"Ah Fu."
Lu Fu, who had been standing just outside the main hall like an invisible attendant, immediately entered upon hearing his name.
He had seen everything that transpired in the hall.
"Master."
"Go inform Li Dahua, and have him... no. Get Yan Lintong, and bring me his most capable men who were assigned to Jingteng and are familiar with the pier and the waterways. All of them."
Li Dahua was one of the guard leaders hired by the Lu Family. He was a Late-stage Mingjin expert, known for being alert and reliable.
He had also been the first to report the news when Lu Jingteng had his accident at the pier.
"Yes, Master. I’ll go at once."
Lu Yun sat upright in the Taishi Chair, now filled with an unprecedented "interest" in the "filthy thing" that had nearly cost his eldest son his life!
Eliminating that wisp of sinister, cold aura that had invaded Lu Jingteng’s body had unexpectedly granted his Azure Martial Arts Panel 4 points of modified value!
That was equivalent to the value of a two-hundred-year-old wild ginseng!
’If a mere wisp of stray "yin energy" holds this much "power," then what if I find its source? Its main body?’
Either way, in Lu Yun’s eyes, it was a gold mine of "modified value," far more precious than any centennial ginseng!
The True Qi of a Grandmaster of Huajin seemed to be a powerful counter to this kind of sinister energy.
’I have to find out exactly where Jingteng ran into this thing.’
’The waters by the pier... on the river... a stormy night... It seems I’ll have to take a look at that stretch of water myself.’
Before long, Lu Fu led five well-built, formidable-looking men into the main hall.
They wore short jackets and trousers of various colors. Though the styles differed, all their clothes were washed and impeccably clean.
These five men were the backbone of the Lu Family’s guards and also held senior positions in the security division of the family’s import-export business.
Four of them were at the Late-stage of Mingjin, while their leader had reached the Peak of Mingjin!
Their leader, Yan Lintong, was nearly forty, with a square face and dark skin. He was the most senior of the five, having served the Lu Family for over fifteen years, and was also considered one of Lu Yun’s Registered Disciples.
It was a long story. In his youth, Yan Lintong had studied at a rather famous dojo in Yun Port City: the Wind-Splitting Falcon Xingyi Fist Martial Arts Hall.
The martial art taught at that hall had a unique style. Instead of imitating common animals like the tiger, leopard, bear, or eagle, it emulated a legendary, fictional bird of prey known as the "Wind-Splitting Falcon."
The style emphasized footwork as nimble as a soaring falcon and punches as swift and sharp as a falcon’s peck, specializing in finding and exploiting weaknesses.
After landing a blow, the practitioner would immediately retreat, embodying the principles of speed, precision, ruthlessness, and deception.
The hall’s master, Jiang Zhen, was a native of Yanjing City and a martial artist at the Peak of Anjin.
He was a powerful outsider making his mark, and through sheer skill and his unique fighting style, he managed to establish a firm foothold in Yun Port City—a place teeming with hidden masters—and open a hall to teach disciples.
Yan Lintong studied at the Wind-Splitting Falcon hall for some time, building a solid foundation.
But later, after hearing numerous stories about Lu Yun—the former dynasty’s Martial Champion Scholar and a legendary figure of the Yun Port City piers—he became filled with immense admiration.
This gave rise to the idea of leaving the hall to follow Lu. In Yan Lintong’s eyes, although the hall master Jiang Zhen was strong, Lord Lu’s deeds were far more legendary.
His martial arts seemed more majestic and honorable, their power boundless. He was, quite simply, the idol of Yan Lintong’s heart.
And so, this honest and straightforward man actually went to the Lu Family residence and offered his services, asking to learn martial arts from Lu Yun with an earnestness that bordered on obstinacy.
Lu Yun didn’t agree right away. Instead, he secretly observed and tested the man for several years.
He eventually found that while the man was a bit obstinate, he was fundamentally simple, honest, and pure of heart. He had a clear sense of right and wrong, repaid any kindness shown to him, and likewise avenged any wrongs. He was a promising talent and worthy of trust.
Only then did Lu Yun relent, formally accepting him as a Registered Disciple and teaching him some of the essential principles and practical applications of Heart-Breaking Fist.
After receiving this guidance, Yan Lintong’s devotion became absolute. He respected Lu Yun as he would a parent who had given him a new lease on life.
He was fiercely loyal to the Lu Family, serving for over a dozen years. He worked his way up from an ordinary guard to a Guard Leader, becoming one of the key martial assets for the Lu Family’s import-export business.
At that moment, Yan Lintong and his four men bowed respectfully to Lu Yun. "Master! Grand Master!"
After the five men bowed in unison, they couldn’t help but steal glances toward the head of the hall.
This was especially true for Yan Lintong. His gaze upon Lu Yun was so fervent it seemed to glow, as if he were looking at a living god.
In just a single day, the news that his benefactor and master was a Grandmaster of Huajin had spread throughout the upper echelons of Yun Port City, and naturally, throughout the entire Lu Family as well.
When the news was confirmed, the entire Lu Family, from the highest to the lowest, was filled with shock and elation!
A true Grandmaster of Huajin!
Publicly, there were only three in all of Yun Port City, and now the Lu Family’s own patriarch was the fourth!
This distinction was significant enough to make anyone associated with the Lu Family swell with pride.
For someone like Yan Lintong, who had long idolized Lu Yun, the excitement was simply unparalleled!
He felt like he could pass out from sheer joy!
’Somehow, I’ve become the "disciple" of a genuine Grandmaster of Huajin!’
’Well... a self-proclaimed one, anyway!’
’If word of this got back to my hometown, it would bring unimaginable honor to the Yan Family ancestors!’
’This was the ultimate way to bring glory to one’s ancestors!’
Yan Lintong even made a silent vow. ’The first thing I’m doing when I get home is finding the best carpenter to make the most magnificent plaque possible. I’ll have it reverently displayed in the most conspicuous spot in the Yan Family hall!’
’And it will be inscribed: "Disciple of the Grandmaster of an Era, Lu Yun!"’
’Just imagining the moment that plaque is hung, imagining the shock and pride his descendants would feel upon seeing it...’
A rush of blood went to Yan Lintong’s head. He couldn’t stop his mouth from breaking into a wide, foolish grin, revealing a row of white teeth as he let out a giddy "heh heh heh."
Not only that, but in that very moment, he had even decided on the inscription for his own tombstone.
After his death, Yan Lintong would have his two sons deeply engrave this line of honor upon his bluestone tomb: "Studied under the Martial Champion Scholar of the Yin Dynasty..."
"Lintong."
A calm voice startled him out of his daydream.
Yan Lintong froze. He looked up to see Lu Yun’s slightly furrowed brow. The gaze seemed to say, ’Are you looking for trouble, spacing out and grinning like an idiot in my presence?’
A jolt went through him, and he broke out in a cold sweat. He immediately wiped the grin off his face, bowed deeply, and said, "Master, I was overcome with excitement and lost my composure. Please forgive me!"
Seeing this, Lu Yun ignored Yan Lintong’s inner turmoil and excitement, cutting straight to the chase.
"Where exactly on the river was Jingteng when the incident occurred? Tell me everything you know in detail. Don’t leave out a single detail."
Yan Lintong immediately composed himself, his expression turning serious. He replied in a somber tone, "To answer your question, Master, the Young Master’s incident occurred in the middle of the river, approximately fifty nautical miles from Red Tree Bay Pier."

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