How could Lu Yin agree to such an offer? He let out a dry laugh. “Brother Liu, stop messing around. This little brother couldn’t be that lucky.”
Liu Hao felt a bit of regret. He had already known that there was not much chance of Long Qi agreeing to the offer. After all, Long Qi was from the White Dragon Clan, which was one of the four ruling powers. No matter what happened, the Liu family was still limited to the Middle Realm.
“Then let’s keep going. I want to find out what Brother Long is capable of.” Liu Hao attacked again. The blade of grass moved again, and Liu Hao stepped forward and appeared right in front of Lu Yin.
Lu Yin did not want to keep fighting, but Liu Hao would not relent. He wanted to have Lu Yin unravel another sword technique, despite Lu Yin’s refusal. Liu Hao did not want to abandon such a rare opportunity.
In what felt like the blink of an eye, half an hour had already passed. During this time, Liu Hao had not used any powerful attacks. He had instead only used simple sword moves, and yet Lu Yin was able to see through every last one of them. Lu Yin wsa not able to see through the attacks, but he undid the moves by just following his instincts, and managed to break the attacks in the simplest manner possible. In comparison, Liu Hao’s attacks seemed rather crude.
Liu Hao’s eyes gleamed brighter and brighter. Only half an hour had passed, and yet already his comprehension of the sword had improved a bit. Some of what he had previously used could be completely discarded. This person really was able to see through all of the movements of a sword.
Off in the distance, Long Kui was in absolute shock. Long Qi had actually managed to endure for half an hour against Liu Hao! This was someone who had the ability to challenge Junior Progenitor Long Tian. Liu Hao’s strength had been second only to the Junior Progenitors during the Yuanlun Festival. He was one of the most powerful members of his generation, and it was possible that he even surpassed Princess Long Xi.
How could Long Qi compete with such a person? Could his strength really have risen so far in such a short amount of time that he could compare to Princess Long Xi?
No. Liu Hao was not putting his full efforts into this spar. He was only using basic sword moves, but even that was terrifying. The moment that Long Qi became an Enlighter, he would absolutely be comparable to Princess Long Xi.
Was this child not as pathetic as everyone had believed? Or could it be that the Sword Monument had completely transformed Long Qi?
Long Kui had not forgotten when he had seen Long Qi grab the Dragon Blood Replica on White Mountain. Even though Long Qi had been domineering when wielding that spear, he had no understanding of it as a weapon. At the present moment, Long Qi was completely different.
Long Kui figured that it was due to the Sword Monument and felt a need to immediately contact Long Xi.
It seemed that Liu Hao was becoming more excited as the fight progressed, because he was forgetting to suppress his strength, and his attacks were growing stronger and stronger. He had replaced the blade of grass with his actual sword as a sign of his respect for Long Qi’s skills. Without thinking, Liu Hao used his attack that he used against his most powerful peers, such as Long Tian: Sword Spirit.
Sword Spirit was a sword technique bestowed by the Sword Monument. It gave a sword a spirit, vitality, and even spirituality like what humans and other beings possessed.
Jian Yuan gave a sword spirituality.
Liu Hao’s sword transformed the moment he used this technique. The sword was activated by an Enlighter power within his body, and the sword revealed incomparable destructive power. As this sword approached, Lu Yin clearly swept his spear away. It could be seen that the sword technique had been broken, but the spear had also been shattered. Liu Hao’s full strength had been behind that attack that Lu Yin had broken, and the attack seemed to continue through the void towards Lu Yin.
Many of the Liu family members shouted when they saw this.
Elder Song frowned. Liu Hao’s sword skills were not able to surpass Long Qi’s insight. This match was over.
Lu Yin stood still as he watched Liu Hao’s attack approach. He knew that he would not be injured. The Liu family had many Envoys and powerful experts, and any one of them could lock down such an attack in an instant.
However, Lu Yin felt that he had not yet done enough. The strength that he had revealed so far was not enough to earn the attention of a Junior Progenitor.
At this thought, Lu Yin raised a hand. The scattered star energy from the shattered spear moved about and set up a Channeling Diagram. He would reveal a third inheritance. Three inheritances from the Sword Monument should be enough to attract the attention of a Junior Progenitor.
The Liu family’s expert who had been ready to step in suddenly stopped.
Liu Hao’s attack landed on the Channeling Diagram, and the attack was dispersed and diverted into numerous directions. Fortunately, the dispersed attack was stopped by the Liu family’s powerhouses.
Lu Yin stood in place, and the attack struck the top of his head and exploded like a firecracker as the sword qi was scattered. Liu Hao’s sword could not move any further.
Liu Hao had not released the full strength of his technique as he would have against someone with the same level of cultivation, but it had still been an attack that no ordinary Hunter could have withstood.
Liu Hao was shocked. He withdrew his sword and stepped back as he stared at the Channeling Diagram that had been formed from the star energy from the shattered spear. He was both surprised and confused. “Is that a sourcebox array?”
The people around were stunned.
Lu Yin was gasping for breath; his face pale. “Yes, it’s a sourcebox array.”
“You actually comprehended a sourcebox array?” One of the Liu family’s elders was completely incredulous.
Lu Yin showed a bitter smile. “It was part of the inheritance from the Sword Monument.”
Everyone nearby was utterly speechless; just how much had this kid received? Could this be true? When they considered the fact that Lu Yin had been lost in the Sword Monument for six days, they felt it might be true.
This Sword Monument had been too generous this time, and had strangely given so much to this person.
Liu Hao was left speechless, and he looked at the Channeling Diagram oddly. “Have you studied lockbreaking?”
Receiving a sourcebox array as an inheritance meant nothing if one was not a Lockbreaker, and it should be impossible to comprehend a sourcebox array so quickly. They were not the same as battle techniques.
Lu Yin removed the Channeling Diagram as he nodded. He explained with a voice filled with exhaustion, “I’ve been learning it for a long time. I already have a powerful domain.”
With that, he unleashed his domain to envelop the area.
Everyone was stunned. Lu Yin had given them multiple surprises this day.
Liu Hao quietly commented, “This is an impressive domain. The fact that you were able to take that last sword attack from me shows that you are strong enough to be known throughout the Perennial World. Long Qi, you actually are worthy of Long Xi.”
Lu Yin pursed his lips, as he did not know how to reply to this.
“It’s just a pity that your cultivation is too weak. You started too late, and you probably won’t be able to go to the Dominion Realm,” Liu Hao said. He continued to stare at Lu Yin. “If you have the chance, come visit my Liu family. The Celestial Frost Sect is ruthless, and they won’t be willing to leave you alone.”
Lu Yin was able to hear Liu Hao’s sincerity. He was someone dedicated to the sword. It seemed that many swordsmen were straightforward. Even if the Sword Sect in the Fifth Mainland was at odds with Lu Yin, that was just a matter of conflicting interests. Most of the sect’s disciples were entirely focused on pursuing the sword, and were completely unconcerned with other matters. The Liu family that stood guard over the Sword Monument seemed to be the same.
Everyone who had been watching quickly dispersed. Elder Song greatly admired Lu Yin. “Child, come back here when you have the time. We will allow you to observe the Sword Monument once more.”
Lu Yin had not expected the old man to be so generous.
Elder Song smiled. “Humanity has a deeply rooted respect towards Humility’s Gate. All this old man can do is strive to provide better opportunities for the later generations. You are very impressive.”
Lu Yin felt grateful. “Thank you, Senior.”
He was struggling over what to do about Liu Ke.
In a normal situation, the Liu family would send someone to show Lu Yin around their territory, and Lu Yin had intended to use that time to come up with some way to proceed with his mission, but it was quite clear that the Liu family had no intention of showing him anywhere at all. Everyone was leaving, even Liu Hao who had been trying to convince Lu Yin to stay.
Lu Yin looked around. Even though he saw excitement in the eyes of the Liu family members who looked at him, none of them showed any inclination to step forward and act as a host.
Was this how the family showed their hospitality?
Seeing that Elder Song was about to leave, Lu Yin quickly spoke up, “Senior, please wait.”
Elder Song turned to look at Lu Yin. “Is there anything else?”
Lu Yin could tell that the old man held a very high position within the Liu family, and he had also treated Lu Yin very well. The old man was even willing to allow Lu Yin to observe the Sword Monument a second time. If Lu Yin wanted to complete his assignment, he would need to rely on this elder.
This was the first assignment the Fourteenth Gate had given Lu Yin, and he had to complete it. Failure would make his path much more difficult in the future.
It was obvious from the fact that the Fourteenth Gate had rewarded Lu Yin with the opportunity to observe the Sword Monument that the division of Humility’s Gate had incredible influence.
Lu Yin’s mind continued to race even as he bowed low to Elder Song. “Junior Long Qi is part of the Fourteenth Gate, and I was sent here on a mission, and so I must offend Senior and the entire Liu family.”
Many of the people who had not yet left instantly grew furious when they heard Lu Yin’s statement. “The Fourteenth Gate wants to arrest another person from my Liu family? You’ve got guts! My Liu family’s Progenitor has already stated that none of our people will be taken away again.”
“My Liu family studies the sword. We have no traitors here. Leave!”
“Boy, get out!”
Zhang Dingtian had already shared with Lu Yin about how the Liu family resented and even hated the Fourteenth Gate, but Lu Yin had still not expected such a strong reaction.
Zhang Dingtian was watching from a ways away, and he frowned at this development.
Liu Tianmu simply turned around and left.
Despite being assaulted by the hatred from the Liu family, Lu Yin remained respectful and maintained his deep bow.
A Liu elder standing behind Elder Song shouted, “Leave! My Liu family no longer welcomes you!”
“Child, who is the target of your mission?” Elder Song suddenly spoke up, and the moment he spoke, everyone else went silent.
There was a young man in the crowd whose eyes began to flicker, and he was clearly nervous. He had been the first to shout at Lu Yin, and had also been the most passionate in his hatred.
“Liu Ke,” Lu Yin answered quietly.
An uproar broke out in the surrounding crowd, and some of them stared at a person among them. They were staring at the person who had yelled the loudest against Lu Yin: Liu Ke.
Elder Song also turned to look at Lu Yin’s target.
Liu Ke’s face went pale. He clenched his teeth and his eyes grew bloodshot as he stared at Lu Yin. “Your Fourteenth Gate still wants to screw over my Liu family! You’re just a dog of the four ruling powers; what did they give you to do this? They want to destroy my Liu family!”
Many people in the surrounding Liu family picked up on Liu Ke’s words, “That’s right, the Fourteenth Gate is nothing but the four ruling powers’ lackey!”
“Get away from the Sword Monument!”
…
Lu Yin looked at the young man. “Are you Liu Ke?”
Liu Ke lifted his head high. “That’s right! You claim I’m a traitor; do you have any evidence? If you do, show us.”
Lu Yin’s eyes narrowed. “After the last incident, everyone is aware of how the Liu family feels about my Fourteenth Gate. Given that bit of history, why would they send me here on a mission? Your ancestors have already stated your family’s position, and yet I was still given this mission. The only possible reason is that you are a traitor. There’s no other option.”
This logic caused many people to consider the situation. They knew that the Liu family had made their position crystal clear, and yet the Fourteenth Gate was adamant about arresting Liu Ke. Either the Fourteenth Gate was targeting the Liu family, or Liu Ke really was a traitor.
If the Liu family was being targeted, there was no way the Fourteenth Gate would send a mere Hunter for this task. Additionally, they had sent the son-in-law of the White Dragon Clan’s main family. It was obvious that the Fourteenth Gate wanted the Liu family to hesitate to do anything to the person they had sent. This appeared to be in line with getting a job done, not targeting the Liu family.
Liu Ke became enraged. “This is bullshit! Show proof if you have it.”
“It looks like you have no proof of your innocence,” Lu Yin coldly retorted.
Liu Ke’s eyes turned panicked, but then he sneered. “I never betrayed humanity! I’m not some traitor! Where’s your evidence? Or did you forge some? You must be dreaming if you want to arrest me while within the Liu family’s territory.”
Lu Yin’s eyes flashed. His mission had only been to arrest Liu Ke, and no information or evidence had been provided. While the Fourteenth Gate had to be completely certain of Liu Ke’s guilt, there was no evidence. If there was, everything would have been quite simple.
