Lao Tzu is Ji Gong

"By the way, five days from now, Linghai City will be under martial law. Notify the city gate officers to be flexible and not just stand there like idiots being watched. All city gates will be heavily guarded and fortified. Each gate should be equipped with a team of archers with a full complement of bows and arrows. No mistakes are allowed."

"Yes... I understand." Li Longcheng nodded, took a deep breath, and accepted the order.

"The array needed for this raw stone, as well as those complicated procedures, will be set up by someone in person. I will let you know when that happens." The city lord paused for a moment.

"Yes, Your subordinate obeys." Li Longcheng gritted his teeth and forced a calm reply.

"Alright, I have nothing else to say. You should go back and get some rest." After thinking carefully for a while, the city lord nodded, and after confirming that there were no problems, waved his hand, indicating that Li Longcheng could leave. Then he turned around and walked back towards his bed.

"Your subordinate takes his leave." Li Longcheng never raised his head from beginning to end, his eyes never leaving the raw stone in his hand, his expression somewhat dazed.

After greeting the city lord, Li Longcheng walked out somewhat dazed. When he regained a sliver of reason and clarity, he found himself sitting in his study, with the unremarkable raw stone lying quietly on the desk before him. As for how he had returned or left the city lord's mansion, Li Longcheng had no recollection.

"Does this mean there's really no way to fix this?" Li Longcheng stared blankly at the rough stone for a long time before finally muttering these words.

"Uncle Huang, Uncle Huang, your son is incompetent and unfilial." As he looked, Li Longcheng's eyes suddenly welled up with tears again, but he held back, not wanting anyone to notice anything amiss.

"Who can guarantee that their closest confidant won't stab them in the back? Who can guarantee that their most trusted person won't speak ill of them behind their back or do shady things? Even those who are best friends can betray each other, let alone in a powerful family like this. Such a large family, such a vast business. Do you really think anyone wouldn't be envious? Of course not." As he spoke, Wen Long suddenly laughed.

"I think there probably will be, for example, the master, or Uncle Wenxiang. Aren't those two uninterested in this so-called power of the family head?" Han Hu tilted his head and thought for a moment before offering his opinion.

“No, that’s because you don’t know the real reason they don’t intervene.” Wen Long smiled and shook his head, denying Han Hu’s opinion.

Han Hu didn't respond. He knew it was best not to know too much about these things. Although he and Wen Long had a good relationship, he was ultimately just an outsider. There were some things he couldn't interfere with, couldn't fuss over, and certainly couldn't use his relationship to recklessly try to find out more.

There was nothing to say for a moment. Everything that needed to be said had been said, and everything that needed to be understood had been understood. After thinking for a moment, Han Hu stood up, said goodbye to Wen Long, and left Wen Long's bedroom.

Time always flies by when you have nothing to do. In the blink of an eye, the day that Wenlong and Hanhu had agreed upon arrived. That morning, Wenlong got up early, packed his bags, and left his bedroom to walk with Hanhu to the carriage that was already waiting outside.

Just as Wenlong had expected, his patriarch Wenmou did not interfere with his trip, but he also did not explicitly express his support for Wenlong. Instead, it seemed as if he tacitly approved of Wenlong's actions.

As for the people traveling this time, there were only Wen Long and Han Hu. Although the two of them seemed to be outnumbered, those who knew the details would not underestimate them. The Wen family's combination of a scholar and a warrior was quite famous in the martial arts world; it was a well-known fact that almost everyone knew about it.

"Your Highness, you were right this time. The old patriarch didn't interfere with our trip, but he still secretly mobilized many assassins to follow us closely. However, logically speaking, those who can become the old patriarch's assassins must have very high cultivation and skill, or they must be well-versed in concealment techniques. But this time..." Han Hu paused here, his expression a little strange, showing great curiosity.

“But this time, the assassins sent by the old patriarch actually let me see a trace of them. This is very illogical.” Han Hu voiced her doubts, wondering whether it was a mistake by the assassins or whether the trace they revealed was intentional.

“I felt it too. Although it was only for a moment, I could still clearly feel that trace. Logically speaking, given their cultivation and experience, they shouldn’t have made such a basic mistake. But you never know, we can only take it one step at a time.” Wen Long nodded after hearing Han Hu’s words, indicating that he agreed with Han Hu’s opinion, although Wen Long himself was a little confused.

"Forget it, let's ignore them. Those people are insignificant. I think as long as I'm alive, they won't show up, so they won't have much of an impact on our plans. We'll just have to play it by ear when the time comes." Although confused, Wenlong quickly came to terms with it.

The reason they're called "death squads" is that they're a group of ruthless, cold-blooded killers who show no fear of death. Moreover, these are the death squads of the old patriarch, Wen Mou, while Wen Long is merely a direct descendant of the Wen family. To put it more broadly, Wen Long is just a reserve force for the patriarch; these death squads wouldn't normally show themselves, let alone protect Wen Long's safety.

Moreover, the most important point now is that although Wen Long guessed that his patriarch Wen Mou would send assassins to follow him, he still hadn't figured out the true purpose of these assassins. Were they simply there to protect Wen Long's safety, or did they also have the purpose of gathering intelligence and monitoring him? For Wen Long, these things were still an unknown, an elusive concept.

"Your Highness, it's almost time. Shouldn't we hurry towards Linghai City?" Han Hu nodded after hearing Wen Long's words and said nothing more about the matter.

"Okay, let's speed things up. By the way, try to stay on the main roads and don't let those people lose us. Otherwise, we'll have to complain when we get back that we deliberately tried to shake them off and caused them a lot of trouble." Wen Long frowned and said with a hint of disgust.

“Then I think we should avoid taking the main road.” Han Hu shook his head, ignoring Wen Long’s advice.

“I think we should choose some more difficult routes, but ones that are more suitable for us. You know, if we deliberately choose the main road, it will make us look like we have something going on. Because if the two of us were to travel normally, we wouldn’t take the main road; we would choose the side roads instead,” Han Hu explained his understanding.

"Hmm, you're right. I was confused. Okay, let's do it your way." Wen Long nodded after hearing Han Hu's words, realizing what he meant. He had only been thinking about how to make those assassins give themselves away, and in the end, he almost got himself into trouble.

Looking at Wen Long, Han Hu gently shook his head and smiled. He didn't know what to say about Wen Long lately; Wen Long seemed a bit absent-minded. He had lost his usual composure and calmness in dealing with many things.

Wenlong is tired; Wenlong seems to be under too much pressure lately.

Chapter 1256 Conversation

"Xiu Chen, it's time for us to head to Tianwu Academy." Aside from what happened on the day we arrived at the Tonglai Inn, the past two days have passed peacefully. Wen Chong has recovered to about 70-80% of his strength and is able to move freely on his own. His fighting spirit has also recovered considerably. Although he's not quite at his peak, he can at least protect himself.

"Okay, I'll get ready, we'll set off right away." After seeing Wen Chong come to call him, Li Xiuchen nodded, took a sip of water, stood up, picked up the things he had already prepared, and went out to Wen Xiang's bedroom with Wen Chong.

"Uncle Wenxiang." When Li Xiuchen and Wen Chong pushed open the door and entered Wenxiang's bedroom, Wenxiang was sitting at his desk looking at something. Moreover, Wenxiang was older than Li Xiuchen and a generation above him. Although there had been some disputes before, they were now at peace, and it was only proper for him to call him uncle according to etiquette.

"Xiuchen, you're here! Come, sit down." Upon hearing Li Xiuchen's voice, Wenxiang looked up from the pile of letters in front of him and smiled at Li Xiuchen. He then stood up, walked around the desk, and went to Li Xiuchen's side, inviting him to sit down.

Although Li Xiuchen was a little puzzled as to why Wenxiang had suddenly become so enthusiastic, he obediently pulled out a chair and sat down, ready to listen carefully to what Wenxiang had to say next.

"Xiuchen, as we agreed when we entered Tianwu City, you and Wenchong will be going to Tianwu Academy today. There's nothing else going on at Tianwu Academy, just to find someone, it's not a very difficult thing." Wenxiang sat down next to Li Xiuchen, poured water for him, and said with a smile.

"Yes, I understand. So, Uncle Wenxiang, what are you trying to say? I think if it's just to meet one person, it should be fine for Wen Chong to go alone. After all, even the boldest people wouldn't be stupid enough to collude with Tianwu Academy, right?" Li Xiuchen looked at Wenxiang's expression, his doubts deepening.

Everyone knew about Wen Chong's accident, but in the two or three days since he woke up, he hasn't said anything about why he was injured, nor has he mentioned any information about the incident. They had thought Wen Xiang would ask and tell them about Wang Lin, or at least tell them a little bit, but contrary to their expectations, Wen Xiang remained completely silent on the matter.

Wen Chong, Wen Xiang, and Li Xiuchen had always been in a relationship of mutual exploitation. If Li Xiuchen had only found out about this later, it would have been understandable if Wen Chong and Wen Xiang hadn't told him. However, when Wen Chong returned from his accident, Li Xiuchen witnessed the entire incident in Wen Xiang's room, and neither of them said a word. This inevitably aroused Li Xiuchen's suspicions.

Although nothing much has happened in the past two days, Li Xiuchen keeps thinking that something is not quite right. He feels that everything he has encountered in Tianwu City this time is too coincidental, too unrealistic.

First, a traitor appeared at the Tonglai Inn, then Li Xiuchen learned some things, and then, while Li Xiuchen was discussing this with Wenxiang, Wen Chong got into trouble. If everything so far has been relatively natural, then what was the reason behind the hint of murderous intent that Li Xiuchen saw in Wen Chong? What was the reason behind the note Wang Lin gave Li Xiuchen? And what was the reason behind the impossible connection that Li Xiuchen learned in his room with that person?

After calming down and reflecting on the situation, Li Xiuchen felt that something had gone wrong, but it just made him feel very uncomfortable. And now, Wenxiang seemed to be being overly enthusiastic towards him.

So much happens in a single day, and so much is learned in a single day. But for the next two days after this storm, there was nothing unusually calm.

“That’s right, that’s indeed the case. But as you know, there are always some people in this world who like to break these rules. You’ll find out who the person you and Wen Chong went to see is when you get there. I’m sorry, I can’t tell you right now.” Wenxiang nodded after hearing Li Xiuchen’s words, smiling and affirming, but then ultimately rejected Li Xiuchen’s statement.

“I’ll know who it is when I get there, but how do you know that person will definitely know me, and I will definitely know that person? Uncle Wenxiang, aren’t you being a bit too presumptuous?” Li Xiuchen shook his head with a smile, not quite believing what Wenxiang was saying.

"Xiuchen, it's too early to say these things now. Why don't you go and see if you know him or not? Anyway, it won't do you any harm by doing this," Wenxiang replied to Li Xiuchen calmly.

“But Uncle Wenxiang, it seems we didn’t know each other before we met in that grove. But as soon as you came out of that grove, you told me you were going to Tianwu Academy. Don’t you think that’s a bit too strange?” Li Xiuchen leaned forward slightly, his eyes fixed on Wenxiang’s.

“That’s right, we didn’t know each other before that forest. As for why I told you to go to Tianwu Academy as soon as I left that forest, it wasn’t to see this person, but for something else. However, those things don’t seem so important now, so we’ve changed our plans.” Wenxiang nodded, answering Li Xiuchen’s question sincerely.

“Even if we change the plan at the last minute, that’s not a reasonable excuse. My Uncle Wenxiang, no matter how powerful your intelligence network is, I think someone of unknown origin and background like me…” Li Xiuchen paused here, adjusting his posture. “It’s only been two days, you can’t have found out anything, can you?”

"Hmm, I really can't find out. But I'm not really interested in your background or anything like that. You can say it if you want, or you can not if you don't. It's not a very important issue." Wenxiang smiled faintly, shrugged indifferently, and didn't take it seriously.

Although Wenxiang said that, Li Xiuchen did not speak. He was waiting for Wenxiang to continue, waiting for what Wenxiang wanted to say next.

“But Xiu Chen, you’ve forgotten something. This is Tonglai Inn, my place. I’m not saying I’m spying on you, but you should know that as long as I’m here, you’ll report any disturbance to me immediately.” Wen Xiang gently twisted his neck to relax.

“A couple of days ago, not long after you went back, a dark figure jumped out of your room. Although I don’t know who it was, I’m not an idiot, and I know that the figure has little to do with you. So, the reason I arranged for you and Wen Chong to go to Tianwu Academy to see that person is simply for your own good. Therefore, I hope you won’t refuse.” Wenxiang’s words were very sincere and reasonable.

"But that doesn't seem to prove anything. And it doesn't have any direct connection to what you said about me knowing that person. You said yourself that you're not an idiot, and neither am I." Li Xiuchen smiled and shook his head. Clearly, Li Xiuchen didn't quite believe Wen Xiang's reasoning.

“I know you don’t believe it, and if you did believe these things, I’d think I’d seen a ghost.” Wenxiang didn’t take Li Xiuchen’s attitude to heart, nor did he argue.

"However, based on the information my servants reported to me that day, I feel that the dark figure that ran out of your room that day looks a lot like someone I know. Well, no, I can't say I know him, I can only say I've met that person before. So I'd really like you to go and take a look, and confirm my guess."

“After all, that person rarely leaves the mountain, but this time he showed up at Tonglai Inn and even met with you. This makes me very curious.” Wenxiang seemed to be expressing his true thoughts.

"Hahaha, so you just wanted me to go and test the waters for you, right? And then, to put my mind at ease, you called Wen Chong out to keep me company." Li Xiuchen laughed when he heard Wen Xiang's words; he finally understood.

“That’s right, you can understand it that way.” Wenxiang didn’t refute Li Xiuchen’s words, but instead nodded honestly.

"So, this is a trap," Li Xiuchen chuckled dismissively.

"I don't know what you mean by 'Feast at Hongmen,' but I really hope you'll grant my request." Wenxiang raised an eyebrow, shrugged, and essentially resigned himself to the task.

"What I'm curious about is why you let Wen Chong go too. I think Wen Chong's injuries haven't fully healed yet. Aren't you afraid something might happen if you just let him go like this? If he could come back last time, his strength will be greatly reduced. If you run into him again, you're not expecting me to protect him, are you?" Li Xiuchen didn't answer Wen Xiang's question immediately, but instead glanced at Wen Chong, who had been sitting quietly to the side.

“Uncle Wenxiang, you wouldn’t want to put Wenchong in a dangerous situation, would you? There’s a huge gap in strength between Wenchong and me. If he can’t beat me, I’d just be throwing my life away.” Li Xiuchen glanced at Wenchong and then stared at Wenxiang’s face, trying to glean some clues from his expression.

"Of course I wouldn't put Wen Chong in a dangerous situation, and I don't expect you to be able to protect him. I'm sorry, my words may be harsh, but it is indeed the truth, as you know." Wenxiang said, glancing apologetically at Li Xiuchen in front of him.

Li Xiuchen did not show any dissatisfaction after hearing these words. He just nodded quietly, but his eyes never left Wenxiang's face.

"The reason I'm letting Wen Chong go to Tianwu Academy with you in his current state is, of course, because I have my own plans. Of course, I will also protect your safety and not let you fall into a dangerous situation. So, in the end, I've already arranged everything for you, and I've also arranged for people to protect you and Wen Chong. Now, it's up to you whether you go or not." Wen Chong smiled faintly.

"Aren't you going to tell me what exactly happened to Wen Chong?"

“I’m not planning to. I’ll tell you if I need to in the future. But right now, this matter has nothing to do with you, so I won’t tell you.” Wenxiang flatly refused to answer Li Xiuchen’s question.

“Alright! Since we’ve already come this far, I won’t refuse you. Tianwu Academy, I’ll go.” Li Xiuchen took a deep breath, stood up, and agreed to Wenxiang’s request. He didn’t detect a single abnormality on Wenxiang’s face.

"Alright, let's set off quickly then. I've already prepared a carriage for you outside, and we can leave now." Wenxiang saw Li Xiuchen stand up, so he stood up as well, and said to Li Xiuchen with a smile.

Li Xiuchen ignored Wenxiang and didn't look at him again. He turned around and walked towards the door. Wen Chong exchanged a glance with Wenxiang and quickly followed him out. Soon, the two walked out of the courtyard and disappeared around the corner. Wenxiang, who had been standing at the door watching Li Xiuchen and Wenxiang's backs, suddenly smiled after they disappeared.

"Master, you should know about Tianwu Academy, right?" As soon as Li Xiuchen stepped out, he saw a carriage. Without saying a word, he jumped on and said this to the driver.

"Okay, I know, I'll be there soon." The master nodded with a smile, and after seeing Wen Chong sit down, he flicked the reins and ran towards the Tianwu Academy.

Regardless of Wenxiang's intentions, Li Xiuchen had to go to Tianwu Academy this time. After all, he still had an unopened letter on his person.

Chapter 1257 Changing the Route

After boarding the carriage, Li Xiuchen quickly closed his eyes and began to rest. Wen Chong glanced at Li Xiuchen sitting in front of him, then also closed his eyes, without intending to exchange any further words with him. After a bumpy ride, the carriage carrying Li Xiuchen and Wen Chong finally arrived at the gate of Tianwu Academy.

"Gentlemen, we've arrived at Tianwu Academy." As the carriage came to a smooth stop at the foot of the mountain leading to the academy, the driver gently lifted a corner of the curtain and turned to speak to Li Xiuchen and Wen Chong, who were sitting inside. Wen Chong had already opened his eyes when the carriage began to slow down, while Li Xiuchen opened his eyes a short while after hearing the driver's words, looking as if he had just taken a nap.

After informing Li Xiuchen and Wen Chong, the coachman jumped off the carriage, gripping the reins tightly and standing respectfully to one side, waiting for them to disembark. Wen Chong didn't immediately open his eyes before Li Xiuchen did; he simply sat quietly beside him, watching and waiting patiently.

After Li Xiuchen opened his eyes, he turned his head slightly and glanced at Wen Chong, who was sitting next to him and looking at him. Then he got off the carriage without saying a word. When Wen Chong saw Li Xiuchen's actions, he followed him and jumped off the carriage. He then handed a few pieces of silver to the coachman standing next to him and gave him instructions.

"Go find a place to sit down, have a drink, and rest. Come back to pick us up in the evening. If we haven't come down by then, go back. Someone at the Tonglai Inn will settle your bill." Wen Chong spoke to the coachman in a very kind manner, with a faint smile on his face.

"Yes, yes, thank you, sir, thank you, sir." The coachman was extremely excited after accepting the silver coins from Wen Chong, and kept bowing and thanking him.

After giving his instructions, Wen Chong gently patted the coachman's shoulder, signaling him to leave, then turned and walked to Li Xiuchen's side. Like Li Xiuchen, he stood still, quietly gazing at the towering archway before him. After a short while, Li Xiuchen took a deep breath and spoke.

"Let's go, you lead the way."

Wen Chong didn't reply, but simply nodded slightly before lowering his head and walking forward, looking at the archway. Li Xiuchen followed behind Wen Chong, and the two didn't exchange any further words.

After walking for a while, Li Xiuchen realized that although he had walked for quite some time and passed through many places, he hadn't seen a single person. Looking around, Li Xiuchen couldn't help but feel a little puzzled. After a while, Li Xiuchen arrived at a larger square, but again, there was no one in sight, and Wen Chong remained unusually calm.

Li Xiuchen's heart skipped a beat, but he suppressed the impulse within him. He quickly took two steps forward and walked to Wen Chong's side. He looked around, feigning composure, and then asked Wen Chong, who had been walking silently ahead of him, with feigned curiosity.

"Wen Chong, we've been walking for so long and haven't seen a single person. Tianwu Academy is so big, surely there isn't a single person here?"

"Yes, but it's a bit difficult for you to see it today." Wen Chong didn't look at Li Xiuchen; his gaze remained fixed ahead, and he answered calmly.

"A bit difficult? Why? Did they all leave? Or did they go out for a holiday party?" Li Xiuchen felt a little annoyed by Wen Chong's ambiguous answer, so his tone was not very friendly. Li Xiuchen didn't know what Wen Chong had gone through. Although he hadn't interacted with Wen Chong much before, Li Xiuchen could clearly sense the changes in Wen Chong after his accident.