Ling Tian felt no surprise at the man's actions. He knew precisely what the device in the man's hand was: a detector, primarily used to scan the room for listening and recording equipment.
For spies and counter-intelligence agents, such equipment was standard issue. Ling Tian, having been trained by the King of Assassins, was well aware of the device's purpose.
After a thorough search revealed no anomalies, the man retracted the instrument, removed his trench coat, hung it on a nearby rack, and then sat down opposite Ling Tian.
"You are Mr. Luo Shaofei, correct?"
Ling Tian nodded. Luo Shaofei was one of his aliases. He had informed the three major figures of the Righteous Alliance that he was using this identity to infiltrate Japan secretly.
Ling Tian had explicitly requested that the three elders maintain his secrecy, not wishing for anyone to know he was in Japan. The elders had no reason to refuse his request.
"Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Xuanyuan Thirteen. I am the intelligence chief for the Xuanyuan family in Japan!"
For a thousand years, the Xuanyuan family had dedicated themselves to safeguarding China.
To better protect China, they maintained eyes and ears in surrounding countries, as many of their neighbors harbored ambitious intentions, especially Japan.
Consequently, the Xuanyuan family had a significant network of informants in Japan. To support these intelligence personnel, the Xuanyuan family even owned numerous businesses in Japan.
Xuanyuan Thirteen was a scion of a collateral branch of the Xuanyuan family. Tracing their lineage back, their ancestors were a subservient family to the Xuanyuan clan. Due to their exceptional performance, they were absorbed into the Xuanyuan family.
"It's a pleasure, Mr. Xuanyuan!"
"Mr. Luo, the pleasure is mine. I am unaware of your purpose for coming to Japan, but I received word from my family instructing me to cooperate with you fully!"
Ling Tian nodded. He released his spiritual energy, confirming that no one was eavesdropping or lurking around their private room, before speaking, "To be frank, I've come to Japan specifically to stir up trouble!"
A look of surprise crossed Xuanyuan Thirteen's face. He didn't understand what Ling Tian meant by "stirring up trouble." It was the first time he had heard such an unusual phrase.
"I don't quite understand!"
"You must have heard about the Ise Grand Shrine, haven't you!"
Xuanyuan Thirteen nodded. "Yes, recently the Ise Grand Shrine dispatched a large number of personnel to China. Although they acted with great secrecy, they couldn't evade our surveillance. They seemed to be searching for someone in China!"
"The person they are looking for is the master of the Ise Grand Shrine, Boya Takumi! That old fellow has vanished without a trace!"
"Where did you obtain this intelligence?" Xuanyuan Thirteen's expression turned extremely serious. After all, Boya Takumi was currently the leading figure in Japan's Onmyōji world.
"Of course I know. Because that old fellow brought a group of people to China to cause trouble, to seize territory, and then I killed him! To be precise, that old fellow's spell backfired, and he eliminated himself!"
"And his subordinates?"
"An entire contingent wiped out. Over thirty of them, all elites, not a single one survived!"
Ling Tian spoke these words with extreme calmness, yet this calmness stirred up a tempest within Xuanyuan Thirteen's heart.
"So that's how it is! It seems the Onmyōji of Japan have suffered a severe blow this time and will face great upheaval!"
"Yes, that's right. You should understand the consequences of the Japanese people causing trouble in China! And I am the one who carried it out!"
Although not explicitly stated, as a member of the Xuanyuan family, he naturally understood the attitude of China's martial arts and cultivation circles towards Japanese aggression.
Their stance was not only to eliminate all invaders but also to retaliate, tenfold, a hundredfold. Only then would the Japanese martial world dare not harbor any improper intentions towards China.
"Very well, I understand. What are your plans?"
"The Ise Grand Shrine is the instigator of this matter, so they must be dealt with first. After dealing with them, we'll give the White Fox Palace a stern warning. As for the rest, I would trouble you to recommend some targets. Tell me which Japanese factions are the most active, and I will deal with them!"
"I will cooperate with you fully. However, you should understand that many ancient forces in Japan are conservative and extremely xenophobic. Even after years of infiltration by our Xuanyuan family, it is difficult to penetrate them. Therefore, we only have very general intelligence on these factions, not detailed information…"
Xuanyuan Thirteen's tone revealed concern. In fact, for any battle, intelligence often determined the outcome. It was akin to playing a real-time strategy game with one side having full vision while the other was shrouded in fog of war; it would be no surprise to be utterly defeated.
"It matters not. I merely need a target and to know where the target is located. That is sufficient. As for the rest, I will find a way. I have my own intelligence channels!"
Seeing Ling Tian's confidence, Xuanyuan Thirteen did not press further. Thus, the two men drank and dined, and in their conversation, Ling Tian discovered that Xuanyuan Thirteen was quite talkative. During their pleasantries, he gained a general understanding of some of Japan's current potential targets.
In the course of their conversation, Ling Tian learned that Xuanyuan Thirteen's usual occupation was that of an agent, representing Chinese martial arts schools in Japan. His job was to recruit students for these schools and arrange various competitions. It was through this profession that he had access to the Japanese martial arts world, a perfect cover for his true identity.
After they had eaten and drunk their fill, Ling Tian insisted on paying the bill. As the two left the izakaya, dozens of people suddenly appeared at both ends of the street.
These individuals were adorned with tattoos, armed with steel pipes and Japanese swords, their faces radiating a murderous aura. They were clearly not benevolent individuals.
Seeing this situation, Xuanyuan Thirteen became tense. He reached into his pocket, pulled out a one-meter-long heavy-duty baton, and swung it forcefully.
"Brother Luo, your Qinggong should be quite good, right? I'll hold them off. You should scale the wall and escape. Their target is me, so they shouldn't trouble you!"
"Who are these people?"
"They are from the Inagawa-kai, a group of gangsters! A while ago, they came to one of the martial arts schools under my management to cause trouble, and I, along with my men, gave them a severe beating, crippling several of them. They swore revenge, and I never expected… I never expected them to send people to track me. I was careless."
Ling Tian listened, then smiled. He stretched his arms, kicked his legs, and then cracked his knuckles with a series of pops.
"Perfect. I ate a lot tonight. This is just the right way to digest my meal!"