Chapter 291

"Where is Lü'er? Wasn't he the one looking for me?"

Huyan Lie arrived at the study and found it empty. He frowned and questioned the steward who had led the way.

The old steward wiped his sweat and said, "The young master is probably bathing and changing. I'll summon him immediately."

Huyan Lie waved his hand, and the old steward, as if granted a pardon, hurriedly retreated from the room, gently closed the door, and quickly went to find Huyan Lü.

"He acted hastily and lost his composure; it seems the people here have fallen apart... Alas, I hope Lü'er can learn from this lesson and abandon these inappropriate thoughts."

Huyan Lie sighed. He knew he was being somewhat biased and unfair to his second son. However, it was impossible to treat everyone equally in this world, especially after the last hostage exchange incident. His second son clearly harbored resentment. Rather than doing nothing and letting that resentment accumulate until it eventually exploded, it was better to cut the Gordian knot, make his stance clear, and dispel any unwarranted thoughts his second son might have, thus eliminating any potential threat.

That girl from the Black Earth Gang is no ordinary person. According to the intelligence her subordinates have sent back, she seems to possess Mind-Reading Technique. I originally thought it was a joke, but judging from her actions that day, it's quite possible.

If the intelligence is true, then her provocation that day was merely a prelude. She will definitely continue to bewitch Lü'er, incite resentment, and thus provoke an internal conflict with He'er.

Even the strongest fortress can crumble due to internal strife. As a disciple of Military School, Huyan Lie naturally understood this principle. Therefore, the day after the incident, he announced the removal of his second son from his post and the reduction of his military power, so as not to give the enemy any further opportunity to provoke him and to eliminate the possibility of internal strife.

His preference for his eldest son wasn't due to any concern for the traditional order of seniority, but rather because his eldest son was gentle, unambitious, and unlikely to harbor resentment for not being able to succeed him as gang leader. He was the most suitable successor as a transitional figurehead.

That's right. From the very beginning, Huyan Lie never intended to pass the position of gang leader to any of his sons, but instead set his sights on his grandsons.

Because he is Spirit Transformation Grandmaster, he has a long lifespan and is not prone to illness or injury. He could easily remain in the position of gang leader for fifty or sixty years. Perhaps his son will die of old age while he is still alive and well.

Of course, he didn't intend to work until he died. He would retire to the background and become a retired emperor who held power. This required an heir who didn't care about power. His second son, Huyan Lü, was talented and ambitious, and he was definitely not willing to be a puppet. He was not a suitable candidate. If he were to succeed as the gang leader, it would inevitably lead to a conflict with the old gang leader.

"It is indeed unfair to Lü'er to do this, but it is for the sake of the bigger picture; someone has to make a sacrifice."

Talented people are not given important positions, while those who are incompetent and lazy are more favored. Huyan Lie also felt that these words were not easy to say to the public, so he had been keeping them to himself. However, today his second son had a heart-to-heart talk with him, so he could reveal the truth and make him settle down. He could either return to the country to develop his career or raise the next generation. No matter which choice he made, he would support him.

However, they would never relinquish even a fraction of their power; this is the style of Military School.

Huyan Lie knew very well that his second son shared the same personality as him, so he couldn't back down even more. Two tigers cannot share one mountain; even father and son would have to fight.

After waiting in the study for a while without anyone arriving, Huyan Lie grew somewhat impatient. "Why isn't he here yet? What is he doing? Is he expressing his dissatisfaction in this way?"

Huyan Lie felt that his second son shouldn't be so naive, and this roundabout way wasn't his style. Suspicion suddenly arose in his mind, so he immediately released his Divine Sense, enhanced his six senses, and investigated the surrounding area.

"Could something have happened? Hmm, this faint fragrance is..."

Huyan Lie looked at the two potted plants on the desk and thought their shapes were quite strange. Just as he was about to recall the varieties, he suddenly felt that his Qi and Blood were not flowing smoothly, which was clearly a sign of poisoning.

There's something wrong with this flower!

He instinctively struck out with his palm, shattering the two flowerpots. But with a cracking sound, it seemed as if a mechanism inside the flowerpots had been triggered.

"Wrong!"

Huyan Lie sensed something was wrong and tried to leave the study, but it was too late.

Boom!

The entire study exploded, and no one knew how much gunpowder was hidden inside. Half of the building collapsed, and many broken bricks and tiles were sent flying into the sky and then crashed down. The entire manor shook violently.

A figure burst out of the billowing smoke, looking extremely disheveled. It was Huyan Lie. However, before he could recover from his shock, he felt a chilling Sword Intent envelop him. The sharp Sword Qi pierced through him like a rainbow, and his True Qi could not withstand it, shattering like glass.

"Illusory Moth Sword Tribulation!"

"How dare you, the thief!"

Huyan Lie roared, seizing the moment gained by his True Qi, his inner True Essence surged, and his treasured sword automatically unsheathed and entered his palm. He slashed out with a backhand, and the magnificent sword energy pierced straight through the sword rainbow above his head.

The sword's edge shattered, and the sword's rainbow transformed into countless moths that spread out like a burst of shot, enveloping his entire body. Although Hu Yanlie wore a precious inner garment, he could not withstand the pure Sword Qi and was pierced Huyan Lie with bloody holes. Furthermore, a chilling Sword Intent entered his body, causing his internal energy to stagnate.

The attacker was naturally Lin Qingxiang. He had prepared for this One Sword for a long time, and he still had energy left after the attack. Moreover, the shattered sword transformed into a moth, which was equivalent to dissipating the opponent's blade force without drawing it onto his body. His movements were not affected. He immediately swung his sword, which transformed into a crescent moon, and slashed at Huyan Lie's neck.

This moment can be said to be the weakest point in Huyan Lie's Cultivation Body. He was first poisoned, then hit by a gunpowder explosion, and then, before his mind was settled, he was hit by Lin Qingxiang's strongest killing move. He used up all his True Essence, and then was hit by Sword Qi. His subsequent True Essence was blocked and could not keep up. At this time, his limbs were empty, his meridians were empty, and there was not a trace of True Essence. If he were to take another hit, he would definitely be injured.

"Don't underestimate the Spirit Transformation!"

As soon as Hu Yanlie landed, he suddenly crouched down to avoid the sword blade. Then Huyan Lie arched his body forward, twisted his waist and flipped over, like a dragon coiled in a deep abyss or a tiger lying in a cave. Then he suddenly raised his leg and slashed at Lin Qingxiang's wrist.

This kick was fast and urgent, seemingly both a hidden and overt move, defying common sense. Moreover, the force slashed out horizontally from the sole of the foot, cutting through the shoe. Looking inside, the edges of the foot were tightly clenched, the muscles flat, almost like a sharp blade.

This move has nothing to do with Internal Cultivation; it is purely an external technique, which further demonstrates Huyan Lie's superb skill.

Lin Qingxiang felt a shiver run down his spine as he sensed a sharp gust of wind, as if a dagger were slashing at him. He dared not swing his sword to pursue and strike directly, so he quickly sheathed his sword, turned around, and darted away, avoiding a direct clash with his hands and feet.

The two separated as soon as they touched each other. A piece of Lin Qingxiang's sleeve fell to the ground, its edge clean, as if it had been quickly sliced open by a blade. If he had reacted a little slower, he might have been in danger of losing his wrist.

Hu Yanlie Huyan Lie up in one breath and immediately became energetic and vigorous, urging his True Essence to suppress the poison, force out the Sword Qi within his body, and stabilize his injuries.

The two had just exchanged blows in the blink of an eye, but the dangers involved were beyond the comprehension of outsiders. If Huyan Lie hadn't unleashed his signature "antelope horn kick," and had been caught off guard by Lin Qingxiang's attack, forced into a losing position, he would have been severely injured, if not killed.

But after he kicked out, the situation immediately reversed. He not only forced his opponent back, but also bought himself a chance to catch his breath. His condition instantly recovered to 80%. Moreover, after Lin Qingxiang unleashed the "Illusory Moth Sword Tribulation", his energy and spirit were greatly depleted, and he became listless like a deflated balloon.

This kick isn't a special move or an ultimate technique; it's just an ordinary leg technique. However, when used at the right time, it can turn the tide of battle. This is the magic of martial arts.

"Was this ambush a scheme by your Black Earth Gang, or a collaboration with my unfilial son?"

Huyan Lie's face was gloomy. He really didn't believe that Huyan Lü had the guts to commit treason. But this ambush happened in Huyan Lü's manor, and there were poisonous flowers and gunpowder in the study. It was hard to believe that the manor owner was completely unaware of this. Especially since such a big commotion had occurred, and no one in the manor came out to observe, it was clearly pre-arranged.

Lin Qingxiang said, "Before worrying about this matter, Chief Huyan should worry more about his own safety."

Huyan Lie laughed angrily, "You? Fine, it doesn't matter if you don't talk now. I'll capture you later and then slowly interrogate you to find out the truth."

Lin Qingxiang calmly replied, "Chief, you jest. I do not believe I possess my father's abilities, so how could I dare to assassinate a Spirit Transformation expert alone? Since I am taking this risky step today, I have naturally made thorough preparations."

Before he could finish speaking, he felt the previously calm air around him suddenly vibrate, and then he saw a dark, bluish-black hand grab his shoulder.