Versatile Mage: Lord of the Styx, but Lord of the Living

Chapter 221 The Umbrella-Holding Maid: The Way of Hospitality
"etc!"

Suddenly, Mochizuki Chika's pupils contracted, and the paper umbrella in her hand snapped shut with a crisp "snap," splashing a few drops of rainwater on the ground from the tip.

She narrowed her eyes slightly, a hint of danger in her voice: "You are Lu Ran, the captain of the Kyushu National Team?"

Lu Ran's lips curled into a playful smile, his slender fingers gently stroking his chin: "Oh? I didn't expect my reputation to have spread overseas?"

He casually glanced around, his gaze sweeping over the blooming cherry blossoms in the courtyard before finally settling on Mochizuki Chika's face, his brows slightly raised.
"Or is it that your country's intelligence work is particularly effective?"

Everyone: "."

A gentle breeze swept by, stirring up a few cherry blossom petals, and the air seemed to freeze for a moment.

The Nationalist team members all lowered their heads, their shoulders shaking from trying to suppress their laughter, and some even quietly turned their backs.

"Now that you know we're from the National Team, why don't you step back!" Suddenly, Lu Ran changed the subject, his gaze sweeping over Wang Yueqianxun without restraint, and he chuckled:
"Judging by your appearance, could you be a servant holding an umbrella? Then hurry up and lead the way!"

He waved his hand casually, his sleeves fluttering in the wind: "I'm in a good mood, so I might as well let it go!"

Lu Ran has always been like this.

People don't offend me, I don't offend people.

If someone offends me, I will repay them tenfold!
Upon hearing this, Mochizuki Chika's fair face instantly turned cold, and the knuckles of her fingers gripping the umbrella handle turned white.

A servant holding an umbrella?
What a joke!
She is the instructor at the Japan National Museum in Futsugaku!
Normally, every student treats her with utmost respect, yet these ignorant and arrogant people from Kyushu dare to be so presumptuous!

"Ha," she sneered, slamming the paper umbrella heavily onto the ground, the tip sinking into the mud.
"I heard you're a Kyushu councilor? You're nothing special!"

A cold glint flashed in her eyes. "Dare to speak disrespectfully again, and I'll make you taste the whip!"

This time, she did not stop Lu Ran and the others from moving forward.

A gentle breeze ruffled her hair. She knew that the National Team's challenge was inevitable, and there might have been some misunderstanding in the previous conflict.

But Lu Ran was not one to swallow his anger.
He wasn't about to swallow his anger so easily after being turned away during a proper visit.

"What?" he deliberately drawled, arms crossed, leaning against the doorpost. "Isn't the young lady of the Wangyue family going to lead the way?"

A hint of mockery flashed in his eyes. "In my opinion, the upbringing of your Mochizuki family isn't all that great!"

Using the same tactics against him, Lu Ran returned the favor with exactly the same sarcasm from Mochizuki Chizuru.

The Nationalist team members exchanged glances, and several couldn't help but give a thumbs up.

"Insulting my Mochizuki clan?" Mochizuki Chizun's voice suddenly rose. She ripped off her hair ribbon, and her long, black hair cascaded down like a waterfall before being quickly tied back up, her entire aura changing drastically.

"Even if you're a Kyushu state legislator, this isn't over!"

She lightly touched the ground with her toes, and in an instant, countless emerald green vines broke through the soil, moving around her like living things.

In the blink of an eye, they intertwined into several thorny whips, each over a meter long.

The long vine whips cut through the air with a sharp, piercing sound, moving around Mochizuki Chika like a venomous snake flicking its tongue.

With a flick of her wrist, three vine whips lashed out at Lu Ran's face simultaneously, the force of the whips tearing the cherry blossom petals on the ground into pieces!

"Captain, watch out!" someone in the Nationalist team exclaimed.

Lu Ran remained motionless, his nonchalant smile still playing on his lips.

Just as the vine whip was less than three inches from his nose, a silver halo suddenly appeared on his right hand, and he spread his five fingers and grabbed forward.

"Snapped!"

He held the three rattan whips firmly in his palm!
It should be said that a flash of silver light gripped the vine whip from a distance.

The spatial ability, enhanced by powerful spiritual energy, prevented the barbs on his palm from even piercing the skin.

"Is that all you've got?" Lu Ran sneered, suddenly exerting force on his wrist. Mochizuki Chika felt a tremendous force coming from her, and she involuntarily staggered forward a few steps.

An uproar immediately erupted in the courtyard.

Several Japanese trainees stared wide-eyed at the scene in disbelief.

A highly capable instructor was easily manipulated?
How can this be?

"Do you submit or not?" Lu Ran's light laughter rang in Wang Yueqianxun's ears.

"You!" Mochizuki Chizuru exclaimed, her face flushed with a mixture of shame and anger.

Mochizuki Chika was unwilling to give up; she wanted to fight back.

Just then, an aged voice came from inside the courtyard:
"Qianxun, you must not be rude to the guests!"

This rebuke was like a blow to the head, silencing the unruly Mochizuki Chika.

"You haven't changed your temper after all these years! You're kicking me out without even asking who I am? You really need someone to keep an eye on you!" An old man walked out of the pavilion and said to Mochizuki Chika with annoyance.

Mochizuki Chika nodded reluctantly with a cold face.

The visitor was her father, Wangyue Mingjian.

She might throw a tantrum at outsiders, but no matter how spoiled and domineering she might be, she would never be disrespectful to her own father.

“My name is Mochizuki Meiken, and I’m one of the people in charge of the Japan Pavilion this year,” Mochizuki Meiken said with a smile.

Wangyue Mingjian smiled kindly, and Lu Ran didn't put on airs either, readily saying:

"Lu Ran, captain of the Kyushu National Government."

Lu Ran took out his identity badge, glanced at the Moon Gazing Sword, and smiled as he invited everyone to enter the pavilion first.

He also expressed his willingness to personally lead the Kyushu National Government team on a tour of the Soshokaku.

Lu Ran smiled after hearing this, and as he passed Mochizuki Chika, he chuckled softly:
"Learn properly what hospitality is all about!"

Mochizuki Chika's face flushed red, but she couldn't say a word.

Only Wangyue Mingjian and Wangyue Qianxun, the father and daughter, remained on the spot.

Mochizuki Chika wanted to explain further, but saw Mochizuki Meiken say with a straight face:

"You need to tone down your temper. It might be one thing if it were anyone else, but this guy from Kyushu named Lu Ran is not as simple as you think!"

Upon hearing this, Wang Yueqian felt a chill run down her spine.

But she did not disobey the Moon Gazing Sword; the strength that Lu Ran had just displayed was truly astonishing!
Is this really the level of skill a national team player can possess?

As soon as they stepped into the West Guardian Pavilion, Lu Ran and his group had only taken a few steps when a blond-haired man approached them with narrowed eyes.

The blond man stared at Lu Ran, his tone full of provocation:
"You're the captain of the Kyushu National Team?"

"I just heard that you angered Miss Qianxun. She is indeed a formidable figure."

"Very well, in the upcoming national tournament, I'll make you regret it! I'll make you beg for mercy on your knees."

He had no idea that even Mochizuki Chika, whom he admired, had just been casually fondled by Lu Ran.

Snapped!
Before the blond man could finish speaking, Lu Ran had a thought, and spatial power instantly condensed into an invisible silver palm, which slammed hard into the blond man's face.

Caught off guard, the blond-haired man was sent flying by the slap and crashed heavily to the ground.

(End of this chapter)