Chapter 94: Breaking Free (1/2)
Wayfarer wouldn’t stay in Dusk Province, of course. Lu Yun had been wondering how to form a connection with the man, only to find out the moment he woke up that Wayfarer wanted Wanfeng as a disciple.
Seeing her master’s agreement, Wanfeng exhaled softly in relief. The senior had shown her many things during the three days that Lu Yun had spent asleep. Though she wasn’t formally apprenticed to him yet, the relationship was already established.
……
Rather than a grand ceremony, Wayfarer simply accepted a cup of tea from the maid in the grand hall of the city lord manor, thus becoming her official teacher. However, he then immediately raised the idea of leaving the province with her.
According to him, Dusk Province was too ruined to foster any great talents and staying would only be a waste of her potential. Hence, no matter how reluctant she was, Lu Yun kicked her out in the end.
Wayfarer’s words were the stark truth. She wouldn’t be able to grow if she were confined to Dusk Province, and her empyrean-grade spiritual root would likewise wilt into obsolescence.
“Follow your teacher and cultivate properly. You can come back and protect me once you become an immortal,” he told her with a smile.
The maid nodded with fatalistic determination and glanced back every other step as she walked away with her new teacher.
“Having second thoughts?” Qing Han gave a half-smile at Lu Yun’s regretful gaze. “Honestly, you can leave the province with her.” A strange feeling rose in his heart when he uttered these words. “A heavyweight like Wayfarer can guarantee your safety. The Lu Clan wouldn’t dare voice any objections even if you gave up the position of governor,” he said after a moment of thought.
Lu Yun slowly shook his head. “No need.” Standing on the walls of Duskriver City, he gazed into the distance. “I need Dusk Province. The province will help me revitalize my sect. That little bit of obstacle to come isn’t enough to make me flee with my tail between my legs.”
“Your sect?” Qing Han blinked. Before coming to the province, he’d studied Lu Yun’s background but hadn’t found anything that mentioned a sect.
“Correct, my sect.” Lu Yun nodded. “I’m currently the only one left. That’s why I need a stout foundation to rebuild it from the ground up!” He wanted the tomb raider lineage to shine in all its glory in the immortal world.
“You have my support!” Qing Han clapped his shoulder with a smile. “When you formally establish your sect, remember to save a founding elder seat for me.”
“Deal!” Lu Yun laughed heartily.
“That reminds me,” something occurred to Qing Han and he turned serious, “be wary of the Skandha Range.”
“The Skandha Range?” Lu Yun snapped to inner attention.
“Li Xing, the one who came with me, is from there. He’s been wanting to kill you in order to avenge the old willow tree spirit that died in Dusk City.” Qing Han was incomparably solemn. “The Skandha Range is home to age-old inheritances and unfathomable mysteries. More than one earthshaking powerhouse comes from there. Although it declined alongside Dusk Province, many still consider it home, Li Xing among them. He left it about a thousand years ago.”
Lu Yun nodded slowly. Twelve hundred years ago, the willow spirit had wrought destruction upon the province. As the governor back then, Yuying had hunted it down in person, prompting the spirit to flee into the Skandha Range for shelter.
“I should get going as well.” Qing Han’s mood dipped all of a sudden, his reluctance bleeding through.
“Yes.” Lu Yun nodded. He knew the imperial envoy was originally scheduled to leave after the Dusk River Sacrament. Only, overly exhausted, Lu Yun had fallen asleep for three days. As a result, Qing Han had waited all this time, intent on not leaving before he’d said a proper goodbye.
“When you go back, please thank Qing Yu for me. I know she’s no crone,” Lu Yun requested as he recalled the girl who’d saved his life twice.
“I will,” Qing Han promised. “Do you want to see her?”
Startled, a small smile graced Lu Yun’s face. “Don’t tell her I called her a crone.”
Under the setting sun, Qing Han’s silhouette slowly vanished from view.
……
“We failed to obtain the Formation Orb, and that castrate also mysteriously died. How are we supposed to report to the prince?!”