Chapter 990: Kill Him Personally
All three could see that Xia Yu’s death had struck a heavy blow to their master, it was just that he hadn't erupted into a crazed display of his inner fury.
“Master, is it possible that Xia Yu didn’t die by Yang Haoran’s hand, but rather met an accident and died at the hands of someone else? ” Autumn Wind asked.
“That possibility isn’t entirely nonexistent, but I think it’s unlikely. ”
After a slight pause, Huo Laoban continued.
“Deep within the Xinyang Mountain Range, there is only one Pharmacist, and that is Xiang Chuan. Ever since I learned of his existence, I harbored the idea of bringing him under my command. That’s why I had Xia Yu conceal her identity to approach him and gradually test his pharmacy skills. Although Xiang Chuan didn’t know Xia Yu’s true identity, they had become acquainted through numerous collaborations. If Xia Yu intended to lure Yang Haoran deep into the Xinyang Mountain Range to eliminate him, she would very likely have discussed cooperation with this Pharmacist. As long as we find him, many of our doubts can be readily resolved. ”
Chun Yang responded, “We’ve already investigated Xiang Chuan’s secluded residence. It has become a ruin, and Xiang Chuan’s whereabouts are unknown. Whether he’s alive or dead, we cannot ascertain. ”
Chun Yang’s words did not alter Huo Laoban’s expression; he seemed to have anticipated such an outcome long ago.
“A Pharmacist’s identity is precious. No matter who obtains a Pharmacist, they wouldn’t easily kill them. Therefore, Xiang Chuan must still be alive. If Xiang Chuan is in Yang Haoran’s hands, then it proves that Xia Yu’s death was definitely Yang Haoran’s doing, with no other possibility. ”
Chun Yang shook his head and immediately replied, “After learning of Xia Yu’s death, we launched an investigation into Yang Haoran. During that period, he didn’t show his face outside, only occasionally stepping out of his villa for a breath of fresh air. It wasn’t until today that he appeared publicly. From his demeanor, he seemed to be deliberately letting others know he was still alive. As for Pharmacist Xiang Chuan, we found nothing at all from beginning to end. ”
Huo Laoban’s inquiry about Xiang Chuan’s whereabouts was merely a shot in the dark; he didn’t hold much hope for it. After all, Chun Yang had just stated they didn’t even know if Xiang Chuan was alive or dead, so the likelihood of finding him was slim. Thus, he wasn’t surprised by Chun Yang’s answer in this regard.
However, one detail did somewhat surprise him.
“You just said that Yang Haoran hadn’t shown his face publicly before, only occasionally stepping out of his own villa for a breath of fresh air? ”
Huo Laoban’s voice carried a hint of doubt. Chun Yang, hearing this, nodded lightly. “That’s right. It’s precisely for this reason that we were able to ascertain he was still alive, while many outsiders almost universally believed him to be dead. ”
Chun Yang, sensing the doubt in Huo Laoban’s tone, asked, “Master, is there something amiss with this matter? ”
Huo Laoban pondered for a moment, then nodded, replying, “Why would he inexplicably step out of his villa just to ‘breathe fresh air’? In my view, he might be trying to lure out the hidden individual in the shadows through this method. ”
At Huo Laoban’s words, the expressions of both Chun Yang and Autumn Wind shifted somewhat, though Dong Xue’s face remained as cold as ever. They naturally understood who Huo Laoban was referring to as the “hidden individual. ”
“You haven’t had contact with Yang Haoran, so you don’t understand him as a person. I, however, am different; I’ve interacted with him. I know he is very cautious and intelligent. If there was nothing amiss, he would never deliberately step out of his villa just to ‘breathe fresh air. ’ Therefore, the best explanation is that he likely knows Xia Yu wasn’t acting alone, or rather, that he knows the one truly trying to kill him isn’t Xia Yu, but someone else entirely. ”
Chun Yang thought for a moment, his brow furrowing slightly, then said, “Master, do you mean he already knows Xia Yu’s identity and that it was you who wanted to kill him? ”
Huo Laoban shook his head and said,
“It’s still uncertain. If Xia Yu’s soul fell into his hands after her death, then he would naturally know everything. However, I have never doubted Xia Yu’s loyalty to me. In a truly fatal situation, Xia Yu would certainly not allow her soul to fall into Yang Haoran’s hands, nor would she even expose her true appearance to him. So, I believe Xia Yu’s Soul Transformation was something she chose to do herself. Because of this, I cannot be certain if Yang Haoran now knows that I am the one who wanted to kill him. However, in my opinion, it’s far more likely he doesn’t know. If he did, he probably would have come demanding an explanation with great fanfare by now. ”
After a slight pause, Huo Laoban continued, “Of course, all these conjectures are based on the premise that Xia Yu was killed by him. If Xia Yu truly didn’t die by his hand, or even had no relation to him at all, then all our conjectures would be invalid. ”
Autumn Wind, hearing this, frowned, a cold glint flashing in his eyes, and then spoke, “Instead of making conjectures here, I think it’s better to just find a way to secretly capture him from Lecheng, or simply kill him discreetly, and then extract his soul. By then, the truth of everything will come out. Besides, Master already intended to kill him, so even if Xia Yu didn’t die by his hand, killing him wouldn’t be killing the wrong person. Master, leave this matter to me. Even if I can’t bring him back alive, I can bring his soul before you. ”
None of the three spoke. Besides Dong Xue, both Huo Laoban and Chun Yang seemed to be weighing the feasibility of Autumn Wind’s proposal.
A moment later, Huo Laoban slowly began, “When I initially had Xia Yu handle this matter, it was because I considered that Yang Haoran had only been an Emissary of Death for a short time, and his strength was very limited. Even if Xia Yu’s power was inferior to Yang Haoran’s, the gap certainly wouldn’t be too great. Furthermore, with Yang Haoran in the open and Xia Yu in the shadows, Xia Yu’s intelligence should have been sufficient to eliminate Yang Haoran without issue. But the facts prove I was wrong. I ultimately caused Xia Yu’s death. Regardless of whether Xia Yu died by Yang Haoran’s hand or not, her death is directly related to me. ”
Speaking of this, Huo Laoban’s gaze fell upon Autumn Wind, and he continued, “If your suggestion were made before Xia Yu’s incident, I would consider it making a mountain out of a molehill, because Yang Haoran simply isn’t worth your intervention. But now it’s different. If our analysis isn’t wrong, it means I misjudged his strength from the very beginning. In such a situation, dealing with him requires caution. I am uneasy about letting you handle this; I don’t want you to become a second Xia Yu. ”
Autumn Wind, hearing this, felt somewhat unconvinced. “Master, you think too highly of him. Yang Haoran has only been an Emissary of Death for a mere few years. Furthermore, our investigation shows that his becoming an Emissary was entirely due to luck. If the previous Emissary hadn’t died, and he hadn’t just happened to open his Heaven Soul, coupled with Lecheng being nothing but a speck of land that the higher-ups don’t even pay attention to, how else could he have had the good fortune to become an Emissary of Death? So, I don’t think he’s that strong. I have absolute confidence in taking him down. ”
Autumn Wind’s words conveyed his disdain for Yang Haoran, as well as his confidence in his own strength, but Huo Laoban, after listening, did not nod in agreement. Instead, he shook his head.
“As I just said, Xia Yu is dead now. I don’t want you to follow in her footsteps. It’s not that I distrust your strength; I simply don’t want to gamble with your life, even if the chances of losing are very small, I am unwilling to do so. ”
Autumn Wind froze for a moment. Then, regaining his composure, he looked as if he wanted to speak but held back.
“Master, let me go. ” A cold voice rang out. Dong Xue, who had been silent for a long time, suddenly spoke.
Huo Laoban looked at Dong Xue, whose face was full of ice, thought for a moment, but ultimately shook his head. “Although your strength is formidable, I am still uneasy about you taking such a risk. I’ve made significant breakthroughs during this seclusion, so I think it’s best if I go personally. Moreover, I must go personally, because if Xia Yu truly died by his hand, then I must kill him with my own hands to avenge Xia Yu. ”
Huo Laoban spoke in a calm tone. As soon as he uttered these words, the other three present were all startled.
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