Chapter Sixty-Three: Uncle Fu, the Commander?

At the very moment the entire Lu family martial training ground fell into utter silence, in Maple Leaf City’s Treasure Pavilion—

“Master, do we need to offer assistance to the City Lord’s Mansion? After all, we...” a guard standing behind Qian Santong asked in a low voice.

Qian Santong, a burly man reclining on a rocking chair with his eyes closed, replied indifferently, “Help Wen Hao? Why should I help him? He should count himself lucky that I haven’t taken action against him. This matter has nothing to do with us. Pass down my orders: anyone who dares to meddle in this affair will be expelled from the Pavilion at once.” The guard’s face changed, and he quickly withdrew.

Watching the guard leave, Qian Santong snorted coldly. “Did he really think I didn’t know he was a Wen family spy?”

...

“It seems the time has come,” the City Lord Wen Hao said quietly.

“What do you mean?” Suddenly, the sound of footsteps echoed from outside.

Over a hundred city guards burst in.

“Truth is, I had already prepared for the worst. I hadn’t expected Lie Xiong to wake, but it makes little difference now.” Wen Hao’s eyes narrowed as he looked at the Lu family patriarch. “Patriarch Lu, if I recall, I approached you in secret long ago. My offer remains unchanged: if the Lu family submits to me, you shall remain one of the three great families of Maple Leaf City. What say you?”

“Submit to you? Like the Li family, to become your dogs?”

“It seems there is nothing left to discuss. At this point, it is impossible for me to turn back. Maple Leaf City can only belong to me, Wen Hao. Hand over the old man—kill them all. Leave no one alive!” Wen Hao commanded coldly.

“The reason I secluded myself in training was because I anticipated this day would come,” the Lu patriarch said.

“Kill!”

“Kill!”

Clang, clang—

The people of the three great families and the City Lord’s Mansion all drew their weapons, seeking out opponents and clashing fiercely.

“Cousin Lu Han, I never expected you’d return alive. But no matter, I’ll just kill you again. Then Lie Ruge will be mine.” As Lu Ran spoke Lie Ruge’s name, a feverish light gleamed in his eyes.

Lie Ruge often visited the Lu family. Over time, Lu Ran found himself increasingly obsessed. Yet Lie Ruge would only greet him out of courtesy, and always because he was Lu Han’s cousin, addressing him as “Brother Lu Han” before and after every sentence, which had long made Lu Ran burn with jealousy.

Speak of the devil—Lie Ruge was battling a member of the Li family when she saw Lu Han and Lu Ran face off. She couldn’t help but worry, and with a flick of her whip, sent her opponent flying and rushed over to stand protectively before Lu Han.

Seeing Lie Ruge’s worried expression, Lu Ran’s fists clenched with a crack.

Lu Han, meanwhile, touched his nose. “Am I really that weak?”

He knew Lie Ruge was formidable; when she crossed the Dragon’s Gate, she was even younger than the Lu family’s prodigy Lu Hui had been at his breakthrough. Sensing her aura, Lu Han realized she was already at the peak of Postnatal Ninth Heaven—a shock, considering Lie Ruge was a few months younger than him. Fifteen years old, and already at the peak of Postnatal Ninth Heaven? Had Maple Leaf City ever seen such a thing? Lu Han smacked his forehead. “I’d best not compare myself to her, or I’ll just get depressed.”

He patted her delicate shoulder. “Hey, little girl, you don’t really think I can’t even handle him, do you?”

In Lie Ruge’s mind, Lu Han had only broken through to the Sixth Heaven three months ago. No matter how gifted, he couldn’t possibly have caught up to Lu Ran so quickly, could he?

“But—”

“There’s no ‘but,’” Lu Ran interrupted, his face ashen; it was as though the two of them had forgotten he existed.

“Lu Han, do you dare look down on me?”

Lu Han suddenly raised a finger. Under the puzzled gazes of the two, he said, “One palm. For the sake of our familial bond, if you can withstand a single palm from me, I’ll let you go.”

“Ah! Lu Han, I’ll kill you! Fiery Luo Fist!” Lu Ran felt utterly insulted. For someone who had only broken through to the Sixth Heaven three months ago to claim he could defeat him with one palm—unforgivable.

Lu Ran, seething, punched out, his hand glowing red as he lunged at Lu Han.

Lu Han, meanwhile, gathered Frost Qi in his palm; beside him, Lie Ruge could feel the temperature drop noticeably.

Facing the oncoming fist, Lu Han didn’t move. He simply extended his palm.

Bang!

A figure was sent flying, crashing heavily to the ground.

“You—” Lu Ran, sprawled on the ground, stared at Lu Han in shock before fainting, his fate uncertain.

Lu Ran had only reached the peak of the Seventh Heaven, cultivating an advanced yellow-grade technique. Lu Han, on the other hand, practiced the high-level “Frost Qi” technique, comparable to an advanced profound-grade method, and had recently broken through to the Eighth Heaven. The result was overwhelming—a single palm, and Lu Ran lay motionless.

“Wen Da, Wen Er, go help! Today, I will erase the Lu family!” Wen Hao shouted.

“My esteemed elders, I must trouble you,” the Lu patriarch called, his voice soaring.

Two elders, hidden from the world for years, emerged from the Lu family’s inner court and engaged Wen Da and Wen Er in battle.

Clang, clang, clang!

Surveying the assembled combatants, Wen Hao laughed. “Old man, it looks like only when we settle things will this battle end.”

The Lu patriarch said nothing, but his aura began to climb.

Wen Hao’s pupils shrank, a hint of fear flickering in his eyes. “Profound Lord, Third Heaven? But what have I to fear?”

Black Jiao, overturn the heavens!

Open for me!

With a furious roar, Wen Hao charged at the Lu patriarch.

The surrounding fighters quickly scattered to the sides. A joke—when Profound Lords clash, if you don’t keep your distance, you might not even know how you died.

The Lu patriarch met him head-on, his entire hand seeming to turn gold.

The Lu family’s unique beginner-level profound technique, the Golden Spirit Blade Art.

“Haha! Old Ghost Li, I know you’re here. Dare you come out and fight me?” Lie Zhong suddenly laughed.

Swoosh!

A black-robed elder appeared before him.

“Old Ghost Li, you finally show yourself.”

“Lie Zhong, what are you so smug about? After all these years, you’re still at the Innate Realm, while I have reached Profound Lord. I am no longer who I was.” The elder regarded Lie Zhong with a sinister glare. There was clearly history between them.

“Old Ghost Li, since you’ve broken through to Profound Lord, why didn’t you come challenge me at the Lie family’s estate?” Lie Zhong pressed. “You wouldn’t dare. You’re afraid you’ll lose. With that timid, rat-like nature, it’s a wonder you ever advanced to Profound Lord. Let me tell you, I could suppress you before, and I can still suppress you now, even if you’ve reached Profound Lord.”

“Silence!” The elder, stung to the quick, charged at Lie Zhong in a frenzy.

...

“Brother, end this now. There’s still time. Let me speak to Father, or you’ll truly pass the point of no return,” Lu Tianhong pleaded, looking at Lu Tianlin, who was clutching the fallen Lu Ran.

“End it? Ha! Why should I end it? If I can’t have something, I’ll destroy it. Do you think I don’t know what Wen Hao wants? He wants to control everything, so he propped me up as Lu family head—to make me his dog! But I don’t care!” Lu Tianlin’s face twisted with hatred. “If not for that little bastard Lu Han, by now the Golden Blade would be mine, and so would the Lu family. Yes, Lu Han—he’s ruined everything, and even hurt Ran’er. I’ll kill him!”

“Brother, I gave you your chance!” The two brothers instantly clashed. Though they shared the same blood, now they met as mortal enemies.

...

At that moment, Uncle Fu’s demeanor changed; he was no longer simply the old man who followed the head of the family, but a true leader.

“Lu Family Guards, where are you?”

Swoosh, swoosh, swoosh!

Ten figures appeared in unison.

“Commander!” they shouted in unison.

Lu Han was startled by the scene. “Uncle Fu, you’re the commander of the Lu Family Guards?”