Master Xu, Isn't My Lord Quite Handsome

As the voice fell, a dense flurry of whistling sounds tore through the air.

She looked up instinctively—

A sky full of crystal spikes.

Thick and overwhelming, they descended like a rainstorm forged of ice, blotting out the sky and sweeping toward her.

The Ink-Falling Maid's pupils reflected a blinding, frigid light; her body trembled, and she instinctively wanted to scream.

But it was already too late.

The crystal spikes poured down like a torrential rain, completely submerging her.

Her body was pierced, her ink-colored dress shredded, her limbs pulverized...

"Ah—"

After the scream, everything returned to silence.

[Killed Mystic Realm Ink-Falling Maid, obtained Blue Trait [Ink Spirit]]

The Ink Tide receded, the Ink Spirits dissipated, and the black debris covering the ground turned into faint black smoke, drifting away with the wind.

The Ink-Falling Maid had vanished, leaving nothing behind where she once stood but scattered ink stains turning into mud.

Su Ding'an stood outside, his jaw nearly hitting the floor.

To fight over a hundred Ink Spirits alone and still achieve such an overwhelming advantage.

If he hadn't seen it with his own eyes, he would never have believed Lu Yuan was this formidable.

Watching the black smoke drift away, only one thought echoed repeatedly in his mind.

Is this something a human can do?

Xu Fengqing remained silent, her inner shock no less than Su Ding'an's.

She had expected Lu Yuan to face a grueling battle tonight, but she never imagined it would end in such a short time.

From the killing of Shen Yulou to the Ink-Falling Maid's eruption of the Ink Tide, from the rain of crystal spikes to the scattering of black smoke, it had taken no more than a quarter of an hour.

That young lord had simply stood there, as if brushing dust from his sleeve, and ground over a hundred Ink Spirits and the Ink-Falling Maid into powder.

Xu Fengqing had overseen the Brocade Workshop for many years; she had seen White Moon Manor Master Liao Shanhai subdue demons with a single palm, majestic and imposing, and she had seen Zhao Heng of the Polite Fan slay a century-old demon with a rainbow-like aura.

But when those men struck, they did so without reservation, giving their all.

Lu Yuan was different.

He just stood there, firing crystal spikes with the ease of breathing as he raised his hand.

One after another, wave after wave, seemingly endless.

A casual strike from him was the absolute limit others could reach.

This wasn't a battle; it was a crushing.

When she first heard about him slaying the Blood Demon in Chixia County and the Corpse Demon at Cangyun Ridge, she assumed the Demon Suppression Bureau was just gilding the lily for their own captain.

Now, she believed it.

That wasn't gilding; it was modesty.

Xu Fengqing's beautiful eyes rested on Lu Yuan, unable to look away for a long time.

Moonlight shone in from outside the door, falling perfectly upon that Ink-Black Thunder-Patterned Brocade Robe.

When they first met outside, the night was too dark, and she had only seen a young figure.

Later, as they traveled through the Shen Family courtyard with Ink Spirits wandering about, she had no mind to study the man.

Now, by the moonlight, she could clearly see the handsome features of his young face, the straight bridge of his nose—not the immaturity of a boy, but a composure that remained unshaken by change.

He was not ostentatious, not sharp, perhaps even a bit plain.

But it was not a dull plainness.

He was like a blade hidden in its sheath; you could not see the edge, but you knew he was unstoppable.

Lu Yuan flicked his sleeves and turned to look outward.

As their eyes met, Xu Fengqing suddenly felt her heart skip a beat.

She hurriedly looked away, pretending to study the ancient painting in the center of the Sword Hall, though her ears burned uncontrollably.

She cursed herself inwardly for being so useless; having overseen the Brocade Workshop for years, what kind of men had she not seen? Why was she suddenly losing her composure before this young man?

He was a twenty-year-old Demon Suppression Captain with a limitless future.

And herself?

"Workshop Master Xu."

Lu Yuan's voice suddenly rang out.

Xu Fengqing's heart tightened, and she quickly gathered her thoughts. "What are your orders, Lord Lu?"

Lu Yuan removed the Hidden Ink Jade Token from his person. "Returning this to you."

Xu Fengqing reached out to take it, her fingertips brushing against his; the warmth in her hand was a stark contrast to the cold aura surrounding the youth.

Her heart skipped another beat.

Lu Yuan spoke, "The demonic infestation at the Shen Family has been dealt with. If Workshop Master Xu has no other business, you should head back."

With that, he turned and walked toward the ancient painting.

Xu Fengqing was stunned, the words she had been about to say dying on her lips, leaving her no choice but to offer a polite smile.

Su Ding'an was just about to follow when his gaze tracked Xu Fengqing, and the corners of his mouth curled into a meaningful smirk.

"Workshop Master Xu," Su Ding'an lowered his voice, "is my lord quite handsome?"

Xu Fengqing's pretty face flushed red instantly.

She glared fiercely at Su Ding'an, "What nonsense are you spouting!"

Su Ding'an chuckled, wisely deciding not to press the matter, and hurried to catch up.

Xu Fengqing took a deep breath, stole one last glance at that figure, and turned to walk away.

She chose to believe it was just the moonlight playing tricks, deciding not to dwell on it any further.

Only after Xu Fengqing had walked out of the Shen Family gates did Lu Yuan truly feel at ease.

He had come for the ancient painting, and his greatest fear was that she had been eyeing the object as well.

Fortunately, that was not the case.

However, the look in that Brocade Workshop master's eyes just now had been strange.

It wasn't awe, gratitude, fear, or hatred...

He couldn't place the source of that gaze, so it seemed he would have to be wary of her in the future.

Su Ding'an walked up to the ancient painting and pulled an object from his robes; it was palm-sized, shaped like a mirror, and covered in intricate runes.

This was a magical artifact he had specifically requested from the Qingzhou Demon Suppression Division before setting out, known as the Demon-Revealing Mirror, which could detect the nature of demons simply by channeling spiritual energy into it.

It had to be said, although he was a man who cherished his life, his preparations were always incredibly thorough.

"My lord, let me take a look."

He took a deep breath and pressed the Demon-Revealing Mirror against the surface.

The runes on the mirror's face flickered slightly, like ripples spreading across water.

Su Ding'an stared at the shifting runes, his fingers calculating as he muttered incantations.

A moment later, his expression shifted, a flash of gravity crossing his eyes.

"My lord, just as we suspected, this thing isn't an ancient painting that gained sentience, but a seal."

"The true demon is trapped within this seal."

He paused, then said in a low voice, "However, the seal has been breached at one corner."

Su Ding'an leaned in closer, pointing to an inconspicuous crack on the edge of the ancient painting.

"Look here, my lord. This isn't a natural crack from age, but someone having carved an opening into the seal."

"Though it isn't large, it is enough for the thing inside to crawl out."

He glanced at the glowing runes on the mirror and said solemnly:

"The Ink-Falling Maid and those Ink Spirits from earlier all crawled out through this gap."

"Furthermore, they were just small fry; the real demon hasn't emerged yet."

At this point, Su Ding'an's eyes darted around.

"My lord, look here—even though the seal is breached, it can only leak out some small fish and shrimp; the main culprit is still trapped inside."

"In my opinion, we should just send this painting back to the Prefecture Bureau, finish the job, and count it as a merit."

"It's safe, secure, and saves us the trouble, don't you think?"

Lu Yuan's eyes brightened, "You mean the true demon hasn't shown itself yet?"

Su Ding'an was momentarily stunned; in those clear eyes, there was no desire for merit, only a pure intent to slay demons.

He gritted his teeth and let out a long sigh.

"Fine. As long as we channel spiritual energy into the breach of the painting, we can enter the seal."

"But since we haven't seen the main culprit, we can't determine its nature yet, though one thing is certain: that thing is definitely no ordinary demon."

Lu Yuan didn't respond, walking to the front of the painting and touching the silk with his fingertips.

It felt cold and coarse, no different from ordinary painting silk.

As he channeled his spiritual energy, the surface of the silk suddenly rippled, expanding in circles.

The landscape background grew deep and profound, and the water surface seemed to tear open, revealing a bottomless darkness beneath.

"Follow me."

Lu Yuan stepped forward, his figure vanishing into the painting.

Su Ding'an gritted his teeth, clutched the Demon-Revealing Mirror, closed his eyes, and stepped inside.

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