Xu Yuanhong let out a cold sneer. “Little brother, what is the meaning of this? Elder Jiang slaughtered three hundred and odd lives of the Zhu family, and as the Sect Master of the Profound Moon Sect, it is my failure of duty that I failed to keep him in check. Now that I have personally come to clear our sect’s name and purge our own ranks in order to uphold martial arts justice, am I not doing the right thing? Furthermore, this is an internal affair of the Profound Moon Sect, and I hope this little brother will not interfere.”
Lu Fenghuo chuckled. “Martial arts justice? Are you referring to murdering a newborn infant who is barely a full month old?”
As these words fell, the expressions of everyone in the courtyard varied greatly.
Low murmurs arose from time to time.
“That child truly is innocent. Clearly, he has done nothing at all, yet he must bear such a heavy price.”
“I think executing Jiang Shiming is quite enough. There is no need to drag an unknowing infant into this.”
A dark and gloomy blackness brewed within Xu Yuanhong’s eyes. “This is Elder Jiang’s spawn of sin. Elder Jiang is bloodthirsty by nature, and who knows whether this child will grow up to become a murderous demon just like his biological father? Since that is the case, it is better to sever this root of disaster today!”
“Ha, that is truly laughable!” Lu Fenghuo laughed unceremoniously. “I have no idea whether you yourself will become a murderous demon in the future, or perhaps some sort of heretical villain. Since that is the case, why don’t you let me sever your root of disaster today?”
His words carried not an ounce of politeness.
The hypocritical mask was torn right off.
The two immediately erupted into a fight.
Holding a child in his arms, Lu Fenghuo found it impossible to fully unleash his strength. He simply tossed the baby aside casually and shouted, “Monk, catch!”
Fu Yunming watched as a patch of date-red flew toward him.
Reaching out to catch it, he realized it was a swaddling wrap.
A tiny infant was resting soundly inside.
Fu Yunming:
Lu, can you please be reliable for once?
Freed from the burden of the child, Lu Fenghuo quickly let loose, engaging in an intense and sprawling battle.
Before long, the tide of the battle faintly shifted in Lu Fenghuo’s favor.
Right at that moment, a figure in white suddenly appeared, interrupting the fight between the two.
That person wore a hazy white bamboo veil, obscuring their face and figure in a mysterious aura. Their voice was also deeply raspy, clearly having undergone disguise. “Sect Master Xu, let this matter end here.”
On the surface, this person appeared to be helping Lu Fenghuo, but in reality, they were assisting Xu Yuanhong.
Xu Yuanhong was no match for Lu Fenghuo.
If the fight continued like this, he would undoubtedly suffer losses.
For the sake of a yet-unknown infant, it truly was not worth it.
Xu Yuanhong cast a resentful glance at the date-red swaddling wrap, finally pressing his lips into a tight line and frostily backing down.
At the inn.
Lu Fenghuo cradled the tiny swaddling wrap in his arms, looking down at the sleeping child within as he clicked his tongue and shook his head. “What a truly pitiful darling, barely a full month old, with parents perishing one after another to become an orphan. As if that wasn’t enough, the servants at home refuse to raise him either. Where is your future headed from now on?”
Hearing these words, Fu Yunming replied with cold ruthlessness, “You brought him here yourself, you raise him.”
Lu Fenghuo:
Raise him then!
It’s not like he can’t.
With a massive Mirror Moon Palace to his name, could he really fail to support a single baby?
He could just dump the child on those elders later.
He was certain they would handle it wonderfully.
In the inn lobby, a young man dressed in precious blue robes was drinking wine. His cheeks were flushed and his gaze hazy, with no telling how many cups he had already downed.
This person was none other than Xu Ziwei.
Xu Ziwei was feeling quite distressed at the moment.
He had lost his mother at an early age, and his father had always showered him with affection. In his memories, his father seemed to perpetually pity others, and even upon encountering a complete stranger begging on the street, his father would generously open his purse.
His father had always been benevolent, kind, and generous.
Yet this amiable and respectable father of his:
Had killed Uncle Jiang with his own hands before the truth had even been fully verified.
Xu Ziwei suddenly felt that his father was terrifying.
He seemed to have turned into a complete stranger.
Xu Ziwei swallowed another bowl of wine, lifted his gaze to see newcomers entering, and wore a complicated expression. “Fifth Master?”
Lu Fenghuo was still holding a child in his arms, and at this, he raised his lips in a light smile. “Just call me Lu Fenghuo.”
Xu Ziwei had long since heard tales of Lu Fenghuo’s exploits, and seeing the child in his hands now, he did not find it particularly surprising. “Brother Lu saved Uncle Jiang’s child, and Xu expresses his gratitude here.”
Xu Ziwei’s voice sounded hoarse.
He was genuinely grateful.
“Just a small effort,” Lu Fenghuo replied.
Xu Ziwei shifted his gaze slightly, spotting the figures behind Lu Fenghuo: a red-robed monk and a black-robed swordsman wearing a white-fox mask.
Strange?
Xu Ziwei looked at the black-robed swordsman, somehow feeling a sense of familiarity.
He felt as though he had seen him somewhere before.
Furthermore, the moment he laid eyes on the black-robed swordsman, Xu Ziwei felt an inexplicable sense of dread, as if this person belonged to the exact same tier as his own father.
Xu Ziwei:
Was his brain broken?
Following the golden-basin-hand-washing convention, the Profound Moon Sect was set to hold the Famous Sword Tournament.
If one asked which sects were the most prominent in the martial world, they would undoubtedly be the two great sword sects: the Sun-Abundant Sect and the Profound Moon Sect. Among them, the Sun-Abundant Sect stood as the leader of the martial world.
Every five years, the two great sword sects jointly held a Famous Sword Tournament.
The host location rotated between them, and this year it happened to be the Profound Moon Sect’s turn.
The Famous Sword Tournament was open to all swordsmen across the martial world, and anyone could sign up to participate.
“If someone wins first place in the Famous Sword Tournament, what is the reward?” Lu Fenghuo asked.
“It changes every single round. This year, it is a hundred liang of gold,” Fu Yunming replied.
Lu Fenghuo:
The two great sword sects were this wealthy?!
Even someone like him felt a shameful surge of temptation!
Yet, recalling his demon palace, thanks to the hard work of the various elders and stewards, wasn’t it capable of earning thousands of gold pieces a day?
Thinking of that, those hundred liang of gold suddenly didn’t seem all that important.
However, with such a massive reward, the martial world would surely send forth numerous renowned figures and talents. It would be a pity not to go join in the fun!
On the day the Famous Sword Tournament commenced, within the Profound Moon Sect grounds.
The sprawling grounds were surging with crowds, dotted everywhere with itinerant peddlers and vendors.
Lu Fenghuo felt as though he had stepped back outside his university gates onto that long snack street. There were countless vendors here selling all sorts of culinary treats, dazzling and overwhelming to the senses.
“Give me a bag of Chenzhou fruit pastries,” Lu Fenghuo said.
“Coming right up!” the peddler said with a grin, casually striking up a conversation. “You heroes must be here to watch the Famous Sword Tournament! It is awfully lively around here, and with so many figures of the wind and clouds gathered together, you can catch sight of quite a few notable people! What a pity that that person didn’t come this year. I heard he is still in seclusion, otherwise we could have witnessed his majestic demeanor.”
“Which person?” Lu Fenghuo felt slightly puzzled.
“Why, that person!” The peddler raised his voice, and seeing that Lu Fenghuo still didn’t understand, he smiled helplessly. “That person, of course! The Sect Master of the Sun-Abundant Sect, the number one person in the righteous path!”
As soon as he said this, a nearby vendor crowded in as well.
Then, the two peddlers began discussing with looks of utmost reverence just how respectable and admirable the Sun-Abundant Sect Master was.
Lu Fenghuo:
So this Famous Sword Tournament was actually a fan gathering for the Sun-Abundant Sect Master, is that it?
Lu Fenghuo took a bite of his pastry.
Turning his head slightly, he happened to spot someone.
The man appeared to be around forty or fifty years old, dressed in a somber blue robe, with a solemn expression and an unsmiling demeanor. It was none other than the Profound Moon Sect Master, Xu Yuanhong!
The events of not long ago were still vivid in his mind, and now they had crossed paths in a narrow alley.
However, since the Famous Sword Tournament was about to begin and this was a crowded public setting, Xu Yuanhong shouldn’t make a move.
Just as Lu Fenghuo was thinking this, he saw Xu Yuanhong charging straight toward him with his sword drawn.
Lu Fenghuo: Really, there was no need to be this excited.