CHAPTER 347: CHAPTER 67: RIVALS IN LOVE MEET

White Rhinoceros Armor, Yue Jinghua looked down and realized that the clothes she had hastily put on were actually the White Armor she had obtained earlier by the creek.

Although she did not know where the White Armor came from, the craftsmanship was so exquisite that even someone like Yue Jinghua, who did not care much for the quality of life, knew it was high-grade.

Speaking of the White Armor, not only was the craftsmanship exquisite, it was warm in the winter and cool in the summer. What was even more rare was that it could be worn by both men and women. Even after Yue Jinghua had disguised herself as a man, the armor still fit her body perfectly. She had grown rather fond of it.

Unfortunately, she did not know from what kind of Dark Beast Skin the White Rhinoceros Armor was made of, or else she would really have made six or seven more pieces.

The person who called out to Yue Jinghua was Sha Xi, who had been looking for mercenaries in Five Saints Town earlier.

In Sha Xi’s eyes, a place like Xuan Beast Ridge was just a backwater area; the journey there was utterly devoid of scenery.

She had been resting with her eyes closed and only opened them when she heard they had arrived at the foot of Kalan Peak. She had no idea that as soon as she opened her eyes, a white figure flashed before her.

When she first glimpsed the white figure, Sha Xi’s heart skipped a beat; that apparel, wasn’t it Junior Minister Zong’s? After all, in all the land, only Junior Minister Zong could wear the specially made White Soft Armor from the Divine Court so majestically.

But upon closer look, she realized that the White Armor was worn by a youth of tender years, who was swiftly walking with his head down, making it impossible to see his features clearly.

How could the Divine Court’s specially made soft armor be worn by an outsider?

As Sha Xi pondered this, she immediately called out to stop Yue Jinghua.

Yue Jinghua had no intention of responding, but the mercenaries were not having it. Three or five burly mercenaries emerged, blocking her path.

"Miss, are you calling me?" Yue Jinghua had no choice but to stop and raise her head.

As she locked eyes with Sha Xi, a look of surprise was added to both of their gazes.

In the light morning mist, Sha Xi only saw that the youth in the White Armor in front of her wore a mask on half of his face. However, the chin exposed was delicate and well-crafted, the skin was smooth as honey, and the eyes, deep as the stars. As he cracked a smile, a row of white teeth was revealed.

What struck Yue Jinghua was the row of tattoo needles on Sha Xi’s waist. Previously, when she carved the Spirit Wood Pattern, she didn’t feel the need, but ever since she had used Yun Luo’s "Nine Heavens Waterfall Pattern Needle" and learned a few new Demon Pattern Holy Patterns, she acutely felt the necessity of a set of high-quality Spirit Pattern Needles.

So it goes, courage grows close to fear. Yue Jinghua surreptitiously scanned the crowd, her gaze pausing momentarily on the leader, Li Rui. Upon realizing he was a Dark Heavenly Master, she reluctantly set aside her own crooked thoughts for the time being.

To be able to hire over a hundred mercenaries as a backdrop, the identity of the lady in the palanquin must be anything but ordinary.

Seeing Yue Jinghua’s appearance, Sha Xi curled her lips, "Who are you? Why are you at Kalan Peak, and where did you get this White Rhinoceros Armor from?"

Her barrage of questions lacked any trace of respect, and to Yue Jinghua’s ears, this young lady sounded incredibly arrogant.

"I am a mercenary," Yue Jinghua said with a smile on her face, her fingers gently rubbing the "Soft Finger" between her knuckles, while internally speculating about the woman’s origin.

Li Rui, who was leading the group, stepped forward and carefully sized up Yue Jinghua, "Mercenary? How come I’ve never seen you in Five Saints Town? Which Mercenary Group do you belong to?"

Having spent several years in Five Saints Town and being one of the few Dark Heavenly Masters there, Li Rui enjoyed considerable prestige in town. He recognized almost all the mercenaries there. The young mercenary before him looked handsome with a suit of White Armor which appeared quite neat.

Yue Jinghua responded with a nonchalant smile: "I’m a newcomer who’s just passed the Two-star Mercenary Assessment and came rushing over from Shaba Town. I’ve heard that the income is quite good around the ridge of the Xuan Beast Mountain, so I hurried over. I haven’t had the chance to register my level at Five Saints Town yet."

Li Rui then breathed a sigh of relief, "So, you are a free agent mercenary?"

Hearing Yue Jinghua was a newcomer and a free agent, the group of mercenaries all sneered in derision.

On the continent, mercenaries are categorized in various ways, and most belong to Mercenary Groups of varying sizes. There are also some who either prefer to work alone or have just joined a Mercenary Team and have not been affiliated with a group yet.

Although both kinds are free agents, their reception in the Mercenary World is starkly different.

The former are often supreme experts such as the Mercenary King and Mercenary Strongmen, who are universally revered. The latter, however, suffer as newcomers with no backing or credentials, enduring a life more miserable than vagrants in their first couple of years.

"With that being the case, young man, would you be interested in joining us, the Storm Mercenary Corps Group?" Unlike the others, Li Rui did not look down upon Yue Jinghua. Being so young and having passed the Mercenary Assessment, and judging by the way he walked a moment ago, he was agile.

When he was stopped by His Highness Sha Xi a moment ago, the youngster was composed as if uninterested, yet his wide eyes casually scanned every one of the more than a hundred people surrounding him, finally sharply fixing his gaze upon himself.

Not to mention anything else, such a person would be an excellent reconnaissance soldier in a Mercenary Group. Li Rui himself was the leader of the Storm Mercenary Corps Group, and for years he had been keen to recruit young mercenary blood.

"Sorry, I have no intention of joining any Mercenary Corps Group at the moment," Having learned his lesson from the experience with the Red Fire Mercenary Corps Group, Yue Jinghua had no plans to join another, "If there’s nothing else, I shall take my leave now."

"Stop right there. I’m asking your name? And who gave you permission to leave? You can leave if you like, but leave behind the White Rhinoceros Armor on your body; you’re not worthy of wearing it," Sha Xi saw Yue Jinghua dismiss her words completely, and immediately flared up in a rage, jumping down from her sedan chair.

With Sha Xi’s rebuke, Li Rui and the other mercenaries were also caught off guard.

"He’s no mercenary, he’s a thief. The White Armor he’s wearing belongs to the Divine Court. The White Rhinoceros Skin used to make it is bred specially by the Divine Court and crafted by a dedicated tailor, specifically customized for Divine Son Zong Shaqing," Any man who had seen Sha Xi would fall over heels for her status and looks. Who would have thought that this young man would not care for her at all.

It was precisely like Zong Shaqing’s attitude, which immediately roused Sha Xi’s wrath.

These Fifth-level White Rhinoceroses, to ensure the integrity of their skin, are kept in specific breeding enclosures without a single scratch. However, Pian Yue Jinhua claimed that the model of White Armor was commonplace in Shang Kingdom.

Junior Minister Zong Shaqing? The Divine Son of the Divine Court?

Only then did Yue Jinghua realize that...

This White Armor belonged to Junior Minister Zong Shaqing? A faint heat crept over Yue Jinghua’s ears, as she recalled the night she obtained the White Armor. In that case, had she not been... completely seen?