Chapter 8: A Show of Strength
Chapter 8: A Show of Strength
After chatting in the room for a while, Lu Hangzhi suddenly heard rapid, chaotic footsteps outside the courtyard. Just as he was feeling startled and suspicious, a loud laugh echoed throughout the Zhu Residence:
“Haha… Fellow Cultivator Zhu, it seems your daughter’s Xuanxin Sect Senior Brother isn’t here to support your Zhu family’s control over Violet Cloud Town after all.”
Lu Hangzhi, Lü’e, and Cong Fang all changed their expressions.
“It’s Elder Xu.”
“Why has he come?”
“I heard from Miss that the position of Guard Camp Elder has been vacant for days, which is bad for Violet Cloud Town’s safety. Someone must be chosen soon. Elder Xu has probably come to force the issue.”
The three of them left the room and saw that all the maids in the courtyard had been startled and gathered at the courtyard gate, crowding around the calm and composed Miss Zhu Fuqin.
Before Zhu Fuqin could speak, another calm, authoritative voice rose from another part of the residence:
“My daughter has many friends. Her Senior Brother was just passing by and stopped to rest. It’s a matter between juniors. Elder Xu, you have misunderstood.”
Needless to say, only Miss Fuqin’s father—Elder Zhu, one of the three great Elders of Violet Cloud Town—could converse with Elder Xu from a distance like this.
Only Elder Zhu, as a fellow Elder, would dare so openly mock Elder Xu for being overly suspicious and making a fuss over nothing.
Elder Xu was openly mocked. Angrily, he snorted from his nose, the sound like a thunderclap echoing over the Zhu Residence.
A ring of sound waves swept across the Zhu Residence.
Lu Hangzhi felt his eardrums vibrate slightly and struggled to stay standing. Turning his head, he saw Lü’e and Cong Fang tremble, their faces quickly turning pale. They had clearly suffered quite an impact. The group of maids around Miss Zhu also swayed and stumbled.
Lu Hangzhi was shocked!
Such formidable strength, a breath that could create thunder—this control over Spiritual Energy had clearly reached a masterful level. Was this the power of a Third Rank Peak Cultivator?
Truly formidable!
“You old fool Xu, how dare you act wildly in my residence? Are you trying to force me to kill all thirty of your illegitimate children, both inside and outside your estate? Or are you planning to join forces with the Qin family Elder and formally declare war on my Zhu family?”
Elder Zhu was furious. An aura no less powerful than Elder Xu’s soared into the air. Immediately after, a black Spiritual Energy Vortex appeared, pulling the Spiritual Energy within the residence and pouring it frantically into the body of a middle-aged man who rose slowly. His power surged higher and higher, showing a faint tendency to suppress Elder Xu’s aura.
Right at that moment, another power intervened to stir up trouble. The voice arrived before the person did:
“Haha… A misunderstanding, a misunderstanding. Both of you, calm your anger. Elder Xu and I came to discuss the matter of the fourth Elder position with Brother Zhu. This is official business, not personal. Let’s not give outsiders a reason to laugh at us.”
Then, Zhu Fuqin moved.
Without holding back at all, she unleashed her full Third Rank Peak cultivation power. Accompanied by a second Spiritual Energy Vortex, she intercepted the meddling Elder Qin.
Boom!
Two powerful auras clashed across the distance.
“If this is official business, then why did you intentionally injure everyone in my Zhu Residence? Uncle Qin, I’m afraid I cannot accept your explanation. As a disciple of the Xuanxin Sect, if I cannot even protect my family’s honor and my own people, what face would I have left to stand on in Violet Cloud Town? What face would I have to meet my fellow sect members?”
As soon as she finished speaking, the Spiritual Energy Vortex spun wildly. Her aura climbed steadily. Her feet left the ground as she slowly moved near Elder Zhu. Her power surged once again!
“Niece Fuqin, your talent is indeed extraordinary. Not even eighteen years old, yet you’ve already reached such a level of cultivation… Ah! Old Zhu, don’t be rash…”
Elder Qin’s dry laugh was cut short as he suddenly realized that, aided by the Spiritual Energy Vortex, Zhu Fuqin’s aura was rising so powerfully that it threatened to push him out of the Zhu Residence, out of the center of the vortex. Startled, he hurriedly withdrew his aura.
This withdrawal sent the two powerful auras crashing directly toward Elder Xu, who was still stubbornly resisting.
Immediately, Elder Xu bitterly regretted his actions.
Moments ago, in a moment of arrogance, he had injured many of the Zhu Residence’s servants and retainers. He had fully expected to teach the entire Zhu family an unforgettable lesson and put this niece in her place. He never imagined retribution would come so quickly. The Zhu father and daughter joined forces, using the Spiritual Energy Vortex to amplify their power. It was equivalent to facing two Fourth Grade Cultivators alone. He grunted, stumbling back three large steps before stopping, panting heavily, his face flushed red.
“Insolent!”
Just as he was about to lose his temper, Elder Qin stopped him in time.
“Elder Xu, official business is more important.”
“Hmph!”
Elder Xu’s eyes shifted. Gnashing his teeth, he swallowed his anger and turned his face away.
Seeing they had gained the upper hand, the Zhu father and daughter knew when to stop. They both withdrew their auras and landed outside the main hall’s entrance. Elder Zhu said, “Since you’ve come on official business, please enter the residence.”
Although many servants had been injured in the clash, making Elder Xu suffer a hidden loss outside the Zhu Residence was still a worthwhile trade-off. After all, they weren’t about to formally go to war with the two great families.
“Miss is truly amazing.”
“Yes, it seems Miss securing the fourth Elder position and taking charge of the Guard Camp is practically guaranteed, absolutely certain.”
A group of maids, having witnessed Elder Xu’s humiliation, were elated and chattered excitedly.
Only Lu Hangzhi remained silent, his expression slightly somber.
The two Elders had come with such force, clearly intending to settle the fourth Elder position swiftly and decisively. They wouldn’t let Miss take it so easily, would they?
Sure enough!
Shortly after the four of them took their seats and a Soundproof Barrier was raised in the main hall, a decision was reached. Elder Xu and Elder Qin left the Zhu Residence with haughty arrogance.
The Zhu father and daughter stepped out of the hall and exchanged a look.
“Are you unwilling to accept this?”
“…”
“Don’t worry. You are still young. Although your cultivation has reached the Third Rank Peak, your combat experience and command abilities truly aren’t as good as the former Town Guardian’s. To be honest, as your father, I don’t want you distracted by Guard Camp affairs and delaying your cultivation. Do you understand my meaning?”
“Father is right.”
Zhu Fuqin’s tone was calm, betraying no emotion.
Elder Zhu nodded slightly, then changed the subject:
“I heard you allowed a servant to enter the Spirit Gathering Array yesterday. Is it confirmed?”
“Yes.”
Elder Zhu glanced into the crowd, a flicker of surprise in his eyes: “He seems to be someone with fateful encounters. Very well, you may go.”
“Your daughter takes her leave.”
The matter concluded amidst the discussions of the Zhu Residence servants.
Soon, the three great families announced to all Cultivators in Violet Cloud Town that the fourth Elder position would temporarily be held by the newly advanced Third Grade Cultivator—the former Town Guardian, “Wu Zhichu”—who would be responsible for leading the Guard Camp and protecting Violet Cloud Town.
Wu Zhichu assumed his post.
But for ordinary people, life went on as usual.
Violet Cloud Town was still governed by the three great families; nothing had changed.
Only, the Zhu Residence issued an order that day, granting everyone in the residence one Spirit Fruit to heal the hidden injuries sustained during the daytime clash.
After consuming one Spirit Fruit, rich Spiritual Energy filled his body, quickly replenishing the energy he hadn’t fully recovered from casting spells that morning…
Perhaps because his physique had been strengthened by the Essence Spirit Fruit, Lu Hangzhi didn’t have any hidden injuries. But the shock he felt inwardly was significant.
He never expected that the highly respected Zhu family wasn’t entirely safe either. When the two families joined forces, they didn’t care at all about the servants within the Zhu Residence.
Closing his eyes and savoring the comfortable feeling of being full of Spiritual Energy, Lu Hangzhi secretly resolved:
“Miss narrowly missed the Elder position. Her expression was calm, but she must be very unwilling inside. But right now, I can’t intervene at all. The only thing I can do is cultivate with all my might and stabilize my cultivation as a First Grade Cultivator as soon as possible… On one hand, I can gradually help Miss; on the other, I can increase my own ability to survive.”
Beside the bed, the damaged Spirit Fruit Tree was losing Spiritual Energy. It continuously leaked from the two-inch deep gash. The emerald green leaves once again took on a dim, withered appearance, drooping limply.
Lu Hangzhi frowned slightly:
He had nourished it just an hour ago, yet the energy had already mostly dissipated. It looked like if he didn’t nourish it again, the main body would be damaged. Indeed, a damaged Spirit Fruit Tree was a bottomless pit. No wonder Cong Fang had told him to give up.
“If only I could wrap the injured wound and preserve the Spiritual Energy.”
“Wait!”
“Spiritual Energy leakage?”
“The principle of the Revitalization Technique is to form a Spiritual Energy Vortex, gathering the surrounding Spiritual Energy to one point. Wouldn’t that be perfect for gathering the leaking Spiritual Energy back? Damn! Such a simple idea. I’m so stupid!”
Overjoyed, Lu Hangzhi got straight to work.
Soon, a miniature Spiritual Energy Vortex enveloped the Spirit Fruit Tree, turning slowly.
Unlike the terrifying Spiritual Energy Vortexes of the Zhu father and daughter, the Revitalization Technique cast by a First Grade Cultivator could only produce a slight gathering effect. The Spiritual Energy Vortex was very tiny, with a diameter of less than one meter. Its rotation was slow, and because the Spiritual Energy here was sparse, the threads of energy gradually gathering were very faint…
“Although there isn’t much Spiritual Energy, it can lock it in, and it can also draw Spiritual Energy from elsewhere to slowly nourish the Spirit Fruit Tree. Excellent!”
Seeing that the Spiritual Energy Vortex’s effect was even better than he had imagined—not only did it stop the Spiritual Energy loss, but it also slowly fed back into the Spirit Fruit Tree, producing a further nourishing effect—Lu Hangzhi felt greatly relieved.
“At this rate, if I can maintain it for a while, I should be able to cure this Spirit Fruit Tree…”
But then Lu Hangzhi started worrying about another problem:
The Revitalization Technique… needed to be maintained continuously to be effective! Once interrupted, the Spiritual Energy would continue to dissipate.
How troublesome!
Although each casting could last about ten minutes, casting it once used up the same amount of Magic Power as one use of the Tongue Sword Art. He could only keep it up for three hours at most before his Magic Power ran dry.
Lu Hangzhi was frustrated.
He had no choice but to continue racking his brains for a solution.
He didn’t know that the most difficult problem, which even Miss hadn’t been able to solve, had been handled by him so easily.
…
This particular Spirit Fruit Tree was no ordinary plant.
The Xuanxin Sect occupied Spiritual Peaks with abundant Spiritual Energy, and countless Spirit Tree Magic Formations. They wouldn’t even glance at an ordinary Spirit Fruit Tree, let alone bring one along.
This Spirit Fruit Tree was found by a Xuanxin Sect Senior Brother during a mission, accidentally discovered in a Fifth-Grade Monster Beast’s lair. During the fierce battle, it was accidentally damaged. Its species was unknown—but since it was guarded by a Fifth-Grade Monster Beast in its lair, it definitely wasn’t ordinary.
Because it was severely damaged, unless a group of Cultivators was assigned to heal and nourish it day and night, it simply couldn’t survive.
Cultivators cultivated daily, and their Spiritual Energy was limited. Naturally, they couldn’t waste time on a Spirit Fruit Tree of unknown origin and unclear value…
Miss Zhu’s Senior Brother thought of his Junior Sister’s Revitalization Technique.
Zhu Fuqin did indeed use the Revitalization Technique on it. But the Spiritual Energy Vortex was too overpowering. Before the vortex even fully formed, it sucked away much of the Spiritual Energy from the Spirit Fruit Tree, pushing it to the brink of death. After that, no one dared try that idea again.
The Xuanxin Sect Senior Brother also left disappointed.
Even Zhu Fuqin, having failed to help, completely put the Spirit Fruit Tree out of her mind.
No one expected Lu Hangzhi to obsessively tinker and fiddle with it. He stubbornly used the two Low-Grade Spirit Stones he had just obtained to maintain his Magic Power. He worked tirelessly for over ten hours, diligently maintaining the Spiritual Energy Vortex. In between, he also used the Water Control Art three times to moisten the Spirit Tree, managing to make the Spirit Fruit Tree thrive with vitality.