Steam Era: The Lord of 'Puluo'

In the hall, Lu Dongjun advanced step by step, showing no mercy in his attacks.

He didn't need to consider holding back. He was an Eighth Layer Martial Cultivator against a Seventh Layer Lust Cultivator, fighting in a confined space with Wan Jinxian and Si Wennian backing him up.

Given the disparity in strength, Lu Dongjun was certain to win. Fortunately, Monkey Qiu carried an Iron Whip, which allowed him to barely cope with Lu Dongjun for a couple of exchanges.

This Iron Whip was a Magical Treasure comprising seven sections, each containing hidden weapons that could attack and defend autonomously. It was refined from the remains of an Eighth Layer Martial Cultivator.

After a few exchanges, Lu Dongjun managed to grab the Iron Whip with his bare hands and gave Monkey Qiu a sinister smile. "This is my elder brother's Magical Treasure. How did it end up in your hands? Were you involved in the attack on my elder brother that night?"

The Magical Treasure was given to Monkey Qiu by Lu Dongliang. Lust Cultivators were not adept at close combat, but with the Iron Whip, Monkey Qiu could at least hold his ground for a while against a master of close-quarters combat.

He didn't bother to explain, as doing so now would be futile. Lu Dongjun's intention was clear: he wanted Monkey Qiu's life.

Now that the Iron Whip was in Lu Dongjun's hands, it was impossible for Monkey Qiu to snatch it back based purely on strength, as the gap between them was too great.

Monkey Qiu's gaze swept over Lu Dongjun, planning to use the Blood Surge Technique to force Lu Dongjun to falter.

The Blood Surge Technique originated from the flow of qi and blood during the throes of passion.

At that critical moment of climax, qi and blood rush towards the heart and brain. The Blood Surge Technique amplifies this flow. Lower-level cultivators hit by this technique could potentially burst their blood vessels and die, while higher-level cultivators might experience numbness in their extremities due to an excess of qi and blood.

Although Lu Dongjun was an Eighth Layer Martial Cultivator, the proper way to counter this technique was to avoid Monkey Qiu's gaze.

Yet, in a life-and-death duel, avoiding eye contact meant yielding initiative and switching from offense to defense, something Lu Dongjun was not prepared to do.

He continued to look directly at Monkey Qiu without any hint of evasion.

Since Lu Dongjun chose to confront him head-on, Monkey Qiu naturally pressed his attack. Astonishingly, his technique failed to affect Lu Dongjun at all.

It was expected that Lu Dongjun, an Eighth Layer Martial Cultivator with a robust body, would be tough, but it was inconceivable that he would be completely unaffected.

Monkey Qiu realized his technique had only unleashed half its power. The other half was suppressed.

Si Wennian, who had come with Lu Dongjun, had secretly made his move, using the Techniques of Suffering Sages.

Known also as the Pursuit of Persistence Through Suffering, this technique engendered thoughts of sainthood, convincing one that all worldly pleasures lead to depravity, and that only through enduring pain can one become a Sage.

Si Wennian was a Fifth Layer Bitter Cultivator, not as powerful as Monkey Qiu, but he didn't need to directly confront Monkey Qiu. Instead, he fully employed his technique from the shadows, gaining a significant advantage and causing Monkey Qiu's technique to be halved.

A half-powered technique was practically ineffective against Lu Dongjun, who easily pulled the Iron Whip out of Monkey Qiu's grip.

Monkey Qiu's situation became dire, but then he heard Duan Shaoxia shout, "Dongjun, stop!"

Lu Dongjun hesitated briefly but still raised the Iron Whip.

In his hands, this weapon could unleash formidable power. Monkey Qiu wouldn't last a single round.

Qiu Zhiheng had no way to respond and could only wait helplessly for death.

Duan Shaoxia's eyes were red with bloodshot lines as she cried out again, "Stop!"

Lu Dongjun faltered, and a bloodshot thread appeared in his eyes too.

Under that thread's influence, he found Duan Shaoxia beautiful and tender, feeling that even if it cost him his life, he couldn't bear to see her heartbroken.

He retracted the Iron Whip and stood motionless.

Wan Jinxian was shocked and confused. What was happening?

This woman was no simple matter; she couldn't be allowed to interfere.

Wan Jinxian's nose twitched as if he was about to sneeze at Duan Shaoxia.

Lu Dongjun loudly warned, "Don't act recklessly!"

Wan Jinxian looked at Lu Dongjun in astonishment, his sneeze unfulfilled.

Duan Shaoxia, her eyes bloodshot and brimming with tears, asked Lu Dongjun, "Dongjun, what exactly are you trying to do?"

Lu Dongjun stammered and then looked down. "Sister-in-law, I didn't intend to do anything..."

"Are you trying to bully me while Dongliang is away?" With that statement, Duan Shaoxia expressed her deep feelings of grievance and sorrow.

"Sister-in-law, I've never thought like that. I wasn't aiming at you; it was against Monkey..."

"Dongjun!" Duan Shaoxia sobbed. "This is my home! What do you think you're doing here?"

Lu Dongjun fell silent for a moment, took out the false teeth from the stone lion's mouth, and put them in his own.

Supports from inside and outside rushed in, looked at Lu Dongjun, but did not act hastily.

Duan Shaoxia glanced at Monkey Qiu, who signaled to the Supports not to make any rash moves.

Lu Dongjun picked up the stone lion, set down the Iron Whip, and turned to leave the hall.

Wan Jinxian was utterly baffled, but the situation didn't allow for him to linger, so he followed Lu Dongjun as they left.

Si Wennian followed closely behind. He had not wished to involve himself with such matters in the first place.

After leaving the Lu Family Mansion, Wan Jinxian looked at Lu Dongjun in bewilderment, but Lu Dongjun remained silent.

Once they returned to Lu Dongjun's residence, Wan Jinxian dismissed the others and asked Lu Dongjun, "Second Master, have you taken a fancy to Lady Duan?"

Lu Dongjun rubbed his forehead and said, "I don't know."

Hearing this, Wan Jinxian's guts churned with regret. If he had known Lu Dongjun had so little backbone, why would he have followed him to the Lu Family Mansion at all?

"Second Master, if I may speak frankly, with your status, what kind of woman couldn't you have? Why would you fall for such a woman past her prime?"

Lu Dongjun patted his own cheek, raised his head, and looked at Wan Jinxian. "There's no way I could fancy her. Why the hell would I fancy her?"

Wan Jinxian stomped his foot. "Then I don't understand! What was the point of today? Why did we even go to the Lu Family Mansion? Monkey Qiu was about to die by your hand, we were on the verge of success! What on earth was that display you put on today?"

Lu Dongjun fell silent for a while, then through gritted teeth said, "It was Monkey Qiu. I was affected by his Techniques of Lust. I didn't realize it at the time. Looking at that old woman, my heart just kept racing!"

"Techniques of Lust..."

Indeed, it was one of the most ruthless methods of Lust Cultivation, capable of causing strangers to feel impulses towards each other.

Really, was it the Techniques of Lust?

Wan Jinxian felt something was off.

The Techniques of Lust took longer to cast than other Lust Cultivation techniques.

For today's affair, Wan Jinxian and Lu Dongjun had made meticulous plans beforehand, not likely giving Monkey Qiu the opportunity to use his Techniques of Lust.

Moreover, Si Wennian was present today, continuously casting the Techniques of Suffering Sages. Even if Monkey Qiu used Lust techniques, most of its effect would have been neutralized by Si Wennian's technique, making it impossible for Lu Dongjun to be unable to resist.

"Second Master, did you respond to it at the time?"

Lu Dongjun paused. "Respond to what?"

Wan Jinxian glanced at Lu Dongjun's lower body. "I'm asking if you felt any reaction towards Lady Duan at the time?"

"Reaction..."

"I mean, did you feel like... you know," Wan Jinxian rubbed his palms against each other.

Lu Dongjun recalled the situation at that time, shook his head and said, "I didn't react at that time."

He was quite certain of this.

All he felt was fascination towards Duan Shaoxia, but nothing improper beyond that.

"That's not right..." Wan Jinxian shook his head repeatedly. "If you didn't feel desire, it shouldn't be a Lust Cultivation technique. What on earth is this..."

Wan Jinxian's eyes narrowed as he asked, "Does Lady Duan have any cultivation level?"

Lu Dongjun thought for a moment, shook his head and said, "I remember my elder brother saying, she's a White Lamb."

Wan Jinxian's thoughts raced. After pondering for a long time, he said to Lu Dongjun, "Second Master, sort out the businesses you control and instruct those Shopkeepers to be on guard."

Lu Dongjun waved his hand. "You don't need to worry about this. I'll just say Monkey Qiu and I had a minor disagreement and explain it to Duan Shaoxia later. Now's not the time to fall out completely."

Wan Jinxian shook his head. "Second Master, we've already fallen out. The one who made a move against you probably wasn't Monkey Qiu. It was Lady Duan. She might be an Emotion Cultivator!"

In the Lu Family Mansion, Monkey Qiu dressed his wounds and went to see Duan Shaoxia.

"Madam, I'm sorry to have alarmed you. I have something to tell you. You might not believe it, but I saw with my own eyes that Second Master had a scar on his wrist. That day at Qian Yue Tower, the master we saw was not the real one..."

Duan Shaoxia gestured for Monkey Qiu to stop talking. "The master we saw that day was Lu Dongjun in disguise. I am already aware of this."

Monkey Qiu was stunned for a moment; he didn't understand how Duan Shaoxia would know about it.

Lu Dongliang had always trusted Monkey Qiu the most, but there were some things even he hadn't disclosed to him.

Duan Shaoxia was an Emotion Cultivator with a high cultivation level.

At Qian Yue Tower, Duan Shaoxia noticed that "Lu Dongliang" was missing a tooth.

And today, Lu Dongjun took off his false teeth and put them inside the mouth of a stone lion, which aroused Duan Shaoxia's suspicions.

At Qian Yue Tower, because of "Lu Dongliang's" indifferent attitude, Duan Shaoxia was deeply disappointed, and in her resentment, she involuntarily planted an Emotional Root in "Lu Dongliang."

Today, when Lu Dongjun was about to deliver a killing blow to Monkey Qiu, Duan Shaoxia detonated that Emotional Root.

The one affected by the technique was indeed Lu Dongjun.

This was definitive proof that at Qian Yue Tower, it was Lu Dongjun impersonating Lu Dongliang.

Duan Shaoxia looked at Monkey Qiu. "Xiao Qiu, tell me the truth, how has our family treated you?"

"Madam..."

"Don't call me Madam. Dongliang has always considered you a Brother. You should call me Sister-in-law!"

Monkey Qiu quickly stood up. "Madam, you and the Master have been as gracious as mountains to me. My life was given by the Master. I would not hesitate to go through fire and water."

Duan Shaoxia called for a servant. "Go call Yuan Shan and Yuan Hai."

Lu Yuanshan and Lu Yuanhai, the two children that Duan Shaoxia bore to Lu Dongliang, one twenty-eight and the other twenty-five.

When they arrived downstairs, Duan Shaoxia gave an order. "Come here, call him Uncle Qiu!"

Lu Yuanshan and Lu Yuanhai were taken aback. Monkey Qiu hurriedly stepped back, waving his hands. "Madam, I couldn't possibly accept that!"

"Xiao Qiu, if you feel that Dongliang treated you well, then acknowledge me as your sister-in-law and acknowledge these two children. The lives of this mother and her sons are now entrusted to you!"

As Duan Shaoxia spoke these words, her demeanor was very determined. "Yuan Shan, Yuan Hai, from now on, no matter what, you must listen to Uncle Qiu. Xiao Qiu, go inform the elders of the family and reveal Lu Dongjun's true colors to them!"

As she spoke, tears welled up in Lady Duan's eyes, and a blood vessel visibly throbbed in the whites of her eyes.

PS: He Jiaqing is going to laugh again.