The Nether Dragon joins the sect!

At night, Fan Qiulin went to bed early, her heart brimming with excitement because Fan Qiuming had promised to take her out the next day. She still clutched Mian Xiaomiao in her arms as she drifted to sleep.

Fan Qiuming moved with utmost care, only leaving the house once he was sure she was sound asleep. A glance at his phone told him it was just midnight.

In the park, Xuanlong had arrived well in advance. Though it was summer, the rain and wind made the night bitterly cold.

"Ah-choo..." Xuanlong sneezed.

"Why isn't he here yet?"

"Who would have thought Xuanlong could be so punctual? Arriving so early at the appointed place!"

From the distance, Fan Qiuming’s figure emerged, his face composed and steady.

"If I want you to join, I must show some sincerity."

Seeing Fan Qiuming arrive as agreed, a look of excitement flickered across Xuanlong's face.

"So, have you made your decision?"

Xuanlong offered him the documents, as though he couldn’t wait for Fan Qiuming to sign them—almost like a contract of servitude. (Which, in a sense, it truly was.)

"I can join, but I have a few conditions."

Fan Qiuming took the documents but did not open them immediately.

"They’re just minor conditions, nothing serious."

He clasped his hands behind his back, gazing at Xuanlong.

"Tell me. If they’re within reason, I can help make it happen."

Xuanlong seemed agreeable.

"First, I’d like to settle this month’s payment in advance. I’m rather short on money right now."

Fan Qiuming spoke plainly, giving his reason without pretense.

"No problem. Anything else?" Xuanlong thought, It’s just money. Working for a national organization, money is hardly an issue.

"Second, I want my missions to be solo, with no interference from others. If others must be involved, I want to choose them myself."

"That..." Xuanlong hesitated.

"That could be difficult. For risky assignments, we don’t usually let a single person make all the decisions."

"But as you’re a newcomer, the organization won’t send you on anything too dangerous at first. That’s acceptable. Anything else?"

"Just those two. If you agree, lend me a pen—I didn’t bring one."

Fan Qiuming reached out to Xuanlong.

With a resigned shake of the head, Xuanlong pulled a fountain pen from his pocket. "Sign your real name on the document. In the pouch at the back, you’ll find your ID card and bank card."

"The ID card is your alternate identity, recognizable by the secret branches of Longzong in various regions. They usually run side businesses for cover—could be a courier shop, a restaurant, and so on..."

"Your salary and operational funds will be deposited into this bank card, usable everywhere."

...

By the time Xuanlong finished his instructions, it was nearly two o’clock. Fan Qiuming felt exasperated...

“Why does he talk so much, like a chanting monk…?”

Then a thought struck him. “Wait… a chanting monk? Xuanzang? Xuanlong... I see now...”

"That’s about it. Just remember, never let anyone know your true identity—Minglong."

"You’ve said that at least five times tonight," Fan Qiuming replied as he put away his things.

"I’m leaving. And by the way—enjoy the rest of your night! Only you would bring so many people just for a signature. What a spectacle."

With that, Fan Qiuming slipped away as if greased lightning.

"Is it over?" a deep male voice came from the nearby woods.

A shadow stepped out.

"How did he know we were there? I couldn’t even see the people beside me."

Five or six figures emerged one after another from various hiding places.

Xuanlong shook his head in resignation.

"I have to ask, Wolong, why are we so intent on bringing him in? He just killed a Yaoguang-level martial artist, nothing more."

(Martial artists are ranked, from lowest to highest: Yinyuan, Dongming, Yaoguang, Kaiyang, Yuheng, Tianquan, Tianji, Tianxuan, Tianshu. The top ten are named after the Heavenly Stems, with Gui as the tenth and Jia as the first. Ranks shift with strength.)

"He’s no ordinary man. A few days ago, I was stargazing and saw something intriguing. Are you familiar with Xuanxiao?"

A well-dressed man with refined manners spoke.

"Isn’t that just a constellation?"

"A few days ago, every star in Xuanxiao blazed with light. Do you know what that means? Never mind, you wouldn’t understand. Disperse! We’re done here, time to head home."

With that, Wolong vanished, leaping away through the treetops.

"He’s nearly reached the Tianxuan Shadow Transformation stage? So much for not competing, yet he’s secretly working harder than the rest of us."

Xuanlong was both annoyed and helpless—he’d been stuck at the Tianji Windmaster level for nearly five years.

"Break it up, break it up. Don’t you have shops to open tomorrow? Go home," he told the others.

"Tch... thought we’d see some action. We waited here for nothing, what a bore."

"Thought something exciting would happen. Disappointing..."

"Let’s go, my wife’s waiting for me at home!"

...

Watching them leave, Xuanlong was speechless. He considered their stakeout a mission, the easiest they could hope for, yet they still grumbled...

Meanwhile, Fan Qiuming had just returned home. The moment he stepped inside, the living room light snapped on.

“Damn—” Fan Qiuming blurted out, startled by the sudden illumination. He didn’t even know why he said it; perhaps it was a reflex from this body.

Fan Qiulin sat there, watching him coldly in silence.

"Where have you been so late at night?"

"Well… I was feeling cooped up, so I went for a walk."

Fan Qiuming was suddenly tongue-tied. Hadn’t she been asleep? How was she awake?

"You went for a walk for over two hours?"

Confronted with her questioning, he was at a loss.

"Weren’t you asleep? How are you still up?"

As he spoke, he tried to usher her back to her room.

"You’re not him, are you!"

Her words froze Fan Qiuming in place.

"Though you look the same, I know his personality. Since you went out two days ago, you haven’t been the same. Am I supposed to believe you just changed overnight?"

"Well, Qiulin, can you hear me out?"

Fan Qiuming approached, taking her hand.

But she shook him off.

"Who are you, really?"

"If that’s how it is, do you want the truth?"

Seeing he couldn’t hide it, Fan Qiuming decided to tell her everything.

"Actually, I’m… another personality, split from him. I was dormant for a long time, but when he was badly injured two days ago, I awoke and took his place."

He lied without batting an eye, though there was some truth in it, and it wasn’t entirely impossible.

Qiulin was now the one left speechless.

"Another personality?"

"Yes! I really couldn’t bear the way he treated you before, so I changed. Maybe it was too abrupt and made you suspicious. But if you prefer how I used to be, I can act that way."

With that, he grabbed her hand again, gripping it tightly.

His quick deflection caught her off guard. Though the body was the same, the personality truly was different—she couldn’t deny it.

"It’s… alright, though your change is really drastic. It’s hard to accept all at once."

It was indeed hard to accept—anyone would struggle if someone who had always treated them harshly suddenly changed, especially when that person sneaked out at night. How could anyone not be alarmed?

"So, are you… still him?"

A hint of doubt lingered in Qiulin’s eyes.

"I always have been. Sorry I came too late."

With that, Fan Qiuming embraced her. In that moment, his feelings were more than deceit—there was sincerity, genuine care, guilt, and regret, all surging up at once.

The shared memories made him melancholic, something he had never experienced in his previous life.

"Brother… forget it, this is better. Much better than that fool before. You’re not allowed to change back."

Qiulin hugged him tightly, as if afraid he would disappear.

"Brother, by the way, why were you out so late?"

Qiulin suddenly remembered to ask.

"To make money, of course! Your tuition, living expenses, rent… don’t all those need money?"

Fan Qiuming answered as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

"You went out so late for money? You weren’t… keeping someone company, were you?"

She pushed him away, like a child losing interest in a toy once another child had played with it.

"This brother is tainted, I don’t want him anymore."

Fan Qiuming gave her a gentle flick on the forehead.

"What goes on in that little head of yours? Do I look like the kind who’d sell myself for money?"

(The reader: I see through you, but I’ll say nothing…)

In an instant, the tender atmosphere was gone.

"So what did you go out for? Out so late, it couldn’t have been anything good."

Qiulin clutched her head, her eyes teary.

"Business secrets."

Fan Qiuming refused to elaborate. His air of mystery only made her more curious.

Just then, Fan Qiuming’s phone chimed. He discovered a new app had appeared on his phone—a five-clawed golden dragon icon labeled “Longzong.”

The message was from that app. Opening it, he found a new mission had appeared.

Just as he was about to click on it, Qiulin snatched the phone from his hand.

"Let’s see which little vixen is trying to seduce my brother!"

Clearly, she still didn’t believe him.

"Hey, don’t—"

Too late. She saw the mission on his phone.

"Brother, are you…"

"It’s not what you think!"

Fan Qiuming hastened to explain.

"How bored must you be to download such a knockoff app? Careful you don’t get a virus."

"Eh?" Fan Qiuming was stunned.

"Here, take your phone back. You’re too old to play these childish games. Go to bed and remember to take me out tomorrow!"

She returned the phone and wheeled herself back to her room.

"Oh, right!"

Suddenly, she turned back.

"I still remember what happened last night. Thank you, brother… I’m glad I have you!"

She tilted her head with a smile, gave him a reassuring look, and wheeled herself into her room.

Fan Qiuming stood there, a smile tugging at his lips.

"Not a thankless job after all. Having you is pretty good too."

With that, Fan Qiuming returned to his own small rental room. Two wounded souls slowly healing each other—why not?

Inside, Fan Qiuming checked the mission carefully.

To Peng City, to investigate the Shenxu incident...