A Surprise Before Parting

Li Youning said, "My father already made arrangements. He pulled some strings in Qingning Prefecture City to have me transferred to the Military Service Bureau there."

Lu Ming was taken aback. So that was possible?

Truly, a starved camel was still bigger than a horse. Even in the Li Family's current state, they could still get Li Youning transferred to the prefecture city's Military Service Bureau.

Lu Ming sighed inwardly, no longer worried about Li Youning.

Just then, Li Youning took out an envelope and handed it to Lu Ming, saying solemnly:

"I came to see you not only to let you know, but also to thank you again for coming to help me the other day.

"Keep this well. Besides you, it's best not to let a second person see it."

The envelope wasn't sealed. Seeing how serious Li Youning was, Lu Ming curiously opened it and pulled out a piece of paper.

With just a glance, his eyes narrowed, and a hint of surprise rose in his heart. He looked at Li Youning and said:

"You're really giving this to me? You didn't sneak it out of your house, did you?"

The paper inside the envelope was none other than the formula for Sweet Dew Powder!

Ten days had passed since the arena match, and the ten packets of Sweet Dew Powder the Li Family had given him were used up yesterday.

He had been worrying that without the Sweet Dew Powder, his daily training time would be cut in half, the experience gain for acupoints would plummet, and his third Acupoint Divine Ability would be pushed further into the distance.

He never expected Li Youning to directly give him the formula for Sweet Dew Powder.

This was the very foundation of the Li Family! And she was just giving it to him?

Li Youning heard this and smiled faintly, saying:

"Don't worry, my father knows about this.

"After the arena match, my father had a private talk with me and decided to let me try my hand at leading the Li Family.

"The first decision I made was to give you the Sweet Dew Powder formula and these two hundred taels of silver."

As she spoke, Li Youning placed a bundle she had brought onto the table, making a clunking sound.

Two hundred taels of silver. Lu Ming's heart stirred. With this money, he could buy the ingredients according to the Sweet Dew Powder formula.

A trace of apology appeared on Li Youning's face as she said:

"That day at the arena, the losses you saved our Li Family from were far more than just a few hundred taels of silver. But right now, we can't scrape together much more money. This is all we have to give you."

Lu Ming quickly said, "It's enough, it's more than enough."

The Sweet Dew Powder formula alone was a priceless treasure. He wouldn't be greedy.

Hearing this, Li Youning sighed inwardly.

The Golden Tripod Bank in the prefecture city had sent people to Red Cloud County a few days ago. Under the protection of the Golden Tripod Bank's experts, the Li Family should be able to evacuate safely.

But there was nothing to be done for Lu Ming. He had to stay here.

Lu Ming had been cultivating just fine, but because of her, he had been dragged into the city's turmoil, and his future fortunes were uncertain.

Li Youning gazed at Lu Ming, her heart stirring slightly. She thought to herself, if only Lu Ming's cultivation talent were a bit stronger, enough to reach the Great Completion of Skin Refining.

She had originally left a path for Lu Ming. But if his cultivation was too low, the success rate of that path wouldn't be high either.

Just as she was thinking this, she heard Lu Ming laugh and say:

"Oh, right, I just broke through to the Great Completion of Skin Refining yesterday. I owe it all to the ten packets of Sweet Dew Powder the Li Family gave me."

"What? You've reached the Great Completion of Skin Refining?" Li Youning was stunned, then joyfully said, "That's great! Then the chances are much better."

Lu Ming was puzzled. "What chances?"

Li Youning said, "Zhou Zhen from the Lingyun Sect probably won't pursue the matter of the arena match that day.

"However, the situation is complicated now. In the future, when you cultivate, someone might use the arena match as an excuse to drag you into things.

"So, I found you an opportunity. The Flying Dragon Martial Hall can take you under their protection.

"Do you know that the city is now vaguely divided into two major camps? One is led by the Chen and Zhao Families, supporting Zhou Zhen, wanting to use his power 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 don't welcome Zhou Zhen.

"Besides these, there are the 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 they are the targets both sides will be vying for next.

"If you can gain the support of the Flying Dragon Martial Hall, you'll be safe."

Hearing this, Lu Ming gained a rough understanding of the city's situation.

He then asked, "Senior Sister, do you want me to join the Flying Dragon Martial Hall?"

Li Youning said mysteriously, "Hall Master Liu once owed my Li Family a big favor. But when facing Zhou Zhen, even Hall Master Liu's intervention would have been useless, so the favor was never used.

"I've already used that favor to secure an opportunity for you.

"As for what exactly that opportunity is, you'll know when you go."

Hearing this, Lu Ming's heart stirred. The Flying Dragon Martial Hall was one of the city's three halls, so it must have some trump card secret manuals and cultivation medicines. It wouldn't hurt to pay a visit.

Lu Ming nodded and said, "Then I'll thank Senior Sister Li."

Li Youning let out a sigh of relief. Having gone this far, the Li Family could finally leave with peace of mind.

With that, she smiled and said, "In that case, junior apprentice-brother, cultivate diligently. Until we meet again!"

After saying this, she took her leave and departed.

Lu Ming felt that her heart was 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 worry about more things and bear greater responsibilities.

But Li Youning had initially approached him to help her family recruit a promising martial artist.

She had always been someone who valued her family, and in her current state, perhaps she was content with it.

Returning to his courtyard, Lu Ming touched the Sweet Dew Powder recipe and the two hundred taels of silver that Li Youning had given him, still feeling a bit pleasantly surprised.

These two items were also a great help to him.

The Li Family was generous. Even amid their own upheaval, they hadn't forgotten him.

He carefully put the items away and waited a while longer until Wei Jinlin arrived.

A glimmer of anticipation appeared in his eyes. According to their agreement, he had reached Skin Refining Perfection within seven days, and soon he would learn the Nine Palaces Palm from Wei Jinlin.

Although he had previously decided to focus all his efforts on evolving the third Acupoint Divine Ability, the first evolution of a divine ability only required 100 points of experience, which wouldn't significantly affect the evolution of the Acupoint Divine Ability.

So naturally, he couldn't miss this opportunity.

He was very curious—what would his first palm divine ability be?

Wei Jinlin entered the courtyard, tested him briefly to confirm his breakthrough in cultivation, then said nothing and straightforwardly taught him the Nine Palaces Palm.

After Wei Jinlin left, Lu Ming walked to the Stone Tablet Nine Palace Stakes in the middle of the courtyard and began to practice.

The Nine Palaces Palm was a matching palm technique for the Nine Palace Living Stakes, excelling in misdirection and mobile combat.

In the past, when Lu Ming used the Nine Palace Living Stakes to practice finger techniques without the Heaven Leak Divine Ability, it always felt somewhat off.

Now, using the Nine Palaces Palm, he immediately felt much smoother. After completing one full set, his mind was at ease, his blood and qi surged, and the training effect was excellent.

[Evolving Palm Divine Ability (1/100)...]

Feeling his internal power grow and seeing the message from the Divine Ability Panel, Lu Ming couldn't help but smile.

As expected! He was evolving a palm divine ability!

Although each session only increased experience by 1 point, the required 100 points now seemed so small. Lu Ming's spirits lifted, and he continued grinding!

[Evolving Palm Divine Ability (2/100)...]

[Evolving Palm Divine Ability (3/100)...]

[Evolving...]

[Evolving Palm Divine Ability (10/100)...]

After training for an hour, Lu Ming stopped, his palms red and his blood and qi boiling.

"I'll only practice the Nine Palaces Palm for one hour a day," Lu Ming said to himself.

With 10 points of experience per day, it would take just ten days to evolve his first palm divine ability.

As for the remaining time, he would continue practicing the Cloud-Piercing Finger. The third Acupoint Divine Ability was still his primary goal for now.

That day, since he had run out of Sweet Dew Powder, he only practiced the Cloud-Piercing Finger for two hours.

[Evolving Acupoint Divine Ability (2142/10000)...]

"Without the Sweet Dew Powder, the progress has slowed down—only 100 points per day."

Lu Ming glanced at the acupoint experience, shook his head slightly, and thought to himself that when he went to visit Liu Feilong, he would also buy the medicinal ingredients for preparing the Sweet Dew Powder.

The next day was the day the Li Family moved away in full.

Lu Ming had intended to see them off, but Li Youning sent a letter saying they had left early in the morning.

That same day, a carriage from the Flying Dragon Martial Hall arrived at the Military Service Bureau and took him to the hall. Clearly, Li Youning had arranged everything before she left.

Thinking of the "opportunity" Li Youning had mentioned, Lu Ming stepped into the martial hall with a sense of anticipation.