Chapter 14: Fairness for You

Chapter 14: Chapter 14: Fairness for You

On the fifth floor of the Lingjiang Pavilion.

"You did well downstairs just now. Handled it very cleanly and efficiently."

Mu Lingyan looked out at the scenery, not even bothering to turn her head.

"This is the only way for nobodies at the bottom like us to protect ourselves. Throw one solid punch now to avoid a hundred more later," Lu Yuan replied calmly.

"Throw one solid punch now to avoid a hundred more later..."

Mu Lingyan turned her head, surprise flickering in her eyes.

Such a short phrase, yet it contained immense wisdom.

"You should know who I am, right?"

"Marquis Weiyuan’s Mansion, the Mu Family," Lu Yuan answered, giving a polite bow.

This gesture was out of respect for the Marquis Mansion.

"My purpose for calling you here is very simple. I want you to leave Siyao. You are not worthy of her," Mu Lingyan said bluntly.

"As long as Siyao thinks I am worthy, that’s enough. No one else matters," Lu Yuan said, shaking his head.

"Refusing to listen to advice. You really don’t know what’s good for you," Mu Lingyan sighed. "Do you know what happens when you force yourself to stay where you don’t belong? You will face endless troubles and storms in the future.

"I’m not threatening you; that is simply a fact."

"Then who is worthy?" Lu Yuan asked. "The Mu Family?"

Mu Lingyan’s gaze slightly narrowed. "It is a fact. Even if you are unwilling to accept it, there is nothing you can do."

"Heh." Lu Yuan chuckled. "Allow me to be so bold as to ask: besides the Marquis, can the Mu Family produce another Second Grade powerhouse?"

"What do you mean?" Mu Lingyan raised an eyebrow.

Becoming a Second Grade powerhouse was astronomically difficult. Across the entire Daqian Dynasty, an average of only one emerged every few centuries.

A family would thank their lucky stars to produce just one. It would require pooling their entire foundation and the accumulated good karma of eight lifetimes.

Producing two was exceedingly rare.

Three or more...

Unless it was the Imperial Family, or separated by tens of thousands of years, it was virtually impossible.

"What about the Third Grade? How many can you produce?" Lu Yuan asked again.

Mu Lingyan found it hard to answer.

The Third Grade was relatively easier, but still incredibly difficult.

The ultimate goal of a Noble Family’s Descendant like them was usually the Third Grade.

In truth, reaching the Fourth Grade was already no easy feat; it was exceptionally formidable.

"Are you implying that you can reach the Third Grade, or even the Second Grade in the future?" she asked.

"My point is that a Noble Family might not prosper forever," Lu Yuan said earnestly. "If we are talking about a relationship, then let’s talk about the relationship. Why must we bring up backgrounds and whether someone is worthy or not?

"What kind of logic is that?

"It’s better to keep things pure. Siyao and I share a mutual affection, and that alone is enough. It is incomparable to anything else.

"I will pretend I never heard Miss Mu’s words."

"Heh." Mu Lingyan shook her head, sneering.

"But in this world, everything ultimately relies on strength.

"The Marquis Mansion represents that strength. We have resources, authority, and boundless assistance.

"With Siyao’s aptitude, she will become at least a Fourth Grade powerhouse in the future.

"And if she receives the support of the Marquis Mansion, her chances of reaching the Third Grade will increase significantly.

"What about you? Will you reach the Seventh Grade? Sixth Grade? Or perhaps the Fifth Grade?"

The ceiling for ordinary people was very low; typically, the Seventh Grade was their absolute limit.

Reaching anything above the Sixth Grade was too difficult and exceedingly rare.

The Fifth Grade was as rare as phoenix feathers and unicorn horns.

And she didn’t believe Lu Yuan could ever reach the Fifth Grade.

"Coupled with Siyao’s beauty and the Lin Family’s background and resources, do you truly think you are worthy? Do you think you can hold on to her?"

"Thank you for your concern, Miss Mu, but these are not things you need to worry about. As long as Siyao does not look down on me, I will never willingly leave her," Lu Yuan said, cupping his hands.

Who did she think she was? Talk about overstepping!

"Selfish! So incredibly selfish and hopelessly stubborn!" Mu Lingyan gritted her teeth. "Since you are so confident, I will give you a chance.

"I won’t use True Essence. As long as you can last a hundred moves against me, or defeat me, I will never interfere with the matter between you and Siyao again.

"But if you can’t..."

"I’d like to ask, on what grounds? This hardly seems fair to me," Lu Yuan said, his fists clenched tight and his long saber trembling slightly.

"This is the fairness I am giving you!

"On what grounds? On the grounds of strength, naturally."

Mu Lingyan stepped forward, rolling her wrists.

[You and Mu Lingyan have had a very friendly exchange and formed an alliance, but one final trial remains.]

[Quest Issued: Reveal your strength and defeat Mu Lingyan, who is not using True Essence or Inner Strength. Unyielding Will may be used. Reward: 1000 Experience Points.]

"..."

Lu Yuan was speechless.

Friendly? Exchange?

Right now, he wanted nothing more than to slap Mu Lingyan across her face a few times.

Still, triggering an experience reward wasn’t bad. He was getting closer and closer to reaching the perfection stage in his Fist Technique.

"Must Miss Mu be so aggressive?"

"Come." Mu Lingyan beckoned with her finger.

CLANG!

Lu Yuan drew his long saber and tossed the sheath aside.

"Then don’t blame me for offending you!"

"If you can actually scratch me, I might just think a bit higher of you," Mu Lingyan scoffed dismissively.

SWISH!

Lu Yuan dashed toward Mu Lingyan in an instant, slashing out forcefully with his blade.

It wasn’t any specific Saber Technique, just a simple, straightforward chop.

But in his current hands, it was absolutely nothing to be underestimated.

SWOOSH!

Mu Lingyan simply tilted her body slightly to the side, dodging the blow.

It was completely effortless; she hadn’t strained herself in the slightest.

With a twist of his wrist, Lu Yuan brought his long saber around and slashed again.

SWISH!

SWOOSH!

Mu Lingyan easily dodged it once more.

SWISH! SWISH! SWISH!

SWOOSH! SWOOSH! SWOOSH!

Lu Yuan unleashed a relentless flurry of fierce slashes. Yet, Mu Lingyan maintained a calm expression, dodging as if she were taking a leisurely stroll through a courtyard.

The fundamental gap between the two was simply too vast.

Mu Lingyan was a Seventh-Grade Martial Artist. Even without using her True Essence or Inner Strength, her realm and insight were still there.

Moreover, her physical body had been nourished and tempered by True Qi and True Essence. It was incredibly powerful—lifting a thousand-pound boulder would be no problem for her.

Coupled with the profound foundation of the Mu Family’s Martial Arts Skills.

With her comprehensive strength, even an Eighth-Grade Martial Artist wouldn’t have an easy time winning against her in this state.

"Is this all you have? Too weak," Mu Lingyan shook her head in disdain. "Mediocre Saber Technique, mediocre Martial Arts, and perfectly average aptitude.

"With just this, what right do you have to be with Siyao? You fall incredibly short."

"I’m not good enough, and you are—then fight back!" Lu Yuan shouted fiercely, the long saber in his hand suddenly accelerating.

In an instant, he unleashed four slashes!

Wind-Breaking Four Slashes!

"Hmm?" Mu Lingyan’s expression slightly shifted, but she remained completely unpanicked.

She reached out and lightly flicked her finger.

CLANG!

Her finger struck the long saber dead center. The blade shuddered and vibrated violently, nearly flying out of his grasp.

Lu Yuan hurriedly tightened his grip on the saber and slashed again.

Wind-Breaking Five Slashes!

CLANG!

Mu Lingyan extended her finger and struck the blade once more.

"Not enough, not enough. You’re still far too weak."

For the first time, Lu Yuan truly understood the terrifying prowess of a Noble Family’s Descendant.

Wind-Breaking Six Slashes!

SWISH! SWISH! SWISH!

In an instant, six slashes tore through the air.

This was the strongest move he was currently capable of executing.

Mu Lingyan’s eyebrow slightly twitched.

She finally felt a sense of pressure.

After all, by refraining from using True Essence and relying entirely on her physical strength, she was severely limiting herself.

SWOOSH!

Mu Lingyan dodged; she chose not to block it head-on.

"Is this the extent of your strength?

"It’s far too lacking.

"Not good enough!"

"It’s enough to cut you down!"

Lu Yuan abruptly triggered his Unyielding Will. In an instant, his vitality, energy, and spirit surged, elevating to a whole new level.

Wind-Breaking Eight Slashes!

SWISH! SWISH! SWISH!

Eight streaks of saber qi slashed out, crisscrossing in a lethal web.

They completely locked down the space within a several-meter radius.

Mu Lingyan’s expression finally changed as a sense of fatal pressure washed over her.

This attack was incredibly powerful; it was strong enough to threaten an Eighth-Grade Martial Artist.

The maid standing nearby couldn’t help but tense up. She gripped a dagger in her hand, fully prepared to intervene at any moment.

"Ahhh!"

Lu Yuan didn’t stop there. He unleashed yet another slash.

Wind-Breaking Nine Slashes!