After surviving my ordeal, I learned that the school beauty had given birth to twins for me.

Chapter 79 The Past, Liu Qingxuan and Liu Wanhua

The flames were fierce yet fleeting, as if extinguished by an invisible hand, leaving only shattered copper pieces and charred lamp oil scattered on the ground, along with a lingering, eerie aftertaste.

The life lamp exploded, and the soul scattered.

Liu Qingxuan suddenly opened his only remaining right eye, and his calm eyes instantly surged with shock, anger, and resentment, while the energy circulating within his body became chaotic.

"Ergou!"

Liu Qingxuan let out a low shout, his voice filled with overwhelming anger.

Zhao Ergou was his personally trained disciple, whom he had raised himself. He could handle all the shady dealings for him and was also a protective pawn he had placed next to Jiang Manli.

Now that Zhao Ergou is dead, not only has he lost his most capable right-hand man, but it also means that his daughter Jiang Manli has been exposed to unknown risks.

He abruptly rose from the futon, his moon-white Taoist robe sweeping across the broken bronze on the ground, and strode toward the door of the secret chamber.

The heavy stone door slowly opened, and the two young Taoist boys guarding outside were shocked. They rushed forward to help, their voices trembling uncontrollably.

"Master...Master! Why did you emerge from seclusion early? Forcing yourself to break through will damage your foundation!"

"Get out of here!"

Liu Qingxuan brushed the young Taoist's hand away, his tone sharp and piercing, his only intact right eye filled with sinister intent.

"Summon Chen Mo here immediately! Also, send someone to the Jiang family to invite Madam Liu Wanhua here!"

The young Taoist dared not delay for even a moment and scrambled out.

A moment later, Chen Mo, dressed in a black suit and with a solemn expression, hurried over. He was Liu Qingxuan's last disciple, taken in ten years ago. He was meticulous and reliable, serving as both the head steward of Qingxuan Temple and Liu Qingxuan's most trusted confidant.

"Master."

Chen Mo bowed respectfully, his gaze sweeping over the still-damp bloodstains at the corner of Liu Qingxuan's mouth. His heart tightened, but he dared not ask any further questions, only awaiting instructions.

"Have you found out Er Gou's whereabouts?"

Liu Qingxuan sat in the armchair, his tone icy and full of impatience.

"Where did he end up, and what did he do?"

Chen Mo composed himself and quickly bowed to report:

"Reporting to Master, Junior Brother Zhao was summoned away by Miss Manli half a month ago. She said that there was an important matter for him to handle in Jiangcheng. She did not explain the specific task in detail, but only instructed us to keep it strictly confidential and not to report it to you."

"We just received confirmation from Jiangcheng that Junior Brother Zhao has died suddenly and in a bizarre manner. It seems he suffered a backlash from resentment..."

Liu Qingxuan's fingertips tightened suddenly, his knuckles turning white. He raised his hand and crushed the communication talisman in his palm, sending fragments of the talisman scattering everywhere.

He knew his daughter too well; although Jiang Manli was spoiled and willful, she held him in awe.

Without Liu Wanhua's tacit approval, indulgence, or even instigation, no one would dare to mobilize Zhao Ergou without his consent, let alone carry out such a dangerous scheme behind his back.

But he wasn't angry at Liu Wanhua; he was angry that she wouldn't consult him immediately when something happened, and instead put him in danger.

"Where is Wanhua?"

Liu Qingxuan's voice deepened, losing its previous hostility and gaining a hint of urgency that even he himself didn't realize.

"Reporting to Master, we are already on our way and will be nearing the mountain gate soon," Chen Mo replied hastily.

Liu Qingxuan nodded, raised his hand to dismiss everyone in the study, leaving only himself.

His only remaining right eye looked in the direction of the Jiang family, his eyes swirling with complex emotions.

There was anger, lingering fear, and even more so, a deep tenderness that had been hidden for over twenty years.

He and Liu Wanhua were childhood sweethearts who grew up in the same village. When he was young, he studied Taoism, and she followed him, becoming the only light in his dark Taoist practice.

Later, she was determined to marry into the Jiang family, so he used all his knowledge to pave the way for her.

She was pregnant with his child and wanted the child to have a good life, so he risked his soul to help her plan that baby swap.

Fearing that Manli's identity would be exposed, he helped her clear obstacles time and time again, even at the cost of damaging his cultivation and eyes, without ever uttering a single complaint.

Throughout his life, he schemed and plotted, and was ruthless for half his life. All he wanted was Liu Wanhua and their daughter Jiang Manli.

Meanwhile, the second branch of the Jiang family...

Liu Wanhua was sitting in front of her dressing table, applying lipstick to herself little by little.

His outward expression remained calm and composed, but his eyes betrayed an undisguised panic.

When she received the news from Qingxuan Temple that Zhao Ergou had died suddenly in Jiangcheng, her heart jumped into her throat.

Sending Zhao Ergou to Jiangcheng was an idea she suggested to Jiang Manli behind the scenes.

Now that he's dead, not only has the plan completely fallen apart, but it may also backfire, causing their secret, which they've kept hidden for over twenty years, to be exposed.

"Wanhua, why do you look so pale? Did something happen?"

Her husband, Jiang Zhenhai, walked in from outside, his tone cautious and ingratiating.

He lived his whole life in the shadow of Jiang Zhenbang, the eldest brother of the Jiang family, and was even more wary of Liu Qingxuan behind Liu Wanhua, never daring to ask her a single private question.

"It's nothing," Liu Wanhua immediately concealed the panic in her eyes and spoke calmly.

"Qingxuan needs to discuss something important with me. I'm going out for a bit. You stay home and behave yourself. Don't ask questions you shouldn't ask, and don't say things you shouldn't say, understand?"

Jiang Zhenhai nodded vigorously, not daring to say another word.

Liu Wanhua got up, straightened her clothes, hurriedly walked out of the room, got into a car and headed straight for Qingxuan Temple on Qixia Mountain.

In the car, Liu Wanhua leaned back in her seat, her brows furrowed, still unable to understand.

Zhao Ergou had studied metaphysics with Liu Qingxuan for over ten years and was quite skilled. How could he have failed in the little-known Jiangcheng?

Who exactly is this man named Shen Yu, that he could cause Zhao Ergou to suffer such a fate of complete annihilation?

Half an hour later, the car arrived at Qingxuan Temple, and Liu Wanhua went straight into Liu Qingxuan's study.

She wore a well-fitting cheongsam and exquisite makeup, but her eyes betrayed an unconcealed panic. Looking at Liu Qingxuan in the main seat, she softly called out:

"Qing Xuan."

Liu Qingxuan looked up at her, concealing all the tenderness in his eyes, leaving only a hint of coldness.

"Did you condone Manli's actions, allowing her to send Zhao Ergou to Jiangcheng to kill Jiang Xinlan and that man named Shen Yu?"

Liu Wanhua knew she could no longer hide the truth, so she had no choice but to nod and admit it. Her eyes instantly reddened, and her tone was filled with an urgent attempt to explain, as well as a dependence on him.

"Yes, but I had no choice! Qingxuan, Jiang Xinlan isn't dead. She's even entered the entertainment industry. You've seen her photos; she looks so much like Zhenbang's first wife!"

"Once 'The Wind Rises in Chang'an' airs, she will become incredibly popular and will eventually be recognized by Zhenbang and his acquaintances in the Beijing circle. At that time, Manli's identity will no longer be able to be hidden, and she will be unable to keep her position as the eldest daughter of the Jiang family!"

I can't watch our daughter fall from grace!

Looking at her reddened eyes, Liu Qingxuan's anger dissipated almost entirely, leaving only endless heartache.

He understood her concerns all too well. For the past twenty years, she had been carefully maneuvering within the Jiang family, all for the sake of their daughter, Manli.

And Manli was his biggest weakness in life.