Chapter 127: I Need a Lackey

As these words were spoken, an aura of supreme dominance radiated from him, leaving Wanquan and Shen He gasping for breath in shock.

"Young Master Lu, we truly know we were wrong."

At this moment, they felt incredibly weak, helpless, and pathetic.

Lu Ye chuckled and said, "I underestimated you. To think you could actually dig up my identity as the Young Master of the Lu family."

"Since we are both descendants of martial arts families, let us settle this according to the traditions of our kind: a duel to the death. If you are lucky enough to survive, I will naturally let you go."

Disputes between martial arts families have always been resolved this way, and Wanquan was well aware of this rule. Given his failed attempt to steal Lu Ye's wife, it was impossible for Lu Ye to let him off lightly. However, Wanquan felt somewhat confident about a fair duel; even if he couldn't defeat Lu Ye, he should at least be able to survive.

Gritting his teeth, Wanquan nodded. "Fine, Young Master Lu, I will fight you!"

In the courtyard of his home, Lu Ye and Wanquan stood facing each other, while Shen He watched tremblingly from the side.

Wanquan cupped his hands and asked, "Young Master Lu, how shall we fight?"

Lu Ye smiled. "Have your lackey keep time. If you can last three minutes under my hands, you win."

Wanquan’s face lit up. "Agreed!"

The two distanced themselves. Wanquan assumed the starting stance of the Tiger Claw Fist, while Lu Ye struck a posture from Tai Chi—"Parting the Wild Horse's Mane."

Shen He took out his phone, opened the stopwatch, and counted down: "Three, two, one, start!"

"Hah!" Wanquan let out a sharp cry, his fist wrapped in a fierce gust of wind as he lunged forward.

Lu Ye scoffed calmly. He performed the 'Seven-Star Steps,' his figure flickering as he effortlessly dodged three of Wanquan's strikes. Before Wanquan could recover his momentum, Lu Ye seized an opening and launched a counter-offensive.

Advancing with a hammer-fist, followed by 'Grasping the Sparrow's Tail,' 'Closing the Door,' and 'Single Whip'... he unleashed a fluid sequence of Tai Chi techniques. With a mix of deflections and strikes, Wanquan was tossed and pulled about like a puppet. Though the punches and palms seemed soft, each one carried immense, calculated force.

*Pfft!*

Following the barrage, Wanquan vomited blood on the spot. Despite there being no visible wounds on his skin, his internal organs were severely damaged, and he collapsed to the ground.

*Thud!*

At that exact moment, Shen He stopped the stopwatch.

Lu Ye asked with a smile, "How long did he last?"

Shen He trembled, "Eight seconds..."

Wanquan clutched his chest and wailed, "Young Master Lu, I surrender! Please, spare my life!"

Lu Ye stepped on his head and said arrogantly, "Do you still dare to harbor thoughts about my wife?"

"No, I don't! Never again!"

"Do you still dare to cause me trouble?"

"No, I don't! Never again!"

Lu Ye withdrew his foot and sneered, "Get up."

Wanquan scrambled up as if granted a pardon, kneeling and kowtowing repeatedly. "Thank you, Young Master Lu! Thank you, Young Master Lu!"

Lu Ye said, "I won't let you off for nothing. There are conditions."

Wanquan paused, "What conditions?"

Lu Ye bluffed, "I am out experiencing the world behind the backs of the Lu family elders. I don't want them to know I am in Mingzhu City, so I need a lackey to handle all the trivial trouble for me."

"Young Master Wan, do you understand what I mean?"

To put it nicely, he would be the attendant to the Young Master of the Lu family. To put it bluntly, he would be Lu Ye's dog.

Yet, Wanquan nodded vigorously without hesitation. "Yes, yes! Thank you, Young Master Lu!"

Wanquan did not feel humiliated. Not just anyone was qualified to be an attendant to a Young Master of the Lu family. He even felt that this was a blessing in disguise; if the name of the martial arts Lu family were publicly revealed, he knew many would fight for the chance to lick Lu Ye’s boots.

He had not a shred of doubt regarding Lu Ye’s identity. Firstly, the profile on Lu Ye had been obtained by Wanquan himself through Tong Mi, and Y6 intelligence was never wrong. That alone convinced him eighty percent. Secondly, it was the technique Lu Ye had just displayed. Whether it was the 'Cloud-Stepping Movement' or Tai Chi, these were the signature skills of the reclusive Lu family. Since Lu Ye executed them with such mastery, they could not be fake.

In truth, Tai Chi was not the exclusive patent of the martial arts Lu family; it was merely one of many styles Lu Ye had learned. Lu Ye’s mastery of Tai Chi was not profound, but it was more than enough to fool Wanquan. With the foundation of the *Jade Maiden Heart Sutra*, he could unleash great power using any style of martial arts.

"From now on, don't call me Young Master Lu in public; just call me Brother Lu."

"I understand, Brother Lu!"

Lu Ye nodded. Having dealt the blow, it was time to offer a treat.

"Get up, I will heal your internal injuries."

Wanquan, looking bewildered, stood up. "How will you heal them?"

Lu Ye rubbed his wrists and immediately launched into a swift, storm-like sequence of "Life-Saving Fist" techniques. After completing the forty-nine moves, Wanquan was still dazed. "Brother Lu, what kind of boxing is this? Why does it feel so comfortable to be hit by it?"

Lu Ye replied with a stern, righteous face, "This is a secret healing technique of the Lu family. You wouldn't understand it."

"I’m sorry, I spoke out of turn."

"I'm leaving. Take care of yourself."

"Goodbye, Brother Lu!"

After exiting the courtyard, Lu Ye walked home along the mountain path. Living in the same residential compound, it was less than fifty meters away; they were essentially neighbors.

Watching him leave, Wanquan finally let out a long sigh of relief. Wiping the cold sweat from his forehead, he muttered, "Damn, that was close..."

Shen He asked, "Young Master Wan, should we consider this a blessing in disguise?"

Wanquan nodded. "I suppose so. Young Master Lu has repaid evil with kindness."

"In the future, I must perform well to improve Young Master Lu’s impression of me. Perhaps our Wan family can use this opportunity to rise again among the martial arts families."

Although the Wan family had built an empire in the business world, it was considered a disgrace for a martial arts family. His grandfather, Wan Jinyou, had always harbored resentment over this and dreamed of the Wan family returning to the ranks of martial arts clans. Though Wanquan was a scoundrel, he at least possessed a shred of filial piety.

"Right, I must report this to Grandfather."

Wanquan rushed back inside and made an international call. "Grandfather, I have good news! I’ve established a connection with that Young Master of the Lu family!"

On the other end of the line, Wan Jinyou sounded skeptical. "Which Lu family Young Master?"

Wanquan explained, "The pillar of the martial arts world, the Young Master of the Lu family!"

"Hiss..."

"Is this true? You haven't been swindled, have you? Our Wan family is so diminished in the martial arts world today, why would that Young Master deign to associate with you?"

Wan Jinyou’s first reaction was that it was impossible. The Lu family was an incredibly transcendent existence, and the Young Master of the Lu family was a figure of such noble status. He knew his grandson better than anyone—a vain, pleasure-seeking wastrel. How could he possibly catch the eye of the Lu family’s heir?

Wanquan dared not tell him the truth. If his grandfather knew he had been beaten up for coveting the Young Master’s wife and then forced into servitude, he would be shredded to pieces.

"Grandfather, it was fate that brought the Young Master and me together!"

Wan Jinyou grew even more suspicious. "Tell me, what is this Young Master’s name? How old is he?"

Wanquan hesitated, but he was certain of Lu Ye’s identity. To put his grandfather at ease, he said truthfully, "His name is Lu Ye, and he is twenty-two this year. He ran away from home secretly and fell in love at first sight with the daughter of the Mingzhu tycoon, the Su family, becoming their live-in son-in-law."

Wan Jinyou replied, "Understood. I will investigate whether such a person exists."

"Alright, goodbye, Grandfather!"

Although the title of a martial arts family for the Wans was now merely nominal, Wan Jinyou still held a seat in the Martial Arts Family Association and had several old friends. Yang Qiusheng, the head of the Yang martial arts family, was one of them, and he had maintained close ties with the Lu family in his early years.

Wan Jinyou called Yang Qiusheng to inquire about Lu Ye. Yang Qiusheng confirmed that there was indeed a Young Master of the Lu family named Lu Ye. He had never appeared in the family, likely out training in the world, and Yang Qiusheng had only heard his name.

Having confirmed this, Wan Jinyou finally felt at ease. He called Wanquan back. "Quan’er, I’ve checked. It is indeed the Young Master of the Lu family. Connecting with such a figure is no small matter. You must cherish this opportunity! Whether our Wan family can return to the ranks of the martial arts families depends entirely on you!"