Yes, the person before him was indeed Steward Fu. As a steward hidden within the Lin family, no one knew how strong he truly was.
Seeing that his cover was completely blown, Steward Fu instead revealed a look of relief.
"You've been hiding deep, old man! You almost fooled me too!" Yun Fan said with disdain.
If it hadn't been for Steward Fu's call to the Black Dragon Society last time, which exposed his calloused hands, he would never have guessed that this shadowy figure was Steward Fu.
Lin Tianxin stepped forward, her voice cold, "Steward Fu, my Lin family has treated you well. Why are you doing this?"
Without a doubt, upon learning his true identity, Lin Tianxin was the most heartbroken.
Steward Fu chuckled, "I never belonged to your Lin family. What I do is naturally none of your Lin family's business!"
His statement was quite reasonable. Given the Lin family's strength, it was impossible to ensure such a master's loyalty.
Moreover, this game had been played for a long time, spanning fifteen years, and was definitely not as simple as it appeared.
At this moment, Lin Tianxin asked, "I don't know what you've been lurking in my Lin family for fifteen years for!"
"I underestimated you!" Steward Fu looked at Lin Tianxin. In his eyes, Lin Tianxin was a typical rich and beautiful woman, though outstanding in business.
However, she wasn't that mature mentally, so he had never paid much attention to her. He knew she was merely a pawn with exploitable value.
Unexpectedly, Lin Tianxin's performance this time surprised him. It was this seemingly insignificant pawn that led to his exposure.
"Hmph!" Lin Tianxin snorted coldly, clearly displeased with Steward Fu's perception of her as a mere ornament. In reality, she had never been just an ornament.
Of course, neither was Jiang Xueyan. They were more than just beautiful women; others had simply underestimated them.
Steward Fu then said, "Now that I've become your prey, do as you please, kill me or dismember me!"
He showed no intention of confessing.
Yun Fan sneered, "It seems you have a tough bone. I have plenty of ways to make you talk!"
With that, he approached Steward Fu and employed the interrogation techniques of the Ghost Valley Sect. With a few casual touches on Steward Fu's body, the latter cried out in unbearable pain, as if millions of ants were gnawing at his heart. Even he turned pale and looked close to death.
Initially, Steward Fu could endure it, but soon he became increasingly distressed and finally broke down, yielding.
Only then did Yun Fan untie his restraints.
"Confess honestly, and don't try any tricks!"
At this, Steward Fu sighed, "The reason I hid for so long was due to my master's instructions!"
"Who is your master?" Yun Fan pressed.
"You are not yet qualified to know who my master is, and I will never tell you, even if you kill me!"
Upon hearing this, the three were shocked. From Steward Fu's words, it was easy to infer that his master was someone of extremely high status.
"What is the objective?" Yun Fan asked, not dwelling on Steward Fu's master, but seeking to understand the purpose.
Steward Fu smiled, "I'm sure you already know her value!" He then looked at Lin Tianxin.
Yun Fan immediately understood. Lin Tianxin possessed the Xuan Yin body constitution, a body craved by martial artists. He hadn't expected someone to have been targeting Lin Tianxin for over a decade. This plan was indeed not simple.
However, Yun Fan said, "If it were truly for her, you would have acted long ago and wouldn't have waited until now!" As the most outstanding disciple of the Ghost Valley Sect, Yun Fan believed this matter was far from simple. Steward Fu's reason might fool others, but not him.
Steward Fu took a deep breath, "As expected of a Ghost Valley successor, your mind is so agile. That's right, it's not just for her!"
"What else? You'd better explain clearly!"
At this, Steward Fu said, "Lin Tianxin is just a treasure my master fancied, but this treasure needs to grow, and its fruit cannot be plucked by others!"
"Therefore, she is only one of your objectives, which is to guard until the fruit ripens!"
Facing Yun Fan's question, Steward Fu replied, "Precisely. After all, she is the key for my master's perfect chess piece to advance further!"
"Any other objectives?" Steward Fu replied, "Even though you are a Ghost Valley successor, I still advise you to give up! Killing me would be the best confession!" Despite Yun Fan's exceptional talent as a Ghost Valley successor, Steward Fu still didn't take him seriously, as the matter ahead involved too much. It was far beyond what Yun Fan could comprehend, and even if he knew, he couldn't change anything.
"To be honest, although you already possess invincible prowess, in the face of this matter, you are still not enough. Unless your master personally intervenes!" Yun Fan did not get angry at Steward Fu's taunt, as he vaguely felt that this matter might be related to the fourth task his master had given him. The more this was the case, the more he needed to understand and complete his master's fourth task.
"If you don't say, how will I know?" Steward Fu sighed, "Since you want to know, I will tell you!"
"My master laid out a game twenty years ago, and it's nearing its endgame! This game involves too many people. It was supposed to conclude perfectly, but unexpectedly, at the end, your Ghost Valley Sect became involved!"
Hearing this, Yun Fan was somewhat startled. A twenty-year plan—Steward Fu's master was truly formidable.
"So, you tried everything to eliminate me because you feared I would disrupt your plan?" Yun Fan asked curiously.
"You think too highly of yourself. Even if your Ghost Valley Sect meddles in everything, as long as the Old Celestial Master doesn't make a move, it won't affect my master's plan at all," Steward Fu sneered. "The reason for eliminating you is that I fear you would snatch away the fruit I've been guarding for over a decade, because it's not meant for you!"
Yun Fan hadn't expected this to be the key reason why Steward Fu wanted him eliminated. He then said, "Then you might be disappointed. She is my fiancée, and no one will hurt her!"
Upon hearing this, Lin Tianxin was deeply touched internally, as Yun Fan's words were not false. Ever since Yun Fan came to Jiangnan, he had been protecting her. Although some actions were intentional and some unintentional, without Yun Fan, she might have already perished.
Jiang Xueyan felt a pang of bitterness beside them. It seemed Yun Fan's feelings for his original fiancée were very deep! Was she destined to be the "other woman"?
"You really think highly of yourself. Never mind others, but both the Dragon Emperor and Ouyang Shaohui have set their sights on your fiancée. You won't be able to block them!" Steward Fu mocked.
Yun Fan disdained, "Then you might be disappointed. I truly don't take those two into consideration!" Although he hadn't clashed with these two yet, Yun Fan was confident in himself and didn't fear them.
"You still haven't confessed why you stole my Lin family's stock transfer agreement!" Lin Tianxin coldly demanded. Although the Lin family was wealthy, she believed Steward Fu stealing the agreement wasn't just about acquiring the Lin family's assets. For someone of Steward Fu's caliber, wealth was an external possession, neither important nor dispensable.
"If I say I truly did it for your Lin family's assets, would you believe me?" Steward Fu tried to play coy with her.
"What do you think?" Lin Tianxin retorted impatiently.
Yun Fan could see from the side that Steward Fu would not confess.
"I have plenty of ways to make you confess!" With that, Yun Fan acted decisively and crippled Steward Fu.
"Ugh!" Steward Fu let out a muffled groan as Yun Fan snapped both his arms.
"You... you dare to cripple me!" Steward Fu was furious. Crippling his hands meant ruining his martial arts career.
Yun Fan sneered, "I don't just want to cripple you!" He then called for Lei Bao.
"Imprison him. If he tries any tricks, kill him on the spot!"
"Yes!" Lei Bao ordered his men to drag the limp Steward Fu away like a dead dog.
"Yun Fan, you will regret this! Soon, you will realize that your strength is no match for my master!"
However, Yun Fan ignored him and said to the two women, "Alright, this troublesome fellow is finally dealt with. You two deserve the credit!"
At this moment, Lin Tianxin recalled Steward Fu's earlier words: the stock transfer agreement contained a secret about the Su family. She immediately said, "Here is the stock transfer agreement. See if there are any secrets in it!" With that, she handed the agreement to Yun Fan.
Yun Fan took it and opened it, finding a secret document with only two words on it.
Yu Shuai!
"Who is this Yu Shuai?" Jiang Xueyan asked, puzzled.
Yun Fan said, "I heard my Seventh Senior Sister mention him. He was a powerful figure who wielded great influence in the court. Back then, he was undoubtedly second only to the ruler in China. However, at his peak, he retired and disappeared from public view. No one knows where he went, nor whether he is still alive!" Yun Fan knew very little about Yu Shuai, as that era was too distant, and much could not be verified.
"Could this be the secret the Su family left with my Lin family?" Lin Tianxin's eyes showed a hint of confusion.
"The Su family?" Yun Fan didn't know the origins of this Su family.
At this, Jiang Xueyan spoke first, "The Su family was originally a prestigious clan in the south. Back then, the Su family was the wealthiest in the entire south, to the point of being described as 'rich enough to rule the land'!"
"Indeed!" Lin Tianxin nodded. "Speaking of the Su family, they were not only charitable but also eager to help others. My Lin family received much favor from the Su family back then. Therefore, before the Su family was wiped out, my father was friends with the Su family head!"
"Of course, the Su family helped more than just your Lin family. Those who received favors from the Su family were all wealthy individuals. During my Jiang family's economic crisis back then, we were also helped by the Su family!" Jiang Xueyan chimed in. From their words, it was evident that the Su family enjoyed high prestige in the south back then.
Such a respected and influential family being wiped out was what puzzled Yun Fan.
Yun Fan then asked, "Who wiped out the Su family?"
"We don't know!" Lin Tianxin said. "The Su family was wiped out overnight, and to this day, the true culprit hasn't been found. Although my father and a group of people who received favors from the Su family searched for ten years, they found nothing!"
Yun Fan frowned. After so many years, there were still no clues about the Su family's annihilation. This left only two possibilities. First, the perpetrator's power was too great, and they had the means to cover up all traces. Second, the perpetrator was a desperate fugitive. China was vast, and there were many experts, even beyond the Grandmaster level. If such a person acted, even after annihilating a family like the Su family, they could disappear without a trace. However, in Yun Fan's opinion, as the leading family in the south, the Su family would undoubtedly have Grandmaster-level experts within their ranks. Therefore, if it was the second scenario, the perpetrator must have been someone beyond the Grandmaster level.
"Is there no one left alive from the Su family now?" Facing Yun Fan's question, Jiang Xueyan said, "There is one, and you even know her!"
"Who?"
"Zhuque!"
"It's her!" Yun Fan hadn't expected Zhuque to be a descendant of the Su family, which was quite a surprise. It seemed he had to find an opportunity to ask her for clarification.
At this moment, holding the document, Yun Fan wondered if the Su family's annihilation had anything to do with Yu Shuai. Was the master behind Steward Fu this Yu Shuai? And was the fourth task his master mentioned related to Steward Fu's master? He had to admit that the truth felt closer now, but with it came confusion and uncertainty. It seemed this task from his master was indeed not ordinary; it was a hellish level task.
...
When Yun Fan returned to the Black Dragon Society, he discovered that his Fifth Senior Sister, Zhao Fanghua, and Sixth Senior Sister, Yang Xue, had already gone to interrogate Steward Fu. Yun Fan sat in his office and waited, having a strong premonition that Steward Fu was the key to unlocking this puzzle.
Just then, Ye Feng rushed in, "Brother Yun, my leader is in trouble!"
"What happened?" Yun Fan asked, confused.
"This is a long story. Please come with me!" Ye Feng said urgently.
"I don't have time!" Yun Fan was exasperated. He was busy with his fourth task! He had no time to go gallivanting. Zhuque was merely a casual acquaintance; he had no reason to focus his attention on her.
Ye Feng quickly pleaded, "We absolutely need Brother Yun's help in this matter. Please, you must come with me, or my leader will be in danger!"
"Alright!" Yun Fan agreed. As long as it didn't take too much of his time, he would help if he could. After all, Ye Feng was half his friend.
Yun Fan and Ye Feng then arrived at a villa.
"Brother Yun, my leader has locked himself in there for three days. He refuses to see anyone. If this continues, he might be in danger!" Ye Feng looked anxious. Even if his leader was a Grandmaster-level expert, he would collapse without food or drink.
"Then why don't you break down the door? See what's going on!"
"We dare not!" Ye Feng said with difficulty.
"Cowards!" Yun Fan scoffed. "Step aside, I'll do it!"
"Okay!" The next moment, Ye Feng and the others vanished without a trace.
"What the heck..." Yun Fan was annoyed. He had only asked Ye Feng and the others to move aside, not to disappear completely! Fine! Now all the mess was on his shoulders.
At this, Yun Fan kicked the door open and entered. He expected to hear Zhuque's curses, but the room was eerily quiet. The room was large, a suite. After looking around for a while, Yun Fan finally found Zhuque sitting on the bed, lost in thought. Her face was haggard, her hair disheveled, and her eyes lacked any spark. Who knew how she had endured these three days.
"Are you alright?" It was a simple question of concern, but Zhuque did not reply. This left Yun Fan unsure of what to say.
The scene remained silent for a long time before Zhuque finally spoke, "I don't need your comfort. Go be with your fiancée!"
"This..." Yun Fan somehow heard a strong hint of jealousy. What did she mean? Could this woman have fallen in love with him? But it was unlikely. They were at most casual acquaintances. If she could fall in love with him so easily, it would be too absurd.
To ease the awkwardness, Yun Fan said, "I heard from Ye Feng that you've locked yourself in your room for three days. What's going on? As a friend, I'll definitely help if you tell me!"
"You can't help me!" Zhuque said directly.
"How do you know you can't help me if you don't tell me?"
At this, Zhuque asked, "Then let me ask you, I like someone, but he already likes someone else. What do you think I should do?"
Hearing this, Yun Fan was stunned. Had his guess been correct? What kind of situation was this? Seeing his silence, Zhuque continued, "I'm in a lot of pain right now, but I don't know what to do."
Yun Fan was at a loss, as he didn't know how to comfort a woman. Therefore, the best course of action at this moment was to change the subject. Besides, he had intended to ask Zhuque for some information anyway. He immediately said, "Do you know Yu Shuai?"
"What?" Zhuque looked at Yun Fan in shock, not understanding why he was asking about this person. But from her eyes, Yun Fan could tell she knew Yu Shuai.
"Miss Su, I already know your identity!" Zhuque trembled all over. It had been many years since anyone had called her that. Opening a sealed memory, her name was Su Ziyan.
"Why are you asking about Yu Shuai?" Zhuque asked Yun Fan. She indeed knew Yu Shuai. His status in China was very high, definitely the highest outside of the ruling powers. Moreover, Yu Shuai was not just of high status; he had many accomplished disciples, the most prominent among them being the Dragon Emperor. It was known that although the Dragon Emperor was exceptionally famous in China, he was incomparable to Yu Shuai, not even worthy of carrying his shoes. Even if the Dragon Emperor became a king, his status would still be far below Yu Shuai's. Such a towering figure was usually low-key, so not many people knew him. Even Zhuque had only heard of his name but had never seen him. In other words, given her status, she could not meet Yu Shuai. Even the Dragon Emperor could only be seen occasionally.
Yun Fan said, "That guy who uses a saber has been lurking in the Lin family, his purpose being to obtain the Lin family's stock transfer agreement. And within the agreement lies a secret of your Su family. When I opened it, it only had the two words: Yu Shuai!"
"My Su family's secret!" Zhuque looked at Yun Fan in shock. She didn't even know these hidden details, yet Yun Fan knew them all.
"My Su family has no dealings with Yu Shuai, nor any enmity towards him!" Zhuque said directly. At the same time, she told Yun Fan about Yu Shuai's personal history.
"That's strange!" Yun Fan said, "I believe your Su family would not write this person's name on a secret for no reason, especially with only these two words and no further explanation!" In his opinion, the Su family seemed to want to convey something but didn't, yet the name Yu Shuai was definitely related to the Su family. However, whether he was the one who annihilated the Su family remained to be seen.
At this, Zhuque said, "This person is the Dragon Emperor's master!"
"Hmm?" Yun Fan was filled with doubt.
Subsequently, Zhuque recounted what Qinglong had said to Yun Fan. Yun Fan became even more confused. If it was indeed the Dragon Emperor who annihilated the Su family, then it made sense why Yu Shuai's name would appear in this secret. Thus, Yun Fan said, "It seems things are more complicated than I imagined!"
"Now, I can only hope that old fellow will confess everything clearly, otherwise the situation will become increasingly muddled!" Zhuque said, "I have a method of interrogation that can force him to confess! This method is very cruel and is even taboo within my Night Watch!"
"Good, then you'll come with me to interrogate him!" Yun Fan's objective was simple: to force Steward Fu to reveal who was behind him. Although Yun Fan suspected it was Yu Shuai, he couldn't jump to conclusions without definitive proof.
"Mhm!" Zhuque readily agreed. This person had killed her comrades and Uncle Qinglong; how could she let him go?
...
"Master, something's wrong! Qian Ren has been captured and is being held at the Black Dragon Society!" A confidant of the Dragon Emperor rushed in to report. The so-called Qian Ren was Steward Fu, ranked third on the Human Ranking, whose swift blade was unmatched.
Upon hearing this, the Dragon Emperor's expression turned cold. He wasn't heartbroken about Qian Ren's capture, as, in his eyes, everyone except himself was merely a tool. However, Qian Ren knew too many secrets about him and his master. Therefore, there were only two options: either save Qian Ren or kill him. Of course, the Dragon Emperor preferred the former, as Qian Ren no longer held any value for him. Due to his previous actions, he was now being scrutinized by the media from all walks of life in Jiangnan, making it difficult to kill Yun Fan. Therefore, he had shelved his plan, as Qian Ren was guarding the Lin family for him, and he wasn't in a hurry. Unexpectedly, Qian Ren's identity was exposed, and for him, it meant losing a pawn.
Thus, he immediately said, "Before his mouth can be forced open, kill him!"
"Yes!" Just as his subordinate was about to leave, the Dragon Emperor stopped him.
"Forget it, you all don't need to worry about this. This War God will handle it personally!" The Dragon Emperor's intention was clear: this time, he would not only silence Qian Ren but also wash the Black Dragon Society with blood. As long as Yun Fan was eliminated, he could then fully contend with Ouyang Shaohui for Lin Tianxin.