"You, you, you... your mystic power isn't gone?" After those three turned to ash, that young master immediately reacted and exclaimed in shock.
Ye Lanshan gave a faint smile, her tone icy: "Who told you I used mystic power? What's your name?"
That young master had been waiting for her to answer what that fire was if not mystic power, but she abruptly shifted the topic to him.
"I am none other than Chu He, the number one handsome man of the capital. 'A gentleman should only be seen in paintings; here, I alone know the way. Writing to the water's end and sky's peak, surely not a man of this dusty world'—that line describes me perfectly." Chu He's level of narcissism was truly beyond ordinary.
"With that face of yours, though you're not bad-looking, calling yourself the capital's top handsome man is a bit much," Liu Jing said, utterly speechless.
"That's because I'm disguised." Seeing their skeptical looks, Chu He panicked. He peeled two pieces of skin off his face, then pulled a wet towel from his spatial storage and wiped his face clean.
After wiping, his face indeed had starry eyes and sword-like brows, a handsome and refined bearing, and an aristocratic elegance. With such looks, his earlier antics now carried a touch of dashing charm.
"So, are you captivated by my stunning beauty?" Chu He flicked his hair dramatically.
"Your disguise skill is impressive. It seems establishing my intelligence agency won't be too hard," Ye Lanshan said, quite satisfied with his technique.
"Huh, don't tell me you haven't set up the intelligence agency yet." Chu He was stunned by her words.
"No."
Chu He breathed a sigh of relief at that, but her next sentence made him tense up again.
"It was just established the moment you agreed."
"So, does that mean the agency only has me in it?" Chu He's heart began to sink in despair.
"Of course not." Ye Lanshan pushed open the door of the private room and walked out.
"Lan Youli, how is it? Can you cure this poison?" Liu Jing asked nervously, watching Lan Youli take his pulse.
Lan Youli said, "This poison, I can cure it." But deep down, he had no confidence; he was just gritting his teeth to refine the antidote pill to reassure Ye Lanshan.
Ye Lanshan glanced at him, as if seeing right through him: "Don't force yourself. I can cure this poison. Give me two hours; I'll go and come back."
After getting the herbs from Ye Jinlin, Ye Lanshan immediately entered her space, took out the Shennong Cauldron, and began refining the medicine.
"Here, take these antidote pills." True to her word, she handed them two pills exactly two hours later.
"You can refine pills?" Chu He found this surprising; he'd never heard that Ye Lanshan, who had single-handedly saved the emperor and then made a name for herself on the battlefield, could do alchemy.
"Is that strange?" Ye Lanshan didn't see her pill-refining ability as anything novel.
"No, it's just... how did you manage to refine pills without any mystic power? How did you do it?" That was what Chu He was really curious about.
"You'll find out later." Ye Lanshan didn't want to tell them about cultivation.
"Ye Lanshan, I've noticed you have so many secrets," Liu Jing remarked, now that her mystic power had been restored.
Ye Lanshan didn't respond to that. She just called a few maids to look after them and left.
Chu He quickly caught up to her: "Hey, wait for me!"
"Is there something else? If it's about the intelligence agency, I'll introduce you to the other members tomorrow." Ye Lanshan stopped and turned to him.
"Oh, okay, got it." Chu He paused, then answered. Just as he turned, he suddenly remembered he had another question and shouted, "Hey, no, where do I stay?"
"Someone will arrange accommodation for you." Ye Lanshan didn't bother to check if Chu He heard her; she just left everyone behind and walked out of the Ye Mansion alone.
Once outside, she first found a secluded spot and entered her space. When she came out, she was no longer her original self.
She wore the same male outfit—the Nine-Tailed Fox robe—she had on when she first arrived in this continent, and her disguise matched that appearance exactly.
In this guise, she entered a rundown brothel. "Madam, have you decided? Join our intelligence agency, and I can guarantee this brothel will thrive forever."
Inside the brothel, a woman with a veil sat on a chair, gently waving a fan, seemingly unbothered by the brothel's shabbiness and showing no interest in Ye Lanshan's offer.
Seeing the woman still so indifferent, Ye Lanshan slowly upped the stakes: "Agree to my terms, and you'll also gain a handsome man."
The woman's eyelids twitched, but she still didn't fully open her eyes.
"Ah, seems you're unwilling to cooperate. Fine then, it's not like you're the only option." Though a bit regretful, Ye Lanshan didn't insist further.
Just as Ye Lanshan was about to leave decisively, the woman called out, "Wait, I agree to your terms."
Ye Lanshan paused mid-step. "Sorry, the intelligence agency doesn't need someone with such a high-and-mighty attitude."
Seeing her leave without a second thought, the woman was frantic, but by the time she chased after her, Ye Lanshan was already gone.
While the woman fumed in frustration, Ye Lanshan had already entered another brothel. Business there was dismal, so before she could even say much, the madam agreed to the deal.
"Now that's a straightforward person. I like it." After finalizing the agreement, Ye Lanshan broke into a smile again.
If she hadn't smiled, it might have been fine, but that smile left the girls in the brothel completely dazzled.
"Being your subordinate is my fortune. Rest assured, I'll do everything in my power to gather information for you."
"Mm, here's some silver for now. Take it. Tomorrow, after I introduce your new partners, I'll have this brothel renovated." Ye Lanshan looked at the place with some disdain.
"Yes, yes, Master Shanluo is so thoughtful. I'll leave this brothel in your hands." The madam beamed with joy, her expression even more exaggerated than the usual brothel madam.
That night, a flash of cold light streaked by. Ye Lanshan dodged from her bed just in time. Luckily, she was still wearing her Nine-Tailed Fox robe and hadn't changed. She immediately chased after the intruder.
"Let me guess—the Sun family sent you, right?" Ye Lanshan pressed a dagger to his neck and whispered in his ear.
Knowing he wouldn't survive, the man's lips curled into a manic grin, and he let out a few loud laughs: "You're wrong. I'm not from the Sun family. I'm just a passerby who doesn't like you."