Chapter 76: A Hero Defies the Law with Might

Night had fallen deep.

In the imperial capital of the Great Zhou Dynasty, the lights of the Zijin Palace still flickered softly in the darkness. Draped in a loose golden robe embroidered with dragons, Yuwen Xiu pored over the memorials submitted by his ministers, his eyes reflecting the lamplight.

Outside the hall, an old eunuch stood respectfully with a horsetail whisk in hand, occasionally glancing into the palace. Upon seeing Yuwen Xiu so diligently immersed in governance, a look of quiet satisfaction emerged on the eunuch's pale, beardless face.

After a long while, Yuwen Xiu set down the scrolls in his hand and cast his gaze around the grand but lonesome hall. A chill, inexplicable and deep, crept over his soul.

He descended the Dragon Throne, hands clasped behind his back, long robes trailing as he walked slowly to the entrance.

The old eunuch quickly bowed low."Your Majesty…"

But Yuwen Xiu paid him no heed. Staring into the hazy night, his thoughts were heavy with unease."The revelation of immortal fate at Wolong Ridge... With its emergence, countless new variables flood this world. The more variables arise, the greater the peril that looms for Great Zhou..." he murmured to himself.

The kneeling eunuch trembled subtly.

"How... exactly did my royal father die?""At the zenith of our might, when the Five Barbarian Tribes dared not even breathe beneath our shadow, how is it now that every memorial is filled with their incursions upon our borders? The frontier people suffer bitterly in their wake…"

Yuwen Xiu's thin lips pressed into a hard line as his fists clenched.

"All of this… is the doing of the Hundred Schools of Thought. Had it not been for their meddling, even with Father's passing, Great Zhou would never have descended into such chaos. These factions incited governors with persuasive words, breeding internal strife and opening the gates for foreign opportunists…"

The eunuch dared not exhale.

"The warriors of the Mohist School… Cloaking chaos in the guise of chivalry—they are the most despicable of all.""When shall the day come when the Hundred Schools are finally cast down...?"

…

North Luo City

Beneath the city walls, the moonlight shimmered with a cold clarity.

Lu Changkong bore a gentle smile, yet the soldiers and generals behind him stood tense and alert."I have long heard of the Grandmaster's name," Lu said, cupping his hands.

News had already spread of Mo Beike's break with the Western Commandery. Yet few were unaware of his secret dealings with the Prefect of the Northern Commandery, Tantai Xuan. Xiang Shaoyun, the Overlord of the West, had been abandoned.

Lu Changkong was not surprised. The Overlord's pride was too fierce to be bound by Mo Beike's will.

"Lord Lu, the name of North Luo precedes itself. I hope my late-night visit is not too great an imposition," Mo Beike replied with a kindly smile, warm as spring's breeze.

Lu glanced briefly at the carriage, where the disciples of the Mohist School had already dismounted. The party entered the city as the cold moonlight cast its solemn glow and the gates closed behind them.

Lu did not linger in conversation with Mo Beike—something about the man unsettled him deeply. Instead, he had him escorted to an inn, and immediately ordered a thousand guards to surround the establishment in layers, not allowing even a mosquito to escape.

Only by keeping Mo Beike within sight could Lu sleep with ease. He knew the true target of Mo Beike's visit was Lu Fan.

Even knowing his son had obtained immortal fate and possessed formidable power, Lu, as a father, would never allow him to face peril alone.

Lu Manor

Luo Cheng issued command after command, stationing soldiers in every corner of the estate—pavilions, corridors, water-side gazebos—all heavily guarded.

He himself sat in a small courtyard, blade at his waist, moonlight glinting off his armor in chilling flashes."Any who seek to harm the young master must first step over my corpse," he declared, brimming with murderous resolve.

In the Detached Courtyard

Ni Yu tossed and turned in bed, unable to sleep. Rubbing her round little belly, her plump face scrunched up.

She wasn't exactly hungry—just craving a little something to nibble on before bed. Moreover, the room's darkness and solitude made her uneasy.

Ningzhao and Yiyue were both on the island in the heart of the lake, diligently cultivating. As for her... she shouted slogans loud and proud, but aside from eating and sleeping, she hadn't practiced at all.

After some useless fretting, she crawled out of bed, tiptoed quietly from the annex, and snuck toward the kitchen.

The courtyard was silent in the dead of night.

Wearing her hair in buns, Ni Yu navigated the dark expertly, pushing open the kitchen door and sniffing the air. Her eyes lit up as she headed to the stove, lifting a pot lid to find several cold steamed buns.

Munching on them, she didn't return to her room—too scared to be alone. Instead, she slipped over to Lu Fan's courtyard and huddled in front of his door, chomping her bun contentedly.

Strangely enough, just being near the young lord's courtyard soothed her nerves completely.

…

Inside the Inn

Mo Beike stood with hands behind his back, moonlight deepening the shadows on his face."What time is it now?" he asked softly.

From the darkness, a hoarse voice replied,"Midnight."

"Ah, midnight... The others should be making their moves now," Mo Beike chuckled."Then it's our turn."

"Yes, Grandmaster."

Shadows flickered.

From several rooms in the inn, Mohist disciples opened wooden windows, eyeing the heavy guard below. Each man retrieved a bulging cloth pouch from his waist, slitting it open with a knife.

A hissing sound escaped.

Suddenly, thousands of fireflies burst forth, dancing into the night sky in a display as strange as it was beautiful—like stars coalescing into a river of light.

Lu Changkong frowned. A firefly landed in his open palm, its glow flickering—so lovely, yet strangely sorrowful.

"Fireflies… the Yin-Yang School?"

His eyes widened in sudden shock. The firefly in his palm exploded.

A pungent fog surged forward. The world spun around Lu Changkong. Nearby, Luo Yue had already collapsed.

The soldiers surrounding the inn fell like wheat in the poisonous haze.

Summoning a thread of spiritual energy to guard his mind, Lu Changkong resisted the dizziness and peered toward the inn. His pupils shrank in alarm.

There, bathed in moonlight, a colossal metal spider perched atop the roof. Figures cloaked in black, wearing veiled conical hats, leapt down beside it and vanished into the shadows.

"Mechanists… mechanical beasts!""Yin-Yang priests… alchemists!""Mohist disciples…"

Breath ragged, Lu Changkong gasped."They actually dared…"

The Hundred Schools of Thought were now utterly unbridled—even the Imperial Preceptor could no longer restrain them.

"Fan'er…"

He stumbled into the dark, charging out the door.

…

Midnight.

The Great Zhou Empire underwent a quiet yet monumental upheaval.

In all six garrison cities—North Luo, Drunken Dragon, Tong'an, Southern Peace, Yuanchi, and Wangtian—fireflies danced like flowing galaxies.

As they burst, mist blanketed the cities. Amid shifting shadows, destruction crept in from within.

…

Lu Manor Courtyard

Lu Fan sat in a wheelchair, which moved on its own. Through the intricately carved crimson window, he gazed upon the moonlight, now veiled in mist, a slight smirk curling his lips.

Outside the courtyard, a black-robed figure stood on the rooftop, veiled hat casting shadows over his face.

A metal flute was raised to his lips, and a soft melody echoed through the night, as though summoning something ancient and powerful.

A deafening crash.Boom!

From the mist-shrouded sky, a massive mechanical spider descended, landing in the courtyard with a quake. Four figures stood on its back.

Ni Yu, huddled by the door, was stunned speechless.The cold steamed bun in her mouth slipped and fell with a thud.

"We heard that Young Master Lu of North Luo has obtained immortal fate. Though our Yin-Yang Sect has long secluded itself, the Mohist Grandmaster's personal visit compels us to act. We must gather those blessed with fate to prevent chaos from erupting across the realm. Thus, we ask the young master to come with us. Once peace is restored, you may return."

The black-cloaked figure atop the roof no longer played the flute, but his voice floated gently across the courtyard.

Ni Yu stammered,"A-a-a-a… an assassin!"

But just as her words fell—

The carved wooden door behind her opened silently.

Clad in white, Lu Fan sat poised in his wheelchair, a Go board laid across his knees, fingers grasping a stone, poised to place it.

The moonlight, piercing the mist, shone upon him.

Like jade sculpted by heaven, he was matchless in grace.

Ni Yu stared in awe.

Lu Fan's gaze rested on the board, but his voice drifted outward with quiet authority.

"To wield might and violate the law in the name of chivalry—such chaos… must be punished.""You've disturbed me long enough…"