Before long…
The four of them arrived at Tongren Academy.
The entire exterior of the building had been plastered with yellow talismans.
Blood stained the ground outside.
Broken arrows were scattered everywhere.
Seeing the scene…
Huang Feihong, Aunt Thirteen, and Leung Foon all frowned grimly.
Only Lucian remained expressionless.
“Let’s check inside.”
Huang Feihong said before striding into the building.
The others followed close behind.
Inside…
The scholarly atmosphere that had once filled the academy had completely vanished.
Broken desks and chairs lay scattered everywhere.
Several corpses riddled with arrows were sprawled across the floor.
Suddenly—
“AAAH!”
A bloodied figure lunged toward them.
Huang Feihong reacted instantly.
Bang!
One powerful kick sent the attacker flying backward.
The man crashed to the ground…
And never moved again.
Only then did everyone realize…
He had been a dying foreign teacher desperately seeking help.
Leung Foon immediately gave Huang Feihong a thumbs-up.
“Wow!”
“Master, your reflexes are incredible!”
Then…
He glanced smugly at Lucian, who was calmly surveying the room.
Huang Feihong, however, looked rather embarrassed.
“…”
Just then…
Lucian suddenly spoke.
“There’s someone alive upstairs.”
Leung Foon snorted.
“Oh, come on.”
“How would you know?”
“You haven’t even gone upstairs.”
Ignoring him completely…
Lucian continued.
“There are over a dozen children.”
“They’re hiding inside a cabinet on the second floor.”
Leung Foon rolled his eyes.
“Now you’re making things up.”
“You talk as if you’ve already seen them.”
The words had barely left his mouth—
BANG!
A loud crash echoed from upstairs.
Leung Foon froze.
Even Huang Feihong’s eyes widened slightly.
He stared intently at Lucian.
What incredible perception…
Even I couldn’t detect anyone upstairs…
Yet he sensed them while standing on the first floor…
Has this man truly reached the legendary realm where one can perceive every living presence?
Without another word…
Aunt Thirteen sprinted upstairs.
The others immediately followed.
Reaching the second floor…
Lucian walked directly toward a corner of the room.
There stood a massive wooden cabinet.
Without hesitation…
He pulled open its doors.
“Ah!”
A chorus of frightened cries erupted from inside.
Huang Feihong, Aunt Thirteen, and Leung Foon quickly gathered around.
Inside the cabinet…
More than a dozen terrified children huddled together.
Leung Foon stared at Lucian in disbelief.
“Y-You…”
“How did you know they were hiding here?!”
Lucian chuckled.
“Nothing special.”
“Just basic stuff.”
“Don’t worry about it.”
“…”
Huang Feihong was speechless.
“…”
Leung Foon was speechless.
“…”
Even Aunt Thirteen didn’t know what to say.
Looking at the frightened children…
Aunt Thirteen asked,
“What should we do with them?”
Huang Feihong answered immediately.
“We should take them back to the inn first.”
“Then help each child return home.”
Leung Foon nodded in agreement.
Aunt Thirteen, however…
Continued looking at Lucian.
She knew he possessed extraordinary abilities.
Perhaps…
He had an even better solution.
Lucian thought for a moment.
“Those whose homes are nearby…”
“Send them back.”
“As for those who live far away…”
“Or those with no family left…”
“I’ll take responsibility for them.”
He smiled gently before crouching down.
“Come on, kids.”
“You can come out now.”
The children slowly climbed out of the cabinet.
Lucian looked at them.
“Whose home is nearby?”
Three children timidly raised their hands.
He nodded.
“Take those three with you.”
“I’ll handle everyone else.”
Huang Feihong hesitated.
“And the remaining children?”
“How do you intend to care for them?”
“My friend will be here shortly.”
“He’ll return the children who still have families.”
“The rest…”
“I’ll raise.”
Aunt Thirteen tilted her head.
“Your friend?”
“The Black gentleman from before?”
Lucian nodded.
“That’s right.”
She exchanged glances with Huang Feihong and Leung Foon.
“Then…”
“We’ll wait until your friend arrives.”
Neither Huang Feihong nor Leung Foon objected.
Clearly…
They weren’t entirely comfortable leaving the children in the care of a mysterious stranger.
Lucian immediately understood what they were thinking.
But he didn’t mind.
Smiling…
He simply nodded.
Then he picked up a fallen chair…
Set it upright…
And calmly sat down to wait.
After a while…
Huang Feihong finally asked,
“Mr.
Lucian…”
“Aren’t you going to contact your friend?”
Lucian smiled.
“No need.”
“He should be here soon.”
“I see…”
Huang Feihong nodded.
“Still…”
“I hope he arrives quickly.”
“I’m worried those White Lotus fanatics may return.”
Lucian laughed softly.
“It’s fine.”
“Master Feihong is here, isn’t he?”
Leung Foon immediately puffed out his chest.
“Exactly!”
“My master’s martial arts are unmatched under heaven!”
“Even if a hundred enemies showed up…”
“He’d beat every last one of them!”
He looked so proud…
One might have thought he was talking about himself.
“Ah Kwan.”
“Enough.”
Huang Feihong frowned.
Leung Foon instantly covered his mouth and fell silent.
The room grew quiet once more.
The only sounds were…
The children’s soft whispers.
And Aunt Thirteen gently comforting them.
Time slowly passed.
Just as Huang Feihong and the others were beginning to lose patience…
Lucian, who had been sitting quietly the entire time, suddenly spoke.
“He’s here.”
The three looked at him in confusion.
Then…
Right before their eyes…
A glowing circular portal, nearly five feet in diameter, suddenly materialized in midair.