"You must be Qingqing. Don't be afraid. Entrusted by your father, I came personally to fetch you. Not long ago, I sent my son here, but unfortunately, he provoked Young Hero Lu and was accidentally injured by him..."
Luo Fengyun stood not far from Lu Chen. His gaze was gentle as he looked at Cui Qingqing and said, "I'll take you to see your father right now..."
Cui Qingqing revealed a frightened expression and instinctively hid behind Lu Chen and Liu Jinglan.
"Senior, are you Senior Luo, the Startling Swan Sword?"
Liu Jinglan's expression shifted slightly, and he could not help asking.
"That's right. You're Liu Jinglan, aren't you? You truly have your father's bearing." Luo Fengyun smiled at Liu Jinglan.
"You flatter me, Senior."
Liu Jinglan replied, looking hesitant. "May I know whether you have any proof...?"
"Proof?"
Luo Fengyun's expression stirred slightly. "Why not come with me to see Prince Cui? Wouldn't that make everything clear?"
"This..."
Liu Jinglan felt uneasy and could not make up his mind.
His eyes suddenly turned toward Lu Chen, seeking his opinion.
"I'm only responsible for keeping you safe. As for what to do, you decide for yourself!"
Lu Chen's tone was calm.
Having escorted him all the way here, he had already lived up to the cultivation method and martial skills Liu Jinglan had given him. Nothing could be more conscientious than that!
"Miss Qingqing, what do you think?"
Liu Jinglan turned to Cui Qingqing.
"I'll stay with Brother Liu."
Cui Qingqing's cheeks flushed faintly.
Liu Jinglan felt somewhat reassured. "Senior Luo, in that case, we'll go with you."
He believed that with so many people present, the Luo family would not dare detain them.
Otherwise, the Luo family's reputation would be utterly ruined.
"Good!"
Luo Fengyun nodded lightly, looking satisfied.
Just then!
"Are you Lu Chen of the Heartless Blade?"
Suddenly, Luo Qiuyu, who had remained silent all this time, spoke in an icy tone. Cold light surfaced in her beautiful eyes as she swept her gaze toward Lu Chen. "Do you dare fight me?"
"You?"
Lu Chen raised a brow.
"What? You don't dare? You used your superior realm to oppress my younger brother and left him badly wounded. If word gets out, people will think the Luo family has no real talent. Today, I won't bully you. I'll suppress my own realm to your level and fight you openly and fairly. Do you dare accept?"
Luo Qiuyu spoke coldly.
"You beat the little one, and the old one jumps out so soon?"
Lu Chen replied frostily.
"Arrogant!"
Baleful Intent filled Luo Qiuyu's lovely face. "Do you think defeating one Luo Changqing makes you someone important? Heroes beneath heaven are as countless as crucian carp crossing a river. In my eyes, you are nothing more than someone who bullies others with borrowed power. Today, you'll fight whether you want to or not!" At the side, Luo Fengyun frowned slightly, but in the end, he said nothing.
After all, his son and daughter had indeed nearly died.
As their father, he would naturally side with his own children.
Having his eldest daughter teach Lu Chen a lesson would allow the Luo family to preserve some face as well.
In the distance, He Qianxing took in the entire scene and muttered, "A fine opportunity. Luo Qiuyu is at the late eighth rank. Though she is too old to make the Kirin Ranking, her swordsmanship has reached the pinnacle of perfection. With her making a move, Lu Chen is surely finished. Then we can seize the chance to capture Lu Chen and escort him to the capital!"
"My lord truly has a brilliant plan!"
The Squad Leader beside him brightened.
They continued watching from the shadows.
Lu Chen suddenly looked toward Luo Fengyun at the side and asked coolly, "Senior Luo, is this your intention, or Miss Luo's?"
"Martial sparring is commonplace in the Martial World. This old man cannot interfere in such matters." Luo Fengyun smiled slightly, then suddenly looked at Luo Qiuyu and said with a smile, "Qiuyu, stop at the proper point. Do not injure anyone!"
"Rest assured. I'll suppress my cultivation to his level!"
Luo Qiuyu sneered.
"No need. Use your full strength."
Lu Chen spoke coldly.
Clang!
The soft sword in his hand suddenly trembled, and a blood-red glow emerged. In an instant, it was as though nine hundred and ninety-nine blood-red suns had appeared. The sword light was dazzling, eerie, and terrifying, like a sky filled with bloody rain.
Lu Chen attacked!
He opened with his strongest move!
Sun's Manifestation! Luo Fengyun's pupils contracted in shock, disbelief filling his eyes.
"Sword Intent!"
This Lu Chen had comprehended Sword Intent?
Not good!
"Qiuyu, be careful!"
He hurriedly looked toward his eldest daughter.
Luo Qiuyu's expression changed drastically. In an instant, she felt nine hundred and ninety blood-red suns crushing down upon her, blotting out the sky and covering the earth, engulfing her outright. It was as though countless strands of Sword Qi were descending from every direction.
From her pores to her soul, every part of her hurt, every part of her suffered.
Under that terrifying pressure, she could not even draw the sword at her waist. It felt as though she were facing a boundless sea, and the courage in her heart was blasted to pieces.
Bzzzz!
As her mind roared, even her inner force seemed to stop circulating. Clang!
A clear metallic sound rang out, and all the illusions vanished.
All the Sword Intent vanished.
The blood-red soft sword had been pulled taut and straight, resting against Luo Qiuyu's brow as it trembled and emitted a sword cry.
"You lost!"
Lu Chen's tone was cold and merciless. He added, "Also, I did not injure your brother by suppressing him with my realm. He could not even block a single strike from me, just like you!"
Whoosh!
The blood-red soft sword withdrew and slipped into his waist in an instant.
"Qiuyu!"
Luo Fengyun's expression changed in alarm. In a flash, he arrived beside Luo Qiuyu and placed a palm on her, waking her.
Being enveloped by Sword Intent was exceedingly dangerous. At best, one's Dao Heart would collapse and one's martial future would be ruined.
At worst, one would suffer qi deviation and have one's cultivation crippled on the spot.
He had never expected Lu Chen to have actually cultivated Sword Intent!
His eldest daughter, at the peak of the eighth rank, had failed to withstand even one move from him!
For a moment, shock and fury churned within him.
Luo Qiuyu's lovely face was pale, and her body trembled. Her eyes were fixed on Lu Chen, filled with nothing but fear...
She seemed not to have recovered from that sword strike.
Good boy, how vicious!
Luo Fengyun was both shocked and enraged.
In the distance.
He Qianxing sucked in a breath of cold air, stormy waves surging through his heart.
Luo Qiuyu had lost!
How was that possible? "My lord, what do we do?"
The Squad Leader beside him asked in horror.
"Luo Qiuyu has lost. Her father, Luo Fengyun, will most likely not stand by and watch. Now this will be interesting."
He Qianxing's eyes flickered as he murmured.
Meanwhile, in a distant region.
Inside the Heavenly Mystery Pavilion.
Upon an ancient, mysterious bronze mirror.
Lines of text began appearing once more.
[Lu Chen of the Heartless Blade, practiced martial arts for fourteen days, escorted Cui Qingqing a thousand li, crossed mountains and forded waters, slaughtered his way through encirclements, this afternoon split Luo Changqing of the Autumn Water Sword with a blade, slew Yan Henge of the Mountain Suppressing Spear, then turned into the western mountains, killed dozens with one sword, intimidated Luo Qiuyu with Sword Intent. A promise worth a thousand gold, walking alone beneath heaven, ranked forty-second on the Kirin Ranking!] [Comment: Ten thousand taels of gold are not worth a single promise from Lu Chen.]
Several old men froze, then hurriedly turned around. Their minds roared, nearly numb.
"The Kirin Ranking has changed again!"
"It's that Lu Chen again!"
"Ten thousand taels of gold are not worth a single promise from Lu Chen!!"
"This brat has reached forty-second on the Kirin Ranking! Even late eighth-rank Luo Qiuyu lost to him!"
"Hiss—quick, copy it down!"
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