Suo Lun’s heart trembled. He was being asked to kill Fu Yan’er? Why?
Ashi Luo had reason to kill Fu Yan’er. Because he had failed to seize her, and now she had been locked up by Ashi Liren, he feared Fu Yan’er might reveal something, so he wanted to silence her permanently.
But why ask Yan Ziyu to do it?
Without doubt, this was a test!
Suo Lun immediately said, “Why ask me, a weak scholar, to kill her? Why do you not kill her yourself?”
“I have more important tasks.” the voice said, “Now you have a choice. Either go kill Fu Yan’er, or you die.”
Suo Lun said, “I still have important responsibilities unfulfilled, and you want me to die? If you want to kill her, you kill her. I will not go!”
“Hmph hmph…” the voice laughed coldly.
And Suo Lun had already commanded the Demon Star to silently shoot out a minuscule special dragon qi mark, casting it onto the back of this voice’s owner.
Then… she disappeared without a trace.
Suo Lun lay on his bed, feeling that his response and reaction just now had shown no flaws whatsoever.
Then, who was this eyes and ear that Ashi Luo had planted in the residence? Without doubt, she had completely altered her voice, leaving no trace.
But then, he abruptly sat up and thought darkly, “Not good. Perhaps… Fu Yan’er is already dead, already killed!”
And at this very moment, a female warrior ran over quickly and said, “Sir, Fu Yuan has hanged herself in the meditation room. The madam fears someone has framed her, and sent me to protect.”
More accurately, to inform.
Suo Lun immediately rose from his bed and ran out.
Arriving at the meditation room, Suo Lun immediately saw Fu Yan’er lying on the bed, with a ring of red marks on her neck.
Checking her breath, heartbeat, and pulse, all had completely stopped.
Suo Lun now knew that before that voice had come to find him, she had already struck and killed Fu Yan’er, then conveniently tested him.
Because Ashi Luo had planted two chess pieces beside Ashi Liren. One was Fu Yan’er, the other was Yan Ziyu.
He wanted to know whether this chess piece of his was still effective.
Looking at Fu Yan’er’s face in death, it actually appeared very peaceful, unlike her usual vanity and flashiness.
Suo Lun asked himself honestly, had he not thought that Ashi Luo would send someone to kill Fu Yan’er to silence her?
He should have thought of it, but he simply had not.
Because he detested Fu Yan’er and wished for her death. But she was also Qin Qin’s mother, so he could not kill her himself.
Yet deep down, he was unwilling to save her.
At this moment, much guilt welled up in Suo Lun’s heart.
Fu Yan’er’s collusion with Ashi Luo’s people was for money. But within the residence, she had absolutely no opportunity to spend money.
“Five of her gold coins are missing. Several days ago she secretly sent out a letter. These gold coins were used to hire someone to deliver it.” Ashi Liren’s voice condensed into a thread, sounding in Suo Lun’s ear.
Everything she did was for one purpose only, to return to Tianshui City!
Of course, she wanted to return to Tianshui City because it was the only place that could allow her to live a life of wealth and splendour.
She was merely foolish. She had betrayed Ashi Liren, but had not betrayed Suo Lun. Indeed, everything she did was to return to Suo Lun’s side.
Then, who was the murderer who killed Fu Yan’er? After killing her, they had even staged a hanging suicide?
Who was this person that Ashi Luo had planted in the residence?
Suo Lun asked secretly, “Demon Star, just now you fired a dragon qi mark onto that mole’s back. Can you identify her now?”
The Demon Star said, “It will take time!”
After the Demon Star fired the dragon qi mark, it was not as if the mark simply remained on that person’s body, waiting for the Demon Star to identify.
This was impossible to accomplish. To avoid detection by the other party, this dragon qi mark was minuscule, about the same energy as a breath, completely unable to leave any trace on the human body.
Then how to identify this person again.
When the Demon Star fired a stream of dragon qi mark, it would immediately bounce back. Every person was a unique energy body, which would cause this dragon qi to absorb a portion, disperse a portion, with the majority bouncing back to be captured by the Demon Star. And the dragon qi marks bouncing back from different people were all different, each unique.
So, as long as a bouncing back dragon qi mark appeared that was the same, it indicated the same person.
Of course, this was a capability only the Demon Star possessed. Even if others possessed martial arts reaching heaven-defying levels, they would not have this ability.
The Demon Star conducted dragon power emissions on the people present one by one, and aimed at their backs, then captured the bouncing back energy marks.
There were over a dozen people present, all female warriors by Ashi Liren’s side.
However, no result was obtained. That eyes and ear and murderer was not here.
“Prepare a coffin for her, then carry her out and bury her.” Ashi Liren said, her tone devoid of any emotion.
Then she departed directly.
As she left, her voice condensed into a thread in Suo Lun’s ear, saying, “Wait for me in the room.”
This statement was truly filled with ambiguity.
…
Not long after Suo Lun returned to his room, the air in the room turned cold, then permeated with an enchanting fragrance.
“Should I offer condolences?” Ashi Liren said, “After all, she was once your woman.”
“Not particularly.” Suo Lun said, “Before her death, I truly wished for her death. But after she died, I felt compassion in my heart. Everything she did was to return to Tianshui City. Moreover, she was Qin Qin’s mother after all. No matter how bad she was, she was the biological mother, irreplaceable.”
Ashi Liren said, “During this period, I will bring Qin Qin over. I will personally care for her.”
“Good.” Suo Lun said, “And do not tell Qin Qin the news of Fu Yan’er’s death. Hide it for as long as possible.”
“Good.” Ashi Liren said.
Suo Lun said, “Without doubt, Fu Yan’er did not commit suicide. She was murdered. Just a short while ago, the eyes and ear Ashi Luo planted in the residence came to find me, asking me to kill Fu Yan’er. In fact, when she said these words, Fu Yan’er had already been killed by her.”
Ashi Liren said, “Can you identify her?”
“No.” Suo Lun said, “She altered her voice, completely covering her tracks, and her martial arts are very high.”
Then Suo Lun asked, “Are the female warriors by your side reliable?”
Ashi Liren said, “I brought them from the State of Dong Li. Moreover, everything that enters my mouth is personally prepared by me. Because there are many, many things I cannot eat.”
Suo Lun said, “Madam, are you certain you wish to turn the tables on the plot and draw Ashi Luo out, making your father witness the scene of him defiling his own elder sister? Using your father to abolish him?”
Ashi Liren said, “You have asked me this three times already. I said if you want to destroy Ashi Luo, follow my method.”
Suo Lun said, “But this plan truly has too many flaws.”
Ashi Liren said, “Tell me.”
Suo Lun said, “First, Ashi Luo has eyes and ears in your residence. She knew you went out yesterday.”
Ashi Liren said, “I often go out. This is not strange. Going to my father’s Relic Castle was only the two of us, travelling at night. No one knew.”
Suo Lun said, “Then how can you be certain Ashi Luo has not planted eyes and ears in your father’s Relic Castle? Moreover, that Zuo Qiu is very likely someone sent by Ashi Luo. As long as this possibility exists, your plan to turn the tables on the plot will be exposed.”
Ashi Liren gazed at Suo Lun for a long while and said, “Suo Lun, I know you calculate without omission, supremely intelligent. These past few days, I have specifically inquired about your battle record. Swindling Chaos Rock Island from Gui Xingfu, reclaiming Tianshui City from Zhi Ning, then recently burning over a hundred thousand troops of the annihilate Suo army completely. You could be called wisdom approaching the demonic, unprecedented in my experience.”
Suo Lun remained silent.
Ashi Liren said, “But do you understand Ashi Luo?”
Suo Lun said, “I would like to hear the details.”
Ashi Liren said, “Ashi Luo is almost as intelligent as you, but he is absolutely not a meticulous person, nor one who calculates without omission. Not because he is not intelligent, but because he is too lazy to use his brain.”
Suo Lun was startled, recalling Ashi Luo’s every move.
Ashi Liren said, “You say he planted eyes and ears by my father’s side. This is impossible. Do you know why?”
Suo Lun said, “Please instruct me.”
Ashi Liren said, “He has no interest in power and authority. He would not waste his energy on my father’s head. He is a person of supreme intelligence, but who has suffered enormous harm, causing him to become crazily twisted, yet unable to find meaning in life. The only thing that interests him now is women. And his greatest, greatest target is me. Defiling me, sleeping with me, has already become his greatest life goal at present. Tell me, would he still waste energy on other places?”
Ashi Liren’s words were truly deafening and enlightening.
Yes, it was so!
Suo Lun had always prided himself on calculating without omission, and Ashi Luo was one of his greatest and most difficult enemies at present.
So in his heart, he had also imagined Ashi Luo as being as meticulous and calculating without omission as himself.
However…
Ashi Luo was a person of extreme impatience. He had no interest whatsoever in power and authority.
Otherwise, the annihilate Suo battle was of such critical importance, completely relating to the Nu Lang Kingdom, relating to the greatest event determining Rouran City’s future fate.
Yet, in order to sleep with Ashi Liren, he simply withdrew and left, casting aside his tens of thousands of naval troops.
Moreover, when he learned of Suo Lun’s great victory and the total annihilation of over a hundred thousand allied troops, he paid it no heed at all. His only sigh was that his engagement to Hai Na’er was going to fall through.
Then, with great interest, he led Demon Continent experts to snatch Yan Nai’er.
Ashi Luo now had only women in his eyes.
First target, Ashi Liren. Second target, Yan Nai’er. Third target, Suo Ningbing.
He was a person who could not find a goal in life. The only thing that interested him was women.
So, he could not have planted eyes and ears by his father Ashi Mo’s side. Indeed, he had already cast this biological father from his mind.
Thus, although Ashi Liren’s plan was not meticulous nor intelligent, it was very direct and effective!
Because she understood her younger brother Ashi Luo best.
Ashi Liren suddenly said, “Sir, at the time inside Father’s Relic Castle I did not feel it, but after returning, I always felt something was not right, yet did not know where it was not right.”
Suo Lun said, “Is it because of a certain person?”
Ashi Liren closed her eyes and thought for a moment, then nodded and said, “Yes, because of a certain person.”
“Your father?” Suo Lun asked.
“No.” Ashi Liren said.
“Zuo Qiu?” Suo Lun said.
Ashi Liren opened her eyes and said, “Yes, it is Zuo Qiu. But I completely cannot think of what is not right about him.”
Suo Lun closed his eyes, recalling every scene from that time.
Because of his extraordinarily high spiritual talent, Suo Lun’s memory was now truly astonishing. Coupled with the existence of the Demon Star, which could recall any memory scene, Suo Lun virtually replayed every frame of the scene meeting Zuo Qiu inside the castle!
After reviewing it several times, he finally discovered what was wrong.
This Zuo Qiu, at every moment, seemed immovable in all eight directions, a person with self-confidence and inner strength reaching the extreme, unfathomably deep.
When he spoke with Ashi Mo, the naturalness in his eyes was almost like air, completely contemptuous of everything, looking down upon all living beings.
However…
When he spoke with Ashi Liren, his gaze remained lowered, looking at the ground.
Yes, his gaze never looked at Ashi Liren once, let alone met her eyes.
This was not normal. Was it because of Ashi Liren’s beauty that he dared not meet her gaze?
Impossible. A person like Zuo Qiu could completely maintain composure even if mountains collapsed, let alone merely a peerless beauty.
Or perhaps, he considered himself a transcendent master, viewing beauty as withered bones, and therefore disdained to look?
Even more impossible. So-called viewing beauty as withered bones still could not restrain one’s restless heart. Otherwise, a person who had cultivated to extreme purity and few desires, even when facing the most beautiful woman, would view her as mere grass and wood.
Just as, if the number one beauty of the butterfly realm were seen by a sparrow, would its heart sway?
So, a so-called transcendent master like Zuo Qiu should be able to face everything with composure, including peerless beauties.
Why did he not look at Ashi Liren? There was a reason for this.
“I know you are immensely capable. Help me investigate this Zuo Qiu.” Ashi Liren said, “He may be our only variable.”
“Yes, Madam.” Suo Lun said.
Immediately, he took out drawing paper and brush, and relying on memory, sketched the withered, wrinkled, skin-and-bones face of Zuo Qiu.
“Is this how he looked?” Suo Lun asked.
“Utterly lifelike, divinely skilful.” Ashi Liren said.
Then Ashi Liren walked towards the outside and said, “Then our plan to destroy Ashi Luo is settled. In half a month, there will be results.”
“Yes, Madam.” Suo Lun said.
Ashi Liren hesitated for a moment and said, “You are a noble lord, I am merely the daughter of a noble lord. You need not use this attitude towards me.”
Suo Lun said, “But right now, I am merely your son’s teacher, your strategist.”
Ashi Liren said, “Very well. I hope you can identify the gaps and fill them, making our battle to destroy Ashi Luo in half a month flawless, settling everything in one stroke.”
“Yes.” Suo Lun said, “I will do my utmost.”
Ashi Liren said, “Investigate this person Zuo Qiu thoroughly. I feel he is a very crucial person.”
Suo Lun said, “Then Madam, what are your thoughts on this person? Any thoughts at all.”
Ashi Liren thought for a while, then shook her head and said, “No thoughts at all. Only an instinctive feeling that he is very crucial.”
Suo Lun said, “I will use all resources to investigate this person.”
“Good.” Ashi Liren said.
Then she departed directly.
…
After lying down, Suo Lun completely could not sleep. For some reason his heart was always filled with unease.
But he did not know the source of this unease.
How interesting. When Ashi Liren and Zuo Qiu met, she had not felt anything. But after returning, she felt something was not right, yet could not find where it was not right.
And after Suo Lun finished speaking with Ashi Liren, he felt a wave of unease, yet did not know where it was uneasy.
So, he closed his eyes and replayed the scene of his conversation with Ashi Liren, second by second.
Then, he found the source of that unease.
It was a sentence from Ashi Liren.
“He is a person of supreme intelligence, but who has suffered enormous harm, causing him to become crazily twisted, yet unable to find meaning in life. The only thing that interests him now is women.”
Ashi Luo was a perverted madman, a person who could not find a goal in life, whose only interest was women.
His greatest target was Ashi Liren, second target Yan Nai’er, third target Suo Ningbing.
Apart from Ashi Liren, all other targets were related to Suo Lun.
Then, in Ashi Luo’s mind, Fu Yan’er was once Suo Lun’s woman, and the mother of his daughter. Would he easily let Fu Yan’er go? Would he easily let her die?
Yesterday morning, he had been so impatient, dispatching over a hundred warriors to take the risk, impersonating Tianshui City warriors to receive Fu Yan’er.
A woman once belonging to Suo Lun! To Ashi Luo, sleeping with Fu Yan’er was already one of his rare life goals. Would he easily let Fu Yan’er die?
Therefore, Fu Yan’er had not truly died, but had been given a Demon Continent poison. The kind that caused complete false death, reviving after several hours.
The goal was the golden cicada shedding its shell, letting Ashi Liren carry out Fu Yan’er’s “corpse” to bury it, then Ashi Luo would send people to dig it up and revive Fu Yan’er.
Then, this delicacy of Fu Yan’er would completely fall into his, Ashi Luo’s, hands.
Although among the women Ashi Luo had slept with, many were more beautiful than Fu Yan’er. But who let her be Suo Lun’s woman?
To Ashi Luo, this was supreme delicacy.
Instantly, Suo Lun immediately rose, wanting to think of a way to notify Ashi Liren not to carry Fu Yan’er out, but to pretend to cremate her within the residence.
However, it was already too late.
An hour earlier, Fu Yan’er had already been placed in a coffin and carried out of the residence to be buried.
Because Ashi Liren had ordered that this matter be resolved before dawn.
After hearing Suo Lun’s words, Ashi Liren’s beautiful eyes changed slightly. Then her delicate body flashed, instantly disappearing from sight, rushing towards Fu Yan’er’s grave at the fastest speed.
She could not care about Fu Yan’er’s life! But she must care about her chastity.
Fu Yan’er was Qin Qin’s mother, Suo Lun’s former woman.
She could not let Fu Yan’er fall into Ashi Luo’s hands!
However, when she arrived at Fu Yan’er’s grave, she discovered that inside the coffin, it was already completely empty.
Fu Yan’er’s “corpse” had vanished without a trace!