"Old Lu agreed. He said that as long as they let Miss Yan Zi leave, he would hand over the treasure. The enemy coveted the treasure, so they let Miss Yan Zi go. Afterward, they demanded that Old Lu make good on his promise."
"Suddenly, Old Lu looked up at the sky and said, 'You brought me to this realm and helped me cultivate, letting me break through one barrier after another. Though I am called your servant, you have treated me as a friend. I cherish my life and truly do not wish to die. But even if I survive, betraying my heart and siding with the enemy will surely give rise to inner demons. Brother Xu, this is where I must leave you. If there is another life, I would still wish to serve at your side.' Before Old Lu could finish, the scoundrels from Ru Yi Hall realized something was wrong. But Old Lu was determined to die. He blew up his Starry Sky Ring and detonated more than a dozen Thunder Pearls."
"A deafening boom rang out. A great deal of resources was reduced to dust, and Old Lu lost all ability to resist in the explosion. The thugs, enraged and humiliated, hacked him apart and cut off his head. It was still hanging from a flagpole in South Plaza, supposedly to intimidate anyone who dared defy them. They had also seized Old Lu's remnant soul and refined it into wisps of smoke before everyone in South Plaza."
By now, Cao Mengfu's voice had dwindled to a mosquito's buzz. He stole a quick glance at Xu Yi. Though Xu Yi's expression seemed unchanged, Cao Mengfu's heart suddenly raced, as if it might leap right out of his chest at any moment. So tense he could hardly