Blades and Swords Crossed, a Fight to the Death, Manor Lord Lu's Shock—You Entered the Blade Gate!?

Blades and Swords Crossed, a Fight to the Death, Manor Lord Lu's Shock—You Entered the Blade Gate!?

Lu Yu stopped in his tracks.

Ji Xiu stopped as well.

Then Lu Yu's somewhat helpless voice slowly rang out:

"Senior Brother Luo, it's just an ordinary retainer slot. No saber or sword, and no need for the old man to give him that 'token.' Aren't you—"

"Making far too much of this?"

"My Lu Manor has vast estates and great wealth. A monthly salary of ten taels and a spacious courtyard—it's not as if we can't spare them!"

"You may be ten years older than me, and you became a Bone Tempering expert two years ago. The old man values you and entrusted part of Lu Manor's business to your care."

"But now that I've achieved Bone Tempering, fully stepping into it is only a matter of time. Could it be that I can't even make such a decision in the manor?"

Ji Xiu heard the stiffness in Lu Yu's tone loud and clear. Understanding dawned on him at once, and he looked up.

There, before them—

A cold-faced man in red, a longsaber at his waist, stood with two saber-and-sword-wearing retainers. With one step, he left a deep imprint in the ground.

They had blocked Lu Yu and Ji Xiu's path completely.

"This is the classic scene of the legitimate son and the heir apparent fighting to see who comes out on top—and I just had to stumble into it?"

At the sight of this scene—

Ji Xiu's face twitched. He nearly fell into despair.

In this grand age where martial arts manifested divinity, there were many kinds of disciples.

But so-called inheriting personal disciples—

Honestly, they were no different from "biological sons." When their master died, they could wear mourning hemp and filial white, inheriting the family estate.

Luo Xiao, the disciple taken in by Lu Chengfeng, the master of Lu Manor, had been raised from childhood. Other than not changing his surname, Lu Chengfeng had spared no effort in nurturing him, treating him as his own.

Ji Xiu lived on Fire Kiln Outer Street.

So he knew full well—

This man was the foremost collector of rent across the entire Fire Kiln, above the many shopkeepers and stewards.

The fact that even such a post had been entrusted to him showed just how highly he was valued.

Moreover, he was an expert who had taken the second step of the Strength Threshold—Bone Tempering!

Taken out on his own, he was someone qualified to open a school and teach boxing!

Ji Xiu could not afford to offend him yet.

Normally, he could simply endure it for the time being and stay far away. That would have been nothing.

But today, by some cursed coincidence—

This man had to come and block his path forward!

What rotten luck!

"Junior Brother, you've grown up and your cultivation has borne fruit. It is naturally a good thing that you can help Manor Lord shoulder some of the burden."

"But I have already heard that the eldest daughter of the Lin Residence, who had been away for nine years, has now achieved 'great Bone Tempering, Quicksilver Blood Silver Marrow.' Her progress has even surpassed her father's, and she is about to begin Skin Refinement. Her future is immeasurable."

"Before, it was only rumor, so I did not pay it much heed."

"But from now on, in another ten or twenty years, with her holding the fort, the Lin Residence will surely stand shoulder to shoulder with Lu Manor."

"You are taking such a risk to shelter a martial artist who has only just Entered Force and has never even seen blood. Even if he has some talent, what use is that?"

"If you wish to cultivate your own people, you can simply choose some capable hands from the manor. I have no objection."

"But earlier, in front of Manor Lord and so many retainers, you insisted on giving this mad slave the title of 'Saber-Wearing Retainer,' and even wanted to issue him the token for that matter. You value him so greatly!"

"Do you know how many retainers of this manor, who once held you in high esteem, have been left cold-hearted by this?"

"Among the retainers recruited by Lu Manor, there is no shortage of people at Entering Force, Nourishing Blood, and Forging Tendons."

"But regardless of their strength—"

"Every one of them is a hardened hand who has licked blood from the edge of a blade!"

"The boy behind you—leaving aside anything else—have his saber and sword ever killed anyone? Does he even dare to kill?"

"If he cannot even do that, what is the point of giving him a retainer's title?"

Luo Xiao sneered mockingly.

The two retainers at his sides, both in the Toughening Tendons Realm, burst into laughter.

"Exactly."

"Kid, if we gave you a saber or sword, would you even know how to use it?"

One of them, a scar-faced man in a gray martial outfit, drew the saber at his waist and gave a snort.

"I, Hong Jiang, entered force five years ago. I was a saber fighter for three years and roamed the mountain roads for two. My blade was stained with blood. Only to obtain Pile Stance techniques and secret arts later on did I join Lu Manor as a retainer."

"Now, after a year, I still have not received a Hundred-Forged Blade from Lu Manor to wear at my side."

"This saber was forged for me at the Fire Kiln after I begged someone to make it."

"You show up and want to rise through the Young Manor Lord's favor. Leaving aside anything else—"

"Why should we, who have climbed upward step by step, indulge you?"

"You want to enter Lu Manor? Fine."

Whoosh!

He drew the longsaber from the side of another retainer, tossed it into the air, and hurled it toward Ji Xiu. Then he retreated several steps to open the distance.

He crooked a finger.

"Come."

"Take up the saber. Defeat me."

"I will kneel before you and beg you to enter Lu Manor. From then on, I will hold your whip and pull your stirrups. Whenever you ride in or out in a carriage, I will be the one to serve you!"

"When that time comes, not a single brother who sees this will dare say he is unconvinced."

"Only—"

"Sabers and swords have no eyes."

"If any accident happens, I bear no responsibility."

A gleaming blade flashed through the air.

Hong Jiang held his saber aloft in one arm and assumed a stance, looking as though whether Ji Xiu came forward or not was entirely up to him.

Ji Xiu caught the hilt of the thrown saber, pursing his lips as he considered.

But Lu Yu, seeing this, suddenly seized him and barked in a low voice:

"Leave! Senior Brother will find you another job!"

The veins on his forehead throbbed wildly.

"Do not be fooled just because this man has not yet mastered blood techniques and is only an Entering Force martial artist. Someone who has seen blood and someone who has not are two entirely different things."

"Do not let a moment's anger leave you crippled and ruin your future path in martial arts. With me here, no one can touch you!"

Lu Yu gritted his teeth. His other hand clenched into a fist, cracking loudly, as he shot Luo Xiao a hard look—yet there was nothing he could do to him.

Martial artists—

In the end, still spoke through strength.

Just as Hong Jiang had said—

He refused to accept someone who came in through the back door!

This had nothing to do with a contest between the legitimate son and the heir apparent.

It was simply—

The people below were unconvinced!

Even Manor Lord himself tacitly allowed it.

The old man had not refused him.

But so long as they were seen—

There would always be someone who refused.

So he—

Could do nothing!

Just as Lu Yu wanted to drag Ji Xiu away—

Suddenly!

Ji Xiu gave a light shake, freeing himself and gripping the longsaber.

Then, without a word, he stepped forward!

Lu Yu's eyes instantly widened, his words catching in his throat.

He had never expected Ji Xiu to disregard him. Just as he reached out to grab him—

He was a beat too slow. Over a distance of ten paces, that was already fatal.

"Don't!"

Inside Lu Manor's main hall—

Hearing the commotion outside the courtyard, Lu Hongyu, dressed in a form-fitting martial outfit that outlined her graceful figure, bent her supple waist slightly and poured a cup of tea for the gray-haired middle-aged man before her, who wore luxurious black-and-gold robes.

"Old man, Lu Yu is your own son."

"No matter what, Luo Xiao is still an outsider."

"You're letting the people below embarrass Lu Yu like this."

She frowned, flicked her ponytail, and slammed the teacup down heavily to show her displeasure. Folding her arms, she gave a cold snort.

"How is he supposed to take charge of Lu Manor in the future?"

Lu Chengfeng looked at the tea splashed across his lapel, then at Lu Hongyu, who stood with her chest lifted, and gave a bitter smile.

"You girl, I originally wanted to take Little Luo as my son-in-law. Was it not you who looked down on him?"

"He has been diligent and conscientious after following me for all these years. If you married him, then he would become one of our Lu family. There would be no need to divide the family estate."

Lu Hongyu snorted, raising her chin slightly with a touch of pride.

"He waves a chicken feather like an imperial decree every day, lecturing my brother. Why should I think highly of him?"

"Besides, he is built like a bear, and the expression on his face has not changed in half a year."

"I may not be much worse than him. Why should I go with him?"

"If I am to find a husband—"

"First, he must be younger and more handsome. Otherwise, if I have to look at that sour face every day, I will grow sick of it sooner or later."

"Second, he must possess exceptional martial skill. He cannot be some blockhead, or he will not be able to keep pace with me."

"Which of those does Luo Xiao meet?"

Lu Chengfeng, who had just lifted the blue porcelain cup for a small sip, nearly choked on his tea.

"You... you..."

Even his fingers trembled.

If the girl before him had not been his biological daughter—

He would have nearly cursed aloud. The ones who met those conditions were all young masters from noble households. Would they endure that humiliation just to become a live-in son-in-law for her?

"Forget it, forget it. As you wish. Everything as you wish."

Looking at his daughter, who had already reached Bone Tempering and might inherit his mantle in the future, Lu Chengfeng's emotions were complicated beyond words. There was delight, but also helplessness.

In the end, with no other choice, he rose and clasped his hands behind his back.

"I only told Luo Xiao to properly knock some sense into Lu Yu. Jade must be carved before it can become a vessel."

"He acts willfully, simply inserting someone into the manor like that. Which of the retainers below could accept it?"

"To be a manor lord, one must know how to hold a bowl of water level. At the very least, one cannot leave others with something to gossip about."

"Otherwise, how could I hand the position over to him?"

"Come. Go out with me and take a look."

Lu Hongyu supported Lu Chengfeng as they walked outside.

Before long—

They saw, beneath the stone platform inside the arched gate—

A youth in plain clothes, saber in hand, leaping ten paces. His gaze was icy, as if free of all stray thoughts.

Then he chopped straight at the figure flying toward him from the other side, saber in hand!

He carried the air of smashing the cauldrons and sinking the boats, of shattering jade alongside the stone!

"Wait, this is—"

In an instant, Lu Chengfeng's originally gentle eyes turned sharp.

Then the hand beneath his wide sleeves moved like an eagle's claw, plucking a flower petal from the flowerbed beside him. He coated it with a layer of qi, then flicked it away!

At that moment!

He violently knocked down the saber of the youth who had crossed ten paces, intending to use an incomparably fierce, lightning-fast saber technique to decide life and death with the Lu Manor retainer on the other end!

Plucked leaf, flying flower—at the instant the two sabers crossed, it struck them down at once.

Clang!

Clang!

Both sabers fell to the ground.

Then Lu Chengfeng exerted force and shifted his steps across the bluestone. Watching the two retreat separately, clutching their split tiger's mouths—

He said nothing at first.

Then he scrutinized them carefully for a while.

At last, he stared fixedly at the plain-clothed youth for a long time.

After a while, his voice turned grave.

"At your age—"

"You have actually entered the Blade Gate!?"