Chapter Fifty-Four: Return to Maple Leaf City

Three figures sped swiftly along the official road.

“I’m not going any further, I want to go back!” The burly man with a dark face at the rear suddenly shouted in frustration.

These were precisely Chen Jun and his companions, who had just left.

Niu Gao saw that Chen Jun and Hong Banmei had also stopped.

He looked at Chen Jun and said, “Brother Chen, you weren’t like this before. You always told me that one must be loyal. If not for Brother Lu, would we still be standing here now? If we couldn’t win, dying alongside Brother Lu would be better than living cowardly, afraid for our lives!”

With that, Niu Gao was about to leave.

“Stop! After all these years, others may not know, but don’t you understand me? Even if it were a King of the Earth, let alone a Lord of the Profound Realm, I, Chen Jun, would never abandon my brothers and run. At that moment, I heard someone’s voice transmitted to me, telling me that he would save Brother Lu, and that we three should leave first so we wouldn’t get in the way,” Chen Jun explained.

He had been about to stay behind, but then a hoarse voice had instructed them to depart, promising that Lu Han would soon follow, and that their presence would only hinder his efforts.

“Why didn’t I receive the message?” Niu Gao asked, somewhat incredulous.

“You? With your temper written all over your face, you’d only mess things up,” Hong Banmei replied.

She had always trusted Chen Jun and would support any decision he made.

“We’ve gone far enough. Let’s wait here for Brother Lu Han. If he doesn’t arrive within half an hour, we’ll go look for him.”

...

“Master, where are Chen Jun and the others?” Lu Han asked, knowing that Old Man Ling had told the three to go ahead at that critical moment.

Old Man Ling had always been a secret, not someone Lu Han wished to reveal just yet; thus, the old man had instructed them to leave first and assured them he would bring Lu Han back.

“They’re just up ahead.”

Hearing Old Man Ling’s weak voice, Lu Han felt for the first time how powerless he truly was.

In front of a Lord of the Profound Realm, he hadn’t even had a chance to fight back. He clenched his fists—strength, in the Sky Continent, was everything!

“Look, isn’t that Brother Lu?” Niu Gao, anxious and pacing, spotted a black dot in the distance and cried out.

The trio hurried over, and seeing that Lu Han was unharmed, all breathed a sigh of relief.

“Haha… I knew you’d be all right!” Niu Gao strode up and slapped Lu Han’s shoulder.

The slap was so forceful that Lu Han nearly lost his balance from the pain.

“What’s the matter, Brother Lu? Where are Zhang Yuanqin and his son?” Chen Jun quickly supported him.

“It’s nothing, just residual injuries from the battle. I’ll be fine after some rest,” Lu Han replied, unwilling to tell the truth.

“Uh, sorry, Brother Lu, I got a bit too excited just now,” Niu Gao scratched his head.

“Zhang Yuanqin and his son are dead,” Lu Han said.

“So… was it that powerful stranger who killed them? Do you know him, Brother Lu?” Chen Jun, though he’d guessed the outcome, was still stunned.

A Lord of the Profound Realm—he remembered how, before, Zhang Yuanqin’s aura had made it nearly impossible to breathe. Now, just like that, he was dead.

“I don’t know either, perhaps some reclusive master. Maybe he couldn’t stand to see Zhang Yuanqin attacking us, mere cultivators of the acquired realm, so he stepped in,” Lu Han answered, a bit unsure whether Chen Jun and the others would believe him.

Unexpectedly, Chen Jun stroked his chin and nodded. “Many hidden masters are eccentric. We owe him for this; otherwise, none of us would have escaped. By the way, what about Cao Dong?”

Mentioning Cao Dong, Chen Jun’s expression grew complicated. After all, they had spent half a year together, and feelings had developed.

“I killed him,” Lu Han said.

Upon hearing that Cao Dong was dead, Niu Gao exclaimed, “Good riddance! That ungrateful wretch—if we hadn’t saved him back then, he’d have died long ago. Who knew we’d rescue a traitor?”

“Well, since he’s gone, let’s put the past behind us. Lu Han, what are your plans now? And your injuries…” Hong Banmei stepped in, smoothing things over, and turned to Lu Han.

“My injuries are nothing serious. Let’s hurry to Maple Leaf City. But before that, I need to disguise myself—if anyone recognizes me, it’ll be bad if word gets out that I’ve returned to Maple Leaf City,” Lu Han said, a flicker of excitement in his heart at the mention of the city.

“After all this time, I’m finally coming home. I wonder how Father and Mother are doing…”

At this moment, in the Lu family.

In Lu Tianhong’s study.

“Uncle Fu, the family assembly is in three days. Is everything ready?” Lu Tianhong rubbed his temples.

“Master, preparations are nearly complete. The disciples who left have begun returning, and the Third Master will arrive tomorrow.”

“The third brother is coming home?” Lu Tianhong smiled in delight.

The Lu brothers—Lu Tianlin, Lu Tianhong, and Lu Tianbei.

Lu Tianbei was the youngest. He spent most of his time in nearby cities, seldom returning home, and the family’s silk business outside was entirely managed by him.

“These years have been hard on him,” Lu Tianhong sighed.

Lu Tianbei, now in his early thirties, had traveled far and wide for the family business, and still had not married.

Lu Tianhong felt guilty as the family head for letting his younger brother shoulder so much.

“Master, something’s wrong!” A voice called out from outside—it was Xing’er.

“Xing’er, this is the family head’s study, don’t make a fuss,” Uncle Fu frowned.

“It’s not that—it’s Madam, Madam has fainted!” Xing’er rushed in, breathless.

“What!” Lu Tianhong sprang up and hurried out.

“Uncle Fu, fetch the physician!” Lu Tianhong was already gone, with Xing’er following close behind.

Beside Meng Wan’er’s bed, an old man was checking her pulse.

Lu Tianhong could only wait anxiously nearby.

When the old man stood, Lu Tianhong hurried over.

“Master Lu, let’s speak outside. Madam needs rest,” the old man said.

“Doctor He, is my wife all right? How could she suddenly faint?” Lu Tianhong followed the physician out of the room, asking anxiously.

“Madam’s health has always been fragile, and lately she’s suffered many blows…”

Lu Han’s disappearance had already spread throughout Maple Leaf City, as the Lu family was one of the three great families and constantly under scrutiny.

“If this continues, she won’t be able to bear it. She needs rest, and will recover in time. But a heart’s pain cannot be cured. I’ll take my leave now,” the physician said, bowing as he carried his medicine box away.

“Uncle Fu, pay Doctor He.” With that, Lu Tianhong entered the room.

He walked to the bedside and took Meng Wan’er’s hand.

“My dear, forgive me. I’ve been so busy with the family assembly, I neglected you. I thought after three months, the pain would ease—but the more I miss Han’er, the harder it is. I know you feel the same.”

Xing’er quietly left the room.

At this moment, four figures appeared at the gates of Maple Leaf City.

“What’s your business?” a city guard asked, seeing the four, one of whom wore a black robe, with the hood obscuring his face.

“We are mercenaries, passing through and seeking a place to rest,” Chen Jun stepped forward.

“Go on in,” the guard replied, knowing mercenaries were dangerous and wanting no trouble.

“Brother Chen, let’s go in,” Lu Han said.

Lu Han, draped in a black robe, was so well disguised that even if he stood before Lu Tianhong, his father wouldn’t recognize him.

Lu Han didn’t want to return to the Lu family just yet, so his attire was necessary.

Entering the city, gazing at the bustling streets, Lu Han took a deep breath.

“The familiar scent…”

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