Chapter 255

Upon hearing this, Ding Xuan immediately fell silent.

Through Zhao Hu's words and actions, his impatient reaction, plus the Prefect's recent appointment order.

He internally understood clearly: it was because he had groveled before the Jiang Patriarch that his concealment of the matter had been reported to Prefect Sima Nan by the messenger, thus offending him.

Yet, he found this entirely indifferent.

After all, he had long made up his mind to cling tightly to the Jiang Patriarch's leg, even unto death.

Besides, he wasn't particularly worried about his own safety.

After all, if the Prefect truly intended to target the Jiang family, he would never send just one Star Wheel cultivator to die.

Thus, it was most likely a move toward reconciliation.

Therefore, as long as the relationship between the two sides hadn't broken, he was absolutely safe!

But on the condition he didn't leave Wudan City—if he went elsewhere, all bets were off…

In an instant, Ding Xuan's mind raced, deducing the truth with near-perfect accuracy.

Meanwhile, Zhao Hu began rapidly scanning the Jiang family's development over the past few years.

For a Star Wheel cultivator, perfect recall was merely basic ability.

Soon, he flipped to the final page.

Zhao Hu held the final document and suddenly murmured, "Jiang Zheqian, an ancestor of the Jiang family? A Moon Wheel cultivator? When did Tiandou Prefecture ever have such a cultivator?"

Every Moon Wheel cultivator was considered top-tier combat power in Tiandou Prefecture.

Each one born would be recorded in the Prefecture's official chronicles.

Hence, he felt deeply puzzled.

After all, he had never heard of this person before.

Ding Xuan's expression remained unchanged, unusually calm: "My lord, you are unaware—Jiang Zheqian fell ill and died shortly after settling in Wudan City. Since he was suspected to be from another prefecture, we never notified the higher authorities. Please flip further ahead…"

Zhao Hu frowned suspiciously and began flipping through the pages.

Further on, it was indeed recorded that Jiang Zheqian had died just days after arriving in Wudan City.

After leaving behind his legacy, his younger brother "Jiang Zheren" married a woman from the city and founded the Jiang family.

Later, as the Jiang family declined, the Tang family seized the opportunity and absorbed them as a subordinate clan.

Only when Jiang Hongxuan emerged and broke through to the Purple Mansion realm did the Jiang family break free from vassal status—but he suddenly died not long after.

After reading the Jiang family's history, Zhao Hu couldn't help sighing: "The Jiang family is strange—why do all their strong ones die so young? Could they be hoarding fortune, finally birthing a cultivation prodigy like the White Robe Sword Marquis?"

Ding Xuan immediately agreed: "That must be it."

Zhao Hu smiled noncommittally.

He paid no further attention to Ding Xuan, a mere minor figure, and immediately left the document archive.

Without a moment's pause, he shot into the sky and headed toward Cangwu Mountain!

Once Zhao Hu's figure vanished completely from the horizon.

Ding Xuan, standing at the archive's entrance, suddenly went weak at the knees and collapsed to the ground.

Trembling, he extended his right hand and wiped the sweat from his brow with his sleeve.

"Jiang Patriarch, I truly walked straight to the gates of death to resolve this potential trouble for you."

Ding Xuan was extremely tense.

Had Zhao Hu noticed any anomaly just now, I'd be dead—or worse.

But thankfully, my preparations were flawless—no trace of a flaw!

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Softly muttering: Please urge for more updates~~