Chapter 2 The Zhou Family's Demise

The next day at noon, Li Ziqing arrived at the Zhou family's mansion on time.

This was a large courtyard with seven layers, boasting a history of several hundred years. It was originally the palace of a Qing Dynasty prince. After changing hands several times, Zhou Zhishan bought it for eighty million when he was forty years old.

Eighty million was an astronomical figure forty years ago.

But now, the mansion was conservatively estimated to be worth two or three billion.

A light drizzle fell from the sky, adding to its sense of vicissitude.

The Zhou family was present in full force, each with a worried frown and a look of dejection.

Since last night, they seemed to have experienced a nightmare, one from which they could never wake up.

Some families rejoice while others grieve. Today, Li Ziqing finally entered the Zhou family's courtyard as a victor.

She looked around. In the future, this place would bear the Chen surname!

Naturally, she didn't come alone. In addition to Chen Xiao, she brought an entire team.

The Zhou family had vast wealth. Counting accounts and taking over assets was a massive undertaking.

After more than three hours of continuous work by a dozen senior accountants, the handover was officially completed.

Led by Zhou Zhishan, the Zhou family walked out of the courtyard gate in a grand manner, leaving this sad place.

The raindrops in the sky grew heavier. The Zhou family huddled under the eaves of other people's houses to avoid the rain, like a pack of stray dogs.

"Dad, what should we do now?"

Zhou Weiguo asked with a bitter face.

He was over sixty years old, but he had spent most of his life under his father's protection. Now that he was kicked out, he had no idea what to do next.

Zhou Zhishan looked to the north and decided, "Enter the capital! We'll go to the imperial city!"

The Zhou family was shocked by Zhou Zhishan's decision.

"Grandpa, are you planning to fight in the imperial city and start all over again? I believe in you. With your ability, you can definitely make a comeback!"

Zhou Wen suddenly became excited.

He was in his prime, full of energy and ambition!

Zhou Zhishan glared at him. "Make a comeback my ass. I decided to go to the imperial city because the five major families are there. Li Ziqing's reach can't extend there!"

Zhou Wen said excitedly again, "That's right, the enemy of my enemy is my friend. The five major families in the imperial city hate Li Ziqing to the bone. As long as we can join forces with one of them, why worry about having no hope of revenge?"

Zhou Zhishan looked at Zhou Wen helplessly, not even wanting to speak this time.

Even at its peak, the Zhou family couldn't catch the eye of the five major families. Now they want to join forces with them? It's just wishful thinking!

They wouldn't even want to be their dogs!

…

On the other side, Li Ziqing and Chen Xiao came to a room in the courtyard.

This was the room where Luo Gan had lived before.

Li Ziqing rummaged through boxes and cabinets, looking for the Lu family's martial arts manual, but she turned the room upside down and found nothing.

Li Ziqing sat down on a chair, dejectedly saying, "Where could this old codger have hidden the manual? Did he burn it after practicing it himself?"

At this moment, Chen Xiao suddenly smiled and said, "He definitely burned it, but he didn't burn it completely."

Li Ziqing was slightly stunned. "Oh? What do you mean by that, husband?"

Chen Xiao didn't answer her question, but took down a calligraphy scroll hanging on the wall.

The finest Xuan paper, with the four characters 'Nande Hutu' (rarely confused) written on it.

Then Chen Xiao found a lighter, lit it, and started burning the calligraphy.

To be precise, roasting it.

Under the heat of the flames, dense writing suddenly appeared on the Xuan paper.

The words were like rows of tadpoles. Li Ziqing couldn't understand them at all. She only recognized the four characters 'Junlin Shengdian' (Emperor's Descent 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 contents and nodded.

"Yes, that's right. This is the Lu family's manual. One of the Lu family's ancestors was a Divine Realm martial artist named Lu Junlin. This manual was created by him."

Li Ziqing was stunned. "Husband, you can understand all of this? And how did you know there was something wrong with this calligraphy?"

Chen Xiao smiled and started talking nonsense again. "I was just guessing randomly. As for the content, it's an ancient script that I happened to have learned when I was a kid…"

Li Ziqing didn't doubt Chen Xiao's words and said, "Husband, then let's return it to its original owner and send it back to Uncle Lu…"

After saying that, Li Ziqing hesitated and added, "But if you want to keep it, I will definitely keep my mouth shut!"

Chen Xiao laughed. "What would I keep it for?"

"Doesn't this manual help martial artists break through to the Divine Realm?"

Li Ziqing asked, blinking her big eyes.

"Indeed."

Chen Xiao nodded, then changed the subject. "However, your husband cultivates something other than martial arts. This thing is useless to me."

"Oh? Then what do you cultivate?"

Li Ziqing had always thought that Chen Xiao was a martial artist.

Chen Xiao thought for a moment and said lightly, "If I had to say, I cultivate immortal techniques."

Li Ziqing was stunned. After a long while, she said sadly, "Husband, are you going to 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 have to ascend one day, I will take you with me!"

Hearing this, Li Ziqing was dumbfounded.

She was only joking just now, but she didn't expect Chen Xiao to actually be able to… This made her uneasy and instantly lost her composure.

Fortunately, Chen Xiao then said that it would all be a hundred years from now, which calmed her down.

Afterwards, the two went to a hotel to return the 'Junlin Shengdian' to Lu Datou.

However, when they arrived at the Tianbao Peninsula Hotel, the hotel receptionist told them that Lu Datou had already left.

He had left them a note before leaving.

"This meeting was a pleasant one, my enjoyment was immense. If we meet again in the Jianghu (martial world) someday, we shall enjoy wine and talk again!"

Looking at this note, Chen Xiao couldn't help but be speechless again.

He thought Lu Datou would leave them a phone number or something.

But thinking about it, with Lu Datou's free and easy nature, he probably didn't even have a mobile phone.

After all, he was a person who didn't even know how to pay online, a pure wanderer…