Since coming to a halt, the carriage had stood silently in the spring rain without the slightest movement. Even the driver on the shaft seemed to have stopped breathing, unwilling to disturb the man inside in the least.
Even as the lofty man within used his formidable cultivation and peerless mind to oppress this young man, brimming with hope and newly arrived in the world of cultivation, the driver remained utterly unmoved.
Yet when a corner of the raised carriage curtain was abruptly severed, and that scrap of thin fabric drifted down onto the carriage before the sparse rain slapped it to the ground and the water flowing through the cracks swept it into circles, the driver's pupils suddenly contracted.
A chill ran through the driver. Though the qi and blood in his body burned like a furnace, he felt as if he had fallen into an ice cellar; not even his surging vitality could fend off that cold in the slightest.
Then the driver abruptly raised his head. Spring rain mercilessly beat against the face beneath his conical hat, while the shock in his eyes reflected the Sword Qi that had come from the depths of Quiet Street, plucking three thousand drops of spring rain.
Before his eyes, it was like a silver waterfall plunging straight down.
The driver did not dare move. The tremendous qi and blood bred within every inch of his meridians had frozen solid at that moment, unable even to flow.
Every strand of Sword Qi formed from a drop of spring rain contained enough sharpness and power to pierce straight through him!
This was the peerless method revealed by the mind of a Divine Refinement Master, one capable of roaming the nine heavens, holding spring thunder in hand, and cleaving apart the black clouds of evening rain!
Smack!
A thread of spring rain turned into Sword Qi and lightly swept past his upturned face.
His conical hat instantly split in two and burst apart to either side. Faintly, one could see the driver's body trembling almost imperceptibly, goosebumps rising across every inch of his skin as coldness coiled around him.
In the distance.
An Le, struggling with all his might against the oppressive aura of the man inside the carriage, felt the pressure and restraints around his body vanish into smoke the moment the first drop of spring rain arrived wrapped in Sword Qi.
As though a mountain had been shifted away, his rain-soaked chest rose and fell slightly. Yet An Le's gaze grew ever brighter, its brilliance carrying traces of unwillingness and fierce resolve.
Eighteen this year, yet he stood like a lackey.
Before true cultivation powerhouses, he was simply too weak. The complacency he had felt upon stepping onto the path of cultivation vanished at that moment.
Today's oppression had nearly clouded his Dao heart, but it had also awakened a hidden fury and fighting spirit within An Le.
Step by step, he would walk higher and farther upon the road of cultivation.
Inside the carriage.
For the first time, Mr. Luo was moved. As he watched the Sword Qi formed from three thousand drops of spring rain sweep in like a cascading waterfall, an invisible gloom settled over his heart. He withdrew his aura, drawing his mind entirely back into the carriage.
A strand of Sword Qi cleaved open the driver's conical hat, shredded the carriage curtain, and floated toward the compartment.
Inside the carriage, the man sat upright. Before him floated a small sword still stained with blood. It hummed without pause, its cry resounding through Quiet Street and blasting apart every drop of spring rain around the carriage!
The man pressed his thin lips together. At last, he extended his hand and sent the floating little sword crashing into that strand of Sword Qi.
The Sword Qi dispersed, while the little sword in the man's possession lost its divine glow and fell back into his arms.
The man had exhausted all his strength, yet he had only managed to cancel out a single strand of Sword Qi casually sent his way!
And there was a whole expanse of such Sword Qi!
The sky above the alley was blotted out as three thousand drops of spring rain became a waterfall of swords!
"Lin Manor's Hua Jiebing, Jade Guanyin of the Heart Sword..."
the man murmured.
The next moment, he could no longer endure it. Faced with the sword waterfall covering the skies above Quiet Street, he could no longer remain calm and unruffled.
The roof of the luxurious carriage suddenly exploded. The man's body floated up through it, yet three thousand drops of spring rain poured down like a world-shaking tempest, as though lightning-tailed flames scorched black clouds and silver threads flew beneath the rain's feet!
The man's rising body dropped back into the carriage. His stirred expression had turned ashen.
Three thousand drops of spring rain fell.
Every raindrop descended like a sword blade from the heavens. White rain fell like players battling across a chessboard; it struck the carriage walls, shattering them inch by inch, and fell upon the table inside, reducing it to dust.
Yet when this blade-like spring rain fell upon the man's face, it truly resembled soft, oily spring rain, without the slightest edge, even carrying the gentleness of nourishing all things.
But Mr. Luo, seated amid the rain and the remnants of the nearly pulverized carriage, understood that she had not killed him. Instead, she had planted a seed of fear in his heart.
Three thousand drops of spring rain watered that seed of fear, slowly letting it take root and sprout.
The driver still sat upon the carriage shaft, but the compartment behind him had crumbled into fragments. Only the utterly bedraggled Mr. Luo remained seated upon the ground amid the mud.
Mr. Luo slowly lifted his head and looked at An Le.
He had never expected Lin Manor's Hua Jiebing... to make such a grand display for this youth.
He had oppressed the youth, intending to make him bow his head.
And Hua Jiebing had turned spring rain into swords, planting a seed of fear in his heart.
This youth had merely painted a picture for you, Hua Jiebing. Was there truly a need to dote on him and protect him so fiercely?!
Mr. Luo's body trembled slightly, his throat tightening with the urge to cry. Yet he quickly steadied his mind, climbed up from the ground in a sorry state, and looked at An Le with an incomparably complicated expression.
Then he turned toward Lin Manor, cupped his hands, and bowed deeply, like a student paying respects to a teacher. "Madam, please quell your anger. Luo was indeed excessive in this matter."
"You work for Qin Qianqiu, so it is understandable that you would test Lin Manor. But bullying a youth who has only just entered cultivation? Luo Qingchen, all those years of cultivation have been a joke if this is what you have cultivated. Is this the shameless conduct the Academy taught you?"
"Get lost."
An ethereal voice suddenly drifted over, lingering through the streets and alleys.
Mr. Luo cupped his hands and looked toward An Le with a smile as mild as a warm spring breeze. "Little brother, I have offended you greatly. I merely wished to test your limits, but I did not expect to displease Madam. I hope you will not take it to heart. As for today's mess, Luo will certainly visit in person another day to offer an apology."
An Le looked coldly at the apologetic man wearing that warm smile, as though everything that had happened—him being forced to bow his head—had been no more than a joke.
This apology was insincere.
An Le drew a deep breath. A smile also appeared on his face as he cupped his hands and returned the bow to Mr. Luo.
"Brother Luo, is it? No matter. Today, Brother Luo has allowed An to witness a true clash between cultivators and understand that beyond every person is another person, and beyond every heaven is another heaven. I will certainly cultivate earnestly and learn from Madam Hua. I hope that one day, when I seek Brother Luo's guidance, I can also let Brother Luo enjoy himself as thoroughly as he did today..."
Mr. Luo's warm smile froze. What a fearless young man, filled to the brim with high spirit.
"Good. I shall await you at any time."
Both men wore smiles as radiant as flowers, like close friends who understood one another.
Yet beneath those smiles, each harbored shifting thoughts.
An Le smiled brilliantly as he casually drew two strands of Time Qi from Mr. Luo in succession.
Although Mr. Luo's cultivation was extremely strong, An Le did not feel, as he had with Madam Hua, that drawing Time Qi would leave him too weak to continue.
Two strands of Time Qi entered his account. An Le's smile faded somewhat as he turned toward the distant driver, nodded to him in greeting, and casually drew two more strands of Time Qi in succession, not letting a single one escape.
Slap, slap, slap!
The sound of feet splashing through water rang out. At the entrance to Quiet Street in the distance, constables dressed in official uniforms approached in formation, sabers hanging from their waists.
"Mr. Luo."
After arriving, the constables cupped their hands toward Mr. Luo.
"Arrest those two thugs who attacked a Juren scholar of the current dynasty. Interrogate them properly about whoever gave the orders, and vent my little brother An's anger for him."
Mr. Luo spoke calmly.
"Understood!"
The lead constable shouted. Then the constables drew their blades and swarmed forward, seizing the three martial world thugs who had long since been frightened witless by the awe-inspiring clash between cultivation powerhouses.
An Le calmly watched the clearly prepared constables and said nothing.
He nodded to Mr. Luo, picked up his oil-paper umbrella, shook the bloodstains from it, opened it to block the drifting spring rain, then turned and headed toward Lin Manor.
Mr. Luo stood quietly in the rain. The rainwater on him had long since evaporated, and his white robes had returned to their spotless state. He watched An Le's receding figure beneath the umbrella and narrowed his eyes slightly.
He could sense that a fierce tiger lurked within the youth's chest, while the spirit in his heart burned like a furnace.
But so what?
What could anger, hatred, and a heart full of unwillingness possibly change?
The gap between Luo Qingchen and this youth was like the stars in the sky and a speck of dust upon the earth. There was no comparison at all.
Moreover, the youth had begun cultivation far too late. His bones and roots had long since taken shape, and he had missed the best chance for Foundation Establishment. His future path would surely be arduous; thus, though a tiger lurked in his chest, the youth lacked the capital to release it.
With a faint smile, Mr. Luo turned and walked in another direction beyond Quiet Street.
"Mr. Luo, what should be done with these thugs?"
A Yamen constable respectfully asked Mr. Luo's retreating back.
Yet Mr. Luo had no interest in responding.
The driver led the horse over, expressionless, his voice hoarse. "Attacking a Juren scholar and attacking a cultivator are capital crimes."
The lead constable understood at once.
After passing through Stone Tablet Jade Workshop, which made the powerful and noble wary, and arriving before Lin Manor, An Le calmed his emotions. He closed his oil-paper umbrella, shook off the water, and knocked on the copper door ring.
This time, Madam Hua had intervened to help him, and An Le was deeply grateful. Naturally, he had to personally come and thank Madam Hua.
The vermilion gates opened, revealing Lin Zhuifeng's heroic face.
When Lin Zhuifeng saw An Le at the entrance, drenched like a drowned rat, a sharp glint flashed in her eyes. Those people testing Lin Manor were becoming more and more excessive in their methods.
She also knew what had happened to An Le. The instant Madam Hua acted, Lin Zhuifeng had sensed it and learned some of the details from Madam Hua. Thus, her eyes held a trace of indignation, and she also felt somewhat apologetic as she looked at An Le, who had been dragged into this.
"Young Master An, please come in. First Madam is waiting for you in the waterside pavilion."
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