Back at the Gu family, Lu Fan remained awake all night, holding the Dragon Country Elder Token. For him, it represented not only honor but also responsibility.
After a sleepless night, the next morning, under the watchful eyes of the Gu family head and others, everyone departed from Zhongzhou.
Months after leaving Changzhou, Lu Fan sent off the Qingyun Sect disciples and then specifically went to a flower shop to buy a bouquet.
"Master, are these flowers for Miss Lin?" Han Qiushui asked with a smile. "I didn't expect Master to know these things!"
"You talk too much!" Lu Fan shot him a look before happily heading towards Jiangjing Bieyuan. Having been away for months, he felt a little unaccustomed.
Upon arriving at Jiangjing Bieyuan, Lu Fan saw Lin Ke asleep on the sofa, with the computer still on beside her. She seemed to have been working for a long time.
"Silly girl, why do you push yourself so hard!"
Lu Fan's expression softened with affection as he gently kissed Lin Ke's forehead.
Lin Xiaojia and Han Qiushui quickly averted their gaze, their faces flushing. They hadn't expected Lu Fan to be so gentle.
Carrying Lin Ke back to her room, Lu Fan then closed the door.
Han Yunhai cleared his throat, his face instantly showing a hint of awkwardness. "What are you still doing here? Soon, the Great Lord will be heading to the Outer Realm battlefield. You mustn't be a burden to him!"
"Don't worry, we absolutely won't be!" Han Qiushui smiled. "I'm a Grandmaster now."
"That's right, I'm about to become a Grandmaster too!" Lin Xiaojia chimed in. "We definitely won't shame the Great Lord!"
Han Yunhai nodded, but said nothing more, heading towards the back garden.
If they were already Grandmasters, reaching higher levels would require sufficient destiny. Furthermore, heading to the Outer Realm battlefield would undoubtedly greatly enhance their strength.
Meanwhile, in Jiangnan, within a ruined courtyard, a man in battle armor stood tall, his eyes filled with determination, and a hidden glint of coldness.
"Commander, it has been confirmed that the Qin family was annihilated not long ago!"
A man clasped his fist. "As for the other members of the Qin family, they are in the slums of Jiangnan!"
"The Qin family was annihilated?"
The man in battle armor's eyes flashed with coldness. He had been training in the Outer Realm for the past few years, even becoming a commander of a major stronghold with supreme authority. Returning home to witness this scene, how could he not be enraged?
In the slums, Qin Shilong stood, looking at several men. These were all members of the Qin family, but they appeared extremely downcast.
"Are you Young Master Shilong?" one man asked uncertainly.
"How could the Qin family be like this?"
Qin Shilong's voice was cold. "Who did this?"
"Young Master, you've finally returned!"
Several members of the Qin family instantly shed tears. When the Qin family was annihilated, they had tried multiple times to contact Qin Shilong, but he was in the Outer Realm battlefield, and communication was impossible.
Qin Shilong's expression was indifferent. "Where is my grandfather?"
"The Patriarch is already dead!" one man stated. "This was all done by Lord Lu of Jiangnan!"
"Lord Lu of Jiangnan?"
Qin Shilong's rage surged. Now, in the Outer Realm battlefield, he held a position and was a guardian of a stronghold.
He was supposed to return home in glory, becoming the pride of his family, but he never expected that the Qin family would be annihilated.
"The Qin family offended Lord Lu, and the Patriarch along with many elders of the Qin family were intercepted and killed!" the man explained directly. "Only the younger generation managed to escape!"
"This is outrageous!" Qin Shilong's anger intensified. "Where is Lord Lu of Jiangnan now? I will make him pay the price!"
"We don't know the specifics either. The Qin family's assets were confiscated, and our access to information is limited!" the man said. "However, someone connected to Lord Lu is the owner of Tianquan Mountain Villa!"
"Tianquan Mountain Villa?"
Qin Shilong narrowed his eyes and, with many experts, headed towards Tianquan Mountain Villa.
The Qin family was the most prominent among the five major families of Jiangnan. Now that they were annihilated, Qin Shilong would not let it go.
Led by the man, Qin Shilong and his group arrived at Tianquan Mountain Villa and surrounded the entire estate, making escape impossible.
Within Tianquan Mountain Villa, Butler Fu was fishing when a man rushed over. "Butler Fu, bad news! Someone has surrounded the villa!"
"Who is so bold?" Butler Fu frowned. "How dare they act so presumptuously at Tianquan Mountain Villa!"
"I heard it's someone from the Qin family!" the man stammered.
"The Qin family?"
Butler Fu's expression shifted. He was well aware that the Qin family of Jiangnan had already been annihilated. How could Qin family members be here?
As he pondered in confusion, Qin Shilong strode forward, looking coldly at Butler Fu. "Old man, were you involved in the annihilation of the Qin family?"
"Who are you?" Butler Fu said coldly. "How dare you trespass into Tianquan Mountain Villa? Aren't you afraid of Lord Lu's wrath?"
"The eldest grandson of the Qin family, Qin Shilong!"
Qin Shilong's voice was cold. "If I were afraid, I wouldn't be here!"
"The eldest grandson of the Qin family?" Butler Fu's expression changed. Especially the battle armor Qin Shilong wore, which made him somewhat apprehensive.
Butler Fu knew very well that in the entire Dragon Country, besides martial arts experts, there were also internal figures of the Dragon Country, and these people could not be easily offended.
"Tie this old man up. If Lord Lu of Jiangnan does not appear within three days, we will use this old man for a blood sacrifice to the Qin family!"
Qin Shilong's expression was icy. As a commander of the Outer Realm battlefield, he would not let this matter rest.
"Brother, should we investigate first?"
The deputy commander spoke up. "I seem to have heard of this Lord Lu's reputation before. He might not be simple!"
"No need!" Qin Shilong said coldly. "Even if he were the King of Heaven, I would make him pay the price!"
The deputy commander's face showed awkwardness, and he said no more.
After all, the deep-seated hatred of clan annihilation was something no one would easily give up, especially since Qin Shilong was a commander.
Not long after, the news spread instantly throughout Jiangnan, attracting the attention of many. No one had expected the Qin family of Jiangnan to have such a figure.
One must understand that those who could become commanders of strongholds were no ordinary individuals, and they possessed boundless future prospects.
If Qin Shilong had returned earlier, there would not have been so many troubles.
"Right, go and prepare a gift for me!"
Qin Shilong instructed. "This time I've come to Jiangnan, I must not be remiss in courtesy! I want to pay a visit to the City Lord of Jiangnan!"
The deputy commander quickly nodded, not daring to delay.
The City Lord of Jiangnan was a Grandmaster expert, and the lord of a city, possessing considerable power in Jiangnan. If he could gain the City Lord's approval, no matter what trouble he caused in Jiangnan in the future, there would be no issues.
After some time, Qin Shilong arrived with gifts.
Within the City Lord's mansion, an old man was leisurely fishing. Upon learning that someone wished to see him, he ordered them to be brought in.
"Junior Qin Shilong pays his respects to the City Lord!"
Qin Shilong clasped his fist. "Your Excellency truly has a refined taste, to be fishing here!"
"Outer Realm battlefield, Commander Qin!" the City Lord of Jiangnan chuckled. "You gained fame by killing three Grandmasters and possess a fearsome presence in the Outer Realm battlefield!"
"The City Lord of Jiangnan is too kind!" Qin Shilong quickly clasped his fist. "I have returned to the city today, and the Qin family has been annihilated, so I have specifically come to pay my respects!"