Decision

Lu Changfeng looked around and found he wasn't far from the shore.

Wang Yue was squatting by the water's edge, soaking wet, seemingly crying.

"Hey! Sixth Miss!" Lu Changfeng waved.

The figure on the shore stiffened, then her face broke into a smile. "Lu Feng, you're alright!?"

Lu Changfeng smoothed his drenched hair. "What could happen to me? The scenery at the bottom of the lake was quite nice, I just swam a bit longer."

"I stabbed that big fish once, and it let go of me and ran off," Lu Changfeng added by way of explanation.

Lu Changfeng swam towards the shore.

Wang Yue realized her tear-streaked face might have revealed too much. "You jerk, you made me worry! You were gone so long, I thought you were dead!"

With that, she turned her horse around angrily and rode away.

Lu Changfeng inexplicably made his way ashore. Only then did the wound on his abdomen become apparent.

A row of fine teeth marks. Had it been an ordinary person, they likely would have been bitten in half and swallowed whole by that monstrous fish.

Lu Changfeng mounted his horse. After entering the Inner City, he found a clinic to treat his wound.

Lu Changfeng's physique was exceptionally robust. After a light application of anti-inflammatory powder, the wound began to heal rapidly.

By the time he returned to the Hall of Worship, the wound had already started to scab over.

Afternoon.

He took a hot bath at home and changed into a new, clean purple Worship uniform.

The Wang Family was quite generous. They provided over a dozen sets of Worship uniforms annually, all made from the finest silk.

They were comfortable to wear.

Lu Changfeng moved a lounge chair next to Zhao Xingtian and lay down, basking in the sun together.

At the same time, he reviewed the morning's events.

Zhao Xingtian glanced at the returning Lu Changfeng but noticed nothing unusual about him.

Lu Changfeng reviewed the events in his mind.

He guessed that the arapaima must have bitten through his wound, and the blood spreading in the lake had alerted the 'Giant Elephant Woman' to his presence.

The reason she noticed him was likely because he had cultivated the [Heavenly Body Tempering Blade Technique], which had caused a certain degree of change in his body.

"Was she looking for an heir?"

"Or a replacement?"

A small knife-like mark flashed across Lu Changfeng's forehead as he thought, a sense of unease settling in his heart.

Lu Changfeng soon let go of the thought. Since it was completely beyond his control, he could only take things one step at a time.

The [Heavenly Body Blade Technique] circulating among the major families of Fengcheng was likely the woman casting a wide net.

"When I have free time, I need to investigate more information about this blade technique," Lu Changfeng mused.

As it stood, Lu Changfeng had obtained a martial arts inheritance. The martial arts he inherited were no weaker than those of Zhao Xingtian, the Young Sect Master, and perhaps even superior.

The situation was quite good.

"If only I could replicate that woman's bone structure and talent..."

Lu Changfeng thought of the 'Giant Elephant Woman's' talent and couldn't help but drool inwardly again.

After basking in the sun for a while, Lu Changfeng prepared to resume practicing the [Heavenly Body Tempering Blade Technique].

He suddenly remembered that his heavy iron saber had been lost at the bottom of the lake.

Lu Changfeng asked Black Ox to go to the previous weapon shop and have another one made in the same style.

Black Ox returned quickly, informing Lu Changfeng that the weapon would be ready for pickup in three days.

Well, he wouldn't be able to cultivate for three days.

Lu Changfeng wasn't one to idly wait. So, he went to the Hall of Worship's Scripture Pavilion and had the [Great Ape Arm Fist] and [Bloodthirsty Saber] that he had previously fancied copied.

As for improving his Storm Sword Intent, the techniques of the Blood Tempering Realm had limited effectiveness. Condensing other rudimentary sword intents was less effective than specializing in one.

The sword intent he created himself was the most suitable for him.

Once he reached the Muscle Tendon Realm and encountered sword techniques for that realm, Lu Changfeng would begin focusing on improving his Storm Sword Intent.

However, that was destined to be a long process.

The second day of waiting for the heavy saber.

Lu Changfeng was practicing the [Bloodthirsty Saber] in the courtyard.

Wang Jin, the steward of the Hall of Worship, sent someone to summon Lu Changfeng to perform a Worship task.

It seemed that accompanying Wang Yue out alone yesterday didn't count towards his Worship task count, Lu Changfeng thought.

The Wang Family wouldn't dispatch a Worship member so frequently.

Lu Changfeng hurried to the Hall of Worship's office.

Several Worshippers were already waiting.

Wang Jin asked Lu Changfeng to wait a moment.

Before long, five Worshippers in the Blood Tempering Realm and one in the Muscle Tendon Realm had gathered at the office.

Among them was a familiar face to Lu Changfeng, Liu An.

The Muscle Tendon Realm Worshipper was an elder named Liu Li, with an Upper Grade B Bone Structure and zero talent. He was unremarkable.

However, Liu Li was usually extremely arrogant and unpopular, so most Worshippers were unwilling to work with him.

All the notified Worshippers were present, and Wang Jin began to announce the mission: "This mission is extremely simple: to eliminate a small family in the Inner City."

"This family was established only a few decades ago and has three Worshippers in the Blood Tempering Fifth Level."

"This family is called the Liu Family, and its current head is Liu Kui!"

Lu Changfeng's heart trembled upon hearing this.

The Liu Family! Liu Kui!

The family of his Third Senior Brother, Liu Ye.

Although Lu Changfeng wasn't exactly a good person, he couldn't bring himself to harm his former fellow disciples.

Lu Changfeng's mind raced. If he told Wang Jin now that he wouldn't participate in this mission, Wang Jin would surely agree. But if the Liu Family escaped afterward, the Wang Family would definitely become suspicious.

At that point, Lu Changfeng might be targeted by the Wang Family.

After all, the Wang Family was all-powerful in Fengcheng. Their plan to destroy the Liu Family must have been meticulously arranged in all aspects.

If Lu Changfeng didn't refuse the mission, he could probably manage to let one or two people from the Liu Family go during the execution of the mission.

However, if he did that, the Liu Family would surely suffer heavy casualties. If he was unlucky, Liu Ye might even die in this war of annihilation.

Lu Changfeng closed his eyes in thought.

He was a decisive person.

He quickly made a decision.

"Steward Wang, yesterday, Miss Six and I encountered the 'Lake God' at Fengtian Lake. After a fight, we were exhausted."

"To avoid affecting the operation, I will not participate in this mission."

Wang Jin frowned slightly but still said, "In that case, Worshipper Lu, you may return and rest. I will arrange for another Worshipper to come."

"I apologize," Lu Changfeng said, bowing his head, and turned to leave.

Returning to his small courtyard, Lu Changfeng took off his Worshipper's uniform and changed into a specially made casual outfit. The outfit had a mask inside that could be pulled out to cover his face.

"What's wrong?" Zhao Xingtian, who was sunbathing, noticed him and asked curiously.

Lu Changfeng replied, "Doing what needs to be done."

Lu Changfeng strode away.

Fengcheng.

In the afternoon, at the Liu Family residence.

Liu Kui was drinking tea in the back garden after lunch.

A steward presented the account books for his review. Liu Kui went through them one by one. Being hands-on was the foundation of his family's success.

The accounts were very good.

The Liu Family was developing healthily.

Since annexing the Liu Family last year, the Liu Family had successively annexed two other families.

The Liu Family's financial strength had greatly increased, and they could now afford three Worshippers in the Blood Tempering Fifth Level.

One of these Worshippers had extraordinary potential. If they could help him successfully reach the Muscle Tendon Realm, with another Muscle Tendon Realm Worshipper in the family, the Liu Family would truly be able to enter the ranks of Fengcheng's third-tier families.

Thinking of that scene, the corners of Liu Kui's mouth couldn't help but curve upwards slightly.