"Misunderstanding?"
A cold smile tugged at Shen Mu's lips. "If I were only at the Third Stage of Boiling Blood, would I still be alive right now?"
"Tell me. Who put you up to killing me?"
We had no grudges, and we'd never crossed paths in Emerald Cloud Valley. It wasn't as if he'd simply passed by, taken a dislike to me, and decided to kill me, was it?
When Qiu Rui remained silent, Shen Mu kept increasing the pressure beneath his foot, grinding it down to force the man to confess.
"Ah!"
Unable to bear the searing pain in his face, Qiu Rui cried out. "It was... it was your second uncle."
"Second Uncle?"
Shen Mu froze at the words, his face turning ashen.
He had suspected as much, but hearing the words "Second Uncle" from Qiu Rui's mouth still sent fury blazing through him.
The banquet hadn't worked, so he'd hired someone to kill me?
What a fine second uncle I have.
"You're the one guarding Emerald Cloud Valley. How did he get in touch with you?"
Shen Mu asked in a low voice.
"He's acquainted with my eldest uncle. He went through him to find me and wanted to use me to kill you. He even gave me fifty taels up front, and promised another fifty after the job was done..."
"Your eldest uncle?"
Shen Mu pressed on. "Who is your eldest uncle?"
"My eldest uncle is called Qiu Mingyuan. He's a Deacon in the Firewood Hall of the Chai Gang."
"Qiu Mingyuan?"
Shen Mu thought for a moment. After confirming he'd never heard of the man, he asked, "What's the relationship between Qiu Mingyuan and my second uncle?"
"I... I don't know."
"Oh?"
Shen Mu stamped down hard again, and Qiu Rui screamed. "I really don't