61: In the end, I softened my heart.
Lu Yucheng smiled throughout, as if bathed in a spring breeze... Many matters Lu Chen discussed with him, besides his mother and some concubines, most of his younger siblings were unaware of.
Just like the night he cleansed Qingzhu Mountain a few days ago, slaughtering hundreds, only Yu Yao among his siblings knew about it.
Lu Yucheng's state of mind had been tempered. As long as his younger siblings did not betray the Lu Clan, the elder brother they encountered would always be that kind elder brother.
Just like his father, always so amiable, only showing a cold side to those with ulterior motives.
His father was his role model, his goal for learning.
“Yanger, you tell them. The Family is the most important!”
Huang Meier had vaguely sensed something. After saying this, she seemed to lose all strength, slumping onto the chair, no longer looking up.
“Mother...”
Lu Yuyang's lips moved, his expression bitter.
But his father’s piercing gaze and his siblings’ probing eyes did not allow him to remain silent... “During the Robber Cultivator chaos, the main wife and my mother asked me to seek help from the Huang Clan, to lure out and eliminate the Robber Cultivators attacking Wan Quan Lake. However... However... the Huang Clan did not agree... instead, they demanded the Family’s Alchemy Legacy from me. I refused and was forcibly kept by the Huang Clan. It was only by relying on the Talisman left by my father that I managed to escape with some people. But the Robber Cultivators I couldn't find earlier, I encountered them shortly after leaving the Huang Clan...”
Lu Yuyang’s expression was downcast: “Although the Robber Cultivators were all eliminated, only... I survived.”
Bang!
“How could there be such a coincidence?!”
Lu Yuyao slammed the table, her expression furious, killing intent swirling in her eyes.
“Aunt Huang, Third Brother, it’s not that I’m speaking out of turn... there’s simply no need to test the intentions of our maternal clans. Anyone who touches the interests of our Lu Clan is an enemy!
I rejected this idea when you first had it, but you didn't listen, and now you almost got Third Brother killed... If you ask me... no matter where the Robber Cultivators came from, the Huang Clan should bear our retaliation!
Don’t look at me like that, if the Li Clan were involved, I would retaliate against them all the same! We are people of the Lu Clan, concubines, do you still expect your families to protect you?”
Lu Yuyao was fearless, her eyes directly meeting those of every concubine who looked at her.
“That’s right! Second Sister, we are people of the Lu Clan!”
“Yes, those who touch the interests of our Lu Clan should bear our wrath!”
“...”
The youngsters were agitated, but Lu Chen’s Dao Companions had complex expressions. A considerable number of them still found it hard to let go of the families they had lived with since childhood.
All of this was observed by Lu Chen. His expression remained unchanged, only Cui Zhirou, who was closest to him, blinked almost imperceptibly, showing no outward emotion.
Cui Zhirou understood Lu Chen’s thoughts and sighed softly in her heart. They were sisters who had lived together for over a decade, sometimes even dancing and singing together, all for the sake of the Family Bloodline.
Now, the new generation of the Lu Clan was emerging onto the Lu Clan stage... Sisters who hadn't corrected their mindset were probably already completely eliminated in Lu Chen’s eyes... As the person who interacted with Lu Chen the most, Cui Zhirou knew very well that Lu Chen cared about whoever cared about the Lu Clan. For these Dao Companions who had completely disappointed Lu Chen, their path to Immortality would end here.
“Report! There’s a Family message from the Cui Clan!”
The voice of a consecrator echoed outside the deliberation hall.
The Cui Clan Family message was a message uniformly sent by the Cui Clan to all major families, and each time it represented a major event happening in Qinghe.
“Enter.”
Lu Chen’s voice reached the consecrator’s ears. The latter pushed open the door and presented an uncrushed jade talisman in his hand.
“Break it.”
Lu Chen waved his hand indifferently. Such matters could not be kept secret; the entire Qinghe would soon know.
“Yes!”
The consecrator bowed and crushed the jade talisman.
‘Robber Cultivators have appeared in Qinghe. The Chen Clan has been annihilated, and the Huang Clan Patriarch is dead. All major families, be vigilant against unfamiliar Cultivators! Notify our Cui Clan immediately if anything happens.’
Cui Yanhe’s voice, tinged with a hint of fear, sounded out of thin air.
“What?!”
Huang Meier looked up immediately, her eyes wide with astonishment. Then she looked at Lu Chen, smacked her lips, wanting to say something but swallowing it back.
If, before Lu Yuyang returned, they would have been surprised why the Chen Clan was annihilated, but considering that the Huang Clan Patriarch was also killed, Lu Chen’s Dao Companions and the second generation of the Lu Clan all turned their gazes to Lu Chen.
If they showed surprise and admiration, then one person’s gaze was the most fearful: Lu Chen’s seventh son, Lu Yuzhen... “Yuzhen...”
Lu Chen beckoned. Lu Yuzhen, head bowed slightly, stepped forward to stand beside Lu Yuyang.
“Father...”
He kept his head down, his body trembling, simply because his mother was Chen Ruiyan, a member of the Chen Clan.
Now that the Chen Clan was annihilated, it could be said that among all the offspring, he had the least backing, and his talent was not outstanding, making him inconspicuous among his siblings.
“You are my child. The Lu Clan will always be your backing. The annihilation of the Chen Clan has nothing to do with you. Cultivate diligently. If that doesn’t work, then focus on learning Artifact Refining.”
Lu Chen took out an Artifact Refining Legacy, the Chen Clan Iron Records, still stained with blood.
Lu Yuzhen tremblingly accepted it. Everyone’s eyes narrowed slightly. Who didn’t know that the Chen Clan was known for Artifact Refining, and its core technique was the Artifact Refining Legacy compiled by the Chen Clan Old Ancestor, named the Chen Clan Iron Records?
Lu Chen had practically told them that the Robber Cultivator was him... Besides Lu Yuyang, the elder brother, and the second sister, all the other offspring were shocked. Their father could silently annihilate the Chen Family, which was also one of the six great Qi Refining Perfection families...
And he even killed the Huang Clan Patriarch along the way. Didn't this mean that it would be effortless for Lu Chen to annihilate the Huang Family as well... “Father, you are truly amazing!”
Lu Yugan smiled fawningly, his expression exaggerated, which made his mother, Qu Ruoyan, cover her face. How did she give birth to such a character?
“What’s so amazing? I just picked up this Legacy by the roadside...”
Lu Chen explained indifferently. When the Foundation Establishment Seed revived, he knew that the Robber Cultivators behind it were all from the Chen Clan, but the actions of the Huang Clan undoubtedly showed that they wanted to get involved.
After all, as Immortal Clans of Qinghe, did the Chen Clan really think their actions could hide from anyone? The one who wanted to demand the Alchemy Legacy was Lu Yuyang’s maternal grandfather, an old man who had discussed the Dao with him a few times and whose skills were very limited. He had repeatedly tried to buy Lu Chen’s Legacy but was always refused.
Encountering such a rare opportunity, he wanted to detain Lu Yuyang to threaten the Lu Clan. Lu Chen originally planned to kill him, but after thinking about it... he still dealt with Huang Yuanfeng as a warning to the Huang Family.
(Huang Yuanfeng: Hehe, thank you very much...)
“Yes, yes, Father picked it up...”
Lu Yucheng smiled broadly: “Father’s luck is number one in the Cultivation world!”
“...”
For a moment, the atmosphere was lively, but Lu Yuzhen stood rooted to the spot, as if in a world of ice.
“Father, I will work hard...”
Lu Yuzhen spoke with difficulty and bitterness, as if a whip were in his throat... ps: Human nature is complex. One can be ruthless to anyone, but can one be so ruthless to one's own child? After a generation, the Family will have its own Law Enforcement Hall. No damage was caused, and Yuzhen's character will be outlined later, but there will be no betrayal... (The author is quite timid)