Ling Tianhe couldn't help looking into Su Chen's eyes.
He wanted to see if he could read anything in them.
Their gazes met. Su Chen's expression didn't change at all, giving the impression that he truly knew nothing.
"I haven't heard your father mention anything about it."
Ling Tianhe said in a low voice.
"If you haven't heard anything from my father, then, Uncle Ling, do you know how he died?"
Su Chen pressed on.
"He was killed by a sword thrust through his heart. The strike was very fast—the work of a master swordsman."
Ling Tianhe replied.
At his words, Su Chen's brow furrowed slightly.
He already knew that much.
"Uncle Ling, did you really uncover no other clues?"
"I'm sure you found something, didn't you? Otherwise, you wouldn't have recommended me to become the Tower Lord of Golden Wind Fine Rain Tower."
Su Chen looked at Ling Tianhe.
Now, Su Chen was ready to lay everything out in the open.
He was certain Ling Tianhe knew something.
He needed to learn at least a little.
He didn't want to be left completely at the other man's mercy.
At Su Chen's words,
Ling Tianhe froze, his pupils suddenly narrowing.
He had never expected Su Chen to ask him that.
From those words, it was clear he had underestimated Su Chen.
At the thought, a murderous intent rose in Ling Tianhe's heart.
Su Chen was no simple man. That meant he could threaten Ling Tianhe's bid to become Tower Lord of Golden Wind Fine Rain Tower.
As the killing intent stirred, a sharp glint flashed in his eyes.
"Su Chen, I didn't expect you to be so clever. But you should know that clever people don't live long!"
Ling Tianhe's voice turned chilling.
A wave of cold swept through the secret chamber.
Su Chen stared at Ling Tianhe, momentarily stunned.
He hadn't expected one question to make Ling Tianhe want him dead.
The man was even calling him by name.
He was about to make a move!
This only strengthened Su Chen's certainty that Ling Tianhe knew something.
"Uncle Ling, you've decided to kill me. But if you do, who'll serve as your shield and scapegoat?"
Su Chen said calmly.
Though he had only just reached the Early Innate Stage, with the Ice Qilin Arm, he could suppress Ling Tianhe, who hadn't yet reached the Innate Late Stage, without much difficulty.
"Do you think I wouldn't dare kill you?"
"Then you're wrong. Last night, they didn't target you—they went after Song Yuan. What does that tell you?"
"It means they may be trying to force your hand, to see whether you know anything."
"If you disappear and I become Tower Lord of Golden Wind Fine Rain Tower, they won't be able to find you. I'll be the last person who saw you. Do you think they'll come after me?"
"They'll come looking for me. And if they do, I can work with them."
"Besides, Golden Wind Fine Rain Tower has ties with Zitan Palace beyond the frontier. I've already sent word to Zitan Palace about your father's death!"
"The experts from Zitan Palace should arrive in a few days!"
"I'm confident I can stall for a few days with my methods!"
Ling Tianhe said coldly.
Su Chen's behavior had gone far beyond anything he'd expected.
So he decided to eliminate him.
"Looks like you're going to make a move. Good. I was just thinking of taking you down and getting some answers."
Su Chen looked at him, utterly calm.
Seeing Su Chen's reaction and hearing what he said,
Ling Tianhe sensed something was wrong and swiftly retreated.
His eyes swept over the surroundings.
He feared Su Chen had an ambush waiting.
"Relax. There's no one else here. It's just you and me. And the one making a move against you isn't anyone else—it's me."
As Su Chen spoke,
his aura began to change. Innate energy surged around him.
"Innate Realm! You've reached the Innate Realm? I never thought you'd hidden your strength so well!"
Ling Tianhe stared at Su Chen, shock and disbelief written across his face.
But Innate energy couldn't be faked.
"You're only at the Early Innate Stage, and you think you can challenge me? I don't know where you get that confidence."
Though he said this, Ling Tianhe struck first.
He stomped the ground and shot toward Su Chen.
His palm turned purple as energy gathered within it, then curled into an eagle's claw that slashed straight for Su Chen's head.
His speed was so great that it shrieked against the air.
Ling Tianhe was, after all, an expert at the Innate Mid Stage.
And with a sudden attack like this, he was sure Su Chen couldn't dodge it.
But in the next instant,
Su Chen raised his hand and threw a punch. It was just as fast, and carried a fierce, powerful force.
Boom!
Palm met fist with an explosive burst of air.
Both men jolted and stumbled back several steps.
"Is that all you've got? What a disappointment!"
As Ling Tianhe stood there, shocked,
Su Chen sprang forward again. The Vajra Primordial Force he'd just cultivated instantly coursed through his body, and he charged Ling Tianhe with fierce momentum.
As he attacked,
the shadow of mountains and rivers appeared over his fist.
Mountain River Sect. Mountain River Fist.
Su Chen was, after all, a disciple of Mountain River Sect. Of course he had cultivated its techniques.
His punch surged forth with the grandeur of mountains and rivers, bolstered by the domineering force of the Vajra Primordial Force.
Ling Tianhe, still stunned, felt a chill run through him.
He hurriedly raised his arms to block.
Power flooded his entire body and poured into his arms. Energy coursed through his fingers, rippling against the air.
In an instant, his hand curled into a claw, faint purple light glimmering at his fingertips.
He lunged at Su Chen,
trying to tear apart the force behind his fist.
But he couldn't break through it.
Instead, his attack stalled for a moment.
In that brief pause, Su Chen gave a low shout and stamped his foot against the ground.
Boom!
The floor of the secret chamber shattered, fragments flying everywhere.
Dust billowed through the air.
For an instant, the cloud of dust blinded Ling Tianhe.
And at that very moment,
Su Chen hurled himself straight at him.
Boom!
Ling Tianhe's body slammed into the wall of the secret chamber.
"You!"
Ling Tianhe hadn't expected things to turn out this way. He tried to strike back.
But just then,
a gigantic hand shot out and clamped around his neck.
"Uncle Ling, your strength is such a disappointment. I haven't even used much force!"
Su Chen gripped Ling Tianhe by the neck with one hand and lifted him off the ground.
"Tell me everything you know!"
"Don't try to play games with me. If I lose my temper, I'll crush your throat!"
Su Chen's voice was icy, a cold glint flashing in his eyes.
Dazed from the beating, Ling Tianhe only slowly came to his senses at Su Chen's words.
He stared at Su Chen in terror.
He tried to speak, but with his neck in Su Chen's grip, he could only open his mouth.
Su Chen eased his grip slightly, letting him make a sound.
"I only found out that the person who killed your father is now in a manor outside the city."
"The manor belongs to Lei Ao of Lei Hall. I haven't uncovered anything else!"
Ling Tianhe suppressed his fear and spoke hoarsely.
Before you continue