Demoness, where are you Fleeing to?

Li Chengji, about fifty years old, had a pigeon-shaped face and child-like teeth that gave him an unassuming appearance. He was not particularly ugly, yet he could not fall into the category of ordinary people either. Standing at about five feet three inches, roughly 1.6 meters, his hunched figure created the impression of a lousy old man with unappealing looks.

Meanwhile, the Princely Heir, Li Yan, had seemingly inherited almost everything from their father except for his height. His towering and robust stature alone added an element of martial arts warrior's spirit to his character.

So upon entering the study, Li Xuan subconsciously touched his face, instinctually doubting the blood relationship between him and the current father-son duo.

While it's true that Li Xuan's appearance is inherited from his maternal family, the startling difference in the family's looks is too striking.

However, it was known that the two were indeed of the same blood, and Li Yan was his half-brother. At least in Li Xuan's memory, Li Chengji never doubted their blood ties.

"I heard you spent last night down the brothel again?"

After Li Xuan's pompous courtesy, Li Yan queried with a smirk, "Not only did you not come back, but you also got involved in a murder case, nearly got arrested and jailed by Ying Tian Government?"

"How did you know?" Li Xuan looked at him suspiciously. This had just happened; he was unsure whether this family member's information was too accurate or if someone had shadowed him.

"Wanting to commit deeds without being known is but a pipe dream," Earl Chengyi, Li Chengji, grumbled disapprovingly, "Twelve days in a month spent at the brothels, Li Qianzhi, you've really broadened my horizons."

Li Xuan was not frightened. Instead, he glared at Li Chengji with an aggrieved look. "How could you do this? You had someone tailing me?"

This was not him disrespecting his elders or having no manners. Based on the memories of his previous incarnation, Li Xuan had always been headstrong and cheeky in front of his father, barely taking his authority into account.

"If I didn't have someone keep an eye on you, how would I have known about your reckless behavior? You're beyond redemption!"

Li Chengji sternly reprimanded in a high pitch, his face then softened a bit, and he stroked his bushy beard, "If not for your adeptness at solving the case on the spot, and avoiding staining our Li family's reputation, I would have made you kneel three days and three nights in the ancestral hall this time."

However, Li Yan, Earl Chengyi's heir, profoundly doubted, "Is it a false claim? He solved a case? Are you sure, dad? I recall that when he was an apprentice, he only went to the station for fifty days in half a year, half of which were just for checking in. If he learned anything from Liu Dachu, pigs could fly!"

"Ah, Yan is wrong to say that," Earl Chengyi, Li Chengji surprisingly defended Li Xuan, "Xuan has always been intelligent, just that he didn't bother to apply himself. I remember the State Preceptor praising his innate talent and intelligence a few years back."

"Father!" Li Yan was at a loss for words and looked helpless, "Those were just polite remarks, and you took them seriously?"

"Nobody helped me with the case at Lanyue House."

Li Xuan had fully regained his composure. His tense spirit slackened a bit as he realized he had managed to keep his cover intact.

At this moment, he looked derisive and snorted to show his disdain, "What if I only went there for fifty days in six months? I, Li Xuan, am naturally gifted and born smart, capable of mastering most of it within ten days and a half a month. If it weren't for you forcibly sending me to Liudao Division, obstructing me from studying to become a government official, I might have acquired an official rank by now. Some people, ah, they just have the wrong mindset, they are idiots themselves and hope others to be as stupid as they are."

It's worth mentioning that the original Li Xuan genuinely dreamed of passing the imperial examination in his teenage years, believing in his ability to pass the examination with just two or three years of hard work. This was not Li Xuan boasting at all.

Li Yan was left speechless by his retort, wondering how there could be such a brazen person in this world, and worse, that person was his younger brother?

Li Xuan then turned his gaze toward Earl Chengyi, with a grave expression, "Old man, I heard both you and my brother got dismissed? What exactly happened?"

He initially did not expect to find out the reasons, but after Li Chengji looked at him and heaved a sigh, "Everybody in south Zhili knows about this but keeps their lips sealed. I reckon it wouldn't stay hidden for too long. Yesterday afternoon, the second prince went back to Nanjing to offer sacrifices to the ancestors, he was attacked and went missing while crossing the Yangtze River."

At this point, Li Xuan's face turned deadly pale, "Were you involved in the escort operation, father?"

"I wasn't, but as the tidu of Caojiang navy, I can't shirk my responsibility."

His face was dark, and he looked like he had aged by a decade. His voice was heavy with a sense of regret, "Xuan, in the past, no matter how reckless you were in Liudao Division, I didn't mind that much and was always there to clean up after you. But from now on, that won't be happening anymore! Given the magnitude of this event, Earl Chengyi's mansion might not be able to shoulder the consequences. Consequently, you should secure your role in the Liudao Division at all costs. Even if the mansion falls, you won't have to worry about food and clothes."

"Could it be this serious? Old man, you are not trying to scare me, are you?"

Li Xuan's heart sunk a bit. In the memories of his original self, Li Chengji was a man who cared about face to the extreme. Now that he had mentioned the possibility of "not being able to handle" it implies that the situation in Earl Chengyi's mansion was unmistakably grim.

"What do you think?" Li Chengji snorted coldly, "This situation is not as simple as the prince going missing. The complexity behind it is intricate. Make one false move, and our entire mansion might end up in pieces. So don't you dare take it lightly; if you still mess around outside, I will definitely break your legs! Xuan, you are eighteen now; I do not expect you to be able to stand on your own now, but you should know better than before."

After pondering for a moment, Li Xuan ventured to inquire, "Today, Situ Zhong of Ying Tian Government seemed to want to harm me. Is it related to you being dismissed?"

"Now that I'm down and out, any kind of fiends and demons will come out to harass," Li Chengji sneered at first, then looked at him, "Speaking of Situ Zhong, were you not injured by him today?"

"It's a minor wound, nothing serious."

Yet, Li Xuan subconsciously touched his chest. Situ Zhong was very powerful and had probably used all his strength.

Although he seemed fine on the outside, his lungs had indeed been slightly shaken.

"You were asking for it," sighed Earl Chengyi, "Our family's 'Frozen Blade' and 'Cold Breath Fierce Palm' are the top-notch ultimate techniques of Xuanwu. If you had put your heart into practicing, have already reached the Fourth-Floor Territory by now, it would have been more than enough to protect yourself, would you then need to be afraid of Situ Zhong?"

Li Yan, sitting at the side, nodded pointedly, "What a disgrace!"

When it came to this, Li Xuan also bore deep resentment. His previous self was too irresponsible. The 'Hunyuan Celestial Scripture' inheritance of Earl Chengyi's mansion was only practiced to the second house level by him, which left Li Xuan speechless.

In this world full of demons, this minimal level of cultivation was definitely not enough. But even if Li Xuan tried hard now, he wouldn't be able to raise his skill level immediately.

PS: After posting the chapter, the statistics were very bleak, so please help me out with your recommendation to help boost the ranking.