Chapter 166: Old Grudges

Lu Dongjun continuously retreated. In his impression, He Haiqin should have been an eighth-level Food Cultivator. How could he have learned a ninth-level technique?

When did he get promoted?

As the fierce wind dissipated, He Haisheng also stood up from the ground, following closely behind He Haiqin.

He Haiqin reprimanded He Haisheng: "Third brother, your temper is too impetuous. Didn't I tell you to stall him for a bit? Why did you directly engage him in a fight?"

"Brother, you're a bit impatient too. You swallowed all my smoke." That smoke was equivalent to He Haisheng's flesh and blood.

"I'm choking on it, damn it," He Haiqin coughed twice.

He Haisheng gritted his teeth and said, "Brother, he's the one who harmed you! His strategist, Wan Jinxian, is a Disease Cultivator!"

He Haiqin gnashed his teeth, "I know about this. You don't need to act. I'm going to flay him alive myself today!"

Lu Dongjun remained calm, showing no panic.

He Haiqin looked at Lu Dongjun: "Little Junzi, our relationship goes way back. When you invited me to dinner back then, I even shared some heartfelt words with you. I genuinely wanted to help you become the head of the Lu family. How could you let that scoundrel Wan Jinxian harm me?"

Lu Dongjun shook his head: "Brother Haiqin, I truly didn't know about this. If Haisheng hadn't just mentioned it, I wouldn't have known your illness at the time was related to Wan Jinxian. I may not be a smart man, but Brother Haiqin, you're perceptive. This matter really can't be pinned on me."

Lu Dongjun didn't know Wan Jinxian had planted the illness in He Haiqin?

Nonsense!

How could he not know!

This was an order from Lu Dongliang. However, Lu Dongliang didn't tell him to make He Haiqin sick, but to kill him outright. If Lu Dongjun succeeded, Lu Dongliang promised to give him half of the family fortune. Lu Dongjun had also planned to use force. At that time, He Haiqin was still an eighth-level cultivator. With Lu Dongjun's strength, killing an eighth-level Food Cultivator wouldn't have been too difficult. He just didn't expect He Haiqin to bring He Yuxiu along.

That made it much harder. He Yuxiu was also an eighth-level Martial Cultivator. Although she wasn't as strong in combat as Lu Dongjun, her fundamental combat power was significant, so Lu Dongjun naturally didn't dare to make a move. Seeing that the task couldn't be accomplished, Wan Jinxian volunteered. During the banquet, he disguised himself as a waiter and secretly planted the illness in He Haiqin.

It was from this moment that Wan Jinxian gained Lu Dongjun's trust and was heavily relied upon.

Two days later, He Haiqin fell seriously ill. Lu Dongjun thought the mission was accomplished and waited for Lu Dongliang to give him half of the family's assets. To his surprise, He Haiqin, relying on his robust physique and the assistance of the Medicine Cultivator Chu Peiying, managed to extend his life by two years.

Since He Haiqin didn't die, Lu Dongliang didn't have to honor his promise, and naturally, the family fortune was not given. However, during those two years, taking advantage of He Haiqin's serious illness, Lu Dongliang gained significant advantages. Under his suppression, the He family gradually declined, and the Lu family became the top family in Proluo State.

Lu Dongjun saw it with his own eyes and harbored resentment in his heart. Although He Haiqin didn't die, Lu Dongjun had made a significant contribution and felt he shouldn't receive nothing. Coupled with Wan Jinxian's repeated instigation, he developed a murderous intent towards Lu Dongliang.

The plot to harm He Haiqin had been exposed, but Lu Dongjun was still trying to explain himself. He Haiqin didn't bother to listen. Lu Dongjun's usual supporters were nowhere to be seen. It was a rare chance to catch him alone, so why not take his life now?

He Haiqin charged directly at Lu Dongjun, throwing a punch.

Lu Dongjun didn't dodge. Instead, he preemptively kicked He Haiqin in the chest.

He Haiqin stumbled back several steps. If not for the robust physique of a Food Cultivator, he might have lost his life.

"Little Junzi, you're ruthless! You can really fight, damn it. No wonder Lu Dongliang was harmed by you!"

Regarding Lu Dongliang's situation, He Haiqin naturally believed He Yuxiu.

Although he had a cultivation advantage, he didn't necessarily have the upper hand in a one-on-one fight.

He Haiqin changed his mind: "Brothers, let's go together!"

He Haiqin and He Haisheng, the two brothers, simultaneously closed in on Lu Dongjun. A well-fed Food Cultivator possesses astonishing speed, strength, and resilience. A Smoke Cultivator has methods for both long and short range, appearing and disappearing unpredictably.

In this situation, was there still a chance for a comeback?

Lu Dongjun ripped up two rows of seats from the carriage and threw them simultaneously at He Haiqin and He Haisheng. Martial Cultivators might not have specific techniques, but their combat power is the strongest, relying solely on their martial arts. The two rows of heavy seats flew precisely towards the brothers.

He Haiqin directly crashed through the seats, smashing them to pieces, and charged straight at Lu Dongjun.

He Haisheng dodged to the side, avoiding the seats.

The opportunity was here: the brothers had different strategies for dealing with a direct assault. Inside the narrow carriage, Lu Dongjun leaped onto the seatbacks, dashed past He Haiqin, and lunged directly at He Haisheng.

He Haisheng prepared to transform into smoke, which was his standard tactic.

He Haiqin was pursuing him from behind. Lu Dongjun spun around and kicked, conjuring a fierce wind that blocked He Haiqin. He Haiqin opened his mouth and swallowed the strong wind, but He Haisheng no longer dared to transform into smoke. Just now, a portion of He Haisheng's smoke had been dispersed by Lu Dongjun, and another part had been swallowed by He Haiqin. This smoke was He Haisheng's body, his very life. If He Haiqin swallowed another mouthful, He Haisheng would be severely injured.

In that instant of hesitation, Lu Dongjun grabbed He Haisheng's head, intending to crush it. Getting rid of He Haisheng would make dealing with He Haiqin alone much easier. He was useless at everything else, but fighting was his forte.

Just as Lu Dongjun was about to crush He Haisheng's head, the train suddenly lurched. Lu Dongjun lost his footing. He Haisheng seized the opportunity to break free. He Haiqin kicked Lu Dongjun from behind, knocking him down. He Haisheng then exhaled a stream of smoke, and its burning tip pierced through Lu Dongjun's chest, exposing bone and internal organs.

Lu Dongjun clutched his chest, trying to get up, but He Haiqin stomped on him, pinning him to the ground: "You son of a bitch, you tricked me for two whole years!"

He Haiqin punched Lu Dongjun in the face. Lu Dongjun's left cheek caved in, and his skull fractured.

"You dare to kill someone on a train? Don't you know the rules here? Aren't you afraid of the conductors?" This was Lu Dongjun's final struggle.

"Conductors?" He Haiqin burst out laughing. "This isn't a train at all! Open your eyes and look clearly, so you can die knowing what happened."

Lu Dongjun looked at the carriage.

Seats, small tables, floor, ceiling—it was clearly a train carriage.

He then looked out the window. Outside, dim scenery flashed by: cottages, farmland, forests...

Cottages?

Lu Dongjun had seen this cottage before, right when he first got on.

Was it the same one?

After the cottage was an endless field. The scenery outside the train window was repeating itself.

Could it be... he had been fooled from the very beginning?

No wonder He Haiqin had suddenly appeared in the carriage.

So this wasn't a train at all...

How could it be so realistic?

Just like those photographs, identical to reality.

Lu Dongjun stared out the window in horror. He Haiqin delivered a final punch, smashing Lu Dongjun's head.

Shaking the blood from his hands, He Haiqin shouted, "Ling Laosan, come collect the body!"

A window opened, and Ling Miaoying, the third of the Ling brothers, jumped in. He rolled up the carpet on the floor, wrapped Lu Dongjun's body in it, and threw it out the window.

The scenery outside the window still appeared to be receding, and even peering out, it looked incredibly real. The only unrealistic part was that no wind blew into the window, because the carriage wasn't moving at all. This was the reason for the lack of wind.

Outside the carriage, it was another scene: a train stopped at a platform, its locomotive spewing steam, poised to depart. Passengers bustled, getting on and off, and conductors stood by the carriage doors checking tickets.

Was this a real scene?

No.

Ling Miaoying ordered all the projection machines around the train to be shut off, and the true scene finally revealed itself. There were no passengers, no conductors. Only a deserted platform, an abandoned train, and a stretch of disused track.

Everything had been a theatrical illusion. There was a play outside the train and a play inside the train. Beneath the carriage was a phonograph, specially customized by Ling Miaosheng. The hiss of the steam locomotive, the whistle, the clang of wheels on tracks, the chatter of passengers—all sounded real. Steel wires were strung around the carriage. As the wires trembled, the carriage also swayed slightly. Just moments before, when Lu Dongjun was fighting for his life, Ling Miaoying had cut one of the steel wires, causing the carriage to shake violently, which saved He Haisheng's life.

Ling Miaoying, a top-tier Illusion Cultivator, had deceived Lu Dongjun with an illusion. From the moment Lu Dongjun left the leather factory, he had been under surveillance. However, because he was such a formidable fighter, no one dared to easily make a move against him. From the moment he passed the ticket gate, he had been watching the illusion play out, walking straight into the trap set by Ling Miaoying and He Haiqin.

He Haiqin stepped out of the carriage, looking at Ling Miaoying and scoffing, "You really are something, damn it. Even I thought this was a real train when I arrived."

Ling Miaoying removed his hat and bowed: "Just a small trick, I apologize for making you laugh."

"Laugh? How can I laugh, damn it? My brother was almost beaten to death by Lu Dongjun, and you didn't even lift a finger to help!"

Ling Miaoying had been outside the carriage at the time and indeed hadn't intervened.

"According to our agreed time, Master He should have arrived earlier. I didn't expect a change of plans and didn't dare to intervene rashly."

"So now it's my fault, damn it? The train was an hour late, and I rushed here as soon as I got off."

Ling Miaoying smiled humbly: "It's not your fault, it's mine. I wasn't flexible enough."

He Haiqin waved his hand: "Enough with the useless chatter. Let's talk business. The business at Haichiling is fifty-fifty, as we agreed."

Ling Miaoying nodded: "Of course."

"As for the aftermath, you brothers will handle it. I'm not getting involved."

"That was also discussed and agreed upon."

"This Lu Dongjun business has nothing to do with us from start to finish. If the secret gets out, you're on your own."

"Rest assured, we'll take care of everything that follows."

He Haiqin nodded and left the abandoned platform with He Haisheng.

Outside the train station, He Haisheng looked at the swarm of mosquitoes and said to He Haiqin, "Big brother, Haichiling is finished. Even if we take over the business here, it probably won't be of much use."

He Haiqin laughed, "Foolish boy, do you really think your brother cares about this small business at Haichiling? Haichiling is ruined. We'll just sell the business to the Ling family at a price. That bastard Lu Dongjun made me lie in bed for two whole years. I almost lost my life! You have no idea how satisfying it is to personally kill that scoundrel!"

Ling Miaoying packed up all the equipment, then sat alone in the abandoned carriage, pinching the bridge of his nose, and sent a message to He Jiaqing:

"The matter is done."

Lying in his sickbed, He Jiaqing replied: "Keep Lu Dongjun's body safe. It will be very useful for your future promotions."

"But the mosquitoes at Haichiling are difficult to deal with."

"Send Old Wan to Greenwater Bay to see if he can persuade his grandmaster."

"We already tried. Green Blossom doesn't care."

"Go try again. If that doesn't work, I'll go myself."