“Whoever dares draw their sword, I will kill them.” It was a threat, and a promise.
Lu Xingkong was from a military background, and often had to deal with soldiers and ruffians. He was familiar with their temperament and knew more about their style of conduct and behaviour. It was exactly also because that he was aware of the pain and difficulties that soldiers suffer, the difficulty of being a soldier, and the danger of battle that he had come forward again and again to speak up for the generals and soldiers.
He gave them rations and fodder, gave them money, and gave them weapons and armour, as well as understanding and dignity.
Most importantly, their outstanding military service was remembered. Everyone saw hope. Everyone saw the chance of being promoted and making a name for themselves.
They were prepared to give their lives for him, how could he not give them a spark of hope?
Lu Xingkong was also from a prestigious family of the imperial capital, but was unlike the descendants of other wealthy families, who only joined the army as a temporary placement and ordered the soldiers to charge forward, to throw away their lives, while they hide in the tent, laughing and drinking merrily. What was more absurd was that there were some young masters who secretly brought their female servants with them for entertainment. Every time a battle was won, they took the credit, but when defeated, all those soldiers who came back alive were put to death.
After Lu Xingkong took charge of the military power, he put an end to the children of influential families joining the military just to take credit for outstanding military service. The only way they were allowed to join the military was to have a real battle with ordinary soldiers, to kill, and to fight for their military credit and promotion.
It was precisely because of this that the military division was strict and impartial, a new environment was created, and the younger generation of influential officials became brave and valiant.
However, it was also because of that Lu Xingkong had almost offended the majority of prestigious families in Tiandu.
Which family would not want their talented children to become a well-respected general? Who doesn"t have talented children that they want to send to the frontier to get credit and promotion?
The children of prestigious family that were sent over were, in the end, killed by the enemy—
They did not resent the enemy military, only hated Lu Xingkong who had changed the rules.
Lu Xingkong had not only blocked the path of others, but also his own path.
Therefore, many years ago there were rumours that Lu Xingkong was not going to live for long, the Lu clan will be slaughtered and wiped out.
The wind does not come from an empty cave without reason.
Now, the Lu family was under attack.
The confrontations between the powerful have always been so silent and incomparably fierce and dangerous.
Do not underestimate every event; behind the scenes there must be a pair or many pairs of shady hands stirring up the storm.
From the incident that Li Muyang was ambushed on the street to the hundreds of white robed swordsmen of Still water sword school coming to the door to find him today, what was there real intention?
Lu Xingkong was incredibly intelligent, otherwise he would not be called the "Sand Eagle", the most cruel and cunning animal in the desert.
However, him who came from a military background, valued military power even more. Because regardless of the flattery, cheat and conspiracy, the final outcome of a battle is always based on the fist and sword. The person with the bigger fist is the one who is right, the one with more swords will be victorious.
Even if one speaks till their mouth is dry on the battlefield, when the army pa.s.sed by over them, it would difficult for them to leave with their bodies intact.
Therefore, Lu Xingkong was so unreasonable and tyrannical.
I have reasons so I can be unreasonable.
Since today the white robed swordsmen of Still water sword school had come to his door on their own accord, and left a letter of challenge at the door, then even if he were to kill them all the outsiders can"t say a bad word about the Lu family.
Lu Xingkong"s figure was tall and upright, proudly standing like an undefeated G.o.d of war.
The fighting strength and murderous spirit that had developed from slaughtering men till a city is filled with bodies and from fighting among a sea of corpses send a chill down one"s spine and make one tremble all over. At a glance, he appeared to be an army of thousands of men and horses charging straight over.
The hundreds of white-robed swordsmen were deterred by this imposing force. Let alone to pull out their sword to kill, it was difficult for them to stop their hand shaking.
The Still water sword school had over hundreds of elite, but at this moment there were only two people who had the ability to draw their sword.
One was Elder Li Chengfeng, and the other was Stone gentleman Shi Tao.
Both of them were the elites of the elites of Still water sword school, the master of masters. Even among the entire West Wind they were rare opponents.
Therefore, in the face of Lu Xingkong"s tyrannical force they still had the strength to fight back.
The muscles on Elder Chengfeng"s face twitched, there was no way he could pull his sword at the slightest disagreement——After all, the Still water sword school was the imperial Sword School. They rarely bullied others.
However, they were now facing Lu Xingkong, the leader nominally in charge of the military of the entire West Wind Kingdom, and the West Wind Lu clan that had been standing for thousands of years——
More importantly, the other side had occupied the word "reason" today.
Although they usually do not need to reason with people who were weaker than them, but "reason" was particularly important in the face of an equally powerful opponent.
The Cui family"s direct descendant Cui Zhaoren had been killed, but they still could do nothing to the Lu family?
Was it not because the Lu family occupied the word reason?
Stone gentleman Shi Tao"s cultivation and martial arts were, after all, not as good as Elder Chengfeng. Being reprimand by Lu Xingkong, he flushed and turned pale alternately, and finally went purple, fist clenching tight and loosening. There were several times when he wanted to a pull out his sword and slash across, but the expression on Elder Chengfeng"s face in the end made him let go of this absurd idea.
If he killed Lu Xingkong right outside the Lu family"s house, he would become detested by all, wouldn"t he?
Elder Chenfeng let out a soft sigh, “Defence minister, why do you have to make things difficult for us who just came to send a letter? You also know that there is n.o.body who dares to disobey the Old immortal?”
“So, because he wants to kill a child of my Lu family, I have to tie the child up and send him over to be killed?” Lu Xingkong sneered.
“You can also choose to avoid the battle——” whispered Elder Chengfeng.
“Avoid the battle?” Lu Xingkong burst into loud laughter, pointing to Elder Chengfeng. “Your Still water sword school really knows how to do calculations. If we avoid fighting the battle, the prestige of your Still water sword school will rise again, and the trust that you lost will be reestablished. Moreover, no one will dare to laugh at your Still water sword school being a group of embroidered pillows, right?”
“And what about my Lu family? Afraid to fight, afraid to die? Your still water sword school is cautious and careful about your reputation, do you think my Lu family wants to be belittled and looked down on? You want to step on the spine of my Lu family to stand back up, I"m afraid you got the wrong idea——I"ll take the written challenge. Go back and tell your old fool that Li Muyang has no time for him. Since this started because of my Lu family, then I"ll go to face that old fool"s "Still water sword technique".”
Elder Chenfeng looked somewhat embarra.s.sed, the person Old immortal asked to see was Li Muyang, and the person he wanted to test was Li Muyang.
Now Lu Xingkong was forcibly intercepting, would that be what the old man wants?
Therefore, Elder Chengfeng earnestly and patiently advised, “Lord Lu, why take the risk? That Li Muyang is only the son of a servant of the Lu family, why won"t Lord Lu let him have a try? It"s harmless even if he loses. No one thinks he could beat Old immortal anyway. If he won, he would create a stir in the Divine continent, it is beneficial to his popularity. At the end of this battle, if Li Muyang is still alive, wouldn"t he be one of the strongest in the starry sky?”
“But, presumably and surely——I"m not going to survive, right? Isn"t that right?” Li Muyang stood beside Lu Xingkong, interrupting with a mocking face.
Lu Xingkong turned around, firmly clapping his hand upon Li Muyang"s shoulder, saying fondly: “Good child, go wait inside, let Grandfather help you deal with this matter. That old fool of the Still water sword school is so old, but doesn"t act his age, and used his strength to bully the weak. In order to avenge his son he actually issued a written challenge to a child——Is he not afraid of being laughed at by the world?”
“Lu Xingkong, you dare insult our Old immortal——” Elder Chengfeng snapped. What Lu Xingkong said was too damaging and too harsh. Even him, who was known for his good temper, could not take it anymore.
Lu Xingkong narrowed his eyes, and then looked at Li Muyang to say, “Don"t you think it"s strange? They are unafraid of letting the public know about such shameless matters. However, they want to block the mouth of everyone and not let people speak out. They get angry when they speak and said they will draw their swords and chop people into minced flesh——Ultimately, that"s what the world is all about. The one with the strongest fist is right.”
“Muyang understand.” Li Muyang stated. “Back in Jiangnan I have a friend called Yan Xiangma who all day long says, "I am the most famous hedonistic young master in Jiangnan city, there is nothing that I can"t do". He only did some petty crimes such as stealing a dog, kicking a chicken and flirting with girls. The most serious thing he done was that he got someone pregnant and she had to have an abortion.”
Li Muyang swept a glance over Elder Chengfeng, “It was only when I got to Tiandu that my views were broadened. Some people speak of righteousness and morality, and are swordsmen, but they do any disgusting things. What was that saying? The barking dogs don"t bite, the dogs that don"t bark will——sneak around and bite people to death.”
“Li Muyang, how dare you humiliate my Still water sword school, do you not want to live?” Elder Chengfeng snapped, the veins on his hand popping.
Stone gentleman Shi Tao held his long sword in a tight grip with an impulse to sever Li Muyang into two.
They couldn"t do anything to Lu Xingkong, but they had no scruples about killing Li Muyang.
He had no prestige and no power.
Li Muyang was greatly amused, coldly snorted: “What a joke. When I don"t even know where the door of your Still water sword school is, your Master came to ambush and kill me on the street. When I don"t even know who your Old immortal is, he sent you to deliver a letter of challenge to me——I am going to die anyway, so what if I scold you?”