"How could I? A beauty like jade, how could I forget..."
Luo Changqing gave a cynical smile, his gaze sweeping over Su Yanran before he was about to say more. The communication jade pendant in his robe grew warm. Startled, Luo Changqing reached inside.
"Pavilion Master, the City Lord's Estate has been cleared. City Lord Li Donghai is already kneeling at Fengyun Pavilion waiting for you!" Qingyan's voice came through.
"Understood. Wait there!" Luo Changqing cut off the communication, raised an eyebrow, and looked at the astonished Su Yanran before him. "You heard it? Anything else?"
"Tomorrow at noon, Cloud Sea Grand Restaurant. I will wait for you there!" Su Yanran said, keeping her voice low.
"Got it!" Luo Changqing replied indifferently.
When they walked out of the Su Family estate, Qingyan was already waiting outside. Driving the carriage herself, the two quickly arrived at Fengyun Pavilion.
Fengyun Pavilion was one of the properties of Chaotian Pavilion in Cangyang City, dealing in the jade-gambling business.
In the brightly lit backyard, the Lord of Cangyang City, revered by tens of thousands, was currently kneeling on the ground, his face covered in blood and filth.
Footsteps approached.
Li Donghai raised his head from the ground. His forehead was a bloody mess, and blood blurred his vision so badly that he couldn't even see who was standing before him. He simply kowtowed and begged for mercy over and over.
"Please! Spare my family! They are all innocent! Whatever you want, I will offer it to you with both hands!"
Luo Changqing walked slowly up to him, and Qingyan timely handed over a grand master's armchair.
"Offer it with both hands? Does that include your head?" Luo Changqing leaned back in the armchair, looking casually at the man before him.
Hearing the familiar voice, Li Donghai abruptly raised his head, his blurred vision reflecting that familiar face.
"Luo Changqing! It's actually you! How could it be you?"
Li Donghai was utterly shocked. Meeting Luo Changqing's cold and merciless eyes, he felt as though he had fallen into an icy cellar.
Luo Changqing chuckled. Looking at Li Donghai, who was like a frightened bird, he slowly spoke: "Relying on the Lingyang Sect makes you quite arrogant, doesn't it? After serving as a running dog for the Lingyang Sect for so long, it's a wonder you still remember me!"
"Young Master Luo! I know I was wrong, please spare me! I was just momentarily blinded by greed, I didn't mean to do it! Name your price, I can give you the entire City Lord's Estate as compensation!"
Li Donghai kowtowed while crying and begging for mercy. Luo Changqing kicked him hard in the chest. "Are the lives of my Su Family so worthless in your eyes? Tell me, what is the Lingyang Sect's objective?"
"I don't know! I really don't know! I just followed orders!" Li Donghai shrank his neck and begged.
"Courting death!"
Luo Changqing sneered and waved his hand behind him. A young boy was actually dragged forward.
"Dad! Dad save me! I don't want to die!" The boy had been scared out of his wits. Upon seeing Li Donghai, he could only cower behind him.
"I'll give you one chance. Tell me the whole truth, and your only son still has a chance to live. Otherwise, the two of you can reunite in the underworld!"
Luo Changqing's gaze was chilling. Looking at his last remaining young son, Li Donghai closed his eyes in agony.
"The one who has been handling matters for the Lingyang Sect is Sun Shaowei, the young master of the Sun Family. Every single directive I received was passed down by him! It seems they are looking for something!"
"Sun Shaowei!" Luo Changqing's expression grew complex. He slowly clenched his fists, his eyes filled with hatred. "What could possibly be worth bringing such slaughter upon my Su Family?! To think even you became a running dog of the Lingyang Sect!"
Li Donghai's body stiffened, but he still hesitantly spoke, "Most of the Luo Family's business properties have been annexed by the Sun Family. The Sun Family of today is no longer what it used to be—they now firmly sit at the head of the four great noble clans!"
"Head of the four great noble clans? Why didn't I see anyone from their side at the last Su Family commercial gathering?" Luo Changqing asked suspiciously. How could the Sun Family possibly miss such a grand event?
"I heard... they were summoned temporarily by the Lingyang Sect, and the family heads all went! Someone from the Sun Family did go last time, but it was just a branch family! They didn't show their faces!"
"Such a coincidence? The moment I returned, they went to the Lingyang Sect?" Luo Changqing sneered.
"Young Master Luo, I've told you everything I know! Please show mercy and spare me and my son? I truly know I was wrong!"
Li Donghai begged while banging his head heavily against the ground, the sound echoing loudly. Fresh blood quickly stained the ground before him.
Luo Changqing ignored him, turning instead to instruct Qingyan: "Go to Sun Shaowei's estate!"
Ever since coming of age, Sun Shaowei had established his own residence and lived alone, which actually made things much more convenient now.
Given his relationship with Sun Shaowei back in the day, he had spent plenty of time hanging out and making trouble with that group of scoundrels right there!
"Clean up here! Gather all members of Chaotian Pavilion and Red Beauty Tower. I will personally go and meet this former old friend!" Luo Changqing's voice was thoroughly ruthless, sealing the death sentence for the two Li family fathers and sons in a single breath!
"Yes! Understood!" Hearing the command, Qingyan and the others moved into action, rushing to notify Red Beauty Tower while urgently assembling manpower.
She knew very well in her heart that the Pavilion Master was truly angered this time!
It seemed Cangyang City was about to welcome a storm of blood and slaughter once again!
Half an hour later, Luo Changqing stood on the steps before Sun Shaowei's estate.
He stood with his hands behind his back, looking at the large characters "Sun Estate" inscribed above the mansion!
Behind him, on the left, stood the members of Chaotian Pavilion, all dressed entirely in black, with even their faces concealed by black scarves.
On the right stood the members of Red Beauty Tower, all wearing fitted martial attire and consisting uniformly of beautiful women!
Over a hundred top-tier assassins and elite experts of Red Beauty Tower gathered here, waiting quietly.
Meanwhile, inside the mansion, songs and dances played, and people lived in drunken dreams.
Inside the luxuriously decorated hall, several young men sat with beauties in their arms, laughing and flirting!
"Any news from the City Lord's side yet?" Fang Zirong groped the beauty in his arms with both hands, asking with slurred speech.
He was merely the heir to a third-rate family in Cangyang City. He had managed to cling to Li Mingde, the eldest young master of the City Lord's Estate, and through frequently hanging out with him, he had seized the opportunity to meet Sun Shaowei!
Who could have guessed that Li Mingde would turn out dead? Yesterday, he received an invitation from Young Master Sun, knowing full well that the City Lord had hired top-tier assassins from Chaotian Pavilion to assassinate Luo Changqing.
"By now, that Luo Changqing is probably already on the road to the underworld, right?"
As if in response to his words, the moment his voice fell, a figure flew directly into the hall, crashing heavily into the center of the floor and losing all breath in the blink of an eye.
Everyone was startled, their muddled brains sobering up significantly in an instant.
The people of Red Beauty Tower entered first, quickly forming two orderly rows—a most pleasing sight to behold.
Luo Changqing walked in slowly, followed by the top-tier assassins of Chaotian Pavilion clad in night garments!
"Luo Changqing? Why are you here?"
Fang Zirong stood up in shock, staring at Luo Changqing with utter disbelief. Didn't the City Lord hire top assassins from Chaotian Pavilion? Shouldn't Luo Changqing already be a corpse by now?
Luo Changqing's gaze swept over the faces of everyone in the hall one by one, and he chuckled: "All old acquaintances! You're all here having fun, how could you forget to notify me?"