"When I gaze into the abyss, the abyss also gazes back into me?"

Shi Tingyu stared at Lu Luo and took a deep breath.

In fact, when she had looked at Lu Luo just now, she did indeed feel as though she was gazing into an abyss.

What's in the abyss? she wondered. She didn't know.

But why could Lu Luo state that so clearly? Can he sense my feelings? Was this feeling something Lu Luo actively transmitted to her? Shi Tingyu briefly considered Lu Luo's abilities. Mind reading? Precognition? Or creating an aura like that of an abyss?

Although she had various speculations, disbelief was still predominant in Shi Tingyu's eyes.

The other party might be even younger than I am, yet he can give me this kind of thrilling sensation? Is it a bluff, or does he really possess considerable strength? I need to find an opportunity to test this man!

Shi Tingyu adjusted her mentality slightly, and when she looked at Lu Luo again, she was a bit more guarded.

"I didn't expect that my inadvertent actions would be seen through by Mr. Lu Luo. Mr. Lu Luo's abilities are truly impressive!"

Shi Tingyu brought up Lu Luo's abilities, giving others plenty of room for conjecture.

Logically speaking, the Luo Family and the Shi Family were allies, but the way Lu Luo and Shi Tingyu were behaving now didn't seem like how normal allies should act.

Lu Luo observed Shi Tingyu carefully. Although the Shi Family was nominally an ally to the Luo Family, Lu Luo didn't care about this alliance.

In my perception, Shi Tingyu is the third person I need to subdue, he thought.

"Whether I'm formidable or not, you'll need to test me to find out, not just rely on words."

After saying this, Lu Luo suddenly realized his tone was a bit off.

He turned his head towards Dumb Hair. "I meant what I said literally. Don't read too much into it."

Dumb Hair curled her lips. "If you hadn't explained, maybe I really wouldn't have thought too much about it."

The person in question, Shi Tingyu, raised an eyebrow, seemingly automatically ignoring the meaning behind Lu Luo's words, while other bystanders, especially the men, all wore knowing expressions.

Lu Luo helplessly spread his hands, but at this moment, Shi Tingyu unexpectedly bowed her head.

"Alright, Mr. Lu Luo, it seems there have been some misunderstandings between us, but that's okay. I apologize for my offense just now. Can my apology make up for my mistake?"

Shi Tingyu apologized to Lu Luo?

Members from the other families exchanged glances.

The alliance between the Luo Family and the Shi Family was something everyone had expected. However, Shi Tingyu apologizing to someone else was quite unusual. The normally dominant Shi Family might suffer some losses when facing the Church, but within the council, they were never the ones to take a loss. Even when the Shi Family faced the Luo Family, they always maintained a strong stance.

Lin Zhiqi of the Lin Family and Li Luoya both had a hint of a smile on their faces; for them, Shi Tingyu bowing her head was a clear signal. It indicated that the Shi Family currently desperately needed the Luo Family as an ally. It also implied that the Shi Family was no longer as stable and powerful as before. If the Shi Family suffered a setback, it would undoubtedly be the best news for both the Lin Family and the Li Family.

Just when everyone thought Lu Luo would take the opportunity to gracefully de-escalate and reconcile on behalf of the Luo Family and the Shi Family, Lu Luo suddenly spoke up, "It's not your fault. Mainly because your scanning Sequence is too weak, so even if you used it on me, you wouldn't see anything useful."

ER...

Lu Luo's response undoubtedly made everyone's jaw drop. To directly call someone else weak... that was just...!

Zhang Yifan watched Lu Luo with an embarrassed look, wanting to step forward and explain.

Today's actions by Lu Luo have made me question Luo Xuemin's opinion of him from last night, Zhang Yifan worried. Luo Xuemin said Lu Luo would take the initiative to handle today's affairs well, and he agreed. But since Lu Luo's arrival here today, he has been causing nothing but trouble. In less than an hour, it feels like he's managed to offend everyone here. If this continues, the Luo Family will have no way to remain involved in this matter. Moreover, our alliance with the Shi Family could very likely be severed because of this, which is probably something the entire Luo Family wouldn't want to see happen.

"Lu Luo, apologize to Miss Shi!"

Lu Luo stared at Zhang Yifan with a strange expression.

"Zhang Yifan, you need to understand your position. Your role here today is just that of a bodyguard. A bodyguard should stick to their duties. Leave the rest to me, the Luo Family's son-in-law!"

Lu Luo stressed that he was the Luo Family's son-in-law, representing the Luo Family.

This confused many people about the meaning behind his words, but it also made many others thoughtful. That included Zhang Yifan. He began to think.

Are Lu Luo's actions prompted by the Family Head?

Li Luoya and Lin Zhiqi also began to speculate. Lu Luo's attitude might well represent Luo Xuemin's stance. Whether the Luo Family and the Shi Family would continue their alliance could very well depend on Lu Luo's performance today.

Lu Luo, you had better not betray the Family Head's trust... Zhang Yifan still couldn't quite grasp why Luo Xuemin would entrust this matter to Lu Luo. He wanted to say more but was unexpectedly interrupted.

"Hey, Zhang Yifan! Regardless of anything, Lu Luo is representing our Luo Family here. What he said actually makes a lot of sense. Even if you disagree, you shouldn't be holding him back now! If you feel you can't stand being here, then just go stand aside. Please, just don't stay here."

One has to admit, sometimes even the worst teammates can do something surprisingly helpful, as Luo Feng was doing now. Although he was thoroughly useless, Lu Luo had just said he was acting for the Luo Family. As the Luo Family's second young master, Luo Feng naturally had to step up, even though he didn't know what good his intervention would do. But cheering Lu Luo on was still within his capabilities. Yet, his actions made Zhang Yifan's expression even uglier.

"Second Young Master, do you even realize what Lu Luo is doing right now?"

Even if Luo Xuemin was somewhat off in his judgment about Lu Luo, most of the time he was right. He wasn't wrong; characters like Luo Feng and Luo Nan probably wouldn't be able to grasp life in the Inner Ring even if they lived to be eighty, Zhang Yifan thought.

Luo Feng was thoroughly annoyed with Zhang Yifan, much like Lu Hong always liked to pick on Zhang Yifan.

"I don't know what Lu Luo is doing right now, or its significance. But I do know he's working for our Luo Family. And he's right. This was a matter fully entrusted to him by my father. What are you, a mere bodyguard, meddling for?"

Zhang Yifan being rebuked by Luo Feng actually made me quite happy, Lu Luo thought. At this moment, as long as no one holds me back, it's fine. It's not that I'm bragging, but in a meeting of young people like this, with no super experts in the hall, just a bunch of peer-level failures, I can naturally carry the situation by myself. Zhang Yifan? I can't count on him at all.

"Alright, Zhang Yifan, step aside for now. My business with Miss Shi isn't over yet!"

Shi Tingyu smiled from the side, first casting a glance at Luo Feng and Zhang Yifan, who had just spoken.

Luo Feng, I know him. Trash from the Luo Family. My Shi Family has also raised many such failures, but the difference is, apart from Luo Shan, all the sons of the Luo Family are failures. That wouldn't happen in my Shi Family; although we have many failures, we also have quite a few elites. At least a gap in succession would never occur. Therefore, the appearance of this son-in-law, Lu Luo, doesn't surprise me in the least. However, Zhang Yifan, Luo Xuemin's confidant, does possess some capabilities. I've investigated Zhang Yifan carefully. His identity is very special, his background unclear. It's still hard to say whether he's truly Luo Xuemin's man or not.

Turning her gaze back to Lu Luo, Shi Tingyu wasn't angered by the evaluation he had given just now.

A Grade B Sequence... indeed, it's not the highest level!

"Although a Grade B Sequence isn't extraordinarily high-level, it's not low either, right? And Mr. Lu Luo, you're quite arrogant."

"Arrogant? I don't think so. If someone without strength talks like this, *that's* called being arrogant. But if someone with strength says this, it's called confidence, speaking the truth, honesty. I am very honest, understand?"

[What a claim to honesty, I agree!]

"Honest? HAHAHA!" Shi Tingyu burst into laughter.

The confrontation between Lu Luo and Shi Tingyu was quite amusing to the others.

In many people's eyes, Lu Luo is just a reckless youth from the Fourth Ring. He has no idea what Shi Tingyu represents in the Inner Ring, nor how powerful the Shi Family is. The Luo Family used to be firm allies with the Shi Family. Now, with Lu Luo stirring things up, the alliance could break, and then the Shi Family and the Luo Family... Wait, if the alliance between the Shi Family and the Luo Family were to break, then the Luo Family, who controls public opinion, would become quite the hot commodity. Could this be a deliberate arrangement by Luo Xuemin?

The way these people looked at Lu Luo gradually became strange.

Shi Tingyu swayed her slender waist and slowly walked forward a few steps. Her actions were somewhat seductive, causing Dumb Hair to unconsciously grasp Lu Luo's fingers.

But Lu Luo was utterly unmoved. I am irreconcilably opposed to indecency! This level of temptation is nothing to me!

When they were close enough, Shi Tingyu's towering height gave her an advantage, allowing her to look down on Lu Luo. She enjoyed using this posture to psychologically oppress others. Unfortunately for her, the person she encountered today, Lu Luo, didn't fall for such tactics.

Lu Luo reached out, pressed Shi Tingyu's chest, and pushed her aside. "Bamboo pole, you're too thin. Stay away from me. We're not related or friends, so it's better to keep a safe distance!"

Shi Tingyu looked at her chest. Did Lu Luo... just push my chest? His hand was so strong it left a print right on my chest! How presumptuous can he be? And his description of me, 'bamboo pole'? My figure is clearly good, not at all like a bamboo pole, okay?!

Although Shi Tingyu usually kept her composure, this time, Lu Luo had truly enraged her.

Shi Tingyu suddenly made a move, her streamlined body naturally exerting force as she threw a punch toward Lu Luo's neck.

An ordinary Transcendent hit by this punch could very well have their neck broken, leading to instant death.

Too bad for her, Lu Luo was no ordinary Transcendent!

THUD!

A solid punch landed squarely on Lu Luo's neck.

Lu Luo didn't even bother to defend. He simply stepped back and, using the momentum, gently pushed Dumb Hair to the side.

"Be good. Wait over there for me."

"Okay."

Dumb Hair was very obedient at this moment. I'm so familiar with this look on Lu Luo's face. Whenever he shows this expression, it means one thing: he's about to start showing off!

Meanwhile, Shi Tingyu was a bit stunned. Although my attack just now didn't contain Dark Energy, I didn't hold back either! I'm not one of those Transcendents whose physical fitness only meets the minimum standards. With that dual impact of speed and strength, could it be that I didn't hurt Lu Luo at all? How could that be possible?

As Shi Tingyu watched Lu Luo unbuttoning his suit, a sense of foreboding rose within her.

"Your defense... what's going on?"

"What do you mean, 'what's going on'?"

As Lu Luo flung off his suit jacket, Luo Feng, who was standing by watching, subconsciously rushed over to catch it.

"Lu Luo, I'll take care of your suit jacket for you!"

"Thanks."

Lu Luo nodded. The instant he turned his head to look at Shi Tingyu, he struck out boldly.

"Miss!"

"You dare!"

The moment Lu Luo moved, the two bodyguards Shi Tingyu had brought reacted. They were both Fifth Tier experts! As bodyguards, their reaction speed was definitely up to par; they had been ready for battle ever since Lu Luo and Shi Tingyu started their verbal sparring.

Iron clubs infused with Dark Energy struck Lu Luo squarely on his brow and collarbone. The sound of breaking bones the bodyguards anticipated did not occur. Instead, the impact of the Dark Energy produced a reverberation, and their iron clubs emitted a DONG sound.

The brief contact left the two men too shocked to fully react as Lu Luo's figure before them seemed to twist.

CRASH!

A fist, like a roaring tsunami, slammed into the chest of one of them. The bodyguard's sternum completely shattered, and he was thrown heavily against the wall. His chest, now like shattered blue-and-white porcelain, hadn't entirely broken apart but had turned into a soft, tofu-like mass. Leaning against the wall, he didn't dare to move, not even daring to breathe deeply, because if his sternum completely collapsed, he would be crippled.

The other man didn't pause due to his companion's defeat; protecting Shi Tingyu was their ultimate duty. He kicked at Lu Luo, but Lu Luo merely grabbed his calf.

THUMP!

An intense steam-like vibration traveled up the man's leg and throughout his entire body. Crimson blood sprayed across the center of the living room. This bodyguard's bones hadn't broken, nor did he have any external wounds, but all the capillaries in his body had completely ruptured! Lying on the ground, he too dared not move.

Two strikes, two Fifth Tier experts, both neutralized, yet achieved through entirely different methods!

Precise and elegant!

The display of Lu Luo's strength was nothing short of astounding!

"Impressive!" Shi Tingyu muttered, watching Lu Luo with some tension. But her pride, and the pride of the Shi Family, wouldn't allow her to bow to Lu Luo now.

Lu Luo wasn't one for ceremony either. The button on his cuff had burst off from the exertion. So now I have to roll up my sleeves manually. Suits like these are just too expensive! he thought.

After rolling up his sleeves, Lu Luo lowered his stance. Yes, Lu Luo was about to hit a woman again.

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