The male supporting character was actually myself.

He barely escaped capture, and by then he had wrapped the Moonflower Sword in a black cloth strip, covered it with mud to disguise it as a walking stick, and was dressed in tattered clothes with messy hair. His face was painted with black and blue patches to try to make people unable to recognize his true appearance.

Beneath his tattered clothes lay numerous wounds and severe internal injuries, so much so that even breathing caused a burning pain.

After a few short days on the run, Huo Changyun was deeply affected and quickly transformed from a spirited young swordsman into someone who began to turn to the dark side.

Fortunately, at this moment, apart from being filled with anger, he did not have a strong desire to kill, so he just wandered aimlessly, not knowing where he was going.

He had considered going back to find his master, but after analyzing the pros and cons, Huo Changyun chose to bear the consequences himself.

After all, Wuming Mountain was the last pure land in his heart. He was worried that he would bring disaster to his master, causing Wuming Mountain to be implicated and suffer a tragic annihilation like Hundred Flowers Valley...

"Cough, cough, cough!"

Huo Changyun walked slowly and listlessly through the streets of a small village, coughing as he went. An old woman selling bamboo crafts at a roadside stall looked up at him and showed a hint of sympathy on her face. "Child, you can't cough like this. If you let it drag on, it will turn into tuberculosis."

The old lady will give you directions—go to Huajincheng. Turn right from the road ahead and keep walking along the official road.

This morning, my neighbor Erniu told me that there's a doctor in Huajincheng who provides free medical care and distributes medicine, saving many poor people who couldn't afford medical treatment. Why don't you try your luck? Maybe you'll get cured!

"Hua Jincheng?" He hesitated slightly.

The name sounds familiar. I vaguely remember passing by it from afar when I went to Hundred Flowers Valley with Brother Shangguan. It was a prosperous and wealthy city.

I once heard Brother Shangguan say that many items in Hundred Flowers Valley were purchased from Huajin City. It is a hub where the nearby mountains and plains meet, and it is bustling with people and news is naturally readily available.

However, the entire Hundred Flowers Valley was wiped out...

Huo Changyun felt a sharp pain in his heart, coughed a few more times, and a trace of blood spilled from the corner of his mouth.

"Go take a look, it's free anyway and you won't lose anything." The old woman at the stall was still muttering to herself, "If you're begging for food, you should go to places with lots of rich people. Who in the countryside would give you so much leftover food?"

When the villagers heard about it, many got up early and rode there in their carts, saying he was a very famous miracle doctor, incredibly skilled at treating illnesses! In the past, only high-ranking officials and wealthy people could afford to hire him, his name was something like "Official Chen..."

Huo Changyun, who was originally disheartened and about to leave, was suddenly struck by two words. He felt as if he had been struck by lightning. He rushed over and asked urgently in a hoarse voice, "What's his name? What's the name of the miracle doctor you're talking about, ma'am?"

"How could I remember that? I just overheard it..."

"Is his name Shangguan Jiangchen?"

"Oh, that sounds like the name. You've heard of it too? Is your medical skill really that good...?"

He didn't hear what the old woman said afterward at all. The tragic scene from that day flashed before his eyes again. Huo Changyun was breathing rapidly and his mind was full of questions.

With such severe injuries and on such a high cliff, could Brother Shangguan really survive?

Even if he managed to escape by chance, how could he possibly provide medical treatment and medicine in Huajincheng?

Won't his pursuers strike again?

If it's not Brother Shangguan himself, then who is impersonating him?

Why would someone publicize something so extensively that even the old women selling goods in the small mountain village know about it? What exactly is this person's motive?

Is this an opportunity to smear Shangguan Jiangchen's reputation as a divine doctor?

or……

Countless questions flashed through his mind in an instant. Huo Changyun coughed violently for a while, thanked the old woman, and then hurriedly turned onto the official road. He had to go and see for himself no matter what!

What if it really is Brother Shangguan searching for himself in this way?

Perhaps he was young and promising, and his years of experience in the martial world meant he had a backup plan that prevented him from dying a tragic death, and later he had the help of close friends.

Even if his escape was a hoax and he had truly died tragically, he absolutely could not tolerate anyone trying to deceive or smear Brother Shangguan's identity as a divine doctor!

If anyone tries to profit from the name of a dead person, I will tear them to pieces, even if it costs me my life!

Huo Changyun felt a renewed sense of hope as he thought about it. He only regretted that he had been running around aimlessly without knowing which way to go and that he was quite far from Hua Jincheng. He wished he could grow wings and fly over to see if it was really Shangguan Jiangchen!

Meanwhile, in Huajin City, many gang members gathered together, gnashing their teeth at Shangguan Jiangchen but powerless to do anything about it.

First of all, the spies sent out have all disappeared without a trace. If a fight had taken place at the former Hundred Flowers Pavilion, there should have been some traces left to investigate, right? But there were none!

Those men sent out sneaked into the building, and then disappeared without a trace. They were nowhere to be found, neither alive nor dead, and there was no sound from them.

Furthermore, Shangguan Jiangchen's reputation as a miracle doctor has a very strong following.

He generously distributed medicine, quickly gaining a good reputation among the people. Now, who dares to say a bad word about Shangguan Jiangchen of Baihua Valley? The people, stirred up by the emotions, don't care what gang you belong to. They might even pick up a carrying pole and swing it around to defend their revered miracle doctor.

Even reputable martial arts practitioners cannot contend with unarmed commoners; they can only temporarily avoid confrontation, and occasionally, if they are unable to escape in time, they will be beaten up.

Finally, and more importantly, no one knows what Shangguan Jiangchen promised when he visited the city lord's mansion, but the city lord has actually begun to investigate the case of the destruction of Hundred Flowers Valley!

Although the authorities may not be able to find out the truth, their attitude here implies that the government is intervening in this matter. If they do not have evidence to bring down Shangguan Jiangchen, or do not have the ability to kill him without anyone knowing, they should think twice before doing anything to Hua Jincheng!

"Dr. Shangguan's medical skills are indeed superb. I feel much better after taking two doses of his medicine."

"Who says otherwise? Even so, there's still a bunch of ungrateful bastards eyeing him covetously."

"Tsk tsk, we don't understand the affairs of the martial world, but Hundred Flowers Valley has had a good reputation for so many years and has taken care of the local people. We don't know who they offended, but they ended up in such a miserable state. It shows how ruthless those who did this are!"

"Hmph! What prestigious sects? They're nothing but people who use the guise of justice to eliminate dissidents."

"I heard that someone wanted to discredit the 'miracle doctor' reputation and deliberately found a pretext to destroy Hundred Flowers Valley..."

…………

Suddenly, a wave of gossip swept through the streets and alleys of Huajincheng.

Many so-called rumors, after being embellished and spread, are gaining momentum and becoming increasingly rampant.

"Host, do you think the protagonist can really find us? Could he have already gone into hiding to prepare for revenge?" The fluffy little dumpling squatted on its host's shoulder with its hands tucked inside, and asked worriedly, "What if the protagonist turns evil? How can we stop him?"

Jiang Chen sat in the backyard, fanning himself with a palm leaf fan as he brewed medicine. He replied softly, "Don't worry, as long as the script hasn't been updated, the protagonist hasn't had time to fall into darkness and become a great demon."

Without any extraordinary encounters, he always needs time to consolidate his strength, recruit soldiers, and build up his forces.

We'll keep things stable here and keep spreading the news out. Huo Changyun will hear about it and come over to find out what's going on.

"I'm not worried about him because of his halo; I'm only worried that the 'card' issue in the mission world won't be able to explain the backstory. If that happens, all my hard work will be for nothing."

Chapter Twelve: Wanli Pavilion's Buying and Selling of Information

The little white cat stroked its fluffy ears and asked curiously, "What arrangements did you make, Master? I followed you the whole time, but it seems like all you did was hand out silver notes and let people spread gossip..."

"Public opinion can be a powerful force; sometimes, gossip can accomplish a lot."

He poured out the medicine he had just brewed, but before he could even drink it, he saw Ling Xiao carrying a giant sword into the backyard. "Someone who deals in information is looking for you. I've already passed the test, no problem. Should I let him into the backyard?"

Her big, bright eyes darted around as she leaned closer to Jiang Chen and whispered, "From what I understand, those who sell information in the Central Plains martial arts world don't charge cheap prices. Do you have enough money?"

As he spoke, Ling Xiao took out a stack of silver notes from his pocket and stuffed them into his hand, saying, "Take these first, I have more if you need more."

Jiang Chen: (。oˇ?ˇo。)

"You're quite wealthy. Is this your travel expenses for delivering a message to the Central Plains? What will you do if you spend it all so extravagantly?"

"You don't need to worry about the money!" she said proudly, patting her chest. "I am, after all, the most generous leader of the Wuliang Sect on Longyan Island in the South China Sea. What is a few coins?"

It's just my usual pocket money.

Even if it runs out, how could I, with my abilities, let my man go broke? Go ahead and splurge! You just need to be pleasing to the eye and look beautiful; leave the money-making to me.”

Jiang Chen couldn't help but rub his face and lay his cards on the table, "I am, after all, the Valley Master of Hundred Flowers Valley, and I am very wealthy, okay? How can a dignified man spend a woman's money?"

"You're my man, of course you have to spend my money! That's the rule in the South China Sea!"

"This is the Central Plains. You have to adapt to local customs, don't you understand? There's absolutely no room for compromise on money. My stomach is perfectly healthy, so I don't need it..."

Seeing this, Ling Xiao raised an eyebrow slightly, "After you finish dealing with your current matters, let's compare who has more money and then continue discussing this topic."

"No problem!" Jiang Chen replied confidently.

The fluffy ball of fur strode confidently with its cat-like steps as it followed its host into the front yard, meowing proudly, "I am the host's big money bag. If I can't even compare to him in terms of money, then I'll really lose face as a transmigrator."

"Host, you absolutely cannot lose to her!"

This was the first time that information brokers had been invited into a brothel to conduct their transactions.

Competition in their line of work is fierce. In addition to visiting the headquarters directly to buy and sell information, there are also peddlers who deliver information to customers' doors to save them time.

But since they belong to an intelligence organization, they have undergone rigorous training, are knowledgeable, and have been to many hidden places to deliver messages.

It was the first time I had ever sat in a half-hidden, brightly decorated reception room, waiting for my employer.

The vendor couldn't help but think of the various unverified intelligence reports he had received in recent days. It was clear that the news of Shangguan Jiangchen, the Valley Master of Hundred Flowers Valley, had been confirmed as false. But why was he staying in this brothel? And was he really seriously injured?

Is it true that the rumors circulating in the martial arts world suggest that Shangguan Jiangchen may not be skilled in martial arts on the surface, but actually possesses extraordinary skills that he keeps hidden?

"Squeak~" Just as he was thinking from the perspective of professional trading intelligence, the door opened and Jiang Chen walked in with an elegant air, holding a paper fan.

The vendor's eyes lit up; it was indeed Shangguan Jiangchen!

"Greetings, Valley Master Shangguan. I have brought all the information you requested."

After a few simple pleasantries, the vendor presented a thick stack of paper materials. "These are urgent reports from headquarters detailing the various cases of the notorious gangster Huo Changyun, who used every means to burn, kill, and rob. They contain detailed testimonies from the surviving victims."

I dare say that nowhere else in the world, besides our Wanli Pavilion, can you find such detailed information.

Jiang Chen took out a few silver notes and handed them over. After the other party checked them, he handed over the documents.

"The massacre of the Xue family in Baili Prefecture, the massacre of the Zhou family in Xiaoxing Village, Dongyuan City..." He looked at them one by one, and sure enough, the information collected by Wanli Pavilion was detailed and objective, and even included the results of the government's investigation.

"Wanli Pavilion has a great reputation. Can we guarantee the veracity of these cases that have been determined to have been committed by Huo Changyun himself?"

The intelligence peddler pondered for a few moments before replying, "Wanli Pavilion can only guarantee that this information aligns with the official conclusion, but we dare not guarantee whether it was truly Huo Changyun's doing. After all, the demon himself has not publicly admitted it, and even now, righteous individuals in the martial world have been hunting him down without finding a trace. Whether he was the killer or not, we will probably only know once we capture the demon Huo Changyun."

but……"

He carefully chose his words and reminded them: "All the victims who died in the cases were related to Blue Water Fortress eighteen years ago. Perhaps... witnesses can confirm that the killer's physique, appearance, and even the sword techniques he used were no different from Huo Changyun's."

As a bonus, though unverified, information is circulating: some suspect that Huo Changyun is a descendant of the demonic sect, Blue Water Fortress.

"I don't know if Huo Changyun is a descendant of Blue Water Fortress." Jiang Chen quickly read through the numerous documents, pointed to one page, and smiled slightly. "I do know that if I wanted to kill or set fires, I would never leave any witnesses."

Moreover, operating in the dead of night without concealing their physical characteristics and sword techniques makes it obvious that they are easy to identify.

Wanli Pavilion offers fair prices and takes responsibility for its sales information. Therefore, I can provide you with verifiable information—regarding the massacre at Lieguang Hall a month ago, I can testify that Huo Changyun was recuperating in my Baihua Valley at the time.

Of course, now that Hundred Flowers Valley has been reduced to ashes and even I, the valley master, have become a remnant of the demon, no one will believe my testimony.

However, one witness was still alive at the time, namely Shen Rumeng, the only daughter of Shen Aolong, the current leader of the martial arts alliance.

Miss Shen suffers from a cough and goes to Baihua Valley for a period of time every late summer and early autumn to recuperate.

Just as my recuperation ended this year, my bodyguard brought back Huo Changyun, who had been injured in a duel with Qiu Tong, the eldest disciple of the Yu Hua Sect. The two had a brief encounter in the valley.