White-Clad Woman, Blood Qi and Smoke, Family Strife

Entering Changfeng County, it was exactly the hour of the dragon.

Still needing to report for duty at the Huang Mansion, Lu Li hurried his pace.

Walking along the main road, Lu Li, already not far from the Organ-Refining Realm, possessed the keen eyesight of a martial artist.

He immediately sensed that someone had locked their gaze upon him.

When he stood still, they quickened their pace instead.

This caused Lu Li to knit his brows.

Trouble is coming.

He cast a dark, sidelong glance.

He saw three or four men closing in on him; their cheeks were gaunt, and their eyes held a bloodthirsty, greedy madness.

The way they looked at Lu Li was not like looking at a person, but like looking at food.

Lu Li was astonished; did they intend to eat him?

Lu Li let out a cold snort in his heart and turned into an alleyway.

After a few steps, the buildings on both sides blocked most of the light, leaving the alley in gloom.

Lu Li suddenly stopped.

He felt the four men behind him whispering to each other, quickening their steps as if launching a charge.

"Kid, don't blame us; blame this world. We're just too hungry."

One man walked over with a sinister grin, reaching out to grab Lu Li's shoulder.

Just as Lu Li was about to strike, the four men suddenly let out strange cries and collapsed to the ground, motionless.

There's an expert nearby! Lu Li was shocked and looked back.

He saw that the four men had been pierced through the chest, blood flowing endlessly.

Standing before them was a woman.

She wore a form-fitting white dress that did not lack softness.

It perfectly outlined her curves, with a full bust and shapely hips, exquisite and well-proportioned.

Her thighs were slender, and her waist was cinched with a white silk sash, making her appear even taller.

Her chest and abdomen were full, like mountains rising from the earth, threatening to burst forth.

Her skin was like snow, as white as the falling flakes in the sky.

With her hands behind her back, she was looking at him with a smile.

The corners of her mouth were slightly upturned, her brows curved, and her oval face had a touch of baby fat; her smile was bright and carried a hint of cuteness.

"Hey," she called out to Lu Li, her voice crisp and pleasant.

"You're safe now. Don't go wandering into small alleys in the future."

She looked Lu Li up and down, and seeing his youthful appearance and eyes that were clear yet held a hint of foolishness, she couldn't help but chuckle.

"Little brother, where do you live? Do you want me to take you home?"

She was very enthusiastic.

Lu Li hurriedly waved his hands, appearing embarrassed on the surface while remaining vigilant in his heart.

This person was undoubtedly an expert.

Killing four people in an instant proved she was a decisive killer.

Showing such kindness and enthusiasm now—who knew what she was thinking?

He had originally intended to wait for the enemies to get close and catch them off guard.

He never expected the woman to misunderstand and draw out an expert.

Although the woman was smiling like a spring breeze or the morning sun melting snow, she still made Lu Li feel the oppression of standing beneath a sky full of dark clouds.

He couldn't help but be curious about her identity.

Could someone who made him feel such oppression be in the Blood-Exchange Realm?

Or the Inner-Qi Realm?

He cupped his fists and bowed to the woman: "This... hero, thank you for saving my life."

Lu Li patted his body and gave an awkward smile: "I have nothing with which to repay you."

Hearing this, the woman rolled her eyes.

Her peach-blossom eyes narrowed slightly, and she covered her mouth with a light laugh: "I don't need you to repay me."

"Go on, go on. Don't stay in the alley; otherwise, more people will come. If it weren't to save you, I wouldn't want to kill anyone."

She walked behind Lu Li and pushed him out of the alley.

Unable to resist her enthusiasm, Lu Li had no choice but to let the woman escort him home.

"You're actually quite handsome; you must make sure to protect yourself."

"The world isn't very peaceful right now, and they're looking to devour you!"

"That's fine, the worst that can happen is death."

"But if you run into a sissy like Wang Ju, then you're in for a miserable time."

"Falling into his hands is a fate worse than death!"

As she spoke, she made a funny face at Lu Li.

Lu Li feigned fear, and she giggled, "You're such a coward."

How could Lu Li not be afraid?

He was the one who killed Wang Ju.

Lu Li wondered if this woman was trying to fish for information.

"Still, a piece of trash like Wang Ju deserved to die; it's truly gratifying."

"In all my years wandering the pugilistic world, the ones I hate most are losers like him who rely on their status to bully the weak!"

As she said this, she held her head high, her expression vibrant and filled with immense pride.

For a moment, Lu Li couldn't quite gauge her identity.

Was she a chivalrous woman who enjoyed righting wrongs, a killer investigating Wang Ju's death, or something else entirely?

She then continued, speaking to Lu Li with earnest concern: "Right, you must be extremely careful these days."

"The Huang Family and the Wang Family might be going to war; it won't just be the outer city, even the inner city might fall into chaos."

"Make sure to head home early during this time, do you hear me?"

She gave her instructions like a gentle older sister, which reminded Lu Li of something.

There was once an eldest young lady in the Huang Mansion with exceptional talent and a boundless future, who had been sent far away to study martial arts.

Could she be that eldest young lady, knowing such secrets?

Lu Li lagged a step behind, watching her back with a thoughtful expression.

"Is this your home?" The woman looked around, showing a lively side of herself: "It's actually quite big."

"Heh, it's just the accumulation of several generations; it's nothing special," Lu Li said modestly.

"Alright, I'm off then." She waved her hand, tapped her toes against the ground, and soared into the air.

Like a bird, she glided through the air a few times before being obscured by the rooftops, vanishing into the distance.

What struck Lu Li as strange, however, was that a faint red glow was swirling around her body.

Lu Li was startled; this appeared to be the "Blood-Smoke"!

"But the color is very pale and sparse; she must be in the middle of breaking through to the Blood-Exchange Realm."

The Blood-Exchange Realm, where bone produces blood, involves tempering the bones to replace them with more refined blood.

Once one can manifest the Blood-Smoke, with a red glow swirling around the body and the blood roaring like a great river, one has officially stepped into the Blood-Exchange Realm.

Lu Li finally breathed a sigh of relief.

This woman was already attempting to break through to the Blood-Exchange Realm; if she had any malicious intent, he would have had to use some serious measures to escape.

He couldn't help but feel a bit wistful; his significant progress in strength this morning had made him excited.

But that excitement had now been washed away by the woman's display.

"There is always someone better, and a sky beyond the sky. I must not be arrogant, nor should I belittle myself just because I might be inferior to others."

Lu Li murmured softly, his Dao heart growing firmer.

He pushed open the door and stepped straight into the courtyard.

His mind was filled with a thousand thoughts.

"The families are about to start tearing each other apart like dogs."

"The young lady said both the inner and outer cities would be in chaos. The outer city actually has family influence—could it be the gangs?" A flash of inspiration crossed Lu Li's mind, and everything suddenly became clear.

No wonder the two major gangs were killing each other with such bloodshot eyes, their rage overriding their reason.

To be able to cease hostilities and leave each other alone in an instant, there must have been someone pulling the strings behind the scenes.

He never expected it to be the families.

"These malignant tumors truly deserve to die!" Lu Li clenched his fists.

After a long while, he let out a long breath and calmed down.

"I'm currently affiliated with the Huang Family, so I probably won't be able to stay out of this. I'd better start making preparations," Lu Li thought to himself.