217: Night attack, a provocative declaration of war! Prepare in advance!

An Shijing's smile instantly froze. With a squeeze of his fingers, the grape burst, splattering purple juice all over his hand.

He slowly straightened up, his eyes becoming sharp as knives. The temperature in the warm chamber seemed to drop abruptly, and even the dancers’ movements stiffened for a moment.

"What happened to Yaohua?" An Shijing's voice was light, yet carried a chilling calmness. "Explain clearly."

The shadow almost buried his head in the ground, his voice choked with sobs: "Dead! Miss Ji was... was killed by that Lu Jiuyuan of Number One Estate Under Heaven with a single sword strike!

It happened in Clear Water Alley in the south of the city! This subordinate... this subordinate saw it with his own eyes!"

"Lu... Jiu... Yuan..." An Shijing enunciated the name word by word, the madness in his eyes gradually replaced by an icy, bone-chilling killing intent.

"Yaohua is dead, why are you still alive?"

An Shijing's voice was airy, but that killing intent instantly enveloped the messenger's mind.

The shadow trembled violently, kowtowing like a pestle pounding garlic, and blood instantly appeared on his forehead:

"Master, spare my life! Master, spare my life! That Lu Jiuyuan... he, he's not a man at all!

Miss Ji was so beautiful, yet he killed her without the slightest hesitation, with one move... he only used one move to pin Miss Ji to the ground!

This subordinate... this subordinate wanted to keep his life to report back to Master!"

"Report back?" An Shijing slowly stood up, pulled out a silk handkerchief, and meticulously wiped the sticky grape juice from his hand, his movements elegant:

"Yaohua is dead, and you came back alive just to tell me how easily she died? Hmm?"

His wiping motion suddenly stopped, his gaze falling on the glaring purple stain on the silk handkerchief, as if he saw Ji Yaohua's splattered blood.

His fingertips trembled slightly, not from grief, but from a furious rage, a feeling of being utterly provoked and slapped hard across the face.

"One strike through the heart... Heh heh... one strike..." An Shijing chuckled softly, his laughter growing louder and more frantic, the entire warm chamber shaking with his laughter:

"What a World's Greatest Swordsman! What a Lu Jiuyuan! He even dared to kill my An Shijing's woman! And killed her so cleanly!"

He abruptly threw the silk handkerchief to the ground, the wild laughter on his face instantly turning into a ferocious sneer: "Did I ask you to describe it so clearly? Are you showing off?"

Before his words finished, An Shijing's figure flickered, appearing like a ghost before the messenger.

The messenger didn't even have time to cry out before a cold hand pressed down on his crown.

"No... Master...!"

Crimson flames enveloped his entire body.

The harrowing scream lasted only half a breath before abruptly ceasing.

The messenger's body rapidly shriveled, withered, burned, and turned to ashes at a visible speed.

An Shijing slowly withdrew his hand, took a deep breath, and that cynical smile reappeared on his face, but his eyes were as cold as ten thousand years of ice.

"Choosing to offend me, then our war officially begins!"

...The next day, early morning.

Lu Jiuyuan slowly finished his cultivation in his private courtyard at Number One Estate Under Heaven, the Three-Part Yuan Qi flowing smoothly within his body.

Shangguan Haitang arrived on time, bringing breakfast and also a piece of news.

"Brother Lu!" Shangguan Haitang's expression was grave. "Also, there seemed to be unusual activity at the An Manor last night, but the specifics are unknown."

Lu Jiuyuan unhurriedly drank his plain porridge, and at her words, merely raised an eyebrow: "Last night, I killed a woman, a very beautiful woman, who seemed very important. Someone is getting anxious."

"That woman's name was Ji Yaohua. Ostensibly, she was a female constable of Six Doors, but secretly she was An Shijing's person."

Shangguan Haitang said: "An Shijing acts erratically and holds grudges. Ji Yaohua was his beloved subordinate, and even his concubine... With Ji Yaohua's death, he will absolutely not let it go. Brother Lu, you still need to be extra careful these days."

"No matter." Lu Jiuyuan put down his bowl and chopsticks, his tone calm. "If he doesn't come, I'd find it boring."

As they spoke, a guard from Number One Estate Under Heaven hurried to the courtyard entrance and respectfully reported: "Estate Master, Mr. Lu, someone outside the estate sent a brocade box, specifically requesting it be given to Young Master Lu."

Shangguan Haitang and Lu Jiuyuan exchanged glances, a hint of vigilance rising in their hearts.

"Who sent it?" Shangguan Haitang asked.

"It was a small beggar. He said a big uncle gave him two taels of silver to deliver it."

"Bring it in." Lu Jiuyuan said.

The guard placed a exquisitely crafted zitan wood brocade box on the stone table and then withdrew.

Shangguan Haitang circulated her Internal Energy, carefully sensing for a moment, then frowned: "There are no mechanisms or poisonous fumes in the box, but... there's a very faint smell of blood."

Lu Jiuyuan reached out and directly opened the brocade box.

Inside the box, there was no letter, no provocative words, only one item.

A neatly folded lotus-colored gauze dress.

At the heart of the gauze dress, there was a clear hole, pierced by a sharp blade, surrounded by a patch of bloodstains that had turned dark brown.

It was the very dress Ji Yaohua wore last night.

The bloodstains were dry, yet they seemed to still retain the shock and despair of their owner's last moments.

This silent presentation was more provocative and oppressive than any fierce words.

Shangguan Haitang's expression changed slightly: "An Shijing! He is declaring war!"

Lu Jiuyuan looked at the blood-stained gauze dress, and instead of anger, a hint of intrigued interest appeared on his face.

"Interesting." Lu Jiuyuan lightly touched it:

"I accept this declaration of war."

He closed the brocade box and said to Shangguan Haitang:

"An Shijing's patience is worse than I imagined. This game might enter its climax earlier."

"This estate is quite nice; it would be a shame if it got caught in the crossfire! It seems I'll have to ask Estate Master Shangguan to help arrange a new place!"

"What's difficult about that!" Shangguan Haitang lightly tapped the folding fan in her hand: "One trains soldiers for a thousand days to use them for an hour. The masters in the estate can also lend a hand!"

Shangguan Haitang was extremely efficient. In less than half a day, Lu Jiuyuan had already moved into a detached courtyard.

This place was far from the city, so even a major battle would not have much impact.

In the detached courtyard, there were not many people: Lu Jiuyuan, Shangguan Haitang, and Jian Jingfeng, that was all.

The night was inky, and the full moon hung high, making it not so dark.

Outside the courtyard, the bamboo grove rustled in the night wind, adding to the sense of desolation and silence.

Inside the hall, Lu Jiuyuan closed his eyes in meditation, his fingertips unconsciously tapping the table, as if waiting for something.

Shangguan Haitang and Jian Jingfeng sat on either side, their expressions wary, the air so heavy it could almost be wrung out.