272: Chapter 272 We can't let those bald monks get away with this.

When his gaze fell upon the hunched figure beneath the large tree,

Lu Yongquan's heart tightened, and he immediately strode forward.

He saw his second uncle, Lu Shihua, sitting cross-legged in the shade with his eyes tightly closed, seemingly meditating to heal his injuries.

The vigorous and spirited aura he usually had seemed to have been drained away, leaving his face as pale as paper.

A faint aura of decay emanated from his entire body, completely clashing with the vibrant and thriving environment around him.

It was like a gradually withering leaf appearing abruptly amidst the magnificent scenery of spring.

Lu Yongquan hurried over, but after getting close, he slowed his pace, afraid of disturbing his second uncle.

Yet, even with such slight movement, Lu Shihua keenly perceived it.

He slowly opened his eyes, his gaze not as bright as before, revealing weariness and a sense of vicissitudes.

But the moment he saw Lu Yongquan, he still managed to squeeze out a gentle smile.

"Yongquan, you're here."

Lu Shihua's voice was hoarse and low, as if every single word cost him a lot of effort.

"Second Uncle."

Lu Yongquan acknowledged, a bad premonition welling up in his heart.

He only felt that his second uncle's current injuries were a bit too heavy, and the situation was far too unusual.

Lu Shihua gazed at Lu Yongquan for a long time before speaking again:

"Our Family has weathered many storms and hardships; being able to reach this point today has been extremely difficult. From now on, the heavy burden of the Family must fall upon your shoulders."

Hearing these words, which sounded like final arrangements before death, Lu Yongquan instantly panicked and hurriedly comforted him:

"Second Uncle, please don't say that. You're just tired and just need to rest for a while. Our Family's Rejuvenation Technique is peerless under heaven, and it will definitely help you recover as before."

"Even at worst, if you continue to stay in seclusion for a few years, I will invite famous doctors from all over the world to completely cure your injuries."

Lu Shihua slowly shook his head, a bitter smile appearing on his face:

"Silly child, some things cannot be salvaged by ability and medical skill. I have already made a decision to sacrifice myself to the Ancestral Spirit."

"Second Uncle, have you gone mad?!"

Hearing this, Lu Yongquan trembled violently all over.

The words blurted out, completely disregarding whether it was impolite, and he anxiously tried to dissuade him, but was stopped by Lu Shihua raising his hand.

"Yongquan, listen to me finish."

Although Lu Shihua's face was pale, his expression appeared exceptionally firm:

"The Ancestral Spirit Tree suffered excessive losses during the relocation process, and the previous accident where the Formation was interrupted added insult to injury. It urgently needs to replenish nutrients right now, otherwise it won't be able to last long in the new Secret Realm."

"In that case, all our Family's previous efforts will be wasted. Although my individual essence blood is far from enough to make it fully recover its vitality, at least it can keep it from withering away soon."

Hearing these words, Lu Yongquan's body suddenly stiffened.

He opened his eyes wide, and his gaze fell behind Lu Shihua.

Only then did he discover that countless tiny roots were densely inserted into his second uncle's back, dark red in color.

Like infusion tubes, they endlessly extracted the essence blood from this already withered and thin Physical Body.

Lu Yongquan's face was filled with shock, his lips trembling slightly:

"Second Uncle, we can think of other ways. You have paid so much for the Family, you cannot just like this..."

Murmuring softly, as if grasping a sliver of hope, his eyes lit up, and then he said again:

"That's right, we can capture some more Gang members and supernatural beings and sacrifice them to the Ancestral Spirit."

"No."

Lu Shihua shook his head again, flatly rejecting it: "Such a thing can happen once, but not twice."

"A few years ago, in order to sustain the Secret Realm, we had no choice but to resort to methods to sacrifice some ordinary people, which had already caused much dissatisfaction from the authorities. If we cross the bottom line again, the Family might face enemies on all sides."

"Furthermore, now that the Ancestral Spirit Tree has been relocated and Rebirth has occurred, if we still rashly absorb outsiders' essence blood and Soul, I'm afraid it will contaminate the root, causing unpredictable evil consequences and endangering the continuation of the Family's Bloodline."

"What's more, I am also reaching the end of my days. Being able to return my Soul to the Secret Realm like other clansmen after death and merge as one with the Ancestral Spirit Tree is also a blessing for me, and I have no complaints."

After Lu Shihua finished speaking, a look of relief appeared on his face, as if he had taken life and death lightly.

That Ancestral Spirit Tree also seemed to feel this solemn atmosphere, suddenly trembling slightly, its branches and leaves rustling as if responding to his words.

Lu Yongquan's eye sockets turned red, knowing that his second uncle's mind was made up and any further persuasion would be futile.

His knees inevitably softened, and he knelt before Lu Shihua.

"Yongquan."

Lu Shihua reached out and patted his shoulder, his voice tinged with weariness yet full of expectations:

"Our Family's Legacy has lasted for nearly two thousand years, facing crises of extinction repeatedly during this time. Whether it was coveting by external enemies, internal disputes, or the turmoil of the Secret Realm, every single time, our ancestors relied on tenacious will and extraordinary abilities to ultimately survive desperate situations and build the illustrious reputation of our Family's giant ship."

"This time will definitely be no exception. In order for the Family to continue and not be reduced to cattle and horses kept in captivity and slaughtered at will, everyone in the Family can make the sacrifice; why can't this crippled body of mine?"

His words were nearly ruthless, and his gaze seemed to traverse time and space, retracing the Family's millennium-long journey through wind and rain.

Finally, it refocused on the designated successor before him:

"As the helmsman of the Family, you must never show any weakness. The path you have to walk will be even harder than mine."

"The Ancestral Spirit Tree can maintain itself for at most fifty years. During this time, you must find a way to repair the root damage and continue the Family's Legacy; this is your mission."

Lu Shihua stared closely at Lu Yongquan, instructing him word by word.

Hearing this, Lu Yongquan endured his grief and nodded with a choked voice.

"Did you remember?"

Lu Shihua frowned, his voice suddenly raising.

"Second Uncle, I remember. I will definitely find a way to repair the root!"

Lu Yongquan raised his hand to wipe the corner of his eye, his expression turning resolute.

"Alright, you may go out."

Lu Shihua closed his eyes slightly, leaning against the towering giant tree behind him, as if to store up a bit more strength.

"Do not reveal my affairs for the time being. After the storm subsides in a while, I will hold a Family meeting to inform all clansmen of the fact that you have become the Head of the Family."

Walking out of the Secret Realm, Lu Yongquan took a deep breath, striving to adjust his emotions.

His face had also returned to its usual expression, preventing others from seeing the ripples inside.

"Eldest Young Master, how is the Second Elder's condition?"

Lu Tao hurried forward to greet him, his eyes revealing a hint of anxiety and worry.

"The Second Elder is prepared to stay in the Secret Realm to heal his injuries in peace, so for the coming period, I will take charge of the Family's affairs."

Lu Yongquan spoke with a steady expression, unhurriedly, faintly putting on the airs of someone in charge.

Hearing this, Lu Tao's face immediately showed joy, his eyes lit up, and the corners of his mouth unconsciously curled upward.

He naturally understood very well what these words meant.

Lu Yongquan's father had been ill and bedridden for years; in reality, all these years, Lu Shihua had been exercising the power of the Head of the Family on his behalf and secretly handling all important matters.

Now, instead of passing the temporary position of head to his own son, Lu Shihua handed it to his nephew Lu Yongquan, which showed that he placed extremely high expectations on Lu Yongquan.

In this case, wouldn't he, a trusted subordinate who followed Lu Shihua around, truly rise to power and achieve great success?

Lu Tao even began to daydream that by then, if the Eldest Young Master remembered old ties and incorporated him into the Family's genealogy, becoming a direct Bloodline member...

His own children could also rely on the Ancestral Spirit Tree's Legacy and have the fortune to undergo Awakening, that would truly be reaching the heavens in a single bound!

Leaving aside Lu Tao's secret wishful thinking here,

on the other side, Lu Yongquan had other considerations in his heart.

He had not yet revealed the truth that Lu Shihua was prepared to use his own body to nourish the Ancestral Spirit Tree and was already at the end of his tether.

The matter of his second uncle reappearing was estimated to have already been known by the people of the Special Investigation Team. Given their character, it wouldn't be long before it spread wildly within the circle of aristocratic families.

One must know that although Lu Shihua was strong, he had made many enemies.

For many years, he had been in seclusion in the Secret Realm; on one hand, it was to heal injuries and seek Breakthrough, and on the other hand, it was to conceal his whereabouts, deliberately creating a sense of mystery so that the outside world could not figure out the truth, and no one knew whether he was dead or alive, thus avoiding a lot of trouble and strife to a certain extent.

The current situation was subtle, and the Family was at a critical period of power handover; any slightest disturbance could trigger a huge uproar.

Fortunately, Lu Shihua could at least sustain himself in the Secret Realm for half a year.

During these six months, externally, his second uncle's mighty reputation could be used to deter enemies from other aristocratic families, preventing them from daring to easily invade.

Internally, with his second uncle's support and endorsement, he would be able to quickly build prestige, gain a firm foothold, smoothly take over the Family's affairs, and achieve a smooth transition.

Lu Yongquan clenched his fists secretly, his gaze passing through the ruins and looking towards the distant night.

It was as if he already saw the day when the Family would regain its glory in his hands.

That was the mission he shouldered, and also his promise to his second uncle.

"And..."

A few bald guys in black suddenly surfaced in Lu Yongquan's mind, his eyes instantly turning sharp as he muttered to himself:

"Black Sect, Roger, how dare you offend my Family, I will definitely make you pay the price!"

Then he turned to look at the head guard standing aside, and asked in a cold and hard voice:

"How much do you know about the situation of Lingquan Temple?"

Lu Tao slightly lowered his head, a thoughtful look on his face, and replied:

"This subordinate is not very clear, I only know that the Second Elder has a grudge against that Black Sect Venerable."

Afterwards, he leaned in a bit closer and whispered tentatively:

"Are we going to..."

"Do not act rashly for now. Just send people to investigate their specific situation clearly first."

Lu Yongquan decisively waved his hand in rejection, pondering inwardly.

Right now, the most important thing for him was to concentrate his forces to seize the supreme power of the Family and stabilize the turbulent situation.

As the new Head of the Family, he must be steady and calm, and would by no means act on impulse and easily make powerful enemies.

As for those treasure-seekers who were deliberately attracted by the Family, Lu Yongquan had no complaints.

All his hatred was poured onto the culprit who caused unexpected complications — the Black Sect.

"Hmph, don't think that everything is over just because the golden bumpa bottle was shattered."

"The monk may run, but the temple can't run away. As long as people remain in Dongdu, there are plenty of ways to disgust these bald donkeys!"

Thinking of this, his gaze flickered slightly, looking towards the spatial rift in the darkness that was still emitting a mysterious light.

"Lu Tao."

Lu Yongquan spoke in a deep voice once more.

"This subordinate is here."

Lu Tao responded immediately, standing even straighter.

"Next, you lead people to be responsible for reorganizing the manor, especially guarding the Secret Realm's entrance and exit well, and build a hidden and sturdy building here in the fastest time. This is of utmost importance to the Family's safety..."

Lu Yongquan's gaze swept over the surroundings, issuing one order after another.

His words and deeds exuded an unquestionable majesty, having completely assumed the identity of the Head of the Family and possessing the demeanor of the Family's helmsman.

"Yes!"

Lu Tao acknowledged the order with a loud voice, his heart filled with loyalty and drive towards the new Head of the Family.

As if shouting slogans, the next second he was ready to go all out and give his all until death for the resurgence of the Family.

...

Early morning.

Sunlight leaked through the gaps of the thick curtains, letting in a wisp of golden light that scattered across the floor of the hotel room.

Slowly opening his eyes, he stared straight at the ceiling.

That exquisitely styled crystal chandelier came into view.

Fang Cheng was in a trance for a moment.

His mind still retained the thrilling fragments of last night in Miwu Mountain, slaughtering to his heart's content and flying high in the sky.

His ears seemed to be still filled with battle cries and the sounds of gunfire and explosions, each sound deafening and close at hand.

Shaking his head slightly, he then cast his gaze towards the sports watch screen placed on the bedside table.

It displayed — 8:53.

It was almost time for normal work hours.

"This sleep was certainly enough..."

Fang Cheng muttered a sentence, got up from the bed, and walked towards the bathroom.

After returning to Yuehu Hotel at past two in the morning, he quickly took a hot shower and then collapsed onto the bed to sleep with his head covered.

Because of absorbing the blood rain, this fierce battle and combat had not caused him much consumption in terms of physical strength.

But his spirit seemed to have been drained dry; for some unknown reason, he was unusually fatigued and prone to sleep.

Fortunately, after making up for this sleep, he had recovered quite a bit; at least his head was no longer as groggy as before.

Fang Cheng simply washed up, stretched his limbs, and walked over to the floor-to-ceiling window.

Gently pushing aside a corner of the curtain, he peeked outward through the gap.

Downstairs of the hotel, neither any suspicious persons wandering at the entrance nor police cars wailing past nearby were seen.

It seemed that the impact of the events in Miwu Mountain last night on the outside world was not as great as expected.

Among this, on one hand, the special isolation effect inherent to the Inner World played a role.

On the other hand, the Family must also be exerting effort in secret, actively covering up the truth of the matter.

Fang Cheng withdrew his gaze, quickly put on his clothes, and prepared to go to the restaurant for a hearty meal.

This afternoon he had to return to Jiangbei once, and recently he intended to come here as little as possible. Even if he came, he must never go to the lake for morning exercises, so as not to attract the attention of certain attentive people.

Thinking of this, Fang Cheng packed his clothes and luggage.

Two murder weapons, a gun and a dagger, were hidden in the password box.

The clothes he took off in the woods last night were also stuffed into the box, ready to be taken back and destroyed without leaving hidden troubles.

After dealing with these, Fang Cheng breathed a slight sigh of relief, but in his heart he still worried about his uncle.

He hadn't returned all last night, which inevitably made people somewhat worried.

Fang Cheng immediately took out his phone and made a call each to his uncle and Lin Chuqiao.

However, there was only a busy beep on the other end of the phone, and neither of them answered.

Vaguely remembering, when saying goodbye in Miwu Mountain, he heard the professor say they needed to maintain radio silence for a period of time.

Fang Cheng deduced that they must have intentionally turned off their phones to avoid being tracked.

Thus he did not continue calling, intending to wait a few days before talking.

Anyway, judging from the situation at the time, the members of the professor's team should all be able to evacuate successfully.

As for Old Wolf, Lord Bao, Xiao Bei, and others.

When returning to the hotel last night, Fang Cheng specifically went to their room for a turn, met with them, and understood the situation at that time.

After coming out of the Underground Vault, they had been honestly waiting outside.

When the black fog surged and surrounded them, they retreated into the manor in time and escaped a disaster.

Afterwards, they fortunately absorbed the blood rain and also rendezvoused with the professor and others.

Therefore, basically no accidents happened, and one by one, missing neither arms nor legs, they all returned safely.

Today, they probably also intended to hide in another city, temporarily avoiding the limelight and quietly waiting for the situation to subside.

Fang Cheng pondered, just about to put down his phone.

Jingle — —

Along with the vibration, a hurried ringtone suddenly sounded.

At this moment, a phone call actively dialed in.

Fang Cheng was slightly stunned, his gaze sweeping over the screen, and the caller ID was an unfamiliar number.

(End of Chapter)