"If I go down the mountain and deal with that demon, does that mean I'll have done nothing wrong?"
Hearing Lu Shui's words, Third Elder didn't answer right away. He simply watched Lu Shui.
Lu Shui stood there, neither servile nor overbearing.
"Do you have what it takes to exorcise demons?" Third Elder asked after a moment.
Lu Shui smiled faintly. He felt he did have what it took, but didn't say more. He only murmured:
"After three days apart, one should look at a person with new eyes."
"Hahaha!" Third Elder suddenly burst out laughing. Then he said darkly, "After three days apart? You were a clown three days ago, and you're still a clown now?
"Do you know that you've single-handedly ruined the Lu Family's reputation?"
It was already ruined, so why care so much?
Of course, Lu Shui wouldn't say that to Third Elder. He simply stood there in silence.
There was no point in saying anything. He only needed to wait for the answer.
Third Elder watched Lu Shui and said:
"You think staying silent will get you off the hook?
"Lu Shui, what kind of person do you think you are?
"Your talent is average, you don't work hard at cultivation, you act ostentatiously, and you have no self-awareness.
"If you weren't part of the Lu Family, you might have made a halfway useful Rogue Cultivator. But as a member of the Lu Family, you're surrounded by the outstanding young talents of all the great powers. To everyone, you're nothing but a good-for-nothing.
"Your only use to the Lu Family is to carry on the family line."
Lu Shui simply listened to Third Elder's mockery. He'd heard words like these plenty of times in his previous life; they no longer affected him.
So he was just a tool for producing heirs.
Then Lu Shui looked up at Third Elder and asked:
"Then, Third Elder, may I go down the mountain to exorcise demons?"
Third Elder frowned at Lu Shui. This wasn't how Lu Shui normally reacted.
Usually, the moment Lu Shui heard "carry on the family line," he'd leap to his feet. But today, he hadn't reacted at all.
Had he accepted his fate?
"If you fail to exorcise the demon, you'll receive ten times the punishment," Third Elder said, watching Lu Shui.
Third Elder hoped the threat of punishment would make Lu Shui back down. To his surprise, Lu Shui didn't retreat in the slightest.
"I agree. But if I succeed, Third Elder has to agree to update the modern equipment."
As far as Lu Shui was concerned, little else mattered. Keeping up with the times mattered more.
Third Elder narrowed his eyes at Lu Shui. This was the Lu Family's only male heir, and all he cared about was useless stuff. He was a disgrace to the Lu Family.
A complete disappointment.
Third Elder sighed inwardly, then said:
"Fine. But you only have one day."
In Third Elder's eyes, Lu Shui was simply asking to humiliate himself.
Then Third Elder continued:
"Zhen Wu, Zhen Ling, go with him. Don't let him call in outside help."
The two people beside Third Elder nodded in acknowledgment.
Since Third Elder had already agreed, Lu Shui had no reason to stay. He said:
"Then I won't keep you any longer, Third Elder."
Then Lu Shui turned and left the hall.
As soon as Lu Shui left, Lu Gu entered.
"Third Elder, I just received some news."
Third Elder asked:
"What is it?"
Lu Gu handed him a slip of paper. After reading it, Third Elder furrowed his brow and said:
"The Mu Family? They deliberately kept it quiet?"
Lu Gu didn't answer. He had no idea.
At last, Third Elder said:
"Wait until your boy gets back."
Some matters were just right for him to handle.
Lu Shui walked out of the hall. He'd seen his father go inside, but didn't care.
No matter how serious things were at home, it wasn't his place to handle them right now. After all, in these people's eyes, he was just the young master—a useless young master.
Every so often, he'd even brag about himself. Exorcising demons was something he'd bragged up, and he'd nearly lost his balls for it.
The so-called demon was actually just an ordinary Spirit Beast, not even at the Second Tier. His own cultivation was ordinary too; he'd relied on pills and medicines to reach the Second Tier.
But in every other respect, he was weak as trash.
The Cultivation World's power system was simple: strength was measured in tiers, with the normal cultivation range running from First Tier to Sixth Tier.
First Tier was Body Tempering, focused on the body and strength. The body was the foundation of everything.
Second Tier was Spirit Awakening. After awakening, one could manipulate the Spiritual Energy in one's body to a limited degree and begin casting simple spells.
Third Tier was Third Tier Comprehension. After reaching this tier, one gained a thorough understanding of the Law Body, spirit, and soul. With a clear grasp of all three, one could wield Spiritual Energy with ease and learn all kinds of spells.
Casting spells also underwent a qualitative change compared with the Spirit Awakening stage. Take the Fireball Spell, for example: at the Second Tier, one had to draw in Spiritual Energy and gather power first. But at Third Tier Comprehension, it could be cast instantly.
After reaching comprehension, Spiritual Energy spread throughout the body and could be manipulated at will.
Fourth Tier was Fourth Tier Bright God. The body and spirit became clear, and the essence, spirit, and energy reached their peak and began to converge as one.
After reaching Bright God, the power of the essence, spirit, and energy was tempered into one, directly strengthening the body. As strength increased, control underwent a transformation, allowing one to command all things.
The most obvious example was Sword Flight.
Each tier was divided into seven levels, represented numerically from 1.1 to 1.7. Lu Shui's cultivation was currently 2.1. The Second Tier's ability to cast spells was on a completely different level from the First Tier.
That was why he'd been injured by the demon. It was safe to say he'd lost the last shred of his dignity.
That was also why they saw him as a tool for producing heirs for the Lu Family.
Unfortunately, in his previous life, he hadn't had a single child.
He'd disappointed those bigwigs all over again.
Lu Shui walked down the steps, with a man and a woman following behind him. They were Zhen Wu and Zhen Ling, but Lu Shui had little impression of them.
So he didn't feel like paying them any mind.
Qi Xi was still waiting at the foot of the steps. When Lu Shui came down, Qi Xi lowered her head.
"Young master."
Lu Shui didn't look at her. He kept walking and casually said:
"Go take care of your own business."
Qi Xi immediately replied:
"Yes."
Then Lu Shui headed straight down the mountain. Farther down was a small town. He'd heard that people had lived there for generations. The Lu Family didn't directly control them; they were free to develop as they pleased.
But no one in town failed to show the Lu Family respect.
The demon had been discovered just outside the town. Lu Shui had happened to pass by and volunteered to exorcise it.
The result had been a tragedy.
By the time he reached the foot of the mountain, Lu Shui had recalled almost everything. He looked at Zhen Wu beside him and asked:
"Where's the demon?"
Zhen Wu lowered his head apologetically.
"Third Elder didn't tell us to help you, young master, so I hope you understand."
Lu Shui said nothing. Instead, he held out his hand.
"Pick up a branch for me."
Zhen Wu didn't refuse. He quickly cut a short branch from a tree in the woods, then respectfully handed it to Lu Shui.
Lu Shui took the branch and tossed it casually into the air. It soon landed, pointing toward the front left.
Without hesitation, Lu Shui headed that way and said:
"Pick up the branch and follow me."
Zhen Wu and Zhen Ling exchanged a glance, feeling both helpless and scornful.
Could he find the demon just by tossing a branch?
He was probably just putting on an act to draw attention.
If that was all it took to find a demon, they'd eat the branch themselves.
But they didn't say anything. They could only pick up the branch and follow him.
After that, Lu Shui tossed the branch three times. When he'd thrown it for the third time, he said:
"Found it."
Hearing Lu Shui, Zhen Wu and Zhen Ling both froze. Then they looked in that direction, and sure enough, they saw a grotesque-looking demon.
Its limbs ended in sharp claws, its body was covered in lumps of flesh, and only its eyes showed on its head.
But that wasn't what surprised them. What truly shocked them was that Lu Shui had actually found the demon.
Had it been luck, or skill?
No, he must have already known where it was and tossed the branch on purpose.
Right, it had to be that. Otherwise, they couldn't believe someone could find a demon just by tossing a branch.
At the very least, the Young Master of the Lu Family they knew didn't have that kind of ability.
But what surprised them even more were Lu Shui's words and actions.
At that moment, Lu Shui drew the sword at Zhen Wu's side and said:
"I Will Exorcise Demons. Watch closely—it might be a little fast."
Before you continue