"So who is it?" Bai YiJun asked as he looked back at Jie Fu Lian with a business smile, "Who is it that you want to find so much?"
"Bai BaoShi."
Bai YiJun's eyes narrowed down on Jie Fu Lian and he slightly tilted his head as he asked, "You do know that Bai BaoShi was my step-mother, don't you? First you go looking into my brother's death and now you go looking for my step-mother that disappeared. Dear customer, is there something about my family that I need to be aware off?"
Jie Fu Lian smiled as he heard this and shook his head, "It's nothing you'll be interested in knowing. Just remember that ignorance is bliss."
Jie Fu Lian felt like it would be too big of a shock for Bai YiJun to suddenly find out the truth about his brother and step-mother so he decided not to say anything. One was dead and the other was missing. It was already a story that was too old. There was no need to worry Bai YiJun about it.
With a sigh, Bai YiJun nodded his head as he spoke, "Well, if my step-mother can somehow help you prove the innocence of the Yan Sect, I'll help you."
"I knew brother Bai would help. You're the best!"
"..." Bai YiJun stared at Jie Fu Lian with an odd expression.
Hua Tianshu dragged Jie Fu Lian back as he spoke, "Contact me as soon as you find her. For now, we'll be leaving. We have another important meeting."
Bai YiJun nodded his head without any unneeded words being spoken.
Duan Luoyang collected himself and bowed his head as he politely greeted Bai YiJun farewell.
"Brother Bai, I'll come visit you again!~" Jie Fu Lian happily exclaimed with a wide green as he was pulled away by Hua Tianshu.
Bai YiJun stared at the back of the three people and frowned as he wondered to himself.
Since earlier, he had this weird feeling that he wasn't seeing something...
Hua Tianshu was suddenly chasing after a random man who had come out of nowhere. He had a handsome face and deep pockets, but his appearance was nothing like Jie Fu Lian.
It was the first time he had seen the man but Bai YiJun still couldn't help but feel as if this man was very familiar to him.
At one point, he even questioned himself whether there was a possibility of this man being Jie Fu Lian, but as soon as this thought came up, he immediately pushed it aside as nonsense.
Jie Fu Lian had already died and there was no way for him to be resurrected. Bai YiJun, who had been trying all this time would clearly know this the best.
After a person dies, their soul gets divided into seven parts and if all seven part of the soul is collected, the person can be resurrected. However, Jie Fu Lian had already learnt the art of splitting souls and a part of his soul was trapped inside the Changbo sword. Out of the other six parts, two were with Bai YiJun who had managed to somehow save it while the rest four parts of his soul were ripped apart and consumed by wrath trapped inside the abyss.
It would take a miracle for Jie Fu Lian to be brought back...
As he thought this, his heart felt a little annoyed and depressed.
In the end, he cursed Jie Fu Lian in his mind for dying like that and leaving behind both Hua Tianshu and Bai YiJun to grieve like this.
It was truly annoying.
If he could meet Jie Fu Lian again, he would certainly want to punch him for being such an untrustworthy friend.
.
.
.
.
.
"What meeting were you talking about?" Jie Fu Lian curiously asked as he looked over at Hua Tianshu, "Didn't we come here just for the information guild?"
"We came here for the information guild," Hua Tianshu nodded his head as he responded, "But now, we have something else left to do here."
"Huh?" Jie Fu Lian cluelessly tilted his head.
"We must find the financial minister of Xiujiang, Fan Xue."
"What does he have to do with this case?'
"I don't know," Hua Tianshu shrugged his shoulders as he spoke, "But he's close to Bai Guanyu and has been here for quite some time. If we can get him to talk, we might find something."
When Jie Fu Lian thought about it, he felt that Hua Tianshu wasn't wrong. If they were lucky, then they could get more information and even if they didn't get any clues, it would still feel good to see Uncle Fan Xue again.
"In that case, let us go meet Uncle Fan Xue's husband as well!" Jie Fu Lian excitedly exclaimed, unable to hide the wide smile on his face, "It would be a waste to come here and not bask in his beauty."
"..." Hua Tianshu's eyes dangerously narrowed down on Jie Fu Lian.
Duan Luoyang frowned as he commented, "Uncle Fu, you scold me for hugging my Shizun's sleeve and yet you don't find anything wrong with eyeing other people's husband. To be such a hypocrite... Don't you feel any shame?"
Hua Tianshu felt very proud of his disciple for saying things he shouldn't say.
Jie Fu Lian chuckled as he responded, "Shame? What is shame? When you get to see somebody as handsome as Uncle Fan Xue's husband, you completely forget about shame! Duan Luoyang, you are still a child so you might not understand."
"..." Both disciple and Master had the same speechless expression plastered on their face as they glared at Jie Fu Lian in unison.
The Master thought, 'How can you so shamelessly eye other people's husband?' while the disciple thought, 'Didn't you call me a full grown man who wasn't allowed to hug my Shizun's sleeve? How come I'm a child now?!'
Jie Fu Lian naturally didn't understand the feelings of this pair of disciple and master. In his mind was the picture of a handsome man that he had met when he was young and he smiled as he continued on his way, feeling excited to meet that man again.
This trip was Hua Tianshu's idea and now, he was starting to regret it a little.
They soon reached the office of the financial minister but were stopped by the guards who refused to allow them inside without permission.
"Brother, do you even know who this is?" Jie Fu Lian questioned with a frown as he proudly pointed at Hua Tianshu, "He is the youngest elder of the HuiXue sect, Hua Tianshu. Even if you live under a rock, you must have still heard his name. If you offend him then don't blame us for the trouble that would come your way."
Surprisingly enough, Jie Fu Lian was quite natural at shamelessly threatening innocent people who were just doing their jobs.
"Hua Tianshu?" The guard repeated with a frown as he took a glance at Hua Tianshu's face before he asked, "Couldn't you have come up with a better lie? There is no need for Daoist Hua Tianshu to be here."
"..."
But he really was here...
Jie Fu Lian scratched the back of his neck as he leaned in towards Hua Tianshu's ear and whispered, "Brother Hua, don't you have anything on you to prove your identity? Like an official seal or something?"
"My face is recognizable."
Jie Fu Lian didn't know if he wanted to laugh or cry.
"We are here to work on a case," Duan Luoyang sighed as he stepped up and spoke, "I am Duan Luoyang, the chief disciple of Elder Hua Tianshu. We are only asking for cooperation from the financial minister, we have no ill intentions."
Duan Luoyang took out a scroll from his pocket and showed it to the guards as he spoke, "If you don't believe me then you can take a look at this. This investigation is authorized by Sect Master Quan."
It could be said that compared to both Jie Fu Lian and Hua Tianshu, Duan Luoyang was a lot better at dealing with people.
The guard hesitated for a few minutes and carefully examined the scroll before he reluctantly bowed his head and apologized for the rudeness.
Thanks to Duan Luoyang, the three were allowed to go inside and as soon as they stepped inside, Jie Fu Lian curiously asked, "You have that scroll with you at all times? You're quite the diligent one, aren't you?"
Duan Luoyang smirked as he heard this and revealed, "I forgot to bring the real scroll with me so I had to create a fake."
"..."
"Who is it?" A voice came from inside the office and they could no longer continue their discussion.
It had been a long time since Jie Fu Lian had heard the voice of Uncle Fan Xue but he was still able to clearly recognize it.
"Uncle Fan Xue, it's me!~" Jie Fu Lian happily beamed, acting on instincts and habit, forgetting that he was currently not inside his own body.
"And who is this me?" Fan Xue questioned back with a frown as he looked at Jie Fu Lian from top to bottom.