Rumors

For a moment, the room fell deathly silent.

Wu Qianhuan pricked up her ears. She thought of Tang Yinfeng and Tang Xi's demonic arts.

If those two truly had some other origin, it was bound to arouse curiosity.

Where had this group gathered so many demonic cultivation techniques, and what exactly were they trying to accomplish this time?

Yet after staring at Wu Ganqi for a long while, Tang Yinfeng merely sighed.

"Forget it, forget it. I know I can't fool you. How could I possibly make up a name in such a short time that would leave you restless with worry?

"Now that the victor and the vanquished have been decided, I have nothing to say.

"Kill me or carve me up as you please. I'll leave it to you."

"For three years, I always regarded you as a true friend and trusted companion. It seems I gave my trust to the wrong man in the end."

Wu Ganqi waved a hand.

"Men, take him away. Settle him properly for now, and wait for my orders."

"Yes."

At once, Heavenly Dance Guards came over and dragged Tang Yinfeng away.

After staring thoughtfully at the doorway for a while, Wu Ganqi finally turned to Wu Qianhuan.

"When do you think it would be appropriate for this man to die?"

"After he has been put to full use."

Wu Qianhuan answered without a moment's thought.

"There may be thieves for a thousand days, but no one can guard against thieves for a thousand days.

"What happened in Uncle Chu's courtyard today was the work of the Mirror of Sin, commissioned by the Valley of Ten Thousand Nights.

"The longer this matter drags on, the more disadvantageous it becomes for us.

"So, Father, I think we should play along with their scheme and lure the gentleman into the urn."

Wu Ganqi looked at his only daughter. A few traces of tenderness appeared on his rough, rugged face.

"What you say is right... Hmm, was the one who came with you to Falling Rain Hall tonight that Night Emperor?"

"...Yes."

Wu Qianhuan opened her mouth, wanting to say that aside from the Night Emperor, that person might also have been Chu Qing.

But the matter had not yet been confirmed, so it was not good to say so outright.

"When did such a figure emerge in the martial world, daring to use such an arrogant title?

"Still, we owe much to his help this time. Otherwise, Falling Rain Hall might not have been taken so easily.

"Do this. Prepare a generous gift later and send it to him."

Wu Qianhuan nodded and agreed.

Wu Ganqi glanced at her, sensing that something was off in her expression. Just as he was about to ask, a Heavenly Dance Guard came to report.

"Eldest Young Master Chu has arrived."

Wu Ganqi's expression did not change.

"Let him in."

A moment later, Chu Tian, dressed all in white, stepped into the secret chamber.

He cupped his fists slightly, greeting Wu Qianhuan first before paying his respects to Wu Ganqi.

"Brother Chu, why have you come? Did something happen to the Chu Family tonight?"

Wu Qianhuan recalled the few Chu Family disciples she had seen earlier while she was with Chu Qing.

At the time, she had worried that something had happened to the Chu Family, which was why she had hurried home.

But after reporting the matter, Wu Ganqi had taken her directly to Falling Rain Hall.

Now that she saw Chu Tian, she naturally had to ask.

Chu Tian nodded and spoke with a faint smile.

"My father is dead."

Wu Qianhuan felt as though she had been struck by thunder.

Before she could recover from that shocking news, she heard Wu Ganqi nod.

"I know."

Wu Qianhuan's eyes widened. Uncle Chu was dead! What kind of reaction was that?

Why was he still smiling?

Since when had the world gone mad into something she no longer recognized?

News of Chu Yunfei's "death" was not widely announced.

Yet the atmosphere throughout Heavenly Dance City became exceedingly strange.

The next day, when Chu Qing left the inn, he had intended to find a blacksmith first. Instead, he saw Heavenly Dance Guards racing everywhere and searching everywhere.

Every one of them looked as though they wanted to turn the entirety of Heavenly Dance City upside down.

Not only that, all four city gates to the east, south, west, and north had been shut that day. The Heavenly Dance Guards had strengthened their defenses, and the entire city allowed entry but not exit.

Naturally, the common people could not help but feel uneasy, not knowing what had happened.

Yet there were still some people in the inn with "hands and eyes that reached the heavens," furtively sharing news others did not know.

"I heard Chu Yunfei was assassinated last night."

"We don't know exactly who did it... but they must have quite the background."

"Who knows whom Chu Yunfei offended, to end up like this?"

"Shh, keep your voice down. The City Lord's Mansion is keeping this news tightly under wraps and forbidding private discussion."

"The Chu Family Head was a good man... How could this happen? Is this news even true?"

"How could it be false? Didn't you see that the flowing banquet has been taken down? It was supposed to last three days... but it ended after only one."

"But if that's really the case, why keep it secret?"

"I heard the Valley of Ten Thousand Nights has recently been planning to fight Heavenly Dance City. They feared the Chu Family Head because his martial arts were formidable. If they learned he was dead, things would become very troublesome."

"What? Another war? Th-this, what are we supposed to do?"

As the news spread, the people of Heavenly Dance City gradually began to feel endangered.

And the rumors surrounding the matter only grew more numerous.

Would the Valley of Ten Thousand Nights truly attack Heavenly Dance City? When the time came, what would the city's people do?

Some also brought up "Chu Qing," who had not returned for seven years, saying that the moment he came back, he had staged a scene of an unfilial son killing his father, stirring up all manner of speculation.

All sorts of talk rose and fell in waves, only to gradually vanish without a trace beneath the City Lord's Mansion's forceful suppression.

Yet among all those rumors, not a single person mentioned Falling Rain Hall.

The rain from last night had covered up many things.

Even those who had seen or heard something kept their mouths shut and covered their ears.

On the surface, Falling Rain Hall was still Falling Rain Hall.

Everything was calm and peaceful...

Chu Qing was not affected by any of this talk. He simply went about his own business.

He found a blacksmith and ordered a sword.

He also ordered ten sleeve arrows according to the sleeve arrow's dimensions.

Unfortunately, he was not skilled in the art of poison...

He considered finding suitable poison later and then figuring out a way to coat the sleeve arrows with it.

The sword would take several days to forge. Chu Qing was in no hurry. Carrying a box containing Tang Xi's head, he sauntered toward a certain place.

The Land God Temple.

Chu Qing had often come here as a child. Back then, incense offerings had still flourished here.

But a new Land God Temple had been built several years ago, and this one had gradually fallen into disuse.

Er Gou was temporarily sheltering in this Land God Temple.

But when Chu Qing arrived, he found that aside from Er Gou, another uninvited guest was waiting there.

Wu Qianhuan.

She was lying sprawled across the Land God Temple's roof, her eyes vigilantly scanning all directions. Anyone who did not know better would have thought she was some little thief from who knew where.

Chu Qing clicked his tongue, carefully reined in his presence, and then quietly approached.

After stopping about ten feet away, he looked at the young woman with her pert backside slightly raised...

If it had been anyone else, they might have felt the urge to give it a slap.

But Chu Qing was different... faced with this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, he truly felt the urge to kick her.

Perhaps that was the mischief of their childhood-sweetheart memories.