Strongest Scammer: Scamming The World, One Death At A Time-Chapter 727: Returning To Qing Luan
Han Yu's body ached faintly, but his soul felt clear and sharp. He checked his jade slip mid flight, heart pounding slightly as he injected a thread of spirit sense into it.
No messages.
He let out a breath he did not realize he was holding.
That was good.
Qing Luan had told him clearly that she would contact him if there were problems. The silence meant that at least nothing catastrophic had happened on her end.
Still, that did not ease his urgency.
He descended directly toward the Fen Clan estate, not bothering to announce himself. The moment he crossed the boundary of the outer formations, his presence went unnoticed among the bustle below.
The courtyard was alive.
Servants hurried back and forth. Workers loaded crates onto wagons. Guards stood in formation, checking equipment and adjusting armor. A caravan was being prepared, large and well organized, with escorts clearly assigned.
Han Yu hovered above it all, scanning the scene.
Then he saw her.
Qing Luan stood near the caravan, hands clasped behind her back, posture straight and composed.
She wore fitted traveling robes rather than her usual attire, practical and clean, with subtle embroidery along the sleeves. Her face had lost some of its youthful softness, replaced with a sharper confidence. Her eyes were focused, attentive, and when she spoke to someone nearby, they listened carefully.
She had grown.
And not just in demeanor.
Han Yu narrowed his eyes slightly and extended his perception.
Peak Qi Refining realm.
Firm. Stable. No wavering.
His brows lifted in surprise.
"That fast…" he murmured.
This level of progress in a few months was impressive even by sect standards. Clearly, the newly reestablished Fen Clan had not spared resources, and Qing Luan herself had worked relentlessly.
Han Yu descended silently, landing on the roof of a nearby structure, eyes never leaving her. For a brief moment, urgency gave way to something else.
Relief.
She was safe.
She was strong.
And she was waiting for something.
Or someone.
He straightened, took a breath, and prepared to make his presence known, knowing full well that the moment Qing Luan sensed him, things were about to get very loud.
Han Yu stood quietly above the Fen Clan courtyard for a brief moment longer, his gaze resting on Qing Luan with unmistakable pride.
The sight of her standing there with calm authority, overseeing the preparations with steady eyes and composed movements, stirred a rare sense of satisfaction within him. This was not the frightened girl he had once pulled back from the jaws of despair.
This was someone who had endured, learned, and grown strong in her own right.
It was precisely then that Qing Luan seemed to feel something.
Her brows knit together slightly, and she lifted her head, eyes moving instinctively toward the sky. The next instant, her pupils contracted, and shock flickered across her face before it was swiftly replaced by disbelief and then unmistakable joy.
She stared straight at Han Yu.
The workers nearby noticed her reaction immediately. Several stewards paused mid command, and a few servants froze with crates still in their arms. Fen Dugong, who had been giving instructions to the escort guards, followed her gaze upward, his eyes widening when he saw the figure floating calmly above the courtyard.
A man hovering in the air was not a common sight, even in a clan that dealt with cultivators.
The guards reacted instantly.
Steel rang as weapons were drawn, formations snapping into place with practiced speed. Several guards moved to surround Qing Luan protectively, their expressions sharp and wary as they looked up at Han Yu.
"Who goes there?" one of them shouted. "How dare you intrude into the Fen Clan estate!"
Spirit Qi surged as several guards prepared defensive techniques, clearly ready to act if the intruder made a hostile move.
Before Han Yu could even open his mouth, Qing Luan raised her hand.
"Stand down," she said, her voice firm and clear.
The guards hesitated, confused.
"Miss?" one of them said carefully.
Qing Luan stepped forward, her gaze never leaving Han Yu. Her voice softened just a fraction, but the authority within it only deepened.
"Lower your weapons. This is the honored lord."
The courtyard fell silent.
The guards stared at her, then back at Han Yu, disbelief written plainly on their faces. Some of the older guards exchanged glances, recognition slowly dawning as memories of past events surfaced. The newer guards, however, looked completely stunned.
The honored lord.
The man who had saved their young miss.
The man whose name had been spoken with reverence and gratitude ever since.
Realization hit them almost all at once.
Weapons were immediately lowered, and one by one the guards straightened and bowed deeply toward Han Yu.
"This subordinate greets the honored lord," they said in unison.
Han Yu descended slowly, his feet touching the ground beside Qing Luan without stirring so much as a breeze. A faint smile curved his lips as he looked at her, his gaze sweeping over her cultivation with undisguised approval.
"You have not slacked off," he said calmly. "Peak Qi Refining realm already."
Qing Luan smiled, the restraint she usually maintained cracking just enough to reveal genuine happiness.
"How could I disappoint you?" she replied.
Her words were simple, but Han Yu could feel the emotions behind them clearly. Wisps of bright Yellow joy energy drifted toward him, warm and sincere, interwoven with strands of Orange anticipation that pulsed steadily. She had been waiting. Not idly, but with purpose, expectation, and trust.
Fen Dugong cleared his throat lightly, stepping forward with a respectful bow.
"Honored lord," he said. "The preparations here will take some time still. If you and Miss Qing Luan wish to speak, the main hall is ready."
Han Yu inclined his head. "That would be fine."
Qing Luan turned and gestured for him to follow, her steps light as she led the way inside.
As they walked, servants along the path could not help but stare.
