Chapter 265

Facing the two who were preparing to attack, Lu Guyuan showed not the slightest sign of retreat. He cast a cold glance at the Peak Dao Practitioners from the eight remaining top-tier forces and sneered.

"Well? What are your thoughts on this matter?"

All Lu Guyuan could do now was drag as many people into this as possible.

Hearing his words, they looked uncomfortable and were about to speak when several figures materialized around them.

Their expressions shifted instantly, and they rushed to greet the newcomers.

"Patriarch!"

Eight figures had appeared in the surrounding area, and every single one of them was a Peak Dao Venerable.

Clearly, they were the Peak Dao Venerable Patriarchs of the remaining eight top-tier forces.

Seeing them arrive, Lu Guyuan fixed his gaze on two of them. One was a tall woman with long, ice-blue hair -- a beauty of the highest caliber.

She was the Li Family Patriarch and one of the rarest female Peak Dao Venerables in existence. Her name was Li Daoyu.

The other carried himself with a refined and elegant air, a warm smile gracing his features. He was the Lord of the Zhenfeng Tower, Ning Tianxi.

"Ah, good, you're here. Let me lay this out for you. Were there not rules established for the Three Hundred Forces Grand Tournament that regardless of life or death, no recriminations would follow? What the Wang Family has done is nothing short of lawless!"

"If the Wang Family can break the rules today, they can come after any of us tomorrow. Am I wrong?"

Hearing Lu Guyuan's words, Li Daoyu and Ning Tianxi turned their gazes toward Wang Xiangu and Wang Daoyuan.

The two Wang Family Patriarchs' expressions were exceedingly ugly. They clearly hadn't expected this incident to draw every Peak Dao Venerable in the Dao Realm together.

"You two. This is rather overbearing, wouldn't you say?"

Ning Tianxi smiled pleasantly, though his tone carried a chill.

Li Daoyu spoke as well, her words measured and graceful. "Indeed. Show mercy where mercy is due. Let this matter rest here."

But Wang Daoyuan was not one to accept a slight. He looked toward the remaining Peak Dao Venerables.

The Lu Family had allied Peak Dao Venerables, and the Wang Family was no different.

What Wang Daoyuan hadn't anticipated, however, was that three of those figures were radiating open hostility.

"That brat is savage beyond measure. He must be eliminated here and now."

"Precisely. If he's allowed to continue growing, he'll become a threat to the entire Dao Realm. Surely none of you wish to see what happened all those years ago play out again."

"That brat killed the Holy Son of my Liufeng Sacred Land. This Venerable One will never let this go!"

The three were the Peak Dao Venerable Patriarchs behind the forces of the slain prodigies: the Huang Family, the Qin Family, and the Liufeng Sacred Land.

Seeing three Peak Dao Venerables supporting his side, Wang Daoyuan's confidence surged and he was about to press his advantage when the three Patriarchs who had yet to take a stance also stepped forward. To his dismay, they all sided with Lu Guyuan.

"Apologies, but rules are rules. Once they're set, they cannot be broken -- not by anyone."

The speaker was the Lin Family Patriarch, Lin Fan. Among all Peak Dao Venerables, he was the only one who had clawed his way to the Peak Dao Venerable Realm from a mortal body and a Low-Grade Spiritual Root through sheer, brutal perseverance. Terrifying was the only word for it.

The Liu Family Patriarch, Liu Tianxu, followed suit. "That's right. Not even you can break the rules."

The final one was the Patriarch of the only top-tier force that had no disciple in the final stage -- the Hunyuan Sect Patriarch, Wu Hao.

"You two established these rules yourselves. Trying to overturn them now seems rather inappropriate, wouldn't you say?"

Wu Hao's expression was neutral, his voice unhurried.

With that, both sides stood at equal numbers. If a fight broke out recklessly, it would plunge the entire Dao Realm into chaos.

It was precisely this consideration that forced the Huang Family Patriarch, Huang Zhenkun, to speak despite his twisted expression.

"Hmph. This isn't over!"

With that, Huang Zhenkun's form flickered and he vanished.

The Qin Family Patriarch, Qin Wudao, fixed Xuanxian with a sinister look before disappearing as well. The message was clear -- he had marked Xuanxian.

The Liufeng Sacred Land Patriarch, Deng Gudao, let out a cold snort and departed with them.

Only the Wang Family's two Patriarchs remained.

Seeing this, both Wang Daoyuan and Wang Xiangu stared daggers at Xuanxian, their expressions dark as thunder.

Lu Guyuan, for his part, kept Xuanxian securely behind him.

"Just you wait. This isn't over by a long shot."

With those parting words, Wang Daoyuan and Wang Xiangu departed.

Only when they were gone did Xuanxian let out a breath of relief.

If a real fight had broken out, he might have been forced to reveal his true power.

And at that point, he wasn't sure whether they would still be standing on his side.

After all, there were eleven Peak Dao Venerables in total. If all of them turned on him at once, he might not even be able to escape.

"My thanks, Patriarch. And to all of you as well."

Xuanxian spoke humbly, expressing his gratitude to Lu Guyuan and the other five Peak Dao Venerables who had supported him.

The Hunyuan Sect Patriarch, Wu Hao, waved it off with a smile and turned to Lu Guyuan.

"Old Lu, your family has produced quite the terrifying prodigy this time."

The Lin Family Patriarch Lin Fan and Liu Family Patriarch Liu Tianxu added their voices.

"Indeed. It won't be long before your Lu Family gains another Peak Dao Venerable."

Hearing their praise, Lu Guyuan couldn't suppress his grin, though he waved modestly.

"Hardly. The Peak Dao Venerable Realm isn't so easily reached."

Yet they all knew in their hearts that Xuanxian's ascent to Peak Dao Venerable was all but guaranteed -- unless someone cut him down along the way.

But the odds of that were vanishingly slim. Xuanxian had already demonstrated his talent for all to see.

Lu Guyuan would now guard him with his life, and his close allies Li Daoyu and Ning Tianxi would likewise never allow Xuanxian to fall mid-journey.

With three Peak Dao Venerables acting as his escort, the chances of Xuanxian being killed were negligible.

After the exchange of pleasantries, Wu Hao and the other two departed first.

Li Daoyu and Ning Tianxi, however, remained. They studied Xuanxian closely, their expressions turning solemn.

"Old Lu, don't you think this child looks... familiar?"

Earlier, they hadn't had the time to pay close attention to Xuanxian. Now that they did, they realized he bore a striking resemblance to someone.

Li Daoyu's and Ning Tianxi's words prompted Lu Guyuan to take a fresh look at Xuanxian.

What he saw made his heart skip a beat.

The resemblance. It was uncanny.

Xuanxian, for his part, had heard every word of their exchange. His mind tensed at once, and he quietly readied himself to fight or flee at a moment's notice.

Looking at Xuanxian, a flicker of gravity crossed Lu Guyuan's face.

But after a long pause, he waved it off.

"My Lu Family numbers hundreds of thousands. It's perfectly normal for there to be a resemblance here and there, wouldn't you say?"

"That's true."

Hearing Lu Guyuan's reasoning, the two nodded in agreement, finding the logic sound enough.

"Young friend, since fate has brought us together, consider this a token of our meeting."

Ning Tianxi smiled and produced a jade bracelet that glowed with a faint azure light.

A single glance told Xuanxian what it was: a bracelet capable of blocking a Dao Venerable's full-power strike. Judging from the energy fluctuations within, it could withstand roughly ten hits.

Against someone of too high a realm or too great a strength, however, the number of strikes it could block would diminish.

But Xuanxian didn't accept it immediately. Instead, he looked to Lu Guyuan, waiting for his word.

"Take it. It's a gesture of goodwill."

Naturally, Lu Guyuan wasn't about to let Xuanxian refuse. Their relationship with Ning Tianxi was well established. If Xuanxian turned it down, it would be an affront.

Only then did Xuanxian accept the bracelet.

"Thank you, Senior Ning."

Seeing Ning Tianxi give a gift, Li Daoyu could hardly show up empty-handed. After a moment's thought, she flicked her wrist and produced a longsword radiating a deep, somber blue glow.

"This sword is a genuine Dao Artifact. I happened upon it by pure chance, but I'm not one for swordsmanship. Consider it yours."

At the sight of what Li Daoyu offered, not only Xuanxian was stunned -- even Lu Guyuan and Ning Tianxi were taken aback.

"Good heavens, Daoyu, there's really no need to give away something this precious."

Even Ning Tianxi couldn't help but speak up.

Lu Guyuan, however, said nothing. He knew Li Daoyu well enough. Once she decided to give something away, she would never take it back.

Sure enough, Li Daoyu shook her head and looked at Xuanxian.

Seeing her resolve, Xuanxian accepted without further hesitation.

"Thank you, Senior Li. I will repay this kindness someday."

He gave the longsword a test swing and felt an uncanny affinity, as though the blade had been forged for him from the very beginning.

"Senior, does this sword have a name?"

"It has none. I obtained it by accident. If you like, name it yourself."

Li Daoyu shook her head. She was telling the truth -- the sword had indeed come to her by happenstance.

Hearing this, Xuanxian considered for only a moment before settling on an answer.

"Then I'll call it Dao Slayer."

"Dao Slayer. Interesting."

Ning Tianxi chuckled and shook his head, inwardly surprised that Xuanxian would choose such a name.

At that moment, Lu Guyuan spoke up.

"Alright, friends. Since the Three Hundred Forces Grand Tournament has concluded, let us reconvene at the Dao Heaven Origin Spring in one month."

"Agreed. Until the Dao Heaven Origin Spring."

With that, Li Daoyu and Ning Tianxi watched as Lu Guyuan led Xuanxian and the others back toward the Lu Family's territory.

Once they were out of sight, the smile vanished from Ning Tianxi's face.

"Daoyu, do you truly think he doesn't resemble that person?"

"Resembles him or not -- what of it? With so many people in the Lu Family, it's perfectly normal for one or two to look similar."

Li Daoyu replied without expression, then departed at once, giving Ning Tianxi no chance to press further.

Ning Tianxi stood alone, his gaze deep and inscrutable as he watched the direction in which Lu Guyuan's group had vanished.

After a long while, he said nothing more and turned to leave.

Meanwhile, Xuanxian had not let down his guard. He put Dao Slayer away and watched Lu Guyuan's back.

Even with Xuanxian behind him, Lu Guyuan could sense the young man's gaze. He spoke without turning around.

"If you've got something to ask, then ask."

Hearing Lu Guyuan's prompt, Xuanxian hesitated for only a moment before cupping his fists.

"Patriarch, what was the incident from the past that the Qin Family Patriarch mentioned? The one he said he didn't want to see repeated?"

Xuanxian had been paying close attention when the Qin Family Patriarch Qin Wudao spoke of not wanting to see that past event play out again. He couldn't help but be curious.

Lu Guyuan fell silent. After a long time, he let out a heavy sigh.

"That matter is not something you should know about yet. Focus on your cultivation. One month from now, you'll enter the Dao Heaven Origin Spring."

With that, the group returned to the Lu Family's territory.

"All of you, dismissed. Xuanxian, come with me."

Lu Guyuan waved his hand and carried Xuanxian away, leaving Lu Tianyuan and the others glancing at one another in bewilderment.

Lu Tianyuan's gaze darkened with unease.

All he could do now was hope that Xuanxian was lucky enough not to be killed by the Patriarch.

On the other side, Xuanxian was transported to the Ruins Realm in an instant.

Upon entering, the six Dao Venerables who had already awoken all turned to look at Xuanxian. A single glance was enough to make their expressions turn markedly grave.

"Patriarch, this person is...?"

But Lu Guyuan didn't answer their question. Instead, he turned to Xuanxian and spoke in a calm voice.

"Tell me. Are you Daotian's son, or his grandson?"

The moment those words fell, Xuanxian readied himself for a fight. He summoned Dao Slayer in an instant, his expression taut.

"You figured it out?"

"It was merely a suspicion. I didn't expect you actually are connected to Daotian. Put away your weapon. You're no match for me, and I have no intention of making a move against you."

With Xuanxian's admission, a look of melancholy surfaced on Lu Guyuan's face.

Hearing Lu Guyuan's words, Xuanxian didn't reveal his true cultivation, nor did he sheathe his weapon.

Who was to say Lu Guyuan wouldn't go back on his word?

Then again, even if it came to blows, Xuanxian wasn't afraid. He couldn't win, perhaps, but he could certainly escape.

Seeing that Xuanxian refused to lower his guard, Lu Guyuan didn't push the matter. He let out a long sigh.

"Would you like to know what happened back then?"

Xuanxian said nothing. Seeing this, Lu Guyuan had no choice but to begin, recounting the events of those years piece by piece.

And the version that came from Lu Guyuan's lips left Xuanxian genuinely shocked.

Because the truth as Lu Guyuan told it was entirely different from what Lu Tianyuan had said.

According to Lu Guyuan, Xuanxian's father, Lu Daotian, had been a peerless prodigy. Had nothing gone wrong, he would have become the Lu Family's second Peak Dao Venerable.

But everything changed after Lu Daotian returned from a journey abroad.

When he came back, it was as though he had become an entirely different person. His temperament had undergone a drastic transformation. He stole the Family Supreme Treasure and fled.

To recover the treasure, Lu Guyuan dispatched Dao Venerables to hunt him down. But by the time they found Lu Daotian, he was already dead, and the Family Supreme Treasure had vanished.

Only after all these years did Lu Guyuan come to realize that something must have happened to Lu Daotian back then. Otherwise, there was no reason for him to have stolen the Family Supreme Treasure and run.

After all, with Lu Daotian's talent, had he simply continued cultivating, the Family Supreme Treasure would eventually have been his regardless.