"Lu Ren, from this day forward, you are commander of Heaven-Prison Manor's Northern Hall. I will give you ten years to prove yourself. Do not disappoint me!"
Qiu Zongling looked at Lu Ren as he spoke.
"Thank you, Manor Lord!"
Lu Ren cupped his fists, excitement rising in his heart.
The commander of a hall held a position far above that of a deputy commander.
A commander wielded true power over life and death. He could even be granted a fief beyond the manor and raise a personal guard of his own.
"That will be all, Lu Ren. You may leave."
Qiu Zongling waved a hand, signaling Lu Ren to go.
Lu Ren cupped his fists and withdrew from the hall.
"Yaoyao, tell me what really happened."
Qiu Zongling turned to Qiu Yaoyao.
Qiu Yaoyao recounted the entire affair from beginning to end.
When she finished, surprise crossed Qiu Zongling's stern face. "At the Mid-Third Realm of Dao Severance, he withstood three punches from Xue Fantian head-on?"
"Lu Ren is extraordinarily talented, Father. I'm afraid Heaven-Prison Manor won't be able to protect him!"
Qiu Yaoyao said.
"Whatever happens, we should show him goodwill and help where we can. If he truly offends some powerful figure one day, we'll have no choice but to abandon him."
Qiu Zongling said.
"Father, do ordinary cultivators really have no chance to rise? Must we spend our lives hiding like turtles in the Ten Thousand Mounds River Region?"
Unwillingness was written all over Qiu Yaoyao's face.
"I fought for this foothold in the Ten Thousand Mounds River Region with my life!"
Qiu Zongling said.
"But I can't accept it!"
Qiu Yaoyao said.
"What good does that do? You were not born to possess a Primordial Battle Body. Do you understand? Simply being alive is already