x
Lu Sheng sighed inwardly. In this family, the only ones he still wished to protect were his father, Lu Quan'an, Second Mother, and Xiao Qiao.
He felt nothing for the rest. When Lu Qingqing’s reputation was destroyed, no one seemed genuinely upset. Even Lu Yingying, her younger sister, spoke with such coldness—it revealed her true heart.
Although he and Lu Qingqing weren’t close, thinking about Second Mother’s distress and recalling what Yan Kai had told him earlier filled him with disappointment. His hopes, already fragile, sank completely.
He sat in silent gloom for a while before finally pulling himself together.
He might be an ordinary person, but he had the modifier. Even if he couldn’t cultivate the methods of exorcism, that didn’t mean he was weaker than the rest.
He refused to believe he couldn’t fight demons and ghosts with his own strength.
“Let’s set aside this minor issue for now. If the opportunity arises, we can still seek treatment from a proper doctor. But there’s something more urgent that can’t be delayed.” Lu Sheng’s voice was low and steady. “Taoist Master Yan Kai told me there are still many ghosts hiding in Jiulian City. We must be on guard.”
“There are still many?” Lu Quan’an was visibly startled, and the others gasped in shock.
The ghosts they’d already encountered were horrifying enough—and now they were told there were more of them?
“I’m done for!!” Fifth Lady jumped to her feet, her voice sharp with panic.
“Shut up!” Lu Quan’an roared, slamming his hand onto the armrest of his chair.
Fifth Lady flinched and quickly sat back down, trembling all over.
Lu Sheng looked around at the family. Every face was pale and drained of hope, like withered eggplants hit by frost. Panic and helplessness clouded their eyes.
“So, my suggestion is this: while it’s still safe, our Lu family should evacuate Jiulian City immediately.”
Lu Quan’an shook his head. “That’s no longer possible. A strict order has come from above—none of the four great families are permitted to leave Jiulian City. I didn’t understand the reason before, but now, I think...”
Lu Sheng’s heart sank.
Was this a deliberate act of cooperation by the authorities, or just a coincidence?
“How about leaving in pieces?” Fourth Lady asked in a low voice. “Isn’t eldest brother still in the city...?”
“No.” Lu Quan’an shook his head. “When I went to the city gate earlier, my brother didn’t meet me personally—he only sent a message. Now, even the prefect has issued a strict order: no one is allowed to leave the city.”
A heavy silence fell over the room. Everyone turned their eyes toward Lu Sheng.
It had been Lu Sheng who reversed the situation before—he was the one who dealt with the crying female ghost in the mansion.
“For now...” Lu Sheng lowered his head, his voice steady and grim. “We have no choice but to stay inside the mansion. Send word to the purchasers—have them buy and store as much food, grain, and preserved meat as possible. Prepare food that can last. We must be ready for a long siege.”
“That’s right,” Lu Quan’an nodded, his composure slowly returning.
Boom!!
The ground trembled violently.
A sudden explosion echoed from the western part of the city.
Lu Sheng sprang to his feet and rushed out of the hall. Turning westward, he saw a pillar of red flame rising into the sky. Something had clearly detonated and ignited a fire.
The crimson blaze painted half the sky above Jiulian City, and in the distance came the sounds of weeping, screaming, and urgent cries to extinguish the flames.
“I’ll go take a look!”
Unable to see clearly from within the inner courtyard, Lu Sheng quickly informed his father and dashed toward the mansion gate.
As he exited, he called for the servants to bring out the horses.
Out on the street in front of the Lu family estate, people with swords and knives were already rushing toward the fire.
They moved with practiced agility—clearly martial artists. Yet what struck Lu Sheng wasn’t panic on their faces—it was something else.
Greed.12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuaZaUUHh6N
Desire.
The kind of hunger one sees not in heroes, but in predators.
Lu Sheng stood at the mansion gate for only a dozen breaths, yet in that short time, three groups of martial artists passed by.
Some were on horseback, galloping at full speed. Others ran on foot, swift and agile. Among them were men and women, old and young alike.
But one thing was clear—most of them weren’t locals of Jiulian City.
Their attire was more refined than that of the townspeople—elegant fabrics, fine embroidery, and small ornamental accessories revealed their origin. They were mostly from the Central Plains.
While the frightened servants struggled to bring over the horses, Lu Sheng calmed one of the panicked animals with a steady hand. He was just about to mount when two familiar faces caught his eye among the passing crowd.
Duanmu Wan and the ever-present male guard beside her were speeding past on horseback, heading straight toward the fire.
She wore a black gauze dress and a bamboo hat, her graceful figure faintly visible through the sheer fabric.
As she passed the Lu mansion, her gaze locked onto Lu Sheng—and she suddenly reined in slightly.
“You’re not dead yet?”
Her tone was one of amused surprise, as if she’d just spotted a rare creature.
Lu Sheng frowned, puzzled by her words. “What do you mean, Miss Duanmu?”
“Interesting.” Duanmu Wan smiled beneath the brim of her hat. “It seems we’re truly fated to meet again. I’ll come visit you later.”
Lu Sheng opened his mouth to ask more, but she had already turned her horse and ridden off with the guard, speeding toward the flames.
Just before they vanished into the distance, the male guard glanced back at Lu Sheng—his eyes wide with disbelief.
That look…
It was the look someone gives when they see a person they were certain had died—standing there, alive.
Lu Sheng had just mounted his horse, ready to chase after the flames, when a voice called out to him.
It was Yan Kai.
“Mr. Sheng, it’s better not to get involved. This matter has nothing to do with you.”
Yan Kai, along with Duan Rongrong and Zhuan Feng, was heading toward the fire. Seeing that Lu Sheng intended to follow, he had to speak up.
“What do you mean by that, Taoist?” Lu Sheng asked, his tone low and firm.
“The fire was caused by a powerful demon—deliberately,” Yan Kai replied grimly. “The air there is thick with resentment. Ordinary people who get close will lose control of their minds. It’s dangerous—even fatal. Martial artist or not, Master Sheng, it won’t end well.”
Lu Sheng frowned. “But I just saw a crowd rushing over there...”
“They’re rushing to their deaths,” Yan Kai said coldly. “And it seems someone is luring them there on purpose.”
Lu Sheng fell silent.
Watching something catastrophic unfold so close to home while being powerless to act gnawed at him. But he sensed that Yan Kai was warning him out of genuine concern.
He dismounted and gave a respectful bow. “Thank you for the warning, Taoist.”
Yan Kai nodded in return. Then, with Duan Rongrong’s strange bee leading the way, the group continued toward the blaze.
As Lu Sheng watched them go, a thought struck him—Duan Rongrong and Zhuan Feng likely weren’t ordinary people either.
They came here for a reason. Perhaps they had other goals beyond this incident—goals that had drawn them to Jiulian City, a remote town near the White Ice Ocean in the north.
Suddenly, an idea formed.
Lu Sheng stepped forward and called out, “Master, Miss Zhuan Feng! You’ll get there faster if I arrange horses for you!”
Yan Kai paused, surprised, but quickly realized Lu Sheng was offering a helping hand.
Given the danger ahead, conserving strength was crucial. Yan Kai nodded gratefully.
“That would be a great help!”
Lu Sheng turned to the nearby servants, then caught himself.
“No, there’s no need to lead the horses. The stable is right there—come on! Take all three of them to pick whatever horses they need. Any of them will do!” he shouted.
“Master Sheng is truly righteous!” Yan Kai exclaimed, clasping his fists in gratitude, then hurried to the stables with the guards.
Lu Sheng stood alone at the gate of the Lu Mansion. Only a few guards lingered nearby, their faces blank with confusion—they had no idea what was going on.
He gazed silently toward the direction of the fire.
The flames had raged for who knew how long before finally dimming and dying out.
And Lu Sheng had remained at the gate the entire time, motionless.
Crack!
A streak of blue lightning split across the sky.
Overhead, thick clouds gathered—whether they were storm clouds or lingering smoke was hard to tell.
Moments later, heavy rain began to fall.
Lu Quanan soon emerged from the house and stepped beside his son. A servant followed, holding an awning above the two of them.
Raindrops pelted the ground, kicking up wisps of white mist.
The sky had gone dark again, though dawn was just around the corner.
An entire night had passed without them realizing it.
Lu Sheng remained still, lost in thought.
He couldn’t shake the feeling that something crucial had happened in that explosion—something monumental.
And it had happened right in front of their home.
Yet all he had done… was stand and watch.
Too weak to act. Too afraid to draw near.
He knew Yan Kai hadn’t lied. Whatever occurred last night was beyond what ordinary people could handle.
“The fire should be out now,” Lu Quanan said quietly beside him. “I just received word. It was a fireworks shop in the west of the city that exploded… The fire spread fast. Many people died.”
“Fireworks shop...” Lu Sheng murmured, his eyes drifting toward the western horizon.
The sky was beginning to brighten—the first light of dawn tinting the clouds a soft blend of blue and white.
He reached down and tightened the strap on the sword at his waist.
Then, with calm determination, he stepped forward.
“Dad, I’ll go take a look over there.”
“Be careful,” Lu Quanan said quickly. He didn’t know the full truth about the fire, but unease had hung over Jiulian City for days now.
“I know!”
With that, Lu Sheng left the mansion and made his way toward the west side of the city.
At first, Lu Sheng couldn't see anything clearly. But as he drew closer to the site of the fire, the signs of devastation gradually became visible.
The houses and streets turned a smoky gray, fading into charred black.
People stood scattered along the streets, clutching luggage, quilts, and bundles of belongings. Their homes were gone.
The air rang with chaos—crying, shouting, frantic voices overlapping in a cacophony of despair.
Lu Sheng pressed on.
The crowd began to thin. The houses on either side of the road were completely burned out—some had collapsed entirely, their roofs caved in with gaping holes.
Charred, half-melted bones littered the ground.
Remains were everywhere.
The further he went, the more dread took root in his chest.
Too many had died in the fire. Too many to count.
Eventually, Lu Sheng reached the epicenter of the blast.
It wasn’t a fireworks shop.
It was the Pearl Mansion—another residence belonging to the prefect, Song Duanchi.
Or rather, what was left of it.
The entire estate had collapsed into rubble, barely recognizable. Debris was scattered in every direction, forming mounds like makeshift graves.
Lu Sheng wasn’t alone.
Many figures moved through the ruins—wandering martial artists from the jianghu, armed with swords and knives. They didn’t speak to one another, instead keeping cautious distance, eyes sharp with wariness.
These weren’t locals from Jiulian City.
Their outfits were more ornate, their movements more precise. A distinct aura clung to them—one that set them apart as seasoned fighters.
Lu Sheng watched quietly as some of them sifted through the rubble, occasionally uncovering strange objects and hurriedly stashing them away in their robes.
ns216.73.216.45da2
