Chapter 144: Lu Hui Returns

One month later.

Heavenly Treasure Pavilion, Maple Leaf City.

Qian Santong was reclining in a chair, apparently lost in thought, when someone entered and said softly, “Pavilion Master, a letter from the imperial capital, along with this. The envoy said it concerns something extremely important.”

“Where is the envoy?” Qian Santong rose and asked.

“He has already left.”

“Very well. You may go. And see that no one comes in.” Qian Santong took the letter and the bottle, then waved him away.

He opened the bottle and took a light sniff.

“This is actually the blood of a Soul-Seizing Sable!” Qian Santong’s mind reeled.

Soul-Seizing Sables were exceedingly rare. In the entire Great Xia Empire, they could be found only in the Chaos Soul Plains. Because the Dark Crow Throne had once suppressed that region, anyone who entered it—regardless of cultivation—would be reduced to the Third Heaven of the Innate Realm. Soul-Seizing Sables were astonishingly swift, and with their innate abilities, they were almost impossible to capture.

Furthermore, the moment the Wen family learned of one, they would do whatever it took to obtain it.

That was why the blood of a Soul-Seizing Sable was priceless.

Qian Santong hurriedly opened the letter and read it.

“So it is the princess,” he murmured.

“But why has the princess suddenly become so concerned about the Lu family? Could it be because of the Sword King? Because of what happened to Wen Hao?”

After considering the matter, Qian Santong could think of no other possibility.

In her letter, Princess Qingcheng made no mention of what had happened between her and Lu Han in Evil Wind Cave, nor did she mention that Lu Han had been carried away by the phantom of a gigantic claw. She merely instructed him to personally deliver the Soul-Seizing Sable’s blood to Lu Tianhong.

“Since my Qian family serves the imperial household, this naturally must be handled properly. Besides, the old master seems to support the Second Prince. I have no idea what the situation in the imperial capital is like now. In a few more days, the time will be right for me to return there as well.”

“San’er, accompany me to the City Lord’s Residence,” Qian Santong said as he rose.

…

At the gates of Maple Leaf City.

It was Niu Gao’s turn to stand guard that day. Chen Jun, Hong Banmei, and Niu Gao had all remained in the city after the upheaval. In the past, they had taken odd assignments and wandered wherever fate led them. Settling down was not so bad. They now worked for the City Lord’s Residence, and Chen Jun had even become captain of the city guards. He and Hong Banmei had also finally become a couple.

“Brother Niu, stop drinking. We’re on duty today. What if something happens?” one of the guards beside him urged.

“What could possibly happen? Our Maple Leaf City is famous for its peace and quiet.” Niu Gao took a drink from his jug.

“Come on, Dayong, have some yourself. It’ll be fine. If Big Brother Chen comes, I’ll take responsibility.”

Niu Gao thumped his chest confidently.

At that moment, two men approached from outside the city gate. The one in front had snow-white hair, yet his eyes were sharp and bright. He possessed the imposing bearing of a man accustomed to command, like a tiger waiting to choose its prey.

A young man followed behind him. He appeared to be quite young, and the old man wore a black robe embroidered with a gold character.

“Excuse me, young guard. May I ask you something?” The young man walked over to Dayong and slipped several gold coins into his hand.

Dayong weighed the coins, his eyes narrowing. It had been a long time since he had met anyone so generous. The money was worth several months of his wages.

“Go ahead, young master,” Dayong said.

“Do you know about the battle between the three great families of Maple Leaf City and the City Lord’s Residence more than two months ago?” the young man asked.

The two men were Lu Hui and his master, Tian Heng, the Third Elder of the Golden Sun Sect. They had hurried here from the Golden Sun Sect without stopping.

After the battle that had overturned Maple Leaf City, Lu Tianlin and his son, Lu Ran, had died. An old servant loyal to Lu Tianlin had sensed that something was wrong early on and raced to Golden Sun Mountain, where he told Lu Hui everything that had happened.

Lu Hui had sworn to avenge them. Yet he knew that his cultivation was still too weak, so he waited until his master emerged from seclusion.

Tian Heng, the Third Elder of the Golden Sun Sect, had taken only Lu Hui as his disciple in his entire life. Lu Hui had also proved worthy of his favor. His talent was exceptional, and at such a young age he had already reached the Second Heaven of the Innate Realm. Even within the Golden Sun Sect, he was outstanding; across the three great sects of the Great Xia Empire, he would still rank among the very best.

Thus, Tian Heng had intended to pass on everything he had learned to Lu Hui. But the moment he came out of seclusion, Lu Hui told him that his father and younger brother had been murdered.

When Tian Heng had taken Lu Hui up the mountain, he had solemnly promised that Lu Hui’s father would surely live a life of honor and prosperity, and that once Lu Ran reached the Ninth Heaven of the Innate Realm, he would recommend him to the Golden Sun Sect as an outer disciple.

Now that he had heard the news, Tian Heng naturally could not remain still.

“Ah? You mean the incident when the Li residence and the City Lord’s Residence were wiped out? You should ask Brother Niu. He took part in that battle,” Dayong said awkwardly.

During that battle, the people of Maple Leaf City had been terrified, afraid that they might be caught in the crossfire. Who would have dared to go and watch?

Niu Gao and Chen Jun had helped Lu Han find the Condensing Fragrance Flower that day, and could therefore be said to have witnessed the battle firsthand.

“Oh?” Lu Hui turned his gaze toward Niu Gao.

The moment the battle was mentioned, Niu Gao’s interest awakened. Having already drunk some wine, he eagerly recounted everything that had happened.

“So the Lu family’s patriarch, Lu Tianhong, has now become the City Lord of Maple Leaf City?”

Lu Hui clenched his fists until his knuckles cracked.

“Hui’er, once we reach the City Lord’s Residence, I will certainly obtain justice for you,” Tian Heng’s voice sounded beside him.

Lu Hui slowly released his hands.

With a sweep of his sleeve, he entered Maple Leaf City together with Tian Heng.

“Hey, Dayong! Aren’t we supposed to conduct a routine inspection?” Niu Gao asked, his eyes clouded with drunkenness.

“Brother Niu, you’re truly drunk. Just wait until Big Brother Chen comes and sees you—he’ll skin you alive. I can’t see through that old man’s cultivation, but I could tell that the young man is at the Second Heaven of the Innate Realm. A person that young, already at the Second Heaven—would you dare inspect him?”

Dayong could only sigh helplessly.

For city guards like them, the most important skill, apart from their duties, was knowing how to read people.

“Ah, Brother Niu really can’t go even a single day without drinking. Still… that young man just now seemed strangely familiar. It feels as though I’ve seen him somewhere before.”

Dayong muttered to himself.

Tian Heng and Lu Hui walked through the crowded streets of Maple Leaf City.

“Hui’er, I heard that Lu Han is quite talented. He is your cousin, is he not?” Tian Heng asked.

“Him?”

In Lu Hui’s memory, Lu Han was still only a child.

“Hmph. No matter how great his talent may be, he is still not in the Innate Realm.” A trace of jealousy flashed across Lu Hui’s face.

Niu Gao had been drinking earlier and had exaggerated Lu Han’s talent, describing it as something utterly unparalleled beneath the heavens.

“So it seems.” Tian Heng cast Lu Hui a satisfied glance.

…

During this period, Lu Tianhong had gradually grown accustomed to his position as City Lord. With Uncle Fu’s assistance, he had brought everything into orderly shape.

Yet the departure of the entire Lie family still left him melancholy. He and Lie Xiong, the Lie family’s patriarch, had been brothers who had faced death together. Now that Lie Xiong had gone to the main family, Lu Tianhong had no idea when they would meet again.

Looking outside, Lu Tianhong sighed.

“It has been more than two months since Han’er left. I wonder how he is doing. The Chaos Soul Plains is such a dangerous place. I only hope he realizes the danger and turns back.”

By now, the poison of the Tiger Toad in Lu Tianhong’s body had long since been cured.