Chapter 350: Conceal Strength and Bide Time Lu Chengfeng

Ji Yuan, as Lu Shan Jun's master, could more or less guess his disciple's thoughts. Coupled with his own premonitions, there was no need to follow from a distance. Instead, he could simply arrive at the suitable location beforehand and wait.

At Ji Yuan's current level, for matters closely related to him, a single thought could sometimes bring a flash of insight, revealing a place name and what might happen there, as if by divine inspiration.

Yu Chang County was home to the Lu family of Cloud Pavilion.

Cloud Pavilion had undergone significant changes in recent years, causing its standing in the martial arts world to plummet. However, the Lu brothers' reputation in Yu Chang County itself became even more prominent. Anyone from Yu Chang County knew of Lu Chengfeng and Lu Chengyun.

With their own efforts, the two brothers stabilized the foundations of Cloud Pavilion. In recent years, its members had settled down again, diligently practicing martial arts and engaging in various trades.

However, compared to Lu Chengyun, Lu Chengfeng's reputation had not spread widely. In the martial arts world, it was generally believed that Lu Chengfeng had long since degenerated, abandoned his martial arts, and lost all his former vigor.

Today, outside a Cloud Pavilion warehouse, two carriages were parked. Four or five people continuously moved in and out, loading silk fabrics, fine wines, and other items onto the carriages. A large, high-quality jade stone was also loaded.

"Alright, that's enough!"

After Lu Chengfeng personally checked the inventory, the others stopped their work and re-locked the warehouse door.

Once everything was ready, Lu Chengfeng waved his hand, and he and his fellow disciples boarded the carriages, slowly driving away.

At the outer compound, Lu Chengyun, who had been waiting, saw the carriages emerge. He quickly approached Lu Chengfeng and handed him a parcel.

"These are new clothes I had made for you. Make sure to change into them when you get there. Don't wear those old rags. Remember what you're going there for."

Seeing his elder brother's earnest expression, Lu Chengfeng grinned.

"Clothes are merely external things. We are martial artists; we compete on skill, not attire. If people only judge by clothes and not by the person, then there's no need to practice martial arts at all; we might as well open tailor shops."

"You scoundrel, by your tone, it sounds like you're going to seek revenge! The 'Little Gentleman of Cloud Pavilion' used to be so meticulous about appearance. How have you become like this? Pay attention! These clothes are for when you visit the Zhou family. As for the grand assembly, for the sake of Cloud Pavilion, you absolutely must make a splash!"

Only after Lu Chengyun feigned anger did Lu Chengfeng reluctantly nod and take the parcel.

"Brother, just wait at home. I'll handle these minor matters myself."

Lu Chengyun sneered upon hearing this.

"Heh, can you produce a child yourself? Now get going!"

Lu Chengfeng's face darkened. Without retorting to his brother, he cracked the whip and slowly drove the carriage away himself.

Yu Chang County wasn't particularly bustling, and with dawn having just broken, few people were out in the city. The carriages traveled unimpeded directly out of the city gates.

Sitting in the bumpy carriage, Lu Chengfeng drove while his eyes were half-closed, regulating his internal energy and circulating vital qi throughout his body, never ceasing his martial arts practice.

The Vermillion Fruit given by Mr. Ji back then was indeed extraordinary. For years, his elder brother, Lu Chengyun, had been busy with various trivial matters concerning Cloud Pavilion, leaving him with little time for practice. Yet, his martial arts skills not only didn't decline but often improved, much to Lu Chengyun's own surprise. He vaguely understood this was related to the miraculous fruit his younger brother had given him years ago.

Lu Chengfeng's martial arts also continuously improved, but his progress came from his own diligent effort and an ambitious spirit. The calluses on his hands were the best proof, and his martial arts foundation was, in fact, more solid than Lu Chengyun's.

Behind Cloud Pavilion was a forest where dozens of large trees had their trunks badly damaged, and several stumps were completely uprooted from the ground. These were all traces of Lu Chengfeng's arduous martial arts practice.

Everyone in the martial arts world claimed that Cloud Pavilion had long declined, but they didn't know that over the years, the Lu brothers had persevered through hardship, managing Cloud Pavilion commendably away from public scrutiny. Simultaneously, their martial arts skills continually improved. Cloud Pavilion had also eliminated many unstable elements, retaining only loyal individuals who advanced alongside the pavilion.

At this moment, the carriages moved slowly forward. Lu Chengfeng drove while practicing his skills, appearing drowsy, but the Cloud Pavilion disciples beside him had no intention of helping, knowing well that Lu Chengfeng would not steer the carriage astray.

"Do you think the Zhou family will agree to marry their young lady to our Second Master this time?"

"Heh, that would be their Zhou family's good fortune! Why wouldn't they?"

"It's hard to say. When the Pavilion Master went there in person last time, the Zhou family was polite but didn't immediately agree."

"You can't put it that way. When was the last time they saw the Second Master?... Besides, the Second Master is already forty, and the Zhou young lady is only in her twenties..."

"Well, anyway, it's just a side trip. When the Second Master makes a spectacular impression at that assembly, won't they realize how good he is?"

In the second carriage, three Cloud Pavilion disciples chatted, unafraid that Lu Chengfeng might hear them. Everyone knew their Second Master's temperament, so it wouldn't matter if he overheard.

The Zhou family lived far away in Duming Prefecture, a journey of several hundred li. They also frequently helped oversee Cloud Pavilion's jade industry in Duming Prefecture, making them old acquaintances of the Lu family.

Lu Chengfeng was dedicated to martial arts and also assisted his elder brother in protecting Cloud Pavilion, never considering romance. But Lu Chengyun, acting like a father figure and seeing Lu Chengfeng grow older while his own son was already grown, became increasingly anxious and constantly wished for Lu Chengfeng to settle down.

While Lu Chengfeng's main purpose was to attend the martial arts assembly in Duming Prefecture, visiting the Zhou family for a blind date was also very important.

The two carriages, one after another, traveled for several days, passing through counties and villages, getting closer to Duming Prefecture.

One day, the sky was overcast and sunless. From his carriage on a rural road, Lu Chengfeng suddenly opened his eyes wide and saw a man in a green robe sitting on a roadside rock ahead.

Although Lu Chengfeng appeared to be dozing, he was actually highly sensitive to his surroundings. Moments earlier, he had scanned the distant area, and there was clearly no one there. Yet, after a brief lapse, a person appeared, sitting and resting, which was truly bizarre.

As the two carriages slowly moved, Lu Chengfeng seemingly remained as before, but in reality, his mind was highly concentrated, constantly observing the man by the roadside.

As they drew closer, he could even discern the black cloud patterns on the sleeves of the man's green robe and the pure white hairpin with a slight curve in his hair.

Finally, the carriage passed by the man on the roadside. Lu Chengfeng appeared motionless, but his peripheral vision was fixed on him, while the man brazenly sat on the stone, watching Lu Chengfeng in the carriage.

Just this gaze unexpectedly gave Lu Chengfeng a subtle sense of danger. This feeling was so inexplicable, a faint sensation of walking along a cliff edge. Yet, upon a closer look at the man, the feeling vanished, as if everything just moments ago had been an illusion.

Lu Chengfeng opened his eyes, frowning. Was it truly just an illusion?

As he pondered, his ears twitched; a whistling sound cut through the air.

*Whoosh...*

Lu Chengfeng reached out and directly caught a thrown dart. At the same time, he pushed the person next to him away, using the momentum to dodge to the other side.

*Thud-thud...*

Besides the dart Lu Chengfeng caught, two others struck the carriage seat where he and the other person had just been sitting.

What were called darts were merely three ordinary iron skewers.

"Who's there?"

After a furious shout, Lu Chengfeng narrowed his eyes, stomped his foot, and charged into the nearby woods, unleashing a powerful palm strike on a tree.

"Hah!"

*Thud...*

A burst of wood chips erupted from the far side of the tree trunk, and another person, unseen through the tree, was sent flying backward. The large tree shook continuously, and leaves rained down.

"Lu Chengfeng, prepare to die!"

A chilling voice sounded from above. Someone, holding a saber, chopped down from mid-air. By the time Lu Chengfeng reacted, the blade was already before his eyes, without making a single sound.

*Clang...* *Thud...*

The first palm strike hit the side of the saber, the feedback sensation extremely cold. The second palm strike, almost simultaneous, aimed for the assailant's chest, meeting their other hand in a clash.

The opponent, light as a swallow, floated over a zhang (approx. 3.3 meters) away after that palm strike, then drifted far off. Upon landing, they lightly touched the ground, their figure blurred, and they instantly reappeared before Lu Chengfeng, launching a series of deadly attacks with both saber and fists.

*Thump, thump, thump...* *Slap, slap, thump, thud-thud... clang, clang, clang...*

The two continued to exchange blows, engaging in over twenty moves in a short time. Their speed seemed almost blurred to an outsider.

After more than twenty moves, following another clash of palms, the assailant swayed back a dozen steps and stood watching Lu Chengfeng, who finally had a chance to properly observe his opponent.

The man had an ordinary appearance and build, but his eyes held a sinister glint.

Lu Chengfeng looked down at his palms, which were covered in a layer of white frost. It took several circulations of his internal energy to dissipate it.

"What kind of sinister martial art do you practice, and what grievance do you have with me?"

The man looked up at the sky, then grinned at Lu Chengfeng.

"Young man, your martial arts are quite good."

"You too!"

Lu Chengfeng narrowed his eyes and quietly returned the compliment. He glanced at the carriages with his peripheral vision; there was nothing unusual there, confirming that there was indeed only one attacker.

However, just as he cast that glance, the man before him blurred, then retreated behind a tree and vanished. Lu Chengfeng pursued him but found nothing, searching the forest for a long time without a trace.

Resigned, he eventually gave up and got back into the carriage to continue the journey, but his seriousness about the upcoming martial arts assembly had significantly increased.

On the other side of the road, where Lu Shan Jun sat, a faint mist appeared. The man who had just attacked emerged from it and bowed to Lu Shan Jun.

"Shan Jun, Lu Chengfeng's martial arts are quite good; he is by no means the derelict person rumored."

"Hmm, that's excellent."

Lu Shan Jun responded and then looked at the man.

"Do you know why I released all the other spectral servants but kept you?"

"Shan Jun must have his reasons."

The man certainly dared not anger the one before him.

"Heh, you don't need to resent me. If you had died elsewhere, you would have been sent to the underworld's prisons. Just now, with Lu Chengfeng, you tried to kill him several times. If not for his formidable martial arts and strong vital essence, you would have succeeded."

Lu Shan Jun narrowed his eyes.

"I was testing both him and you. He is good, but you are not. Just stay put."

With that, Lu Shan Jun opened his mouth and absorbed the spectral servant.