Universe Infinite Canteen

Yit took a few steps and, noticing that Ma Lu hadn't followed, said again, "If you don't leave now, more beggars will come, and then it will be hard to get away."

"I still have a friend," Ma Lu said. "I have arranged to meet her at Drunken Goose Tower."

"Friend?" Yit thought for a moment. "You follow me first. Once we're in a safe place, you can write a note, and I'll have someone deliver it to Drunken Goose Tower."

"That works."

Ma Lu then followed behind Yit and, after a short distance, the two arrived at a rice shop.

Yit walked straight in, and the shop assistant at the entrance acted as if he hadn't seen him. Yit passed through the front door, and his voice came from behind a curtain.

"Come in. This area isn't safe either; there are spies from the beggars around."

"Oh, oh, oh."

When Ma Lu also entered the backyard, he discovered that Yit had transformed into a coachman's attire and even his face looked different, his green eyes having turned gray.

Seeing Ma Lu's surprised look, Yit proudly said, "How about that, my face-changing technique isn't bad, right?"

"It's quite impressive."

Ma Lu admitted. He saw a carriage parked beside them and was about to step up when Yit stopped him, "We'll take the next one."

After saying this, Yit also handed Ma Lu some clothes—a gray short coat, plus long pants and a belt.

After Ma Lu changed, Yit slanted his eyes and sized him up, his gaze falling on Ma Lu's brand-new cloth shoes.

He then took a pair of straw sandals, rubbed them on the stone pavement to fray the edges, and handed them over.

Ma Lu hadn't expected the Barbarian Big Man to be so meticulous. While he was changing shoes, a man similar in build to Yit quietly drove the carriage away from the back door.

Meanwhile, Yit and Ma Lu waited a bit longer before they, along with two shop assistants, boldly pushed a laden donkey cart out the front door.
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They first delivered rice to two inns, then Yit seized an opportunity to lead Ma Lu around the back of an inn.

Past the market and a small bridge, the duo finally stopped outside a grand-looking building.

Ma Lu saw a pair of couplets next to the doorframe — the upper line read "Thousands of gambling houses under the heavens," the lower line read "None as ever joyful as this place."

The plaque above their heads was labeled, "Merry Woods."

Yit took off the human skin mask from his face, "We're safe here. This street is still in our hands for now, none of those annoying beggars around."

"This is your territory, is it appropriate for me to go in?" Ma Lu asked.

"What's not appropriate?" the Barbarian Big Man knocked on the door, "We in Heavenly Dragon Sect value loyalty deeply. Brother Liu, you dared to defy the Beggars' Sect to help us, from now on, you're a brother of the Heavenly Dragon Sect."

"Ah?"

Ma Lu had felt that Yit's arrival was too coincidental and, given that he hadn't asked about his background but just brought him along in an escape, it turned out he had mistaken him for someone else.

Ma Lu was tempted to clarify, but he also felt that perhaps he could use this mix-up to infiltrate the Heavenly Dragon Sect and scout the situation.

The Beggars' Sect lost the Lotus Bowl, and the Heavenly Dragon Sect as its sworn enemy was the most suspected, he just didn't know how long this "Brother Liu" disguise could last.

If he were to be exposed while inside, Ma Lu estimated that he would certainly lose his life.

He hesitated, then decided it was not worth the risk, and with a bow, he said, "Brother Yi, to be honest, I am actually..."

But before he could finish, the doors of the Merry Woods were flung open, and a beautiful woman stood behind them.

Her eyes lit up when she saw Yit.

"Left Emissary Yi, you finally arrived; Tan Mazi and his people have been clamoring to avenge the Xu Deputy Gate Master. If you hadn't come, they would have probably dashed out to fight those beggars by now!"

Yit frowned, "I went to meet a friend from the Formless Sword Sect. Hasn't Tan Mazi been making a fuss since this morning, it's not enough?"

"You know the relationship between him and Xu Deputy Gate Master, they were like father and son, and with Xu Deputy dead, the one who's hurt the most is him," the beautiful woman said, "I saw him earlier, he was hugging Xu Deputy's corpse and crying for half the day before you arrived."

"I'll go see him," Yit also felt somewhat troubled, "when the murderer has not yet been found, for whom is he seeking revenge!"

The Barbarian Big Man was talking and just about to walk in, but then something occurred to him, he stopped in his tracks and turned back, "Young Master Liu, did you have something to say to me just now?"

Ma Lu straightened up, his expression one of integrity, "To be honest, I have long disapproved of the Beggars' Sect bullying the weak with their power, I will surely stand with your sect."

"Good!" Yit slapped Ma Lu hard on the shoulder, "I, Yi, indeed wasn't wrong about you, Young Master Liu, please come in with me."

Ma Lu followed behind Yit, striding into the Merry Woods.

This place, unlike the typical gambling houses filled with the mingling smells of sweat and feet and loud voices, had a changing room right at the entrance, followed by a bathhouse.

Seeing Ma Lu look surprised, the beautiful woman took the initiative to explain, "The first thing our patrons who come to Merry Woods to seek pleasure do is to bathe and change clothes. This not only washes away the travel dust but also prevents anyone from sneaking in contraband, ensuring fair play in the gambling."

"Moreover, the maids who serve the guests for bathing and changing are all beauties. If a guest takes a fancy to any, they can also spend money for their company."

"Alas, Young Master Liu, it's just not your lucky time. Once the gambling house opens again, I can offer you a thousand taels of silver to enjoy a few days here. You'll then understand just how delightful our Merry Woods really is."

As the three were speaking, suddenly a loud shout was heard, "Dammit! The Beggars' Sect has gone too far, thinking our Heavenly Dragon Sect is without fighters. I'll slaughter them all, let's see who dares to stop me today!!!"

"Tan Mazi, have you forgotten what the Sect Leader ordered?" the Barbarian Big Man heard the shout and quickened his pace, walking through the bathhouse into the gambling house.

He saw a man of short stature and strong physique, with a rugged face and pockmarked, charging towards the door.

His approach was aggressive, and he collided directly with Yit. Yit moved back half a step, stoutly holding the doorway, his expression unflustered, while the Short-legged Tiger was forced to retreat several steps, his eyes red as he glared at the Barbarian Big Man.

"Very well, Left Emissary Yi, you plan to stop me too?"

"I am not stopping you from avenging Xu Deputy Gate Master, but you should first find out who the murderer is."

"What's there left to find? Apart from those bastards of the Beggars' Sect, who else would dare lay hands on Xu Deputy Gate Master in Yuchang County? Tan Mazi growled through gritted teeth.

"Even if it was done by the Beggars' Sect, do you know who the killer is?"

"What difference does it make, just kill them all! There are no good ones from the Beggars' Sect!"

"You speak lightly, but with your skills, facing any elder from the eight ranks or above, which could you beat?"