Things did not progress smoothly.
The Tang family, as the martial world powerhouse in Zhushan County with connections in both legitimate and underworld circles, gave the order, and all factions throughout Zhushan County mobilized.
However, after several days, they couldn't find any clues about Flying Dragon. Instead, just as Xia Xiayin had guessed, the news that Flying Dragon was hiding in Zhushan County reached the undercover agents of other Pursuit Towers, and many bounty hunters came to Zhushan County at once.
"This is really strange!"
In the small courtyard of the Tang family, Tang Buyi sat down on a stool, grabbed the teapot and gulped down the tea, completely disregarding his image. He drank the entire pot in one go, then said with lingering dissatisfaction, "Brother Xia, it's not that I'm not being diligent. Is Flying Dragon really in Zhushan County? I haven't found a single trace of information.
Also, there's another strange thing. Originally, several evil martial arts masters had appeared in Zhushan County recently, but now they've all disappeared without a trace, as if they've all fled from Zhushan County."
Xia Ci smiled as he poured a cup of tea for Tang Buyi, saying, "Is it possible that they saw your Tang family making such a big show of searching for Flying Dragon, feared being affected, and so they all ran away?"
"Impossible," Tang Buyi said. "Although my Tang family has some reputation in the martial world, we don't have such a formidable name. If those evil martial artists were truly afraid of our Tang family, they wouldn't have come to Zhushan County in the first place. Moreover, several of them were well-known evil masters in the martial world."
Xia Xiayin asked, "Who were they?"
"As far as I know, there were three: Fire Ghost Guo Quan, Iron Palm Tan Chong, and Red-Faced Beast Yang Tang. They're all renowned evil martial artists. Then there's Flying Dragon you mentioned, who's even more famous. Also, Iron Arhat and Abbess Kuye, whom you killed earlier, were also in Zhushan County territory. There might be others I don't know about," Tang Buyi said.
Xia Xiayin exclaimed in surprise, "What's happening in Zhushan County? How have so many evil martial artists gathered here?"
"This is exactly what I wanted to talk about," Tang Buyi said. "Brother Xia, Sister Xiayin, I came here today to tell you that we might not be able to continue helping you search for Flying Dragon for the next couple of days. My family has an important matter!"
"What matter?" Xia Xiayin asked.
Tang Buyi said mysteriously, "Our family's sword furnace is about to produce a divine weapon, a truly divine weapon named the Wugou Sword. It can cut through iron like mud and split hairs. It's primarily made from meteoric iron, combined with forty-nine kinds of rare treasures. My father personally oversaw the forging, with over sixty top craftsmen spending eighty-one days to create it."
"That's amazing!" Xia Xiayin exclaimed.
"Indeed," Tang Buyi said with a smile. "This sword is being forged for Elder Ye Liuyun, the Supreme Elder of the Canglan Sword Sect. It's the only divine weapon our Tang family has forged in over a hundred years, since my great-grandfather began making weapons. Three days from now, the divine weapon will emerge from the furnace."
"Congratulations," Xia Ci said. "I imagine that from now on, the Tang family's reputation for weapon forging will reach new heights."
"That's exactly right," Tang Buyi said. "So, for the next couple of days, I won't be able to help you investigate Flying Dragon's whereabouts. My Tang family will focus all our efforts on guarding the sword furnace, not daring to be the least bit careless. Additionally, during this period, so many evil martial artists have suddenly appeared in Zhushan County. My father and I are both concerned that they're after the Wugou Sword, so we dare not relax our vigilance."
Xia Ci nodded and said, "I understand. If you trust me, Tang Buyi, I could also attend when the sword emerges. If any miscreants covet it, I can lend a hand!"
Tang Buyi quickly said, "Brother Xia, with your formidable martial arts, having your assistance would be the best possible outcome!"
"Oh," Xia Xiayin suddenly said, "Tang Buyi, aren't you afraid that my brother might have designs on your family's divine weapon?"
"Uh..."
Tang Buyi hesitated for a moment, then suddenly stood up and bowed very solemnly to Xia Ci and Xia Xiayin. Embarrassed, he said, "Brother Xia, Sister Xiayin, I'm sorry... I... I... actually always trusted you, but my father... you know, he manages our entire Tang family, and since our Tang family business is large, he inevitably developed a suspicious nature. Plus, this is a special period, so... so... my father secretly sent people to Linjiang City to investigate you two siblings. I'm sorry!"
Xia Ci was stunned.
He hadn't expected Tang Buyi to make such a solemn statement about something so... insignificant.
It wasn't even worth mentioning.
In fact, if the Tang family hadn't investigated him and Xia Xiayin, he would have found it abnormal.
After all, the Tang family had vast wealth and business, with countless people coveting it, and he and Xia Xiayin happened to arrive at this critical moment, staying at the Tang family as Tang Buyi's life-savers—it could definitely be seen as suspicious.
If Xia Ci were in Tang Tianhao's position,
He would also worry whether the siblings had deliberately arranged this whole scenario to get close to Tang Buyi.
However,
Tang Buyi was young and impetuous, feeling that such suspicion lacked honor, so he found it difficult to bring up. After all, someone had saved his life, yet his family suspected his savior of ill intentions and investigated behind their backs—it was undeniably shameful behavior.
"Brother Tang," Xia Ci smiled as he took Tang Buyi's hand and pulled him to sit down, saying, "Your father's actions were correct. The martial world is dangerous. While one shouldn't harbor harmful intentions, one must always be vigilant. Being cautious in all matters ensures everything goes well!"
"Brother Xia, you're not angry?" Tang Buyi asked with pleasant surprise.
"What is there to be angry about? Investigating thoroughly removes doubts and is more beneficial for our relationship, isn't it?" Xia Ci said with a smile.
"I'm so glad you're not angry," Tang Buyi said. "This has been weighing on my mind for several days, making me quite uncomfortable. The night you came to our home, my father immediately sent people to investigate you."
"What were the results?"
"The Changfeng Escort Agency is truly worthless," Tang Buyi said. "Brother Xia, in three years, you accomplished so much for them, yet when you had a little trouble, they kicked you out without even a severance payment. Fortunately, Brother Xia, you didn't become dejected because of this, but instead found renewal through adversity, and your martial arts improved greatly!"
...
At night,
In the outskirts of Zhushan County, there was an estate with a plaque boldly displaying the characters "Tang Residence."
This Tang Residence had deep ties with the Tang estate in town. It was the residence of the Tang family's second master, Tang Tianyuan, specially built for him by the Tang family patriarch more than twenty years ago, after Tang Tianyuan and Tang Tianhao each established their own families.
At this moment, Tang Tianyuan, the second master of the Tang family, was staggering through the residence carrying a pot of wine. The servants in the residence were already accustomed to this and no one dared to support him. Since the death of the second madam, Tang Tianyuan was rarely at home, and when he was, he was always drunk. Any servant who tried to interfere would be cursed viciously.
Staggering like this, Tang Tianyuan came to the back courtyard.
It was very quiet here, without a single servant.
This was because this had been the second madam's chambers. Since her death, Tang Tianyuan had not allowed anyone to enter.
Tang Tianyuan pushed open a door to a room.
Inside, several people were waiting. If Tang Buyi were here, he would be shocked to discover that those evil martial artists who had suddenly disappeared from Zhushan County were actually all here, including Flying Dragon, whom Xia Ci had been searching for all along.