"What are these two babbling about?"
Su Muwan glanced helplessly at the grandfather and grandson duo lying on the ground, foaming at the mouth.
She then turned her gaze to the Xuanyuan Sword in Qin Luo's hand.
Well, the Xuanyuan Sword had actually been corrupted by Qin Luo. How absurd!
In her previous life, this Xuanyuan Sword had been the exclusive weapon of Lu Hongshen.
And now...
It’s ours?
Wait.
Su Muwan seemed to recall something. She sidled up to Qin Luo and poked him curiously, asking, "Qin Luo, can you just take someone else's spiritual artifact and make it your own without any conditions?"
Qin Luo swung the Xuanyuan Sword and said, "I'm an orphan. When I was a kid..."
Before he could finish, Su Muwan waved her hand dismissively. "Oh, I know! An old man taught you when you were young, right?"
"I get it!"
As a T0 Chosen One, Qin Luo had been taught many secret techniques by numerous old men in his childhood. This was something she had known for a long time.
She then whispered mysteriously, "Well, do you see that guy hiding in the corner?"
Qin Luo turned to look.
It was none other than Lu Hongshen, now a broken man.
"Yeah, I see him."
"Good."
Su Muwan cleared her throat and pulled Qin Luo's ear close, whispering, "That guy has a treasure, a bronze artifact. Go take it from him."
"Huh? How do you know about that, Miss?"
The fact that the other party had a bronze artifact was something Qin Luo had deduced himself.
"Come on, who do you think I am? There's nothing I don't know!"
"Impressive as always!"
Meanwhile, Lu Hongshen, who had been watching the entire scene unfold, swallowed hard and tried to shrink further into the corner.
His pupils trembled, and his heart raced.
He could tell that the weapon called the Xuanyuan Sword was clearly a spiritual artifact that drew power from the heavens and earth!
But!
Such a spiritual artifact had been effortlessly corrupted?!
This... this is insane!
He stared nervously at Qin Luo. This man was definitely a demonic cultivator!
It’s over...
If he finds out I have a bronze cauldron... I’m done for.
Just as he thought this, Qin Luo walked over with Su Muwan in tow. He looked arrogantly at Lu Hongshen and sneered, "Hey, kid, stop hiding. Hand it over."
Lu Hongshen shuddered. Does he know about the bronze artifact?!
No, that’s impossible!
So he feigned ignorance and said calmly, "What are you talking about? I don’t understand."
"Don’t understand? Fine. Once I find it, I’ll make sure you regret it!"
"You!!"
Even Lu Hongshen, a celestial being who had cultivated for tens of thousands of years in the Xuantian Realm, had never encountered someone so shameless!
Truly, a tiger fallen in Jiang City is bullied by dogs!
A despicable lackey riding on someone else’s coattails!
This is utterly outrageous!
The bronze artifact had helped me grow to where I am today. I will never give it to anyone else.
Besides...
This item has bonded with me and now resides within my divine consciousness. How could anyone take it?
I’m overthinking this.
Even if this Qin Luo is a demonic cultivator...
The origins of the bronze artifact are still unclear even to me. Without it recognizing a new master, how could he possibly take it?!
Thinking this, Lu Hongshen gritted his teeth and glared at Qin Luo, saying coldly, "This venerable one..."
*Slap!*
"Ugh—!"
Before he could finish, Qin Luo slapped him across the face again, mocking, "Venerable one? How many times do I have to tell you? In Jiang City, no one is allowed to call themselves 'venerable'!"
When did you ever say that?!
You just made that up as an excuse to slap me, didn’t you?!
Lu Hongshen, caught off guard, was slapped hard.
His head tilted to the side, his hand clutching his cheek, his expression twisted in pain and his eyes filled with venom.
He screamed internally.
These two scumbags!
They’re even more tyrannical and vicious than those demonic cultivators!!
But!
Lu Hongshen lowered his hand, the red mark on his face still visible. He looked at Qin Luo with a mix of determination and sorrow.
He raised his head slightly, as if reminiscing about his glorious past.
"I, Lu Hongshen, have trained diligently since childhood, all for the sake of one day ascending to the pinnacle of the immortal path."
"For tens of thousands of years, I endured countless hardships, finally achieving the status of a celestial being, overlooking all living creatures."
"However, fate is fickle. My cultivation has fallen, and now I’ve been reduced to this state, humiliated and slandered by others."
He took a deep breath, a bitter smile appearing on his face. "Today, in Jiang City, this is my final resting place."
"I don’t know what you’re talking about!"
"If you continue to pressure me, I’d rather die."
Lu Hongshen’s voice grew firmer, as if he were resisting the cruel tyranny of Qin Luo and Su Muwan!
The onlookers were moved to tears.
Some even cried out in sympathy.
Lu Hongshen’s expression was one of sorrow, but inwardly, he was filled with disdain.
Hmph!
If my strength alone is insignificant, then I’ll use the power of the crowd!
This way!
You won’t be able to touch me!
However.
Qin Luo pretended to wipe away a tear and sighed, "What a touching speech."
Lu Hongshen, thinking the situation was under control, was about to say something polite when...
"Miss, let’s just throw him into the sea for the little sharks. No need to cripple his limbs."
"Huh? Oh."
Su Muwan nodded in agreement, looking at Qin Luo. "You’re right. Crippling his limbs is too cruel. Let’s just feed him to the sharks."
"Wait..."
Lu Hongshen was stunned. What are they talking about?
And what about the people around us?
He quickly looked around.
But what he saw and heard was...
"Miss Su is so thoughtful. To help him prove his innocence, she’s willing to give him a dignified send-off."
"Yeah, a sea burial! And feeding him to the little sharks in the river!"
"Exactly! Many people online dream of being fed to the little sharks but never get the chance!"
"Wait, so this is actually an honor for him?"
"All thanks to Miss Su’s magnanimity."
"Let’s all thank Miss Su."
Lu Hongshen’s face froze.
Wait!!
This...
This is insane!
Having lived for tens of thousands of years, there’s nothing in the Xuantian Realm he hasn’t seen!
But!
What are these people saying? Huh?
Are you all insane?
Are you all out of your minds?!
One guy likes slapping people!
Another likes feeding people to sharks!
And the whole crowd is cheering them on like it’s perfectly normal!
No!
This world! It’s even crazier than the Xuantian Realm!!
Just as he thought this, two black-suited bodyguards grabbed him by the shoulders.
"?? What are you doing?!"
"What do you think?"
Qin Luo wiped away a nonexistent tear, then grinned. "We’re helping you prove your innocence."
Lu Hongshen’s eye twitched. "!!!"
"Wait! Wait!!"
He finally realized this wasn’t the time to bargain. He shouted, "I’ll give it to you!"
Three minutes later.
A palm-sized bronze cauldron was summoned by Lu Hongshen.
Lu Hongshen looked at the cauldron with reluctance, then at Qin Luo, clearing his throat. "It’s just a small antique. It was left to me by my mother, so I couldn’t bear to part with it."
In reality...
Hmph!
How laughable!
The bronze artifact is bound to my bloodline and recognizes only me!
Even if you take it, so what?
With a single thought, the bronze cauldron will return to my divine consciousness!
The next second.
*Gurgle!*
Black smoke enveloped the bronze cauldron, and Lu Hongshen lost all connection to it.
Qin Luo tossed the now-blackened bronze cauldron to Su Muwan, who was eagerly watching. He patted her head and smiled. "It’s yours now, Miss."
"Yay!"
Su Muwan’s eyes sparkled as she sensed the artifact had become ownerless!
But Qin Luo was curious. He asked, "Why did you want this thing, Miss?"
Su Muwan blushed and glared at him. "Hmph! None of your business!"
"Who do you think you are, asking so many questions?!"
In stark contrast to Qin Luo’s side of things.
Nearby.
Lu Hongshen watched as his bronze cauldron was taken away. Overwhelmed with rage, he felt his blood boil.
His vision darkened, and he collapsed to the ground, unconscious.
My... my bronze cauldron!
These two...
Bandits!!!