Chapter 50: An Invitation from a Prestigious Sect

Lu Qingyun never expected that Elder Hong would suddenly appear, nor did he expect that Elder Hong would strike against him.

Just moments before, Lu Qingyun had channeled all of his power, fully determined to kill Cui Jue.

That fellow had simply gone too far, repeatedly coming to stir up trouble for him. Lu Qingyun felt that if he let him go, he would never be able to clear this hurdle in his heart.

Therefore, Lu Qingyun chose to strike without hesitation. Since he had already decided to act against him, he might as well finish him off completely. He would face the same outcome either way.

The fellow was far too arrogant. If he were allowed to continue living, once they reached Vast Sea City, he might not even be able to keep his life.

Thus, Lu Qingyun chose a life-for-a-life approach. Death was death, and it did not matter anymore.

Taking one life meant breaking even; taking two meant a profit!

However, Elder Hong's sudden intervention truly caught him off guard.

Cui Jue naturally chose to play the villain crying victim first. He quickly scrambled up from the ground and shouted loudly, "You must teach him a proper lesson! This fellow has no respect for the rules and is wildly arrogant. He actually tried to attack me right here on the great ship, completely disregarding your words."

"Violent altercations are strictly forbidden aboard this vessel, yet he still attempted to murder me. Not only does he show no regard for the Cui family, but he has no respect for you either!"

Hearing this, Lu Qingyun knitted his brows tightly.

The fellow was blatantly twisting the truth. Everyone present had witnessed what happened just now, and they all saw what Cui Jue had done.

For him to utter such words now filled Lu Qingyun with intense fury.

"Elder Hong, he was the one who tried to attack us and even wanted to kill us! Even a cornered rabbit will bite. When he commits such outrageous acts, aren't we supposed to fight back?"

"You may punish me, or you may choose to strike me down, but I demand a reasonable explanation! By what right does he subject me to such treatment?"

Lu Qingyun was truly enraged this time, a state he rarely reached under normal circumstances.

Had his bottom line not been crossed, how could Lu Qingyun possibly have moved to kill him?

He was a person who respected the rules deeply; no matter where he went, he never violated them.

Elder Hong already had a certain understanding of Lu Qingyun, but as the guardian of this ship, he had to act according to the regulations.

Elder Hong looked between the two parties and surveyed the surrounding onlookers, then said with utmost seriousness, "I am not entirely clear on what just transpired between you, but I will investigate thoroughly and ensure you are given a satisfactory answer."

"As the guardian of this grand vessel, I must uphold the rules. Regardless of your status or how resounding your reputation might be in the outside world, I will ensure a fair outcome for all of you here!"

Lu Qingyun slowly nodded. Hearing this helped temper his anger somewhat.

A person striving to become strong must first learn to control their emotions.

If one cannot even master their own feelings, all efforts will be in vain.

Cui Jue, however, was in a state of absolute breakdown, having nearly been killed by Lu Qingyun moments ago.

He stammered tremblingly, "Elder Hong, you must dispense justice for me! I kindly invited them to partake in food, yet they treated me this way—especially Lu Qingyun, who actually prepared to murder me."

"We did have some conflict back at the dock, but I showed genuine sincerity by sharing tonight's banquet. Yet with his attitude, this is completely unacceptable to me..."

Lu Qingyun had already suppressed his anger, but hearing Cui Jue's shameless distortion of the facts provoked him once more.

Just as Lu Qingyun was about to speak, Meng Tianhai stopped him and whispered, "I trust Elder Hong. I hope you can trust him too!"

Normally, Lu Qingyun would never swallow such an injustice silently, but this time he managed to restrain his impulse.

Lu Qingyun slowly spoke up, "Very well, I trust Elder Hong!"

With that, Lu Qingyun prepared to leave, but Elder Hong called out to stop him.

"Lu Qingyun,崔珏, the two of you, come with me!"

The two looked uneasy, and when others tried to follow, Elder Hong stopped them.

"There is no need for you to follow. Do you not trust me?"

Lu Qingyun nodded to his companions, though Meng Li and the others still looked worried.

Cui Jue felt a flutter of anxiety in his heart, but with no other choice, he followed along.

After all, he still had considerable backing and a powerful family behind him; Elder Hong would not dare to do anything too severe to him.

Thus, the three of them entered Elder Hong's private quarters.

As soon as they stepped inside, Elder Hong set up a barrier, sealing the interior from any sounds leaking outside.

This barrier also possessed formidable defensive properties, making it extremely difficult for anyone to breach from the outside.

Elder Hong instructed the two of them to sit on opposite sides, looking at them with a stern expression.

"What on earth is going on between you two? I already have a preliminary understanding. Cui Jue, are you still not going to tell the truth?"

Hearing this, Cui Jue froze for a second, believing his actions had been foolproof.

In reality, however, as the guardian of this massive vessel, it was a simple matter for Elder Hong to know everything happening on board.

Faced with this interrogation, Cui Jue was left speechless, knowing full well that everything he had claimed was a lie.

Cui Jue stammered for a long time without speaking, unsure of what to say.

Elder Hong turned his gaze to Lu Qingyun, his expression still somewhat harsh as he said, "I know the incident happened suddenly, but did you consider the consequences of your actions? Have you ever thought about how much of an impact this would cause us?"

"You clearly could have chosen a wiser approach, yet you opted for such a rash method. I truly don't know what to say to you."

Cui Jue wore a smug look of triumph; after all, he was the one who had done wrong, yet the person being reprimanded was not him!

Although slightly puzzled at first, Lu Qingyun quickly caught on.

He nodded slowly and said in a measured tone, "This matter was indeed a lapse in judgment on my part. I truly should not have acted so impulsively..."

Hearing this, Elder Hong was somewhat surprised. He genuinely had not expected Lu Qingyun to grasp his intent so quickly.

On the way here, Lu Qingyun had been pondering deeply, believing that Elder Hong would never perform meaningless actions.

He could perceive that Elder Hong was trying to protect him by acting this way!

Someone needed to back down to save face for Elder Hong, making it easier for the guardian to handle the situation.

Looking at the triumphant Cui Jue, Elder Hong said expressionlessly, "Young Master Cui, you may rely on your family's influence to swagger and bluster here, and even use your clan's power to bully others. None of that is my concern."

"I am merely the guardian of this ship. All I ask is that you cooperate with me for these fifteen days. Once we reach Vast Sea City, whatever happens between you is no longer any business of mine..."

Clearly, Elder Hong wished to uphold justice, but the Cui family held far too much influence in Vast Sea City, causing him inevitable apprehension.

After all, the strength of the Cui family could not be underestimated!

Cui Jue was not a complete fool; he nodded slowly. "I know I share some blame as well. But once we reach Vast Sea City, you won't be able to interfere anymore, right?"

Evidently, Cui Jue had no intention of letting Lu Qingyun off. Once they arrived at Vast Sea City, Cui Jue would undoubtedly strike again.

Hearing the threat, Lu Qingyun shook his head lightly.

Faced with everything this fellow was orchestrating, Lu Qingyun could only deal with each challenge as it arose.

Their destination was Vast Sea City anyway, though he never anticipated that things would evolve into this state.

Before even arriving at their destination, an enemy had already been locked in.

Elder Hong sighed helplessly and said, "Indeed. Did I not make myself clear earlier? But let me offer you a word of warning: all calamities are self-inflicted, and no one can alter that outcome."

"The Cui family is indeed formidable, but that does not give them the right to run amok. You are both young men; when you can spare others, show some mercy!"

Regaining his confidence, Cui Jue let out a cold laugh, entirely dismissing the warning.

With extreme arrogance, Cui Jue sneered, "Heh, once I return to Vast Sea City, I will do as I please. Do I need to report to you for permission?"

He turned his gaze back to Lu Qingyun, a cold grin plastered across his face.

"Just wait. Unless you jump into the ocean right now and swim back, I guarantee you will pay a agonizing price!"

Lu Qingyun refused to show weakness. Meeting Cui Jue's gaze unflinchingly, he slowly replied, "Very well. Aside from relying on your family's power, you are capable of nothing. In my eyes, you will always be a loser—a wretch who nearly died at my hands!"

"If Elder Hong hadn't intervened in time, you would already be a corpse. You probably wouldn't even make it back to Vast Sea City alive; only your dead body would be shipped back."

Lu Qingyun's nonchalant demeanor was utterly infuriating.

Realizing he was no match for Lu Qingyun in a direct confrontation, Cui Jue turned and stormed off in a rage.

Before leaving, he did not forget to hiss a threat, "Fine, just you wait!"

Cui Jue departed angrily, leaving only Elder Hong and Lu Qingyun behind.

Once Cui Jue was gone, Lu Qingyun spoke up, "Elder Hong, thank you."

Lu Qingyun had always been a man who knew gratitude and understood reason.

Elder Hong let out a long sigh, his expression grim as he said, "Sigh... Some matters are simply beyond our control. Perhaps this is all destined by fate. Since the feud between you has begun, all you can do now is leave it to the heavens."

"If you feel that going there is too dangerous, I can find a way to provide you with a small boat so you can leave. The current situation remains extremely perilous..."

Elder Hong genuinely cherished talent; otherwise, why would he utter such words to him?

Given what had transpired, his willingness to continue helping Lu Qingyun was proof of the deep bond between Elder Hong and Meng Tianhai.

Lu Qingyun nodded solemnly. "The world is unpredictable, and many things are beyond our control. Leaving it to fate may be an acceptable outcome, but we cannot simply sit idly by and do nothing."

"Since this trouble has found its way to me, there is no escaping it. Besides, I have crucial business to attend to in Vast Sea City..."

If given the choice, who wouldn't prefer a smooth and tranquil journey along the path of cultivation?

Naturally, he wished to avoid the present predicament, but since it had already happened, Lu Qingyun chose to face it head-on.

Elder Hong said calmly, "Very well. As long as you have that resolve. But there is one more thing I must tell you."

Looking somewhat puzzled, Lu Qingyun listened as Elder Hong continued leisurely.

"However, I don't think you need to worry excessively. Tianhai holds a certain standing in Vast Sea City, and he has many influential friends there."

"Before we arrive, I will advance ahead into Vast Sea City and arrange for them to come out and welcome you. With their backing, the Cui family should not dare to act rashly..."

Hearing this, Lu Qingyun felt deeply grateful and smiled slightly.

"I'd rather not trouble others with my personal affairs. Sometimes, it places you in a difficult position as well, and I wish to avoid that."

"I appreciate your good intentions, but whatever you decide to do is beyond my control. If there is nothing else, I will take my leave..."

With that, Lu Qingyun departed, and Elder Hong did not stop him.

However, after Lu Qingyun left, Elder Hong began calculating other matters in his mind.

Just as Lu Qingyun stepped out of Elder Hong's quarters and reached the doorway, an elderly man with a warm smile greeted him.

Lu Qingyun asked with slight confusion, "Are you looking for me?"

Having never seen this elder before, Lu Qingyun noted his youthful complexion and white hair—clearly a martial master of peerless caliber.

The elder brought no attendants with him. He simply smiled gently at Lu Qingyun and spoke slowly, "Young man, your performance left me astounded. Since you have offended that brat, he will never let you go. However, if you are willing to join my sect, I can guarantee your absolute safety."

Hearing this, Lu Qingyun was puzzled.

After a moment of thought, Lu Qingyun shook his head. "I have no intention of joining any sect at the moment. I appreciate your kind offer, but may I leave now?"

Lu Qingyun understood that he had caught this person's eye solely because of the strength he had displayed.

Unwilling to give up, the elder smiled and said, "Heh, young man, you haven't even asked which sect I belong to, yet you refuse so quickly? Won't you reconsider?"

"Are you not afraid of death?"