Chapter 317 - 310: Crisis
"Chen Li?"
The gaze from under Sixth Brother’s conical hat sharpened abruptly. "So, you’re saying this Chen fellow was the one pulling the strings behind that whole mess with Liu?"
"It’s possible."
Wu Shang nodded. "Previously, He Mingyun issued a secret order for them to covertly investigate the Mirror Mountain Zhou Family, the Chen Family, and several cold cases from years ago, hoping to use the findings against them.
They found some clues in Jiangkou, and then this Chen Li suddenly appeared. He was holding a secret order from the Hidden Emperor Castle and warned him not to investigate any further.
Zhou Chengkai told him he wasn’t alone, so it would be difficult to conceal the matter. As for the reason behind the subsequent deaths of Liu Siye and Cao Danying, this person doesn’t know."
"The enmity between these two families and He Mingyun runs deep, to have chased them all the way to Jiangkou." Sixth Brother sneered, his fingers unconsciously stroking the hilt of the blade at his waist.
This was a new lead, but... that was all it was.
It only proved that Chen Li had a motive and was involved with the Hidden Emperor Castle.
As for motive, they had already found more than enough of that back in Liyang.
What they needed was evidence!
He immediately pressed, "What exactly were they investigating in Jiangkou? What were the results?"
"They were looking into the old case of the Liu Family’s stolen raw silk, which had been confiscated in Qingshui County."
Wu Shang replied, "However, based on our prior intelligence, the trail for that batch of raw silk led to the Tuo Long Bang, who were suspected of intercepting it for themselves. He Mingyun should have already known this, yet he still sent them to Jiangkou for a detailed investigation. His intention... is unclear."
"What other intention could there be? He was most likely trying to use it to stir up trouble, frame someone, and fabricate charges."
Sixth Brother snorted coldly. "What about Chen Li’s strength?"
"Unclear."
Wu Shang shook his head. "However, he was extremely wary of the man, saying he was unfathomable. At least at the Grandmaster Realm."
"A Grandmaster?"
Sixth Brother’s gaze shifted to the man in the room who had been smiling faintly the entire time. "Wu Mou, what do you think?"
Wu Mou’s eyes narrowed even further, becoming almost a single slit. "Investigate the exact relationship between Cao Danying and Chen Li. Was she framed by him, or were their two families already colluding? But the Cao Family’s roots run deep; investigating them will be difficult. Better to... investigate this Chen Li."
Wu Shang interjected, "My Soul-Searching Finger is ineffective against a Grandmaster. The slightest mistake and my Divine Sense will suffer a backlash from his."
Wu Mou let out a soft laugh, but there was no humor in his eyes. "It’s not like he’s the only person in the Chen Family. He has a wife, children, and elders. We can start by breaking one of them. As for Chen Li himself... if he’s truly that troublesome, just cripple his Cultivation. Then you’ll be able to interrogate him, won’t you?"
Wu Shang frowned. "But this case is still in the hands of the Jiangzhou Government Office. It’s not our place to overstep our authority. Shouldn’t we coordinate with the Jiangzhou Government Office first? To avoid trouble later on."
"Coordinate with them?"
The smile on Wu Mou’s face turned cold. "Those things found in He Mingyun’s study, who do you think took them? And what about what was found on Cao Danying’s body? They’re all a bunch of dirty bastards! Haven’t they caused us enough trouble already? If we let them get involved, we might as well not investigate this case at all."
The two of them held their differing opinions, their gazes turning to the silent Sixth Brother by the door. He was clearly the leader, and they awaited his decision.
"If the open road is blocked, we take the hidden path."
Sixth Brother stood silently for a moment. Beneath his conical hat, his eyes slowly narrowed, a cold glint appearing within them. "When has my Garrison Command ever needed to consider the mood of a local Government Office to handle a case? Besides, we’re here to answer to our superiors, something the Jiangzhou Government Office doesn’t have to do. A mere member of the country Gentry, a minor Scholar... are they worthy of tying our hands?"
"Arrest him and interrogate him. If we find something, then he’s getting what he deserves, and we can close the case. And if we’re wrong..."
At this, the corner of his mouth curled into a cold arc, radiating killing intent. "It’s not uncommon for a heartless, wealthy member of the Gentry to have his entire family meet with disaster. Afterwards, we’ll just round up a few scapegoats and file the report."
Upon hearing this, a smile bloomed on Wu Mou’s face. "Sixth Brother is wise. This is exactly how it should be done."
Wu Shang also said no more, nodding silently.
"What should be done with this man?"
Wu Shang glanced at the unconscious Zhou Chengkai on the floor.
"Bring him."
Sixth Brother shot him a look and sneered, "A two-timing traitor. If something really goes wrong, he’ll be the perfect one to take the fall."
"Yes."
Wu Shang acknowledged the order and said no more, bending down to pick up Zhou Chengkai.
Sixth Brother and Wu Mou walked out of the room first, their figures vanishing into the darkness of the County Magistrate’s Office.
...
Lingxi, Chen Mansion.
The training courtyard.
Chen Li sat cross-legged, his hands forming a seal as he maintained the operation of the Ruins Realm.
Inside the Ruins Realm.
The three siblings, Chen Shouheng, Chen Shouye, and Chen Shouyue, were locked in fierce combat with their respective "mirrors."
Compared to when they had first entered, the three of them were now completely transformed.
Chen Shouyue, in particular, let out a series of sharp cries as she flawlessly executed the Five Directions Twenty-Four Solar Terms Wuxiang Fist, able to calmly break down her opponent’s moves with a measured offense and defense.
From being defeated in just over ten moves at the beginning, to now fighting for over a hundred rounds without showing any sign of losing, the speed of her progress was astonishing.
She was rapidly digesting and absorbing the True Intent of the Wuxiang Fist, making it her own.
It was the same for Chen Shouheng and Chen Shouye.
The auras of the two brothers grew increasingly condensed.
Chen Shouheng’s Inner Qi was vast and mighty. He was evenly matched with his mirror image, their fists and feet letting out constant explosive sounds as they clashed.
Chen Shouye, on the other hand, stood like a steadfast boulder, his defense impenetrable as he competed with his own mirror image.
However, both of them had hit a bottleneck.
No matter what moves they made, the version of themselves opposite them could always respond perfectly in an instant, like a mirror that could never be shattered.
No matter how hard they tried, they could not defeat themselves.
Today’s training proceeded as usual.
However, just as the three of them were exchanging blows with their mirror images, barely a dozen moves into their fight and with their battle spirit soaring...
The stable white light around them began to twist and ripple violently, then, like a shattered mirror, it cracked and crumbled piece by piece.