Second Young Master

Steward Liu's courtyard.

A young master in blue was shouting as he practiced his punches.

Liu Yuan stood nearby with Mo Chen, waiting respectfully.

The table inside was laden with dishes and wine. Several lanterns had been lit, while Feng Niang carried a wooden basin and towel over to the wooden rack by the door.

The moment he saw the young master in blue, Mo Chen's heart skipped a beat. "Second Young Master?"

The young man practicing in the courtyard was none other than Lu Jianshen, the famed Second Young Master of the Lu Residence.

It was said that after decades, Master Lu had only this one surviving son left. His other two sons had died in accidents, while his fourteen other descendants were all daughters, whom Master Lu did not value highly.

As a result, the Second Young Master's status in the Lu Residence was exceptional. In some respects, he received even better treatment than Master Lu himself.

Only after the young man finished a set of punches did Liu Yuan step forward respectfully. "Second Young Master, the man has been brought."

Lu Jianshen accepted the towel Feng Niang handed him and wiped away his sweat as he turned to Mo Chen with an amused smile. "So this is the servant boy suspected by the Martial Suppression Academy's special envoy?"

Liu Yuan nodded. "Exactly! Su Jinse, the Martial Suppression Academy's special envoy, has come to the residence to investigate him for two days in a row."

"Good! Very good!"

Lu Jianshen looked at Mo Chen and smiled meaningfully. "Who would have thought that the Lu Residence's servants' quarters were hiding such an expert?"

Hearing their conversation and seeing their scrutinizing gazes, Mo Chen felt a chill run through his body.

The Martial Suppression Academy?!

A special envoy?!

Mo Chen suddenly thought of that valiant woman dressed in black.

She actually came from the Martial Suppression Academy!

Within the Martial Suppression Office, the Martial Suppression Academy was the most powerful force.

The academy answered directly to the lord of the Martial Suppression Office and was responsible for overseeing officials and protecting the common people.

It was said that the Martial Suppression Academy accepted disciples regardless of their background, and every one of them possessed formidable martial arts.

They hunted demons and monsters above, corrupt officials below. The mere mention of them made people pale with fear.

Standing before Lu Jianshen under his scrutinizing gaze,

Mo Chen secretly became vigilant.

When Lu Jianshen had been practicing just now, he had sensed a trace of astral qi from him.

That was the manifestation of external astral qi, a mid-stage Astral Condensation Realm cultivator.

This Second Young Master had always kept a low profile, yet he was secretly an Astral Condensation Realm martial artist...

Mo Chen was only at the Sinew Tempering Realm now, far too far behind a mid-stage Astral Condensation Realm cultivator.

If Lu Jianshen meant him harm, then even if he spent every last coin he had, he still would not be able to defeat him. He had no chance of winning at all.

Lay low first and see what they want! Endure it if I can.

Mo Chen took a deep breath. A man had to bow his head under another's roof.

As he was thinking this, Lu Jianshen walked over, pinched his arm, and praised him.

"Thin build, but firm muscles. Broad arms, flesh tempering complete. Tough skin membrane too—have you even broken through to Skin Tempering?"

Suddenly!

Lu Jianshen viciously kicked at Mo Chen's knee.

The kick was incredibly fast.

There was no warning whatsoever.

If it landed, Mo Chen's knee would definitely shatter!

"Damn it!"

Mo Chen's expression changed. Instinctively, he pushed off with both feet, leaped backward, and swiftly dodged.

Was this Second Young Master sick in the head?

A sharp whistle tore through the air.

Lu Jianshen pressed forward immediately. With a twist of his body, his right leg snapped like a whip toward Mo Chen's waist.

This whip kick was even fiercer and faster than the straight kick from before!

As Lu Jianshen's whip kick came hurtling toward him, Mo Chen had yet to regain his footing.

At once, his muscles bulged as he erupted with all his strength. He forcibly twisted his waist, pressed both hands against Lu Jianshen's leg, and rolled away.

However—

Lu Jianshen had no martial ethics at all. He suddenly caught a three-foot sword Feng Niang threw him, accelerated again, and slashed across Mo Chen's left arm like lightning.

Splat!

His sleeve tore apart, his skin membrane split, his muscles were injured, and blood sprayed out.

Bitch! Mo Chen cursed inwardly.

Lu Jianshen tossed aside the sword in his hand, clapped his hands, and burst into hearty laughter.

"Not bad, not bad! That reaction speed and agility—Sinew Tempering Realm, great completion!"

Mo Chen landed two steps away and faced him coldly.

"This brat really did secretly learn martial arts!"

At that moment, Liu Yuan sneered, his gaze fixed viciously on Mo Chen.

After only those few exchanges, the three of them had immediately recognized the martial arts behind Mo Chen's movements.

Fierce Tiger Fist and White Snake Nine Transformations Palm.

They were the techniques practiced by the Lu Residence's guards, as well as the martial arts passed down by the Second Young Master.

"Tell me! When did you begin secretly learning martial arts?"

Lu Jianshen asked calmly.

Since he had already been exposed, Mo Chen stopped playing dumb. "In reply to Second Young Master, I began learning about three months ago."

"Three months?" Lu Jianshen and the other two were stunned at the same time.

Then their faces filled with shock.

Lu Jianshen's eyes lit up. "You mean you reached the Sinew Tempering Realm in three months?"

Mo Chen nodded calmly.

"Impossible!" Liu Yuan and Feng Niang exclaimed together, disbelief filling their eyes.

Mo Chen glanced at them and curled his lip. "What's impossible about it? Is Sinew Tempering really that difficult? You saw my strength just now."

Liu Yuan and Feng Niang were left speechless by his retort.

"Hahaha, good! Well said!"

Lu Jianshen threw back his head and laughed, lavish in his praise. "If you truly only started practicing martial arts three months ago, then you are absolutely a top-tier martial arts prodigy!"

Mo Chen glanced at his injured arm and said nothing.

Lu Jianshen waved a hand and ordered, "Feng Niang, fetch my wound medicine. Personally bandage Little Brother Mo Chen's wound."

"Yes!" Feng Niang shot Mo Chen a cold look and left in response.

"Come! Mo Chen, let's go inside and talk over a meal."

Lu Jianshen seemed to be in high spirits. He stepped forward, took Mo Chen by the arm, and led him toward the dining table.

Although Mo Chen remained wary, Lu Jianshen had no killing intent toward him at the moment, so he followed him into the room.

The three sat down at the table.

After exchanging a few pleasantries, Lu Jianshen finally got to the point.

"Mo Chen, with martial arts like yours, I assume you killed that thief the other day?"

Mo Chen shook his head. "It wasn't me."

No one had seen it happen, so he absolutely could not admit to something like that.

"Oh?" Lu Jianshen smiled, seemingly not expecting Mo Chen's mouth to be so tight.

"Mo Chen, you are a man of the Lu Residence, so naturally you will serve me in the future. If you killed him, I will not pursue the matter of those valuables. But you must hand over the two account books among them."

As he spoke, killing intent rose in Lu Jianshen's smiling eyes, and fierce astral qi spilled from his body.

"If you continue playing dumb with me, I don't mind personally destroying a martial arts genius..."

Mo Chen had intended to continue denying it, but upon hearing this, he forcibly swallowed the words that had reached his lips.

He took a deep breath and nodded heavily. "Those two account books aren't in the residence. You can come with me to retrieve them."

"Haha, a wise man submits to circumstance. You really are sensible."

The killing intent around Lu Jianshen instantly dissipated. Laughing, he patted Mo Chen on the shoulder and placed a piece of beef into the bowl before him.

"No hurry. We can retrieve them after we eat! Come, Mo Chen, let's have a drink."

Mo Chen nodded. Under Lu Jianshen's watchful stare, he forced himself to drink the clear liquor in his cup and eat the beef in his bowl.

"Liu Yuan, accompany Mo Chen on this trip," Lu Jianshen instructed.

"Yes!" Liu Yuan answered respectfully and took a large saber from beneath the cabinet.

Mo Chen's gaze sharpened. He immediately rose, cupped his hands, and backed away. "Second Young Master, please enjoy your meal!"

Lu Jianshen smiled as he lifted his wine cup, watching Mo Chen leave with leisurely interest.