Raising Orphans, Not Assassins-Chapter 3Vol. 2 - - White Streak in the Waves

"Sister Xiao Lian!"

A bright smile spread across Sun Sheng’s fair, handsome face.

At the sound of his voice, the young woman in a dark robe embroidered with swirling cloud patterns turned her head.

She wore a light veil, but even with only her eyes and brows visible, her beauty was unmistakable.

In two years, she had grown taller, her slender figure graceful like a willow swaying in the breeze.

The spirited gleam in her eyes had faded, replaced by calm detachment.

The three maids standing beside her also turned at the call. Upon seeing Sun Sheng’s striking face, their cheeks tinged red.

Meanwhile, the children swiveled around, their voices rising in excited cries.Smiling, Sun Sheng walked among them, patting each child’s head.

As he drew closer, Xiao Lian frowned slightly and said in a cool tone, "Before you head back, you’d best do something about that lingering scent of rouge and powder."

Sun Sheng’s face flushed. He sniffed at his sleeves—sure enough, he reeked of the distinct fragrance of Yihong Brothel.

"Ha… I’ll buy some green tangerines later," he chuckled sheepishly.

Xiao Lian turned away, focusing on her discussion with the shopkeeper about the pastries.

The three maids, however, continued sneaking glances at Sun Sheng.

He kept his gaze straight ahead—none of them were particularly attractive, so they held no interest for him.

Squeezing to the counter, he pulled out a silver note worth twenty taels and slapped it onto the wooden surface with a grin.

"Sister Xiao Lian, what are you picking? Get a few of each, take them all back. It’s on me."

Xiao Lian gave him a brief, indifferent glance before turning back to the shopkeeper. "A few of each."

The shopkeeper’s eyes gleamed at the sight of the silver note. He quickly responded, "Please wait a moment, honored guest!"

Snatching up the note, he hurriedly began preparing the order.

Sun Sheng, playing the generous patron, grinned cheekily.

"Sister Xiao Lian, I still need to stop by Tianji Tower. Once you're done here, wait for me a bit. We’ll head back together—if I’m late again, Foster Father will have words for me."

Xiao Lian glanced at him, replying coolly, "Got it."

Sun Sheng beamed and cupped his fists in thanks. "Then I’m off!"

Having settled things with Xiao Lian, he sprinted out of the pastry shop, making his way north.

…

Tianji Tower

In the northern part of Yuhang County stood a teahouse—Tianji Tower.

No—to be precise, every city in the Dawu Dynasty had a Tianji Tower.

A mysterious force that had emerged in the martial world over the past two years.

The tower had three levels: upper, middle, and lower.

The lower level had an entry fee of 10 taels of silver. Visitors could sip tea and listen to storytelling. A storyteller was always present, narrating the latest events in the martial world.

The middle level handled Intelligence trade—at a steep price. No matter what you sought to learn, Tianji Tower could sell you the information.

Even if you wanted to know the color of the Tang Clan leader’s underwear, as long as you were willing to pay, Tianji Tower would find out for you.

Their claim: "We know everything."

In just two years, Tianji Tower had earned the title "The Greatest Intelligence Network Under Heaven".

Its origins remained a mystery, though the martial world had one widely accepted theory—

Tianji Tower was the former intelligence division of Fengyu Tower.

After Fengyu Tower’s downfall, the intelligence department had broken away, continuing its operations independently in the martial world.

Tianji Tower operated differently from Fengyu Tower—they only sold intelligence and passed along messages.

Moreover, they were extremely tactful in their dealings. Any intelligence related to major sects came with an astronomical price tag.

Because of this, despite two years of rapid expansion, they had not become a target of the martial world’s collective wrath. Instead, they had gradually integrated into the Jianghu, becoming a vital information hub for warriors.

The top floor of Tianji Tower was dedicated to buying intelligence.

No matter what kind of information you had, as long as Tianji Tower found it valuable, they would exchange it for intelligence of equal worth.

…

Sun Sheng sprinted down the bustling main street, turning into a deserted alley.

He glanced around for direction, then channeled his inner force—his feet barely tapping the ground as his figure blurred into a shadow, speeding toward the city's northern district.

A short while later.

Sun Sheng arrived at Tianji Tower.

He pulled out a ten-tael silver note, casually tossing it to the tea-serving boy at the entrance before stepping inside.

The main hall was filled with scattered groups of Jianghu warriors.

Most had fierce expressions, their bodies radiating a subtle killing aura. Various weapons rested beside them—sabers, swords, spears, and even exotic armaments.

At the center of the hall, seated in the storyteller’s chair, was an old man in a yellow robe, shaking his head as he spun a tale.

"Now, speaking of Qiong Aohai—his ‘Roaring Waves Palms’ have reached mastery. With a single strike, he can summon the force of a raging tide!"

"One move—‘Parting the Clouds to Reveal the Sun.’"

"Another—‘Flying Dragon in the Heavens.’"

"These two palms struck directly at Daoist Chong Ying of the Qingcheng Sect!"

"Caught off guard, Daoist Chong Ying had no time to evade! In a desperate bid, he drew his sword and unleashed the ‘Pine Wind Swordplay’—each stroke as firm as a pine, as swift as the wind!"

"But alas, the two were too close! Qiong Aohai had already stepped within two paces of Daoist Chong Ying! No matter how exquisite his swordplay, no matter how swift his strikes—he was powerless to reverse his fate..."

"Thus, in this battle, Qiong Aohai defeated every second-rank expert of Qingcheng Sect, achieving a decisive victory!"

Sun Sheng listened for a moment and immediately understood.

The storyteller was recounting the latest events in the martial world.

The son of the Haijing Gang’s leader, Qiong Aohai, had been traveling from the south to the north, challenging various sects.

His goal? To refine his palm techniques through combat, striving to break into the first-rank realm.

Despite being only around twenty,

Qiong Aohai had already trained his Roaring Waves Palms to mastery—just one step away from perfection.

If he succeeded, the Haijing Gang would boast two first-rank experts, a feat that would become legendary.

However, his battle against Qingcheng Sect had happened a month ago.

Sun Sheng had heard all about it already.

Without slowing his pace, he continued up the stairs.Middle Floor—Intelligence Trade

The second level of Tianji Tower was divided into numerous private rooms.

Anyone wishing to buy or sell intelligence could step into a booth and negotiate discreetly with a representative of Tianji Tower.

Sun Sheng took a quick glance—most of the booths were empty.

Without stopping, he climbed to the top floor.Top Floor—Intelligence Exchange

The top level of Tianji Tower was vast and sparsely furnished.

Only one table, two chairs, and a bed occupied the space.

On the bed, an elderly man with graying hair lay sprawled, seemingly asleep.

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At the sound of footsteps, the old man’s eyelids fluttered open.

He let out a yawn and sat up at the edge of the bed.

"Selling intelligence?" His hoarse voice rasped.

Sun Sheng sat down with practiced ease and stated,

"From today onward, ‘White Streak in the Waves’ is no longer at Tai Lake. Exact return date unknown."

The old man nodded.

Rising from the bed, he walked over to the table, where ink and brush were already set.

Dipping the wolf-hair brush lightly in ink, his hand flowed smoothly across the paper, transcribing the intelligence.

Once finished, the old man folded the parchment and said in his rough voice,

"That’s a Mid-tier intelligence. What do you want in exchange?"

Sun Sheng replied casually,

"The latest issues of Tianji Tower’s ‘Martial World Chronicles’—the Weapon Rankings, the Beauty Rankings, and the Power Rankings."

The old man handed him the folded parchment and muttered,

"Go pick them up on the second floor."

Sun Sheng cupped his fists in salute, then turned and descended the stairs.