A Family of Hopeless Romantics, Except for the Evil Little Junior Brother

The next day.

A small flying boat departed from Mount Shushan, heading toward the Daxia Dynasty.

There were four people on the flying boat.

Lu Ziyin, Li Xuanxiao, Su Wan, and Zhao Lu.

Su Wan was heading to the Xiao family in the Daxia Dynasty to annul her engagement.

Upon learning that Li Xuanxiao was also going to the Daxia Dynasty, she decided to come along.

As for Zhao Lu, the Zhao family was the royal family of the Daxia Dynasty.

This time, five disciples from Mount Shushan went missing in the Daxia territory, and they were bound to make contact with the Daxia Dynasty. Having Princess Zhao Lu's status made things easier.

Zhao Lu also happened to want to visit home.

Not far from him, Li Xuanxiao was quietly meditating.

He appeared to be relaxed, but his body remained tense.

He sensed Su Wan's gaze lingering on him, so to avoid eye contact, he simply closed his eyes.

Su Wan’s move this time was within his expectations.

Rather than let Su Wan act alone, it was better to go together.

Su Wan’s fiancé.

The Xiao family in Panlong City of the Daxia Dynasty.

The Xiao family used to be one of the top powers in the Daxia Dynasty.

But after a great war, the Xiao family’s ancestor died and was erased from existence.

The Xiao family’s elites were also entirely lost, leading to the family's decline.

Su Wan’s grandfather had once been close friends with the Xiao family’s ancestor.

The two of them had arranged a marriage between their grandchildren.

And Su Wan’s fiancé was Xiao Ran, the son of the current patriarch of the Xiao family.

Xiao Ran was born with exceptional talent, a once-in-a-million cultivation genius.

But a few years ago, he entered a mysterious forbidden area and returned.

His cultivation had been completely destroyed and he could no longer cultivate, the reason unknown.

Li Xuanxiao rubbed his brow.

It already sounded like a million-word wish-fulfillment novel.

At the current speed of the small flying boat, it would take two days and two nights to reach the destination.

Coincidentally, the location where the five Mount Shushan cultivators went missing was also in Panlong City, where the Xiao family resided.

No unnecessary words were exchanged; the journey was smooth.

A little ahead of schedule, the flying boat arrived at Panlong City.

At this moment, there was one more person on the boat.

It was a sword cultivator heading home, whom they had met on the way.

According to the sword cultivator, he had left home to cultivate in his early years and now that his lifespan was nearing its end,

knowing he had no hope of breaking through, he just wanted to return home.

The aged sword cultivator hugged his wine gourd and shouted,

“We’ve arrived, we’ve arrived. This old man should say farewell to you fellow Daoists. Thank you for bringing me along this stretch, otherwise who knows how much longer it would’ve taken.”

The old sword cultivator stood up, only to find the four people on the flying boat looking at him with strange expressions.

The old sword cultivator scratched his head and joked:

“What? Don’t tell me you expect this old man to pay up. I do have a few valuables on me, just not sure if they’re good enough for your tastes.”

The four still didn’t speak, only silently looked at him.

The old sword cultivator was a little confused.

Lu Ziyin said, “Senior, you can’t enter the city. It’s time for you to go.”

“Hmm?”

“You’re already dead. When we saw you, you didn’t have much time left. Senior, it’s time to go,” Lu Ziyin reminded.

The old sword cultivator gradually realized the truth. He looked at his own corpse not far away and suddenly smiled in relief.

“So I got it mixed up. Then I’ll trouble you all. If you have the time, could you check on my family for me?”

After receiving Lu Ziyin’s agreement,

the old sword cultivator’s spirit dispersed into the air.

“.........”

The group arrived in Panlong City, and the City Lord was already waiting.

“Welcome, Princess.”

The City Lord brought officials of all ranks to greet them outside the city.

Zhao Lu put her hands on her hips and instinctively lifted her chin.

After spending so long in Mount Shushan, she had nearly forgotten she was a princess.

Zhao Lu proudly looked at her senior brother.

Well?

You’re marrying a princess, and you still hesitate?

Li Xuanxiao gave her a look, telling her to reflect on it herself.

Out here, don’t act overly familiar. Unless absolutely necessary, don’t communicate—even with your eyes...

Zhao Lu sheepishly withdrew her gaze.

The crowd of people lining the streets to welcome them went without saying.

They all proceeded to the City Lord’s mansion.

Li Xuanxiao told Senior Brother Lu he’d leave the group for a while.

He went alone to the place the old sword cultivator had mentioned.

He intended to deliver a message, but the place was already deserted.

Li Xuanxiao, still uneasy, tried to ask the neighbors, but found there weren’t any around.

After walking for a while, he finally saw a passerby.

“People? No idea.”

Li Xuanxiao assumed the family had moved and was about to leave.

Then he heard the passerby continue,

“Strange, actually. This area used to have a lot of residents, but one by one, they all vanished.”

“A lot of people disappeared?” Li Xuanxiao asked.

“Some people went to the magistrate to make a fuss about it. The same thing happened in the west part of the city too—lots of people went missing. But the cases all went cold.”

This was just a random comment about something seemingly unimportant.

But it made alarm bells go off in Li Xuanxiao’s heart.

Being cautious by nature, especially when outside, Li Xuanxiao quickly conducted a basic investigation.

And that investigation uncovered far too many shady details.

Take the disappearances in Panlong City, for instance.

According to the townsfolk, there had been no fewer than dozens of mass disappearance cases.

At first, when the numbers were small, no one paid much attention. But as more and more people went missing,

the magistrate and the Demon Subjugation Division both got involved, but the cases all ended inconclusively.

Even though the townsfolk’s stories might be exaggerated,

the many empty houses around town couldn’t be faked.

And this was just what Li Xuanxiao found in less than half a day.

Li Xuanxiao’s brow furrowed tightly.

Then he thought of the five missing Mount Shushan disciples!

Also missing—could they have vanished the same way as the people of Panlong City...?

Li Xuanxiao suddenly felt a strong sense of danger.

It was getting late; best not to stay out too long.

Li Xuanxiao returned to the City Lord’s mansion.

At that moment, the City Lord was hosting a grand banquet for the group from Mount Shushan.

Li Xuanxiao silently took a seat at the end of the table, cursing in his mind.

Why is everything happening at once?

Senior Sister Su Wan was annulling her engagement.

Now, it seemed the missing Mount Shushan disciples might be linked to the mass disappearances in Panlong City.

Li Xuanxiao’s expression grew serious.

Just then, a servant stepped forward to announce,

“Reporting to the Princess, Xiao family patriarch Xiao Chengshan has arrived with his son Xiao Ran!”

Su Wan put down her wine cup, her willow brows arching.

Li Xuanxiao: Senior Sister, you’re going to do it?

Now? Right here?

“.........”