Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

“What's happening? Share the news with me.” Ling Yun smiled.

“Big Brother Yun, Xie Junyan and Gou Junfa called to arrange a big gamble with me tonight!” Tang Meng replied gleefully.

“Looks like they finally caved. What did you tell them then?” Ling Yun asked.

“Big Brother Yun, what else could I have said? Since they have the guts to gamble, I will definitely accommodate them tonight!” Tang Meng could not hide his excitement.

“You must be cautious tonight. They could have some trick up their sleeves. I believe they must have heard something about me to choose this time to make their move,” Ling Yun cautioned.

To be honest, Ling Yun had never felt any never felt enmity towards Xie Junyan to date. They had never really crossed each other's paths.

Gou Junfa, on the other hand, had a grudge against him. Not only had Ling Yun kicked his a.s.s at school and extorted money from him, he had also accidentally turned Gou Junfa's father into a eunuch!

Ling Yun didn't believe for a second that they were unable to pinpoint the culprit.

However, Gou Junfa should have come directly to Ling Yun for revenge. Why did he look for Tang Meng instead?

“Tang Meng, does the Xie Family and Gou Family have people in the Public Security Bureau?” Ling Yun asked Tang Meng directly.

“Big Brother Yun, they are very good friends with Luo Zhong, the Director of the Public Security Bureau. Gou Liancheng and Luo Zhong are brothers by oath in private!”

“How is the relations.h.i.+p between your father and Director Luo?” Ling Yun had already guessed the answer.

“Their relations.h.i.+p is obviously not good. One is the deputy of the other. More importantly, Luo Zhong and Xie Junyan's father Xie Zhenting, who is also Qingshui City's deputy mayor, are very close. My father and Uncle Li belong to another faction which oppose each other!” Tang Meng explained the Qingshui City's politics in a few plain words.

Ling Yun's eyes sparkled. “Great, bet as much as you can tonight! Be bold!”

“Our relations.h.i.+p is no secret. However, if they did not mention anything about me, do the same. Just stay alert!” Ling Yun hung up the phone after giving Tang Meng his last piece of advice.

Although Ling Yun did not know much about politics, he saw similar power struggles between countries and sects in the Cultivation World.

“F*ck, they are trying to use me as an excuse to create waves in Qingshui City…”

Ling Yun shrugged it off and continued creating amulet paper.

Beijing, Grandpa Ling's room in the Ling Household.

Seventy-year-old Ling Lie, the head of the Ling Family, paced back and forth in his room, frowning at the people behind his back.

Another old man that seemed to be younger than Ling Lie by twenty years was seated next to Ling Lie's chair. He was slightly taller than average and had short hair, a square face, and thick eyebrows. He had a straight nose and had high temples. He sat calmly without expressing any comments as he watched Ling Lie pace back and forth impatiently.

Grandpa Ling stopped in his tracks suddenly. His eyes lifted towards the sky and said quietly, “Cui Lao, has the Ling Family degraded to such an extent that a search for a person is like finding a needle in the haystack?”

“Or, could it be that my ill-fated precious grandson has… has…” Ling Lie's eyes flashed a painful gaze. He muttered under his breath without waiting for a reply from Cui Lao.

Ling Lie's eyes twitched and his lips trembled. He was unable to verbalize the possibility of his grandson being dead.

Cui Lao quickly comforted Ling Lie. “Master, I believe your grandson must still be alive. You are imagining the worst possible scenarios by overthinking things.”

Ling Lie sighed deeply and raised his hands. “Cui Lao, don't give me false hopes. Half a month has gone by without any positive news… We have tested so many eighteen-year-old Ling Yuns that Ling Hao found but to no avail… Ling is not a popular surname either…”

Cui Lao shook his head and smiled. “Master, what if young master was picked up by someone at a young age and had his name changed? Isn't that a very common occurrence?”

Ling Lie turned around excitedly before slowly heading towards the chair. He sat down, sighed again and said, “You are right, but if that is the case, where and how can we find him? Even if Ling Hao is still young and inexperienced, my second and third son surely should have found something by now. They didn't give me any news either.”

“Master, I think you are too anxious. You should know the habits of your sons. They dare not present anything that they are unsure of to you,” Cui Lao offered.

Cui Lao appeared in front of Ling Lie in a flash and continued, “Master, I can't speak for the rest of them, but Third Master will definitely search for him with all his might. Ling Yun is his son, after all! I believe you should have some results within the next few days.”

Grandpa Ling's heart ached when Third Master Ling Xiao's name was brought up. He gave yet another deep sigh. ” *Sigh* , Ling Xiao has had it tough these eighteen years. He has attained Houtian Realm Level Five before turning forty years old, but that has taken its toll on him. His hair is all white…”

Anger and grief flashed through Cui Lao's eyes. He lowered his voice and said, “Third Master is a true-born genius. He managed to attain the peak of Xiantian Realm Level Three before he was twenty, but the world of martial arts ruined him because of his choice of love. He had to destroy his own martial arts and abandon his wife and son…”

Grandpa Ling was brought back that fateful day eighteen years ago by Cui Lao's words. Tears welled up in his eyes as he raised his hand to stop Cui Lao from continuing any further on that topic.

Another Ling Family elder said in a complicated tone, “Cui Lao, it was all a mistake of Xiao Er's, and he had to pay for it. The Long Family could not help him, let alone us Ling Family…”

Cui Lao wanted to say something in anger and grief but swallowed them all in humiliation. He gradually regained his calm composure.

Ling Lie's face broke into a smile as he lifted his head to look at Cui Lao. The tears from his eyes were long gone. “I know that you like my third son the most and you get along well with him. You were the one who was most furious about what happened to him, but if I even I had no solution, who else would have had?” Ling Lie said with grat.i.tude. “I just want to find Xiao Er's son and bring him back home safely. I wish that he can enjoy some happiness and peace under my wings while I am still alive. That is all I can do as a grandfather! There can't only be suffering in life… Ling Yun's father has already bore all the sins for him already. I can't let my grandson drift around like a rootless weed alone any longer.”

Ling Lie grew more agitated as he continued and coughed when he finished.

“Master, don't worry. I am sure you will be able to find your grandson!” Cui Lao was slightly moved by the scene.

“Master, perhaps you could make a personal trip to the Long Family? I believe that Ling Yun would be found much faster if someone from the Long Family could help…” Cui Lao suggested.

“No, that would leave too many traces. Eighteen years might have pa.s.sed, but we both know that too many people want my grandson dead. If I interfere, he'll be a.s.sa.s.sinated before we manage to find him!” Ling Lie laughed bitterly as he rejected the idea.

At this juncture, Ling Lie and Cui Lao were drawn to a servant scurrying towards Ling Lie's room from the courtyard.

“Master Ling, Master Ling Xiao is outside now. He has something urgent he would like to see you for regarding!”

“Why do you need to check with me if it's Third Master? Let him in now!” Ling Lie's heart skipped a beat.

The servant hurried out. A beautiful young man appeared in the courtyard in the next moment. It was Ling Lie's third son, Ling Xiao.

Ling Xiao was only thirty-nine years old. He was a hundred and eighty-three centimeters tall. He had good posture, neatly trimmed short hair, a pair of alert eyes, red lips and white teeth. His looks were outstanding without a doubt.

Ling Xiao would look very similar to Ling Yun's current appearance if he were ten years younger.

Ling Xiao's hair was snow white, and he had white spots on each side of his face that belied his age. His brows were always knitted together as though he was telling the world of the endless worries and sadness in his heart. His eyes were no longer bright and clear. They seemed desolate and bleak.

“Father…” Ling Xiao entered the house slowly and paid his respects to Ling Lie before nodding at Cui Lao.

Ling Lie looked hard at Ling Xiao, suppressing the excitement in his heart before asking, “Xiao Er, what is the matter? Do you have news of my grandson?”

The light in Ling Xiao's eyes seemed to have darkened by another notch as he shook his head. “I asked Ling Hao yesterday, but there is still no news of Ling Yun. Father, I am here to report another matter…”

“Out with it…”

Ling Xiao gulped before finding his voice. “Father, a friend at the Long Family told me that big trouble has befallen onto the Sun Family. Niu Fenjiao, the second mistress of the Sun Family, her son Sun Xing and the masters she brought with her to Qingshui City in Jiangnan Province have disappeared overnight! They are still missing as we speak!”

Ling Lie's eyebrows picked up after hearing the news. He stood up immediately and exclaimed, “Is that true? Xiao Er, do you know who did that?”

Ling Xiao could only shake his head. “I don't know…”

At the same time, the servant from before shouted while he ran towards them, “Master Ling, Ling Hao is requesting an audience with you!”