Sword Arrives

Deep down, Lu Zhengchun absolutely did not want someone as lowly as Liu Xianyang, who was like a dog in his eyes, to ever see the Lu family's young master, living in luxury and grandeur, reduced to the same level as a poor bastard named Liu.

The greatest humiliation was this.

The beautiful woman gazed at the scene and murmured, "He's here."

The tall young man came forward, throwing punches all the way. His strikes grew fiercer and faster, until his form was nearly overwhelmed by the momentum of his own punches, stumbling slightly.

To an expert's eyes, the budding intent behind his punches already showed a trace of a perfect blend of strength and flexibility.

In the world of martial arts, there's a saying: If you don't grasp the true meaning of a punch, you'll remain an outsider for a hundred years. Once you understand the true meaning of a punch, you can defeat even gods and ghosts in ten years.

The beautiful woman sighed in relief. As expected, this Liu family boy was indeed the one they had been searching for. His talent was remarkable, and even among the immortals in their vast estates, his innate potential couldn't be overlooked.

Of course, in the broad world of the beautiful woman and the burly old man with white hair, the largest group of people were precisely those with such talents.

The beautiful woman stood up and gave instructions to Lu Zhengchun, who was at the bottom of the steps. "Go tell that boy. Ask him what he wants in exchange for the armor and the book, those family heirlooms."

As Lu Zhengchun turned, he bowed deeply and, in a dialect completely unintelligible to the townspeople, replied, "Yes, Madam."

The woman spoke calmly, "Remember, when you speak to that boy, be kind and measured, and mind your manners."

The boy stretched out his finger, looking down with a fierce expression, "If you ruin this matter, I'll skin you, tear your muscles, and turn your soul into a lamp wick, forcing you to suffer endlessly until the light goes out!"

Lu Zhengchun was so frightened that he shivered, bowing deeper, his voice trembling, "I will not fail, I swear!"

Finally, the little girl felt she had gained the upper hand. She sneered, "In front of these common folk, you're full of bravado. You were the one on the way here who was called an illegitimate bastard to your face by someone from the same faction, yet you didn't dare to retort."

The burly old man had always had a poor impression of the arrogant mother and son, and he added, "Miss, you are wrong. It's not that he didn't dare to retort; he didn't even dare to speak."

The boy in the bright red robe gritted his teeth, glaring at the girl with a grim expression, but didn't speak a word of threat. Instead, he suddenly broke into a smile, one that was dazzling.

The woman's gaze remained fixed on the road ahead, her expression serene, leaving one to wonder whether any resentment was building in her heart—who could tell?

The little girl snorted coldly, running down the steps to squat by the stream, gazing at the fish swimming below.

Occasionally, schools of carp swam past her view, some in red, others in blue, their numbers varying.

Some of the elderly folks in the town, when chatting under the old locust tree, often told stories of how, on stormy days, when they passed by the covered bridge, they had seen a golden carp swim out from beneath it.

Some elderly folks said the golden-scaled carp was only the size of a hand, while others claimed the strange carp was much larger, at least half a person's length, almost as if it were on the verge of becoming a spirit.

There were many different opinions, and the elders bickered among themselves so much that the children listening to the story didn't believe any of it.

At this moment, the little girl gazed intently at the crystal-clear stream, her hands propped up on her cheeks, her eyes fixed ahead.

The old man with white hair sat beside her and gently laughed, "Miss, if the Lu family isn't lying, then this great opportunity has already fallen into someone else's hands."

The little girl turned her head and grinned, "Grandpa Yuan, maybe there are two!"

She revealed a comical sight, missing one of her front teeth.

She quickly realized her mistake and hastily covered her mouth with her hand.

The old man stifled his laughter and explained, "Young dragons that haven't yet crossed the river are very territorial and don't allow others of their kind to approach. So…"

The little girl gave an 'oh' in understanding, turned her head back, and resumed resting her chin in her hands, lost in thought. She murmured, "What if there really are two?"

The elderly man, who had always appeared kind and gentle to the little girl, now showed a rare expression of solemnity, his hand gently pressing down on the girl's head. In a deep voice, he said, "Miss, remember, the words 'what if' are truly our greatest enemies. Never entertain the thought of chance or luck! Though you are of noble birth…"

The little girl pulled one hand out, waving it energetically, and with a playful complaint said, "I know, I know, Grandpa Yuan! My ears are going to get calluses at this rate."

The old man replied, "Miss, I'll go keep an eye on things over there. While our allies from Zhengyang Mountain may seem trustworthy on the surface, the nature and character of that whole family… sigh, best not to speak of it, lest I soil your ears."

She simply waved her hand to shoo him away.

Reluctantly, he left.

The burly man, who seemed more like a household servant than an elder, walked with his hands resting on his knees, his back slightly hunched, as though bearing a heavy weight.

Suddenly, the girl by the shore rubbed her eyes vigorously.

She realized that the water level in the stream had noticeably begun to rise, slowly but surely—visible to the naked eye!

Had she been outside the town, say, on Zhengyang Mountain, or anywhere back in her homeland, even if the stream had instantly dried up, she wouldn't have been the slightest bit surprised.

The little girl asked in confusion, "Didn't they say that all mystical arts, divine powers, and Daoist techniques are naturally sealed here? And the higher the cultivation, the stronger the backlash, right? Grandpa Yuan even said that even the legendary person, after staying here for a long time, is now in a difficult situation, like a mud Buddha crossing the river. It's hard to really stop anyone from taking action and fighting for control…"

She shook her head at the end, losing interest in solving this riddle.

The little girl turned her head and looked at the tall figure of Grandpa Yuan.

She cheerfully thought to herself, once the seal is lifted here, she would ask Grandpa Yuan to move that mountain called Piyun.

After bringing it back to her homeland, she'd use it as her little flower garden.