Seeing Yin Cong’s expression, Shi Pengpeng immediately realized she had misunderstood and quickly explained Liu Ruyan’s true identity, along with briefly recounting Liu Ruyan and Ouyang Jue’s past.
Only then did Yin Cong understand, patting her chest in relief:
“You scared me! I thought Ouyang Jue had such peculiar tastes. Since Liu Ruyan and Ouyang Jue share this worldly connection, naturally she should come along. Maybe we can learn something through her.”
However, Liu Ruyan’s current bat form wasn’t suitable for public appearances.
Yin Cong happened to carry Xuanmen healing ointments and immediately applied some to her wounds, also helping circulate her qi.
Fortunately, Liu Ruyan’s injuries weren’t severe, and the vampire’s natural healing abilities were strong.
Soon, the little bat’s wounds scabbed over, and her breathing stabilized.
Shaking her wings, she transformed back into Liu Ruyan’s human form.
The group hurried to the hotel’s rooftop restaurant.
The rooftop had been cleared and sealed off, guarded by special police and several Xuanmen practitioners.
As they arrived, a supervisor was just exiting after questioning.
Yin Cong stepped forward to greet him: “Did you learn anything?”
“Nothing,” the supervisor replied grimly.
“Ouyang Jue denies everything.”
Whether it was Yu Tian Culture’s involvement in money laundering or matters concerning Longevity Island and Xu Qin’s true identity, Ouyang Jue flatly denied any knowledge, even claiming he was being framed.
Without solid evidence and unable to use coercive interrogation, the police were temporarily at a loss.
Yan Jing, listening nearby, asked curiously:
“You still haven’t found evidence of Ouyang Jue’s crimes?”
Given that Yu Tian’s personnel were already detained and internal documents should be accessible, how could there be no evidence linking Ouyang Jue?
The supervisor shook his head: “We find it strange too, but we’ve found no valid leads…”
The group exchanged puzzled glances.
Xiao Lingshu cursed: “No wonder he didn’t run.”
Shi Pengpeng suggested thoughtfully: “Let Sister Liu talk to him first.”
The supervisor, already briefed by phone, nodded silently and opened the door for them.
The spacious rooftop overlooked rolling suburban mountains.
Ouyang Jue sat casually near the edge, legs crossed, a cigar in hand, showing no sign that one of his companies had just been raided.
Admiring the night view, he chuckled at the approaching footsteps: “Officer, more questions?”
Yin Cong: “Yes, a few more things. We hope you’ll cooperate.”
“I’ve been cooperating-it’s you who keep harassing me. I truly don’t know about Xu Qin’s other identities or any ‘State Preceptor.’ Your questions should be directed at him…”
Turning, Ouyang Jue raised an eyebrow at the newcomers.
“Ah, CEO Yan too? I just learned tonight’s banquet was your trap for Yu Tian.”
Yan Jing admitted freely: “If you say so.”
Though familiar with Yan’s unabashed demeanor, Ouyang Jue found it particularly grating now.
He tapped his cigar, his smile unchanged though his tone grew colder, “So you’re here to ask me something too?”
“Not me.”
Yan Jing stepped aside, revealing the woman in red behind him.
“It’s her.”
Liu Ruyan’s expression darkened while she said: “Ouyang Jue, we meet again.”
Ouyang Jue’s face paled, and almost reflexively, he dropped his cigar and grabbed the black sword resting beside him.
Shi Pengpeng and Yan Jing recognized it this was the Ziguan Sword Ouyang Jue had won at the auction.
So the real Ziguan Sword had been in his possession all along.
However, Ouyang Jue quickly realized Liu Ruyan had come with them and immediately schooled his expression into one of feigned panic.
“Everyone, why did you bring her here? She’s a monster she nearly killed me just now! Isn’t it your duty as cultivators to slay demons? Hurry up and take her down!”
“Enough with the act.” Liu Ruyan sneered.
“Ouyang Jue, don’t worry. I won’t lay a hand on you now. I just need you to answer one question.”
Ouyang Jue’s gaze swept over her, calculating that the cultivators wouldn’t let a vampire run amok in front of them.
He picked up his cigar again and took a slow drag.
“What do you want to ask?”
Liu Ruyan stared at him, her voice trembling with suppressed fury.
“Where is our daughter?”
Ouyang Jue’s hand paused almost imperceptibly, but his face remained blank.
“Our daughter’? What are you talking about? I don’t have any children. Don’t try to pin this on me.”
“Stop playing dumb!” Liu Ruyan’s voice shook with rage.
“Thirty years ago, you took her from me. Not a single day has passed that I haven’t thought of her. Where is she? Give her back to me!”
“Miss Liu, if you’re going to spin a tale, at least get your facts straight.” Ouyang Jue’s expression turned icy, his eyes laced with mocking amusement.
“Maybe you’d like something to happen between us, but everyone in Xiluo knows I’ve never married, nor do I have any children. I have no idea what you’re trying to achieve with this nonsense.”
“You’re lying!” Liu Ruyan’s eyes burned crimson with fury.
“Ouyang Jue, hand over my daughter!”
Shi Pengpeng quickly stepped between them.
“Sister Liu, calm down!”
“He’s lying! He was the one who took her back then!” Liu Ruyan’s chest heaved, but she forced herself to stay composed.
“Ouyang Jue, do you really think denying it will erase the truth?”
She turned to Yan Jing.
“You know about Ouyang Jue’s family situation, don’t you? Tell them he has a daughter, doesn’t he?”
But Yan Jing didn’t give her the answer she wanted.
Instead, he slowly shook his head, his expression odd.
“As far as I know, he has no children.”
After a pause, he added, “At least, that’s what I’ve heard.”
Ouyang Jue was famously a lifelong bachelor, treating relationships with women as nothing more than transactions.
He had never married, and to this day, he had no known descendants.
For a man of his wealth-especially as the heir of a prominent family—this was exceedingly rare.
Yet…
This matter had long been a topic of lively discussion in business circles-hardly a secret.
Yan Jing had wanted to tell Liu Ruyan earlier, but the conversation was interrupted by Yin Cong’s message.
Later, he reconsidered, thinking that Ouyang Jue was a scheming man, and there might be more to the story.
It would be best to let Liu Ruyan confront him directly.
But now, it seemed Liu Ruyan wouldn’t get any answers either.
Ouyang Jue flatly denied everything, and on the surface, he truly had no children-let alone a thirty-year-old daughter.
“Did you hear that, Miss Liu?” Ouyang Jue smirked at her.
“President Yan just set up a trap to capture Yu Tian’s men. Surely he wouldn’t lie for me, would he?”
“Impossible! How could you not have a daughter?” Liu Ruyan clearly couldn’t accept this answer, her voice trembling with emotion.
“She was the child I carried for ten months! You told me yourself-she was your only treasure! You even gave her a name, and I still remember it -Ouyang Longevity ! You adored her! Where have you hidden her? Tell me, where is Longevity ?!”
Longevity ?
That daughter was named Longevity ?
Shi Pengpeng and the others exchanged glances, each seeing a flicker of suspicion in the others’ eyes.
Ouyang Jue’s expression darkened.
“You’re out of your mind, you crazy woman, making up such nonsense!”
He stood up and said: “Are we done here? If so, I’m going to rest.”
“Ouyang Jue, you’re not leaving until you explain yourself!” Liu Ruyan refused to back down.
Seeing him about to leave, she could no longer restrain herself.
Her lips parted, revealing two sharp fangs.
“If you don’t return my daughter, I’ll haunt you even as a ghost!”
Ouyang Jue didn’t bother pretending anymore.
Watching her transform into a vampire, he showed no fear-only a cold sneer.
“You all see it now. She’s a monster. Do you really believe the words of a monster?”
“I’ll kill you!” Liu Ruyan roared, lunging forward.
“Miss Liu, don’t!” Yin Cong quickly stepped in to stop her.
The scene descended into chaos.
Fortunately, Liu Ruyan remembered her promise to Shi Pengpeng and the others not to resort to violence, sparing them too much trouble.
In the end, she managed to calm down under their persuasion.
Ouyang Jue tried to leave but was stopped by the SWAT team.
Though the police had no concrete evidence against him, as a major shareholder of Yu Tian, he would need to co-operate with the investigation and could not move freely.
As Ouyang Jue was taken away, Liu Ruyan remained distraught.
She morphed into a small bat, hanging upside down from the restaurant’s chandelier, swaying mournfully as she let out pitiful squeaks:
“Squeak-squeak—”
Shi Pengpeng and the others felt a pang of sympathy.
Xiao Ling tried to comfort her: “Vampire sister, are you hungry? Should I get you some pig’s blood from the kitchen? When you’re a bat, do you still drink blood, or do you eat mosquitoes and moths like regular bats?”
The little bat squeaked: “Squeak-blood.”
Xiao Lingshu nodded solemnly: “Noted.”
Shi Pengpeng’s mind was filled with questions.
She didn’t think Liu Ruyan was lying-so where was that daughter?
According to Liu Ruyan, Ouyang Jue had once cherished the child dearly.
And the name “Longevity “-was it just a coincidence?
Shi Pengpeng couldn’t figure it out.
Yan Jing seemed to notice her confusion and pulled up a document on his phone, handing it to her.
“Pengpeng, take a look at this.”
“What?” Shi Pengpeng glanced down and saw it was a file on Ouyang Jue’s family background.
Having been at odds with Yu Tian Culture for so long, Yan Jing had privately investigated Ouyang Jue multiple times and retained quite a bit of information.
Shi Pengpeng quickly skimmed through it and noticed that despite the Ouyang family’s immense influence, their lineage was remarkably sparse.
Starting from Ouyang Jue’s grandfather, each generation had only one male heir.
Ouyang Jue himself was an only child with no siblings.
Moreover, as Ouyang Jue had mentioned, he still had no descendants.
From the available records, there was no indication that any children had ever been associated with him.
“Wait a minute!” Shi Pengpeng suddenly spotted something startling.
“Ouyang Jue’s grandfather and father both died young!”
The records showed that both his grandfather and father had passed away before the age of fifty.
“Exactly,” Yan Jing nodded.
“The previous two heads of the Ouyang family died of leukemia-likely a hereditary condition.”
He added, “Ouyang Jue’s father had been taking precautions early on, even hiring the nation’s top medical team at great expense to serve their family exclusively. But in the end, he couldn’t escape fate and still died young.”
Yin Cong, overhearing their conversation, suddenly recalled something and chimed in, “Speaking of which, we once did a fortune reading for Ouyang Jue and predicted he would also have a short lifespan…”
Since suspicions arose about Yu Tian Culture’s collusion with Longevity Island, not only had the police been investigating intensively, but the metaphysical community had also spared no effort.
Aside from tracking the whereabouts of the National Preceptor, everyone had put their unique skills to use.
A fellow practitioner skilled in divination had analyzed the birth charts of several Yu Tian Culture executives, including Ouyang Jue.
However, the results were somewhat unexpected.
“According to the reading, Ouyang Jue wouldn’t live past fifty…” Yin Cong said.
Shi Pengpeng looked at Yan Jing.
“How old is he now?”
Yan Jing scrolled through the document to Ouyang Jue’s birthdate and replied, “Fifty-nine. He’ll turn sixty next year.”
“That far off?” Xiao Lingshu, who had been listening quietly, interjected with a wry tone.
“Which fellow practitioner did the reading? Not very accurate, huh.”