Chapter 594 - 335: Liu Wu Is Light...

Elder Master Xiao’s expression softened slightly, though his tone grew increasingly serious. Turning his head to look at her, he said,

"Liu Hong died by my hands, and you killed Zhu Hao. It remains to be seen whether the Holy Emperor will fly into a rage and punish us, but the Xiao Family can no longer remain as we were before.

"Regardless of what the Xiao Family was like in the past, after today, in the eyes of others in Shu State and even the Nine State and Three Prefectures, our actions over the past five years will be seen as nothing but a disguise.

"Furthermore, Feng Erbao already knows that I am in good health. From now on, they will never view the Xiao Family the way they used to."

Pausing for a moment, the elder master sighed. "I actually hope the Holy Emperor punishes us."

As the old adage goes, the dogs that truly bite don’t bark.

The Xiao Family’s successive killings of Zhu Hao and Liu Hong would lead the other Noble Families and Court Officials to believe they had merely been lying dormant, feigning weakness. Those who had previously looked down upon or sympathized with the Xiao Family would inevitably change their tune.

Xiao Jinghong understood his meaning. "The Holy Emperor’s will is unfathomable. Please rest assured, Grandfather; I will not pin my hopes on that."

If the Holy Emperor punished them, it meant the Xiao Family still had a chance. However, if the Holy Emperor simply praised the killing or remained entirely indifferent, that would spell a true crisis for the Xiao Family.

Elder Master Xiao gave an affirmative grunt, his expression easing. He watched the torrential rain pouring outside the main hall, his palm rubbing against the back of his chair.

"From now on, whether it’s thunderous fury or heavenly grace, I will have to shoulder it all. The Xiao Family... no longer has any way out."

It wouldn’t be a matter of simply enduring it or acting powerless and helpless as they had before. They had to be formidable. It had to be just like the Xiao Family from five years ago—one family with two Marquises, guarded by several Martial Artists of the Upper Three Grades.

Within Shu State, apart from the Mountain Race, no one dared to provoke the Xiao Family’s fierce majesty.

However, while outsiders remained oblivious, Elder Master Xiao knew full well that the Xiao Family of today genuinely lacked its former strength. They were merely a paper tiger—strong on the outside but hollow within.

Xiao Jinghong was naturally aware of this as well. Thus, when the elder master told her to head to the Three Towns immediately, she agreed without a moment’s hesitation.

"If you need anything, Grandfather, just send word."

"I know." Elder Master Xiao paused as if recalling something, changing the subject. "Earlier, you mentioned you were going to look for those people. How is that going?"

Xiao Jinghong shook her head. "I haven’t found an opportunity yet, but... I should have a lead by the fifteenth of next month."

"The fifteenth?"

"Yes. Monarch Xue Jian has challenged Immortal Bai to a duel upstream of the Chishui River. I will go there to watch the battle."

"Monarch Xue Jian... Lone Immortal Ye?"

Elder Master Xiao had heard this name before; he knew he was one of the foremost Swordsmen in the Jianghu. As for Immortal Bai, the name was legendary to him. Before he succeeded to the Marquis Position of Duke Dingyuan, he had actually met Immortal Bai once.

"Both of these men have been renowned throughout the Great Wei for years. Their strength and status are transcendent. It’s no wonder their clash will draw out the Jianghu People."

Despite saying so, the elder master genuinely held no favorable impression of people like Immortal Bai. The saying that martial artists used their strength to break the law was no empty talk.

Thinking of all the Wandering Martial Artists she had encountered along the way, Xiao Jinghong considered for a moment before saying, "Shu State is currently swarming with all sorts of characters. It would be best to have a few more experts guarding the estate. I will transfer some personnel from the military over shortly."

Hearing this, Elder Master Xiao subconsciously pulled his sleeves together to cover the bloodstains and nodded. "Not too many."

"I understand." Xiao Jinghong recalled a minor matter. "Grandfather, there’s one more thing. My mother..."

Before she could finish, Elder Master Xiao’s expression shifted slightly. "Don’t listen to the nonsensical babble of outsiders!"

Xiao Jinghong hesitated, somewhat bewildered. "Grandfather, the Fu Family is currently facing a difficult situation. I simply wanted them to take charge of the Hundred Herbs Hall’s affairs in Guangyuan County."

Elder Master Xiao froze slightly. Upon realizing his mistake, he coughed and turned his head away. "Oh, that... I was already planning to do just that. Just now, I thought you were going to bring up something else."

"Something else?"

"It’s nothing..." Elder Master Xiao vaguely brushed the topic aside.

Xiao Jinghong didn’t pry any further. Since she hadn’t clearly heard what Liu Hong said earlier, she naturally wouldn’t connect the matter to Fu Wanqing.

Their discussion concluded.

Just as Xiao Jinghong was about to stand up and head for the Three Towns, she heard Elder Master Xiao say, "There’s no rush. It won’t be too late to leave after lunch."

"Hmm?"

"Your husband is currently eating in Wan’er’s courtyard. Go over and join them before you leave."

Seeing his solemn tone, Xiao Jinghong felt a bit puzzled but nodded in agreement anyway, heading straight for the backyard.

After everyone had left, Elder Master Xiao sat in silence for a moment before pulling back his cuff with one hand, looking at the faintly bloodstained characters written on it.

"Liu Wu is Qing... zhou?"

Even though the final character "zhou" wasn’t completely finished, the elder master could easily deduce it from its outline.

Qingzhou. Chen Qingzhou. Chen Yi.

Elder Master Xiao was somewhat uncertain. He carefully recalled Chen Yi’s actions and daily behavior since arriving at the Xiao Family, but he hadn’t noticed any anomalies. If Chen Yi was indeed Liu Wu, how could he possibly have achieved success in the Calligraphy Dao, Martial Arts, Medical Dao, and Fist Dao?

Even calling him "master of both the pen and the sword" felt like a derogatory understatement. Let alone mastering four different Daos, even if he were just an ordinary master of both the pen and the sword, how could the Jiangnan Prefecture Chen Family ever bear to let Chen Yi marry into the Xiao Family?

"Are there truly such outstanding talents in this world?"

Thinking back to when Chen Yi was infected with the plague toxin a few days ago, Elder Master Xiao felt even more convinced deep down that this was just another one of Liu Hong’s schemes. By making a move to kill Liu Hong this time, he had already fallen into Liu Hong’s trap, forcing him to forcefully bear the weight of the Xiao Family with nowhere to rest and recuperate as before.

After pondering the matter over and over, although Elder Master Xiao was certain that Chen Yi and Chen Yu were not the same person, he still intended to look into it.

"I must investigate it, just for peace of mind..."

Meanwhile, Xiao Jinghong arrived at Jiaxing Garden. Hearing the cheerful conversations and laughter of Chen Yi, Xiao Wan’er, and the others inside, the corners of her lips unconsciously curled up into a smile.