Sword Arrives

The boy turned and made a face, mocking, "Stinky girl, you just said it yourself, it's the 'mountain' treasure, just some mountain lineage, what's so impressive about it?"

Suddenly, the boy changed his playful expression, stood up from the woman's arms, and looked down at the little girl with a compassionate gaze, like a schoolteacher reprimanding an ignorant student. "The Way to Immortality, to act against the heavens, all lies in competition. You don't even understand this simple principle, how can you inherit the family business, or uphold your ancestors' teachings? You, descendants of Zhengyang Mountain, every generation must raise Zhengyang Mountain by at least a hundred feet every thirty years. Stinky girl, do you think it's easy for your grandfather and father?"

The little girl seemed to lose her momentum, her face drooping, not daring to meet the boy's eyes.

The burly old man with a head full of frost and snow spoke in a deep voice, "Madam, though children speak without restraint, if this leads to our young master's heart being corrupted, you should weigh the consequences yourself."

The woman smiled charmingly, pulled her sulking son back into her arms, and with a hidden sharpness in her tone, said, "The children are just quarrelling. Senior Yuan, there's no need to make such a big deal of it. Don't let our two families' thousand-year friendship be spoiled over a trivial matter."

The old man, unexpectedly fiery and unyielding, shot back with a stern reply, "Our Zhengyang Mountain has been founded for over two thousand six hundred years. We repay kindness with kindness, and though a thousand years may pass, we will never forget it. Likewise, we repay enmity with enmity, and there is never a grudge left overnight!"

The woman smiled, choosing not to engage in a battle of words.

Everyone in the town had their own burdens, but especially her, as she was gambling everything—her life, her son's future, and her family's foundation—on this one crucial gamble.

Though the woman's attire was simple, she exuded an air of grace and dignity. However, the townspeople, having little exposure to the world beyond, did not understand the subtleties of her presence.

From start to finish, Lu Zhengchun remained with his back to the covered bridge steps.

When he had first encountered these distinguished guests at the Lu family estate, his younger brother, full of youthful vigor and lacking self-restraint, had momentarily forgotten their grandfather's warning. Unable to resist, he stole a glance at the beautiful woman's chest. This had infuriated their grandfather, who trembled with rage and had the young man dragged away. The poor boy was beaten to death in the courtyard, his mouth stuffed with cotton to muffle his screams, and Lu Zhengchun, still in the main hall, could neither hear his brother's pitiful cries nor witness the bloodied scene. Once the business meeting was over, they all went out to find that Liu boy. As Lu Zhengchun crossed the threshold of the main hall, he noticed that the bloodstains in the courtyard had long been cleaned up. The four guests who had come from afar, even the children who seemed as innocent as celestial beings, showed no sign of unease, as if such things were the natural order of the world.

In that moment, Lu Zhengchun felt a sense of confusion.

Someone had died, but it felt as though it was less significant than the death of a dog.

Moreover, that person was his dear brother. The night before, when the young brother had drunk with him to muster some courage, he had been incredibly excited, saying that they would rise to prominence in the future, bring glory to their family, and no longer be like frogs at the bottom of a well. The two brothers vowed to carve out a new world for themselves.

Even after leaving the Lu family estate, Lu Zhengchun's mind remained blank.

After that night, Lu Zhengchun began to feel a growing sense of fear. When asked questions by the unfamiliar nobles, his voice would tremble, and when guiding them, his steps would become erratic. He knew this made him a laughingstock and that it would disappoint his grandfather and bring shame to the family. Yet, the young man couldn't control his fear; it felt as though coldness was seeping from his bones, and his entire body was covered in a chill.

Last year, at the end of the year, his grandfather had taken the two brothers into a secret room and shared a piece of news: the Lu family would soon be doing work for some nobles, and it was a great opportunity. They had to be very careful in their dealings. If successful, the rewards would be turned into stepping stones for the brothers, and with just a nod from the nobles, a broad road would open before them, leading to unimaginable wealth and prosperity. It was then that he understood why he and his brother had been made to learn so many strange dialects from a young age.

Lu Zhengchun looked at Liu Xianyang, who was getting closer to the covered bridge, and suddenly, he felt a deep hatred for this person. This poor wretch, once trapped by him and his men in an alley, lying on the ground like a dead dog. If it weren't for some little brat shouting "someone's dead!" at the alley entrance, he and his gang would have already gone according to plan, ready to drop their pants and rain down a beating on that ungrateful boy. Even now, Lu Zhengchun couldn't understand why these high-ranking nobles looked at Liu Xianyang with such different eyes. As for their so-called treasured armor, sword manual, Zhengyang Mountain, the Way to Immortality, and all this talk of seizing opportunities and luck—Lu Zhengchun seemed to understand, yet also felt like he didn't understand at all.

But one thing was certain: he deeply wished for Liu Xianyang to die here.

As for the true reason behind it, Lu Zhengchun dared not admit it, nor did he want to dwell on it.