Thoroughly startled, Lu Guanqi instinctively drew his own sword to parry the strike. Just as he opened his mouth to argue further, he met Lu Zhaoye’s dark, menacing glare. Having known Lu Zhaoye for years, he recognized that look instantly, the man was absolutely furious!
Lu Guanqi’s heart squeezed with sudden terror. Throwing all pride to the wind, he immediately began to backpedal frantically.
"Brother Lu, I was wrong! I shouldn't have run my mouth! I deserve to die! I'll go home right this instant and let my father thrash me within an inch of my life!"
Seeing how swiftly Lu Guanqi threw himself at his mercy, Lu Zhaoye delivered one final, icy glare before slamming his sword back into its sheath.
Due to the flurry of movement, Lu Guanqi managed to catch a proper glimpse of the person on the bed, Lu Zhaoye’s supposed "little lover."
It was a young man. He possessed a remarkably slender, delicate build, with long hair cascading beautifully across the bedding. A set of moon-white martial robes, similar in design to Lu Zhaoye’s, was partially concealed beneath the covers.
But what truly arrested his attention was the youth's face. He had a sharply defined, elegant chin, yet his cheeks retained a touch of adorable roundness. He was exquisitely beautiful.
A pair of wide, round almond eyes regarded him with pure curiosity, completely devoid of guile or malice. He didn't possess the rugged, commanding handsomeness of a typical martial artist, nor did he display the gentle, reserved elegance of a scholar. Instead, he possessed an entirely unique allure.
One look was all it took to capture a person's undivided attention, evoking an intense desire to know him, to understand him, and to follow him wherever he might go.
Lu Guanqi murmured under his breath, "How can someone be so beautiful? Which family do you belong to, young master? What possessed you to ruin your prospects by following a menacing black phantom like Lu Zhaoye?"
A menacing black phantom? Li Yuezhou’s brow furrowed slightly. Was he referring to Lu Zhaoye? How did Lu Zhaoye resemble a black phantom in the slightest? That description made him sound hideous and cruel!
"Young master..." Li Yuezhou swung his legs over the edge of the bed to stand up. He opened his mouth to speak, but Lu Zhaoye immediately intervened, cutting across him coldly: "Lu Guanqi, mind your manners."
Lu Guanqi clicked his tongue in amazement. "Since when do you care about manners?"
Li Yuezhou cut into their exchange, introducing himself clearly: "Young master, my name is Li Yuezhou, and my father is Li Xiaolian. Do you have any further questions?"
He could faintly deduce the root of Lu Zhaoye’s anger; it undoubtedly stemmed from this stranger calling him a "little lover."
Although Li Yuezhou himself happened to prefer men, he was well aware that heterosexuality was the norm in this world, especially for an upright, righteous martial artist like Lu Zhaoye. This Lu Guanqi was truly absurd.
How could his mind leap to such a wild conclusion? Did he honestly view his Brother as some sort of degenerate who engaged in illicit affairs? How incredibly insulting!
Li Yuezhou’s brow knit closer together as he took a deliberate step away from Lu Guanqi. He thoroughly disliked this individual, the man was far too familiar and deeply discourteous.
Lu Zhaoye subtly shifted his stance to shield the youth behind his back, addressing Lu Guanqi in an icy tone: "I have official matters to attend to during this excursion down the mountain. I have no time to waste on your childish games. Return home at once and trouble us no further."
With the memory of Lu Zhaoye’s terrifying fury still fresh in his mind, Lu Guanqi shrank back into his collar. Moreover, hearing Li Yuezhou state that his father was Li Xiaolian stirred a chord of familiarity... That name sounded incredibly familiar.
Unable to recall the details at the moment, Lu Guanqi curled himself up like a frightened quail and slunk away in defeat. He decided he would ask his father who this Li Xiaolian was the moment he returned home.
Watching the retreating figure disappear down the hall, Li Yuezhou asked in confusion, "Brother, who was that? How could anyone be so thoroughly ill-mannered?"
Although historical dramas and novels frequently depicted grand heroes as unrefined, boisterous individuals who didn't care for trivial formalities, facing such a person in reality left Li Yuezhou with only one impression: a complete lack of basic civility.
When it came to true heroes, his father was one, and his various aunts and uncles were as well. Yet, they were invariably courteous and dignified, never losing their sense of propriety.
Even in the overwhelming moment when his father witnessed him awakening from his stupor, the older man had never once compromised his commanding aura as the Alliance Leader.
"He is the son of the town magistrate guarding Lingjue Town," Lu Zhaoye explained, a trace of quiet derision creeping into his tone.
"Because this region is quite remote, it relies heavily on the presence of the Martial Arts Alliance to draw traffic and maintain commerce. The magistrate likes to attribute all this prosperity to his own administrative brilliance, repeatedly submitting memorials to the imperial capital to beg for rewards."
Li Yuezhou listened thoughtfully.
In this martial world, an imperial government naturally existed, but the two factions generally maintained a policy of mutual non-interference, minding their own affairs and leaving each other in peace.
On rare occasions, the court would send officials with sums of silver to enlist the aid of the Alliance for specific tasks. By large, however, the two worlds had very little contact.
His Brother was entirely correct. Lingjue Town was a remote settlement. The fact that the local populace enjoyed such a vibrant, affluent lifestyle was predominantly due to the Martial Arts Alliance established halfway up the mountain. As long as the Alliance remained, a steady stream of travelers would always arrive, naturally driving the local economy forward.
"I see. No wonder he behaves with such insufferable arrogance," Li Yuezhou muttered, frowning. "To think someone with such a refined, scholarly name would possess such an unrefined disposition."
"His father chose that name in the hopes he would become a cultured gentleman who understands discretion, 'observing a game of chess in silent civility.' Who would have guessed he would raise a loud, preening rooster instead?"
Lu Zhaoye snorted. "Pay him no mind. His martial skills are thoroughly mediocre, yet he fancies himself a grand hero of the realm. If Godfather hadn't explicitly instructed me to avoid offending government officials, I would have thrashed him into a state his own mother wouldn't recognize by now."
Li Yuezhou’s eyes lit up with amusement. This was the very first time he had heard Lu Zhaoye speak with such colorful, youthful exasperation. It made him seem far more like a young man his own age.
"What are you smiling at?" Lu Zhaoye reached out, pinching Li Yuezhou’s cheek as he arched an eyebrow, entirely clueless as to what part of his speech had provoked the youth's amusement.
"It's nothing. Let's just spend a single night here and depart first thing tomorrow. I really don't like that person."
Lu Zhaoye was naturally inclined to grant his every request. However, he made a mental note to tip the inn waiter beforehand, instructing the man to stall Lu Guanqi and notify them immediately should the magistrate's son return, allowing them to make a swift departure.
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