Zhong Taiyue ruffled Lu Ming's hair. He also noticed the boy's calm expression and a look of surprise and joy flashed in his eyes. This grandson, although young, seemed to have a good temperament.
"This child has a good temperament and potential, much better than you spoiled brats." Zhong Taiyue nodded in satisfaction, then turned to look at the group of young men and women, his words carrying a stern rebuke.
Lu Ming glanced at them and saw four young men and women, who were probably a little older than him. They were likely the younger generation of the Zhong Clan. He knew from Zhong Ying that his maternal grandfather had married three wives. Zhong Ying's mother was the first wife, but she died when he was young. Later, Zhong Taiyue married a second and a third wife. These young men and women must be from these two wives.
Zhong Taiyue clearly wanted to strengthen the Zhong Clan bloodline, so he believed that having many wives and children was the only way to establish a family of supernatural powers.
"Come here," Zhong Taiyue snapped at the four young men and women, who could only slowly and reluctantly approach.
He pointed to the two young men and said to Lu Ming, "This is Zhong Xia and Zhong Hui."
" Zhong Yue, Zhong Ling."
The two girls were quite pretty, but compared to Zhou Fuling, they were far inferior in terms of temperament, appearance, and figure. So Lu Ming only glanced at them before looking away.
"Speaking of which, they are all your cousins."
Lu Ming nodded and greeted them, "Cousin, Cousin."
"From now on A-Ming should come to Fengyang Prefecture more often. You all need to take good care of him, understand?" Zhong Taiyue glared at the four of them and ordered.
The four exchanged glances, all showing reluctance. The prefectural city was not like the remote Qingyuan Market. Bringing a younger cousin from such a place would surely invite ridicule from the other families of the same age in Fengyang Prefecture.
However, they were clearly suffering from Zhong Taiyue's suppression, so they dared not object and could only reluctantly nod in agreement, vaguely calling him "cousin".
"You also have an older cousin named Zhong Quan. He is the most outstanding young man in our Zhong Clan. He possesses High-Grade Divine Ability Bone and has already cultivated eighteen Divine Ability Dharma Mark in just two years. Among the younger generation in the entire Fengyang Prefecture City, he is considered quite strong. Alas, I have had many sons, but they are all mediocre. I'm afraid they will never Divine Ability Master in this life. Fortunately, this grandson is quite promising."
" Zhong Quan is still cultivating at the Divine Aperture Ground. I'll take you to see him later," Zhong Taiyue said.
It was clear that Zhong Taiyue was very satisfied with his eldest cousin, Zhong Quan. When he spoke of him, his usually domineering and stern voice softened, and his attitude was obviously different from that towards his four cousins.
Lu Ming nodded.
"By the way, A-Ming, you're about the age where you should be getting your bones opened, right?"
"What's the grade of your Divine Ability Bone? Have you started cultivating yet? Now that your mother brought you to the Golden Bell Mystic Gang Hall, if you need any cultivation resources in the future, just tell your grandfather, and he will support you," Zhong Taiyue asked.
The four cousins glanced sideways, probably thinking that this poor relative, who hadn't visited in years, was probably here to ask for resources.
Lu Ming didn't care about their gazes, and simply smiled as he spoke.
"Grandpa, I've been undergoing bone opening for half a year now, and it's High-Grade Divine Ability Bone. I've now cultivated ten Divine Ability Dharma Mark."
The boy's voice echoed in the main hall, and the previously noisy sounds in the hall gradually quieted down.
A series of astonished gazes rose and focused on the tall, upright young man.
The four cousins, who were essentially paying for his services, froze on the spot.
Even Zhong Taiyue was stunned. He slowly lowered his head, staring intently at the young man in front of him. After a long while, he finally spoke again.
"What did you say?"
Inside the main hall, Zhong Taiyue's astonished, aged voice echoed, jolting everyone out of their shock. Then, gazes filled with intense scrutiny were cast upon Lu Ming.
What did that kid just say?
He possessed High-Grade Divine Ability Bone? After half a year of bone opening, he cultivated ten Divine Ability Dharma Mark?
Do you want to hear what you're saying?!
Zhong Quan, the most outstanding prodigy of the younger generation of the Zhong Clan, whom Zhong Taiyue boasted about every day, also spent two years cultivating before he could condense eighteen Divine Ability Dharma Mark, averaging nine per year. Even so, this already made Zhong Taiyue extremely happy.
But now this poor relative from Qingyuan Market claims that he has condensed ten Divine Ability Dharma Mark in half a year of bone-opening?
This kid is so young, how come he's such a braggart?
The two beautiful older cousins chuckled softly. They had seen plenty of outsiders like this trying to inflate their own importance by trying to fit in at gatherings of the younger generation from various factions in Fengyang Prefecture.
However, in contrast to the doubts of the crowd, Zhong Taiyue simply suppressed the astonishment on his face. He looked at the calm face of the young man, and the doubts around him did not cause any emotional ripples. Such a temperament did not seem like that of a reckless and arrogant person.
" A-Ming, is what you said true?" Zhong Taiyue asked with a solemn expression.
Lu Ming really wanted to say that anyone who dared to question him should stand up and take his whip, but this was not the Thunderfire Hall after all. So, with a thought, he activated the ten Divine Ability Dharma Mark on his Divine Ability Bone. The next moment, a powerful surge of Primordial Qi rose from his body like a tide.
Lu Ming is now on the verge of successfully condensing his twelfth Divine Ability Dharma Mark, but he has always preferred to hold back and doesn't need to reveal his full strength. Moreover, the effects achieved by the ten Divine Ability Dharma Mark are already sufficient.
The questioning gazes were instantly dispelled.
Instead, it was a profound sense of awe.
Gasps of cold air echoed throughout the main hall, making Lu Ming feel as if the air itself had been chilled by their breath.
"How is this possible?!" Zhong Xia's cousin couldn't help but exclaim, looking as if he had seen a ghost.
The others were filled with disbelief. Although Lu Ming possessed High-Grade Divine Ability Bone, so did Zhong Quan. Moreover, the latter had achieved his current success only with the full support of the Golden Bell Mystic Gang Hall and countless cultivation resources poured into him.
But what about Lu Ming? He grew up in a place like Qingyuan Market, and their Thunderfire Hall is only Third-Tier Divine Ability Hall. How many good cultivation resources could he possibly have?
Then why is Lu Ming's cultivation speed even faster than Zhong Quan's?
"This..." Zhong Taiyue was also taken aback.
"Grandpa, the reason I can cultivate at this speed is simply because I participated in a ' Spirit Pill Jiao,' which was hosted by the owner of Qingyuan Market. I gained quite a few benefits from it. In addition, Qingyuan Market is close to the Black Rain Zone. Training there, fighting against Rain Spawn, and seizing Rain Pearl can also help with cultivation," Lu Ming explained with a smile.
" Spirit Pill Jiao? Qingyuan Market actually has a master of Dao of Alchemy? And they're even willing to hold a ' Spirit Pill Jiao '? This is extremely rare even in the prefectural city." Hearing Lu Ming's explanation, Zhong Xia and the others finally understood.
"Although the Spirit Pill Jiao can accelerate the condensation of Divine Ability Dharma Mark in a short period of time, it will also slow down subsequent cultivation due to the medicinal properties."
" The Black Rain Zone is teeming with Rain Spawn; it's terrifying. Even Divine Ability Master could die there. This kid is really risking his life."
The crowd whispered among themselves, but no matter how they tried to comfort themselves, their gazes toward Lu Ming had become serious, and the previous disdain due to his origin from the Thunderfire Hall had vanished.
In this world, one's background is important, but one's own achievements are equally important.
Lu Ming's cultivation speed of ten Divine Ability Dharma Mark in the past six months is absolutely rare, even in Fengyang Prefecture, a city teeming with geniuses.
All doubts must be silenced by this achievement.