Hearing this voice, He Yiming started.
Although he’d not spoken more than a few lines with this person, he could easily guess the identity of this person. This person was one of the two most outstanding members of the Xu family’s third generation, Xu Yude.
Xu Yinjie faintly nodded and said, “Yude, the collection of scriptures in the storehouse is the hard work of your elders’ lifetime. Now that you are in charge of it, you’ve to manage it properly. You mustn’t allow any damage to it.”
Xu Yude respectfully nodded. Xu castle’s regulations were indeed way more stricter than that of He manor.
He family was restricted in numbers. Their third generation only had nine members. However, Xu family had been passed on through several centuries. Not to mention the third generation members, even the members that were born in the same generation as that of the Lord Master himself exceeded nine.
Therefore, in comparison, when Xu Yude and others of his generation faced the family master, they all trembled with fear. They didn’t dare slip in the slightest. If they caused their elders disappointment in any way, they could be marginalized at any time.
Xu Yinjie continued, “Anzhi, since how long have you assumed duty in the inner storehouse under Yude?”
A slow and prudent voice sounded, “Reporting to Lord Master, two years have passed since.”
Distantly hearing, He Yiming’s two eyes slightly widened. He absolutely couldn’t forget this voice. In fact, he remembered this voice even clearer than that of Xu Yude.
On that night when he was attending Cheng family’s banquet, it was this voice’s owner who had delivered the scripture of Blaze technique to the black-clothed man. That black-clothed man was not able to escape with the scripture and was intercepted by him halfway through. However, that was a different story.
One of his most important objectives in coming to the Xu castle was to find this person. He hadn’t expected that he would be able to find this person right away. This was truly what they say ‘looking everywhere and finding it under one’s nose.’
“Two years….good. Yude said that these two years, you have been quite sincere- not inferior to your father and grandfather at all,” Xu Yinjie said in a satisfied voice, “If you have some request, you can ask. Our Xu family will not treat a loyal person unjust.”
That man seemed to be fawning- as if he wished to say something but didn’t dare.
Xu Right scolded him with a laugh, “Hong Anzhi, your three generations have sincerely served our Xu family. Your grandfather and father were both straightforward men. Why is it that by your generation, you all have turned into such cowards.”
That man seemed to have straightened his chest before he said, “Esteemed Lord Master, two years ago, ever since this disciple started to follow young master Yude, this disciple has only gone outside two times. However, during these times, this disciple has gotten closer to Hehua of Xu town. So…so….”
“Hehua?” Xu Yinjie started before asking, “You have already been together?”
“Yes.” Hong Anzhi said in a low voice.
Xu Yinxie pondered for a few moments before saying, “When did this happen?”
“About half a year ago, when this disciple went out with young master Yude, this disciple happened to meet with Hehua in the Xu town. These six months, Hehua has also come to the outer castle many times. However, due to clan rules, we can only see each other about once in a month or so,” Hong Anzhi mumblingly said.
Xu Yinxie didn’t seem dissatisfied, and he instead said, “Anzhi, you really do understand the rules. You’ve managed to not betray the castle rules. In your wedding, I will replace your late grandfather.”
“Many thanks to esteemed Lord Master,” Hong Anzhi immediately knelt down and heavily kowtowed.
After he completed the greeting, Xu Yinxie again said, “However, since you are getting married to a person outside the inner castle, according to the rules of the castle, you can no longer manage the storehouse.”
Hong Anzhi lowered his head before suddenly saying, “Lord Master, this disciple is willing to move to the outer castle, but ask your permission to keep following young master Yude.”
An ‘en’ sound escaped from the mouth of Xu Yinxie, evidently quite pleased with the former’s response, “I give you my word, get up.”
“Yes,” One could easily discern the joy in Hong Anzhi’s voice.
However, outside, He Yiming couldn’t help but exclaim in wonder. If he had not heard this man’s conversation with the black-clothed man, he would never have believed that this man’s three generation had actually been deeply concealing themselves as spongers.
At the same time, he finally understood, why Hong Anzhi could get his hands on the Xu family’s two special techniques.
Blaze technique and Withered Tree technique, these two techniques, just like the Splitting Mountain Thirty Six Forms, couldn’t be placed in an ordinary storehouse, and from the latter’s tone, this indeed seemed to be the case, and these two techniques seemed to be stored in the inner storehouse.
As such, in charge watching over the inner storehouse- Hong Anzhi possessed the qualifications of sneaking glances at these scriptures. Although He Yiming couldn’t guess the exact method he used to actually copy them down, he could tell it must have been quite expensive.
However, this moment, He Yiming had no thoughts of exposing these matters.
Whether Xu family had a mole in their ranks or not, he couldn’t care less. The only thing he cared about was to obtain the Withered Tree technique.
After a few more minutes, Xu Yude and Hong Anzhi both left the room together. As for Xu Right, he was still discussing something with the Lord Master. However, at this point, He Yiming had lost all interest in their conversation.
He slowly raised his body; his ears still attentive as he carefully paid attention to every movement of Xu Yude and Hong Anzhi.
Soon after, those two parted at an intersection. Xu Yude went towards the inner section, while Hong Anzhi went to a round-shaped courtyard in the outermost section.
Even the inner castle was further divided into sections that had varying importances. An individual like Hong Anzhi obviously didn’t have the qualifications to enter the important sections.
He Yiming strictly followed after this guy. Since the latter had himself made the request to be assigned outside, he ought to have completed the copying of the other scripture. If this had not been the case, he certainly wouldn’t even have dared to mention this topic.
Hong Anzhi walked inside a building. After cleaning himself, he blew the light off. Subsequently, He Yiming could hear the sounds of removing of clothes and Hong Anzhi lying down.
However, from the sounds of his breathing, He Yiming could tell that he had not fallen asleep.
After a few minutes, a faint sound could be heard. Fortunately, He Yiming could form an image in his mind just by the help of incoming sounds.
Although the image was not too precise or beautiful, he could faintly discern what Hong Anzhi was up to.
Apparently, this guy was rummaging under the bed, but was exceedingly careful to not to let a single sound escape outside. Apart from He Yiming, even if someone else could hear the sounds, that person wouldn’t have been able to discern the meaning behind actions of Hong Anzhi.
Eventually, Hong Anzhi returned back to the bed. However, this time, just after a few moments, He Yiming could hear the sounds of his even breathing.
He Yiming rolled his eyes. Not opting to act immediately, he walked back following the same path.
Although Hong Anzhi no longer worked at the inner storehouse and would probably move out of the inner castle, this was not something that could be done in a day. He Yiming felt he still had ample time. He didn’t need to hurry at all.
He left the inner castle and returned back to his residence in the outer castle- completely undiscovered.
Actually, once he concentrated his Internal Energy at his ears, within a perimeter of thirty meters around him, even the sounds of an ant couldn’t escape his ears. Thus, all disguised and undisguised eyes naturally couldn’t discover a trace of him.
Not to mention going by the current reputation of Xu family in the Tai Cang county, which was akin to that of the sun in the sky, no petty thief or small fry would dare to create trouble here. Although the castle had conventional patrol arrangements and secret garrisons, all of the personnel had quite casual attitudes. They never had a chance of discovering He Yiming’s traces.
This time, he’d gained a lot. Although he’d just come here, to obtain the Withered Tree technique, half of his work had already been done.
Calming his mind and body, he fell asleep.
Of course, if somebody entered his room, and unless this person had a cultivation even higher than that of his grandfather or Xu Yinjie, he/she wouldn’t be able to slip past him unnoticed.
The next day, He Yiming opened his eyes, took in a breath of morning air, and went to outer castle’s gigantic public square.
This public square was even bigger than the He estate’s backyard/training ground. It was not late in the morning, but a lot of spongers and castle workers had already arrived here to conduct their morning training.
He Yiming casually exhibited a sequence of the Silk Palm. Whenever he exhibited Silk Palm, he would garner a lot of envious stares from the surroundings.
Even among these spongers, a gang-like system ran. If a new recruit wished to firmly plant his feet, either he needed some backing or formidable strength.
And the best way of exhibiting one’s strength was undoubtedly to show one’s cards here- the region where the majority of spongers conduct their morning training.
Although Silk Palm was not a rare technique, understanding the essence of this technique was not a feat in the reach of an ordinary person.
Therefore, ever since he’d displayed the essence of Silk Palm with fourth-layer Internal Energy, no trouble came to find him.
However, at this point, all the people were still maintaining a certain distance from him. He knew that this was because his identity had not yet gained the approval of Xu family. Once the members of Xu family confirmed his identity in the Tai Chong county, he would naturally start to blend in the Xu family. At the same time, he would also start to obtain assignments.
Of course, nobody knew that there was no Qin Zhao in Tai Chong county, and by the time this information would travel back, he would have slipped away.
After idling his way around in the morning, as the time for lunch approached, He Yiming slipped away from the eyes of others and arrived beside a section of inner castle’s wall that was shrouded by trees. His figure sprang up and crossed the wall- undiscovered.
He inwardly sighed. Xu family’s feet had indeed been planted since way back. Surprisingly, nobody cared about the fact that so many big trees were growing by their inner castle’s wall.
After a few turns, he arrived before Hong Anzhi’s residence. He focused his attention on his ears and immediately found out that the latter was not present inside.
Faintly smiling, he barged in. Although the door had a big, shiny lock on it, against his brute force, how could it have preserved?