Lu Yuanshan held the longsword steady. It was his strongest enchanted artifact. If he struck now, Lu Maoxian would die without question.

The tip of the blade remained fixed on the narrow slit in the rickshaw hood. Yet he did not move.

He Haiqin grew impatient. "You youngsters never learn. Show mercy now, and he will show you none later."

Lu Yuanshan still didn't strike. It wasn't that he couldn't bring himself to kill Lu Maoxian. He simply didn't want to bear the blame that would come after.

Tan Fucheng, the rickshaw driver, quickly understood what was going on, and said, "I will go check on the Second Young Master."

Seeing this, He Haiqin asked, "Should I step away as well?"

Lu Yuanshan nodded. "Uncle He, keep watch for me. I'm worried that old bastard didn't come alone."

"Yuanshan, isn't that why you called me here? To deal with anyone who shows up to help him?

"Whether they come in the shadows or out in the open, let them come. Today, I will show you what I can do. Even if he brings an army, I will clean them up for you. That should put your mind at ease."

"Much appreciated, Uncle He."

Tan Fucheng headed toward the alley entrance.

He Haiqin walked a little farther off. With his back to Lu Yuanshan, he faced the wall and lit a cigarette.

Lu Yuanshan thrust his sword down.

Splash!

Blood splattered across his face.

It was thick, salty, and sticky. Lu Yuanshan lowered his head and looked. It wasn't Lu Maoxian's blood. It was his own.

He had thrust the sword straight into his own abdomen.

Lu Yuanshan's face went pale, and his body began to shake.

It was over.

In that instant, he knew he was done for! Why had the blade pierced his own abdomen?

He looked toward the slit in the rickshaw hood and saw that Lu Maoxian was still struggling beneath the carriage.

Did Lu Maoxian use an ability? Impossible. The rickshaw is a very high-level artifact.

With Lu Maoxian's level of cultivation, there was no way he could use his power beyond the carriage.

Lu Yuanshan gathered what strength he had left and pulled the sword out, but it was already too late. He tried to shout, yet when he opened his mouth, no sound came out.

He looked toward the alley entrance. Tan Fucheng and Lu Yuanhai both stood there with their backs turned to him.

He looked toward the alley entrance. Tan Fucheng and Lu Yuanhai both stood there with their backs turned to him. He Haiqin stood at the other end of the alley and appeared to be closer. However, he was currently smoking and also had his back facing Lu Yuanshan.

Not a single one of them was looking at Lu Yuanshan.

Lu Yuanshan was dying. He had stabbed himself with the long sword, so it was impossible for him to survive.

He wanted to make one last move and take Lu Maoxian down with him, but he couldn't even lift the sword anymore.

He recalled Monkey Qiu's words: "Some things aren't worth gambling on, because you can't afford to lose."

He now understood that he really could not afford to lose some things.

In the blink of an eye, he had lost everything.

He dragged his heavy body forward, moving toward Lu Yuanhai. He wanted to give his younger brother a warning.

Do I still have time? Lu Yuanshan thought.

After only two steps, Lu Yuanshan collapsed on the ground. His torso tore apart into a mass of shredded flesh. His head and limbs then dropped to the ground.

Clang~

LThe longsword hit the ground. The rickshaw driver and Lu Yuanhai both turned around, only to see Lu Yuanshan's body scattered across the alley.

Lu Yuanhai froze. "Brother..."

He rushed forward without hesitation. However, the moment he got close, Lu Yuanshan's head and limbs exploded one after another.

Blood and fragments of flesh covered Lu Yuanhai's face. He stood there in a daze for a few seconds before bending down to pick up the longsword.

He lifted it slowly with the blade hanging downward. A slight tilt was all it would take to stab it into his own abdomen.

He had been controlled too!

Tan Fucheng's eyes flicked about. Something wasn't right.

In a flash, he plunged a hand into his chest, scooped out a fistful of white sugar, and hurled it into the empty air. "Here, have some sugar!"

The aim was so accurate. Two coughs rang out midair and it seemed like the sugar had been tossed straight into Lu Yuanhai's mouth.

The rickshaw driver shouted again, "Since you have eaten my sugar, please loosen your grip!"

The force controlling Lu Yuanhai weakened. He regained control of his hands and quickly threw the sword to the ground.

The rickshaw driver grabbed Lu Yuanhai and bolted.

Something followed them for a short stretch and eventually gave up on chasing them.

Tan Fucheng let out a quiet breath and glanced at Lu Yuanhai beside him.

Lu Yuanhai's mouth hung crooked, his lips twisted, his eyes rolled back until only the whites showed. Something had clearly gone wrong.

It had all happened too fast. It was the time it took to smoke a single cigarette.

He Haiqin was still smoking by the wall. When he finished, he flicked the butt to the ground, crushed it under his foot, and walked toward the rickshaw.

Lu Maoxian was still struggling inside the rickshaw.

From the darkness, a voice said, "This thing's too heavy. I can't lift it."

He Haiqin calmly took out a paper-wrapped bundle from his pocket.

It was braised beef inside the paper. He popped a few pieces into his mouth, then reached out with one hand and flipped the entire rickshaw over.

Lu Maoxian scrambled out from beneath the rickshaw and stared at He Haiqin in shock.

He Haiqin is the one who let me out? How is this even possible? Lu Maoxian thought.

Lu Maoxian had always known someone was protecting him from the shadows. It was a promise the Sage had made. However, he had never expected that person to be He Haiqin.

ironically, the one he had been most wary of was none other than He Haiqin.

He Haiqin set the rickshaw down. As he chewed on a piece of beef, he glanced at Lu Maoxian and said, "Why are you staring at me? Want some beef? Feeling tempted?"

Lu Maoxian asked, "Eldest Master He, are you here to save me, or to kill me?"

He Haiqin smiled. "It all depends on you. I can save you or kill you. It is just so tiring talking to those brats. It's much easier talking to an old fox like you."

Lu Maoxian understood immediately. He said respectfully, "Eldest Master He, just give your orders."

He Haiqin smiled. "First question. That Sage on Sage's Peak, what exactly is his identity?"

The fact that he could ask such a question showed he had indeed been in contact with the Sage, but he didn't know much. Their relationship hadn't gone beyond simple cooperation.

After a moment of thought, Lu Maoxian took out a handkerchief from his chest.

It was gold in color, embroidered with coiling dragons and drifting clouds.

"This was bestowed by the Sage," Lu Maoxian said as he handed it to He Haiqin.

He Haiqin took the handkerchief, gave it a brief look, and nodded. He didn't seem surprised.

"Second question. You said you met my son, Jiaqing, at the cinema. Is that true?"

"It is."

Was Lu Maoxian sure the person he had seen was truly He Jiaqing?

No. But the Sage had told him so. According to the Sage, He Jiaqing had been pretending to be Zhou Changhong. If the Sage said it, then it had to be true. And even if it wasn't, he wouldn't be at fault here.

If He Haiqin questioned why he had leaked the news, Lu Maoxian would simply say it was the Sage's order. After all, He Haiqin already knew the Sage's identity.

He Haiqin didn't ask about He Jiaqing anymore. "Based on the family's generation, I should be calling you Uncle. Uncle Lu, if you become the head of the Lu Family in the future, don't forget what happened tonight."

Lu Maoxian nodded. "I definitely won't forget this favor."

"Words alone aren't enough. Shouldn't we put it in writing?" He Haiqin said. He had already prepared the contract in advance.

The contracts listed a long series of terms. Some were within Lu Maoxian's authority, while others were not.

"For the things I can't decide, there's nothing I can do..."

"It's all written clearly. We can wait until the day you can make those decisions."

Lu Maoxian hesitated for a moment, then signed.

He didn't dare refuse.

He Haiqin put the contracts away and smiled. "Uncle Lu, if you want to take the position of family head, you should act quickly. One of Lu Dongliang's two sons...is dead, and the other is now a fool.

However, Monkey Qiu isn't an easy one to deal with and I am not a heartless person. If that fool gets cured one day, the position of family head might then have nothing to do with you."

This was a warning to Lu Maoxian.

Lu Yuanhai's condition wasn't beyond saving and Monkey Qiu might fine a way to cure him.

If Lu Maoxian refused to obey, He Haiqin could just as easily cure Lu Yuanhai.

After saying that, He Haiqin turned and left.

Lu Maoxian stood where he was with his clothes completely soaked.

That was totally at the edge of death! One slip, and it would have been over!

Teacher, your plans go far beyond what I can see. So that's why you told me I don't have to worry about He Haiqin.

Can I still go to Blackstone Slope? No, I can't anymore.

Lu Yuanshan is dead and Lu Yuanhai is now a fool. Surely, the Lu Family will descend into chaos. This is the perfect chance for me to fight for the position of family head.

Lu Maoxian rushed all the way back to his residence and quickly summoned his subordinates, preparing to fight Monkey Qiu.

Monkey Qiu will definitely come for me. If he doesn't, I will go after him. If I can kill him in the process, the Lu Family will be mine, and no one will be able to stop me!

While he was anxious and excited, a white-clothed youth silently entered the courtyard.

His steps made no sound. Aside from Lu Maoxian, no one in the residence noticed his arrival.

"Junior Brother, what brings you here?"

The white-clothed youth smiled. "If I hadn't come, would you still be alive? Why did you go to Blackstone Slope?"

So you were pulling the strings behind the scenes, Lu Maoxian thought.

Lu Maoxian quickly explained, "I did it for our teacher. I went to Blackstone Slope to get rid of those people making movies..."

The white-clothes youth frowned. "So the commotion at Blackstone Slope has something to do with you?"

"Commotion..." Lu Maoxian, realizing that something was wrong, quickly corrected himself. "I only went to check whether the commotion was caused by those movies."

The white-clothed youth let out a long sigh. "Senior Brother, even now, you are still clinging to these useless excuses. Even if you can fool me, do you think you can fool our honorable teacher?"

Lu Maoxian's heart leapt into his throat. He didn't know what he had done wrong. "Teacher told me to stop the spread of such movies..."

"Teacher told you to deal with the rebellious elements within those films. Why are you so fixated on that vulgar one?"

By the vulgar film, he meant the The Legendary Bloodspear Detective.

"That movie is nothing but moral decay..."

The white-clothed youth shook his head. "Senior Brother, I really don't know what to say about you."

Lu Maoxian didn't know how to explain himself. "Junior Brother, please enlighten me. Which film was our teacher talking about?"

The white-clothed youth said, "Its name is somewhat similar to the one you've been focusing on."

A similar name? Lu Maoxian thought. The Legendary Bloodblade Detective?

The film produced by the Ling Family? That film contains rebellious ideas?

To be honest, Lu Maoxian had never actually watched it that carefully.

He often told others that The Legendary Bloodblade Detective was a good film and that it was deep and widely misunderstood.

The truth was that he only said it to start conversations. He had no real interest in films.

He had, however, watched The Legendary Bloodspear Detective seriously. That film had struck him as unusually strange.

What he had never expected was that the one the Sage truly despised was The Legendary Bloodblade Detective.

Realization struck Lu Maoxian.

"Junior Brother, I misunderstood our teacher's intent. Is there still a way to make this right?"

"Yes." The white-clothed youth nodded. "Since the movie titles are similar, Teacher might not have distinguished them clearly. If I keep my report vague, we might still be able to smooth things over.

"But if Teacher decides to look into it properly, I will not be able to explain it. And when that happens, I will be dragged in as well."

Having reached this old age, Lu Maoxian understood the meaning behind those words at once.

He took out a check and slipped it into the white-clothed youth's hand. "I'll trouble you with this, Junior Brother."

The white-clothed youth accepted the check without a change in expression and put it away. "Senior Brother, Teacher has already handled the He Family matter for you, and he has also cleared the way for you within the Lu Family.

"As for what's happening at Blackstone Slope, do not interfere again. Blame Tang Peigong and Wu Decheng for everything.

"This junior brother has said all that needed to be said."

Lu Maoxian bowed again and personally escorted the white-clothed youth out of the residence.

***

At the Lu Family estate, Qiu Zhiheng sat in his small building, reading a magazine that had just arrived from Blackstone Slope.

The rickshaw driver, Tan Fucheng, rushed in, breathless with urgency. "Chief Qiu, something's wrong. The two young masters have had an accident."

Qiu Zhiheng immediately made his way to the main residence. Before he even stepped inside, he heard Madam Duan Shaoxia crying out, "My son, what happened to you!"

Lu Yuanhai lay sprawled on the ground with his mouth twisted out of shape and his eyes rolled back. His face looked limp and lifeless.

"Fucheng, what happened?"

Tan Fucheng said, "Steward Qiu, the two young masters went to find the granduncle , but they were ambushed."

Duan Shaoxia burst into tears. "Why did they go see their granduncle?"

Tan Fucheng hesitated, unsure how to answer. Qiu Zhiheng gave him a look, signaling that he keep quiet.

Not long after, the physician arrived. Qiu Zhiheng had Lu Yuanhai carried upstairs for treatment. He then ordered the others to remain in the guest rooms and brought Duan Shaoxia and Tan Fucheng into the study for a private discussion.

Tan Fucheng recounted everything that had happened. "The two young masters met He Haiqin. They wanted to settle matters with the Old Master, but they were ambushed. The second young master ended up like this..." 𝗳𝐫𝚎𝗲𝚠𝚎𝗯𝕟𝐨𝘃𝚎𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝗺

Duan Shaoxia's voice shook. "Where is Yuanshan?"

Tan Fucheng met her gaze, then slowly shook his head.

Duan Shaoxia's eyes rolled back, and she collapsed where she stood.

With the help of the physician, she woke up soon after. The moment she opened her eyes, she grabbed Qiu Zhiheng by the collar. "Qiu, why didn't you stop them? Why?"

Qiu Zhiheng remained silent.

Tan Fucheng said, "Madam, this isn't Chief Qiu's fault. He didn't know anything about it."

Duan Shaoxia grabbed Qiu Zhiheng and cried, "Give me back my son! Give me back my son!"

Author's Note:

PS: Lu Yuanshan was a deeply calculating man. He could have gone much further, but some things are just not worth gambling on because the loss is simply too much to bear.

It's just like how there are things that even He Haiqin doesn't dare to gamble. This is why he chose to work with others only up to a certain point.