At noon the next day, Li Ziqing arrived at the Zhou family's mansion precisely at twelve o'clock.
This was a seven-courtyard compound with several hundred years of history, originally a prince's mansion during the Qing Dynasty. After several changes of ownership, Zhou Zhishan had bought it for eighty million yuan when he was forty years old.
Eighty million yuan was an astronomical sum forty years ago.
However, it was conservatively estimated that the mansion could now fetch two to three billion yuan.
The sparse, drizzling rain in the sky added to its sense of ancient vicissitude.
The entire Zhou family was present, each with a worried frown and a dejected expression.
From last night until now, they felt as if they had been trapped in a nightmare, one from which they could never awaken.
While some rejoiced, others grieved. Today, Li Ziqing entered the Zhou family's courtyard as a victor.
She glanced around, thinking that from now on, this place would belong to the Chen family!
She had not come alone, of course. Besides Chen Xiao, she had brought an entire team.
The Zhou family was immensely wealthy, and the task of auditing accounts and taking over assets was a monumental undertaking.
After more than three hours of continuous work by over a dozen senior accountants, the handover was finally completed.
Led by Zhou Zhishan, the Zhou family members marched out of the courtyard gates, leaving the place of sorrow.
The raindrops in the sky grew heavier, and the Zhou family, huddled under someone else's eaves to escape the rain, resembled a flock of stray dogs.
"Dad, what do we do now?"
Zhou Weiguo asked with a crestfallen face.
He was over sixty years old, but he had lived his entire life under his father's protection. Now, being driven out, he had no idea where to go next.
Zhou Zhishan gazed north and declared, "We're going to the capital. We're going to the Imperial City!"
The Zhou family was shocked by Zhou Zhishan's decision.
"Grandpa, are you planning to relocate to the Imperial City and start all over again? I believe in you. With your ability, you can surely make a comeback!"
Zhou Wen suddenly became excited.
He was in his prime, strong and vigorous, and still harbored ambitions!
Zhou Zhishan glared at him, "Comeback my foot! I've decided to go to the Imperial City simply because the five great families are there, and Li Ziqing's influence cannot reach that far!"
Zhou Wen excitedly added, "That's right! The enemy of my enemy is my friend. Those five great families in the Imperial City hate Li Ziqing to the bone. As long as we can ally with one of them, why worry about the hope of revenge?"
Zhou Zhishan cast a helpless glance at Zhou Wen, no longer wanting to speak.
Even at its peak, the Zhou family was not worthy of the attention of the five great families. Now, they still wanted to form an alliance? It was sheer delusion!
They would be lucky if they were accepted as dogs, let alone allies!
...
Meanwhile, Li Ziqing and Chen Xiao entered a room within the mansion.
This was the very room where Luo Gan had previously resided.
Li Ziqing rummaged through every drawer and cabinet, searching for the Lu family's martial arts manual. Unfortunately, after turning the entire room upside down, she found nothing.
Li Ziqing slumped into a chair, dejectedly saying, "Where could this old man have hidden the manual? Did he burn it after practicing it himself?"
At this moment, Chen Xiao suddenly smiled and said, "He must have burned it, but it wasn't destroyed."
Li Ziqing blinked in surprise, "Oh? What do you mean, husband?"
Chen Xiao did not answer her question but instead took down a piece of calligraphy hanging on the wall.
On fine Xuan paper, four large characters were written: 'Rarely is one so confused.'
Then, Chen Xiao found a lighter and ignited it, holding it to the calligraphy.
More precisely, he was toasting it.
As the Xuan paper was scorched by the flame, dense characters suddenly appeared on it.
The characters looked like rows of tadpoles, and Li Ziqing couldn't understand them at all. She only recognized the four characters 'Jun Lin Holy Canon.'
Li Ziqing was overjoyed and asked in surprise, "Husband, could this be the Lu family's martial arts manual?"
Chen Xiao glanced at the content and nodded.
"Yes, that's right. This is the Lu family's manual. The Lu family's ancestors once had a divine realm martial artist named Lu Jun Lin. This manual was created by him."
Li Ziqing was stunned. "Husband, you can understand this? And how did you know there was something wrong with this calligraphy?"
Chen Xiao smiled and began to talk nonsense again, "I just guessed randomly. As for the content, it's an ancient script that I happened to learn when I was a child..."
Li Ziqing did not doubt Chen Xiao's words and said, "Husband, let's return it to its rightful owner. Let's give it back to Uncle Lu..."
After saying that, Li Ziqing hesitated slightly and added, "But if you want to keep it, I will definitely keep it a secret!"
Chen Xiao smiled, "Why would I keep it?"
"Doesn't this manual help martial artists break through to the divine realm?"
Li Ziqing asked, blinking her large eyes.
"Indeed."
Chen Xiao nodded and then changed the subject, "However, your husband doesn't cultivate martial arts. This thing is of no use to me."
"Oh? Then what do you cultivate?"
Li Ziqing had always thought Chen Xiao was a martial artist.
Chen Xiao thought for a moment and said faintly, "If I had to say, I cultivate immortal methods."
Li Ziqing was stunned. After a while, she said sadly, "Husband, will you ascend to immortality and leave me in the future?"
"Silly girl, what are you thinking!"
Chen Xiao flicked Li Ziqing's nose. "Even if I ascend one day, I will take you with me!"
Hearing this, Li Ziqing was dumbfounded.
Her previous statement was just a joke. She never expected Chen Xiao to actually be able to... This made her uneasy and instantly flustered.
Fortunately, Chen Xiao then said that it would be a matter of a hundred years from now, which finally calmed her down.
Afterward, the two went to a hotel to return the 'Jun Lin Holy Canon' to Lu Datou.
However, when they arrived at the Tianbao Peninsula Hotel, the front desk informed them that Lu Datou had already left.
He had left a note for them before departing.
"This reunion was most enjoyable, and our spirits were high. Should we meet again in the martial world, we shall share a drink!"
Looking at the note, Chen Xiao was once again speechless.
He had thought Lu Datou would leave them a phone number or something similar.
But then again, considering Lu Datou's carefree and unrestrained nature, it was unlikely he would have a mobile phone.
After all, he was someone who didn't even know how to use online payments, a true wanderer...