"Yes," Su Ru sighed.

Chu Li stood up and paced. He muttered, "If so, he did indeed fall into the hands of Hu Ren Public House. … What's Lady Siao Qi's decision?"

"My Lady didn't say", Su Ru revealed a worried look, "she is still hesitating."

Chu Li nodded, "You haven't sent anyone yet?"

Su Ru looked up at him.

Chu Li said, "If not, I'll go!"

This matter was difficult to handle. The life and death of Gu Li Tong were not important. The problem was Master Siao Tie Ying. If this matter was not handled well, they might incur the wrath of Master Siao Tie Ying.

Su Ru shook her head and warned, "It is better to stay away from this matter!"

Chu Li ignored her warning, "Let's go! To meet the Lady!"

Su Ru furrowed her eyebrows but Chu Li just laughed, "As a matter of fact, it wasn't as complex as you thought—there're only two choices: to save or to kill. We can't just leave it aside, right?"

"It is too much trouble," Su Ru frowned, "It wasn't as easy as you said!"

"Just simplify it. No matter what, we need to help the Lady. Let's go!" Chu Li smiled. He turned and went out.

Su Ru hesitated for a moment and followed him out.

Both of them arrived at the Tower of Stargazing and went straight to the third floor.

Siao Qi was looking into the distance from the window. The sunlight shone onto her jade-white face making her face glowed in a warm gentle l.u.s.ter and her eyes glittered. She looked so beautiful that she did not seem to belong to this world. 

"My Lady," Chu Li greeted.

Siao Qi turned around and her bright eyes fell on his face, "Su Ru told you?"

"Yes, Gu Li Tong has entered White Stone Town."

"What's your opinion on this?"

"Leave it to me!" Chu Li volunteered, "I will take care it."

Siao Qi looked at him silently, "What are you going to do?"

"I will plot against the Hu Ren Public House and beat them at their own game," Chu Li replied.

Siao Qi considered, "You will make use of their scheme to defeat them?"

Chu Li explained, "If I were Lu Yu Zhao Lung, I will predict the Yi Public House to either save or kill Gu Li Tong. He is the best bait," Chu Li continued, "I will set an ambush, and kill them."

"You want to counter-ambush them?" Siao Qi guessed.

"Yes, we can divide our manpower into three. It should be enough."

"What about Gu Li Tong?"

"What would you like to do with him?"

"Save him!"

"Sure," Chu Li accepted it willingly.

Siao Qi asked with a sense of humor, "You do not intend to let him be an informant anymore?"

She had heard of Chu Li's original scheme—to let Gu Li Tong become an informant. But this time, Chu Li did not mention this at all.

Chu Li clarified, "Times have changed. The situation now is not suitable. As for the informant, it is best to target the servants in Lee Yue Public House!"

From his perspective, it will be more effective and rea.s.suring to find someone from the Lee Yue Public House than to rely on Gu Li Tong. Even if Gu Li Tong successfully entered the Hu Ren Public House, he was unlikely to get any useful information within a short period of time.

"Good," Siao Qi nodded.

Previously she was afraid that he will be too eager to distinguish himself, but after hearing these words, she was relieved that he was wise and at the same time, level-headed. She uttered slowly, "Save Gu Li Tong!"

"Yes," Chu Li complied.

Siao Qi nodded slightly, "How much manpower do you need?"

Chu Li asked instead, "How many masters of martial arts do Gu Li Tong has?"

Su Ru replied, "There are four Innate Masters! "

Chu Li muttered to himself for a moment and said, "I need at least 40 Innate Masters, preferably there are some Grandmasters!"

"Grandmasters? Impossible," Siao Qi shook her head.

Chu Li compromised, "Fine. 40 Innate Masters."

Su Ru said, "Why do you need so many people?"

"We can't be sure that Lu Yu Zhao Lung did not have a plan against our counter-ambush," Chu Li explained.

Su Ru looked at Siao Qi.

Siao Qi thought for a while and said, "Very well, 40 Innate Masters!"

"Thank you, my Lady!" Chu Li gestured his thanks by giving a fist salute.

Siao Qi nodded, "Su Ru, you a.s.sist Chu Li!"

"Yes, my Lady!" Su Ru complied.

When the night fell and lanterns were put up, Gu Li Tong was sitting at a square table, staring at the window. His single shadow was on the paper window and it looked exceptionally lonely.

He was living in the central bedroom in one of the courtyards of Prosper Inn.

"Hai…," Gu Li Tong let out a long sigh.

The living room to his right housed two Innate Masters while the other two Innate Masters were on the patio outside. They were here in the name of protecting him but, in fact, it was to monitor him to prevent him from running away!

His face looked haggard and his eyes filled with doubt.

Until now, he had not understood why Zhou Yu Ting would betray him and report his doings to Master Siao Tie Ying, angering Master Siao Tie Ying and causing him to be punished heavily.

Although he had always treated Zhou Yu Ting as a tool, he believed that he had been very thorough with it. Zhou Yu Ting treated him as a friend so he shouldn't be the one who betrayed him!

"Hai…," he let out a long sigh again.

One cannot judge a book by its cover. At one moment, they were as close as brothers but at the next moment, he turned and told others about his secret. Just thinking about it made him feel bitterly disappointed. It was nowhere near taking care of plants and herbs. The plants cannot talk but at least they would not betray him!

He went to push open the window. The bright moon, in the night sky above, shone into the courtyard. In the dimly lit courtyard, two men in black stood below the plum tree quietly and motionlessly.

He did not care. At this stage, his life and death were not for him to decide so he might as well risk everything and go all out. They can do anything to him, to kill or to cut his flesh, it will be up to them!

With that thought, he shook his head. The Yi Public House will not allow him to fall into Hu Ren Public House's hands. After all, he knew quite a number of Master Siao Tie Ying's private matters, and once he exposed it, Master Siao Tie Ying would be in danger.

Master Siao Tie Ying was someone who could not tolerate any flaws but not to the extent of sending someone to kill him. However, it will be a different story if it was the Third Lady. Not to mention that fellow, Chu Li, he will definitely think of a way to influence the Third Lady!

Even if he can escape alive, going to the Hu Ren Public House did not mean he will live happily too. He will be fine if he had some values to the Hu Ren Pubic House but when he was no longer of use to them, they will not be soft-hearted when it came to traitors like him.

No matter how he thought of it, his future was doomed!

His ground out through clenched teeth, "Zhou—Yu—Ting!"

He hated Zhou Yu Ting's guts and he itched to tear him apart. It was regrettable that he was hardly able to save himself. It will be hard to take revenge!

"Bang! Bang!" Suddenly two explosions went off in the sky, creating two bright flowers in the air.

Numerous black shadows entered the courtyard. The two Protectors in the courtyard sent out a flare as a signal, which illuminated the whole courtyard.

Gu Li Tong can see clearly that ten men went after the two Protectors and instantly the sound of weapons clas.h.i.+ng can be heard.

The two masters in the living room ran out to help, but it was difficult to overturn the disadvantaged situation.

Gu Li Tong pressed his lips tightly together and sneered. It appeared that the Yi Public House was determined to kill him. With that thought, Gu Li Tong felt disheartened.

"Brother Gu Li Tong, we meet again," Chu Li's voice appeared all of a sudden behind him.

Gu Li Tong turned around sharply.

Chu Li was sitting at the square table, smiling. The light was dancing on his face and his eyes glistened, full of martial spirit.

"Chu!" Gu Li Tong sneered, "This is just as you wished, isn't it?"

Chu Li laughed, "Brother Gu Li Tong thought I came here to kill you?"

"Otherwise?" Gu Li Tong frowned and looked at him coldly.

"Brother Gu Li Tong was mistaken," Chu Li waved his hand, "I am under the Third Lady's order to come rescue you!"

"The Third Lady is so kind-hearted?" Gu Li Tong was dubious.

Third Lady was fair and impartial in her conduct. She was fair in meting out rewards and punishments. When it was necessary to kill someone, she showed no mercy or petty kindness of a woman. In this situation, getting rid of him was the wiser choice.

Chu Li said, "You made a mistake. Being driven out of the Public House was well-deserved, but the Third Lady spared you because she valued your talent. You will be a.s.signed to the external and if you make a contribution, you will be recalled to the Public House!"

"I will return to the Public House!" Gu Li Tong gritted his teeth and promised.

Chu Li roared with laughter.

Gu Li Tong scorned at him coldly, "You think I won't make it?"

"It's not that easy to go back to the Public House," Chu Li continued to talk casually, not affected by the sound of clas.h.i.+ng metals outside.

During their conversation, 20 Protectors of Hu Ren Public House arrived. The tables had turned, the Protectors from Yi Public House were suddenly at a disadvantage, with one against two. The situation was bad.

Chu Li, however, was not worried. It was as if he did not notice the situation and kept talking casually with Gu Li Tong, "Don't forget that there is Zhou Yu Ting."

"Zhou—Yu—Ting!" Gu Li Tong squeezed out the three syllabi through the gap between his teeth, and vowed coldly, "I will seek my revenge!"

Chu Li smiled, "You angered Master Siao Tie Ying and Brother Zhou Yu Ting has a good father. You do not have a backer anymore, how are you going to compete against Brother Zhou Yu Ting?"

"Humph!" Gu Li Tong sneered.

He was confident with his talent. As long as he worked hard, the Third Lady will promote him. If it was under Master Siao Tie Ying, High Official Zhou's words might have some influence, but Third Lady was fair-minded, he didn't have to worry about High Official Zhou playing shady games.

Chu Li studied him and teased, "It seems Brother Gu Li Tong did not have a good sleep these past few days."

"Thank you for your caring!" Gu Li Tong mocked.

Chu Li taunted, "Brother Gu Li Tong must be curious, right?"

"Curious about what?"

"Why did Zhou Yu Ting betray you all of a sudden and back-stabbed you!"

"You know?"

Chu Li grinned, "I helped Brother Zhou Yu Ting to take Yu Jiao out of pledge for two hundred thousand silver—to buy your future."

"It was you—?!" Gu Li Tong was stunned momentarily, then he flew into a rage and rose to his feet furiously. He yearned to plummet Chu Li's smiling eyes, "You—"

Chu Li waved his hand and smirked, "Back then, Brother Gu Li Tong kept provoking me. I did not argue but you provoked me again and again. I had no choice but to resort to this and as a matter of fact, I was forced to do so!"

"Bulls.h.i.+t!" Gu Li Tong clenched his jaw and snapped.

Chu Li remained smiling, "Humans have weaknesses. Brother Zhou Yu Ting is someone who's crazy in love. Brother Gu Li Tong, you respect your mother very much. If I bribe the maid of the old lady and had her say a few words to the old lady to make her angry—what will be the consequences?"

"You—!" Gu Li Tong's expression changed.

Chu Li laughed, "I was just joking. If Hu Ren Public House really wants you, they will not overlook the old lady. As I said, if you really join the Hu Ren Public House, you can imagine the consequences … are you going to come with me now? "

"…Chu, you are a despicable man!" Gu Li Tong spat vilely.

Chu Li laughed, "I am a gentleman to my friends but to the enemies, I am a villain. Brother Gu Li Tong, we are better off as friends. Let's go!"

Gu Li Tong scoffed, "Don't you want to kill me?"

Chu Li shook his head and chuckled, "If I really want to kill you, do you think you are still able to live until now?"

Gu Li Tong fell silent, he had experienced firsthand Chu Li's sinister, thus he dared not say a word.

Chu Li went to the window, reached out and threw a signal to the sky.

"Boom...," a thunderous rumble filled the sky. A golden sword appeared in the air, flas.h.i.+ng golden light, it was conspicuous against the night sky.

In the blink of an eye, 10 Protectors of Yi Public House rushed into the small courtyard, and the situation took a sudden turn again. Both parties went into a deadlock, the small courtyard was overcrowded and soon they ended up fighting in a heap.

Chu Li withdrew his hand and turned his head to look at Gu Li Tong, "You coming?"

"Fine!" Gu Li Tong no longer hesitated. Chu Li might be terrible, but the opportunity was scarce, thus he chose to take a chance!