Chapter 67: We Will Cut Them Off
Holding the deed securely in one hand and the quiet sanctuary of the new estate officially now belonging to them, the group of three didn’t linger in the empty courtyard for long. Stepping back through the gates, they boarded the waiting carriage once more, instructing the driver to take them back to Lin Laifu’s guest compound so they could gather their belongings.
The evening air was now fully present, carrying the cool scent of mountain pine as the carriage descended from the quiet, elevated roads of the Upper Eastern District within Crimson Vale City. When they arrived back at the merchant’s estate, they found Lin Laifu standing near the main reception pavilion, holding a steaming cup of tea while giving orders to his servant boys.
The moment the fat merchant spotted Lu Feng entering the courtyard with a calm, satisfied look on his face, his small eyes lit up. He set his teacup down with a light clatter and hurried down the short flight of stone steps, bowing his head with a broad, genuine smile.
"Young Master Lu! You’ve returned!" Lin Laifu greeted, his voice rich with warmth. "From the look on your face, I take it Master Wei served you well and the estate met your high standards?"
"It did," Lu Feng replied, offering a brief nod. "The location is quiet, the space is ideal, and the property is officially ours. We paid Master Wei the full price and settled the deed on the spot."
Lin Laifu let out a jolly, rumbling laugh, clapping his soft hands together. "Magnificent! Absolutely magnificent! Nine thousand gold coins paid without a second thought—only someone of Young Master Lu’s extraordinary caliber could make such a grand move so effortlessly!"
He adjusted his silk sash, his expression turning slightly more earnest as he bowed once more. "I must congratulate you on securing your own private foothold in Crimson Vale. Once you three have properly settled in over the next day or two, I shall personally bring a modest housewarming gift to pay my respects."
"You are welcome anytime, Master Lin," Lu Feng said politely. "We appreciate your hospitality over these past few days, but we will gather our things and move in tonight."
"Of course, of course! An independent home is always superior to a guest house," Lin Laifu said, stepping back to give them room. "If you require extra carriages or servants to haul your luggage, my men are at your disposal."
"That won’t be necessary," Lu Feng declined smoothly.
With very little to carry—most of their essential belongings and spirit stones being stored safely within spatial pouches—it took less than two tea-spoons of time for the trio to collect their things from the guest quarters. After offering a final word of farewell to Lin Laifu, they boarded the carriage one last time, making the final trip back to their new home in the Upper Eastern District.
When the gates swung shut behind them for the second time that night, a profound sense of true ownership settled over the quiet courtyard. The soft moonlight reflected off the crystalline surface of the lotus pond, casting a soothing, ambient light across the dark slate pathways.
Lu Feng led Han Lin and Ye Chenxue toward the primary residential building at the center of the estate. The interior was fully furnished with carved sandalwood tables, silk-draped beds, and polished bronze lanterns.
"We’ll divide the quarters now," Lu Feng said, turning to the two women. "The primary residential hall has three separate private suites. Han Lin, take the eastern wing—it has the largest balcony overlooking the lotus garden. Chenxue, take the western wing."
Han Lin smiled, her eyes shining with appreciation as she looked around the spacious, dust-free hall. "It’s wonderful, Young Master. Much better than the noisy inns we stayed at on the road."
"And as for the two training halls outside," Lu Feng continued, looking toward Ye Chenxue, "the left hall sits directly over the core of the Qi Absorption Array. It draws the densest concentration of natural spiritual energy from the surrounding hills. I am designating that building entirely as your private training hall."
Ye Chenxue looked toward the stone structure, feeling the subtle, cold pulse of spiritual energy emanating from its foundation. Her glacial eyes softened slightly as she turned back to Lu Feng, inclining her head in a deep, respectful gesture.
"Thank you, Young Master," she said softly. "The environment is ideal. With your permission, I will retreat to the training hall immediately to begin my seclusion."
"Go ahead," Lu Feng agreed with a faint smile. "Take all the time you need to absorb the Ice-Blooded Blossom Pills."
Without wasting another moment, Ye Chenxue turned and glided across the courtyard toward the left stone hall. The heavy oak doors clicked shut behind her, and within moments, the subtle, frosty aura of her Ice Qi began to ripple softly against the hall’s reinforced walls as she sat in deep meditation.
Left alone in the main residential hall, Lu Feng walked over to the central seating area and lit a small stick of calming sandalwood incense. He then reached into his sleeve, producing several small, carved array flags he had acquired earlier.
Walking around the perimeter of the primary building, he strategically placed the flags into key foundation points, setting up a secondary, low-level warning formation around their living quarters to alert them if anyone attempted to breach the main perimeter wall while Ye Chenxue was in seclusion.
As he finished placing the last flag, Han Lin walked out from her newly assigned eastern wing. She had changed into a softer, casual robe, but her expression was far from relaxed. She sat down at the tea table, pouring a cup of warm water and staring blankly into the liquid.
Lu Feng sat down across from her, observing her quiet demeanor. "Something on your mind?"
Han Lin let out a low, weary sigh, setting her cup down as she looked up to meet his mismatched eyes.
"I can’t stop thinking about Agent Zhou, Lu Feng," she confessed, her voice dropping into a tense whisper. "Finding his corpse in the villa we were supposed to meet up was unsettling enough, but the way Captain Zhao handled it at the guard post... it felt completely wrong."
Lu Feng leaned back, listening quietly as she voiced her thoughts.
"Captain Zhao was far too quick to dismiss Zhou as a former human trafficker whose past caught up to him," Han Lin continued, her brow furrowing deeply. "Even if Zhou really was involved in trafficking debt-ridden victims years ago, the timing of his death is too precise. The moment we arrived in the city, the very broker who held the records and keys to secondary properties in this district was silenced."
She leaned forward slightly, her slate-blue eyes filled with genuine concern. "I suspect that Zhou’s dark past in human trafficking isn’t just an old score being settled—it’s actively connected to the current corruption within the City Guard itself. What if Zhou was silenced because he knew which high-ranking guards or officials are currently profiting from those exact same trafficking networks?"
Lu Feng looked at her, noting the sharp intuition behind her reasoning. He remembered the subtle, practiced eye contact exchanged between the two senior guards standing behind Captain Zhao’s desk the moment Zhou’s past was mentioned.
"Your suspicion is likely spot on," Lu Feng said calmly, his tone devoid of panic. "The guards didn’t just know Zhou was dead—they were expecting us to find him. They wanted a simple narrative to close the case before anyone dug deeper."
He reached across the table, tapping his finger lightly against the polished wood. "But for now, it doesn’t matter what game Captain Zhao and his men are playing. We have secured our own independent ground, our location is isolated, and Chenxue is currently advancing her strength. Let the City Guard play their corrupt politics in the lower districts—if they dare to extend their hands toward this estate, we will cut them off."