Super System in the Early Tang Dynasty

Cups, plates, bowls, and chopsticks were set out to welcome Wang Xiucai and his companions, and even the two head guards, Zhou Da and Sun Er, were seated at the table.

The old man and the old man in charge looked at the two men, who were full of vigor and had bronze skin, and exchanged a glance, a look of shock flashing in their eyes!

"I toast to you all with this glass of wine, thank you for taking care of my child!" Old Master Li Gao stood up and bowed to the group.

Although they all called Li Xingzhi their master, the old man still only regarded Li Xingzhi as a child, someone they followed and took care of! If you said that Li Xingzhi had won them over, the old man would never believe it.

When the two burly men saw that Old Master Li Gao had actually stood up and was toasting them, they quickly stood up, bowed, and returned the gesture with great courtesy!

"Grandpa, you're too kind to us! I don't want to be skinned alive by Ah Lang again!" The lean, burly man jumped to the side, his eyes gleaming, and shouted as if begging for mercy.

The old man was taken aback by their strong reactions, then smiled and finished his drink.

Old Master Li Gao was using the pretense of toasting as a way to test the group—he didn't believe Li Xingzhi could subdue the three men in front of him, one a scholar and the other a warrior. He simply wanted to test Li Xingzhi's standing in their hearts so he could make arrangements accordingly.

No need to say more, experience truly matters!

However, the result far exceeded the old man's expectations—

"Alright! Sit down and eat!" Li Xingzhi looked at Sun Er, who was determined to stand there without saying a word, and felt both annoyed and amused.

"Thank you, Ah Lang!" This time, Sun Er was not as casual as before. He bowed respectfully to Li Xingzhi before sitting up straight.

Li Xingzhi might not understand what the old man meant, but his son, Sun Erhouzi, knew it very well and simply went through the motions.

"Alright, alright! Everyone, let's eat!"

The situation was much better than the old man had expected, and he immediately became cheerful and invited everyone to eat.

In an instant, cups, plates, bowls, and chopsticks flew about, and soup and rice were mixed together—with two burly men around, the sound of "cuo" never stopped, like the best accompaniment. In a moment, the atmosphere became lively, and even the two elderly people who usually ate little ate a big bowl more!

In the study of the Li family mansion, the lamplight flickered with a yellowish hue, casting long shadows of an old man and a young man.

"Good child, you've kept this from your grandfather for so long!"

Li Xingzhi looked distressed, handed the old man a bowl of clear tea, and said, "I went traveling last year and haven't paid attention to anything there since. I don't know when they built that restaurant."

"You! I see others have sold off all your assets, but you probably don't even know it!"

"Hehe, isn't this a case of 'if you doubt someone, don't use them; if you use someone, don't doubt them'?"

"You've learned military strategy quite well, but don't be like Zhao Kuo, who only knows how to talk about war on paper! It seems your grandfather still has a lot to teach you, lest you, this unworthy descendant, ruin the entire Li family's legacy!" As he spoke, the old man's expression gradually became solemn and serious. He looked at Li Xingzhi with sharp eyes, as if Li Xingzhi had already squandered the Li family's fortune!

Seeing that the old man looked like he was about to entrust his affairs, Li Xingzhi quickly put down his teacup and changed the subject, asking, "Have you caught the spy who leaked the wine recipe?"

"They've already run away! I sent men to chase them, but I'm afraid they won't be able to catch them!"

"If we can't catch him, so be it. He's just a petty thief. I just wonder who's behind him?"

"Hmph! It's just those same few companies..."

Night fell, and dark clouds obscured the moon!

A man carrying a lantern hurried to the outside of the study, nodded to the armored guards outside, and went up to knock on the door.

"what's up?"

"Master, there's a burly man covered in blood lying outside the door, saying he's looking for the young master—"

Just then, a clear, youthful voice rang out, "Take him to the side hall and settle him in. I'll be right there!"

Li Xingzhi was still puzzled, wondering who it was, as he didn't know anyone in Chang'an...

Li Xingzhi left the study and, accompanied by several servants carrying lanterns, went to a side hall of the main hall.

Before even entering, Li Xingzhi could smell the overwhelming stench of blood, which made him frown before stepping inside.

On the floor to one side of the side hall, a burly man lay sprawled, his clothes tattered and mangled. The bloodstains on his clothes had already begun to congeal, but some of the wounds were clearly fresh.

The burly man, covered in blood, lay on the ground. Hearing footsteps, he tensed up and shouted, "Who?!"

"I!"

The burly man struggled to lift his head and glanced at Li Xingzhi. "Young Master Li?"

Li Xingzhi looked at the disheveled, blood-stained, and foul-smelling man in front of him and asked uncertainly, "Zhang Daniu?"

"I'm Da Niu!!" As soon as he finished speaking, this burly man actually started to cry on the ground!

"Dead, all dead—" The voice was filled with unspeakable sorrow!

"Who died?" Li Xingzhi had a bad feeling. "Could something have happened to the Wang family? That shouldn't be the case!"

"Those brothers, the brothers from the martial arts arena! They're all dead—" The voice was shrill and terrifying. Li Xingzhi looked at the burly man's bloodshot eyes, filled with despair and a desire to devour someone, and for some reason, he also felt a chill run down his spine!

"Martial arts arena? What martial arts arena?" Li Xingzhi vaguely felt that he had grasped something.

"It's the 'Eagle Soaring Martial Arts Arena' you've been looking for..." The burly man's eyes widened in anger, his voice gradually losing strength.

"Eagle Soaring Martial Arts Arena? Wasn't it gone more than a decade ago?"

"The martial arts arena is gone, but not everyone was killed. A few, including myself, escaped and went into hiding, secretly taking on disciples to teach Eagle Soaring Martial Arts. The practice has never been completely discontinued..."

"Who are the people chasing you? Will they find their way here?" Li Xingzhi couldn't bear the thought of the old man, who was already quite old, being frightened because of his situation.

"Probably not! -- I've been investigating what happened back then all these years. I was just an ordinary disciple at the martial arts arena back then, and I had no idea what happened. Overnight, this huge martial arts arena was destroyed!" The burly man took a slight breath, his body seemingly even weaker, and then said in an even softer voice, "I only found out that the people who were chasing us were related to Zhen Baoxuan in Luoyang..."

"Zhen Baoxuan?" Li Xingzhi felt that it seemed somewhat familiar.

Seeing the burly man's face gradually turn pale, he quickly took a bright green pill from his person and stuffed it into the man's mouth.

Zhang Daniu felt the pill transform into a warm current as it entered his mouth, flowing down his throat and circulating throughout his body. His strength slowly returned, and he felt a deep drowsiness creep into his head, his eyelids growing heavier and heavier...

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Thanks to hp and Pig King!