"This..."

Upon hearing Xiao Lan's explanation, Xu Fan couldn't help but furrow his brows and asked, "Sister Lan, does that box contain a cultivation technique?"

Xiao Lan nodded and said, "Indeed, it is a martial cultivation technique."

The unmatched martial skills of Xiao Tianfang were indeed inherited from the cultivation technique hidden within the bronze box.

Without the martial arts inside the bronze box, even with Xia Hengzhou's help, he wouldn't have been able to reach that level.

Listening to this, Xu Fan couldn't help but frown.

To willingly gift such a cultivation technique to Xiao Tianfang required more than just a love for talent.

He estimated that the person who gifted such a generous present to Xiao Tianfang likely had a cultivation level not lower than an undying monster like that.

"Xia Hengzhou is not skilled in martial arts, and my brother had committed that technique to memory long ago. When he established Lingyan Pavilion, he gifted the box to Xia Hengzhou,"

Xiao Lan continued to explain at this point.

"So that's how it is..."

Listening to this, Xu Fan couldn't help but nod in understanding.

No wonder the Xia sisters wanted to touch the box, and Xia Hengzhou blocked them.

It probably wasn't just because of the letters and photos that recorded their upbringing; this was another reason.

"Unexpectedly, after my brother gifted the bronze box to Xia Hengzhou, he discovered the secret hidden within it."

Hearing Xiao Lan's explanation, Xu Fan couldn't help but raise an eyebrow.

"Sister Lan, are you talking about the hidden compartment?"

Xiao Lan nodded and said, "Yes, the item hidden in that concealed compartment."

"Initially, Xia Hengzhou didn't know how to open the compartment. After much effort, he discovered the Jiuyang Warm Jade was the key."

To open the hidden compartment of the bronze box, one needed to insert the Jiuyang Warm Jade filled with spiritual energy. For the sake of finding the Jiuyang Warm Jade, Xia Hengzhou had put in a considerable effort.

He had spent a lot of wealth to locate the Jiuyang Warm Jade and to open the hidden compartment of the bronze box.

"An innocent man bears the guilt of possession, and the trouble started the moment Xia Hengzhou opened that compartment,"

Xiao Lan said with a sigh, looking at Xu Fan, "The item hidden within brought enemies to Xia Hengzhou that he couldn't afford to provoke."

"This..."

By now, Xu Fan had begun to understand.

Looking at Xiao Lan, he asked, "Sister Lan, what exactly was originally hidden inside the secret compartment of that bronze box?"

"A piece of a treasure map."

"A treasure map..."

Upon hearing Xiao Lan's explanation, Xu Fan couldn't help but think of those more than twenty pieces of Jiuyang Warm Jade.

It was likely that these pieces of Jiuyang Warm Jade were connected to the treasure map.

"Who exactly are the enemies that Xia Hengzhou provoked?"

Upon Xu Fan's question, Xiao Lan shook her head and sighed, "At the time, Xia Hengzhou only sensed that someone was investigating him."

"As for who it was, he couldn't find out at all."

Saying this, Xiao Lan couldn't help but feel a sense of powerlessness.

With a wry smile, she said, "Originally, Xia Hengzhou still had time to deal with this matter, but the situation worsened when he drove Xia Sanjiu away."

"What do you mean?"

At Xu Fan's question, Xiao Lan said with a bitter smile, "As Xia Hengzhou's personal guard, he naturally knew about the trouble that Xia Hengzhou was in."

"When Xia Hengzhou kicked him out of the Xia family, naturally, it was like a total severing of ties."

"Before leaving Jinling, he spread this news."

"This..."

Hearing this, Xu Fan let out a cold laugh.

This Xia Sanjiu truly lived up to being an utterly shameless wretch.

The Xia family had treated him well, yet not only did he harbor improper desires, he retaliated this way.

Just killing Xia Sanjiu with a single sword stroke was truly letting him off too easily.

"What happened then?"

At this point, Xu Fan continued to inquire.

Xiao Lan sighed and explained, "The news has spread beyond containment, and it's only a matter of time before those people make a move on Xia Hengzhou."

"With his skills at that time, he would likely have trouble dealing with them."

"This bronze box was originally my brother's, and he couldn't stand to watch Xia Hengzhou die miserably, so he had someone set off a smoke bomb."

"Making those people believe that the bronze box was in his possession."

"You know the result, don't you?"

Seeing Xiao Lan look toward him, Xu Fan couldn't help but give a wry smile.

Asking her to recall this memory was indeed asking too much of her.

For protecting his brother, Xiao Tianfang truly was a warm-hearted and loyal iron man.

"Then after that, Xia Hengzhou disappeared with the treasure map, haha, he certainly lived up to my brother's friendship."

Clearly, after the death of Xiao Tianfang, Xia Hengzhou didn't lead the Xia Family to avenge him but vanished instead, and Xiao Lan had a great deal of resentment about that.

Seeing her angrily frustrated face, Xu Fan couldn't help but try to comfort her, "Lan Jie, you really can't blame him."

"Do you think he had the ability to avenge your brother at that time?"

"But he shouldn't have run away! Is that what a man should do?"

Obviously, his attempt to console her was completely disregarded by Xiao Lan.

Xu Fan couldn't help but rub his temples, well aware that his words of consolation had no effect at that moment.

After Lan Jie's explanation, Xu Fan clearly understood the ins and outs of the matter.

No wonder Xia Sanjiu, even after fleeing overseas, couldn't stop thinking about the Xia Family.

The treasure map hidden inside the bronze box was indeed enough to keep it close to his heart.

As for Xia Hengzhou's disappearance, Xu Fan didn't have much opinion about it.

Everyone has their choices, after all.

And indeed, according to Lan Jie's manner of speaking, it probably would have only ended one way.

The Xia Family and Lingyan Pavilion would be destroyed together.

Over the years Xia Hengzhou had been missing, Xu Fan guessed that he must have been investigating the whereabouts of the other treasure maps.

Perhaps, he was even waiting for the right time to avenge Xiao Tianfang.

Intuition told him that Xia Hengzhou wasn't the type to be heartless and ungrateful.

"Then Lan Jie, what do you plan to do?"

Gathering his thoughts, Xu Fan asked Xiao Lan.

Xiao Lan gave a bitter smile and shook her head, saying, "Actually, I've never let go of this matter over the years."

"I always wanted to find those people and make them pay for my brother's life."

"But now..."

Xiao Lan looked deeply at Xu Fan and shook her head again.

The desire for revenge had never died, but at the same time, she didn't want to see another tragedy happen.

If she allowed Xu Fan to risk his life for her own selfish desires, she would regret it for the rest of her life.

"Xu Fan, let it be, let's just say it was my brother's fate."

Having harbored this obsession for so many years, Xiao Lan felt that it was time to let it go.

This time, she only hoped that Xu Fan would be fine.

Peaceful and safe, that was better than anything.

"That's not acceptable!"

At that moment, Xu Fan snorted unwillingly and then embraced her tightly.

"Lan Jie, our brother was a true man, and no matter what, this vendetta must be avenged!"

"We are one family, and your concerns are my concerns, Xu Fan's concerns!"

"..."

Seeing Xu Fan's indignant expression, a few black lines appeared on Xiao Lan's forehead.

"Xu Fan, take your hand off my leg, and I might be moved by those words," Xiao Lan said.

...

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