As one of Red Cloud County's "Two Gangs, Three Halls, Three Great Lineages," Flying Dragon Martial Hall was located in the south of the city and occupied a vast area.
However, the martial hall's facade looked ordinary and its furnishings were rather plain. Only the two words "Flying Dragon" on its plaque danced like dragons and phoenixes, exceptionally eye-catching.
Inside the martial hall, Liu Feilong sat in the reception room.
With the back of an ape and the waist of a wasp, even while seated in a chair, he projected an imposing air. His eyes gleamed brightly, as though he could spring forth at any moment.
To receive Lu Ming today, he had specifically closed the hall for a day and waited for Lu Ming's arrival.
After all, the Li Family had called in a great favor. This matter had to be treated with due caution.
"Father, my future husband must at least be a sect disciple."
A beautiful young woman in an embroidered long dress entered from outside the reception room. She was Liu Feilong's only daughter, Liu Yiyi.
The moment Liu Yiyi entered, she spoke to Liu Feilong with some dissatisfaction.
"Can that Lu Ming become a sect disciple? What I want is at least a Third-Rate Sect disciple like Senior Zhou.
"Lu Ming comes from a commoner background. He..."
As she spoke, she saw Liu Feilong frown. Liu Yiyi paused, then hurriedly changed her words.
"I'm not looking down on commoners. The problem is that martial cultivation requires a great deal of resources to begin with..."
Liu Feilong interrupted her.
"Resources? I have plenty.
"With Skin Refining cultivation, Lu Ming defeated Chu Wufeng, who had temporarily broken through to Major Completion in Skin Refining. His talent cannot be poor.
"Didn't you see how even Pavilion Master Qin of the Heavenly Secret Pavilion was stirred by this and exchanged cultivation techniques with Lu Ming?
"The situation in the city is complicated now. Our Flying Dragon Martial Hall may not be able to remain neutral forever. You are my only daughter. If any of the city's powers intend to win me over, they are very likely to use you as their point of breakthrough.
"The others would be one thing, but if Zhou Zhen were to personally come and propose marriage on someone else's behalf... your choices would be fewer then, and far more rushed.
"It would be best to settle your marriage soon. If not Lu Ming, then someone else. Let us first see what sort of person he is."
Liu Yiyi pursed her lips unhappily and rolled her eyes slightly. After hesitating for a moment, she said,
"Fine."
Just then, a servant came to report that Lu Ming had requested an audience.
Liu Feilong immediately glanced at Liu Yiyi.
With lotus-like steps and a graceful figure, Liu Yiyi moved behind the main hall. Her beautiful eyes flickered as she looked toward the white-clad youth entering from outside.
"Lu Ming pays respects to Uncle Liu."
Lu Ming entered the hall and greeted Liu Feilong according to proper etiquette.
"Mm. Nephew Lu, you are a young hero. I heard of what happened to you that day and had long wished to meet you. Now that I have seen you, you truly are a fine-looking talent." Liu Feilong took in Lu Ming's handsome features, calm and steady bearing, and proper manners, immediately taking a liking to him. Smiling, he said, "Sit. There is no need to be nervous."
"Yes." Lu Ming sat down as instructed.
"In my early years, I received kindness from the old master of the Li Family. I never expected the Li Family to move away in its entirety now. I had intended to see them off, but they slipped away quietly before dawn..."
Liu Feilong sighed and chatted idly with Lu Ming for a while.
Only after half an hour did he get to the point, staring at Lu Ming as he asked,
"I heard you have entered Major Completion in Skin Refining?"
Lu Ming clasped his hands. "I was fortunate enough to break through the day before yesterday."
A trace of satisfaction surfaced in Liu Feilong's eyes, and he nodded.
"In a month and a half, you went from an ordinary person to Major Completion in Skin Refining. Your talent is quite decent.
"If you have the aid of great medicinal supplements for cultivation, you may have a chance to contend for a place among the top fifty in the Military Service Bureau's Grand Examination."
Upon hearing this, Lu Ming thought to himself, It seemed the Li Family had not told Liu Feilong about giving him the Sweet Dew Powder formula.
Liu Feilong continued.
"Our Flying Dragon Martial Hall has been able to establish itself in the city because we naturally possess great medicinal supplements for cultivation as well. It is called the Qi-Enhancing Pill. Eat one each day, and one day of cultivation will equal four days for an ordinary person."
Lu Ming's heart stirred greatly at those words.
The Qi-Enhancing Pill actually had such an effect.
One day of cultivation was worth four days for an ordinary person—twice the effect of Qi-Nurturing Powder!
After taking Qi-Nurturing Powder and cultivating for a day, he would only match two days of another person's cultivation.
His cultivation talent was not particularly outstanding, which meant his cultivation progress was not actually very fast.
If he only took Qi-Nurturing Powder, whether he could break through to Flesh Refining by the time of the Grand Examination was still unknown.
After all, only a month and a half remained until the Grand Examination.
Seeing his reaction, Liu Feilong smiled.
"Of course, Qi-Enhancing Pills are quite expensive. Even in my Flying Dragon Martial Hall, not everyone can afford to take them.
"However, if one is family, they will naturally receive priority consideration.
"I have an only daughter. She is eighteen this year as well, and like you, she is a disciple of the Military Service Bureau.
"I intend to take in a worthy son-in-law. I think you are quite suitable. What do you say?"
Realization dawned on Lu Ming. So this was the "opportunity" Li Youning had mentioned.
Indeed, becoming Liu Feilong's son-in-law was an opportunity to ascend to the heavens in a single step for an ordinary person.
But he possessed the Divine Ability Panel and had boundless prospects ahead of him. He had no intention of marrying at a time like this.
The sort of life Li Youning lived—exhausting herself for her Lineage, burdened by countless ties—was not what he wanted.
Still, since Liu Feilong had raised the matter, it would not be good to reject him outright.
Lu Ming pondered for a moment. "May I ask, Uncle Liu, does taking in a son-in-law mean marrying into your family?"
Liu Feilong nodded. "I have only this one daughter. It is impossible for me to marry her off.
"This enormous Flying Dragon Martial Hall that I built through my efforts will need someone to inherit it in the future.
"My daughter's talent in martial arts will basically reach its limit at Tendon Refining. She cannot hold down this martial hall, so we need someone with greater talent to protect this foundation."
The first three realms of martial cultivation were Skin Refining, Flesh Refining, and Tendon Refining.
Liu Feilong's strength, however, surpassed Tendon Refining and stood at the higher Bone Forging Realm!
That was why Flying Dragon Martial Hall could rank among the Three Halls and become a first-rate power in Red Cloud County.
Both openly and implicitly, Liu Feilong was revealing that he intended to pass Flying Dragon Martial Hall on to his future son-in-law.
To others, this was an immense temptation.
Yet Lu Ming had his sights set on joining a sect, and he truly had no fortune to enjoy such an oversized pie.
He revealed an apologetic expression.
"Thank you for thinking so highly of me, Uncle Liu. However, though my Lu Family was poor and my parents have both passed away, I am still their only son. Please forgive me, but I cannot agree to marry into your family."
Liu Feilong frowned and pondered.
"If you have a second son in the future, it would not be impossible to let him take the Lu surname."
Lu Ming still shook his head. "My apologies."
Liu Feilong fell silent for a moment before saying,
"Go wait in the outer hall for now."
"Yes." Lu Ming rose and left.
As soon as he was gone, Liu Yiyi emerged from behind the hall, watching his departing back with a slight pout.
Liu Feilong asked, "Yiyi, what do you think of him?"
Liu Yiyi snorted. "He is passable, I suppose. He is more pleasing to the eye than I expected, but he is far too proud."
Liu Feilong said, "He does not wish to marry into our family. If you are willing to marry him, I will not stop you."
Liu Yiyi's almond-shaped eyes widened. "Impossible! Even if he reaches the top fifty in the Grand Examination with Father's support, it is not certain that he can become a sect disciple.
"Why should I marry him? He is so proud that he gave up the opportunity himself. If he misses it, it only means he lacks the fortune for it.
"Let this matter end here."
With that, she turned and left.
Liu Feilong sighed inwardly. Li Mingyuan, I have done all I could.
He immediately called out, "Someone, deliver these two bottles of Qi-Enhancing Pills to Young Friend Lu. Tell him to return and cultivate diligently, and strive to break through as soon as possible."
He took out two jade bottles and handed them over amid the servant's astonished gaze, watching as the servant departed.
From this day onward, I owe the Li Family nothing, he thought.
In the outer hall, Lu Ming received the two bottles of Qi-Enhancing Pills, and his eyes lit up. As expected, this trip had still brought gains.
He secretly shook one of the bottles. There were roughly fifteen Qi-Enhancing Pills inside.
Two bottles meant thirty pills, enough for him to use for a month. This had already exceeded his expectations.
He immediately offered his thanks, then left Flying Dragon Martial Hall in high spirits.
Next, he went to the major pharmacies in the city to purchase the medicinal ingredients needed for Sweet Dew Powder.
What made him click his tongue was that two hundred taels of silver only produced twenty portions of Sweet Dew Powder. One portion cost ten taels of silver—outrageously expensive.
One had to know that an ordinary family in Red Cloud County might not save up ten taels of silver even if the entire family worked for a year without eating or drinking.
No wonder people said that scholarship impoverished families while martial arts enriched them. Martial cultivation was practically a gold-devouring pit.
Two hundred taels of silver had vanished just like that, and Lu Ming's heart ached. He had not even had time to warm the silver in his hands before it was gone.
Fortunately, the medicinal supplements he had obtained today would be enough to last him for some time.
Seeing that the sun was about to sink in the west, he slung a large bundle over his back and hurried toward the Military Service Bureau in the east of the city.
He had just reached the eastern district and passed through an alley. The crimson clouds of sunset were blocked by the tall restaurants nearby, and the alley suddenly became dim and hazy.
Just as he was about to reach the alley's other end, the view ahead suddenly opened up and rays of sunset spread everywhere. The abrupt shift from darkness to light made Lu Ming squint.
At that moment, a flash of snow-bright light cleaved toward him, carrying an unstoppable momentum. It seemed to burst forth from the sunset itself, and by the time he noticed it, it was already before his eyes.
Before you continue