The private lotus pavilion of the Lu Estate was quiet, save for the gentle rustle of bamboo leaves in the evening breeze and the sweet, lingering scent of Nine-Leaf Heavenly Lotus incense.
Lu Chen sat leisurely at a carved white-jade table, pouring himself a cup of warm spiritual tea. Spread across the table were three glittering leather storage pouches, three high-tier flight swords etched with dragon runes, fifty thousand high-grade spirit stones, and an assortment of rare medicinal pills—all freshly looted from the three Black Dragon Sect elders currently groaning in unconscious bliss near the front gates.
Standing beside him, Ye Qingxian held her icy sword close to her chest. Her long silver hair shimmered like spun moonlight under the lantern glow, but her normally calm, ice-blue eyes were flickering with utter bewilderment.
"Young Master..." Ye Qingxian began, her voice crisp yet hesitant. "Those three elders are from a renowned second-tier sect. When they wake up... and realize their stomach distress was accompanied by the complete loss of their life savings... they will demand an explanation from the Patriarch."
Lu Chen took a slow, appreciative sip of tea, his glowing purple eyes curving into a warm, angelic smile.
"Explanation?" Lu Chen chuckled lightly, his crimson hair swaying over his shoulder. "Qingxian, my dear shadow, you wound me. Did I strike them? Did I draw a weapon? Did I spill a single drop of their precious blood?"
"No, Young Master..."
"Exactly," Lu Chen said, leaning back in his chair with supreme satisfaction. "They came to our estate shouting about extortion. They drank our tea, suffered a sudden and tragic bout of natural digestive misfortune, fell asleep from exhaustion, and clearly misplaced their belongings due to their own carelessness. If anything, our Lu Clan was gracious enough to let them sleep on our finest marble floor!"
Ye Qingxian bit her lower lip, her cheeks twitching slightly as she tried—and failed—to find a single flaw in his absurd logic.
Lu Chen reached out, picked up a glittering blue storage ring, and tossed it idly in the air before catching it. He turned his gaze toward Ye Qingxian, looking her up and down. At nineteen, her slender figure was beautifully proportioned inside her dark blue combat silk, her long, graceful legs subtly defined beneath the fitted fabric.
"Besides," Lu Chen murmured softly, his voice dropping into a deep, magnetic register. "Why worry about three old men when I have such a breathtaking guard protecting me?"
Ye Qingxian froze. A subtle blush crept up her pale neck, warming her icy complexion. She straightened her posture, trying to maintain her professional guard persona. "Young Master, I am merely fulfilling my duty to the Lu Clan."
Lu Chen smiled smoothly. He stood up from his chair, taking slow, deliberate steps toward her until he was standing barely an inch away. The subtle, elegant scent of cedar and lotus drifted from his white and purple imperial robes.
"Is it just duty?" Lu Chen whispered, leaning in closer until his breath brushed against her delicate ear. Ye Qingxian’s breath hitched, her silver eyelashes fluttering as her heart hammered against her ribs.
He reached out with a slender, fair finger, gently lifting her chin so her ice-blue eyes were forced to meet his intoxicating purple ones.
"Miss Qingxian..." Lu Chen murmured, a playful, dangerously attractive smirk touching his lips. "You looked so fascinated while watching me loot those elders earlier. Are you sure you're keeping an eye on my safety... or are you just enjoying watching your Young Master work?"
"I... Young Master..." Ye Qingxian stammered, her cold sword-saintess aura melting into complete flustered chaos. She took a swift step back, bowing her head deeply to hide the rosy glow on her face. "I... I shall inspect the perimeter!"
Before Lu Chen could tease her further, a booming, thunderous voice shattered the peaceful atmosphere of the pavilion.
"WHERE IS HE?! WHERE IS MY GENIUS SON?!"
BOOM!
The heavy jade courtyard doors were blasted open—not by an enemy, but by a towering man clad in black-and-gold dragon armor. His broad shoulders looked capable of carrying a mountain, and his terrifying aura flared so wildly that the lotus pond rippled in fear.
It was Lu Tian—Patriarch of the Lu Imperial Merchant Guild, tyrant of the Southern Continent, and Lu Chen’s wildly overprotective father.
Right behind him rushed a stunning woman in flowing crimson silk, dripping with priceless spiritual jewels. Her face was flushed with panic as she shoved the grand Patriarch out of her way.
"Lu Tian, move your fat ass out of my way!" Madam Lin, the Matriarch of the Lu Clan, snapped, rushing past her husband straight toward Lu Chen. "My baby! My poor Chen'er! Are you hurt?!"
Madam Lin grabbed Lu Chen’s shoulders, checking his cheeks, his arms, and his crimson hair with frantic motherly affection.
"Mother, Father, I am completely fine," Lu Chen said smoothly, giving his mother a reassuring, perfect smile that instantly melted her anxiety. "Why the sudden grand entrance?"
"Fine?!" Patriarch Lu Tian roared, slamming his massive fist against his palm, causing a shockwave of spiritual energy to rattle the roof tiles. "I heard three old dogs from the Black Dragon Sect came here to threaten my son! I was in the middle of closing a forty-million spirit stone trade deal, but the moment I heard, I cancelled it and rushed back! Where are they?! I'll skin them alive and feed their souls to my dark tiger!"
Ye Qingxian quietly stepped forward, bowing. "Lord Patriarch... the Black Dragon elders have already... been dealt with."
Patriarch Lu Tian blinked his large eyes, glancing at the pile of high-tier loot stacked neatly on Lu Chen’s table. He recognized the signature dragon-rune flight swords immediately.
"Wait..." Lu Tian stared at the pile, then at his nineteen-year-old son, who was sipping tea like an immortal deity. "Chen'er... did you kill them?"
"Father, how could you accuse me of such savagery?" Lu Chen said, putting his cup down with a dramatic, hurt sigh. "I am a man of peace and righteousness. I merely offered them tea. They had an unexpected severe allergic reaction, collapsed onto the floor, and kindly left behind their worldly possessions as a token of apology for disturbing our peace."
Madam Lin looked at the fifty thousand spirit stones and the high-grade swords, then looked at her handsome son. Her eyes sparkled with immense pride.
"Oh, look at my brilliant boy!" Madam Lin gushed, pulling Lu Chen into a tight, fragrant hug. "So merciful! So wise! Instead of making a mess in our courtyard, he peacefully convinced three sect elders to donate their entire net worth! Lu Tian, look at your son! He has ten times the brains you do!"
Patriarch Lu Tian scratched his beard, looking utterly bewildered, but a massive, booming laugh erupted from his chest anyway. "HA! HAHAHA! Excellent! As expected of my son! Taking everything from your enemies without drawing a blade—that is the true Lu Clan merchant spirit!"
Lu Tian slapped Lu Chen’s shoulder with enough force to crack bedrock, though Lu Chen’s refined foundation absorbed it effortlessly.
"However, Chen'er," Lu Tian’s tone turned slightly serious, a sharp glint in his small, fierce eyes. "You need to be careful in three days. The Lu Clan’s Main Assembly is taking place at the central city square. All branch clans and young geniuses will be attending."
"Oh?" Lu Chen raised an eyebrow, his purple eyes narrowing with interest.
"A branch clan kid named Lu Xiao recently returned from the Northern Wilderness," Madam Lin added with a disgustful sneer. "He was a talentless trash three years ago, but rumors say he stumbled into an ancient cave, found a mysterious ring artifact, and reached the Peak Foundation Establishment realm! Now he’s acting arrogant, blabbering around town that he’s going to challenge you—the main clan’s 'pampered Young Master'—to prove his Martial Dao!"
Lu Chen smirked inwardly.
A branch clan trash who found an ancient ring artifact and wants to challenge the Young Master to prove himself?
A classic, cliché Chosen Hero of Fate!
Right on cue, the familiar, mechanical chime resonated within his mind.
[Ding!]
[Main System Quest Generated!]
[Quest: Reform the Arrogant Hero!]
[Objective: Lu Xiao plans to humiliate you in front of the entire province to satisfy his vengeful ego. Convert his arrogance into humility using pure, righteous compassion! Do NOT kill him or disable his cultivation core.]
[Reward: 20,000 System Points, 1x Heavenly Fortune Stealing Mirror, 1x Imperial Grade Alchemical Manual.]
Lu Chen’s grin widened. Twenty thousand system points and a fortune-stealing artifact?
Compassion? Conversion? Of course I will be compassionate, Lu Chen thought, his adult mind already plotting a devious, chaotic masterpiece.
He turned toward Ye Qingxian, who was watching him intently from the side.
"Qingxian," Lu Chen called out smoothly.
"Yes, Young Master?"
"Prepare the alchemical lab tonight," Lu Chen ordered, a dangerous, intoxicating spark dancing in his purple eyes. "We need to brew something special for our dear cousin Lu Xiao. Something... unique."
Ye Qingxian’s heart skipped a beat. "What kind of poison, Young Master?"
"Not poison, my dear," Lu Chen chuckled softly, stepping closer to her and leaning in until his lips almost brushed her soft cheek, making her breath catch once more. "We are going to make 'Seven-Day Absolute Itching Powder' mixed with 'Soul-Rupturing Flatulence Toxin'. If our dear cousin wants to challenge me on stage in front of ten thousand people... I want to make sure he delivers a performance the entire continent will never forget."
Ye Qingxian gasped, her ice-blue eyes widening in sheer shock, before a tiny, helpless smile tugged at the corner of her own lips.
Her Young Master was truly a
n absolute menace—and she was completely, utterly hooked.