Decision

"Stay far away from him from now on! Understand?" Shi Yiming warned Shi Qinghu.

Shi Qinghu froze slightly. Remembering all the rumors about Shi Lan, he could not help but shudder, hurriedly nodding.

At this moment, Shi Tianlu was in his study, meeting someone rather special.

Shi Tianlu stood before his desk. Not far to one side, a young man in his early twenties knelt on one knee, his expression respectful.

The young man had delicate features and looked utterly harmless.

On the desk before Shi Tianlu sat a black square box, roughly a foot wide.

Shi Tianlu raised a hand and opened the box. Inside lay a blood-soaked severed head.

Looking at the head, Shi Tianlu's expression did not change in the slightest. Everything had gone exactly as he expected.

"You handled this mission well." Shi Tianlu closed the box, turned to the young man, and spoke gently.

"You flatter me, Master." The man lowered his eyes, his expression calm.

"Shi Feng, in half a year, the Shengwu Immortal Sect will open its gates to take in disciples. I can secure you a qualification to compete for an outer sect disciple position. With your talent, standing out should not be difficult."

Hearing Shi Tianlu's words, the young man's calm expression broke. He raised his head in surprise.

The Shengwu Immortal Sect—this was a name that inspired awe in everyone throughout the Chengtian Domain.

In the Chengtian Domain, the Shengwu Immortal Sect was the heavens. It was a top-tier great sect said to have a Human Emperor standing guard over it!

The Shengwu Immortal Sect opened its mountain gates only once every ten years to recruit disciples, and it accepted only those under twenty-five.

One had to know that throughout the Chengtian Domain, there were no fewer than hundreds of millions of people who met that age requirement.

To compete for an outer sect disciple position, one first had to rise above those hundreds of millions. Thus, even merely gaining the qualification to compete for an outer sect disciple position was extraordinarily precious.

"Master, please reconsider. Such a precious opportunity should be given to the Second Young Master or Third Young Master." Faced with such a tempting opportunity, Shi Feng did not accept in wild delight. Instead, he tried to decline it.

Shi Tianlu shook his head. "Yiming's talent is ordinary, and his thoughts are far too heavy. He will not go far on the path of martial arts. As for Qinghu... heh, that boy's talent is not bad, but his temperament is far too rash. Besides, his strength is far too lacking. He would only waste the opportunity."

After saying that, Shi Tianlu looked at the newly risen sunlight and said meaningfully, "Shi Feng, Tenglong City is too small for you..."

"Master, I was once nothing more than an orphan. You bestowed the Shi surname upon me and gave me a place to belong. Your kindness to me was akin to giving me a new life. By rights, I should not go against your wishes, but in this matter, forgive me—I cannot comply." Shi Feng's expression was resolute.

"Oh?" Shi Tianlu glanced at Shi Feng. "Tell me your reasons."

Shi Feng fell silent for a long while before slowly speaking.

"I do not wish to leave Shi Mansion."

"Fine, we can discuss this later." Shi Tianlu smiled and waved a hand. "Go do what you need to do."

"This subordinate takes his leave." Shi Feng answered and departed.

Watching Shi Feng's retreating back, Shi Tianlu shook his head slightly. What Shi Feng did not wish to leave was hardly Shi Mansion...

A morning breeze swept into the study, lifting the papers on the desk and revealing a letter pressed beneath them.

Dear Brother Shi:

My daughter Yueqing has now passed the age of sixteen. In the middle of this month, accompanied by the elders of the family, she will pay a visit to your esteemed residence to discuss the important matter of marriage.

Your younger brother had intended to come in person, but turmoil has recently erupted in Jiuxiao City, and myriad affairs have bound my hands. It is inconvenient for me to travel, and I cannot personally escort my daughter to your door. I earnestly beg your forgiveness.

My daughter is frank by nature. Should her words offend you in any way, I hope Elder Brother will be magnanimous.

Your foolish younger brother, Changfeng, respectfully.

By the time Shi Lan arrived at Su Lanyue's courtyard, the sky was already fully bright.

Zique stood at the entrance. Seeing Shi Lan approach, she tilted her head and whispered something to another maid. After that maid entered the room, Zique came forward and bowed.

"Eldest Young Master."

Shi Lan nodded and asked, "Is Mother here?"

"She is. We have already informed the Madam. Please wait a moment, Eldest Young Master."

Before long, a maid came jogging out and led Shi Lan inside.

The moment Shi Lan entered, she saw Su Lanyue seated beside the table. Two cups of steaming clear tea sat upon it.

"Mother." Shi Lan bowed in greeting.

"Sit." Su Lanyue nodded faintly and lifted the clear tea before her.

Shi Lan sat down without beating around the bush. "Mother, I want to practice martial arts."

Su Lanyue's hand paused. After dismissing the surrounding maids, she asked with a puzzled expression, "Why do you suddenly want to practice martial arts?"

"Practicing martial arts strengthens the body. Having more means to protect oneself can never be a bad thing." Shi Lan gave a seemingly reasonable explanation.

Su Lanyue had wanted to dissuade her, but on second thought, this seemed to be the first time Shi Lan had voiced a wish of her own. If she directly refused, it would be too heartless.

Moreover, this was the first time since Shi Lan had become aware of the world that she had shown any interest in martial arts.

For a time, Su Lanyue fell silent.

Shi Lan could not quite gauge Su Lanyue's attitude, and unease rose in her heart. If this path through Su Lanyue did not work, she would have to find another way, which would undoubtedly waste much time and effort.

So be it... Su Lanyue made her decision. Rising to her feet, she said, "Wait here." With that, she turned and entered the inner room.

Shi Lan relaxed slightly. It seemed this matter should not be a problem.

After a short while, Su Lanyue emerged carrying a brocade box half a foot long.

Shi Lan rose to her feet and looked expectantly at the brocade box in Su Lanyue's hands.

"Sit down first. Listen to me."

Su Lanyue walked to the table and sat down, pressing the brocade box beneath her hand.

"Among the martial paths of our human race, a hundred schools contend in brilliance. Though each has its own strengths and weaknesses, the most powerful are the Zen Sect, the Taoist School, and the Confucian Sect. Of these three factions, the Zen Sect places the greatest emphasis on tempering the physical body.

"The Body Tempering Realm is the foundation of martial arts. A nine-story tower begins with piled earth. It is crucial to every martial artist, and it must never be treated lightly..."

Su Lanyue continued without pause. Though she knew that, given Shi Lan's former temperament, she would likely be unable to endure the hardship of martial arts training and give up within days, a faint expectation still lingered in her heart.

What parent did not hope their son would become a dragon and their daughter a phoenix? If it were truly possible, how could Su Lanyue not wish for Shi Lan to become a dazzling prodigy like Lu Yueqing?

As for whether Shi Tianlu might discover Shi Lan's identity as a girl because of this, Su Lanyue had temporarily cast that concern aside. She had only one daughter, Shi Lan. Perhaps her own life would remain this way, but Shi Lan still had a chance to turn her life around.

If Shi Lan's identity were truly exposed, Su Lanyue did not believe Shi Tianlu would truly be so cruel as to lay hands on his own flesh and blood. As for what would become of her, she would wait until that day truly came before considering it.

Naturally, Shi Lan knew nothing of Su Lanyue's many thoughts. She was listening intently to Su Lanyue's instruction.

Shi Lan understood clearly that a towering building rose from level ground. This foundational knowledge was immensely important, and from Su Lanyue's eager gaze, she could feel the expectations in Su Lanyue's heart.

After a long while, Su Lanyue finally stopped speaking and pushed the brocade box toward Shi Lan.