By the time he returned to Yun Prefecture, evening had fallen.
The bustling prefectural city seemed like an entirely different world from Scarlet Cloud Mountain, where corpses littered the ground and ghostly mist blotted out the sun.
Lu Chen headed straight for the Heavenly Strategy Academy. When the disciples of the Divine Armament Academy saw him, they started forward to greet him, only for their feet to stop of their own accord.
It was still the same familiar face, yet Lu Chen now carried an imposing presence that made them afraid to look him in the eye.
He had restrained his blood energy to the utmost, betraying not the slightest edge as he walked. Yet the low rumble of thunder that occasionally rose from deep within his flesh made the swords and sabers on the surrounding weapon racks tremble faintly.
"Senior Brother Lu is back."
"That aura... could Senior Brother Lu have already broken through to the Organ-Nourishing Realm?"
Everyone discussed it in lowered voices.
Lu Chen gave them a slight nod. Without stopping, he went straight to the main hall of the Divine Armament Academy.
Ouyang Xuanfeng sat cross-legged before a desk, a piece of coarse cloth in his hand as he slowly wiped the longsword resting across his knees.
The old man still wore his dark robes, and no fluctuations of blood energy could be detected around him. Yet sitting there, he resembled a peerless divine weapon. Even with his edge completely concealed, no one dared take him lightly.
"Your disciple Lu Chen pays his respects, Master."
Lu Chen stood outside the door and bowed respectfully.
Ouyang Xuanfeng's sword-wiping hand paused slightly.
He raised his head, his gaze settling on Lu Chen. A sharp gleam suddenly flashed through eyes that had been as still as an ancient well,