"Thank you for your concern, sir."
Duan Zhuo'e was completely oblivious to Tang Yingchang's odd expression, his own face full of gratitude.
Xu Ke felt a pang of guilt, but he accepted the thanks with a composed expression. "You're too kind."
As he spoke, Duan Chongfeng's voice drifted from the inner room. "I've said it before, just call Uncle Xu. Doesn't 'sir' feel a bit impersonal?"
The sound of his voice had barely faded when he appeared before them. He first greeted Tang Yingchang, who responded with a slight nod.
At the sa ti, Duan Zhuo'e looked toward Xu Ke.
Xu Ke nodded. "Call whatever you like; I don't mind."
"Alright then, Uncle Xu!" Duan Zhuo'e called out eagerly.
Xu Ke smiled.
"You've really reached the Innate Stage, kid!" Duan Chongfeng exclaid, patting Xu Ke's shoulder. He could still feel the powerful aura that Xu Ke inadvertently revealed despite trying to conceal it, and it gave him a twinge of envy.
Feeling the Innate Initial Stage internal energy within his own body, Duan Chongfeng felt like crying.
Dammit. Why is life so unfair? How on earth did this kid grow up?
"Indeed. Internal energy doesn't lie," Xu Ke said, patting his chest.
Duan Chongfeng looked at him with a mournful expression. "When it cos to the Martial Path, it's like the heavens are force-feeding you."
"Stop with the flattery, you'll make blush," Xu Ke said earnestly.
Duan Zhuo'e, Duan Chongfeng, and Tang Yingchang were all rendered speechless.
"Why do I get the feeling you're getting more and more thick-skinned?" Duan Chongfeng felt another twinge of annoyance.
Wasn't this kid still calling Brother Duan when we first t last month? How did he end up like this?
"It's not that I'm getting thicker-skinned; I was just better at hiding it before," Xu Ke laughed heartily and plopped down onto the sofa.
Since their relationship had grown closer and they had saved each other's lives, Xu Ke felt as comfortable at Dapeng Comrce as he did in his own ho.
Duan Chongfeng was speechless and about to speak, but just then, a voice grinding through clenched teeth ca from the doorway.
"Xu Ke, you've hidden yourself well. If you hadn't sought out, I never would have found you."
Xu Ke was startled.
A towering figure nearly two ters tall appeared in their line of sight, blocking all the light. With an expressionless face, Yuan Shang stood in the doorway, glaring ferociously at Xu Ke.
Duan Chongfeng imdiately broke into a gleeful laugh.
Xu Ke's smile vanished, replaced by an awkward expression. "Vice Alliance Leader Yuan, you're being too harsh. I wasn't trying to hide from you; I was just away on business in Sui City."
"Business?" Yuan Shang strode into the room. He called out a greeting to Elder Tang before snorting coldly at Xu Ke. "I think you were just thinking about going to…"
He stopped mid-sentence, suddenly noticing Duan Zhuo'e's pale face. His eyebrows shot up. "Oh, Zhuo'er is here too?"
The words "kill Lin Zhongtian" died on his lips.
Although Duan Zhuo'e was Duan Chongfeng's nephew, so matters were best kept secret if possible.
"Yes, Uncle Yuan," Duan Zhuo'e responded weakly.
"What's wrong with you?" Yuan Shang frowned.
Why does this kid look so feeble?
"The kid ate sothing bad," Duan Chongfeng said, giving Duan Zhuo'e a little push. "Stop pretending. It's just an upset stomach, what's the big deal? Hurry up and get out of here. Getting sick right after you land… only you could pull off sothing so embarrassing. What a disgrace."
Duan Zhuo'e shot Duan Chongfeng a resentful look. He wanted to retort, but with several elders present, he could only keep his mouth shut and leave dejectedly.
As Xu Ke watched Duan Zhuo'e's departing figure, he felt a pang of guilt.
Uncle Xu has let you down, my boy…
"Stop staring and look at this," Yuan Shang said, tossing a folder onto the table in front of Xu Ke. "This is Hua Xingxue's file that you asked to bring. It contains the records of that incident."
His visit to Dapeng Comrce was clearly not to point fingers or assign bla. The Vice Alliance Hierarch was not so idle. He was there to discuss the matter of the Law Enforcent Hall Chief with Xu Ke.
Xu Ke picked up the file and began to flip through it.
Duan Chongfeng gestured for Tang Yingchang to take a seat, then closed the door and sat down nearby. "What do you need this for?" he asked curiously.
"To read it," Xu Ke said without raising his head.
"Do you take for an idiot?" Duan Chongfeng retorted. "Can't I see you're going to read it?"
"Stop asking. If you have to ask, you really are a fool," Yuan Shang jeered. Before Duan Chongfeng could get angry, he turned back to Xu Ke. "I spoke with Old Hua. He still refuses. He doesn't want to be the Hall Chief again."
"It's not my place to criticize, but I don't think the cost of training a new person would be high. Old Hua has been retired for two or three years; he's probably not accustod to his old lifestyle anymore.
"This... it isn't necessary."
He left one thought unspoken.
Back then, Hua Xingxue's cultivation had made him a powerhouse at the Later Stage, second only to Chen Xiong in the entire Tianhai Martial Alliance. But now his ridians were blocked, and he couldn't even circulate his energy. To have him serve as Hall Chief with his current abilities... he himself would feel humiliated.
"Did you tell him I wanted to help heal his injuries?" Xu Ke asked.
"I did!" Yuan Shang nodded, then gave a bitter smile. "He said there's no need. He wants to stay retired."
Xu Ke looked up. "Is Old Hua really content with retirent?"
Yuan Shang paused. "I…"
Xu Ke didn't wait for an answer, instead shifting the topic. "Do you rember how Old Hua was injured?"
Yuan Shang's expression shifted slightly. "Isn't it all written in the file?"
"I want to hear it from you," Xu Ke said, shaking his head as he stared at Yuan Shang.
"Four years ago, a powerful assassin suspected of targeting senior figures of the six great families entered Tianhai," Yuan Shang began. "The Guard received a tip, but knowing their own forces were insufficient, they proactively requested aid from the Martial Alliance leadership. Neither Alliance Leader Chen nor I were present. Old Hua happened to be available, so he volunteered to assist the Guard. Ultimately, due to the vast difference in strength, Old Hua lost all his martial prowess."
Duan Chongfeng glanced at the file. Yuan Shang's account was flawless, almost as if recited from mory, which made him frown slightly.
Four years ago, he had not yet co to Tianhai to take over Dapeng Comrce. Because of this, he was unaware of the truth behind the attack on Hua Xingxue. But this story instinctively felt wrong to him.
Tang Yingchang felt the sa.
"First question," Xu Ke said calmly. "Where did the Guard get their information, and why were neither you nor Alliance Leader Chen present when they requested help?"
Yuan Shang began to think, and then his pupils constricted. "At the ti, Ye Feng was participating in the Martial Alliance's selection trials. At Ye Yunfeng's request, both Alliance Leader Chen and I went to the Ye Family to watch Ye Feng train…"
As he spoke the words, Yuan Shang's expression changed completely.
"Second question: where is that mber of the Guard who asked Old Hua for help now?"
Yuan Shang was stunned. "He… he's been promoted and transferred to the Long Capital Martial Alliance."
"Third question: Old Hua had a son who died before he was crippled. How did he die?"
Nearby, Duan Chongfeng's expression changed abruptly; he had guessed sothing. As mbers of the Duan Family, they were naturally familiar with the thods of the great families.
"...He died during an ard robbery while traveling abroad," Yuan Shang said slowly, his eyes fixed on Xu Ke.
"Gunshot? Robbery?" Xu Ke suddenly laughed. "Are you aware that the Ye Family had a martial artist nad Song Zhong, who died at my hands last month?"
Duan Chongfeng and Yuan Shang exchanged a look and nodded. Although there was no evidence, any discerning person knew Xu Ke was responsible.
But Duan Chongfeng soon grew puzzled again. "And then?"
"Don't rush him. Don't interrupt," Yuan Shang said, silencing Duan Chongfeng.
"Heh…" Xu Ke chuckled. "Before Song Zhong died, he told that if Ye Chen died, he would have to die too. Not just him—his entire family would be buried with him."
"And then?" Yuan Shang couldn't help but ask.
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