Steam Era: The Lord of 'Puluo'

"Now you're still feigning to look for Li Banfeng? The Red Lotus is already in your hands; why are you still looking for Li Banfeng?"

Lu Dongliang frowned. "Sister Xiu, you need evidence for such claims! Who said this? Do they dare come forward for a face-to-face confrontation?"

He Yuxiu stood up. "A confrontation is possible, but not here. The one who said this is the House Spirit of the He Family Old House. After my father moved out of Medicine King Valley, he gave the house to my second uncle. My second uncle was a Home Cultivator. After his death, the House Spirit remained in the old house. That old house has been neglected for so many years. If I hadn't received news that prompted me to take a look, I still wouldn't know how serious things had become. Lu Dongliang, do you dare challenge me? Do you dare say your daughter never went to my family's old house? Damn it! Monkey Qiu rescued Lu Xiaolan from the old house. You think I don't know? I've just come back from Medicine King Valley, and I saw the House Spirit tell me all these things with my own eyes. That's my family's House Spirit. Could it really deceive me?"

Veins pulsed on Lu Dongliang's temples. He wasn't angered by He Yuxiu; he knew her temper well. It was Lu Xiaolan who infuriated him.

So Lu Xiaolan had never told him the truth? Had she been deceiving him from the very beginning, right up to this moment?

Not only was Lu Dongliang infuriated, but Zhuo Yuling, who was lying on the second-floor roof and overhearing the conversation, almost fell off.

Li Banfeng was long dead? Killed by Xiao Lan at the He Family Old House? She even deceived *me*? Could what He Yuxiu said be true? For her to dare a face-to-face confrontation, it must be. After all, a House Spirit doesn't lie.

But does a House Spirit really never lie?

「At the Yuezhou Sanatorium, He Haisheng was out on an errand, leaving He Jiaqing alone on the hospital bed.」

He Jiaqing suddenly laughed out loud.

Who says House Spirits can't lie? That one's my friend. We can discuss things!

「Inside the Lu Family Mansion, He Yuxiu lit another cigarette, took a deep drag, and composed herself before speaking to Lu Dongliang.」

"Boss Lu, we've shared a bed; we know each other inside out. I won't make things difficult for you. Call Lu Xiaolan out. I want to ask her a few questions in person."

He Yuxiu and Lu Dongliang had indeed slept together. In her youth, He Yuxiu was a renowned beauty with a free spirit, and she was well-acquainted with Lu Dongliang; they both knew each other's strengths and limits.

Given what He Yuxiu had said, if Lu Dongliang still refused to let Lu Xiaolan meet her, it would force He Yuxiu's hand. But even if he agreed to the meeting, Lu Dongliang would never allow He Yuxiu to take Lu Xiaolan away. Even if it meant torturing Lu Xiaolan, even if it meant beating her to death, Lu Dongliang had to find out the whereabouts of the Mysterious Red Life Lotus, no matter what.

He summoned a manager and whispered orders to bring Lu Xiaolan down under guard, adding, "Send more men; keep a close watch on Xiao Lan."

His words themselves weren't wrong. Lu Xiaolan was about to confront He Yuxiu, and if her lies were exposed, she might act rashly. Of course, Lu Dongliang also called for extra men as a precaution against He Yuxiu. He could have said this openly; it wouldn't have mattered if He Yuxiu overheard. This was Lu Dongliang's home, and it was appropriate for him to take such measures.

But the ever-cautious Lu Dongliang instinctively lowered his voice, and He Yuxiu only caught the four crucial syllables he uttered, which meant "send more men." She immediately tensed.

"Boss Lu, what are you trying to pull? If you've got something to say, say it to my face!" He Yuxiu's expression turned ferocious.

Lu Dongliang, surprised, said, "I'm having someone bring Xiao Lan down, just as you requested. Isn't that clear enough?"

He Yuxiu glanced sideways at Lu Dongliang.

With a calm demeanor, Lu Dongliang ordered, "Mother Wu, brew another pot of tea for Sister Xiu."

Mother Wu went to brew the tea.

The manager went upstairs to bring Lu Xiaolan down under guard.

Lu Dongliang put a record on the phonograph, playing the song "Dream Person," hoping to ease the tension.

Lying on the ceiling, Zhuo Yuling could wait no longer.

CHIRP CHIRP CHIRP~

A gecko's call? Nothing strange about that; what house doesn't have geckos? But Lu Dongliang sensed something was amiss. Lu Dongliang paused, then looked up towards the ceiling.

He Yuxiu followed his gaze to the ceiling.

Zhuo Yuling!

Zhuo Yuling was plastered to the ceiling, her head vibrating rapidly as she emitted the sound.

CHIRP CHIRP CHIRP~

He Yuxiu exclaimed in shock, "Lu Dongliang, you scumbag, you're setting me up!"

An Eighth Layer Martial Cultivator, He Yuxiu hoisted the table and lunged at Lu Dongliang in an instant.

Xiao Yeci, emerging from the third-floor restroom, witnessed this scene from behind the railing at the top of the stairs.

She was stunned. What on earth is happening? What's that woman doing lifting a table? Is this some common brawl? She doesn't seem like a master.

Xiao Yeci had heard from a storyteller in town that true masters used the finest weapons and martial arts. They wouldn't make a move lightly, but when they did, the battle could last three days and nights, causing mountains to crumble and the earth to split, and even then, a winner might not be determined. This was where Xiao Yeci was mistaken. Confrontations between masters weren't that complicated. The higher their level, the simpler their moves. He Yuxiu was an Eighth Layer Martial Cultivator; anything she could lift was a weapon in her hands.

A whole table was a shield; if it shattered, its fragments would become sharp weapons. The teapot, teacups, fruit bowl, and vase on the table all became projectiles, flying unerringly toward Lu Dongliang. These were not to be underestimated. A single teapot, thrown by her, could pierce Lu Dongliang's body—such was the power of an Eighth Layer Martial Cultivator.

Lu Dongliang appeared to stand still, yet he effortlessly dodged the dozen or so items hurtling from the table. The footwork of a Ninth Layer Traveling Cultivator was beyond He Yuxiu's ability to perceive.