White Cloud

Chapter 42: White Cloud

The next day.

The guards at the city gate discovered the horrific scene within the gate tower, and the sound of horns instantly spread throughout Luoxia City.

The martial artists of Luoxia City were all startled. They emerged from their various haunts and appeared on the streets, looking toward the City Lord's Manor without understanding what was happening.

They exchanged glances and decided to go take a look at the City Lord's Manor.

For a time, martial artists swarmed forth like crucian carp crossing a river.

However, before they could approach the City Lord's Manor, they were stopped by a human wall formed by a group of guards.

A general stood in the middle, clad in armor and wearing a helmet, a crescent-bladed halberd in hand. His blade-sharp gaze swept across the martial artists as he shouted in a deep voice, "The City Lord's Manor ahead is a restricted area. Unauthorized persons are not permitted to approach."

One martial artist asked, "Commander Liao, what happened at the City Lord's Manor for the horns to be sounded? They have not been blown in many years, have they?"

Commander Liao said coldly, "You will find out soon enough."

A guard ran down from the gate tower and leaned close to Commander Liao's ear, whispering something unknown. Commander Liao's eyes flickered. He took a deep breath, then declared loudly, "Until the murderer of the City Lord is found, Luoxia City shall permit entry only, not exit."

The many martial artists were shocked. City Lord Cheng Yan was actually dead?

Who could have been so bold as to murder an imperial official... Speaking of which, something similar seemed to have happened over in Mount Qi. But only a county magistrate had died there, nowhere near as important as a city lord.

Moreover, the dynasty did not appear to have attached much importance to that dead county magistrate. It had already sent someone else to take charge of Qishan Commandery.

Speaking of Mount Qi being changed into Qishan Commandery, there was not much difference in the eyes of martial artists like them.

It had always been a barren place.

No matter how it changed, it would still be the same.

Brocade Tower.

After a night of recuperation, Lu Wenxiu's injuries had recovered somewhat. This was thanks to the medicinal ointment Li Xiufang had used and the medicine she had brewed, all made from exceptionally precious ingredients.

When they learned the news from the City Lord's Manor, they were greatly alarmed. They practically did not need to guess to know that Lu Zhaojin had definitely done it.

Lu Wenxiu looked at Li Xiufang's reaction. After thinking it over, she still could not help saying, "How about you go make peace with him, then bring him back to the Li Family?"

Li Xiufang indeed regretted things somewhat. But from her interactions with Lu Zhaojin over the past few days, she had seen clearly what kind of person he was. Thus, she shook her head at Lu Wenxiu's suggestion. "This is not something that can be resolved merely by making peace."

She did not want to dwell on the matter either, and said indifferently, "Forget it. The one who should be worried is the old man. What does it have to do with me?"

Seeing that Lu Wenxiu's complexion had improved considerably, Li Xiufang felt slightly relieved. "We originally planned to return to Luoshui City today, but Luoxia City is now sealed off and heavily guarded. Judging by your injuries, you will need another two days to fully recover. Let us rest here for two days before leaving."

Li Xiufang told Lu Wenxiu that she was leaving Brocade Tower to see what exactly had happened at the City Lord's Manor. She would also ask the guards about their progress, whether they had caught the murderer of the City Lord—Lu Zhaojin.

Lu Wenxiu nodded. She knew that following Li Xiufang now would only make her a burden, so she did not go along.

When Li Xiufang left Brocade Tower, she saw squads of soldiers searching the streets and alleys for someone. She did not know whom they were looking for, but they questioned everyone they encountered, mainly asking where they had gone yesterday and whom they had met.

On the way to the City Lord's Manor, Li Xiufang ran into Commander Liao. When he saw her, his eyes lit up, and a smile actually appeared on his stern face as he called her Mistress Xiufang.

Li Xiufang frowned slightly, feeling some disgust for him. Whenever they met, his undisguised, strange gaze seemed to wish it could pierce through her clothing and see the scenery beneath.

Commander Liao asked several inconsequential questions: where she had gone yesterday, whom she had seen, and what she had done. At the end, he even asked whether she had time tomorrow, saying he wished to invite her to the top floor of Spring Breeze Tower, the finest viewing spot, to watch the sunset glow.

How could Li Xiufang not understand Commander Liao's sinister intentions? Naturally, she could not agree. Thus, while answering his questions, she probed around the edges and learned that not only had the City Lord died in the gate tower, but several members of the Xu Family had as well. One of them had even been an elder of the Xu Family. Someone had already been sent to deliver word to the Xu Family.

Li Xiufang's heart skipped a beat as she recalled what Lu Zhaojin had said yesterday. She had not expected it to come true so quickly. He really had repaid Lu Wenxiu's favor.

Commander Liao noticed the slight change in Li Xiufang's expression. Thinking of how the Li Family and Xu Family had stirred up a great uproar in Luoshui Commandery, it was as though he had grasped that fleeting flash of insight. He stared into Li Xiufang's eyes, his gaze turning somewhat sharp as he asked, "Mistress Xiufang, you have not concealed anything, have you?"

Li Xiufang shook her head. "Of course not."

She did not conceal anything related to Lu Zhaojin and reported it all to Commander Liao one by one. As for how she told it, naturally, she made it up in whatever way sounded most reasonable.

There would still be flaws, but it would take them some time to trace matters back to Lu Zhaojin.

By the time Luoxia City lifted its lockdown, Lu Wenxiu and she would already have left Luoxia City.

Commander Liao would no longer be able to interfere.

After Lu Zhaojin killed Cheng Yan last night, he did not remain in Luoxia City. He headed northeast through the night, seeking to find Zhao Jinzhi as quickly as possible.

He had a map he had obtained from Li Xiufang, which allowed him to distinguish directions quite well.

However, mountain paths were difficult to traverse, especially at night, when everything was pitch-black. He truly could not find a place to rest, nor did he wish to spend the night in the wilderness and be bitten by mosquitoes and insects, so he continued onward.

Dawn broke, and the rising sun emerged.

Lu Zhaojin walked out of the forest and finally saw a main road. Looking farther ahead, he unexpectedly spotted a tea stall. It was extremely crude, with only several wooden poles propping up a piece of tattered cloth to provide shade.

A flag stood at the entrance, bearing the single character for tea.

Lu Zhaojin found it rather interesting. Having walked mountain paths all night, he was indeed thirsty, so he headed toward the tea stall.

Only when he drew close did he discover two tables of people drinking tea. One table had a lone person seated there, dressed in coarse hemp clothes and wearing a bamboo hat pulled low over his face. Lu Zhaojin could only see his chin.

However, Lu Zhaojin glanced twice more at the treasured sword on the table before withdrawing his gaze. This sword is extraordinary. It is somewhat better than the Cold Edge Sword. It must be a famous blade.

The other table had four people, dressed in matching white martial attire trimmed in blue. They seemed to be disciples of some great sect. Though they drank tea and conversed quietly, the eyes of some among them kept flickering toward the bamboo-hatted figure for some unknown reason.

The proprietor emerged from inside carrying a plate of small dishes. Seeing a new customer at the door, he was briefly taken aback, then immediately revealed a delighted smile and gestured for Lu Zhaojin to sit down. He first delivered a plate of small dishes to the bamboo-hatted man, then came over to ask Lu Zhaojin what he wanted.

Before Lu Zhaojin could speak, the bamboo-hatted man spoke first. "Proprietor, there is something wrong with these side dishes."

The proprietor gave Lu Zhaojin an apologetic smile, asking him to wait a moment while he handled the matter before coming to attend to him. "May I ask what this guest finds wrong?"

The man picked up a soybean with his chopsticks and said blandly, "The ingredients are wrong."

The proprietor extended his right hand, seemingly intending to take the soybean and taste what was wrong with it himself. Yet his left hand quietly reached behind him, where a sharp kitchen knife was tucked away, and it was already about to close around the hilt.

The proprietor drew his knife and was about to chop down.

A sword cry suddenly rang out. A long sword pierced through the proprietor's chest and back. The raised kitchen knife ultimately failed to fall, slipping from his hand onto the ground.

"I knew that brat was cautious. He definitely would not fall for it."

"Move! Seize that brat and force him to reveal the whereabouts of the sword manual."

"Senior Brother, what about that brat?"

"Kill him too, lest word of this gets out and damages the reputation of White Cloud Villa."