Speaking

"Lord Li!"

In the reception hall of Li Manor, Gu Sheng sat below while Li Yuan occupied the seat of honor. After exchanging greetings, Gu Sheng spoke first. "I came today because there’s something I’d like to ask you about."

As Gu Sheng spoke, he discreetly glanced at Li Yuan. He couldn’t shake the feeling that Lord Li seemed a little off today!

Li Yuan laughed heartily. "Young Brother Teng has a teacher-and-student connection with Jun’er, so we’re all family now. Why be so reserved? If you have something to say, just say it. Whatever Yuan can do, I’ll certainly do it."

"Has something happened to the Li Family?"

Gu Sheng was puzzled. Li Yuan had never been this warm toward him before. Showing such attentiveness for no reason—perhaps he had encountered some difficulty. But had he really become so desperate as to seek help from Gu Sheng?

Gu Sheng’s thoughts happened to coincide with Li Yuan’s, but Li Yuan certainly didn’t think he was acting out of desperation. He had once spent a great deal of money inviting an elder from Green Lake Island to examine Li Jun’s blocked meridians.

Even that elder had only shaken his head and told him that Li Jun’s condition could be resolved, but the item capable of solving it was of immense significance. Even Green Lake Island possessed very few of them, and it was impossible to find one on the outside black market. Thus, he should give up on the idea.

Afterward, Li Yuan had also inquired about it on the black market. The response he received was that treasures capable of cleansing the meridians and marrow were both priceless and unavailable. Even if one did appear, the major sects would monopolize it immediately. It was impossible for such a treasure to circulate outside.

Gu Sheng’s appearance had brought him immense delight, but it had also made him secretly speculate about the origins of Gu Sheng and Chu Xin. Chu Xin’s daily habits were extremely disciplined, so her background was certainly anything but ordinary.

Gu Sheng himself looked very ordinary, but Li Yuan didn’t dare slight him. Even their brief exchanges had benefited him greatly. He felt that these two must have a major power backing them.

The predicament facing the Li Family was no problem at all for certain major powers. It would only take a word from them. If Gu Sheng could resolve the matter, Li Yuan wouldn’t need to seek help from that extremely expensive Iron City Lord.

As for the price of asking Gu Sheng for help, they were acquaintances with some ties between them, after all. Surely Gu Sheng wouldn’t demand more than Iron City Lord!

"Lord Li, is there something you need help with?"

After exchanging pleasantries for a while, Gu Sheng became increasingly certain that something was wrong. He simply asked the question on his mind. He had only come to try his luck this time, and the thing he needed was no simple matter. In truth, he had little confidence.

"Well, heh heh… Young Brother Teng has seen through me, so I’ll have to trouble you."

Li Yuan let out two awkward chuckles and took a sip of tea to moisten his throat before slowly saying, "It’s like this…"

Li Yuan recounted the whole affair and pointed out that he was worried it might be connected to Zhao Yuanzuo. Then he glanced at Gu Sheng, who remained expressionless, and tentatively asked, "Young Brother Teng, do you have any elders with ties to Green Lake Island? Perhaps they could mediate on our behalf."

"Lord Li, did you just say that the Liu Family is connected to the bandits outside Wan City?"

Gu Sheng had instead noticed another issue. In the future, the Li Manor of Wan City would be wiped out within the city itself. The perpetrators had acted with extreme arrogance; even the bandits outside the city had pursued Li Jun and her mother after they luckily escaped.

If Teng Qingshan hadn’t happened to pass by and intervene, Li Jun would likely have met with disaster as well. Of the entire Li Family, including nearly a hundred servants and maids, only Li Jun would ultimately remain—a solitary orphan.

Li Yuan nodded and gave a bitter smile. "That’s right! It’s said that many of the bandits and mounted thieves outside the city are connected to the Liu Family. Much of the stolen property from merchant caravans passes through the Liu Family’s many shops.

"The Liu Family is a prominent local clan. They have more than a dozen fortified estates outside the city and have always acted tyrannically in Wan City. Later, they gained the support of Prefect Zhao Yuanzuo, and even the city lord from Iron Family of Green Lake Island thinks highly of them. If they weren’t asking for so much, I wouldn’t want to offend the Liu Family either."

"Could it be that this is why the Li Family will be wiped out in the future?"

Gu Sheng’s heart stirred. The original story had said little about the Wan City Li Manor, where Li Jun had been born. It had merely stated that the family was wiped out within Wan City, without even giving any specifics about the enemies responsible.

After spending so long in The Nine Cauldrons World, Gu Sheng had also learned a great deal about the realities of this world. As a world that was truly realistic, The Nine Cauldrons World naturally contained many circumstances that had never been mentioned in the novel.

Take massacres, for example. In the original story, many major powers casually wiped out entire families and slaughtered villages, acting in a bloody, brutal, and overbearing manner. Reality, however, was different. No major power would easily wipe out an entire family, especially within a city. Such a thing was not permitted.

The common people of The Nine Cauldrons World yearned for cities precisely because they were safe—unlike the world outside the cities, where the soldiers and authorities turned a blind eye to everything.

As the direct subordinate units through which the various major powers ruled, cities all had guards composed of martial artists. They were responsible for protecting the city, maintaining order within it, and safeguarding the lives and property of its residents.

Unless the city guards, acting as the official force, personally surrounded and exterminated a family, any massacre of an entire household would be a provocation against the major powers. The perpetrators would suffer terribly, so almost no one had the nerve to wipe out an entire family.

Li Yuan asked again, "Young Brother Teng, I wonder if you have any way to help?"

Gu Sheng pondered for a moment before saying, "I’m afraid I’ll disappoint you, Lord Li. Xiaojun and I are actually from Jiangning Prefecture. I’m merely an ordinary person with some abilities. Although Xiaojun is a disciple of Gui Yuan Sect, this is Wu’an County. If people from Gui Yuan Sect intervened, the situation would only become worse."

A thought stirred in Gu Sheng’s eyes. His strength had greatly increased, and he was now strong enough to rank on the Earth Ranking. If he stood up for Li Yuan, he might be able to settle the matter. However, he had no intention of doing so.

For one thing, his relationship with Li Yuan wasn’t close enough for that. For another, there was the reason he had just mentioned: a man from Jiangning Prefecture getting involved in a dispute in Wu’an County on behalf of someone else, especially when that person was connected to the prefect of Wu’an County. If someone exaggerated the matter and spread wild rumors, it could easily make things worse.

"I see…"

Li Yuan was somewhat disappointed. He had heard of Gui Yuan Sect of Jiangning Prefecture. But just as Gu Sheng had said, if people from Gui Yuan Sect intervened, they might draw Zhao Yuanzuo’s attention. And if matters got out of control after that, then…

"I wonder, Young Brother Teng, what brings you to my home?"

Li Yuan restrained his emotions. Although he was thinking about seeking Iron City Lord’s help, his attitude toward Gu Sheng hadn’t changed. He showed no impatience or intention of seeing his guest off.

"I came today for this!"

As Gu Sheng spoke, he emptied the tea from his cup. Then he took a small gourd from his waist and unscrewed the stopper. A rich aroma of wine filled the entire reception hall.