A sharp voice said, "Not necessarily. Lu Chen is still recovering from his injuries, and Lu Suhua is fighting in her father's place just to buy time. That's entirely possible."
The loud voice sneered, "Is there any difference? The fact is that the Sword Discussion Pavilion crushed them with the force of a thunderbolt. Li Bocai ran Lu Suhua through from chest to back—where is Lu Chen?"
"The Donghua Palace is still around!"
"Three and a half pairs of grand instructors are dead, and you call that still around!"
"The foundation of the palace is still in the hands of the Lu clan. Did the Sword Discussion Pavilion take it?"
"Aside from the main peak's grotto-heaven, are any of the other mountain and water spiritual veins still in the Lu clan's hands? The Sword Discussion Pavilion has exceptionally high standards; aside from a few grotto-heavens and blessed lands, they have no interest in the rest. Didn't you see those fellows from the Luotian Sect rushing north? Aren't they just trying to snatch a few sips of soup? I may not have much ability, but if I really had the Returning Elixir realm, I'd have gone up ten days ago!"
It was rare for the loud voice to belong to an articulate person, and a few sentences pressed the sharp-voiced one into silence. At that moment, someone nearby chimed in, "I'm afraid it's not just Lu Chen. Think of how renowned Madame Yellow Springs is in the northern border—didn't she fail to show up as well?"
"Now that truly is strange. Everyone says Madame Yellow Springs is matchless in strategy, so how could she let the Sword Discussion Pavilion march right to her doorstep? In my view, there is a ten-to-one chance **she still has a backup plan. Have you not