Killing Monks

"Something must have happened!" Chu Kuangjun said immediately after hearing this.

Although he was devastated, he was still thinking: "It's just a banquet. Even if the host is very hospitable, they shouldn't be so reluctant to send a message."

"That reaction from the doorman... clearly shows he's hiding something!"

Guangyuan nodded: "That's exactly what I was thinking. So, I'm going to sneak into the Tang residence later to find out what's going on."

"I'll go too!" Chu Kuangjun said immediately, his tone resolute.

"You..." Guangyuan looked at his drunken, flushed face and the pile of empty wine jars next to him, the meaning of which was self-evident.

"It's alright!" Chu Kuangjun waved his hand, took a deep breath, and quietly circulated his internal energy.

A faint white mist rose around him, the smell of alcohol quickly dissipated, the drunkenness in his eyes faded at a visible speed, and his complexion returned to its usual fair color.

"The 'Strengthening the Body Exercise' taught by my master has other uses, but it is particularly effective in helping to counteract the effects of alcohol."

He moved his wrists, and apart from looking a little tired, he no longer showed much signs of drunkenness.

"Besides, Brother Lu is also my friend. How could I stand idly by if he were in danger?"

Seeing that he was indeed much more awake, Guangyuan said, "Alright. Let's go together then."

The two quickly paid for their drinks and avoided the onlookers at the restaurant entrance.

They found a secluded spot, slightly altered their attire, and avoided the main gate of the Tang residence, instead going around to a relatively hidden corner on the side of the mansion, concealed by trees outside the wall.

They exchanged a glance, then simultaneously gathered their energy, their bodies as light as feathers, and silently vaulted over the nearly ten-foot-high wall, landing in the Tang family compound like raccoons.

The mansion was indeed unusually quiet, consistent with the cold and oppressive atmosphere that Guangyuan had felt outside the gate a few days earlier.

The courtyard was deep and secluded, yet few people were seen moving about, and even the lanterns seemed to be hung more sparsely than in ordinary homes.

An atmosphere of unease and despair permeated the air.

Just as the two were about to sneak up and investigate, they saw a servant dressed in coarse cloth watering the flowerbeds absentmindedly not noticing that the watering can was tilted.

The opportunity is perfect.

Guangyuan and Chu Kuangjun moved swiftly, appearing before the servant like ghosts.

"Ah—!" The servant was startled to see two people suddenly appear in front of him. He dropped the kettle with a clatter and opened his mouth to cry out.

Guangyuan moved with lightning speed, striking an acupoint on the man's chest with a single finger. The man's scream was stuck in his throat, leaving only his wide-eyed eyes in terror, his body stiff and unable to move.

"Don't be afraid, we are not thieves." Guangyuan bowed with one hand, took out a silver ingot of about two taels from his pocket, and stuffed it into the other person's hand.

"I'm just here to ask about someone. I'll leave after I've asked and I will never hurt you."

Perhaps it was Guangyuan's monk's robes and his fairly polite attitude that had an effect, or perhaps it was the heavy silver in his hand that brought him a sense of security.

The fear in the servants' eyes lessened slightly, but they remained wary.

Upon seeing this, Guangyuan released his pressure points.

Tang Huo's body went limp, almost collapsing, but he managed to stand, clutching the silver ingot tightly in his hand, his voice trembling:

"Two, two great heroes... right now, the manor is in a state of panic. Many people have taken leave and gone home, leaving only those of us who have nowhere else to go..."

The servants in the Tang household were divided into two types.

One type is the domestic servant or long-term laborer who has signed a contract of servitude, sharing life and death with the other.

Another type is temporary employment, short-term or odd jobs paid monthly.

Tang Huo belonged to the former group, while the "many people" were mostly the latter; seeing that their master was in trouble, they had already scattered like birds and beasts.

"Lu Fei, young hero Lu, do you know him?" Guangyuan asked directly. "He was invited to a banquet at our residence a few days ago."

Tang Huo shook his head blankly: "Lu Fei? I... I've never heard of that name..."

Guangyuan frowned slightly, then took out another silver ingot of roughly the same weight and stuffed it into his other hand:

"Think about it again. Perhaps it's not that name, but did a young martial arts practitioner visit your residence a few days ago? Was he related to the young lady?"

Tang Huo looked at the extra silver ingot in his hand, hesitated for a moment, and finally lowered his voice and said, "Great hero... I really don't know Lu Fei."

"But... a few days ago, a major incident did happen in the manor, and it seems... it's related to someone surnamed Lu."

"What is it?" Guangyuan and Chu Kuangjun both perked up at the same time.

Tang Huo said, "The eldest daughter of the family has loved practicing martial arts since she was a child. The master couldn't dissuade her, so he specially hired a famous teacher to instruct her."

"After the young lady grew up, she would frequently travel to the martial arts world, saying that she was making friends and upholding justice."

"The master is getting old, and she is his only precious daughter. He is afraid that something might happen to her while she is out there, so he found an excuse to call her back."

"The master's idea is to find a suitable family for the young lady locally, someone with a good background and social standing, so that she can be a live-in son-in-law and be kept in check to inherit the family business."

"But Miss absolutely refused and argued with Master several times."

"In the end, I don't know how it was said, the young lady agreed to host a family banquet and invite a friend she met in the martial arts world to come over, so that the master could see for himself that not all the people she associates with are bad people."

"The master was skeptical, but he still agreed."

"Secretly, they sent people to subtly inquire about the background of that 'friend'... and it seems that this inquiry... brought them a harbinger of disaster!"

"That scourge is said to be surnamed Lu, and his martial arts skills are terrifyingly high. He defeated several of the expensive martial arts practitioners hired by the manor!"

"It's even said that they threatened the master and mistress."

"A few days ago, on August 13th, that person, along with the master and mistress, and even the eldest young lady, disappeared!"

"The household was thrown into complete chaos!"

Guangyuan and Chu Kuangjun exchanged a glance, both seeing the seriousness in each other's eyes.

This "person surnamed Lu" who "beat up all the servants in the mansion and kidnapped the Tang family of three" is definitely not Lu Fei!

Although Lu Fei is fond of meddling in other people's business, he would never do such a terrible thing to the host who invited him without a reason, let alone take hostages.

So, who is this person?

What is her relationship with Lu Fei?

Why did she appear at the Tang family banquet?

Is Lu Fei's disappearance directly related to this person?

"Where were they taken? Do you know what that person looked like and where he came from?" Guangyuan immediately pressed.

Tang Huo shook his head repeatedly with a bitter face: "Great hero, I am just a lowly servant who waters flowers, how would I know these things?"

"That day was chaotic, we didn't even have time to hide... Perhaps... perhaps the butler Tang Yan knows something."

"He was the master's confidant; he seemed to be serving in the front hall that day."

He pointed towards the main hall in the front yard: "The butler should still be in the front courtyards dealing with matters and reassuring the remaining people."

"Thank you very much." Having obtained the crucial clue, Guangyuan no longer delayed. He nodded to Tang Huo, and then he and Chu Kuangjun flashed away, quietly sneaking towards the front yard.