Chapter 20 The Third Young Master Returns!
Wu Qianhuan's mind was in turmoil. Her teeth clenched tightly, and the hand gripping her sword had turned faintly white.
She knew what she should be doing—she ought to chase after Xin Youhen.
What Chu Qing didn't know, she did.
In recent years, the friction between the Valley of Ten Thousand Nights and Tianwu City had grown increasingly frequent. Not long ago, an entire team sent to the valley had perished—none returned alive.
No one knew exactly what had happened.
All that was known was that the last corpse of the Tianwu Guards had been found in a forest a day's journey from the city.
That news had only arrived at the City Lord's mansion this very morning.
Lately, every time Tianwu City clashed with the Valley of Ten Thousand Nights, the enemy always seemed to anticipate their moves, laying traps in advance and leaving Tianwu City repeatedly humiliated.
Thus, Wu Ganqi suspected there was a spy within the city.
At this critical juncture, Chu Yunfei's decision to hold a grand banquet for Chu Fan's return was more than a simple celebration—it was a calculated move to lure out hidden enemies.
Xin Youhen's infiltration into the Chu household, even under disguise, was already one such discovery.
Right now, Wu Qianhuan should have been joining Chu Fan and the others to capture him.
But that look—the one she'd seen in that man's eyes—made her bite her lip hard.
Not only had he exchanged a glance with her after pretending to be blasted away by the internal energy clash, but she had also clearly seen him sneaking glances at those two strange girls.
And earlier, when she'd felt that peculiar gaze upon her in the courtyard—it had been his!
Who exactly was he?
A suspicion surfaced in her heart, but she didn't dare to confirm it yet.
She had to catch that man and expose his true identity.
She intended to seize him while he was off guard—but to her surprise, he sensed her movement and bolted first.
Letting him escape was out of the question.
She must catch this bastard, no matter what.
Xin Youhen would be handled by her second brother Chu Fan, his junior sister, and those two mysterious girls. They could manage him without her.
But if she didn't chase down this man now, she might never find him again.
Still... how could his movement technique be so fast?
Was it the Chasing Stars, Catching Moon Step?
No, something about it didn't seem right...
Wu Qianhuan fixed her eyes ahead, only to see his figure twist once before vanishing completely from sight.
When she finally reached the spot, she was startled to find a servant standing before her. Her sudden appearance frightened him so badly that he fell to the ground with a thud.
"M-Miss Wu, please forgive me!"
He scrambled up and bowed deeply.
Wu Qianhuan had no intention of paying him any mind, but after taking a few steps, she abruptly stopped and turned back.
"Did you see anyone run past here?"
"Y-yes, I did. He went that way."
The servant pointed toward the end of the path.
Wu Qianhuan nodded sharply and sprang forward in pursuit.
Yet after only a few steps, a strange realization struck her.
At this time of day, the rear courtyard should have been mostly deserted. Apart from attendants serving the main residences, all the other servants and maids had gone to help at the front.
So why was this servant here?
And when he had fallen earlier, he'd kept his head down—what was he afraid of?
The thought flashed through her mind like lightning.
Wu Qianhuan spun around instantly, just in time to see the "servant" disappearing around the corner.
Her eyes narrowed.
"Stop right there!!"
The moment Wu Qianhuan shouted, the man bolted without hesitation.
Her temper flared instantly—of course it was him!
How dare he! Not only did he run off earlier, but he even had the audacity to double back and trick her?
With a furious snort, she gathered her qi and gave chase.
"I'll see today whether you can escape from the palm of my hand!"
But as she turned the corner, the figure was already gone.
...
...
In the front courtyard, the banquet was at its liveliest.
A Chu family servant quietly approached a swordsman wearing a bamboo hat and whispered something in his ear.
The swordsman froze for a moment, then rose and followed the servant inside.
A short while later, Chu Qing—now dressed in the same swordsman's attire—adjusted his hat, carried his sword, and reappeared among the crowd, blending in effortlessly.
He let out a soft sigh and muttered under his breath,
"Damn girl's got a dog's nose. Chasing me nonstop—what kind of woman hunts her own fiancé like a criminal?"
Then, after a pause, he chuckled to himself.
"Ah, though strictly speaking, it's only an engagement... hardly grounds to call it an assassination attempt."
Lifting his gaze toward the courtyard, he observed the scene. By now, everyone who was meant to arrive had come.
At the head of the gathering sat Chu Yunfei, whom he hadn't seen in seven years. The family head was seated in a grand armchair, chatting softly with Wu Ganqi.
Seeing him again, Chu Qing quietly exhaled.
Compared to his memory, Chu Yunfei looked far older.
There were more wrinkles on his face, more white in his hair, and he seemed thinner, more frail.
Yet somehow, he appeared gentler, kinder.
Chu Qing averted his gaze slightly and looked toward Wu Ganqi beside him.
Perhaps due to his mastery of the Seventy-Seven Forty-Nine Forms of the Xing Tian Axe, Wu Ganqi's physique was immense—like a dragon coiled and tiger crouched.
He wasn't fat, but solid and broad-shouldered, his frame imposing.
When ordinary men sat in a grand chair, it often appeared spacious.
When Wu Ganqi sat, one could only worry the chair might collapse under his weight.
Even so, age had touched him too.
Below them sat several figures of similar seniority—some Chu Qing remembered from childhood, others entirely new.
Among them was Liu Shijie, who was chatting amiably with the rest, the atmosphere harmonious on the surface.
These were the notable figures within Tianwu City's sphere of influence.
Chu Qing swept his gaze across each face. Soon after, Chu Tian hurried over, speaking in low tones to Chu Yunfei and Wu Ganqi.
Their expressions changed instantly.
Chu Yunfei made to rise, but Wu Ganqi stopped him with a hand and gave a brief nod.
Then he stood, leading several others—including Liu Shijie—toward the rear courtyard.
Chu Tian followed right behind them.
Chu Qing's brows lifted slightly as he pondered, but before he could think further, rapid footsteps echoed from nearby.
Looking up, he saw Wu Qianhuan striding in, her eyes scanning the crowd.
He couldn't help but smirk. That girl really was relentless.
Her gaze swept over every face, but she seemed only to scrutinize the servants nearby.
She didn't notice Chu Qing's altered appearance.
Finding nothing, she approached Chu Yunfei, bowing respectfully.
Chu Yunfei smiled and exchanged a few words with her, though from this distance, Chu Qing couldn't hear what was said.
As Wu Qianhuan finally sat down, a servant suddenly burst into the courtyard, shouting in panic.
"Master! Master!!"
At such a formal event, such behavior was clearly improper, and the guests all turned in surprise.
Chu Yunfei frowned slightly.
"Speak slowly. What is it?"
The servant gasped for breath several times before blurting out in excitement,
"Master—it's joyous news, truly joyous news!
"The Third Young Master—The Third Young Master has returned!!"
(End of this chapter)