CHAPTER 53: THE WHITE-ROBED GOD OF SLAUGHTER, IMPERIAL LORD OF RITUALS

A deep, commanding voice came from behind Nantian Xiu, carrying with it a hint of calm guidance. "Hehehe, not bad at all. Nowadays, it's rare to see someone wield the Dragon Ascent Sword to such a level. But remember, true mastery lies in becoming one with the sword at all times."

"Who's there?"

Nantian Xiu quickly swung his golden longsword in a sharp arc behind him. In that instant, the dragon scattered into a storm of blades that tore through the space he had just struck.

Dust and debris shot up as the sword hit the ground with a loud boom, and Nantian Xiu used the momentum to dart a hundred meters away.

His divine sense spread out rapidly. At the same time, cold sweat ran down his back.

It was terrifying to him that someone could get that close without triggering any warning from his divine sense.

He turned to look at where his sword strike had landed. As the dust settled, no one was there.

"Hehe, not a bad reaction. But I'm to your left."

Nantian Xiu quickly twisted around. At some point, two elegant figures had appeared beneath a large tree beside him. The two sat calmly beneath the shade, playing a game of chess.

When Nantian Xiu looked at the state of their game and the number of pieces on the board, he broke out in a cold sweat again.

Judging from the board, they had been playing for quite some time, and yet he hadn't sensed a thing.

He tightened his grip on the golden sword, ready to unleash the sword dragon at any moment. "Who are you two? Why are you stopping me?"

One of the men picked up a black piece and casually placed it on the far edge of the upper-left corner of the board.

"Us? We're just spectators. As for why we stopped you... that's because we want you to be a spectator as well. Watch and see who wins this game."

Nantian Xiu froze at his words. His nerves tensed even more. "What do you mean? A spectator? Watching your game?"

The man simply smiled at him, offering no further explanation. "Come. Watch and see who wins."

There was a strange magic in his voice, one that seemed to wash away all fear and bring peace to the heart.

Nantian Xiu slowly lowered his guard. As if greeting old friends, he walked over to the tree and looked at the chessboard.

The other man beside the board glanced at Nantian Xiu, a strange purple light flickering in his eyes. "Young one, what do you think of our game?"

Nantian Xiu turned to meet the man's gaze. The moment he did, his mind was instantly drawn into that eerie purple light.

He could feel his state of mind shifting. Passion, fear, ambition, dreams—emotions of his younger self surged back into him.

His demeanor and mental state abruptly reverted to that of a young cultivator in his twenties or thirties, just stepping into the world of cultivation.

"Well? What do you think, young man?"

The man with the purple eyes placed a white piece on the board. The crisp click as it landed snapped Nantian Xiu out of the purple whirlpool.

Though his body still bore the weight of age, when he looked inward, he could feel a surge of hot-blooded energy welling up inside him.

He looked at the purple-eyed man in shock. "Why do I feel this rush of passion? Is this a rebirth? Has my heart been remolded? But... my body hasn't changed."

With just a single glance, his heart had been stirred, and he felt as if he had returned to his prime.

The man smiled at his bewilderment and said, "Hehe, outward appearances don't matter. A youthful heart is what truly counts. Think of it as a little gift."

Nantian Xiu was about to thank him, but the man waved a hand to cut him off. "No need for that. Just focus on the game."

Nantian Xiu turned his gaze back to the board, "The outcome is already decided. The white dragon has already formed. Black has lost. So why place a black piece so far away?"

The purple-eyed man gave a faint smile. "Looks like I've won this round, my lord."

The other man's face remained still, almost indifferent. He glanced casually at Nantian Xiu. "So, you do understand the game a little. But has the outcome really been decided? Take another look."

He placed another black piece beside the one he had just played.

The moment it landed, all the black pieces on the board came to life. They connected, forming a massive black blade.

The white dragon, once thought complete, was severed at its vital point in an instant. What had been a certain victory turned into a deadlock. It was a fatal reversal.

Nantian Xiu stared at the board, utterly stunned. "This..."

He was no stranger to the art of chess and understood one crucial truth: the state of the board reflected the momentum and spirit of the players.

From the scattered moves of the board to this final, deadly stroke of black, Nantian Xiu instantly realized that the man before him was no simple strategist. His schemes ran deep, far beyond the ordinary.

The man rose to his feet and looked toward the heart of the Fire Region, letting out a hearty laugh. "Hahaha! What do you think of that move? But the real show is just about to begin."

As he turned and walked away, Nantian Xiu felt as if he were gazing into a blood-red abyss.

He instinctively tightened his grip on the golden longsword and said with his voice trembling. "Who... who are you?"

The man sensed his fear and waved his hand, making the chessboard under the tree vanish.

The purple-eyed man beside the board transformed into a small ferret.

He scurried up the other man's pants and curled into his arms, then glanced back and said, "Kid, my master calls me Little Pup, but you, you better address me as Lord Pup."

That one glance made Nantian Xiu feel as though everything about him had been laid bare.

The man turned and gave Nantian Xiu a warm smile. "As for me? You may call me the Imperial Lord of Rituals... or Blindman Lu. That's what they used to call me."

It was only now that Nantian Xiu clearly saw his face. He was handsome, composed, and carried himself with a commanding presence.

The man turned back once more, his eyes fixed on the center of the Fire Region.

This time, the man didn't deliberately release his aura, but Nantian Xiu could still sense it clearly—a terrifying presence, born out of slaughtering countless lives and standing above all others. It rose around him quietly, like an unseen tide.

Feeling the weight of this overwhelming aura, Nantian Xiu was now certain that the murderous intent directed at him earlier had indeed come from this man.

"Blindman Lu? Imperial Lord of Rituals? Why does that name sound so familiar? Isn't the little boy's grandfather also called Blindman Lu? But his grandfather shouldn't be a cultivator..."

Just then, a long-buried legend surfaced in Nantian Xiu's mind. His pupils dilated as he looked toward Blindman Lu, instinctively retreating several dozen steps. "You're the Imperial Lord of Rituals? The one known in legends as the White-Robed God of Slaughter?"

Blindman Lu gently stroked Little Pup in his arms and let out a chuckle. "Who would've thought... someone in this era would still remember me."

Ever since Nantian Xiu had first embarked on the path of cultivation, his aim had been to match the legend of the Imperial Lord of Rituals who had single-handedly slaughtered a million cultivators.

Now, hearing the man openly admit his identity, Nantian Xiu instantly sheathed his sword. A sense of reverence welled up within him as he cupped his fists toward Blindman Lu.

"Greetings, Senior Lord of Rituals. May I ask why you sought me out, and why you directed killing intent at me?"

Nantian Xiu had not let his reverence blind him. He knew clearly that even with his current cultivation, considered among the very best on the continent, he wouldn't survive even one move from this legendary God of Slaughter.

Blindman Lu gave a faint smile. "I already told you, I came just to make you a spectator. Besides, haven't you been trying to find me lately?"

As his voice faded, the warmth vanished, replaced by a bone-deep chill. His tone turned cold, and with it came an invisible force that slammed into Nantian Xiu like a tidal wave. "As for the killing intent... that was because you crossed a line that shouldn't be crossed."

"Senior..."

Nantian Xiu couldn't bear the pressure. In an instant, his spirit crumbled.

Blindman Lu casually opened a portal beside him and pulled out a tea tray, setting it down in front of him.

Little Pup reached out and grabbed a wisp of spirit qi, which, along with the tea leaves in Blindman Lu's hand, fell into the teapot.

In an instant, the spirit qi liquefied, and the tea leaves floated and tumbled in the spirit liquid.

Blindman Lu poured Nantian Xiu a small cup. "This tea comes from the Heaven Ordainment Divine Tree from the Outside. It'll help with your internal injuries."

Still dazed, Nantian Xiu didn't catch what Blindman Lu had said. He took the cup and drank it down without much thought.

The moment the tea entered his body, it transformed into a strange current that coursed through his entire being.

As the current passed through the vital points in his body, it burst and condensed all at once.

Nantian Xiu snapped back to full awareness and quickly circulated his spirit qi to absorb and refine the current. "This is a very fine tea..."

He could feel his hidden injuries healing, and his cultivation surged forward in a single leap, bringing him to perfect mastery of the Earth Core Realm.

He returned the empty cup, heart filled with gratitude as well as confusion. "Senior... we're neither kin nor acquaintances. Why would you help me recover and even help me break through? Surely it's not just to have me watch a game of chess?"

Blindman Lu let out another laugh. "Neither kin nor acquaintance? Listen carefully, my surname is Lu. I was born in Greenheaven Village of Dongshan City. Now, you tell me... are we truly unrelated?"

Nantian Xiu murmured, "Greenheaven Village... Lu..."

He quickly thought of Lu Chen, and his heart skipped a beat. A possibility came to mind, but he didn't dare confirm it.

"Still haven't figured it out? Yes, I have a grandson. Weren't you the one trying to arrange a marriage for him not long ago? Forgotten already?"

Hearing this, Nantian Xiu's heart pounded wildly. "Senior... could you be... that boy's grandfather?"

Seeing the shock on Nantian Xiu's face, Blindman Lu poured him another cup of tea and said with a grin, "Have some tea. With your current cultivation, one more cup is all you can handle."

Nantian Xiu stared at the cup of tea in front of him. His hands kept trembling, and for a long time, he couldn't bring himself to lift it. "Senior... is this true?"

Blindman Lu raised the teapot and drank the last of the tea straight from the spout. "Of course it's true. Why would I lie to you?"

Nantian Xiu stared at the now-empty teapot on the table, still finding it hard to believe.