Xuan Yuanqi didn't dare to take a gamble. He had already lost all his relatives and simply didn't dare to put his wife and son at risk. He didn't even know when he had been exposed. Maybe from the very beginning, he had never escaped those people's clutches. But he didn't even dare to harbor resentment.
Since he received the note, there had only been one thought in his mind: to follow what was written on it and then return to an ordinary life.
He wanted nothing, asked for nothing, and could let go of everything. He just wanted to keep his wife and son safe.
Xuan Yuanqi dug out the large pile of spoils he had hidden and set off non - stop for various cities to return these things one by one.
During the process of returning them, sometimes no one noticed, and he could just leave the things behind and go. But sometimes he was discovered and even got beaten up without explanation.
The note only gave him half a month. Back then, to build his reputation, he had traveled through more than a dozen cities. Returning all the things in half a month was a tight schedule, and he had no time to argue or negotiate with others.
No matter how much humiliation and ridicule he endured, or how seriously he was injured, he couldn't stop. He could only hurry to the next location.
The last thing he returned was the sword that Lin Yao had bid for.
And the owner of that sword was the starting point of all his life's nightmares, the man who had died in a ring match with him.
Although he knew clearly that he hadn't done anything underhanded or killed anyone deliberately, over the years, he had come to understand that all of this was just a trap set for him.
If it wasn't a trap aimed at him, why would no one be willing to listen to a single word from him overnight and insist on his guilt?
If it wasn't a trap aimed at him, why, when everyone was calling for his arrest and punishment, the condition put forward was for him to return all the treasures?
He clearly knew that he must have won something extraordinary, something that people would go to great lengths to take back.
But with so many families and so many people, and having won so many treasures, he didn't know if it was a joint conspiracy by everyone or the instigation of a mastermind behind the scenes.
The man who had died miserably in the ring and whose body had disappeared might not have had to die.
Xuan Yuanqi didn't know if the man's family had participated in this conspiracy against him, but it was clear that this life was more or less related to him.
He remembered that this family had originally been a happy one. The dead man was in his prime, with a very cute daughter and a loving wife. They respected each other, and others envied their relationship.
This man was open - minded. Even when he lost his family heirloom, he had no complaints and readily gave it to Xuan Yuanqi. They would even drink together and discuss martial arts insights.
Whether this man's actions were fake or genuine could no longer be verified, but this lost life did make Xuan Yuanqi feel guilty.
So when he heard that this family had moved, Xuan Yuanqi was very confused. He didn't know whether he should quietly return the family heirloom or find the family and return it respectfully.
Finally, feeling too ashamed to face this family, after struggling for three days, he left the thing in the family's yard.
The note said that after he had returned all the things and gone back home, his wife and son would be sent back the next day.
Xuan Yuanqi obediently returned to his home. He sat alone in the house all night, wide - eyed until dawn. It wasn't until someone knocked on the door that he saw his unconscious son outside and his wife's dead body.
Xuan Yuanqi's will was completely shattered the moment he saw his wife's body.
There was a letter on his son. The letter said that he was a quarter of an hour late within the 15 - day period, and for this reason, the other party wanted to teach him a lesson and had taken his wife's life. It also told him not to think about revenge and to stay in Nancheng honestly. If he had any thoughts of revenge or stepped out of Nancheng, his son would die immediately.
Xuan Yuanqi was scared. His pride, stubbornness, and tenacity all collapsed at this moment. He had almost lost everything in his life and simply didn't dare to bet his son's life.
He compromised. He bowed his head to his enemies and to fate. With the money he had earned from the matches, he opened a small martial arts school in Nancheng and peacefully raised his son until he got married and had children. All his ambitions were completely gone.
After taking Miaomiao as his apprentice, he remembered his own past. Just a small children's competition trial almost led to a situation exactly like his own back then.
With such a similar modus operandi, Xuan Yuanqi couldn't help but suspect that the person who had framed and set a trap for him back then was related to that children's competition. But since he had no evidence, he didn't dare to ask too much for fear of hurting Miaomiao and his own children.
"Actually, I don't know who the person behind this is. You can ask Liao Che. The hidden weapon he used to try to hurt you back then, was it really to hurt you or to hurt himself and frame you? I don't know. You saved his life. Now that he has left his sect, he will definitely tell you the truth. But master still wants to advise you not to be impulsive. That person acts so secretly. I've secretly investigated for so many years and haven't found a single clue. It shows how powerful and influential this person is. Going head - to - head is definitely not a good idea. I know you're eager to save your father, but once you get any information, you must discuss it with us adults before making a decision. If it's feasible, we definitely won't stop you."
After telling his story, Xuan Yuanqi looked at Miaomiao worriedly, afraid that the latter would follow in his old footsteps because of revenge.
Miaomiao's life wasn't just about Lin Yao. There were also his childhood friends, his grandmother, uncle, and elder brother. Losing any one of them would probably be unbearable for Miaomiao.
"I understand, master. You were willing to tell me about your past, and I even suspected you before. It was my fault. I'm sorry, master."
No matter how slow - witted Miaomiao was, he knew that he had lifted a bloody scar on his master's heart. He quickly knelt down and kowtowed to apologize.
"It's okay. So many years have passed. In fact, I should let it go. The children are all married and have their own careers. If there's really a chance, I'd really like to personally take revenge on that enemy whose identity I still don't know. Go. I don't know if they have any informants in the dark. You came to my place so openly. Since they want to hurt your father, they will definitely keep a close eye on you. Hurry up and find Liao Che. By the way, bring him and his family here. If it's too late, God knows how many more lives will be lost."