Dragon Raja: Lu Mingfei finds a Freylian

In the blink of an eye, the two menacing thugs were lying on the ground, unable to get up. The whole process was smooth and seamless, without the slightest delay. Lu Mingfei didn't even move an inch from his spot, and he used joint locks and finesse within the scope of human fighting skills, without using any superhuman strength.

Viper and the remaining thug were completely dumbfounded. They never expected this seemingly ordinary, even somewhat easy-to-bully, young man to be so skilled! This was definitely not the level of someone who had only practiced a little; he was clearly a master who had undergone rigorous combat training!

The remaining thug, seeing Lu Mingfei's calm gaze sweep over him, was terrified. He let out a scream and turned to run away.

Lu Mingfei wasn't about to let him have his way. He moved his feet and caught up in a few steps. Just as the other man took two steps, he delivered a chop to his carotid artery.

The thug's body stiffened, then he slumped to the ground, unconscious.

Now, only the venomous snake remains standing.

Viper looked at his three henchmen lying on the ground, then at Lu Mingfei walking towards him step by step. His previous arrogance was gone, replaced by fear and disbelief.

He'd spent years roaming the streets, fighting was commonplace for him, and he considered himself quite worldly. But he'd never seen anyone like Lu Mingfei, who could so easily take down three of his capable henchmen with a flick of his wrist, all while remaining calm and collected, not even breaking a sweat. This was simply not a match for him!

"You, you stay away!" Viper roared, his voice trembling with fear, as he backed away, his hand reaching for his waist where a switchblade was tucked.

Lu Mingfei's eyes turned cold; he hated knives more than anything. The moment the viper touched the hilt of his knife, before he could even draw it, Lu Mingfei moved. He increased his speed, closing in on the viper, his left hand flashing as he grabbed the viper's wrist as he drew his knife, squeezing hard.

"Ah!" Viper felt as if his wrist bones were about to be crushed. In the excruciating pain, the switchblade he had just pulled out clattered to the ground.

Chapter 259 Sorcery

Lu Mingfei's right hand, fingers drawn like a sword, moved with lightning speed, striking several acupoints on the snake's chest and abdomen. This was a fighting technique originating from the East, taught in the close combat course at Kassel College, designed to cut off the flow of air in a short time, causing temporary disruption to the opponent's bodily functions.

The venomous snake felt a tightness in his chest, as if someone had blocked his breath. A wave of nausea surged to his throat, draining all his strength from his body, and his vision blurred. He opened his mouth, but no sound came out. He could only slump down like a lump of mud.

Before he completely collapsed, Lu Mingfei supported his shoulder and seemingly casually pressed lightly on a spot on the back of his neck. The viper's body twitched one last time, then he completely lost consciousness and collapsed to the ground.

From the outbreak of the conflict to the moment all four thugs collapsed unconscious, only a minute had passed. A deathly silence fell over the surrounding area; all the onlookers stared in disbelief at the black-haired youth standing calmly among the fallen thugs, casually brushing nonexistent dust from his hands.

Ignoring the stares around him, Lu Mingfei walked to Frilian's side and whispered, "It's over, let's go."

Frillie nodded, her gaze sweeping over the four unconscious thugs on the ground, lingering for a moment on Viper's face.

The "witchcraft" she planted will, like a persistent ailment, silently erode their fortune and health over the long years to come, forcing them to slowly repay their sins in pain and misfortune. This is far more cruel than a beating.

Lu Mingfei took Frillie's hand, and the two walked through the silent crowd as if nothing had happened, quickly disappearing around the street corner. They left behind only a mess, four unconscious thugs, and a group of passersby still reeling from the shock.

In the distance, behind the window of a tall building, Zhu Ming, who had been observing everything through binoculars, slowly put down his instrument, his face terribly grim.

He hadn't expected Lu Mingfei to be so skilled, and he certainly hadn't expected that despite having such a significant advantage, they would be so restrained, only knocking out the thugs without causing any fatal injuries or displaying any extraordinary power.

"Brother, they... they just left like that?" Zhu Qi cried out in frustration. "Those useless trash! They're completely worthless!"

Zhu Ming didn't speak, but stared intently in the direction where Lu Mingfei and Frilian disappeared.

His original plan was to use these thugs to force Lu Mingfei to reveal his hand, or at least get them into trouble, but now, the plan had completely failed. Lu Mingfei resolved the problem in the cleanest way possible, leaving no evidence whatsoever.

“It’s alright,” Zhu Ming took a deep breath, a fierce glint flashing in his eyes, “This is just the beginning. You can run away from the first day of the month, but you can’t hide from the fifteenth. Frilian, and that Lu Mingfei, I will make sure you know the consequences of offending the Zhu family!”

Half a day later, it was already dusk.

Viper awoke to a deep, bone-chilling pain, not from the fighting wounds inflicted by Lu Mingfei, but as if countless tiny insects were gnawing at his internal organs. He found himself lying on a tattered bed in a filthy rented room in an urban village. His three other henchmen, Yellow Hair, Nose Ring, and another thug, were also sprawled out in various parts of the room, still unconscious, their faces contorted in pain.

"Damn it," Viper tried to prop himself up, only to be horrified to find that his right arm was limp and powerless. It wasn't the sharp pain of a dislocation or fracture, but rather a soreness and weakness where the muscles felt eroded and stripped of control by an invisible force.

Immediately afterwards, the same sensation began to come from his left leg, as if it were not his own limb.

Panic hit him like a bucket of ice water, instantly dispelling the lingering drowsiness. He tried to shout, but only a hissing, leaky sound, like a broken bellows, came from his throat, as if his vocal cords were stuck together.

Suddenly, the blond-haired man on the ground convulsed, his eyes wide open, bloodshot and filled with extreme terror. He clutched his neck tightly with both hands, his face turning from red to bluish-purple, as if being choked by an unseen enemy. He opened his mouth wide, desperately trying to breathe, but couldn't inhale a single breath. He could only struggle frantically on the edge of suffocation, his limbs kicking wildly at the ground, making dull thuds.

The thug with the nose ring next to him was also awakened by the noise. As soon as he opened his eyes, he felt dizzy and extremely nauseous.

Trying to climb towards the corner trash can, she couldn't maintain her balance and fell heavily to the ground as soon as she got up, then began to vomit violently. But what came out wasn't food residue from her stomach, but streams of thick, dark green liquid with a fishy smell, and there seemed to be some thread-like living things wriggling in it.

The last thug woke up, and his symptoms were even more bizarre. He looked at his hands in horror; the skin on his hands was turning gray and shriveled at a visible speed, with irregular black spots appearing, and it was incredibly itchy.

He scratched frantically, his fingernails drawing blood from his skin, but the itching didn't lessen; instead, it spread rapidly throughout his body like wildfire. He rolled in agony on the ground, rubbing his body against the rough cement, letting out pitiful howls. His skin was torn and bloodied, yet he still couldn't suppress the itch that originated from the depths of his flesh.

Viper watched helplessly as his men were plunged into different hells, and his fear reached its peak.

He tried to escape, but found his weakness spreading from his arms and left leg up his torso. His chest tightened, his breathing became difficult, and his heart pounded erratically, as if it might stop at any moment. Even more terrifying, his vision began to blur, a persistent gray haze obscuring his eyes, and a continuous, piercing tinnitus filled his ears.

He thought of the silver-haired girl, her eerily calm emerald green eyes, and the brief, almost negligible moment of distraction during the conflict.

That's it! It must be her! She's not an ordinary person! She's a monster! A demon!

Regret, fear, and despair entwined his heart like poisonous vines. They had provoked a being they absolutely could not afford to provoke!

The yellow-haired man's suffocating feeling sometimes eased and sometimes intensified, tormenting him repeatedly in the fear of impending death; the nose ring vomited until he was almost exhausted, but the dark green mucus seemed endless; the thug who was itchy all over had scratched himself until he was bloody and mangled, looking like a madman; and the venomous snake himself, as he gradually lost control of his body and his five senses, felt the terrifying process of his life being slowly taken away.

One cannot die, for death has become a luxurious release. One cannot live, for every moment is spent in unspeakable and incomprehensible boundless suffering.

This filthy rented room has become their personal hell on earth.

Chapter 260 Tea

The night was as dark as ink, and the moonlight, like water, flowed quietly through the courtyard of Zhu Ling'er, the eldest daughter of the Zhu family. Inside the carved window, the candlelight flickered, casting two slender figures onto the snow-white wall.

Zhu Ling'er leaned against the soft couch, her slender fingers caressing a warm, smooth jade pendant, a thin layer of anger and helplessness shrouding her brows. She wore a moon-white brocade dress with cloud patterns, her long, dark hair loosely tied up with a simple jade hairpin. Although her makeup was simple, it could not hide her natural beauty and noble air.

The maid Yun'er stood by her side, dressed in a light blue ruqun (a type of traditional Chinese dress), her face bright and her eyes clear. Seeing her mistress's furrowed brows, she understood and softly asked, "Miss, are you still troubled by Young Master Lu and Miss Frilian's matter?"

Zhu Ling'er sighed, her voice filled with weariness and apology: "How can I not be annoyed? Those two good-for-nothings, Zhu Ming and Zhu Qi, not only do they cause trouble themselves, but they also dare to use the family's name to recruit those street thugs and engage in such despicable acts of extortion. And of all things, they just happened to run into Lu Mingfei and Frilian."

She could almost see the scene from not long ago when the servant nervously reported the matter. It was said that Young Master Zhu Ming had sent a few thugs to extort a "normal" couple from out of town, but they hadn't expected to run into such a tough opponent.

The boy named Lu Mingfei seemed ordinary, but he displayed great power at the crucial moment. The silver-haired, green-eyed girl named Frilian beside him was even more mysterious and unpredictable. With every move she made, she caused those thugs to suffer in secret, leaving them at home wishing for death.

What's more troublesome is that the other party already knows that the mastermind behind this is related to the Zhu family.

“Zhu Ming is foolish, needlessly making enemies for the family. Lu Mingfei and Frilian, judging from their behavior, are definitely not ordinary people. If this matter is not handled properly, it may cause future troubles.” Zhu Ling’er calmed down, with the determination of the heir to the family head, “The family has its own rules for punishing Zhu Ming, but in public, our Zhu family cannot lose its manners. We must give Young Master Lu and Miss Frilian sufficient compensation and apology.”

Yun'er nodded in agreement: "Miss's consideration is thorough. However, ordinary gold, silver, jewelry, antiques, and jade artifacts are probably not enough to catch their eye. Moreover, apologizing with such vulgar items would only make it seem like our Zhu family only knows how to use wealth and power to intimidate people, and is not sincere enough."

“That makes perfect sense.” Zhu Ling’er looked at Yun’er approvingly. “Therefore, we need a special compensation that shows our sincerity and respect.”

After a moment of contemplation, he said, “I remember that on the summit of Nanshan Mountain outside the city, there lived a tea master known as ‘Jingxin Jushi’ (Master of Tranquility) Ye Zhi Qiu. He was of noble character and his tea skills had reached a state of perfection, unmatched by anyone within a thousand miles. It is said that the tea he brewed himself had the wonder of washing away worldly worries and enlightening the mind.”

Yun'er's eyes lit up: "Miss means, please ask Master Ye to come out of seclusion and personally brew tea for Young Master Lu and Miss Frilian? It would be most appropriate to apologize in such an elegant way, showing sincerity without being cliché!"

“That’s right.” Zhu Ling’er stood up, walked to the window, and looked at the bright moon in the sky. “Master Ye has been living in seclusion for a long time and is aloof by nature. It is difficult for ordinary people to persuade him. However…”

A slight smile played on her lips as she looked on with a nostalgic expression. “When I was young, I visited him once with my father. He praised me for my clear mind and said I had a knack for tea. Perhaps, out of consideration for this small connection, he would be willing to help me with this favor.”

Yun'er said excitedly, "Then what are we waiting for? Let's go to Nanshan to visit Master Ye first thing tomorrow morning!"

Zhu Ling'er turned around, her face regaining its usual composure and decisiveness: "Alright, go and make the preparations. Tomorrow we will travel light and simply, bringing a few elegant gifts. There's no need for fanfare. We will go up the mountain ourselves to show our sincerity."

"Yes, Miss!" Yun'er accepted the order and quickly withdrew to make the arrangements.

Silence returned to the room. Zhu Ling'er gazed at the deep night outside the window and silently prayed, "I hope this cup of tea can resolve this grudge and at least slightly redeem the stigma brought on by that good-for-nothing son of the Zhu family."

The next morning, before the mist had dissipated, an inconspicuous blue sedan drove out of the Zhu residence and headed towards Nanshan Mountain in the south of the city.

Inside the carriage, Zhu Ling'er had changed into a simpler, pale yellow casual dress and wore no makeup. Yun'er served her from the side, her eyes full of anticipation.

Nanshan Mountain was majestic and covered with lush forests. The car reached the mountainside, where there was no further road. Zhu Ling'er and Yun'er got out of the car, told the driver to wait there, and the two of them began their trek up the mountain along a winding path damp with dew.

The mountain path was rugged, ancient trees towered overhead, and birds sang sweetly. Although Zhu Ling'er came from a wealthy family, she was not a delicate person; her steps were light and steady. Yun'er followed closely behind, occasionally reaching out to help her on steep sections.

After walking for about an hour, the view suddenly opened up. A terraced tea garden, cultivated along the mountainside, came into view, layer upon layer, lush and green. Deep in the tea garden, a few simple but clean thatched cottages were nestled among the green bamboo, their wooden doors ajar, with a wooden plaque hanging above the door, inscribed with the three characters "Jingxinju" in vigorous calligraphy.

Even before you get close, the faint, elegant aroma of tea wafts on the breeze, refreshing and delightful.

Yun'er stepped forward and gently knocked on the wooden door.

A moment later, the wooden door creaked open from the inside, and an elderly man with white hair and beard, dressed in a gray robe, appeared behind it. His face was thin and his eyes were clear and deep, as if they contained endless wisdom and tranquility. His gaze calmly fell on Zhu Ling'er, and he paused slightly.

Zhu Ling'er stepped forward and bowed first: "Junior Zhu Ling'er, I have come here to pay my respects to Master Ye Zhi Qiu."

Ye Zhi Qiu looked Zhu Ling'er up and down, a hint of reminiscence flashing in his eyes, and slowly said, "The little girl of the Zhu family, in the blink of an eye, she's grown up so much."

He didn't ask why we came, but simply stepped aside and said, "The place is simple in the mountains. If you don't mind, please come in and have a cup of tea."

Zhu Ling'er was overjoyed, knowing that the master still remembered her. She quickly thanked him and followed him into the courtyard with Yun'er.

The courtyard was simply furnished with a stone table and benches, an old plum tree, and a complete tea set under the tree. Some freshly picked tea leaves were piled up in a corner, and the aroma was coming from there.

Ye Zhi Qiu led them to sit on the stone benches and began to start a fire and boil water on his own. He did not rush to ask about their purpose, and Zhu Ling'er also remained calm, quietly appreciating the master's skillful and Zen-like preparations.

Just as the water was about to boil, Ye Zhi Qiu took out a set of plain white porcelain cups, added a small pinch of emerald green tea leaves, lifted the copper kettle, and poured hot water from a high position. As the hot water poured in, the tea leaves tumbled and unfurled in the cups, resembling jade floating and sinking, and a richer aroma of beans, accompanied by a delicate fragrance, filled the air.

Zhu Ling'er sniffed it; it smelled wonderful, like fine tea.

"This is freshly picked Nanshan Yunwu tea from this spring, please have a taste," Ye Zhi Qiu said, pushing two cups of tea in front of Zhu Ling'er and Yun'er.

Chapter 261 Tea Master

Zhu Ling'er held the teacup in both hands, first observing its color—a clear, emerald green. Then she inhaled its fragrance, delicate and lingering. She then sipped it slowly; the tea was slightly bitter at first, then transformed into a mellow sweetness, leaving a long, pleasant aftertaste, as if she had absorbed the pure and refreshing essence of the entire Nanshan Mountain into her stomach.

He closed his eyes to savor the tea, and only after a long while did he open them again, sincerely praising, "Master's tea ceremony is indeed well-deserved. This tea is clear, sweet, and fragrant, cleansing away all worldly dust."

Yun'er also tasted it carefully. Although she couldn't explain as much about it as Zhu Ling'er, she still found it delicious and refreshing.

Ye Zhi Qiu smiled slightly before asking, "Miss Zhu, you've come all this way today not just to taste this cup of my coarse tea, have you?"

Zhu Ling'er put down her teacup, her expression turned serious, and she sincerely and earnestly recounted how Zhu Ming, the good-for-nothing son of her family, had offended Lu Mingfei and Frilian, and how she hoped to ask the master to come out of seclusion and apologize through the tea ceremony.

“I am well aware that this is abrupt. Master is a reclusive sage and should not be disturbed. However, ordinary compensation may not be enough to express my apology, and may also disgrace Mr. Lu Mingfei and Miss Frilline. After much thought, I believe that only this cup of tea brewed by Master himself can convey the Zhu family’s apology and respect. Therefore, I have come here with great shame to humbly request Master’s permission.”

After speaking, Zhu Ling'er stood up again and bowed deeply.

Ye Zhi Qiu listened quietly, tapping her fingers lightly on the stone table, her gaze fixed on the distant tea garden, and remained silent for a moment.

The only sounds in the courtyard were the rustling of pines, birdsong, and the gentle simmering of tea on a small red clay stove.

After a long while, Ye Zhi Qiu withdrew his gaze and looked at Zhu Ling'er with a hint of appreciation in his eyes: "You are quite thoughtful. Instead of bullying the weak, you treat them with courtesy and sincerity, which is quite similar to your father's style, and even better."

He paused, then slowly said, "The way of tea is a way to cultivate oneself and one's character, and also a way to communicate with heaven and earth and all things, and with those who drink tea. It can also be used to resolve grievances and guide people toward goodness, which is a meritorious deed. From your description, Lu Mingfei and Frilian are not ordinary people either. It is fate that I can make friends with such people through tea."

"Master, you've agreed?" Zhu Ling'er looked up in surprise.

Ye Zhi Qiu nodded slightly: "You can bring them here at this time tomorrow."

Zhu Ling'er felt a great weight lifted from her heart and was extremely grateful: "Thank you, Master! I am deeply grateful!"

The next day, the sky was clear and the air was crisp.

Under Zhu Ling'er's personal guidance, Lu Mingfei and Frilian arrived at Nanshan Jingxin Residence.