Chapter 8 - Xi Chaohan’s Request

Lu Ran was the person that had the most chance to breakthrough to the Core Formation stage back then. He possessed the talent and martial comprehension to do without the access to rare pills, materials and opportunities like the royal family.

To reach the Core Formation realm one has to condense a core under the age of 250-280 years old. Otherwise you would probably never reach it.

This time the upheaval was big because Lu Ran defied that exact statement.

The crown prince, Xi Yuan, is talking in private with Lu Ran.

“Uncle Ran, I am pleased that you have managed to make your lifelong dream come true. You reached the Core Formation realm and have become an expert in the Kingdom.”.

Lu Ran smiled, “Thank you, young prince, it has been a long time since I last saw you.”.

“Have you been playing so many pranks on your father again? Didn’t have any time to see this frail old man?”.

“Hahaha uncle, those pranks were a long time ago. I have outgrown those for a long time now. I am preparing to become emperor one day like my father and grandfather before me.”, Xi Yuan laughed.

Lu Ran laughed and said, “I see you are still a playful rascal.”.

“How are your brothers and sister?”.

Xi Yuan smiled, “they are fine, uncle. Second brother is also preparing his forces just like me. We need to start early if we want the throne.”.

“As for our third brother, he has forfeited his chance to participate in the succession war ever since we discovered his cultivation talent. He really has been cultivating non-stop.”.

Xi Yuan continued, “He’s the actual reason we are here. The emperor wishes to hire you as the official royal teacher. You would take third brother in as your disciple while second brother and I will just follow your basic teachings as the royal teacher.”.

“Of course, my second brother and I have already started cultivating a while ago. Both of us have been taught the basics. It is just that father has too many affairs to teach us and the kingdom’s Grand Protector is stationed at the border”, Xi Yuan smirked.

“Ho ho, and what would be in it for me?”, Lu Ran asked curiously.

Xi Yuan smiled and said, “Father has given me the permission to handle this. As such, I decided that the royal courts will be providing the Lu clan with a safe trade route to our neighboring kingdom.”.

“The trade route will be yours for as long as you remain in your position. Although I can’t give you permission to sublet this route though. It still remains the property of the royal family.”, Xi Yuan said.

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“I don’t mind, this would be a profitable arrangement for both of us.”, Lu Ran smiled.

“However, tell your father that I will visit him as soon as the situation is stable here. I want to discuss this subject further with him personally. It would be hard to negotiate with a brat like you here.”. “It has been a long time since I saw him anyway.”.

Xi Yuan was a bit surprised, he thought that the old man would agree immediately.

“Was my offer not enough?”, he asked.

“Try and figure it out on your own, you are a clever person so you should be able to think of why I made up my mind like this.”, Lu Ran said.

Xi Yuan had always been smart and good with words. He was a bit surprised since he wasn’t able to convince Lu Ran to take this deal. However after thinking for a while he realized that Lu Ran had lived for many years longer than him which calmed him down quite a bit.

“Many thanks for the first lesson Uncle Lu.”, Xi Yuan said mischievously.

After Xi Yuan left Lu Ran returned to the banquet and as the evening ended guests started to leave. The crown prince and his siblings also returned to the royal palace.

The Lu Clan residence was a whole lot quieter now. Only an owl could be heard through the evening sky. Servants were running around to clean everything up. The lu clan’s members were chatting happily as they had now officially become the strongest clan in the Purple Sky Kingdom after the royal family.

As the evening passed all the members had fallen asleep and only Lu Ran was awake.

Lu Ran was walking through Moon Cloud City in the direction of the Zun Clan residence.

Zun Tai was currently alone in his private residence raging about tonight's events. He threw chairs around and slashed walls with his blade.

“Damn it all, it can’t be that all my effort is going to be wasted like this. I won’t admit defeat against the lu clan.”, Zun Tai was gnashing his teeth. “If I can’t kill Lu Ran anymore maybe his son will be a better target? That must be it, I have some poison left over, I will succeed this time.”.

“What a shame you won’t be alive to do so…”, a voice sounded from a dark corner in his room. “Tonight the zun clan will lose its core member.”, the voice sounded.

Zun Tai quickly turned around and unsheathed his blade.

Before he could slash it blood trickled down his neck. A sword had struck him faster than he could react. His neck had separated from his body and he began to sway.

His vision turned upside down and his breathing stopped.

He saw a man’s face coldly staring at him like the man had no care at all.

When a gust of wind could be felt the man disappeared like there wasn’t anyone there to begin with.

The assassin was Lu Ran and he just killed the zun clan’s patriarch Zun Tai without anyone noticing.

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