Chapter 559: Chapter 246: Discovery

Luo Shuqing nodded. She recalled how last night, in order to investigate the assassin, Suhe Zhen had asked Fang Shuwen to stay at Tingtiao Pavilion for three days.

After a moment of contemplation, she added:

"But if that’s the case, then Suhe Lan must be in on it too.

"This is all a setup they’ve orchestrated. Why should we play along with their act?"

"First, I am not a bloodthirsty person."

Fang Shuwen felt like crying whenever he said this. No one ever believed him.

"Until there’s clear evidence that the people of Tingtiao Pavilion mean us harm, I can’t just attack them rashly.

"If we’re going to flip the table, we have to expose their underhanded tricks first. Otherwise... if this is all some misunderstanding, do you have any idea how many people would die because of it?"

Luo Shuqing nodded repeatedly.

"I know, I know!

"How many people die depends entirely on how many you decide to kill."

"..."

’This girl was a conversation killer.’

’But on second thought, what she said wasn’t entirely without reason.’

Fang Shuwen sighed helplessly.

"Second... something Suhe Zhen said at noon today felt off to me."

"W-What did he say?"

Luo Shuqing tilted her head, looking at him.

Fang Shuwen’s brow furrowed slightly.

"He said that Suhe Lan’s disappearance is very similar to when his older sister disappeared...

"In that instant, a terrible thought occurred to me.

"Think about it. Back then, Suhe Jing’s disappearance became an unsolved mystery.

"What if... the two of them, the father and son, orchestrated that as well?"

Luo Shuqing trembled slightly and couldn’t help but grab Fang Shuwen’s wrist.

"N-No, that’s impossible, right?

"They... they’re... they’re family."

Fang Shuwen glanced at her silently.

"Your brother is also your family..."

"..."

Luo Shuqing froze for a moment and subconsciously let go of Fang Shuwen’s arm.

But she quickly shook her head again.

"But why?

"When Suhe Jing disappeared, she wasn’t very old, but her reputation as a genius had already spread throughout the Eight Forbidden Areas of the East Sea.

"Why would they do that? What reason could they possibly have?"

"The answer to that question..."

Fang Shuwen gave Luo Shuqing a meaningful look.

"Is what I’m looking for now."

As they were speaking, Fang Shuwen signaled for her to be quiet.

The two of them landed on a rooftop and carefully lifted a tile. Looking down, they saw Tingtiao Pavilion’s ancestral hall.

The internal structure of Tingtiao Pavilion was actually somewhat unique.

It was somewhat like a Sect, yet also like a family clan.

For generations, the Pavilion Master of Tingtiao Pavilion had always been a member of the Suhe Family.

This fact would not change, no matter how powerful a disciple might become.

Outstanding disciples would be given important positions in Tingtiao Pavilion.

However, the highest they could ever reach was the position of an Elder.

Just like the Third Elder who died last night—he was not from the Suhe clan.

Furthermore, there were no Cultivation Techniques that were forbidden to non-Suhe Family members.

There was only the Sect’s Divine Skill, which was exclusive to the Pavilion Master. In this regard—the transmission of skills—it was quite similar to a Sect.

However, throughout the generations, the strongest had always been a descendant of the Suhe Family.

And Tingtiao Pavilion was not an isolated case in this structure.

The entire Eight Forbidden Areas of the East Sea were like this.

Therefore, the ones enshrined within Tingtiao Pavilion’s ancestral hall were all the ancestors of the Suhe Family.

At this moment, Suhe Zhen stood before the ancestral tablets. He gave his hand a gentle shake, extinguishing the flame on the incense stick, and placed it as an offering to his ancestors.

Suhe Chen stood just behind and to the side of him, saying with some agitation:

"It really was just the blink of an eye, a moment of turning my head, and he was gone...

"Father, do you think that Fang Shuwen saw through something? So... so he deliberately went into hiding himself?

"But that makes no sense. There’s no way he could have noticed anything amiss.

"If not that, then... then are the Four Saints of the East Sea all hiding here in our Tingtiao Pavilion?

"And they took the opportunity to attack and abduct the two of them?"

Suhe Zhen looked back at him and shook his head gently.

"One must remain calm in the face of great events. The sky will not fall.

"When confronting someone like Fang Shuwen, you must be even more cautious... Don’t lose your composure.

"The assassins on the island have mostly been dealt with. Tomorrow, I will search with you."

"I understand, Father..."

Suhe Chen let out a slow breath and added:

"Do you think he might be... watching us in secret right now?"

His words made Suhe Zhen tense up as well, and he quickly shook his head.

"Don’t speak such nonsense. This is the Tingtiao Pavilion’s ancestral hall, the most heavily guarded place in the entire pavilion. Not even the Demon Evil God could get in here without a sound."

"That’s good."

Suhe Chen breathed a sigh of relief, then asked:

"Then... that matter... should we still do it?"

As he spoke, he pointed a finger at the floor.

"Your mind is unsettled tonight. It is not a good time."

Suhe Zhen shook his head slightly.

"We would be disturbing the ancestors and paying such a great price. If we were to fail, how could we bear the consequences?

"You only have two chances in your entire life... This is not a game."

"Yes."

Suhe Chen nodded.

"Then, Father... shall we go eat first?"

"Let’s go."

As they spoke, the two of them walked out of the ancestral hall.

As the great doors closed, peace returned to the ancestral hall.

A moment later, a gust of wind blew past, making the candlelight flicker. Two figures had silently appeared inside the ancestral hall.

Luo Shuqing pulled her gaze back from the great doors and looked at Fang Shuwen.

"Now... now we can be certain. They... they really do mean us harm."

Fang Shuwen nodded, but he was busy looking around and feeling about the ancestral hall.

"Then... then what do we do? Do we sneak away from here... or... or..."

Luo Shuqing made a throat-slitting gesture.

Fang Shuwen said:

"Since they’re foes, not friends, there’s no need to be polite.

"However..."

As he spoke, his gaze suddenly locked onto an ancestral tablet. He reached out, grasped it, and gave it a gentle twist.

With a CLICK, a secret passage was revealed beneath the ancestral hall’s altar.

Luo Shuqing looked toward the secret passage just as she heard Fang Shuwen say:

"But first, let me see if Suhe Lan is down here."

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