A flush of embarrassment crossed Tie Dao Ku's face, and he answered honestly: "This subordinate's eyes were injured by Bai Ningbing."
Several months ago, his battle with Bai Ningbing had been like taking a blow straight to the head.
He had lost his left eye. His combat power had plummeted. His Hand Blade Gu had been ruthlessly claimed by Bai Ningbing as well. He was no longer any match for her.
But Tie Dao Ku had not given up.
He was iron-willed. Gritting his teeth, he had dug in and survived in Merchant City by fighting in the arena and taking on a variety of bodyguard, tracking, and investigation tasks.
He was like a lone wolf, silently licking his wounds while secretly keeping tabs on Fang Yuan and Bai Ningbing, striving to build up his strength, and reporting back to his family.
It was precisely because of his letters that Tie Ruo Nan had come here leading a team of her own volition.
"Bai Ningbing… actually managed to wound you. Tie Dao Ku, your intelligence had some serious gaps — why didn't you mention this in your letters?" Tie Ruo Nan frowned, her tone somewhat displeased.
Well, it wasn't exactly something he'd been eager to bring up…
Tie Dao Ku gave a sheepish laugh. He was a Third Transformation Gu Master after all, and had his own pride and dignity.
Still, faced with Tie Ruo Nan's questioning, he lowered his head and answered respectfully: "It was this subordinate's fault."
He was a proud man, but toward Tie Ruo Nan, his attitude was thoroughly deferential.
It had been about two years, hadn't it?
A little over two years ago, the news of Tie Xue Leng's death had reached the Iron Family Stronghold, and the entire clan had been plunged into grief.
A Fifth Transformation Gu Master's combat power already stood at the pinnacle of the secular world. Even a colossus like the Iron Family would feel the sting of losing one.
And this was none other than the Divine Detective, Tie Xue Leng.
The man whose reputation had spread across the entire Southern Border — he had been nothing less than a banner for the Iron Family.
Tie Xue Leng's death was a loss for the entire Iron Family, a loss for the entire Righteous Path.
But while the clan members were consumed by sorrow and anguish, Tie Ruo Nan — Tie Xue Leng's own biological daughter — had stepped forward.
She had spent years following her father across the Southern Border. After returning to the family, she had bravely challenged the Iron Family's Thirteen Halls, defeated young rivals in the arena examinations, and earned a place among the Iron Family's Eight Young Masters. After taking charge of internal affairs, she had repeatedly cracked difficult cases, leaving no hiding place for the corrupt and bringing criminals to justice.
Tie Xue Leng had fallen, but Tie Ruo Nan had risen to take his place, carrying forward his banner to become the rising star that the entire Iron Family had watched with growing admiration over the past two years!
Tie Ruo Nan's fame had spread far and wide. Even someone as distant as Tie Dao Ku, living all the way out in Merchant City, had heard of her exploits time and again.
The Iron Family's policies differed from Merchant City's. Even if Tie Ruo Nan failed to seize the position of Iron Family Patriarch, she would at the very least become a powerful minister — a great general guarding a mountain of her own.
She was still young, yet had already reached the High Stage of Third Transformation. The title of genius was well and truly deserved.
Whether it was Tie Ruo Nan in the present or in the future, she was someone before whom Tie Dao Ku willingly bowed his head.
"Tie Mu. Go examine his injury." Tie Ruo Nan waved her hand.
Tie Mu had a refined appearance and served as the team's healing Gu Master. He stepped forward immediately and publicly examined Tie Dao Ku's eye.
After only a few breaths, Tie Mu reported: "The eye is ruined. This subordinate is incompetent — to heal it would require a Fifth Transformation Gu Master to intervene."
This was his modest way of speaking. He was only twenty-eight years old, yet his cultivation had already reached the Peak Stage of Third Transformation, marking him as an elite talent that had emerged from one of the Iron Family's branch lines.
Many had tried to recruit him, but he had chosen to serve under Tie Ruo Nan's banner alone.
Over the years, Tie Ruo Nan's position as Young Master had caused her influence to expand rapidly, drawing in numerous elite figures. Tie Mu was only one of many.
"There is a Plain Hand Doctor here in Merchant City who is a Fifth Transformation expert. Tie Dao Ku — take this money and get your eye healed." Tie Ruo Nan produced an Elder Gu and tossed it to him.
"Thank you, Young Master." Tie Dao Ku caught it, and a surge of gratitude welled up inside him.
The Plain Hand Doctor's fees were extremely expensive. All these years living frugally in Merchant City, he had been scrimping and saving for exactly this sum.
But a hundred thousand Yuan Stones was no small amount. Prices in Merchant City were steep, and on top of that, Tie Dao Ku had purchased a Hand Blade Gu. The shortfall had been far too great.
He straightened up: "This subordinate has already reserved a garden estate for the Young Master. Please, follow me."
To his surprise, Tie Ruo Nan waved a hand: "There's no rush. Take me to Nan Qiu Garden first. In your intelligence reports, didn't you say that Fang Yuan and Bai Ningbing are staying at Nan Qiu Garden?"
"I— yes, that's correct." Tie Dao Ku was stunned for a moment, not expecting such directness from Tie Ruo Nan.
"Lead the way, then," Tie Ruo Nan instructed.
"Yes."
Tie Ruo Nan was by nature a person of decisive action, but only moments later, she was met with a closed door.
"I'm sorry, but both of my masters are currently cultivating in seclusion." The door attendant at Nan Qiu Garden was perfectly polite.