Chapter 258

Chapter 258 - Lu Tianyuan's Iron Resolve

"Damn ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍it, this bastard really is strong."

Wang ‍​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍Teng's expression was grim beyond measure. In just this brief exchange, he could feel that Lu Xuanxian was noticeably more powerful than during their last encounter.

And ‍​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍it had been less than a month.

Lu ‍​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍Xuanxian was only at the Mid Immortal Emperor Realm — how was he even stronger than a Peak Immortal Emperor like himself?

No!

He ‍​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍absolutely could not let Lu Xuanxian live any longer!

A vicious glint entered Wang Teng's eyes. He surged with power and drove Lu Xuanxian back with a single spear thrust.

"Primordial Chaos Dao Diagram!"

As his Innate Divine Ability manifested, Wang Teng's realm surged from the Peak of the Immortal Emperor Realm to the half-step Dao Practitioner level.

Seeing that Wang Teng had held nothing back, Lu Xuanxian gave a cold smile. With a sweep of his hand, the Ancient Chaos Tree and the Primordial Chaos Dao Diagram materialized simultaneously, propelling his realm from the Mid Immortal Emperor Realm to the Late Immortal Emperor Realm.

With both Innate Divine Abilities deployed, Lu Xuanxian channeled the Ancient Chaos Tree to forge a Chaos Avatar, which threw itself at Wang Teng and locked him in combat.

Then, with a single sword strike, Lu Xuanxian cut down Wang Chengfeng — who had already fled some distance.

This scene was witnessed by Wang Daofeng, who had just arrived in haste.

"How dare you! Killing a member of my Wang Family! You've signed your own death warrant!"

Though Wang Chengfeng meant little to him personally, the man was still a member of the Wang Family.

If he didn't avenge Wang Chengfeng, how would others view the Wang Family going forward?

Besides, this was the perfect opportunity to eliminate Lu Xuanxian.

Without hesitation, Wang Daofeng struck, sending a palm blast hurtling toward Lu Xuanxian.

Facing the attack of a Peak Dao Practitioner, Lu Xuanxian's expression remained perfectly calm, without so much as a flicker of fear.

In the next instant, Lu Tianyuan appeared at his side and blocked Wang Daofeng's strike.

"Fellow Daoist Daofeng, an elder attacking a junior out of the blue? If word got out, that wouldn't look very good, would it?"

Lu Tianyuan spoke with a smile.

Wang Daofeng's brow furrowed deeply. He hadn't expected Lu Tianyuan to intervene. This complicated matters.

"Get out of my way. Otherwise, don't blame me for showing no mercy."

Wang Daofeng's tone was calm, but it brooked no argument.

"He killed a member of my Wang Family. This demands an explanation."

"Now, now. Let's hear from the younger generation before jumping to conclusions, shall we?"

Lu Tianyuan finished speaking, then threw Lu Xuanxian a meaningful look.

Lu Xuanxian stepped forward and cupped his fists.

"Clan Elder, the reason I acted against that man was because he bullied my brothers and tried to force himself upon my brother's wife. Had I not arrived in time, my brothers might have come to grievous harm."

"Ah, Xuanxian. Your actions were truly inappropriate. How could you resort to killing?"

Lu Tianyuan sighed, then waved his hand. "Very well. Given the extenuating circumstances, your penalty shall be ten years' salary, to be given to the other party as compensation. You have no objections, I trust?"

"None whatsoever. I defer entirely to the Clan Elder's judgment."

Lu Xuanxian could see perfectly well that Lu Tianyuan was shielding him, so he readily agreed.

Ten years' salary was nothing to him. He didn't need the stipend the Lu Family provided.

But Wang Daofeng was not having it.

"Are you saying that in your eyes, Fellow Daoist Tianyuan, the life of one of my Wang Family members is worth a mere ten years' salary? It seems you don't take my Wang Family seriously at all."

"Oh? Then how about twenty years? Anything beyond that, and I'm afraid we can't come to terms."

Lu Tianyuan frowned slightly, his tone turning sharp.

"Besides, this matter was entirely the fault of your Wang Family member. If you wish to make a mountain out of a molehill, you're welcome to take it up with my Lu Family's Patriarchs."

"We're leaving."

"Yes, Clan Elder."

Lu Xuanxian nodded, then departed with Xu Feng and the other three, leaving Wang Teng and the deeply displeased Wang Daofeng standing in place.

Watching them go, Wang Teng moved to pursue, but Wang Daofeng stopped him.

"Patriarch, we're just going to let this go?"

Wang Teng stared at Lu Xuanxian's retreating figure, practically grinding his teeth to powder.

Lu Xuanxian had killed Wang Chengfeng right in front of him. It was as if someone had ground his face into the dirt. How could he possibly bear it?

Wang Daofeng's expression was equally sour.

"What choice do we have? That Chengfeng was in the wrong first. Even if we escalated this, the Wang Family would be the one losing face. Any punishment Lu Xuanxian received would be negligible."

"But you must preserve your strength. When the final stage arrives, forget everyone else — make killing Lu Xuanxian your absolute first priority!"

"Yes, Patriarch!"

Since even the Patriarch had said so, Wang Teng — despite his boundless fury — could only comply.

On Lu Xuanxian's side, they happened to run into Lu Nianfeng and Lu Xuanyuan on the way back.

"Brother Xuanxian, what happened? And who are these four?"

Lu Xuanyuan rushed over, and upon seeing Lu Xuanxian unharmed, breathed a sigh of relief.

He glanced curiously at the four people with him.

"These are friends of mine from before I ascended to the Dao Realm."

Lu Xuanxian replied without batting an eye.

Turning to Xu Feng and the others, he quickly made introductions.

"This is Lu Xuanyuan, a member of the Lu Family's Heaven Branch in the Dao Realm. Late Immortal Emperor cultivation."

Hearing "Lu Family of the Dao Realm," a strange feeling stirred in all four of them. Could their second brother actually be a member of this Dao Realm Lu Family?

After all, even back on Blue Star, Lu Xuanxian had been an orphan — no father, no mother.

So upon seeing him join the Dao Realm's Lu Family, they naturally drew the connection.

Lu Xuanyuan, on the other hand, didn't think that deeply into it. Hearing Lu Xuanxian's introduction, he warmed up to the four immediately.

"Ha! So you're Brother Xu, Brother Qin, Brother Wu, and Miss Lin. Rest easy — from now on, your affairs are my affairs. Don't hesitate to ask if you need anything."

"Then we'll be in your debt, Brother Xuanyuan."

Lu Xuanxian saw no reason to refuse. He nodded, then took Xu Feng and the others and departed.

Meanwhile, Lu Tianyuan had already told Lu Nianfeng about the incident.

"You're saying Xuanxian killed a Wang Family disciple?"

Lu Nianfeng drew a sharp breath at the news.

"Yes, but the fault lay squarely with the Wang Family member. Even if the Wang Family investigates after the fact, Lu Xuanxian's life won't be at stake."

Lu Tianyuan was unconcerned, waving the matter off.

But then Lu Nianfeng suddenly realized something and asked, puzzled.

"Wait — why are you telling me all this?"

Lu Tianyuan responded with a knowing half-smile that sent a chill of foreboding through Lu Nianfeng.