Chapter 38: Shadowing

Lu Qingyun discovered that not only was his body immobilized, but the spiritual energy within him had also stagnated; he was frozen stiff in place.

Lu Qingyun did not know who had arrived, but feeling the overwhelming pressure emanating from this person, he understood that their strength was terrifying.

Seeing that Lu Qingyun did not respond, the man shouted, "It is only natural that you don't recognize me; after all, you are ignorant and know nothing. However, you should be well aware of what you have done and who you have provoked."

"I do not care about your true strength, nor do I care who you are working for. If you cannot offer an apology to our Chu family, I will surely tear you limb from limb!"

The person who had arrived was none other than the head of the Chu family, Chu Batian.

Upon arriving, Chu Batian had already set up a barrier around the area. Unless the entire building were destroyed, no one would know what had transpired inside this room.

Lu Qingyun frowned tightly. Facing such a formidable opponent, he dared not be careless. However, since he could not move his body, he could only brace himself and speak.

"I do not know who you are, but I have never provoked anyone. Since arriving here, it has always been them choosing to make an enemy of me, hoping to crush me under their feet. Why should I simply let them do so?"

"It seems you are also from the Chu family; otherwise, you wouldn't be this furious. It was clearly they who did wrong, so why should I be the one to apologize?"

Lu Qingyun had always been a man of reason. If it was not his fault, why should he bear the consequences? They were the ones who had acted wrongly, yet they were the ones claiming to be in the right!

Chu Batian maintained his overbearing demeanor. He walked slowly toward Lu Qingyun, the immense pressure making it difficult for Lu Qingyun to breathe. Towering over him, Chu Batian looked down and said in a low voice, "In this world, the victor is king. Since you are not my match, you must obey me. Strength is the only truth; there is no right or wrong."

"I am giving you a chance now, and I hope you cherish it. If you truly provoke me, I cannot guarantee what kind of madness I might commit. It won't just be you who dies!"

Facing the threat, Lu Qingyun knew it was genuine. Especially given his extremely enraged appearance, it was hard to imagine what kind of insanity he might unleash. Lu Qingyun knew that an apology might grant him a path to survival, but given their tyrannical nature, who could say what they might do? They were known for going back on their word; for all he knew, they might still kill him even after he apologized.

Lu Qingyun’s expression turned grim, and he said coldly, "You continue to compound your mistakes. Now that you have adopted such an aggressive stance and have clearly resolved to kill me, what else is there to say?"

"It is absolutely impossible for me to admit fault. I have done nothing wrong, so why should I apologize? Since you say the strong are kings, then let us proceed as you say!"

Lu Qingyun felt that since he was already threatened, it didn't matter what happened next. He was already suppressed, and he could accept whatever outcome awaited him.

Chu Batian, however, was caught off guard. He had expected Lu Qingyun to feel nervous and fearful under the threat of death. He never imagined that Lu Qingyun would face life and death so directly, and such a decision was truly unexpected.

Chu Batian asked with suspicion, "Do you think I am just talking? Are you not afraid that I will truly kill you? And your friends, as well as the people from the Heavenly Spirit Sect—I will not spare a single one of them!"

"When that happens, everything will be of your own doing. Can you bear the consequences?"

Lu Qingyun felt that the man must be blinded by rage. Looking at his furious appearance, he shook his head with helplessness and said faintly, "Heh, are you sure you are serious? You have already decided to kill me, so what does the life or death of those people have to do with me anymore?"

"Since you want to lay all the blame on me, what can I do? Currently, aside from accepting it, I’m afraid there is nothing else I can do."

What Lu Qingyun said was the truth; he truly could do nothing. He was completely immobilized, and all he could do was watch silently.

In reality, Chu Batian’s intentions were simple. The reason he had impulsively come here was to force an apology and restore the Chu family's reputation. He had thought that by threatening death, Lu Qingyun would surely yield, but he never expected Lu Qingyun to choose acceptance. According to the intelligence he had gathered, Lu Qingyun was a fierce individual who did not fear authority and possessed a strong desire to live, often using various means to survive.

Everything now was beyond his expectations, and his original plan had been rendered useless. He stared wide-eyed at Lu Qingyun, who raised the corner of his mouth in a smile. "What? Is my answer unsatisfactory? That shouldn't be; haven't you already made your decision? Why are you hesitating? Just kill us all!"

"I am sick of being threatened by you people. I don't understand how I provoked you. I did nothing wrong, yet you insist on distorting the truth."

The more Lu Qingyun spoke, the more confident he felt; his state of mind had entered a somewhat frantic zone. He knew he could accept death, but he also knew that such a thing would absolutely not happen. He had already figured out his opponent's true motive, and he was now incredibly confident.

Chu Batian did not believe this young man could read his mind. He suddenly increased the intensity of his pressure. Lu Qingyun felt he could breathe even less, to the point of near-suffocation. Seeing his pained expression, Chu Batian smiled and said, "Heh, I thought your strength was something special, but it seems you’re nothing more than this. Your mouth is truly hard; I have never seen someone so stubborn."

"Aren't you fearless? Then I will kill you now!"

His terrifying demeanor truly gave the impression that he could kill at any moment. Lu Qingyun thought that since the outcome was already sealed, resistance seemed futile. After making his decision, he smiled faintly and spoke.

"Come on, isn't this what you've wanted to do all along? It’s just killing a person at the ninth level of the Body Refining Realm; is that something worth being proud of?"

"Heh, you can be considered a formidable figure of your generation. To die at the hands of someone like you... it doesn't feel too bad."

Lu Qingyun felt the bones in his body begin to creak. Under such immense pressure, blood began to trickle from the corner of his mouth. Yet, Lu Qingyun showed no sign of begging for mercy; his eyes were wide open, filled with killing intent. He thought that even if he were to die, he would not die in ignorance; he would make one last struggle.

With this thought, the spiritual energy that had been suppressed within him suddenly loosened. Instantly, his powerful Azure Dragon Martial Soul was released.

"ROAR!"

The Azure Dragon let out a furious roar, shattering the surrounding barrier. Chu Batian stared at him with wide eyes, filled with disbelief.

"This... this is impossible! You were clearly suppressed by me, so how can you still move? What is going on?"

Lu Qingyun wiped the blood from his mouth. As soon as the Azure Dragon Martial Soul was released, he had regained his ability to move. He roared in a low voice, "The Chu family is truly going too far. I admit my strength is far inferior to yours, but that does not mean I will let myself be bullied by you."

"You can kill me, you can do countless terrible things to me, but you must not distort the truth. Wrong is wrong, and everything is your fault!"

Lu Qingyun’s voice was a cry from the heart. Faced with such injustice, he would never be slaughtered like livestock. Whether in the past or the present, he could not tolerate being treated this way.

Chu Batian suddenly turned his head toward the door, his eyes showing a flash of terror. He quickly scrambled toward the window, but before he left, he did not forget to threaten Lu Qingyun, "Kid, you wait for me! I’m not done with you!"

After Chu Batian finished speaking, he fled rapidly. At the doorway, a golden-haired old man appeared. He caught sight of Chu Batian’s back and immediately chased after him toward the window, his eyes filled with fury. "Chu Batian, how dare you run wild here? You clearly don't hold me in any regard!"

After the golden-haired old man finished speaking, his body instantly vanished into the void. This was the first time Lu Qingyun had witnessed such a terrifying expert. It seemed this golden-haired old man was a legendary figure.

Being able to hold down the fort at Feiyan Tower and ensure it remained free from any harm was proof enough of how terrifying his strength must be.

Lu Qingyun was now sitting on the floor, completely exhausted. After all, the pressure he had just endured was the most terrifying he had ever faced in his life. He had sustained some internal injuries, and he did not yet know if they were fatal.

Upon receiving the news, Qian Yuhai and the others rushed over. Seeing Lu Qingyun’s weak state, their eyes were filled with worry. They felt a sense of guilt, as they had not been guarding the place but had instead been out eating and drinking—they even smelled slightly of alcohol.

Lu Qingyun did not blame them, as this situation was not what they wanted to see. He said slowly, "It’s fine. Since I don't need to resolve this myself, everyone can go back."

After speaking, they returned to another private room. After taking a medicinal pill, Lu Qingyun finally felt a bit better. Looking at the delicacies on the table, he finally had the chance to taste them.

Qian Yuhai was furious, gritting his teeth as he said, "No matter what the Chu family's motive is, coming here to cause trouble time and again—it seems they really don't hold me in any regard."

"A bunch of muscle-bound brutes who only know how to use force; it is their good fortune to have a foothold here, yet they dare to be so arrogant and stir up trouble. I will definitely make them pay the price!"

Qian Yuhai’s relationship with Lu Qingyun was not that close; his anger stemmed from the Chu family's offense. Lu Qingyun said nothing, only commenting on the food on the table. It was indeed delicious, and after eating it, he felt refreshed, as it also had the effect of restoring physical strength.

After the meal, Lu Qingyun decided to leave. Before departing, he said with a smile, "I truly didn't expect to cause you so much trouble. If I hadn't appeared here, they wouldn't have come to make trouble."

Qian Yuhai offered some polite pleasantries, though they both knew it was just social grace to make the other feel better.

After they left, the golden-haired old man appeared beside Qian Yuhai, his expression grim. "That guy is cunning. He actually ran to the City Lord. I waited at the entrance of the City Lord’s mansion for a while, but the City Lord sent someone to tell me to leave first and that he would find a way to resolve the matter."

Qian Yuhai clenched his fists tightly, gritting his teeth. "No matter what means you use, make sure the Chu family pays the price. Can you do that?"

The golden-haired old man nodded slowly and said with a smile, "Very well, I will make you satisfied."

With that, the golden-haired old man departed.

After Lu Qingyun left with his group, he naturally did not return to the City Lord’s mansion. He thought about taking a good stroll through the city, which he had not had the opportunity to do before due to special circumstances.

The group walked along happily, chatting and laughing; it had been a long time since they had enjoyed such a moment.

Xu Feng looked at his master with some hesitation. Li Changfeng spoke decisively, "Go ahead with peace of mind. You don't need to worry about the sect. No matter what, I can still live for several hundred years. Following him will surely lead to great achievements."

Xu Feng said with gratitude, "Thank you, Master!"

After they walked a short distance, Lu Qingyun frowned. He looked at the people around him and saw no reaction, so he said nothing more.

When they reached a small shop and the others were browsing, Lu Qingyun slipped to the back of the shop. He looked at someone standing on the wall, and upon recognizing them, his tension vanished. Instead, he asked with confusion, "What are you doing following me? With your noble status, being so sneaky—what if someone sees you?"

"Are you looking for me for something?"