Meeting Liu Feilong

The Flying Dragon Martial Hall, as one of the "Three Halls" among Red Cloud County's "Two Gangs, Three Halls, Three Families," was located south of the city, covering a vast area.

However, the hall's facade appeared unremarkable, its decor relatively plain, with only the two characters "Flying Dragon" on the plaque, bold and flamboyant, standing out quite strikingly.

Inside the hall, Liu Feilong sat in the living room.

He had an ape-like back and a waspish waist, exuding a sense of might even while seated, his piercing eyes sharp as if ready to spring forth at any moment.

Today, to receive Lu Ming, he had specifically closed the hall for the day, waiting solely for Lu Ming's arrival.

After all, the Li Family had called in a significant favor, so this matter required careful handling.

"Father, my future husband must at least be a sect disciple."

A stunningly beautiful woman in a brocade long dress walked in from outside the living room—it was Liu Feilong's only daughter, Liu Yiyi.

As soon as she entered, Liu Yiyi spoke to Liu Feilong with some dissatisfaction.

"That Lu Ming, can he become a sect disciple? I want at least someone like Senior Zhou, a third-rate sect disciple.

"Lu Ming comes from a commoner background, he..."

At this point, seeing Liu Feilong frown, Liu Yiyi paused and quickly changed her tone:

"I'm not looking down on commoners, but the problem is that martial arts training requires a lot of resources..."

Liu Feilong interrupted her, saying:

"Resources, I have plenty.

"That Lu Ming, with his Skin Refining cultivation, was able to defeat Chu Wufeng, who had temporarily broken through to Skin Refining Grand Completion—his talent can't be bad.

"Haven't you heard that even Pavilion Master Qin of the Heavenly Secret Pavilion was stirred by this and exchanged techniques with Lu Ming?

"Right now, the situation in the city is complicated. Our Flying Dragon Martial Hall may not be able to stay neutral forever. You're my only daughter—if any faction in the city wants to win me over, they'll likely use you as the entry point.

"If it's just others, that's one thing, but if Zhou Zhen comes in person on someone else's behalf to propose... then your choices will be fewer and more rushed.

"Your marriage should be settled soon. If not Lu Ming, then someone else. Let's first see how he is."

Liu Yiyi pouted in displeasure, rolled her eyes slightly, and after hesitating for a moment, said:

"Fine."

Just then, a servant reported that Lu Ming was requesting an audience.

Liu Feilong immediately glanced at Liu Yiyi.

Liu Yiyi moved with light, graceful steps, her posture elegant, and slipped behind the main hall, her beautiful eyes flickering as she looked toward the hall's entrance, where a white-clad youth walked in.

"Lu Ming pays respects to Uncle Liu."

Lu Ming stepped into the hall and greeted Liu Feilong according to propriety.

"Mm, Nephew Lu is a young hero. I heard about your deeds that day and have long wanted to meet you. Seeing you today, you truly have an outstanding appearance."

Seeing that Lu Ming was handsome, with a calm and steady demeanor, proper and courteous, Liu Feilong took an immediate liking to him and said with a smile, "Sit, no need to be nervous."

"Yes." Lu Ming sat down as instructed.

"In my early years, I once received a favor from Old Master Li of the Li Family. I never expected the Li Family to move away entirely now. I intended to see them off, but they left quietly in the early morning..."

Liu Feilong sighed and chatted idly with Lu Ming for a while.

It wasn't until half an hour later that he got to the main topic, fixing his gaze on Lu Ming and asking:

"I heard you've stepped into Skin Refining Grand Completion?"

Lu Ming cupped his hands and said, "I had a fortunate breakthrough the day before yesterday."

A hint of satisfaction appeared in Liu Feilong's eyes as he nodded:

"A month and a half, from an ordinary person to Skin Refining Grand Completion—your talent is quite good.

"If you have the aid of cultivation elixirs, you might have a chance to rank in the top fifty of the Military Service Bureau's grand examination."

Hearing this, Lu Ming thought to himself that the Li Family hadn't told Liu Feilong about giving him the Sweet Dew Powder formula.

Liu Feilong continued:

"Our Flying Dragon Martial Hall can stand firm in the city because we also have cultivation elixirs, called Qi-Enhancing Pills. Take one each day, and a day of training equals four days for an ordinary person."

Lu Ming's heart stirred greatly upon hearing this.

The Qi-Enhancing Pill had such an effect.

A day of training matched four days for an ordinary person—this effect was twice that of Qi-Nurturing Powder!

Training with Qi-Nurturing Powder for a day only matched two days for others.

His cultivation talent wasn't outstanding, so his progress in cultivation wasn't actually fast.

If he only used Qi-Nurturing Powder, whether he could break through to Flesh Refining by the grand examination was still uncertain.

After all, only a month and a half remained until the grand examination.

Seeing his reaction, Liu Feilong smiled and said:

"Of course, the Qi-Enhancing Pill is quite expensive. Even in our Flying Dragon Martial Hall, not everyone can take it."

"However, if it were my own family, naturally they would take priority.

"I have an only daughter, also eighteen this year, and like you, she is a disciple of the Military Service Bureau.

"I intend to recruit a worthy son-in-law, and I think you fit the bill. What do you say?"

Lu Ming understood now—this was the "opportunity" Li Youning had mentioned.

Indeed, becoming Liu Feilong's son-in-law was, for an ordinary person, a chance to rise to the heavens in a single step.

But he possessed the Divine Ability Panel, with boundless prospects ahead, and had no desire to take a wife at this time.

The kind of life Li Youning led—exhausting herself for her family, tangled in countless obligations—was not what he wanted.

Still, since Liu Feilong had brought it up, he couldn't refuse outright.

Lu Ming hesitated, then asked, "May I ask, Uncle, when you say son-in-law, do you mean marrying into the family?"

Liu Feilong nodded. "I only have this one daughter. I cannot marry her out.

"The Flying Dragon Martial Hall I've built with my own efforts will need someone to inherit it in the future.

"My daughter's martial talent will at most reach Tendon Refining; she can't hold this martial hall together. So I need someone with higher talent to guard this foundation."

In martial cultivation, the first three realms were Skin Refining, Flesh Refining, and Tendon Refining.

And Liu Feilong's strength surpassed Tendon Refining, reaching the higher Bone Forging Realm!

That was why the Flying Dragon Martial Hall could rank among the "Three Halls" and become a first-rate power in Red Cloud County.

Liu Feilong's words, between the lines, hinted that he might pass the Flying Dragon Martial Hall to his son-in-law in the future.

To others, this was an immense temptation.

But Lu Ming had his sights set on the sect, and such a grand promise was not something he could accept.

He spoke with an apologetic expression:

"Thank you for your favor, Uncle. But although my Lu family is poor and my parents have passed, I am the only son. I cannot agree to marrying into your family."

Liu Feilong frowned, then said thoughtfully:

"If you have a second son in the future, he could take the surname Lu. That might be acceptable."

Lu Ming shook his head again. "I'm sorry."

Liu Feilong was silent for a moment, then said:

"Wait for me in the outer hall."

"Yes." Lu Ming rose and left.

As soon as he was gone, Liu Yiyi stepped out from behind, watching Lu Ming's retreating figure with a slight pout.

Liu Feilong asked, "Yiyi, what do you think of him?"

Liu Yiyi snorted. "So-so. He looks a bit better than I remembered, but he's far too proud."

Liu Feilong said, "He won't marry in. If you're willing to marry him instead, I won't stop you."

Liu Yiyi's almond eyes widened. "Impossible! Even with your support, if he breaks into the top 50 before the exam, there's no guarantee he'll become a sect disciple.

"Why should I marry him? He was too proud and gave up his own chance. He missed it—that just means he wasn't destined for it.

"Let's drop this matter."

With that, she turned and left.

Liu Feilong sighed inwardly. Li Mingyuan, I've done what I could.

He then called out, "Someone! Send these two bottles of Qi-Enhancing Pills to Young Friend Lu. Tell him to cultivate hard and break through as soon as possible."

He took out two jade bottles, handed them to a servant under the man's astonished gaze, and watched him leave.

In his heart, he thought, From now on, I owe the Li family nothing.

In the outer hall, Lu Ming received the two bottles of Qi-Enhancing Pills. His eyes lit up—this trip had indeed yielded something.

He quietly shook them. One bottle held about fifteen pills.

Two bottles meant thirty pills, enough for a month. This exceeded his expectations.

He gave his thanks and walked out of the Flying Dragon Martial Hall, in high spirits.

Next, he went to the major medicine shops in town to buy the ingredients for Sweet Dew Powder.

To his shock, two hundred silver taels only bought him twenty doses of Sweet Dew Powder. One dose cost ten silver taels—outrageously expensive.

For context, an ordinary family in Red Cloud County, working a full year without eating or drinking, might not save ten silver taels.

No wonder they said the poor study and the rich train in martial arts—this path was a bottomless money pit.

Two hundred silver taels vanished in an instant. Lu Ming winced—the silver had barely warmed his hands before it was gone.

Still, the cultivation medicines he'd obtained today would last him a while.

Seeing the sun about to set, he shouldered a large bundle and hurried back to the Military Service Bureau in the eastern part of the city.

He had just reached the east side and was passing through an alley. The sunset's red glow was blocked by a tall restaurant nearby, plunging the alley into dim, hazy shadow.

As he neared the other end of the alley, the space opened up ahead, and the rosy light spilled in. The shift from dark to bright made Lu Ming squint.

At that moment, a flash of gleaming light slashed straight toward him, carrying an unstoppable momentum, as if bursting out of the sunset glow itself. By the time he noticed it, it was already upon him.