There Was No Choice but to Fight

The increase in his foundations sent qi and blood surging faintly through Lu Jing'an's body.

A restless urge coursed through his bones and sinews.

He could hardly wait to try out the Six Harmonies Fist.

But Lu Jing'an knew full well that Chen Xuan and Cui Jieyi would never allow it so easily.

He could only rein in his impatience. There was no need to rush.

After his stance training and fist practice, Lu Jing'an had breakfast with Chen Xuan.

Chen Xuan didn't notice any changes in Lu Jing'an's body as they ate.

After all, foundations were invisible and intangible. It was only natural that he hadn't noticed.

The little maids who served them, however, thought their young master looked even more handsome today.

After breakfast, Lu Jing'an went straight to the study to find his father.

Inside, Lu Huaiqian was poring over an official document.

Morning light streamed through the carved lattice windows, casting mottled shadows across his dark gray robe.

Hearing footsteps, he looked up.

"Father, last night in a dream, I saw some of the memories the Tiger Demon left in my sea of consciousness."

"Quite a few of them concerned the Li Family."

Lu Huaiqian's writing hand paused slightly, and a small spot of ink bled across the paper.

He set down his brush, his expression grave. "Have you told Doctor Cui about this?"

Lu Jing'an shook his head. "Not yet. I..."

Before Lu Jing'an could finish speaking, Lu Huaiqian ordered a servant to fetch Cui Jieyi.

Before long, Cui Jieyi arrived in a hurry, carrying her rattan-patterned medicine case.

After a thorough examination, she confirmed that Lu Jing'an's body showed no abnormalities.

Only then did Lu Huaiqian have someone see Cui Jieyi out.

Afterward, he asked about Li Zhaolin's memories.

Lu Jing'an recounted the most important parts of what he had seen in the Memory Bead the night before.

After listening, Lu Huaiqian didn't care what grand gift the Li Family had sent.

Instead, he was even more wary of the person behind the Li Family, and held him in far greater regard.

"Father, who is that man surnamed Bai?" Lu Jing'an knew little about the province's upper echelons.

Lu Huaiqian considered it for a moment, then said, "Bai Chongyu is the commander of the Garrison Command. The Bai Family is a powerful clan in our Hang Province, with deep roots and far-reaching connections."

"I never would've guessed he was the one behind the Li Family."

Lu Jing'an asked, "Could it not be the Bai Family?"

Lu Huaiqian shook his head. "It's not impossible. It's just unexpected."

"I always suspected that someone from the Security Bureau was behind the Li Family."

"I didn't expect it to be someone from the Military Department."

Lu Jing'an continued, "How does the Bai Family compare to Secretary Hu?"

Lu Huaiqian shook his head slightly. "Secretary Hu and the Hu Family behind him are among the best in the civil administration. But in this day and age, guns rule. They're still a cut below the Bai Family."

Lu Jing'an fell silent for a moment, then said, "So we don't need to tell Secretary Hu about this."

Lu Huaiqian nodded. "That's right. It's enough that we know."

If Secretary Hu found out about this, he would certainly abandon the Lu Family at once.

Secretary Hu wouldn't be foolish enough to offend someone his own family couldn't afford to cross.

But if he didn't know, that was another matter.

"Father, could the Bai Family be fishing for a pretext?" Lu Jing'an suddenly asked.

Lu Huaiqian was silent for a moment. "It's possible."

"The Bai Family is powerful, and many factions can avoid them."

"That leaves them with no excuse to swallow those factions up."

"Now they're concealing themselves so thoroughly. Most likely, they're trying to provoke a clash themselves."

"Once there's friction, it'll be much easier for them to strike."

After finishing with that matter, Lu Huaiqian also told Lu Jing'an that Secretary Hu had previously said he would support the Lu Family in competing for the position of Public Security Bureau chief.

Lu Jing'an listened, his brows furrowed. After a moment, he said slowly,

"Given the situation, not competing means sitting back and waiting to die.

"Competing may be a perilous road, but at least it gives us a chance to catch our breath and fight for a sliver of life.

"Besides, only by climbing higher

"might we see things more clearly.

"We may even find another way out."

Lu Huaiqian nodded silently.

His gaze rested on his son's increasingly resolute profile.

His eyes held a complicated mix of emotions.

After a long pause, he spoke again, his voice carrying a trace of concern and tentative probing:

"Jing'an, have you ever considered going abroad to study for a few years?"

Lu Jing'an understood that Lu Huaiqian was planning to send him away.

But Lu Jing'an had no interest in studying abroad.

He had chosen the path of a Martial Cultivator. Going abroad wouldn't help him advance.

Besides, overseas, he'd have to watch his step and read other people's faces. Here, he could live as he pleased.

Lu Jing'an shook his head decisively. "Father, I don't want to go abroad. I only want to stay home."

Looking at Lu Jing'an's determined expression, Lu Huaiqian finally nodded. "All right, then. Stay home."

Lu Jing'an knew his father still had other things to think through and prepare for, so he took the initiative to say his farewells.

Lu Huaiqian murmured in agreement, and Lu Jing'an took his leave.

Only after Lu Jing'an had disappeared from the corridor did Lu Huaiqian look toward the spot where he had vanished.

After thinking for a while, Lu Huaiqian called his second brother and asked him to come over to discuss an important matter.

After leaving Lu Huaiqian, Lu Jing'an went to find Chen Xuan and Cui Jieyi.

"Teacher, Doctor Cui, I've decided to start training in the Six Harmonies Fist right away." Lu Jing'an stated plainly why he had sought them out.

Leaving Lu Huaiqian's study had made Lu Jing'an feel that urgent pressure once more.

Strength.

It still came down to strength.

Before breaking through the Blood Barrier, he might be nothing in the face of guns and cannons.

But what if he broke through the skin, flesh, and bone barriers?

What about the stages beyond that?

Lu Jing'an believed there had to be a stage where strength could crush everything.

Right now, he was desperate to improve his strength.

Not only for his own protection, but for his family as well.

Chen Xuan didn't know what had happened to Lu Jing'an.

But seeing how eager he was, Chen Xuan had Cui Jieyi examine him.

"I just examined Young Master Lu in the master's study. His body is in good condition, and his spirits are excellent."

"There's no harm in starting the Six Harmonies Fist now."

Since even Cui Jieyi said so, Chen Xuan no longer tried to stop him.

Lu Jing'an took out the two manuals for the Six Harmonies Fist.

After carefully studying them, Lu Jing'an drew on his new bodily talent Affix and quickly finished reading the Mountain Crushing Fist manual.

When he looked it over again, Lu Jing'an noticed some new insights.

After going through it all, he had firmly memorized the seven movements.

"Teacher, can we begin?"

Chen Xuan nodded. "Whenever you're ready."

Lu Jing'an took a deep breath.

Then he began performing the complete set of Mountain Crushing Fist.

With the support of the Fist Master and Vajra Tiger Aspect Affixes, Lu Jing'an had mastered the entire set after going through it just once.

A rich, solid true energy appeared within his body.

One round, and he'd mastered it!

Chen Xuan was a little surprised too.

In his eyes, Lu Jing'an certainly had an exceptional talent for fist techniques.

But mastering it after watching and performing it just once—

That speed was a little too astonishing.

The Six Harmonies Fist wasn't merely a fist technique.

It was also a powerful body-tempering method.

To advance so quickly, Lu Jing'an needed not only exceptional talent for fist techniques, but an outstanding physical constitution as well.