Chapter 27

Zhao Tianxiao pondered for a moment, glanced at the Flowing Cloud Token in his hand, and his expression was filled with deep regret and reluctance. Suddenly, he handed it to Lu Tianyu.

"Brother Zhao, what do you mean by this?" Lu Tianyu was taken aback.

"Ahem, Brother Lu, I know I don't have much time left. Keeping this Flowing Cloud Token is of no use to me. I might as well give it to you. With this token, you can participate in the Flowing Cloud Sect's disciple selection. If you become an inner disciple, your future will be boundless. This can also be my way of repaying your kindness today." Zhao Tianxiao coughed weakly, a trace of blood appearing at the corner of his mouth, and he spoke slowly.

"Absolutely not, Brother Zhao. Your father is the head of the Zhao Family Martial Arts Hall. He might have a way to save you. I'll take you back right now and have your father try to save you." As he spoke, Lu Tianyu immediately bent down to help Zhao Tianxiao up.

As the saying goes, saving a life is better than building a seven-story pagoda. Zhao Tianxiao's current situation was somewhat similar to his own. They were both wanderers in the world. If he didn't save him, his conscience would not be at ease.

"There's no need to waste time, Brother Lu. I know my condition. I'm already in the final stages, with one foot in the grave. You... you listen to me. I'm not giving you this Flowing Cloud Token for nothing. I hope that after I die, you can take my body back and hand it to my father. Tell him the characteristics of my enemy so he can avenge... avenge me... Can Brother Zhao agree... agree?" As he spoke, Zhao Tianxiao's eyes gradually bulged, and his vitality seemed to ebb like a tide. His face turned a rosy red, a sign of his final moments.

But he still tightly held onto Lu Tianyu's thigh with his left hand, afraid that he wouldn't agree.

"Brother Zhao, don't talk anymore. Rest well. I promise I will take you home!" Lu Tianyu's eyes quickly filled with tears, and he nodded firmly.

"Cough... cough... thank... thank..." After coughing with difficulty, Zhao Tianxiao's head suddenly tilted, a contented smile on his face, and he fell into Lu Tianyu's arms, his soul departing.

"Snap" The Flowing Cloud Token in Zhao Tianxiao's hand fell to the ground at Lu Tianyu's feet.

"Brother Zhao, Brother Zhao..." Lu Tianyu called out in sorrow, but Zhao Tianxiao could no longer respond.

"Brother Tianyu, what happened? Who were you talking to?" At this moment, Lu Yi called out from outside the crack, concerned.

Lu Tianyu did not answer but silently picked up the Flowing Cloud Token, placed it close to his body, and then carried Zhao Tianxiao's body, squeezing out of the crack and gently placing it on the ground.

"Ah? Brother Tianyu, who is he?" Lu Yi, suddenly seeing the dead Zhao Tianxiao, turned pale and asked nervously.

"A pitiful, unfortunate person..." Lu Tianyu sighed deeply and slowly recounted Zhao Tianxiao's story.

"Brother Tianyu, what do you plan to do?" After listening, Lu Yi asked curiously.

"I've already promised Zhao Tianxiao that I will take him home. I will keep my promise and deliver his body to the Zhao Family Martial Arts Hall, and inform the head of the characteristics of the person who killed his son." Lu Tianyu replied slowly.

"But the situation is extremely dangerous now. We can't easily show ourselves. If the Wang family finds us, it will be disastrous." Lu Yi said worriedly.

"I know, so I've decided to wait a few days and see how things develop before going out." Lu Tianyu answered. He was not rash. He couldn't easily expose himself now. If the Wang family found him, it would be a dead end.

If he died, the sacrifices of his grandfather and fourth uncle would be in vain. How could he face them in the afterlife?

At the same time, Lu Tianyu understood that he was no longer living just for himself. He had the heavy responsibility of reviving the Lu family on his shoulders.

Moreover, he needed to protect and take care of his mother and Lu Yi. If he died, the two women would be left alone and helpless.

Therefore, he needed to cherish his life even more.

After thinking for a moment, Lu Tianyu picked up Zhao Tianxiao's body again and brought it back to the small cave, gently placing it on the ground.

"Brother Zhao, rest assured. I will take you home when things calm down. You can stay here for a couple of days." He muttered and then left the crack, returning to the cave, and used a few large stones to seal the small cave to prevent his mother from seeing the dead Zhao Tianxiao and getting scared.

"Xiao Yi, don't tell my mother about Zhao Tianxiao for now. I'll explain it to her when the opportunity arises." Lu Tianyu said to Lu Yi.

"Okay, Brother Tianyu." Lu Yi nodded obediently.

"Let's go and keep Mother company." Lu Tianyu said and immediately walked out of the cave. He saw Li Xianghui sitting on a large rock, looking at him with a worried expression.

"Fei'er, what happened just now? I heard you calling out to someone named Brother Zhao. Was there someone inside?" Li Xianghui asked curiously as soon as she saw Lu Tianyu.

"Nothing, Mother. You might have heard wrong. I was just talking to Xiao Yi." Lu Tianyu immediately smiled and reassured her.

"Oh, that's good. Stay here, and I'll go find some food for you." Li Xianghui sighed in relief and stood up.

"Mother, how can you go find food for us? Rest here. I'll go find some." Lu Tianyu said and immediately instructed Lu Yi to take care of his mother, then quickly walked out of the cave.

At the cave entrance, Lu Tianyu cautiously parted the waist-high weeds and looked down the mountain. The small village below was still peaceful, and it seemed the Wang family had not pursued them here.

Lu Tianyu breathed a sigh of relief and carefully emerged from the weeds, quickly running towards the forest ahead.

In the lush forest, there were a few peach and plum trees. Lu Tianyu immediately climbed up and picked some fresh fruit, holding it in his arms and quickly returning to the cave.

After eating a few fruits, Lu Tianyu immediately sat cross-legged on a rock and began to meditate, focusing on healing his internal injuries. He wanted to recover as soon as possible so that he could have enough strength to resist any enemies in the future.

Li Xianghui and Lu Yi leaned against the cave wall and slowly fell asleep, exhausted from the recent scares and hardships.

When hungry, Lu Tianyu would go to the forest to pick fresh fruit for everyone. When thirsty, he would fetch clear water from a pond halfway up the mountain.

Time passed quietly, and three days went by in the blink of an eye.

During these three days, Lu Tianyu frequently went out to observe the situation but found no trace of the Wang family. It seemed they had not pursued them here.

After three days of cultivation and healing, Lu Tianyu's internal injuries were almost completely healed. By absorbing and digesting the remaining ice and fire attribute demon core energy in his body and converting it into his own battle qi, his strength had nearly reached the late stage of a Warrior.

On the second night, while eating fruit, Lu Tianyu found an opportunity to tell his mother about Zhao Tianxiao. Initially, Li Xianghui was very afraid, but after hearing about Zhao Tianxiao's tragic fate, she felt deep sympathy and was no longer afraid.

In the Divine Wasteland Continent, the idea of "returning to one's roots" was very strong. For the dead, the greatest regret was dying in a foreign land and not being buried in their hometown.

Therefore, Li Xianghui strongly supported her son's decision, hoping he could fulfill Zhao Tianxiao's last wish and take his body back to the Zhao Family Martial Arts Hall to be buried in the Zhao family cemetery.

On the fourth day, as the sky began to turn a pale white, Lu Tianyu woke up early from his cultivation, went out to find some fruit, and brought it back to the cave. He instructed Lu Yi to take care of his mother and then carried Zhao Tianxiao's already somewhat decomposed body out of the cave, quickly heading towards Xishui City.

For safety, Lu Tianyu took a desolate path through the wilderness, making a wide detour to successfully descend the mountain and reach the outskirts of Xishui City.

Taking off his long robe, he tightly wrapped Zhao Tianxiao's body and carried it on his shoulder, Lu Tianyu quickly headed towards Xishui City.

Xishui City was a small town, but it was still within the territory of the Qinlan Empire. Therefore, there were two Qinlan Empire soldiers guarding the city gate.

However, since it was neither a border town nor an important city, the guards were quite lax. The two soldiers stood lazily, looking up at the sky, and did not bother to check the citizens entering the city.

Following a cargo cart, Lu Tianyu quickly entered the city. He asked a citizen for directions to the Zhao Family Martial Arts Hall and immediately headed towards his destination.

About a quarter of an hour later, Lu Tianyu finally arrived at the entrance of the Zhao Family Martial Arts Hall. The hall was grand and imposing, with two large stone lions at the entrance and two burly men standing guard, watching over the safety of the hall.

"Stop, who are you?" One of the men quickly approached and blocked his way as Lu Tianyu walked up the steps.

"I have important business to see the head of the hall. Please inform him." Lu Tianyu said immediately.

"Who is looking for me?" Before the man could answer, a middle-aged man stepped out of the hall. He had thick eyebrows and large eyes, exuding an aura of authority, and bore a seven-tenths resemblance to Zhao Tianxiao.

"Are you the head of the hall?" Lu Tianyu, unsure of the man's identity, asked curiously.

"Yes, young man, who are you? What do you want?" Zhao Yunbing asked curiously.

"Head of the hall, can we talk inside?" Lu Tianyu glanced at the body on his shoulder and said slowly.

"Alright, come in with me." Zhao Yunbing nodded and gestured for Lu Tianyu to follow.

Seeing this, Lu Tianyu couldn't help but feel a sense of respect. As the head of the Zhao Family Martial Arts Hall, Zhao Yunbing had no airs, which was truly commendable.