Chapter 87: Killing Intent
"Do you think there's any divine skill in this world that could make it so that, no matter how terribly someone treats you, the moment you see them, you can't feel any anger..."
"Lord Xia, that's called love."
"What bullshit! Your mother was crying on my bed when I loved her!"
"..."
In the residence of the Mountain-Subjugating Marquess, Lord Xia sat behind his study desk.
A palpable anger radiated from him.
The steward on the opposite side stood there with a forced smile. He had misspoke a word and was scolded mercilessly.
"Just leave." Lord Xia waved his hand impatiently.
The person across from him left hastily as if he was granted clemency.
And now, Lord Xia remained seated alone, lost in contemplation.
He wasn't known for having a good temper, so why did his anger always seem to vanish whenever he crossed paths with Chu Liang?
There had to be something deeper going on here.
Reflecting on the events of the past two days, he realized that perhaps if he had let out his fury in the heat of the moment, he wouldn't be feeling this intense anger now. Upon retrospection, every time he suppressed it, the anger seemed to intensify.
Now, the Young Lord boiled with unrestrained hatred.
He stole my limelight... badmouthed my gift... and was the reason for the decline of my invitation...
Despite the seething rage, Xia An would have remained rational if these were the only occurrences. He was well aware that it would be unwise to make enemies over these trivial matters of pride.
But...
Chu Liang's inquiry into Liu Xiaoyu today added another layer of concern. Read latest chapters at novelhall.com Only
This concerned the livelihood of the Mountain-Subjugating Marquessate!
The imperial and noble members assigned to reside in the remote Southern Regions were part of the marginalized branches within the expansive imperial families of the Yu Dynasty. Historically, these branches held titles without real power, lacking the authority to govern regions. Moreover, these imperial families in the Southern Regions were never particularly wealthy.
While their daily life was comfortable enough to maintain a somewhat extravagant lifestyle, Xia An's father, the current Mountain-Subjugating Marquess, was really into something quite troublesome.
He was deeply immersed in the pursuit of cultivating and attaining immortality.
If he possessed extraordinary talent or none at all, it wouldn't have been such a difficult matter. The most unfortunate scenario was when one's talent falls short of achieving true success, yet the limited talent still provided a faint glimmer of hope, hinting that one might be different from the norm.
This was exactly the challenge facing the Mountain-Subjugating Marquess. His cultivation skills were considered ordinary, which meant that he would at best achieve the third or, at best, the fourth realm.
However, the Mountain-Subjugating Marquess was unwilling to settle for a lifespan confined to these limits. Instead, he held onto the hope that by investing a lot of resources, he could push himself beyond his current limits and reach the highly sought-after seventh realm.
"Hmph!" Lin Bei folded his arms and mockingly pouted.
"Nevermind. You get a jar too." Chu Liang retrieved another jar.
Lin Bei took it, and laughter bubbled out of him, "Heheheh!"
"When you finish the drink, write an 800-word positive review and share it with the fellow disciples at Jade Sword Peak," Chu Liang continued.
"Wow! You really take advantage of every opportunity!" Lin Bei exclaimed.
"We're buddies," Chu Liang said, patting his chest in imitation of Lin Bei's usual mannerisms.
The two of them chatted and laughed, but Liu Xiaoyu'er sat there, visibly unhappy, pouting and looking despondent.
Seeing this, Lin Bei sighed and said, "Miss Liu Xiaoyu'er, everything you need is here. What else do you want?"
"I want my sister..." Liu Xiaoyu'er said pitifully.
Chu Liang and Lin Bei found themselves without a better solution. Initially, they had pledged to inquire about the whereabouts of her elder sister, but their efforts yielded no progress. They couldn't abandon the homeless little girl so they allowed her to stay with them at the Li Family Estate.
Given her level of innocence, she would have been kidnapped and sold after traveling for less than two li.
She had been carefree just a few days ago. However, as time passed, the little girl seemed to sense ominous premonitions, growing increasingly despondent.
As the three inspected the venue, a servant from the Li family approached and delivered a letter.
"Someone sent a letter, saying it's for Young Hero Chu," the servant reported.
Chu Liang took the letter and glanced at its contents.
He couldn't help but be reminded of how koi fish were considered bringers of good luck. Just as they were contemplating this, the thought seemed to materialize.
"What does it say?" Lin Bei asked.
"The letter mentions that someone has seen a woman resembling Liu Xiaoyu'er by the Qinnan River. It might be her sister. We're requested to bring her along to confirm this," Chu Liang replied.
"As expected of a koi fish," Lin Bei chuckled. "Let's take her there to check it out so that the sisters can reunite before the performance tonight.
"I will take her there myself," Chu Liang said, "You can stay here."
"Why?" Lin Bei asked.
"I...find this letter somewhat strange," Chu Liang pondered for a moment and said, "If I don't return in half a day, hurry back to the Mount Shu Sect and report about this."
"I am the one to report again?" Lin Bei was stunned.
Eh?
Why did I say again?