The Eldest Daughter Returns with Power

After the eldest and second eldest brothers steadied their breathing, they began to recount their experiences at the city lord's mansion that afternoon.

"I found a lot of people busy at the City Lord's Mansion today. Some were dealing with the bandits who suddenly appeared, and others were making arrangements for the martial arts tournament," said the second senior brother.

"I went to pay my respects to the city lord, but this time I felt something was off about him, though I couldn't quite put my finger on it," the eldest brother said, frowning.

"Oh? What's wrong?" Ruoruo pressed.

“A few years ago, when I was traveling the martial world, I visited the city lord of Fengyang City many times. At that time, although he was dignified, he did not give off such a cold feeling as he does today. Today, he feels like a stranger to me, and even makes me feel a little scared,” the senior brother recalled.

"In that case, this city lord is indeed a bit strange. Perhaps he has encountered some trouble recently, or has some unspeakable secret?" the second senior brother guessed.

"Regardless, we should still be careful. We can't let our guard down here," the senior brother reminded him.

"Yes, you're right. We need to stay vigilant and be prepared to deal with any unexpected situations." The second senior brother nodded, indicating his agreement with the eldest senior brother's point of view. He understood the potential dangers of this martial arts tournament.

"Alright! Let's go have dinner first, recharge our energy, and then sneak into the city lord's mansion tonight to check the situation." The eldest brother clapped his hands and suggested. Everyone nodded in agreement, and then Luo Chun called over the waiter and had him bring in a table of food.

After dinner, the eldest and second eldest brothers decided to sneak into the city lord's mansion that night to investigate the city lord's unusual behavior and any secrets that might be hidden within.

"Ruo Ruo, Luo Chun, you two stay at the inn and wait for our news," the senior brother said to Su Yunruo and Luo Chun.

Su Yunruo frowned and asked worriedly, "Why won't we go with them?"

"Ruo Ruo, this operation is extremely dangerous, and we need to minimize the possibility of exposure. You wait for us here, and you can provide timely support if anything unexpected happens," the senior brother explained patiently.

Su Yunruo nodded helplessly. Although she didn't want to be left behind, she understood her senior brother's concerns. So, she stayed in the room with Luo Chun, waiting for her senior and second senior brothers to return.

As night fell, the entire city of Fengyang was enveloped in tranquility. Moonlight spilled onto the stone-paved streets, illuminating the closed shops on both sides. The eldest and second eldest brothers quietly left the inn, dressed in black, and silently moved through the dark streets.

The City Lord's Mansion, located in the city center, was a magnificent building. Tonight, the mansion was brightly lit and exceptionally lively. The eldest and second eldest brothers cautiously approached the mansion's walls, observing their surroundings. They noticed two guards standing at the mansion's entrance, vigilantly watching their surroundings.

The eldest brother whispered to the second brother, "We need to find a way to bypass these two guards and get into the city lord's mansion."

The second senior brother nodded, took out a black smoke bomb from his pocket, and threw it into the air. Instantly, a thick smoke billowed out, enveloping the entire front courtyard of the city lord's mansion. Taking advantage of the guards being confused by the smoke, the eldest and second senior brothers quickly scaled the wall and sneaked into the city lord's mansion.

The eldest and second eldest brothers cautiously approached the city lord's mansion. They noticed that the number of guards outside the mansion was twice that of during the day, indicating that something important was indeed happening there tonight. They hid in the shadows, carefully observing the movements inside the mansion.

Suddenly, they saw several figures hurrying out of the mansion. Their movements were swift and orderly, as if they were carrying out some kind of mission. The eldest and second eldest brothers exchanged a glance and decided to follow them to see what was going on.

They secretly followed the figures and discovered they had arrived at a wasteland outside the city. There stood an abandoned temple in the wasteland; the figures entered the temple and vanished without a trace.

The eldest and second eldest brothers decided to sneak into the temple to investigate. They cautiously pushed open the temple door and found it pitch black inside. They lit their tinderboxes and discovered that the temple was dilapidated, but there were some strange objects placed on the altar in the center.

Just then, they heard a low, chanting sound coming from behind the altar. The eldest and second eldest brothers quietly approached and discovered a secret chamber behind the altar. The door to the chamber was ajar, and a faint sliver of light shone through the crack.

The eldest brother gestured for the second brother to stay where he was, while he carefully pushed open the door to the secret chamber. Behind the door was a spacious area where a person sat, with an ancient map and some mysterious talismans placed in front of him.

The eldest disciple immediately recognized the man; he was the city lord. The city lord seemed unaware of the eldest disciple's arrival, engrossed in studying the talismans.

The eldest brother decided to remain silent for now. He quietly left the secret chamber and returned to the inn with the second brother. They decided to find another opportunity to contact the city lord the next day to find out what he was planning.

Back at the inn, the eldest and second eldest brothers told Su Yunruo and Luo Chun about their findings. Upon hearing this, a resolute glint flashed in Su Yunruo's eyes: "We must find out what the city lord is up to. We'll go find him first thing tomorrow morning."

Luo Chun nodded nervously: "Miss, I will always stay by your side."

The four decided to get a good rest tonight and prepare for tomorrow's operation.

The next morning, the eldest disciple and his group arrived at the city lord's mansion. The guards stopped them and asked what they wanted. The eldest disciple explained that he wished to see the city lord. After the guards went inside to report, they quickly came out and replied, "The city lord invites you in." The group followed the guards into the mansion and into the main hall.

The city lord stood with his hands behind his back, his back to them. "What business do you have with me?" His voice was cold and imposing. The eldest disciple cut to the chase: "City lord, last night we discovered you conducting a mysterious ritual at the temple outside the city. What are you planning?" The city lord turned around, his gaze piercing as he stared at them. "How dare you pry into my private affairs!"

The atmosphere instantly became tense. Luo Chun couldn't help but step forward, shielding Su Yunruo. Seeing this, the city lord's lips curled slightly. "Fine, since you're so curious, I'll tell you. Recently, bandits have been rampant, and I'm searching for a treasure that can protect the city." "A treasure?" Su Yunruo asked疑惑地.

The city lord nodded. "That's right, this treasure is related to the safety of Fengyang City. I've obtained some clues and am currently investigating with all my might." The eldest disciple pondered for a moment. "We can help. Besides, the martial arts tournament starts tomorrow, and we'd like to do our part." The city lord gazed at them. "If you really want to help, I'm naturally welcome. Now is the time to use people."

“Alright, we agree,” the eldest brother answered decisively. The city lord nodded, took out a map from his pocket, and handed it to the eldest brother: “This is the information I currently have. You can use this information to conduct your investigation. If there is any progress or discovery, please notify me immediately.”

The eldest brother took the map, examined it carefully, and then put it away cautiously: "Thank you for the clues provided by the city lord. We will do our best."

After bowing to the city lord in farewell, the eldest disciple and the others turned and left the city lord's mansion. They walked slowly along the street, pondering how to conduct their investigation. On the way back to the inn, Ruoruo asked curiously, "Eldest disciple, do you really believe what that city lord said?"

The eldest disciple frowned, but hadn't had a chance to answer yet.

A rapid clatter of hooves echoed through the streets and alleys. Su Yunruo looked up and saw a troop of riders approaching them. Leading them was a man in brocade robes, exuding an air of grandeur—none other than the current Crown Prince, Si Yunchen. Beside him followed several guards and two handsome, distinguished men: the Third Prince, Si Yunyuan, who had treated her like a fool in her previous life, and her nominal brother, Su Wenhan.

When Su Yunruo saw Si Yunyuan, a surge of intense hatred welled up within her. She stared intently at him, her eyes flashing with fury. Luo Chun, standing nearby, suddenly felt a chill run down her spine and shivered, muttering to herself, "Why do I suddenly feel so cold..."

However, Su Yunruo paid no attention to Luo Chun's feelings at this moment; her attention was entirely focused on Si Yunyuan. She secretly told herself that she must make this person pay the price!