In the Zuo family manor in Tianfeng City.
An elder with a vigorous spirit sat in the hall. Beside him, a man clad in a cloak stood with a slight bow, his head respectfully bowed, the deep brim of his hood obscuring half his face.
Though the elder appeared to be of considerable age, his vitality and blood circulation were remarkably robust. His eyes, like those of a falcon, were sharp and profound, shining with a keen light. This man was none other than the helmsman of the Zuo family in Tianfeng City, the president of the Alchemist Guild of Tianfeng Kingdom, and the sole four-star alchemist in Tianfeng Kingdom, Zuo Qiuming.
The cloaked man was Tailong, a retainer most appreciated and heavily relied upon by Zuo Qiuming.
Tailong was an orphan, adopted and personally nurtured by Zuo Qiuming, who had invested considerable effort in his upbringing.
Tailong had not disappointed, his cultivation prowess being outstanding among his peers. He was particularly adept at stealth and assassination, and now managed the Zuo family's intelligence department.
"Has Youren woken up?" Zuo Qiuming asked expressionlessly, though his words betrayed a grandfather's concern for his grandson.
"Young Master has regained consciousness and is now asleep," Tailong replied.
"It's good for him to suffer a setback. Otherwise, he'll never know his place, and something serious will happen sooner or later. What do you plan to do about that Chen Xiao?" Zuo Qiuming's tone remained placid, but a hint of ruthlessness flickered in his eyes.
His only grandson had been beaten and humiliated. It was natural for a grandfather to be angry. Zuo Qiuming was merely asking for Tailong's opinion, but it was a formality. If Tailong couldn't provide a satisfactory answer, he would not let the matter rest. This was also part of his strategy for managing his subordinates.
Tailong had followed Zuo Qiuming since childhood and understood his thoughts perfectly. He responded, "Chen Xiao's wicked deeds deserve to have his tendons stripped and his skin flayed. However, this matter is of great importance, and I have conveyed the Zuo family's goodwill to him on behalf of the patriarch."
"What did you say? What do you mean 'of great importance'? And 'conveyed goodwill'? When did I ever make such a decision?" Zuo Qiuming slammed the table. He was clearly taken aback by Tailong's response and angered by his presumption.
Tailong, with a confident and unhurried demeanor, explained, "Patriarch, please let me finish. This Chen Xiao hails from the Chen family in Qingyuan City, and his abilities are highly suspicious."
"Are you implying that?" Upon hearing Tailong's words, Zuo Qiuming's demeanor immediately softened, and his gaze grew serious.
"Yes, I suspect Chen Xiao has obtained treasures from the Dragon Burial Tomb, a forbidden area within the Chen family," Tailong replied.
"On what grounds?" Zuo Qiuming's pupils contracted sharply.
"This Chen Xiao was the adopted son of the Chen family patriarch, Chen Feng. From childhood, he was an absolute nobody, possessing only a first-grade spiritual seed and never having been exposed to the art of alchemy. Yet, just a few days ago, not only did his strength surge dramatically, crippling Chen Feng's biological son's arm, but he then came to the capital and, with a single move, drew a fourth-level talisman. If he hadn't obtained the treasures from the Dragon Burial Tomb, how could he have achieved all this?"
The matter of Chen Xiao drawing a fourth-level enchantment talisman in the ghost market had reached Zuo Qiuming's ears immediately, even before Zuo Youren could report it.
Zuo Qiuming's current status was built upon his alchemical skills. The sudden emergence of such a prodigious talent, whose alchemical attainments were not inferior to his own, made him feel threatened. Thus, he had immediately dispatched Tailong to investigate.
Although Zuo Qiuming had warned Zuo Youren not to provoke Chen Xiao, he hadn't interfered with Zuo Youren's subsequent private actions. He thought it would be beneficial for Zuo Youren to probe Chen Xiao's depths, never expecting Zuo Youren to suffer such a heavy blow.
After investigating Chen Xiao's background, Tailong learned of Zuo Youren's attempt to ambush Chen Xiao. He rushed to the scene and, after rescuing Zuo Youren from Chen Xiao's hands, finally had the opportunity to report his findings to Zuo Qiuming.
"Hmm." Zuo Qiuming pondered, falling silent for a long moment before speaking. "Your analysis has merit. However, regarding the secret of the Dragon Burial Tomb, the previous patriarch of the Chen family died under suspicious circumstances and never had the chance to inform the current patriarch, Chen Feng. Therefore, even Chen Feng is unaware of it. How could his mere adopted son obtain the treasures within?"
"I am incompetent. I have infiltrated the Chen family countless times without finding the entrance to the Dragon Burial Tomb, yet this brat managed to get there first. I beg for your punishment, Patriarch," Tailong bowed his head in apology.
"This is not your fault. Providence is a mysterious thing. Since we know the treasure is with this brat, we will slowly devise a plan to retrieve it. You did the right thing by trying to win him over, making him lower his guard, and extracting the whereabouts of the treasure. Once the treasure is in our possession, we can deal with this brat."
"This matter is entrusted to you entirely. Everyone else, including myself, will offer you full cooperation," Zuo Qiuming said, patting Tailong on the shoulder.
"Yes," Tailong responded.
Zuo Qiuming then cautioned, "A'long, this matter is of utmost importance. The future of the Zuo family rests on your shoulders. You must be extremely careful and prudent. Once this is accomplished, I will reward you handsomely. You know I have always treated you like my own grandson. The future of the Zuo family depends on you and Youren!"
Tailong was somewhat overwhelmed by Zuo Qiuming's repeated mentions of the Zuo family's future. He stood straighter and stated resolutely, "Tailong will not fail in his mission. My life was given by the Patriarch, and I will swear to assist Young Master Zuo in the future. Please rest assured, Patriarch."
Zuo Qiuming finally showed a hint of a satisfied smile. "I knew my old Zuo hadn't misjudged you. You may withdraw. I am old, and I start feeling drowsy as soon as it gets dark."
Saying this, Zuo Qiuming yawned. Tailong, understanding the cue, withdrew. As soon as Tailong left, Zuo Qiuming's expression immediately turned grim, all traces of drowsiness gone. He said with slight displeasure, "Everyone has left, why aren't you coming out?!"
As Zuo Qiuming finished speaking, a person suddenly entered from a side door and walked directly to Zuo Qiuming. The newcomer's face was bruised and swollen, a truly pitiable sight. It was none other than the young master of the Zuo family, Zuo Youren.
He said somewhat awkwardly to Zuo Qiuming, "Grandfather, you knew I was here?"
"Hmph, with your meager abilities, you try to eavesdrop? To tell you the truth, not only did I know you were here, but Tailong also detected you." Zuo Qiuming grunted. The matters he discussed with Tailong were highly confidential. If it were anyone else eavesdropping, they would likely have lost their life by now.
"I told you to cultivate properly, but you wouldn't listen. Are you enjoying being beaten this time?" Zuo Qiuming teased him, expressing his disappointment.
"Grandfather, I..." Zuo Youren felt both ashamed and annoyed. In reality, his injuries were not severe, but his spirit had suffered extreme torment.
Although Zuo Youren was usually arrogant and overbearing, he would never dare to act presumptuously in front of his grandfather. His eyes darted around, and he changed the subject, asking, "Grandfather, what is this Dragon Burial Tomb you were talking about?"