The night was deep and still.

Duan Chunfeng sat alone by the window, gazing into the distant darkness. The ashtray before him was already crammed with cigarette butts. But while the cigarettes burned down to ash, the weight of his sorrow only smoldered and grew heavier. Finally, he stubbed out his cigarette and exhaled a long plume of smoke.

Actually, there's no need to dwell on it so much. I could let the kid treat me first, and once I'm healed... I'll find a way to take him out. Turning an enemy into a friend is absolutely impossible. It's just that taking this kid out... I probably can't do it on my own.

As he muttered to himself, he reached for the phone on his table. After a brief hesitation, he dialed the number.

The call connected a moment later.

Duan Chunfeng sounded extremely respectful and cautious. "Boss, I'm truly sorry to disturb you this late."

A gentle female voice came from the other end of the phone. "This just means you have something important to discuss with me. Go ahead."

"I've run into some trouble," Duan Chunfeng said.

"What trouble?"

"There's a kid named Luo Xiu. He's the Martial Champion of this year's Martial Heaven Grand Ritual. You should know of him, Boss. I've had some conflicts with him, but with the Duan Family's power alone, it's very difficult to touch him. Therefore, I'd like to ask you to send someone down."

After a moment of silence, the gentle voice on the other end spoke again. "When I have some free time in a few days, I'll come and see for myself."

Hearing this, Duan Chunfeng's eyes widened in disbelief. "Boss, you... there's no need for that. Just sending someone down to assist me would be enough."

"I said, I'm coming in person."

"Okay... In that case, thank you, Boss."

After ending the call, Duan Chunfeng's face was wreathed in smiles.

Luo Xiu... you're dead meat this time!

In his mind, with his boss making a personal appearance, ten Luo Xius wouldn't be enough to kill!

「Meanwhile.」

Inside a luxurious office somewhere abroad, a woman of stunning beauty looked at the black-and-white photo in the frame on her desk. A smile graced her lips, and her eyes were full of warmth.

"Little Mule, I'll be seeing you soon."

The woman put away the photo frame and rose from her seat. "Push back all my upcoming appointments. I'm going back home to have some fun for a while."

"Yes, Boss!"

「Feiyun Villa.」

Inside a small villa, Luo Xiu sat on the edge of the bed, a troubled look on his face as he gazed at Su Shenyun. It was his turn to take care of her, and she seemed to enjoy deliberately finding fault with him, making her incredibly difficult to attend to.

"So, now you see how hard it was for me to take care of you before, don't you?"

Luo Xiu sighed and shot a helpless glance at Sun Li, who was nonchalantly playing on her phone nearby.

Sun Li simply rolled her eyes at him. "Pay your own debts. Besides, my aunt is a top-tier beauty—fair-skinned, gorgeous, with long legs, and she even smells nice. Are you really complaining about having to wait on her?"

Unable to bear it any longer, Luo Xiu pounced on Sun Li and began to tickle her relentlessly. Sun Li burst into giggles, tears welling in her eyes as she begged Su Shenyun for help.

"Alright, that's enough, you two," Su Shenyun chided. "You're grown adults, stop acting like children. Little Mule, I have something serious to discuss with you."

Luo Xiu stopped harassing Sun Li and turned to Su Shenyun, complaining, "Don't call me that."

"Too bad, I'm going to."

Luo Xiu was helpless against her. "What's the serious matter?"

Su Shenyun pulled a file from under her pillow and handed it to him. "After you rescued Xiao Li, I had someone investigate that basement."

Luo Xiu took the file, puzzled. "Which basement?"

"The place where Xiao Yi was found. There's a large basement underneath that building."

Luo Xiu opened the file, his frown deepening the further he read. A moment later, he looked up at Su Shenyun sharply. "So the Scorching Sun Profound Purity Fruit was stolen by people from the Holy Boi Religion?"

Su Shenyun nodded gently. "My people found the husk of the Xuan Qing Fruit in that basement. We also interrogated the technicians who were being controlled."

"What were the results of the interrogation?" Luo Xiu asked.

"They stole the Xuan Qing Fruit from Li Chaoqun, used it to create some kind of serum, and administered it to Xiao Yi," Su Shenyun explained. "That is the direct cause of the awakening of Xiao Yi's Spirit Martial Markings."

Luo Xiu fell silent, a stifling feeling welling up in his chest.

Su Shenyun continued, "Xiao Yi is still in the hospital and hasn't woken up yet. I discussed the matter with Zhang Shizun, and we've decided to ask for your help in monitoring her for a while."

Luo Xiu gave a bitter smile. "Why me?"

"We're not ordering you; we're asking you," Su Shenyun said earnestly. "Because you're the only one who can easily subdue her. You saw the power she displayed tonight. There's no guarantee she'll be stable from now on. If her markings were to reappear in a crowded place, it would surely cause significant casualties. If you don't agree, then based on the Audit Bureau's way of doing things, they'll definitely take her to Capital City, where many experts will guard her. She would completely lose her freedom."

Luo Xiu was quiet for a moment, then nodded.

Looking at him with a touch of sympathy, Su Shenyun said, "Honey, I'm sorry to trouble you. But it can't be helped. Who else is as capable as you?"

Luo Xiu waved his hand with a small laugh. "Don't give me that."

Su Shenyun stared at him. "You don't seem to be in a good mood. If you don't want to do it, then just say so. I'll think of another way."

Luo Xiu sighed softly. "It's not about Xiao Yi. I know she's a potential danger right now and needs someone to watch her. And besides, I'm the only one who can subdue her."

"Then what is it?"

Luo Xiu wore a pained expression. "The Xuan Qing Fruit. I went through all that trouble participating in the Martial Heaven Grand Ritual for that one fruit, only to have it end up in someone else's hands. Ah, whatever. You should get some rest. Xiao Li, take good care of your aunt."

「The next morning.」

Luo Xiu woke up naturally. After washing up and getting dressed, he went downstairs and was surprised to see Li Chaoqun sitting in the main hall.

"President Li, when did you arrive?"

"Not long ago."

Luo Xiu suddenly felt a little embarrassed. The tea on the table was completely cold, indicating that Li Chaoqun had been waiting for a very long time.

Without wasting words, Li Chaoqun took out a pearwood box and handed it to Luo Xiu. "Mister Luo, this is your Scorching Sun Profound Purity Fruit. I have found it."

However, Luo Xiu didn't reach for it. Instead, he asked, "You really found it?"

Li Chaoqun smiled faintly. "If you don't believe me, Mister Luo, you can open it and see for yourself."

Luo Xiu opened the box a crack and saw that there was indeed a Xuan Qing Fruit inside. This made him feel even more embarrassed, so he decided to tell Li Chaoqun the truth.

"President Li, about the Xuan Qing Fruit you lost... I actually found out what happened to it."

Upon hearing this, Li Chaoqun's expression tensed. "Where did you find it?"

After Luo Xiu explained, Li Chaoqun shook his head with a wry smile. "I never thought it would be stolen by those heretics. It was my oversight. However, Mister Luo, you should still take this Xuan Qing Fruit. Ah... To be honest, I had my sect send another one over. As for the one I lost, I was truly unable to find it."

"I can't accept it," Luo Xiu said.

Li Chaoqun's tone became stern. "This is yours by right. Why would you refuse it? The fruit was in my care when it was lost due to my own carelessness and incompetence. Therefore, the responsibility is entirely mine, and it has nothing to do with you. It is only right that I compensate you with a new one. If I had already handed it to you and you lost it, then it would be none of my concern. Mister Luo, wouldn't you say that's fair?"

Luo Xiu looked at Li Chaoqun and suddenly broke into a laugh. He suddenly thought this old man was quite a decent fellow.

"By the way, Mister Luo," Li Chaoqun added, "you mentioned that the members of the Heretic Cult turned the Xuan Qing Fruit into a serum and used it on the Governor's daughter. May I see her?"

"Let's go to the hospital together," Luo Xiu said. "I was planning to visit her anyway."

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