Lu Xuan's injuries were so severe that any movent on his own, even just walking, would cause his skin to crack. So, Tang Xiuming simply bought a wheelchair and pushed Lu Xuan himself.
Tang Xiaoxiao and Tang Shitou exchanged bewildered glances, not understanding what could have happened during the short trip to buy dicine. Why was their older brother acting so deferential toward the youth they'd pulled from the river, even addressing him as "Mr."...?
"Mr." was a title of respect.
Although confused, Tang Xiaoxiao didn't ask. Instead, she volunteered to push the wheelchair and, like Tang Xiuming, also began addressing Lu Xuan as "Mr. Lu."
Hongshi Town was not far from the nearest Prefecture City.
Though the three were on foot and also pushing Lu Xuan, a few empowering words from Tang Xiuming—"Han Feizi says"—made their steps as swift as the wind. They walked faster than a run, even rivaling a galloping steed. After only two or three hours, they were already approaching the Prefecture City.
"Mr. Lu, this is Qin City," Tang Xiuming explained softly to the man in the wheelchair. "The master of the Legalist School is stationed here. Before the Ten Thousand Mountains were sealed, the Qin Kingdom revered the Legalist School, so this city was nad after Qin."
Lu Xuan looked at the magnificent city before him and, in a daze, felt the illusion of having returned to his dream, back to the Ancient Tis. He smiled wistfully.
"Qin City, is it? Not bad. Not bad at all."
'Hmm, once I get out of this Peach Blossom Spring, I should probably prepare to preach the Dao to the world in my dreams.'
'It's just that I probably won't be able to keep my promise to Duke Mu of Qin. By the ti I enter the dream again, that child nad 'Zheng' will probably be thirty... '
'But that doesn't necessarily an I can't bestow a blessing upon him.'
As Lu Xuan was lost in thought, Tang Xiaoxiao pushed his wheelchair in the lead, while Tang Xiuming walked behind, holding Tang Shitou's hand with his one arm. Soon, they were approaching the city gate.
The city gate guards responsible for security seed to recognize Tang Xiuming, and they all gave him a respectful bow.
Entering Qin City, Lu Xuan looked at the streets paved with bluestone slabs, the passing vendors, pedestrians, and tall horses. The dazed feeling grew even stronger.
He remarked with so emotion,
"The architecture here is exactly the sa as in the Zhou Dynasty during the Ancient Tis..."
"A hundred thousand years or so have passed, and the architecture here hasn't changed at all?"
Tang Xiaoxiao stifled a giggle.
"You must be joking, Mr. Lu. Who could possibly know what things looked like a hundred thousand years ago...?"
Lu Xuan smiled without answering, but beside him, Tang Xiuming, who was holding Little Stone's hand, had a slight change in expression.
'Tang Xiaoxiao doesn't know, but I do. The great figures of the Hall of the Hundred Schools, in order to 'not forget the Ancient Tis,' do indeed require that everything be maintained in its ancient form as much as possible...'
'But Elder Lu couldn't have known this, so how could he possibly know the city's varied architecture was similar to that of a hundred thousand years ago?'
'The implications were terrifying.'
Tang Xiuming shivered slightly. A bizarre guess erged in his mind, sending a chill down his spine.
He managed a strained smile and said,
"The Hall of the Hundred Schools assigned a courtyard. It's just up ahead."
"Oh!" Tang Xiaoxiao said curiously. "Older Brother, you never ntioned this to us..."
Tang Xiuming forced himself to calm down and explained softly,
"Haven't I told you? Life in the Prefecture City isn't all that great. There's endless conflict in the Hall of the Hundred Schools. I was afraid you'd get dragged into it. If it weren't for this Outer Celestial Demon incident, I would never have brought you to the Prefecture City."
"Conflict..." Little Stone asked innocently. "What do they fight over?"
Tang Xiuming just sighed.
"Wherever there are people, there is conflict. They fight for resources, for status, for precedence... In recent years, the great figures of the Hall of the Hundred Schools have also begun to contend with each other, emulating the 'Contention of the Hundred Schools of Thought' from Ancient Tis..."
He sighed softly as they walked on.
"There is conflict between the schools, and there is conflict between the lineages within each school. And this conflict has been growing more and more intense. If it weren't for the sudden appearance of the Outer Celestial Evil Demon... well, never mind. You'll understand all this later."
Tang Shitou looked completely lost, while Tang Xiaoxiao and Lu Xuan, in his wheelchair, seed thoughtful.
The wheelchair rolled over the bluestone slabs with a creak as the group gradually approached the courtyard Tang Xiuming had ntioned.
"It's huge!" Little Stone exclaid in amazent.
Tang Xiuming smiled warmly.
"Your older brother, , can directly communicate with the statues of the Hundred Schools, after all. It's only right that I'd be assigned a large courtyard..."
Before he could finish, his brow furrowed slightly.
A few dapper-looking young masters holding folding fans were walking toward them.
"Well, well, if it isn't Brother Tang?" the leading young master said with a faint smile. "You really did lose an arm, didn't you?"
As he spoke, his gaze swept over Lu Xuan, Tang Xiaoxiao, and the others, and he sneered.
"Hmm, finally willing to bring your family to the Prefecture City?"
Tang Xiaoxiao and Tang Shitou had never encountered a scene like this. They both fell silent, not daring to speak. In his wheelchair, Lu Xuan frowned as he observed the situation.
'He knew that Tang Xiuming had lost his arm saving a massacred town, yet now he was being mocked for it. This... '
Lu Xuan shook his head almost imperceptibly.
Tang Xiuming's expression darkened. He took a step forward and said in a low, heavy voice,
"If it weren't for you people, I would have brought my family to the Prefecture City long ago... I'm warning you, don't even think about touching my family. Otherwise, don't bla for taking you down with !"
"Take us down with you?"
The group of young masters burst out laughing. One of them smirked frivolously.
"Tang Xiuming, how exactly are you going to take us down with you? The Han Feizi lineage is down to just you and your teacher. Your teacher is seriously injured, and you've lost an arm. What do you have to fight us to mutual destruction with?"
Another young master also spoke with a grin,
"That's right. Still think you're the main lineage of the Legalist School? Get this straight: the main lineage of the Legalist School is now my Shangzi Lineage! When a branch lineage sees the main lineage, why don't you bow?"
Lu Xuan listened quietly, frowning as he pondered. 'Shangzi Lineage... are they referring to Shang Yang?'
'He was starting to get a rough idea of the situation in this Little World. The various schools coexisted, just like in the Ancient Tis, and within each school were different lineages, with each philosopher founding their own...'
Lu Xuan's expression turned a little strange. 'There should be a Daoist School in this world... but is there a Lu Zi lineage?'
The thought had barely ford when one of the young masters over there spoke with a cold laugh,
"These days, the main lineage of the Daoist School is on good terms with us. The Vessel Master of the Lu Zi lineage is right here in the city, discussing important matters with the Vessel Master of my Shang Lineage. You'd best go back and convince that teacher of yours to hand over your resources. So things belong to the capable!"
Lu Xuan's expression grew even more peculiar. 'So there really is one.'
Tang Xiuming's expression turned cold. He wanted to retort, but after a glance at the trembling Little Stone, he simply sighed and decided to ignore them.
He gave Mr. Lu an apologetic smile, then motioned for Tang Xiaoxiao to push Mr. Lu's wheelchair past the young masters and head toward the courtyard.
The young masters snickered. One of them said cheerfully,
"Well, look at that. The iron-willed Tang Xiuming knows when to back down, huh? Tsk..."
Another one jeered,
"You know, Young Master Tang's family is quite a sight. He's a cripple who's missing an arm, and he's got another cripple at ho with broken legs..."
BOOM!!
A bolt of purple lightning suddenly struck from the Celestial Realm. The extre flash of light illuminated the entire street, and with a trendous roar, the jeering young master was blasted to ash!
Everyone was shocked, stunned, and terrified. The entire street fell deathly silent!
Only Lu Xuan's expression remained unchanged as he glanced thoughtfully at the sky.
'Interesting...'
'He hadn't been the one to act just now, but his Divine Sense could feel that the lightning had indeed struck because of him...'
'Did this Little World act on its own?'
'Is it because I am Lu Zi?'
'This is getting more and more interesting.'
After a mont of dead silence, Tang Xiaoxiao clapped a hand over her mouth in terror, nearly screaming.
The other young masters also staggered, nearly falling to the ground!
One of them trembled for a mont, then snapped his fan shut and pointed it fiercely at Tang Xiuming, shouting harshly,
"It... it was you?! You channeled the statues of the Hundred Schools to call down that heavy thunder?! Tang Xiuming, you dare to murder soone in the middle of the street!"
Tang Xiuming was also completely bewildered, but he imdiately burst into loud laughter.
"Don't be ridiculous. I didn't say a thing just now, much less channel the statue of Han Feizi. That fellow just had bad luck and got struck by the heavens. What's it got to do with ? Still, it's a wonderful occasion. I'll have to drink three big cups to celebrate when I get ho today!"
Saying this, with the clear conscience of one who has done no wrong, he straightforwardly beckoned Tang Xiaoxiao to push Lu Xuan and prepared to leave.
The remaining young masters were both shocked and furious. One ran toward the Hall of the Hundred Schools, while the other roared in anger,
"Brother Qian's knowledge was profound; he once received a reward from heaven and earth! Tang Xiuming, it could only have been you! You murder soone in the street over a couple of jokes and think you can just walk away!"
Despite their angry shouts, the young masters who remained were all backing away.
Although they were all considered geniuses, none of them had ever channeled the statues of the Hundred Schools. They could only borrow power through the Dharma Scripture, unlike Tang Xiuming, who could borrow power directly from the statue of Han Feizi. Naturally, they were no match for him.
At this mont, the young masters were convinced Tang Xiuming was the culprit. Fear rose in their hearts, and they continued to berate him as they retreated.
One of them yelled,
"Tang Xiuming, you committed murder in the street, and you killed a fellow disciple! Brother Lu has already gone to the Hall of the Hundred Schools to report you. Don't even think you can escape punishnt!"
Tang Xiuming sneered faintly and said nonchalantly,
"You can have the Vessel Master of your Shangzi Lineage investigate all you want. It wasn't , so what do I have to fear?"
Seeing how calm he was, the other young master, though terrified, grew even more furious and couldn't stop himself from cursing,
"You bastard, Tang Xiuming! So petty! Brother Qian just made a couple of jokes, and you killed him for it! Besides, what Brother Qian said was the truth!"
Tang Xiuming gave him a noncommittal glance.
A chill ran down the young master's back, and he couldn't help but retreat several steps. As he communicated with the Virtue of the Legalist School to borrow power for protection, he continued to curse,
"My father is the Vessel Master of the Shangzi Lineage. What, you want to make a move on , too? Hmph, your family is nothing but two cripples..."
Lu Xuan sighed and put a hand to his forehead. 'Sure enough, in the next instant... '
BOOM! KRAK!!
Another bolt of heavenly lightning spontaneously descended from the sky. This one was even more ferocious than the last, shattering the power of Virtue the young master had borrowed before blasting him to cinders!
Tang Xiuming was stunned. The other two young masters collapsed to the ground in fear, while a cry of shock and rage ca from the distance.
"My son!"
A middle-aged man strode over, treading on air as he arrived. He was followed by an old man whose brows were tightly furrowed, his expression full of shock and suspicion as he looked up at the sky.
Seeing the scorched ashes on the ground, the middle-aged man's face went deathly pale and he shouted,
"Shangzi says, from death... return to life!"
As his words fell, he coughed up a large mouthful of blood. It seed this single phrase had damaged his very foundation, and cracks even appeared on his body!
However, the ashes on the ground actually began to float up and reform. Flesh, blood, and ridians grew forth, and in just a mont, they had taken on a human form!
Lu Xuan was completely dumbfounded. 'There's... a move like that??'
'His Divine Sense perceived that the fundantal power of heaven and earth was what was repairing and recreating the human body... In this Little World, the principles of Virtue can actually mobilize the world's origin source?'
'Interesting...'
However, just as the human form solidified and the young master was brought back from the dead, before the middle-aged man could even breathe a sigh of relief...
BOOM! KRAK!!
The newly resurrected young master, with a look of utter confusion on his face, was once again blasted into a pile of fine ash!
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