

"Please... please wait, deliver a message to my mother for me." Qiu Jidan reached out to stop Song Qingpao.

'Oh, this person is that woman's son. This intelligence needs noting down for reporting to the senior later.'

Song Qingpao mentally noted while verbally responding, "You can contact her yourself; why involve me?"

"No, no."

Qiu Jidan dared not communicate with Madam Han Yao now, given what he knew of his mother.

Madam Han Yao should be very angry now, not wanting to listen to him at all.

So Qiu Jidan only wants to go study at the Sword Hall.

From today, he will wield the three-foot Cold Sword to protect a region's peace.

For the great cause of the Demon Sect, he'll temporarily be a good person.

"Go ahead, I'm listening," Song Qingpao said expressionlessly.

Qiu Jidan thought for a moment and decided to calm his mother down first, admitting defeat, "Child knows, I will visit Jade Heart Sect to apologize afterward."

'Oh, so the lord of Cold City is hiding in Jade Heart Sect, understood.' Song Qingpao noted in his heart again.

After waiting for a while and seeing Qiu Jidan remain silent, Song Qingpao sneered, forming a Taoist Spell with his hands.

A black flame rose from beneath his feet, its shadow dancing like a serpent, disappearing in front of Qiu Jidan in the blink of an eye.

Seeing the person really leave, Qiu Jidan wiped his cold sweat and stood up to leave the secret chamber.

Time to return to class.

A vacant house five miles away.

An Array lit up on the ground inside the house, and Song Qingpao walked out from a cloud of black smoke.

He looked around warily, noticing that none of his laid Restrictions had been triggered, and seeing no one around.

Only then did he bend down to take out a box from a hidden compartment under the bed.

The box was quite extravagant, with a ghost face engraved on its surface, a bone dragon held in its mouth.

Two lines of small characters were carved in the lower right corner of the box lid.

[Holy Appearance Set, Rebellious Evil God Edition, (Trial Version)]

[Produced by Thousand Mechanism Pavilion, ensure authenticity.]

Song Qingpao carefully removed the various Thousand Mechanism Tools hidden inside his clothes and placed them into the box.

Since it was a trial version, it had many flaws, and this set of Thousand Mechanism Tools and the matching Teleportation Array Talisman could be used only three times.

He couldn't bear to lose it; the recent experience was simply exhilarating.

No wonder it's called Holy Appearance in public.

After tidying up, Song Qingpao opened the wardrobe and took out another box.

This box also had two lines of small characters.

[Jianghu Travel Set, Multi-faceted Gentleman Edition.]

[Produced by Thousand Mechanism Pavilion, ensure authenticity.]

Opening the box, Song Qingpao removed his disguise, lightly chuckling as he touched the inside of the box.

"These products from the Thousand Mechanism Pavilion are truly useful."

"That subordinate named Lin Feng is quite interesting, too."

"To think he managed to get me those not-yet-for-sale Thousand Mechanism Tools."

"He wears a face of arrogance, acts cold, yet turns out to be someone skilled at maneuvering."

"But such people are good; those who covet power are easier to manipulate."

"I could employ some tactics..."

Putting both boxes back into the Storage Ring, Song Qingpao collected himself and contacted Zhang Ze.

"Senior..."

Old Residence of the Ling Family.

Li Yueqi listened to the sound from the Sound Transmission Jade once more.

Afterward, she was quite impressed with Zhang Ze.

"Not bad, your Sword Sect spy is truly formidable."

Zhang Ze pondered and decided not to explain. Mr. Song had achieved a major accomplishment this time; it would be better to leave him some dignity.

"Therefore, I trouble you, Sister, to head to the Sword Hall and the City Lord's Mansion to keep an eye on that woman first."

"Sister Qi, take this." Chen Qin handed a keepsake to Li Yueqi, "This is the Sword Sect Main Pavilion's keepsake, which can serve as your identity proof."

"Understood, I'm off."

With that, Li Yueqi waved her hand, turning Hei Qu into ink, preparing to use an Escape Technique to leave.

Lily stood by, her gaze wandering between them.

Just as Li Yueqi was about to leave, she also jumped into the thick ink.

"Hey, take me along..."

After careful consideration, Lily felt it was safer to follow Li Yueqi.

Zhang Ze's eyelid twitched, but he didn't stop her.

Lily was still at Qi Cultivation stage; bringing her along wasn't very useful. In case of an incident, she could only cocoon herself and roll aside, shouting encouragement.

Once Lily was gone, Zhang Ze turned to look at the stone table in the courtyard.

He had just placed the Jade Sword, ring, and the Magic Mirror Lily brought on top of the table.

The Magic Mirror was a treasure, said to be obtained from Dragon Tiger Mountain.

The front emitted light all around, dispelling evil spirits.

The back held River Map and Luo Book, predicting fortune and misfortune.

It was most useful for locating hidden treasures in Cave Mansions.

But now, they were all gone.

"Where's my mirror?"

"Where's my ring?"

"Where's my Jade Sword?"

Meanwhile, the system annoyingly refreshed a task.

[Side Task Refresh, Profound Bird Protecting its Young]

[Please follow the Cyan Feather Ring's guidance to find Bird Demon Ling Liu]

A task appeared, and the task items were lost.