"As the City Lord of Chuzhou, how can you be ignorant of such occurrences within your city!"
Lu Fan's expression turned cold as he looked at the Chuzhou City Lord again. "I think you're unfit to be a City Lord!"
"It is my subordinate's dereliction of duty!"
The Chuzhou City Lord quickly bowed, his eyes conveying a sense of innocence.
He also wanted to get to the bottom of this, but his abilities were limited. If this was indeed the work of an ancient sect, it was beyond his control.
"Xiao Fan, perhaps we should leave!"
Lin Ke spoke up, "It seems we won't find anything out here!"
Lu Fan felt a sense of helplessness and turned to leave. As the Chuzhou City Lord had said, if it were the work of an ancient sect, it was beyond his influence.
"It seems we can't stay in Chuzhou any longer!"
Lu Fan stated, "After the New Year, I'll bring Grandma and the others back to Longdu!"
"I wanted to say the same!" Lin Ke nodded. "Your current identity is sensitive, and Grandma and the others are indeed in considerable danger."
Upon returning to the villa, Lu Fan found the table laden with dishes, most of them his favorites.
"Xiao Fan, come and sit quickly!" Yang Shiyun said with a smile. "It's New Year's Eve. After dinner, I'll take you for a stroll!"
"Nonsense!" Yang Shiwen shot her a glance. "Xiao Fan just got back not long ago and needs to rest. We can't tire him out!"
"It's alright!"
Lu Fan replied with a smile. "We also wanted to look around, after all, it's a rare opportunity to visit!"
"That's right, I'll accompany you all then!"
Grandma Yang chimed in. "I haven't been out in a long time either. It'll be fun to join the excitement!"
"That's wonderful!"
Yang Zixin smiled. "Usually, when we ask Grandma to go out, she never agrees. But now it's different!"
"Naturally, it is. Who do you think is here?" Yang Shiyun teased with a faint smile.
"You all need to eat more!"
Grandma Yang looked at Long Yi and Lin Ke. "Let's all go together later!"
Long Yi and Lin Ke nodded, both smiling.
Not long after, the group arrived at the heart of Chuzhou City.
The streets were bustling with activity. Lanterns were hung everywhere, and various attractions were on display, from calligraphy and painting stalls to riddle games, making for a lively scene.
However, amidst the crowd, several figures clad in black moved with ill intent, seemingly observing something.
"Lord Hei Yu, the information is gathered!"
A man in black reported, "If we can capture the Yang family matriarch, it will surely throw him into a panic and force him to hand over the Taixu Sword!"
"Grandma Yang?"
Hei Yu narrowed his eyes, a cold glint flashing within them. He had come to Chuzhou specifically for the three divine swords, and he would not let such an opportunity pass.
"If they split up, strike them one by one!"
Hei Yu said coldly. "This way, they won't be able to focus on many things at once!"
"Your subordinate obeys!"
One of the black-clad figures cupped his fists, his expression particularly serious.
Meanwhile, Grandma Yang gazed at the sky filled with fireworks, the various street stalls, and the scene before her, her spirits greatly lifted.
"If only your mother were here! I remember every New Year's Eve, your mother would always go to see the lanterns with me!"
Lu Fan's body trembled slightly, a pang of sadness hitting him. Grandma Yang's words brought back memories from years past.
However, Lu Fan knew that this was something the Lu family had to endure. As a descendant of the ancient Lu clan, he was destined to be drawn into this turbulent era, an unavoidable fate.
"Xiao Fan, shall we go for a boat ride?"
Yang Zixin suggested, her gaze fixed on the pleasure boats by the riverbank, a sense of longing in her eyes. Although she was naturally afraid of water, with Lu Fan by her side, she felt no apprehension.
"But Grandma gets seasick!" Lu Fan frowned. "I'm afraid we can't go."
"It's alright, you all go ahead!" Grandma Yang smiled. "I'll stay here, not going anywhere!"
"How about this! I'll accompany Grandma here, and you go for the boat ride!" Lin Ke said softly. "It's a good opportunity for me to stroll with Grandma."
"That's wonderful!" Yang Zixin exclaimed excitedly, pulling Lu Fan towards the pleasure boats by the river. If Lu Fan hadn't been with her, she wouldn't have dared to board.
Long Yi and Yang Shiyun followed suit. Enjoying the beautiful scenery of Chuzhou from the boat was indeed a pleasant option.
On the pleasure boat, Lu Fan sat to one side, while Yang Zixin was busy taking pictures, looking quite pleased with herself. Against the backdrop of the beautiful night, she captured stunning, ethereal shots of herself.
"Let me take pictures for you!" Yang Shiyun shook her head. "Your photos are not good at all!"
Yang Zixin nodded slightly and then struck a few poses.
Long Yi sat quietly to the side, appearing rather detached.
"You're also a woman, why aren't you going with them to take pictures?" Lu Fan asked.
"Perhaps I'm not interested!"
Long Yi shrugged. "I'm not very interested in many things. Perhaps I can't blend into this society!"
"You say that as if you're an old person!"
Lu Fan gave a wry smile and then added, "But speaking of which, do you feel that the atmosphere tonight is a little oppressive?"
"I do have a feeling!"
Long Yi nodded. "When we boarded just now, I vaguely sensed an aura, though I wasn't entirely sure."
"People from the Ghost Hall!"
Lu Fan suddenly stood up, a look of worry appearing on his face. He too had sensed a faint aura earlier but hadn't paid it much mind. However, combined with what Long Yi had just said, it must be people from the Ghost Hall.
"You don't need to worry too much. People from the Ghost Hall wouldn't dare act so brazenly!"
Long Yi stated. "Moreover, with us here, if they were to make a move, we could easily deal with them!"
"Don't forget, Black and White Impermanence are extremely powerful. If they were to show up, then it would be dangerous!"
"Black and White Impermanence are being pursued by elders of the Ye clan, so they likely wouldn't dare to act rashly!"
Long Yi reasoned. "Experts of their caliber would not put their lives at such risk!"
Meanwhile, in the city center, Grandma Yang held Lin Ke's hand. "Xiao Ke, it's my lifelong regret that I couldn't attend your wedding with Xiao Fan. This bracelet is extremely precious. My mother personally gave it to me when I got married!"
Lin Ke was slightly taken aback. Seeing Grandma Yang about to give her the bracelet, she quickly shook her head. "This is not right. If I were to lose such a valuable item, I would feel guilty!"
"It's meant to be passed down from generation to generation. If Xiao Fan's mother were still alive, this bracelet would be with him, and then it would be passed to you!" Grandma Yang said earnestly. "Quick, give me your hand, Grandma will put it on for you herself!"
Lin Ke hesitated but found it difficult to refuse directly. She extended her hand, and the bracelet was placed on her wrist.
Seeing this, Grandma Yang was quite pleased and looked immensely satisfied.