Ancestor Arrives in Person
Two hours later, the Cao residence—a once-elegant three-courtyard estate nestled deep in the mountains—was now shrouded in an invisible aura of murderous intent. Its gates stood wide open, yet no one dared to enter or leave.
Before the rear hall, a group of pale-faced servants, maids, and guards huddled beneath the covered walkway, trembling like startled birds.
Near the hall, the air was thick with a faint smell of blood. Mixed with the delicate fragrance of the several heart-clearing orchids planted in the courtyard, it formed a strange and unsettling scent.
Inside the hall, two bodies lay sprawled on the ground.
One was the master of the estate, Master Cao. The other was, of course, Third Master Liu Sandao of the Liu Family, who had come here to discuss business that day.
Both had been stabbed through the throat, killed with a single thrust. Each had also received an additional stab to the heart.
The killer had struck swiftly and cleanly, with utmost ruthlessness and not the slightest hesitation.
By now, their blood had long since congealed, spreading into a large, dark-red stain across the floor tiles. The furnishings in the hall remained orderly, with no sign of a fierce struggle. It was as if the killer had appeared like a ghost, struck, killed, and vanished.
Just then, a low rumble came from the horizon.
Everyone looked up and saw a luxurious flying cloudship, roughly thirty yards long and adorned with the Liu Family crest, pierce through the clouds and descend steadily, coming to a stop above the Cao estate.
In moments!
An old man in a dark teal Daoist robe patterned with concealed cranes slowly descended, flanked by two attendants. His hair and beard were completely white, yet his complexion was ruddy, and an awful