It was late at night.
The old house of the Shu family is peaceful and serene.
Li Yuheng swept across the city like an invisible wind, silently.
…
The "colleague" who attacked Madam Cheng actually had a close relationship with the Shu family.
His name is Junwen, and he originally came from a small family of color change practitioners.
Many years ago, his family suffered a misfortune, and he was the only one left alive when he was only twelve years old.
It was Shu Huaijin who discovered him during a commissioned trip. Seeing that he was all alone and helpless, and that they were both from the same lineage of the Pure Color Masters, he couldn't bear it and took him back to the Shu family to raise him.
Junwen was two years older than Shu Huaijin's biological son, Shu Wenyan. The boy was very sensible, knew how to be grateful, and was very respectful to Shu Huaijin and his wife, Wen Rui. He behaved well and never misbehaved.
He was very talented and quickly grasped the art of color purification. In addition, he seemed to have an upright and kind personality, which made him very popular with the elderly couple.
At that time, from birth to the age of ten, Shu Wenyan was deemed by the guardian deity three times in a row during family ceremonies to lack the talent to inherit the family business.
Although Shu Huaijin and Wen Rui were disappointed, they came to terms with it and decided to let their son live freely.
They put a lot of effort into raising Junwen, treating him almost like another son.
Shu Wenyan also had a very good relationship with this "brother".
Ten years passed like this.
One day, Shu Wenyan got fed up with his parents' pressure to get married and blurted out, "Since I'm not good enough, wouldn't it be the same if Junwen inherited it?"
These words immediately reminded Shu Huaijin and Wen Rui. Yes, Junwen is talented, upright, and has received their true teachings; isn't he a ready-made successor?
The elderly couple immediately decided to take Junwen to see the guardian deity the next day to hold an inheritance ceremony.
However, that very night, Shu Huaijin unexpectedly discovered that Junwen was secretly learning an evil technique that was forbidden by the Jingse Shi (a type of sorcerer).
Shu Huaijin was both surprised and furious, and sternly questioned him.
But when Junwen faced Shu Huaijin, who was like a father to him, he kept his mouth shut and refused to explain a single word.
Violating family rules must not be tolerated.
In the end, Shu Huaijin, following the family rules, expelled Junwen from the Shu family.
On the day he left, Junwen knelt down straight outside the gate of the Shu family's old house, facing the direction of Shu Huaijin and Wen Rui, and kowtowed three times heavily. Then he got up and left without looking back.
…
Li Yuheng's divine thoughts, like an invisible net, silently covered the city.
Finding a color purifier was not difficult for him.
He quickly located his target in a rented room in a messy alley on the outskirts of the city.
Junwen looked much older than his actual age, dressed simply, and was wiping several old ritual implements in front of a dim desk lamp.
The interior was simply furnished, yet exceptionally tidy, exuding an almost austere sense of order.
Li Yuheng's illusory figure condensed like mist inside the room, observing the person who had been expelled from the Shu family with great interest.
Junwen seemed to sense something, and suddenly looked up, his magical weapon instantly pointing in Li Yuheng's direction, his eyes sharp as an eagle.
"who?!"
"Don't be nervous." Li Yuheng said lazily, his red phantom swaying in mid-air. "The Shu family's 'long-slept' one wants to have a chat with you."
Junwen's pupils contracted sharply, and he became even more vigilant, but upon hearing the words "Shu family," his tense shoulders relaxed almost imperceptibly.
“Guardian…sir?” he asked hesitantly, his tone filled with disbelief.
The guardian deity of the Shu family actually exists, and it even appears before him in this form?
"Hmm." Li Yuheng floated closer, ignoring his wariness, his gaze sweeping over the magical artifacts on the table that showed obvious signs of use, as well as some scattered information about the "Pseudo-Color Strike" gang in the corner.
"Was it you who left those little tricks in Old Madam Cheng's mind?"
Junwen paused for a moment, then readily admitted, "Yes."
"Targeting the Shu family?" Li Yuheng raised an eyebrow.
Junwen shook his head, a deep hatred flashing in his eyes.
"No. The Shu family has been incredibly kind to me, how could I do that? That was... bait."
"Oh?" Li Yuheng became interested. "Who are you trying to hook?"
“A man named ‘Gray Eyes’.” Junwen’s voice lowered, “One of the largest hideouts of ‘Pseudo-Color Strike’, and one of the masterminds behind it. Thirteen years ago, my family… was wiped out by his men because we offended him.”
He raised his eyes and looked at Li Yuheng, his eyes filled with pain and stubbornness that had been building up for too long: "I survived because I wanted to take revenge on him."
Li Yuheng crossed his arms, his illusory figure floating gently in the air.
"So, you left the Shu family to investigate 'Gray Eyes' on your own. You left a mark on Old Madam Cheng because you discovered that 'Gray Eyes' was behind the scam she encountered, and you wanted to use this to trace back to her?"
“Yes.” Junwen nodded. “That mark can amplify her feelings about ‘color obsession.’ This intense emotional fluctuation, like a lighthouse, may attract the attention of ‘Gray Eyes’ or his subordinates, or allow me to more clearly capture the traces of magic associated with it… I know this method is dishonorable and disrespectful to Madam Cheng. But it’s the fastest way. Moreover, I have already secretly used my own money to make up for all the money she lost.”
Li Yuheng stared at him for a few seconds, then suddenly smiled.
"He's a real man. But his methods are too crude."
Junwen pursed his lips, offering no rebuttal.
"That 'gray-eyed' one," Li Yuheng asked casually, "any progress?"
“I have some clues. He’s cunning; he never shows himself, and his subordinates only communicate through single lines of communication. But I’m close to getting to the bottom of his scheme.”
Li Yuheng snapped his fingers, and a barely perceptible dark red mark silently disappeared into an old talisman buckle that Junwen always carried with him.
"Okay. I understand. You can continue with your work. If necessary, this little thing can save you from a fatal attack."
Junwen was startled and subconsciously reached for the talisman, feeling a slightly warm yet vast fluctuation.
His eyes were filled with complex emotions, and he finally bowed deeply: "Thank you... Guardian God."
Li Yuheng's illusory figure swayed slightly in the air, a half-smile on his face: "Now you know how to thank me? Why did you prefer to use forbidden techniques rather than accept the Shu family's help back then?"
Junwen's knuckles clenched so tightly they turned white, his voice low and hoarse: "The debt of gratitude is too heavy... I, a filthy thing filled with hatred, am not worthy of it."
"Ha." Li Yuheng scoffed, "So self-righteous. When Shu Huaijin took you in, didn't he know you were carrying a blood feud?"
Junwen suddenly looked up.
"They're gone."
The phantom image dissipated, leaving Junwen standing alone in the same spot, clutching the talisman tightly in his hand.
After a long while, he bowed deeply once again to the empty room.
…
0090: [Your Highness, have you set your sights on a new beast of burden again?]
Li Yuheng was floating back to the old house when he heard this and raised an eyebrow: "How can you talk like that? That's called a potential stock."
"I'm sorry, Your Highness. But as far as I know, all those bosses in the death game were 'kindly' invited by the Black and White Impermanence to work as long-term laborers..."
What they do has nothing to do with me.
[...]
"Okay, that's enough, stop being so annoying."
[...]
0090: Your Highness, I thought we always had something to say to each other.
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