Misty Rain of the Old Times

Xia Mei gently placed the man she had brought back on the soft carpet, then immediately reported, "Master, this is the man who dared to follow us. Should I interrogate him?"

With her involved, capturing the enemy was a piece of cake. However, she did not take it upon herself to interrogate him beforehand, because Master Chen Xuan had not given such an instruction. As an elite trained by the Jing Kingdom's royal family, she understood that she only needed to do what she was told.

The woodcutter that Xia Mei brought back was the same one that Chen Xuan had noticed earlier. The wood-carrying pole was gone, probably already sold. Even if it were still there, Xia Mei wouldn't have brought it back. However, he was still gripping the wood-carrying pole tightly in his hand. The pole was polished to a shine, and it was soaked with countless drops of sweat.

"Thank you for your trouble, Aunt Mei. Please sit down and have something to eat with us. It's just been served," Chen Xuan nodded and gestured. This wasn't a grand mansion in the capital, so there weren't so many rules and regulations. It was more lively to eat together with family.

After Xia Mei sat down, Chen Xuan looked at the woodcutter she had brought back, and the others also looked at him with curiosity.

Xia Mei had already sealed the opponent's acupoints, rendering him unable to move or speak. Upon close observation, the extremely concealed internal energy fluctuations within the opponent's body still seemed familiar. Apart from Chen Xuan and Xia Mei, even Du Juan, a master of innate cultivation, could hardly detect that the woodcutter actually possessed internal energy, demonstrating just how powerful the concealment effect was.

Furthermore, Chen Xuan immediately recognized that the person in front of him was not his true face. Compared to his methods of concealing his cultivation, his disguise technique seemed rather ordinary. The appearance changed through makeup was not even enough to alter the muscles, bones, and skin color through internal energy. His acquired cultivation level was still acceptable, and it had its merits in confusing people.

As Chen Xuan sized up the other man, he raised his hand and waved it in the air. A chair slid out, and the woodcutter floated up and sat down on it, while also releasing the pressure points that had been pressed on his body.

At the same time, Chen Xuan poured two glasses of wine, picked one up for himself, and floated the other glass to the table in front of the other person. He raised his glass and said, "Please sit down. If I have offended you, please forgive me. Brother, we have no grudge against each other, right? Can you tell me why you have been secretly following us?"

From the moment he discovered the other party was secretly following him until now, Chen Xuan had not sensed any malice from him. He was only following and investigating. Therefore, under such circumstances, Chen Xuan did not immediately threaten to kill him. He was usually a very easy-going person, and any misunderstandings could be resolved.

Of course, if anyone tries to harm them, this "Sang Biao" can be quite ruthless.

At this moment, the 'woodcutter' opposite was extremely terrified. At first, he thought he had followed and hidden well, but he realized that he had been exposed when two eunuchs appeared in front of him and asked him to come over. However, he did not even know how he had been exposed. Of course, he did not know that the two people who came to invite him were eunuchs. Not every eunuch has a treacherous voice and a effeminate appearance.

Knowing he was no match for the two eunuchs, he immediately fled, using all his skills to escape. At that moment, he thought to himself that the person following him had been able to see through his disguise so easily and had sent two formidable figures to find him so quickly. He couldn't help but feel that he might have found a clue after all this time, which strengthened his resolve to continue his investigation.

But soon after Xia Mei appeared, he was brought here without even being able to resist.

Especially considering that Chen Xuan so effortlessly controlled his actions from afar, leaving him unable to muster even the slightest thought of resistance, what level of cultivation was this? At least a top-tier expert of the Innate Realm.

To be honest, he knew that he was in the wrong first and had been caught by these rich and powerful people. He deserved to be killed, but he never expected that Chen Xuan, who was obviously the backbone of the group, would be so easy to talk to, offering him a chair and pouring him wine.

Various thoughts flashed through his mind. He smiled calmly, as if accepting his fate, picked up his wine cup and drank it down in one gulp, secretly praising the wine. His gaze swept over everyone, then he faced Chen Xuan directly and said indifferently, "Since I have fallen into your hands, I admit defeat. Do with me as you please."

This posture was incredibly audacious, yet Chen Xuan was somewhat amused and speechless, asking, "Brother, do we have a grudge?"

"No," he shook his head and blurted out, then added, "Not at the moment. What I mean is, you all discovered I was following you, and you still brought me here, but you didn't kill me?"

Chen Xuan was utterly speechless, wondering if the other person had something wrong with their head. He asked curiously, "Since we have no grudge against each other, why would I want to kill you? Do we look that much like bad guys?"

"Who can say for sure? Do you think people as high and mighty as you would let me off the hook?" the other person said in a ruthless tone.

It's not that all people in the martial arts world are reckless, but how many of them have actually received a proper education? Communicating with them is truly exhausting. Chen Xuan, too lazy to waste words, said sullenly, "So, can you tell me why you're following us? If it's a misunderstanding, let's just talk it out. If you have ulterior motives, we should deal with it accordingly. Let's not beat around the bush; I find it annoying. Otherwise, we'd have to resort to some methods."

"Anyway, I'm already in your hands, do as you please," the other party said with a nonchalant attitude. He then shrugged and looked Chen Xuan straight in the eye, saying frankly, "I don't expect to leave alive. I just hope for a quick death. The reason I followed you is because when I saw your group before, apart from this young master, the rest of you were all stunningly beautiful women. Recently, beautiful women have been disappearing one after another, so I suspect it's related to you. We martial artists are chivalrous and righteous. Since we have suspicions, we should risk our lives to verify them. If it really was you who did it, we will expose you to the public and restore justice to the world."

As he spoke, the seemingly resigned 'woodcutter' stared intently into Chen Xuan's eyes. Although he appeared to be going all out, he was secretly thinking that if the current case of the missing woman that was shaking the court was really related to them, he would rather die here than not leave a clue for the outside world. That way, he would die a worthy death.

Hearing this, Chen Xuan was speechless. Good heavens, just because he was surrounded by beautiful women, this guy suspected that the current case of missing women in Yuhua Kingdom was related to him. What kind of thought process is this?

Chen Xuan quickly realized that this guy, who seemed like a roughneck, was actually trying to trick him into talking. After all, everything was under his control right now, and if that big case really was related to him, he would usually act recklessly and arrogantly at times like this. If he got confirmation, he would definitely try to spread the news, even if it meant dying here.

Speechless as he was, he understood that the other party meant no harm. In fact, the other party was a chivalrous and righteous person. Chen Xuan did not consider himself a good person, but he did not mind if there were more people like that in the world.

So he nodded and said, "I see. You are truly virtuous, sir. I admire your noble character. They are all my family members. I think you have misunderstood."

His casual remark left the woodcutter feeling uneasy. After all, he only had some suspicions, which was why he was willing to risk his life to investigate. He was prepared to die here, but Chen Xuan didn't offer any further explanation. Instead, he felt guilty for wrongly accusing an innocent person.

Unless someone is out of their mind, Chen Xuan would try to prove himself, because when someone doubts you, they will think whatever you say is just making excuses, because they only believe what they have personally investigated and learned, not what you say.

Having figured out that his following wasn't malicious, Chen Xuan stopped worrying about it. Let him do whatever he wanted, as long as he didn't cause himself any trouble. He then poured two more glasses of wine, raised his glass, and said, "May I ask your guidance?"

No, I was prepared to risk my life to suspect you weren't a good person, and you didn't even care? Whether you're angry or showing your sinister side, at least give me some response.

The conflicted 'woodcutter' opened his mouth and said, 'I never change my name or surname, I am Liu Yuyuan, a nobody.'

After all, he was acting chivalrously, and it was understandable that the man might have some suspicions because he was surrounded by beautiful women. Chen Xuan didn't dwell on it. Thinking of the familiar feeling he had about the internal energy the man cultivated, he asked curiously, "So it's you, Hero Liu. May I ask what kind of martial art you practice? I feel like I've seen it somewhere before, but I can't quite place it."

Upon hearing this, Liu Yuyuan's eyes flashed with intense vigilance, and he said in a deep voice, "I dare not accept the title of great hero. This young master flatters me. As for the martial arts I practice, it is a family secret and cannot be revealed to outsiders. If you wish to force me to reveal it, I would rather sever my own heart meridian than divulge a single word!"

He knew all too well how precious his cultivation technique was; if it were leaked, it would surely cause a bloodbath, and he wouldn't be able to protect it at all. He thought to himself, "Oh no, haven't I just delivered myself to their doorstep?" How exactly did the other party see through his disguise?
Compared to upholding justice, the cultivation technique he practiced was far more important. Chen Xuan understood that the other party had misunderstood him, thinking he coveted the unique skill he cultivated. However, that feeling of déjà vu, while not a big deal if he didn't figure it out, still made him feel uneasy.

With a flicker of thought, he pointed at Xia Mei and smiled, "Hero Liu, this is our bodyguard. He is a top-tier innate cultivator, with strength comparable to the head of a prestigious sect. He possesses many unique skills. I am also somewhat skilled in martial arts. Do you think I covet your superb skills?"

Liu Yuyuan smirked and remained silent, his expression clearly saying that no matter how eloquently you speak, you won't get a single word out of him.

Despite his seemingly indifferent attitude, he was actually quite anxious. If these people really targeted his cultivation technique, could he withstand their various methods? If he revealed it, he would be a sinner, and how could he face his ancestors?

This misunderstanding seems quite big. In fact, if Chen Xuan were willing, he could easily use a little trickery to make the other party reveal everything without missing a single word. However, he wouldn't do that. It's not that he covets the other party's secret techniques. It's mainly because he feels uneasy if he doesn't figure out that sense of familiarity.

After a moment's hesitation, Chen Xuan said, "Whether you believe it or not, I have no intention of coveting Master Liu's unique skills. The internal energy fluctuations within you seem genuinely familiar. How about this, if it's alright, just tell me your name, and I won't ask a single word more."

However, Liu Yuyuan remained silent, his mind racing with alarm bells, ready to sever his own heart meridian at any moment to prevent his secret techniques from being revealed.

This was a dead end, Chen Xuan thought helplessly. But then an idea struck him, and he smiled and said, "How about this? Isn't Master Liu investigating the disappearance of a woman? I might be able to provide you with a clue. Although I haven't verified it, I'm about 80% sure it's related to the case. In exchange, you just need to tell me the name of the cultivation technique you're practicing. I won't ask a single question about anything else, just to understand why it seems so familiar. Even if I can't figure out why it seems so familiar based on the name of the technique later, I won't bother you again. What do you think?"

Liu Yuyuan scrutinized Chen Xuan, thinking to himself, "Is this man somehow crazy? How persistent is he?"

He didn't know if Chen Xuan was after his cultivation technique, but Chen Xuan's offer to provide clues about the case was very tempting. He had been investigating the incident for a whole year without any leads. He had even disguised himself as a woodcutter and wandered around that road all day to observe suspicious people. He really didn't know where to start, which was why he followed Chen Xuan when he saw him with a group of beautiful women. If it were just one or two, he wouldn't be suspicious, but too many would be hard not to be suspicious. Besides, they were unfamiliar faces and their accents didn't sound like locals.

The reason he was so persistent in investigating the case was, of course, because someone he cared about had also disappeared, and he wouldn't be satisfied until he got to the bottom of it.

After quickly weighing his options, he decided that if he could get clues from Chen Xuan, it wouldn't hurt to tell him the name of the cultivation technique. After all, it was just a name and didn't involve the actual cultivation content. If Chen Xuan found out the name and wanted more, he could simply end his own life.

After much deliberation, Liu Yuyuan, unwilling to let such a potential clue slip through his fingers, gritted his teeth and nodded, saying, "Okay."

He quickly added, "But I need to verify it before I tell you. If you're lying to me, I still won't reveal a single word."

Could it be considered that he made dumplings because of a dish of vinegar? It's such a hassle over such a small thing. But since it's already done, and time isn't an issue, Chen Xuan nodded and said, "Of course."

"Then you speak," Liu Yuyuan said, appearing ready to listen attentively.

Then Chen Xuan casually uttered three words: "Moon Fragrance Residence"

"Yuexiangju?" Liu Yuyuan frowned, unable to understand how a 'chain store' that dealt with women could be connected to the disappearance of beautiful women.

Since the deal involved providing clues, Chen Xuan naturally wouldn't mince words. He nodded and said, "Yes, Yuexiangju. This shop has a perfume powder called Red Thread. I'm sure you've heard of it, Master Liu. That perfume powder contains an indispensable ingredient called Acacia Ice Moon Flower. This flower usually only grows where women's corpses are buried. Its flowering period is very short, making it almost impossible to find. Yuexiangju is able to supply this perfume powder to the market in a continuous and large-scale manner. I don't think I need to say anything more, do I?"

Liu Yuyuan was certainly not stupid. Chen Xuan had already said so much, so his gaze immediately sharpened and he said in a deep voice, "Is what this young master says true?"

"No matter how much I say, it's useless. You need to verify it yourself. It's nothing more than buying a red thread and finding an experienced doctor who can tell you the general composition," Chen Xuan shrugged.

Liu Yuyuan abruptly stood up, his expression shifting between anger and uncertainty. He took a deep breath and said, "I will investigate."

After all this time, we finally have a clue. I hope it's true.

Chen Xuan said dismissively, "Please do as you please."

Staring at Chen Xuan in astonishment, he asked in surprise, "You're just letting me leave like this?"

"We have no grudges against each other, so why would I imprison you? How about we share some of the food on the table, Hero Liu? Just remember to keep your promise after you've verified it," Chen Xuan said with a smile.

"What I mean is, aren't you afraid I'll just walk away without looking back?"

"I suppose Master Liu is a man of his word, so I might as well be frank. If you verify this but don't come back to fulfill your promise, I will still be able to find you," Chen Xuan said frankly.

Liu Yuyuan did not doubt this point and nodded, saying, "If the clues are true, where will I find you afterwards?"

Planning to stay in Jade City for a few days, Chen Xuan told Liu Yuyuan where they would be staying and then reminded him, "Although we don't know much about Yuexiang Residence, it must be quite important. Please be careful on your journey, Hero Liu."

"I will be careful. Farewell," Liu Yuyuan said, cupping his hands in a respectful gesture. He gave Chen Xuan a deep look before turning and leaving without looking back.

Even after walking a distance, he still felt somewhat incredulous. Firstly, he hadn't expected to leave so easily without encountering any difficulties. Secondly, he really couldn't understand why Chen Xuan wanted to know his cultivation technique. He had his own judgment in his heart; Chen Xuan was definitely not after his secret techniques.

He didn't dwell on that much; he needed to hurry up and verify whether the clues Chen Xuan provided were true, as this was a major case that would shake the entire country.

He never proactively inquired about Chen Xuan and the others' identities or origins; they were simply from completely different worlds… (End of Chapter)