Chapter 66

The young man in the martial attire held the letter and entered the backyard, approaching the main hall. He spoke softly, "Madam, there is a man outside who wishes to see you. He claims to be your cousin and has a letter for you!"

"Let him in," a clear and slightly hoarse female voice replied, magnetic and captivating.

"Yes," the young man in martial attire responded respectfully, gently pushing open the door. A delicate young girl stood at the entrance, took the letter, and turned to hand it to the young woman sitting in the main hall.

Chu Li saw the woman's appearance through the Great Round Mirror Wisdom.

She had fair skin, long eyebrows, phoenix eyes, a straight and graceful nose, and slightly full lips, blending purity and sensuality.

At this moment, a layer of sorrow clouded her brows, making her look even more touching.

Chu Li understood that she was the Chen Siyu he was supposed to protect.

She wore a plain white silk robe, with a white flower in her upturned hair, clearly in mourning, which made her fair face even more beautiful.

She pulled out the letter, which was only a thin sheet of paper, and quickly finished reading it, a smile appearing on her face.

"Yue'er, it's my cousin Chen Li. Go and bring him in!" Chen Siyu stuffed the letter back into the envelope.

"Yes, Miss," Yue'er responded crisply, leaving the main hall and heading to the entrance.

Chu Li was standing outside with his hands behind his back.

Yue'er came out of the main gate and sized him up a few times. "Are you the young master?"

Chu Li clasped his hands in greeting. "I haven't had the pleasure of..."

"I am Miss's personal maid, Yue'er. Young Master, please follow me!" Yue'er said with a smile, impressed by Chu Li's heroic and calm demeanor.

Chu Li followed Yue'er through the front courtyard, entering the back courtyard from the side of the main hall, and arrived at the front of the main hall.

Chen Siyu was already standing on the steps, standing tall and graceful, the bright sunlight shining on her, but it couldn't dispel the sorrow that enveloped her.

"Meeting my cousin," Chu Li clasped his hands in greeting.

Chen Siyu forced a smile and looked him up and down. "Cousin, why have you come?"

"I have come to seek refuge with my cousin," Chu Li sighed helplessly. "My parents have passed away, and I have no means of livelihood. I can't go on, so I've come to seek refuge with my cousin. I hope my cousin will take me in!"

"Since you're here, you can stay for now. We'll think of a way to find you a job," Chen Siyu nodded lightly and turned to say, "Yue'er, find a courtyard for my cousin to stay in."

"Shall he stay in the Fragrant Stay Courtyard?"

"Um," Chen Siyu nodded. "Tell the kitchen to prepare a welcome dinner for my cousin tonight."

"Yes," Yue'er responded crisply.

She turned and smiled. "Young Master, please follow me."

Chu Li clasped his hands in greeting to Chen Siyu and followed Yue'er through the garden, entering a moon gate, which led to a small courtyard.

Yue'er smiled. "Young Master, this small courtyard was once where Miss lived. You can stay here."

"Thank you," Chu Li smiled.

Yue'er quickly waved her hand and smiled. "You're too kind, Young Master. If you need anything, just let me know. Do you want to find two maids?"

"No, no," Chu Li waved his hand.

After Yue'er left, Chu Li sat by the stone table in the small courtyard, lost in thought.

Zhao Lun, the master of the Broken Mountain Palm, was unknown to him, but he sounded like a formidable figure. Since entering the Marquis's mansion, he had been focused on the news within the mansion and paid little attention to the outside.

Now, it seemed he should broaden his horizons and look outside the mansion.

The four people sitting outside were three innate experts and one post-natal expert, a guardian and a hall master. This gang's strength was not to be underestimated.

Innate experts in the Marquis's mansion were sixth-rank guards, not uncommon, but outside the mansion, they were top-notch experts. As for the Heaven Beyond Heaven, they were the true super-class experts, and the Heavenly Deity experts were legendary.

Zhao Lun, being so formidable, was likely an innate expert.

He thought for a while and then began to think about the technique "Within an Inch, a Thousand Miles."

The acupoint within an acupoint required visualizing the Yongquan point and finding that acupoint.

He had the Great Round Mirror Wisdom, which could see through everything, but he couldn't find this acupoint, which was neither inside nor outside the body, mysterious and profound, truly in the style of Daoism.

Chu Li quickly entered a meditative state, searching within the meditation.

The Yongquan point started as a small acupoint, but as he visualized, it grew larger and larger, eventually becoming boundless, as vast as the sky.

Chu Li didn't rush. Xiao Yue Ling hadn't mastered it, so it wasn't easy. Staying here for a month would allow him to focus on cultivation.

He couldn't reveal his identity here. First, his identity as a guard in the Marquis's mansion was too sensitive. Chen Siyu's family was clearly a martial arts gang, and they would be wary of any connection to the Marquis's mansion, which could isolate them. Second, the Great Thunderclap Temple had vast influence, and he feared being discovered.

They still thought he was in the Marquis's mansion and were likely guarding outside.

If he didn't appear for a short time, they wouldn't find it unusual, thinking he was injured and recuperating inside the mansion. By the time they realized, he might already be back in the mansion.

---

As evening approached, the setting sun cast a rosy glow over the entire mansion.

A burly old man stepped into the mansion, followed by four middle-aged men.

He was tall and robust, with a square face and piercing eyes that exuded authority, clearly a man accustomed to giving orders and holding a high position.

Chu Li observed him with the Great Round Mirror Wisdom. From his conversation with Yue'er in the afternoon, he knew this man was likely the leader of the Storm Cloud Gang, Xu Zhichun. The four men in the hall earlier were the guardian Xu Anxia, Zheng Gongming, the hall master Hu Hai, and the guest advisor Lan Jingzhong.

Xu Zhichun entered the main hall, and the four men, Zheng Gongming, stood up and clasped their hands. "Leader."

Xu Zhichun waved his hand. "Is everything alright?"

"Leader, a new cousin of the young lady has arrived and entered the mansion," the guardian Xu Anxia clasped his hands and said. "We couldn't stop him."

"Cousin..." Xu Zhichun frowned, stroking his beard thoughtfully. "How old is he?"

"About twenty," Xu Anxia said solemnly. "He's an ordinary person, not a martial artist."

The tall and plump Hu Hai said sternly, "Leader, we can't be too careful at this critical moment!"

"Old Hu, do you think something is wrong?" Xu Zhichun asked slowly.

Hu Hai snorted. "Isn't it too coincidental?"

Xu Anxia snorted. "Hall Master Hu, how could the young lady not recognize her own cousin?"

Hu Hai pursed his lips. "What if there's some hidden reason, or if Zhao Lun is threatening the young lady?"

Xu Anxia sneered. "We, the Storm Cloud Gang, are not afraid of Zhao Lun!"

Hu Hai grumbled, feeling his argument was weak, but still不服气, "Better safe than sorry. We can't let him slip through, what if he poisons someone?"

Xu Anxia's face was full of sarcasm. "He's just an ordinary person, how could he poison anyone?"

"Hmm, Old Hu's caution is not wrong, Little Xu, you should learn from him!" Xu Zhichun nodded.

"..." Xu Anxia clasped his hands in response, glaring at Hu Hai.

Xu Zhichun pretended not to see their conflict and said thoughtfully, "I will see him personally and welcome him. You can go and rest."

"Leader, we should stay," Hu Hai said hurriedly. "There's nothing to do back home."

"Stay any longer, and the beauties in your mansion will scold me!" Xu Zhichun snorted, waving his hand impatiently. "Get lost, I'll handle it. Zhao Lun won't dare to come!"

"Hehe, Leader's might, Zhao Lun naturally won't dare to offend. Alright, we won't stay and be a nuisance!" Hu Hai laughed.

The four men left.

Xu Zhichun walked to the back courtyard, where Chen Siyu was sitting quietly by the stone table, looking up at the sky, her expression distant.

She was tall and slender, with a narrow waist, and the plain white silk robe she wore couldn't hide her graceful figure.

Xu Zhichun cleared his throat as he entered.

Chen Siyu seemed not to hear, still looking up at the sky.

"Your cousin has arrived?"

"Um," Chen Siyu looked at the sky, not even glancing at him.

Xu Zhichun cleared his throat again. "Is he from the old home?"

"My uncle's son," Chen Siyu said coolly. "He was pampered from a young age, couldn't bear to let him suffer, so he didn't practice martial arts, and now he's a good-for-nothing!"

"Ah..." Xu Zhichun shook his head. "Your uncle was right, not practicing martial arts is better."

Chen Siyu sneered. "Not practicing martial arts means being bullied!"

"Being bullied is better than being killed!" Xu Zhichun sighed. "If I could go back, I wouldn't let Peng practice martial arts, I'd rather he be a playboy!"

Chen Siyu glanced at him, sneering. "If you could go back, you'd still force him to practice martial arts! Otherwise, who would inherit the Storm Cloud Gang, who would take over your legacy?"

"Now..." Xu Zhichun sighed deeply. "Isn't it the same?"

"You still have sons!" Chen Siyu sneered. "One is dead, but you have two more! Aren't you going to let them practice martial arts?"

Xu Zhichun was speechless, shaking his head. "Let's welcome your cousin tonight. What did he come for?"

"He can't go on, so he came to seek refuge with me," Chen Siyu snorted.

Xu Zhichun said, "I'll arrange a position for him in the gang."

"No need!" Chen Siyu snorted. "He can't practice martial arts, and he would be a burden. I don't want him involved in martial arts affairs. Let him study in the mansion!"

"You..." Xu Zhichun shook his head. "Studying is good."

Yue'er entered quietly. "Miss, Old Master, dinner is ready."

"Let's start the meal," Xu Zhichun said.

Chen Siyu nodded lightly. "Go and invite the young master to the main hall for dinner."

"Yes," Yue'er responded and turned to leave.

Xu Zhichun looked at Chen Siyu, who had a blank expression and didn't look at him.

"Ah... Siyu, don't be too sad. The dead cannot be brought back to life. Peng wouldn't want you to be like this."

Chen Siyu glanced at him, her eyes cold.

Xu Zhichun sighed helplessly and got up to leave.