After several days of quiet recovery, Lu Sheng finally regained enough strength to walk again. Not long ago, even taking a few steps had felt like an ordeal; the poison had seeped too deeply into his body, and the loss of blood had left him barely able to move beyond his small sanctuary. Rest had been his only refuge.
Fortunately, the Yin Yang Jade Crane Aquarius Qi was extraordinary. At Level Seven, its High-Speed Qi Replenishment effect hastened his healing at a remarkable rate. Coupled with the enormous quantities of food and tonics he devoured and converted into inner Qi, his body steadily regained its vitality.
In just four short days, he consumed medicinal herbs worth ten thousand taels—centuries-old ginseng and priceless roots swallowed as casually as if they were grains of rice. Only the sect master of the Crimson Whale Sect could possibly gather such treasures in so little time. Even wealthy merchants with overflowing coffers would struggle to acquire so many rare ingredients on such short notice.
As his condition improved, Lu Sheng finally emerged from seclusion and resumed his life aboard the Crimson Whale, continuing his recovery. Outwardly, no one could tell he had suffered severe injuries. His routine continued unchanged—visiting the pharmacy, attending the Martial Proclamation Court, and occasionally practicing his saber techniques at the arena on shore.
Before long, several days slipped by.
“Rumble…!”
Lightning tore across the darkened sky, purple arcs dancing through the thunderclouds. Waves from the vast Cypress Pine Lake crashed heavily against the hull of the Crimson Whale.
Inside the Swallow Hall, Lu Sheng, Hong Mingzi, and Chen Ying sat together, unconcerned by the raging storm outside as they observed a group of sect disciples sparring before them.
Hong Mingzi’s two disciples—Lin Honglian and Yuan Zhong—along with Chen Ying’s three disciples, stood among dozens of promising young members of the sect. All were under the age of twenty, competing fiercely in the sect-wide contest being held that day.
Many of the sect’s upper echelons were also seated in the hall. This was the Crimson Whale Sect’s routine rankings contest, held once every three years. All disciples under the age of twenty were eligible to participate. Those who entered the top ten would receive monetary rewards, personalized guidance in martial skills, and—most importantly—be placed under the consideration of the sect’s upper management for future key positions.
Seated upon the sect master’s seat, Lu Sheng gazed down at the sparring disciples with little interest. His thoughts drifted elsewhere. This level of combat had long since become trivial to him. While he appeared to watch the matches, in truth he was quietly circulating his Yin Yang Jade Crane Aquarius Qi, hastening his recovery with every breath.
“Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang!”
At that moment, two female disciples were engaged in a fierce exchange. Both wielded sabers, their movements sharp yet elegant. Though lacking in sheer strength, they fought with speed and remarkable intuition. Known for their beauty within the sect, they moved like dancers—one dressed in flowing purple, the other in vivid blue—as their blades cut arcs of silver light through the air.
“Su Yue’er may not wield the Grand Golden Saber Technique with full mastery, but her timing is excellent. Shangguan Rong, on the other hand, has a slight edge in speed. In terms of the Violet Desire Mantra, Shangguan Rong’s cultivation is deeper, compensating for her weaker grasp of timing. Whoever wins this bout will take the tenth place,” Chen Ying remarked with a nod.
“Chen Ying speaks the truth. Both girls stand at the pinnacle of Strength Proficiency. Even among the disciples of our Crimson Whale Sect, they’re considered outstanding talents. Especially Su Yue’er—she’s adept at managing people and building connections. Jie Long City needs someone precisely like her,” Hong Mingzi added with a smile. “What do you think, Junior Apprentice Brother?”
“Erm…” Lu Sheng replied absentmindedly.
“That works. Senior Apprentice Brother’s suggestion is a good one. Let’s appoint Su Yue’er as Deputy Branch Head in Jie Long City after this.”
“Junior Apprentice Brother…?” Hong Mingzi finally noticed Lu Sheng’s distant gaze. Ever since that night’s expedition, Lu Sheng had been slipping into moments of distraction like this. Yet today was the sect’s grand contest—dozens of disciples and senior figures were watching him from below the platform.
More than thirty individuals were seated within the Swallow Hall, each one a Branch Head or Deputy Branch Head stationed across the land. If the sect master appeared disinterested, it would inevitably cast a shadow over their morale.
“Mm… as for Shangguan Rong, we can appoint her as Branch Head of Shifting Star City. It borders the Ju Rong Nation and could use someone skilled in networking and personnel management,” Lu Sheng replied at last, pulling himself back into the moment.
His voice was soft, but every person present was an expert—none weaker than Strength Proficiency. Naturally, they heard him clearly.
In truth, all had already noticed Lu Sheng’s absent-minded state. But after the battle with the umbrella girl and the heavy casualties the sect had suffered, the remaining leaders regarded Lu Sheng—who had single-handedly reversed the tide—as though he were a divine figure. Their trust in him was absolute. His distraction, while visible, caused none of the negative effects Hong Mingzi feared.
At that moment, the two sparring female disciples stepped back from one another and cupped their fists, declaring the match a draw. Both had reached their limits. To push on would only drag out a pointless stalemate unless either was willing to unleash a killing move—unnecessary in a contest meant to test skill.
“Many thanks to Sect Master for your appointment!” Shangguan Rong bowed deeply, a radiant smile blooming across her face. Finally, she had secured a place within the sect’s management—an ambition she had worked tirelessly toward.
Crimson Whale Sect had no shortage of female disciples, many from noble families, all with beauty and martial prowess. Shangguan Rong had risen above them not only through skill, but by meticulously cultivating her appearance and presentation, earning her growing recognition over the years.
Now that Shangguan Rong had finally drawn the attention of the upper management, she felt fully rewarded for her years of effort.
In contrast, Su Yue’er stepped forward with no trace of joy on her face.
“In reply to Sect Master, Su Yue does not wish to be appointed a branch head.”
“You don’t want to be a branch head?” Lu Sheng and Hong Mingzi exchanged surprised looks. The position they had offered was the dream of countless sect disciples—authority, influence, and a territory to govern like a duke presiding over a fief. Yet someone was refusing it?
A faint glimmer of curiosity flickered in Lu Sheng’s eyes as he regarded Su Yue’er. He recalled she was the granddaughter of a respected elder of the sect. After the elder’s passing, she alone had borne the responsibility of supporting her family. Despite that, her talent and fortune had carried her through the calamity of the umbrella girl’s attack, allowing her to survive until today.
“What do you want then? Since you participated in the contest, there must be something you seek,” Chen Ying asked, intrigued.
Su Yue’er pressed her lips together, took a firm step forward, and lifted her gaze to meet Lu Sheng’s.
“Su Yue wishes to have Sect Master as her teacher! Will Sect Master please grant her request!” With that, she suddenly dropped to her knees, kowtowing repeatedly, her forehead touching the ground again and again.
Silence swept through the hall. None of the gathered experts or upper echelon had anticipated this bold request.
Lu Sheng—Sect Master Lu—was a figure whose strength everyone had witnessed firsthand. He was openly acknowledged as the Number One Expert of the Northern Lands. His saber techniques, palm arts, and inner force cultivation were all the finest of their kind; none could rival him. Even compared to the elites of the Central Plains, he would stand among their topmost ranks.
Some who were less informed had even begun to speculate that the sect master had already reached Divine Prime.
To Hong Mingzi and the other senior leaders, Lu Sheng was no ordinary mortal. They believed he must be a surviving descendant of a fallen Noble Family bloodline—only such a lineage could explain how he had neutralized Bind’s deadly poison and impenetrable defenses, forcing a draw with the umbrella girl. Such power could not be imitated. Thus, none of them had ever considered learning from him. Their feelings toward him were simple: awe and reverence.
So when Su Yue made her request, the upper echelons were stunned for a breath. Then, just as quickly, they dismissed the possibility. Lu Sheng’s abilities were beyond replication; becoming his disciple served no practical purpose.
“Your request… I…” Lu Sheng spoke softly, his gaze steady on Su Yue.
Though his recovery was progressing swiftly, he still needed at least a month to repair his damaged meridians. For that period, he would remain relatively unoccupied. But…
BAM!!
Without warning, the doors of Swallow Hall burst open. The heavy wooden panels slammed into the walls as though they were nothing more than flimsy boards.
“Who’s that!!?” A muscular red-haired man shot to his feet. Raising his Demon Taming Pestle, he charged toward the entrance.
“SCRAM!”
BOOM!
An instant later, before he could even swing, the red-haired man was hurled backward more than ten meters, crashing to the floor and toppling an entire row of tables and stools.
“What guts! This is the headquarters of Crimson Whale Sect! How dare you barge in here!” Chen Ying leapt up in alarm. He recognized the fallen red-haired executive—renowned among the sect for his raw strength—yet he had been effortlessly blown away. The intruder’s power was unmistakably fearsome.
Though he shouted with authority, Chen Ying did not dare underestimate the enemy. Pouring all his cultivation into his palms, he leapt from the platform and struck toward the dark silhouette.
BOOM!!
The intruder met the attack with a single punch, brushing Chen Ying aside like a drifting leaf.
Several other men rushed forward, their blades, sabers, palms, and daggers striking the intruder from all directions.
Clang clang clang clang clang!!
Weapons bounced off the intruder’s body with a string of sharp metallic clangs. Completely unharmed, the black shadow strode straight into the center of the hall.
“Lu Sheng! Let me ask you this! What exactly happened at the foot of Eastern Mountain that night? How did my master go missing?”
As the figure stepped into the light, his identity became clear. It was the hunch-backed, single-eyed old man—Senior Black—who had accompanied the Officiator of Ashoka Manor.
Lu Sheng remained seated on the Sect Master’s throne, unmoving as he stared at Senior Black. His heart tightened.
Right now, his inner Qi reserves were dangerously low. Without the Ultimate Crimson Nine Furies Skill to rely on, even if he forced himself into Yang Extreme Mode using only his hard-body techniques, killing a Demon-class opponent like Senior Black was impossible.
He was at the lowest point of his strength, hoping only to remain hidden long enough to fully recover. Never did he expect Ashoka Manor to appear at his doorstep so soon.
If a battle broke out now, he might not even be able to defeat a Single-Vein Nobleman—let alone an expert of Senior Black’s caliber.
“All I did that night was conduct a transaction with a group of mysterious individuals. Your master went missing? Based on what you know of him, what could I possibly know about his disappearance?” Lu Sheng replied calmly. “And… I don’t appreciate being spoken to like this. This is the Crimson Whale Sect—not your master’s Xiao Manor.”
Senior Black’s single eye shone with a cold, sinister gleam. He had witnessed Lu Sheng’s strength before. Even at his own level, he had no confidence of winning a fight; the most he could hope for was a draw.
But he was certain—absolutely certain—that Lu Sheng knew something about that night.
Senior Black remained where he stood, his gaze fixed on Lu Sheng as strands of killing intent slowly seeped from his body.
“Sect Master Lu. Are you refusing to speak, or do you truly know nothing?”
Seeing the ferocity growing in that lone eye, Lu Sheng understood that silence might provoke him into attacking.
But he absolutely could not back down now. If his weakened state were exposed—his injuries, his lack of inner Qi—he would be plunged into a crisis far worse than this confrontation.
Lu Sheng swept a glance around the hall. If a battle erupted here, given Senior Black’s temperament, he would certainly kill indiscriminately. In that case, the entire Crimson Whale Sect could be wiped out. And Lu Sheng, in his current state, did not have the strength to stop him.
“I truly am in the dark about this matter. But this is not the proper place to talk. Let’s continue this discussion elsewhere,” Lu Sheng said quietly. From the moment Senior Black had entered the hall until now, he had injured people but not killed anyone. Clearly, he had not yet decided to completely sever ties with the Shangyang Family.
“Fine.”
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