Extra: Flower Demons (Part 3) Each with Their Own Agendas

In Lu City, Tiansheng State, in front of the Lu family's graveyard, Liu Yueniang looked at Lu Chaozong's tombstone, and two lines of crystal tears slowly slid down her exquisite face.

"Chaozong, I truly wanted to quietly be your wife, fulfill your last wish, and make the Lu family prosper, but I can't do it anymore. If you have a spirit under the Nine Springs, please forgive me."

The reason she felt such emotion was that her recent circumstances were simply too difficult.

As the woman Lu Chaozong favored, she possessed extraordinary ability and was determined to make the declining Lu family strong and prosperous.

At first, everything progressed very smoothly. Everyone in the Lu family, from top to bottom, dared not disobey the commands of this new Family Head.

After all, Ye Bufan's lingering prestige remained. Even the previous Family Head, Lu Chaoyang, was directly killed on the spot, leaving everyone with lingering fear.

Even the Grand Elder Lu Xiaogong, who originally held great power, was respectful and obedient, cooperating unconditionally with all of Liu Yueniang's commands.

As for the other forces in Lu City, there was even less to say. Ye Bufan alone made three Nine Star Sects retreat with a single shout; such prestige was simply something no one dared to provoke.

Under these circumstances, Liu Yueniang utilized her talents to the fullest. Soon, the Lu family grew stronger and stronger, becoming the strongest Artifact Refining Family in the entire Tiansheng State, even rivaling the Artifact Refiner Guild.

However, good times did not last. About ten years ago, the Lu family's situation slowly began to change.

Human nature is insatiable. As the Lu family grew stronger, no one remembered Liu Yueniang's achievements. Instead, many people coveted this lucrative opportunity.

The Lu family itself was the first to be affected. Many people were unwilling to have a woman as the head of the Family. The most crucial point was that Liu Yueniang was a Family Head in name only; she was merely Lu Chaozong's nominal wife. They had no children and no marital relations.

Under these circumstances, many people began to harbor selfish intentions, and powerful Lu clansmen started to covet the position of Family Head.

This was internal. Externally, it was even more evident; many Sects also set their sights on the Lu family.

Artifact Refiners, like Alchemists, were resources urgently needed by major Sects. If the Lu family could be brought under their banner, the entire Sect's strength would greatly increase, elevating it to another level.

But thoughts were just thoughts. These people were all observing in secret and did not dare to act rashly. The reason was simple: they all feared that man from the past.

After all, when Ye Bufan left back then, he had uttered harsh words, stating that he was Liu Yueniang's backing. Under such circumstances, no one dared to act rashly.

Especially after he later swept across the five continents of the Kunlun Continent with his extraordinary strength, standing at the Peak of the entire realm, his prestige reached its zenith.

However, after he returned to Earth, he underwent Ascension there, and no news reached this side. Many people were trying to figure out how this god-like man suddenly disappeared.

Especially the Lu family and those Sects with ulterior motives, they tried their best to inquire. But as time passed day by day, they received no useful news, and Ye Bufan never reappeared.

Yet, even so, they remained apprehensive. After all, for a Tribulation Transcendence Stage expert, being in closed-door Cultivation for three to five years was commonplace, and ten to eight years also occurred.

But in a blink of an eye, twenty-something years passed. Later, even channels were established between the four continents, with people from other realms frequently coming and going. Still, there was no sign of Ye Bufan, which made many people start to entertain crooked ideas.

It was no wonder they couldn't find news of Ye Bufan, because the title passed down from the Chaotic Saint Realm, and even the Immortal Realm, was Immortal Saint Ancestor. Out of respect, few dared to call him by his full name.

Even if occasionally someone mentioned him privately, he was referred to as Ye Buxiu. No one on the Kunlun Continent connected him to that man from the past, as there were two realms separating them.

Thus, these people with ulterior motives gave themselves an answer: either Ye Bufan was not in this realm, or he had already died.

Liu Yueniang was now completely rootless, with no backing whatsoever.

After reaching this conclusion, someone quickly made a move. The first to step forward was Nangong Yun of the Jijian Sect.

Twenty-something years ago, he had come to assist Lu Chaoyang, but was so frightened by Ye Bufan that he fled in disarray.

However, the current Nangong Yun was completely different. His strength had rapidly improved, and his status within the Jijian Sect had also risen, becoming a Grand Elder overnight. All of this was due to the Nangong family's Old Ancestor, who had emerged from a century of isolated Cultivation.

Nangong Can, a name many had forgotten, but a century ago, he was renowned and powerful, shaking the Kunlun Continent as a Tribulation Transcendence Stage expert of the Jijian Sect.

Later, this old man became the Grand Elder of the Sect. He entered closed-door Cultivation during the Crossing Tribulation (Late-Stage), preparing to break through to the Tribulation Transcendence Stage Peak to Ascend to the Immortal Realm.

However, after a long period of closed-door Cultivation, there was no movement, and he was gradually forgotten.

But just three years ago, Nangong Can suddenly emerged from closed-door Cultivation, stepping directly into the Tribulation Transcendence Stage Peak, awaiting only the final opportunity for Undergoing Tribulation.

And before his Ascension, this old fellow began to handle worldly affairs, helping the Nangong family rapidly increase its strength.

It was under these circumstances that Nangong Yun successfully entered the Void Tempering Initial Stage, becoming the chief Grand Elder of the Jijian Sect.

However, his ambition did not stop there; his ultimate goal was to become the Jijian Sect Leader.

But relying solely on an Old Ancestor who was about to Ascend was not enough. What needed to be done now was to subdue the Lu family and incorporate this top Artifact Refining Family of Tiansheng State into the Jijian Sect, which would become a crucial trump card for him to contend for the Sect Master position.

To subdue the Lu family, Nangong Yun's method was to propose marriage, hoping his son, Nangong Chuan, would marry Liu Yueniang.

Three days ago, he had given the Lu family an ultimatum, and today was the day of the wedding procession.

It was precisely because of this that the helpless Liu Yueniang came to Lu Chaozong's grave to weep.

"Family Head, why are you here?"

At this moment, an aged voice sounded from behind. Although he addressed her as Family Head, there was not much respect in his tone.

As his voice fell, more than a dozen people walked over. The leader was precisely the Lu family's Grand Elder Lu Xiaogong, along with several other Sect Elders and his Grandson, Lu Chaoling.

It wasn't just the Jijian Sect that had designs on Liu Yueniang; members of the Lu family also did.

Over these years, the Lu family had become increasingly prosperous and renowned, gaining countless Cultivation resources, and the Cultivation of the Family's disciples rapidly improved.

Among them, one particularly dazzling individual was Lu Chaoling, who was now in the Void Refining Initial Stage.

In contrast, Liu Yueniang, busy with affairs, had little time to Cultivate, and her Cultivation had stagnated for many years, remaining at the original Void Refining Initial Stage.

With the two of them being of similar strength, and Ye Bufan, their great backer, not appearing, Lu Xiaogong began to harbor ill intentions, wanting his Grandson to take the position of Family Head.

Originally, he was still contemplating how to bring it up, but now that the Jijian Sect directly proposed marriage, he was overjoyed. As long as Liu Yueniang was married off, his Grandson would be able to take control of the Lu family.

"Do I need to report to you where I go?"

Although Liu Yueniang's strength had not grown much, having been Family Head for so many years, she understood everything with extreme clarity and naturally knew what the old man was thinking.

"Of course, you don't need to report to me, but it's better for the Family Head to make up her mind about certain matters sooner rather than later."

Lu Xiaogong smiled without humor, "Family Head, don't forget, today is the day the Jijian Sect comes to propose marriage. How should our Lu family respond?"