When Lu Ming left the Heavenly Secret Pavilion, night had already fallen. Yet he was so excited that he felt not the slightest bit sleepy.
At that moment, he had ten Enlightenment Pills tucked away on him.
Enlightenment!
It was a state every martial artist dreamed of attaining. Once in that state, all the things they had failed to understand in their martial arts could suddenly click into place, and their training efficiency would soar.
For Lu Ming, mastering the Cloud-Piercing Finger to Minor Completion would originally have taken three months.
Now, with the Enlightenment Pills, he might break through within a month and fulfill the goal Wei Jinlin had set for him.
These pills would be a tremendous help to him!
The Heavenly Secret Pavilion could actually produce such heaven-defying pills. No wonder it was a major force with branch pavilions in cities across the land.
Of course, the Enlightenment Pills had a drawback: take too many, and they stopped working.
There were three grades of Enlightenment Pills: ordinary, fine, and supreme. The ones he had were ordinary.
No matter the grade, after someone took several dozen—or a hundred—pills, they would lose their effect. Only a higher-grade pill would work after that. Exactly how many it took for them to stop working varied from person to person.
Generally, though, they remained effective for up to fifty pills, so Lu Ming did not need to worry about that just yet.
These strategic-grade pills were not sold to the public, so they were impossible to buy elsewhere.
But as an undercover agent for the Heavenly Secret Pavilion's Outer Pavilion, Lu Ming could purchase them with silver. That was one of the perks of the job.
Of course, the ten Enlightenment Pills he had now were a gift from Qin Zhonghai. He had not needed to spend a single coin.
Getting the Enlightenment Pills alone had made the trip worthwhile, to say nothing of the Heavenly Secret Pavilion removing a major worry from his mind. Lu Ming was so exhilarated that as he walked along, he felt as if he had finally held his head high.
Now, he could not only enter and leave the Military Service Bureau freely, but also walk the streets of Red Cloud County at night without fearing an ambush from Shen Changfeng. He could do so openly and without shame!
On the fourth floor of the Heavenly Secret Pavilion.
A dignified old man in fine clothes stood by the window, radiating the authority of a man in power. As he gazed out from the fourth floor, he looked like he was surveying his own territory.
He was Lei Wanchun, the Pavilion Master of the Heavenly Secret Pavilion in Red Cloud County.
He watched Lu Ming's figure disappear into the shadows below, then frowned and turned to Qin Zhonghai.
"This boy's talent isn't top-tier. Wasn't suppressing Guo Zhengwei for his sake going a little too far?"
Qin Zhonghai fell silent for a moment before answering, "At first, I didn't expect Guo Zhengwei to show up, too. When I invited Lu Ming, I was only thinking about Shen Changfeng's ambush. That was my mistake.
"But later, when I met Lu Ming, he told me about it himself. By then, the arrow was already on the bowstring; there was no turning back.
"So I suppressed Guo Zhengwei.
"Still, I have a feeling there's a talent in Lu Ming that I can't quite see through. I believe what I did today was worth it."
Lei Wanchun pondered this. "Since you put it that way, so be it. If you're going to recruit Lu Ming, then suppressing Guo Zhengwei was the only option.
"But we'll have to wait and see if his talent really is what you say."
Qin Zhonghai smiled faintly. "Thank you for your support, Pavilion Master. I believe Lu Ming won't disappoint you."
Lei Wanchun made no reply. He turned his gaze to the night beyond the window.
"That monster seems to be growing stronger. Who knows when it will wreak havoc again? The Heavenly Secret Pavilion must prepare for it in advance..."
As Lu Ming returned from the south of the city to the east, he felt that the night was beautiful.
The crescent moon arced across the sky, its light hazy, while countless stars glittered, illuminating the world below.
The few clouds in Lu Ming's heart dispersed. Looking up at the crescent moon, he seemed to make out the shadow on its face, his bright eyes filling in the moonlight above.
Along the way, he stepped on the black gaps between the street stones, rode the gray wind, and glided lightly toward the Military Service Bureau.
He passed down a deserted street. At the corner stood a small grove of green bamboo.
Lu Ming had just reached it and was about to keep going when he suddenly spotted movement ahead.
A familiar woman stood in front of the bamboo grove. A second figure, exuding an extraordinary presence, vaulted through the air with nimble, effortless steps, swept over the woman, then landed in front of her and blocked her path.
"Qingzhu, you hardly ever come home. Why did you leave without a word?" The man was middle-aged and imposing. After stopping her, he asked in a low voice.
It was Feng Qingzhu!
When Lu Ming saw her face, his heart stirred.
From the man's tone and the imposing air about him, Lu Ming guessed that he was likely Feng Qingzhu's father.
In other words, he was Feng Buping, leader of the first-rate Green Bamboo Gang.
He hadn't expected to stumble upon a family matter. Lu Ming shook his head to himself. He couldn't leave just then; with Feng Buping's level of cultivation and keen senses, he might notice him.
That would make things awkward.
He held his breath, concealed himself, and tried his best not to make a sound.
Feng Qingzhu's face was expressionless. "You already took my Red Token. What else do you want from me? Didn't you ask me to come back just to take it?"
A trace of awkwardness crossed Feng Buping's face. After a moment's silence, he said,
"You know your younger sister isn't as talented as you. With some Demon Meat to help her, she'll have a chance to do well in next year's Grand Examination and join a sect..."
Feng Qingzhu gave a self-mocking smile. "Thanks for explaining it to me this time. But after my mother died, I had no family. And I certainly have no younger sister!"
Feng Buping snapped, "Don't be ridiculous! Are you saying you won't even acknowledge your own father?"
"You never seemed to acknowledge me before. I even created the Eighteen Green Bamboo Forms myself after watching the gang's disciples practice the Dragon-Snake Staff Technique. But now that I have a Red Token, you suddenly acknowledge me?"
Feng Buping abruptly raised his hand, as if to strike her.
Feng Qingzhu lifted her chin and looked at him without expression.
In the end, Feng Buping's palm never fell. Seeing how much Feng Qingzhu resembled her birth mother, he felt a pang of pity.
But then he remembered that giving birth to Feng Qingzhu had left her mother's health in ruins. She had died of illness a few years later, and Feng Buping's disgust toward Feng Qingzhu returned.
His spirits sinking, he said,
"I only wanted to warn you. The situation in the city is complicated now. Though Lu Ming has the Heavenly Secret Pavilion's Deputy Pavilion Master backing him, today's events have blown up.
"The Shen Family has the full support of the Lingyun Sect. In terms of power, a Heavenly Secret Pavilion branch in a mere county might not be able to match them.
"What's more, the Pavilion Master has always preferred caution. He may not agree with Pavilion Master Qin's actions.
"So you'd better not get too close to Lu Ming from now on, or you could get dragged into this."
With that, Feng Buping left without another word, striding away at a brisk pace.
Feng Qingzhu stood there for a while, listening to the wind rustle through the bamboo grove.
Then she turned and walked away slowly.
Watching her back, Lu Ming was somewhat stunned. So Feng Qingzhu wasn't favored in the Green Bamboo Gang.
And she had actually created the Eighteen Green Bamboo Forms herself!
Her comprehension was astonishing.
And from what he'd heard, she had never taken any of the Green Bamboo Gang's cultivation medicines. That was why she had agreed to exchange ten Qi-Enhancing Pills for his protection in the Iron Stake Area.
It seemed Feng Qingzhu was more talented than he had imagined.
Lu Ming thought to himself: she had never taken any cultivation medicine, and had even created her own martial art by drawing on another technique, yet she had reached the Meat Refining Realm on her own at eighteen.
That meant it might be much easier to exchange for the Eighteen Green Bamboo Forms with Feng Qingzhu.
After all, the forms weren't the Green Bamboo Gang's signature technique. And Feng Buping had taken Feng Qingzhu's Red Token, so she was still short on cultivation medicine.
Lu Ming squeezed the Red Token in his pocket and thought, If Feng Qingzhu asks me to trade for her Red Token, I obviously can't agree.
But if she only asks for half a Red Token—that is, one-twentieth of the Demon Meat—I might be able to accept.
After all, he was confident he could get another Red Token later.
For him, the most important thing now was to learn a new finger technique, increase his Acupoint experience, and evolve a third Acupoint Divine Ability as soon as possible.
Feng Qingzhu had already disappeared from view. Lu Ming changed direction and headed back to the Military Service Bureau.
This time, nothing went wrong. He returned to the Military Service Bureau safely.
The next day.
After lunch, in the clearing in front of the woods.
When Lu Ming arrived, Feng Qingzhu was already there. She leaned against a boulder, rested her head against the green bamboo, and watched the clouds above.
Lu Ming secretly breathed a sigh of relief. Thankfully, Feng Qingzhu hadn't listened to her father and cut ties with him.
He walked over and got straight to the point. "Senior Sister Feng, I'd like to learn the Eighteen Green Bamboo Forms. Would you be willing to teach me? You can name a condition in exchange."
Feng Qingzhu glanced at him. "You've learned so many martial arts already, yet you're still not satisfied? Now you want to learn the Eighteen Green Bamboo Forms, too?"
Lu Ming smiled. "The more martial arts I learn, the better. If you're willing to teach me, Senior Sister, you can name your condition now."
Feng Qingzhu fell silent for a moment, then looked up at the clouds and asked softly,
"Could you tell me stories for one extra hour today?"
Lu Ming had just reached into his pocket and gripped the Red Token, ready to take it out at any moment. At her words, his hand froze.
He hadn't expected her to make such a request.
There was almost a plea in Feng Qingzhu's voice.
Her face still carried that hint of aloofness, but to Lu Ming, her heart seemed like a cloud in the sky, ready to scatter at a gust of wind.
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