This scoundrel is a bit of a swordsman.

Chapter 130 Crisis Strikes

Upon entering the mansion, Huangfu Lingxue's arrival was like a dazzling shooting star, causing a great uproar in the Chen family.

Xiao Xingchen ignored all of this. Since he had come to keep his promise to Chen Miao, he had already done what he had promised.

At this moment, all he could think about was Daji. Although they hadn't seen each other for only a day, it felt like a lifetime had passed in that single day. Such a turning point in his life was nothing more than this.

He stood in the courtyard for a long time, his eyes scanning the surroundings like an eagle's. A hint of surprise flashed across his face. The earth-shattering event of Emperor Wu's annihilation of the Immortal Pavilion had just occurred, and the court was in turmoil. He did not expect that so many people would still have the leisure to come here for a banquet. Weren't they afraid that Emperor Wu would settle accounts with them later?

The Right Chancellor, ministers and vice ministers of various departments, and even several princes and marquises were all chatting and laughing with the Princess. After all, she was the Vice Minister of Revenue of the Chen family of Hanhai, so everyone naturally had to give her face.

However, having just offended Emperor Wu, is it truly appropriate to indulge in pleasure here? How could everything here be kept secret from Emperor Wu? If he were magnanimous, it might be one thing.

But clearly, Emperor Wu's mind was as narrow as a pinhead. That intuition surged into his heart again like a tide. He kept looking back, imprinting those figures of drinking and exchanging toasts deeply into his mind.

But where is Chen Haoran? As the host, he is nowhere to be seen, and Chen Miao is also absent. Could she be in the backyard?

He couldn't help but speculate to himself. Seeing that no one was paying attention to him, he thought he should slip away as fast as he could.

Daji certainly wouldn't appear in the front yard. Since he couldn't find Chen Miao, he would have no choice but to search for her himself.

"Young master, please wait!"

Just as he was about to turn and leave, a man who looked like a butler appeared as if by ghost.

"Young master, my master invites you."

After a moment's thought, Xiao Xingchen nodded slightly. Now that they had arrived at the Chen family, Chen Haoran should naturally be met.

Led by the butler, they moved like ghosts, avoiding the banquet crowd and circling around several times, as if they were hiding from some terrifying being. This made Xiao Xingchen frown deeply.

He thought to himself, "This is the Chen family home. Is it really necessary to be so cautious?"

"Young master, just follow this road straight ahead until you reach the end, and you will arrive."

"it is good."

Xiao Xingchen believed this without a doubt. At the end of the corridor was a room surrounded by artificial mountains, like a natural barrier, with a narrow passage in the very center, as if it were a mysterious road leading to the unknown.

As he walked along, he noticed that the place seemed unusually secluded. Not only was there no one around, but even the servants of the Chen family were nowhere to be seen, as if this area had been forgotten by time.

Thinking of what Chen Miao had said last time, Dali was willing to form an alliance with him because he not only knew the secret of the Sword Immortal, but was also a young Sword Immortal. This was undoubtedly a trump card in his hand.

The fact that they invited me to such a secluded place suggests they have something important to discuss.

"Lord Chen, I've arrived! Please open the door!"

Reaching the door, he gently knocked and waited quietly for a response.

However, the room was as still as a stagnant pool, with not a sound coming out.

"Lord Chen, I have come as promised. Please open the door."

With a soft "thump," the sound of something collapsing came from inside the room. Although the sound was faint, he still managed to pick it up precisely.

Xiao Xingchen frowned deeply, his ominous premonition growing stronger. He tried his best to push the door, but found that it was as if it had been enchanted and wouldn't budge.

Oh no, something's happened!

His face turned deathly pale instantly. He raised his foot and kicked the door hard, but just as his foot was about to hit the door, the door suddenly opened by itself, and he was caught off guard and fell inside.

"Master Chen?"

The room was dimly lit, and his vision was blurred. He was focused on finding Lord Chen, but he did not notice that as he entered the room, the door behind him slowly closed automatically, as if by ghosts, and even the bolt fell down, trapping him inside.

"Lord Chen, where are you? Are you alright?"

At this moment, Xiao Xingchen still had no doubts. After all, this was the Chen family, and Chen Haoran was a member of the Hanhai Chen family. Since he had just arrived in Yong'an, he was naturally the object of everyone's eagerness to visit.

However, his thought burst as quickly as a bubble, because the strong smell of blood in the air was like a cold current, making him tremble all over.

An unbelievable thought flashed through my mind like lightning: Could something have happened to Chen Haoran?

He was extremely anxious and hurriedly searched the house, but in the dimly lit environment, even a cultivator would probably find it difficult to see anything clearly.

The ground felt slippery, as if it were coated with grease. Could it be that Chen Haoran wasn't here?

Why did you invite me to come?

A flood of questions surged into his mind. He even went so far as to use the chaotic power of his demonic embryo to try to sense whether there was anyone around him. However, the result was disappointing; there was no one there.

It was strange; he searched desperately for a candle in the darkness, but the room was like a giant black hole, boundless and endless.

He walked forward in the dark for a long time, but still couldn't touch any furniture or objects.

"Is anyone there?" he shouted again.

The sound echoed in the darkness, like the whisper of a ghost.

However, only his own echo answered him, as if the room were a giant echo chamber. How could a room have such a strong echo?

Unless this place is vast and boundless, Xiao Xingchen's heart sank, and he began to slowly retreat, trying to leave the room and re-examine this mysterious place.

However, before he even reached the door, he heard a commotion outside, like the noise of a bustling city.

"Lord Chen is too kind, inviting us to his private treasury. Very well, let us explore the Chen family's collection to see what rare treasures it holds."

"Distinguished guests, please watch your step and proceed slowly. The road here is somewhat rugged and difficult to traverse."

The conversation came from afar like a tide, but Xiao Xingchen heard it as if it were a thunderclap in his heart. Chen Haoran had not only invited him, but also invited everyone from the front yard. Why was that?

Just as he stood there dumbfounded, torches outside the door lit up like fire dragons, and the sound of the door being pushed open came from outside.

"Why is the door locked? Master, are you there? I've already arrived with the guests."

"Sir, are you there? I've opened the door."

Xiao Xingchen wanted to hide like an ostrich, but then he thought that it was pitch black all around. Even if he could hide like a mouse, he would be nowhere to hide in the torchlight. So he could only stand there like a statue, waiting for the door to open.

"Squeak..." With a soft sound, the door slowly opened.

The beams of torchlight pierced through like sharp arrows, mercilessly revealing Xiao Xingchen's figure.

Inside the room, a figure stood like a ghost. As the light drew closer, those outside were all startled, as if struck by lightning.

"Who are you?" The question pierced through the air like an icicle.

At this moment, Xiao Xingchen realized that he seemed to have fallen into a carefully designed trap.

He saw a large crowd outside the gate. The Right Chancellor and the Prince of Liang stood in front, like two insurmountable mountains. Beside them was the Eldest Princess, like a delicate and beautiful flower. Behind them were the other ministers and vice ministers of the six ministries, like a pack of hungry wolves. Further back were officials from the Court of Judicial Review and the Yong'an Prefecture, among others.

There was no way so many people could be here to greet him. His lips twitched involuntarily, and countless thoughts flashed through his mind.

The scene was so familiar, as if it had appeared repeatedly in suspense movies from a past life: a murder in a locked room, and you were the only "suspect" at the scene.

He knew all the conspiracies were unfolding in this room. As the darkness receded like the tide, and he turned to look inside, his heart felt as if it had been struck by a heavy hammer.

The worst-case scenario he had feared had come true, like a nightmare.

Ah! A terrified scream, like the piercing cry of an owl, rang out. Xiao Xingchen sighed helplessly.

Well, no wonder he felt something was off today. It turns out someone was plotting against him. Whether it was aimed at him or he had just stumbled in by mistake, it was hard to say at the moment. But he knew for sure that he was about to face unprecedented trouble.