Chapter 34: Investigation

Early morning, Lu Xuan opened his eyes.

Shen Yuyan was still sleeping, as she had worked hard until midnight again last night. Her eyelashes trembled slightly, and her breathing was steady, like a quiet kitten.

Lu Xuan didn't have the heart to wake her, so he got out of bed quietly, not forgetting to check the progress.

[Ding! Sleep Cultivation complete.]

[Five Animals Transformation Art: Great Perfection.]

[Demon-Subduing Righteous Sun Blade: 15%.]

[Thunderclap Hand progress: 0%.]

[Current Realm: Martial Artist Realm: Level Four.]

Lu Xuan clenched his fists.

Martial Artist Realm. Level Four.

The higher the level, the slower it became.

Back in the Body Tempering Realm, a single night's sleep could increase several levels, while once he reached the Martial Apprentice Realm, it took a day or two to advance one level.

Now, in the Martial Artist Realm, he was still at the fourth level after sleeping for several days.

He walked into the courtyard and took a deep breath.

No rush.

Once the foundation is stable, progress will naturally speed up later, he glanced back into the room once again.

Shen Yuyan was still asleep, with the quilt sliding down below her shoulders and revealing her fair collarbones, Lu Xuan walked to the stove.

Lighting the fire, washing the rice, and adding water, his movements weren't particularly skilled, but they weren't clumsy either.

Having lived in the woodshed for over a decade, he knew how to do these chores.

Once the porridge was cooking, he took two eggs from the cupboard, washed them, and put them in the pot.

After a while, the fire in the stove cast a reddish glow on his face.

"Husband?"

Shen Yuyan's voice came from behind him, raspy with sleep.

Lu Xuan turned around.

Shen Yuyan stood at the doorway, draped in an outer coat, with her hair loose and her eyes not yet fully open.

Morning sunlight slipped through the doorway behind her, spilling across the courtyard and falling over Lu Xuan's shoulders.

The warm light outlined his tall figure and illuminated his handsome features, making him look calmer and more striking than usual.

Shen Yuyan blinked sleepily.

For a moment, she simply stood there and looked at him.

The firelight and sunlight mingled across his face, softening his usually sharp features.

Love this novel? Read it on NovelPhoenix to ensure the author gets credit.

His sleeves were rolled up, his hands busy beside the stove, and there was a quiet warmth in his expression that made him seem like a completely different person from the cold, distant man she had first married.

She suddenly felt that her husband looked rather handsome in the morning light.

"You're... cooking?"

"Yeah. The porridge is almost ready."

Shen Yuyan walked over, though her gaze lingered on him for another moment before falling to the porridge in the pot.

Lu Xuan noticed her staring and glanced at her.

"Why are you looking at me like that?"

Shen Yuyan's cheeks warmed.

"I wasn't."

"You were."

"I was looking at the porridge."

Lu Xuan looked amused.

"The porridge is over here."

Shen Yuyan's face grew even warmer. She quickly lowered her head and pretended to inspect the fire.

Lu Xuan didn't tease her further.

He turned back to the stove, but the faint curve at the corner of his mouth did not escape her notice.

She watched him quietly for a while.

The simple scene before her felt strangely peaceful.

The sunlight, the crackling fire, the fragrance of rice, and the man standing before her all blended together into a warmth she had never experienced before.

Her eyes suddenly reddened.

"What's wrong?"

"It's nothing..."

Shen Yuyan wiped her eyes, her voice a bit choked up.

"It's just that... since I was a child, no one has ever cooked for me."

Lu Xuan looked at her and reached out to pat her head.

"I'll cook for you every day from now on."

Shen Yuyan didn't say anything. She lowered her head, but the corners of her mouth curved up.

For some reason, the warmth in her chest seemed even stronger than the fire burning beneath the stove.

The porridge was ready.

Lu Xuan served two bowls and scooped out the two eggs, putting them into her bowl.

"Eat."

"One for each of us."

Shen Yuyan cracked an egg open and put half into Lu Xuan's bowl and half into hers

Lu Xuan didn't refuse and lowered his head to drink the porridge.

Sunlight streamed through the window, falling on the table and her face.

The red birthmark was very noticeable in the sunlight, but her eyes were bright.

-----------

After finishing breakfast, Lu Xuan changed his clothes and went to the escort agency.

Opening the main gates, he watched as the escort warriors arrived one after another.

Ye Qingyi was the last to arrive.

She saw Lu Xuan and nodded.

"Morning."

"Morning."

Lu Xuan was slightly taken aback, as Ye Qingyi had never greeted him before. He nodded and didn't say much.

Ye Qingyi lowered her head and began her day's practice. Lu Xuan walked into the gatehouse and sat on a chair.

Through the window, he could see Ye Qingyi's back, clad in green martial arts attire with a narrow blade at her waist. Lu Xuan didn't think much of it, leaned back in the chair, and closed his eyes.

-------------

At the same time, the Lu Family was in turmoil, in the main hall, the candlelight was bright, but the atmosphere was as cold as an ice cellar.

Lu Tianhe sat in the main seat with an ashen face, while several clan Elders and stewards stood below without daring to speak, and Lu Wanshan's body lay in the center of the hall, covered by a white cloth.

Beneath it, a human shape was vaguely visible, though some parts had collapsed.

Lu Tianhe stood up, walked to the body, and lifted the cloth. He took one look before covering it again and asking, "What have you found out?"

A steward stepped forward with a tense voice and reported, "Reporting to the Patriarch... Elder Wanshan's body was found in the woods outside the city. His skull was shattered, his sternum collapsed, and his palms and arms were similarly mangled beyond recognition."

"Killed in one blow?"

"Yes... the killer's palm strength was extremely heavy, and in a direct head-on confrontation, Elder Wanshan didn't last a single move."

Silence filled the hall, and Lu Tianhe remained silent for a long time before asking, "What about Duan Lei?"

"Not found. Duan Lei has disappeared... there is no sign of him alive or dead."

"Disappeared?"

Lu Tianhe gave a cold laugh and said, "A mere Duan Lei could kill Wanshan?"

The steward didn't dare to respond.

Lu Tianhe turned around and looked at the people below.

"With Duan Lei's mediocre skills, he couldn't even take one of Wanshan's moves. How could he possibly kill Wanshan?"

He paused, "And he killed Huo Tianba too?"

The hall grew even quieter.

"Could someone with such ordinary realm kill Huo Tianba? Kill Wanshan?"

Lu Tianhe's voice wasn't loud, but every word was like a block of ice crashing onto the floor.

"Investigate. Find out everything. Who did Duan Lei see in Azure Sun City these past few days, where did he stay, and who did he contact? Does he have someone behind him, or any accomplices?"

"Yes!"

A steward took the order and jogged out, Lu Tianhe walked back to his seat and sat down, "Also."

He glanced at the people below.

"That escort agency, the Iron Mountain Escort Agency. That was the last place Duan Lei was seen. Go investigate who is in that agency."

"Yes."