Chapter 221: Time to Set Off!

Inside the Lu family mansion, sunlight passed through the carved wooden window lattices, casting mottled light and shadows upon the rustic floorboards. The scent of agarwood drifted through the air, perfectly complementing the heritage of this century-old residence. Lu Linglong had just finished the last page of her homework; she stretched, a look of relief appearing on her delicate face.

"Finally finished," she muttered to herself, "now I can get ready to go find Brother Lin Xuan."

"Linglong," Lu Jin's voice suddenly rang out, interrupting her thoughts, "go to the Martial Arts Arena and spar with your brother."

This sudden request left both Lu Linglong and Lu Lin, who was reading a book, stunned. In the Lu family, sparring was never a casual affair; each time, it carried a specific purpose and deep meaning.

"Grandfather, this is..." Lu Lin put down the ancient book in his hand, his brows slightly furrowed. Based on his understanding of his grandfather, arranging a spar at this time must have a deeper meaning.

"Go," Lu Jin waved his hand, his gaze profound, "follow the usual rules for sparring. Just remember, stop at the point of contact."

The Lu family's Martial Arts Arena was built in the backyard, surrounded by ancient ginkgo trees. It was currently noon, and the sunlight filtered through the gaps in the leaves, forming mottled light and shadows on the ground. The siblings stood facing each other, and an inexplicable sense of tension permeated the air.

Lu Lin looked at his younger sister, feeling a bit reluctant in his heart. He knew Lu Linglong's personality too well: simple, persistent, but sometimes overly naive. And this spar was likely exactly the lesson his grandfather wanted to give her.

"Begin!" Lu Jin gave the order.

Lu Linglong launched her attack almost instantly; her movement technique was as light as a swallow, and her moves were flashy and clever. However, in Lu Lin's eyes, although these movements were beautiful, they exposed too many flaws. He could clearly see the shortcomings in every one of his sister's moves.

Lu Lin easily neutralized his sister's attacks while looking for a suitable moment to counter. He needed to make this spar appear neither too easy nor too difficult, while still achieving his grandfather's educational goal.

In less than three rounds, the winner was decided. With a clever grappling move, Lu Lin restrained Lu Linglong's joints. Lu Linglong was surprised to find that she was completely unable to break free.

"Do you concede?" Lu Lin asked gently.

"I concede..." Lu Linglong muttered, somewhat unwillingly. She knew the gap was large, but she hadn't expected it to be this large.

Lu Jin walked slowly to the two of them, his gaze carrying a look that was both affectionate and stern: "Do you know why I had you spar?"

Lu Linglong rubbed her restrained wrist and shook her head.

"It's just to let you clearly recognize your own level of strength," Lu Jin's voice was steady and powerful, "Look, you couldn't even win a spar against your brother; if you encounter real danger, your first choice should always be to run. This is not cowardice, but wisdom."

"I understand, Grandfather!" Lu Linglong blinked, suddenly revealing a sly smile, "If I encounter danger, I'll go find Brother Lin Xuan the first chance I get! With him around, there's no need to fear any danger!"

This answer left both Lu Jin and Lu Lin stunned, then they couldn't help but laugh. This girl, she certainly thought things through clearly.

"It's good that you have this realization," Lu Jin nodded with satisfaction, "but remember, you must stay vigilant at all times. Even with Immortal Lin Xuan around, you cannot let your guard down."

At the same time, inside an office at the Na Du Tong Company headquarters, Xu Si was looking at the sky outside the window, his expression grave. Zhang Chulan sat opposite him, waiting quietly.

"The day to go to the Qinling Mountains is almost here," Xu Si withdrew his gaze and looked at Zhang Chulan, "Do you have any thoughts?"

Zhang Chulan shook his head: "No specific plans for now." He knew this operation was unusual, but he would only be able to judge what they might encounter once they arrived at the scene.

"Come with me." Xu Si suddenly stood up and led Zhang Chulan through several corridors to a hidden secret room.

Pushing open the heavy iron door, the blinding white light made Zhang Chulan uncomfortable for a moment. Once his vision cleared, he saw an unexpected scene—Liu Wukui, Harichagai, and Zhang Kun were being held inside.

Seeing Zhang Chulan enter, Liu Wukui immediately rushed to the door and loudly questioned him: "How is my brother Liu Hongzhong?" His voice was filled with anxiety and worry.

"Rest assured, he is fine," Zhang Chulan replied calmly, no emotional fluctuations visible on his face, "You can leave tomorrow."

This news left the three of them stunned. "Really?" Harichagai couldn't quite believe it, then immediately pressed, "Then the Sect Leader, he..."

"Ma Xianhong is also fine." Zhang Chulan cut him off bluntly. Regarding the fact that Ma Xianhong had already escaped, he chose to remain silent. Some truths were not yet suitable to be spoken aloud.

After leaving these words, Zhang Chulan turned and left the secret room. Xu Si followed behind him, nodding inwardly at the young man's performance. To have such growth in such a short time was truly surprising.

On the other side, in a quiet villa on the outskirts of the city, Xu San was looking at the clock on the wall. The afterglow of the sunset spilled in through the window, dyeing the entire room in a warm orange hue.

"It's about time," he turned and said to Feng Baobao, who was packing her luggage, "Once Fourth Brother and Little Zhang return, we can set off."

Feng Baobao nodded earnestly and continued to focus on organizing her luggage. Suddenly, she took a jar of her favorite pickled vegetables out of her backpack and carefully placed it into the suitcase.

"Bao'er," Xu San watched this scene and couldn't help but laugh out loud, "You don't need to bring those. There will be plenty of food on the road."

"But these are very delicious," Feng Baobao said with a serious face, "What if I get hungry on the road?" Her tone carried an unarguable firmness.

Xu San shook his head helplessly, watching Feng Baobao continue to pack. Suddenly, he thought of an important matter: "By the way, Bao'er, remember absolutely not to bring a knife on the plane. Otherwise, there will be trouble."

Speaking of this, Xu San felt very helpless; he didn't want to have to go to the police station every single time he took a flight...

"Mm." Feng Baobao nodded obediently, but the hand packing the pickled vegetables didn't stop at all. Her simplicity made Xu San feel both annoyed and amused.

"Should be able to bring pickled vegetables on a plane..." Xu San watched Feng Baobao's persistent manner and began to seriously consider this question. Just then, the sound of a car engine came from outside.

Xu San walked to the window and saw that Xu Si and Zhang Chulan's car had already pulled into the courtyard. The afterglow of the sun stretched their shadows long, as if foreshadowing the long journey to come.

"It's time to go." He said softly, his eyes carrying a hint of gravity. This trip to the Qinling Mountains was destined not to be peaceful. And each of them would face unprecedented challenges.