“This…”
Zhong Shuhui frowned. She could not figure out why Elder Lu, an innate realm expert, would help Li Feng. Ancient martial artists had their pride, and innate realm experts were the elite among them. Their pride could not be described in words.
Zhong Shuhui did not believe an innate realm expert would protect Li Feng and the others without reason. He must have a purpose. Even if this innate realm expert had no malice, not clarifying his true intent was like keeping a time bomb nearby.
“Li Feng, Elder Lu’s identity does not really matter. Why do you insist on finding out? Do you still not trust him? You wanted to keep him earlier.” Hu Yuanyuan asked, puzzled.
“Yuanyuan, keeping Elder Lu and clarifying his identity are two different things.” Li Feng said gravely. “Keeping Elder Lu is to deter the experts of the four great families. With my current strength, I am no match for them. Keeping Elder Lu can at least intimidate them, but without knowing his identity, I feel uneasy.”
“You are too suspicious. At least Elder Lu has no malice now. Why must you probe his identity? Even if you learn he protected us today with a purpose, what then? Even if you knew, could you stop it? I think you are worrying needlessly.” Hu Yuanyuan said.
Li Feng fell silent. He understood Hu Yuanyuan’s point, but his cautious nature did not want unstable factors around him. However, in front of Hu Yuanyuan, he said no more, as their thinking differed.
“Li Feng, I think the four great families are the urgent matter. Whether Liu Dongjian or Zhao Xiu, they will not let us go. They probably started plotting against us the moment we left the Imperial Hotel.” Hu Yuanyuan said gravely.
“You are right. Our main enemies now are the four great families.” Li Feng nodded. Even those with grudges against him, like Zhu Yuanyang, were less dangerous than the four great families.
But for the four great families, Li Feng had no plan yet. He could only react as situations arose.
“Zhong Shuhui, from now on, spare one hour each day to train Yuanyuan.” Li Feng said to Zhong Shuhui.
“Train?” Zhong Shuhui was taken aback.
“Yes. Yuanyuan has post-natal second-level strength but no combat experience. I do not expect her to be very strong, just to have the for self-protection.” Li Feng said gravely. Thinking of Han Wei and the bodyguards, if Hu Yuanyuan had combat experience, she could have handled them herself.
“Alright.” A flash of surprise crossed Zhong Shuhui’s eyes. She had not expected Hu Yuanyuan to be an ancient martial artist, but thinking of Li Feng and his Black Eagle team, she understood.
At the same time, Zhong Shuhui breathed a sigh of relief. Coming to Tianhai City, Mu Chunfeng had tasked her with protecting Li Feng and observing his relationship with Hu Yuanyuan. Now it seemed their bond was very close.
Leaving the office, Li Feng and Hu Yuanyuan went to a suite in Tianya Pavilion. As soon as they entered, Li Feng scooped Hu Yuanyuan up in his arms.
“Li Feng, what are you doing?” Hu Yuanyuan jumped in fright.
“Let me check your injuries from today.” Li Feng smiled, placed her on the bed, and reached to undo her gown.
In a five-star presidential suite in Tianhai City, Li Wu sat on the sofa with a grim expression. Since returning from the Imperial Hotel last night, he had been sitting there, silent.
In front of Li Wu stood two men: his bodyguard Li Yong and his trusted subordinate Xu Yang.
“Young Master.” Xu Yang finally broke the silence, looking at Li Wu’s dark face. “What happened at the Imperial Hotel yesterday?”
Li Wu took a deep breath and said gravely, “Xu Yang, what do you think of Li Feng?”
“Just a waste.” Xu Yang replied.
“A waste?” Li Wu gave a cold laugh. “If Li Feng is a waste, then we are probably worse than wastes.”
“Young Master’s meaning is…” Xu Yang looked at Li Wu in surprise. This was the first time he had heard Li Wu evaluate Li Feng this way. He did not understand. After following Li Wu for years, he knew him well. Calling him in the middle of the night to talk about Li Feng?
But a waste was not worth discussing.
Li Wu glanced at the puzzled Xu Yang and recounted what happened at the Imperial Hotel.
“How is this possible?” Xu Yang’s face was full of disbelief. If what Li Wu said was true, calling Li Feng a waste would make them all worse than wastes.
“I never thought my big brother was so good at pretending.” Li Wu’s face darkened. He did not believe Li Feng had suddenly changed. The only possibility was that he had been pretending all these years.
“Young Master, if this is true, what is Li Feng’s purpose?” Xu Yang asked.
“Purpose?” A cold glint flashed in Li Wu’s eyes. What else could Li Feng’s purpose be but to lower his guard and catch him off guard in the heir selection?
“But why is Li Feng revealing himself now?” Li Yong asked, confused.
“I want to know too.” Li Wu frowned deeply. Li Feng had pretended for years. Why reveal now? Hiding until the family selection would be better.
“Young Master, this probably relates to your purpose in coming to Tianhai City.” Xu Yang said.
“You mean the Nine Dragon Jade?” Li Wu’s pupils contracted, his face changing.
“There is no other reason. The Nine Dragon Jade is crucial. I think the family head and others do not want it to fall into Young Master’s hands. Li Feng is the best candidate to compete with you. Though this may expose Li Feng early, if they get the Nine Dragon Jade, exposure probably does not matter.” Xu Yang said gravely.
Li Wu’s face darkened. He knew what the Nine Dragon Jade was for, so he was determined to obtain it this time in Tianhai City. He had thought his opponents would be from the other eight top families, but now there was Li Feng, someone he had always looked down on.
“We must find a way to deal with Li Feng.” Li Wu said coldly.
Li Feng was so scheming. If he got the Nine Dragon Jade, plus support from Li Chuanwei and Mu Chunfeng, how could Li Wu ever become the family heir?
At this moment, Li Wu not only found Li Feng terrifying but also saw the terror of Li Chuanwei and Mu Chunfeng. He did not believe Li Feng’s pretence had nothing to do with them. Probably everything was planned by Li Chuanwei behind the scenes.
If Li Feng were a waste, he could keep him and pretend to be brotherly, but since Li Feng was not, he must be eliminated. With Li Feng around, he could not become the heir.
“Young Master, eliminating Li Feng will probably be difficult.” Xu Yang frowned.
Li Wu glanced at Xu Yang, waiting for his explanation.
“Li Feng is not a waste, so we cannot view him as one. If he is not, has he done nothing these years? The most important thing now is to find out what forces are behind him.” Xu Yang said gravely.
Li Wu’s pupils contracted.
Yes, if Li Feng was not a waste, he could not have built no forces. With his status, he had cultivated considerable power over the years. Behind Li Feng were Li Chuanwei and Mu Chunfeng. Their forces were far from simple.
“It seems we must investigate thoroughly first.” A sharp glint flashed in Li Wu’s eyes.
“Yes, investigate thoroughly, but not using the family’s intelligence network.” Xu Yang said gravely.
“Xu Yang, you suspect the family’s intelligence network…” Li Wu’s face changed.
“Exactly, Young Master. Li Feng’s father is the Li family head. If he tampered with it, Young Master would find nothing. Otherwise, with Young Master and Second Master’s surveillance of Li Feng over the years, how could we not discover he was not a waste?” Xu Yang nodded.
Li Wu’s face completely changed. At this moment, he finally understood. All these years they thought Li Feng was a waste because Li Chuanwei had been manipulating things in the dark to hide Li Feng and achieve surprise.
Damn it!
Li Wu cursed inwardly. If Li Feng had not exposed himself today, everything would have been in Li Chuanwei’s calculations. Forget seizing the family position; they might have been devoured completely by Li Chuanwei.
“So I can only use the intelligence in my hands?” Li Wu frowned deeply.
“Yes, exactly.” Xu Yang nodded, then said worriedly, “Young Master, our intelligence is mainly in Yanjing. We have limited personnel in Tianhai City, and Li Feng has been operating here for over a year. Investigating him will be difficult.”
“Even if difficult, we must investigate thoroughly. Until I turn Li Feng inside out, I cannot sleep. Xu Yang, you must devote all efforts to this.” Li Wu said ruthlessly.
“Yes.” Xu Yang nodded.
Knock, knock, knock!
At that moment, a knock sounded at the door.
Li Wu was startled and signalled Li Yong. Li Yong went to the door and opened it. A young man with an elder stood outside.
“Qin Feng?” Li Wu recognised the young man at once, looking at him puzzled. Why was Qin Feng here at this hour?
“Li Wu, you do not look well.” Qin Feng walked in with a grin, Elder Xu following closely.
“Qin Feng, you are not here to mock me, are you?” Li Wu said coldly.
“Mock you? I have no time for that. On the contrary, I am here to help you.” Qin Feng shook his head.
“Help me? What do I need your help for? Qin Feng, you think too highly of yourself.” Li Wu gave a cold laugh.
“That may not be true. For example, Li Feng. I think you are troubled by Li Feng right now. I came precisely for Li Feng.” Qin Feng looked at Li Wu and smiled meaningfully.
