Leaving, Part One

Leaving, Part One

"So those people who came before, including you three, Daoist, were all here for that treasure that might have emerged?" Lu Sheng had gleaned the main point from Yan Kai's account.

"You could say that." Yan Kai nodded. "Demons and fiends run rampant in this world. We spirit exorcists came here as well to protect the peace of this land."

Lu Sheng smiled. He did not know how much of that was believable.

After weighing his words, he asked again, "So this matter is simply over? Nine Links City will be fine from now on? There will be no demons or ghosts, no accidents, and no people dying for no reason?"

Yan Kai did not know why Lu Sheng was asking this, but after some thought, he answered seriously, "That is so. The treasure has already been taken away, far from Nine Links City. This Daoist must also hurry after it and see whether there is any way he can lend a hand. As for deaths... without outside forces, Nine Links City should return to how it was at the beginning."

Duan Rongrong could not help cutting in from the side. "That thing has already headed for the Central Plains. Everyone is following after it. In a tiny city like this, who would want to stay?"

Yan Kai reached out and tugged Duan Rongrong, telling her to speak less, then cupped his fists toward Lu Sheng.

"Young Master Sheng, we did not help much on this trip, so I will not take the money. If fate allows, we shall meet again."

"How can that be? Does Daoist intend to make this young master break his word?" Lu Sheng's face hardened as he spoke seriously.

With a sweep of his hand, he said, "Someone, bring up the banknotes!"

A maid waiting outside immediately hurried in with an exquisite little wooden box.

Lu Sheng took the box and set it on the table before them, then opened it. Inside lay a thick stack of banknotes.

"This is the compensation for you three, Daoist. Though nothing much happened on this trip, Daoist and Miss Zhuan Feng helped my Lu Family recover the missing person. That service deserves this money," Lu Sheng said earnestly once more.

"Then we won't stand on ceremony!" Without waiting for Yan Kai to refuse, Duan Rongrong immediately grabbed the banknotes and stuffed them into her pocket. "I'll split Sister Zhuan Feng's share with her once we get outside!"

Zhuan Feng immediately revealed a helpless expression. Clearly, the three of them had already become familiar with one another.

Seeing this, Yan Kai could only smile bitterly and cup his fists.

"If Young Master Sheng wishes to seek methods to restrain ghostly creatures, you may travel to the Central Plains." He paused, hesitated, then added.

"This Daoist would remind you of one thing. Young Master Sheng killed a demon ghost before, and traces of its aura remain on you. That may invite disaster. If Juan Ren Estate notices you, it may send demon ghosts after you. You may take fresh blood from an unmated ram and smear it all over your body. That way, the demon ghosts may think you are already dead and cease troubling you. Though this method works only on ordinary demon ghosts."

Hearing this, Lu Sheng's heart jolted. He cupped his fists and said, "Many thanks for Daoist's guidance!"

"Not at all, not at all. In that case, this Daoist shall take his leave first." Yan Kai rose to his feet and returned the salute with cupped fists.

"Safe journey, Daoist!" Lu Sheng did not try to keep him.

Led by Yan Kai, the three turned and left the reception hall, heading out of Lu Estate.

Lu Sheng stood behind them, watching their figures from afar. For some reason, he felt an inexplicable sense of loss. It was as though a world he wished to touch was drifting farther and farther away from him.

Even after Yan Kai's group had been gone for more than half an hour, he remained standing motionlessly in the reception hall.

"Young Master?" Xiao Qiao timidly walked in and called to him. "It is time to eat."

"Oh!" Lu Sheng seemed to wake from a dream. He raised his head and looked at the sky outside.

After straightening his robes slightly, he followed Xiao Qiao toward the dining hall.

When he entered the dining hall, quite a few people were already seated inside.

Lu Quan'an sat in the seat of honor, with Uncle Zhao, who had left earlier, seated beside him. Sweeping his gaze over the room, Lu Sheng also saw that the martial masters who had departed before had returned.

"Your uncle sent word. The lockdown of Nine Links City has been lifted, and people may now enter and leave freely," Lu Quan'an said softly. Yet this good news did not improve his mood. In the empty space beside them, Lu Qingqing sat upright while Second Mother Liu Cuiyu fed her mouthful after mouthful like an obedient child. Drool occasionally ran from the corners of her mouth. She no longer looked anything like a normal person.

Most of the others had no appetite either. The massive explosion from before, together with so many Jianghu people carrying sabers and swords passing by the estate—who had not seen it? With so many people and such an enormous spectacle, everyone was worried.

"The dishes are getting cold. Eat, everyone, eat." Seeing that no one had the heart to eat, Lu Quan'an was the first to pick up his chopsticks. "Uncle Zhao has returned, and the family is safe now. Everyone..." As he spoke, bitterness welled up in his heart, and he could not help letting out a low sigh.

Uncle Zhao saw it all and likewise felt helpless and guilty. He had accepted the Lu Family's support for so many years, yet he had not been there at the most critical moment. Although the authorities had officially transferred them away, they had merely sent everyone to circle around the mountains near the Arctic Ocean before returning. They had encountered nothing, and nothing had happened.

What kind of nonsense was that??

"Since the lockdown order has been lifted, it means everything is over," Lu Sheng said. "Though it ended hastily and suddenly, since it is over, everyone must continue living. From now on, have the guards keep a careful watch and arrange more patrols."

"Brother Sheng is right. We should hurry and eat. It won't taste good once it gets cold," Lu Yingying quietly echoed from her seat.

"What Brother Sheng, Brother Sheng? Call him Big Brother! Eat, eat, eat—you only know how to eat!" Fifth Mother raised her hand as if to hit her, then remembered they were at the dinner table and quickly held herself back.

Lu Yingying shrank her neck and did not dare make a sound.

Only then did the family quietly begin eating.

After the meal, no one had much to say. Lu Sheng returned to continue cultivating his inner qi.

He sat on the bed in his room and regulated his breathing for more than an hour, finally bringing his essence, qi, and spirit to their fullest state.

"Deep Blue!" he silently called in his heart.

The Modifier interface immediately surfaced.

Lu Sheng carefully examined it. The Black Fiend Skill entry on the Modifier was already at the Second Layer. Raising it one more layer would bring it to the highest Third Layer.

The martial arts manual recorded that the Third Layer was the highest level one could cultivate. Although there were two more layers afterward, making five in total, Lu Sheng had read them as well. They did not seem able to connect perfectly with the earlier portions and were very likely added later by someone else. Since this martial art was not original, he did not dare cultivate it.

At that moment, he looked at the Black Fiend Skill's status on Deep Blue, steadied his breathing, and pressed the modify button at the bottom of the interface with his thoughts.

The entire Modifier flashed.

"Raise the Black Fiend Skill by one layer!" Lu Sheng silently commanded.

Whoosh.

The instant the sound ended, he saw the Black Fiend Skill blur slightly. When it became clear again, it had already changed to the Third Layer.

"This is the Third Layer?" Lu Sheng waited for a while, yet felt no changes within his body.

Only after carefully examining the Black Fiend Qi inside him did he discover that it was continuously thickening at an extremely slow rate.

If it had been black mist before the increase, then that mist was now slowly turning into black droplets of water.

"It doesn't seem like it consumes much either." Lu Sheng opened his eyes in confusion. "Could it be that I am now—"

Pfft! He suddenly vomited a mouthful of blood, staining his chest crimson. The room was instantly filled with waves of bloody stench.

Lu Sheng felt his entire body turn burning hot, and he immediately gave a bitter smile.

"I thought there really would be no reaction this time. Who would have thought..."

Shaking his head, he began carefully sensing the changes within his body.

Reaching the Third Layer of the Black Fiend Skill forced Lu Sheng to recuperate at home for a full month before he could barely move as freely as before. During that time, his Jade Crane Skill played a major role, continuously speeding up the healing of his injuries.

From that day on, no more strange incidents were heard of in Nine Links City. After Yan Kai and the others left, the city returned to its former bustle and ordinariness, as though everything had passed like a dream.

Except for Lu Qingqing, who had become a fool.

Taking this opportunity, Lu Quan'an once again proposed that Lu Sheng go to Yan Mountain City.

"I have already made the arrangements. Our Lu Family has a residence in Yan Mountain City. You can go live there first. This year's Yearly Examination is about to begin as well. Xiaosheng, since you enjoy martial arts, you can try earning a martial degree. It will make entering official service much easier in the future," Lu Quan'an said.

"A martial degree..."

"Of course, a literary degree would be even better. It is also fine if you do not wish to do anything after going there. Arrange things as you please. Our Lu Family has a shop there, and you may manage it. All its income will be for your own expenses." Lu Quan'an had clearly arranged everything.

"Nine Links City is still too small. I have enrolled you at East Mountain Academy. Once you get there, whether you choose the literary path or the martial path, you can decide for yourself." After saying this, he could not help sighing again. Everything that had happened in Nine Links City had left him somewhat disheartened. No matter how much money one had, when the crucial moment came, only one's own people could be relied upon.

"East Mountain Academy." Lu Sheng roughly understood his father's intentions. Sending one's children away to study in this manner was effectively studying abroad in this world. Only wealthy families had the means to do it.

"Zheng Xianggui and his younger sister are going too. In our family, it will be you and Yingying. Yi Yi and Chen Xin will attend another academy together," Lu Quan'an continued.

Lu Sheng pondered for a moment, then nodded in agreement.

Nine Links City truly was too small for him—so small that he could not even find any stronger martial arts manuals now and could only practice a third-rate saber art like the Black Tiger Saber. Yan Mountain City was different. There were stronger Jianghu people there. If the Red Whale Gang truly was the strongest gang nearby, Yan Mountain City would definitely have one of its strongholds.

"Then when will I leave?" he asked.

Lu Quan'an thought for a moment. "You may decide when you wish to leave. I will ask your uncle to send people to escort you."

"...I'll go take a look around the city first." Lu Sheng sighed.

He had learned martial arts from many masters in the city. Since he was about to travel far away, propriety demanded that he visit them and say farewell.

Lu Quan'an nodded his silent approval and left Lu Sheng to handle it.

Dragging his body, still injured from raising his inner qi, Lu Sheng left early the next morning and rode in a carriage around Nine Links City.