"There's a saying that when a person encounters a joyous occasion, their spirits are lifted."
"And 'when golden wind and jade dew et, their encounter surpasses that of the countless mortals below'."
On such a festive and joyful day, even Ji Jue, who detests Mr. Lou so thoroughly, couldn't help but want to approach and ask, "Eh? How did you know that I just obtained the Saint's Matrix of Non-attack?"
Unfortunately, Mr. Lou seed to have lost any interest in offering a cigarette and asking where the best fishing spots were.
It's not that Lou Feng lacked self-control or patience.
Although the tutoring of the Lou Family wasn't excessively benevolent or empathetic to the point of unity with all creatures, it certainly never lacked basic politeness, rules, and social grace.
As one of the Chosen Ones of his generation, Lou Feng wasn't without scheming and cultivation.
However, no matter how deep one's scheming and quality were, when faced with an annoying cur like Ji Jue, they would start to falter.
Just imagine, if you were endlessly outmaneuvered by so despised idiot, your ntal state might well go off the rails. Not to ntion the lingering dark shadow cast by a manure truck...
At this mont, the manic spiritual energy filled within the Crack Realm had already seeped into everyone's breathing and Spiritual Fluctuations, tinting every pair of eyes with a layer of crimson.
As if picking its prey.
"It's you again—"
Lou Feng forced the words through clenched teeth, fixing his stare onto Ji Jue, eyeing the sharp harvests behind his back and, most importantly, his hands now covered in complex and intricate totems.
And then, that entirely different Spiritual Fluctuation…
"Could it really be 'Non-attack'?!"
His pupils contracted in a flash, before flas of intense passion surged within them.
He couldn't look away any longer.
Even after collecting so many materials, they all paled in comparison to the achievents resting on Ji Jue's hands; they were no better than dung.
Better not even to compare. The thought itself was an insult to intelligence and reason.
Non-attack!
The Heavenly Person Matrix from the Saint...
One should know, besides the Matrix's own effects, what's most critical is the inheritance within it.
Nurtured and refined by generations of users' spiritual care, a used Matrix not only feels worlds apart from a freshly made one but also unlocks the fullest extent of its potential.
Especially after the user ascends to Heavenly People… The Matrix will undergo a Transformation within the essence of its splendour, imprinting the traces of origin theory or doomsday lore.
If used wisely, inheriting the sa origins or doomsdays couldn't be ruled out!
Putting aside whether it contained techniques left by the Saint, or whether it held a chance to revive the theories of rcury Fluid Alchemy, just by resurrecting one of the lost Heavenly Person Matrices from history would be enough to stun the world.
Even a master couldn't reject such honor!
A brand new Matrix represents a fresh lineage, a family line to pass on for generations, a new force that cannot be ignored...
The Lou Family of Tide City has a total of four different Matrices in their inheritance, covering the domains of Ascension, entropy, Mirror, and Ruins, each with the potential to reach the Heavenly Person Domain. Each new Heavenly Person Matrix would elevate the family's influence to a brand new level!
At this mont, with such a weight in front of him, the scales within his heart shifted silently.
Not just for himself and his master, but also for the family.
He must secure such a critical attainnt!
This was no longer just a matter of preserving the Lou Family's face or his own life; no, even if it ant dying here, even at the risk of utter defeat, he had to try!
Even if it turned him to dust!
"Mr. Ji—"
Lou Feng took a deep breath, contained his emotions, and maintained his composure as if nothing, not even tens of thousands of manure trucks rolling over him could disturb his calm.
"Non-attack is just as important to as it is to the entire Lou Family."
He spoke, "You may na any price; I have full authority to decide. As long as the Lou Family can et your demands, there will be no hesitation.
I wish to talk to you.
No, if you are willing to offer Non-attack, anything is negotiable—Heavenly Artisan, inheritance, beauty, wealth, or status—it's all no problem.
We don't really have any deep-seated hatred or conflict between us, and I don't mind the past misunderstandings. Even if you want to kneel down and apologize, that would be no issue.
I assure you with the millennium-long legacy of the Lou Family, any and all terms promised to you can be bound through the Heavenly Origin Contract with the Lou Family, as long as you're willing."
His words could not be described as anything other than humble and sincere.
Especially when Lou Feng took off his necklace, raising the Lou Family emblem, the faint shimr already proved the veracity of his words. No mber of the Lou Family would dare make a joke with that.
Even if Ji Jue asked him to crawl on the ground and bark like a dog, he would do so without hesitation, continuing until Ji Jue commanded him to stop.
Yet, it was precisely such an attitude that made Ji Jue's head hurt.
Damn it, this rich brat is serious now...
Why is it that the newfound Matrix, not yet boasted about, has already attracted thieves?
This would be the ti to string him along, to get a firm understanding before making a stand in the best possible position, even if only to bide ti.
Ji Jue should have been very good at this, yet he simply didn't want to say it.
Not just because he was facing Lou Feng, who had abandoned his dignity and self-respect to achieve his goals, but also everything he had seen from his old dreams, his desires, his teacher's orders and advice, as well as the Prophet's gaze beside him.
And the decision awaited by Xiao An next to him.
Perhaps it was ti to set a good example for the child?
But no matter the excuse, he was unwilling, unsatisfied, and he didn't want to bow to soone who thought others should co to talk just because he was willing to trade.
Especially not.
So…
"Sorry, Brother Lou." Ji Jue shook his head, "If you'd like, you can pick anything from the cart—except for this, it's not up for negotiation."
"…"
Lou Feng fell silent, staring at him intently.
In the stillness, the Returning Knights behind him grew increasingly solemn and fierce, the blood-stained knights slightly raising their long spears, their Spiritual Warhorses neighing and trampling the earth, emitting a resonant, low clang.
"Do you really think about the consequences, Ji Jue?" he finally questioned.
Consequences?
Ji Jue was amused.
"Mr. Lou, there's an order to everything. Why force the issue?" he sighed, "After all, we've been reluctantly cordial thus far, out of respect for our mutual teachers. Now, when it's ti to turn our backs, you don't seem to care at all."
"Do you know how restrained I have always been?!"
Lou Feng interrupted him, his words strained through clenched teeth: "Enough talk... out of respect for Master Ye, hand over Non-Attack, and my guarantee remains valid.
Otherwise, I won't be responsible for the consequences."
Ah, right, right, right, that's more like it!
What flooded in was the invigorating wind of struggle.
No need to wear the mask of hypocrisy any longer; this was the most direct approach...
"Sorry, you know the rules."
Ji Jue combed his hair back, scoffing with a final derisive smile, beckoning: "If you want it, co and get it yourself—"
In that instant, the sound of slicing through the air howled towards him.
Targeting his face.
Pierce!
In the mont Lou Feng flicked his finger.
No process, not even a gap!
From the start, the Spiritual Blade, invisible and intangible, diligently ford in the shadows. As soon as it appeared, it was already within striking distance!
Then, abruptly, it halted.
The Sculpting Blade passed down from the Lou Family, able to cut through gold and jade, comparable to divine weapons, was actually caught!
Between Ji Jue's fingers...
Imperceptible to the ordinary eye, yet Lou Feng's eyes saw it all too clearly: his full-force attack had co to a standstill in Ji Jue's hand.
After that, as the fingers contracted, the blade twisted like clay, crumbling and eventually dissolving into a paste before falling and rapidly evaporating, leaving no trace.
Stop, control, dissipate!
All in the snap of a finger...
Like an overconfident joke!
His pupils shrunk to pinpoints in an instant, instinctively refusing to accept what he saw. As he waved his hand again, a Spiritual Hamr descended from the sky.
Like a Thunderbolt, stirring a storm, its mass exponentially increasing, crushing everything in its path!
Yet the storm dissipated once more.
Not even a sound of impact was heard.
The all-out Spiritual Hamr simply crumbled and vanished.
From beginning to end, Ji Jue hadn't taken a single step; he rely raised a finger lightly, eting the Thunderbolt Hamr as it bore down on him.
With a gentle tap.
Thus, the Thunderbolt turned into a breeze, its imnse weight dispersing into the void.
The secret arts of the Lou Family, the power of Spiritual Shaping—it all collapsed like a joke, utterly ineffective.
"Sorry."
Ji Jue smiled, "I may not have told you: a trick that's been used once doesn't work a second ti in front of ... Sadly, Mr. Lou, all the arts passed down in your family have been unraveled by ."
Amidst the deathly silence, even the movents of the Returning Knights froze for an instant, incredulous.
Cold sweat beaded on Lou Feng's forehead.
Incomprehensible.
For a mont, he seed to actually believe Ji Jue's flippant nonsense, panicking. But quickly, his focus returned to his hands and the glowing matrix totem.
The chill in his eyes grew deeper.
Non-Attack!!!
In that instant, he lifted his hand without hesitation, his bracelet's spiritual light erging, unfolding into a Stringless Bow. The Blessing of Burning activated within, concentrating on the spiritual arrow, which flew out in an instant.
Boom!!!
Amidst the explosion, scorching winds spread, the spot where Ji Jue just stood now a deep crater, charred marks everywhere, ash ascending.
"Tsk—"
On the retreating vehicle, like a small bull or horse, Ji Jue clicked his tongue in disapproval.
This ti, he chose to dodge... after all, not many in their right mind would choose to face an explosive arrow made of pure energy.
Although he hadn't expected his bluff to fool the opponent for long, the feeling of being unmasked still irked him.
The Lou Family, with a thousand years of heritage, wasn't unfamiliar with situations where their abilities or skills were countered. Their reactions were quick, strategies plentiful, and experience rich.
But even with all the probing, that unsettling unknown persisted.
As long as he wasn't foolish enough to broadcast the effects of Non-Attack, Lou Feng would remain in the dark about what exactly went wrong with his powers and skills.
For the ti to co, he would endure the tornt within the shadow Ji Jue had cast.
Trembling with guesses, tiptoeing with trials, racking his brain for conjectures, scratching his head in thought... all to seek out the elusive answer amidst the unknown.
"Ti to start your sentence, brother Lou!"
Ji Jue grinned, pulling the trigger without a second thought.
Boom!
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