novelraw Chapter 65 – Unexpected event
Chapter 65 – Unexpected event
Hunter Guild.
Luo Xiu, pale-faced and staggering, entered the area reserved for internal members.
A woman with delicate features and a graceful figure approached him. Seeing Luo Xiu in such a state, she hurried over to support him.
The faint fragrance from the woman wafted into his nostrils. Luo Xiu, feeling somewhat weak, spoke, "Take me to a quiet room."
At the same time, Luo Xiu recognized the woman's face—an unexpected acquaintance.
The most beautiful woman in the Qingyun City Hunter Guild, Jiang Shanshan.
However, Luo Xiu had no time to ponder why Jiang Shanshan was in the Yunlong Prefecture Guild; he needed a place to recover from his injuries.
"Are you... okay?" Jiang Shanshan asked as she helped Luo Xiu into a simple, clean room.
Luo Xiu pursed his lips, somewhat speechless, "Do I look okay to you?"
Jiang Shanshan felt a bit embarrassed at his words and said, "I didn't mean it that way. I meant, are your injuries serious? Can I help you with anything?"
"Just leave me here; I can heal myself," Luo Xiu replied.
As he spoke, Jiang Shanshan helped Luo Xiu sit down and then turned to leave, closing the door behind her.
Inside the Hunter Guild, safety was not a concern. Luo Xiu immediately sat cross-legged on the bed, began circulating his cultivation method, and started healing his injuries.
The force from Zhang Lüliang's palm strike contained innate True Qi. Even a mere graze had fractured his bones and damaged his meridians, highlighting the significant gap between his current strength and that of an Innate Martial Master.
In his dantian, the Heaven's Life and Death Cycle spun continuously, releasing streams of True Qi rich in life force, which circulated throughout his body, repairing the damaged vital meridians.
...
About an hour later, Luo Xiu opened his eyes. His fractured bones and damaged meridians had completely healed.
"Creaaak..."
The door slowly opened, and Luo Xiu looked up to see President Wen Qianhong entering.
"Recovered from your injuries?" Wen Qianhong asked with a smile as he sat down.
Luo Xiu nodded, stood up, and bowed, "Thank you, President, for your help this time."
He was well aware that without the Transforming Bone Pill Wen Qianhong had given him, he wouldn't have been able to infiltrate the Free Spirit Outer Sect. He would have been discovered as soon as he entered, never to escape.
Yet, thinking of Lu Mengyao's final resolute choice, Luo Xiu couldn't help but smile bitterly. He knew very well that from now on, the two of them would be like strangers, no longer part of the same world.
Seeing Luo Xiu's expression, Wen Qianhong, with his worldly experience, immediately understood the situation.
"Everyone has their own choices and paths to walk. Different paths naturally lead to different destinations," Wen Qianhong said with a smile.
Luo Xiu knew the president was trying to comfort him, so he replied with a smile, "Perhaps this is what they mean by 'paths that differ cannot be pursued together.'"
"Hehe, that's one way to look at it," Wen Qianhong nodded with a smile.
"In life, nine out of ten things don't go as planned. Your journey is still long. If you want to achieve something in Martial Dao, the first thing you need to do is reach the level of an Innate Martial Master within a year."
The guild's talented members undergo an annual assessment. If they fail to meet the requirements, they cannot continue to receive the guild's support.
The Hunter Guild's nurturing of talent imposes almost no restrictions on freedom, nor does it offer any protection. Whether one can grow depends entirely on personal opportunity and ability.
Of course, talented members can access intelligence, information, cultivation methods, and resources from the Hunter Guild, provided they meet the conditions, and the guild will provide them free of charge.
Luo Xiu understood President Wen Qianhong's message. Since the matter with Lu Mengyao was essentially resolved, he planned to focus his main efforts on cultivating Martial Dao from now on.
Wen Qianhong didn't stay long with Luo Xiu. His special attention to Luo Xiu was due to the young man's promising talent and the fact that he found Luo Xiu quite agreeable.
The world is never short of geniuses; what's lacking are geniuses who can grow into strong individuals.
After Wen Qianhong left, Luo Xiu began his cultivation in the room. In the past, he had focused mainly on comprehending the Heaven's Life and Death Cycle and the Swift Sword Art, paying little attention to improving his cultivation level.
However, being injured by Zhang Lüliang in the Free Spirit Outer Sect made him realize the importance of cultivation. If the gap in cultivation between opponents is too large, it can result in overwhelming strength.
For instance, Zhang Lüliang was such a case. In terms of realm, he might not be superior to Luo Xiu, but his cultivation far surpassed Luo Xiu's, compensating for the gap in martial arts realm and allowing him to overpower Luo Xiu.
Both cultivation and realm are extremely important.
Luo Xiu's comprehension of the Origin Law Diagram from the Heaven's Life and Death Cycle, combined with his practice of the Swift Sword Art, had elevated his martial arts realm to a level many Innate Martial Masters couldn't match.
However, his cultivation was relatively low, only at the third layer of the Qi Sea Realm.
Improving cultivation is relatively easier than improving one's realm. As long as one has enough resources and good talent, it's achievable.
Using a fifth-tier Spirit Gathering Formation device and mid-grade Yuan Qi Stones, Luo Xiu immersed himself in rapidly advancing his cultivation.
...
After Luo Xiu left, Lu Mengyao didn't know how long she cried until she eventually fainted.
When she awoke in a daze, she found herself lying on a bed, with her father, Lu Feichen, sitting at a nearby table.
"Luo Xiu..."
Her mind replayed the scene of Luo Xiu's farewell, especially the words "I don't blame you," which filled her with guilt.
She knew that because of her, Luo Xiu had almost lost his life, and even his parents and sister had been implicated.
But the one who orchestrated all this was her most beloved father, and in the end, she chose to part ways with Luo Xiu for her father's sake, becoming strangers.
"Mengyao, you're awake," Lu Feichen looked over.
"Father, where is Luo Xiu?" Lu Mengyao suddenly remembered that Luo Xiu had killed several outer sect disciples. Had he escaped? Was he captured? Was he injured?
Thinking of these things, she anxiously and fearfully looked at her father.
Lu Feichen sighed, "Luo Xiu escaped into the Hunter Guild..."
Hearing that Luo Xiu was safe, Lu Mengyao breathed a sigh of relief and then said, "Father, please don't target him anymore, okay? I agree to marry Gou Jinchuan."
She knew that Luo Xiu had killed several outer sect disciples. If the Free Spirit Sect pursued the matter, there would be no place for him in the entire Yunlong Prefecture.
"Alright, I promise not to pursue this matter," Lu Feichen said with a comforting smile.
However, a cold glint flashed in Lu Feichen's eyes. He promised Lu Mengyao to calm her emotions, but to let Luo Xiu off the hook? Impossible.
...
Time passed quietly, and before anyone knew it, a month had gone by.
During this time, Luo Xiu never left the Hunter Guild, remaining in seclusion, undisturbed by anyone.
The various Martial Halls across the Eighteen Cities of the prefecture found no trace of him, but under Lu Feichen's orders, people were always watching the various Hunter Guild branches.
One day, Luo Xiu slowly opened his eyes in his room. Over the course of a month, he had used over a hundred mid-grade Yuan Qi Stones, breaking through two minor levels, reaching the fifth layer of the Qi Sea Realm.
As he stepped out of his room, he saw President Wen Qianhong, who informed him that during his seclusion, a major event had occurred in the Free Spirit Sect.
Half a month ago, the Sect Master of the Free Spirit Sect passed away. Before Lu Feichen could marry his daughter Lu Mengyao to Gou Jinchuan, the struggle for the position of Sect Master erupted.
Kong Qingyu failed in the struggle for the position, and Di Sigu became the new Sect Master, leading to the suppression of Kong Qingyu's faction.
"Ten days ago, Lu Feichen was severely injured and fled the Free Spirit Sect with Lu Mengyao. They are currently in the Hunter Guild," President Wen Qianhong informed Luo Xiu.
Because Luo Xiu had been in seclusion, President Wen Qianhong waited until he emerged to share this news.
Luo Xiu hadn't expected such a sudden turn of events.
In a quiet room, Luo Xiu saw Lu Mengyao, her face stained with tears, looking pale and haggard.
On the bed, Lu Feichen lay weakly. In Luo Xiu's eyes, his vital meridians were dim and shrouded in a black aura of death.
Lu Feichen, a Martial Grandmaster at the ninth layer of the Spirit Refining Realm, originally had vital meridians glowing with a blue hue. Now, they were black with death energy, indicating he was nearing the end of his life.
Although Luo Xiu's Life and Death Extremes Qi could repair vital meridians, he knew his cultivation was too low to save Lu Feichen in this condition.
Moreover, even if he could save him, for someone who had once sought his death and harmed his family, Luo Xiu might not intervene, even considering his relationship with Lu Mengyao.
"Luo Xiu, I know you must hate me, but I hope you won't blame Mengyao. She truly likes you. If not for me, her unworthy father, she would never have parted from you."
Perhaps it was the approach of death that softened his words. Lu Feichen looked at Luo Xiu and spoke calmly, "After I'm gone, I hope you can take care of Mengyao. I was blinded by my ambition to break through to the King Realm. Don't blame her."
"Father!..." Lu Mengyao cried, heartbroken.
Lu Feichen smiled at his daughter, "Mengyao, when I'm gone, take care of yourself. Luo Xiu is a good man. Being with him will give you a sense of belonging, and I can die without regrets."
"After I'm gone, you can go to Douhai Prefecture and join the Thunder Martial Sect."
Lu Feichen then looked at Luo Xiu with a pleading gaze.
At this point, Luo Xiu felt no resentment towards a dying man. He spoke, "Rest assured, Master Lu, I will take care of Mengyao."
Hearing Luo Xiu's promise, Lu Feichen finally relaxed. Suddenly, black blood trickled from his mouth, and he slowly closed his eyes, life slipping away.
In Luo Xiu's eyes, Lu Feichen's vital meridians dimmed completely and vanished in an instant.
"Father!" Lu Mengyao cried out in despair, her voice choked with sobs. She couldn't accept this reality.
For her father, she had given up her feelings for Luo Xiu, only to lose her father in the end.
Luo Xiu didn't know how to comfort Lu Mengyao at this moment. Perhaps, as President Wen Qianhong had said, in life, nine out of ten things don't go as planned...
He stepped forward, gently patting Lu Mengyao's shoulder, "Mengyao, your father is gone, but he wanted you to live well. You need to be strong..."
Truthfully, Luo Xiu wasn't good at comforting others.
Lu Mengyao collapsed into his arms, unable to suppress her grief. Her father's sudden departure left her feeling as if she had lost all support.
Before losing her father, she had already lost Luo Xiu, leaving her feeling as if she had nothing left.