Blood Lotus Ambush

"Actually, from my perspective as your senior brother, the so-called grievances of the Eastern Sea Sword Sect are just an excuse.

Gu Dongting doesn't necessarily still dwell on the past from seventeen years ago. His goal is naturally to obtain the [Yuanling Swordplay Manual], which once dominated Tiannan...

With Ito Yukihara's sword arriving from the sea, the Eastern Sea Sect is in a precarious position. Gu Dongting urgently needs to increase his strength to resist powerful enemies. Otherwise, his family's maritime business might be completely plundered by the Eastern Yi fleet.

Therefore, he set his sights on your Lu family's sword manual, wanting to reach even greater heights."

Wu Yunchong sighed repeatedly.

"It's a pity that Senior Lu passed away too hastily and did not pass down the true Primal Spirit Swordplay to his descendants, leading to the calamity that befell the Lu family."

Lu Wu-bing's eyes flickered slightly. He thought, My Sect Leader Master is very tight-lipped.

After obtaining the [Yuanling Swordplay Manual], did he not even mention it to his own disciples?

"Senior Brother speaks the truth. How could my Lu family still possess any divine sword secret manuals? If we truly had them, they wouldn't dare to act so presumptuously. It's just hateful that even if this matter were to be revealed, the Eastern Sea Sect wouldn't believe it."

Lu Wu-bing followed along, feigning grief.

After they exchanged a few words, Wu Yunchong noticed the Little Black Cat tilting its head and staring intently at him. A look of surprise appeared on his face, and he bent down, reaching out a hand. "Is this your cat? It's so intelligent."

The cat meowed, arched its back, and sprang away, dodging Wu Yunchong's hand. It then darted behind Lu Wu-bing.

Wu Yunchong retracted his hand, his expression slightly awkward.

"The little one is shy," Lu Wu-bing explained with a smile.

He thought, who told you you're a man?

If you were as fragrant as Senior Sister Lan, and had such a [straight] figure, I bet this little guy would jump into your arms willingly.

But then again, maybe not.

Wu Yunchong smiled gently, indicating he didn't mind. "I've come to inform you, junior brother, that news has come from Tiger Ridge. Aunt Guanghan of the Bright Moon Palace is surrounded. We will soon be heading north with our master.

If you have any precious belongings, pack them and bring them with you as soon as possible. Also, you're all sweaty. Go take a bath quickly. Traveling on the road might not be very comfortable."

After thanking his third senior brother, Lu Wu-bing immediately bathed, changed his clothes, and packed his bags.

He mainly brought some gold and silver notes, along with some loose silver. He packed a small bundle of spare clothes and slung it over his back. That was all.

The Lu family mansion had become much quieter.

Except for a few old servants who had nowhere else to go and stayed to look after the house, everyone else had received their severance pay and gone their separate ways.

Lu Wu-bing had nothing much to worry about.

When he reached the front courtyard, his master Ouyang Zheng, Senior Sister Lan, and the third senior brother he had just met were already waiting.

The group mounted their horses and rode out of the city, in silence.

Lu Wu-bing noticed that his Sect Leader Master's expression was not very good.

It was as if he was pondering a difficult problem.

Along the way, even his scolding had decreased significantly.

Clearly, the matter of "Aunt Guanghan of the Bright Moon Palace being surrounded," as mentioned by his third senior brother, was not as simple as it seemed, and this journey might involve considerable danger.

Thinking of this, Lu Wu-bing tightened his grip on the long sword in his hand, held the little cat, and felt a slight sense of vigilance in his heart.

"Don't worry. Although Father doesn't often make a move, he is very famous in the martial arts world. Even experts from the Demonic Sect wouldn't dare to provoke him lightly."

In Ouyang Lan's heart, her father was naturally the greatest hero and hero of all under heaven, so famous that he could deter all sorts of villains.

There was no need to worry about any accidents.

"Stop."

Ouyang Zheng gave a light command.

At the turn of the road ahead, they saw a chaotic scene of overturned carriages and scattered goods lying everywhere.

Grass and dead leaves were stained with blood, and the腥气 (xīng qì - fishy/bloody smell) was pungent.

It looked like a long-distance merchant caravan had been massacred.

The group dismounted and walked forward slowly.

Lu Wu-bing, with his sharp eyesight, noticed that all the corpses lying on the road were abnormally emaciated, their skin a strange, pale white.

As they approached within ten paces, Ouyang Zheng stopped and turned to look towards the nearby jungle. He said in a deep voice, "Which elder of the Blood Lotus Sect is here? To disregard human life like this, are you not afraid of retribution?"

"Caw, caw, you fake Taoist from the Celestial Star Sect, do you believe in that bald monk's nonsense? Don't you understand that all living beings in the world follow the law of the jungle, the strong prey on the weak? This is an eternal truth.

It is their honor to have these ants offer their blood essence to aid this old man's cultivation."

From deep within the jungle, a harsh, duck-like cackle echoed, the sound waves rolling and causing pain to their eardrums.

At the same time, a wisp of mist appeared on the mountain path.

No, it was blood mist.

The blood-red color assaulted Lu Wu-bing's eyes. He felt his breathing falter, his head spin slightly, and a discomfort in his internal organs, accompanied by a feeling of nausea.

Looking up, he saw that his third senior brother Wu Yunchong and Senior Sister Lan, who were standing in front of him, were also swaying slightly, struggling to keep their balance.

"Heretic!"

Ouyang Zheng snorted coldly.

His robes trembled slightly.

"Boom..."

Four streams of air surged, like the starry sky, like the vast sea, swirling around his body, stirring up waves as far as the eye could see.

The blood mist surrounding him was affected by this surge of energy, shattering into powder, and his vision cleared.

Immediately after, within the blood mist, a faint blood shadow appeared, and a sword silently pierced Ouyang Zheng's chest.

The person's body was stretched into a straight line, hair like a wild mane, face aged, ferocious, and evil. Blood seemed to drip from his lips, like a vengeful spirit.

One moment he was charging forward at high speed, leaving afterimages. The next, his figure stopped and was sent flying backward amidst the roaring energy.

Lu Wu-bing saw it clearly.

The Blood-Clad Old Man moved like the wind. When he lunged from the blood mist, the sect leader master's front suddenly plunged into darkness...

A speck of starlight appeared, then blazed brightly, illuminating all directions.

Immediately after, a thunderous roar was heard.

Amidst flashing light and shadow, a sword qi three zhang long tore through the wind and clouds, whistling as it descended.

Everything before his eyes turned white.

The great road split open with a massive fissure, and the trees toppled.

The Blood-Clad Old Man grunted and was sent flying seven or eight zhang away, spitting out a mouthful of fresh blood.

Clearly, he had taken the blow head-on and gained no advantage whatsoever.

"Vast Ocean True Qi, Ziwei Swordplay, truly lives up to its name."

The sharp, shrill cry now held less mockery and more caution.

The Blood-Clad Old Man retreated and then advanced again, his blood-red thin sword merging with the wind, turning into clouds and smoke.

He stirred up a gale and lunged again.

"Take this move, Blood Cloud Thousand Miles."

"Fall back."

After Ouyang Zheng unleashed his magnificent sword strike, a cold glint flashed in his eyes.

He paid no mind to the ferocious old man's moves and even had the leisure to remind his daughter and disciple behind him. He flicked his wrist, raising a thousand piles of snow.

The vast sword qi let out a soul-stirring howl, charging towards the blood cloud.

With a few clanging sounds.

Two figures, one green and one red, flashed like lightning towards the depths of the jungle.

As the energy vibrated, Lu Wu-bing saw a withered arm fly into the sky, still clutching a blood-red thin sword in its severed palm.

"He won."

The breath he had held in his throat was finally released, and his heart relaxed slightly.

He heard a sharp "meow."

Lu Wu-bing's heart pounded, his internal energy surged, his Shaoyin and Shaoyang meridians vibrated simultaneously, and his mind became as calm as ice...

In his peripheral vision, he saw a spray of bloody needle rain suddenly rise from the pile of corpses and blood not far from his side.

"Swish swish..."

Specks of sharp light enveloped the three of them.

The first to bear the brunt was Ouyang Lan, who stood directly in front.