An Explanation

"Jingcheng, how is it? Have you heard anything about Xuan'er?"

At that moment, just outside the gates of Emerald Cloud Valley, a middle-aged couple anxiously peered inside. When they saw Hong Jingcheng emerge, they hurried over to him.

The couple were Zhou Xuan's parents, Zhou Tong and Hong Yuzhen.

Meeting their expectant gazes, Hong Jingcheng shook his head. "We've searched all of Emerald Cloud Valley, but there's no sign of my cousin."

Hong Yuzhen's face turned deathly pale. She collapsed to the ground and burst into tears. "Something terrible must have happened to Xuan'er! He was kind to everyone from the time he was little. Who would do such a cruel thing to him?"

"Xuan'er, what a terrible death you must have suffered!"

"Auntie!"

Hong Jingcheng hurried forward to help Hong Yuzhen up and comfort her. "Auntie, please don't panic. My cousin is only missing for now. We don't know whether anything terrible has happened to him."

"Jingcheng is right, Yuzhen. Get up."

Zhou Tong joined in, trying to persuade her.

But Hong Yuzhen shook her head, sobbing. "Xuan'er wouldn't have disappeared for no reason. Someone must have harmed him. Jingcheng, you have to find the culprit and avenge him!"

Hong Jingcheng looked grave as he vowed, "Auntie, don't worry. If my cousin really fell into the hands of some villain, I won't let this go!"

When he was born, Hong Yuzhen had not yet married. She had practically raised him herself.

That was why he had always looked after Zhou Xuan as well.

Now Zhou Xuan was missing, and the despair on Hong Yuzhen's face filled Hong Jingcheng with guilt.

"Jingcheng, come here. Your uncle has a few questions for you."

Zhou Tong gave Hong Jingcheng a meaningful look, and the two of them quickly stepped aside.

"Jingcheng, your uncle wants to know: has Xuan'er had a falling-out with anyone lately?"

Zhou Tong asked.

Hong Jingcheng thought for a moment, then shook his head. "As the Guardian of Emerald Cloud Valley, my cousin never mentioned having any grudges with anyone."

Zhou Tong continued, "If he hadn't fallen out with anyone, then how could Xuan'er have vanished without a trace?"

"Or did he make some money recently, somehow, and attract the wrong sort of attention?"

Hearing Zhou Tong's words, Hong Jingcheng's heart stirred.

That's right. How had I not thought of that?

It wasn't necessarily that Zhou Xuan had made an enemy and gone missing because of it.

Could his subordinates have banded together to murder him and seize his money?

Seventy taels of silver might have been a trifling sum to him, but to the Guardians below, it was undoubtedly a fortune.

It was even possible that several people had joined forces to commit the crime.

"Yuan Wenxuan, Sun Jing, Ji Shixian, Guo Jinchuan—they're all at the Third Stage of Boiling Blood. Any one of them could have harmed my cousin. As for those others at the Second Stage of Boiling Blood, they might have teamed up against him..."

Hong Jingcheng pondered.

As Shen Mu had said, suspicion alone was enough; evidence didn't matter.

But Shen Mu had only arrived in Emerald Cloud Valley a month ago, and the cultivation he had revealed was still at the First Stage of Boiling Blood. So Hong Jingcheng had naturally ruled him out.

Shen Mu had no idea that by keeping his true cultivation hidden, he had happened to steer Hong Jingcheng's suspicions elsewhere.

"Uncle, take Auntie home for now. I'll investigate my cousin's disappearance to the very end and give you an explanation."

Hong Jingcheng spoke in a low voice.

Zhou Tong frowned at that. "Should we report Xuan'er's disappearance to the authorities and have them send constables to investigate?"

Hong Jingcheng was startled.

If the authorities joined the investigation, the Guardians below might expose their capture of the Origin Cicada.

How could he keep skimming money off that scheme afterward?

He hurriedly said, "Uncle, you're not thinking this through. This is the Firewood Gang's own affair. If we report it, won't everyone in Cloud Dragon County hear about it? What will people outside think of the Firewood Gang?"

"As one of the nine great powers in Cloud Dragon County, the Firewood Gang cares most about its reputation. If the authorities get involved, where does that leave the Gang's face?"

"Uncle, don't worry. Give me three days. I'll have an explanation for you within three days."

After Zhou Tong suggested involving the authorities, Hong Jingcheng realized he would have to act.

Even if he couldn't catch the real culprit, he would have to find a scapegoat and quench his aunt's anger. He absolutely couldn't let the matter grow any bigger.

"Fine. I'll give you three days."

Zhou Tong spoke sternly. "If you can't find the culprit in three days, I'll report it and have the authorities investigate."

At that, Hong Jingcheng gave Zhou Tong a meaningful look, impatience quietly rising in his heart.

Report it?

I make over a thousand taels a year off the Origin Cicada. If your report exposes the whole thing, how am I supposed to make money after that?

Even if my cousin stood in the way of my fortune, I'd still have to crush him underfoot!

He might not care about his uncle's life, but he respected Hong Yuzhen, who had cared for him since childhood, immensely.

If Zhou Tong also died for no reason, his aunt might lose all desire to go on living.

Just moments ago, he really had entertained the thought of solving the problem by getting rid of the person who raised it.

But for his aunt's sake, Hong Jingcheng forced the idea down.

He wasn't so heartless that he could kill the aunt he regarded as a mother.

"Uncle, don't worry."

Hong Jingcheng forced a smile. "Take Auntie home for now. Within three days, I'll give you an explanation."

Zhou Tong glanced at him but said nothing more. He went back to comfort Hong Yuzhen, and the two of them then returned to Cloud Dragon County.

"Brother Hong, Zhou Xuan's been missing for so many days. I'm afraid he's already met with misfortune."

Wei Bo, who was guarding the gate, came over and spoke heavily.

He was one of Hong Jingcheng's trusted men. Whenever Hong Jingcheng felt like ordering in, Wei Bo was the one who arranged for someone to come from town.

He might even have been more trusted by Hong Jingcheng than Zhou Xuan himself.

"Wei Bo, has Zhou Xuan offended anyone in the past few months?"

Hong Jingcheng asked slowly, his gaze inscrutable.

"Offended anyone these past few months?"

Wei Bo thought it over carefully and shook his head. "I haven't noticed anything like that."

"But..."

He seemed to remember something, then hesitated, leaving the thought unfinished.

Hong Jingcheng pressed him. "But what?"

Wei Bo paused before saying, "About a year ago, Zhou Xuan did have an argument with Yuan Wenxuan at the Fragrant Shadow Pavilion. They were fighting over Miss Han Yan..."

"Is that true?"

Hong Jingcheng's brows furrowed as he spoke in a low voice.

"How could it be false?"

Wei Bo gave a wry smile. "Ji Shixian, Sun Jing, and I were there too. They all know about it. If we hadn't pulled the two of them apart and talked them down, they might really have come to blows right there in the Fragrant Shadow Pavilion."

"Yuan Wenxuan?"

Hong Jingcheng's gaze deepened. He murmured, "If I remember correctly, Yuan Wenxuan advanced to the Third Stage of Boiling Blood a little over two months ago..."

Seeing Hong Jingcheng's unreadable expression, Wei Bo asked, "Brother Hong, do you think Yuan Wenxuan killed Zhou Xuan?"

"I'll investigate it myself. If it really was him, I won't let him off."

Hong Jingcheng glanced at Wei Bo and said in a low voice, "Don't tell anyone what we just discussed. Understood?"

Wei Bo swore solemnly, "Brother Hong, you can count on me! If I let a single word slip, may lightning strike me from all five directions!"

Hong Jingcheng said no more and turned toward the gate.

As he watched Hong Jingcheng walk away, the smile slowly faded from Wei Bo's lips.

"Yuan Wenxuan, after you die, I'll raise your wife and daughter..."