Li Youning said, "My father had long made arrangements. Through connections in Qingning Prefecture City, he has transferred me to the Military Service Bureau there."
Lu Ming froze. That was possible?
Sure enough, even a starved camel was bigger than a horse. The Li Family had fallen this far, yet they could still help Li Youning transfer to the Military Service Bureau in the Prefecture City.
Lu Ming sighed inwardly and no longer worried about Li Youning.
At that moment, Li Youning took out an envelope and handed it to Lu Ming, saying solemnly:
"I came to find you not only to inform you, but also to thank you once more for helping me a few days ago.
"Keep this safe. Other than you, it is best not to let a second person see it."
The envelope had not been sealed. Seeing how solemn Li Youning was, Lu Ming curiously opened it and took out a sheet of paper.
After only one glance, his eyes narrowed. Delight stirred in his heart as he looked at Li Youning and said:
"You are really giving this to me? You did not steal it from your family, did you?"
The sheet inside the envelope was none other than the formula for Sweet Dew Powder!
Ten days had already passed since he returned from the arena competition. The ten packets of Sweet Dew Powder the Li Family had given him had run out yesterday.
He had originally been troubled that, once the Sweet Dew Powder was gone, his daily training time would be cut in half, and the Acupoint experience he gained would plummet. His third Acupoint Divine Ability would become a distant prospect once more.
He had not expected Li Youning to directly give him the formula for Sweet Dew Powder.
This was the foundation upon which the Li Family stood! And she was simply giving it to him?
At his words, Li Youning smiled faintly and said:
"Do not worry. My father knows about this.
"After the arena battle, Father spoke with me privately. He decided to let me try taking charge of the Li Family.
"The first decision I made was to give you the Sweet Dew Powder formula, along with these two hundred taels of silver."
As Li Youning spoke, she placed a bundle she had brought onto the table, where it clattered loudly.
Two hundred taels of silver. Lu Ming's heart stirred. With this money, he could buy medicinal ingredients according to the Sweet Dew Powder formula.
A trace of apology appeared on Li Youning's face as she said:
"The losses you recovered for our Li Family in that arena battle were far more than these few hundred taels of silver. It is only that we cannot produce much money now, so this is all we can give you."
Lu Ming hurriedly said, "It is enough. More than enough."
The Sweet Dew Powder formula alone was an invaluable treasure. Naturally, he would not be greedier than a snake trying to swallow an elephant.
Even so, Li Youning sighed inwardly.
Golden Tripod Bank from the Prefecture City had sent people to Red Cloud County these past few days. Under the protection of Golden Tripod Bank's expert guards, the Li Family should be able to withdraw safely.
But Lu Ming had no such option. He had to remain here.
Lu Ming had originally been cultivating peacefully, yet because of her, he had been swept into the storms of the city. Whether fortune or disaster awaited him was impossible to say.
Li Youning gazed at Lu Ming, her heart stirring slightly. If only Lu Ming's cultivation talent were a little stronger, if he could reach Skin Refining Major Completion.
She had originally left a path open for Lu Ming. But if his cultivation was too low, the chances of success along that path would not be high.
Just as she was thinking this, she heard Lu Ming say with a smile:
"Oh, right. I broke through to Skin Refining Major Completion yesterday. It is all thanks to the ten packets of Sweet Dew Powder the Li Family gave me."
"What? You reached Skin Refining Major Completion?" Li Youning was stunned, then rejoiced. "Wonderful! Then our chances are even greater."
Lu Ming asked in confusion, "Chances of what?"
Li Youning said, "Zhou Zhen of the Lingyun Sect will most likely not pursue the matter of that arena battle.
"However, the situation is complicated now. In your future cultivation, someone may use the arena battle to make trouble and drag you into it.
"So I found an opportunity for you, one that can allow Flying Dragon Martial Hall to protect you.
"Do you know that the city is now vaguely divided into two major camps? One is led by the Chen and Zhao Families. They support Zhou Zhen and wish to use his strength to swallow up the other forces.
"The other is led by the Zhao Family, the City Lord's Mansion, and the Red Cloud Chamber of Commerce. They originally held the advantage in Red Cloud County and do not welcome Zhou Zhen.
"Besides them, there are Flying Dragon Martial Hall among the Three Halls, and the Green Bamboo Gang among the two gangs. These two first-rate forces in the city are neutral, and both sides will seek to win them over next.
"If you gain Flying Dragon Martial Hall's support, you will be safe from all danger."
After hearing this, Lu Ming gained a vague understanding of the city's situation.
He immediately asked, "Senior Sister wants me to join Flying Dragon Martial Hall?"
Li Youning said mysteriously, "Hall Master Liu once owed my Li Family a great favor. But even if Hall Master Liu acted against Zhou Zhen, it would have been useless, so we did not use that favor.
"I have already exchanged that favor for an opportunity for you.
"As for what sort of opportunity it is, you will know when you get there."
Lu Ming's heart stirred at this. Since Flying Dragon Martial Hall could become one of the city's Three Halls, it surely possessed secret manuals and cultivation medicines kept at the bottom of its chest. Paying it a visit would not be a bad idea.
Lu Ming nodded and said, "Then many thanks to you, Senior Sister Li."
Li Youning let out a breath of relief. Having done this much, the Li Family could finally leave with peace of mind.
She smiled and said, "In that case, Junior Brother, cultivate diligently. Until we meet again!"
After saying that, she took her leave.
Lu Ming felt that her worries were heavier than before.
He thought to himself that although Li Youning had gained importance within the Li Family after the arena battle, she also had to concern herself with more matters and shoulder greater responsibility.
However, Li Youning had approached him in the beginning precisely to help her family win over a martial artist with potential.
She had always valued her family greatly. Perhaps she herself found fulfillment in her current state.
After returning to his courtyard, Lu Ming touched the Sweet Dew Powder formula and the two hundred taels of silver Li Youning had given him, still feeling pleasantly surprised.
Both items would be of great help to him.
The Li Family truly acted with integrity. Even after suffering such a tremendous upheaval themselves, they had not forgotten him.
He carefully put the items away, then waited a while longer until Wei Jinlin arrived.
Anticipation appeared in his eyes. As agreed, he had reached Skin Refining Major Completion within seven days. He would soon be able to learn Nine Palaces Palm from Wei Jinlin.
Although he had previously decided to devote himself to evolving his third Acupoint Divine Ability next, his first attempt at evolving a Divine Ability required only 100 experience points, so it would not greatly affect the evolution of his Acupoint Divine Ability.
Naturally, he could not miss this opportunity.
He was very curious. What would his first Palm Path Divine Ability be?
Wei Jinlin entered the courtyard and made a brief move to test him. After confirming that Lu Ming had broken through, he said nothing further and efficiently taught him Nine Palaces Palm.
After Wei Jinlin left, Lu Ming went before the Stone Tablet Nine Palace Stakes in the center of the courtyard and began training.
Nine Palaces Palm was the accompanying palm technique of Nine Palace Living Stakes. It excelled at losing one's pursuers and fighting while moving.
In the past, when Lu Ming used the Nine Palace Living Stakes to train his finger techniques, it always felt somewhat awkward unless he used the Heaven Leak Divine Ability.
Now that he used Nine Palaces Palm, everything immediately flowed smoothly. After completing one set, his breath settled, his blood surged, and the results of his cultivation were excellent.
[Evolving Palm Path Divine Ability (1/100)...]
Feeling his internal power grow and seeing the message from the Divine Ability Panel, Lu Ming could not help but smile.
Sure enough! He was evolving a Palm Path Divine Ability!
Although it only gained one experience point each time, the required 100 experience points now seemed far too little. Lu Ming's spirits soared as he continued grinding away!
[Evolving Palm Path Divine Ability (2/100)...] [Evolving Palm Path Divine Ability (3/100)...] [Evolving...] [Evolving Palm Path Divine Ability (10/100)...]
After cultivating for one hour, Lu Ming stopped. His palms were red, and his blood was boiling.
"I will train Nine Palaces Palm for one hour a day!" Lu Ming thought to himself.
At ten experience points per day, he would be able to evolve his first Palm Path Divine Ability in only ten days.
He would spend the remaining time continuing to train Cloud-Piercing Finger. His third Acupoint Divine Ability remained his foremost goal for now.
That day, because his Sweet Dew Powder had run out, he only trained Cloud-Piercing Finger for two hours.
[Evolving Acupoint Divine Ability (2142/10000)...]
"Without Sweet Dew Powder, the progress has suddenly slowed. It only rises by one hundred points a day."
Lu Ming glanced at his Acupoint experience and shook his head slightly. He thought to himself that when he went to visit Liu Feilong, he would conveniently buy the medicinal ingredients needed to make Sweet Dew Powder!
The next day was the day the entire Li Family relocated.
Lu Ming had intended to see them off, but Li Youning sent him a letter saying that they had left at dawn.
That very day, Flying Dragon Martial Hall's carriage arrived at the Military Service Bureau and took him to the martial hall. Evidently, Li Youning had arranged everything before leaving.
Thinking of the "opportunity" Li Youning had mentioned, Lu Ming entered the martial hall with a trace of anticipation.
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