On Jiangnan Avenue, in front of the Luo residence, a black sedan pulled up. Minister Lu Cheng stepped out and looked up at the plaque above the gate, where the words 'Luo Residence' were written in bold, dragon-and-phoenix calligraphy, exuding an air of supremacy.
Adjusting his collar, Lu Cheng took a deep breath before entering the slowly opening gates. Inside the study, he immediately saw Lionel, the owner of Qiming Industries, sitting with his eyes closed, exuding a calm presence. Standing beside him was a tall young man, the eldest son of the Luo family—Luo Nanxing!
Removing his shoes, Lu Cheng entered the room, nodded to Luo Nanxing, and then bowed to Lionel. "Mr. Luo, I have returned."
Lionel remained still, eyes closed. "How did it go?"
Swallowing hard, Lu Cheng replied, "Young Master Luo... was narrowly defeated."
The study fell into a heavy silence, thick enough to suffocate. As sweat beaded on Lu Cheng's forehead and dripped down, Lionel finally spoke, "I see."
Lu Cheng quickly presented a smartphone. "I had the entire match recorded. It's all in here."
The Luo father and son said nothing. Lu Cheng, not daring to linger, backed out of the study. Once the door closed, Lionel finally opened his eyes and said in a deep voice, "Bring Master Gao."
"Yes," Luo Nanxing replied, leaving and returning shortly with Gao Lin, who had coached Bryce.
"Please watch this, Master Gao. It's the entire match," Lionel said, playing the recording on a screen in the study.
Gao Lin watched quietly. Once the video ended, Lionel turned to the old man. "What do you think?"
Gao Lin exhaled slowly. "Young Master Luo did not lose unjustly."
"Oh?" Lionel looked at the screen.
Gao Lin closed his eyes. "That Ethan set a trap from the beginning. He used 'Thunderclap' the first time, knowing it would be blocked, all to lay the groundwork for his final strike. When he used 'Thunderclap' again, Young Master Luo thought he could block it as before. But Ethan suddenly unleashed his power, using his sword's 'special feature' to wipe out Young Master Luo."
When Gao Lin opened his eyes again, they were sharp. "That burst of Yuan Force from Ethan isn't from 'Contemplating the Mountains and Seas.' It seems Victor has exchanged for some kind of 'secret technique' from the 'Behemoth Strategic Command' after I left the Exploration Corps and passed it on to Ethan. Victor has really invested heavily."
Lionel asked, "If Ethan had such a technique, why didn't he use it at the start?"
"Mental state," Gao Lin smiled. "Young Master Luo's mental state was different at the start compared to later. He was cautious at the beginning, and if Ethan had used it then, it might not have succeeded. Ethan doesn't act without certainty. Young Master Luo ultimately lost due to lack of experience."
At this point, Gao Lin looked at the man behind the desk. "Should I make a trip to the Hundred Battles Academy about Young Master Luo's matter?"
Lionel shook his head decisively. "It's just the death of a son, nothing serious. I'm still young. I can always have more children. Besides, North Star had limited talent; I had no great expectations for him. Moreover, the city lord mentioned the deathmatch. I stated then that North Star's life was his own responsibility. The Luo family will not pursue the matter."
"If Victor wants this situation, why shouldn't I let him have it? He thinks killing a son will weaken me. How naive."
Lionel chuckled. "If I send Master Gao to the academy, the Exploration Corps will visit the Luo residence tomorrow. I can't let Victor benefit from such a good turn of events."
Gao Lin nodded. "So, is this matter settled?"
"For now," Lionel said gravely. "The city lord's election is imminent. I can't let this small matter affect the big picture. Victor chose this time to cause trouble, aiming to disrupt my rhythm. I won't let him have his way."
"Of course, I'm not fond of North Star, but he was still my son. I can endure for the sake of the election, but not forever. After the election, I'll settle the score with Victor properly."
He laughed again. "Besides, there's no need for Master Gao to personally visit the academy to retaliate against Victor. Victor wants to support Ethan? Fine, I, Lionel, will support him too. I'll raise him so high!"
"Let him become the brightest new star in Guangling City, and at the same time, a target for all. When the time comes, there will be no shortage of people wanting to pull down this new star and trample him into the ground. People always envy others' success. The taller the tree, the stronger the wind. It has always been so!"
Gao Lin nodded slightly. "First raising him up, then killing him off, using someone else's hand. Mr. Luo, a cunning plan."
Lionel just smiled and didn't respond. Instead, he took out some perfume and sprayed it lightly on the end of a cigar. The next moment, he was puffing away, seemingly untroubled by the death of his son.
...
Back at the Hundred Battles Academy, in the infirmary, Ethan suddenly sat up. For a moment, he thought he was back on the surface, and everything—entering the academy, observing the forbidden zone, the deathmatch—was just a dream.
"You're awake," Marshal's voice rang out. Seeing the instructor confirmed that it all wasn't a dream.
Ethan nodded, "I'm awake."
Marshal instructed him to lie back down. "You need rest. The poison has been neutralized. Don't cultivate for the next two days. Let your body recover. You've been in Guangling City for a month and haven't been anywhere but the academy. Why don't you take the weekend to relax and get to know the city?"
Just as Ethan was about to say he didn't know his way around, Cedricl's voice chimed in. "Ethan, come to my house tomorrow."
Marshal stepped aside, revealing Cedricl and Eliot. After greeting Marshal, Cedricl spoke earnestly, "I'm going home anyway. If you don't mind, why not visit for a couple of days?"
Ethan looked at Marshal, who nodded slightly, and agreed.
Cedricl was delighted, "Then it's settled." He then whispered, "Ethan, that instant kill with your sword was simply awesome!"