At daggers drawn

Xu Yilin struggled to quell his anger. This was not the time to erupt.

"Elder Kong, please uphold justice for me. I followed the list you provided faithfully. If any further cooperation is required, the Xu Household will comply."

His gaze settled on Elder Kong's face, asking him to adjudicate. He was a master scholar of the Great Yan Imperial Dynasty and the crown prince's first tutor, a man of extraordinary standing. A single word from him could free the Xu Household from its predicament.

"Patriarch Xu, is your conscience guilty? Just bring your son-in-law out for questioning. If this matter has nothing to do with him, we will leave. What do you mean by all this concealment?"

Xue Chunyu sneered, interrupting Xu Yilin. His words made Bai Qiu and the others nod.

"Patriarch Xu, Vice Minister Xue's words are rather harsh, but not without reason. Why not bring your son-in-law out and clear things up face-to-face?"

The man representing the Imperial Academy stepped forward. His name was Gao Hao. He spoke up now, asking Xu Yilin to summon Liu Wuxie and have him explain in person what he had done and encountered during his eight days in the Sunset Mountain Range.

Deacon Qi and the others stood outside the main hall, waiting to be summoned for questioning at any moment. They had already prepared their excuses.

More than half an hour passed without anyone summoning them for questioning. Something was unusual.

"Patriarch Xu, what are you afraid of? Or are you avoiding something?"

Xue Chunyu sneered. Before he came to Canglan City, Xue Yu had sought him out. The Xu Household had to pay, preferably with its destruction. Xue Yu was his cousin's son and the patriarch's grandson by the direct line, so he could hardly refuse.

Once the Xu Household was destroyed and that good-for-nothing died, Xu Lingxue would naturally fall into Xue Yu's hands. Only Xue Chunyu knew these details.

"The Xu Household acts openly and honorably. We have never feared anyone. Go and fetch Wuxie."

A trace of anger appeared in Xu Yilin's eyes. Everyone present knew Xue Chunyu was deliberately targeting the Xu Household, yet strangely, not one person spoke up. Their purpose was obvious: they were looking for a scapegoat.

Steward Lan hurried out. A cup of tea's time later, Liu Wuxie entered the main hall. On his way there, he had already learned everything that had happened inside.

"This junior, Liu Wuxie, pays his respects to all the seniors!"

He entered the hall and bowed in greeting, his expression calm, without the slightest fluctuation of emotion.

The gazes of Elder Kong and the other four all converged on Liu Wuxie.

"You are the Xu Household's live-in son-in-law?"

Xue Chunyu asked coldly, his tone hostile. News that Liu Wuxie had cost the Xue Household a hundred Spirit Stones and publicly slapped Xue Yu in the face had already reached Imperial Capital City.

This affair had greatly affected the Xue Household, and they had intended to send men to destroy the Xu Household. Baili Qing's appearance in Canglan City and her departure with Xu Lingxue had made them change their minds.

"I am!"

He cupped his hands in acknowledgment.

"Our investigation found that you entered the Sunset Mountain Range eight days ago. Is that true?"

The questioning continued. These were routine questions, revealing little.

"Yes!" Liu Wuxie replied.

Questions poured from Xue Chunyu's mouth, each more pointed than the last, already exceeding the scope of the investigation.

"Eight days ago, your Xu Household's convoy was attacked by a mysterious force. Later, the convoy returned safely. Where were you at that time?"

A cold smile appeared at the corner of Xue Chunyu's mouth. He was finally about to launch his attack. The answers to his earlier questions were enough to prove Liu Wuxie had nothing to do with the Stone-Breaking Army's disappearance.

"Does it matter where I was?"

Liu Wuxie's gaze turned cold. He raised his head and stared straight at Xue Chunyu. Their eyes clashed, throwing off countless sparks. Each saw anger and killing intent in the other's eyes.

"It matters. If you cannot prove your whereabouts, you cannot escape involvement in the Stone-Breaking Army's disappearance. Unless someone can prove you were somewhere else at the time."

Xue Chunyu was demanding that Liu Wuxie produce a second person as a witness. Everyone knew Liu Wuxie had left the city alone that day. He was plainly making things difficult for him.

"Vice Minister Xue, hasn't this question strayed from the findings of the investigation? The Stone-Breaking Army was fierce and invincible, while Wuxie is merely an ordinary person. It is absolutely impossible for him to have anything to do with their disappearance."

Xu Yilin stepped forward. If this questioning continued, it would be more than forcing a charge upon him. They would be nailing the coffin shut and declaring Liu Wuxie responsible.

"Patriarch Xu, since you mention it, there is something I wanted to ask you. Every report indicates that your son-in-law was born unable to cultivate. Yet a few days ago, he killed dozens of Wan Household disciples and broke through to innate spirit. Just what is your Xu Household planning? Deliberately concealing his cultivation realm is sufficient proof of your sinister designs. I suspect the Stone-Breaking Army died at your Xu Household's hands."

A cold smile appeared at the corner of Xue Chunyu's mouth, every word striking at the heart. Everyone knew Liu Wuxie had been a good-for-nothing.

After his wedding, his personality had changed, and his cultivation had advanced a thousand miles a day. Outsiders did not believe it, thinking he had always concealed his cultivation realm to deliberately mislead them.

No one present believed he could break through to innate spirit in half a month. Even Xu Yilin could not explain it.

"Ridiculous. Concealing one's cultivation realm means harboring sinister designs? Then may I ask, Lord Xue, your Xue Household hides its light and bides its time, arranging for large numbers of disciples to become court officials. Could you be planning a rebellion?"

Liu Wuxie suddenly turned the question back on him. It was far too pointed. In recent years, the Xue Household had sent large numbers of disciples into court, occupying half its ranks. What were their intentions?

Over the past days, Liu Wuxie had read a great deal of information about Imperial Capital City. He knew the Xue Household, in particular, like the back of his hand.

"How dare you talk back to the investigation delegation!" Xue Chunyu snapped coldly.

Elder Kong was the crown prince's first tutor and belonged to the imperial faction. If this news reached the crown prince's ears, it would be extremely unfavorable to the Xue Household. Liu Wuxie's counterattack earned meaningful looks from Bai Qiu and the others.

"I would not dare!"

Liu Wuxie hurriedly bowed, adopting a humble manner. He knew when to advance and when to retreat, never compromising when firmness was needed.

The atmosphere reached a stalemate, the smell of gunpowder growing stronger. Xu Yilin clenched his fists. Even he had been stunned by those words. The counterattack had struck just the right spot, imperceptibly undermining the investigation delegation's unity.

The City Lord's Estate!

Qi Enshi was reading when a knock came from outside.

"Master, someone delivered a letter and a package, saying you must open them personally."

The steward stood outside the door and spoke softly.

"Who delivered them?" Qi Enshi asked.

"A child. He said someone gave him three gold coins to deliver these to the City Lord's Estate," the steward replied.

"Bring them in!"

Qi Enshi sat up and stretched. After today, peace would return to Canglan City, and his position would be secure once and for all. He was in an excellent mood.

The steward brought in a package and a letter, placed them on the table, and withdrew with a bow.

Qi Enshi picked up the letter, tore open the wax seal, and unfolded the sheet inside. There was little writing on it.

At the sight of the first word, Qi Enshi swayed and nearly toppled headfirst, dizzy and seeing stars.

"How could... how could this happen..."

His speech became incoherent. Beads of cold sweat slid down his forehead. Before he knew it, his back was soaked in cold sweat, yet he felt nothing.

He put down the letter and quickly opened the package. Inside lay a dossier that had been stored for many years. He opened the first page, and name after name appeared before him.

The events of twenty-five years ago were vivid before his eyes. The dossier recorded them in detail.

"Zhou Hu, you really did keep something in reserve."

Qi Enshi sank weakly into his chair, his eyes brimming with killing intent.

"Very good. Very good. One thing is certain: Zhou Hu must have been in contact with the Xu Household. Or rather, the Xu Household sent someone to deliver this letter. You dare threaten me, Qi Enshi? You are courting death."

Qi Enshi still did not know the Stone-Breaking Army had been annihilated. The dossier had been preserved from that year, recording everything that had happened in the town, including his killing to silence witnesses and his slaughter of innocents.

"Someone, prepare the carriage!"

Qi Enshi shouted like a rooster with its feathers bristling. The steward rushed out, and within a cup of tea's time, the carriage was ready.

"Master, where are we going?"

The steward drove the carriage himself and asked quietly. His master looked terrible. What had happened?

"To the Xu Household. Hurry!"

The carriage sped out of the City Lord's Estate, crossed the suspension bridge, and headed straight for the Xu Household.

In the Xu Household's main hall, the heated argument had left the household in an increasingly unfavorable position.

"Our investigation found that your Xu Household's transport convoys were attacked repeatedly and their cargo plundered. Eight days ago, your goods reached Canglan City safely, while the black-clad men who robbed you mysteriously disappeared. How do you explain this?"

Bai Qiu picked up the investigation findings and questioned Xu Yilin.

Logically, since they had been robbing the Xu Household's cargo, there was no reason for them to suddenly vanish. They should have continued their robberies.

"You should ask those bandits about that. Why ask our Xu Household?"

Xu Yilin's answer was skillful, perfectly defusing Bai Qiu's question.

"My lords, the findings from Phoenix Roosting Gorge are in. A major battle did indeed take place there."

At that moment, two men entered from outside the hall. They were soldiers accompanying the investigation delegation and had entered the Sunset Mountain Range yesterday to uncover the truth.

All signs indicated that the mysterious bandits who had robbed the Xu Household's convoy were most likely the Stone-Breaking Army. They had headed straight for Phoenix Roosting Gorge to investigate and gather evidence.

There were no mountain bandits in the Sunset Mountain Range. Reports from Canglan City's mercenary groups had already been submitted. Three groups in total had left the city half a month ago, and they could provide detailed evidence that they had not encountered the Stone-Breaking Army that day.

Anyone capable of threatening the Xu Household's transport convoy was no ordinary opponent. Ordinary people could not have done it, and the other three great Lineages had sent no one out. Only one possibility remained: the Stone-Breaking Army had plundered the Xu Household's goods.

Everyone present was an old fox, cunning with age. A little deduction brought them close to the truth.

Canglan City was only so large. With the three great Lineages eliminated, the Xu Household remained the prime suspect.

"Patriarch Xu, what do you have to say now? Your son-in-law insisted just now that he had never gone to Phoenix Roosting Gorge, much less experienced a major battle. How do you explain this? There are signs of fighting in Phoenix Roosting Gorge. What exactly happened? Why is your Xu Household concealing the truth?"

A cold smile appeared on Xue Chunyu's face. This evidence was extremely unfavorable to the Xu Household.

They had erased all traces that day, but ultimately could not do so completely. Deacon Qi and the others were merely ordinary martial artists, unable to handle many details perfectly.

For instance, they could not remove the marks left by crossbow bolts striking the rock walls. Such clues could reveal something.

Strangely, there was no nervousness on Liu Wuxie's face. Instead, a mocking smile appeared at the corner of his mouth.

The Stone-Breaking Army was dead, leaving no witnesses. Even if they investigated until they pierced the heavens, they would find no trace. Besides, was Liu Wuxie the sort to sit and wait for death?