The City’s Strongest Son-in-law Chapter 1234 - 1233: Shen Family Father and Son

The servant glanced at Su Changfeng with evident impatience, irritably asking, "Let go now. It's none of your concern, why must you meddle?"

Su Changfeng shrugged in resignation. He recalled how the servants in the Shen Family Mansion never held him in high regard, and he hadn't anticipated being treated similarly upon his arrival in the Tianyuan Continent.

"Brother, I'm merely too curious. Please, just tell me, or I'll truly feel vexed," Su Changfeng said with a smile.

With numerous tasks awaiting his attention, the servant obviously had no time to bicker with Su Changfeng. Seeing that Su Changfeng was still unwilling to release his grip, he had no choice but to explain, "The master and the eldest young master are returning soon, and preparations must absolutely be made."

Having learned what he wished to know, Su Changfeng decisively loosened his hold.

Su Changfeng was fully aware of nearly every detail regarding the Shen family's circumstances. Shen Rushuang’s father was Shen Yaowen, and her brother was Shen Yunlong. For many years, Shen Yaowen had dedicated his efforts to finding a distinguished mentor for Shen Yunlong, hoping to secure a powerful teacher who could aid him in achieving a breakthrough in his strength. The trivial day-to-day matters of the Shen family, however, were left entirely to Shen Rushuang's management.

Regrettably, over the span of these years, Shen Yaowen had not managed to find a particularly potent mentor for his son, and Shen Yunlong himself remained ignorant of what a true elite cultivator entailed.

Despite encountering continuous setbacks, Shen Yaowen did not relinquish his pursuit. After all, within the Tianyuan Continent, under the dominion of imperial authority, exceptional strength was paramount for individuals to ascend to prominence. Mere wealth or being a minor family in Tianshui City held no significant weight.

Shen Yaowen harbored grand aspirations and was unwilling for the Shen family to languish indefinitely in the confines of the small Tianshui City. His vision was to establish the Shen family's influence far and wide, a power that would be recognized across the land under imperial rule, standing above countless others.

As early dawn broke, Shen Rushuang kept watch outside. A carriage gradually emerged from the distant haze, and she hastened forward to greet it.

A middle-aged man emerged from the carriage, radiating an imposing aura—this was Shen Yunlong, the eldest young master of the Shen family and Shen Rushuang’s brother.

"Brother, you've finally returned home," Shen Rushuang exclaimed, taking Shen Yunlong's arm with girlish delight.

Shen Yunlong responded with an affectionate smile, playfully teasing his sister, "Really? I only departed half a year ago, and you're already this eager to see me?"

"Of course, I missed you, brother," Shen Rushuang pouted, confessing frankly.

It was only in her brother's presence that Shen Rushuang displayed the demeanor of a young maiden, a stark contrast to her typically cold, commanding, and resolute self.

"Very well, let us make haste back to the residence," Shen Yunlong declared.

"Brother, that person has awakened," Shen Rushuang conveyed.

Upon hearing this, Shen Yunlong's brow furrowed, as he was well aware that 'that person' referred to Su Changfeng.

"Weren't they saying he would never wake up? Did he cause you any trouble?" Shen Yunlong inquired severely, his tone suggesting he would have Su Changfeng torn asunder if any impropriety had occurred.

"Brother, what are you imagining? However, indeed, many events have transpired recently, and I shall recount them to you later."

Shen Yunlong nodded and refrained from pressing further.

At that very moment, a voice, aged yet laced with a hint of playful jealousy, resounded, "Ah, having a brother means everything, to the point of forgetting one's own father! I truly feel quite sorrowful."

Shen Rushuang blinked and swiftly moved to Shen Yaowen’s side, saying, "Father, what are you speaking of? How could I possibly forget you? You have been away for so long, and I have been thinking of you every single day!"

"Hmph, you possess a silver tongue!" Shen Yaowen couldn't help but chuckle.

The family proceeded back to the Shen residence, where Shen Rushuang commenced recounting the series of events that had unfolded during their absence to her father and brother. Her narrative began with the mysterious disappearance of a Fourth-Rank Expert, followed by the inexplicable vanishing of over a dozen Second-Rank Experts, leaving them both with a sense of profound bewilderment.

Within Tianshui City, Second-Rank Experts were relatively common, with Shen Yunlong himself holding such a rank. However, Fourth-Rank Experts were exceptionally rare.

"Rushuang, are you implying that their disappearances were not mere happenstance and might be connected to that Su Changfeng?" Shen Yunlong asked, his brow furrowed in thought.

"While I too find it difficult to believe he possesses such capability, these two incidents are exceedingly peculiar, and there must be some unknown factors at play," Shen Rushuang responded.

She could not definitively ascertain if the disappearances were linked to Su Changfeng, but she felt convinced that the two events could not be entirely disconnected from him, strongly suggesting that a deeper, hidden truth lay beneath the surface.

"A good-for-nothing who lay unconscious for months, yet could defeat a Fourth-Rank Expert—it is truly difficult to fathom," Shen Yaowen mused, his tone clearly expressing skepticism towards Shen Rushuang's assertions.

"Dad, if you want to ascertain if these occurrences are tied to Su Changfeng, it's quite straightforward," Shen Rushuang remarked, her gaze fixed on Shen Yunlong.

Shen Yunlong swiftly grasped his daughter's implication and inquired, "Are you suggesting I gauge that fellow's prowess?"

"Precisely," Shen Rushuang affirmed with a nod.

"Where is he? I shall depart immediately," Shen Yunlong declared without hesitation.

"Brother, wait a moment. If he intends to conceal his abilities, a direct confrontation will prove futile. We must catch him unaware to discern his genuine level," Shen Rushuang cautioned.

Shen Yunlong nodded in agreement. "You speak the truth. Only by ambushing him can we perceive his true strength. Thus, today is not the opportune moment."

"Did you glean any insights from this expedition?" Shen Rushuang inquired.

Her father and brother could only offer pensive sighs in response to the question; the journey yielded no results, not even a whisper of an expert's presence.

For years, Shen Yaowen had endeavored to assist Shen Yunlong in securing a Seventh-rank Expert as a mentor, a task that proved exceedingly arduous.

"No gains, but I shall persist in my efforts," Shen Yunlong stated resolutely.

"Brother, it's alright. If you cannot find one now, you will eventually," Shen Rushuang offered words of encouragement.

The subsequent morning dawned upon the City Lord's Mansion.

Upon awakening, Wang Junyi found himself staring blankly, his mind seemingly frozen in shock. He gazed numbly at his life-bound magical artifact, utterly incapable of processing the sight.

Across the Tianyuan Continent, every individual possessed a life-bound magical artifact, its rank typically mirrored by the artifact itself. Wang Junyi's artifact was a saber, a constant companion since his youth.

Despite his modest strength, he and his saber shared an profound connection, almost as if they were a single entity.

"Two ranks ascended overnight?" Even now, the reality was difficult to comprehend. Wang Junyi had achieved the Second Rank years prior and had remained stagnant since; indeed, many found further advancement seemingly impossible.

Within the City Lord's Mansion resided over a dozen Second-Rank Experts, largely individuals who grappled with the challenge of improvement. Even Wang Junyi had resigned himself to the prospect of remaining a Second-Rank cultivator for his entire life.