Dark Clouds Gather

Autumn rain fell without end, and pedestrians hurried along the road.

After breakfast at a street stall, the two of them arrived at White Ape Martial Academy.

An aged figure stood quietly beneath the eaves of the central courtyard, staring straight at the gloomy western sky.

Su Xinghe walked over.

"Elder Xie?"

"Greetings, Steward Xie."

The wrinkles on Xie Guang's face had deepened further.

Hearing the movement, he withdrew his gaze, nodded lightly, and sighed. "Zhou Chun has been gone for three days already..."

Su Xinghe had actually been wondering the same thing.

"Elder Xie, is that mine very far away?"

Xie Guang slowly shook his head, his eyes filling with deep concern.

"He should have returned long ago..."

Then, as though he had made some sort of decision.

"I plan to go take a look today!"

Su Xinghe did not know how to respond to that. What he feared most was Elder Xie saying he would take him out of the city. Fortunately, Elder Xie did not make him worry for long, instead earnestly instructing him:

"I'll be gone for two days at most. There are martial instructors here, so if anything happens, you can find them."

"If someone comes looking for trouble, you only need to take the disciples and avoid them. Don't try to win through force. Wait until I return before doing anything..."

Su Xinghe committed it to memory, then nodded firmly.

"Rest assured, Elder Xie."

At that moment, Wu Yingcai came from the rear courtyard carrying a bundle.

"Elder Xie, we can depart now."

Xie Guang took it, then turned back and gave Su Xinghe a long, deep look.

Red Elegance Manor.

The Rain-Listening Pavilion.

A burly middle-aged man dressed as a government clerk sat quietly by the bright window of the study.

Fine