Chapter 138: Severing an Arm to Survive, Advancing the Nightmare Prayer

As Li Liansheng's sinister voice trailed off, the color drained from Chen Bolong's face, and cold sweat broke out all over his body.

Although he was a man of status and influence in Jinjin with a fairly large business, he was, in the final analysis, merely a merchant; since the founding of the Jin Dynasty, no one involved in charges of treason had ever met a good end, and especially with a palace eunuch coming to his door in person, how could he not be terrified?

With the Chen clan at stake, his expression shifted several times before he immediately said in a trembling voice:

"Superintendent Li, my son is young and has only been enrolled in Guangwu Hall for a little over a month. Regardless of how disrespectful or disloyal that Hall Master Lu may be to the imperial court, it has absolutely nothing to do with him!"

"It is precisely because of that that I have come to invite Boss Chen here in such a civil manner; otherwise, I would have already dispatched elite troops to your door."

Li Liansheng said slowly:

"Your son has only just joined Guangwu Hall, and I believe he has not yet sunk deep into the mire, but it is hard to say what will happen later. The imperial court has already secretly designated that Lu Yuan as a rebel; only by cooperating with us as an inside agent can your son atone for his crimes, or even perform meritorious service to offset his faults."

Chen Bolong's expression remained grim:

"An inside agent? A few days ago, Liu Yishou, a private chef at Guangwu Hall, tried to secretly poison Hall Master Lu, but he was discovered on the spot. You wouldn't be asking Zhantang to do something like that, would you?"

Li Liansheng shook his head indifferently:

"Boss Chen need not worry. I only need your son to scout and pass information to us; he will not need to do anything else dangerous. This shouldn't be too difficult for him, should it?"

Chen Bolong felt slightly relieved and hesitated: "Not too difficult... I wonder what kind of information you want him to scout?"

Li Liansheng narrowed his eyes and said:

"First, I want to know the life or death of Mankeduo, the Great Governor of the Niangan Office, and a Great Shaman of our Shaman God Sect, because on the very night that Lu Yuan claimed to be poisoned, they infiltrated Guangwu Hall to investigate, but they never returned;

Second, I want to know the background and history of this Lu Yuan, whether he has any relatives or friends. As long as these are cleared up, your son will have performed a great service!"

The Great Governor of the Niangan Office, a Great Shaman of the Shaman God Sect—just hearing the titles made it clear these were big shots he could never reach in his daily life, and Chen Bolong was struck with fear.

Knowing that if he did not agree, the result would be the destruction of his family, he had to grit his teeth and say:

"Fine. When Zhantang returns tonight, I will explain the gravity of the situation to him and have him abandon darkness for light!"

Li Liansheng nodded and slowly stood up:

"Very good. Boss Chen must already understand the severity of this, so there is no need for me to repeat it. As long as he turns back from the wrong path and performs meritorious service, the imperial court will not treat him poorly; but if he remains stubborn and refuses to repent, then do not blame the imperial court's blades for being sharp and causing rivers of blood to flow.

I shall take my leave now. Remember, you must never let that Lu Yuan know of our contact. I will leave men at your medicine hall; I hope to hear your good news by tomorrow evening."

"Yes, yes, I will certainly not let Superintendent Li down!"

Chen Bolong hurriedly agreed, then rose to see him off, escorting him out of the private room.

Stopping the cold-sweating Chen Bolong from following any further, Li Liansheng and his group of several men swaggered out of Jiuhua Tower and disappeared into the night.

Seeing these people acting strangely and the meeting with Chen Bolong ending so quickly, the second manager brought his guards forward to inquire with concern:

"Master Chen, what exactly did this group want?"

Chen Bolong, whose inner shirt was already soaked with cold sweat, did not answer, but forced himself to remain calm and said:

"Quick, go to Guangwu Hall and call Zhantang back. Tell him I have a matter of extreme urgency to discuss with him!"

The guards, not understanding why, hurried off to do so. Chen Bolong, his face as dark as water, did not reveal a single detail and rode directly back to the Chen family mansion.

After returning, he did not wait long before Chen Zhantang also rushed back, traveling through the night.

Upon seeing Chen Bolong in the back hall, he asked curiously:

"Father, what happened that you needed me back so urgently?"

There was no one else in the hall. Looking at his son, who had been exceptionally outstanding since childhood, Chen Bolong took a deep breath:

"Zhantang, I ask you, who exactly is that Hall Master Lu of Guangwu Hall? Is there already some secret plot to rebel against the imperial court?"

Hearing the word "rebel," Chen Zhantang could not help but be startled:

"Father, why do you say that?"

Chen Bolong said in a low voice:

"The Great Eunuch Li Liansheng, who is supposedly a favorite of the Old Buddha, came to me today. He claimed that Hall Master Lu is disrespectful and disloyal to the imperial court and the Old Buddha, and that even a Great Governor of the Niangan Office and a Great Shaman of the Shamanism sect seem to have perished at his hands.

Li Liansheng told me that Hall Master Lu has now been branded by the Old Buddha's own golden decree as the number one rebel in the world, and the imperial court will surely suppress him. As his disciple in martial arts, do you know of this?"

Chen Zhantang's expression shifted slightly:

"Li Liansheng, that man has come to Jinjin again?"

"So, everything he said is true?"

Chen Bolong stared fixedly at his son:

"The Great Governor of the Niangan Office and some Great Shaman of the Shamanism sect, they all fell into his hands?"

Chen Zhantang opened his mouth, but in the end, he lowered his head and remained silent.

That night, two Grandmasters died in the hall; once exposed, it would be earth-shattering. Therefore, without Lu Yuan's instructions, he, Peng Yidao, and Lin Sheng had all kept their mouths shut and never revealed a single detail.

Now, he had not expected Chen Bolong to find out about this anyway.

"Unfilial son, unfilial son..."

Seeing Chen Zhantang's tacit admission, Chen Bolong cursed in anger:

"You didn't mention a word about such a huge matter! Do you know that such actions by Hall Master Lu are no different from treason? We, the Chen family, are ultimately just a merchant family. If we get involved in such things, a single mistake could lead to the execution of our entire clan! That Li Liansheng coming to our door now means he has set his sights on us. The entire Chen family is already in danger!"

Chen Zhantang's face was cold as frost, and he said sternly:

"What does that eunuch want? Does he want to bribe me to deal with Hall Master Lu?"

Chen Bolong sighed heavily:

"Indeed. From what Li Liansheng implied, it seems the imperial court is quite wary of Hall Master Lu right now and dares not send elite troops to suppress him. They are mainly here to find out the life or death of that Niangan Office governor and the Shamanism Great Shaman, as well as Hall Master Lu's background, whether he has any relatives or friends, and so on..."

"Shameless eunuch!"

Chen Zhantang immediately said angrily:

"He wants me to betray the Hall Master? Dream on!"

Clearly knowing his son's temper, Chen Bolong did not scold him, but instead revealed a deep sense of heaviness and helplessness:

"My son, the imperial court may be wary for the moment and unable to do anything to that Hall Master Lu, but can they not do anything to our small Chen family? They don't even need the imperial army to deal with us; just one big fire, a group of bandits, and our family's century-old foundation will be reduced to ashes. Even the clansmen of every branch will have no path to survival. For the sake of so-called loyalty, are you going to sit by and watch your own flesh and blood be wantonly slaughtered and rivers of blood flow?

Listen to your father: we cannot defy the imperial court's orders. Li Liansheng has already said he doesn't want you to do anything like poisoning or assassination; he only needs you to act as an inside agent to scout some information. This presumably won't threaten Hall Master Lu's safety, so it can't be considered much of a betrayal..."

"Father, there is no need to say more."

Chen Zhantang, however, said with ironclad resolve:

"This Jin Dynasty is corrupt and decaying, its fate nearing its end; it should have been rebelled against long ago. Master Lu alone has made the vast imperial court afraid to face him directly—what kind of figure is this? I am honored to be valued by him as one of his first disciples; even if he were to raise the banner of rebellion, I would swear to follow him. If we could change the heavens and the earth, rebuild the nation, and save the common people from fire and water, I would not regret it even if I were to die nine times over!"

Seeing his son determined to walk down a path of no return, Chen Bolong was suddenly gripped by anxiety:

"Nonsense! You, you scoundrel, are satisfied, but what about the hundreds of people in the Chen family?"

"Father, rest assured, that eunuch may not necessarily be able to do anything to our Chen family."

Chen Zhantang said in a deep voice:

"After that incident, Master Lu once instructed us that if our families faced threats, we could notify him immediately, and he would step in to resolve it. I will tell him about this matter and beg for his assistance!"

Chen Bolong did not relent because of this and hurriedly tried to dissuade him:

"No! Doing so would mean completely defecting to the rebels and opposing the imperial court, leaving no path back. Furthermore, telling Master Lu might resolve the Chen family's immediate worries, but what about later? He cannot constantly watch over and protect our Chen family, and the moment there is the slightest lapse, the Chen family could be wiped out!"

Chen Zhantang was silent for a moment:

"Father, I fear you underestimate Master Lu. Being able to kill two great Grandmasters in succession and making the imperial court so fearful that they dare not come to suppress him—Master Lu's methods are beyond what you or I can imagine. It is only because he has no such intention for now; otherwise, even breaking into the palace to take the head of the Undying Demon Empress or slaughtering the Jin Clan's royalty and nobility would likely not be a difficult task!"

Chen Bolong also possessed Martial Arts, and he immediately gasped:

"With such strength and methods, is he any different from a god? No wonder Li Liansheng said the imperial court dares not act rashly."

Chen Zhantang nodded: "Correct, so there is no time to lose; I must go back and notify the Master as soon as possible."

Having said this, he turned to leave, but Chen Bolong came to his senses and hurriedly said:

"Wait!"

Chen Zhantang turned his head and saw Chen Bolong's expression shifting:

"You stubborn brat, since you won't listen to reason, your father will take a gamble with you. How about this: I will prevaricate with Li Liansheng for now, and you can inform Master Lu to see if he can ensure the safety of our Chen clansmen. If he cannot, we will move the whole family to the sea or the southeast region as quickly as possible and flee far away! This way, we can maintain our integrity while also preserving our kin. What do you think?"

Originally, he had intended to persuade his son to act as an inside agent for the imperial court to gather intelligence, but now he had changed his mind.

The reason was simple: the Chen family could not afford to offend the imperial court, but could they afford to offend Lu Yuan and his people?

Especially since this person was a terrifying existence who had killed two Grandmasters and made the imperial court so wary that they dared not tear off the mask of civility. If the other party discovered Chen Zhantang's betrayal, the vast Chen family would likely face the same fate of being exterminated!

Having struggled for many years to build this foundation, Chen Bolong knew well that those who play both sides never have a good end, especially when caught between two existences that neither could afford to provoke. Aside from cutting off an arm to survive and running away quickly, there was simply no better strategy.

Chen Zhantang was not a pedantic person either, and he immediately said: "Good. If it truly comes to that, Father, you take the clansmen and leave. I will stay in Jinjin and continue to follow Master Lu. One day, I will surely let the Chen family rise again!"

Chen Bolong was helpless:

"Being able to preserve our kin is good enough. There might be Li Liansheng's people watching outside now; wait until tomorrow morning to return to the hall to report, so as not to let them see any clues."

This was a cautious and prudent move, and Chen Zhantang could not help but nod: "Yes, Father."

"Sigh."

Chen Bolong heaved a heavy sigh:

"I hope this gamble does not lead my Chen family into the abyss."

The next morning.

As soon as the sky brightened, Chen Zhantang hurried back to Guangwu Hall and requested to see Lu Yuan, who was basically in a state of seclusion.

After Lu Yuan came out of seclusion, he poured out everything about the threats Chen Bolong had encountered.

In the pavilion, Lu Yuan raised an eyebrow after listening and smiled:

"Li Liansheng? That eunuch dares not come to find me, yet he ran to cause trouble for you all. It seems that old demoness is at her wit's end."

Chen Zhantang knelt halfway on the ground and pleaded earnestly:

"Master, I do not wish to be a villain who betrays his master and family, but I also cannot bear to see my vast family fall into a catastrophe of extermination because of me. Please save my Chen family!"

Lu Yuan lifted his hand casually, and a gust of clear wind whistled, lifting the other party up, and he smiled:

"In such a situation, I naturally will not sit idly by. You go back first, pretend to agree to be an inside agent, and arrange a meeting with that Li Liansheng. Afterward, I have my own ways to ensure he will not trouble your Chen family again."

Chen Zhantang had some doubts in his heart but did not ask further; he immediately promised and exited the courtyard.

Watching his departing back.

Lu Yuan wore a smile:

"I was just worrying about having no one to practice on, and one has delivered himself to my door; it's like being handed a pillow just as I was getting sleepy."

As a thought stirred, the Heavenly Book in his mind sent feedback:

【Supernatural Power Master】: Lu Yuan

【Mastered Arts】: -

Ingestion (Earth: 3%); - Guidance (Earth: 3%); - Invisibility (Human: 28%); -

Staff Sending (Human: 12%); - Medicine (Human: 35%); - Earth Travel (Human: 21%); -

Generating Light (Human: 32%); - Sword Technique (Human: 30%); - Boiling Stones (Human: 28%); -

Pot Heaven (Human: 20%); - Great Strength (Human: 6%); - Sprouting (Human: 4%); -

Wind Control (Human: 1%); - Obstacle Clothing (Human: 1%); - Dream Grafting (Human: 1%); -

Body Immobilization (Human: 1%); - Nightmare Prayer (Human: 1%); - False Form (Human: 1%);

【Luck Power】: 9211 units

By now, his name had spread across thirty-six provinces, and with a constant stream of Qi Luck gathering daily, the accumulated amount had already exceeded nine thousand units.

And now, without much hesitation, Lu Yuan moved his mind:

"Upgrade, Nightmare Prayer!"

Hum.

Like a great sun descending into the sky, the Heavenly Book bloomed with brilliant golden light, and subsequently, vast and profound realizations surged from his heart, filling his mind.

He had not used much of this massive amount of Luck Power other than to successively light up several Earthly Fiend Arts, but now he intended to upgrade the Earthly Fiend Art 【Nightmare Prayer】 to a higher stage to see if its effects could manipulate the mind and control others.

Although this Earthly Fiend Art was not a technique for combat, it possessed immense potential and might play a crucial role in the process of changing the heavens and the earth and rebuilding the universe.

To verify this point, the target he selected was Li Liansheng, who had just happened to deliver himself to his doorstep!

(End of this chapter)