I'm a Genius

Lu Yuan chuckled. "What if I win?"

"Win against me?"

Zhang Zhi's eyes widened. "Hmph! If you can last twenty moves against me, I'll admit defeat!"

He had trained in martial arts for over twenty years, surpassing Lu Yuan in both strength and experience. If Lu Yuan could endure twenty of his moves, he would concede wholeheartedly.

"Fine! It's settled!"

The moment the words left his mouth, Zhang Zhi stomped his foot, leaving a deep imprint in the ground as he shot forward like a tiger or leopard. His wooden saber traced a streak through the air, blurring into a phantom as it slashed toward Lu Yuan.

As he'd said, he had undergone his Second Blood Change years ago and had trained for over two decades. He had weathered countless battles, his experience vast, tempered by life-and-death trials. His combat instincts were far beyond Lu Yuan's.

Though he'd said twenty moves, in his heart, he'd be satisfied if Lu Yuan could last ten under his full assault.

"Uncle Zhang, you're ambushing me!"

Zhang Zhi's fierce attack startled Lu Yuan, who barely managed to parry the strike.

"In a real fight, no one warns you before they strike!"

Zhang Zhi spoke as his blade kept coming, each strike swift and aimed at vital points.

Bang, bang, bang, bang, bang!

In the blink of an eye, their wooden sabers clashed several times. Once Lu Yuan adapted, his blade lunged out like a crouching tiger that had lain in wait, cutting toward Zhang Zhi's waist from an extremely tricky and vicious angle.

Zhang Zhi's gaze sharpened. His saber coiled like a dragon, guarding his body, astonishment flickering in his mind:

"Kid, your Great Gale Saber Technique..."

"Haha, Uncle Zhang, impressed now, huh?"

Lu Yuan laughed, his strikes sharp and fierce, like crashing waves and a Stormy Rain—unstoppable, one move after another in an unbroken chain, heavy and forceful, leaving Zhang Zhi gasping for breath.

Zhang Zhi was more than impressed; he was utterly incredulous.

Lu Yuan's saber technique was so sharp and ruthless it didn't seem like the work of someone who'd only trained for three months. It forced Zhang Zhi into a flustered scramble.

It was simply baffling.

Bang, bang, bang, bang, bang!

Soon, twenty moves passed. Saber light flew wildly. Lu Yuan's blade moved like a ghost, always finding angles to strike from, impossible to guard against. The moment a gap appeared, he'd slip through and press the attack relentlessly.

"Enough! I surrender!"

As the fight edged toward thirty moves, Zhang Zhi lost the face to continue. He shouted his surrender, staring at the notched wooden saber in his hand, then lifted his head to look at Lu Yuan, shock filling his eyes: "Your mastery of the Great Gale Saber Technique surpasses mine! How... how did you train?"

He was both startled and delighted.

Lu Yuan shrugged. "I just trained and trained, and it happened. What can I say? You called me a genius."

Zhang Zhi: "..."

Is this guy even speaking human?

I've trained the Great Gale Saber Technique for twenty years, and you surpass it in three months?

I really want to beat him up.

He eyed Lu Yuan's face, then sighed in dejection. It'd probably be hard to beat him in the future anyway.

Zhang Zhi paused thoughtfully. "Don't spar with the family guards anymore. If you want to practice, come to me or Lu Cheng. Don't find anyone else. Don't reveal your strength carelessly."

Lu Yuan felt a warmth of gratitude. "Uncle Zhang, I understand."

Zhang Zhi was thinking entirely for his sake. The tallest tree catches the wind. The Lu Family was just an ordinary Medicine Merchant family in Lingbao County, with no powerful backing. It wasn't wise to show off exceptional martial talent too early.

Keep a low profile and don't get cocky.

Wait until you're strong enough to show off.

Zhang Zhi changed the subject. "I used about seventy percent of my strength just now. We fought thirty moves to a draw. An ordinary Martial Artist who's just undergone a Second Blood Change probably wouldn't be your match."

He had undergone his Second Blood Change eight years ago and had made steady progress since, plus his rich combat experience. A typical Martial Artist fresh from a Second Blood Change wouldn't last twenty or thirty moves against him.

"Uncle Zhang, you flatter me."

Lu Yuan smiled.

During their spar, he could feel that Zhang Zhi was holding back.

In strength, speed, and combat experience, Zhang Zhi had the edge.

Only in the Great Gale Saber Technique was Lu Yuan superior.

"By the way, I found out about that thing you asked me to look into the other day." Zhang Zhi suddenly remembered something. "I don't know why you're asking about a Health Preservation and Longevity Cultivation Method. You're young, thinking about health already?"

Lu Yuan's eyes lit up. "Where is it?"

"The Brilliant Merchant Guild, the biggest merchant guild in Taikang Prefecture, is holding its annual auction in Zhenping County. Divine Weapons, Medicinal Materials, cultivation methods... everything you can imagine. I got the list of methods up for auction through a contact, and one of them is a Health Preservation and Longevity Cultivation Method."

"You can try your luck at the auction, but it'll be crowded with experts and wealthy people. To be honest, the Lu Family's wealth doesn't amount to much there."

Lu Yuan pressed on. "Uncle Zhang, what's the method called?"

"The... Dragon Elephant Longevity Art. See, the name has 'longevity' in it—that's got to be a Health Preservation and Longevity Cultivation Method, right?"

"Thank you, Uncle Zhang."

After Zhang Zhi left, Lu Yuan pondered, "I have no idea how much silver it'll take to bid on this technique. Looks like I'll have to leech off the old man."

Martial arts manuals had always been precious. From what he knew, even the most ordinary martial art cost several hundred taels of silver.

When he brought it up to Lu Longjing, the man didn't hesitate for a moment. Without a second word, he handed over ten gold bars, each worth a thousand taels of silver.

He had originally wanted Zhang Zhi to accompany Lu Yuan to Zhenping County, but considering that Zhang Zhi needed to hold down the fort at the Lu Family, Lu Yuan declined.

The next morning at dawn, after greeting his father and elder brother, Lu Yuan slipped out through the back door. He made several turns, confirmed no one was tailing him, then headed straight for the city outskirts. Mounting the horse his father had prepared for him, he galloped toward Zhenping County.

Carrying gold bars worth ten thousand taels, Lu Yuan was cautious above all else, keeping a low profile every step of the way. After a journey fraught with tension but no real danger, he arrived at Zhenping County.

If you find this book enjoyable, to avoid losing track of it next time, please remember to add it to your bookshelf.