Chapter 115: One Parting, Ten Thousand Miles Apart (High Energy in This Chapter)

At 8 PM, a tired Lu Dongliang returned to his residence. After waiting over half an hour in his study, Qiu Zhiheng came to report: "Master, our men have brought back more than twenty people in total. They are being held in the dungeon. Six of them were transporting phonographs on the road; the rest are coachmen who said they helped transport phonographs last night and today."

Lu Dongliang nodded. "Go interrogate them first. Inform me immediately if you find any clues." Li Banfeng was close, and the Mysterious Vermilion Lotus was also close. Lu Dongliang felt he could almost touch them.

Qiu Zhiheng went to the dungeon. Lu Dongliang, weary from a full day of business discussions with various families, was about to rest when a steward came to announce, "Master, the eldest young lady of the He family has arrived."

"Which young lady?" Lu Dongliang asked, annoyed.

The steward replied, "He Haiqin's elder sister, He Yuxiu."

Lu Dongliang picked up his yellow woolen overcoat, shook it, and ill-temperedly threw it on. "What does that shrew want at this late hour?" Though displeased, he couldn't show it on his face. Having clawed his way up for so many years, Lu Dongliang knew to remain composed, especially in critical moments. He Yuxiu had a bad temper and high cultivation. Whatever she intended, he had to keep his composure tonight.

Upon entering the grand hall, he saw He Yuxiu standing facing the stairs with two attendants. Lu Dongliang said with a beaming smile, "Sister Xiu, what brings you here? You didn't even notify me; I would have come to your residence to escort you."

"Oh, you escort me? Do I really have such a high status?" He Yuxiu sneered. "Master Lu, you're one of the most prominent figures in Puluo State. Your word is your bond, isn't it? My nephew has been lying in the hospital for months, and you keep promising an explanation. When will that explanation finally come?"

Lu Dongliang quickly stepped forward and urged, "Sister Xiu, I'm also anxious about this. The key is that Xiaolan just returned..."

"Just returned?" He Yuxiu sneered, "How come I heard she's been back for months?"

Lu Dongliang remained silent. *So what if she's been back for months? I won't hand her over. What are you going to do, snatch her?*

Seeing Lu Dongliang silent, He Yuxiu lit a cigarette and said, "Old Master Lu, let's be frank. I'm here today to take Lu Xiaolan away. If you agree, the matter will be considered settled. If you don't, then I won't leave." He Yuxiu sat directly on the sofa, waiting for Lu Dongliang's reply.

Lu Dongliang quickly instructed the maid, Old Woman Wu, to prepare tea. He sat opposite He Yuxiu and explained, "There are still many things Xiaolan hasn't clarified. She was certainly wrong to injure Jiaqing, and I won't be lenient in disciplining her. But for such a life-and-death matter, shouldn't the child be given a chance to explain herself?"

He Yuxiu flicked her cigarette ash and said, "Alright, tell me, what exactly hasn't been clarified? Let me see if I understand."

Lu Dongliang chuckled, "There's so much; where do you want me to start?"

He Yuxiu also laughed, "You don't know where to start? Let me help you think. First, let me ask you, where did Lu Xiaolan return from?"

"She returned from another state. The train derailed, and Xiaolan was seriously injured. You should know about this."

"Don't give me that damn nonsense! I've already investigated thoroughly; Lu Xiaolan escaped from my He family mansion!"

Lu Dongliang said nothing, pulling out a cigarette and placing it between his lips. He wasn't a heavy smoker, but his mood was sour at that moment. In recent years, when doing business with other families, he was always the one holding the cards. Today's situation was a bit passive. But being passive wasn't a problem; he just wondered what He Yuxiu could do to him.

He Yuxiu smiled, "Let me ask you another thing: are you looking for Li Banfeng?"

Lu Dongliang didn't deny it. "I am looking for him because Xiaolan told me Li Banfeng took something very important."

He Yuxiu pressed on, "Are you talking about the Mysterious Vermilion Lotus that Jiaqing found?"

Lu Dongliang's eye twitched. For the past few months, the He and Lu families had been in constant conflict, but the friction had always centered on He Jiaqing's injury. Both families deliberately avoided discussing the Mysterious Vermilion Lotus because neither wanted to publicize such a treasure and attract the covetous gaze of other families. But today, He Yuxiu laid it all bare.

Was this her own intention, or He Haiqin's? Why didn't He Haiqin come himself? Was it because He Yuxiu was a better fighter than him? Did this shrew intend to wreak havoc in his home? Lu Dongliang had to seriously consider this matter. He Yuxiu was the He family's strongest fighter. If this shrew truly fought with all her might, Lu Dongliang, even if he won, could be severely injured.

"Speak up, were you looking for the Mysterious Vermilion Lotus?" He Yuxiu pressed relentlessly.

Lu Dongliang opted for a delaying tactic: "I wasn't looking for the Lotus. I know that's a treasure Jiaqing found. I just want to find Li Banfeng's whereabouts to clarify the misunderstanding between our two families."

"Don't give me that damn nonsense again!" He Yuxiu stubbed out her cigarette. "Li Banfeng died a long time ago, killed by Lu Xiaolan, taking the Lotus with him. The Lotus is already in your hands, and you're still playing games with me!"

Lu Dongliang frowned and said, "Sister Xiu, where did you hear such news? We've clawed our way up for half a lifetime; we can't trust street rumors."

He Yuxiu sneered, "Street rumors? If I believed street rumors, I would have torn down your house a long time ago! Your daughter, Lu Xiaolan, was trapped in our He family old mansion, nearly starved to death. She tricked Li Banfeng into taking the Lotus and then asked him to come to the old mansion to save her. The two of them fought over the spoils in the old mansion, and Li Banfeng was beaten to death by Lu Xiaolan right there! Now you're pretending to look for Li Banfeng? The Lotus is already in your possession, so why are you still looking for him?"

Lu Dongliang frowned, "Sister Xiu, you need evidence for such claims! Who told you this? Do they dare to confront us face-to-face?"

He Yuxiu stood up and said, "A confrontation is possible, but not here. The one who told me this was the house spirit of my He family's old mansion. After my father moved out of Yaowang Gully, the mansion was given to my second uncle. My second uncle was a house cultivator, and when he died, the house spirit remained in the old mansion. That old mansion hasn't been looked after for years and years. If I hadn't received news and gone to take a look, I wouldn't have known such a huge incident occurred. Lu Dongliang, do you dare to challenge me? Do you dare to say your daughter didn't go to my old mansion? Do you think I don't know that damn Monkey Qiu rescued Lu Xiaolan from there? I just returned from Yaowang Gully and personally heard all this from the house spirit. That's *my* family's house spirit; could it possibly lie to me?"

A vein throbbed on Lu Dongliang's forehead. He wasn't enraged by He Yuxiu; he was intimately familiar with her temperament. He *was* enraged by Lu Xiaolan. Lu Xiaolan had actually never told him the truth. From the very beginning, Lu Xiaolan had been deceiving him, and she was still doing it now?

Not only was Lu Dongliang furious, but Zhuo Yuling, who was perched on the second-floor roof, almost fell off as she listened to the conversation. *Li Banfeng was already dead? Beaten to death by Xiaolan in the He family old mansion? She even lied to me? Was what He Yuxiu said true? If she dared to confront them face-to-face, it must be true. After all, house spirits don't lie. Do house spirits *really* not lie?*

At Yuezhou Third Hospital, He Haisheng had gone out, leaving He Jiaqing alone in the hospital bed. He Jiaqing suddenly laughed aloud. Who said house spirits couldn't lie? That's my friend. We can negotiate anything!

In the Lu family mansion, He Yuxiu lit another cigarette, took a deep drag, composed herself, and said to Lu Dongliang, "Old Master Lu, we've shared a bed before, so we know each other inside out. I won't make things difficult for you. Just bring Lu Xiaolan out; I want to ask her a few questions face-to-face."

He Yuxiu and Lu Dongliang had indeed slept together. In her youth, He Yuxiu was a renowned beauty with a free spirit. She was well-acquainted with Lu Dongliang, and they knew each other intimately. Given how far He Yuxiu had taken the conversation today, if Lu Dongliang still refused to bring Lu Xiaolan out for a meeting, he would be forcing He Yuxiu to turn hostile.

But while a meeting was one thing, Lu Dongliang would absolutely not let He Yuxiu take Lu Xiaolan away. Even if it meant torturing Lu Xiaolan, even if it meant beating her to death, Lu Dongliang had to ascertain the whereabouts of the Mysterious Vermilion Lotus.

He called a steward and quietly instructed him to escort Lu Xiaolan downstairs, adding, "Send more people to keep an eye on Xiaolan." This instruction was perfectly reasonable. Lu Xiaolan was about to confront He Yuxiu, and if Lu Xiaolan had indeed lied and her lies were exposed, she might react impulsively. Of course, Lu Dongliang also called for more people to guard against He Yuxiu. He could have said this openly, and it wouldn't have mattered if He Yuxiu heard it. It was Lu Dongliang's home; it was only natural for him to take precautions. However, the usually cautious Lu Dongliang habitually lowered his voice to the barest whisper, and He Yuxiu only caught four words: "Send more people." She immediately became wary.

"Old Master Lu, what are you trying to do? Tell me clearly!" He Yuxiu's expression turned fierce.

Lu Dongliang said, surprised, "I'm having Xiaolan brought down. You said you wanted to see her. Isn't that clear enough?"

He Yuxiu eyed Lu Dongliang suspiciously. Lu Dongliang calmly instructed, "Old Woman Wu, bring Sister Xiu another pot of tea." Old Woman Wu went to prepare the tea. The steward went upstairs to escort Lu Xiaolan. Lu Dongliang put a record on the phonograph and played "Dream Lover" to ease the atmosphere.

Zhuo Yuling, still perched on the ceiling, couldn't wait any longer.*Gurgle, gurgle, gurgle.*

A gecko's call? A gecko's call was nothing unusual; which residence didn't have geckos? But Lu Dongliang felt something was off. Lu Dongliang paused, then looked up at the ceiling. He Yuxiu followed his gaze to the ceiling.

"Zhuo Yuling!" Zhuo Yuling, clinging to the ceiling, rapidly shook her head, emitting cries.

*Gurgle, gurgle, gurgle.*

He Yuxiu was shocked. "Lu Dongliang, you bastard, you set me up!" He Yuxiu, an eighth-level martial cultivator, instantly appeared before Lu Dongliang, wielding a table.

Xiao Yeci walked out of the third-floor restroom, just behind the railing at the stairwell, and witnessed this scene. She was stunned. She didn't know what was happening. *Why was that woman wielding a table? Were they thugs fighting? It seemed that woman wasn't a master.* Xiao Yeci had heard the town's storytellers say that true masters, when fighting, used the best weapons and the best martial arts. Once they made a move, it would last three days and three nights, shattering mountains and splitting the earth, and even then, a victor might not be determined. This was what Xiao Yeci didn't understand. A fight between masters was not that complicated at all. The higher the level, the simpler the moves. He Yuxiu was an eighth-level martial cultivator; anything she could pick up was a weapon. A whole table was a shield, and if the table was shattered, the wooden pieces, large and small, became sharp instruments. The teapot, teacups, fruit platter, and vase on the table all became projectiles, flying accurately toward Lu Dongliang. Don't underestimate these projectiles; a single teapot could pierce Lu Dongliang's body. That was the power of an eighth-level martial cultivator.

Lu Dongliang appeared to stand still, yet he effortlessly dodged the dozen or so items on the table. The footwork of a ninth-level traveler cultivator was beyond He Yuxiu's visual range. He Yuxiu didn't expect these small items to hit Lu Dongliang; she thrust the table into him. This was merely a diversion. He Yuxiu knew Lu Dongliang could easily dodge it, and she was already planning her next move. Her next move had to be a killing blow. In a top-tier fight between an eighth-level and a ninth-level cultivator, there was no such thing as "three days and three nights"; victory or defeat would be decided in the blink of an eye. If He Yuxiu couldn't kill Lu Dongliang with her next strike, she would have to prepare to die.

But to her surprise, Lu Dongliang couldn't even dodge the table. His feet were ensnared by spider silk. It only entangled him for an instant. Caught off guard, Lu Dongliang never expected to fall into an ambush in his own home. The corner of the table struck Lu Dongliang squarely in the chest. Lu Dongliang took the full impact, and a mouthful of blood gushed out. The power of an eighth-level martial cultivator was immense.

He Yuxiu realized something was wrong and quickly pulled back. But someone delivered a follow-up strike. Lu Dongjun, Lu Dongliang's own younger brother and an eighth-level martial cultivator, suddenly appeared and punched Lu Dongliang in the back. The punch went through his spine and exited his chest. Almost simultaneously, Zhuo Yuling flicked the "fat peach" below her waist, and a long gecko tail shot out from beneath her skirt, transforming into a sharp spike that pierced a hole in Lu Dongliang's forehead.

What was happening? The incident was so sudden that Lu Dongliang had almost no reaction. But in the blink of an eye, Lu Dongliang understood everything. *Zhuo Yuling attacked me because of Lu Xiaolan. Lu Dongjun moved against me for the family head position. He Yuxiu fought me desperately to take Lu Xiaolan away. The spider silk came from that pioneering private investigator. Lu Dongliang sensed He Yuxiu's imminent attack, but he didn't perceive danger from the others. They used artifacts that concealed malicious intent. Were they in collusion? Not necessarily. Lu Dongjun and Zhuo Yuling might genuinely be in collusion. The private investigator was hired by them. As for He Yuxiu, since she wanted to take Lu Xiaolan away, she couldn't possibly be in collusion with Zhuo Yuling. That foolish woman got haphazardly entangled in this. What to do? I cannot stay here. The current situation was extremely unfavorable. Lu Dongliang was severely wounded; staying even a moment longer could cost him his life.*

He glanced at He Yuxiu again. *This woman was truly a damn fool! She had to live. Even if I die, tonight's events need a witness! If Monkey Qiu were here, it would be great. I should have made him stay to guard the house. If Monkey Qiu had been home, Lu Dongjun and that private investigator could never have ambushed me in my own house!*

Lu Dongliang gently pushed He Yuxiu. The bewildered He Yuxiu instantly flew out of the mansion, hitting the wall behind her and passing straight through it. Lu Dongliang himself also flew out, hitting the residence's wall and passing through it with almost no obstruction. Ninth-level traveler cultivator skill: Parting for Ten Thousand Miles. Lu Dongliang had always suspected Lu Xiaolan was lying, but he knew some of what she said was true.

Zhuo Yuling was dumbfounded. She recalled Lu Xiaolan's description of He Jiaqing. He Jiaqing pushed, and Lu Xiaolan flew out... It was based on this description that Lu Dongliang discerned He Jiaqing's cultivation path. And it was also based on this description that Lu Dongliang knew He Jiaqing's cultivation was superior to Qiu Zhiheng's. Both of them vanished just like that, leaving a thoroughly astonished Lu Dongjun standing bewildered in place.

Xiao Yeci stood frozen in the corridor. Lu Chunying pulled her, motioning for her to flee immediately.

In a ward at Yuezhou Third Hospital, He Jiaqing couldn't hold back anymore. With He Haisheng and the nurse absent, he laughed uncontrollably, sitting up and rocking back and forth with laughter.