"What's wrong? Is something the matter?"

Seeing Xiao Chengyun's strange expression, Su Xuan became even more certain that a major problem had arisen within the Floating Cloud Sect.

"Little... Little Su."

It was unclear if Xiao Chengyun didn't know Su Xuan's name or was calling him that on purpose. "Could you tell me what your relationship is with those two?"

As he spoke, he was still gripping Su Xuan's hand.

"We're friends," Su Xuan said simply. "I saved their lives."

"Ah?" Xiao Chengyun's mouth fell open in disbelief. "Can you elaborate on how you saved their lives?"

"Let me ask you first, what's your relationship with them?" Su Xuan narrowed his eyes.

The two of them seemed to be sizing each other up, trying to determine if the other could be trusted.

"I am Lu Dongshan's adoptive father," Xiao Chengyun began slowly. "When he was just born, he was abandoned in the snow. I took pity on him and brought him back to the sect."

"Oh," Su Xuan nodded, giving Xiao Chengyun a long look.

When he had first met the old man, he had felt a strange affinity for him, which was why he had held back during their fight. It turned out he was Lu Dongshan's adoptive father.

"As for young Li, I've watched her grow up," Xiao Chengyun continued. "She has always called me Uncle Xiao."

"Uncle..."

Su Xuan glanced at Xiao Chengyun's deeply wrinkled face. He could easily pass for Qi Li's grandfather.

"Hehe!" Xiao Chengyun grinned. "I had a title when I was young, 'Blood-Hand Young Master Xiao,' so the younger generation in the sect likes to address me in a way that sounds younger. For instance, they'll just call me Martial Uncle instead of a more senior title."

"Ah, Blood-Hand Young Master Xiao..." Su Xuan's mouth twitched. "A pleasure to meet you."

"A pleasure to meet you as well." Xiao Chengyun shook Su Xuan's hand and asked, "Do you have a title?"

"I..." Su Xuan shook his head awkwardly. "I don't have one."

"Then what do you have?" Xiao Chengyun asked.

"I have money," Su Xuan replied.

Xiao Chengyun was left speechless.

They stared at each other for a moment.

Then, Su Xuan smiled. "I'm actually extremely wealthy, the kind that's ranked highly across all of China. Qi Li and Lu Dongshan were on a mission in the outside world when they were cornered by people from the Spirit-Taming Sect. Afterward, they were hunted by a mysterious organization. It was my financial power that saved them, time and again."

"This old man understands," Xiao Chengyun nodded deeply, murmuring, "We're on the same side."

"Yes. The same side," Su Xuan agreed. "So what happened to the Floating Cloud Sect? Where are Qi Li and Brother Lu?"

"It's not convenient to talk here. Let's go to the Enforcement Hall for a more detailed discussion."

"Alright."

"If we run into other disciples on the way, play along and let me save some face."

"No problem."

The two continued toward the Enforcement Hall, and sure enough, they encountered several disciples along the way.

"Hey, is that the menial disciple who caused a ruckus in the back mountains?"

"Look at his mismatched clothes. He's obviously a troublemaker!"

The disciples began to gossip the moment they saw Su Xuan.

Su Xuan paid them no mind, lowering his head and pretending to follow obediently behind Xiao Chengyun.

"Martial Uncle Xiao, why did you personally go to the back mountains to apprehend someone?" a disciple asked.

"I was bored and wanted to stretch my legs," Xiao Chengyun replied nonchalantly.

"You had to make a move yourself, Martial Uncle?"

"I just made a casual move or two." Xiao Chengyun pointed at Su Xuan. "And it scared this kid half to death."

"Martial Uncle Xiao is amazing!"

"Martial Uncle Xiao, please spare some time to teach us a few moves!"

"Martial Uncle Xiao, I have a few jars of fine wine. I'll bring them over to you later!"

The disciples didn't miss the chance to start flattering Xiao Chengyun.

Shortly thereafter, Xiao Chengyun led Su Xuan into the inner chamber of the Enforcement Hall.

The chamber was empty. Xiao Chengyun closed the door and once again grabbed Su Xuan's hand. "Little Su, sorry about that display earlier. You were put in an awkward spot."

"It's nothing," Su Xuan waved it off casually, glancing around the chamber. "We're talking in here?"

"Yes, right here." Xiao Chengyun led Su Xuan to a tea table and gestured for him to sit. "This is our territory. You can speak freely."

"Good." Su Xuan nodded. "What exactly happened to the Floating Cloud Sect?"

"It's all very strange!"

Xiao Chengyun personally poured Su Xuan a cup of tea and lowered his voice. "After Qi Li and Lu Dongshan went down the mountain, the atmosphere in the sect became unusual. As for how it was unusual, this old man can't quite put his finger on it. Later, we heard that the two of them had caused trouble and killed Yan Xiaosong of the Spirit-Taming Sect. Then, the Spirit-Taming Sect declared war on us, and after that... Sect Leader Qi ran away!"

"The Sect Leader of the Floating Cloud Sect ran away?" Su Xuan was astonished.

"Yes, Qi Li's father, Qi Qingshan, ran away!" Xiao Chengyun confirmed with a nod.

"Is that really true?" Su Xuan found it hard to believe.

A sect leader abandoning his entire sect and fleeing just because of a little trouble? It was as absurd as a company's CEO disappearing the moment stock prices fell. Utterly ridiculous.

"You don't believe it, do you?" Xiao Chengyun said, looking at Su Xuan's face.

"Of course I don't," Su Xuan stated.

"See? I knew you wouldn't." Xiao Chengyun tapped his fingers on the table. "I don't believe it either! No one who knows the situation believes it!"

"Qi Li and Brother Lu were framed. Yan Xiaosong was killed by an outside force," Su Xuan said with a frown. "I suspect your Sect Leader Qi didn't just run away. He was probably captured. The Floating Cloud Sect has likely been infiltrated, which means Qi Li and Brother Lu, as the ones at the center of this, must be in terrible danger. Am I right?"

"You are!"

Before Xiao Chengyun could respond, a crisp, pleasant voice came from behind a screen.

A young woman in a red dress with two long ponytails walked out.

"And who might this be?" Su Xuan glanced at the young woman and asked Xiao Chengyun.

"She's Dai Zhuyue, the daughter of the Enforcement Hall Master," Xiao Chengyun introduced. "She's also one of us."

"Su Xuan."

The young woman sat down confidently at the tea table and slapped a piece of paper onto it. "You signed our guest reception form last night. You are indeed our honored guest, not some menial disciple."

"Right, an honored guest," Su Xuan shrugged.

"But your identity is suspicious, and we have no reason to trust you," the young woman said, adjusting one of her long ponytails. "You wrote your address as 88 Houhai Street. You're from the secular world, so how could you have such a high cultivation level? Neither Zhu Jin nor Martial Uncle Li could withstand a single move from you! Where in the world below could someone like you possibly come from? How did you manage to achieve such a high level of cultivation?"

Faced with the young woman's interrogation, Su Xuan was trying to come up with a random excuse when Xiao Chengyun spoke up. "He said he has money."

The young woman was momentarily speechless, then frowned. "Money?"

Su Xuan quickly added, "I'm not just rich; I'm incredibly rich. The butler I employ is an unparalleled master. He was my first teacher on the path of cultivation!"

The young woman blinked. "An unparalleled... master?"

"That's right, an unparalleled master!"

Suddenly, without any warning, Su Xuan raised his hand and struck out toward the young woman's delicate, graceful body...

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