Building a Martial Dao Celestial Family by Laying Low

Seeing this, the corner of Yun Ya’s mouth curled into a subtle, cold smile. She said flatly to Zhou Chengkai, "Hundred Households Chief Zhou, ask your questions again."

Zhou Chengkai didn’t dare to disobey. He questioned the dazed-looking Liu Ruoyi, "Miss Liu, where is Liu Yuanzhao now? Was your group involved in the murder of Liu Yuanqi’s family? And who is the mastermind behind it all?"

Zhou Chengkai’s voice seemed to come from a great distance. Liu Ruoyi opened her mouth, about to subconsciously blurt out the most direct thoughts in her mind.

In the nick of time, another, gentler wave of the Power of Divine Sense swept through Liu Ruoyi’s Sea of Consciousness.

The power of "Cloud Mist" that had enveloped her Heart Spirit rapidly dissolved.

Liu Ruoyi felt her Spirit Platform suddenly clear, her chaotic thoughts instantly returning to lucidity.

She was horrified, but she also knew it must have been Chen Li who had intervened to help her.

She kept a vacant, dazed expression on her face, repeatedly muttering "I don’t know" and "It wasn’t us," perfectly feigning the appearance of someone whose mind was controlled and from whom no useful information could be extracted.

Yun Ya’s brow furrowed slightly. The result seemed to surprise her, but she didn’t dwell on it.

Her gaze shifted, landing on the two young children beside Liu Ruoyi.

"Question them!"

Yun Ya ordered, pointing at the two children.

Zhou Chengkai nodded, turned to the two children, and asked the same questions.

The two children blinked their big eyes and timidly shook their heads, replying in their high-pitched, childish voices, "We don’t know... We don’t know anything..."

Yun Ya’s gaze sharpened instantly.

’Something’s not right!’

’These two children definitely weren’t controlled by my Divine Sense Secret Skill.’

’A Grandmaster has interfered!’

Yun Ya’s eyes swept over everyone present, her expression turning completely grim.

Having finished his questioning and seeing that Yun Ya had nothing more to say, Zhou Chengkai let out a sigh of relief. He immediately turned to Zhao Yuanhong and Sun Hongyi, cupped his fists, and reported, "Captain, Thousand Households Chief. This subordinate has completed the interrogation. From the current situation, it appears the five individuals before you have no direct connection to the murder of Liu Yuanqi’s family. I await your instructions on how to proceed."

Zhao Yuanhong cleared his throat and began, "Since nothing unusual has been found, and there is no conclusive evidence linking you to the murder, then..."

Before he could finish, Liu Yunfeng impatiently jumped in. "Your Excellencies, Liu Yuanzhao is still a fugitive! How can you just let them go? They should be immediately imprisoned and harshly interrogated!"

Being publicly contradicted and questioned like this, Zhao Yuanhong lost face. His official authority flared as he barked in a low voice, "Does this official need you to teach him how to make a decision?

Liu Ruoyi is a Martial Scholar of the Court. With her title, the law states she does not kneel before officials and cannot be detained without proof of a crime. Are you telling this official to disregard the laws of the land and knowingly break them?"

"Yunfeng, be quiet!"

Yun Ya spoke up at the right moment, silencing her son who still wanted to argue.

Seeing his mother intervene, Liu Yunfeng, though unwilling, could only shut his mouth resentfully. He shot a venomous glare at Liu Ruoyi and Chen Li.

Yun Ya stood up and said calmly, "Since the Government Office has made its decision, I will not disturb you any longer. Farewell."

With that, she led Liu Yunfeng and the elderly Grandmaster, who had been silent the whole time, and turned to leave.

Once they were outside the County Magistrate’s Office, Liu Yunfeng finally couldn’t hold back. "Mother, we worked so hard to find this lead. Are we just going to let it go?"

Yun Ya’s gaze was icy as she explained, "There was definitely a Grandmaster in that side hall today, secretly protecting them."

"A Grandmaster? Who? Zhao Yuanhong? Or Sun Hongyi?"

Liu Yunfeng was shocked and uncertain. "I already reached an agreement with He Zhangqiu. Why are they still dragging their feet like this?"

"I’m afraid someone took the meat and isn’t even willing to share a mouthful of the broth."

Yun Ya sneered. "But it doesn’t matter. Since we couldn’t get answers in the courthouse, we’ll just have to ask them ourselves."

Hearing this, Liu Yunfeng’s eyes lit up. "Mother, you already have a plan?"

Yun Ya gave a serene smile, but the ruthlessness on her face only deepened. "What need is there for a plan? In the face of absolute power, all schemes and plots are nothing but a joke."

「Back in the side hall.」

After Yun Ya and her group left, Chen Li took a step forward, cupped his fists, and said, "Your Excellencies, since the questioning is over and our innocence has been confirmed, may we leave now?"

"You may."

Zhao Yuanhong nodded.

County Magistrate Luo Pingyuan stood up. "I’m sorry to have troubled you and your companions today, Landlord Chen. It was all a misunderstanding. I hope you can forgive the inconvenience."

As he spoke, he waved to a servant at the side.

A government constable immediately brought over an exquisitely wrapped gift box.

Luo Pingyuan took it and personally handed it to Chen Li, smiling. "Landlord Chen, this is an Earth Gift from my Jiangzuo region, just a small token. Please take it back to try. Consider it something to calm your nerves, as well as an apology from our County Magistrate’s Office."

"Magistrate Luo, you are too kind. It would be rude for me to refuse. Thank you for your generosity."

Chen Li knew this was far more than just a "local specialty," but his expression remained impassive as he reached out and accepted the gift box.

"It is only right."

Luo Pingyuan said with a smiling nod.

Chen Li said no more and left the County Magistrate’s Office with Liu Zongying, Liu Ruoyi, and the others.

By now, it was nearly evening.

Instead of rushing back to Lingxi, Chen Li took his group to have dinner at a restaurant in the county seat.

Only as dusk fell did he finally drive the carriage out of the city gates at an unhurried pace.

The carriage had not gone far from the city walls when Chen Li sensed two faint auras tailing them from a distance.

His expression remained normal, as if he hadn’t noticed a thing.

They traveled for several miles before reaching a fork in the road.

He continued on for a while longer, not reining in the horse to a stop until they were surrounded by woods, far from the main road.

Liu Zongying looked startled and asked in confusion, "Patriarch, why are we stopping here?"

"We’re waiting for someone."

Chen Li smiled, hopped down from the carriage, and stretched his limbs.

Liu Zongying understood instantly but still warned worriedly, "Patriarch, please don’t be careless. Yun Ya is a true Grandmaster Realm expert, and the old man with her is almost certainly a Grandmaster as well."

Chen Li didn’t say much. He simply gathered some dry grass and withered branches from nearby and lit a bonfire.

Time ticked by.

At 7:45 PM, the night had grown deep.

"They’re here."

Chen Li slowly raised his head, his gaze directed toward the forest path.

Not long after he spoke, five figures emerged silently from the shadows.

The newcomers were none other than Yun Ya, Liu Yunfeng, the gray-robed elderly Grandmaster, and two middle-aged men at the Spirit Realm First Level.

Liu Yunfeng glanced at the crackling bonfire and sneered, "Facing your own deaths, and you still have the mind to build a fire? Did you know you wouldn’t survive the night and decide to burn some paper money for your own funeral?"

His gaze fixed sinisterly on Liu Ruoyi and Liu Zongying as he demanded, "Liu Ruoyi, Liu Zongying, stop putting on an act!

Speak! Who exactly wiped out Liu Gongquan’s family? Is my father dead or alive, and where is he? Did he also fall victim to your treachery?"

When no one answered, rage surged through Liu Yunfeng. He waved a hand at the two Spirit Realm experts behind him. "Seize them! Cripple their arms and legs first, and let’s see if they still dare to be defiant!"

"Yes, Young Master."

The two Spirit Realm experts moved at his command.

With a flicker, their bodies shot out like two wisps of green smoke. Their Body Technique was eerie and swift, creating a faint sound of tearing air as they lunged straight for Liu Ruoyi and Liu Zongying.

Just as they were about to reach them, Chen Li moved. He struck second but landed first, his figure seeming not to move at all, yet blurring for an instant as if out of thin air.

He threw a simple, straight punch with his right fist. The move was archaic, yet it contained a surging torrent of power—it was the Five Directions Twenty-Four Solar Terms Wuxiang Fist.

BANG!

With a muffled thud, the Spirit Realm expert felt an irresistible, colossal force slam into his chest.

His sternum caved in instantly. He was sent flying backward like a kite with a snapped string, crashing heavily to the ground. He coughed up a torrent of blood and died on the spot.

Almost simultaneously, Chen Li punched at the person attacking from his right.

Terrified, the man tried to retreat. His body flickered, pushing his Lightweight Skill to its absolute limit and leaving several afterimages in his place.

But Chen Li’s fist seemed to have already seen through every possible movement. Ignoring the phantoms, it landed with perfect precision on the man’s true body.

CRACK!

Another sound of bone breaking.

The second Spirit Realm expert’s eyes bulged. Blood spurted from his mouth as his body went limp and crumpled to the ground, his life extinguished in an instant.

In the blink of an eye, two Spirit Realm experts had been killed instantly.

"Mother... he..."

The savage grin on Liu Yunfeng’s face froze. Horrified, he stumbled back several steps, scrambling to hide behind Yun Ya and the gray-robed old man.

"A Grandmaster? Who in the world are you?"

Yun Ya’s gaze locked onto Chen Li as she demanded coldly, "What is your relationship with that old dog, Liu Zongying? Does this mean my husband’s disappearance was your doing?"

Chen Li shook out his wrist, meeting Yun Ya’s barrage of questions with silence.

Killing intent exploded in Yun Ya’s eyes. She spoke no more.

The Qi in her body erupted. A Grandmaster’s pressure rolled toward Chen Li like a tsunami, causing the very air around them to freeze.

With a sharp cry, her figure shot out like a streak of purple light. A Longsword as thin as a willow leaf had appeared in her hand at some unknown moment.

The tip of the sword vibrated with a low hum. Ripples formed in the space it passed through, letting out an ear-piercing shriek as it thrust straight for the point between Chen Li’s eyebrows.

Chen Li clenched his right hand in the empty air, and the Qiankun Ruyi Staff appeared in his grasp.

"A Divine Weapon?"

Yun Ya’s pupils shrank in utter shock, but her Sword Momentum was already committed and could not be withdrawn.

Chen Li, holding the staff in one hand, swung it forward in a seemingly casual arc.

There were no fancy moves, only pure, ultimate strength and speed.

The Qiankun Ruyi Staff struck second but landed first, carrying a crushing weight that could pulverize anything in its path. It smashed squarely into the core of the Sword Star.

CLANG!

The Rapier and the heavy staff collided.

A sound like a Thunder Shock boomed out.

The terrifying shockwave that erupted spread out in a ring, whipping the grass and trees within a radius of a hundred feet.

Grass, trees, and shattered stones were instantly turned to dust.

The Rapier let out a mournful cry, its blade bending violently, nearly snapping in two.

The webbing of Yun Ya’s hand split open instantly, dripping with blood. Her blood and Qi roiled as her body was sent flying backward uncontrollably.

Chen Li’s figure flickered, appearing at Yun Ya’s side as if he had teleported.

Using its momentum, the Qiankun Ruyi Staff swung around in a horizontal sweep aimed at her waist.

The wind from the staff howled, kicking up dust and fallen leaves from the ground, as if it would slice everything in its path in half.

With no time to think, Yun Ya forcefully mustered her Inner Qi and made a series of rapid thrusts with her Rapier, attempting to use finesse to deflect the incomparably tyrannical strike.

The tip of her sword precisely struck the staff’s body, letting out a rapid series of sharp, ringing sounds. DING! DING! DING!

However, the power contained within the Qiankun Ruyi Staff was far beyond her imagination.

Her seemingly deft strikes couldn’t budge it in the slightest.

The staff’s body didn’t pause for an instant as it swept viciously forward!

"PUFF!"

Yun Ya was struck as if by a heavy blow, and she was once again smashed off her feet and sent flying.

While still in mid-air, she couldn’t stop herself from vomiting a mouthful of blood, her face instantly turning as pale as a sheet of paper.

"A Void Transformation Grandmaster?"

Terrified out of her wits, Yun Ya shrieked, "Fourth Uncle... save me!"