C19 Qi Xiaosheng's Appearance

Liu Tianqi seemed to relish Lin Hann's attention. However, after a brief moment, he cleared his throat and said, "Mr. Ye, we have two priorities right now. First, we must locate Xiaosheng and the others as quickly as possible. Once we're fully assembled, we'll have a stronger foundation to tackle any challenges that come our way. Additionally, we need to keep an eye on everyone. The old thief we're after is undoubtedly well-concealed, but with the Fire Element's guidance, I'm confident we'll root them out!"

Indeed, Liu Tianqi was a standout disciple of the Liu family. His analysis was sharp and focused on the essentials. What he didn't realize, however, was that Lin Hann, the formidable figure he was unaware of, was right by his side.

Liu Tianqi then addressed Lin Hann, "Mr. Ye, now that we've found you, we're no longer short on water. This advantage will be crucial in the days ahead!" Liu Tianqi congratulated himself on his foresight. By bringing Lin Hann into the fold, he was not only progressing toward completing the mission assigned by his family but now also had access to the much-needed water resources.

Lin Hann nodded and assured him, "Mr. Liu, rest assured, I'm fully committed to supporting you!" After a pause, as if wrestling with his conscience, he clenched his jaw and added, "Mr. Liu, there's something I have to confess! Although my elders instructed me to keep this to myself, I can't bear to withhold it from you—you've been too kind. I must speak up, or it'll weigh on my conscience! Does the Liu family have a disciple named Liu Tianlin?"

At the mention of Liu Tianlin's name, Liu Tianqi's suspicions were confirmed. The Ye family did indeed know something. He responded, "Yes, he's my older brother. How did you come to know of him?"

Lin Hann watched Liu Tianqi feign ignorance and struggled to conceal his amusement. He began, "About a month ago, Liu Tianlin arrived in Hui City and took up residence with the Zhou family. But within days, the Zhou family was wiped out overnight. Both the head of the family, Zhou Mo, and Liu Tianlin vanished. We were shocked, especially since it happened on Ye family territory. Naturally, we expected the Liu family to suspect us, so we kept it quiet and started our own investigation, planning to inform you once we had solid leads. Grandfather instructed us not to leak a word to avoid unnecessary complications. But now, I can't keep this from you any longer. I'd be plagued by guilt if I did!"

Despite the vagueness of Lin Hann's explanation, Liu Tianqi found himself mostly convinced. It wasn't that Liu Tianqi was too gullible; Lin Hann had been convincingly playing the part of an earnest and naive young man for some time. His revelation didn't seem out of character. Besides, Liu Tianqi knew he needed Lin Hann's help for the upcoming assessment and decided not to delve into the minutiae for the moment.

After their conversation, Liu Tianqi and Lin Hann quickly gathered their things and set out to find the other three.

Two hours later, they noticed many people passing by, all heading in the same direction. Puzzled, they stopped someone to ask what was happening. The man, clearly annoyed, blurted out, "You haven't heard? The 'Staggering Blow Mad Devil,' Qi Xiaosheng, has been spotted. He was seen in the eastern forest an hour ago. Now, everyone he's ambushed, along with others who've heard the news, is racing there. If you want to see the action, you'd better hurry, or you'll miss the excitement!" With that, he hurried off.

Liu Tianqi and Lin Hann hadn't expected to stumble upon news of Qi Xiaosheng so fortuitously. Liu Tianqi turned to Lin Hann and said, "Xiaosheng must be in dire straits. We need to find him fast, hopefully before anyone else does! Ziang and Xiuxiu, having heard the news, will surely be on their way too. This could be our chance to regroup with everyone."

Lin Hann nodded, and together they dashed toward the eastern forest at breakneck speed.

Before long, they came upon a valley surrounded by a crowd. Drawing nearer, they observed Qi Xiaosheng at the center, besieged by over a dozen assailants. He had conjured a Spirit Weapon resembling a tortoise shell, which hovered above him as he valiantly tried to fend off the attacks.

Liu Tianqi's heart sank at the sight; he had arrived too late. Qi Xiaosheng's defeat seemed inevitable, and he reluctantly resolved to abandon him.

Amidst the melee, Zhang Qi taunted with a sneer, "Qi Xiaosheng! Your misdeeds have finally caught up with you! Soon, you'll experience the agony of a blow to the back of your head, and I'll savor it in twenty different ways!" The other victims chimed in, their voices filled with a sense of vindication.

As Liu Tianqi was about to suggest to Lin Hann that they discreetly withdraw, he realized Lin Hann had vanished. Then, an indignant voice rang out—it was Lin Hann, rebuking the crowd, "This is outrageous! Mr. Qi is a man of integrity; he would never do such things to you. You're clearly conspiring against us. If you want to target Brother Qi today, you'll have to go through me first!"

Liu Tianqi couldn't believe Lin Hann's audacity. Loyalty was commendable, but this was foolhardy! Shaking his head in disbelief, he prepared to slip away unnoticed.

The crowd murmured in disbelief at the sudden emergence of this 'fool.' Zhang Qi inquired icily, "And who might you be? Daring to intervene at this juncture? Your audacity is quite moving!"

Lin Hann shot Zhang Qi a look of disdain, deeming him unworthy of a response.

Enraged, Zhang Qi turned to his cohorts and declared, "Brothers, this man is clearly Qi Xiaosheng's accomplice! Since Qi Xiaosheng's shell is as tough as it is foul, let's deal with this ignorant fool first!"

In the valley, Qi Xiaosheng caught sight of the newcomer and recognized Lin Hann, with whom he shared a slight acquaintance. Overwhelmed with emotion, he called out to Lin Hann, "Mr. Ye, your noble support and words have deeply moved me, Qi Xiaosheng. But these people are relentless; they won't spare me. Even if they realize they might have the wrong man, they won't cease their pursuit! You should get out of here quickly!"

However, Lin Hann did not heed Qi Xiaosheng's plea. Standing tall with his chest out and his right hand resting behind him, he confidently strode toward the valley, declaring, "I shall not shrink back in fear. Even against millions, I shall proceed!"

All those gathered were profoundly struck by Lin Hann's commanding presence.