Best Young Master
Chapter 398 - 352: A Sudden Inspiration

Chapter 398: Chapter 352: A Sudden Inspiration

Located in the Nanming Suburb, Tiger Roar Manor had a tremendous reputation across the Southern Xian Province and even throughout the entire Southwest Region and was once regarded as the talk of the town among the upper echelons of society there.

It was the largest manor in the Southwest Region and also served as Nanqinghong’s main stronghold in the Southwest.

Its master was Wu Hu.

Wu Hu was known as Huaxia’s number one drug lord, responsible for Nanqinghong’s drug business, controlling over seventy percent of the drugs in Huaxia.

At the same time, he was also the undisputed second-in-command of Nanqinghong, in terms of status, only second to the helmsman of Nanqinghong, Lin Tianyi, and above the head of the Nanqinghong Southeast Asia Special Zone, Zhou Jing.

In a sense, his status and position within Nanqinghong were even more prominent than Zhou Jing, who was in charge of the smuggling business. This was not just because he managed the drug business but also because his domain was near the area known as the ’new center of the underworld’—the Golden Triangle Region. He often appeared in the Golden Triangle Region and had opportunities to meet with the leaders of various underworld forces.

Moreover, he was an Early Innate Martial Artist himself, and his personal bodyguard was an Innate Great Success Realm Martial Artist hired at a high price. Additionally, he had three Postnatal Perfection assistants, two of whom were assigned by Lin Tianyi, and the other was a local from the Southwest he found himself, named Li Kui.

Li Kui was a native of Nanli, and grew up relying on his brother, Li Wei, after their parents died early. At fourteen, he met a dying old beggar and learned martial arts from him. Thanks to his excellent comprehension, he reached the Postnatal Perfect Realm.

Now, he had been in the Postnatal Perfect Realm for two years with no progress. According to Wu Hu, unless the old beggar came back from the underworld to continue teaching him, Li Kui would remain at the Postnatal Perfection for the rest of his life.

The fact that Wu Hu could say such words to Li Kui was enough to show his trust and appreciation for Li Kui.

Indeed, compared to the two subordinates sent by Lin Tianyi, he trusted Li Kui, whom he had personally recruited, more.

Because he knew that the other two, while obeying his orders, also followed Lin Tianyi’s directives. If one day he betrayed Lin Tianyi or Nanqinghong, those two would not hesitate to assassinate him.

This was also why he annually spent a large sum of money under the guise of ’ensuring safety while navigating the Golden Triangle Region’ to hire a mercenary at the Innate Great Success Realm as a bodyguard.

After nightfall, as the head of Nanqinghong in the Southwest and renowned as Huaxia’s top drug lord, Wu Hu sent away his subordinates and sat cross-legged on the rooftop of a villa filled with European style, engaging in meditation cultivation.

Whoosh!

Suddenly, Wu Hu opened his eyes, his gaze as sharp as a knife sweeping toward the villa’s entrance, instantly spotting the towering figure of Li Kui.

Not only was Li Kui tall and imposing, but his arms were also longer than those of a normal person, giving him an appearance akin to that of a gorilla. Coupled with his fierce look, which resembled the character Li Kui from the Water Margin, his reputation was formidable both in the Southwest Region and the southern underworld.

"Li Kui, what’s the matter?"

Using the light, Wu Hu saw from afar Li Kui’s fierce expression, uncontainable anger painting his face, and took the initiative to ask, his tone slightly puzzled.

"Mr. Hu, I wish to return to Nanli," Li Kui said, cupping his fists towards Wu Hu.

"Your good-for-nothing brother causing trouble again?"

Upon hearing this, Wu Hu saw through it instantly; in his memory, whenever Li Kui asked to return to Nanli, it was to handle matters concerning Li Wei.

"Li Wei was hurt by someone, and it’s very likely that he won’t be able to have children in his lifetime," said Li Kui fiercely, as if he couldn’t wait to return to Nanli and tear apart the person who had injured his brother.

"Oh?"

Wu Hu was taken aback. "Although your brother is uncultured and acts arrogantly, with your reputation, are there people in Nanli who dare to touch him?"

"Mr. Hu, it was someone from outside," Li Kui replied gravely.

"Who are they affiliated with?" Wu Hu asked.

"I’m not sure yet, I only know it’s a woman,"

said Li Kui, adding, "According to my brother’s description, she’s likely a martial artist."

"A female martial artist?"

Upon hearing this, Wu Hu raised an eyebrow, thought for a moment, and said, "Li Kui, you and your brother have depended on each other since childhood. I understand and agree that you want to avenge your brother. But there’s one condition!"

"Please speak, Mr. Hu," Li Kui said respectfully.

"Don’t act rashly; first find out the female martial artist’s identity and ensure she has no significant background before taking action. If she has a background, report to me first, and I will handle it," Wu Hu spoke earnestly. "Also, just to be safe, take more brothers with you when you go."

"Thank you, Mr. Hu," Li Kui said, his face filled with gratitude.

"Go ahead, try to make a quick trip there and back, and call me immediately if anything happens," Wu Hu waved his hand, then closed his eyes again, continuing his meditation cultivation.

"Yes!"

Li Kui bowed deeply and then, without further ado, turned around, propelled himself off the ground, and sped away, his momentum as fearsome as a racing tiger.

...

Meanwhile.

As the first to step out of the airplane cabin, Ye Fan quickly walked towards the airport exit.

Buzz... Buzz...

Walking on, he felt his phone vibrate in his pocket, took it out, and saw that it was a call from Chu Ji.

"Aunt Chu, any leads on Liu Li?" Ye Fan connected the call and immediately asked.

"Not yet."

On the other end of the phone, Chu Ji sighed, then said, "I’ve asked the person in charge of the Xiangshan Group’s Yunnan branch to pick you up at the airport, and he’s already at the exit."

"Hmm," Ye Fan responded softly.

"Due to geographical reasons, Xiangshan Group’s business in the Southwest isn’t extensive, with fewer personnel and a relatively weaker intelligence network." Knowing Ye Fan feared Su Liuli falling into Nanqinghong’s hands, Chu Ji suggested, "You can seek help from the head of the Southwest Police."

"The head of the police?" Ye Fan felt a stir in his heart.

"The head of the Southwest Police, Ma Chaoyang, was mentored by your father during his time in the Southwest and was one of your father’s trusted direct lineage back then. He managed to climb to the position of police chief in just a few years, largely thanks to your father’s introduction and support," she explained.

Chu Ji elucidated, "Given his position, he should have heard about your situation a long time ago. If you ask for his help, he will indeed do his best, which will greatly reduce the time needed to find Su Liuli."

"Understood."

Ye Fan let out a slight sigh of relief and quickened his pace.

"If you need to leave Huaxia and head to the Golden Triangle Region, make sure to call me!" Chu Ji hesitated, then added, "I have a few acquaintances in the Golden Triangle who could help you when the time comes."

"Hmm."

Well aware of the complexity of the Golden Triangle, Ye Fan did not arrogantly refuse, nor did he formally thank her; he simply acknowledged softly.

"Senior Sister once said that she had fallen out with Master back in the day because she made decisions on her own and left Spirit Mountain. Now, not only does she control a giant private enterprise like Xiangshan Group at home, but she also has connections abroad—what has she been doing all these years? Why did she leave the mountain back then?"

After hanging up the phone, Ye Fan thought about the time Chu Ji, having drunk too much, told him about her fallout with Chu Xuanji and couldn’t help but feel puzzled.

There were no answers.

Reason told Ye Fan that Chu Ji harbored secrets unknown to others, with a possibility that those secrets were the crux preventing her from breaking through the Gang Qi realm all these years.

While speculating subtly, Ye Fan shook his head, deciding not to dwell on these thoughts, and quickened his pace towards the airport exit again.

Due to several flights arriving in succession, the airport exit was crowded with people holding signs, some on tiptoes stretching their necks to see inside, and others making phone calls.

At a glance, Ye Fan spotted a sign with "Mr. Ye Fan" written on it held by a middle-aged man wearing gold-framed glasses.

Hmm?

Shortly after, as Ye Fan followed the crowd quickly out of the airport exit intending to approach the middle-aged man, he suddenly noticed two sneaky, shifty-eyed young men intentionally edging close to him, with one long-haired young man reaching towards his pocket.

Ye Fan remained outwardly calm, and as the long-haired young man’s hand entered his pocket, his right hand swung out like lightning, gripping the other’s wrist in a vice-like hold.

Whoosh!

The sudden act caused the long-haired young man’s body to stiffen and his face to change color, hastily trying to withdraw his hand with the stolen phone. However, he discovered his hand was clamped in a vise-like grip, immobilized.

"What... what are you doing?"

This revelation startled the long-haired young man, calling out in a slightly panicked voice.

Whoosh—

At his shout, the crowd automatically dispersed, with all eyes now on the long-haired young man and Ye Fan.

Meanwhile, two young men quickly surrounded them, glaring menacingly at Ye Fan, "Let him go!"

Already in a bad mood, Ye Fan saw this and raised an eyebrow, his right hand giving a slight pull.

"Crack—"

A crisp sound ensued and the long-haired young man’s wrist broke, causing him to cry out in pain and collapse halfway to his knees.

Whoosh!

Whoosh!

Seeing this, the two companions of the long-haired young man’s face changed color, hastily pulling out pocket knives intended for slashing bags.

"Even the Dao Sect’s celebrated thief, Wan Shou, would have to walk around me. Are you seeking death?" Ye Fan, eager to find Su Liuli and unwilling to waste time on two petty thieves, snapped coldly.

And indeed, the renowned thief Wan Shou from Dao Sect was currently their leading figure.

Previously, before descending from Spirit Mountain, he had followed Chu Xuanji’s instructions to retrieve a white jade-crafted Jade Qilin from the hands of Wan Shou, the celebrated thief. Since Wan Shou did not resist, Ye Fan had spared him, leaving Wan Shou to sigh with a wry smile acknowledging that he must avoid Ye Fan in the future.

Dao Sect’s celebrated thief, Wan Shou?!

Startled by Ye Fan’s words, the two young men’s faces turned white with fear, their hands trembling, nearly dropping their knives to the ground.

And the long-haired young man, whose wrist was broken, also stopped his cries, his eyes wide with shock as he looked at Ye Fan, his mind and his colleagues’ similarly filled with one big question: Who is this guy that even the leader of Dao Sect, Wan Shou, would avoid?

Hmm?

Noticing the frightened expressions of the three, Ye Fan suddenly had an idea!

...

...(To be continued. If you like this work, we invite you to support us by casting your recommendation and monthly tickets at Qidian (qidian.com). Mobile users, please visit m.qidian.com to continue reading.)