Chapter 293: I Dreamed of You

Lu Dongchun, daughter of Lu Maoxian.

Monkey Qiu was in his early forties; Lu Dongchun was two years older than him, yet her appearance suggested a woman in her twenties—skin smooth, features refined, a rare beauty.

She wore a dark Western-style long dress and held an umbrella, standing silently at the Lu family gate, making no noise, offering no complaint, not even bringing a servant; such a beautiful woman who followed the rules yet somehow offended Duan Shaoxia, earning the lady's deep loathing.

"I won't see her. Tell her to leave!" Duan Shaoxia still refused to let Lu Dongchun enter.

Monkey Qiu said, "Lady, she's here to seek someone to avenge her father."

Duan Shaoxia gritted her teeth: "How dare she come to me? I haven't even gone to settle accounts with them yet!"

Monkey Qiu shook his head: "Lady, this is the family's rule."

Duan Shaoxia's face turned grim.

She understood the rules of a great family.

If Lu Maoxian had been injured by a Lu family member, the various branches of the Lu clan need not intervene—he was left to fend for himself.

But if Lu Maoxian was wounded by an outsider, and the injury was severe enough, and he knew who did it and openly demanded vengeance, every branch of the Lu family must respond.

If any branch failed to respond, they would be isolated by the clan—especially the main line, which must set an example. Whether they truly lent strength was debatable, but they must be present.

After a moment's thought, Duan Shaoxia told Monkey Qiu: "Zhiheng, Yuanhai is in this state now, and Huaiyi hasn't even entered our family yet. As a woman, I have no skill for battle.

I leave this matter to you. Be extremely careful—just show up at Lu Maoxian's side to lend support. If you suffer any mishap, our family won't survive."

Qiu Zhiheng nodded: "Miss Dongchun is still outside. We should invite her in and speak to her face to face."

"No!" Duan Shaoxia waved her hands frantically. "Host her in your pavilion. I don't want to see her—just looking at her makes my scalp tingle!"

Qiu Zhiheng went outside and personally escorted Lu Dongchun into the pavilion.

Lu Dongchun rarely left home; the servants in the pavilion were new and unfamiliar with her. Seeing a guest arrive, they hurriedly brewed tea.

Lu Dongchun lifted the teacup, sipped, and asked: "Zhiheng, doesn't my sister-in-law want to see me?"

Monkey Qiu nodded.

"It doesn't matter if she doesn't want to see me—but I need one clear answer: will you or won't you handle my father's matter?"

"We will," Qiu Zhiheng answered bluntly. "Once you've set the date and place, inform me. I'll go myself."

"You?" Lu Dongchun blinked, her clear eyes reflecting Monkey Qiu's face. "Are you representing the inner family or the outer family?"

"Does it matter?"

"It matters. It was my father's instruction: this vendetta against the Ling family must clearly distinguish inner from outer."

The old patriarch insisted on distinguishing inner from outer—this time, the rules were different.

The inner family meant the Lu clan members.

The outer family meant the various forces under the Lu clan's protection.

Previously, Nian Xiusi Wen Nian and Fengxiu Tan Fu were both outer family.

But Monkey Qiu's situation was special.

If he represented the inner family, he must bring at least one inner family member—even if that person didn't fight, just stood by—so his presence would be legitimate.

If he represented the outer family, it would be simpler, but it would mean Lu Dongliang's main branch sent no one—solving nothing.

Monkey Qiu answered without hesitation: "Inner family."

"Good!" Lu Dongchun lifted the teacup and sipped again. "When the time comes, make sure we see an inner family member."

Qiu Zhiheng served tea and signaled the guest to leave.

Lu Dongchun rose to take her leave.

No matter how her body moved, Lu Dongchun's eyes never shifted—they remained locked on Monkey Qiu.

Qiu Zhiheng saw Lu Dongchun to the gate. The servant came to clear the tea and found her cup still full.

That shouldn't be—she'd clearly drunk two sips.

As the servant puzzled over it, Monkey Qiu said: "Next time she comes, don't serve her tea."

…

Ma Wu was preparing the premiere of "Blood Spear Detective IV." Half the theater was set up when a group of reporters burst in.

Ma Wu planned to have Cao Zhida drive them off, but realized these weren't ordinary reporters—they were skilled fighters.

They were here to cause trouble.

A man and a woman entered the theater with the reporters, walking straight toward Ma Wu.

Who were they?

Ling Miaoying and the film queen Tu Yinghong?

Why were they here?

This was beyond the reach of his men. Ma Wu stepped forward himself, with Zuo Wugang right behind him.

Ling Miaoying pulled out a cigarette, lit it, drew a deep breath, and blew smoke directly into Ma Wu's face: "Boss Ma, business is booming!"

Ma Wu didn't anger—he lit his own cigarette: "Boss Ling, you flatter me. My little operation is nothing compared to yours."

"Don't be modest. I admire you—truly. I've come to propose a partnership.

I'm launching several new films. If you have any respect for me, come to my set, review my scripts, give advice. Let's make real films and make money together."

Ling Miaoying's meaning was clear: he intended to take over Ma Wu's business.

Previously, Ma Wu had the Lu family's backing. Now the main line had fallen, and Lu Maoxian lay gravely wounded.

Even if Lu Maoxian hadn't been injured, he couldn't have protected Ma Wu.

Ma Wu had lost his patron. This was the perfect moment to swallow him whole.

If he could eliminate Li Qi in the process and seize that object, he might never again have to bow to He Jiaqing.

Ma Wu smiled downward: "Boss Ling, you jest. My little business can't possibly interest you."

Ling Miaoying stared at Ma Wu: "I only want to know—do you accept?"

Ma Wu shook his head slightly: "I think it's best we go our separate ways."

Ling Miaoying spun the cigarette between his fingers: "So you refuse."

Zuo Wugang sensed danger and immediately stepped in front of Ma Wu.

Ling Miaoying smiled coolly: "It's just a business proposal. Why escalate? If Young Master Wu declines, we'll leave."

He said that—but he had no intention of leaving.

He didn't plan to kill Ma Wu, but he must teach him a lesson. While Ma Wu wasn't looking, Tu Yinghong prepared to kill Zuo Wugang.

Her right hand slipped into her red dress, reaching for a weapon—when Ling Miaoying suddenly reached out and stopped her.

What's happening?

They'd agreed on this before coming—why had Ling Miaoying changed his mind?

It wasn't a change of mind. Ling Miaoying had seen someone arrive.

After a long pause, Tu Yinghong finally realized: beside them stood another person.

He wore a black suit and a hat, its brim pulled low, obscuring his face.

"Boss Ling, lend me a cigarette." Li Banfeng had taken Ling Miaoying's metal cigarette case without notice, pulled out a cigarette, lit it, and returned the case.

Ling Miaoying broke into a cold sweat.

Knowing the Lu family's troubles, Li Banfeng had anticipated Ling Miaoying's move and prepared in advance.

"I just heard you talking business. Boss Ling, you've got some profitable opportunity—tell me. Let's make money together."

Ling Miaoying fell silent, then smiled at Li Banfeng: "Young Master Qi, your theaters are always packed. Mine barely reach sixty percent. I need your guidance to find real fortune."

Li Banfeng was humble: "Guidance? I can't claim that. We could find a quiet place and talk."

Ling Miaoying glanced at the theater setup: "Both of you are busy today. Let's talk another time."

He left with the reporters. Zuo Wugang wiped his sweat: "None of those people were harmless!"

He was right—the so-called reporters were Ling Miaoying's ruthless men.

Ma Wu gritted his teeth: "The Lu family fell, and now Ling Miaoying is so bold. He's nothing like his brother."

"Patrons are never reliable," Li Banfeng said calmly. Sixth-layer Qi cultivator, fifth-layer residence cultivator—he knew what he could rely on now.

Ma Wu continued organizing the premiere. Li Banfeng returned to his residence.

This trip yielded rich gains.

Ling Miaoying was a seventh-layer Seer. Although Li Banfeng possessed the ability to go unnoticed and moved with unnatural speed, evading Ling Miaoying's awareness was still extremely difficult.

He'd taken the cigarette case only because of the gauze gloves. Of course, the gloves didn't just take one item—they'd also stolen Ling Miaoying's pistol.

Li Banfeng had seen this pistol before—on the platform, it had nearly crippled him.

"Such a big pistol could fit inside?" Li Banfeng gained new respect for the gloves' capacity.

Niangzi, who studied firearms, examined the pistol with a sewing needle: "This gun is a spiritual artifact. As long as the bullet fires, it will strike its target. If it hits a vital point, any cultivator below third layer dies instantly. Even cultivators above third layer will be wounded—the lower their base, the worse the injury."

A fine weapon!

The gloves spat out a wallet—also Ling Miaoying's.

Li Banfeng opened it: inside were dozens of Huan Empire banknotes.

"Not bad! Today you've done great work!" Li Banfeng praised the gloves, emptied all the bills into them as reward.

The gloves accepted the money and sincerely said: "Thank you, Master!"

Li Banfeng continued studying the pistol.

The gloves went to the third chamber to rest.

…

Ling Miaoying returned to the film company, still shaken.

Tu Yinghong sat beside him and asked: "Who was that man in the hat?"

"Li Qi is a hard man to deal with."

Tu Yinghong said: "Earlier you said you wanted to deal with Ma Wu—why has Li Qi suddenly appeared?"

"Ma Wu only handles business; the real person in charge is him."

"He moves incredibly fast."

"He's a Traveling Cultivator. I've fought him before—his skills are faster than before."

Ling Miaoying wondered whether to tell He Jiaqing about the matter. He reached for the button on his chest and suddenly felt something missing from his clothes.

"Where's my gun? Where's my gun!" Ling Miaoying was horrified. This spiritual artifact was extremely valuable and deeply important to him.

Seeing Ling Miaoying lose something, Tu Yinghong instinctively touched her skirt.

"Damn! My iron ruler is gone!"

Ling Miaoying widened his eyes: "If the iron ruler is gone, the building won't move anymore?"

Tu Yinghong gritted her teeth: "It must have been stolen by that Li Qi—we must get it back at all costs!"

……

In the personal dwelling, third room.

The glove looked around the room and saw no other magic treasures; silently, he spat out a pair of iron rulers.

Such a large pair of iron rulers—how could this glove possibly swallow them!

"Hehehe!" The glove chuckled in a low voice.

You fool, you really think that pistol is some great treasure.

These weapons are the real treasures.

Even though I still don't know how to use them, their value is countless times greater than the pistol.

He placed the iron rulers on the ground and was about to examine them closely.

The moment the iron rulers touched the ground, they melted, seeped swiftly, and vanished in an instant.

The glove cried out: "My precious..."

Li Banfeng pushed open the door, furious: "What are you yelling about? What precious thing?"

The glove fell silent for a long while, heartbroken nearly to tears, and answered in a trembling voice: "My precious master, I was just sleeping and dreamed of you."

PS: Thank you to Dujiaolong for the Silver Alliance, thank you to Yusheng Qiumeng for the Patronage, and thank you to Shala for your encouragement and support.

An extra chapter will definitely come—just let Shala catch her breath a little longer.

(End of Chapter)