togophonebook Chapter 48 The Shadow of War
Chapter 48 The Shadow of War
Its speed far exceeded the reaction speed of a Qi Refining cultivator.
Those people were terrified. Some tried to use their magical artifacts to defend themselves, while others tried to escape, but all their efforts were in vain under the angry attack of the Foundation Establishment cultivator.
"Pfft! Pfft! Pfft!"
The wind easily pierced through their hastily activated protective aura, accurately hitting their vital points.
A few short screams abruptly stopped, and five or six figures burst open like punctured balloons, turning into several plumes of dazzling blood mist that filled the air.
The stench of blood filled the air instantly, but it was dispelled by Lu Zhiping's powerful spiritual pressure.
The entire port market was deathly silent; you could hear a pin drop.
All the cultivators fell silent, even their breathing was cautious, and their gazes toward the blue figure on the stone platform were filled with deep awe and fear.
The power of a Foundation Establishment Ancestor is terrifying; a single rage can cause a corpse to fall. Qi Refining cultivators are nothing more than ants.
This is the Lu family's attitude: the most direct and bloody response to provocateurs. They would rather kill the innocent than let any suspicious person go free!
Lu Zhiping didn't even glance at the dissipating blood mist, as if he had casually crushed a few ants.
His powerful divine sense swept across the entire area once more, and after confirming that there were no more obviously suspicious individuals, he coldly declared, "Starting today, the market will be under martial law for three days. All visiting cultivators must undergo inspection and registration by the Enforcement Hall. During this period, anyone who dares to cause trouble will be killed without exception!"
After saying that, his figure transformed into a streak of blue light once again, shooting towards the island in the center of the lake without stopping.
The scene left behind a group of monks still shaken, and a faint smell of blood lingering in the air.
The atmosphere in the port market was extremely oppressive.
……
On the island in the middle of the lake, in the main hall of the Lu family's council meeting, the atmosphere was extremely tense.
Beside the enormous jade round table sat the true core of the Lu family: three Foundation Establishment stage Supreme Elders.
In the main seat sat the Supreme Elder Lu Zhengxuan, whose white hair and beard, ancient face, and unfathomable aura were the most profound and mysterious, and who was in the late Foundation Establishment stage.
On the left is the newly returned Second Elder, Lu Zhiping, and on the right is the Third Elder, Lu Mingyuan. Both of them are at the early stage of Foundation Establishment.
In addition, the head of the Lu family, as well as several high-ranking and powerful elders and deacons at the ninth level of Qi Refining, were also present as observers.
Lu Zhiping quickly reported the details of the port attack, including casualties on his side, the deaths of dozens of low- to mid-level fishermen, injuries to cultivators from the Enforcement Hall, and the assassins' characteristics resembling Wang family techniques and traces of magical artifacts.
The summary also includes the escape of the Foundation Establishment cultivator after a brief attack, the swift suppression of suspicious individuals in the market, and the declaration of martial law.
"...That's the situation."
After Lu Zhiping finished speaking, his voice was low and his expression grew increasingly grim.
The losses have exceeded expectations, and although still within acceptable limits, they have had a significant impact.
"Their target is clear: the fishermen and farmers who form the foundation of my Lu family. They intend to weaken the core industry of the clan and demoralize the people."
"Moreover, the entire action was blatant; this is a serious provocation against the prestige of the Lu family!"
"Their actions were ruthless, and they had a Foundation Establishment cultivator providing backup. Their actions were meticulous, and they were definitely not ordinary Tribulation cultivators. It must have been a long-planned scheme."
"All these signs point to one suspect... the Crimson Sky Royal Family!"
The elders discussed amongst themselves, their faces showing anger, and then reached a conclusion.
The two sides already had many conflicts, and only the other side would have such a motive.
"Besides them, who else has the guts? Last time, because my Lu family wiped out the surrounding bandits and cut off some of their sources of income and informants, they harbored resentment and secretly obstructed us... Now they dare to directly attack and kill us, it's simply outrageous!"
"I suggest we immediately muster our forces and retaliate in kind, massacring the Wang family's strongholds around Biyue Lake and making them pay the price!"
The Third Elder, Lu Mingyuan, had a fiery temper and slammed his fist on the table first, his beard and hair standing on end.
His views represent the indignation of a considerable portion of the Lu family.
If the Lu family doesn't retaliate fiercely when attacked at their doorstep, what will become of their reputation and prestige?
However, Lu Wenbo, another elder at the ninth level of Qi Refining who was in charge of the family's external affairs, frowned and said, "Third Elder, please calm down. Revenge is necessary, but we need to plan carefully."
"Currently, we have no direct evidence to prove that it was the Wang family's senior management who instructed them. The other party is acting covertly and has left limited clues. The few people arrested during the investigation of fishermen and farmers are just peripheral informants who do not know much and may even be deliberately abandoned pawns."
"If we rashly launch a large-scale attack on the Wang family's stronghold, we will be without a legitimate reason and could easily be counter-attacked by them, who will accuse our Lu family of bullying the weak and disrupting the regional balance."
He paused, then continued his analysis: "What we need to be even more wary of is that around Biyue Lake, there are not only our Lu and Wang families, but also Foundation Establishment families such as the Ye and Zhou families, as well as many small forces that depend on them. If we go to war with the Wang family, the losses will be huge, and it is hard to guarantee that someone will not reap the benefits."
"They even... were suppressed by them working together. After all, the Lu family, with three members at the Foundation Establishment stage, has already made some people uneasy."
Lu Wenbo's words revealed a deeper concern: the Lu family's development momentum in recent years has been too strong, especially with the existence of the genius Lu Qianxue.
Upon hearing this, a brief silence fell over the council hall. Several elders glanced, intentionally or unintentionally, at a young girl sitting not far below the Supreme Elder.
She was dressed in a gold and red dress, with a cool and aloof temperament like the moon and an exquisite face. She was none other than Lu Qianxue, the most dazzling genius in the Lu family in the past hundred years.
Although he was only at the ninth level of Qi Refining at this moment, his aura was condensed and pure, and he seemed to be on the verge of perfection.
What's even more startling is his composure and aloofness, which far exceed those of his peers.
Just sitting there quietly, he exudes an aura that is impossible to ignore.
Sensing the gazes of the crowd, Lu Qianxue raised her eyes, her gaze clear and calm, her voice even and undisturbed, and said:
"Elder Wenbo's concerns are quite valid. The Wang family's actions are a test and provocation on the surface, but their deeper intention is probably to force our Lu family into chaos, either by hastily starting a war and depleting our strength, or by swallowing our pride and losing face. Either way, it will be in their favor."
She paused slightly, her voice soft yet clear enough to reach everyone's ears: "As for their apprehension... I believe that what they truly fear is perhaps not merely the three Foundation Establishment Grand Elders currently in power, but rather..."
The girl didn't finish her sentence, but everyone present understood what she meant.
She was wary of the Lu family's upcoming fourth Foundation Establishment cultivator, who was none other than herself!
Lu Qianxue possesses a metal-water affinity that reaches the level of an earth-spirit root, demonstrating exceptional talent and astonishing comprehension.
With his alchemy skills reaching the near-second level, his cultivation realm had already reached the ninth level of Qi Refining, just one step away from perfection.
With her foundation and temperament, even without the aid of Foundation Establishment Pills, she has a very high chance of successfully breaking through to the Foundation Establishment stage.
Once the Foundation Establishment is successfully achieved, the Lu family will have four Foundation Establishment members, which will be an overwhelming force outside the Biyue Lake area, completely changing the power structure.
How could the Wang family and other families not be wary? How could they not try to disrupt the Lu family's plans, or even... eliminate the threat, before she could establish her foundation?