The Kind-Hearted Zhang Lexuan

Lu Yun lingered at the residence for most of the day.

Taking the opportunity, he brought up every cultivation bottleneck he had encountered since advancing to Titled Douluo.

Chen Xuan did not hold back, and with just a few words, he laid bare the crux of each problem.

Some issues that had seemed impossibly difficult to Lu Yun were exposed at their root with only a few remarks from Chen Xuan.

Lu Yun's eyes shone as he listened, and he nearly wanted to kneel on the spot and kowtow.

Before he knew it, their questions and answers continued until the sun had tilted westward.

By the time Lu Yun had emptied most of the questions in his stomach, the sky had already darkened.

Only then did he rise reluctantly to take his leave.

"Sorry, Elder Xuan. This junior was too presumptuous today. I was only supposed to bring you a meal, yet I ended up taking up most of your day."

Chen Xuan waved a hand and leaned beneath the osmanthus tree, his eyes half-closed. "No matter. I had intended to give you some pointers anyway.

"Your foundation isn't bad, kid. You're just too impatient.

"Remember this well: after becoming Titled Douluo, what you cultivate is no longer the accumulation of Soul Power, but realm and experience. Don't dream of reaching the heavens in a single step."

Lu Yun gave a deeply respectful bow. "This junior will obey Elder Xuan's instructions. As for that matter, please rest assured. I will handle it properly for you."

"Go." Chen Xuan still had his eyes closed, as though he truly was somewhat tired.

Lu Yun quietly left the residence.

The moment the courtyard gate shut behind him, the humble, respectful smile vanished from his face, replaced by the steady chill befitting a Titled Douluo.

Rather than returning to the City Patrol Bureau, he turned and went straight back to his private residence.

Inside the study, he changed out of his casual clothes and raised a hand to signal the servants to seal the doors and windows. No one was allowed to approach.

Moments later, two black shadows swept in through the rear window like Gui Mei, landing without a sound in the center of the study. They were his two most trusted Soul Douluo subordinates.

The tall, lean, refined man with a restrained aura was Han Zhong, who oversaw the city's covert agents.

The short, burly man radiating murderous ferocity was Wei Shan, who specialized in arrests and extermination.

The two bowed in unison, their voices crisp and synchronized. "Sir!"

Lu Yun turned around, his expression solemn and his aura fully unleashed. "There is a confidential matter. I am assigning the two of you to handle it separately. It must be done thoroughly and discreetly."

Han Zhong and Wei Shan exchanged a glance, their expressions turning serious at once.

For a Titled Douluo to summon them secretly at night and personally emphasize the matter, it was certainly no ordinary triviality.

"Do you know the Zhang Family in the southern part of the city?"

Han Zhong immediately answered, his explanation orderly and clear.

"Yes, sir! They are an old Soul Master family of Azure Mist City. Though they are no longer at their peak, their foundation remains and their roots are stable.

"The family head, Zhang Yuanshan, is a Seven-Ring Soul Sage. His strength is not particularly outstanding.

"The remarkable one is his granddaughter, Zhang Lexuan. She possesses Innate Full Soul Power and became a Second-Ring Soul Grandmaster at only nine years old. She is a genius rarely seen in the city even once in a century!"

Lu Yun nodded slightly, his tone growing heavier.

"Investigate the Zhang Family, but they are not the main priority.

"Focus on whether the Zhang Clan has concealed any monstrous crimes over the past few decades—wanton murder, abuse of power for evil, or acts that brought disaster upon an entire region.

"Ignore ordinary family rises and falls, as well as petty neighborhood grudges. I only want solid evidence of serious crimes."

"Understood!" Han Zhong accepted the order immediately. "The Zhang Family's connections are simple and clean, without tangled conflicts between major forces. Within two days, I will investigate everything thoroughly!"

"Second, this is the true priority." Lu Yun's gaze suddenly turned cold, and his aura pressed down until the air in the study seemed to freeze.

"Someone in Azure Mist City has been watching the Zhang Family.

"It may not be visible on the surface, but someone is definitely pulling strings behind the scenes.

"You two will investigate who is arranging this, which family stands behind it, and whether outsiders have intervened.

"Follow every clue and dig deep. Find the person leading this from behind the scenes and the force they belong to. Whether it is a local powerful family or an outside force meddling in this, not a single detail may be missed!"

Wei Shan, standing nearby, could no longer suppress his curiosity. He scratched his head, his face full of confusion.

"Sir, the Zhang Family has always kept a low profile and behaved themselves. They have never provoked any major trouble. Why have they suddenly drawn the attention of so many forces?

"Could something earth-shattering have happened?"

Lu Yun reined in his expression and slowly explained the whole story. Zhang Lexuan's talent was extraordinary, so she had caught the eye of an exalted figure who wished to take her as a personal disciple.

This senior preferred peace and disliked disturbances.

Thus, he had instructed Lu Yun to clear away every hidden danger surrounding the Zhang Family in advance, eliminate all threats lurking in the shadows, and pave the way for taking a disciple.

By the end, Lu Yun's expression had become increasingly reverent. He spoke each word slowly and with utmost solemnity.

"Remember this well. The great figure about to arrive in Azure Mist City is none other than Elder Xuan, Taotie Douluo and deputy commander of the Sea God Pavilion's Inquisitorial Legion!"

The instant his words fell, Lu Yun held his breath and waited for his two subordinates to reveal looks of shock and worship.

The expected scene of astonishment arrived right on cue.

"Holy shit?!"

"My heavens!!"

Han Zhong and Wei Shan's eyes flew wide open, their pupils shrinking sharply. They instantly put on exaggerated expressions of utter shock and deep emotion, their performances so over-the-top yet so perfectly executed that they could only be called masterful.

Seeing this, Lu Yun felt greatly gratified. He nodded to himself. At least they knew Elder Xuan's standing.

Who would have thought that in the next moment, the two instantly dropped all exaggerated expressions and said in unison with blank faces and flat tones:

"Sir, who's that? We just saw how solemnly you were speaking, so we played along to set the mood."

The air fell instantly silent.

The solemn expression on Lu Yun's face completely froze. The corners of his mouth twitched wildly, veins throbbed at his temples, and his fists clenched until they cracked.

Before the two fools could say another word, two afterimages flashed through the room!

Bang! Bang!

Two dull flicks to the forehead rang out almost simultaneously, each packed with force!

Han Zhong and Wei Shan cried out miserably and crouched down while clutching their heads. Two bright-red lumps instantly rose on their heads, and they grimaced in pain, tears nearly spilling from their eyes.

"Set the mood? I'll set your mother's *.

"You two idiots, who the hell are you putting on a double act for here?!"

Lu Yun was both furious and amused, nearly exploding from anger. "Why the hell were you acting shocked for no reason? You were just asking for it!"

"Boss, I was wrong!"

"This subordinate knows his mistake! I'll never dare again!"

The two held their heads and repeatedly begged for mercy, their postures both humble and ridiculous.

Lu Yun took several deep breaths, forcibly suppressing his surging anger before patiently explaining in a low voice.

"You two frogs at the bottom of a well, let me properly educate you.

"Elder Xuan is a supreme powerhouse who has dominated the continent for a hundred years.

"He is now a peak level ninety-eight Super Douluo, the pillar that keeps Shrek Academy standing firm!

"For a colossal figure of that level to personally visit our tiny Azure Mist City is a blessing that everyone in this city could not cultivate even in eighty lifetimes!"

At those words, Han Zhong and Wei Shan were completely dumbfounded. They froze in place, and their earlier playful grins vanished without a trace.

"Level... level ninety-eight Super Douluo? Doesn't that mean he's only one level away from the limit?

"There can't have been more than a few powerhouses of that level in the entire Heaven Dou Empire over thousands of years."

"My dear mother and ancestors! That's someone standing at the very peak of the continent!"