# 275. Another Person
At the same time, in the southern city, at the Heroic Platform.
A group of jianghu folk hurried over. They had heard the news that a Silver Gong had injured a Bronze Skin and Iron Bones martial artist with a single slash.
As people of the jianghu, they were naturally intrigued by such rumours, and being nearby, they immediately rushed over to satisfy their curiosity.
However, the conflict had already ended, and the crowd had mostly dispersed, leaving only a few idle onlookers loitering around.
This group of jianghu folk arrived at the Heroic Platform and observed the scene for a while, finding the rumors somewhat credible.
The reason? The platform was too well-preserved.
With the strength of a Bronze Skin and Iron Bones expert, if the fight had been evenly matched, the damage would be obvious and clear. At the very least, the platform wouldn't have remained intact.
"Look here, and over there... what are these small holes?" one of the young heroes asked.
"They look like sword energy, sharp and fine. I've never heard of such a sword technique."
The speaker was an enchanting beauty, her bright almond-shaped eyes shining like autumn waters. Her lips were painted a vivid red, and though her makeup was a bit heavy, it did not appear vulgar. Instead, it added to her seductive allure.
The young hero who had asked the question nodded. If it had been caused by qi, the damage would have been more widespread and cracked.
The alluring woman turned her head toward another young hero and said with a charming smile, "What do you think, Young Master Liu?"
Young Master Liu had a handsome face, with blade-like eyebrows and starry eyes, carrying a Seven-Star Sword on his back.
In the capital, those who could carry weapons openly were people of status.
This Young Master Liu hailed from Jianzhou, a sacred land of martial arts in the Great Feng, from a sect called the "Ink Pavilion." Among this group of jianghu folk, his cultivation was the highest, making him the core of the group.
Most importantly, he was a swordsman.
"It might not necessarily be sword energy. These holes are unevenly distributed, as if ink was splattered. It seems more likely that sword or sabre energy scattered and shot in all directions," Young Master Liu said.
After speaking, he waved over an idle man, tossed him a small piece of silver, and asked, "I heard that a Silver Gong only made one move and injured his opponent?"
The idle man squeezed the silver between his fingers, his expression filled with flattery and joy, and he nodded repeatedly, bowing as he spoke, “You young masters missed quite the sight. That one slash was unbelievable...
"The holes in the ground appeared right after that official drew his blade, like rain falling from the sky."
He vividly recounted what he had witnessed.
"The scattered blade energy... So the opponent was indeed a Bronze Skin and Iron Bones," the alluring woman nodded in agreement.
Only someone with that kind of body could survive such blade energy. A martial artist below the sixth rank would have been cleaved in two.
"From what I know, most of the Silver Gongs in the Nightwatchers' headquarters are of the Refining Spirit realm, with only a few at the Bronze Skin and Iron Bones level," another young heroine commented.
She hailed from one of the thirteen counties under the capital's jurisdiction, making her a semi-local, and had some knowledge of the famous Nightwatchers.
"Does this count as the first clash between the constabulary's experts and the jianghu's martial artists? I’d love to witness the splendor of that blade," the alluring woman chuckled.
Just then, the sound of hooves reached their ears, and a young man dressed in the uniform of the Nightwatchers rode up on a swift horse.
The jianghu folk glanced at him briefly, assuming he was a Nightwatcher coming to inspect the scene, but what the young Nightwatcher did next left them both shocked and angry.
_Clang!_
The Nightwatcher drew his blade and charged at them on horseback.
Young Master Liu's expression shifted slightly. He stepped in front of his companions and patted his back, causing the Seven-Star Sword to clang out of its scabbard, spinning in the air to block the incoming blade.
The young Nightwatcher lightly flicked his wrist, and the Seven-Star Sword was cut in two, falling to the ground with a dull clang.
"You..."
Young Master Liu was both shocked and furious. His sect's gifted magical weapon had been destroyed, and the pain was unbearable.
Xu Qi'an pulled on the reins, pointed his blade at the alluring woman, and sneered, “How dare you come back, Miss Rongrong. After stealing this official's treasure, instead of hiding away, you have the audacity to return so brazenly. I guess you’ve never experienced the harshness of the world.
"I'm giving you two choices: one, hand over the treasure and become my concubine. Two, hand over the treasure, and I’ll sell you to the Jiaofangsi."
She stole his treasure?!
The young heroes and heroines looked at the alluring woman in shock.
The notorious 'Soul-Stealing Hand,' Miss Rongrong, whose face was always adorned with a charming smile, faltered visibly. She frowned and subtly shook her head at her companions.
Forcing himself to ignore his broken sword, Young Master Liu cupped his fists and said, "Sir, you must be mistaken."
"Get lost!"
Xu Qi'an scrutinised Miss Rongrong. Her hairstyle, dress, and makeup were identical to before—there was no mistake.
"My patience is limited. I'll give you three breaths of time. If you don't hand over the treasure..." He let out a cold laugh.
The young heroes were enraged.
Miss Rongrong took a step forward, fearlessly facing Xu Qi'an's blade, and said softly, "Sir, I have never met you before, and I have no idea what treasure you are talking about. Please, explain clearly."
Seated on his horse, Xu Qi'an looked down at her and spoke slowly, "Just an hour ago, you and I met in a restaurant, drinking and chatting. Then, when I went downstairs to fight, you silently stole my treasure."
Before Miss Rongrong could respond, Young Master Liu, furious, spoke up, "That’s impossible! Miss Rongrong has been with us the whole time. She never went anywhere near you."
The other young heroes immediately backed him up.
Xu Qi'an frowned. Was this a group of con artists?
But judging by their tone and demeanor, they didn’t seem to be lying. With his expertise in microexpressions and psychology, Xu Qi'an was confident in his ability to tell if someone was lying.
*Unless they were all Oscar-worthy actors... If only the Confucian spellbook wasn’t in that fragment of the Earth Book, I could have just used the Qi-watching technique to see if they were lying...* Xu Qi'an pondered for a moment, then said:
"You’ll all come back to the Nightwatchers' headquarters with me. Whether you're lying or not, I'll be the judge of that."
No way!
The young heroes' faces changed. They began to doubt Xu Qi'an's true intentions. As members of prominent sects, they had enough experience to know that when it came to trickery, those with official backing were often the most devious and ruthless.
They used their power to commit all kinds of crimes, effortlessly oppressing others.
Miss Rongrong, with her beauty, had gained some fame in the capital. Who knew if this young Silver Gong was lusting after her, using the excuse of a stolen treasure to take them to the headquarters for some other nefarious reason?
Entering someone else's territory, life and death are decided with just a word.
"Do you really think we're fish on a chopping block?" Young Master Liu squinted his eyes, sneering coldly.
The rest of the young swordsmen didn't speak but simultaneously placed their hands on the hilts of their swords and blades.
Although those from the martial world feared the constabulary, they were equally proud and untamable. If truly pushed to the edge, they would fight even officials to the death. Worst-case scenario, they'd become outlaws and wander the martial world as fugitives.
After all, they said martial artists broke the law by force.
At this moment, a bystander, perhaps incentivised by the silver coin, cautiously reminded them, "That man is the very Silver Gong who slashed and severely injured his opponent with just one strike earlier on the arena."
The young swordsmen froze, their expressions stiffening. They turned back mechanically to glance at the bystander.
Then, slowly, they twisted their necks again, staring at Xu Qi'an.
The previously tense atmosphere suddenly dissipated, and the resolve for a desperate fight drained from them.
Miss Rongrong, took a deep breath and said reluctantly, "Sir, since I stole your treasure, I will go with you back to the constabulary. This has nothing to do with the others."
"No!" her companions protested anxiously.
Rongrong smiled bitterly and transmitted her voice to them, "You should focus on contacting our elders, so they can find a way to rescue me."
Young Master Liu's face darkened as he nodded gravely.
*If you truly did steal my treasure, not even the gods can save you...* Xu Qi'an watched as Rongrong finished speaking telepathically, then patted his horse, saying, "Get up here."
Rongrong hesitated for a moment, biting her crimson lips, then leaped onto the horse's back.
Seizing the moment, Xu Qi'an gently poked her soft waist. The beauty let out a soft "hmm," her body going limp as she collapsed into his arms.
"Hyah!"
Xu Qi'an pulled the reins, turned the horse around, and rode off, leaving behind a group of young heroes too furious to act.
Lying against Xu Qi'an's broad, firm chest as the scenery sped by, Rongrong gritted her teeth and whispered, "How does Sir plan to deal with me?"
"According to the laws of Great Feng, thieves are punished with fifty lashes and must return the stolen goods. Those unable to repay will have a toe severed. As I am a Viscount and the stolen item is a treasure, your crime is multiplied threefold—one hundred fifty lashes, toe severing, and three years of imprisonment."
Rongrong's face paled. "Is this really the punishment for thievery in the capital?"
This wasn't what she had heard.
"No, I made that up just now."
"....."
Xu Qi'an could feel the beauty in his arms relax slightly, as though relieved, but he sneered and added, "But once you're in the Nightwatcher's constabulary, how you're punished is entirely up to me."
Her body tensed up again, and she said tearfully, "I swear, I didn't steal your treasure!"
Xu Qi'an chuckled. "Let's see what makes the famous Soul-stealing Hand so special."
Rongrong didn't respond.
Xu Qi'an made a stern noise in response.
Rongrong gritted her teeth. "So you do lust after my beauty after all."
"?"
Xu Qi'an had simply wanted to understand how she managed to steal the _Earth Book Fragment_ without him sensing it.
"Though Miss Rongrong may be naturally beautiful, don't underestimate men. If we're talking about looks, I have two women at home far more beautiful than you."
As he spoke, his hands roamed over her body in search of the stolen item.
Rongrong's face flushed red, her eyes welled with tears. She had an idea of the fate that awaited her and could only hope her companions would inform their elders in time to save her.
Huh, the _Earth Book Fragment_ isn't on her…
Xu Qi'an's mare was a warhorse-grade steed, and she galloped swiftly, carrying both of them at high speed towards the constabulary.
Arriving at the gates, Xu Qi'an handed the reins to a guard and dragged Rongrong inside, heading straight for Silver Gong Min Shan's hall. He ordered the officers to bind her tightly.
"Go to Sitianjian and call for a white-robed arcanist, tell them it's under my orders."
"Yes."
After the constable left, Min Shan stood up, circling Rongrong and inspecting her. "Where did you find this beauty? Look at her figure and that face… tsk tsk."
"Sell her to the Jiaofangsi, train her for a year or so, and she could become an Oiran," Xu Qi'an commented.
"An Oiran isn't just about looks," Min Shan shook his head. "Talent comes first, beauty second."
"Never mind then, we can keep her here for our brothers to enjoy."
Rongrong forced herself to remain calm, though her face had already turned pale.
After exchanging some banter, Xu Qi'an explained the situation. "This woman stole my treasure. As expected from the Soul-stealing Hand, she managed to do it without me even noticing."
"She's the Soul-stealing Hand?" Min Shan finally realised, then wondered, "What does the Soul-stealing Hand have to do with theft?"
"Hmm?" Xu Qi'an was puzzled.
"Every martial artist entering the capital is documented. Soul-stealing Hand Rongrong hails from the Wanhua Tower in Qinghai County, Yuzhou. That's a sect of women notorious for using seduction to ruin men. It’s tied to their cultivation methods."
"Dual cultivation?" Xu Qi'an asked.
"No, they say it involves manipulating a person's lust, making them lose their will to fight. Their supreme technique is supposedly called…" Min Shan couldn't quite recall.
"The Grand [Censored] Art of the Six Desires," Rongrong said, lifting her chin slightly.
"Then how did you steal my treasure?"
"I didn't steal your treasure."
Not long after, the constable returned with a white-robed arcanist in tow.
Xu Qi'an pointed to Rongrong. "Ask her if she stole from me."
The arcanist's eyes glowed with mystical light. After questioning her, he shook his head. "Sir Xu, she didn't lie."
….. Xu Qi'an was dumbfounded.
"Search her, see if there's any technique concealing her aura."
"Nothing, Sir Xu."
"Ask her if we drank together at the tavern."
"Nothing, Sir Xu."
Xu Qi'an felt completely baffled. Had he seen a ghost?
After his initial frustration, he began analysing the situation calmly. The one who stole from him was definitely Rongrong. It couldn't have been that older woman… The biggest issue here was that there seemed to be two Rongrongs.
The one before him had never met him, yet he had clearly encountered her.
*Her hairstyle, clothing, and appearance were identical, even her demeanour and mannerisms… could it be a twin? Impossible, twins wouldn't be exactly the same.*
Was it a disguise? But if it was, it wouldn't fool his sharp eye.
As he puzzled over it, Rongrong suddenly spoke, "I know, I know who it was."