164: Chapter 164 The Lu Family, Lively

The Imperial Capital, Lu Mansion.

Deep in the ancestral hall, the eternal lamp burned year-round.

The dim, yellow light flickered, illuminating the densely packed jade tablets on the offering table.

These jade tablets were composed of the life-bound soul talismans recording the direct descendants of the Lu Family.

The soul talisman was connected to the owner's blood and Qi.

If the person lived, the talisman shone.

If the person died, the talisman shattered.

The old servant of the Lu Family in charge of guarding the ancestral hall was napping in his chair.

He had worked here for twenty years, and his daily work was very easy; he only needed to observe the condition of the jade tablets regularly.

Suddenly.

A crisp "crack" sound was particularly harsh in the silent ancestral hall.

The old servant woke up with a start.

He rubbed his cloudy old eyes and looked in the direction of the sound.

On the third row of the offering table, the jade talisman on the very edge was now covered with spiderweb-like cracks.

The originally warm luster had completely dimmed, turning into a piece of dead, gray waste jade.

The old servant's face changed drastically.

There were only two situations for this to happen: one was that the holder had died and the life-bound talisman was completely scrapped, and the other was that the holder had voluntarily detonated the talisman as a means of fighting the enemy.

But no matter which situation it was, it was an absolute major event.

He scrambled to the offering table and stared fixedly at the shattered jade talisman.

Three small characters were carved on the base of the jade talisman.

Lu Yuzhou.

"The... the only seedling of the Third Branch?"

The old servant's legs went weak, and he nearly collapsed to the ground.

Although Lu Yuzhou was a good-for-nothing playboy, he was the apple of the Third Madam's eye.

Now that the life-bound talisman was shattered, it meant that Lu Yuzhou had encountered a life-and-death crisis, or even... was already dead.

"Something big has happened!"

The old servant scrambled out of the ancestral hall, his shrill cry piercing the tranquility of the Lu Mansion.

"Come quickly!"

"Young Master Yuzhou's life-bound talisman... has shattered!"

...

Half an hour later.

Lu Family council hall.

The atmosphere was so oppressive that it was hard to breathe.

Several high-ranking members of the Lu Family sat in chairs, their faces as gloomy as water.

In the center of the hall, several trembling servants knelt.

"Speak."

Lu Tianming, the head of the Lu Family, who was sitting in the main seat, spoke indifferently:

"Where has Yuzhou gone these past few days?"

"Where are the guards following him? Where is Uncle Fu?"

Lu Tianming's voice sounded in everyone's ears like the icy wind of midwinter.

The servants kneeling on the ground were scared to the point of Soul Flying Away and Spirit Scattering, knocking their heads desperately.

"Head of the Family, please spare our lives!"

"Young Master's whereabouts have been uncertain these past few days, we really don't know!"

"Uncle Fu has always been protecting the Young Master personally, and he... he has also disappeared."

Lu Tianming's face was livid.

Although Lu Yuzhou was a waste who spent his days in pleasure houses, indulging himself excessively.

He was, after all, a direct descendant of the Lu Family.

In the Imperial Capital, who would dare to touch someone from the Lu Family?

Moreover, Lu Yuzhou carried a life-saving trump card given by his elders.

Even the trump card was forced to be activated, and even Uncle Fu, that guard, couldn't protect him.

The person who made the move was definitely not simple.

"Where is the Third Brother?"

Lu Tianming turned his head to look to the side.

"The Third Master went out of the city to collect debts and hasn't returned yet." A steward replied cautiously.

Lu Tianming rubbed his brow, a trace of irritation flashing in his eyes.

Recently, there had been turmoil inside and outside the Family, and the Imperial Cabinet was issuing restrictive decrees every day, which had significant implications.

And now, the disappearance of a direct descendant had occurred within the clan, and with these things mixed together, even he felt it was quite troublesome.

Finally, Lu Tianming spoke:

"Investigate."

"Send people to investigate immediately; I want to see the person alive, or see the corpse if dead."

"I want to see who has the guts to touch someone from my Lu Family!"

Just then.

A young Lu Family Disciple hesitated for a moment and stood out.

"Head of the Family, I... I think I know where Cousin Yuzhou went."

Lu Tianming's gaze was like lightning, instantly locking onto him.

He recognized this person as a clansman who often followed Lu Yuzhou.

"Speak!"

The young Disciple swallowed his saliva and said in a low voice: "A few days ago, the World Martial Arts Tournament opened, and Cousin Yuzhou said he wanted to go and join the fun."

"He also said he would bring back good news."

"After that, I never saw him again."

World Martial Arts Tournament?

Lu Tianming frowned tightly.

As the tournament recently held in the Imperial Capital, aimed at recruiting Jianghu people to risk their lives, he had naturally heard of it.

Now, the Imperial Capital was a mix of dragons and snakes, with all kinds of Jianghu ruffians gathered.

If Lu Yuzhou had provoked someone he shouldn't have at the tournament...

"Immediately send people to inquire around the tournament venue."

"Find out everyone Yuzhou has been in contact with and all the places he has been these past few days."

"Yes!"

The Lu Family Disciples in the hall responded in unison and quickly retreated.

Lu Tianming leaned back in his chair and waved his hand, dismissing the ad-hoc meeting.

...

The next day.

Imperial Capital, World Martial Arts Tournament venue.

The scorching sun was in the sky.

Around the huge ring, it was packed with people, and the noise reached the clouds.

After yesterday's fierce competition, the tournament finally ushered in the most exciting moment.

The main tournament.

After the screening of the preliminary rounds, those who could stand here today were all outstanding talents of the younger generation.

Sword light and shadows, True Qi surging.

The battle on the ring had entered a white-hot stage.

Every collision would draw deafening cheers from the audience below.

A hundred zhang away from the ring.

On a towering viewing platform.

Chen Ran was dressed in black, with a standard long saber hanging at his waist, standing quietly in front of the railing.

His eyes were slightly lowered, his gaze calmly watching the boiling venue below.

The surrounding noise seemed to be isolated by an invisible barrier.

He was like an emotionless statue, out of place with this fanatical atmosphere.

A breeze blew, blowing his clothes.

Chen Ran's gaze swept across the ring.

Two young Martial Artists were fiercely clashing.

Sword Qi crisscrossed, saber light flashed.

It looked lively and extraordinary.

But in Chen Ran's eyes, it was like children playing house.

There were too many flaws.

This was not because the two of them had not practiced enough or were unskilled in martial arts.

It was due to the change in vision brought about after the Realm Breakthrough; these attacks, which seemed as fast as flying shadows to outsiders, were simply too slow in his perception.

Although the Grand Martial Arts Tournament sounded loud, in his perception.

Most of the contestants participating this time were only between the fifth and sixth grades; there were almost no Martial Artists at the fourth-grade Aperture Condensation Realm.

But thinking about it, these Aperture Condensation Realm Martial Artists were already considered good hands in the Imperial Capital.

If it were in some remote places, they could even act as city lords.

People who could reach this Realm had status and position far exceeding ordinary Martial Artists, and the rewards announced by the imperial court this time were not that attractive.

Just as he was pondering, footsteps sounded in his ear.

"Chief Chen."

A young Six Doors Constable walked quickly up to the watchtower and came behind Chen Ran, respectfully cupping his fists and bowing.

"What is it?"

Chen Ran did not look back, his voice indifferent.

"People from the Lu Family in the Imperial Capital have issued an order for us to assist them in investigating something."

The young Constable lowered his voice.

"I don't know what happened last night, but early this morning, the head of the Lu Family was furious."

"Now the entire underground force of the Imperial Capital is scurrying around like mad dogs."

Logically speaking, this kind of thing had nothing to do with him as a deputy captain, and it should be reported to his superior.

But ever since Lin Wan left last night, she had not appeared until today.

So this burden naturally fell on him.

Chen Ran's expression was calm.

"Understood."

"Tell the brothers to keep their eyes peeled, don't touch the Lu Family's bad luck, and you can assist them in investigating people."

"Yes!"

The young Constable took the order and retreated.

Chen Ran still stood quietly in place.

The Lu Family?

"It seems these big families are really not to be underestimated."

Chen Ran whispered in his heart; clearly, the speed at which he acted yesterday was extremely fast, but by the second day, the Lu Family still got the news.

"Is it because of that last Sword Qi?"

Chen Ran recalled the protective sword strike that erupted from Lu Yuzhou's body during the final blow at that time.

That blow was not weak, almost comparable to a full-force strike from a Return to Truth Realm Martial Artist.

Carelessly, even a Martial Artist at the Peak of the Aperture Condensation Realm could be killed in one blow.

And according to his understanding, Lu Yuzhou was only the weakest and most unpopular branch among the many direct descendants of the Lu Family, and yet he had such protective means.

It could be expected how many life-saving means those true Family heirs had.

"It seems that for this period of time, I need to wait quietly for a while."

The news that the Lu Family's Third Young Master had disappeared had not yet spread, and the Lu Family was just asking Six Doors to cooperate with the investigation.

But if this news spread in the Imperial Capital, it was conceivable what means the Lu Family would take under the pressure of public opinion.

But Chen Ran was not panicked about this.

Lu Yuzhou's corpse had long been turned into fly ash by his Blood Transformation Great Art.

Not even a drop of blood was left.

Even if the Lu Family turned the Imperial Capital upside down, they would never find any clues.

As for that Uncle Fu.

Similarly, there was no corpse left.

In this world, no one knew that the arrogant direct descendant of the Lu Family had already died at the hands of a small prison guard of the Heavenly Prison.

Chen Ran looked up at the sky, and finally turned to look at the few figures slowly emerging in the distance of the ring.