Killing Intent

Beside him, Lu San's eyes widened in disbelief.

"I... Did my motherfucking eyes play tricks on me?! Liu Biao is a genuine martial arts hall disciple! How did he fail to last even ten moves under Lu Chuan's hands?!"

Lu Qinshi's lips trembled. "Impossible! Absolutely impossible! Biaozi is so sturdy, how could he lose to a poor kid like Lu Chuan?!"

Xinghua violently covered her mouth.

"Brother Biao... How could Brother Biao lose? He's clearly so strong..."

"And the way Lu Chuan looked with that saber was so terrifying. I treated him like that before, and now even Brother Biao couldn't block him. Will he..."

Lu Chuan's gaze was ice-cold as he stared at the pale-faced Liu Biao.

Having experienced life and death and taken the lives of villains with his own hands, an invisible aura naturally grew within him.

This killing intent pierced Liu Biao's heart and mind, leaving him unable to even muster the thought of resisting.

Lu Chuan slowly spoke.

"You smashed my door? You ripped off my roof?"

His wrist moved slightly, the blade pressing a white mark into Liu Biao's neck.

"Now, say what you said today... to me one more time?"

Under this crushing pressure, Liu Biao's psychological defense completely collapsed, and he was practically about to cry.

He wailed, pointing at the three people inside the house.

"Old Master Lu! Spare my life! Blame them! It's Xinghua! They instigated me to come! My heart was clouded with lard, and I listened to their ghost stories!"

Beside them, Lu San's family instantly turned ashen, glaring at Liu Biao with shock and anger.

Looking at the so-called martial artist wetting himself with terror before him, Lu Chuan revealed unconcealed contempt in his eyes.

Just this bit of disposition and backbone?

He coldly said, "No matter what, you provoked me and kicked my door in. Tell me, how are we going to settle this?"

"Ah?" Liu Biao froze, instantly grasping his meaning, but a look even uglier than crying appeared on his face.

"Big brother... I don't have money on me..."

Lu Chuan frowned, and the saber in his hand applied a bit more force.

"Don't! Don't!" Liu Biao hurriedly pulled a money pouch from his waist and offered it with both hands.

"Big brother, I only have... have this on me, a little over two taels of silver... It's all right here! Please show mercy!"

Lu Chuan accepted the money pouch, glanced at the trembling Liu Biao, and completely lost interest.

"Scram, and don't let me see you in Kaoshan Village again!"

Granted a reprieve, Liu Biao scrambled out of Kaoshan Village in a panic.

Having finished dealing with Liu Biao, Lu Chuan's gaze slowly turned to the three people inside the house.

Lu San opened his mouth, and cold sweat broke out on his forehead.

Lu Qinshi trembled all over, while Xinghua lowered her head so low that she lacked even the courage to meet Lu Chuan's eyes.

"What about you lot?" Lu Chuan's tone was flat.

Lu San gave a violent start, his voice carrying a weeping tone. "We have it! We have it! We'll compensate! We'll compensate!"

He pulled a money pouch from his body and held it out before Lu Chuan, extremely servile.

"This is three taels of silver... Lu Chuan, see... is this enough?"

Lu Chuan did not take the silver, simply watching them quietly, making the hearts of the three thump wildly.

Although he hated these three to the bone, Kaoshan Village still had imperial law after all, and if he committed murder in public, he could not bear the consequences.

After a long while, he slowly spoke. "I'll take the money."

"Remember, this is the last time."

"If I ever hear any whisper from any of you unfavorable to me again..."

Lu San's family nodded frantically. "We wouldn't dare! We truly wouldn't dare!"

Lu Chuan looked at them no longer, putting away the three taels of silver.

Before even reaching his front door, Lu Chuan saw two figures peering outside the courtyard gate—none other than Lu Danian and Mother Lu.

Seeing him appear, both of them visibly breathed sighs of relief.

"Chuanzi! You're finally back!" Mother Lu grabbed his arm. "Good thing you didn't act rashly..."

Lu Danian's voice carried a lingering, terrified hoarseness.

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"That's right, you only entered the martial arts hall two days ago and learned a mere smattering, how could you truly go toe-to-toe with someone like Liu Biao? As long as you're safe, that's what matters!"

Looking at the panic on his parents' faces, Lu Chuan instead revealed a relaxed smile.

"Dad, Mom, it's fine. From now on, Xinghua's family shouldn't dare to come and provoke us again."

As he spoke, he pulled out the money pouches he had taken from Liu Biao and Lu San's family. "Look, these are their compensation."

Lu Danian and his wife looked as though they had been frozen in place, staring blankly at the money pouch.

After a full several breaths, Lu Danian abruptly sucked in a sharp breath.

"My... Good heavens! Chuanzi! Did you... Did you actually beat that martial arts hall's Liu Biao... to a pulp?!"

Mother Lu also reacted, her eyes filled with disbelief. "T-This much silver? They really compensated this?"

Lu Chuan nodded, his tone certain.

"Mm, beat him away. He probably won't dare to come again in the future."

"My son has amounted to something!" Lu Danian slapped Lu Chuan on the shoulder, his eye sockets turning somewhat red with excitement.

"He's mounted to something! Truly amounted to something!"

Mother Lu wept tears of joy all the more. "Good, good, as long as you're safe, and beating the bad guy away makes it even better..."

Looking at his parents' excited expressions, Lu Chuan felt a warm glow in his heart, and he smiled slightly.

"Mom, is that meat of mine... stewed yet? I'm a bit hungry."

News of Lu Chuan defeating Liu Biao spread through Kaoshan Village overnight.

The villagers discussed it eagerly, their tones full of disbelief.

"Did you hear? That kid from Lu Danian's family beat up the martial arts hall son-in-law from Xinghua's place!"

"More than just beat him, I heard the saber was right against his neck! Liu Biao paid out silver and ran off with his tail between his legs!"

"Of course! They say that fellow even went to the martial arts hall in the county town!"

When this news reached the Lu Family Courtyard, the shock it caused was particularly intense.

In the main room, Old Master Lu held a teacup, his brows tightly locked. "Second Old Lu, have you thoroughly inquired about those rumors outside?"

Second Old Lu's expression was somewhat sheepish, and he spoke vaguely.

"Dad, it seems... there is such a thing. The commotion at Xinghua's place last night wasn't small, and quite a few people saw it..."

Old Master Lu's gaze drifted somewhat. "That Lu Chuan, all things considered, has only been going to the martial arts hall to learn the saber for a few days..."

He paused. "I just didn't expect that back then... My judgment was truly off."

Second Old Lu's heart skipped a beat, his brows instantly knitting tight.

"Dad! What do you mean by that? Could it be you regret it? I'm telling you, it's too late!"

"Just because of that snow fox last time, who knows how bitterly that kid hates us in his heart!"

Snapped out of it by his son's rebuff, Old Master Lu recovered.

"Second Old Lu, you're overthinking it. Your father was merely feeling some emotion."

Second Old Lu then let out a cold snort.

"That brat Lu Chuan merely stumbled into some blind good fortune. On the Martial Way, without resources piled up, how far can he walk? Sooner or later, he'll sink into the crowd and become a nobody."

"But Taozi is different. He has the support of our entire family, and sooner or later he'll become a true martial artist!"

"That's right!"

Thinking of his grandson, Old Master Lu's gaze once again filled with hope.

"Taozi is the true hope of our old Lu family!"

Following this, Lu Chuan ushered in a month-long period of routine life.

Every day he headed to the Mountain Splitting Saber Hall to practice the saber, drank medicine, and upon returning would buy a large chunk of meat to properly give himself an extra meal.

After a month of this, Lu Chuan felt his strength visibly increase, no longer inferior to farm laborers like Lu San.

"The Mountain Splitting Saber is truly a top-tier method for building strength. With sufficient meat, my speed actually progressed this fast..."

Lu Chuan threw a punch, his heart full of joy.

"There's only one bad thing: it costs too much."

This month of eating rich food and meat had exhausted the more than eight taels of silver he had saved up.

And next, there was no meat left to eat.

"I need to think of a way..."