53 It’s Him! Operation: Kill Chu! (1/2)
It was just before daybreak. A chilling silence lingered in the tavern that the Ximen family had resided in.
Ximen Wanli gazed hungrily at the people standing in front of him, like a famished wolf.
“Is the investigation done?”
“We… we have just checked up on the people who fulfilled the characteristics and listed them down. Our analysis is not yet complete…”
“Speak.”
“There is a total of seven people who matched those characteristics. Among them, there are two who appear to be possible suspects. One of them is an unknown, while the other is Chu Tianlang… of the two it’s more likely to be Chu Tianlang.”
Ximen Wanli’s eyes glinted with suppressed glee, his voice strangely flat as he said, “Tell me about this Chu Tianlang.”
“Chu Tianlang is none other than the master of the Manor of Sirius, located outside of Tiantang City. He’s skilled in the use of long and short swords; he’s hefty and well built, a central figure in the modern world of martial arts. Moreover, legend has it that Chu Tianlang has a radically unique skill hidden up his sleeves, a mysterious weapon literally concealed in his sleeves. We are uncertain if he has any other secrets or tricks…”
Ximen Wandai’s gaze shone brightly. “Long and short swords… The assassin used long and short swords as well... Radically unique skill in his sleeve… Didn’t the assassin also unsheathe something from his sleeve too?”
“Chu Tianlang’s cultivation base is incredibly high; he is estimated to be at least at the sixth peak.”
“Sixth peak, at the very minimum… This also means that there is a big possibility he’s in seventh heaven or seventh peak heaven too. It wouldn’t be too far-fetched to say that he could be in the eighth heaven, would it?”
“No, it wouldn’t.”
“Was ol’three and Chu Tianlang at conflict? Or perhaps any of those that ol’three had harassed and offended is related to Chu Tianlang?”
“From the surface, nothing related. But both of them like beautiful women…”
“When nothing is related, that is when it’s the most suspicious.” Ximen Wanli huffed in anger, his gaze fiercely gleaming.
“Second young master, although Chu Tianlang’s characteristics match the assassin’s, it’s too big of a coincidence. There is something remarkably fishy about this, like someone wished to frame him,” someone said, frowning.
“Frame him?” Ximen Wanli hummed coldly. “What about it? Chu Tianlang is still the first in our list, he’s still our first target.”
“If this had been done by Chu Tianlang, we kill him and things end here. If it wasn’t Chu Tianlang, we capture him and begin searching among his enemies. We’ll find the real culprit sooner or later. Therefore, whether it’s him or not, we must apprehend this Chu Tianlang!” Ximen Wanli said with conviction.
“We could… discuss it, perhaps?” someone suggested, with hesitation.
“Discuss?” Ximen Wanli smirked. “If he is alerted to our plans, are you going to be held accountable?”
The expert from the Ximen family wore an ashen look. “I… dare not.”
“Then keep silent!” Ximen Wanli snorted and said sternly, “If any our intentions are leaked, you’ll be at fault!”
The person paled immediately, regretting his words.
Ximen Wanli paced around slowly, his gaze fiery. “There has been no news from the family yet but I guess they are already on their way.”
“Someone has to pay the price, now that something of such magnitude has occurred.”
“We must have Chu Tianlang in our hands before the experts from the family come!”
“Otherwise, no one will come out of this unscathed!”
Ximen Wanli’s voice was eerily calm, but everyone present came to an unpleasant realization.
The main issue at hand right now was not to find the real culprit for revenge but to identify a scapegoat before the members of the family arrived, to pacify their rage.
If they failed to do so, it would be doomsday when the members of Ximen Family arrived.
There wasn’t much time left, and that meant it had to be Chu Tianlang. Even if he wasn’t the one who had done it, his fate was sealed. No one else had such strikingly similar characteristics!
“Gather information regarding Chu Tianlang and the Manor of Sirius… be quick!” Ximen Wanli commanded, his voice void of emotion.
“Yes!”
“Make the best use of the time you have for analysis!”
“Yes!”
However, once the analysis had been carried out, all of them gasped collectively. The Manor of Sirius was nothing compared to the entire Ximen Family but with the number of people they had now, they were no match against it.
The Manor of Sirius was a monstrous creature around these parts!
The experts were as countless as relationships were complicated; like tangled roots and branching stems, their defenses were strictly guarded as well!
“Send my calling card and invite Young Master Dongfang, Young Master Nangong, and Young Master Beiye here.” Ximen Wanli ordered, “We will have a discussion about. How could a mere Manor of Sirius stand up to the might of the four great families? At most, I would be in their debt.”
“Young master is wise.”
…
Just as the sun rose, the four great young masters had already completed their plans. All four noble families would each send fifty experts to decimate the Manor of Sirius!
However, there was only a seventh peak elder from the Dongfang family who came but he had refused to help. The other experts from the four families with the highest cultivation base were only, at most, at the sixth peak.
“If so, what about asking the elder to stay at the sides as support?” Ximen Wanli came to a compromise.
“That would be good too.”