"Reputation won't get you anywhere."
Hong Yu dangled Luo Buping and Third Young Master Luo, one in each hand, and said flatly.
Upon hearing this, Luo Buping's face imdiately turned a deep shade of crimson.
'Didn't I just say those exact words a mont ago?'
He never imagined that in the blink of an eye, Hong Yu would throw those words right back at him.
Luo Buping smiled bitterly, inwardly cursing Third Young Master Luo to high heaven. He was beyond frustrated. 'Who the hell is this guy? He isn't even intimidated by the fact that our Patriarch is a dignified Elder of the Cyan Nether Sword Sect?'
Third Young Master Luo just hung his head.
Even Luo Buping was being held like a chick. If he tried to stick his neck out again, he'd probably be the one to bear the brunt of Hong Yu's wrath.
Hong Yu glanced coolly at the thousands of soldiers in the City Guard Legion surrounding them. Seeing their fearful gazes, he snorted. "So this is the City Guard Legion of Celestial Net City? I'm not impressed."
"Yes, yes, you're right! They're all useless trash. How could they possibly be your opponent?"
Luo Buping nodded repeatedly.
The City Guard soldiers were instantly speechless. 'To hell with you! If we're useless trash, then what does that make the two of you, an uncle and nephew pair being dangled around like chickens?'
The group of City Guard soldiers was extrely indignant.
Hong Yu curled his lip. "They might be useless trash, but the two of you are even worse. I really can't figure out how you've managed to survive this long with your level of intelligence."
"..."
Luo Buping could only smile bitterly, unable to offer a reply.
His eyes darted back and forth as he desperately tried to think of a way to resolve the situation.
Although the Luo Family ruled Celestial Net City and relied on the prestige of their Patriarch, an Elder in the Cyan Nether Sword Sect, to act like local emperors throughout the Fengyue Kingdom with no one to control them, their family's actual internal strength wasn't that great.
Take Luo Buping, for example. Aside from the Patriarch, he was the strongest mber of the Luo Family.
And now, even he couldn't last a single exchange against this person.
Furthermore, Hong Yu's earlier display—waltzing through the City Guard Legion, moving through an army without a single blade touching him—made him realize that a human-wave strategy would also be useless.
At this thought, Luo Buping gritted his teeth and said fawningly, "Th-this hero, may I ask your na?"
"Hong Yu!"
"Oh, so it is the young hero Hong Yu."
Luo Buping said "Oh," then his expression suddenly froze. "Y-y-you're Hong Yu? From the Cyan Nether Sword Sect, the newly promoted First True Disciple, Hong Yu?"
Many days had passed since the experts from the major families and powers left the Cyan Nether Sword Sect, and Hong Yu's na had gradually begun to spread.
In particular, the news of his spectacular achievents—winning the position of First True Disciple as a new disciple with a Mid-Stage Earth Soul Realm Cultivation—spread far and wide, causing his fa to grow by the day.
Luo Buping had seen Hong Yu's na in a letter from Elder Luo.
However, Elder Luo had never liked Hong Yu and naturally wouldn't ntion much about him. Thus, Luo Buping only knew his na and was ignorant of any further details.
Hong Yu nodded. "That would be ."
Luo Buping's face was a mask of bitter smiles. He shot a fierce glare at the stunned Third Young Master Luo.
Third Young Master Luo was already too shocked to speak.
The surrounding crowd was equally astounded...
"He... he's Hong Yu? No wonder! For a young man to have such strength at his age, he's definitely no ordinary person!"
"I heard that any True Disciple from the Cyan Nether Sword Sect could easily beco a regional governor. For Hong Yu to beco the First True Disciple, his strength and talent must be at the absolute top of the Fengyue Kingdom!"
"To think the Luo Family actually provoked him. They've really picked a fight they can't win."
The most shocked of all was Miss Liu. Her eyes were vacant. "F-First True Disciple? Th-that country bumpkin? It's over, it's all over. Third Young Master Luo is definitely going to hate for this..." She collapsed onto the ground, the light in her eyes gradually fading until she resembled a walking corpse.
If she hadn't been resentful that Hong Yu had made her lose face and incited Third Young Master Luo to act against him, things would never have escalated to this point.
She didn't even have to think to know that once this was over, the first person Third Young Master Luo would take revenge on would be her.
Miss Liu sat on the cold ground, her spirit shattered...
In that mont, she felt a pang of regret.
Why did she have to be so domineering? Why did she have to bully soone just because they dressed plainly? Why did she have to hold such a grudge?
But unfortunately, there was no dicine for regret in this world.
...
Luo Buping knew that trying to use his status to make Hong Yu back down was clearly not going to work, so he had no choice but to submit. He swallowed hard and said, "Tr-True Disciple Hong, my Luo Family was indeed in the wrong about this. M-my family is willing to offer compensation."
"Compensation?"
Hong Yu was taken aback.
He had originally planned to just teach Luo Buping and Third Young Master Luo a harsh lesson.
But on second thought... 'Within the Earth Soul Realm, my progress is practically unhindered. As long as I have enough energy, I can break through to the Peak of Earth Soul Realm at any ti. With my current strength, I can fight against an Early-stage Celestial Soul Realm expert. If I go all out and use the Ice God's Blade, I could even secure a victory with enough effort.'
'However, killing a Celestial Soul Realm expert is still impossible.'
'After all, Martial Artists are different from Desolate Beasts. Unless a Desolate Beast is of a sufficiently high level or has an incredibly powerful bloodline, it's difficult for them to develop intelligence.'
'They rely more on instinct in battle. One only needs to find their weakness to defeat them.'
'Take the Evil-Devouring Ghost Bear, for instance. Its physical body is formidable, and its innate talent is Soul Attack.'
'But it has a fatal weakness.'
'If its opponent's Power of Soul is stronger than its own, its death is certain!'
'But human Martial Artists are different, especially those at the Celestial Soul Realm. They can use their Celestial Soul to draw upon a sliver of the Power of Heavenly and Earthly Profound Mysteries. They also have various advanced Martial Skills and Primordial Weapons to assist them. Their combat power is on a completely different level.'
'My previous victory against Hong Renjie was certainly due to a great increase in my strength.'
'But I know very well that the elent of surprise was a more important factor in that battle, as well as the fact that Hong Renjie had only just broken through to the Celestial Soul Realm.'
'If I had waited for Hong Renjie to stabilize his realm, the outco would have been uncertain.'
'I would need to break through to the Late-stage Earth Soul Realm to have a chance at killing an Early-stage Celestial Soul Realm expert.'
'Once I reach the Peak of Earth Soul Realm, the only way to advance my cultivation further is to find the *Celestial Soul Nine Refinents*. But that technique is extrely hard to find. I haven't heard any news of it in the Cyan Nether Sword Sect, at least.'
Hong Yu's eyes glinted with a sharp light as he murmured to himself, 'I did hear that the Imperial Family of the Qin Kingdom, part of the Southern Ten Nations Alliance, possesses a copy of the *Celestial Soul Nine Refinents*. But how could a great Royal Family just hand over such a Treasure? My only hope is to trade for it, even a handwritten copy would do.'
With this in mind, Hong Yu nodded. "Elder Luo and I are both in the Sword Sect, so I should give him so face. I'm just wondering, how exactly do you plan to compensate ?"
Joy flickered in Luo Buping's heart. He quickly said, "I-I'm willing to compensate you with one million Gold Coins."
"Hm?"
Hong Yu's eyes narrowed. "It seems Director Luo isn't being sincere," he said coldly. "One million Gold Coins. Do you really think I'm short on cash, Director Luo?"
"Th-then I'm willing to offer a Mortal Level Lower Grade Primordial Weapon?"
"Forget it. I think I'll just break an arm and a leg!"
"No, no, no! I-I'll compensate you with a Tier Three Spirit Pill and a Mortal Level Lower Grade Martial Skill..."
"I'm still leaning towards breaking your limbs!"
"Please don't! M-my Luo Family has a Treasure Vault! Y-you can enter and choose three Treasures for yourself! W-will that do?" Luo Buping blurted out frantically, seeing that Hong Yu was really about to cripple him.
"A Treasure Vault?"
Hong Yu rubbed his chin and nodded. "Now that, I can work with!"
Luo Buping let out a long sigh of relief, thinking to himself: 'My Treasure Vault has three layers. I'll just take him to the First Layer and let him pick three things. That way, even if Big Brother finds out, he won't bla !'
Luo Buping was already plotting in his mind.
Hong Yu, however, was completely unaware of this. He just stroked his chin, his gaze landing on Huhu, who was hiccupping drunkenly on his shoulder. A mischievous glint appeared in his eyes.
...
The Luo Family's estate occupied a tenth of Celestial Net City and was extrely magnificent.
Here, the Luo Family reigned supre. No other family or power posed any threat to them.
The Luo Family Treasure Vault was built beneath the Ancestral Hall.
Led by Luo Buping, Hong Yu brought Yun ngyao into the Treasure Vault. Luo Buping opened the vault's main door and said with a fawning smile, "T-True Disciple Hong, my Luo Family's entire collection is here. Please, feel free to choose. Take whatever catches your eye. You may take any three items."
"Oh? You an I can make a move three tis?"
Hong Yu asked playfully.
Completely oblivious to the double aning in Hong Yu's words, Luo Buping nodded and said, feigning generosity, "You may only make a move three tis. Anything you take within those three picks will be considered our compensation for tonight's events!"
"Good!"
Hong Yu nodded and began to wander around the First Layer of the vault.
This First Layer was a full three hundred square ters and was mostly filled with worldly treasures like gold and silver. Even the occasional Martial Skills and Pills were rely of a top worldly grade; there wasn't a single Mortal Level item to be found.
Hong Yu walked about, seemingly without purpose, but his mind was racing. 'Just now, Luo Buping claid he could give Mortal-Level Martial Skills, Primordial Weapons, and the like, but there isn't a single Mortal Level item here. It seems this isn't their only Treasure Vault.'
At this thought, Hong Yu said to Little One in his mind, "Little One, check if this Treasure Vault has any hidden doors."
"Fifty percent!"
Little One demanded lazily.
Hong Yu gritted his teeth in anger. "Thirty percent. The other twenty has to go to Huhu!"
Little One was decisive. "Deal! This vault has three layers. The first is full of junk. The second mostly has Top Level and Mortal Level Lower Grade treasures. As for the bottom layer, everything there is Above Mortal Level. Kid Hong Yu, the treasures here are worth even more than what we got from the Eight Desolates Mansion! We've struck it rich!"
The Eight Desolates Mansion was the legacy of a Primordial Core Realm expert, but the Eight Desolates Old Demon was traveling when he died, so he naturally wouldn't have left his entire fortune behind.
This vault, however, contained the entire wealth of the Luo Family.
Hong Yu wasn't too surprised. He thought, 'Little One, have Huhu enter the second and third layers. We're going to clean them out!'
"You got it!"
Little One replied with great excitent.
No one noticed the slight tremor in the space at Hong Yu's feet as a black-and-white figure vanished into the ground.
A full half-hour later, a heavily-laden Huhu finally returned to the Profound Celestial Tower.
Sensing this, Hong Yu casually picked three items and imdiately took his leave. "I'll choose these three. I have matters to attend to back at the Sword Sect, so I'll be on my way!" With that, he and Yun ngyao quickly departed from Celestial Net City.
Third Young Master Luo looked at Luo Buping in confusion. "Why did he leave like he had a guilty conscience?"
Luo Buping muttered, "It is strange. The three items he chose are worth barely a million Gold Coins!" Suddenly, his expression changed. "Oh no."
He scrambled over to the hidden door, threw it open, and rushed into the Second Layer, then down to the Third Layer.
A mont later.
A roar, filled with endless rage and venomous hatred, erupted from the Luo Family Treasure Vault...
"You goddamned bastard! You actually emptied my Luo Family's centuries of accumulation?! Hong Yu, the Luo Family will hunt you to the ends of the earth!"
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