"Good news, good news! Wonderful news!"
In the inner courtyard of Thunderfire Hall, the tightly shut gate was suddenly flung open with a bang. A girl's jubilant voice rang out across the courtyard, startling a boy out of his cultivation.
The boy was about fourteen or fifteen, standing tall with a back as straight as a spear. He wore the crimson uniform of Thunderfire Hall, embroidered with patterns of lightning and flames. Though his face still held some youthful innocence, his eyes were bright and steady, as though tempered by thunder and fire.
Lu Ming opened his eyes, thunder and fire seeming to flow with his breath. He looked at the figure who had rushed into the courtyard, her face alight with excitement. She was a little girl around ten or younger, with horn-shaped pigtails and a round, fair face.
"Lu Mengmeng, what's the good news?" Lu Ming ended his cultivation and rose, smiling as he asked.
Thunderfire Hall had been founded by Lu Ming's grandfather, Lu Jin. The old man had two sons: the elder, Lu Qingyan, and the younger, Lu Jinglei.
Lu Qingyan had a son and a daughter: Lu Ming and the little girl before him, Lu Mengmeng.
Lu Mengmeng said excitedly, "Brother, Senior Brother Zhang Yue is back! He placed in the top ten at this year's Divine Ability Hall competition in Fengyang Prefecture!"
"Oh?! He made the top ten?!"
Hearing this, Lu Ming could not help showing his surprise.
Divine Ability Halls were establishments that taught divine abilities. Their Thunderfire Hall, for instance, was one of only four Third-Tier Divine Ability Halls in Qingyuan Market.
And Zhang Yue, whom the two had been discussing, was the most gifted genius in Thunderfire Hall.
That was because he possessed a high-grade Divine Ability Bone.
On the Dao of Divine Abilities, once a cultivator reached the late stage of the Qi Refining Realm, an "anomalous bone" could be nurtured within their flesh and blood. People called it a Divine Ability Bone, and those who possessed one were known as Divine Ability practitioners.
A Divine Ability Bone could bear and be inscribed with divine abilities. It was the source of all divine abilities, capable of helping its owner ascend to the pinnacle of the Dao of Divine Abilities.
The Dao of Divine Abilities was like a vast divine sea, and a Divine Ability Bone was the only boat that could carry one across it.
Just as people were divided into geniuses and mediocrities, the Divine Ability Bones that governed the Dao of Divine Abilities were likewise divided by grade. Generally, there were three: high, middle, and low.
The vast majority of people in the world only gave birth to low-grade Divine Ability Bones. Possessing a Middle-Grade Divine Ability Bone was enough to make one a mainstay of many Divine Ability Halls or sects, while a High-Grade Divine Ability Bone could earn one the title of heaven's chosen.
It was said that above High-Grade Divine Ability Bones were Heaven-Grade Divine Ability Bones, but they were so rare that none had appeared in Qingyuan Market in over a century.
Thus, when Zhang Yue had first brought forth a high-grade Divine Ability Bone at the hall, he had caused quite a stir.
Afterward, Lu Ming's grandfather, Lu Jin, had personally taken Zhang Yue as his direct disciple. From then on, he had directed the cultivation resources of the entire Thunderfire Hall toward Zhang Yue, sparing no effort in nurturing him.
Even the cultivation resources of his own sons, Lu Qingyan and Lu Jinglei, had been reduced somewhat as a result. At times, the two had even left Qingyuan Market and entered the outskirts of the Black Rain Zone to earn cultivation resources for Zhang Yue.
The Black Rain Zone was a place where black rain fell from the sky, a strange and sinister source of calamity in the world. Bizarre creatures bred within it, known as Rain Spawn. The zone was fraught with danger; even a Divine Ability Master risked death by entering it.
And several hundred li from Qingyuan Market lay one such perilous place.
Though dangerous, the Black Rain Zone also held opportunities. It even contained high-grade cultivation resources beneficial to Divine Ability Grandmasters. Anyone lucky enough to obtain them could become rich overnight, so many dedicated teams in Qingyuan Market made their living there.
But compared with the stable, safe income of running a hall and collecting fees, entering the Black Rain Zone was undoubtedly licking blood from a blade's edge.
There was no helping it, though. Thunderfire Hall was only a Third-Tier Divine Ability Hall, and its foundations were not especially strong. To ensure that a heaven's chosen with a High-Grade Divine Ability Bone would not have his cultivation slowed by a shortage of resources, they naturally had to tighten their belts and count every coin.
In truth, however, Lu Ming was not especially close to Senior Brother Zhang Yue. Ever since Zhang Yue had revealed his high-grade Divine Ability Bone, he had put on a somewhat lofty air, not only before the younger members of the Lu family, but even before Lu Jinglei and Lu Qingyan. He was no longer as humble as he had been when he first entered Thunderfire Hall.
So Lu Ming sometimes wondered in private why Grandfather Lu Jin valued Zhang Yue so highly. The old man had founded Thunderfire Hall through his own efforts and encountered countless people and situations. Surely he should not have acted this way?
But Zhang Yue had indeed lived up to expectations. In just a few years, he had advanced from a Bone Refining Realm Divine Ability practitioner who had only just brought forth his Divine Ability Bone to the Dharma Rune Realm, becoming a Great Divine Ability practitioner of considerable renown in Qingyuan Market.
Looking across all of Thunderfire Hall, the only others to reach the Dharma Rune Realm and become Great Divine Ability practitioners were Lu Ming's father, Lu Qingyan, and his second uncle, Lu Jinglei, aside from the Divine Ability Master Lu Jin himself. But both men were much older than Zhang Yue, so their future potential could hardly compare with his.
This time, Zhang Yue had even represented Thunderfire Hall in Fengyang City's Divine Ability Hall competition.
Fengyang Prefecture governed twenty-eight markets, and Qingyuan Market was just one of them. Well over a hundred Divine Ability Halls had taken part in the competition, so Zhang Yue's top-ten finish was Thunderfire Hall's best result since its founding.
Their hall's reputation would receive a boost as well. It truly was wonderful news.
"Come on, let's go have a look."
Smiling, Lu Ming took Lu Mengmeng and hurried toward the hall's main courtyard.
As they passed through the hall, cheerful conversation filled the air. The good news had clearly spread, and the many disciples could barely contain their joy.
The two entered from the rear courtyard corridor and slipped into the main reception hall, where the hall's affairs were discussed.
The hall was spacious and bright, with dust dancing in patches of sunlight.
But to Lu Ming and Lu Mengmeng's surprise, there was none of the laughter they had expected. Instead, a stifling, silent atmosphere hung over the room.
The moment Lu Ming entered, he stopped Lu Mengmeng from voicing her confusion.
Something's wrong!
Lu Ming looked toward the seat of honor, where an old man with graying hair and beard sat. He wore the crimson robes of Thunderfire Hall, patterned with flames and lightning that seemed to move across them.
His face was aged and his body somewhat gaunt, but his eyes were piercing, as though fierce thunder and fire were constantly clashing within them.
This was Lu Ming's grandfather, Lu Jin, the master of Thunderfire Hall.
Two men stood to either side of Lu Jin. The man on the right was lean and handsome, with a comparatively gentle and composed expression. He was Lu Ming's father, Lu Qingyan.
The man on the left was burly and powerfully built, with a fierce face. The breath from his nose carried traces of thunder and fire, giving him a sharp, oppressive presence.
He was Lu Ming's second uncle, Lu Jinglei.
But Lu Ming noticed that the usually composed Lu Qingyan now had a dark, angry look in his eyes.
If even Lu Qingyan was like this, there was no need to mention his hot-tempered second uncle. Fiery red light was rising from Lu Jinglei's body, and its heat made the reception hall increasingly stifling.
Lu Ming's heart sank.
What on earth is going on?
Doubts rising in his heart, Lu Ming looked toward the center of the hall. A tall, upright young man stood there, with handsome features, slightly thin eyebrows like sword blades, and faintly deep-set eyes that gave his face greater definition and considerable charm.
That familiar figure was Zhang Yue, whom he and Lu Mengmeng had just been discussing.
But at the moment, Senior Brother Zhang Yue stood in the hall with a somewhat unnatural expression.
As Lu Ming's doubts deepened, his hot-tempered second uncle, Lu Jinglei, let out a furious voice that rang through the hall, rumbling like thunder and making the tabletops tremble.
"Zhang Yue, what did you say?!"
"You're leaving Thunderfire Hall?! Say that again if you dare! Believe it or not, I'll cripple you right now!"
Hearing Lu Jinglei's furious roar, Lu Ming's expression changed abruptly. He stared in shock and disbelief at Zhang Yue. This genius had consumed countless resources from Thunderfire Hall, forcing everyone to tighten their belts, and now he wanted to leave?!
How dare he?!
Zhang Yue was no ordinary disciple of the hall. He was a direct disciple who had submitted a formal apprenticeship letter to Grandfather Lu Jin!
"Heh, has everyone in Thunderfire Hall cultivated until their fiery tempers went to their heads? You all have such nasty tempers, threatening to cripple people at the drop of a hat?"
Just as the atmosphere in the hall grew suffocatingly tense, a young woman's indifferent voice suddenly drifted in from outside. The chill and disdain in it abruptly broke the tension.
Whoosh!
Every gaze instantly turned toward the entrance.
A woman was the first to walk in. She looked to be only about twenty, and wore a magnificent, noble-looking golden-yellow dress embroidered with a Golden Crow spreading its wings to take flight. She had a pretty face, and a trace of arrogance lingered between her distant-mountain brows.
A middle-aged man followed behind her, his face expressionless.
At the sight of this uninvited guest, everyone from Thunderfire Hall frowned.
"Who are you? What gives you the right to comment on Thunderfire Hall's affairs?! Get out!" Zhang Yue's earlier words had already filled Lu Jinglei with fury. Seeing a strange woman spouting such nonsense, his face immediately darkened as he shouted.
The woman in gold sat down on a chair near the door with a look of distaste. Then she raised her eyes, and a chilling voice emerged from her cherry-red lips. "Uncle Lian, slap his mouth."
Boom!
The instant the woman finished speaking, a startlingly fierce light burst from the middle-aged man's eyes. Vast golden Yuan Qi erupted from his body, and golden light flashed beneath his feet. He crossed more than ten zhang in an instant, appearing directly before Lu Jinglei.
At the same time, his right palm swept out. Dazzling golden light appeared, and his hand whipped toward Lu Jinglei's face with a piercing rush of wind.
"You dare!"
Lu Jinglei was enraged. He was, after all, a Dharma Rune Realm Great Divine Ability practitioner and a renowned figure in Qingyuan Market. How could he endure being slapped in public?
With a fierce roar, Lu Jinglei thrust out his right palm. Crimson Yuan Qi surged forth, forming a Flame Blade about a foot long in his hand.
Lower Divine Ability, Flame Blade!
The Flame Blade was dark gold, scorching and violent. Its fiery edge slashed straight at the middle-aged man.
But in the face of Lu Jinglei's counterattack, the man remained indifferent. He merely drew his five fingers inward, gathering restrained golden light at their tips, from which a faint, soul-shaking cry rang out.
The golden light swept past and tore through Lu Jinglei's Flame Blade the instant they met.
Lu Jinglei's expression changed drastically.
But the middle-aged man showed no mercy. His blade-like claw shattered the air as it viciously tore toward Lu Jinglei's face.
Judging by its power, if the blow landed, it would likely rip Lu Jinglei's face apart.
Boom!
At that instant, however, a piercing thunderclap exploded. A gaunt fist imprint came hurtling through the air, violent lightning roaring around it with overwhelming force.
Middle divine ability, Palm Thunder!
Sensing the ferocity of the punch, the middle-aged man finally frowned slightly. Forced to abandon his attack, he sent his golden claw light, like a golden bird, crashing into the lightning-wreathed fist imprint with a clear cry.
Boom! Boom!
A violent torrent of Yuan Qi surged through the hall, forcing the onlookers back. Lu Jinglei, who was closest, felt his blood and Qi churn from the impact. A stray wisp of golden light swept across his cheek, opening a bloody gash, and blood immediately ran down his jaw.
The middle-aged man turned toward the gaunt old man seated in the chair and slowly said, "As expected of the master of Thunderfire Hall. That Palm Thunder was quite formidable."
The one who had acted was none other than Old Master Lu Jin.
At this moment, Lu Jin's aged face was stern and cold. His eyes, alive with thunder and fire, fixed on the middle-aged man. "That was the Upper Divine Ability Golden Crow Mystic Light... You're from Great Golden Crow Hall."
At the mention of Great Golden Crow Hall, everyone present abruptly changed color.
Lu Ming drew a sharp breath inwardly. Great Golden Crow Hall, the fifth-grade Divine Ability Hall?!
It was one of the foremost Divine Ability Halls in the Great Luo Domain. Its master was said to be a Divine Ability Grandmaster whose might shook the entire domain, a figure who had entered the fourth realm of divine abilities!
Fengyang Prefecture, where Qingyuan Market was located, was merely one corner of the Great Luo Domain.
The middle-aged man chuckled and returned to the woman's side in a flash of golden light.
The woman in gold merely lowered her head to admire her slender fingers. "My surname is Jiang, and my given name is Ling," she said calmly. "My father, Jiang Feng, is the chief hall master of Great Golden Crow Hall."
Everyone's hearts shook. The woman before them was the daughter of a Divine Ability Grandmaster?!
With such a distinguished background, it was no wonder she carried herself so imperiously.
A silence settled over the hall.
Zhang Yue, who had remained standing there, saw the reactions of the Thunderfire Hall members. The corner of his mouth lifted almost imperceptibly.
At last, Lu Jin slowly asked, "Then, Miss Jiang, have you come to Thunderfire Hall for Zhang Yue?"
Only then did Jiang Ling lift her head slightly. The noble young woman gazed softly at the tall, handsome Zhang Yue in the middle of the hall and said with a smile, "Why else? What else could this shabby, impoverished hall of yours have to interest me?"
Lu Jin fell silent for several breaths, then looked at Zhang Yue. "Zhang Yue, do you wish to join Great Golden Crow Hall?"
Meeting the old man's gaze, Zhang Yue seemed somewhat embarrassed. "I'm deeply grateful for the hall master's regard and years of training. But A-Ling insisted on inviting me, and I could hardly refuse. I can only hope to repay the hall master once I've accomplished something in the future."
Lu Ming curled his lip and sneered inwardly. When Zhang Yue had been consuming their resources, he had called Lu Jin "Master" at every turn. Now it had become "hall master"...
Lu Jin nodded expressionlessly and asked no more. "Since that is your wish, Thunderfire Hall can hardly keep you. I'll return your apprenticeship letter. You may go wherever you wish."
"Father!"
Lu Jinglei, who stood to one side holding his bloodied face, could not help speaking through gritted teeth, his eyes blazing. Zhang Yue had consumed so many of Thunderfire Hall's resources over the years. Were they really going to let him leave so easily? That would be letting him off far too lightly!
And if word got out, how could Thunderfire Hall maintain its standing in Qingyuan Market?
"Second Brother, say no more. Father will decide everything." Lu Qingyan frowned slightly and stopped his hot-tempered, impulsive younger brother.
With Jiang Ling backing Zhang Yue, the situation was stronger than they were. Thunderfire Hall had no standing to bargain. The most urgent thing now was to send this god of plague away.
As for the lost resources, they could only consider them fed to a dog.
Hearing this, Jiang Ling smiled. "Hall Master Lu knows how to read the situation."
She paused, then abruptly changed tack. "But I didn't come here in person just to have Thunderfire Hall return Brother Zhang Yue's apprenticeship letter."
"What else do you want?" Lu Jin raised his eyes and asked.
Jiang Ling smiled. "I also want him to leave with his dignity intact."
"What do you mean?" Lu Qingyan asked in a low voice.
Jiang Ling said leisurely, "Brother Zhang Yue did submit an apprenticeship letter to Thunderfire Hall, after all. If he goes to Great Golden Crow Hall like this, idle tongues will inevitably say he doesn't respect his master or honor the path. Brother Zhang Yue has an extraordinary future ahead of him. How could he be burdened by such a bad name?"
"So I hope Hall Master Lu will let him leave with dignity. I'll spread word that Brother Zhang Yue did not leave Thunderfire Hall of his own accord. Rather, Thunderfire Hall was shortsighted and failed to recognize talent. Coveting the resources I offered, it used Brother Zhang Yue as a bargaining chip and traded him to Great Golden Crow Hall."
"Thunderfire Hall must not dispute this. That way, naturally, no one will have anything bad to say about Brother Zhang Yue."
"Hall Master Lu, would you be willing to do him the honor of granting him this dignity?"
How vicious!
Lu Ming pressed his lips tightly together, anger rising in his heart. Jiang Ling was truly overbearing and vicious. Not only did she intend to take Zhang Yue away, she also wanted to dump a bucket of filthy water over Thunderfire Hall's head. It was easy to imagine that the greater Zhang Yue's future accomplishments at Great Golden Crow Hall, the worse that filth would stink on Thunderfire Hall.
Zhang Yue would keep his dignity, while Thunderfire Hall's reputation would suffer.
"Miss Jiang, this is going too far!" Even the composed Lu Qingyan could not help showing his anger.
Jiang Ling's eyes gradually turned cold. She looked around and said, "Too far? It's not as though I have no other way. Suppose that one day Thunderfire Hall were destroyed and everyone in it killed. With no Thunderfire Hall left, Brother Zhang Yue could still join Great Golden Crow Hall without any burden."
Her clear voice flowed with a chilling indifference that made their skin crawl.
Standing beside Lu Ming, Lu Mengmeng trembled with fright at the chill in Jiang Ling's words.
Lu Ming hurriedly patted her trembling back to comfort her. A flash of icy anger passed through his lowered eyes.
Jiang Ling had truly taken using her power to bully others to the extreme. With a Divine Ability Grandmaster behind her, could she really act so recklessly?
"You!" Lu Jinglei roared, his face contorted.
Lu Jin remained silent as deadwood for several breaths, then slowly rose and stopped Lu Jinglei's roar. There was little disturbance or anger on his aged face. He merely nodded to Jiang Ling and said simply and calmly, "As you wish."
Only then did Jiang Ling smile in satisfaction. Whether in praise or mockery, she said with a laugh, "An elder in the family is like a treasure in the house."
Then she flicked an object onto the table beside Lu Jin. It was a perfectly round pill that gave off an unusual fragrance.
"This High-Grade Bone Refining Pill will serve as the resources given to Thunderfire Hall."
Lu Ming looked at the bone-tempering pill. It was a cultivation pill needed in the Bone Refining Realm, but it obviously fell far short of the cultivation resources Thunderfire Hall had invested in Zhang Yue.
But the noble young woman of Great Golden Crow Hall clearly did not care. In her eyes, a Third-Tier Divine Ability Hall had no right to speak of fairness before her.
"Let's go, Brother Zhang Yue."
Jiang Ling paid no attention to the thoughts of the Thunderfire Hall members. She turned to Zhang Yue, and her voice softened.
Zhang Yue gave a seemingly wistful sigh, but his feet did not pause. He turned and left side by side with Jiang Ling.
As they departed, the atmosphere in the hall grew as stifling as hardened amber, gradually suffocating those within.
But Jiang Ling clearly did not care.
She walked out of Thunderfire Hall with Zhang Yue, a radiant smile appearing on her pretty face. "Brother Zhang Yue, I did as you asked. I helped you make a clean break from Thunderfire Hall without damaging your reputation."
"Thank you. But I feel guilty for making a fairy-like person such as you play the villain, A-Ling," Zhang Yue said apologetically.
Jiang Ling smiled sweetly. "Brother Zhang Yue, your Divine Ability Bone was born with a Golden Crow Pattern. It's a rare mutated high-grade bone, perfectly suited to Great Golden Crow Hall's divine abilities. You'll surely have a chance of becoming a Grandmaster in the future. For a future Divine Ability Grandmaster, what does it matter if I play the villain?"
"Then I'll accept your good wishes."
Zhang Yue smiled and nodded, then sighed as though speaking to himself. "Now that I'm leaving, I'm afraid Hall Master Lu's dream of a fourth-grade hall will be hard to fulfill. I truly feel uneasy about that."
Jiang Ling's eyes flickered. Clever as she was, she naturally understood the deeper meaning in Zhang Yue's words. Her red lips parted, and she spoke softly. "Rest assured, Brother Zhang Yue. It's only a little Thunderfire Hall. If they stay here in Qingyuan Market and behave themselves, so much the better. But if they harbor any ill-advised ambitions and try to offend your eyes, Great Golden Crow Hall won't mind showing them the might of a Grandmaster."
"Besides... if they want to rise to a fourth-tier Divine Ability Hall, heh, it won't be that easy. As it happens, one of the other three Third-Tier Divine Ability Halls in Qingyuan Market is affiliated with our Great Golden Crow Hall." As she spoke, she gave Zhang Yue a playful wink, looking charming and lively, without a trace of the arrogance and condescension she had shown the Thunderfire Hall's people in the hall earlier.
Clearly, this noble young lady of the Great Golden Crow Hall was well practiced in the art of serving different dishes to different guests.
A satisfied smile gleamed in Zhang Yue's eyes. He cupped his hands to Jiang Ling, then looked back one last time at the Thunderfire Hall's signboard and smiled faintly.
A golden crow did not dwell in a quagmire.
For the little Thunderfire Hall to have provided him with cultivation resources for several years could be counted as their good fortune.
At first, Zhang Yue had not wanted to use the Great Golden Crow Hall to suppress the Thunderfire Hall and win his own freedom, but he truly could not be bothered to waste any more time in a Third-Tier Divine Ability Hall. After all, he knew full well that he had already emptied the Thunderfire Hall of everything it had accumulated over the years.
To him, the Thunderfire Hall no longer had any value.
So he could only make the Thunderfire Hall suffer a little more.
At worst, once he became a divine ability grandmaster in the future, he could bestow a few opportunities and favors upon them as compensation for the little grievance they had suffered.