Tianhua stood on the side, watching her, full of confusion. After a long time, Murong Feiyan turned to look at him. Two lines of tears had already fallen down her cheeks. Seeing her like this, Tianhua couldn't help but feel a bit uneasy.

"Tianhua, in fact, the real owner of this restaurant is not Hu Jinhua, but Mu Xiong!" Murong Feiyan said.

Upon hearing this, Tianhua was surprised. He widened his eyes and looked at Murong Feiyan, unable to believe what he was hearing. "Then you..."

"I'm just a pawn under the town lord!" Murong Feiyan said sadly.

"What is going on? And why are you doing all this?" Tianhua asked loudly.

"When you saved Lu Yunshan, defeated Cheng Kong and the others, Mu Xiong seemed to have known your identity. He understood that in Mountain City Town, besides Changqing, there was no one who could match you. Since being your enemy was a difficult thing, he wanted to use you for his own purposes. So, he came up with a plan. He opened this restaurant, arranged for me to be here, and then let us meet. He wanted to control you through me, to see if it could work. In the end, he failed," Murong Feiyan explained with a smile. While recounting the failure of her mission, there was no sadness in her eyes; instead, a hint of joy.

"If Mu Xiong realized that I couldn't be of use to him, why continue the act until now?" Tianhua asked.

"He anticipated that you couldn't be of use to him. But whether you can be of use to him or not is not his primary concern. What he cares about the most is: Where do you come from? Where is your hometown?" Murong Feiyan said.

Upon hearing this, Tianhua was stunned for a moment. After thinking for a while, he said, "It seems he failed in that aspect as well."

"At first, he thought Changqing could defeat you, but it seems you two ended up in a draw! So, Mu Xiong had to resort to another method," Murong Feiyan suddenly said with unease.

"What method?" Tianhua quickly asked.

When Tianhua heard Murong Feiyan say this, he suddenly felt like he foresaw something. At this moment, an ominous feeling arose in his heart.

"I've already said that everything in front of you was arranged in advance for you to see. Inviting you here last night was also part of it. You've been here all night; Xiaoling should have been taken away long ago," Murong Feiyan said sadly.

Hearing this, Tianhua's heart shook. When he came to his senses and tried to understand what was happening, anger appeared in his eyes as he looked at Murong Feiyan and loudly said, "You..." He didn't know what to say.

"I already mentioned in the letter I gave you yesterday: after tonight, we will be strangers. I know you must hate me now. If you want to hit me or kill me, go ahead! We have no more connection," Murong Feiyan said tearfully, looking at Tianhua.

Tianhua stared at her without speaking. After thinking for a while, he sighed and turned away quickly. When Tianhua came to the door, ready to open it, Murong Feiyan suddenly said from behind, "Tianhua, everything was fake, but my feelings for you are real!"

Tianhua's hand, which was pushing the door open, slightly hesitated, but he quickly opened the door and ran towards the direction of the restaurant.

Murong Feiyan sat there looking at his back, slowly sitting down and staring blankly outside the door.

Tianhua's heart was hanging in the air. He silently prayed in his heart: All of this must be untrue, Xiaoling must be safe...

Tianhua arrived in front of the restaurant, looking at the tightly closed door. His heart had already chilled. He quickly went to the back yard of the restaurant, observing around, and leaped in.

The backyard was in chaos, the ground had lost its original shape, scattered with rubble and large pits, and several houses had already been damaged.

As soon as Tianhua landed, seeing this scene, he anxiously scanned the surroundings. At this moment, he saw an old man lying there motionless. Not far from the old man lay another person with white hair whom he didn't recognize. Tianhua shouted and ran towards the old man. Crouching down, he lifted the old man with both hands. The old man had no breath. Tears fell instantly from Tianhua's eyes.

Master...

Tianhua mournfully cried out. He gently shook the old man, but the old man had no reaction.

Tianhua...

A faint voice sounded. Tianhua heard it and quickly looked around. The voice came from the white-haired old man. Tianhua felt puzzled for a moment, gently placed the old man down, and walked towards the white-haired old man.

天化 gently helped the elderly person up; it was a face he had never seen before. As the elderly person was assisted, he opened his eyes, looked at Tianhua, and with great effort, smiled, saying, "Tianhua, you've returned. I never expected to see you one last time before I die."

Surprisingly, the voice belonged to Manager Han!

"Han, how did you end up like this?" Tianhua asked in amazement.

"Tianhua, there are many things I can't explain to you now. When you return one day, ask your father who Han Wen is, and everything will become clear. Little Bell has been captured by them. They want to use her to threaten you into revealing the hiding place of your father and others. Tianhua, you mustn't speak, no matter the circumstances. Remember, Tianhua, you must promise Uncle Han! No matter what happens..." Anxious and pained, Manager Han spoke to Tianhua.

"Uncle Han, don't say more. I promise you!" Tianhua nodded, tears streaming down his face, interrupting Manager Han's words.

Seeing Tianhua's determination, Uncle Han nodded with a smile. After a moment, he thought for a while and said, "Tianhua, after I'm gone, if Little Bell can be rescued, she's entrusted to you."

"Don't worry! Uncle Han, I've promised you. I will take good care of her and ensure she doesn't suffer any harm." Tianhua said with a heavy heart.

Manager Han smiled at Tianhua, nodded slightly, and suddenly broke free from Tianhua's grasp, standing up. Tianhua was startled by Manager Han's sudden move, looking at him in astonishment.

"Facing death without seeing Tianlong for the last time, I can't accept it, I can't!" Manager Han suddenly shouted.

After speaking, Manager Han fell silent. Tianhua squatted there, looking up at Manager Han's silhouette, feeling that Manager Han seemed so tall at this moment. The sun shining down made it difficult for Tianhua to open his eyes.

After a long time without sound from Manager Han, when Tianhua stood up to check, Manager Han had closed his eyes while standing there. Tianhua looked at him, and tears uncontrollably flowed down.

"Uncle Han, rest assured! I'll take good care of Little Bell. I will also take you back to see my father for the last time!" Tianhua said to Manager Han.

At this moment, Tianhua felt heartbroken and devastated. The anger within him had nowhere to vent in this small backyard.

Tianhua stood there for a while, then went to the already ruined kitchen, dragged out many dry branches, piled up two stacks of firewood, and then placed Manager Han and the old man's bodies on the two piles of firewood. He threw a flame, and the firewood crackled and burned.

Tianhua stood in front of the blaze, tears still flowing uncontrollably...

Tianhua used two small boxes to contain the ashes of the two people. He then walked into the front room, placed the two ash boxes on the counter, looked at them, tears again streaming down. He took a few steps back, knelt down, knocked his head a few times, and then said, "Uncle Han, Master, stay here for a while. After I settle everything, I'll take you home."

Having said that, Tianhua's tears still didn't stop flowing. He then heavily knocked his head again, kneeling there for a long time.

Unconsciously, the sun had set, and the room gradually darkened. Soon, nothing could be seen. In the darkness, Tianhua stood up, went to the wall at the back of the yard, and leaped away.

"Tianxiang Building" hung a "Closed" sign, and people outside were discussing it. They couldn't understand why this well-functioning restaurant suddenly closed without any signs. Besides sighs and regrets, there might be a bit of disappointment in their hearts: where could they find such good wine in the future? Where else could they enjoy such beautiful singing and dancing?

Murong Feiyan had locked the door by herself and sat alone in the room for a whole day. Despite calls from Hujinhua and the servants, she didn't respond.

Sitting there, Murong Feiyan looked at herself in the mirror, in unbearable pain. She silently shed tears in her heart, thinking of Tianhua, and then the innocent face of Little Bell. She began to deeply resent herself.

Tianhua, alone, moved swiftly through the town. Suddenly, a cold light flashed, and Tianhua abruptly stopped. He picked up a look; it was a dagger with a note attached. Tianhua looked around, realizing the person hadn't gone far, but he didn't pursue.

Tianhua took off the note, using the moonlight. It read: Three days later at noon, east gate.

Upon seeing Tianhua, anger surged within him. With a swift motion, he threw the dagger away. The messenger, still swiftly moving through the darkness, suddenly felt something attacking from behind. In that moment, a sharp pain struck him, and he agonizingly clutched his left arm; it turned out that in the blink of an eye, it had pierced through.

The messenger, enduring the pain, came to a halt, nervously looking around. After a long while, he realized no one was nearby. Finally, he breathed a sigh of relief, wincing in pain as he hurriedly left.

Tianhua placed the note on his person, pondered for a moment, then swiftly moved in another direction.

In front of a large mansion, Tianhua stopped. He approached the door and knocked. As it opened, an elderly man peered out, recognizing Tianhua with a smile. "Young man, you've come again today."

After a brief exchange, the elderly man invited Tianhua in, leading him inside. As they walked, he chuckled, "The master has been downcast these days, unlike I've ever seen before. Let's see if he'll be in the mood to entertain you today."

"Don't worry, the master will be delighted to see me!" Tianhua reassured.

The elderly man chuckled again, saying, "Hope so!"

Bringing Tianhua to a side room, the elderly man explained, "You wait here for a moment. I'll go inform the master."

Tianhua nodded, and the elderly man gently pushed the door open and went inside.

After a while, the elderly man emerged with a smile, saying, "You've really hit the mark, young man. When I went in, the master was still gloomy and downcast. But as soon as I mentioned you, his whole demeanor changed. He's now happily asking me to prepare food and drinks!"

"I told you, your master would be happy to see me," Tianhua said.

"It seems your fate with our master is quite deep!" the elderly man remarked.

"Our connection is indeed profound," Tianhua acknowledged.

"I'll go to the kitchen to have them prepare food and drinks," the elderly man said with a smile.

After he left, Tianhua pushed the door open and entered the room.

Inside, the master was seated. Seeing Tianhua, he hastily stood up, welcoming him with a smile. However, Tianhua's face remained stern.

Observing Tianhua's expression, the master asked, "What's wrong, Tianhua? You look troubled. Did something happen? Can you share it with me?"

Tianhua didn't speak immediately, but when he did, he said, sitting down, "Old man, there's something I don't understand."

"What is it?" the master inquired.

"Fifty years have passed since those events. Why do you still need to delve into it?" Tianhua asked.

The master's face changed immediately upon hearing this, and the previous smile became somewhat rigid. He looked at Tianhua and said, "Tianhua, what do you mean? I don't understand."

"You understand," Tianhua replied.

The master looked at Tianhua, his expression turning serious. He smiled after a moment and asked, "So, you've known about my identity for a while now. When did you figure it out?"

"That night in your backyard when I helped you catch the robbers, I noticed you didn't seem surprised when you saw me in action. That calmness, unusual for most people, made me suspicious. Later, when we fought and talked in the restaurant's backyard and the town at night, I felt like we had met before. After connecting all the pieces, I concluded: you are Changqing!" Tianhua explained.

The master laughed upon hearing this, neither confirming nor denying. After a while, he said, "Well, Tianhua, I didn't misjudge you. You are indeed formidable! Since you've known for a while, why didn't you say it earlier?"

"Because I didn't think you were bad. At first, I thought some of your actions might have been involuntary, but today I've changed that view," Tianhua stated.

“Why?” Changqing asked.

"You killed an unarmed old man and a former acquaintance. You also took away a child who knew nothing," Tianhua said with resentment.

"All of this was beyond my control. I had advised Han Wen, but he wouldn't listen. He insisted on forcing me to speak, resorting to a life-and-death struggle. I made a momentary mistake, leading to the current situation," Changqing said regretfully.

"'Three Cities and One Town' has been established for fifty years, and my father and the others have been gone for fifty years. Why do you still want to investigate their whereabouts?" Tianhua angrily questioned.

Changqing was about to speak when the door was gently pushed open: the kitchen had prepared the food, and the elderly man brought it over.

After placing the dishes on the table, the elderly man, seeing Tianhua's angry face, curiously looked at Changqing, saying, "Master..."

Changqing interrupted him, saying, "Alright, you can leave! No one is allowed in without my orders."

The elderly man agreed, shaking his head in confusion, and left.

"Although Yuxing Tian has ruled for fifty years, he is always worried that Tianlong and the others might suddenly return," Changqing said.

"They won't come back," Tianhua affirmed.

"Who can guarantee that?" Changqing asked.

"Fifty years of stability can't prove it?" Tianhua retorted.

"But you appeared here," Changqing pointed out.

Tianhua looked at Changqing and remained silent. Suddenly, he understood in his heart: at this point, saying anything more would be in vain!

"How do you plan to release Xiaoling?" Tianhua asked.

"You know it's as simple as talking," Changqing replied.

"Is there no other choice?" Tianhua inquired.

"There is. Before we kill Xiaoling, you kill us first! But I believe you won't do that," Changqing said.

"I will. I will," Tianhua said indifferently.

With that, Tianhua stood up, walked towards the door, and Changqing watched him leave, saying, "You have three days to think about it!"

Tianhua said nothing, opened the door, and left.

For three days, Tianhua stayed in the front room of the inn, accompanying Manager Han and the elderly man.

On the morning of the fourth day, Tianhua stood in front of their ashes, saying, "Manager Han, Master, may your spirits bless me today to safely rescue Xiaoling."

After that, Tianhua left the inn and headed towards the east gate.

Outside the east gate, when Tianhua arrived at the designated location, Mu Xiong, Changqing, and others were already there. With a glance, Tianhua saw Xiaoling; she was seated on a large chair, behind which were Cheng Kong and two others. Tianhua noticed that Xiaoling's face was now covered in tear stains.

"Tianhua brother..." Xiaoling cried out when she saw Tianhua, tears streaming down her face.

When Tianhua heard Xiaoling speak, his voice was already hoarse. Presumably, she had been crying for a long time these past few days, and at the thought of this, Tianhua felt a pang of pain.

"Xiaoling, don't cry. Big brother will take you home right away," Tianhua reassured.

Hearing Tianhua's words, Xiaoling stopped crying.

Mu Xiong, observing from the side, smiled and said, "Tianhua, you really have a way. This little girl has been crying here for three days straight, but just one sentence from you made her stop. Truly remarkable."

"Mu Xiong, spare the chatter. What do you want to release her?" Tianhua asked.

"I want something, and you should know what it is," Mu Xiong said with a smile.

"It's been so long, why do you still delve into this?" Tianhua said.

"You don't need to know that. You just need to tell us what we want to know," Mu Xiong replied.

"As long as you release Xiaoling, I promise to take her back immediately, and I won't appear here again. Moreover, I can guarantee that my father and the others won't appear here either," Tianhua said.

"Tianhua, you seem to have misunderstood something. Today, the one who can set conditions is only me, and you have no room to negotiate," Mu Xiong said.

"I do," Tianhua insisted.

"Oh? Let's hear it," Mu Xiong curiously asked.

"Today, if something unexpected happens to Xiaoling, 'Three Cities and One Town' will certainly no longer be peaceful. You should be well aware of that," Tianhua said.

Mu Xiong thought for a moment and said, "This can be imagined."

"So, you want to use Xiaoling to threaten me. This is a very unwise method," Tianhua said.

"If that's the case, then your implication is that you won't talk no matter what," Mu Xiong said.

"I certainly hope Xiaoling will be safe," Tianhua said.

"Your words confuse me. So, what is your idea?" Mu Xiong asked.

"I'll have a showdown with Changqing. If I lose, you release Xiaoling, and I'll provide you with the answers you want. If I win, I'll leave with Xiaoling and the answers," Tianhua said.

"This condition seems to be in your favor no matter how you look at it," Mu Xiong chuckled.

"Regardless, it seems you don't have any other choices," Tianhua said.

"Fine, fine, fine. Truly formidable. In this situation, you can still push us to this extent. It seems I've really underestimated you," Mu Xiong said.

"Don't talk too much. One question: Yes or no?" Tianhua asked.

"Negotiations need to be considered by both sides!" Mu Xiong laughed.

"You decide quickly," Tianhua said.

"Tianhua, don't be so impatient. There's plenty of time," Mu Xiong smiled.

Tianhua fell silent, but Mu Xiong at this moment was looking at Tianhua with a full smile. Changqing sat there with a serious expression, Cheng Kong and Zou Ming nervously watching Tianhua, Kong Xu staring at Tianhua, and Xiaoling sitting there with tear-streaked face, staring at Tianhua with big eyes.

A gust of wind passed by, bringing a slight chill.

"Tianhua, I suddenly thought of a good idea," Mu Xiong said with a smile.

Tianhua didn't speak, waiting for Mu Xiong to continue.

"Since you've brought the situation to this point, why not go a little crazier: everyone present today will be your opponent. If you can win under these circumstances, then I really have nothing to say," Mu Xiong said with a smile.

Upon hearing this, Tianhua looked at Mu Xiong, not speaking for a long time. Mu Xiong continued to look at him, waiting for his answer.

"Constant Green and Cheng Kong's collaboration. If I go all out, the outcome is unpredictable. However, Mu Xiong is unpredictable. Having never seen him make a move, if he is also a master, then my chances of winning are basically zero..." Tianhua thought to himself.

Inside the room, Murong Feiyan was sitting in front of the dressing table. Someone walked in behind her and said, "Feiyan, still thinking about him?"

Murong Feiyan, upon hearing this, recognized it was Hu Jinhua. Without replying to her, she asked, "Have they all left the city now?"

"The town lord and the others left a long time ago," Hu Jinhua said.

"I wonder how he's doing," Murong Feiyan said, almost talking to herself.

"Who knows!" Hu Jinhua sighed.

Murong Feiyan stood up, walked to the window, opened it, and looked out. The scene of the town was in full view, but outside the city, the landscape was hazy.

"How about it, Tianhua? Have you made up your mind?" Mu Xiong asked with a smile.

"Yes!" Tianhua said.

With this statement, Cheng Kong and Zou Ming were shocked in their hearts, while Kong Xu was secretly delighted. Tianhua looked at Constant Green, Cheng Kong, and the others, and then stared at Mu Xiong.

The wind gently blew by, a breeze so light that it couldn't even lift people's clothes, but it brought a sense of coolness...

"Tianhua, I suddenly thought of a good idea," Mu Xiong said with a smile.

Tianhua didn't speak, waiting for Mu Xiong to continue.

"Since you've brought the situation to this point, why not go a little crazier: everyone present today will be your opponent. If you can win under these circumstances, then I really have nothing to say," Mu Xiong said with a smile.

Upon hearing this, Tianhua looked at Mu Xiong, not speaking for a long time. Mu Xiong continued to look at him, waiting for his answer.

"Constant Green and Cheng Kong's collaboration. If I go all out, the outcome is unpredictable. However, Mu Xiong is unpredictable. Having never seen him make a move, if he is also a master, then my chances of winning are basically zero..." Tianhua thought to himself.

Inside the room, Murong Feiyan was sitting in front of the dressing table. Someone walked in behind her and said, "Feiyan, still thinking about him?"

Murong Feiyan, upon hearing this, recognized it was Hu Jinhua. Without replying to her, she asked, "Have they all left the city now?"

"The town lord and the others left a long time ago," Hu Jinhua said.

"I wonder how he's doing," Murong Feiyan said, almost talking to herself.

"Who knows!" Hu Jinhua sighed.

Murong Feiyan stood up, walked to the window, opened it, and looked out. The scene of the town was in full view, but outside the city, the landscape was hazy.

"How about it, Tianhua? Have you made up your mind?" Mu Xion

g asked with a smile.

"Yes!" Tianhua said.

With this statement, Cheng Kong and Zou Ming were shocked in their hearts, while Kong Xu was secretly delighted. Tianhua looked at Constant Green, Cheng Kong, and the others, and then stared at Mu Xiong.

The wind gently blew by, a breeze so light that it couldn't even lift people's clothes, but it brought a sense of coolness...