Chasing after her husband? Is it even possible to win him back?

Looking into Chu Xunfeng's calm, dark eyes, Longquan Sword Master simply gave up thinking and spoke instead, "Please enlighten me, Gentleman Leng."

"It's actually very simple, just an intuition." Chu Xunfeng raised his hand and tapped his forehead. "I don't know where the Blood Eye Blood Blade in Kamakura Castle came from, and I'm completely baffled by the whole story, but... there is corroborating evidence."

“Corroborating evidence?” Leng Shaojun raised his hand to stop Chu Xunfeng’s words. He frowned and pondered for a while, reviewing everything that had happened from the moment the Longquan Sword Manor caravan entered the city until tonight. Finally, he opened his eyes and said, “You mean, the prefect’s visiting card!”

Chu Xunfeng nodded, confirming Leng Shaojun's guess. "When we entered the city, I was right next to Jiang Min. I know he only mentioned the identity of the caravan to the city guards. To outsiders, this caravan didn't have you, the leader of the Longquan Swords, in its ranks."

“But less than an hour after entering the city, a formal invitation arrived, specifically asking for your name.” Chu Xunfeng stared at Zuo Shaojun. “In other words, although we only got involved after the Blood Eye and Blood Blade incident, Longquan Sword Manor was involved in the whole scheme from the very beginning.”

“Of course.” Chu Xunfeng ignored Zuo Shaojun’s gloomy expression and continued, “I’m not sure, so I’ll just stay here and see how things develop.”

"result......"

Needless to say, just as Chu Xunfeng had guessed, the Blood Eye and Blood Blade that Constable Lian had mentioned had come knocking on their door tonight.

Zuo Shaojun remained silent for a while, then suddenly spoke, "Brother Chu, I have a question for you."

"Go on," Chu Xunfeng said casually, crossing his arms as he watched Jiang Min and Yun'er repeatedly withstand the Blood Eye Blood Blade and force it back.

"Why are you wary of me?" Zuo Shaojun squinted at Chu Xunfeng, who still seemed reserved about his views on the whole matter.

This time, it was Chu Xunfeng's turn to be puzzled. He raised his eyes and carefully examined Zuo Shaojun, whose expression remained unwavering. After a long silence, he finally spoke, "Do you really want to know?"

"Hmm?" Zuo Shaojun raised an eyebrow, seemingly asking in return, "Otherwise what?"

"Have your men withdraw and let Blood Eyes and Blood Blade operate. Do you dare?" Chu Xunfeng did not directly point out that there was a problem with the goods being escorted by Longquan Sword Manor, but instead used a compromise.

Chu Xunfeng and Zuo Shaojun both understood that the blood-eyed, blood-bladed creature was aimed at the goods parked in the stable.

“Why not?” Zuo Shaojun squinted. “It’s just a few boxes of low-value minerals. I don’t believe that Blood Eye Blood Blade can take away all the minerals in several carts. Yun’er, Jiang Min, step back. I want to see what Blood Eye Blood Blade is going to do with those pieces of scrap metal.”

Yun'er, who was fighting with the shadowy figure, heard Zuo Shaojun's voice and immediately retreated two zhang away, carrying her sword in one hand.

Once Yun'er retreated, Jiang Min was left alone to deal with the blood-eyed, blood-bladed creature. Jiang Min, who should have obeyed the young master's orders, did not retreat.

"Jiang Min." Zuo Shaojun's eyes narrowed slightly as he looked at Jiang Min, whose ruthlessness had intensified, and his tone suddenly became more serious.

"Young Master, I cannot comply!" Jiang Min shouted angrily, threw a punch, and with a swing of his arm, knocked Blood Eye Blood Blade back three steps. He was panting heavily, his eyes fixed on the black figure that had suddenly stopped.

Zuo Shaojun looked at Jiang Min, who had confessed without being asked, and after a long silence, turned to look at Chu Xunfeng.

Chu Xunfeng simply shrugged.

It seems my deduction was a bit wrong. On the surface, Zuo Shaojun was in charge of the convoy, but in reality, Jiang Min was the one truly responsible for escorting the goods. Only Jiang Min was the person in charge who really knew what the goods in those trucks were.

It can be described as a layered cake, with one layer on top of another.

In the end, Zuo Shaojun became the outsider.

However, Zuo Shaojun was not stupid. When Jiang Min said that she could not comply, Zuo Shaojun did not put any further pressure on his people. Under such circumstances, his judgment and choice were still to trust Jiang Min.

"Yun'er, Luan'er, go help Jiang Min."

As soon as Zuo Shaojun finished speaking, the black mist surrounding Blood Eye Blood Blade, who was standing three zhang in front of Jiang Min, suddenly boiled like water, and a chilling aura suddenly surged from the figure.

Everyone saw it clearly: the bloodshot eyes faded, and the blood-red blade disappeared into the air along with the surge of Yin energy, leaving only a wisp of fire that vanished in an instant, ultimately leaving no trace whatsoever.

The dark figure arrived silently and disappeared in an even stranger way.

Everyone carefully observed using their own investigative methods, and in the end, they all arrived at the same conclusion.

They vanished without a trace.

However, at this moment, the matter of the shadowy figure was secondary. In front of the inn's gate, Jiang Min let out a long sigh, raised her eyes, and looked up at Zuo Shaojun and Chu Mo at the window. Her gaze then unconsciously drifted towards the area where the goods were piled up in the stable, and she remained silent.

"Wait in the main room on the first floor." Zuo Shaojun glanced at Jiang Min, and seeing Jiang Min bow to him with clasped hands, he turned his gaze to Chu Xunfeng. "Brother Chu seems to have sensed something was wrong with the goods we were transporting?"

"Ah, I have a vague feeling about it." Chu Xunfeng nodded. "You really don't know what's going on?"

"If I had known, perhaps I wouldn't have been so foolish as to expose the problem with our convoy." Zuo Shaojun's expression was somewhat gloomy. He had been certain that the goods escorted by Longquan Sword Manor were without any issues, but now he had contradicted himself.

Regardless of what that dark figure was, or whether anyone was paying attention, the situation of that truckload of goods could probably no longer be concealed.

"Brother Chu, why don't you come with me to ask Jiang Min?" Zuo Shaojun looked at Chu Xunfeng with a somewhat gloomy expression.

He trusted Chu Xunfeng even less than Jiang Min.

After all, Jiang Min had worked for Longquan Sword Manor for decades. Zuo Shaojun had known Jiang Min since he was old enough to understand. He knew Jiang Min's character and how he did things very well. Otherwise, he wouldn't have let Jiang Min's disobedience go so easily before.

Chu Xunfeng, on the other hand, had only known him for a few days, and everything he knew about him was basically hearsay. Moreover, Chu Xunfeng's personality was too calm and composed, making him difficult to fathom.

Anyway...

Chu Xunfeng has already been dragged into this matter.

Getting out of there won't be that easy.

However, Chu Xunfeng didn't actually mind.

"I am naturally curious as well. If you are not afraid that I will learn the secret of Longquan Sword Manor, I would like to hear the details."

Chapter 10, The Swordsmith

In the lobby of the inn, the waiter was dismissed, and not only the innkeeper's people, but also some of the caravan's men were dispersed by Jiang Min. At this moment, only the two people were in the huge hall.

Yun'er stood beside Jiang Min, seemingly accompanying her, but in reality, she was no different from a guard. Jiang Min herself understood this, so she sat obediently.

Footsteps came from the stairs, with Zuo Shaojun leading the way and Chu Xunfeng following behind Jian Kui, step by step.

"Yun'er, go back to your room first."

"Yes." Yun'er nodded, glanced at Chu Xunfeng who was following Zuo Shaojun down the stairs, and then quietly went upstairs.

Zuo Shaojun walked to the opposite side of Jiang Min, pulled out a chair and sat down. Chu Xunfeng stood next to Zuo Shaojun, without sitting down, casually leaning against a pillar, looking down at Jiang Min, and making eye contact with the bearded man.

Jiang Min's expression was unexpectedly calm; he seemed to have little emotional response to Chu Xunfeng's series of actions.

Chu Xunfeng, on the other hand, was even more indifferent. After all, he was still somewhat of an outsider in this matter and didn't need to care about it.

"Tell me, what exactly are these goods we're transporting?" Zuo Shaojun's emotions were very cold. At this moment, Longquan Sword Master was completely suppressing his temper and emotions, which is why he appeared so indifferent.

“Young Master, I cannot say.” Jiang Min slowly raised her head and looked at Zuo Shaojun. “This is the Master’s order.”

"If you don't tell me, do you think I won't go see for myself!" Zuo Shaojun clenched his fist, his gaze fixed on the man sitting in front of him. "Jiang Min, you've been escorting goods and making shipments at Jianzhuang since I can remember. In other words, you've watched me grow up and know what kind of person I am."

Jiang Min fell silent.

He knew exactly what kind of person Zuo Shaojun was.

Arrogant and domineering, with a fiery temper, his emotions come and go quickly, and he is capricious to the point of being somewhat neurotic. The fact that he is communicating with me calmly at this moment shows that he is already furious. This conversation is actually giving Jiang Min a chance to confess.

Just as Zuo Shaojun himself said, even if Jiang Min didn't say anything, wouldn't he have gone to see for himself?

What's the point of hiding it then? Is he going to fight with the young master just because the master ordered him to?

“I said,” Jiang Min sighed deeply, “it’s Yin Soul Pearls. Not just this batch, but the goods that the young master helped us transport several times before were also Yin Soul Pearls.”

Zuo Shaojun's pupils contracted, and a hint of horror involuntarily surfaced on his face.

Chu Xunfeng's gaze was completely unfocused as he looked up at the ceiling, as if he were lost in thought.

In reality, Chu Xunfeng was looking at the panel that popped up by the system.

The moment Jiang Min uttered the words "Yin Sha Pearl," a notification panel popped up from the system.

[Yin Sha Pearl: A special item formed by ghost cultivators condensing Yin Sha energy. When a ghost cultivator vanishes from the world, only the Yin Sha Pearl remains, serving as the last trace of their existence.]

"So what? Our Longquan Sword Manor is transporting the Yin Sha Pearl to do..." Zuo Shaojun stopped mid-sentence, realizing something, and subconsciously turned to look at Chu Xunfeng, who was standing not far behind him.

Chu Xunfeng turned his gaze away from the system panel and looked at the two people sitting at the table. "Although I'm very curious to know what consensus you've reached, it seems you're not going to tell me?"

Neither Jiang Min nor Zuo Shaojun gave Chu Xunfeng a response, so Chu Xunfeng could only shrug regretfully, "In that case, you can talk about your own Longquan Sword Manor's affairs, I won't get involved."

Chu Xunfeng was about to leave when Zuo Shaojun, to the other two's surprise, called out to him, "Brother Chu, wait a moment. Now that you know about the Yin Sha Pearl, I might as well tell you the rest frankly, but..."

"You're keeping it a secret, right?" Chu Xunfeng paused, turned back to look at Zuo Shaojun, "But if that's the case, why tell me instead?"

Before Zuo Shaojun could reply, Chu Xunfeng had already answered his own question, "I'm afraid that if I go out to inquire, I'll just expose this matter instead..."

Chu Xunfeng looked at Zuo Shaojun, whose expression was as uncomfortable as if he had swallowed a fly, and nodded slightly. "It seems I guessed right."

"Alright, sit down." Zuo Shaojun withdrew his gaze and looked at Jiang Min. "Jiang Min, what is it?"

Jiang Min looked at Zuo Shaojun, who was resolute in his attitude, and then at Chu Mo, who had walked back to his original spot and leaned against the pillar. She sighed and said, "The relationship between the Yin Sha Pearl and Longquan Sword Manor has to be traced back to seventy years ago."

Seventy years ago, the previous owner of Longquan Sword Manor, who was also Zuo Shaojun's grandfather, produced a swordsmith in Longquan Sword Manor.

Although this person's talent for cultivation is not great, when it comes to weapon forging, he is a rare genius in this world, whether it is the basic metal smelting, forging techniques, or even the selection of materials and the bold innovation and modification of weapon shapes.

However, as the saying goes, there is often no clear dividing line between genius and madness. This swordsmith, in the end, went astray amidst the adoration of countless weapon enthusiasts and his obsession with researching and modifying weapons.

This person's talent in cultivation was already fixed, making it difficult to make any progress. However, he possessed extraordinary talent. The swordsmith was not satisfied with his own cultivation level, so he set his sights on the area where he was more proficient.

Sword forging.

Even the most powerful divine weapon can only unleash one or two tenths of its power without cultivation. What a swordsmith desires is a weapon that can enhance his own combat power, allowing him to control other weapons with weapons.

Upon hearing this, the concept of a spirit artifact involuntarily popped into Chu Xunfeng's mind.

The young man asked the system with his mind, and the system's answer was clear: it was impossible; it was no longer possible for any divine weapon in the three regions of the Nine Provinces to give birth to a weapon spirit.

Chu Xunfeng calmly withdrew his attention. The system's prompt might indeed be saying that in this world, there really were divine weapons capable of giving birth to spirits.

And the story Jiang Min told continues.

The swordsmith had read about weapon spirits in ancient books, but even after studying all the records in the books of the Nine Provinces and Three Regions, he still could not make the weapons he forged possess sentience.