From ten meters away, Bai Chongli stepped forward first. He clasped his hands in a quick salute before bowing deeply. "Bai Chongli pays his respects to Advisor Lu!"
His salute was impeccably formal. The White Cloud Sect was the preeminent power in Yun Port City’s Martial Arts scene, and as the son of the Sect Leader, his etiquette had to be beyond reproach.
Lu Yun gave a slight nod in acknowledgment, his gaze then falling upon Bai Longfei.
Bai Longfei was looking at him as well. The gazes of the two Grandmasters of Huajin met in the space between them.
After a moment, Bai Longfei broke the silence. "Advisor Lu, to what do I owe the pleasure of your visit today?"
A faint smile touched the corners of Lu Yun’s lips. He enjoyed speaking with intelligent people.
"Sect Master Bai, I have come today with a request."
As soon as he said this, the surrounding White Cloud Sect disciples immediately perked up their ears.
’A Grandmaster of Huajin, asking for a favor?’
’What could he be asking for?’
A flicker of surprise and suspicion crossed Bai Longfei’s mind, but his expression remained unchanged as he said, "Please, go on."
Lu Yun looked at him and spoke in a leisurely tone. "I’m sure Sect Master Bai is aware that the Governor of Yun Port City, Zhang Cheng’an, is about to step down. When that time comes, I hope Sect Master Bai will lend me his support."
A hush fell over the entire field. Behind them, the color drained from Bai Chongli’s face.
’Support him? Support him to become the Military Governor? What kind of joke is this!’
Bai Longfei’s face remained placid, betraying no hint of his emotions.
Lu Yun’s words were indeed aggressive—it was tantamount to challenging the sect on its own turf.
In their world, reputation was everything.
If he, Bai Longfei, were to publicly declare his support for Lu Yun in front of this large crowd, what would that imply?
It would mean that the White Cloud Sect would henceforth be subordinate to the Lu Family. It would mean that he, Bai Longfei, publicly acknowledged as the number one Martial Arts practitioner in Yun Port City, would have to bow his head to a newcomer.
Although Bai Longfei truly had no interest in the position of Governor of Yun Port City, it didn’t mean he would tolerate someone being so brazenly disrespectful to his face.
Bai Longfei paused, then began to show his guest the door. "You have a keen sense of humor, Advisor Lu. If there’s nothing else, please leave."
On the training grounds, the White Cloud Sect disciples looked at one another, their gazes shifting back and forth between the two Grandmasters of Huajin.
Lu Yun smiled, a faint, knowing smile. "You’ll agree."
This time, Bai Chongli’s expression truly changed.
’This man means trouble!’
The disciples all tensed, subconsciously clenching their fists.
Although they all knew their skills were nothing before a Grandmaster of Huajin, this was the White Cloud Sect. It was the place where they trained, a sacred ground in their hearts that could not be desecrated.
’What exactly is this man Lu trying to do?’
Bai Longfei said nothing more. He had just recalled something.
The death of the Cyan Dragon Gang’s Leader.
’That fellow... what was his name? Wang... something? Never mind, it’s not important.’
’What was important was that the man had just recently broken through to become a Grandmaster of Huajin.’
’And what happened? A few days after his breakthrough, he was taken out in the middle of the night.’
’He died in his own headquarters, utterly obliterated. All the higher-ups in the Cyan Dragon Gang were slaughtered as well.’
’And coincidentally, on the morning of that very same day, this so-called Gang Leader of the Cyan Dragon Gang had clashed with the Lu Family.’
’At first, because of the coincidence, almost everyone suspected Lu Yun.’
’But that suspicion was quickly dismissed.’
’Because Lu Yun was also a new Grandmaster of Huajin—one who had only broken through at the advanced age of sixty. Logically, a Grandmaster like that should, at best, be evenly matched with the Cyan Dragon Gang Leader.’
’How could he possibly have killed him?’
’But...’ Bai Longfei’s gaze swept slowly over Lu Yun.
’He had personally witnessed the fight between Lu Yun and Gong Ning. Gong Ning was a master at the Peak of Anjin, and he had even used two exceedingly profound Martial Arts techniques.’
’And yet, this Lu Yun before him had toyed with the man as if he were nothing!’
’Bai Longfei had seen it with his own eyes. This Lu Yun possessed an incredibly powerful Horizontal Training; the resilience of his physical body was simply inconceivable.’
’A full-powered blow from a master at the Peak of Anjin might as well have been a tickle. Not only was Lu Yun unharmed, but his attacker was the one who ended up getting hurt.’
’When did he master this Horizontal Training?’
’How could someone who only broke through to Huajin at the age of sixty possibly have had the time to cultivate Horizontal Training to such a degree?’
’And another thing...’
Bai Longfei’s gaze fell upon Lu Yun, upon a face that looked to be no older than forty-nine.
’The last time he saw this man, his hair had been mostly gray, his face a web of wrinkles. But now? His hair was a mix of black and white, the wrinkles had all but vanished, and he stood there with the vigorous spirit of a man in his thirties or forties.’
’Was this normal?’
Bai Longfei’s brow furrowed. He was suddenly uncertain. ’Is this Lu Yun really just a newly ascended Grandmaster of Huajin?’
After a long silence, Bai Longfei spoke again. "Advisor Lu, please leave. I have never involved myself in worldly affairs."
"And I have no desire to come to blows with anyone."
You could have heard a pin drop on the training grounds. Hundreds of pairs of eyes were fixed on the figure standing there, leaning on his cane.
Lu Yun stood his ground. His smile slowly faded, and he gave Bai Longfei a long, meaningful look.
Others might not have understood the significance of that look, but Bai Longfei, its intended recipient, felt an unprecedented sense of alarm.
It was the survival instinct unique to the Peak of Huajin. ’Danger! Extreme danger!’
Without a moment’s hesitation, Bai Longfei unleashed the Huajin he had spent decades accumulating.
A terrifying gale erupted from him, sweeping outward in all directions!

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