Chapter 773

Nan Jun Rivers and Lakes kicked off a brutal bloody storm.

Starting from Qingzhou, it quickly spread throughout all of Nan Jun.

Previous Rivers and Lakes sects that bullied the good, committed arson, and did evil were forcibly stormed by the army, their mountain gates broken; aside from the old, weak, women, and children, all others were beheaded regardless of guilt.

Those Rivers and Lakes experts who leap about, though each is far stronger than soldiers in single combat, against the army's arrow formations and battle arrays remain soft persimmons.

Aside from those true experts, the rest have only one outcome: death.

But for those experts, the army also has corresponding measures.

The army also has no shortage of Fierce Generals; besides that, the Charitable Altar also dispatched many people to assist.

Their purpose in following the army is to seek out the experts of each sect.

This fire burned fiercely from the very start.

Qingzhou took a slight lead, then immediately everything flared up everywhere.

In an instant, panic spread among the Rivers and Lakes.

Previously, the Rivers and Lakes folk who swaggered through the streets with knives and swords vanished in an instant, cleanly.

In the taverns, no one loudly bragged about past exploits; those Rivers and Lakes local tyrants who defied the authorities and even looked down on officials hastily prepared generous gifts, then, under the cover of night, furtively met with familiar officials, seeking a connection and asking for safety.

But this time, they heard no voice promising to take care of everything.

Almost everyone who accepted the gifts shook their heads and sighed, declaring this matter difficult!

……

Zhenqiang County, Lu Jia Village.

In the afternoon, the sun scorched fiercely, baking the leaves until they wilted, the flowers lost their color, even the cicadas fell silent; several figures, leading horses, dust-covered, appeared on the village's main road.

The children playing tirelessly on the haystacks, upon seeing strangers arrive, shouted at the top of their lungs, 'Great-grandfather, Third Granduncle, people with weapons are coming!'

People with weapons are coming!

"……"

The strangers stood at the fork in the road; the leading middle-aged person bowed from afar to the children, 'Young man, is Old Master Lu in the village? We come from Andi City and wish to visit Old Master Lu.'

'Do you have any sweets?' a child asked in a childish voice.

The middle-aged man paused, 'Sweet snacks are useless; I can pay you in silver to deliver a message for us, would that be alright?'

'You reek of copper, we don't want your money!' the child flicked his hand, scrambled up the haystack in a few moves, and ignored the middle-aged man.

They turned the haystacks into a maze, digging holes here and there, enjoying themselves immensely.

Then an old man in a coarse hemp jacket, with rolled-up pant legs and straw sandals on his feet, emerged from a small path, 'You visitors from afar are quite polite, even bowing to the children—you don't know a thing, follow me!'

The middle-aged man's face lit up, he hurriedly followed and bowed again, 'May I ask if you are Old Master Lu? I am Xu Shaoshang, from Andi City, the master of Yunhuo Mountain Villa.'

The old man glanced, 'I am indeed the third uncle of those brats, but I am not any Old Master Lu, and what is this Yunhuo Mountain Villa?'

Xu Shaoshang, despite the slight, held his temper and politely said, 'Old Master, you may not know, but it's only natural that my Yunhuo Mountain Villa, which makes its living by forging swords, is an obscure small sect.'

'Oh, Rivers and Lakes folk? What are you Rivers and Lakes people doing in our little village?' Old Master Lu wore a puzzled look, his bewildered expression as genuine as gold.

Xu Shaoshang gave a wry smile, 'Before a true person, I dare not conceal; we have come to ask Old Master Lu for help, to rescue my Yunhuo Mountain Villa.'

Old Master Lu crossed his hands behind his back and turned to leave, 'I don't understand what you're saying. I'm just an old farmer; how am I supposed to save you Rivers and Lakes folks—with a hoe?'

Xu Shaoshang quickly took two steps to catch up, speaking softly, 'Old Master, please don't be angry; my late father once forged a sword for a Lu Family expert and received a promise: if my Yunhuo Mountain Villa encounters trouble, we may seek aid in Lu Jia Village.'

'Now Yunhuo Mountain Villa faces annihilation, and that is why I, your humble subordinate, dare to come!'

Only then did Old Master Lu stop, 'Did the Lu Family people leave you this promise?'

Yes!

What is the name?

'The exalted one's name, young man… it's not proper to say it outright, but here is a token he left.' Xu Shaoshang's mouth twitched for a long; he still dared not utter the name, instead quickly pulling an iron token from his bosom.

The token is somewhat worn; its reverse bears a seal-script 'Lu' character, while the obverse has 'Rou' above and 'Yi' below.

The token is altogether unremarkable; besides those three characters, front and back hold nothing else.

Upon seeing the token, Old Master Lu's mouth twitched sharply, 'What's unspeakable about his name? Shout it loud, Laborers—Lu Rouer!'

Xu Shaoshang gave an embarrassed laugh and silently stepped to the side.

That name Old Master Lu can shout, but he dare not utter it at all.

If an ordinary old man took the name Rouer, he might still be able to tease a bit.

But the old Rouer of Lu Jia Village—even if you lent him ten guts, he still wouldn't dare.

Back when his father was alive, he repeatedly warned that there are several places in Nan Jun that must never be provoked.

Lu Jia Village is one of them.

Lu Rouer!

Old Master Lu bellowed again, his lips twitching with anger, yet got no reply.

'Lao Zamao, are you pretending to be dead? Wait—I'll strip every hair off you and make you dress properly as a woman! Your romantic debts have come calling; get out at once!'

Xu Shaoshang's mouth twitched slightly.

The old man's words are truly without restraint.

How could they be the romantic debts of Old Man Rouer?

Just then, an old man shouldering a hoe hurried up from below the grinding yard, shouting, 'Lu Rouchen, what are you yelling about? That name was taken by the old clan chief; what does it have to do with me?'

'Hmph, isn't the old clan chief your father?' Old Master Lu cursed.

'With outsiders present, restrain yourself—it's been so many years; if I could change it, I would most wish to!' said the Lu family elder, namely the current clan head Lu Rouer, helplessly.

A name, it's deadly!

He has wanted to change his name for decades, but truly cannot.

The old lady, longing for her daughter to the point of madness, insisted on giving them this name, and even later enshrined it in her will, strictly forbidding them from changing it.

No matter how unpleasant this name is, they can only bear it.

Lu Daye looked toward Xu Shaoshang, his gaze landing on the iron token in his hand, "People from Fire Cloud Mountain Villa?"

"Exactly!" Xu Shaoshang hastily clasped his hands, "Please, senior, save everyone of my Fire Cloud Mountain Villa."

Lu Daye set the hoe down on the ground, sat on the handle, "Tell me, what's going on?"

Obviously he is a senior expert, but his actions and demeanor are no different from an ordinary farmer.