This scoundrel is a bit of a swordsman.

Chapter 173 The Chen Family Comes

On the first day, the Talent Show was like a disturbed beehive, with all sorts of unexpected situations arising, catching everyone off guard and ultimately ending in a disappointing failure.

All the major powers were like frightened birds, and withdrew early. Dali, Da Yan, and the Western Regions all regarded today's events as a major enemy.

Upon returning home, Li Jinxian was like an ant on a hot pan; his first priority was to write a letter back to China.

He came for the Poetry Festival, and the people he brought with him were all scholars who were too weak to even kill a chicken.

However, today's events struck him like a dagger, making him realize that his armed forces consisted only of Nan Jian, making it difficult for him to stand firm in this turbulent situation.

He desperately needed reinforcements, after all, the Great Qian had taken away the Heavenly Sword and would soon promulgate its regulations, which would surely lead to a thrilling and fierce battle.

In front of the world, neither the Second Sage nor the Great Qian would ever go back on their word; otherwise, they would be contradicting themselves.

Therefore, the battle for the Heavenly Sword is still to come, but this moment has given them a golden opportunity to gather manpower.

Burning City remained calm and peaceful, and the young monk Miaowu was as before. However, his request was like a pebble thrown into a calm lake, creating ripples.

If this had happened before the ancestral temple incident, this request would have been a natural progression.

However, nowadays, Emperor Wu's personal approval is required for the ancestral temple to be opened to the public.

This news came like a thunderbolt, causing not only the city of Burning Ashes to feel suspicious, but also the neighboring Dali and Da Yan to cast doubtful glances at them.

It is perfectly acceptable for monks to bow to any temple they see, so why were they refused?

Could there be a hidden secret within? All sorts of questions lingered in their minds like a tangled mess, refusing to dissipate.

After returning to her residence, Yan Yi was on high alert. She gathered several people, closed the door tightly, and meticulously analyzed what they had seen and heard, like a detective.

Liu Cai is the second most important person in the Da Yan team after Yan Yi. He was also responsible for taking over after Yan Yi left Xian Cai Tai.

There was another person, who was not particularly handsome and dressed as a servant, but was sitting at the same table with the others.

The man, resembling a servant, was middle-aged with a full beard; simply sitting there, he exuded a steadfastness like a mountain. The three of them were discussing Xiao Xingchen. Having witnessed Xiao Xingchen's many strange occurrences firsthand, the Great Yan had already sent people to thoroughly investigate him.

"The above is the information on Xiao Xingchen. This person is quite problematic."

Liu Cai gently put down the intelligence report in his hand, gazed at the middle-aged man, and awaited his reply.

"Yi'er, what's your opinion?"

The middle-aged man asked,

"Your Highness, I would like to approach this person myself."

"Uh? Why?" The man addressed as "Prince" turned his head, revealing keen interest.

“There are three reasons. First, Huangfu Lingxue is extremely concerned about him. Second, the Heavenly Sword protects its master. Third, this person killed Chen Hao and was still unharmed. There is a big problem here. I suspect he is Emperor Wu’s pawn.”

Yan Yi answered slowly,

"Young sword immortal, is it possible that the sword pillar we saw today was created by him?"

"Probably not. The man in black we saw today was a true master. Even the Martial Emperor and many other masters of the Great Qian Dynasty couldn't stop him. That kind of sword pillar was definitely not something a young sword immortal could wield. Moreover, when I arrived, Xiao Xingchen was already on the verge of death, which is enough to prove that the sword came from the man in black."

Upon hearing Yan Yi's answer, the prince pondered for a moment before speaking again.

"Don't forget the purpose of our trip. Although this young man is a bit strange, the focus is still on Huangfu Lingxue. We can make contact, but we must not lose sight of the main point."

"My subordinate understands."

Yan Yi and Liu Cai quickly stood up and bowed respectfully, their eyes filled with awe.

This shows how prestigious the prince's status was. The two walked out of the room together, and only when they were alone did Liu speak.

"Yan Yi, I've thoroughly investigated the Princess's residence, but I haven't found anything unusual. Do you really think she could be that person?"

Yan Yi stopped abruptly and answered hesitantly.

"It's really hard to know. All the royal offspring have been investigated, leaving only her. Therefore, she is the most likely candidate. However, the future is shrouded in mist, making it difficult to fathom. Just like my test today, with the Heavenly Sword in front of her, she remained as steady as Mount Tai, unmoved. Either we are going in the wrong direction, or her cunning is extremely deep, like the abyss of the sea, impossible to fathom. No matter which possibility it is, time will tell."

"Well then, let's continue the investigation. You were too hasty in bringing out the Heavenly Sword this time."

Liu Cai gave a seemingly casual reminder.

"I understand what you mean. The formation of the Talent Platform is still a bit weak. The appearance of the Heavenly Sword has not revealed the profound strength of the Great Qian Dynasty. But what does it matter? The Quasi-Sage has taken the Heavenly Sword away. When he takes it out again, it will surely bring us unexpected surprises, like the rising stars at dawn. Just like this turbulent lake, how can we see how many people are hidden beneath the surface if we don't stir it up?"

"Xiao Xingchen, this boy is rather strange,"

Liu Cai asked with doubt,

"It's more than just strange. Don't be impatient. Let's see what makes this Yong'an City of the Great Qian Dynasty so interesting."

Yan Yi smiled and turned to leave, as if she had something intriguing on her mind. This expression left Liu Cai completely bewildered, unable to fathom what this woman was planning.

Unbeknownst to anyone, Yan Yi had just received a secret report before arriving here: the Chen family of Hanhai had entered the city quietly under the cover of night, without causing the slightest disturbance.

They were so low-key; it's said that the Chen family sent a highly respected old man this time.

Thinking of Xiao Xingchen's matter, she knew that tomorrow would be a day of great upheaval, and a momentous drama was about to unfold.

What she needs to do now is to plant a few key pieces before the grand drama begins.

The night was as dark as ink. Three unremarkable carriages filed in and entered Yong'an City one after another. They drove past the Chen residence without stopping, as if they were just passing through, quietly passing in front of the Chen residence without arousing any suspicion.

Finally, the three carriages stopped beside a dilapidated courtyard. As an elderly man, frail and old, gently pushed open the gate, several people stepped out of the carriages. The leader, wearing a straw hat that completely concealed his face, hurried into the courtyard.

After confirming that no one was following him outside the gate, the seemingly frail old man, who walked with a trembling gait, quietly closed the gate. Everything was unusually quiet, without a single word, as if no one had ever been there.

Inside the courtyard, the visitor hurriedly entered the house, his caution reaching an extreme.

"This old servant greets the master."

In the candlelight, the figure wearing a straw hat gradually revealed a face that bore a striking resemblance to Chen Haoran. He nodded slightly.

"Uncle Hai, you've worked so hard all these years."

This man is Chen Han, the head of the Chen family of Hanhai, and also Chen Haoran's biological father.

“This is my duty. As Yong’an’s spies, we have always been waiting for the master’s orders. I just never expected that we would meet again under such circumstances. I cannot escape my guilt and hope that the master will punish me.”

A thick aura of death emanated from Haibo, as if the shadow of death was looming over him, clearly indicating that his time was drawing near.

This made Chen Han frown deeply. He swiftly stopped Hai Bo from kneeling down, as if by lightning.

"What exactly happened? Why are you also..."

Chen Han's brows furrowed deeply, his eyes filled with solemnity, as if heavy dark clouds were pressing down on his heart.

Haibo is no ordinary person. In his youth, he was a powerful expert at the seventh level of the Heavenly Realm. Although his cultivation level has declined like the setting sun, after so many years, he shouldn't have become so bloodless and devoid of vitality.

Moreover, with just this one touch, Chen Han felt as if he had been electrocuted by the shattered veins in Hai Bo's body, which were like a spider web. This made his body tremble violently, and he hurriedly helped Hai Bo sit down.