Mountain and River Festival

Chapter 443 I killed your son to your face, what can you do?
Lu Xingzhou arrived at the Huo family residence around the same time as Huo Jin's body.

He arrived a little earlier, and when he did, the Huo family was punishing Edward Yang.

Huo Qi's confession was incredibly detailed, even revealing his past crimes, and it was impossible for him to omit what happened that night. Now everyone knows that when Huo Qi was drinking alone, Yang Dechang had talked to him about the struggle for the heir apparent, which triggered Huo Qi's evil intentions.

But Yang Dechang cried out that he was more wronged than anyone else: "Grand Tutor, Marquis, I am wronged! The young master was drinking alone, and I was just trying to keep him company. What could I say? He was just upset about the second young master's threat. I just said a few words along the lines. Who knew he would have such murderous intent!"

Everyone knows the real problem is that Huo Qi himself harbored murderous intent; Yang Dechang can't really be blamed much. The statement that the real opponent was Huo Zhang was essentially a truism; if someone could harbor murderous intent because of that statement, whose fault is that?

The servants and guards all felt that Old Yang was wronged, but who told you to go and drink with your full stomach? Now that something happened, how can you not take the blame and vent your anger?
As expected, Huo Liancheng coldly replied, "The struggle for the heir apparent is none of your business to gossip and comment."

When this was brought up, Edward Yang had no choice but to admit his mistake: "Your subordinate knows he was wrong."

Huo Liancheng coldly said, "Use family discipline!"

Yang Dechang was a retainer of the Huo family and was subject to the family law. However, this law did not specify which article it was based on. If it was based on instigating brothers to fight, then he would be beaten to death without any recourse.

Yang Dechang had no idea what the Grand Tutor was thinking at that moment. Was he regretting that he had raised such a third-rank retainer for so many years and was going to let him off easily with just a few beatings, or was he going to beat him until he had vented his anger?
If it's the latter, then he might really be beaten to the point of barely having a breath left, or even die alongside Huo Zhang.

Yang Dechang was being pinned down by several servants, and just as the steel whip was about to strike, Lu Xingzhou's calm voice came from behind: "Stop."

Huo Liancheng said, "The boat trip is a family matter. This man instigated the brothers to fight and should be punished."

"Family matters..." Lu Xingzhou smiled. "Does the Grand Tutor mean that I have no right to interfere in the Huo family's affairs?"

"When..." Huo Liancheng had only uttered one word when he suddenly realized, "Xingzhou's words mean..."

"Am I not a member of the Huo family?" Lu Xingzhou asked calmly, as if stating a mundane fact.

But this was the first time in a long time that he had publicly and truly identified himself as a member of the Huo family in front of all the Huo family members, even when he went to the ancestral hall last time.

"Good, good!" Huo Liancheng and Huo Xingyuan stood up at the same time, their gloomy mood brightening by a third.

It gives the impression that once Lu Xingzhou is obtained, whether Huo Qi and Huo Zhang live or die doesn't seem to matter much anymore.

Huo Heng, standing next to him, had a face as black as the bottom of a pot.

Lu Xingzhou smiled and reached out to help Yang Dechang up: "Uncle Yang is the only retainer I know in the Huo family. Give him to me."

Edward Yang was so moved that he didn't know how to express it. At that moment, he truly felt like a scholar would die for a friend who understood him.

Since whether or not they would be beaten to death was just speculation, and with Lu Xingzhou standing there, the possibility of him being beaten to death was even lower in order to avoid being laughed at; most likely, they would only be given a few symbolic blows. On the contrary, Lu Xingzhou's open defense would easily make Huo Liancheng and Huo Xingyuan suspect that they had been colluding all along, or even that Lu Xingzhou was the one who instigated the incident.

But Lu Xingzhou didn't care at all; he was practically exposing himself just to avoid being beaten.

Sure enough, Huo Xingyuan narrowed his eyes: "Xingzhou and Dechang are very familiar with each other?"

"Back then, didn't the Marquis ask Uncle Yang to bring me the land deed for the Huo family's old residence?" Lu Xingzhou said calmly. "As for Huo Qi's matter... to be honest, if he would kill his brother over a casual remark, then it was bound to happen sooner or later. Taking one's anger out on others is pointless. Besides..."

He laughed again: "I accidentally kicked Huo Qi's manhood just now, please don't be offended."

I was originally going to let someone smooth things over, even though it was nothing serious, but at this moment it just exploded.

Huo Liancheng, his white beard trembling, stammered, "You...you..."

“Since we’ve all given up on him, there’s no need to have a conflict with me over that good-for-nothing, right?” Lu Xingzhou smiled warmly. “After all, when he beat Huo Shang like that back then, you all thought the same thing.”

Huo Liancheng: "..."

Just as Huo Xingyuan was about to say something, a voice outside announced the death of a young master: "My lord... the Fifth Young Master Huo just died suddenly in prison."

Huo Xingyuan suddenly stood up, and the Huo family members rushed out the door to greet him. They saw someone carrying a stretcher covered with a white sheet, carrying Huo Jin's body inside.

Huo Liancheng took two steps back, his old eyes filled with disbelief.

The Huo family has a history of secretly killing others in prison and claiming they died of sudden illness, but they never imagined that such a thing would happen to them one day.

Huo Xingyuan, his hands trembling, lifted the white cloth, glanced at it, and angrily covered it back up: "Who did this! Investigate for me!"

“This…” The man carrying the body glanced at him, sighed, and remained silent.

Huo Xingyuan's heart skipped a beat, and he suddenly turned to look at Huo Heng.

Huo Heng's face showed fear; he knew he had become a suspect.

But he didn't do it!

"It wasn't me!" Huo Heng exclaimed urgently, "It really wasn't me, Father, Grandfather, believe me! I really didn't do it!"

Huo Xingyuan stared intently at him, spitting out through gritted teeth, "It better not be you! From today onwards, you're grounded at home and not allowed to go anywhere!" The exact culprit still needs to be investigated, but Huo Heng is definitely the prime suspect.

He had both the motive and the ability. The third master of the Huo family was also a doctor, and he had handled similar shady matters more than once or twice before.

"It's Lu Xingzhou, it must be Lu Xingzhou!" Huo Heng shouted as he was dragged away by the servants, "He has a motive too! If I am also convicted, he can really seize the family business!"

Yes, if all the Huo family descendants were to perish, then the family fortune would have to be given to Lu Xingzhou, whether he wanted to or not. Although he himself was a viscount, seemingly unsuitable to inherit the marquis's estate, this was merely a mediation measure suggested by the emperor, not a hard separation—the simplest solution was to have two children, one to inherit his viscountcy and the other to inherit the marquis's estate.

Meeting Huo Liancheng and Huo Xingyuan's gaze, Lu Xingzhou slowly walked forward and patted Huo Heng's face.

Just as the two thought he was going to argue with Huo Heng, Lu Xingzhou suddenly exerted force and snapped Huo Heng's neck with a "crack".

Huo Heng stared in disbelief, and the entire audience was horrified!
Huo Liancheng and Huo Xingyuan never expected things to turn out this way, and instinctively they attacked: "Beast, stop!"

"Bang!" A soft light descended from the sky, like the moon reflected in a river.

The two bursts of energy couldn't even get within a foot of Lu Xingzhou before being repelled.

"Imperial Preceptor!" Huo Liancheng looked up suddenly, but Ye Tinglan was nowhere to be seen.

"Ha...hahahaha!" Lu Xingzhou burst into laughter: "I advise you two to think carefully before you make a move...Now that Huo Qi is in exile, his lineage is gone. All his other sons are dead, and I am the only one left of the Huo family bloodline, hahahaha!"

"You, you..." Huo Liancheng clutched his chest, unable to speak for a moment.

"What? Hard to accept?" Lu Xingzhou smiled. "But back then, when they killed Huo Shang, how could you act like nothing happened? Because you had too many sons? Well, you don't have any now."

“You beast…you beast…” Huo Xingyuan’s hands and feet were ice cold.

Yes, he has no descendants now; the Huo family bloodline consists of only Lu Xingzhou.

If the Huo family bloodline is to continue, then Lu Xingzhou cannot be killed; in fact, he must be covered up and not exposed to the outside world for punishment.

Lu Xingzhou still smiled and said, "How about... you marry another one now, quickly create a new account, maybe there's still hope? Before that, whether you want to touch me or not is up to you to decide."

The Huo family, father and son, who had been domineering all their lives, had never had such a moment of mental blankness.

Watching my son's neck being twisted and broken right in front of me, I didn't know whether I should confront the murderer...

Go raise a new account now? Historically, the stronger the life form, the more difficult it is to reproduce. Once Huo Xingyuan reaches the first rank, it will be very difficult for him to have children. What if he starts now and then can't have any more? What if he gives birth to a girl?

If Lu Xingzhou is harmed, will the family line truly be completely cut off?
Was this ending sown the moment he allowed his sons to kill Huo Shang? To watch one "son" kill another, and then have to pretend nothing happened?
Both of their hands were shaking, and their minds were completely blank.

It was only then that he vaguely realized that Lu Xingzhou had been planning this all along, starting with killing Huo Yu in Xiazhou... step by step, letting them taste this bitterness.

"It's all your revenge..." Huo Xingyuan's voice trembled, "So vicious..."

"That's right, haven't you two always known that I come from the demonic path?" Lu Xingzhou smiled slightly: "If you don't intend to kill me, then I'll take my leave... Oh right, if it weren't for the Imperial Advisor stopping your subconscious, mindless impulses just now, you would already be childless by now. Quickly say thank you to the Imperial Advisor."

"Huo Shang!" Huo Liancheng seemed to finally come to his senses, and said sternly, "You are not allowed to go anywhere!"

Even if they couldn't figure out how to handle the matter for the time being, there was no reason to let Lu Xingzhou just swagger away like that!
"But unfortunately, even if you just want me to experience some family discipline, you can't do it." Lu Xingzhou turned and led Yang Dechang toward the door indifferently: "You can try if you don't believe me."

"Whoosh!" Huo Xingyuan had already made his move, grabbing Lu Xingzhou's shoulder.

Huo Liancheng focused his attention on dealing with Ye Tinglan's interference when Lu Xingzhou suddenly stepped aside to dodge Huo Xingyuan's claw, then turned and threw a punch directly at the center of the claw.

The setting sun casts its glow on the horizon, making the world feel like a prison, scorched by fire.

A fiery red lotus bloomed in the Huo residence, enveloping Huo Xingyuan's body.

The blazing sun sets over the infernal hell, and the crimson lotus burns in the flames of calamity.

Lu Xingzhou's fist intent, honed through the trials of the Ten Thousand Swords Tomb, has subtly transcended the level of "technique".

"Bang!" Lu Xingzhou stumbled three steps backward, then flew backward as if on cue, saying, "Thank you for the gift, Lord Marquis. This claw is of first-class skill, truly exquisite. I, Xingzhou, have learned a great deal."

Huo Xingyuan didn't retreat, but his body stiffened for a moment as he watched Lu Xingzhou drift out the door, unable to stop him.

He was also shocked... This Lu Xingzhou actually withstood a first-grade attack on his own!
Countless worshippers and protectors surrounded them, yet no one stopped them.

This is such a mess... Heaven knows if this person will become their master in the future.
A feeling of utter absurdity welled up in everyone present.

The powerful Huo family, having produced a top-tier member, was ruthlessly slaughtered by a young man, their bloodline extinguished... yet they dared not kill him, and watched him leave with a helpless gaze.

This world is crazy.

(End of this chapter)