Chapter 478 - 289: Liu Wu!
Chapter 478: Chapter 289: Liu Wu!
"It was only for a moment, but I sensed his cultivation hasn’t reached the Upper Three Grades Realm. He should still be in the Middle Three Grades."
Zhao Liuan frowned slightly. "Fourth Grade?"
"No, I can’t be certain."
"His True Essence is profound, to be sure, but he didn’t exhibit the aura of a nascent True Gang, which is characteristic of the Fourth Grade Realm. I don’t believe he has reached it."
The Guard Commander said evasively, "Or... or perhaps he just didn’t reveal it."
Zhao Liuan was clearly not satisfied. "Is that all?"
The Guard Commander bowed his head. "I am ashamed. I await your punishment, my lord."
Most of the other guards reacted similarly.
After a moment of silence, Zhao Liuan waved his hand impatiently, dismissing them.
He even had to waste a few words to placate them.
But after most of the guards had left, a guard with delicate features remained kneeling on the ground.
Zhao Liuan glared at him coldly. "Why aren’t you gone?"
Who would have thought that as soon as he finished speaking, the guard began to twist his body and limbs bizarrely.
Like a shadow puppet being dangled by an artisan.
As he swayed back and forth, two scarlet glows suddenly erupted from his eyes.
Startled, Zhao Liuan quickly retreated a few steps. "Guards! Guards! Someone, quick!"
But no matter how he shouted, his surroundings seemed to be sealed off by something, and no sound could escape.
Just then, the guard seemed to finally notice him. His scarlet eyes fixed on Zhao Liuan as he let out a sinister laugh.
"It’s only been a few days. Don’t you recognize me?"
Zhao Liuan fought back the fear in his heart and stared at him. "You... you... you’re... Du Cang?!"
"Heh heh, besides me, who else would dare to brazenly barge into the Lord Governor’s residence?"
But just as Du Cang finished speaking, his eyes swept around the area, and he let out a sound of surprise.
"A master was here earlier?"
"There’s no mistaking this aura. It’s the scent of a Great Success Body Technique."
"Tsk tsk, the Great Wei Dynasty is truly teeming with talent. To think someone could achieve Great Success in the Dao of a Technique that is so easy to learn yet so difficult to master."
Zhao Liuan was stunned. ’Great Success Body Technique?’
He suddenly thought of the person who had delivered Asutai earlier and quickly said, "You... you’re right."
"Someone was here before. And... and they delivered Asutai to my lord."
"Oh?"
Du Cang’s tone held a hint of surprise. "Asutai... has been found?"
Zhao Liuan nodded, but just as he was about to reply, his expression changed.
He suddenly remembered—according to Liu Hong’s plan, they couldn’t hand Asutai over to Du Cang yet.
At least, Asutai could not leave the Liu Family estate until they received a reply from the Imperial Court.
Thinking of this, he gritted his teeth and said, "As for the specific details, it would be better for my lord to explain them to you."
Du Cang stared at him, thought for a moment, and said there was no hurry.
Then he ignored Zhao Liuan and began circling the courtyard on his own.
From time to time, wisps of aura glittering with black light drifted down around the area.
Within the spreading black mist, faint silhouettes could be vaguely seen.
Zhao Liuan didn’t understand what was happening, but the pressure on his body hadn’t lifted, making even a single step difficult. So he stood obediently in place.
However, he did understand Du Cang’s intention: he was investigating the mysterious person who had been there earlier.
"Besides the Body Technique, there’s another very familiar scent on him."
"Very familiar, very familiar... The scent my pet finds so familiar is..."
Du Cang chanted for a moment, the red glow in his eyes intensifying, and then he burst into laughter.
"I was wondering who it was. So it was him!"
Zhao Liuan quickly asked, "Who?"
"Liu Wu!"
"Liu Wu? ’Dragon Spear’ Liu Wu?!"
"How could it be..."
Du Cang’s laughter stopped short. He turned his head to look at him and asked coldly, "Are you doubting the keenness of my pet’s sense of smell?"
"No, no..."
"Hmph!"
"My pet’s sense of smell is indeed a bit dull, but that couldn’t hide the fact that Liu Wu was here for a considerable time."
"Just like the scent he left behind when he sparred with Liu Lang on the Chishui Riverbank. Some of it is bound to linger."
In fact, Du Cang had not been idle these past few days.
While hiding in the shadows, he was also searching for "Dragon Spear" Liu Wu.
He had not only gone to the ravine on the Chishui Riverbank ravaged by Spear Dao and Saber Dao, but also to places like West Market’s Heiyu Lane.
All in order to find some trace of Liu Wu.
Unfortunately, too much time had passed, and relying on his Black Magic God, he had only managed to catch an extremely faint scent.
A scent mixed with the fragrance of flowers and sandalwood.
This suggested that "Liu Wu" resided in an elegant and well-appointed house.
As Du Cang spoke, he looked around, shook his head, and said, "Let’s go. Take me to see Liu Hong."
Hearing this, Zhao Liuan didn’t hesitate. Once he felt the pressure on his body vanish, he quickly led him to the wing where Liu Hong was.
As they walked, he asked, "Since your... your pet can smell Liu Wu, it must be able to track him, right?"
Du Cang shot him a sidelong glance. "Do I need you to remind me?"
"If I could find him, I would have hunted him down and killed him already. But alas..."
’Alas, it’s raining tonight. Unless "Dragon Spear" Liu Wu stopped somewhere on his way here or back, there’s no way for me to track him.’
Of course, Du Cang wouldn’t say any of this out loud.
Before long, Du Cang arrived at a quiet room.
Liu Hong looked at his Liu Family guard uniform, a bit puzzled.
Zhao Liuan stepped forward and whispered a few words in his ear. Liu Hong frowned slightly, then his expression relaxed. He stood up and beckoned.
"Since you’re here, General Du, please sit and talk."
As he spoke, he gestured for Zhao Liuan to go out and close the door.
After Zhao Liuan left, Du Cang surveyed his surroundings. Seeing the Buddha statues and Immortal Paintings enshrined in the quiet room, he couldn’t help but sneer.
"Does Lord Liu also worship the Buddha and follow the Dao?"
Liu Hong said impassively, "I’m merely seeking peace of mind."
"Unlike your King Landu, who roams freely along the Ancient Tea-Horse Road, I, the Governor of Shu State, must always tread on thin ice."
Du Cang grinned, walked over, and sat down opposite him. "If Lord Liu were willing, His Majesty would surely welcome you with open arms."
"Heh, is that so?"
Liu Hong gave a noncommittal laugh, sat down, and said seriously, "You’ve come at a good time. Asutai has been found."
"I already know about that. Tell me, why did ’Dragon Spear’ Liu Wu bring him to you?"
"As far as I know, Liu Wu is supposed to be a Wandering Martial Artist. Even if he killed my man, Lv Jiunan, it should have been impossible for him to know Asutai’s whereabouts."
Du Cang’s confusion was understandable.
All the intelligence he had received stated that Liu Wu was a Spearman of supreme talent and that killing Lv Jiunan was likely an accident.
He couldn’t imagine what reason the man would have to abduct Asutai, only to then return him to Liu Hong.
It defied all logic.
Unless "Liu Wu" wasn’t a man of the Jianghu, but rather someone from one of Shu State’s great Noble Families or a high-ranking official in the Government Office.
Otherwise, it would be impossible for him to get involved in Imperial Court matters, much less concern himself with the conflicts between the Wei Dynasty, Poshisu Country, and the Barbarian Race.
That was the hallmark of an ordinary man of the Jianghu.
Hearing this, Liu Hong first nodded, then shook his head. "There is something you don’t know, General Du."
"That Liu Wu..."
He then laid out everything he knew about Liu Wu, and after explaining it all in detail, he concluded:
"If my guess is correct, then ’Liu Wu’ should be one of the Xiao Family’s men."
Du Cang’s scarlet eyes flickered. "The Xiao Family?"
He thought for a moment, then it dawned on him. "That is indeed a possibility."
"From what you’ve said about the burning of the Three Towns’ summer grain, your Liu Family suffered heavy losses, while the Xiao Family, in contrast, reaped considerable benefits."
"If that old man, the Emperor, hadn’t intervened, the Xiao Family would be living much more comfortably right now. At the very least, the five hundred thousand silver taels your Liu Family gave them wouldn’t have been needed to cover the grain tax deficit for the Three Towns."
Liu Hong nodded slightly, then continued, "But there is one thing I don’t understand."
"It seems the Xiao Family was also kept in the dark about ’Liu Wu’s’ help. I’ve tested Xiao Yuan several times, but he hasn’t let anything slip."
"I haven’t even found the slightest clue within the Xiao Family itself."
Du Cang let out a sinister laugh. "Xiao Yuan... That old relic, Duke Dingyuan, how could he be so easy to deal with?"
"In his day, he trampled through Poshisu Country and repelled the Barbarian Race’s grand army several times. Even now that he’s old and toothless, he is still a tiger."
"Be that as it may, after ’Liu Wu’ meddled in our affairs, I am now at risk of being exposed. Likewise..."
Liu Hong pointed at him. "...you will also have a hard time carrying out King Landu’s order—to avenge General Lv Jiunan."
Du Cang’s laughter died. He stared at him for a moment, then snorted coldly. "Trying to provoke me is useless!"
Liu Hong smiled and shook his head. "That was not my intention."
"Hmph! Regardless of your intentions, Liu Wu’s life is mine for the taking!"
"As for the Xiao Family... never mind."
"Before I leave, I will also give them a grand gift!"
Hearing this, Liu Hong beamed. "In that case, my thanks, General Du."
"Don’t mention it, don’t mention it. After all, you found Asutai..."