From what I had heard, the strife in here could be summarized to a few important points, the first one would be the family's head being actually in retreat, trying to achieve a breakthrough and those two Great Elders were the one responsible in managing the family until the family's head come out of his retreat .
But a few days ago, the faction of Young Master Lu Jian seemed to be in a conflict with the two Great Elders under the leadership of the young master and his supporters, they all went to the Main Hall and they were said to be asking for an explanation, what met them were the two Elders together with the other elders who were at odds with the young master .
The result of the discussion wasn't clear, even the reason of the conflict wasn't disclosed, but just about 2 or 3 days prior to today, a few rumors began circling around, telling about the Great Elders suggestion of making Lu Chiang who wasn't even a member of the family half a year ago, the new successor to the family's head position .
And things didn't stop there,not only the rumors didn't stop, but the rumors began to grow more and more severe, until one particular rumor appeared, that rumor throw the whole family into chaos .
That rumor was the second turning point, the rumor implied that due to the family's head being in retreat and instead of waiting for him to come out first, the two Great Elders suggested that we have a competition to decide who will be the next family's head, that suggestion came out after the rumors about the young master refusing to accept the challenge of Lu Chiang .
These rumors were what made the family suddenly got split into two factions, one supporting the young master and his claims to the successor position and another faction under the support of the two Grand Elders and few other elders who wanted Lu Chiang to be the successor, then the rumors about a competition among the young generation to decide who will be the next successor began circling around .
The competition was said to be among the young generation, so anyone can be able to participate in it without a problem, but in fact the rumors confirmed that the battle will be between the two competing for the successor position, young master Lu Jian and the lowborn Lu Chiang .
Those were all as per those inner courtyard servants supposedly nothing more than rumors, but looking at the frown on the young master's face, I'm beginning to feel that those rumors might be actually quite close to the actual truth, if not all of it was .
No matter how brilliant that Lu Chiang was, he shouldn't have the same influence in the family that could allow him to become the next family's head, connecting this to the words I heard yesterday, I began to become certain that those who were pushing the idea of making Lu Chiang the new family's head or at least the successor for now were all being controlled by the Evil Tigers .
Wait, recalling the incident from yesterday, I couldn't help but follow a certain line of thought, if I hadn't did what I did yesterday, the strife in the Lu Family might have been resolved overnight, changing the family's head successor was quite a big event, so if Deacon Lu were allowed to relay the message he got from that mysterious man, all this chaos should have settled down for some time .
No I shouldn't be dwelling on the past any more, I should be more focusing on what will be going from now on, if the young master contacted me just now to join his team after he heard of me, then my answer should suffice on telling him that I won't be standing on neither of the two's sides, at least I hope so, the least thing I wished for, was to be targeted by the young master of the Lu Family .
The reaction of the other guy Lu Chiang was what worried me the most at the moment, before I thought that he might be able to decide my life and death in the Dojo, but only at the Dojo, now I got to know that he might be even more influential here than in the Dojo and since Lu Jian knew of my existence, then Lu Chiang will soon come knocking as well, after he say goodbye to his dog of a father .
I was beginning to lose my composure, thinking that I actually might be pulled into a battle that I had no linking to, not only that, but it seemed that I will be pulled to the side that was at wrong here .
After all me deciding to side with the enemy of my Senior Brother at the Dojo, might be nothing short of an act of betrayal and even if it wasn't so, he will make it so, his words as a close disciple were valued more than mine, so could it be possible for me to stay cool after reaching that conclusion .
I really hope that he would just leave me be, I'm no threat to him or the mission that he was tasked with, so it shouldn't be of any benefit to him, if he decided to deal with me, right, right ? .
This inquiry kept hovering in my head, but I kept on recalling what happened yesterday with old Sun and what old Han told me earlier and I couldn't help but want to curse my luck out loud, maybe I should just try and end this cycle of hatred by killing that old Sun before he tell him much about me .
Just as I was thinking like this, I suddenly heard the sound of drumbeat and heard someone say that the ceremony was beginning, the two elders suddenly stood up and done something that resulted in exerting pressure on all the people present, forcing all the bustling in the scene to disappear directly, the pressure that they exerted was incredibly strong .
Enough to stop people from being able to let out even a cry and to make some directly kneel on the ground, luckily similar to before, my Blood Qi seemed to be able to keep me steady, even though, all the servants around me and even some of the guards were struggling to keep calm .
A sudden horn sound was being blown and I then saw that at the stage, 4 other elders began to stand up and exerting their pressure as well, while the other 7 were seating and staring coldly at the other elders, confirming the rumors about the family split into two factions .
After the horn was blown, I heard the neighing sound of horses, then I saw that a chariot that was being pulled by horses, began to come into view, the chariot was decorated with different kind of flowers and all kinds of offerings, I was able to understand that what the elders were doing, was all part of the funeral ritual .
On the chariot, I saw the Deacon Lu's lifeless body and almost spat at what I was seeing, someone actually sewed a smile on his face, I was certain that the state I left him in yesterday was him gaping as if he wanted to say something, I'm certain of what I saw .
I guess he wanted to be filial son and he was the one to order this being done, speaking of the devil, Lu Chiang had finally made an appearance, the boy was walking on the ground and had a grave expression on his face, that expression didn't belong to someone who was mourning the loss of his his father, but seemed to be the face of someone who was searching for the person who did this, an evil and full of bloodlust kind of face, a face that didn't match with the fact that the boy in front of me was 12 years old .
The boy had long, dark hair and sharp features, he was currently exuding a killing intent and a vengeful demeanor, he was dressed in a layered dark robe and a white inner garment, there was no trace of child's fat on his face, his expression conveyed a blend of intensity, the guy body was exuding a dangerous aura, an aura that I was able to tell this about even through the distance .
It felt like the boy in front of me was a monster in a human flesh, he was almost the same height as me, even though I was 2 years older than him, but I guessed that his practice might had a hand in boasting his height a bit, now that I think of it, I believe that I might have gained a centimeter or two to my height, I will need to check that later .
He was walking behind the chariot with a heavy steps and as if fate was ridiculing me, I saw that old Sun that I didn't want to meet walking behind him with a forced grieving expression on his face, even a person clueless about these sorts of things would probably be able to tell that he was faking it, seeing him appearing behind Lu Chiang, I felt that the idiom about enemies tend to meet on narrow road was indeed right, sadly .
If I were to choose the only person that I didn't want to see here, it would be that old Sun, not to mention seeing him this close to Lu Chiang, but it seemed that he currently had no clue about me being here, so that was a relief for now, as the chariot was completely out of the Hall, I saw that Lu Chiang first seemed to be scanning the face of everyone present, his eyes were cold as he looked at each and everyone present, before they finally fell on the young master Lu Jian's face and the two stared at one another .
One had a dignified demeanor and seemed to be not taking the other person seriously and the other was looking up with a cold and evil look as if threatening the other, both were staring daggers at one another and at their eyes clashing, I was even beginning to see the illusion of some sparks began to appear in the exchange between the two .
Another horn was blown and the tension in the air suddenly subsided, but a sudden grin from Young Master Lu Jian, irked Lu Chiang and made him frown deeply, but I guess it was time to finish the ceremony, both Lu Chiang and old Lu Sun were suddenly riding on the horses and heading to another Hall, with all of us following him .
After we reached into the core area of the mansion, a Hall with the name Lu Family's Ancestral Hall came into view, once we arrived there, only the Grand Elders and the two relatives were allowed to enter, much to the dismay of the other elders and the young master .
After all, the relatives to the deceased and even the deceased himself shouldn't have been allowed to enter, yet they who were a family members only in name were allowed entry and those who were tied to the family by blood weren't, this was indeed enough reason to become annoyed .
After the two Elders went inside the hall together with the two relatives, we were asked to go and retrieve incense stick from the girls that were distributing them and return back to our position in waiting to get the permission in burning incense and finally go back outside .
The experience in the Inner Courtyard wasn't what I anticipated it to be, it was much milder and a bit lacking in glamour, but it wasn't all bad, I still witnessed that weird tree and that refreshing aroma that tree might be the one releasing it, but that was all .
I went to the stand where the girl distributing the incense at and I just so happened to bump into the same girl that looked at me back in the garden, I got stared at a lot back then from different girls, all were looking expectantly at me, perhaps wanting to get a letter from me, but much to their disappointment that didn't happen .
But this girl was different, she didn't look at me like she was waiting for me to give her a love letter, she was looking at me with familiarity, as if she had seen me before, if that feeling was a bit vague before, then with her standing in front of me like this, I had no more doubt that the girl seemed to indeed recognize me .
I was a bit guarded first thinking that she might be someone special to the original Tian Long and even though, that normally would have not been much of a problem, but the original Tian Long have already left, so it might complicate things a little, but I soon loosened up my guard, remembering that she wasn't mentioned in the regrets that Tian Long left, so I discarded the thought of them having a close relationship and went to the stand she was at to get the incense stick and get this weird situation over with .
As I took the incense stick out of her hand, she surprisingly said :
I guess a guy like you had a tough life, you were able to stay alive after you get lashed by instructor Lu, but shouldn't you be grateful, if not for me convincing the young miss to help you, together with the testimony of that Lin Dong, you might have been skinned alive by the law enforcement elder .
Hearing what she just said, I couldn't help but be startled at this, in my memories, I hadn't recalled them being at the scene in that time, but even though, she said this herself, I couldn't bring myself to believe her, I looked at her a bit stunned, then cupped my fist and thanked her while bowing, I also asked her to thank the young miss of hers on my behalf and promised to payback the debt I owe her in the future .
You, you wanted to pay back the young miss's favor, how funny, then I will be sure to ask her to wait for your payback then .
She said this and chuckled slightly, then sent me off with her hands, seeing that she didn't seem to have any ulterior motives, I couldn't help but beginning to believe some of the words she told me, if they were indeed true, then I believe I owe those two a life .
That Lin Dong as well, I wonder how he was fairing now, I hadn't seen him around or maybe I did, but I just didn't recognize him, becoming an Elder's disciple might had quite the changing effect, I hope it work well for him .
After getting the incense, I saw that the rows in front of the room began moving, meaning that Lu Chiang and his uncle already left the place, the ceremony of offering incense to the deceased began .
The stick was quite long so I wondered if we were asked to stay inside until the whole stick was burnt out, but from how fast the rows were moving, I deemed that to not be the case, once it was my turn, I entered the Ancestral Hall and the first thing that came in view, was the log of names on the walls surrounding me .
Don't stand there all day, hurry up .
As I was looking at the walls, I sensed a strong push that almost dislocated my shoulder, the guards in this Hall seemed to be less friendly and quite strong too, even though there was no malicious intent behind that push, it almost dislocated my shoulder .
Not wanting to taste it a second time, I continued forward and under the brightly lit roof of the hall, I burned the incense stick then put it on the incense pot like the others and headed out while thinking that if it was up to me, instead of offering incense to him, I might have lit him on fire .
But it wasn't, so I just shook head and got out while lamenting on what might have been my fate, if I hadn't done what I I did yesterday, I was certain that at most my corpse will have the exact same fate as that Lu Jiu, being disposed of without much caring, just as I got out of the Hall and was engrossed on my own thoughts, I happened to sense someone staring at me .
Following that gaze back to its source, I saw who was it coming from and was instantly shocked to the core, the one who was staring at me was none other than Lu Chiang .