Chapter 398: Father, That Petty Person Has Been Found

Fu Zhi watched as Fu Yin Hong flew toward him, his heart filled with an overwhelming surge of emotion.

This was his own daughter!

Because of his research on that troublesome array, he had been confined and unable to see her for a full four years!

He desperately wanted to pour out his feelings, but in that moment, the excitement was nearly overshadowed by the sudden bad news.

He could catch up with his daughter later, but losing the Tian Shu Ji Pan could jeopardize the survival of the entire Bai Ku!

"Fu Yin Hong!"

His commanding shout instantly transported the dozen or so people around him back to years past.

That familiar yet strange military tone made everyone tense up, stopping in their tracks and standing at attention.

"Here!"

Fu Yin Hong's eyes brimmed with tears.

Even then, she remained composed, her aura of deadly seriousness mirroring those around her.

Fu Zhi took a deep breath and said gravely, "Seal off the city lord's mansion immediately. No one is allowed to leave, and raise the alert level to Wangzuo!"

Everyone was shocked, unsure of what had happened.

Even Liu Jing was startled by the severity in his voice.

This meant... a Wangzuo-level expert had sneaked into the city lord's mansion and caused some kind of destruction?

She glanced at the sea of flowers, realizing the situation was more complicated than it seemed.

"Fu old-timer, what's going on?"

Could it be that what Fu Xing said had come true?

Had Xu Xiao Shou really been here and turned this place into such a mess?

But she didn't know that Fu Zhi had already resolved the matter with the flowers.

How could Xu Xiao Shou, who didn't even know about the Tianji technique, possibly want to get involved with the Tian Shu Ji Pan?

Clearly, someone had taken advantage of the opportunity and stolen the treasure right under their noses.

"Don't ask—it's too complicated to explain right now."

Fu Zhi waved his hand dismissively. "The city lord's mansion is hosting a banquet tonight, and some shady intruder must have slipped in. Your security has been way too lax!"

"Yes, sir!"

Fu Yin Hong responded sharply and turned to leave, pulling Liu Jing with her.

Her father's seriousness meant the matter was extremely urgent!

But as soon as she turned, her spiritual sense caught sight of a figure slowly approaching from a distance.

This made everyone turn their heads, their eyes lighting up with surprise.

Wasn't this their target for this mission?

The one Fu Xing was absolutely certain about, and that Fu Zhi had confirmed was linked to the explosion here...

Xu Xiao Shou?

"Father, we've found that shady intruder!"

Fu Yin Hong's eyes flashed with delight as she shouted lightly, her spiritual energy erupting as she shot forward, charging straight at the approaching young man.

Liu Jing looked even more surprised.

She had seen this young man before!

Back then, he had been like a corpse, lying in a sack behind that scruffy uncle.

Despite any disguises, his aura was unmistakable.

The culprit had walked right into the trap!

Watching Fu Yin Hong dash out, Liu Jing felt anxious.

Fu Zhi had set the operation level to Wangzuo, meaning Xu Xiao Shou must have some special secrets.

And for him to fly in so fearlessly, he surely had some backing.

Fu Yin Hong charging like this was far too reckless!

With a wave of her hand, Liu Jing instantly connected with the heavenly dao, unleashing a terrifying binding force that sealed down on Xu Xiao Shou.

Lock him in place!

"Bound by restraint, passive value: 1."

Xu Xiao Shou was baffled.

He had only fallen a step behind, and now he was running into all these people.

But fine, there were a lot of them—what he couldn't understand was why Fu Zhi, who had been so friendly just moments ago, was now ordering his capture?

Was that guy just pretending earlier?

What was the point of that?

He looked at Fu Zhi and saw the same confusion in his eyes.

"Huh?"

"A misunderstanding?"

With no time to think, being trapped by a Wangzuo made it hard for Xu Xiao Shou to break free in an instant.

And in that immobilized moment, Fu Yin Hong's palm strike was already coming at him.

She had her doubts at first, but with both Fu Xing and her father saying so, she had no choice but to believe.

"You sly Xu Xiao Shou, you dared to deceive me the first time we met. Now it turns out you're really no good!"

Fu Yin Hong was so angry her teeth itched as she grumbled, "I should have taken you down back then—I must have been blind!"

Xu Xiao Shou: ???

His eyes darted around as he looked at the girl with her wide eyes and furious gaze, feeling completely stunned.

"Did I... did I do something to you?"

"Have I lost my memory?"

"Or what?"

Fu Zhi had just snapped out of his own daze.

How had his order to capture the real culprit led everyone to target Xu Xiao Shou?

And with such certainty, without even verifying, they just went straight to action?

Was the city lord's mansion's enforcement always this sloppy?

Have they all gone mad?

Fu Zhi felt dizzy.

That was a powerhouse who mastered the Textile technique, possibly even a descendant of the Sheng Di, and more importantly...

He's your uncle!

Fu Yin Hong, how dare you act so rashly?!

"Stop!"

Fu Zhi yelled at the top of his lungs.

But it was too late!

Fu Yin Hong's palm, charged with violent spiritual energy, struck out. In that instant, even Xu Xiao Shou felt a bit helpless—helpless toward her.

This girl was way too impulsive!

Had she already forgotten the lesson your brother gave you just a few days ago?

The palm landed!

A massive boom echoed through the void, and a white light burst across the sky.

The shockwave made the ground tremble and crack.

Everyone watched intently, even Fu Zhi holding his breath.

"Zongshi!"

"Yin Hong has actually reached Zongshi!"

In just a few years apart, his daughter had crossed that difficult threshold.

This was something worth celebrating, but Fu Zhi's heart still hung in suspense.

Sure enough, accompanied by a pained "Ugh!" the figure who had struck at Xu Xiao Shou only held on for less than a breath before being sent flying backward.

Below the Tianxiang realm, a palm infused with Zongshi-level spiritual skills still couldn't withstand the young man's dominant passive abilities.

Toughness, strength, rebound, sharpness...

These passive skills, always ready and active, meant he wasn't even fazed by attacks, let alone a direct assault.

How strong was Xu Xiao Shou? Truth be told, even he wasn't sure.

Having argued and fought with Wangzuo before, he had long forgotten that his peers were those innate powerhouses.

Among them, a Zongshi was already at the absolute peak.

But for him, it still wasn't enough!

Without even stepping back, Xu Xiao Shou just watched as Fu Yin Hong's angry palm met his chest.

Then he watched as she was sent flying away.

"Attacked, passive value: 1."

"Suspected, passive value: 12."

"Apologetic, passive value: 1."

"Damn!"

Everyone was stunned.

Liu Jing was hit the hardest.

This guy was clearly bound by her restraints, completely unable to defend himself.

Yet Fu Yin Hong, who had reached the Zongshi Tianxiang realm, couldn't even knock him off his feet with a single palm?

This was completely opposite to what they had expected—incapacitating him, then capturing and securing him...

What on earth?

"Heavens, what's going on? Is this guy's Yuan Court realm fake?"

"Is he also a Zongshi? Or is he the Wangzuo that Fu City Lord mentioned, hiding his cultivation?"

"How is that possible?"

"He's Xu Xiao Shou, right? I've seen him before—he's really just innate, clearly..."

"You call that innate?"

Everyone fell silent.

They looked up at the miserable figure in the sky.

As Fu Yin Hong reached the peak of her flight and should have fallen, she exploded again.

With a boom, covered in blood, she was propelled even higher.

Fu Zhi appeared in a flash and caught his daughter.

Even then, Fu Yin Hong couldn't believe it.

She had struck Xu Xiao Shou, and now she was the one wrecked...

This...

Her anger, dissatisfaction, and shock all melted into grievance in the warmth of that long-lost embrace.

"Father..."

Like a kitten finding its safe haven, Fu Yin Hong curled up, murmuring helplessly.

That warmth from the depths of her soul, her lifelong shelter, made tears well up in her eyes, nearly spilling over.

But today's shelter was bound to let in the wind.

Fu Zhi shook his head with a sigh, his eyes full of reproach as he scolded,

"Rude!

I told you to go after the Wangzuo, not to attack Brother Shou!

He's your uncle!"

The whole scene fell deathly silent.

Fu Yin Hong's body twitched twice, her tears evaporating as her eyes widened in shock.