NOVEL NEXT Chapter 19: Chapter 19 Jin Country Warships
Xue Linglong could never have dreamed that her beauty would not sway Lin Yi in the slightest.
"What, killed Xue Linglong with a single sword?"
In the tavern, several underworld killers who had been eyeing Lin Yi, hoping to claim the bounty, promptly abandoned their original plans.
This young man was not to be trifled with!
The bounty, feared to be a prize one could earn but never live to spend!
"Let's go!"
Just as Lin Yi was preparing to leave with his sister.
Suddenly, the sound of clapping echoed through the tavern.
A young man in white robes, with a smile on his face, approached Lin Yi and his sister.
Behind the white-robed youth followed a little girl with twin ponytails, munching on a sugar cake.
"Sir, are you also here for the reward?"
Lin Yi narrowed his eyes slightly.
"Please don't misunderstand, my good man, I am not a killer from the black market."
The white-robed youth quickly waved his hand, "Besides, a measly 200,000 taels of gold are nothing to this young master."
"My name is Bai Xiu, and I only wish to make friends with a brother of similar talent to mine, as I enjoy befriending geniuses of my level."
"This person has quite the thick skin."
Lin Ning muttered softly.
"Lin Yi."
Seeing that the white-robed youth seemed to bear no ill will, Lin Yi also clasped his hands in greeting, but he remained vigilant in his heart.
Underworld killers had many methods of assassination; the other party could be feigning friendliness to find a chance to strike fatally.
Such a possibility could not be ruled out.
But the white-robed youth seemed utterly indifferent, still smiling, "Brother Lin, you must be heading to the Imperial City to partake in the Imperial Capital Martial Arts Academy's entrance examination, right?"
However, Lin Yi shook his head, "While I am indeed going to the Imperial City, I am not going to participate in the Martial Arts Academy's examination."
"Oh?"
Bai Xiu looked surprised, "I had not expected Brother Lin to set his sights so high that even the Martial Arts Academy would not meet your standards?"
"That's not it; it's just that I have killed a student of the Academy in the past, and I've offended the Martial Arts Academy Elders, so even if I went to take the examination, it would only be to humiliate myself."
Lin Yi replied without reservation.
"I see, their loss for not having Brother Lin, that is the Academy's misfortune!"
Bai Xiu laughed, "A talent like Brother Lin will shine wherever he goes! Even if you don't attend the Academy, other powers in the Imperial City will scramble to have you!"
"I, too, am on my way to the Imperial City. How about we travel together?"
"I've been to the Imperial City a few times before; you could say I'm almost a local, and know the city like the back of my hand."
"Isn't it that you know the Imperial City's nightlife like the back of your hand?"
Teased the little tomboy by his side.
Lin Yi: "..."
"Cough cough."
Bai Xiu laughed dryly, "This is my younger sister, who speaks without a filter, please excuse her, Brother Lin."
"Please understand, I am a man of integrity."
A man of integrity?
Lin Yi smiled meaningfully, "If I may speak frankly, young man, one should still exercise restraint!"
To his surprise, Bai Xiu appeared completely unconcerned, "That's because you, Brother Lin, have not seen the girls of the Feixian Building in the Imperial City. One of these days I'll take you there, and I guarantee you'll never want to restrain yourself again."
Before Lin Yi could speak, Lin Ning had already sternly warned Bai Xiu, "Don't lead my brother astray, he is still pure and virtuous..."
"Ning'er, you!"
Was this the kind of thing to blurt out?
But by the time Lin Yi thought to cover Lin Ning's mouth, it was already too late.
"What?!"
Bai Xiu was shocked, as if he had discovered a rare species, "Brother Lin, you're actually still pure?"
Even the bratty little sister behind him was covering her mouth, trying to stifle her giggles.
Lin Yi instantly suffered social death.
But fortunately, he had a thick skin, and immediately put on a serious face to look at Bai Xiu, "Brother Bai, it's getting late. We should set out for the Imperial City as soon as we can!"
Bai Xiu nodded in agreement.
He knew that Lin Yi was being heavily bountied on the black market; this Yangzhou City was too unsafe, but once they reached the Imperial City, those underworld killers wouldn't dare to be too rampant.
The four of them left the restaurant and promptly headed to the ferry crossing to take a boat to the Imperial City.
After purchasing their ferry tickets, they boarded a large passenger boat.
It was less than half an hour before the boat, filled with passengers, set sail for the Imperial City.
From what Bai Xiu had said, Lin Yi learned that the two came from the south, and even without them explicitly saying so, Lin Yi deduced that they were not from some minor family—their family background must be formidable.
"With Brother Bai's qualifications, you shouldn't have any problems participating in the Imperial Capital Martial Arts Academy's entrance exams."
Through his interactions with Bai Xiu, Lin Yi had gained a rough estimate of the latter's strength.
The threshold for recruitment at the Martial Arts Academy was high, but with Bai Xiu's strength, there would be no problem.
"Who said I was going to join the Martial Arts Academy?"
Bai Xiu said with a mysterious look.
"Oh?"
Lin Yi raised his eyebrows, the other man had indeed not mentioned he was going for the Martial Arts Academy's examination; it was he who had misunderstood.
After all, the Martial Arts Academy was the foremost power in the Imperial City, and many notable Martial Artists from Shi Country had emerged from it.
Lin Yi naturally assumed Bai Xiu was aiming to take the Academy's examination.
However, since the other party didn't say anything, Lin Yi didn't ask further. Everyone had their secrets, even his trip to the Imperial City was to visit the Seventh Princess Lu Qingcheng.
He hadn't told Bai Xiu either.
On the other side, the little brat Bai Yuanfang was chatting animatedly with Lin Ning.
"Little Ning'er, do you have any plans once you get to the Imperial City?"
"I'll follow my brother!"
"What if your brother goes to visit the brothels?"
"He won't. My brother isn't that kind of person!"
"How come you're like a little tail, don't you have anything you want to do by yourself?"
"Things I want to do by myself?"
"Yeah, like eating candy cakes, shopping for clothes..."
"The things you're talking about are tempting, but I still prefer to follow my brother!"
Yuan Fang: "…"
She was at a loss for words with this brother-obsessed girl before her.
Just then...
Suddenly, three warships appeared on the water ahead.
Seeing the flags on the ships, everyone aboard went pale, "This is bad, those are Jin Country's warships!"
"Quick, hide in the cabins!"
In an instant, the entire passenger boat plunged into a panic.
"Jin Country warships?"
Lin Yi's face also changed slightly.
Jin Country and Shi Country were sworn enemies, with centuries-old deep animosity and frequent warfare, but Jin Country was on the offensive, often invading Shi Country's borders.
The appearance of Jin Country warships here meant this boat was in trouble!
"Everyone, retreat to the cabins immediately!"
The ship owner hurriedly urged the passengers to take shelter in the cabin while he stayed on deck with a dozen sailors.
The three Jin Country warships quickly approached, forming a "品" shape to ensnare Lin Yi and his group's merchant ship, making it impossible to move.
A Jin Country General, accompanied by dozens of Golden Country Soldiers, had already boarded. The ship owner immediately ordered someone to proffer a chest of gold and silver, "General, we are not an official Shi Country ship. Here is fifty thousand taels of silver; we hope the general will be magnanimous and let us go!"
Unexpectedly, the Jin Country General kicked the chest over, then sneered coldly, "A mere fifty thousand taels of silver to bribe a beggar?"
"On this boat, any random few people are worth more than that!"