N to 29

 Chapter 20: The Truth Is Out

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

The entire place erupted with disbelief. No one expected Lu Ming, the one Lu Family openly labeled ‘useless trash’, to defeat the shiny star, Lu Yao, as if it was a piece of cake.

“Impossible!”

First Branch Elder bellowed in utter disbelief. He could not take it.

He expected Lu Yao to simply just gain victory and take over the Lu Family. Never would he have dreamt that the useless trash they robbed two months ago would have such strong capabilities to defeat Lu Yao effortlessly.

“How did that happen?” Duanmu Qing too found it hard to believe.

“Duanmu Qing, as long as you’re a genius, nothing is impossible. This Lu Ming had three divine meridians unlocked at such a young age, defeated Lu Yao, a Fourth Grade Novice Realm plus exploded blood meridians, with just a Third Grade Novice Realm cultivation. He’s most definitely a rare genius,” Gao Shi commented.

“That’s right, Lu Ming outdid Lu Yao in the test of willpower, meridians, and the duel. Since Lu Yao’s betrothed to the White Tiger Hall, I won’t fight with you for her. The Azure Dragon Hall will take in Lu Ming.” Tie Zhong added with gleaming eyes.

“What are you talking about, Tie Zhong? What do you mean by Azure Dragon Hall taking in Lu Ming? Lu Ming is coming with me to Onyx Tortoise Hall.”

Gao Shi glowered at Tie Zhong, turned to Lu Ming, and offered, “Lu Ming, we at Onyx Tortoise Hall sincerely welcome you with open arms. I promise, if you join us, we’ll offer you two Land Level martial arts techniques of your choice, and our upper management will personally take you in and train you as an apprentice.”

“Lu Ming, we at Azure Dragon Hall welcome you too. If you join us, you’d not only just have access to our Land Level martial arts techniques, you can also cultivate at our top-secret cultivation spots.”

Tie Zhong dropped a bombshell.

The words of these two Hall messengers spread across the field, which caused an uproar yet again.

It was obvious that these two Hall’s messengers valued Lu Ming.

Even though it was said that Lu Ming could not awaken his blood meridian in the Lu Family, it did not mean that he could not awaken it in Mystical Sword Sect.

Mystical Sword Sect had been around for ages with numerous classified techniques, which included classified techniques to once again awaken one’s meridians.

Lu Ming possessed such talents even before his blood meridians were awakened. How crazily talented would he be once he awakened his blood meridians?

Besides that, even though blood meridians were important to a martial artist. it was not the only important thing.

There were blood meridian martial artists who made history for their remarkable achievements in the path of martial arts without awakened blood meridians.

Even if Lu Ming genuinely failed to awaken his blood meridians, his future achievements would not be too bad too.

Desire burned in the hearts of the messengers from Azure Dragon Hall and Onyx Tortoise Hall.

Frustration flashed in Duanmu Qing’s eyes. It was unfortunate that the White Tiger Hall had no chance with Lu Ming at all since they were undoubtedly on Lu Yao’s side.

Instead of replying to the two Hall messengers, Lu Ming looked at Lu Yao indifferently and said, “Lu Yao, I used to think that you and Lu Yunxiong were family, I trusted you. Little did I know, I’m nothing but a valuable piece of junk to you.”

“Not only that, but you also wanted to be Lord of the Lu Family. You told me two months ago that everything hinged on capabilities in this world. You only get a say if you’re strong, and the weak will always be trampled on. Now, I shall give these words back to you.”

“You’re a loser to me. You’re not worthy enough to be my opponent.” Lu Ming’s clear voice rang across the place.

Every word Lu Ming said was like a resounding slap to Lu Yao’s face.

“Haha, Lu Ming, don’t be cocky. Did you really think you could be somebody? I have the Duanmu Family backing me up, what do you have against me? I may have lost temporarily, but in a year, no, within half a year, I’ll overtake you in every way and completely trample you under my feet.”

Lu Yao yelled hysterically, her face distorted with rage.

Defeated, overtook, and looked down by someone she deemed as a useless piece of trash nearly sent her over the edge.

“Lu Ming, keep your sword away and get the f*ck off the battle stage!” First Branch Elder yelled.

“Shut up, b*tch, and you, Lu Yunxiong. Who gave you the right to speak?”

Lu Ming snarled at them with an overwhelming intent to kill. With a flick of his sword, he drew a bloody fine line on Lu Yao’s neck. Lu Yao’s face paled immediately.

“How dare you hurt her, Lu Yao is engaged to Duanmu Lin, the genius of White Tiger Hall. Do you have a death wish?” Duanmu Qing yelled.

Lu Ming did not spare him a glance and instead turned to the seven core elders.

“Fellow elders, do you wanna know why I can’t awaken my blood meridian?” Lu Ming asked.

“Why can’t he awake his blood meridian?”

Many gawked. If one had failed to awaken their blood meridians, what else could it be? Was it not a personal problem? Was there something they did not know about?

“Speak, Lu Ming. Is there anything we should know?”

The oldest of the seven core elders spoke.

“Lu Ming, don’t talk nonsense!” First Branch Elder exclaimed before Lu Ming said anything.

“Shut up, Lu Yunxiong,” the oldest of the core elders ordered.

First Branch Elder stopped talking with a grimace.

“That’s because this ‘shining star’ and this First Branch Elder over here pretended to be nice to me, and fed me Yama Pollen for three years. He fed my blood meridians with my own blood for three years, that’s why I failed to awaken my blood meridians. Then, they robbed me of my blood meridians and combined it with Lu Yao’s.”

“Why did you think you could awaken a Fifth Level blood meridian, Lu Yao? What enabled you to do so?” Lu Ming recounted calmly.

Whatever Lu Ming said caused a huge uproar and everyone was shocked beyond words.

Many knew that Lu Ming went through a meridians test and was said to have inherited his father’s blood meridians, and it could be awakened.

It somehow failed to be awakened later on and something was not quite right about it.

The truth was out, and it had cleared up a lot of things.

“B*stards, filthy animals, how could you do this to Ming’er!”

Li Ping was the first to react. She shrieked as she stared deadly at First Branch Elder and Lu Yao with her bloodshot eyes, her body trembled in fury.

Tears flowed freely from Li Ping’s eyes.

She had no clue that the injuries on Lu Ming two months ago were a result of his blood meridians being stripped off him. How agonizing it must have been for Lu Ming to have his blood meridians forcefully taken from him.

“Is this for real?”

Storms were brewing in the eyes of all seven core elders and their faces darkened.

“Lu Ming you liar, you’re a piece of useless junk, don’t blame us you imbecile, shameless fool! Fellow elders, Lu Ming’s hopeless, his character is unsalvageable, I suggest having him kicked out of the Lu Family.” First Branch Elder bellowed, his eyes flickered maliciously.

“That’s right, Lu Ming, do you think anyone would believe in your lies?” Lu Yao added coldly.

“Haha, a test would immediately reveal if what I said about feeding blood meridians with my blood for three years is true. Lu Yao, do you have the guts to be tested?”

Lu Ming stared intently at Lu Yao.

Lu Yao’s face paled, and the First Branch Elder’s face looked venomous.Chapter 21: Let’s Meet Again In The Mystical Sword School

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

At that moment, the gaze of every single person was focused on the First Branch Elder and Lu Yao.

Lu Ming was not wrong. It would be a simple task to test whether Lu Yao had really supplied Lu Ming’s meridians with blood for three years, then stripped it away from him and fused it with her own blood meridians.

“Lu Ming, who do you think you are? Do you think we’ll carry the test out just because you say so?” the First Branch Elder quibbled grudgingly.

The bystanders were not oblivious fools. Would anyone still be ignorant even after noticing the expressions on Lu Yao and the First Branch Elder’s faces?

What Lu Ming said was more or less the truth.

At that instant, nearly everyone had a different expression in their eyes as they looked at Lu Yao and the First Branch Elder.

To supply blood to a meridian and strip it off later was a taboo in the martial arts world as it was considered completely shameless.

“Lu Yunxiong!”

At that moment, the seven Core Elders were looking at the First Branch Elder with disappointment in their eyes.

The eldest Core Elder was particularly furious. “Lu Yunxiong, as the First Branch Elder, how dare you do something so shameless?! How will you be able to face our ancestors? How can we convince the public if you are to continue to hold the position as the First Branch Elder?

“The Elder Council hereby announces that Lu Yunxiong will be stripped of his position as the First Branch Elder today! The order to name Lu Yao as the Lord of the Lu Family will be rescinded as well!”

“What? You want to revoke my position as the First Branch Elder? You’d actually strip me of my status for someone as insignificant as Lu Ming? You must remember that Lu Yao already has marital ties with the Duanmu Family!” the First Branch Elder bellowed as he mentioned the Duanmu Family.

Duanmu Qing had an unpleasant expression on his face as he looked at the seven Core Elders. “It’ll be wise for you to think this through. Since Lu Yao has marital ties with the Duanmu Family, allowing her to take over the Lu Family is the greatest honor you could ever bestow upon your own family. Your family might prosper in the future if you do that, but what you’re doing right now is nothing short of digging your own grave.”

Duanmu Qing’s words caused a change in the expressions of the seven Core Elders, as well as every other member of the Lu Family.

They could dismiss Lu Yao and the First Branch Elder, but they had to be mindful of the Duanmu Family who was supporting Lu Yao.

Since the Duanmu Family was so mighty, obliterating the Lu Family was as easy as flipping a coin for such a major family in the Mystical Sword Sect.

However, in this situation, if they allowed Lu Yao to succeed as the Family Lord, or even assist Lu Yao in dealing with Lu Ming, the Lu Family would definitely be the butt of all jokes in the Fiery Wind City, or even every city miles away.

How could they choose?

Clap! Clap! Clap!

Mu Lan suddenly stood up as she applauded. “How prestigious, Duanmu Qing! Do you think that you can represent the Duanmu Family? Or perhaps that the Duanmu Family can represent the Mystical Sword Sect? Stop pretending to be something you aren’t. I’ll have you know that the Lu Family is under my watch. I’d like to see what the Duanmu Family is capable of!”

“Mu Lan, you... Are you sure you want to stick your nose into this?” Duanmu Qing’s expression changed.

“I sure am!” Mu Lan shouted powerfully.

“Senior Duanmu!”

Before Duanmu Qing could reply, Lu Yao interrupted him. “Senior Duanmu, I’m willing to join the White Tiger Hall. There’s no use staying in a family like the Lu Family!” she said.

Duanmu Qing’s eyes sparkled as he smiled. “Not bad! With a family like the Lus which is as widespread as a single palm, there’s no point in staying! With Miss Lu Yao’s talent, you should be aiming for the entire Blazing Sun Empire or an even wider stage than that!” he said.

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Lu Yao nodded and turned to look at Lu Ming whose voice was icy cold as she said, “Lu Yao, if you have the ability to do so, you should kill me today. Otherwise, someday, I’ll return the shame you’ve brought me today by tenfold!”

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“The shame that I’ve brought you?”

Lu Ming started to chuckle. “That’s hilarious! Everything that happened is because of your own actions. Would today have happened if you hadn’t stripped me of my blood meridians?” he said.

“Lu Yao, I won’t finish you off. I want you to witness for yourself what you said-that there’s an insurmountable difference between you and me.

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“As for Duanmu Lin, who you call a prodigy, there’ll be a day when you’ll watch with your own eyes as I stomp him into the dirt. Now, get lost.”

Lu Ming sheathed his blade after his confident and firm voice echoed across the entire field.

“Lu Ming, there’s still a long time to go, wait for me. Father, you should come to the Mystical Sword Sect with me along with Brother!” Lu Yao’s cold voice rang out.

Duanmu Qing had a frosty expression as he looked at Lu Ming with hostility. “Just with you, Lu Ming? You can’t even compare to a single finger of Duanmu Lin’s. I hope that you don’t join the Mystical Sword Sect, or you’ll understand how foolish and arrogant your words were today. Let’s go!”

Roar!

The Flame Tigers howled. Lu Yao, the First Branch Elder, and Lu Chuan followed Duanmu Qing and his posse as they mounted the Flame Tigers and left in humiliation without having even packed anything.

With the departure of Lu Yao and the others, the events of the day finally ended.

Although the youngsters from the Lu Family had not started the tournament yet, nobody was really paying attention.

Today’s incident was full of twists and turns, and things had turned out completely different from everyone’s expectations.

Most of the people originally thought that the star of the day would be Lu Yao.

They thought that as a genius, she would ascend as the Lord of the Lu Family with more than enough qualifications and bequeath tales of success.

However, things took a completely different turn because of a single person-Lu Ming-who was the actual star of the day.

“Alright, Lu Ming, you’re domineering and confident. Why don’t you come and join the Vermillion Bird Hall and wipe out the genius they call Duanmu Lin in the future?” Mu Lan suggested as she clapped her hands with unconcealed admiration on her face.

She then added, “However, I won’t agree to any conditions you make. As a martial artist, you have to count on yourself to earn everything.”

Everyone was speechless. Nobody invited people like that! Would anyone even accept an invitation like that?

However, Lu Ming’s response made everyone’s jaws drop even further. “Hall Master Mu, I promise to join the Vermillion Bird Hall,” he acquiesced with a nod.

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The main reason that he promised Mu Lan was to thank her for the help.

Moreover, he wanted to join a powerful sect to cultivate since there would be even more resources in a sect.

The Mystical Sword Sect was where prodigies from around 2,000 cities in the east of the Blazing Sun Empire gathered. Only by racing against other geniuses to be on the very top of such a wide centerstage would Lu Ming be able to advance even further on the path of martial arts.

After all, hiding in a corner would never result in great achievements.

“Excellent!” Mu Lan was ecstatic. Everyone else thought that Lu Ming did not possess a blood meridian, but she had already sensed the power of one within him earlier on.

Would the Vermillion Bird Hall experience change if a prodigy like him joined the hall?

“Lu Ming, the only thing that I can assure you after you join the Mystical Sword Sect is that the elders of the Duanmu Family won’t dare to deal with you overtly. However, as for the younger generation of the Duanmu Family, you will have to rely on yourself.”

With a wave of her hand, a jade credential flew towards Lu Ming. “Lu Ming, proceed to the Vermillion Bird Hall with this jade credential in two months. You’ll be able to join the Vermillion Bird Hall immediately.”

There was a realistic vermillion bird etched in the jade plate.

“Thank you, Hall Master Mu!” Lu Ming clasped his fists and kept the jade plate.

It was enough. As long as the elders of the Duanmu Family did not make a move, it was enough.

If he could not even go against the younger bunch of the Duanmu Family, what was the point of cultivating martial arts?

“Heh heh. I’ll be waiting for you in the Mystical Sword Sect, Lu Ming!” Mu Lan smiled daintily as she rose from her seat and left the Lu Family’s training field.

“Lu Ming, we welcome you to join the Mystical Sword Sect and we hope that you will be a powerhouse of your generation.” Gao Shi and Tie Zhong rose in succession to congratulate Lu Ming.

“Thank you, my two seniors. I apologize for not choosing the Azure Dragon Hall and the Onyx Tortoise Hall today.” Lu Ming saluted.

“Haha, it’s fine!” Gao Shi smiled.

Lu Ming’s attitude made them feel comfortable.

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The two of them had the same thought in their minds. ‘Not only does Lu Ming have an exceptional latent ability, but he’s also humble and upright. He’ll definitely be successful in the future.’

“See you in the Mystical Sword Sect, Lu Ming!” Liu Qian smiled.

Gao Shi, Tie Zhong, and Liu Qian proceeded to leave the area with their respective groups as they were no longer in the mood to spectate the other youngsters of the Lu Family.

The Lu’s had lost their hype with the departure of the hall envoys, so the ending ceremony was conducted hastily as well.

However, today’s incident was fated to stir up the entire Fiery Wind City.

Lu Ming’s reputation would also cause an uproar in the Fiery Wind City. However, it would be the reputation of a prodigy.?

Chapter 22: Change Brought Upon By Power

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

The House Meeting came to an end. The next day, Lu Ming, Li Ping, and Qiu Yue moved back into the Lord’s Residence once again.

As he was standing in front of the residence gates, his mind was filled with thoughts.

All of this was thanks to the change brought by the advancement of his power.

If he was still the piece of trash whose blood meridians had been stripped from him, he would be unable to save his own life, let alone move back into the Lord’s Residence. Besides that, Li Ping and Qiu Yue would also be unable to live a smooth life.

However, everything changed because of his sudden rise. Not only did he completely disrupt Lu Yunxiong and Lu Yao’s plans, but he also snatched back the Lord’s Residence. Li Ping was also guaranteed a comfortable life from now on.

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As the descendant of the Lu Family’s main bloodline, Lu Ming could succeed as the Lord whenever he wanted as long as he felt like it.

However, it was far from enough as all this was merely the beginning. Lu Ming knew that there were greater challenges awaiting him in the Mystical Sword Sect. He could not slow down for a single moment.

“Ming’er, let’s go in. The room has been tidied up.” Li Ping smiled as she walked out with a sword in hand.

The Elder Council sent four young maids over specifically to serve Li Ping and Lu Ming, so the Lord’s Residence was quickly cleared of Lu Yao and the other’s possessions.

“Ming’er, now that you have a foothold in martial arts, you should use the spiritual weapon that your father sent back!” Li Ping handed the sword in her hands over to Lu Ming.

This sword, which had been taken by Lu Chuan, was once again back in their hands.

Lu Ming nodded and took the sword as he walked into the residence together with Li Ping.

After he returned to his room, he started cultivating.

Having consumed the Spirit Soul Pill a few days ago, his cultivation spiked from top of First Grade Warrior Realm to beginner of Third Grade Warrior Realm. After ascending two grades in one go, it was inevitable that his foundation would be unsteady, thus he needed to consolidate it.

After cultivating the True War Dragon Technique for a few hours, Lu Ming entered the Supreme Shrine and started to cultivate his martial arts skills.

Seven days passed in the blink of an eye.

On the eighth day, Lu Ming was cultivating in the Supreme Shrine when he sensed a commotion outside, so he proceeded to exit the Supreme Shrine.

He heard Qiu Yue’s voice coming from outside his room the moment he went out. “Young Master, Lu Bing is here to pay his respects.”

“Lu Bing?” Startled, Lu Ming opened his door and walked out.

Qiu Yue nodded. “Young Master, do you wish to see him?”

“Sure I do. Why not?” Lu Ming smiled.

When he reached the living room, he saw Lu Bing pacing anxiously.

Lu Bing smiled the second he saw Lu Ming. “Master Ming, you’ve finally come!”

Lu Ming noticed the change in how Lu Bing addressed him. He smiled feebly as he sat on the main seat absentmindedly. “Why have you come to me?”

Lu Bing suddenly clasped his fist at Lu Ming. “Master Ming, I’ve come to apologize today. I was blind to your talent before and even offended you before. I hope that you’ll be gracious enough not to hold a grudge.”

“Lu Bing, the Fifth Branch Elder asked you to come, didn’t he?” Lu Ming asked.

“You’re right. My father asked me to come, but it is aligned with my aim as well. Master Ming, there are 5,000 silver notes here which I hope you’ll graciously accept.” Lu Bing took out a stack of silver notes and handed it over to Lu Ming.

“Alright. Qiu Yue, help me accept it.”

Lu Ming smiled. To be frank, he had never once thought about Lu Bing, but since he came to apologize with money in hand, why should he not accept it?

Qiu Yue went up to take the silver notes, her small face flushed with excitement. She had never seen so many silver notes before!

Although it pained Lu Bing, he forced a smile. “Thank you, Master Ming, I shall take my leave now.”

Just after Lu Bing had left, another maid walked up to report, “Young Master, the Lord of the Li Family has come to pay his respects.”

“The Lord of the Li Family...Li Fu.” Lu Ming furrowed his brows. He had a terrible impression of Li Fu.

“Have you notified your Lady?” Lu Ming asked.

“Yes, I have,” the maid replied.

At that moment, Li Ping walked over and said, “Ming’er, since your uncle has arrived, let’s just meet him!”

Lu Ming nodded and ordered the maid to bring Li Fu in.

“Haha, lil’ sister, Ming’er, I’ve come to visit!” Li Fu guffawed the moment he came in. His face was plastered with such a wide smile that anyone unaware of the situation would assume that he had a close relationship with Lu Ming and his mother!

“Big brother,” Li Ping greeted him.

However, an icy smile hung on Lu Ming’s face as he sat absentmindedly. “Lord Li, why have you come to the Lu Residence today? It can’t be because you wanted to meet this piece of trash, right?”

“Cough! Cough!” Li Fu coughed as his elderly face turned red. He chuckled wryly and said, “Ming’er, you’re such a genius. How could you be a piece of trash? If anyone says that the next time, I’ll definitely break his leg.

“Ming’er, I believed in those rumors because I’m muddled due to my old age. I hope you won’t take it to heart.”

At that point, Lu Ming realized that yet another person had come to apologize.

Lu Ming’s outburst this time was definitely startling. Although he had offended the Duanmu Family, he had also gained the favor of Mu Lan from the Elixir Hall. It was hard to tell how successful he would be in the future.

Furthermore, it was set in stone that Lu Ming was next in line as the family Lord, so anyone who had offended him before, such as Lu Bing and Li Fu, would be in trouble. Therefore, they all stepped up to apologize and reconcile.

It was now evidently clear that the strong ruled over the weak in the martial arts world.

“Rest assured, big brother. I definitely won’t take it to heart,” Li Ping said as a joyful smile lit up her face.

“That would be great, lil’ sister! I’ve prepared ten Qi Condensation Pills as a token of gratitude. Please accept it!” Li Fu said as he produced a jade bottle.

The Qi Condensation Pills were Inferior Second Level pills. One pill was worth 2,000 silver taels, while ten would amount to 20,000 silver taels. It seemed that Li Fu had gone to the bank for this one.

It should be noted that 20,000 silver taels were equal to the Li Family’s income for half a year.

Even the Lu Family, the biggest family in the Fiery Wind City, had an annual income of approximately 200,000 silver taels.

“Thank you then!” Lu Ming quickly accepted it.

He had originally planned to ignore Li Fu, but Li Ping was from the Li Family after all. Lu Ming could tell that she still cared about the Li Family’s attitude a lot and was obviously pleased when Li Fu came to apologize.

That was why Lu Ming had to pretend for Li Ping’s sake. There was no harm in accepting the ten Qi Condensation Pills.

Li Fu finally relaxed after seeing Lu Ming accept the pills. Even though he was pained over the 20,000 silver taels, it was an investment. If Lu Ming really rose in power, the Li Family would not have a hard time.

If he had known that Lu Ming was so talented, he would have avoided offending him at all costs.

After some short banter, Li Fu bade his farewell and left.

“Qiu Yue, how many meridians have you opened?” Lu Ming quickly asked Qiu Yue after Li Fu left.

Li Ping stared at her with a curious expression as well.

“Young Master, Madam, I just opened the eighth meridian yesterday!” Qiu Yue answered cheerfully.

“What?” Lu Ming and Li Ping were shocked to their core as they stared at her incredulously.

The first few meridians were relatively easy, but it would get progressively harder.

Qiu Yue had already opened eight meridians after ten or so days. What was important was that she was cultivating with the Qi Condensation Art which was a basic art! She had not consumed a single pill at all. This kind of talent was shocking.

‘Can Qiu Yue open a divine meridian without the help of a blood meridian?’ Lu Ming could not help but wonder.

“Mother, Qiu Yue, don’t tell anyone about this for now,” Lu Ming told Li Ping and Qiu Yue who both nodded.Chapter 23: Go Forth With The Dreams Of A Young Man

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

The next day, Lu Ming went to the Lu Family library and picked an Inferior Yellow Level martial arts technique for Qiu Yue. It was the Jade Cloud Technique.

Lu Ming was not petty enough to be reluctant to share the True War Dragon Technique with Qiu Yue. Instead, it was because the technique was more suitable for males as it was extremely powerful, so it was not fitting for Qiu Yue to cultivate. If the technique was not suitable, it did not matter how superior it was because it would sometimes even do more bad than good.

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The Jade Cloud Technique was gentle yet firm, so it was very compatible with Qiu Yue.

Lu Ming also picked out the Graceful Light Sword Technique, which was an Inferior Yellow Level martial arts technique, for Qiu Yue.

Now, nobody dared to utter a single word when he was picking a martial arts technique.

After Lu Ming selected the martial arts techniques, he headed towards the Elixir Hall to purchase a batch of Dragon Tiger Pills to help Qiu Yue’s cultivation.

While he was purchasing the Dragon Tiger Pills, he learned that Mu Lan was no longer at the Elixir Hall. According to the staff from the Elixir Hall, Mu Lan had returned to the Mystical Sword Sect.

Mu Lan’s position as the Hall Master of the Elixir Hall was merely a trial. Now that the trial was over, naturally, she returned to the Mystical Sword Sect.

After handing the martial arts techniques and pills to Qiu Yue, Lu Ming returned to his room and entered the Supreme Shrine. He consumed a Qi-condensating Pill and started to cultivate.

Just like the other pills, after he swallowed the Qi-condensating Pill, a strong force emanated from his spine and started to absorb the medicinal properties of the pill apart from refining the impurities of the pill. Lu Ming then converted the influx of pure energy into Essential Qi.

The Qi-condensating Pill was an Inferior Second Level pill, which was more potent than the Dragon Tiger Pill. However, it paled in comparison to the Spirit Soul Pill.

Lu Ming’s cultivation was advancing without pause.

However, his Essential Qi was twice as dense as normal Essential Qi. If he wanted to improve it, he would require more energy, to be exact, around three times the amount of normal Essential Qi.

It meant that if he wanted to improve his cultivation, he would need to spend three times the amount of energy of what a normal person required.

There was no way around it. Being strong meant that he had to put in more effort.

After all ten Qi-condensating Pills were refined, Lu Ming’s cultivation advanced from beginner of Third Grade Warrior Realm to beginner of Fourth Grade Warrior Realm.

They were worth 20,000 silver taels, but Lu Ming had only advanced by a single grade. It was definitely a luxury, one that other people could not afford.

Even an elite disciple of the Lu Family could only redeem two Qi-condensating Pills in a year.

Lu Ming was not satisfied with this rate. After he finished the ten Qi-condensating Pills, he visited the Elixir Hall again and purchased 30 Qi-condensating Pills in one go. He received a 10% discount, so the total was 54,000 silver taels.

In one go, there were only around 15,000 taels left from 130,000 silvers that he had obtained from the Psammophic Pirates.

Lu Ming continued with his cultivation after purchasing the pills.

In the later stages of cultivation, a greater amount of energy was needed. After Lu Ming refined all 30 Qi-condensating Pills, his cultivation advanced to a mere beginner of Sixth Grade Warrior Realm.

Over a month had passed after he consolidated his foundation. There was only half a month left before the day when the Mystical Sword Sect opened its doors for recruitment.

Lu Ming had reaped many benefits over the course of that month and a half. Not only did his cultivation advance at a rapid pace, but his cultivation of martial arts techniques were also progressing swiftly.

The Flame Dragon Fist and the Dragon Serpent Steps were cultivated to the Fifth Stage which was the Perfect Divine-like Usage stage.

The Superior Yellow Level sword technique, the Lustrous Sword Technique, had been cultivated to the Fourth Stage which was the Mastery of Technique stage.

Lu Ming’s power experienced a substantial rise compared to the House Meeting a month and a half ago.

However, Qiu Yue was the most shocking. With just the Jade Cloud Technique and the Tiger Dragon Pills, Que Yue actually managed to open three divine meridians over the course of a month and a half.

Lu Ming was able to open three divine meridians thanks to the help of the Divine Level martial arts technique – True War Dragon Technique and the peculiar incomplete blood meridian.

However, Qiu Yue’s blood meridians had yet to awaken! She was also cultivating an Inferior Yellow Level martial arts technique at a terrifying pace. Despite that, Lu Ming and Li Ping were unquestionably happy for her.

On that day, Lu Ming was prepared to make a move and set out for the Mystical Sword Sect.

“Mother, here’s 10,000 silver notes. Keep it for future use!” He produced a stack of silver notes in the courtyard and handed it over to Li Ping.

“Ming’er, what are you doing? You’ll be heading to the Mystical Sword Sect where there’ll be plenty of places where you need silver to cultivate. Why are you giving it to me? I’ll be at the Lu Residence where I’m short of nothing.” Li Ping quickly pushed the silver notes back to Lu Ming.

“Mother, I’ve encountered a miracle. I don’t need any money! You should keep it and take the time to spend it in the future.”

Seeing how confident and firm Lu Ming was, Li Ping did not reject the notes and kept them away. While she gazed at his sharp gaze, Li Ping felt an incomparable sense of comfort and pride. Her son had finally achieved greatness.

“Ming’er, allow Qiu Yue to accompany you to the Mystical Sword Sect this time!” Li Ping smiled gently after a moment of pondering.

On the side, Qiu Yue’s expression shifted. “Madam! Who will take care of you if I’m gone?”

“Silly girl, don’t I have Chun Tao and the three girls now? There’s no need to worry that nobody will take care of me. Furthermore, you’re gifted in martial arts. It would be a waste if you stayed with me,” Li Ping said as she patted Qiu Yue on the head.

“Madam!” Qiu Yue started to sniffle as tears welled up in her eyes.

Lu Ming exclaimed in delight because it was true that Qiu Yue had a talent for martial arts, so staying with the Lu Family was truly a waste of talent.

Lu Ming shared the same thought of bringing Qiu Yue to the Mystical Sword Sect to see if she could join the school. Perhaps, someone in the Mystical Sword Sect could help her awaken her blood meridian.

“Alright, Ming’er, it isn’t early anymore. You should start moving now!” Li Ping reminded.

“Then, we’ll take our leave now, Mother. Please take care of yourself!” Lu Ming felt reluctant to leave.

“Off you go. Be careful!” Li Ping smiled.

“Madam, please take care of yourself! I’ll come back to visit you,” Qiu Yue said with teary eyes.

“Off you go!” Li Ping nodded encouragingly.

Lu Ming responded with a bob of his head. Without saying much, he turned and left along with Qiu Yue.

Some things were best done instead of spoken.

As she watched Lu Ming’s disappearing figure, Li Ping’s eyes started to redden. “Ming’er, I believe that you’ll truly be a strong person the next time I see you, just like your father!” she murmured to herself.

...

Lu Ming arrived at the Lu Family stables with Qiu Yue. Qiu Yue had never learned how to ride a horse, so they just took a green-scaled horse and left the city.

Outside the Fiery Wind City, Lu Ming flicked the reins in his hands. The green-scaled horse galloped like the raging wind, leaving a trail of dust behind.

In a vast and boundless land, Qiu Yue was wrapped in Lu Ming’s arms. As they galloped into the far distance, he sniffed the faint fragrance coming from her hair. A sudden surge of ambition and pride surged in his heart.

To drink and lie upon a beauty’s lap, and to travel the world with naught but a sword in hand; to return favors and grudges, and be accompanied by a loved one-these were the dreams of a young man.

A young man’s dreams would forever be distant.

He would grip a bottle of unfiltered wine and write a song about lost love, living life to the fullest! He would be a hero that traveled the land with naught but a sword in hand with his pride as strong as his blood, spreading through the lands!

Since Lu Ming had acquired the Supreme Shrine in this life and risen from the ashes, he was not going to live a normal life!

The Fiery Wind City was merely the start, and the Mystical Sword Sect was not going to be the end. His life was fated to be filled with action!Chapter 24: Mystical Sword City, Wei Ziming

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

Just like its name, the green-scaled horse was covered in green scales. It had the blood meridian of a demonic beast and was undoubtedly strong as it was able to travel 1,500 kilometers in a single day.

More than ten days later, the weary Lu Ming and Qiu Yue arrived at the Mystical Sword City which was only 25 kilometers away from the Mystical Sword Sect. It was the nearest city to the school and was unbelievably bustling with activity.

Both its population and size were over ten times larger than that of the Fiery Wind City.

With merchant groups coming and going from various places in the Blazing Sun Empire, it was a busy area. The main streets were wide enough to fit ten beast carriages in a row while the side of the streets was lined with shops. Indeed, it was a lively scene.

It was Lu Ming’s and Qiu Yue’s first time in such a large city. They were scanning all around them with burning curiosity like two villagers who had just entered the city.

After strolling around for half a day, their stomachs started to rumble. The duo found themselves a restaurant and entered the building.

The restaurant was three stories tall with an elegantly decorated interior. They proceeded to the third floor where almost half of the tables were already occupied. Everyone’s eyes sparkled the moment Lu Ming and Qiu Yue arrived.

Lu Ming had a slender build with distinct features. He donned a fitting garb that accentuated his heroic figure. On the other hand, Qiu Yue had a graceful body and a youthful face. They seemed like a perfect couple when walking together.

Two young men were seated at one of the tables. Out of the two, one of them wore a brocade garb with a jade belt hanging at his waist. He looked like he was around eighteen years old, and he carried the air of a young prince.

The other person was around the same age, but he was skinny and was dressed like a servant.

The moment the youth in the brocade garb laid his eyes on Lu Ming and Qiu Yue, his eyes lit up. To be more precise, he was staring at Qiu Yue with shining eyes.

However, his eyes flashed with murderous intent when his eyes shifted to Lu Ming.

“A fresh flower on a heap of sh*t!” the young man murmured.

Naturally, Lu Ming and Qiu Yue did not pay any attention to the gazes of the people around them. After they found themselves a table beside a window, they ordered a few dishes as well as a jar of wine and started to chow down.

“Young Master, the Mystical Sword City sure is crowded!” said Qiu Yue as she looked at Lu Ming’s misty eyes. Her cheeks were pink as she lifted her cup and took a sip from it.

Lu Ming raised his drink and downed it too. “That’s right. There are only two days left before the Mystical Sword Sect’s annual recruitment day. Every young talent in almost 2,000 cities from the eastern side of the Blazing Sun City has come.”

At that moment, the young man in the brocade garb lifted his cup and approached them with the thin youth behind him.

“Young lady, my name is Wei Ziming. May I have the honor of knowing your name? I hope that you’ll grant me the privilege of drinking with me,” he said, raising his cup. However, he did not bother to conceal his gleaming eyes that were scanning every inch of Qiu Yue’s body while completely ignoring Yu Ming.

Qiu Yue instantly felt slightly uncomfortable with the way Wei Ziming was staring at her. She felt a tinge of disgust as she said, “I’m sorry. I just drank a moment ago, so I don’t feel like it now!”

Rejected by Qiu Yue right off the bat, Wei Ziming’s face immediately darkened.

“Wretched girl, what do you mean? My young lord asked you to drink with him because he thinks highly of you. Don’t throw away the privilege that’s been given to you!” the thin youth beside Wei Ziming shouted before he snapped his head towards Lu Ming. “Why are you still sitting there, kid? You’d best scram now. My young master wants that seat.”

Lu Ming furrowed his brows. The two men were really on their high horses. He had not even uttered a word, yet they already wanted him gone.

“Where did these yapping mutts come from?” Lu Ming said in an icy tone as he lifted his cup and took another sip.

“How dare you speak to me like that, brat!? You’re courting death!” the thin youth yelled with a nasty expression on his face. He lunged towards Lu Ming’s throat with his fingers curled like an eagle’s claw.

His incomparably sharp fingers whistled through the air as he went for a killer move instantly. If he managed to grab Lu Ming’s throat, it would definitely be crushed.

He was overbearingly high-handed. Despite being merely a servant, he wanted someone dead just because of a single disagreement.

“You’re merely a Second Grade Warrior Realm. Scram!” Lu Ming shouted with a simple lash of his palm.

The palm advanced later than the claws, but it was the first move to connect. It landed squarely on the thin youth’s face, and he yelped in pain as he was blasted away. Soon, he landed heavily on the floor.

Startled, the other people in the restaurant started to whisper to themselves.

“Who’s this kid? He has the guts to hit Wei Ziming’s henchman. How daring!”

“Wei Ziming is the eldest son of the superior city, the Guardian Flame City’s Lord. This kid is done for.”

“I bet that the kid doesn’t even know where Wei Ziming comes from, or he wouldn’t have dared to hit Wei Ziming’s servant. After all, you have to check it before you wreck it.”

1

The discussion around Lu Ming drifted into his ears.

He suddenly came to see the light. The duo was from the Guardian Flame City. It was no wonder that they were so arrogant.

There were over 10,000 cities in the Blazing Sun Empire that had different levels based on their respective levels of power. The levels were mainly categorized as Inferior, Mediocre, and Superior.

The Fiery Wind City was considered as an Inferior city, one which most people had probably never heard of. However, the Guardian Fire City was a Superior city with massive power whose name was famous across all of the Blazing Sun Empire.

“Ah! How dare you hit me, brat?! You’re dead, you’re dead!” the thin youth started to yell in a frenzy.

Wei Ziming’s face turned another shade darker as his eyes glimmered with the cold intent of murder. “Brat, do you know I’m the young master of the main family in the Guardian Flame City?” he boasted as he glared at Lu Ming.

“I just found out.” Lu Ming calmly replied.

“Oh? So, you just found out, but I suppose it’s not too late. Now, kneel and apologize to me. After that, slap yourself 30 times, leave this lady behind, and scram. Then, I’ll consider letting you off,” Wei Ziming said confidently. He believed that Lu Ming would definitely agree to do this after learning who he was.

However, he was stunned at the very next moment because Lu Ming merely glanced at him and said dully, “I thought your mutt was the only dumb one. Turns out you’re even duller than he is. Get out of my sight this instant, or I’ll send you flying too.”

Everyone else in the eatery was dead silent. Wei Ziming was a wild one, but who would have thought that Lu Ming was even worse!?

“Brat! You’re courting death for challenging me!”

Furious, Wei Ziming stretched his palm out to slap Lu Ming’s face. His palm contained an immense amount of Essential Qi, unquestionably bearing the cultivation of Fifth Grade Warrior Realm.

However, Lu Ming caught him by the wrist even before his palm could connect.

Snap!

The sound of bones cracking could then be heard followed by Wei Ziming letting out a bloodcurdling scream in pain.

“Ah! My hand! Release my hand, you good-for-nothing! I’ll make sure you have a tombless death!” Wei Ziming howled in fury.

2

Slap!

At that second, Lu Ming slapped him square in the face, halting Wei Ziming mid-howl.

Wei Ziming stared at him incredulously with wide eyes as though he had been slapped silly. He never expected that Lu Ming would actually dare to slap him.

“I said, if you don’t scram now, I’ll send you flying too!” Lu Ming’s calm voice repeated, then...

Slap!

Another slap rang out, landing on the other side of Wei Ziming’s face. By then, his face was bloated like a pig’s.

Lu Ming released a surge of Essential Qi and threw Wei Ziming towards the stairs. “Get lost or I’ll break your limbs,” he threatened.Chapter 25: Assassination, Shadow Dragon Pavilion

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

Psst...

The entire place started to ring with the sound of deep breaths being sucked in.

Everyone on the third floor was staring at Lu Ming with shocked expressions. They guessed that Lu Ming had dared to send the thin youth flying because he did not know who Wei Ziming was. If he had known about Wei Ziming’s identity, Lu Ming would never have dared to make a move.

However, they never expected Lu Ming to take even harsher action after finding out who Wei Ziming was. He was simply domineering!

“Brat! You’ve got guts! Tell me your name!” Wei Ziming rose shakily. He was reining his temper in as he glared at Lu Ming resentfully.

“I’m Lu Ming.” Lu Ming smiled feebly as he calmly announced his name. He was not even afraid of the Duanmu Family, so why should he be scared of the Wei Family?

“Alright, we shall see!” Wei Ziming hissed through gritted teeth. He then limped down the stairs with the thin youth.

“The way I see it, Wei Ziming will definitely never let it slide. He’ll get his vengeance!”

“That’s for certain! The Guardian Fire City has always been run under tyranny. Given that Wei Ziming was disgraced in such a manner, there’s no way they’ll let it slide!”

“Wei Ziyou, Wei Ziming’s little brother, is a rare prodigy in the Wei Family. He came to join the Mystical Sword Sect’s recruitment drive and is considered among the strongest hundred in this batch of newbies. He’ll probably look into it now that his elder brother has taken such a humiliating beating!”

The restaurant was in heated discussion after Wei Ziming left. Meanwhile, Lu Ming merely smiled and continued to enjoy his meal with Qiu Yue.

Outside the restaurant, a dark, resentful expression hung on Wei Ziming’s face.

“Young Master, should we look for Second Young Master and let him deal with that rascal?” the thin youth asked.

“Of course, we have to tell my little brother, but there’s no need to make a move now. The Mystical Sword Sect recruitment drive will start in another two days. After the recruitment drive, the new disciples from all four halls of the school will go through a trial, except for Qilin Hall. Little Brother will kill Lu Ming then. I want him to experience the despair of dying right after joining the Mystical Sword Sect!” Wei Ziming said ruthlessly.

...

After Lu Ming and Qiu Yue finished their meal, they spent a little while longer strolling the streets of the Mystical Sword City. They then found themselves an inn and booked two rooms.

Lu Ming sat on his haunches after entering his room. He let out a joyful expression as he felt the faint itch emanating from his spine. After nearly four months, he could finally feel that his blood meridian was about to be completely grown.

There was just one more step left. Lu Ming could feel that it would take around three days to half a month before the blood meridian would complete its growth.

His blood meridian had already showcased miraculous effects before it could even finish growing. Lu Ming was excited to see what abilities it would have after completing its growth and what level it would be.

After feeling it for a while, Lu Ming started to cultivate by reciting the True War Dragon Technique. Spiritual energy from all around started to gather towards him.

Soon, night arrived. The inn was enveloped in a veil of silence.

Shift... Shift...

Lu Ming suddenly snapped his eyes wide open when he heard something breaking the silence outside his room.

Although it was only a slight rustle, it did not escape Lu Ming’s ears.

There were five figures outside his room. Two of them were outside the door while the other three were next to the window.

Suddenly, the door and window opened simultaneously. The five figures darted in like a flash of lightning as the glint of five sharp black blades flickered towards Lu Ming with the intent to kill.

Their movements were quick, concise, and ruthless. It was clearly the actions of trained assassins.

Clink!

Lu Ming took action the moment the five figures darted into the room. His figure flashed as the Onyx Blade Sword turned into a trail of light and sliced through flesh in one go.

Woosh!

Blood splashed everywhere as Lu Ming immediately sliced one of the assassins’ throat.

Clink! Clink!

Another glint from the blade followed closely. Like thunder flashing in the dark, Lu Ming spun around and another two assassins fell by his hand.

The three assassins instantly went down not because they were weak. In fact, they were far from weak. The trio that Lu Ming had slain had reached Sixth Grade Warrior Realm whereas the remaining two had cultivated up to Seventh Grade Warrior Realm.

With an ambush by such a lineup, even an ace on Eighth Grade Warrior Realm would be slain. Lu Ming was alive simply because he was even stronger and had already noticed them.

“Dang it! The intel about the target’s power was inaccurate. Retreat!” One of the assassins yelped in surprise and frantically backed away.

“Since you’ve already come, you might as well stay!”

The moment Lu Ming finished his sentence in an icy tone, he used the Dragon Serpent Steps. After he appeared behind the assassin in a single step, he lashed out with his blade and a dismembered head landed on the floor.

He then took a few more steps and caught up with the next person.

After he realized that he could not escape, the remaining assassin yelled as he plunged towards Lu Ming without a care for his own life, “Die!”

Rumble!

The Flame Dragon Fist erupted and two consecutive hits landed on the assassin’s body.

Blasted back by the blows, the assassin crashed into the wall and spurted out a mouthful of blood.

“Speak. Who are you? Who sent you here?” Lu Ming demanded in an icy tone.

“Hehe, so what if I told you? We’re from the Shadow Wolf Pavilion. Someone paid to end your life, but as for who it is, you’ll never find out. Be prepared for the Shadow Wolf Pavilion’s relentless hunt, Lu Ming!”

2

After the assassin said that, black blood spewed from his mouth. He had actually committed suicide by poison.

“The Shadow Wolf Pavilion?” Lu Ming furrowed his brows.

He had heard of the Shadow Wolf Pavilion before. It was one of the four largest assassin groups in the Blazing Sun Empire. They had a large circle of influence and specifically dealt in paid assassinations. However, they were extremely secretive as nobody knew where the headquarters of the Shadow Wolf Pavilion was.

Hence, the four assassin groups were loathed by many, but there was no way to remove them by the roots.

Some even said that these four assassin groups were backed and cultivated by the five main sects as tools to deal with the rising prodigies.

Still, it was nothing but a rumor since nobody knew what the truth was.

‘Who would hire assassins from the Shadow Wolf Pavilion to bring me down?’ Lu Ming furrowed his brows.

The first thing that came to his mind was Lu Yao, Lu Yunxiong, and the Duanmu Family. These people were the most susceptible bunch as well as Wei Ziming.

However, the odds of it being Wei Ziming were not high since he already had a gist of how powerful Lu Ming was. The assassin just now had exclaimed that Lu Ming’s strength did not add up to the intel they received.

If that was the case, it was most likely Lu Yao, Lu Yunxiong, and the Duanmu Family.

‘It seems like there are shadows on the prowl in the Mystical Sword Sect!’ Lu Ming sneered as his eyes flashed with killing intent.

“Young Master, are you alright?” Qiu Yue walked out of her room and was shocked when she saw the bodies lying on the ground.

The commotion just now had startled the other guests staying at the inn.

“Qiu Yue, let’s go. We’re changing inns!”

Lu Ming grabbed Qiu Yue as he jumped out of the window and sprinted forward. The duo traversed in the dark and stopped at a different inn after half an hour.

In the next two days, neither of them took a step out of their rooms. Except for food, they spent their time cultivating behind closed doors.

Two days soon passed in the blink of an eye.

The Mystical Sword Sect’s annual recruitment drive officially started.Chapter 26: Vermillion Bird Hall

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

The Mystical Sword Sect was divided into five halls, and each hall occupied a majestic mountain.

The Qilin Peak was in the middle, the Azure Dragon Peak was on the east, the White Tiger Peak on the west, the Vermillion Bird Peak on the south, and the Onyx Tortoise Peak on the north.

The new apprentice enrolment test was held at the mountain before the five halls, and that was the main gate of the Mystical Sword Sect.

When Lu Ming and Qiu Yue arrived at the gate, the entire area was filled with people hustling and bustling about. There were about tens of thousands of generally young people below their twenties.

At the foot of the mountain, two broad pathways led towards the center of the Mystical Sword Sect.

“Those with jade credentials, head towards your right. Those without jade credentials, head towards your left for the enrolment tests!” a dashing young man yelled with a sword on his back.

Lu Ming was told that those with jade credentials were exempted from the enrolment tests and were allowed to join the Mystical Sword Sect right away. Possessing a one-in-a-million jade credential signified that the person had already been tested and was deemed exceptional by an expert from the Mystical Sword Sect.

Lu Ming had received the jade credential from Mu Lan, so he was naturally exempted from the enrolment tests.

“Qiu Yue, go ahead and take the tests!” Lu Ming said to Qiu Yue.

“Oh, alright, Young Lord!” She nodded.

“You can do it!” He smiled encouragingly at her.

The enrolment tests included many sections like a willpower test, meridians check, meridians testing, and many more.

There were professional meridian inspectors there to evaluate the blood meridian levels, so it did not matter if one’s blood meridians were not awakened yet.

This was a good chance for Qiu Yue to find out what kind of blood meridians she had, so she nodded vigorously and made a beeline toward the left.

1

There was a long line of people on the left mountain path.

Meanwhile, Lu Ming waited outside patiently for Qiu Yue’s results.

“Sigh, why such high standards? I don’t think I’ll stand a chance to be accepted into the Mystical Sword Sect..”

Time after time, Lu Ming saw people walk out dejectedly. Some were even sobbing. Those were the people who had obviously failed the enrolment test.

Slowly, Qiu Yue disappeared into the mountains as the queue progressed.

All of a sudden, three rainbows shot up from deep within the left side of the mountain.

The rainbows pierced through the clouds and rose above the heavens, shining as brightly as the sun. Three rainbows signified three unlocked divine meridians.

“Is that Qiu Yue?” Lu Ming’s eyes gleamed.

At the sight of the three rainbows, chaos erupted at the main gate of the Mystical Sword Sect.

“Three rainbows! This means that someone has unlocked three divine meridians! There’s actually such a genius in this generation!”

“I’ve only unlocked six acupuncture points from the first divine meridian after stalling at the peak of top Novice Realm for two years! It’s impossible to compare one human to another!”

“If that person’s willing, he or she could totally enter Qilin Hall.”

All eyes were fixated at the direction of the rainbows as chatter broke out.

Squawk!

A gigantic white crane flew out from deep within the Mystical Sword Sect and headed towards the rainbows.

“A master from the Mystical Sword Sect has appeared! This genius should be heading towards the skies soon!” some people exclaimed with envy in their eyes.

“It looks like Qiu Yue’s been accepted into Mystical Sword Sect without a doubt.” Lu Ming smiled as he made his way to the mountain path on the right.

There were also Mystical Sword Sect’s apprentices on guard at the entrance on the right mountain path. Since there were only very few people, Lu Ming entered with ease after flashing his jade credentials.

It was a steep incline up though not for long. Soon, there were rainbows on the left side of the mountain once again.

This time, there were two rainbows.

Right after that, there were another two rainbows.

‘It looks like a gathering of geniuses in this batch of new enrolments!’ Even Lu Ming was shocked to see two consecutive geniuses with two unlocked divine meridians.

Not forgetting those with jade credentials that were exempted from the tests, like him.

How many geniuses in this group of people?

It was a genius galore.

“How interesting!” Fighting spirit flashed before Lu Ming’s eyes.

He continued on his journey to the end of the mountain path, and there it was before him, a vast plaza.

At that moment, there were thousands of people on that plaza.

The plaza led to four different pathways, and along each pathway was a ten-meter slab of stone in height with one of the four great beasts (azure dragon, white tiger, vermillion bird, and onyx tortoise) carved on them.

The only pathway missing was the one that led to Qilin Hall.

“Onyx Tortoise Hall, this way to the Onyx Tortoise Hall! Join us, dear juniors, we guarantee loads of benefits!”

A few youths hollered at the top of their lungs at Onyx Tortoise Hall’s entrance.

“White Tiger Hall, joining us at the White Tiger Hall will be the best choice you’ll ever make! We’re the strongest hall secondary only to the Qilin Hall!”

“Come, join the Azure Dragon Hall! We’re the oldest of them all!”

“Vermillion Bird Hall! We have many beautiful girls here at the Vermillion Bird Hall!”

1

One after another, voices rang out as the four halls tried their best to attract newcomers.

Newcomers represented new blood, and they spoke for the future of the hall, so it was extremely vital, especially given the fierce competition between the four halls.

Newly enrolled apprentices were given free will to enter into any of the four halls. People with jade credentials like Lu Ming were the exception. They belonged to the hall that had issued them their jade pieces.

Only Qilin Hall operated differently.

Qilin Hall was extremely mysterious and was the most powerful hall among the five. Qilin Hall apprentices were carefully handpicked and they were all the cream of the crop.

No one knew how many new apprentices Qilin Hall would accept in a year. Furthermore, it was only normal for it to have the least amount of people.

Suddenly, something captured Lu Ming’s attention from the corner of his eye.

Near the entrance of the White Tiger Hall, dressed in a white dress, Lu Yao was the center of attention.

“That’s Lu Yao. I heard she’s awakened a Fifth Level blood meridian with two unlocked divine meridians! She’s also engaged to Duanmu Family’s super genius, Duanmu Lin. What a Cinderella story!”

1

“I know! I’m so jealous! If it were me, I’d wake up smiling every day.”

“You? Why would Duanmu Lin ever consider you?”

A few young women whispered enviously near Lu Ming.

Lu Yao’s gaze swept across the area even as she charmed the crowd around her. When her gaze landed on Lu Ming, her face darkened as anger flashed in her eyes.

Then, she looked at the crowd surrounding her and glanced back at Lu Ming with disdain in her eyes.

Lu Ming merely smiled.

Suddenly, a bird song erupted from above them, and right after that, an enormous white crane descended. It was far bigger than a normal white crane. When extended, the length of its wings was a terrifying 20 meters.

There were two people on the white crane. One of them was a middle-aged lady with a golden threaded robe while the other was a beautiful young maiden.

‘Qiu Yue!’ Lu Ming’s heart was filled with glee upon seeing the young maiden.

1

“Gold-robed Elder! That’s a Gold-robed Elder!”

“It’s really a Gold-robed Elder! Who’s that young lady? How did she manage to catch the Gold-robed Elder’s attention?”

“She’s a super genius, I reckon!”

“Who’re they here for?”

The young people around clamored in reverence toward the middle-aged lady.Chapter 27: Making Things Hard On Purpose

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

Elders were divided into Ordinary Elders, Silver-robed Elders, and Gold-robed Elders in the Mystical Sword Sect.

Silver-robed Elders were the upper management of the Mystical Sword Sect. They were the strong backbone that held the school together.

Gold-robed Elders were the Mystical Sword Sect’s doyens. They existed as the anchors against the other sects. There were only a few of them, and since they were so powerful, they would make an appearance if something important caught their attention. Otherwise, they would be in closed-door meditation and practice of the martial arts.

Standing right in front of everyone’s eyes was a Gold-robed Elder.

Everyone at the plaza had their eyes on the two people on the white crane. Who were they here for?

On the white crane, Qiu Yue searched the crowd with her eyes, and her gaze finally found Lu Ming.

“Young Lord!” She beamed in delight as the white crane descended near Lu Ming. Then, she leaped off it excitedly and ran to his side.

All eyes were on Lu Ming at that instant.

Not too far away, Lu Yao clearly recognized Qiu Yue and her face darkened.

‘Why would that filthy maidservant be with a Gold-robed Elder?’ Lu Yao’s eyes flashed with annoyance and confusion.

“Qiu Yue!” A smile appeared on Lu Ming’s face as he asked, “Qiu Yue, did you pass the assessment test?”

“I did! This senior here wants me to join her in Qilin Hall, but I don’t wanna be at Qilin Hall. I wanna be with you in the Vermillion Bird Hall, Young Lord!” Qiu Yue chirped.

‘Qiu Yue’s actually been invited to join Qilin Hall?!’

Lu Ming’s heart leaped with joy, but he hardened his features on purpose and said, “Silly girl, some people can’t even join Qilin Hall even if they wanted to, and you’re just gonna turn it down? Listen to your Young Lord and go to Qilin Hall.”

“But Young Lord, I hate to part with you.” Qiu Yue sniffed while her eyes grew teary.

“Silly girl, we’re both at the Mystical Sword Sect. It’s not like we won’t be able to see each other ever again. Besides, if you train hard enough in Qilin Hall, there’ll be chances for us to meet! Also, Qiu Yue, what’s up with your blood meridians? Did they manage to test it?” Lu Ming asked as he comforted her.

“They did, but this senior said that I might have unique blood meridians and told me not to tell anyone else. But, Young Lord, you aren’t just anybody else,” Qiu Yue whispered into Lu Ming’s ears as she leaned toward him.

‘Unique blood meridians!’ Her revelation shocked Lu Ming to the core, but he felt intense joy for Qiu Yue right after the initial shock.

Human blood meridians were divided into several kinds although most of the blood meridians took the form of a living being, be it beasts or plants.

Humans had been in cohabitation with all the other beings since the beginning of time, so it was only natural for the blood meridians humans awakened to carry these other beings’ forms since human blood was influenced by genetic traits of these other beings.

However, some people would awaken blood meridians with peculiar forms such as a sword-shaped blood meridian, a knife-shaped blood meridian, and many more blood meridians shaped like weapons.

There were also some others with element-influenced blood meridians like wind, fire, thunder, water, and many more. These were known as the unique blood meridians. Unique blood meridians were extremely rare, and also very, marvelously, unimaginably powerful.

For example, those with sword-shaped blood meridians had an innate affinity towards sword-related martial arts and were able to grasp sword related martial arts teachings a few times faster than ordinary people. Some even inherited an extremely powerful sword art technique through their sword-shaped blood meridians and were unbeatable.

All in all, those with unique blood meridians were usually phenomenal geniuses.

It all made sense now. No wonder Qiu Yue’s blood meridians were so difficult to awaken. She possessed unique blood meridians!

“Qiu Yue, don’t tell anyone else about it from now onwards. Train hard and study well in Qilin Hall, okay?” Lu Ming advised as he gently patted her head.

“Young Lord!” Qiu Yue’s eyes watered.

“Go on, train well. I’m gonna spot check you in the future.” Lu Ming chuckled.

“Got it, Young Lord, don’t worry. I’ll work hard!” Qiu Yue answered, nodding firmly.

“Let’s go, Qiu Yue!”

The middle-aged lady on the white crane waved. A gush of formless energy flowed out, suspending Qiu Yue’s body mid-air, then gently landing her on the white crane.

The white crane let out a shriek as it ascended, disappearing in the skyline.

‘I should head to Vermillion Bird Hall now.’ Lu Ming smiled as he made his way to Vermillion Bird Hall.

His good mood was apparent after learning that Qiu Yue had been enrolled in Qilin Hall.

“Welcome to Vermillion Bird Hall, junior. Please register your details right here.”

Upon seeing Lu Ming, the young men at Vermillion Bird Hall exclaimed in delight.

Lu Ming nodded and wrote down his name, age, and place of origin. Then, he walked down the pathway that led in.

After climbing several hills, a majestic mountain came into his sight. It was the Vermillion Bird Peak.

At the foot of the Vermillion Bird Peak, there was a spacious training field, and all the new Vermillion Bird Hall apprentices had gathered there to wait for instructions.

“Stop where you are! No illegal entry permitted!” a young man obstructed Lu Ming just as he was about to enter the training field.

This haughty young man was about twenty years old. He wore a blue robe and was clearly an older apprentice.

“Senior, I’m one of the new apprentices,” Lu Ming cupped his hands respectfully as he answered.

The blue-robed young man scoffed as he barked, “How dare you lie to me? The impersonation of a Mystical Sword Apprentice is a grave sin!”

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Lu Ming frowned. This man is behaving weirdly. Why would he assume that Lu Ming was an impersonator without any prior encounters?

If Lu Ming really was an impersonator, how could he have made it thus far? This blue-robed young man was making things difficult on purpose, but this was the first time Lu Ming was meeting him, so what did he have against Lu Ming?

“I’m really a Vermillion Bird Hall apprentice. Here’s my jade credential!” Lu Ming said as he revealed his jade piece.

Without taking a look at the jade piece, the blue-robed apprentice sneered, “So what if you have a jade credential? Does that prove that you’re not an impersonator? One of the prerequisites to be a Mystical Sword Sect apprentice is to be a Blood Meridian Martial Artist. Are you even one? Do you even have blood meridians? If you don’t have blood meridians, I don’t care who recommended you. Piss off!”

After he was done explaining, the blue-robed apprentice jeered at Lu Ming.

“The Duanmu Family sent you, didn’t they?” Lu Ming asked out of the blue as something flashed in his eyes.

With a slight change in his expression, the blue-robed apprentice snarled. “What are you talking about? F*ck off immediately!”

Lu Ming sneered. This blue-robed apprentice had some relationship with the Duammu family. He was sure of it.

Only Lu Yao, Lu Yunxiong, and the likes of them knew that Lu Ming’s blood meridians had been stripped away from him.

This blue-robed apprentice must have known about Lu Ming since he was so sure that he did not have blood meridians and stopped him in his tracks upon the mere sight of him.

The new apprentices on the training field were roused as they gathered around Lu Ming curiously.

“You want me to piss off? You’re the one that should piss off!” Lu Ming smiled coldly.

“How dare you speak to me like that?! I think you’re tired of living, aren’t you?” The blue-robed apprentice spat venomously.

Lu Ming said with a faint smile, “Don’t you think so? Is this how you, as an older apprentice, should be treating the new apprentices? You accuse them without proof and shoo them away? Who gave you such authority? If everyone in the Vermillion Bird Hall is like you, I’d rather not stay then!”

Every word Lu Ming said rang out clearly.

In response, the new apprentices on the training field started to gesture and look pointedly at the blue-robed apprentice.

The blue-robed apprentice’s face darkened further with a tinge of anxiety. He certainly had not been authorized as such. If the elders were to know that he chased new apprentices away, he would not be able to bear the consequences.

“Lu Ming, I’ve asked you to piss off because you’re the one without blood meridians. Don’t spew your bullshi*t all around to accuse me!” the blue-robed apprentice yelled defiantly.

“Spewing bullsh*t to accuse you? Look carefully with your beady eyes, dog!”

Lu Ming let out a cry, and immediately, red lights flashed from behind his back as he made his blood meridians explode. A glimpse of a worm-like silhouette flashed before the red light disappeared.Chapter 28: Newbie’s Test

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

“Blood meridians? How do you have blood meridians?” the blue-robed apprentice cried out in disbelief.

According to the news he had gotten, Lu Ming had no blood meridians!

“Of course, I have blood meridians. How else would I have passed the tests by the Vermillion Bird Hall seniors and get a recommendation? This is something even a pig would understand, but you’ve made things difficult for me on purpose. Tell me, what’s your intention? Are you intentionally oppressing the new apprentices or are you dumber than a pig?” Lu Ming articulated each word with such clarity while his gaze bore into the blue-robed apprentice like a drill.

The new apprentices around Lu Ming glowered gingerly at the blue-robed apprentice after hearing what Lu Ming said.

‘These two questions were impossible to answer!’ The blue-robed apprentice raged.

If he admitted that he made things difficult for Lu Ming on purpose, it meant that he was also oppressing the new apprentices on purpose. Then, if the Vermillion Bird Hall saw a drastic dip in the number of new apprentices because of what had happened, he would be in huge trouble.

However, if he did not admit it, he would be deemed dumber than a pig.

“Lu Ming, you..” Flushed, the blue-robed apprentice was at a loss for words.

“F*ck off, you’re in the way!” Lu Ming reprimanded.

The blue-robed apprentice gritted his teeth as he glared at Lu Ming. “Just you wait, Lu Ming. I, Ning Feng, won’t be so easily fooled.” He stormed away after he was done.

Lu Ming snickered and entered the training field.

There were about 200 people on the wide and spacious training field.

Lu Ming walked to the side of the training hall and sat down as he waited quietly.

People were still entering the training field.

The sky began to darken as a few hours passed. There were almost a thousand people in the training field by the time people stopped trickling in.

Lu Ming could not help but lament about the high prerequisites to become a Mystical Sword Sect apprentice. There were about 50,000 people at the front gate waiting to be assessed, but only about a thousand of them were in the Vermillion Bird Hall.

For the other halls, even if there were more people in the crowd, it would not make that much of a difference.

Lu Ming estimated that there would only be around 5,000 new apprentices amongst the four halls combined, and that was the better case scenario, which meant that only one out of ten applicants were accepted into the Mystical Sword Sect.

A full-bearded, burly man entered the training field. He let out a huge lion-like roar that left everyone else’s ears ringing, “Gather round!”

About a thousand people scurried to assemble around the full-bearded, burly man.

With an expressionless face, the burly man introduced himself loudly, “I’m Xie Kuang, an coaching and guidance elder. First of all, welcome to the Vermillion Bird Hall. You should already know that you’re just a general apprentice for now.”

With clenched fists, indeed, all of them knew that when they were first accepted into the Mystical Sword Sect, they would start by just being a general apprentice.

However, being associated with the word “general” did not feel very good.

Upon seeing the new apprentices’ facial expressions, a satisfied smile appeared on Xie Kuang’s face as he continued, “But you’ll have a chance to get rid of the word ‘general’ before your apprentice ranking. Three days from now, there’ll be a test for you together with the new apprentices from the White Tiger Hall, the Azure Dragon Hall, and the Onyx Tortoise Hall. If you pass, you’ll be upgraded to become a bronze apprentice, which gives you better treatment, and you’ll be able to cultivate at the Vermillion Bird Peak.”

“If you fail, you’ll continue to be a general apprentice and suffer in the general living area. Do you have faith in yourselves?”

“Yes!” All the new apprentices let out a resounding roar and were filled to the brim with fighting spirit and self-confidence.

They were all at most eighteen years old, and to be accepted into the Mystical Sword Sect from different cities all over Blazing Sun Empire signified that they were all geniuses. Therefore, they were confident that they were one of a kind.

“Good, now we’ll assign your dorms to you. Rest up,” Xie Kuang said in a loud voice.

Surely, where they stayed then was a place for general apprentices at the foot of the Vermillion Bird Peak. They were assigned to a small room each.

As soon as Lu Ming entered his room, he went to the Supreme Shrine and started his cultivation.

For better treatment and for more time to cultivate, it was crucial for him to be upgraded to the bronze rank in the test three days from now.

No matter which hall in the Mystical Sword Sect they were, apprentices were divided into a few rankings, which were the general, bronze, and silver.

General apprentices were at the lowest tier, and they were tasked with generic and miscellaneous tasks. They were only allowed to cultivate after they had finished the tasks set by the management of the sect. They also had the worst treatment amongst the rest.

Bronze apprentices were considered as an official apprentice of the Mystical Sword Sect, and the treatment they were given would be undoubtedly better.

Silver apprentices were the elite-level apprentices. They were the cream of the crop, strong, powerful, and recognized. It was said that there was another ranking above silver which were the gold apprentices.

However, Gold apprentices were another entity of their own, and they were not part of any hall.

Each of them was extraordinary geniuses, and they were all allowed to cultivate at the top-secret core area of the entire sect. They were so respected that they were comparable to the hall chiefs.

As powerful as they may be, there were only a very scarce number of Gold apprentices in the entire Mystical Sword Sect.

The Gold ranking was very far for Lu Ming at the moment, so he did not put much thought into it. It was imperative for him to first upgrade to become a Bronze apprentice.

In the blink of an eye, three days passed.

On the morning of the fourth day, more than a thousand of them gathered once more at the training field.

Xie Kuang was right up front as he roared with blazing eyes, “Right, three days have passed, so the test is officially starting, and it’ll be held in the Midnight Hills a hundred kilometers away from here.

“Let me warn you. The Midnight Hills are filled with demonic beasts and they’re highly dangerous. It’s common to die there, so if you want to opt-out, stand up now and I’ll proceed with the sect-leaving application right away!”

There was pin-drop silence on the training field as no one stood up.

The road of martial arts was not a bed of roses but was one filled with thorns, trials, and danger. Everyone had come mentally prepared the second they embarked on this journey.

Furthermore, to opt-out meant to leave the Mystical Sword Sect as well! How could they leave after working so hard to be accepted into the Mystical Sword Sect?

If they opted out now, it would make them the laughing stock for the rest of their lives.

Xie Kuang’s eyes swept over the entire place, and a smile of approval appeared on his face. He said, “Alright, since no one’s opting out, now follow me. we’ll gather with the other halls and head out to the Midnight Hills.”

When he was done, Xie Kuang turned around and started running out with all the new apprentices following suit.

...

In a courtyard in the Vermillion Bird Peak, two shadows sat facing each other. One of them was Ning Feng, and the other was a smiling young man.

“Have you arranged the necessaries, Ning Feng?” the smiley youth asked.

A chill flashed across Ning Feng’s face as he answered, “Don’t worry, Brother Duanmu. Lu Ming won’t walk out of the test alive.”

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“That’s good. Most of the Duanmu Family apprentices taking part in this test have seen his portrait, so when they meet him in the hills, they will kill him.”

“Ning Feng, Young Lord Lin pays a lot of attention to Lu Ming, so if you’ve done your part well, there will be benefits coming your way,” the youth from the Duanmu Family grinned as he said.

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Ning Feng was ecstatic. He cupped his hands and replied, “I’ll still need a favor from Brother Duanmu to compliment me a little in front of Young Lord Lin!”

“Haha, sure thing.”Chapter 29: Attractive Rewards

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

Lu Ming followed the rest as they made their way out of the sect and headed towards the Midnight Hills.

With a thousand apprentices running on the road at the same time, it caused a constant rumble of dust and dirt along the journey.

There was a whopping hundred kilometers between the Mystical Sword Sect and the Midnight Hills. Even though most of them were blood meridians martial artists with a fairly high cultivation level, the hundred-kilometer run still got them sweating buckets and panting like dogs.

Nevertheless, Lu Ming was still doing okay. Although he was panting a little, he had not reached his limit yet.

When the Vermillion Bird Hall apprentices arrived at the Midnight Hills, the people from the White Tiger Hall were already there, and there were 1,500 of them, about 500 more than those from the Vermilion Bird Hall.

The White Tiger Hall had grown stronger over the years, and they were unabashedly the strongest of the four halls, so they also had the most apprentices who chose to enter the White Tiger Hall.

“Alright, take a break, everyone!” Xie Kuang hollered.

The Vermilion Bird Hall apprentices took their places, sat down, and began their mediation to recover their breath.

Rumble!

The earth rumbled as the Azure Dragon Hall and the Onyx Turtle Hall arrived soon after.

According to Lu Ming’s observation, the Azure Dragon Hall had 1,300 people. The Onyx Tortoise Hall had 1,200 people, which left the Vermillion Bird Hall with the least at only 1,000 people.

There were 5,000 people combined.

Swoosh! Swoosh!

Air piercing whistles came from the silhouette of a few people flying towards them at an alarming speed. Yes, they were flying without mounting any flying beasts.

“Those are Leader Realm powerhouses!” a cry of surprise rang out, and everyone looked enviously towards the sky.

Lu Ming also looked at the skies enviously with a tinge of yearning.

Who would not yearn to soar like eagles, looking down on mountains and valleys?

“I’m gonna reach that place one day!” Lu Ming clenched his fists tightly.

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Three white-haired elderly men in silver robes swooped in at groundbreaking speed, and it only took them three breaths to reach above everyone’s heads where they remained floating in the air just like that.

They were the Mystical Sword Sect’s Silver-Robed Elders.

Upon his arrival, the Silver-Robed Elder in the middle spoke in a loud voice, “Now, I’ll announce the rules of the test.

“This time, we’ve placed metal pieces on some demonic beasts in the Midnight Hills. These metal pieces will have 1, 2, 5, and 10 points carved on them.

“There are 5,000 one point pieces distributed amongst First Grade First Level to Sixth Grade First Level beasts.”

“2,000 2-point pieces on Seventh Grade First Level to Ninth Grade beasts.”

“400 5-point pieces and 200 10-point pieces on the First Grade Second Level to Third Level beasts.”

“You’ll need ten points to pass the test and be upgraded to be a Bronze apprentice. You have twenty days before we return to this place to harvest your results.”

“Ten points to pass?” Lu Ming’s eyes flickered.

Ten points might not seem like a lot, but it was extremely difficult to accumulate since demonic beasts had a different strength scale than ordinary beasts.

A First Level demonic beast was likened to a Warrior Realm martial artist while a Second Level demonic beast would be likened to the Master Realm martial artists.

Each Level was divided into nine Grades and was no different from the martial artists’ Realm.

5- and 10-point pieces were available from Second Level beasts, far beyond the reach of an ordinary newbie.

Those with cultivation below the Master Realm could only get the 1 point and 2-point metal pieces.

According to the numbers the Silver-robed Elder gave, they were all snapped up. In total, 5,000 1-point pieces, 2,000 2-point pieces, and including the 5-point and 10-point pieces only added up to 13,000 points.

When 13,000 points were divided by ten, that meant, on average, only at most 1,300 apprentices could pass the test.

On average, only 1,300 out of 5,000 on average. The competition was undoubtedly fierce.

“Also, there’s gonna be a handsome reward. The first place will get 5,000 sect contribution points and a Spirit-condensing Fruit.

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“The second place will get 4,000 sect contribution points.

“The third place will get 3,000 sect contribution points.

“Fourth to tenth place will get 1,000 sect contribution points.

“Eleventh to hundredth place will be rewarded accordingly. Lastly, I might as well tell you that there’s actually a 500-point metal piece on some demonic beast that’s for you to find. Right then, that’s all for the rules. Take a breather and be on your way.”

Chaos erupted right after the Silver-robed Elder finished his announcement. The chatter was mostly about how attractive the rewards were.

The Mystical Sword Sect’s sect contribution points were used to exchange anything from pills, spiritual weapons, and martial arts techniques to gems, treasures, and many more.

One sect contribution point was equivalent to a hundred taels of silver. The reward for first place was 5,000 sect contribution points, which was equivalent to 500,000 taels of silver.

Who would not want that?

“Spirit-condensing Fruit!”

The fruit was as attractive to Lu Ming as the sect contribution points.

To an ordinary martial artist, the normal use of a Spirit-condensing Fruit was to condense Essential Qi to raise their cultivation.

However, it meant more than that to Lu Ming.

To cultivate the Second Stage of the True War Dragon Technique to achieve Essential Qi condensation that was twice as thick, a few rare and precious ingredients were needed. One of the most precious ones was the Spirit-condensing Fruit.

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‘I must get that Spirit-condensing Fruit!’

Lu Ming’s eyes shone like the sun.

Apart from him, some of the stronger talents amongst the 5,000 also displayed the same burning desire.

“You’re Lu Ming, aren’t you?” A clear, crisp voice rang out.

There was a girl of about fifteen or sixteen years old with her hair pulled back in a ponytail. She looked dashing with her sword on her back, and she wore a body-hugging fencing uniform that showed off her curves in all the right places.

“Who are you?” Lu Ming frowned at the sight of the girl. He did not know her although she recognized him. Had she also been sent by the Duanmu Family?

The young lady smiled as if she sensed his hesitation. “Lu Ming, my name is Feng Wu. Big Sis Mu Lan sent me to look for you.”

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“Mu Lan!” Lu Ming’s eyes gleamed. He lowered his guard and asked, “How may I help you, Miss Feng Wu?”

“Big Sis Mu Lan sent me to team up with you in case the Duanmu Family tries anything funny in the test. What do you say? Shall we work together?” Feng Wu replied.

Lu Ming gave it some thought and nodded. “Alright!”

He had complete trust in Mu Lan. Besides, he was new to the Mystical Sword Sect, so he was not familiar with the things that were happening. Therefore, Lu Ming thought that as he teamed up with someone else, he could find out more.

“That’s great! There’re three others in our team. I’ll introduce you.”

Feng Wu smiled. She turned around and walked as Lu Ming followed behind her.

Three young men were leaning on a huge rock.

“Everyone, let me introduce you to our newest member, Lu Ming.” Feng Wu pointed at Lu Ming and introduced him to the three young men.

She then pointed at the two lankier ones and said, “Lu Ming, this is Zhou Hao and Zhou Xu.”

Both Zhou Hao and Zhou Xu nodded nonchalantly as a form of greeting.

“Lu Ming, this is Yuan Chong,” Feng Wu pointed to a rather handsome young man and presented him to Lu Ming.

“Feng Wu, why did you include just anybody in our team? We don’t need a laggard,” Yuan Chong jeered as soon as Feng Wu finished.