28: Xia Yuanhong's game

Lu Ze ate his meal, listening to Xia Yuanhong, his expression unchanged.

"Go on."

Lu Ze picked up a piece of meat for himself, "You want me to act, but you're not offering a price?"

Xia Yuanhong was momentarily stunned, looking at Lu Ze with an unreadable expression.

Was Lu Ze's relationship with Fu Liang not very good?

According to everything he had investigated, Fu Liang was very close to Lu Ze.

Last night, Fu Liang even drove his favorite car to personally pick up Lu Ze. There was probably no one else in Xuanyuan City whom Fu Liang would personally pick up.

Lu Ze swallowed the food in his mouth, then looked up at Xia Yuanhong. Seeing the latter's slightly dazed expression, he sneered, "What? Trying to test how good my relationship with Fu Liang really is?"

Lu Ze's directness made Xia Yuanhong's face stiffen, but he quickly relaxed, maintaining his usual warm smile.

"Young Master Lu truly sees into people's hearts. My clumsy attempt at probing has made Young Master Lu laugh."

Lu Ze sneered inwardly, "Tell me, what exactly do you want to do?"

Xia Yuanhong no longer hid anything and said directly, "Young Master Lu is a straightforward person. Since that's the case, I won't pretend to be mysterious anymore."

"Last night, Young Master Lu was personally picked up by Fu Liang and taken to the Exchange. This matter is already known to various forces. I'll venture a guess: Fu Liang wants to join Young Master Lu's team, so Young Master Lu can use that jade token to extend the mission time."

Xia Yuanhong observed Lu Ze's expression, but Lu Ze remained expressionless, simply watching the former, waiting for him to finish speaking.

"I believe Young Master Lu already knows that they want to go to the mission's edge to retrieve the Divergent Thunder Skill hidden by the Tang Family's defector. I have also secured the approval of the Demon Subduing Division and my Family to lead a separate team as a Senior of the Demon Subduing Division and go on the mission with you."

"Young Master Lu, if there truly is a Divergent Thunder Skill in that place, I am willing to hand it over to you!"

Xia Yuanhong stood up, raised his wine glass towards Lu Ze, and toasted him from a distance, "Young Master Lu, after all, doesn't have much Family background, so it might be difficult to directly kill Fu Liang. I only hope that if a fight breaks out between us at that time, Young Master Lu can help me, or at least not interfere."

"As long as Young Master Lu can do that, you can ask for anything you want. As long as I can provide it, I will surely offer it with both hands."

"Oh?"

Lu Ze raised an eyebrow, looking unconvinced, "After all this roundabout talk, you just want me not to interfere?"

Xia Yuanhong nodded, "Yes."

"Is that so? Then I don't understand. Fu Liang is Xiang Tianliu's son. If you kill Fu Liang, and the matter comes to light, won't Xiang Tianliu come looking for trouble with you? With the power of the Exchange, even the Xia Family wouldn't be able to protect you. How much hatred do you have for Fu Liang?"

Xia Yuanhong, holding his wine glass, walked around the long table to Lu Ze's side, leaned in slightly, and whispered, "Young Master Lu misunderstands. It's not me who wants him dead; I'm just doing someone a favor. Besides, Fu Liang is just one of Xiang Tianliu's illegitimate sons. Xiang Tianliu has many sons; if one dies, it's nothing important."

Lu Ze lowered his eyes, "I also have no relationship with Fu Liang. You're offering such a price just for me not to interfere; isn't that a bit redundant?"

"Young Master Lu, the person behind me has given the word: it must be a killing blow, without any mishaps. If Young Master Lu hadn't broken through to the Fourth Grade Cultivation or hadn't become Cheng Ran's Disciple, I wouldn't have come to find you."

Xia Yuanhong smiled, pouring Lu Ze a glass of wine, "The resources Young Master Lu currently possesses are enough to turn the tide of battle at the most critical moment. I just don't want any accidents to happen. Besides, a Fourth Grade Cultivation at twenty years old, the top scorer in the assessment, Cheng Ran's Disciple – any one of these is enough for me, Xia Yuanhong, to properly befriend you."

"So, what does Young Master Lu think?"

A smile played at the corner of Lu Ze's mouth. He rubbed his storage bracelet with his left hand but didn't answer.

Xia Yuanhong seemed to understand something and continued, "Young Master Lu, don't worry. It's just Xia Qianqian. Although she's my full sister, she's never been close to me since childhood. And assessments are inherently dangerous; it's just survival of the fittest. If she can't survive, she can only blame herself."

Lu Ze looked up at Xia Yuanhong, "Alright, let's talk about some actual benefits."

"There is indeed a huge benefit, but Young Master Lu won't be able to obtain it now, even after knowing about it."

Xia Yuanhong's words piqued Lu Ze's curiosity.

"Our Xia Family's Martial Skill Pavilion holds a Different Lightning."

Lu Ze's eyes narrowed.

Xia Yuanhong naturally noticed the change in Lu Ze's expression and grinned, "However, without the Divergent Thunder Skill, one cannot subdue the Different Lightning. Once this mission is complete and Young Master Lu obtains the Cultivation Technique, I will naturally guide Young Master Lu to absorb this Different Lightning."

"Martial Skill Pavilion? Good then."

Lu Ze suddenly laughed, picked up the wine glass Xia Yuanhong offered him, and drank it in one gulp.

Seeing Lu Ze's demeanor, Xia Yuanhong's heart settled. He also finished his own glass of wine, "Then, to our pleasant cooperation!"

"Is there anything else? If not, I'll head back."

"Young Master Lu, please do."

Lu Ze stood up and walked a few steps towards the door, but then suddenly stopped. He took out Xia Qianqian's storage bracelet from his storage bracelet, placed it on the table, and then strode away.

It wasn't until the sound of the car starting outside the villa echoed that the gentle smile on Xia Yuanhong's face gradually disappeared.

He stared intently at Xia Qianqian's storage bracelet on the table, his eyes filled with endless hatred. He glanced at the seat Lu Ze had just occupied, and the Spiritual Qi around him surged abruptly.

He reached out and gripped the chair, Spiritual Qi spreading around him, enveloping the entire chair, then rapidly moving, grinding it into dust.

"Young... Young Master."

A man walked in from outside, looking at Xia Yuanhong's appearance with some fear.

"Speak!"

Xia Yuanhong's voice was gloomy, tinged with a hint of Spiritual Pressure. The man broke out in a cold sweat and hurriedly reported, "News from the Demon Subduing Division has arrived. They said Cheng Ran's transfer order has come down; he must depart Xuanyuan City within three days!"

"Good! The timing of this order is exactly as the boss said!"

Xia Yuanhong's expression was somewhat twisted, "As long as Cheng Ran leaves Xuanyuan City, everything will be much easier! Lu Ze, without Cheng Ran's protection, you are nothing! At that time, I'll make sure you don't even know how you died!"

The man, still enveloped by the Spiritual Pressure, swallowed hard and couldn't help but remind him, "Young... Young Master, that esteemed adult seemed to have told you not to touch Lu..."

"Pfft!"

Before he could finish speaking, a surge of Spiritual Qi suddenly cut through, severing his head.

Xia Yuanhong coldly watched the still twitching body at his feet, then stepped on the head. He closed his eyes briefly, and when he opened them again, the whites were replaced by blood-red, and his eyes revealed a crazed look.

"Pfft! Pfft! Pfft!"

Xia Yuanhong raised his right foot high and stomped on the head repeatedly, splattering red and white matter onto his face.

"Lu Ze, how does death feel?! She was my sister whom I protected for eighteen years! And you just killed her?! I want you dead! I want you dead!"