Three punches shattered the demonic soul, young hero, I'm an honest man!

Chapter 74 The Secrets of the Marquis of Jing'an's Residence Begin to Unveil

Shen Zhaoyuan strode forward and closed the study door behind him.

He peeked out the window several times before finally closing all the window panes tightly.

He then lowered his voice and spoke solemnly to Li Xuanping.

"Master, please set up a protective barrier. This matter is of utmost importance and requires extreme caution."

Seeing the other party's seriousness, Li Xuanping had doubts, but he also understood that things were probably not as simple as the other party said.

With a flick of his finger, Li Xuanping unleashed an invisible burst of energy that instantly enveloped the entire study.

"Alright, go ahead and speak."

Shen Zhaoyuan was finally relieved. He took a deep breath and spoke in a deep voice.

"Master, the Mr. Su Wenruo you are looking for—passed away eighteen years ago."

Upon hearing this, Li Xuanping's brows furrowed almost imperceptibly.

"Dead?"

Li Xuanping sat upright, leaning slightly forward.

The old acquaintance that Master mentioned is no longer alive?

"Yes."

Shen Zhaoyuan nodded, his expression complex.

"Moreover, his death was quite suspicious."

Shen Zhaoyuan paused, organizing his thoughts.

"To be honest, with the connections of my Jing'an Marquis's mansion, inquiring about a few people in the capital is just a piece of cake."

"Who would have thought that the more they investigated, the more bizarre it seemed?"

"No matter how many people I sent to inquire, I could not find any information about him, as if he had never existed in the capital."

""

A flicker of lingering fear crossed Shen Zhaoyuan's eyes.

"I went through a lot of trouble and used almost all the connections I had to get a clue from one person."

When Shen Zhaoyuan mentioned "a person," his tone was slightly strange.

"Qin Yu, the young master of the Sihai Chamber of Commerce," Shen Zhaoyuan added.

"I've also met Master Li at Yuqin Garden."

"The Four Seas Chamber of Commerce has connections everywhere. It was through them that I learned that Su Wenruo was indeed dead, and that she died eighteen years ago."

"What's even stranger is that all traces of this person seem to have been completely erased by some unknown force eighteen years ago."

Li Xuanping realized something was wrong.

It's perfectly normal for someone to pass away in the capital.

But it's strange that all traces of him were erased after his death.

Thinking back to what his master had said before he left the sect and went down the mountain.

A hint of gloom flashed in Li Xuanping's eyes.

Could it be related to that matter?

If a person dies, how can he find the clues he is looking for?

"Tell me the details."

Li Xuanping's expression at this moment was more serious than Shen Zhaoyuan had ever seen before.

Shen Zhaoyuan swallowed hard and continued, "That young master Qin initially promised that he could find out everything about this person."

"But after he consulted his aunt, Qin Lanfei, the real head of the Sihai Chamber of Commerce, his attitude changed when he returned."

"Young Master Qin's expression was serious, and he remained tight-lipped."

"He repeatedly warned me not to investigate this matter any further, otherwise the consequences would be unpredictable."

Is this a warning from Consort Qin Lan?

Even though Li Xuanping usually cultivated within the Xuan Shu Sect, he had heard of this powerful woman from the Four Seas Chamber of Commerce.

The title of "Three Beauties of the Capital" extends far beyond the capital city.

"That even Consort Qin Lan is so wary of it—"

Li Xuanping pondered.

Shen Zhaoyuan was also still shaken.

"Yes!" Shen Zhaoyuan nodded repeatedly.

"However, I finally managed to pry a crucial piece of information out of that kid Qin Yu!"

A hint of smugness appeared on Shen Zhaoyuan's face.

Li Xuanping couldn't help but look at the other person.

"How can this be done?"

Upon hearing this, Shen Zhaoyuan's lips twitched almost imperceptibly, and a hint of embarrassment appeared on his face.

You can't very well tell this true disciple of the Xuan Shu Sect that he knows Qin Yu is known for his romantic escapades and his particular fondness for beautiful women.

So he reluctantly parted with his money and spent most of his fortune to buy two stunningly beautiful dancers from abroad to present to her, in exchange for this crucial remark?

That would be a huge blow to the reputation of the Marquis of Jing'an's mansion.

"Ahem, this—Master Li, there's no need to ask in detail."

"6

"In short, well—it came at a price."

Shen Zhaoyuan glossed over the matter, unwilling to elaborate.

Li Xuanping didn't press further, waiting for what would happen next.

Shen Zhaoyuan took out a neatly folded piece of paper from his pocket and handed it to Li Xuanping with both hands.

"This record indicates the location of an old site."

"According to Young Master Qin, this is the place that Su Wenruo visited before she died eighteen years ago."

Li Xuanping took the paper and slowly unfolded it. On it were only four short characters: Canghuai Academy!

A glint of light flashed in Li Xuanping's eyes, so fast it was almost impossible to catch, before he quickly regained his calm and collected demeanor.

"Thank you for your trouble, Young Master Shen."

Li Xuanping put the note away.

"Consider this a favor I owe you."

He had to get to the bottom of that lead no matter what.

Upon hearing this, Shen Zhaoyuan was overjoyed and quickly waved his hand.

"You flatter me, Master! It is my honor to share your burdens."

He hesitated for a moment, but couldn't help but ask, "Daoist Master, about the matter of my Shen family returning to the Luo River—"

Li Xuanping glanced at him, nodded, and chuckled, "The Shen family of Luoshui and my Xuanshu Sect both belong to the Tai Su lineage and have a long history of dealings."

"Your Jing'an Marquis's Mansion is a branch of the Shen family of Luoshui. Although it has been a long time and the bloodline is slightly distant, it is still of the same origin."

"When the time is right, I will personally make a trip to Luoshui and have a word with the elders of the Shen family."

"As for whether it will succeed, it depends on your father's sincerity and the decision of the Shen clan of Luoshui."

"But with me stepping in to mediate, I think they will at least give the Xuan Shu Sect some face."

Upon hearing this, Shen Zhaoyuan was overjoyed!

He knew all too well how weighty the phrase "stepping in to mediate" carried for Li Xuanping, a true disciple of the Xuan Shu Sect!

Sometimes, what's lacking in this world isn't strength, but a qualified guide.

He was initially heartbroken that he had spent most of his fortune trying to extract that seemingly useless piece of information from Qin Yu.

But now that Li Xuanping has made this promise, what do those previous losses matter?

Compared to the family returning to its ancestral home and climbing to the glory of a thousand-year-old prominent clan.

A few material possessions are nothing but fleeting clouds!

"Thank you so much, Master Li! Thank you so much, Master Li!"

Shen Zhaoyuan was so excited that he bowed repeatedly.

"This kindness and gratitude will be forever etched in the memory of the Shen family!"

Li Xuanping nodded slightly and said no more.

He knew in his heart that there was no such thing as unconditional help in this world.

The reason why the Marquis of Jing'an went to such lengths to investigate his past was simply to seek the potential value that his identity as a true disciple of the Xuan Shu Sect could bring.

He also needed the Jing'an Marquis's mansion's geographical advantage and connections in the capital.

This was originally a transaction where each party got what they wanted.

only----

Li Xuanping turned his gaze back to the window.

"Mr. Su—an old acquaintance of my master—the cause of his death eighteen years ago—"

The sky, fragmented by the courtyard, seemed to deepen in Li Xuanping's eyes at this moment.

The winds in the capital are indeed much more complex than those in Taichu Mountain.

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