Lu Ming returned to Thunderfire Hall and immediately sought out Lu Jin and the others, informing them in detail of his conversation with Zhou Xuan at the Ward Office.
Upon hearing this heavy piece of news that Lu Ming had brought back, even Lu Jin could not help but change expression, his weathered face becoming extremely solemn.
“Golden Sun Flame Banner? What does Zhou Xuan mean by this?” Lu Jinglei asked, his face filled with shock and suspicion.
“What else could it mean? He probably saw the incredible talent Ming'er showed in cultivating divine abilities and wants him to cultivate this mysterious Upper Divine Ability. But how could it be easy to cultivate an Upper Divine Ability to the Great Success stage? On top of that, he's demanding it be done before this year's Black Rain Season erupts. That leaves only half a year,” Lu Qingyan also frowned.
Lu Jin furrowed his brows, rubbing his fingers to spark a flame and light his pipe. He took two deep drags, thick smoke drifting from his nose and mouth as his deep voice rang out, “This new Ward Master indeed has a formidable background. From what he said, there is an extraordinary figure backing him. He is likely just a vanguard sent ahead to pave the way.”
“This Upper Divine Ability, the Golden Sun Flame Banner, is supposedly part of a Grand Divine Ability Restriction, according to him. Heh, to use an Upper Divine Ability as a mere component, what grade must this Grand Divine Ability Restriction be? If it is deployed, is it meant to slay a Divine Ability Grandmaster? Such a scheme is far from simple.”
“The water here is very deep.”
“Ming'er, I don't recommend you accept this deal. Whether it's Zhou Xuan or the esteemed noble behind him, they are both unpredictable variables. With your current strength, getting involved in their schemes carries immense danger.”
Lu Jin was cautious and experienced, having seen much of the world and weathered countless trials over the decades. In his eyes, everything Zhou Xuan had offered—whether it was the instruction in the Dao of Alchemy, the Golden Sun Flame Banner, or the backing of that esteemed noble—reeked of risk.
“Grandfather is right. The scheme of the esteemed noble behind Zhou Xuan must be staggering. I would only be a pawn in it, and the danger is indeed very high.” Lu Ming naturally agreed with Lu Jin's caution.
“However...”
Lu Ming pursed his lips and said softly, “Our Lu family needs protection that can ward off a Divine Ability Grandmaster. I want you to be able to relax a little, Grandfather. You shouldn't have to sit on the roof of the ancestral hall every night, your heart constantly tense. That takes too much of a toll on your mind and spirit.”
“If this goes on for too long, I'm afraid before I can even revitalize the Lu family, your spirit will be completely exhausted.”
Lu Jin fell silent, his solemn gaze softening slightly through the smoke. He said in a somewhat raspy voice, “Silly child. I am just an old, decaying body. To see you rise is already more than enough for me.”
“But Grandfather, if this hidden threat isn't resolved, my future cultivation path will also be plagued by constant anxiety. This will affect my state of mind, and I might be blocked by a Divine Ability Barrier when trying to break through realms, making it difficult to progress,” Lu Ming said seriously.
Lu Jin rubbed his withered fingers back and forth against the hot pipe, remaining silent. Because he viewed Lu Ming as the Lu family's last Divine Ability Child, he naturally held Lu Ming's path of divine abilities in extremely high regard.
“Of course, there is another point. Zhou Xuan took the initiative to propose this deal. If we refuse now, will we offend this new Ward Master? Right now, our Thunderfire Hall still relies on him to some extent. On top of that, we've made an enemy of the Golden Gang Sword Hall during the Hall Meet, not to mention our old enemy, the Red Sand Hall...”
“If this Ward Master is narrow-minded, with this current situation, we might find it difficult to even take a step in Qingyuan Ward, long before any Divine Ability Grandmaster from the Great Golden Crow Hall even makes a move.”
Hearing this, Lu Qingyan and Lu Jinglei's expressions also darkened. This was indeed a problem.
A silent atmosphere enveloped the room. After a long while, Lu Jin sighed softly, “It is all because your grandfather is useless. I lack the ability to protect you and keep you safe.”
“Ming'er, you are no longer a child. You have your own ideas now, and many of your considerations are indeed things I hadn't thought of. If you truly feel you should do this, then go ahead. We will support you with everything we have.”
Lu Jin was not an indecisive person either. After pondering for a long time, he finally made the final decision.
Seeing Lu Jin relent, Lu Ming smiled. Then, his tone shifted, “However, you don't need to worry, Grandfather. We can temporarily agree to this matter, but whether we actually get fully involved in the end can be decided step-by-step.”
“How so?” Lu Jin asked.
“Their goal is for me to cultivate the Golden Sun Flame Banner to the Great Success stage before the Black Rain Season arrives. This is inherently a highly difficult task, and perhaps they aren't entirely certain I can do it either.”
“Therefore, I can start by cultivating this Golden Sun Flame Banner first. During this process, I can also take the opportunity to seek instruction in the Dao of Alchemy from Ward Master Zhou Xuan. Once that esteemed noble finally arrives in Qingyuan Ward, we can see if they are trustworthy. If they seem reliable, I will reveal the Great Success stage of the Golden Sun Flame Banner, establish a good relationship with them, and ask for their protection.”
“If we feel they cannot be trusted, I can politely decline by claiming my talent was insufficient to complete the half-year agreement. I imagine that for such an important scheme, neither Ward Master Zhou Xuan nor that noble would treat me as their sole option. If I lack the ability, they wouldn't be foolish enough to rely entirely on me. So even if I fail to complete the agreement by then, it will at most leave Ward Master Zhou Xuan slightly disappointed. They have grander things to attend to, so it is highly unlikely they would lower themselves to make things difficult for a mere child like me. That would be far beneath them,” Lu Ming analyzed seriously.
Lu Qingyan and Lu Jinglei exchanged looks. This kid was truly bold. Was he trying to freeload off Zhou Xuan?
However, this was indeed a relatively safe path. Neither refusing nor putting in absolute effort, waiting until the situation became clearer before placing their bets.
Even Lu Jin's solemn, aged face softened upon hearing this, and his laughter grew a bit lighter, “This is indeed a good approach.”
The tense atmosphere eased, and smiles appeared on everyone's faces.
“But then again, for the esteemed noble behind Zhou Xuan to orchestrate such a massive scheme in Qingyuan Ward, and specifically wait for the eruption of the Black Rain Season... is their target actually the Black Rain Zone of Qingyuan Ward?” Lu Qingyan shifted the topic, speaking with curiosity.
“This is only a small Black Rain Zone. How could it draw the schemes of such an esteemed noble?” Lu Jinglei was also somewhat puzzled.
Lu Jin tapped his pipe against the edge of the table, shaking out the ashes. He pondered, “The Black Rain Zone has always been mysterious and bizarre. Even the Divine Ability Grandmaster invited by Fengyang Prefecture back then was unable to enter the deepest source. I suspect there must be something extraordinary there to draw that esteemed noble.”
“Forget it, this isn't something we can control anyway. No need to worry about things beyond our reach.”
Lu Jin cautioned Lu Qingyan and Lu Jinglei, “Recently, Thunderfire Hall's reputation has been soaring. You must keep a close eye on the movements of the Golden Gang Sword Hall and the Red Sand Hall. They suffered a major loss this time and likely won't take it lying down. They will surely try to trip us up.”
The two of them nodded in agreement.
Lu Jin then looked at Lu Ming and said, “You don't need to distract yourself with the hall's affairs for now. Just leave them to your father and second uncle. Since you have already obtained the Lesser Inscription-Transforming Pill, you must dedicate all your efforts to cultivation in the coming period. Condense your Divine Ability Dharma Inscription as quickly as possible and become a true Grand Divine Ability Practitioner.”
The old man offered this earnest advice.
“No external protection is truly secure. The only real security comes from your own strength.”
Lu Ming naturally agreed wholeheartedly.
...
Golden Gang Sword Hall.
“Hall Master, these past few days, Thunderfire Hall's influence in Qingyuan Ward has been growing stronger by the day. Taking advantage of the high-grade primordial energy, they have recruited quite a few new disciples.” In a small pavilion in the middle of a lake within the hall, Xu Xiong reported with an unwilling expression to Lin Changkong, who was fishing before him.
Lin Changkong, however, remained indifferent, showing no emotion.
“Hall Master, we can't just let them rise so smoothly, can we? Time waits for no one. That Lu Ming from Thunderfire Hall has extremely high talent. His comprehension in cultivating divine abilities is top-tier even among those with High-grade Divine Ability Bones. If we give him another year or two to grow, perhaps... he might actually have a shot at reaching the rank of Divine Ability Master,” Xu Xiong was somewhat anxious.
“How about we pass the information here to that noble lady of the Great Golden Crow Hall? If she finds out, she will definitely employ some means.”
Lin Changkong said calmly, “And let that noble lady know that I, Lin Changkong, cannot even handle a struggling Thunderfire Hall, and have instead been pushed into a corner?”
Outsiders did not know that Lin Changkong had also come from the Great Golden Crow Hall. It was only because he had made a mistake in his conduct back then that he was forced to leave the hall and develop on his own, forbidden from using the Great Golden Crow Hall's name.
Now, Lin Changkong had finally managed to establish a connection with the noble lady Jiang Ling. She was the daughter of the Great Golden Crow Hall's Grand Hall Master, holding an extraordinary status. As long as he handled the matter of Thunderfire Hall to her satisfaction, and she spoke a few good words for him in front of the Grand Hall Master in the future, Lin Changkong might be able to return to the Great Golden Crow Hall.
Having struggled on his own for many years, Lin Changkong knew better than anyone just how much trouble could be avoided in the Great Luo Territory by having a Grade 5 Divine Ability Hall backing him.
Sensing the displeasure in Lin Changkong's voice, Xu Xiong did not dare say more.
Lin Changkong fell silent for a moment before saying, “No need to be impatient. The pillar of Thunderfire Hall is that old fellow Lu Jin. Though he seemed majestic when he sealed my Golden Gang True Primordial Energy with his arm, his physical body must have suffered damage. His daily appearances now are nothing more than a forced illusion to make it seem like he is unharmed.”
“For all we know, it is already the final flicker of a dying candle.”
“Once this old fellow can no longer hold on and shows signs of exhaustion, Thunderfire Hall's momentum will naturally collapse.”
“Besides... it's not as if I have done nothing.”
“Just wait.”
“I will send them a grand gift.”
As he finished speaking, a sinister light flashed in Lin Changkong's eyes. With a flick of his wrist, the fishhook transformed into a golden sword qi that pierced through the lake's surface, skewering a red carp directly.
The red carp was pulled out of the water by the fishhook, struggling in its death throes.
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