The entire Lu Family was furious.
"Iron Dragon Stockade is getting more and more arrogant. They even dare to openly come into the county town and demand money!"
"Heh, if this keeps going, I wouldn't be surprised if Iron Dragon Stockade comes to seize Lingbao County one day."
"Damn it, what are those officials in the government doing? They're just letting a bunch of bandits run wild like this?"
"Third Foot Zhou only cares about raking in money. As long as the bandits don't interfere with that, where would he find the leisure to suppress them? Those previous bandit campaigns were probably just for show."
Some were filled with righteous indignation, some sneered coldly, and some cursed under their breath.
Lu Yuan said faintly, "The government may not have the guts to suppress bandits, but they certainly have the guts to use bandit suppression as an excuse to fleece people—and plenty of it."
The room fell silent at his words. Lu Longjing burst into laughter. "Xiaoyuan, you've pierced straight to the heart of the matter."
Suppressing bandits was exceedingly difficult. Iron Dragon Stockade was located in terrain that was easy to defend and hard to attack, and its three chiefs were all skilled martial artists. Their men were strong and well-armed. Even if Lingbao County's government forces could successfully wipe them out, they would most likely suffer grievous losses.
So why would the government go all out to suppress them?
They could only put on a show and make some money on the side.
Li Jing's arrival had little impact. Everyone cursed for a day or two, then things settled back down.
Lu Yuan's days remained peaceful. He continued cultivating every day.
Six days later.
He woke from a night's sleep.
Out of habit, Lu Yuan summoned his panel:
[Name: Lu Yuan] [Age: 17] [Talent: High-grade Talent] [Lifespan: 128 (83 years remaining)] [Martial Arts: Ox Demon Fist (Peak Perfection 100%), Great Gale Saber Technique (Peak Perfection 100%), Dragon Elephant Longevity Art (Perfected 25%)]
Staring at the panel, Lu Yuan fell into hesitation, his expression conflicted.
He was considering whether to spend eighty years of his lifespan to improve his talent.
But if he lost eighty years, he would have only a few years left to live. What if some accident happened...
"Damn it, if I die, I die; if I don't, I'll live for ten thousand years. What the hell am I thinking so much for? When the boat reaches the bridge, it will straighten itself out. Enjoy myself first!"
Gritting his teeth, he shut his eyes and willed it:
"Consume eighty years of lifespan to improve my talent!!"
Buzzz—
The attribute panel immediately changed.
[Lifespan: 128 (3 years remaining)] [Talent: Genius]
The change lasted only an instant. Lu Yuan had thought that, as someone with High-grade Talent, his comprehension was already sharp enough. Yet after his talent rose to Genius, he discovered something.
How could his past comprehension be called sharp? It had plainly been dull and sluggish.
The gap in talent and comprehension between a genius and someone with High-grade Talent was at least tenfold.
The difference between them was an impassable gulf.
At that moment, flashes of insight streaked through his mind like lightning, and countless martial concepts emerged.
His mind was incomparably clear, his thoughts extraordinarily swift. Ingenious ideas rose one after another, and he gained an entirely new, higher-level understanding of the three martial arts he cultivated.
This was the improvement brought by talent.
In an instant, Lu Yuan caught hold of ideas for how to alter the Ox Demon Fist and Great Gale Saber Technique. Given enough time, he was confident he could raise both arts into mid-grade martial arts.
"So this is what a genius is like..."
As Lu Yuan's mind turned casually, he could clearly feel that he was no longer the same as before.
"So there are still areas where my cultivation of the Dragon Elephant Longevity Art can be improved..."
From High-grade Talent to Genius, the heavens and earth broadened in an instant.
Lu Yuan felt some regret. "Had I known the difference between High-grade Talent and Genius was this great, what was there to hesitate over? I should have improved it long ago."
In the golden finger's evaluation, true genius talent meant astonishing brilliance and unrestrained audacity. In martial arts, such people could leave their names through the ages. Any faction would treasure them like jewels, and with only a little guidance, their achievements would know no bounds.
As long as such a person did not die young and encountered a few opportunities, he could become one of the figures who stirred an era's winds and clouds.
"Great Gale Saber Technique..."
Lu Yuan walked directly into the courtyard, Po Jun in hand, and began to practice.
Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!!
Po Jun poured forth icy light. The saber gleams moved like dragons and serpents, cold flashes flickering in bursts as fierce winds howled, sending sand and stones flying with shrill cries.
As time passed, Lu Yuan's saber speed began to rise, and the saber's howl became startling.
His saber grew faster and faster, its light increasingly dazzling.
Ten minutes passed. Lu Yuan's spirit grew ever more roused, his figure vanishing beneath the saber light. Amid piercing shrieks, he swung sharp force through the air, cutting in every direction.
Clang!
Dense, chilling light suddenly converged, then violently exploded into a sea of cruel, blinding saber light. Scorching force lay hidden within, radiant and impossible to gaze upon directly.
"Huu..."
Standing with his saber sheathed, Lu Yuan exhaled a long breath that stretched several meters and did not disperse for over ten seconds. His muscles and bones crackled like firecrackers, ringing in unison.
"My Great Gale Saber Technique is already different from the Great Gale Saber Uncle Zhang taught me. Give me one year—no, half a year—and I'll be able to create a saber art born from the Great Gale Saber Technique, yet surpassing it!"
"Still, something seems a little off..."
Lu Yuan frowned and sank into deep thought.
While practicing the saber art just now, he had only felt flashes of insight bursting in his mind. Yet some transparent barrier blocked him, preventing him from breaking through.
"That's it!! Even the cleverest housewife cannot cook without rice! I may be a genius, but I've only cultivated three martial arts from beginning to end. No matter how high my comprehension is, I can't create some profound martial art from such shallow martial knowledge."
Lu Yuan's current situation was that he had comprehension and talent, but his knowledge was no longer enough. He had not reached the level of a Child of Destiny who could comprehend everything without a teacher.
Zhang Zhi and Lu Yuan swept away enough food and wine to fill ten burly men like a whirlwind. Picking at his teeth, Zhang Zhi asked lazily,
"What is it? Why did you suddenly treat me to such a feast today? Just say whatever you want to say."
Martial artists naturally ate far more than ordinary people. The two of them were not particularly excessive.
Zhang Zhi's words stuffed all the explanations Lu Yuan had prepared back into his stomach. After hesitating briefly, he still asked with some embarrassment, "Uncle Zhang, do you have the prescription for Three Blood Changes?"
"Three Blood Changes???"
Zhang Zhi's half-closed eyes flew open. In one step, he darted to Lu Yuan's side and felt his chest, abdomen, and back. His brows drew tightly together. Then he began feeling him all over, muttering in disbelief,
"You... you... no way. I'm only in my forties—have I already become senile? How could you possibly have completed the Second Blood Change??"
Lu Yuan smiled. "Uncle Zhang, is it possible that you didn't get it wrong?"
"Impossible!"
Zhang Zhi denied it by reflex. Then he stared at Lu Yuan and asked, word by word, "You truly completed the Second Blood Change? You've only been at the Second Blood Change for barely a month, haven't you?"
Lu Yuan nodded. "Uncle Zhang, I really have completed the Second Blood Change. I need the prescription for Three Blood Changes."
Zhang Zhi was dumbfounded. He sat back down heavily, his pupils unfocused. "My mother... what kind of monster have I taught..."
He had once considered Lu Yuan a genius. Now, in his eyes, Lu Yuan was a monster.
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