Paths of Cultivation

Lu Jing'an finished speaking, but Lu Huaiqian's face remained expressionless.

Second Uncle wore a meaningful smile.

Only Lu Huaishan seemed not to understand.

Lu Huaishan had never been someone good at using his head.

With an elder brother and second brother who were both old foxes, there had never been any need for him to think.

"Jing'an, what do you mean by that?"

Lu Jing'an answered, "Find the person who tried to assassinate me, then deal with him."

"We don't need to retaliate against the Liu Family and the Li Family."

"How can that be?"

The moment Lu Huaishan heard this, he became anxious.

He slapped his fan-sized palm against his knee, his voice rising several notches.

"Wouldn't that mean bowing our heads to the Liu Family and the Li Family? Won't they push their luck and think the Lu Family is easy to bully?"

"Third Brother, what are you panicking for? Let Jing'an finish."

Lu Huaichuan set down his teacup, stopping Lu Huaishan with a gentle voice.

Lu Jing'an patiently explained:

"Third Uncle, the cause of this matter is the position of Bureau Chief at the Public Security Bureau.

"Our Lu Family's foundation is still shallow.

"Compared with century-old clans such as the Li Family and the Liu Family, our accumulated strength is far inferior.

"If we forcibly compete for that position now,

"it would be no different from striking a stone with an egg. We would have no chance of winning."

He paused slightly and observed his father's reaction.

Seeing that Lu Huaiqian remained expressionless, he continued:

"Therefore, our family's best strategy at present is to respond to all changes by remaining unchanged.

"We need to deliberately show weakness.

"Let them understand

"that we have no intention of competing for that position for now.

"That way, we can avoid becoming a target for all."

"But at the same time."

Lu Jing'an's tone shifted, and his gaze sharpened.

"We must make them understand that the Lu Family is not some soft persimmon they can knead as they please!

"So, we must find that assassin as quickly as possible and eliminate him with thunderous methods.

"This will display the Lu Family's resolve and capability in pursuing the culprit.

"It will serve as a warning.

"And it will avoid a full-scale war with the Liu and Li Families.

"We can keep the conflict within controllable limits."

After hearing this, admiration flashed in Lu Huaichuan's eyes. He clapped his hands and laughed.

"Big Brother, it seems the Lu Family truly has successors!"

Lu Huaishan also suddenly understood. Grinning broadly, he said:

"Hey! Jing'an, how did that brain of yours grow?

"It's much better than this blockhead of a Third Uncle!

"Now that you've put it that way, I understand everything!"

Lu Jing'an gave a modest little bow. "Third Uncle overpraises me. I was merely discussing the matter at hand."

At that moment, Lu Huaiqian's deep gaze passed over Lu Jing'an.

It settled upon Chen Xuan, who stood solemnly behind him like a shadow.

"Military Officer Chen, you examined the scene. Did you find any clues?"

Chen Xuan immediately stepped half a pace forward and reported his findings one by one.

He especially emphasized the crucial trait that the killer had used a blade with his left hand.

Lu Huaiqian listened quietly, then nodded and gave the order:

"Investigate along this line.

"Third Brother, send all your men out. Even if they have to dig three feet into the ground, they must—"

"Wait!"

Lu Jing'an suddenly interrupted, drawing everyone's attention back to him.

"Father." Meeting Lu Huaiqian's questioning gaze, Lu Jing'an said gravely:

"I believe the killer's deliberate use of his left hand may itself have been a misdirection."

Lu Huaiqian signaled for Lu Jing'an to continue.

Lu Jing'an organized the argument he had already devised in the carriage and turned to Chen Xuan.

"Uncle Xuan, that Lamp Cultivator died of poison, and his palm was cut off after death, correct?"

"That is indeed the case, Young Master," Chen Xuan answered with certainty.

"Then, given the killer's strength, if he had fought face-to-face, would he have been capable of silently dealing with that Lamp Cultivator?"

Chen Xuan pondered briefly. "Judging from the traces at the scene, the killer was far stronger than the Lamp Cultivator. He could have done so easily."

Lu Jing'an nodded and slowly said:

"That is where the problem lies.

"When dealing with me, the killer chose a rather clumsy street ambush.

"When silencing the Lamp Cultivator, he used poison, a method that was not his specialty.

"Afterward, he went out of his way to cut off the palm and stage the use of his left hand."

He paused, then raised the core deduction:

"Why did he go to such lengths to hide his true methods?

"Could it be because the characteristics of his usual right-handed techniques were too obvious?

"Once he used them, would they easily expose his identity and origins?"

The moment he said this, sharp light flashed in the eyes of Lu Huaiqian and Lu Huaichuan. Even Chen Xuan immediately lowered his head. "Bureau Chief, I was negligent!"

Lu Huaiqian waved a hand, his tone gentle.

"This is not your fault. You had to protect Jing'an's safety while examining the scene. Some omissions were inevitable."

After a moment, Lu Huaishan slammed the table and cursed in a muffled voice:

"Damn it!

"These bastards are more cunning than the next!

"They're full of rotten schemes!

"Good thing Jing'an was so meticulous, or we'd have wasted all our effort!"

Lu Huaiqian pondered for a moment, then decisively ordered, "Military Officer Chen, I'll trouble you with this.

"Retrieve the files on every registered wanted martial artist from the past two years.

"Focus on targets matching the traits Jing'an described.

"Those with clearly identifiable right-handed techniques."

"Yes, Bureau Chief! I'll handle it immediately!" Chen Xuan accepted the order and strode away.

After Chen Xuan left, an idea suddenly flashed through Lu Jing'an's mind.

He thought of another way that might make the person behind the scenes hand over the killer voluntarily.

"Father, perhaps we can pursue two paths at once and find a way to make the person who hired him hand him over voluntarily."

Hearing this, Lu Huaiqian and the other two focused their gazes on him again.

Lu Jing'an slightly organized his phrasing.

Then he laid out his potentially successful plan.

After hearing Lu Jing'an's plan,

Lu Huaichuan, who had merely admired Lu Jing'an before, was now outright astonished.

Even Lu Huaiqian's expression changed slightly as he looked at Lu Jing'an.

Lu Huaishan still scratched his head, showing that he did not understand.

Lu Huaichuan said in a low voice, "Big Brother, Jing'an's plan might actually be worth trying."

"And perhaps it may even probe out the true intentions of those above."

Lu Huaiqian pondered for a while.

"Second Brother, handle this matter through your channels."

Lu Huaichuan nodded. "All right. I'll take care of it."

A trace of sternness flashed through Lu Huaiqian's eyes.

"Also, investigate in secret which families in the city have been acting restlessly lately.

"Without someone on the inside, outsiders could not have entered so easily and located Jing'an so precisely."

Lu Huaishan immediately thumped his chest. "Big Brother, I'm good at this!

"Leave it to me. I guarantee I'll investigate them down to their underwear!"

"Mm. Be careful. Don't alert the snake in the grass."

Lu Huaiqian gave the reminder, then turned to Lu Jing'an, his tone leaving no room for argument.

"For this period, stay in the mansion. Do not go out."

Lu Jing'an knew the danger had yet to pass, so he readily complied.

"Rest assured, Father. Until the killer is captured, I will not take half a step beyond the mansion gates."

Once the matter had been settled, Lu Jing'an left the study first with his Second Uncle, Lu Huaichuan.

As they walked beneath the corridor, Lu Huaichuan patted Lu Jing'an on the shoulder.

His tone carried relief and a trace of complexity that was difficult to detect.

"Jing'an, after this calamity, it may not all be a bad thing for you.

"The Lu Family's future will ultimately fall upon your shoulders."

Lu Jing'an responded respectfully:

"Second Uncle, you overstate it.

"With Father, you, and Third Uncle supporting the Lu Family, it stands as steady as Mount Tai.

"As for me..."

He smiled with a touch of self-mockery.

"I would rather be an idle rich man, carefree and content, spending my days in pleasure houses listening to music."

Upon hearing this, Lu Huaichuan sighed softly and looked toward the depths of the courtyard.

"If these were peaceful times, why would your Second Uncle not wish that for you?

"But in these times, the merger of the three counties is likely only the beginning. Greater storms..."

He did not continue, clearly unwilling to place too much pressure on his young nephew.

Lu Jing'an wisely did not pursue the subject either.

He had more pressing matters before him.

He needed to find a cultivation method as soon as possible for self-defense.

At the same time, he needed to properly practice the most powerful weapon of this era: firearms.

What man could refuse the temptation of playing with guns?

In this world, he could legally own them and become proficient with them.

The next day, in the side hall of Lu Mansion.

Kui Shan arrived as promised.

Chen Xuan still stood beside Lu Jing'an like a guardian god.

Kui Shan had none of his previous politeness. He sat with legs spread wide, staring intensely at Lu Jing'an.

"Kid, stop beating around the bush.

"Tell me, where exactly did I reveal a flaw in my act yesterday?"

Lu Jing'an smiled faintly and unhurriedly poured him a cup of tea.

"Senior's acting had already reached perfection. It was only that... upon seeing a subordinate who followed you die so miserably,

"even if you were not heartbroken, you should at least have known his name, shouldn't you?

"I mentioned Li Dengxiu twice, yet Senior showed no reaction.

"In truth, that Lamp Cultivator's surname was Zhang."

Kui Shan's expression stiffened at once, his brows tightly furrowing.

He was clearly trying hard to recall the name of that Lamp Cultivator who had temporarily attached himself to him.

But in the end, he gave up and waved a hand in irritation.

"You deliberately tested me. You're quite a nasty one yourself."

Since he needed a favor today, Lu Jing'an conveniently gave him a way out. "Senior is too harsh on himself. There was merely a slight oversight in the details. If it could be remedied, it would certainly be seamless."

Kui Shan snorted, lifted the teacup, and drained it in one gulp. "Stop buttering me up. Say it plainly—after taking such a roundabout route, what exactly do you want?"

Lu Jing'an's expression turned serious. "This junior indeed has a matter to request.

"After surviving this calamity, I deeply feel my own weakness.

"I wish to find a cultivation method for self-defense. Might Senior offer guidance through this maze of confusion?"

"You wanted to buy a path of cultivation?" Kui Shan saw through him at a glance.

"You misunderstand, Senior. I'm asking for one," Lu Jing'an corrected.

Kui Shan let out a snort, his tone carrying the bluntness of a man of the martial world:

"Buying is buying.

"In this day and age, as long as you're willing to name a price, what can't you buy?

"You can even buy lives, let alone cultivation methods!"

Lu Jing'an was taken aback. He had been prejudiced from the start, overestimating how scarce cultivation methods were.

Come to think of it, no matter how strong an individual cultivator became,

what could they do against a disciplined army and powerful firearms?

"If you say it's buying, Senior, then buying it is. Do you have any suitable recommendations?" Lu Jing'an readily went along with it.

Kui Shan gave Lu Jing'an a few appraising looks, his usual teasing tone evident:

"You rich young masters can't endure hardship, yet you want quick results.

"I don't have any cheap methods here that would suit you."

Lu Jing'an was not angered by the undisguised contempt. He said calmly:

"What if I'm willing to endure hardship and pay the corresponding price?"

Hearing this, Kui Shan pointed at the silent Chen Xuan:

"If that's truly the case, why are you looking for me?

"There's a master right here already!

"This Military Officer Chen is a proper, bona fide Martial Cultivator!

"In the eyes of Martial Cultivators, people like us are all unorthodox side paths.

"Once a Martial Cultivator achieves something, ten thousand arts cannot invade him."

Lu Jing'an was secretly astonished.

It was not that he had never considered learning martial arts. There were quite a few martial artists around him.

Even among the common folk, many people knew a little boxing and kicking,

which had made him subconsciously regard [martial arts] as an ordinary path.

Instead, extraordinary abilities such as those of [Lamp Cultivators] had seemed more appealing.

After Kui Shan left,

Lu Jing'an solemnly said to Chen Xuan, "Uncle Xuan, I want to learn martial arts from you."

Chen Xuan looked at the determination in Lu Jing'an's eyes and pondered for a moment.

"Young Master, the path of martial cultivation is arduous and tedious. It cannot be accomplished in a single day.

"To achieve even minor success often requires several years of bitter effort.

"To attain true accomplishment requires unwavering perseverance all the more.

"If Young Master merely wishes to find a quick method of self-defense,

"I can ask someone to seek out methods from other paths for you."

But Lu Jing'an seized upon the key point and pressed, "Uncle Xuan, please speak plainly. Among all the paths of cultivation, is the Martial Cultivator path the strongest?"

Chen Xuan's expression remained calm as he said lightly:

"Under heaven, no method is absolutely stronger or weaker than another. What matters lies in the person using it and the timing.

"If one must compare them, Martial Cultivators may have the advantage of a solid foundation and a powerful physique.

"In life-and-death combat, their margin for error is somewhat broader than that of other methods."

Though that was what he said, Lu Jing'an could hear the pride in Chen Xuan's voice.

"Uncle Xuan, my mind is made up. I'll study the martial path under you!"

Lu Jing'an's tone was resolute.

"I'll have someone prepare an incense altar and offerings at once, then perform the apprenticeship ceremony—"

"Young Master, wait." Chen Xuan spoke to stop him.

"There is no rush regarding apprenticeship.

"Young Master may first follow me and try cultivating the basics for a few days. If your resolve remains unchanged then, it will not be too late to perform the ceremony."

Clearly, Chen Xuan did not think much of Lu Jing'an learning martial arts either.

Almost the instant Chen Xuan's words fell, a clear prompt surfaced in Lu Jing'an's mind:

[Special relationship (master and disciple) detected. Has it been established?]

[Note]: Once the master-disciple relationship is established, completing certain master-disciple tasks allows the collection of Affixes from the target.