As winter approached, the weather grew colder and colder. Xun Nu still wore only a single layer of clothing. Even though he said he wasn't cold, Tang Li couldn't bear to see it and went to the largest clothing store in the city to buy him winter clothes.

In this era, most women would make their own clothes, often buying fabric and making it themselves. But Tang Li didn't know how. She learned from the lady next door, but only learned to make simple things like socks and belts. Clothing still needed to be bought.

"Men's clothing, what do you think of this one? It's thick and warm." The shop assistant took out a dark blue robe, and Tang Li reached out to feel the thickness.

She was about to speak when two men and a woman walked in from outside. One of the men said loudly, "Shopkeeper, bring out the most expensive cloaks in your store for my junior sister to choose from."

Tang Li turned to look and saw that the three of them wore long swords at their waists and long boots on their feet, looking like carefree jianghu people, the kind with a sect. The shopkeeper didn't dare to neglect them and hurriedly had the assistants bring out several cloaks. Even the assistant who was serving Tang Li ran over. Tang Li didn't mind and held up the winter clothes, considering if Xun Nu could wear them.

"Just these? So rustic, not even as good as the ones I saw in Yang City before. If I wear this kind of cloak to visit the West City lord, won't that willful woman Gong Xiling laugh at me? I can't lose face like that!"

Tang Li heard the woman's dissatisfied snort and paused her movements. Although she didn't remember most of the original novel's content, after living here for a while, she knew that the four major cities were occupied by major forces. The original male lead, Xiahou Xuanyu, was the youngest of the four city lords as the lord of the North City.

Combining the various news she heard in reality and thinking back to the original novel, Tang Li figured out the identity of the young lady who had thrown her into the Ghostly Crying Forest - Gong Xiling, the male lead's cousin and daughter of the West City lord.

She didn't expect to suddenly hear about people related to the original novel again, and was stunned for a moment.

On the other side, the three junior martial siblings had already started talking. The man who spoke earlier was comforting his junior sister, "Gong Xiling is domineering and willful, why should junior sister stoop to her level? This time we are going to West City on Master's orders to deliver congratulatory gifts, and don't need to interact much with Gong Xiling."

The woman threw the red cloak in her hand onto the counter, her face full of disdain. "I know, but I just can't stand the sight of her. Relying on being Lord Xiahou's cousin, she not only throws her weight around in West City, but also goes to North City to be arrogant. In terms of looks and martial arts, she can't even compare to me, and she still wants to surpass senior sister. Not to mention me, even that village girl over there is prettier than her."

Tang Li belatedly realized that the "village girl" the young lady was referring to was herself. Not wanting to cause trouble, when the three junior martial siblings looked at her, she smiled and nodded slightly in acknowledgment, then continued looking at her own clothes.

The one among the three junior martial siblings who had not spoken from beginning to end saw Tang Li's appearance and frowned slightly. This woman's face, why did it look a bit familiar? He seemed to have seen her somewhere before.

"Senior Brother, Senior Brother?"

The man came back to his senses and looked at his junior brother and sister. The junior brother laughed, "How come Senior Brother is still in a daze? Is that woman really so beautiful that even our Senior Brother has fallen in love at first sight?"

The senior brother kept a cold face. "Don't joke around. If you've chosen, let's go. We still need to hurry on our way."

The three of them left the store. As soon as they walked out the door, they saw a young man walking towards them. He had a tall and straight posture and handsome features.

Although he wore plain clothes and shoes, he didn't seem like an ordinary person. Judging from his bearing, he was more like a blade wielder or swordsman, with a sharp aura all over his body.

The three subconsciously avoided him and watched as he walked into the store and went straight to the beautiful woman from earlier. The woman picked up the clothes and held them up to him, and the two of them stood together, their eyes full of tender affection.

The junior sister peeked inside. "What a perfect match."

The senior brother, however, kept frowning. Not only that woman, but this man who came later also seemed a bit familiar to him, but he couldn't remember his identity no matter what.

It wasn't until the three of them rode their horses out of the city that the senior brother suddenly pulled on the reins and looked back. Seeing his unusual expression, the junior brother and sister hurriedly asked, "Senior Brother, what's wrong?"

The senior brother had a startled expression, his eyes flickering. "I just remembered who the man we saw in the fabric store was."

"He's just a passerby, why is Senior Brother so concerned?"

"No, if I'm not mistaken, he is Xun, the number one assassin in the Refining Realm." The senior brother's tone was certain.

A few years ago, he had seen Xun once. At that time, Xun was just a teenager, even thinner than he looked now, but the killing intent on his body was even heavier. His entire being seemed to merge with the blade in his hand. Just a glance from him made the senior brother feel a chill down his spine, as if he could smell the scent of blood.

Perhaps because the impression was too deep, even now, he could still remember Xun's appearance.

The other two were even more shocked to hear this. "Impossible, how could it be? It's said that Xun's whereabouts are unpredictable, and he's a terrifying assassin with a heart of stone. How could he be hiding in such a small place, and be so intimate with a woman? Senior Brother, you must have seen wrong."

The senior brother pondered for a moment and didn't say more. "Perhaps I did see wrong... Forget it, let's go. We need to hurry on our way."

This was just an interlude, and Tang Li didn't pay much attention to it. She chose winter clothes and boots for Xun Nu. If Xun Nu hadn't refused, she would have bought him a leather robe as well.

"A martial artist has internal energy in their body and doesn't fear the cold like ordinary people. I don't need these, you're the one who needs them." That's what Xun Nu said, and in the end, the leather robe they bought was for Tang Li.

The young couple went home together. On the way, they passed a pastry shop, and Tang Li bought some candy, planning to make some fresh snacks for Xun Nu when they got back.

Passing a tavern, she also bought some wine. In the cold winter, drinking warm wine could warm the body. After Xun Nu's injury healed, Tang Li would occasionally buy wine from the market to bring back. She would drink some herself too, and in fact, her alcohol tolerance was even better than Xun Nu's.

Two days later, when Xun Nu opened the store early in the morning, he saw a fluttering cloth strip on the willow tree by the river next to the house. The black and white cloth strip had irregular patterns drawn on it. His eyes darkened slightly, and he looked at it for a while before continuing his actions.

In the afternoon, he closed the store early and pulled Tang Li to sit inside the house. After several days of overcast and rainy weather, a charcoal basin was placed inside the house, with a bamboo-woven smoking cage used to dry clothes. The people here were accustomed to this, and Tang Li had just recently had one made at the carpenter's.

After moving it into the room, it could also be used to warm water at night. Xun Nu had her sit by the charcoal basin and said, "An uninvited guest will come tonight. You don't need to be afraid, just sit here."

Tang Li responded with an "okay" without asking further questions. She went out to bring in the sugar cakes made in the afternoon, along with some tea and a plate of melon seeds.

"Do you want to eat melon seeds? I'll peel them for you," she offered.

Xun Nu sat to the side holding a sword, watching the doorway. Hearing her words, he turned his head to look at her, seeing her expression as usual as she truly began peeling the melon seeds.

Tang Li had peeled three plates of melon seeds when sounds finally came from outside. Xun Nu stood up and walked to the door, pushing it open to look out. Tang Li peeked behind him and discovered quite a few people standing in the small courtyard.

Perhaps because the courtyard was too small to accommodate them, there were even people standing on the roof. Not only were there people standing, but also a sedan chair carried by four men.

"Xun, if news hadn't arrived the day before yesterday, I wouldn't have even known you were still alive. Since you're alive, why haven't you returned to Refining Realm?" A deep male voice came from inside the sedan chair.

Xun Nu stood at the doorway, his tone calm, "You ordered me to secretly assassinate Du Lanxu, but the information you gave me was inaccurate. What awaited me was a trap and pursuit by Zhen Li and the other two. Since you wanted to kill me, why should I go back?"

His voice was hoarse. The moment he spoke, the many black-clothed men instinctively shuddered, and the atmosphere grew somewhat tense.

The person in the sedan chair sighed, "Your master is my elder brother. You grew up by our side since childhood, and are now the top assassin of our Refining Realm. Why would I want to kill you?"

Xun Nu was unmoved, his sharp gaze seeming to want to pierce through the sedan curtain as he retorted, "Then, why did you try to kill me?"

The person in the sedan chair suddenly laughed a couple times. "Forget it, Xun. How are you now, wanting to retire? The hero's grave in the land of beauties - have you thought it through? Don't do anything foolish. As long as you return, I will deal with Zhen Li and the other two and give you an explanation."

Xun Nu was completely unwavering. "No need. I now have someone I want to protect. I won't go back. You can rest assured." If not for Tang Li, perhaps he would have returned to personally kill those two.

The person in the sedan chair understood his implied meaning. After a long silence, he said, "I never imagined there would come a day when you would be trapped by feelings... Xun, the day will come when you regret this."

As soon as he finished speaking, the sound of something slicing through the air rang out as an object shot out from the sedan chair, straight at Xun Nu's face. Xun Nu didn't even blink as he raised his hand to catch it.

It was a jade tablet engraved with his name. Gripping the jade tablet in one hand, Xun Nu sent out a burst of energy, instantly shattering it into powder that scattered and drifted down.

Seeing this scene, the person in the sedan chair narrowed his eyes slightly. Indeed, Xun Nu, trained by that person, lived up to his reputation. Despite such severe injuries, he was actually able to recover to his original state in such a short time.

"Refining Realm has removed your name. From now on, you're on your own." With a single order, the black figures standing on the roof began to retreat one after another, disappearing without a trace in an instant.

The fierce beast who was injured in their imaginations showed no signs of weakness. On the contrary, in order to protect his nest, he appeared even more domineering and cold compared to before. A secret night meeting that seemed poised to bring a storm quietly dissipated into nothing.

Xun Nu stood for a while longer, sensing that the hidden observers had all left, before finally turning to go back inside the room. Meeting Tang Li's gaze, his expression softened slightly as he said, "I'm no longer an assassin. You don't need to worry anymore."

Tang Li wasn't clear about the undercurrents of the earlier confrontation, only feeling that the jianghu people's resignation scene was quite grand, befitting of the "little male god" title.

She blinked and took Xun Nu's hand to comfort him, "It's okay. Even if you quit, we still have the shop. It's already started turning a profit. I can earn money to support you and our child."

Xun Nu: "..." No, something seemed off.

"Child?"

Tang Li stroked his hand, "We don't have one yet."

Tang Li thought that after this night, they wouldn't have any more dealings with those black-clothed assassins. But unexpectedly, the next day, a young assassin brother came to the door. He looked to be in his teens.

At first, Tang Li didn't recognize him, just treating him as a regular customer and asking what dishes he wanted. But the boy sized her up and down, then grinned and called out, "Little sister-in-law."

Although the boy had a smiling face, Tang Li could tell he didn't seem to like her. The way he said "little sister-in-law" was also quite flippant.

He's a bratty teenager, Tang Li labeled him in her heart. She calmly smiled and asked, "And you are?"