pertwk Chapter 100 The Hidden Agent
Chapter 100 The Hidden Agent
Chapter 99 The Hidden Agent
As night fell, the Xu Family Ancestral Hall stood solemnly under the moonlight.
The martial arts academy's disciples on guard outside the gate stood in rows, their backs straight, scanning their surroundings warily, their weapons gleaming coldly in the dim light.
At this moment, footsteps approached from afar. Liang Cheng, wearing an outer robe and with a somewhat pale face, walked slowly towards them accompanied by Li Mu.
"Senior Brother Liang!"
The two disciples at the door quickly bowed, their eyes filled with respect and a hint of nervousness.
The senior disciple of the martial arts academy in front of me had just survived an attack by a True Yuan Realm cultivator and personally orchestrated the destruction of the Xu family. He was an extremely ruthless person.
"Thanks for your hard work."
Liang Cheng's voice was calm, though tinged with weakness, "We have been guarding this place for the past few days without letting our guard down. All of you fellow disciples have worked hard. Although the Xu family has been brought to justice, there is no guarantee that there won't be any villains coveting the remnants. We still need to be extra careful."
"I dare not complain about the hardships of my duty."
The two disciples quickly replied, not daring to take credit for themselves, but also feeling somewhat pleased.
Why is he not pleased that he was praised by the true disciples of the martial arts academy?
Liang Cheng nodded and said to Li Mu beside him, "Li Mu, I have already spoken to the Master. The guards at the Xu residence have been relieved. You should take the junior brothers on duty to Yue Lai Restaurant in the city for a good meal and drinks. Put the bill in my name. These days, everyone has been on edge. It's time to relax."
Li Mu understood and immediately smiled at the two disciples, saying, "Senior Brother Liang is considerate of us all. Tonight at Yue Lai Restaurant, there's plenty of food and drink. Put what you're doing down and go call the other disciples, then we'll head out!"
The two men's faces lit up with joy, and they immediately turned around to call the other guards and disciples of the Xu family. With a slight sense of relaxation, they called out to people in both directions of the Xu family.
Soon only Liang Cheng and Li Mu remained. Liang Cheng's weakness vanished instantly, he nodded to Li Mu, and headed towards the Xu family ancestral hall.
He did not rush into the ancestral hall, but instead slowly walked around its perimeter, his true energy like invisible ripples, carefully sensing every part.
He returned to the main entrance of the ancestral hall, gently pushed open a crack, and slipped inside.
The ancestral hall was filled with the faint smell of burning incense and paper money. Moonlight streamed through the high windows, casting dappled shadows on the floor and illuminating the layers of ancestral tablets of the Xu family.
Liang Cheng didn't look at the memorial tablets; his gaze went straight to the area under the offering table, where Xu Feng's location was clearly visible.
Instead of rushing forward, he stepped outside again, and then the nine true qi seeds in his body slowly rotated. A wisp of pure and refined true qi silently emanated from his fingertips, pointing towards the edge of the third floor tile from the left.
Following the order Xu Feng described, touch and press the upper left, lower right, center, lower left, and upper right in sequence, controlling your inner energy remotely.
"Click."
A faint mechanical click came from underground, exceptionally clear in the silent ancestral hall.
Almost at the same instant.
"Hiss hiss hiss—!"
Several dark, cold beams of light shot out from under the altar, from the base of the pillars on both sides, and from the shadows of the roof beams overhead.
The crossbow bolt was coated with a potent poison, gleaming with a ghostly blue light. It moved with astonishing speed, covering almost all the space in front of the offering table where one could dodge.
Immediately afterwards, a thick, dark green poisonous mist with a pungent, sweet, and fishy smell gushed out from the cracks in the floor tiles beneath the offering table, quickly spreading outwards.
Xu Feng had indeed kept a backup plan.
This mechanism was supposed to be the Xu family's last line of defense, but Xu Feng deliberately omitted this fatal trap when he gave his instructions.
As expected of Hsu Feng!
Liang Cheng's eyes were cold, and he wasn't too surprised.
Dealing with someone like Xu Feng, it would be strange if he held nothing back; he had already anticipated that something unexpected might happen.
At this moment, he held his breath, unleashing the true energy of the Broken Wave Technique, forming a solid, light blue true energy barrier in front of him, just in case.
At the same time, with a flick of his left sleeve, a gentle yet powerful breeze surged forth, cleverly forming a rotating vortex that swept up all the spreading poisonous mist and forcefully pushed it toward the open high window on one side of the ancestral hall.
"call""
The dark green toxic fog was precisely directed out of the window, where it quickly diluted and dissipated in the night breeze.
The ancestral hall was restored to its former tranquility, leaving only a faint, sweet, and fishy smell, and a few black crossbow bolts on the ground.
Liang Cheng did not go in immediately.
He waited quietly for a moment, making sure no further mechanisms were triggered, before taking out a small bamboo tube from his pocket, uncorking it, and a grayish rat squeaked as it crawled out. He then gently used his inner energy to send it to the area where the hidden compartment was located.
The mouse circled around aimlessly on the ground a few times, sniffed around, and finding nothing unusual, quickly ran to the foot of the offering table to look for food scraps.
It seems that the poisonous fog and crossbow bolts are the last line of defense.
Liang Cheng then slowly stepped forward, squatted down, and looked at the opened hidden compartment.
Inside the hidden compartment lay a booklet with a blue cover wrapped in oilcloth.
Liang Cheng picked up the booklet and quickly flipped through it; it was filled with densely packed transaction records.
Time, code, items, quantity, approximate flow direction —
Most of the content points to Zoroastrianism, and most of the resources were legally and compliantly transported out, but as Xu Feng said, there are no real names of Situ Lang and Wu Zhenshan.
However, the recurring code names and locations, as well as the lists of supplies that require specific permissions to access, form a clear chain of clues.
By following the clues and identifying one or two key figures, it may be possible to break through the defenses and find conclusive evidence.
He carefully put the booklet away, restored the hidden compartment to its original state, put the floor tiles back in place, and meticulously cleaned up any traces he had left behind. He then took the poisoned crossbow bolts with him and quietly left.
Outside the ancestral hall, the cold moonlight remained unchanged. Li Mu nodded when he saw him, and soon the disciples in charge came over with laughter and conversation.
Liang Cheng briefly greeted them, offered a few words of encouragement, and then had Li Mu take them to Yue Lai Lou while he returned to the Martial Academy first.
Jubaoxuan, an underground secret room.
Qian Wanjin's chubby face was devoid of its usual friendly and prosperous smile; instead, he stood to the side, slightly bowing.
A mysterious figure, shrouded in a wide black robe and wearing a pure white mask, stood with his back to him, hands behind his back, admiring a seemingly ordinary landscape painting hanging on the wall.
"Wan Jin, you're getting a little anxious."
The mysterious person's voice had been deliberately altered; it was hoarse and androgynous, making it impossible to discern their age or gender.
Qian Wanjin trembled and quickly explained.
"I originally intended to use Xu Zhi to investigate the Qiao family's strength and weaknesses, and also to see if that thing was in Liang Cheng's hands. I didn't expect Liang Cheng to act so ruthlessly and directly, uprooting the entire Xu family and disrupting all my plans."
Qian Wanjin then wiped his sweat and said in a low voice, "This was my oversight. I hope you will give me another chance, sir."
The mysterious man's voice was unreadable, "Those lunatics at the Martial Academy are so protective of their own. Luckily, you did a clean job and didn't leave any direct evidence against us. It's a stroke of good luck amidst misfortune."
He turned around, his icy gaze piercing through the white mask and landing on Qian Wanjin: "How confident are you that Liang Cheng obtained the Qiao family's things?"
Qian Wanjin lowered his head even further: "At that time, Xu Zhi wanted to ask the Qiao family for something to save Qiao Zhi. The Qiao family said to give the thing to Liang Cheng. At that time, my subordinates were too shocked to hear this and missed the opportunity."
Forced to kill Qiao Shi and frame Xu Zhi, she unfortunately failed to use Xu Zhi and instead allowed Liang Cheng to exterminate the entire Xu family.
"So you're not sure who has the Qiao family's things—"
The mysterious man paused for a moment, then said, "First, check if the items are still at the Qiao family's residence. Have your men continue to keep an eye on Qiao Zhi, but don't make any unnecessary moves. Investigate secretly."
"yes!"
Qian Wanjin bowed and replied.
"It would be best to make Liang Cheng lose interest in investigating. He made a mistake before and failed to steal the chicken. Now it would be best not to cause any more trouble and continue with the original strategy of staying aloof."
Upon hearing this, Qian Wanjin's eyes darted around. "Don't worry, sir, I'll make arrangements immediately. I won't make any more moves and I'll make sure Liang Cheng doesn't find any fault with me."
"But what if Liang Cheng holds on and won't let go—"
"If that's the case, there are plenty of people who want him dead. You know what to do."
Qian Wanjin's heart tightened.
"Don't worry, sir, I know what to do."
City Lord's Mansion, Armory Hall.
Situ Lang sat in the main seat, while Wu Zhenshan sat to the side, carefully handling the situation.
"Have the martial arts academy's deacons and disciples outside the Xu family's residence left?"
Wu Zhenshan quickly replied, "Yes, Liang Cheng personally led a group to invite them to celebrate their victory at Yuelai Restaurant today. Although the Xu family's matter had some twists and turns, fortunately, it ended without any serious incident."
"A close call?"
Situ Lang snorted coldly, "Don't underestimate those madmen from the Martial Academy. They've probably been secretly investigating which True Yuan Realm expert attacked Liang Cheng that night."
At this point, he whispered to Wu Zhenshan, "From now on, behave yourself. Even if Shen Jun's men pressure you, you must endure it for the time being."
"With the help of Liang Cheng, they seized most of the Xu family's assets, greatly increasing their strength. In addition, given the turmoil caused by Liang Cheng at the Martial Academy, we'll let them be arrogant for now."
"Yes, sir, but—"
"But what?"
"The Qiao family now only has one pregnant orphan girl left. The whereabouts of that thing will probably depend on her. Remember to send more capable people to keep a close watch on her, but remember, she cannot die before we confirm that we have the thing."
"yes!"
"And Liang Cheng, don't be fooled by his appearance. He claimed to have settled all grudges with the Xu family and had been holding back until now when he was confident of success and would strike decisively."
"This kid is both capable and intelligent. Now that I think about it, we've had a grudge against him for a long time, so he probably won't let it go easily."
"Keep an eye on him. If things go wrong, strike first."
"The massacre of the Xu family this time is a lesson we must not take lightly. Zhenshan, we absolutely cannot afford to make any mistakes this time."
"otherwise----"
People will die.
Wu Zhenshan felt a chill run down his spine.
"Yes, sir, rest assured, I know what to do."
A few days later, at Courtyard No. 3 of Zhenchuan Peak.
With careful treatment, Liang Cheng's "injury" has been mostly "healed," and at least on the surface, he seems to be fine, which puts the martial arts academy at ease.
During this period, he spent most of his time in quiet meditation in the courtyard, and his cultivation improved further.
[Second Level of the Breaking Wave Technique: Mastery (336/15000)]
[Mysterious Yin Sword Technique: Minor Success (2645/5000)]
【Wind and Thunder Slash: Mastery (165/12000)】
The outside world thought he was injured and recuperating in the True Essence Realm, but who would have thought that he was still diligently cultivating and his cultivation was constantly improving.
That afternoon, Li Mu arrived in a hurry, dismissing Liang Chengping and his attendants, his face showing a hint of solemnity.
"Senior brother, we've found it!"
-
Li Mu said in a low voice, "You asked me to secretly keep an eye on the movements of the Qiao family and Uncle Wang, as well as the remaining clues in the line about Xu Zhi's death. Have you indeed made any new discoveries?"
Liang Cheng put down the Zhengxian knife he was wiping: "Speak."
"Wang Bo, the old steward of the Qiao family, would go to the West City Market every five days under the pretext of purchasing daily necessities."
On the surface, nothing seemed amiss, but as I followed him from a distance, I noticed that he would always pause briefly at Chen's Grocery Store in the middle of the market, seemingly selecting goods, but in reality, he would have brief contact with a limping shopkeeper behind the counter.
"I managed to investigate Chen's Grocery Store. Its background was clean; it was just an ordinary old shop. But digging deeper, I discovered that the limping shopkeeper's wife had a distant cousin who had worked as a warehouse manager at Jubaoxuan for ten years before leaving due to an injury three years ago."
"And every time Uncle Wang came out of the general store, he would sometimes detour to Ci'an Hall in the west of the city, and one of Ci'an Hall's largest suppliers of medicinal herbs was Jubao Xuan!"
Li Mu's eyes sharpened at this moment: "More importantly, after investigating in secret for a long time, I finally saw Uncle Wang in the backyard of Ci'an Hall, talking quietly with a person dressed in the uniform of a senior manager of Jubao Pavilion."
"Furthermore, I learned from the beggars along this street that Uncle Wang visited Ci'an Hall around the day before Xu Zhi died and the day before Madam Qiao committed suicide!"
Upon hearing this, Liang Cheng's eyes turned completely cold.
Wang Bo's so-called loyalty to his master and his risky mission to deliver the message were nothing but a carefully designed scheme!
The deaths of Xu Zhi and Madam Qiao are likely both linked to Jubaoxuan!
Who would have thought that Uncle Wang was a mole planted in the Qiao family for decades?
Perhaps they wanted to use Xu Zhi to fish in troubled waters, test him, and find the so-called Qiao family treasure?
Xu Feng was right before he died; the Xu family wasn't the only one eyeing the Qiao family's possessions.
"Since Uncle Wang is a member of Jubao Xuan, the deaths of Qiao's mother and Xu Zhi are probably not so simple. What are Jubao Xuan—Qian Wanjin—intending to do?"
Liang Cheng tapped the blade lightly with his fingers, lost in thought.
Qian Wanjin was overly enthusiastic towards him, and had even previously revealed information about the No. 3 warehouse on Xujia West Street.
It now seems that the waters of this smiling tiger are deeper than imagined.
"Senior brother, what should we do next?" Li Mu asked.
Liang Cheng pondered for a moment, then shook his head: "Don't make any moves for now, lest we alert them. Wang Bo is the visible agent, while we are in the shadows. We cannot act rashly."
"If Jubaoxuan finds out that we know Wang Bo's identity, they will probably kill us immediately and cut off all clues."
"Keep a close eye on the Qiao residence in secret, and report back immediately if anything happens."
Li Mu nodded solemnly: "Yes, Senior Brother."
Just as Liang Cheng was staying at True Transmission Peak, meditating while secretly sending someone to investigate and sort through the clues in the Xu family's register, a notification suddenly came from outside the courtyard.
It turned out to be Chen Zi'an who came to visit.
Liang Cheng was somewhat surprised.
Since taking over the Chen family business, Chen Zi'an has been very busy, and with Liang Cheng facing numerous troubles recently, the two have not been in frequent contact on the surface.
After a moment's thought, he got up himself and welcomed the person in.
"Guest Liang, how are your injuries?"
As soon as Chen Zian entered, his face was full of genuine concern. The servants following behind him carried large bags and small boxes, all of which were top-quality medicinal herbs and tonics.
Liang Cheng waved his hand, leading him to sit down in the hall: "He's mostly recovered, thank you for your concern. Zi'an, you came all this way today, did you encounter any trouble?"
Chen Zi'an quickly shook his head: "With you, my guest elder, stationed in Linwu City, who would dare to cause trouble for the Chen family now?"
-
He smiled and said, "However, there is indeed something I'm unsure about right now, so I'd like to hear your advice."
"explain."
Liang Cheng gestured for him to speak frankly, and Chen Zi'an carefully considered his words before saying, "It was Manager Qian of Jubao Pavilion who took the lead, joining forces with several other large merchants in the city, and they came to me a few days ago."
"They said that after the Xu family fell from power, the docks they originally occupied, as well as several large markets in the city for silk and medicinal materials, were left empty and became a piece of fat meat that had no owner."
He paused, observed Liang Cheng's expression, and continued, "But now, who in Linwu City doesn't know that the destruction of the Xu family was orchestrated by you and the Martial Academy?"
"So even though they were tempted, no one dared to reach out and take it for a while, for fear of offending someone and causing unnecessary trouble."
"Manager Qian and his team came to me, feeling that since my Chen family is now a first-class member of the Chamber of Commerce, and given my close relationship with you, it would be most appropriate for our Chen family to take over part of the business that the Xu family relinquished."
"They are willing to provide channels and manpower, just to share a portion of the profits, revitalize the market, and make money for everyone."
After Chen Zian finished speaking, he looked at Liang Cheng and said, "This matter has both advantages and disadvantages. The opportunity is indeed rare, but since it involves the Xu family, I dare not make a decision on my own. I have come to consult you."
After listening, Liang Cheng tapped his fingers lightly on the back of the chair and remained silent for a moment.
Jubaoxuan, Qian Wanjin.
They were quick.
The Xu family's bodies are barely cold, yet they are already eager to redivide the territory, and have even pushed the Chen family to the forefront.
Behind this, there are probably more than just simple business considerations.
Everyone knows about the relationship between the Chen family and himself. Pushing the Chen family out is both a way of doing a favor and a way of testing his attitude.
Thinking of this, Liang Cheng slowly spoke, "There is nothing wrong with the market that the Xu family gave up. Merchants and traders pursuing profits is only natural."
"The Xu family perished because they colluded with a cult and broke the law, not because their business was criminal. These businesses always need someone to take over and maintain the livelihood of the people. It is indeed more appropriate for them to be run by merchants who know the business and operate according to the rules than for the Martial Academy to directly intervene."
He looked at Chen Zi'an and said, "As long as you act with integrity, follow the rules of the Chamber of Commerce, and do not get involved in the Xu family's old shady dealings, there is nothing wrong with taking on this part of the business and strengthening the Chen family."
"Moreover, expanding the Chen family was also your father's wish before his death."
Upon hearing this, Chen Zi'an's eyes lit up, and a great weight was lifted from his heart. He quickly said, "Rest assured, sir. Zi'an will certainly keep your teachings in mind, do only legitimate business, never dare to do anything wrong, and will never get involved in any shady matters. We'll all make money together, and we'll strictly abide by the rules."
Liang Cheng nodded: "It's good that you have a plan. You can handle the specifics of negotiating the share with Jubaoxuan yourself. If you encounter any difficulties, you can come to me anytime."
"Yes! I feel much more at ease knowing that!"
Chen Zi'an's face lit up with excitement. He stood up and bowed respectfully. "Then I will go back to prepare and finalize the details with Steward Qian and the others as soon as possible. Please rest assured and recuperate, I will come to see you again later."
After seeing off the light-footed and confident Chen Zi'an, Liang Cheng's calm expression slowly faded, and his brows furrowed slightly.
Jubaoxuan —
At this critical juncture, is the high-profile effort to win over the Chen family and fill the void left by the Xu family really just about making money and currying favor?
Or is he trying to divert his attention from other things?
"Li Mu".
Liang Cheng called out towards the outside of the hall, and in a flash, Li Mu appeared at the door: "Senior Brother."
"On Chen Zi'an's side, Jubaoxuan has made some moves, wanting to support him in taking over part of the Xu family's old business. You arrange for two clever but unfamiliar brothers to not interfere in the business, but to secretly keep an eye on the people who are in contact with the Chen family and see if they make any unusual moves."
"Yes."
"Also, pay more attention to the Qiao family. Jubao Xuan made such a big fuss and dragged the Chen family into it, perhaps they're trying to divert our attention."
"Keep a close eye on Uncle Wang. Make sure there are no mistakes in the movements inside and outside the Qiao residence. I have a feeling that someone is about to lose their temper."
Li Mu's expression turned serious: "Understood. I will not miss any movement inside or outside the Qiao residence. Senior Brother, you can rest assured."
"Go ahead, but remember to be careful."
"yes!"
Li Mu accepted the order and withdrew.