Chapter 15: Re-entering the Manor to Find Clues

In a small courtyard in the eastern district of the city, a family lived in harmony.

Inside the main house, an old man was sipping tea, an old woman was sweeping, and a middle-aged woman was busy in the kitchen preparing lunch. Three children were either reading or playing, but the middle-aged man sat in the courtyard, heavy-hearted, staring at the sky. Originally, it was just a cloud passing by, momentarily obscuring the sun, yet in his eyes, the sky was utterly bleak.

Suddenly, a knock echoed at the main gate. He flinched, then shot up, his expression shifting uncertainly as he looked at the gate. Soon, he let out a long sigh and walked towards it.

He unlatched the door and pulled it open just enough to see a sword-bearing youth standing outside. In that instant, his face went ashen. They had found him after all. His suspicion was correct; others might not know his address, but that stern old man might. And indeed, he knew, and he knew more than Wu Fei.

One stood inside the door, the other outside. One's face was like parched earth, the other's honest and simple.

"Qi San, this young master has found you."

"Young Master Qin, please spare my family. They haven't been involved in any of this and know nothing."

"That depends on how much information you can provide."

"I have one question: How did you find my house, and at this exact time?"

"Though mountain bandits are fierce, before death, you should know."

"Yes, who isn't afraid of death? I thought..."

"This young master has other matters. Speak what's pleasing."

"Alas, fine. If you've already fled, then you can only forever hide. I was merely a dart master for Tiger's Roar Escort Agency. My income wasn't enough to provide a prosperous life for my family, so I took on some side jobs. A few days ago, a middle-aged man approached me, saying he wanted me to intercept someone. You know, that person was you. Seeing..."

"Who was that middle-aged man? Where is he now?"

"I don't know, I'd never seen him before."

"Draw him."

"It was too dark that day; I couldn't see his face clearly. But his aura was very strong, giving me a powerful sense of pressure, making my heart tremble with fear. He must be in the Qi Refining realm."

"Just based on his aura?"

"No. After he left, I secretly followed him for a while and saw him walk five zhang in one step in an empty, deserted place..."

"How many assassination jobs have you taken before?"

"None, never. You are the first. If not for the long period of economic stagnation in the escort business, I wouldn't have taken it."

"When did your relationship with Wu Fei become so good?"

"He's my senior martial brother. Although we later took different paths, our relationship was good before."

"Who was the one killed by this young master? Where was he from?"

"He was also from our escort agency, but we didn't know each other were taking side jobs."

"Where did he get the job?"

"Probably from the same person. He also said he felt immense pressure, and that if he didn't take the job, he might have died then and there... I had that feeling too."

"I hope you haven't lied."

Watching the sword-bearing youth's departing silhouette, he felt his body go limp and quickly grabbed the doorframe, supporting himself to keep from falling. "How could his aura be so strong? Not at all weaker than that unknown middle-aged man. What's wrong with this world?"

On the main street, at Eagle's Note General Store, the shop assistant Zhong Da Nao was attending to customers, while shopkeeper Wang, with nothing to do, drank tea and scanned the pedestrians on the street.

Suddenly, his body tensed, sweat broke out on his forehead, and his eyes fixated on a spot on the street. He muttered, "How could he appear again? Is he coming for me? He must be coming for me."

After two deep breaths, he emptied his teacup and said in a very normal voice, "Zhong Er, I'm going out for a bit."

Zhong Da Nao chuckled, "Old man, this customer is about to pay."

"You collect it first."

Zhong Da Nao loudly said, "Then I'll get a few sugar oil cakes!"

Before he could finish his sentence, Shopkeeper Wang had already opened the back door and left, then slammed the door shut, leaving the latter half of the sentence echoing in the room. "That old man!"

Shopkeeper Wang's steps seemed hurried. After passing through one alley, he entered another. As he was about to turn into the third, he stopped. Ahead, stood the simple and honest Qin An Yu.

Shopkeeper Wang let out a sigh and respectfully said, "Young Master Qin, I've already written everything I know for you."

"This young master is not a fool."

"Young Master is truly wise."

"You are smarter than this young master."

"Young Master, what exactly is the meaning of seeking out this old man? If it's information, this old man has nothing new."

"What about that mysterious organization?"

Shopkeeper Wang immediately stumbled, screaming inwardly, "Who betrayed me?!"

Qin An Yu wasn't disappointed that he hadn't obtained useful information from Qi San. Such information wasn't something an ordinary person could know. He had returned to the city today because of what the stern old man had written: he had recently had tea with Shopkeeper Wang and heard his helpless sigh about his family being blackmailed by a powerful organization, an organization connected to the disappearance of the city lord and his wife. Therefore, Shopkeeper Wang was the key.

"Shopkeeper Wang, a cunning rabbit has three burrows, but those three burrows are known not only to the mysterious organization but also to this young master. You participated in actions against my parents, so this young master will not hesitate to retaliate against your family."

"The city lord and his wife are in the Qi Refining realm, while I..."

"They are just my parents, my family."

"...Young Master, you cannot fight that organization; they are too powerful."

"That's not for you to worry about."

Shopkeeper Wang looked as if his parents had died, his face grim. "Young Master Qin, please come to my humble abode and sit down."

Qin An Yu understood what he said. His own family was family, and Qin An Yu's parents were also family. There was no distinction between ordinary people and those in the Qi Refining realm when it came to family. That organization could use family to control him, and he could do the same.

He shook his head and sighed, "Fish live very comfortably in shallow water because no one is watching them. Once they are watched, they can only become someone else's meal."

After turning several times in different alleys, they finally stopped before a small courtyard. Qin An Yu looked around and mused, "I have to say, the environment here is very good, very secluded. People here probably value this atmosphere."

The streets were sparsely populated, the pavement clean and tidy. Every small courtyard revealed water bamboo, grape trellises, and the like. Shopkeeper Wang's courtyard also had a clump of water bamboo and two century-old dwarf pines, very serene. It was just a pity that his fondness for this tranquility was merely an illusion.

"Shopkeeper Wang, you earned quite a bit in the Eagle Gang. Now that the Eagle Gang is gone, how will you support your family?"

"Young Master, that shop is still there. Although the income is less, it's still enough to get by."

"I heard your grandson has good cultivation talent, and cultivation requires a lot of money."

"This old man knows. Please rest assured, Young Master, rather than sell this house, I will never participate in that organization's wrongdoings."

"That's your own business. This young master only wants to know about that organization now."

"Young Master, please listen to this old man..."

About half an hour later, Qin An Yu stepped out of the small courtyard's main gate. His honest face and profound eyes were a strange mismatch. "So it's Zhang Xianmei's distant cousin? Then I'll have to find her first."

Soon, he appeared outside the original Qin Manor, a jar of wine in his left hand. It was still the Qin Manor, but not that Qin Manor. The main gate had a new signboard, still bearing the words "Qin Manor." He didn't mock the ugly characters but ascended the steps and approached the main door. He lifted his foot and kicked it open.