Xigou hissed in surprise, smacked his lips, and said, "These two beauties have lovely faces and great figures; they look quite lush. You actually resisted, didn’t go after them because they’re dirty?"
Fang Zhixing rolled his eyes and ignored Xigou’s teasing.
Seeing this, Xigou got excited and said with a snicker, "Could it be that you have some physical problem, unable to handle such matters? You should get that checked out!"
Fang Zhixing curled his lip in disdain and said, "You think I’m like you, not distinguishing the occasion and just drooling over women wherever I see them."
Xigou didn’t like to hear that and huffed, "Ah yes, yes, you’re the one who discerns the situation. Instead of returning directly to the county town to safely level up and become stronger, you have to be all impressive, choosing instead to stir up trouble in this den of vice."
Fang Zhixing interrupted, "If I hadn’t made contact with Ruan Yingchen, would I have learned the secrets of the Nine Ox Realm this quickly? That’s what I gained!"
Xigou disagreed, "Such a trivial gain, hardly worth smiling about.
You’re such a show-off, even if you knew nothing about the Nine Ox Realm, it would hardly affect your cultivation."
Fang Zhixing sneered and said coldly, "Had I listened to you, been hasty for quick results, I would have regretted it by now. Enough, cut the crap."
Fang Zhixing grew serious and asked, "You just made a round in the hall, smelled everyone, what intelligence did you gather?"
Xigou replied impatiently, "Ruan Yingchen is indeed very strong, with fresh and robust energy, but he’s still inferior to Luo Peiyun. Besides him, the others are all trash, hardly worth mentioning."
Fang Zhixing fell into deep thought, his mind churning.
Seeing this, Xigou couldn’t help but mentally ask, "What are you thinking about, you’re not really planning how to kill Ruan Yingchen, are you?"
Fang Zhixing paused, then slowly said, "What do you think, what kind of person is Ruan Yingchen?"
Xigou replied bluntly, "A spoiled brat, with wealth at his fingertips, worrying about nothing, free to indulge as he pleases."
Fang Zhixing retorted, "If you were Ruan Yingchen, would you mingle with unknown people from Jianghu?"
Xigou paused, then upon careful thought, he realized there was a big issue.
A commoner seeking pleasure mostly goes for salon girls or geishas.
A wealthy and powerful man, however, has many more options, frequenting upscale clubs with models, flight attendants, or Russian hostesses among others.
People of different social classes hardly mix.
Xigou hesitated and said, "Ruan Yingchen belongs to the elite, high above others. Those Jianghu rabble are worthless, base and low.
Normally, it’s unlikely for different circles to mingle, but it’s not impossible that Ruan Yingchen is an outlier, perhaps he’s into that sort of thing."
Fang Zhixing shook his head and said, "No, I’ve observed Ruan Yingchen closely; when he mentioned his identity as a scion of a noble family, the pride and arrogance on his face was undisguised."
Xigou recalled and exclaimed in surprise, "You mean to say, Ruan Yingchen making friends in Jianghu has ulterior motives?"
Fang Zhixing analyzed, "We are in an Ancient Martial World where human relationships are primarily defined by two aspects, one is family bloodline, the other is hierarchical class structure, and it’s strictly regulated, no gifting to the lower class, no penalizing the upper class.
How can a noble be good friends with a bunch of lowly commoners?"
Upon hearing this, Xigou recalled someone who died and nodded, "Ruan Yingchen is just another Luo Kezhao, certainly up to no good; but how do we investigate him?"
The sun gradually set in the west, the sky dyed with blood.
As Fang Zhixing contemplated, he stood up, found a rope, and tied a noose on one end.
"Xigou, come here," he called.
Xigou approached curiously and looked at the rope.
Fang Zhixing squatted down, holding the rope, ready to loop it around Xigou’s neck.
"What are you doing?"
Xigou was shocked and stepped back sharply, very resistant.
Fang Zhixing’s face was all smiles as he said, "I’m going out to explore the entire villa, and to avoid suspicion, I need to inconvenience you a bit."
Xigou protested, "What inconvenience, why don’t you inconvenience yourself for a change?"
Fang Zhixing smiled warmly, "Don’t get rattled, it’s just an act."
"I won’t act, I really can’t play this!"
Xigou struggled fiercely, trying to bite the rope.
However, Fang Zhixing, without further explanation, swiftly swung the rope and secured it around Xigou’s neck.
Xigou was furious and roared, "Fang Zhixing, damn you!"
Fang Zhixing hastily consoled, "Just this once, next time I’ll give you all the good food."
"To hell with you!" Xigou was adamantly opposed.
Fang Zhixing walked out the door, proudly leading with a rope.
Xigou walked ahead with a fierce expression.
A maid approached and asked with a smile, "Hero Zhang, where are you off to?"
Fang Zhixing responded with a smile, "Just walking the dog, strolling around."
Afterward, Fang Zhixing swaggered around the manor, telling everyone he was just walking the dog.
No one else had anything to say; after all, they couldn’t stop someone from walking their dog.
Soon, they were walking along a corridor, turning a corner when...
A man came towards them, the burly, mustachioed strongman.
The strongman was almost naked, holding two drunken women, one on each side.
Fang Zhixing smiled and said, "I was in a hurry earlier, may I know your esteemed name, brother?"
The strongman replied, "’Swirling Cloud Hand’ Le Caichong."
"So it’s Brother Le, I’ve long admired you."