Lucas Kee sneered, "If that's the case, then hand her over!"
"I'm right here!" Suddenly, a voice rang out from mid-air.
The gods looked up and saw Lucia Lu and Sean Shaw gradually appearing.
Lucia Lu was dressed in white, her sleeves fluttering, light as a startled swan.
Sean Shaw wore black Divine Robes, his aura cold and intense. His features were strikingly handsome yet fierce; though young, he dominated the entire scene.
Peach Blossom Haven instantly fell silent.
Lucia Lu descended to the ground, walking toward them step by step.
The crowd parted of its own accord, surrounding the two in the center.
Lucia Lu glanced around—her once kindly grandparents, friendly uncles, and the ladies who used to give her gifts—all now stared at her with murderous intent.
"Why did you come back?! Who told you to return?!" Ryan Lu roared at her.
Luna Lian bit her lip hard, her face full of worry.
Lucia Lu flashed them a smile and walked up to Quentin Lian.
Then she knelt before him and kowtowed three times.
Quentin Lian frowned, saying nothing.
Next, Lucia Lu kowtowed three times to High Goddess Vivian Lu.
High Goddess Vivian Lu grabbed her. "What are you doing!"
Lucia patted her hand, then turned to face the gods, and bowed deeply to them three times as well.
The gods glanced at each other, all a bit uneasy.
"If High God Quentin Lian really did what Lucas Kee claims—joined forces with my mother for power, killed the former Divine Lord, and put his own disciple on the throne—then why didn't he wipe out the Kee, Yu, and Huai clans at the time? Why let you all stay and keep making trouble for Divine Lord Soren Lann?" Lucia asked loudly.
The clan chiefs fell silent.
"This has nothing to do with the Lu clan. Every debt has its owner—if you want revenge, come at me!" Lucia Lu summoned her Entwined Heart.
"I know, no matter what I say, you all want to kill me because you hate my mother! So, I'm bowing to all of you—first, to apologize for my mother losing herself and killing your loved ones. Second... to sever all ties I've had with you over the years!"
She raised Entwined Heart toward them. "Come on, then! Today—no life, no rest!"
The gods stirred restlessly, each summoning their own Divine Artifact.
"Bring it on!" Ryan Lu rushed up to shield Lucia Lu. "All of you, come! If it comes to it, we'll die together!"
Luna Lian also stood in front of Lucia, crying out louder than Lucia had ever heard, "My sister has saved countless lives and never done a single bad thing! Why are you all treating her like this!"
Ethan Lu joined them, moving before his younger siblings, drawing his sword and saying coldly, "The Lu clan will protect Lucia Lu today—no matter what!"
These fools... Lucia looked at the backs of her three siblings, tears filling her eyes.
"Oh really? So the Lu clan is set on defying the world to shield this little demon today?" Lucas Kee sneered.
"You dog! Who are you calling a little demon? If you've got guts, come over here! I'll chop you up!" Ryan Lu shouted.
"You—" Lucas Kee's chest heaved with rage. He raised his arm and shouted, "Everyone, attack! Kill Lucia Lu! Kill anyone who stands in your way!"
Immediately, dozens charged toward them.
Quentin Lian, Vivian Lu, Soren Lann, and Sean Shaw took up four positions around Lucia and her siblings, guarding them.
At the critical moment, suddenly, laughter echoed above the peach forest.
Light and mocking, low but piercing every ear.