Deep within the Luo Family Ancestral Land.
A small courtyard, always emanating an ancient and mysterious aura.
Underneath a simple stone pavilion made of bluestone, which had stood for an indeterminable amount of time.
At this moment, Luo Changfeng, the Ancestor of the Luo Family from Qingshi City.
He was sitting leisurely under the pavilion.
While holding a cup of tea that still wafted steam, he sipped slowly.
Life, in such moments, was quite delightful indeed.
And just as Luo Changfeng finished the hot tea in his hands and was about to delve into studying the Formation Disk that he had obtained from the Carefree Monk,
suddenly, a figure clad in black appeared before him.
The figure was not particularly tall or broad.
Indeed, it stood no more than one point eight meters.
And yet this seemingly ordinary, unremarkable mysterious figure managed to evoke deep fear and unease in countless people.
The owner of this figure
was Zhen, one of the Shadow Guard Three Great Commanders.
He possessed the perfection of Blood Refinement.
Matching the cultivation levels of Ruan Liuli and Zhen, the other two Commanders of the Shadow Guard.
However, despite all three reaching Blood Refinement perfection,
the differences between them were starkly apparent.
Not to mention anything else, just in terms of talents alone, not everyone was the same.
Following the appearance of Zhen, one of the Shadow Guard Three Great Commanders, before Luo Changfeng,
he silently bowed his head.
His face was covered with deep respect.
Luo Changfeng set down the empty teacup in his hand,
silently lifted his gaze toward Zhen before him, and then quietly inquired.
Zhen, still bowing, responded quietly, "The people from the two Great Millennium Families under the Da Feng Dynasty's Imperial Feng Family have started to act; they are suspected of making a move against the Yan Family in Tianyin City today..."
Zhen's voice was somewhat cold,
seemingly devoid of any emotion.
That was the nature of a Shadow Guard.
To become a member, especially one of the mere Three Great Commanders,
one needed to sever most of their emotions,
to deal with the tasks commissioned by the lords with absolute calm and rationale.
"You mean, the people from the two Great Millennium Families under the Da Feng Dynasty's Imperial Feng Family have started to move?"
Luo Changfeng, listening to the words of Zhen, one of the Shadow Guard Three Great Commanders before him,
couldn't help but squint his eyes slightly.
A contemplative expression flickered through those narrowed eyes.
Zhen, his head still lowered and his expression calm, replied.
Upon receiving this affirmative answer,
Luo Changfeng fell silent for a while.
At this time, Zhen stood by his master's side, waiting in silence.
Who knows how much time had passed,
when Luo Changfeng, who had been silent, suddenly exhaled slowly.
A trace of a nearly imperceptible smile began to emerge on his calm, unchanging face.
So, the people from the two Great Millennium Families under the Da Feng Dynasty's Imperial Feng Family could no longer hold back?
They wished to quickly resolve the Yan Family in the borderland territory of Tianyin City?
Once the Yan Family that tightly guarded that border town fell, would it then be the turn of my Qingshi City Luo Family to become the next target of the Royal Feng Family?
Interesting, indeed interesting...
Within the courtyard, beneath the stone pavilion,
Luo Changfeng thought to himself.
He then raised his head, looked at Zhen who was still waiting for instructions, and after a moment of thought said softly, "I have taken note of this matter. You may withdraw for now..."
Zhen respectfully nodded his head,
and quickly disappeared into the mysterious and ancient courtyard.
With the departure of Zhen, one of the Shadow Guard Three Great Commanders,
the mysterious, ancient, yet remarkably tranquil courtyard was once again left with only Luo Changfeng.
"The true struggle is slowly progressing, isn't it?"
"The two Great Millennium Families..."
"The Royal Feng Family of the Da Feng Dynasty..."
Luo Changfeng, eyes slightly narrowed, murmured to himself.
In truth, if possible,
he would have liked to delay as long as he could,
only taking action against the Royal Feng Family of the Da Feng Dynasty when absolutely necessary.
To utterly crush the Royal Feng Family of the Da Feng Dynasty,
to remove them completely from this land, or even to erase their very existence from the annals of history.
However, what he hadn't expected now...
Even before his Qingshi City Luo Family made a move,
the Royal Feng Family of the Da Feng Dynasty seemed impatient, eager to spark the real war between the Royal Feng Family and the Qingshi City Luo Family.
"It seems... it's about time to start planning for the future of my Qingshi City Luo Family."
"Also, it seems about time for me to make a breakthrough in my cultivation."
As Luo Changfeng poured himself a full cup of tea, he continued to speak to himself under the pavilion.