Under One Person: The Seeker of the Dao in the Lü Family

Chapter 290 The Nathan Meeting, Sincere

(Friendly reminder: The previous chapter has been updated with 3 words. Please read the previous chapter first.)

After the hustle and bustle subsided, Lüjia Village returned to its former quiet and secluded state, but the atmosphere was quite different from before.

The former Lüjia Village was austere and cold, like a cage woven from blood ties, imprisoning all aspects of its inhabitants, from the material to the spiritual.

But today, Lüjia Village seems to have been completely transformed, from a cage into a real family, a large family connected by blood ties and bound by benevolence, filial piety and kinship.

In the pavilion halfway up the mountain, Lü Ci changed out of his usual sharp and neat short jacket and put on a gentle and modest long robe.

A crimson robe covered his aged yet upright body, adding a touch of rugged strength and vigor to his gentle and refined demeanor.

A cool breeze wafted through the mountains, caressing the secluded pavilion high in the sky, and also brushing against Lü Ci's calm and easygoing demeanor.

The wind gently swayed the hem of Lü Ci's long robe, making it seem like a pine tree with drooping branches or a bamboo swaying its leaves. The interplay of movement and stillness further accentuated Lü Ci's natural and harmonious temperament.

"Tsk tsk tsk, the older the wine, the more fragrant it becomes, and the older the tree, the more ancient it grows. Your appearance is almost as good as that of the Lu family's patriarch."

Lu Qian was wearing a somewhat worn Taoist robe, his long hair was tied up with a crown and a wooden hairpin on top, and a few strands of hair fell loose in front of his forehead, fluttering down his cheeks in the wind.

At this moment, he watched Lu Ci's slow and leisurely tea-making movements. Although he had seen it many times, he was still surprised by the changes in the old hedgehog.

The calm and easygoing Lü Ci was not angry at Lü Qian's teasing. He simply slammed his teacup on the table, and the subtle yet venomous Ruyi energy flew through the cup and the table, quickly striking the teapot in front of Lü Qian.

"Bang!"

With a surge of energy, the tea in the teapot gushed out of the spout, like a water cannon exploding, and the scattered water droplets fell all over Lü Qian.

"call--"

The rapidly approaching water was about to soak Lü Qian's Taoist robe. He calmly opened his mouth and took a deep breath. The powerful vortex of air swirled the water and he inhaled it. The fragrant tea aroma wafted in his mouth, but he didn't savor it and swallowed it directly.

"You really are vindictive. Fine, I, as a junior, won't hold it against you."

Having said that, without giving Lü Ci time to make his next move, Lü Qian picked up a whisk from the side, and with a flick of his wrist, the dust seemed to sweep away some of the dirt as it scattered.

"The company asked me to oversee a meeting, which is supposedly about an overseas island, and there are guests from all sides."

"Just go if I tell you to. What's wrong? Does even the famous Little Lu Zu have moments of fear?"

Lu Ci sipped his tea and snorted coldly, "I guess it's because you did something that the company took advantage of. It's no big deal."

"The Japanese Fish and Dragon Association will be mobilized, and these are Japanese, after all."

"Snap!"

Lu Qian smiled as he watched the cup in Lu Ci's hand shatter instantly. His calm and humble expression turned into one of utter indifference, and a hint of coldness flashed in his narrowed eyes.

"They're just clowns jumping around. If they dare to come looking for you, let them see the methods of the Lü family."

With a cold face, Lü Ci threw away the broken cup in his hand, and without hesitation replaced it with another cup of better quality, and slowly began to speak.

"A bunch of wolves with ulterior motives. They killed Biheren back then, and these bastards got away with it. They took the benefits but didn't know when to stop."

"In the past few decades, they used the guise of diplomacy to give this old man a real headache."

"They haven't put down that so-called demon sword [Hiruma], and they even dared to come to you demanding it back?"

"Of course, a bunch of trash who have the desire to steal but not the courage."

Wearing a long robe and drinking fragrant tea, Lü Ci's movements became increasingly unrestrained and his words increasingly vulgar, but this did not create any incongruity; on the contrary, it made him appear even more unrestrained and carefree.

In Japan, the Higanbana and the Uryūkai are two major rival factions of supernatural beings, and the main conflict between them is a demon sword called Hirumaru.

This demonic sword possesses a strange ability: it can live and learn the methods and techniques of those who die by its blade.

During the war, Eita, the demon of Hira-nin, used his strange and powerful sword to kill many skilled martial artists, including Lu Ci's elder brother, Lu Ren, the eldest son of the Lu family.

After the battle at Toutian Cave, facing the combined attack of the Tang Clan and the Lü Family, the demon Eita disappeared, and the demon sword also vanished.

For decades, the Japanese Fish Dragon Society has been trying to reclaim the Demon Sword from China through diplomatic means. They have not only troubled the company, but also approached the Lu family, who were involved in the original incident.

"Even if I did find that broken knife, I'd rather melt it down and turn it into a chamber pot than give it to them."

Lu Ci held the cup, took a disdainful sip of tea, and then cursed, "This thing is so dirty that even using it as a chamber pot would be considered filthy. I wouldn't even give it to a dog."

"If they dare to speak again this time, you know what to do."

"clear."

Lu Qian tucked the whisk into his arm, turned and walked toward the pavilion's railing. In a few steps, he arrived at the railing, the echoing mountain winds causing his robes and hair to flutter.

"In that case, I'll head to the company for my meeting."

"唳~~"

As soon as the words were spoken, a clear and melodious cry of a crane, carried by the sharp mountain peaks, swept over the hillside pavilion. A tall, graceful white crane flapped its wings and flew up from the forest below in the blink of an eye.

With its wings fluttering, the white crane cried out twice, as if it were dancing gracefully. It circled the hill twice before swooping straight toward Lü Qian, who was standing by the railing.

"Hahaha, riding a crane to the clouds to the ninth heaven, treading through the void and passing through the three realms."

When the white crane flew close, Lü Qian leaped over the railing, and the white crane, with its wings outstretched, also revealed its broad back feathers.

As his Taoist robes fluttered, Lü Qian had already taken his seat on the back of the white crane. The man and the crane traversed the void, and in the blink of an eye, they soared upwards, breaking through the shallow clouds.

"Having severed eight thousand mortal tribulations, one can ascend to immortality in the blink of an eye."

"唳~~"

Clear, distant human voices mingled with the melodious cries of cranes, the two gradually fading into the distance in the clouds. In the distance, the figures of Lü Qian and the white crane had already disappeared into the horizon.

"All you do is spout this nonsense, aren't you ashamed?"

Inside the pavilion, Lü Ci held a teacup, his gaze drifting involuntarily into the distance, muttering to himself, "He doesn't know how to respect his elders or honor the elderly; he only cares about his own pleasure."

"Snap!"

A crisp cracking sound came from the cup in his hand again, and Lü Ci tossed the broken cup aside in annoyance.

Amidst the gentle breeze and tea mist, the occasional sound of cups shattering occasionally rang out. The sound was crisp and melodious, like the shattering of jade pendants. After a series of sounds like large and small pearls falling onto a jade plate, only a teapot remained on the table.

"This Fatty Wang's collection is really bad, it's so flimsy, yet he dares to call it top-quality. I'll go to his place again next time and find a couple more sets."

"Snap!"

Before he could finish his veiled insults, the last remaining teapot slipped off the table and shattered with a crisp crack, plunging the pavilion into silence.

A few days later, amidst the ulterior motives of all parties, the talks organized by Nathan's Alliance officially began. Extraordinary forces from all over the world gathered together, awaiting the arrival of the Nathan Island group, the host of the talks.

Lu Qian was still dressed as a Taoist priest, with the whisk on his arm swaying with his movements. He strolled leisurely beside Zhao Fangxu, wandering around the conference room.

"Master Lü Qian, this should be our first formal meeting, isn't it? Truly, heroes emerge from among the young."

After walking for a while, Zhao Fangxu looked at Lü Qian, who remained unmoved, and spoke first, "Purge the Quanxing Sect, kill the Northeast spies, and help stabilize the situation in the industry. The company hasn't thanked Daoist Lü Qian for his help yet."

"Chairman Zhao, please don't flatter me. I acted only out of my conscience and sincerity. I just did what I felt was right."

Listening to Zhao Fangxu's veiled words, Lü Qian chuckled and said, "It's all for our own cultivation, why talk about personal gain or sentiment?"

"If the company really wants to express its gratitude, there's no need for such empty words. It would be better to give Wudang some gold and silver and help Wudang repair its palaces and temples."

"Master Lü Qian is joking. The company has neither the stance nor the resources for that."

After a round of conversation, Zhao Fangxu was quite taken aback by Lü Qian's blunt words. He, who was used to being in a high position and playing dirty tricks, did not expect Lü Qian to be so honest.

Just now, Zhao Fangxu had something in mind, wanting to attribute Lü Qian's previous actions of going down the mountain to the company's name, but unexpectedly, Lü Qian didn't respond at all and even asked for a "thank you gift" in accordance with his meaning.

This reminded him of the old master, a supreme figure who, when facing the company, also had no superfluous formalities, and whose straightforwardness made people uncomfortable.

Now that Lü Qian and the old Celestial Master are behaving exactly the same way, Zhao Fangxu has begun to pay attention to this young Taoist who is not yet thirty.

Seeing that Zhao Fangxu remained silent for a long time, Lü Qian simply smiled.

People tend to measure a person's level by the length and depth of their lives.

But for practitioners who are sincere to themselves and to their hearts, they have their own way of thinking. To put it simply, it's like saying, "I'm happy to do this!"

Since the company says it wants to express its gratitude, it should at least show some sincerity and not just talk the talk. But clearly, the company doesn't intend to follow through on their gratitude.

"Chairman Zhao, you invited me here today not just to discuss business, right?"

Lu Qian suppressed his smile and asked Zhao Fangxu directly, "If it's just simple business, you can just have someone from the company come to your door."

"But it's just the two of us now, Chairman Zhao, why are you burying your head in the sand?"

Upon hearing Lü Qian's revelation, Zhao Fangxu nodded, not rushing to refute, but instead pondering before speaking, "Master Lü Qian is right. The reason for inviting you to participate in this meeting is firstly to ask you to help set the tone."

"Secondly, I want to see you, and I want to see you openly and honestly."

As he spoke, he looked up and scanned the room. Although the guests were all foreign, the event was arranged by the company, meaning they were still under the company's control.

"Based on the company's understanding of Master Lü Qian, he is highly skilled in cultivation, prefers tranquility, and possesses not only escape techniques but also a mount. The company's chances of meeting you openly and legitimately are indeed slim."

"During this meeting, I'd like to ask Daoist Lü Qian, what are you planning to do?"

"Or rather, what does Master Lü Qian think your spiritual practice is like?"

Zhao Fangxu looked at Lü Qian, whose glasses reflected light, obscuring his eyes. He appeared very serious and determined.

The questions he asked were also the questions the company urgently needed to understand, since Lü Qian's methods and strength forced them to take action.

For a company committed to maintaining stability, there should be no "top expert" like the Old Celestial Master in the world of supernatural beings, or rather, there should be no power beyond their control!

More importantly, Lü Qian is too young now. In less than thirty years, he has already reached another "pinnacle" in the world of supernatural beings.

Those at the pinnacle can influence everything with a single move, which forces the company to be on guard, even though it may be impossible to completely prevent it.

"Hehe, so this humble Taoist has already become this outstanding?"

Faced with Zhao Fangxu's somewhat forceful words, Lü Qian simply chuckled twice, boasted a bit, and said, "Even the company is starting to care about my path in Taoism."

"Master Lü Qian is joking. It's all for a stable future."

"Alright, let's not beat around the bush with Chairman Zhao. I'll be frank: my path is to reach the heavens, to become an immortal!"

Lu Qian twirled his whisk, sending three thousand strands of dust swirling around him, as if adorned with clouds and mist. His eyes flashed with a crimson-gold light, breaking through the reflection in Zhao Fangxu's glasses, and he stared directly into those calm eyes.

"I have cultivated for sixteen years, seeking the way of longevity and nature, learning the principles of Yin and Yang in the universe, and doing things that are in accordance with my heart's desire."

"To put it simply, if your spirit remains undiminished and your blood is still hot, I'm happy to oblige!"

He spoke simple words calmly, but Zhao Fangxu, as the listener, felt inexplicably that they contained both a carefree indifference to everything and a fierce, scorching thunderbolt, a unity of opposites, the two intertwined and mixed together.

In a daze, the cunning and shrewd company director was somewhat lost in thought, as if he saw his original self, full of ideals, daring to act, and equally spirited.

Back then, he visited his friends everywhere and got them to establish Nadutong together, and took the opportunity to acquire an official title, thus beginning Chairman Zhao's career.

But a kind heart cannot command an army, and a righteous heart cannot manage finances.

After decades of scheming and power struggles, Zhao Fangxu's youthful ambition had long since dissipated, and he had become a cunning old man.

Zhao Fangxu adjusted his glasses, a complex expression flashing across his eyes, before he sighed.

"In that case, the company understands. Thank you for your reply, Daoist Lü Qian."

After saying that, he composed himself and turned to talk to the leaders of other supernatural forces elsewhere.

"Ten years have passed, making one grow old; time flies, and people are no more."

Watching his retreating figure, which seemed to be fleeing in disarray, Lü Qian sighed as well, "Be true to yourself and to your heart; only in this way can you avoid losing yourself."

"It's difficult!"

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It's fixed!