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Lu Sheng listened quietly as Yan Kai wrapped up his story. So that was the truth behind all this chaos.
“So, all those people who came before—including the three Taoist priests—they were here for the treasure that might emerge from this world?” he asked.
“You can say that,” Yan Kai nodded. “Demons are rampant in this land, and we exorcists are here to maintain its peace.”
Lu Sheng offered a faint smile. He wasn’t sure how much of that he could believe.
After a pause, he asked again, “So, that’s it then? Everything’s settled? Jiulian City will be safe from now on? No more demons, no more strange incidents or senseless deaths?”
Yan Kai wasn’t quite sure what Lu Sheng was getting at, but after a moment of thought, he answered earnestly, “That’s right. The treasure has been taken far from Jiulian City. I’ll be heading there myself soon, to see if I can be of use. As for the dead... without any external interference, Jiulian City should return to normal.”
Duan Rongrong, who had been listening quietly, suddenly chimed in, “That thing’s already run off to the Central Plains. Everyone’s chasing after it. This is just a small city—who’d want to stay here now?”
Yan Kai gently tugged at her sleeve, motioning for her to speak less. Then he turned to Lu Sheng and bowed politely.
“Mr. Sheng, I didn’t do much this time, so I won’t be accepting payment. Until we meet again.”
Lu Sheng’s face turned serious. “How could I let that happen? Taoist priest, are you trying to make me break my word?”
He waved toward the door. “Bring the banknotes in!”
A maid waiting outside stepped in, carrying a small, finely crafted wooden box.
Lu Sheng took it from her and placed it on the table in front of everyone. Lifting the lid revealed a thick stack of crisp banknotes.
“This is the reward for the three of you. Even if things didn’t escalate this time, you and Miss Zhuanfeng helped my family recover the missing people. That alone deserves fair payment,” he said firmly.
“Well, in that case, we’ll graciously accept!” Duan Rongrong immediately snatched up the stack and stuffed it into her pocket before Yan Kai could object. “Sister Zhuanfeng can split it up later!”
Zhuanfeng sighed and gave an exasperated smile. Clearly, the three of them had grown quite close through their journey.
Seeing this, Yan Kai could only smile bitterly and clasp his fists.
“If Master Sheng is truly interested in learning how to restrain ghosts, you might consider heading to the Central Plains,” he said. He paused, hesitated for a moment, then added,
“I should also warn you—after killing that demon ghost, its aura still lingers on you. That could attract trouble. If the Juanren Mansion takes notice, they may send more demon ghosts your way.”
He lowered his voice slightly. “There’s a trick that might help. Take fresh blood from a ram that hasn’t mated and smear it all over your body. That way, the demon ghost might mistake you for a corpse and leave you alone. Though, I must stress—this only works on ordinary demon ghosts.”
Lu Sheng's eyes lit up with sudden interest. He clasped his fists toward Yan Kai.
“Thank you for the advice, Taoist priest!”
“No need to thank me. With that, I’ll take my leave.” Yan Kai stood and returned the gesture with a respectful nod.
“Goodbye, Taoist priest!” Lu Sheng said sincerely, making no move to stop him.
Led by Yan Kai, the trio turned and made their way out of the guest hall, leaving the Lu Mansion behind. Lu Sheng remained where he stood, watching their figures slowly disappear in the distance.
He couldn’t explain it, but an odd sense of loss settled over him—a feeling like a distant world he longed to reach was slipping farther away.
He stayed frozen in the guest hall for a long while, not moving, not speaking.
Half an hour passed after Yan Kai and the others had gone.
Then, a soft voice broke the silence.
“Young Master?”
It was Xiaoqiao, stepping in timidly. “It’s time to eat.”
“Oh!” Lu Sheng blinked, as though waking from a long dream. He looked up at the sky outside, lost in thought.
After a moment, he adjusted his robes and quietly followed Xiaoqiao to the dining room.
By the time they arrived, many of the others were already seated, waiting.
Lu Quanan sat at the head of the table, and beside him was Uncle Zhao, who had returned not long ago. Lu Sheng glanced around and noticed that several of the martial artists who had left earlier were now back as well.
“Your uncle sent word—the blockade on Jiulian City has been lifted. We can come and go freely now,” Lu Quanan said quietly.
Though the news should have been comforting, his tone was subdued. His gaze drifted toward the side of the hall, where Lu Qingqing sat upright like an obedient child, being spoon-fed by her stepmother, Liu Cuiyu. Saliva trickled from the corners of her mouth, her vacant stare far from normal.
The cheerful atmosphere that should have come with the good news was nowhere to be found.
Most at the table were barely touching their food. The earlier explosion, the sight of armed men rushing past the mansion—so many people had witnessed it all. The fear still hung in the air, thick and heavy.
“The food’s getting cold. Come on, let’s eat,” Lu Quanan said, forcing himself to pick up his chopsticks. “Uncle Zhao has returned, the family is safe... everyone...” His voice faltered, and he let out a soft sigh, emotions welling in his chest.
Uncle Zhao looked down, guilt weighing on him. Despite having received the Lu family's support all these years, he hadn’t been there when it mattered most. Though the government had reassigned him, sending him on a fruitless detour to the White Ice Ocean’s outskirts, the fact remained—he had arrived too late.
What could he say for himself?
“Since the lockdown has been lifted, that means it’s all truly over,” Lu Sheng said, breaking the silence. “Even if it ended abruptly, life must go on. From now on, we should strengthen the guard patrols and keep things in order.”
“Brother Sheng is right. Let’s eat while it’s still warm... it won’t taste good once it’s cold,” Lu Yingying added in a low voice.
“What do you mean, ‘Brother Sheng’? You should call him Big Brother!” scolded Fifth Lady beside her, lightly swatting at her hand. “Eat, eat, eat—that’s all you think about!” But then she remembered it was the dinner table and quickly reined herself in.
Lu Yingying shrank back, lowering her head, not daring to speak further.
The family finally began to eat in quiet, somber silence.
After dinner, with little else to say, everyone dispersed. Lu Sheng quietly returned to his room and resumed his internal energy cultivation.
He sat cross-legged on the bed, regulating his breath. Over an hour passed before his spirit and energy aligned in perfect harmony.
“Deep Blue,” he called silently in his heart.
In an instant, the modifier interface appeared before him.
Lu Sheng’s gaze focused. The Black Fiend Art column was already at level two. One more level, and it would reach the highest tier—the third level.
The manual had detailed up to three official levels of cultivation. Though it mentioned two more beyond that, making a total of five, Lu Sheng had read them and sensed something off. The final two levels didn’t flow naturally from the earlier teachings. It felt like someone had forcibly tacked them on. The techniques lacked cohesion and seemed artificial. For a technique like this, blindly forging ahead could be dangerous.
Now, his attention returned to the modifier interface. Taking a deep breath, he focused his thoughts and mentally pressed the upgrade button at the bottom.
The entire interface shimmered.
“Raise the Black Fiend Art by one level,” Lu Sheng whispered in his mind.
Swish.
As soon as the thought ended, the entry for Black Fiend Art flickered and blurred. When it became clear again, the skill had reached level three.
“This is the third level?” Lu Sheng murmured, puzzled.
He waited for a reaction, but nothing happened at first. No rush of power, no sudden surge. He examined the flow of black fiend energy within him. It was changing, yes—but subtly. The energy, once like a thin black mist, was now thickening, condensing drop by drop—like fog becoming dew.
“It doesn’t seem to be using much energy...” he muttered, eyes still closed in concentration. “Could it be that I’ve—”
Puff!
Without warning, he coughed up a mouthful of blood. Crimson soaked into his robes, the sharp scent of iron filling the air.
His body burned from the inside out. He smiled bitterly.
“I really thought there wouldn’t be a reaction this time... turns out...”
He shook his head faintly, then steadied himself. Slowly, he closed his eyes again and turned inward—calmly, patiently feeling the changes unfolding within his body.
After reaching the third level of the Black Fiend Art, Lu Sheng was forced to rest at home for over a month. Only then could he move about freely again, though not without effort. During this recovery, his original Jade Crane Art proved invaluable, accelerating his healing and keeping his condition stable.
From that day forward, Jiulian City remained peaceful. No more strange incidents occurred. After Yan Kai and the others departed, the city slowly returned to its usual rhythm—lively, calm, and almost dreamlike in its normalcy.
All except for one cruel reminder: Lu Qingqing, who had lost her mind.
Amid this lull, Lu Quanan approached Lu Sheng with a proposal.
"I've made the arrangements. Our Lu family owns a house in Yanshan City. You can stay there for the time being," he said. "Coincidentally, the annual provincial examination is about to begin. Little Sheng, since you enjoy martial arts, you can try for a martial degree. It'll make things much easier if you ever plan to enter government service."
Lu Sheng murmured thoughtfully, "A martial degree..."
"Of course, you can pursue literary studies instead—whichever you prefer. Our family has a store in Yanshan as well. You’ll manage it, and the earnings can cover your daily expenses," Lu Quanan added. He had clearly thought everything through.
"Jiulian City is too small after all. I’ve already registered you at Dongshan College. Whether you choose to study literature or martial arts is entirely up to you."
At that, he let out a sigh. Everything that had happened in Jiulian City had taken its toll. No matter how wealthy or well-connected he was, when disaster struck, he realized he could only depend on his own family.
"Dongshan College..." Lu Sheng repeated to himself, understanding his father's true intention. This was a veiled form of studying abroad—an opportunity only afforded to those with wealth and status.
Lu Quanan continued with the arrangements.
"Zheng Xiangui and his sister will be going as well. You and Yingying will stay at our family estate. Yiyi and Chenxin will attend another college together."
Lu Sheng fell silent for a moment. Then he nodded.
He understood. It was time to leave this city behind—and begin the next chapter of his life.
Jiulian City truly was too small for him.
It was so small that even finding a decent martial arts manual was a struggle. All he could practice were third-rate techniques like the Black Tiger Saber Techniques. In contrast, Yanshan City was a different world—full of powerful warriors and deeper martial traditions. If the Red Whale Gang truly was the most dominant force in the area, then Yanshan would undoubtedly be their stronghold.
"Then when should I leave?" he asked.
Lu Quanan thought for a moment before replying,10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwdWDxmo7ju
"Go whenever you're ready. I’ll ask your uncle to arrange an escort for you."
"...I’ll go into the city first..." Lu Sheng sighed.
He had studied under several martial arts masters throughout Jiulian City. Now that he was leaving on a long journey, he had to pay them a proper visit—out of respect and tradition.
Lu Quanan gave a nod, silently approving of the decision, and left the arrangements to him.
The next morning, despite his body still aching and not yet fully healed from advancing his internal energy, Lu Sheng rose early. He climbed into a carriage and began making his way through the city—visiting his teachers one by one.
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