Starting as the young master of a medicine shop, he practiced swordsmanship for twenty years.

Chapter 314 A Long-Awaited Tenderness! A Century of Seclusion Imminent!

Nestled amidst mountains, a magnificent complex of buildings rises from the ground, resembling a masterpiece created by a celestial being.

The glazed golden roof shimmered with colorful light under the morning sun, and the auspicious beast stone carvings crouching on the nine-tiered eaves were lifelike.

Inside the central hall, the spirit tea on the sandalwood table was steaming with white mist.

The two elderly men at the head of the table were chatting and laughing when they were suddenly interrupted by a series of hurried footsteps.

"Father! Father!"

A young woman came running in, lifting the hem of her blue skirt, her hairpins jingling.

She didn't even bother to wipe the fine sweat from her forehead, her almond-shaped eyes brimming with undisguised joy: "Xiang Rong and Xiang Lin can walk now!"

The young woman was none other than Lu Qingqing.

The two elderly men seated at the head of the table were Shen Yunwei and Lu Jiahe.

Lu Jiahe, sitting on the left, was about to scold his daughter when he noticed that her hair was still damp with morning dew and her embroidered shoes were covered with bits of grass, indicating that she had rushed over.

Lu Jiahe's stern face instantly softened into a smile, his eyes brimming with tenderness.

"You little rascal..."

He tapped his finger lightly, but his voice softened, "You're a mother now, and you're still so reckless."

"My dear in-law Shen, I'm sorry you had to see this."

Shen Yunwei, standing to the side, stroked his beard and chuckled, picking up where Lu Jiahe left off and speaking slowly and deliberately.

"My dear in-law Lu, you are mistaken."

Shen Yunwei's gaze swept across the outside of the hall, and as he looked at his two great-grandsons who were slowly walking towards him, a kind light appeared in his eyes.

"Qingqing's pure and innocent heart is a blessing to the Shen family."

Before long, a silvery laugh came from outside the hall.

Two young children wearing red silk bibs were wobbling as they stepped over the threshold.

The gilded bell on her wrist rang out with each step.

The boy had a round face with two big, dark eyes that looked like black grapes.

The girl was lovely and delicate, with a butterfly hairpin in her hair that trembled gently as she walked, as if it were about to take flight.

"Ouch!"

My precious grandson!

Lu Jiahe didn't even have time to put down his teacup before rushing forward to meet him.

The old man squatted down and opened his arms, his dark brocade robe spreading out like clouds on the jade floor tiles.

"Xiang Rong, Xiang Lin, come quickly to Grandpa!"

The boy, Xiao Xiangrong, suddenly quickened his pace, and was about to fall.

In that split second, a faint golden halo suddenly appeared around him, and he actually floated steadily three feet in the air!

"This is.…..?"

The teacup in Shen Yunwei's hand cracked open with a "crack," and tea slowly seeped out along the crack.

He was completely unaware, his gaze fixed on the outside of the hall, his expression filled with surprise.

Before Shen Yunwei could get up, a gentle breeze blew in from outside the hall, carrying the unique fragrance of grass and trees from the mountains and forests.

A tall, slender figure had appeared at the vermilion threshold, seemingly descending from the heavens like a celestial being.

The man wore a flowing, dark black robe; the soft fabric billowed and swayed automatically in the still, windless air.

The flowing cloud pattern, meticulously embroidered in gold thread, shimmered brilliantly in the soft light.

"Two little rascals."

The newcomer parted his lips slightly and chuckled softly, his voice like the clear ringing of a jade chime, echoing leisurely in the hall.

He moved with light steps, and although he only took one step, there seemed to be a black and gold light flowing around his body.

It was as if he was walking on invisible clouds, and in an instant he was in front of the two children.

With a gentle flick of his wide sleeves, the two babies were firmly drawn into his arms.

"Uncle... Uncle!"

The two little ones called out in their sweet, childlike voices, their rosy faces full of surprise, their tiny, lotus-root-like hands flailing about in the air.

The target was the few round, bright pearls on the man's brocade robe. A trickle of saliva dripped from the corner of her mouth and onto the man's robe.

When Lu Jiahe looked up and saw who it was, his cloudy eyes suddenly lit up.

Like a withered tree blossoming in spring, it regained its radiance, and the layers of wrinkles on its face completely smoothed out at this moment.

"Xuan'er!"

Lu Jiahe's voice trembled. He slowly raised his withered arm, the veins on the back of his hand bulging and trembling slightly, as if trying to calm his inner excitement.

"Big brother-"

Lu Qingqing rushed over like a swallow returning to its nest, the golden hairpin in her hair jingling with her movements, the crisp sound echoing in the hall.

She clung to Lu Xuan's right arm without a care in the world, tears welling up in her eyes, threatening to spill over at any moment.

That was the look of tears of joy.

"Father, Grandpa Shen!"

Lu Xuan immediately greeted Lu Jiahe and Shen Yunwei ahead.

Then, he slowly turned his head, his eyes instantly filled with doting affection, and looked at his little sister.

"I'll probably stay here for a year this time."

At this moment, Shen Yunwei, who had been quietly observing Lu Xuan, suddenly spoke up, his tone filled with concern and caution: "Xiao Xuan, have you resolved the matters outside?"

Lu Xuan naturally understood Shen Yunwei's meaning, and he nodded slowly and steadily.

"Well, everything's pretty much sorted out. It's time to head back."

At that time, the situation was extremely critical. The eight major families and the five transcendent forces hated Lu Xuan to the bone and wanted to get rid of him as soon as possible.

Since Lu Xuan was about to enter the Spirit Ruins, he had no choice but to move the Shen and Lu families to this secluded place as a precaution.

Now, of the thirteen once powerful and invincible forces that dominated the Great Xia Dynasty, only the Li family, the Mo family, and the Shangguan family remain.

Those remnants who managed to escape had absolutely no chance of escaping, and Lu Xuan didn't even need to take action himself.

The three major families—the Great Xia royal family, the Li family, and the others—will undoubtedly do everything in their power to protect their own interests and authority.

The entire world is being hunted down for those forces that attempt to rebel. The remnants of the five aristocratic families and the five transcendent powers will be eradicated without exception.

Then, Lu Xuan carefully handed his two little nephews, whom he was holding, to his father.

The little ones blinked their round eyes, not quite understanding what was going on, waving their little hands in the air and babbling incoherently.

Lu Xuan suddenly raised his sleeve and waved it—

"boom!"

The world suddenly changed color!

The next moment, a strange scene unfolded where everyone's eyes were focused.

The light seemed to be manipulated by an invisible hand, flowing in reverse, as if the world was being reshuffled, with the outlines of mountains and buildings twisting and changing.

The entire valley suddenly distorted as if reflected in water, and the glazed golden roof began to peel away piece by piece.

The auspicious beast statues on the nine-tiered eaves suddenly let out a mournful cry and vanished in a stream of light.

The Lu and Shen families outside the building complex stared in horror at their own bodies.

A mysterious black-gold light was gradually spreading to every corner of the body.

The Lu and Shen families, who were completely unaware of what was happening inside the house, suddenly noticed the anomaly and began to crane their necks out.

Everyone looked around in all directions, their faces filled with shock.

As time passed, this extremely luxurious architectural complex, hidden among the mountains, seemed to be ruthlessly eroded by the years.

Little by little, it turned into dust that danced in the air, scattering in the wind. "Houses, valleys, they're all disappearing!"

Liang Cheng stared wide-eyed at the strange changes in his surroundings.

The black-gold barrier that had once enveloped the mountains was now crumbling apart at a visible speed, like a shattered glass lamp.

Gradually, Liang Cheng raised his head, staring blankly at the sky, his lips trembling slightly.

After a long pause, he finally spoke, dazed, "What...what exactly happened?"

"How did the heaven and earth seal set up by Brother Xuan disappear?"

At that moment, a bold idea flashed through Liang's mind.

Liang Cheng's pupils constricted sharply, and his face instantly lit up with a mixture of surprise and joy. He roared to the sky, "It's Brother Xuan!"

"Brother Xuan is back!"

Liang Cheng's words still echoed in the air, and everyone in this mountain complex was gently swept over by this soft black-gold light.

In the blink of an eye, everyone vanished into thin air without a trace, as if they had never existed.

Qingyun County!
When the group reappeared, they only felt a blur before their eyes, and when they opened them again, they saw all the familiar things around them.

On the bluestone road, the main gate of the Lu family's long-silent mansion creaked open automatically.

The withered trees in the courtyard came back to life, the old well gushed forth springs, and even the wind chimes under the eaves, which had been covered in dust for many years, suddenly began to sway merrily with a "ding-a-ling".

The once somewhat desolate Lu family mansion suddenly became bustling with activity, filled with people.

"came back!"

"Hahaha!

"Uncle Liang Cheng, I'm finally back!"

Liang Cheng stood on the ground with his hands on his hips, and his loud laughter startled a flock of sparrows under the eaves.

He looked as if he had conquered the world single-handedly.

They were practically flying, chest puffed out high, nostrils almost pointing to the sky.

Just as Liang Cheng was about to become so arrogant that he felt like he was floating on air, a sharp "smack" rang out, and a crisp finger snapped right onto his head.

The sound was exceptionally loud, echoing above the Lu family mansion, startling the birds in the nearby trees into taking flight.

Liang Cheng cried out in pain, and immediately turned around as if by reflex.

"Ouch!"

Liang Cheng covered his head and turned around. When he saw who it was, his face immediately broke into a silly grin: "Brother Xuan!"

"I'm just not homesick..."

However, Liang Cheng's smug smile didn't last long.

Lu Xuan's next words were like a bucket of cold water, completely extinguishing his joy.

Liang Cheng's face, which had been flushed and filled with excitement, suddenly drooped, and his expression turned terrified.

His eyes widened in disbelief.

Lu Xuan stood with his hands behind his back, his eyes seemingly reflecting a myriad of stars.

The hem of the long robe below her waist moved without wind, fluttering and emitting a heart-stopping hum.

"Liang Cheng, it seems you've been living quite comfortably these days."

Lu Xuan's voice wasn't loud, but it carried an undeniable air of authority.

"For the next year, you, Yunqing, and the other juniors will all be in seclusion with me for arduous cultivation!"
"Without my order, no one is allowed to step out of the Lu family compound!"

As soon as he said those words, Liang Cheng felt a wave of dizziness.

The next second, his legs went weak, and he collapsed to the ground, tears welling up in his eyes.

Finally, she quickly moved forward, grabbed Lu Xuan's thighs tightly with both hands, and begged for mercy like a spoiled child.

"No!"

"Brother Xuan, I was wrong, please forgive me this time, a year is too long!"

He shouted as he looked up at Lu Xuan pitifully, his expression as miserable as could be.

"I can handle cultivation myself!"

"I'll go now!"

Liang Cheng cried so hard that his face was covered in snot and tears, and his voice was thick with nasal congestion. He even raised his arm and wiped his face haphazardly.

"Look at my skinny arms and legs, how could I withstand your torment, Brother Xuan!"

No one in the entire Lu family understood Lu Xuan's methods better than Liang Cheng.

My cousin is incredibly ruthless.

Every time he practiced, it felt like he was being pushed to his death.

The intense training and stringent requirements made Liang Cheng feel like he was crawling and struggling through a thicket of sharp thorns, his body riddled with wounds.

But his cousin Lu Xuan had a magical ability to turn the rotten into the miraculous.

No matter how badly injured, even if they are barely clinging to life.

He also has a way to cure you instantly, making you feel energetic and healthy without any problems.

However, the pain of that arduous training was real, and Liang Cheng truly suffered a great deal.

After each training session, my bones felt like they were shattered, and my muscles ached so much that I couldn't even move my fingers.

Although this hellish training method allowed his strength to improve rapidly, his progress was so rapid that it was like a thousand miles a day.

However, the process itself was extremely difficult for Liang Cheng.

Every day felt like torture in hell; it was like an eternity.

Liang Cheng couldn't help but shudder when he thought about the days when he was "tortured" by Lu Xuan.

He was truly terrified of being tormented by his cousin, Lu Xuan.

At that moment, all he could think about was how to escape this calamity.

However, Liang Cheng's opinion was clearly not within Lu Xuan's consideration.

"Liang Cheng, stop pretending."

Lu Xuan frowned slightly, a hint of disappointment flashing in his eyes.

"With your cousin's abilities, there is no one in the entire world who is qualified to be personally taught by me!"

"And you, you're still making excuses."

Lu Xuan glanced disdainfully at Liang Cheng, who was still lying on the ground like a lump of mud.

Without saying a word, Lu Xuan raised his foot and kicked him away without any mercy.

"Boom!"

With a loud crash, Liang Cheng's body slammed heavily into an ancient tree inside the mansion.

The thick tree trunks trembled violently, and large swaths of leaves fell like a rain of leaves, scattering around Liang Cheng.

"What outrageous thing has this unfilial son done now?"

Not far away, Liang Cheng's biological father watched this scene, but instead of feeling sorry for him, he frowned and looked full of blame.

"Alright, it's good for him to have Xiao Xuan help educate Xiao Cheng."

Liang Cheng's mother chimed in from the side, letting out a soft sigh, her eyes filled with helplessness.

The reason Lu Xuan set aside a year was to personally teach the younger generation of the Lu and Shen families.

That's because he's going into seclusion.

This time, Lu Xuan had a premonition that he might have to go into seclusion for over a hundred years.

During this time, he would leave behind some means of protection for his relatives.

A century is enough time to witness the birth, aging, sickness, and death of mortals!
(End of this chapter)