Lu Yu stopped in his tracks.
Ji Xiu stopped as well.
Then, Lu Yu's slightly exasperated voice slowly rang out:
"Senior Brother Luo, it's just a position for an ordinary Guest. He won't be carrying a sword, and he won't need the Token from the old man. Aren't you..."
"...making too big a deal out of this?"
"My Lu Manor is large and wealthy. A monthly stipend of ten taels and a spacious courtyard—it's not like we can't spare them!"
"You may be ten years my senior, and you became a Bone Tempering expert a couple of years ago. The old man values you and has entrusted you with managing some of Lu Manor's affairs."
"But I am now on the verge of Bone Tempering myself; it's only a matter of time before I break through. Are you saying my word counts for so little in this manor?"
The harshness in Lu Yu's tone was crystal clear to Ji Xiu. Realization dawned on him as he looked up.
And he saw—
A cold-faced man in red, a long saber at his waist, stood before them. Each step he took left a deep imprint on the ground. He was flanked by two Sword-carrying Guests.
They completely blocked Lu Yu and Ji Xiu's path.
'Is this... the classic, textbook scene of the legitimate son versus the chosen successor, fighting for dominance? And I've walked right into it?'
Seeing the scene before him,
Ji Xiu's face twitched. He was on the verge of despair.
In this great era of the Manifested Saint Martial Dao, there were many kinds of disciples.
As for the so-called personally-taught successor...
To be honest, they were no different from a 'biological son'—the kind who would wear mourning clothes and inherit the family enterprise after the Master's death.
The disciple that Lu Manor's Boss, Lu Chengfeng, had taken in was named Luo Xiao. He had been groomed since childhood. Aside from not changing his name, he had been cultivated with every resource, treated as Lu Chengfeng's own son.
Ji Xiu lived on the outer street of the Fire Kiln district.
He knew very, very well...
This man was the top dog in charge of collecting rent for the entire Fire Kiln district, standing above the many Shopkeepers and Stewards.
To be entrusted with such a task showed just how highly he was valued.
Furthermore, he was an expert who had reached the second step of the Power Barrier: Bone Tempering!
A man of his caliber could easily open his own school and teach boxing!
'I can't afford to offend him right now.'
On any other day, he could just lie low and steer clear, and it wouldn't be a problem.
But today, of all days...
He just had to come and stand in the way of his future!
'What rotten luck!'
"Junior Brother, you're older now, and your Cultivation is progressing. It's a good thing that you can help the Manor Master shoulder some responsibilities."
"But I've already heard that the eldest daughter of the Lin Residence, who hasn't returned in nine years, has now achieved Great Success in Bone Tempering and possesses Mercury Blood Silver Marrow. Her progress has even surpassed her father's. She's about to begin Skin Refining, and her future is immeasurable."
"It was just a rumor before, so I didn't pay it much mind."
"But from now on, in ten or twenty years, with her at the helm, the Lin Residence... will surely be on equal footing with our Lu Manor."
"You're taking such a risk to protect a Martial Artist who has just Entered the Realm, one who's never even seen blood. Even if he has some talent, what's the use?"
"If you want to build up your own men, you're free to pick from the experts already in the manor. I wouldn't object to that."
"But before, in front of the Manor Master and many other Guests, you insisted on giving this Mad Slave the title of 'Sword-carrying Guest' and even wanted to give him the Token for that affair. You showed him such high regard!"
"Do you realize... that many of the manor's own Guests, who originally held you in high regard, have grown cold-hearted toward you?"
"Lu Manor has recruited many Guests—figures who have achieved Entering the Realm, Blood Nourishing, and Muscle Forging."
"But regardless of their level of strength..."
"...these are all experts who have licked blood from the blades of their swords!"
"This kid behind you—let's not even talk about anything else—has his blade ever killed anyone? Does he even dare to kill?"
"If he can't even do that, what's the use of giving him the title of Guest!"
Luo Xiao sneered.
This prompted the two Guests at the Bone Marrow Refining Realm on either side of him to roar with laughter:
"Exactly."
"Kid, if we gave you a sword, would you even know how to use it?"
One of them, a scar-faced man in gray martial attire, drew the saber from his waist and scoffed:
"I, Hong Jiang, achieved Entering the Realm five years ago. I was a Swordsman for three years and wandered the Mountain Dao for two, my blade stained with blood. I only joined Lu Manor as a Guest in pursuit of their Pile Skill and Secret Techniques."
"I've been here a year and still haven't earned a Hundred-Forged Sword Weapon from Lu Manor to carry."
"This saber I carry, I had to beg someone in the Fire Kiln to forge it for me."
"And you, you show up and expect to climb the ladder just by clinging to the Young Master. Forget everything else..."
"Why should people like us, who climbed our way up step by step, indulge you?"
"You want to enter Lu Manor? Fine."
SWISH!
He drew the long saber from the Guest beside him, tossed it through the air toward Ji Xiu, and took several steps back to create some distance...
Then, he crooked his finger:
"Come,"
"Pick up the saber and defeat me."
"I will kneel before you and beg you to enter Lu Manor. From then on, I will be your loyal servant, holding your whip and stirrup, attending to you whenever you enter or leave your carriage!"
"When that happens, none of the brothers who witness this will have any objections."
"However..."
"Swords have no eyes."
"I won't be held responsible for any... accidents."
A bright gleam of light flashed from the blade.
Hong Jiang held the saber in one hand and took his stance, his expression suggesting the choice to step forward was entirely up to his opponent.
Ji Xiu caught the hilt of the tossed saber, his lips pursed in thought.
At his side, however, Lu Yu saw this and quickly grabbed him, hissing in a low voice:
"Let's go! Your big brother will find another post for you!"
The veins on his forehead bulged.
"Don't be fooled. Even though he's only an Entering Force Martial Artist, there's a world of difference between someone who has seen blood and someone who hasn't."
"Don't get yourself maimed over a moment of pique and ruin your future in the Martial Dao! As long as I'm here, no one will touch you!"
Lu Yu gritted his teeth, clenching his other hand into a fist so tight it creaked. He shot a death glare at Luo Xiao, but he was powerless to do anything.
Martial Artists...
In the end, strength was all that mattered.
Just as Hong Jiang had said.
He wouldn't accept someone who got in through the back door!
This had nothing to do with the struggle between the legitimate son and the chosen successor.
It was simply...
The men at the bottom were not convinced!
This was something even the Manor Master was tacitly allowing.
The old man hadn't refused him.
But as soon as they were seen...
Someone would object.
So, he...
Was helpless!
Just as Lu Yu was about to pull Ji Xiu away,
Suddenly!
Ji Xiu gently broke free and gripped the long saber.
Without a word, he took a step forward!
Instantly, Lu Yu's eyes went wide, the words catching in his throat.
He never expected Ji Xiu to disobey him. He had just started to reach out and grab him...
But he was a beat too slow, which was fatal over a distance of ten paces.
"Don't!"
...
Lu Manor, inside the main hall.
Hearing the commotion outside in the courtyard,
Lu Hongyu, dressed in sleek martial attire that highlighted her graceful figure, bent her slender waist and poured a cup of tea for the graying, middle-aged man before her, who was dressed in magnificent black and gold robes:
"Old man, Xiaoyu is your biological son."
"No matter what, Luo Xiao is still just an outsider."
"For you to let your subordinates disrespect Xiaoyu like this..."
She frowned, flicked her ponytail, and slammed the teacup down to show her displeasure. Arms crossed, she snorted coldly:
"How do you expect him to take charge of Lu Manor in the future!"
Lu Chengfeng looked at the tea that had splashed onto his lapels, then at Lu Hongyu, who was puffing out her chest, and gave a wry smile:
"You silly girl. I originally wanted to take Little Luo as my son-in-law, but you were the one who looked down on him."
"He's a hard worker, he's followed me for so many years, diligent and conscientious. If you were with him, he'd become part of our Lu Family, and we wouldn't have to divide the family assets..."
Lu Hongyu huffed, tilting her chin up slightly with an air of arrogance:
"He's always using a trivial matter as an imperial edict to lecture my brother. Why would I ever be interested in him?"
"Besides, he's big and burly, and his expression hasn't changed in six months."
"I'm not necessarily that much weaker than him, so why should I have to be with him?"
"If I'm going to find a husband,"
"First, he has to be younger and more handsome. Otherwise, I'd get sick of staring at a sour face all day."
"Second, he must have exceptional Martial Arts. He can't be a block of wood, or he won't be able to keep up with me."
"Which of these criteria does Luo Xiao meet?"
Lu Chengfeng, who had just raised the celadon teacup for a small sip, nearly choked on his tea.
"You... you..."
His fingers trembled.
If the person standing before him wasn't his own flesh and blood,
He would have cursed out loud. 'Someone like you? The only ones who meet those conditions are the young masters from noble manors! Would any of them endure the grievance of marrying into our family as a live-in son-in-law?'
"Forget it, forget it. Have it your way, have it all your way."
Looking at his daughter, who had already reached Bone Tempering and had the potential to inherit his legacy, Lu Chengfeng felt a complex mix of joy and helplessness.
Finally, seeing no other option, he could only rise and clasp his hands behind his back:
"I only told Luo Xiao to knock some sense into Xiaoyu. Jade, left uncut, will not become a thing of beauty."
"He's acting willfully and recklessly, just forcing someone new into our ranks. Which of the Guests below would stand for that?"
"To be a Manor Master, you must appear to treat everyone fairly. At the very least, you can't give people reason to talk..."
"Otherwise, how can I pass the position on to him?"
"Come, let's go out and see for ourselves..."
Lu Hongyu supported Lu Chengfeng as they walked outside.
In a few moments,
They saw, just inside the archway and below the stone platform,
A youth in simple cloth, leaping ten paces with his saber, his gaze piercing and free of all distracting thoughts...
Then, he brought his blade down directly on the figure flying toward him from the other side!
There was an air of burning his bridges, of perishing together in a blaze of glory!
"Wait, this is..."
In that instant, Lu Chengfeng's previously gentle eyes suddenly turned sharp.
The hand hidden beneath his wide sleeve moved like an eagle's talon, plucking a petal from a nearby flowerbed, infusing it with a layer of 'Qi', and flicking it forward!
At that moment!
He forcefully knocked down the youth's saber—the very blade that had crossed ten paces, ready to decide life and death against the other Lu Manor Guest with a Saber Technique that was both ferocious and lightning-fast!
Plucking a leaf to use as a weapon—the petal struck at the exact moment the two sabers 'crossed'.
CLANG!
CLANG!
Both sabers fell to the ground.
Then Lu Chengfeng channeled his Force, his feet gliding across the bluestone. He watched as both men retreated, clutching their bleeding hands.
First, he said nothing.
Then, he scrutinized them for a moment.
Finally, his gaze locked onto the youth in simple cloth, and he stared for a long time.
After a long while, his tone grew heavy:
"At your age..."
"...to have already entered the 'Sword Sect'!?"