The Trial

Standing in the Void-Standing Realm, with his leg technique at the minor mastery level—these were proof of Lu Hao's hard work during this time. Next, he only needed to bring his fist technique to minor mastery and get some practice with the blade. Then he'd be ready to take on missions and earn Slaughter Points.

He was sure it wouldn't take much longer.

That evening, Lu Hao shared his progress with his mother and carefully brought up the idea of getting some real-world experience by taking on missions for the Detective Bureau.

Just as he'd expected, she refused. Bai Qiuyao said he wasn't strong enough yet, and Lu Hao didn't argue. After all, he really was still a little short of the mark.

But if he made more progress with his fist technique and added blade training to his arsenal, Lu Hao was confident he could persuade his mother.

He also asked her to prepare a saber for him. D-Grade Alloy would be strong enough to handle low-rank, third-grade martial artists.

From then on, Lu Hao focused even more on practical combat. The one-on-one sparring sessions that had replaced his regular morning lessons continued almost every day. In the afternoon, he practiced his blade techniques, and in the evening, he tempered his bones.

His days were packed. Before he knew it, five days had passed.

Lu Hao was especially happy that day. He'd finally brought his fist technique to minor mastery, and his blade skills had improved quite a bit too.

This meant he was now ahead of other first-year Martial University students at the same stage. On top of that, the boost from tempering his bones three times meant that,

in terms of Vital Blood, Lu Hao was on par with a peak first-grade martial artist. The others might have had an edge in Basic Combat Technique, but not by much. With his Void-Standing Realm Stance Technique, Lu Hao was practically unbeatable.

After all, even among Martial University students, few could reach the Void-Standing Realm with their Stance Technique, and most of them were already second- or third-grade martial artists.

So it wouldn't be an exaggeration to call Lu Hao a first-year Martial University prodigy. Now that he had the strength to back it up, surely his mother would agree to let him get some real-world experience.

After dinner, Lu Hao told his mother he planned to take on some missions.

"Mom, I want to take on missions with your Detective Bureau. My progress has started to slow, and I can only make bigger gains through real combat."

"No. I won't agree. You're still a high school senior. You're not ready for those missions. Besides, you have a gift for cultivation, and you can keep training at home."

As soon as Bai Qiuyao heard that Lu Hao wanted to take on missions with the Detective Bureau, she shot down the idea. As its director, she knew better than anyone what those missions involved. She didn't want her son taking that kind of risk.

"Mom, no martial artist can get anywhere by training at home. I'll have to walk this path sooner or later. If I start a little earlier, I can grow stronger sooner, too."

"Besides, I'm already a first-grade martial artist, and my fist and leg techniques are at minor mastery. I've even reached the Void-Standing Realm with my Stance Technique. Some of the Martial University students who take on missions with your bureau aren't even as strong as I am."

"If they're allowed to go, why can't I? Or do you want to raise your son into nothing more than a Vital Blood martial artist?"

To win his mother's approval, Lu Hao had no choice but to put it bluntly. He understood that she was worried about him, but in this world, if you didn't grow stronger, you couldn't control your own fate.

He didn't want to be at someone else's mercy in the future.

"But you're so young. The people taking on missions with the bureau are years older than you. And those missions aren't easy. Martial artists who've committed crimes are dangerous, too. What if something happens to you? What would I do?"

Bai Qiuyao had known from Lu Hao's earlier hints that he wanted to take on missions and face the dark side of the martial world. But now that it had come to this, she was still afraid. She couldn't bear the thought of losing her last son to an accident, too.

What mother could bear to send her child off to face such dangerous criminals? Looking at Lu Hao, Bai Qiuyao saw Lu Tianbai as he had been in the past—just as lively, just as full of promise.

"Mom, I can't avoid it. I chose to become a martial artist, and this is something I'll have to face eventually. At least for now, you can still look out for me."

"I'll be careful. At first, I'll go with some of the Martial University students who take on missions. With them there, I'll be a lot safer."

Bai Qiuyao fell silent for a long while...

Lu Hao was right. Once he'd chosen this path, he would have to face it sooner or later.

At least now he still had his mother to help him. Out on his own, he might find no one would come to his aid, no matter how desperately he called.

"Ah... all right. I'll let you go, but first you have to pass my test. Only then will I feel comfortable letting you take on missions. Otherwise, I absolutely won't allow it."

Bai Qiuyao sighed. Before Lu Hao took this step for real, she wanted him to grow a little more.

"Sure, no problem. I'll definitely pass. But what's the test, Mom? Is it hard? Give me a hint."

Seeing that his mother was relenting, Lu Hao quickly agreed. As for the test, she'd have her own way of testing him. With his current strength, it shouldn't be too hard to pass.

"You'll find out tomorrow. But Hao'er, you have to promise me you'll be careful."

"Mm, I know. Don't worry, Mom."

Bai Qiuyao got up and took a saber made of alloy from her room.

"Here, this is the D-Grade Alloy saber you asked for. It was made specifically for missions. You wouldn't need a saber this durable for ordinary practice."

"It's a Big Ring Blade, best suited to your Blood Battle Mad Blade technique. Ah... I still don't know if it was right to let you become a martial artist."

Lu Hao took the Big Ring Blade from his mother. Unlike an ordinary Big Ring Blade, it had no iron rings for added weight. Instead, both sides of the blade were fitted with blood grooves to drain the blood.

The blade was three feet and five inches long, with a seven-inch handle. The blade itself was two feet and eight inches long, four inches wide, and four fen thick. As for its weight, that was no problem at all for Lu Hao.

As a martial artist, he could use his Vital Blood to increase its power, so there was no need to add weight. And for quicker kills, the blood grooves were deep and wide.

Lu Hao picked up the Big Ring Blade with an excited look. He'd be relying on it to kill his enemies for a long time to come, so he already loved it.

"Don't worry, Mom. I'll be extra, extra careful."

After talking with his mother for a while, Lu Hao took the Big Ring Blade to the practice room and began training with it.

Until now, he'd only used ordinary blades, which couldn't compare with this Big Ring Blade in either quality or weight. He had to get used to the weapon today, since his mother's test was tomorrow.

Otherwise, even the slightest miscalculation could lead to a much worse outcome.