Chapter 122: Secret

"AHH!"

A bloodcurdling scream suddenly erupted from a room in the Governor’s Mansion!

"My lady, what is it?"

Dou Kuan shot up and turned to look.

Lady Dou was drenched in sweat, her face pale and her body trembling. In the darkness, her eyes held a faint, eerie green glow.

"That Lu Bai... he destroyed one of my Lifebound Golden Silkworm Gu!"

Lady Dou said hatefully, grinding her teeth.

She had raised three Lifebound Gu in total.

Lifebound Gu were nurtured with her own Witch Race bloodline, an extremely complex process that was intimately tied to her Cultivation.

The loss of a Lifebound Gu would cause a severe backlash, even causing her Cultivation to drop significantly!

"Is this boy that hard to kill?"

Dou Kuan’s eyes filled with pain as he looked at Lady Dou. Then, his expression turned cold. "How about I take care of him myself? One clean kill, and it’s over. It would save you the trouble and spare your Heart and Spirit."

"Killing him directly would be letting him off too easily!"

Lady Dou said hatefully.

"My Lord, my Lady."

Just then, a voice came from outside the door. "Jin Er’s men have brought Chen Xiaofeng. They say he knows some secrets about Lu Bai that might be useful to you."

Lady Dou frowned. "Chen Tieshan’s worthless son? What could he possibly know?"

"Have him come over. Tell him to wait in the courtyard."

Dou Kuan waved his hand after a moment’s thought.

He paused, a complex look flashing in his eyes. "Speaking of which, that Chen Tieshan was quite a character. He knew it meant certain death, yet he still went to warn Lu Bai."

"What, having regrets?"

Lady Dou’s gaze swept over him.

"You jest, my lady. My feelings for you are genuine. Even without that Love Gu, I would never leave you."

Dou Kuan continued, "Besides, without your help and the aid of your Witch Clan Secret Technique, I would never have been able to break through to the Golden Core Realm and become a True Master of the Martial Dao."

-----------------

Chen Xiaofeng was brought to the County Government Mansion by men from the gambling den, his heart filled with unease.

After a while, a thin, short old man came to get him.

"Follow me."

The skinny old man said, then turned and walked away.

Chen Xiaofeng hurriedly followed.

The two of them, one in front of the other, wound their way through the mansion’s twisting corridors.

At first, he could still see a few Guards.

But soon, the surroundings became dead silent, without another soul in sight.

The skinny old man up ahead was hunched over, carrying a dimly lit lantern. He led Chen Xiaofeng deeper and deeper, as if the path had no end.

A chill crept over Chen Xiaofeng for no apparent reason.

"Old sir, how much farther do we have to go?"

Chen Xiaofeng couldn’t help but ask.

"We’re almost there."

The skinny old man replied faintly.

"Old sir, where are you taking me?"

Chen Xiaofeng quickened his pace, grabbing the old man’s arm to demand a clear answer.

The skinny old man suddenly turned his head and gave him a wide grin.

In the lantern light, the smile was eerie, sinister, and utterly terrifying!

Chen Xiaofeng was so scared he nearly jumped out of his skin. His legs went weak, and he collapsed onto the ground, trembling uncontrollably.

"Heh heh!"

The skinny old man reached out and hauled him to his feet.

Though the old man looked small and frail, his strength was immense. He dragged Chen Xiaofeng at a run along the quiet path, and in no time, they arrived at a secluded courtyard.

"My Lord, my Lady, I’ve brought the man."

The skinny old man threw Chen Xiaofeng forward.

Chen Xiaofeng scrambled and crawled, cowering in a corner to get away from the old man. His face was a mask of terror, his legs were shaking, and the front of his pants was wet.

CREAK.

A door in the courtyard opened, and a man and a woman walked out.

The man was past middle age and slightly overweight, but his gaze was piercing. He carried an air of authority, clearly a person of high status.

The woman looked to be only in her early thirties. Though her face was pale, she was exceptionally beautiful and had a gentle, pleasing demeanor. Her soft eyes suggested she was a well-read, virtuous, and capable mistress of the house.

"Speak. What secret do you know about Lu Bai?"

Dou Kuan asked.

Chen Xiaofeng’s eyes darted around. He hesitated, then said, "I don’t know who you two are. This matter is of great importance. This humble one can’t just say it, lest I be silenced."

Dou Kuan said, "I am the Prefect of Bluestone City. You have no need to be afraid. Tell me everything you know."

’I was right!’

Chen Xiaofeng thought to himself. He quickly knelt on the ground and said, "Reporting to the Lord Governor! Lu Bai has killed many people! In Liuxi Town, his uncle’s entire family was killed by him..."

Chen Xiaofeng recounted everything he had seen and heard that night in detail.

Lady Dou frowned.

’Plotting against the Chen Family had been almost effortless.’

’Using this worthless trash in front of her, she had taken complete control of the Chen Family.’

’Just killing them outright would have been boring.’

’Forcing the Chen women into prostitution and the men into slavery, torturing them little by little—only that was enough to quench her hatred.’

’After she had planted a Gu in Chen Tieshan, his life and death rested on her whim. The slightest sign of betrayal would be detected through her Lifebound Gu, and he would die on the spot!’

’But Chen Tieshan had never told her about this.’

’That old bastard really knew how to keep his mouth shut!’

’Back when she had first taken control of Chen Tieshan, she had tortured him and questioned him about the night her sister died. Chen Tieshan only claimed to know nothing, saying he had been targeted by an Evil Technique and could barely protect himself.’

’As for why her sister had attacked him, he was at least honest about that.’

’He said that after seeing Zhou Yu place a Suppression Charm on his home, he had killed Zhou Yu with his own hands, thus earning her sister’s enmity.’

’Given the pain of the Ten Thousand Gu Devouring Heart, a fate worse than death, she never thought Chen Tieshan would still hide things from her!’

"Why are you only telling me this today?"

Lady Dou asked.

Chen Xiaofeng said, "I heard my father went to find him just a moment ago and then suddenly dropped dead. I suspect my father was silenced by Lu Bai!

That man kills without batting an eye. Who knows, he might come after me one day and silence me too."

An idea sparked in Lady Dou’s mind. She said, "My lord, Lu Bai has murdered his own kin. That’s a heinous crime. We can arrest him now."

Dou Kuan met her gaze and instantly understood her intentions. He nodded.

Chen Xiaofeng added, "Lord Governor, this humble one has one more request. I beg you to grant it."

"Let’s hear it."

Dou Kuan asked.

Chen Xiaofeng said, "This humble one’s gambling debts were my own doing, something I couldn’t help. It has nothing to do with my little sister. Please, my lord, I beg you to rescue my sister from the Drunken Flower Tower."

After a pause, Chen Xiaofeng stammered, "And... and also Miss Yiyi, the courtesan from the Drunken Flower Tower. Her fate has been cruel, and her life is pitiable. If you could rescue her as well, and allow this humble one to meet with Miss Yiyi, I would be eternally grateful and willing to do anything to repay your kindness."

Dou Kuan remarked with mock admiration, "Truly a filial son. Your father just died, and you’re already thinking about visiting a courtesan."

Chen Xiaofeng’s expression turned awkward, his face flushing red. "I... I just have a few things I want to ask Miss Yiyi in person. I have no other intentions, I..."

Just then, the skinny old man walked back in and said in a low voice, "My Lord, my Lady, Jin Er and Liu Yiyi are dead."

"Hm?"

Lady Dou’s expression changed.

"Miss Yiyi is dead?"

Chen Xiaofeng couldn’t accept it. Crestfallen, he muttered, "Miss Yiyi was such a good person... how could she be dead? Who could be so heartless as to kill her..."

Lady Dou was already agitated. Hearing Chen Xiaofeng’s muttering, her gaze turned icy. She waved her hand and said, "This kind of worthless trash is an eyesore. We might as well grant him his wish. Let him go reunite with Yiyi."

In Chen Xiaofeng’s line of sight, the skinny old man’s face twisted into that same eerie smile as he slowly walked toward him...