Lu Zhu's eyes held a hint of inquiry and disappointment.
She had truly misjudged someone, initially believing her to be a person of integrity.
Now, it seemed she was merely a nobody, only capable of clinging to connections.
"You think you can be my friend? Spare me this charade."
With that, Lu Zhu hurled the cup in her hand directly at Gu Qianying.
Fortunately, Gu Qianying reacted swiftly, extending her hand to catch the cup thrown by Lu Zhu between her two slender fingers.
"Lu Zhu, we've known each other for so long. I'm the one who taught you your martial arts. You think these tricks can be used against me?"
"Who is Lu Zhu? You've mistaken me for someone else. Besides, do you even know who I am? Do I need you to teach me?"
Simultaneously, a long sword appeared in Lu Zhu's hand, and she lunged towards Gu Qianying.
Gu Qianying sidestepped, pushing Su Cheng and Xiao Yihao to the side.
"Su Cheng, take care of Xiao Yihao. This is between Lu Zhu and me."
Su Cheng was very worried about Gu Qianying. "Don't be foolish. If I'm not mistaken, these people are indeed as Xiao Lan said. They've used poison. She doesn't recognize you now and wants to kill you."
However, Gu Qianying did not heed Su Cheng's advice.
Lu Zhu's eyes were even more venomous than before.
Each sword strike aimed for Gu Qianying's vital points.
Fortunately, Gu Qianying always managed to dodge in time, preventing Lu Zhu's every strike from hitting her vital points, or even her body.
In fact, Gu Qianying had previously doubted if she had truly mistaken someone.
But after a few exchanges, she was completely certain that the person before her was Lu Zhu.
Because two completely different people, even if their appearances were the same, their fighting spirit, skill, and gaze would be unmistakable. "Lu Zhu, don't you remember? Back then, when you became my maid, you weren't even old."
"We lived together every day, ate, slept, and trained in martial arts together."
"Although you were my maid, I never treated you like a servant."
"It was almost as if whatever I ate, you ate; whatever I wore, you wore; wherever I went, you went. I truly regarded you as my own sister from the bottom of my heart; you were my family."
Lu Zhu burst into laughter, her anger deepening. What was her status to be treated as a maid?
"This is truly one of the biggest jokes I've ever heard. You, to be my mistress? You think too highly of yourself."
"Lu Zhu, don't you see it yet? I've been letting you."
"Do you really think I would lose if we competed?"
Lu Zhu's heart skipped a beat. Indeed, she had noticed that the woman before her had only been dodging her sword.
She hadn't initiated any attacks, but Lu Zhu was still unwilling to admit it. This was impossible.
"You speak well, but if you have the ability, show me your true strength. I want to see how powerful you really are."
"Lu Zhu, didn't you see it earlier? Those young masters surrounding you, so many of them, none of them were my match. Look at their current state, and you still don't believe my strength?"
"Those few good-for-nothings, so stupid, what skill is it to defeat them? Prove you can defeat me first."
At the same time, while speaking, Lu Zhu secretly prepared a silver needle laced with poison in her left hand, intending to aim for Gu Qianying's right leg.
Not far away, Su Cheng loudly warned Gu Qianying, "Be careful, she has a hidden weapon in her left hand."
Gu Qianying turned quickly once more. This time, Lu Zhu's plan failed.
Recalling Lu Zhu's earlier movements, Gu Qianying realized she only intended to attack her left leg.
She hadn't intended to kill her directly. Could it be that she was also having some doubts?
"Lu Zhu, since you don't want to kill me, why don't you stop? Let's talk properly."
"There's nothing to talk about between us. Your imagination is truly vivid. I just wanted to subdue you, make you unable to move, and then deal with you properly."
"I don't care who you are. Since you've come here, there's only a dead end for you. If you don't show your true strength, then I can only assume you've walked into a trap. It's either you die or I die today!"
"Qianying, be careful."
Su Cheng was very worried about Gu Qianying.
But he knew this was a matter between Gu Qianying and the person she knew.
It was not convenient for him to interfere.
At this moment, Xiao Yihao also spoke, "Mother, Sister Lu, please stop fighting. Sister Lu, I am Xiao Yihao. Don't you really remember me?"
Seeing how viciously Lu Zhu was treating his mother,
He felt very distressed and also worried about his mother: "Mother, you have to be careful!"
"What do you know, you little brat? You're so noisy."
She flicked a hidden weapon.
Su Cheng, holding Xiao Yihao, immediately dodged.
Lu Zhu's words completely enraged Gu Qianying.
It was one thing for her to be so ruthless towards her, but to use a hidden weapon on her Xiao Yihao?
It was simply abominable. She had actually held out hope for her.
"Lu Zhu, you were once such a kind woman. How could you be so cruel to a child?"
"You're still trying to lecture me when you're about to die? Don't you realize that you are the most detestable one?"
These words finally woke Gu Qianying up.
If she continued to be lenient, fearing she would hurt Lu Zhu, it would likely be dark before any outcome was reached.
Since Lu Zhu refused to believe her and was so ruthless towards her, why should she hesitate any longer?
With a resolved mind, Gu Qianying simply took a step forward and firmly grasped Lu Zhu's sword-wielding arm, making it difficult for her to move.
Then, with a fierce palm strike, she sent Lu Zhu flying five meters away.
Instantly, a mouthful of blood spurted from Lu Zhu's mouth. She looked up at Gu Qianying, her eyes filled with unwillingness.
She hadn't expected the person before her to be so formidable.
On the other hand, besides a trace of unwillingness, Lu Zhu's eyes seemed to hold more triumph.
It was as if Gu Qianying's attack had not affected her at all.
Su Cheng witnessed Lu Zhu's reaction and realized something was wrong.
A bad premonition filled her heart, and her heart pounded incessantly.
In fact, Su Cheng's guess was correct.
Gu Qianying felt a tightness in her chest and a weakness throughout her body, her entire being involuntarily crouching down.
Meeting Lu Zhu's gaze again, at this moment, the smile in Lu Zhu's eyes grew even more intense.
"That's right, you are indeed very powerful. You dodged my silver needle just now,
But you didn't dodge the peach blossom powder I sprinkled on the needle. These peach blossoms are all poisonous."