Food Fairy Lord

Chapter 833 Martial Arts Snow Lotus (Part 3)

Dayue Lake is located in Yizhou, bordering Lushan Mountain to the north.

When Lu Yuque passed through here in June or July, the lakeside was covered with a sea of ​​flowers, with cosmos and smartweed growing interspersed among them, and flocks of swans on the lake.

At this time of year, there were only green stalks, and a somewhat chilly wind was blowing. Elder Hu carried her across the grass, leaving no trace except for a few swaying movements.

In fact, no traces were left along the way. Each leap was almost without touching the ground. On pebbles and grass, it would often take several meters to make a slight mark.

Lu Yuque had rarely paid attention to these things before, but at this moment she did feel a long-lost sense of peace. Finally, she no longer had to expose her weary steps, nor leave behind her galloping hoofprints. It turned out that a person's traces could be erased.

The three of them fell into the meadow and bushes in an instant, landing in a depression where the main road was no longer visible.

"Stay for a couple of quarters. Then take a detour of thirty li to the west." Elder Hu drew his sword and slowly wiped it on his knee. "Li Li, if that person comes after us, take your nephew Lu back to the sect. I will deal with him. I have already sent a spiritual message, and disciples will meet us on the way."

“Yes.” Li Li’s eyes shone.

Lu Yuque vaguely knew which road Elder Hu was referring to. She had probably traveled it with her father before, and it was possible to circle around to Lushan from the west of the lake.

The Great Lake was indeed a lifesaver.

Whether they fly over the grass or glide across the water, they leave no trace. The person, unaware that they have information, will most likely head straight north in pursuit. By the time they realize something is wrong and return, several moments will have already passed, and the vast lake will offer no clues.

Lu Yuque slumped against the rock, staring blankly at the lake.

Li Li leaned closer: "Sister Yu Que..."

Elder Hu interrupted, "My dear nephew, you have suffered on your journey."

Lu Yuque nodded blankly: "I, I..."

She choked up halfway through her sentence, unable to even feel her tears. When she recalled the bloody night, she still couldn't tell if it was real or a nightmare, and her heart ached with grief.

“Nephew, do you know who did this, committing such an unforgivable evil deed?”

Lu Yuque gently shook his head: "It was 'Flower Wound Pavilion' that made the move, but, but the pavilion master is clearly no match for Father, yet another person has come..."

She shuddered, the chill emanating from the white robes enveloping her once more. She gripped Elder Hu's wrist with extreme unease: "Elder, that man killed Father with just three sword strikes. We...we..."

Hu Daquan was slightly taken aback, clearly not expecting this: "Three swords?"

“Three swords. And, and Father seems to recognize him... I don’t know. Elder Hu, we must be extremely careful.”

"It's alright, Sister Yu Que. Several lineage leaders, most of the disciples, and even my master from Lushan have already come down the mountain and will be gathering here soon. We outnumber you, so you don't need to worry."

Lu Yuque then realized that his encounter with the three of them might not be a coincidence, but he couldn't quite explain his feelings. He simply said in a daze, "Then, that would be best."

"He's been relentlessly pursuing Nephew Lu." Elder Hu looked down at the woman. "How did Nephew Lu escape—Nephew?"

These words made Lu Yuque shudder violently, as if they were even more terrifying than the mention of the man in white. She looked up, revealing a face that was deathly white.

“Something ghostly or strange,” she said blankly.

……

Lu Yuque's mind was completely blank; he thought of nothing but his own actions.

There was no time to pack up, so all she could take were the things at hand: a sword, some silver, a disguise pouch, and the martial arts manual she had taken out. As she left, she casually grabbed another copy and placed it back in its original spot, hoping to fool the other party.

But those clever tricks obviously didn't work.

Her disappearance was quickly discovered. She had only been running for less than a quarter of an hour, and hadn't even traveled three miles, when those ghostly black shadows overtook her from the side.

The moon hung alone at midnight, casting a pale, shadowy light over the forest. Lu Yuque drew her sword—despite her exceptional talent, she had never truly fought to the death with anyone.

Moreover, her father's tragic death still left her in a daze, and the ruined family had no fighting spirit left.

There were seven people in total, all of whom were experts from the Flower Wound Pavilion. Lu Yuque fought them for three moves, wanting to break through the encirclement in one go, but he immediately lost his composure and made the mistake of rushing in.

She was bathed in moonlight, but from the shadows emerged an eighth assassin in black, presumably their leader, whose cold face and gleaming sword invaded her field of vision.

The longsword was knocked away in an instant. The man in black was speechless. At first, Lu Yuque was disheartened, thinking she was about to be captured. But at the second moment, when the sharp, cold light was right in front of her, her heart and lungs clenched. Only then did she realize for the first time that she was going to die.

The silent slaughter; from beginning to end, they had no intention of leaving any survivors. With a single sword slit in the throat, they would disappear from this world completely within three breaths.

At that moment, she saw that pale, porcelain-like, stiff face.

Emerging silently from the darkness behind the assassin, quiet and slow, almost like a fluttering insect.

Two faces were reflected in Lu Yuque's eyes at the same time. It was hard to say whether the man in black realized something for a moment, but he died completely the next instant. The delicate hand silently pierced through his chest and heart, as if passing through a pool of water.

The sudden turn of events stunned everyone present. The assassins from Flower Wound Tower, mistaking them for reinforcements, immediately pounced.

The creature, which had been staring at Lu Yuque, suddenly twisted its head backward, then bent its arm backward, piercing through the intruder's sword and throat with a single palm strike. The next moment, its limbs moved up the tree with bizarre speed.

Lu Yuque saw only a spider-like shadow fall down, then vanished in an instant, followed by a shower of severed limbs and blood, the hot, pungent liquid splashing onto his face.

Even as that face slowly leaned towards her upside down, its tip almost touching her nose, Lu Yuque didn't react at all. She couldn't feel her hands or feet.

This face was deathly pale, stiff, and impervious to swords and blades. Yet its features were delicate and beautiful, belonging to a woman.

That was my mother's face.

It reached out and took out the "Unsolvable Scripture of Sword Explanation" from Lu Yuque's bosom. The chilling cold, as if from the deepest hell, seeped into her skin, infecting her heart and lungs, and even reaching her brain and mind.

The snow lotus bud on the martial arts manual was swaying slightly, but within a few breaths, it grew smaller and smaller, and then suddenly went out.

Lu Yuque realized that this was the method her father had mentioned for suppressing the snow lotus buds, but the thing in front of her stared at this scene for a moment. It raised its expressionless face and stared straight at her.

“Deer… Yu Que, Xiao Que…” it said stiffly and quietly, “Tell Mother, where did the ‘Sword Release, Sword Release Without Explanation Scripture’ go?”

Its hand gently caressed the woman's warm neck.

Lu Yuque gasped for breath like a fish, raised his hand and pointed behind him, his voice trembling as he said, "They...they took it away from me."

This thing climbs up the tree canopy like a spider and disappears into the night sky in a few moments.

But it never disappeared from Lu Yuque's nightmares.

……

Elder Hu and Li Li remained silent and stiff, as if they too were experiencing that night.

Li Li said in a hoarse voice, "Sister Yu Que, you...you may have misunderstood something. Perhaps you are someone who has practiced some kind of extraordinary skill. There are no ghosts in this world."

Lu Yuque shook his head, looking down: "That's definitely not human."

Elder Hu was silent for a moment: "You said it might have come after the snow lotus bud. But my sect hasn't seen it."

"……I have no idea."

"Do you have the 'Unsolvable Sutra of the Sword'?"

“Here.” Lu Yuque was taken aback and took the martial arts manual out from deep inside his clothes.

"The snow lotus sprouts have grown again?"

"Yes." Lu Yuque unwrapped the package. The book lay quietly inside, its swaying white buds delicate and lovely, seemingly otherworldly.

Lu Yuque suddenly felt that it was like live bait, about to attract something unknown. This thought made her immediately raise her hand to close the package—even though she knew that a few pieces of cloth would not do any good.

But a strong, old hand pressed down on the package first.

"Let Li Li keep this martial arts manual for now," Elder Hu said. "Nephew Lu, you can rest assured."

Lu Yuque was slightly taken aback.

“…Oh,” she said blankly.

Now that I'm with Elder Hu and Senior Brother Li, it doesn't really matter who controls me. I'm exhausted, so it's really not wise for me to stay alive...

But Li Li's bright eyes suddenly stung her.

Lu Yuque watched as he closed the package with both hands. It was made from half of her old clothes. She had only carried it for two days, but it had been close to her body day and night, and it felt as if it had become a piece of her flesh and blood.

On numerous occasions, whether intentionally or unintentionally, she would place her hand on it, as if she could draw some ethereal power from it.

Just then, seeing Li Li tie a rough button and about to put it away, a sudden emptiness and panic gripped her.

She instinctively pressed down and asked, "Elder Li... Elder Hu, what does your sect intend to do with this scripture now that you have obtained it?"

"..."

The room fell silent. Hu Daquan looked at her and pondered for a moment: "Nephew Lu, this matter is of great importance. Of course, we must guard it firmly. Let's discuss it first and then make a decision."

“…What is there to discuss? The Western Regions are now beset by this demonic lotus. Since Father sent out the news, many gangs have headed towards Huazhou. Now that the villa has been destroyed, people don’t know where to turn. It should be announced immediately! I brought it out—” Lu Yuque opened his mouth, but suddenly couldn’t continue.

She looked at the two people in front of her; one pair of eyes was deep and profound, while the other pair, though slightly startled, still shone brightly.

Lu Yuque suddenly realized that this brightness was not something that had just appeared; she had only just noticed it.

From the very first meeting, that joy shone through that familiar yet unfamiliar face, and it never faded away.

More chilling details surfaced in my mind. Why did we run into them here? Lushan shouldn't even know the news at this time. Why did they send their disciples down the mountain towards Huazhou?

...They did not set off after learning of the destruction of the villa, but rather after their father released the news, and then headed towards Huazhou.

Either they were constantly listening to news from the villa to find out that they had survived and escaped with the "Unsolvable Scripture of the Sword".

“Nephew Lu, you are overthinking this.” Elder Hu suddenly smiled and said in a low voice, “The announcement will naturally be made, but Lushan also has its own considerations. The matter is dangerous, and a decision can only be made after discussion. This is a critical moment, so let’s not talk about it anymore. Nephew Lu, you need to go to the sect to rest as soon as possible. We will definitely guarantee your safety.”

No.

They coerced the emperor to command the feudal lords.

Lu Yuque remained silent, lost in thought.

Holding the banner and wielding the axe, possessing troops and wielding great power, or whatever else you might say... perhaps they had already wanted to obtain the method their father had mentioned long before the villa was destroyed.

Who is behind Mount Lu?

She couldn't think of it.

In truth, Lushan was never a close family friend. She suddenly realized.

She used to have a lot of fun playing here when she was little.

The two families have a century-old friendship and visit each other frequently. They have several friends of the same age who share a common sense and laughter. Lushan Mountain has water and forests, the elders are very kind, and the food is delicious. So when she was little, she often pestered her father to go there. The man would smile and pat her head. Every summer, they would go to visit.

But his father didn't talk about them often after he came home.

She made a wrong judgment, seduced by the frivolous tenderness of her childhood, and only now realized it in a cold sweat.

Elder Hu suddenly raised his head and remained motionless, like a warning waterbird.

"Li Li, take her away." After a few breaths, he said, "That person is here."

"Yes!"

Li Li's expression suddenly turned serious. Without saying a word, she put the package into her chest, grabbed Lu Yuque's arm, and like a water falcon, nimbly disappeared into the flower bushes.

“Sister Yu Que, there’s no need to panic. My disciples have already surrounded us. Uncle Hu can expose himself and act as a sentry without you by his side. In just a moment or two, my disciples will be there to surround us,” Li Li said. “We’ll reach Lushan in at most an hour. We have no ill intentions towards you and will treat you like an honored guest.”

"..."

"I wonder if they've engaged in combat yet, there hasn't been a sound at all." Li Li looked back. "We've gone far enough, Uncle Hu should be able to give the whistle now."

Mount Lushan certainly won't harm me, as long as I'm obedient enough. It's precisely because I'm alive that I can prove the legitimacy of the origin of the "Unexplained Sword Sutra".

What reason would she have not to hand over the package to them?

If we hadn't met her halfway, she might have already been dismembered and lay dead on the post road.

Lu Yuque has lost even his sword, and this face is no longer his own. The only valuable thing he has is this small package...

That's why you can't hand it over to them.

She suddenly remembered that day when her father called her into his study alone.

"Yu Que, I plan to make the news that I can suppress the Snow Lotus Bud public. What do you think?"

He asked very seriously, and Lu Yuque was a little at a loss. In the past, she would discuss these things with her mother, her several senior uncles and elder brothers, and her eldest brother, but she did not expect him to call her in alone.

"I think... it's good that Father is in charge... The martial arts world is currently in dire straits. If Father has a solution, he will surely become a great hero." She said blankly, her mind still on what she wore at the afternoon gathering.

The father smiled and said, "Okay."

If Jiandu Villa wasn't arbitrarily erased, then at least something should have been left behind.

She imagined the comfortable life after climbing Mount Lu, and how the "Unexplained Sword Sutra" was taken away and used according to their purposes... In fact, the moment Li Li put the bundle into her bosom, she felt as if her father had suddenly died in her heart.

The Kentoku Villa truly disappeared from the world.

"Senior Brother Li."

"Huh?" Li Li turned around, but suddenly froze and stumbled into the flower bushes.

"Thank you both for saving me." Lu Yuque reached up from his dantian and retrieved the small package. She stood up unsteadily, her hair hanging down, and said in a low, desperate voice, "I think I'd better not disturb Lushan."

Li Li's eyes widened in shock and anger in an instant.

Lu Yuque took his sword, not knowing where to go. He simply followed the other two's method, using his inner energy to step on the grass stalks and disappear into the bushes.

Li Li fell to the ground, anxiously checking his pulse, but the "Pointing Pearl Hand" technique from the villa was indeed exquisite. He knew that Lu Yuque couldn't escape this reed marshland, and the disciples of Lushan were almost surrounding him... But suddenly, a shadowy figure squatted down in front of him.

Li Li froze.

An old, hawk-like head with sharp, piercing eyes was placed in front of him from above. His eyeballs seemed to still twitch, and hot blood was still flowing out.

"Who is this person to you?" A sword sheath patted his face.

(End of this chapter)