Chapter 487 - 222: One Square House and the Young Tower Master
Chapter 487: Chapter 222: One Square House and the Young Tower Master
After leaving the city and finding Fang Dabao, he headed straight for Julu City.
...
...
「Seven days later.」
On the Sifang Main Street of Julu City, a new shop had appeared.
A plaque hanging above bore its name: One Square House.
People from all walks of life, bustling through the streets and alleyways, couldn’t help but steal a glance as they passed by. Yet, none of them knew what exactly One Square House did.
It looked like a shop for antiques and calligraphy, yet the hall within was completely bare, save for a young man sitting at a table, drinking tea.
A curious passerby entered to inquire, asking the young man what kind of business One Square House conducted.
The young man smiled and explained that the name, "One Square House," meant to secure the peace of a region and protect travelers on their journey. They were in the guard and escort business.
The curious man clucked his tongue in amazement, thinking the shop would never get any customers.
These days, any prominent family looking for guards would either recruit from a Martial Arts Hall or get a recommendation from a trusted Martial Artist.
And these were long-term arrangements, lasting several years, sometimes even more than a decade. A business like that clearly didn’t need a storefront.
’As for protecting travelers on the road... people just hire an Escort Agency. Who would come to One Square House?’
He concluded it was just some rich young master, opening a small shop to amuse himself.
Little did he know, after the curious man left, the young man was nursing a headache as he flipped through stacks of commission requests.
They were a motley collection of all sorts, and the offered rewards were staggering.
The young man was, of course, Fang Shuwen.
One Square House was not only about securing the peace of the region and protecting travelers on their journeys... it also contained his surname.
It had been three days since he returned to Julu City.
On the first day, he visited the Four Seas Martial Arts Hall to see Zheng Sihai and his martial brothers. Afterward, he paid his respects to the Zhou Family.
What he hadn’t expected was that Zhou Qingmei still hadn’t returned. She was in closed-door cultivation at Zhuji Pavilion.
’The last time they’d parted, Zuo Qingshuang had said she would teach her the Golden Jade Divine Technique. With the help of the Yuqing Fruit, she was supposed to undergo a period of intense cultivation... For her to be in seclusion for this long, the results must be excellent.’
Fang Shuwen didn’t stay long with the Zhou Family.
After exchanging pleasantries, he started preparations for One Square House.
’It was a way to keep myself busy, and to have a base of operations.’
He stopped by the Golden Bell Tower and mentioned he wanted to buy a shop, and they were incredibly enthusiastic.
The shop itself came from the Golden Bell Tower. They had the plaque made overnight and hung it up the very next day.
The whole process was so fast that Fang Shuwen barely had time to register it.
Then, the Golden Bell Tower delivered all the requests that had piled up from people hoping to gain Fang Shuwen’s protection.
Even after discarding the expired ones, the stack was still half as tall as a man.
Fang Shuwen’s head throbbed just looking at it...
But he began to examine them carefully nonetheless.
He was looking for a commission that would take him overseas, but after looking for a full day, he still hadn’t found anything suitable.
The main issue was the extremely tense situation at sea.
Chen Qi taking the Seven-String Ancient Chapter to sea had caused a massive stir.
Now, the seas were a place of panic and paranoia. One wrong move, and you would never return.
The people who didn’t need protection were constantly heading out to sea.
Meanwhile, those who actually needed protection... wouldn’t dream of setting sail.
So, no matter how much he looked, he couldn’t find a commission he liked.
Fang Shuwen couldn’t linger in Julu City for too long. If he really couldn’t find a suitable job, he would have to give up on the idea.
Chen Qi had given him six months, which seemed like plenty of time.
But when he factored in the time it took for the messenger, Zhou Zhengze, to sail there, arrive, and be pursued, plus the travel time from Julu City to Undying Island, the schedule was actually quite tight.
Every day he delayed, Chen Qi’s life hung by a thinner thread...
Shaking his head, Fang Shuwen set aside a few requests from demonic practitioners seeking asylum. He planned to deliver those to the experts from the Seven Sects stationed in Julu City, and let them deal with it.
Just as he was about to continue reading, the sound of footsteps entering the shop made him look up again.
Five people entered: two men and three women.
Leading the group was a man in his sixties. His gaze swept across the interior of One Square House before he put on a broad smile and stepped aside, revealing a woman who had been standing behind him.
Fang Shuwen’s eyes fell upon the woman, and he was momentarily stunned.
The woman was exceptionally beautiful. While perhaps a touch less so than Yu Yaoguang, she was certainly comparable to Zhou Qingmei.
But more than her looks, it was her bearing that caught one’s attention.
She was dressed in men’s attire but made no effort to conceal her gender. Her eyes were deep, with a glint of spirit hidden within.
She held a folding fan, a gentle, refined smile playing on her lips.
She had the air of a handsome young nobleman from a decadent age, yet she was undeniably a woman of great beauty.
However, after a single glance, Fang Shuwen lowered his head and went back to examining the requests in his hands.
’Curious people were always coming and going, popping in for a look. When they saw there was nothing to see, they’d just leave...’
But this group didn’t leave. The woman in men’s clothing stepped forward and gave Fang Shuwen a slight fist-in-palm salute.
"I am Xu Zhiyin of the Golden Bell Tower. Greetings, Demon Evil God."
Only then did Fang Shuwen look up.
"You’re from the Golden Bell Tower?"
Before Xu Zhiyin could speak, the old man had already taken a step forward and said with a bow:
"If I may inform Hero Fang...
"This is our Golden Bell Tower’s... Young Tower Master."
"Young Tower Master!?"
Fang Shuwen was genuinely surprised now. He immediately smiled and said:
"To what does One Square House owe the honor of a visit from the Young Tower Master?"
"Naturally, it’s because of the Sword God Palace."
Xu Zhiyin gave a wry smile.
"Hero Fang, you’ve certainly given me quite the headache... The liquidation of the Sword God Palace is complete."
As she spoke, she held out a hand. The old man quickly produced a thick stack of ledgers and placed them in her hand.
Xu Zhiyin nearly dropped them. The corner of her mouth twitched. After taking a deep breath, she walked to the table, set down the ledgers, and said softly:
"Hero Fang, the complete inventory is all here. Please, take a look."
Fang Shuwen casually picked one up and opened it. The first line read: "Three South Sea Pearls, valued at seven thousand two hundred taels."...
He didn’t read on, but he understood what was giving Xu Zhiyin such a headache.
Aside from their famous swords, the Sword God Palace had also amassed a collection of rare and exotic treasures over their centuries-long history.
The value of these items... was also terrifyingly high.
Fang Shuwen chuckled and rose to his feet.
"This isn’t the place to discuss this. The private room in the teahouse next door should be quiet. Would the Young Tower Master care to join me?"