Imperial Treasure

Chapter 493 - 626: Manor of the Tiger

Hmm...

Hmm...

Hmm...

The maid saw that her master had become silent for quite a while.

Although Li Xiuning’s expression remained calm, the changes in her eyes were laid bare under Sui Yi’s watchful gaze. Fortunately, the girl was indeed decisive, and quickly managed a smile, saying, "If that’s the case, my Baonong Hall still thanks you for your thoughtful efforts."

If you were truly thoughtful, you should have returned it to me when you snatched it, right~

However, Li Xiuning also knew there was a disadvantage on her side, that was, at the time she had not revealed her identity as the master of Baonong Hall. That is to say, the other party could completely deny knowledge of it, assuming Baonong Hall indeed lacked the power to protect the treasure from beyond the heavens at that moment, with wolves lurking on all sides, and it would seem justifiable for the other party to leave with the eagle.

Since no conclusion could be reached, there was no need to dwell on it. Anyway, they couldn’t make heads or tails of the Extraterrestrial Treasure... Her second brother would just have to be given another explanation.

"However, without this Extraterrestrial Treasure, I’m afraid Mr. Sui will find it difficult to negotiate with Yuwen Huaji," she said.

"After all, he has captured Miss Wei,"

Li Xiuning said as she observed Sui Yi’s expression and found him to be impassive. He even replied, "I know, but his main objective is still to take revenge on me and to find out about my so-called origins. The Extraterrestrial Treasure is secondary."

"As for my being here, it’s to ask Miss Li if she knows where Yuwen Huaji has hidden the person."

"Should you inform me, I will surely repay you in the future,"

If this were the modern world, almost everyone who knew of Sui Yi would value her promises highly, including those superpowers of the Forbidden Forest, for they were the ones truly aware of her mysterious abilities.

But in this world, people like Li Xiuning didn’t know much about Sui Yi, only finding her somewhat enigmatic.

Gamble?

Li Xiuning slowly said, "I don’t know the specifics. For the moment, all I have found out is that Yuwen Huaji has rallied a significant number of forces in the city to serve as his claws and fangs, which is why he was able to take Miss Wei away so quickly. With his status, he should be residing at the official residence in Yangzhou City, but in fact, after that day, he disappeared, as if he had already found a den."

"These past few days my people have been inquiring and searching for possible locations, and finally, it seems there might be a trace at East City Crouching Tiger Manor."

East City Crouching Tiger Manor.

Sui Yi’s fingers left the teacup, "Thank you, I will remember this," he said, as he stood up.

Li Xiuning also stood, "You are too kind, sir, it was merely a slight effort... No need for repayment."

Hmm?

Sui Yi glanced at her, gave a slight nod, and with a light tap of her foot, she had already leapt to the top of the courtyard wall.

In the blink of an eye, before Li Xiuning could even marvel at the light and ethereal quality of her movement technique, she saw another person appear beside Sui Yi, the woman in the hemp robe.

In a flash of afterimage, in another instant, they were seen soaring away into the distance with Sui Yi.

At that moment, another person appeared in the courtyard.

Tai Chongshan.

"We can discuss Mr. Sui later; that woman... She’s terrifying," said Tai Chongshan, startling Li Xiuning.

That one just now?

She hadn’t even gotten a clear look at what she looked like.

"Two Minor Grandmasters?" Li Xiuning asked.

"Seems so," Tai Chongshan watched the two depart, "One as elusive as clouds, impossible to discern; the other cold and deep, impossible to see through. However, since Mr. Sui has met that woman by chance and sheltered her after assisting her, and shows neither romantic affection nor indifference, but still goes to lengths for her, he must be someone with a strong sense of righteousness."

Li Xiuning was slightly surprised by his words, "Could it not be that he has feelings for this Wei Zhenzhen? The intelligence reports suggest she’s particularly gentle and beautiful."

Aren’t men most fond of such women?

Tai Chongshan shook his head with a smile, "No man would live separately from a woman he likes."

"Perhaps it’s a gentleman’s demeanor," Li Xiuning felt Mr. Sui did personify the air of a gentleman, although his earlier statement... seemed a bit self-amusing.

Could she have guessed it?

"If a man is a gentleman, it either means he does not fancy her, or he cannot fancy her. There’s nothing about Wei Zhenzhen that makes her impossible to fancy,"

So it must be that he doesn’t fancy her.

In other words, a swordsman of extraordinary talent, if he truly had tender feelings for the woman he has saved, would not have had such a setup in his home...

Matters of men and women, the young miss still doesn’t understand.

Tai Chongshan did not spell it out, but changed the topic, "Regardless, the young miss has excellent judgment. If these two individuals could be employed by the second young master... it would indeed be like adding wings to a tiger."

Li Xiuning nodded thoughtfully and then asked, "Are you sure about Crouching Tiger?"

"My investigations indeed point to Crouching Tiger Manor, but if I can find out, then Demon Sect and other sects will likely find out soon too, if they haven’t already. The more people who find out, the quicker it will be exposed,"

"We might not have enough time,"

"Then it’s up to how capable she really is,"

Li Xiuning smiled faintly, gazing at the horizon.

After all, in this world, only the capable truly survive, don’t they?

------

On the way to Crouching Tiger Manor, Hell’s Wan Ge mentioned Li Xiuning and Tai Chongshan.

"If they were the first to arrive where I had fallen, perhaps they would know more. Moreover, she is born of the Li Family Clique, the future Imperial Family – their backing is likely extraordinary," he said.

What went unsaid was... if one wanted to know more about Cangwu, they had to get along with the Li Family.

Sui Yi and Hell’s Wan Ge agreed on this point.

Only...

"The most terrifying in this world should still be the Sects. After all, this is a martial arts novel, and the main focus should be the Martial Arts World... especially since Gong Jiu and the others often mention Demon Sect and Cihang Calming Studio,"

"You should listen to their conversations often,"

Hell’s Wan Ge’s words brought Sui Yi to a halt, forcing a bitter smile.

Indeed, she had rarely paid attention to Gong Jiu and the others’ idle chatter before, and now she truly regretted it.

But...

"Li Xiuning should still have a mobile phone in her possession. I don’t know if it’s yours or Natasha’s,"

"I never carry a mobile phone."

Hmm? That belongs to Natasha.

Although a cell phone isn’t very significant, both Sui Yi understood that in these ancient times, when clues were scarce, any item they brought with them could contain the information they needed.

Only Cangwu could take them back.

------

At East City Crouching Tiger Manor, atop Heroes’ Hill.

Where the Green Forest’s waters flowed, a manor was situated halfway up the hill. It had been the notorious base of the Crouching Tiger Gang in Yangzhou but was later confiscated by the Imperial Court, leaving Crouching Tiger Manor vacant.

But now, people lived there.

Seo Ziling and Kou Zhong lay on the ground, beaten and kicked by two men, with trails of blood on the floor.

"Damn it, these kids are tough to crack."

"They probably don’t know anything; questioning them is useless."

"Enough, my hands hurt. You keep watch here, I’m going out for a walk."

"Go ahead, like hell I’m staying here while you take off for an hour. If we’re going out, we’re going out together. Anyway, we’ll just wander around the yard; no one will come by..."

The two guards were quite relaxed as they went outside.

No sooner had they left than Seo Ziling and Kou Zhong opened their eyes simultaneously.

Kou Zhong crawled like an insect, sticking out his tongue to bit down on a straw stem.

He turned his head towards Seo Ziling, who had already turned his back to him, positioning the shackles in his hands towards Kou Zhong.

--On the street thugs’ survival skill of lock-picking, technique 108.

In this aspect, the two of them could indeed be considered pioneers, particularly the clever Kou Zhong.

Click!

The lock made a slight noise, and it opened!

Following the same method, after Seo Ziling freed himself, he directly removed the straw stem from Kou Zhong’s mouth.

In merely two seconds, the lock was open.

The two men crouched and ran to the door, saw no one outside, and snuck out...

They weren’t merely escaping; they were out to save someone!

If they remembered correctly, the location where Wei Zhenzhen should be was...

The two sneaked up to the rear of this thatched hut and from the back hill, they moved towards another detention area.

The enemy had separated them into three groups: them, Wei Zhenzhen, and Shi Long.

Shi Long was apparently the most important, already taken away by Yuwen Huaji early on.

As for Wei Zhenzhen...

"There seems to be a noise ahead."

The two were indeed somewhat clever, although their strength was low and they lacked Inner Strength. It was precisely because they didn’t have Inner Strength, which meant no fluctuations in their aura, combined with their street upbringing, they had developed the ability to move silently like cats, allowing them to hide noiselessly beneath this wooden hut’s window.

They dared not peer through the window for fear of masters inside.

So...

Here!

The two noticed a small crack at the wooden seam of the hut, and they peered through the gap into the inside...

The person inside was being hung up and beaten.

Wei Zhenzhen?

Fortunately, it wasn’t her, but Shi Long.

Crack crack crack!

Whips lashed mercilessly, blood splattered!

Yuwen Huaji sat to the side drinking, and after a while, he looked down at the near-lifeless Shi Long: "Why bother? You possess the Longevity Formula yet it’s useless to you, unable to comprehend it. You might as well give it to me; I could still favor you, ensure you enjoy a life of glory and wealth far better than you’re suffering now."

Shi Long didn’t speak.

Yuwen Huaji was normally a patient man, but with back-to-back frustrations lately, his patience had worn thin.

Clunk, he set his wine cup on the table, stood up, and grasped the handle of the Iron Brand. The red-hot iron still emitted head.

He walked over.

Shi Long’s muscles twitched as he stared straight at Yuwen Huaji.

"I’ll ask you one more time... where is the Longevity Formula!!!"

Yuwen Huaji looked fiercely determined.

And Shi Long uttered the only sentence he would say.

"I don’t know."

Then the glowing Iron Brand was pressed harshly against his chest...

Flesh sizzled sickeningly as it cooked!

Outside the wooden wall, both Seo Ziling and Kou Zhong involuntarily gasped.

Gasped?

That’s bad!

Right as Seo Ziling and Kou Zhong realized something was amiss,

Yuwen Huaji tossed the Iron Brand aside and glared straight out the window.

"There’s someone..."

Swish!

The expert within the hut burst out at high speed, leapt onto the roof, and saw the two men lying at the back door.

They were discovered! (To be continued. If you like this work, you’re welcome to vote for it at qidian.com. Your support is my greatest motivation. Mobile users, please read at m.qidian.com.)