Chapter 242: Finally, Good Luck Arrives!

For a time, every gaze of ambition—from the major powers of Zhenzhou to the wandering cultivators drawn by the rumor—locked onto the Xu family like sharks scenting blood.

Although the "Yunshen Jade" had been lost in the Xu family for several days, who knew the truth?

What if the Xu family had already recovered the treasure but deliberately concealed the fact?

The Xu family's silence doesn't it prove they have something to hide?

Even.

The Xu family might possess more than one "Yunshen Jade"!

Thus, the number of those watching the Xu family grew ever larger.

And this rumor about the "Yunshen Jade" had not been confined to Zhenzhou—it was spreading at an astonishing speed beyond Zhenzhou's borders.

…

Headquarters of the Zhenzhou Peacekeeping Bureau.

In the main hall, Chen Mu heard the news of the "Yunshen Jade" and was likewise startled.

"So it's called 'Yunshen Jade.'"

"No wonder the Xu family made such a fuss before."

Chen Mu suddenly understood why this artifact had prompted the Prince of Jing'an to lay his plans.

A treasure capable of stabilizing the spirit and aiding breakthroughs to the Earth Altar Realm was incalculably valuable—enough to drive any Qi Condensation cultivator to madness.

Even Chen Mu himself, given the chance, would have sought to claim it.

But Chen Mu knew well: this hot potato was no longer in the Xu family's hands—it had long been taken by the Prince of Jing'an. Now, spreading the rumor of the "Yunshen Jade" was merely bait, luring all factions and wandering experts to attack the Xu family so he could profit from their bloodshed and gather more warrior essences.

…

At the Xu family estate, the atmosphere was suffocating, as silent as the calm before a storm.

Xu Ziluo could no longer maintain his usual composure; his furious roars echoed through the council chamber.

"Speak! Who is it?"

"Who leaked the news of the 'Yunshen Jade'?!"

His eyes burned red as he pointed at the core elders below, all frozen in terror, his voice trembling with rage, "Who else knew of the 'Yunshen Jade' besides those present? Now look—everyone in the city knows!"

The elders lowered their heads, their faces equally grim, filled with both fury and dread.

They scanned each other with suspicious glances, each wondering which link, which person, had betrayed the family's greatest secret.

A treasure like the "Yunshen Jade" could only be guarded by one with Heaven Palace Realm cultivation.

Since acquiring it, the Xu family had kept it secret, retrieving it only when a core member prepared to break through to the Earth Altar Realm, using it in a sealed chamber.

Now, not only had the "Yunshen Jade" been lost, but word of it had leaked too!

Even if they recovered the "Yunshen Jade," the Xu family could no longer hope to keep it.

…

In the silence.

One of the Xu family's kin suddenly rolled and scrambled into the council chamber, voice trembling with sobs and terror.

"Master! Bad news! Third Master… he… he was murdered at the Chengxi villa!"

"What?!"

Xu Ziluo staggered, his vision darkening.

Xu Zitong, the third-ranked elder, was one of the family's core experts, a Earth Altar Realm Bridge Formation cultivator—and Xu Ziluo's own younger brother.

Huh~~~

Xu Ziluo exhaled, forcibly suppressing his churning blood, and nearly bit through his teeth as he gave the order.

"Announce to the public immediately: the 'Yunshen Jade' was lost long ago and has never been recovered! Go, now!"

After giving the order.

Xu Ziluo, consumed by rage, rushed urgently toward the Chengxi villa.

When he arrived.

He saw the villa in ruins, corpses of guards and servants scattered everywhere.

Xu Zitong lay in a pool of blood, eyes wide open, unblinking.

A grotesque wound pierced his chest from front to back—he had clearly been ambushed!

But the most striking sight was a streak of crimson blood, smeared crookedly across a white wall.

Hand over the Yunshen Jade!

"Damn it!"

Seeing those words, Xu Ziluo's pent-up fury erupted—he seemed ready to spit fire, and swung a fist with all his might.

Boom—

A thunderous crash.

The furious Qi fist imprint shattered the blood-stained wall into flying shards.

"Master Xu, that punch was impressive."

A clear voice rang out at that moment.

Xu Ziluo spun around and saw Chen Mu, accompanied by a squad of Peacekeeping Bureau guards, having entered the villa gate without notice.

【Corpse discovered. Collect?】

"Yes!"

…

With the card in hand, Chen Mu walked on, his gaze sweeping over the carnage before settling on Xu Ziluo. He spoke softly, "Master Xu, your troubles are grave. If you trust this official, perhaps you should entrust the 'Yunshen Jade' to my care? In the Peacekeeping Bureau, I doubt any fool would dare to seize it by force."

"…"

Xu Ziluo's facial muscles twitched as he forced out a smile uglier than a sob, bowing slightly, "Thank you, Inspector Chen, for your kindness. But the 'Yunshen Jade' was indeed lost long ago, and we have yet to recover it—otherwise, how could my Xu family have come to this?"

"Ah~"

Hearing this, Chen Mu displayed an appropriately regretful expression, sighing, "That's truly unfortunate."

With that, he dropped the subject and crouched down to carefully examine the corpses on the ground.

Indeed, the corpses of Xu Zitong and the other core guards bore the same wounds as Zhang Tieli and the Black Water Sect members—pale faces, drained blood qi.

But perhaps due to the suddenness of the attack or hasty cleanup, three bodies of the assailants remained on-site—strange faces, clad in uniform nightclothes.

Chen Mu understood at once: this was likely a minor blunder by one of Jing'an Wang's men.

Keeping his expression unreadable, Chen Mu stood and said solemnly to Xu Ziluo, "Master Xu, please accept my condolences. Should you require assistance from the Zhenwu Bureau in the future, and it falls within my official duties, do not hesitate to ask."

Xu Ziluo, his mind in chaos, could only force another smile and thank him, "Thank you, Inspector Chen, for your concern."

Chen Mu nodded, made no further stay, and led his men away from the bloody scene.

…

Back at the Zhenwu Bureau, Chen Mu instructed Yu Shoujiang to handle the aftermath of the attack on the Xu family's villa according to protocol.

Immediately after Yu Shoujiang departed with his orders, Chen Mu examined the cards he had acquired.

One Zhenyuan Card!

Containing eleven months of Zhenyuan.

Two Qigong Cards—one with seven months of Qigong, the other with nine months.

Fifteen Neili Cards, six Qiangli Cards, three cultivate Cards, two Equipment Cards, one Memory Card.

The rest were either Tili Cards or Jingli Cards.

Chen Mu put away the other cards and unsealed the Memory Card.

As he "viewed" it, his brows lifted sharply.

Finally, some luck!

This Memory Card belonged to one of the assassins who attacked Xu Zitong—and whose corpse was left behind!

As he browsed the memories, Chen Mu saw several of Jing'an Wang's elite experts.

The most crucial detail: through these memories, Chen Mu discovered a secret base of Jing'an Wang!

Without hesitation.

Chen Mu took out the Tongxin Bamboo Sliver and transmitted this information to Zhao Fuzhou.

A hidden valley located southwest of Baizhu Prefecture under Zhenzhou, roughly eighty li from Wulong Fucheng, surrounded by mountains on all sides, its peak perpetually shrouded in mist!