The Sword in Lu Chao's hand instantly erupted with a fiery red glow as he thrust it toward the middle-aged Household General in the lead.
Decisive, sharp, and overpowering!
The middle-aged Household General stared at Lu Chao in surprise. "You've reached the Postnatal Realm? No wonder you could get out of the dungeon. But I'm at the Postnatal Second Layer. Taking you down will be a piece of cake."
As he finished speaking, his large saber swung to meet Lu Chao's Sword.
However, the scene that followed would be seared into the memories of Cheng Chuming and everyone else present. Lu Chao showed no signs of retreat, even when facing a Household General who was a minor realm higher than him.
CLANG...
With one strike, his Sword shattered the middle-aged Household General's saber.
THUD...
With one kick, he sent the middle-aged Household General flying.
Then, Lu Chao threw himself into the crowd of several dozen Household Generals and household servants.
He moved like a streak of fiery red light, weaving through the men. Screams of agony followed in his wake. By the time Lu Chao returned to Cheng Chuming's side, all the Household Generals and household servants were on the ground.
Not a single one could get back up. They were all unconscious!
The Sword rose, and they were instantly defeated!
At this moment, the entire area was so quiet you could hear a pin drop.
Cheng Chuming, Bai Xin, Cheng Gai, and Cheng Yunxiang all stared, dumbfounded, at the men on the ground.
It took a long moment for Cheng Chuming to come to his senses. He turned his head to look at Lu Chao, who was handing the Sword back to him. "Did... did you kill them?"
Lu Chao shook his head...
"If this were any other time, they'd be dead."
"But to spare you, Father-in-law, from severe punishment and condemnation from the rest of the Cheng Mansion, I couldn't go on a killing spree."
Cheng Chuming's recent actions had earned Lu Chao's full respect, enough for him to willingly call the man Father-in-law. Therefore, he had to consider his current predicament. Killing everyone would have been simple, but the rest of the Cheng Mansion would have undoubtedly risen up to kill Cheng Chuming.
As things stood, Cheng Chuming couldn't break away from the Cheng Mansion.
Lu Chao's words made Cheng Chuming let out a long sigh of relief.
He then looked at Lu Chao, a slight tremor running through him, as it finally dawned on him. 'This son-in-law with the Life-taking Bone who just appeared out of nowhere is incredibly strong! He's only at the Postnatal First Layer, yet he took down all of them in an instant. Even I couldn't do that, and I'm at the Postnatal Third Layer!'
But Cheng Chuming quickly pushed those thoughts aside and said gravely, "Yunsu's grandfather and the others aren't back yet. You two should leave, quickly."
His eyes filled with tears as he gazed at his daughter, Cheng Yunsu...
Lu Chao nodded, then immediately shook his head. "Don't worry, Father-in-law. In three days, I will return with Xiao Su'er. Then, before the entire Cheng Mansion and all of Yangzhou City, I will truly marry her."
'Within three days, I have to heal Cheng Yunsu's eyes and achieve another breakthrough.'
'I'll make it so that no one in the Cheng Mansion, or even all of Yangzhou City, can stand in my way. I'll make those who wish to harm Xiao Su'er regret it for the rest of their lives.'
These words, of course, made Cheng Chuming shake his head frantically, about to protest...
Suddenly, Cheng Yunsu's voice came from behind them. "It's so dark. Why is everything so dark?"
At the sound of her voice, Lu Chao and Cheng Chuming whipped their heads around.
They saw that Cheng Yunsu had, at some point, stretched out her hands and was waving them around in a panic.
Her voice trembled. "I can't see anything! It's so black, so dark!"
Lu Chao and Cheng Chuming instinctively glanced at each other, and then Lu Chao was the first to rush forward, calling out, "Xiao Su'er..."
Before he could say anything more, Cheng Yunsu's badly burned hands reached out, fumbling for him.
She said in a panic, "Lu Chao, is that you?"
Grasping her hands, Lu Chao said, "Yes, it's me, it's me..."
One of Cheng Yunsu's hands gripped Lu Chao's tightly, while the other frantically felt around his face. "I can't see! I can't see you at all! I'm blind! I'm completely blind!"
Just then, Cheng Chuming also drew near. "Yunsu, Dad is here. Look at me."
Cheng Yunsu turned her head, but her teeth were chattering as she spoke. "Dad, where are you? I can't see you."
STUMBLE STUMBLE STUMBLE...
Cheng Chuming staggered back a few steps, his face pale. "Don't be afraid! I'll go get a doctor for you right now! I'm going right now!"
With that, he forgot his current predicament and dashed out, fleeing in a panic.
Lu Chao wanted to call him back, but the man was already far away...
With no time to worry about anything else, Lu Chao said firmly to Cheng Yunsu, "Xiao Su'er, don't be afraid. I'm here. You won't go blind."
Saying this, Lu Chao swept Cheng Yunsu up into his arms and quickly darted into her room.
Laying her gently on the bed, Lu Chao said again, "Don't move. Trust me, I can heal you."
As he spoke, Lu Chao quickly extended his right hand, pressing two fingers together against the center of Cheng Yunsu's brow. "Bright Eyes and Clear Wind Guide, activate!"
In that instant, the network of blood and qi vessels around Cheng Yunsu's eyes became perfectly clear in Lu Chao's vision.
In minute detail, Lu Chao could see that several points in the complex network of vessels in her eyes were severed or had withered away.
Taking a deep breath, Lu Chao activated his Life-taking Star-devouring Bone to draw out the True Qi that belonged to the Heavenly Destiny Bright Eye Bone.
The True Qi, a vibrant azure color, flowed from his fingertips like a gentle stream into the vessels of Cheng Yunsu's eyes.
At this moment, Lu Chao cried out in his heart...
'This has to work! They can't be completely severed! Otherwise, not even the Bright Eyes and Clear Wind Guide can reverse it.'
'Heal! Heal, damn it!'
The severance of Cheng Yunsu's vessels wasn't complete; a faint trace of blood and qi still connected them. Lu Chao had to repair and reconnect them before this trace vanished completely. Otherwise, it would be too late.
He couldn't afford to take Cheng Yunsu away from the Cheng Mansion and treat her later. The repairs had to be done immediately, without a moment's delay.
...
Outside the room, back in the same spot.
Bai Xin, Cheng Yunxiang, and Cheng Gai, who was sprawled across a chair, stared at Cheng Yunsu's room from a distance.
They looked at each other, baffled.
Cheng Yunxiang grinned, then burst into maniacal laughter. "That bitch went blind! Haha, it's karma!"
Blinking, Cheng Gai asked, "Why'd that country bumpkin go back to her room? Is he going to try and heal that bitch's eyes on the spot?"
"Him?"
Bai Xin sneered endlessly. "Cheng Chuming already had Doctor Liu, the best in Yangzhou City, come take a look. He said the fire from the Destiny Bone scorched the vessels in her eyes. Unless they can get help from a legendary master with a Heavenly Destiny Bright Eye Bone, Cheng Yunsu is doomed to be blind."
Hearing this, Cheng Gai and Cheng Yunxiang burst out laughing.
The Heavenly Destiny Bright Eye Bone was a legendary and incredibly rare type of Heavenly Destiny Bone.
You couldn't find more than a handful in the entire Great Wu Empire. Even if they found one, Cheng Chuming could never afford to hire them.
Suddenly...
Cheng Yunxiang's youthful face twisted into a vicious expression. "It's a shame Grandfather, Second Uncle, and Aunt aren't in the mansion. The ones left behind are all useless. Otherwise, we could use this chance to grab that country bumpkin and beat the shit out of him first."
Cheng Gai also looked regretful. "Yeah. By the time my maternal grandfather and the others get back, the opportunity will be long gone."
The words had barely left his lips when footsteps were heard...
Two figures were approaching from a distance: a middle-aged man and a young man.
Upon seeing them, Bai Xin cried out in ecstatic joy, "Brother! Xiao Lu! What are you two doing here?"
The newcomers were none other than Bai Xin's brother and nephew, members of the Bai Family, one of the four great families of Yangzhou City.
Before they could answer, Bai Xin added fiercely, "Brother, you're just in time! Quick, help us cripple that country bumpkin."