The ancestral hall.
Lu Ming's tightly shut eyes snapped open, the divine light returning to them. The next moment, three figures, anxious from waiting, closed in around him with an imposing air, reflected in his pupils.
"A-Ming, are you all right?" Lu Qingyan examined Lu Ming nervously. Only after seeing that nothing was wrong with him did he secretly breathe a sigh of relief.
"Father, I'm fine."
Lu Ming smiled and shook his head. Meeting his grandfather Lu Jin's hopeful, curious gaze, he hid nothing about what he had found in the black ring's space. After all, this fortune belonged to the Lu Clan, and he shouldn't want to keep it all to himself.
So he told them everything about the mysterious fire lotus and the three wondrous fire seeds.
"Hiss... a mysterious fire lotus divine ability that can temper Divine Ability Bones and raise their grade?!"
"The Flame of Life? It can actually extend one's lifespan and cultivate all manner of herbs?"
"The Purifying Demonic Lotus Flame? The Void Devouring Flame? I've never heard of those spirit flames."
As expected, the three were instantly struck dumb with shock as Lu Ming told his story. Even the knowledgeable and experienced Lu Jin drew a sharp breath.
If word of anything inside the black ring got out, it would surely draw the covetous eyes of countless people.
"With such a fortune, no wonder our Lu Clan was targeted," Lu Jin exclaimed gravely after a long moment of shock.
Whether it was the fire lotus divine ability that could raise the grade of Divine Ability Bones or the three wondrous fire seeds, none of them were ordinary fortunes. They were truly divine treasures capable of defying heaven and changing one's fate.
The entity that had devoured and plotted against the Lu Clan might not have known exactly what was inside the black ring, but it could most likely sense that it was extraordinary.
"A-Ming, you must never let anything about the fortune inside the black ring slip, or it will bring a calamity upon the Lu Clan," Lu Qingyan warned solemnly.
Even at the height of the Lu Clan's power, they had been unable to protect this fortune, much less now.
Lu Ming nodded earnestly. He understood that possessing a treasure was a crime in itself. Their Thunderfire Hall was far too weak now; even the Great Golden Crow Hall could come to their doorstep and bully them at will. If these fortunes were exposed, Thunderfire Hall would be in danger of being wiped out the very next day.
What he needed to do most now was use this fortune to strengthen himself step by step, until the day he no longer had to fear the hidden hand plotting against the Lu Clan.
He had only obtained this fortune under the protection of his ancestors, so naturally he also had to bear the responsibilities and karmic consequences that came with it.
"A-Ming, since you possess such a fortune, and your own strength is still far too low, you mustn't reveal your Sub-Heaven-Grade Divine Ability Bone lightly from now on, either," Lu Jin cautioned. He had pondered for several breaths, and a trace of caution appeared on his face.
In Qingyuan Market, the mere appearance of a High-Grade Divine Ability Bone was enough to cause a sensation. A Sub-Heaven-Grade Divine Ability Bone, however, would probably draw the attention of top powers throughout Fengyang Prefecture and even the Great Luo Domain.
After all, despite the word "sub" in its name, it still fell within the category of Heaven-Grade Divine Ability Bones and was far beyond comparison with a High-Grade Divine Ability Bone.
Had Lu Ming not obtained the fortune in the black ring, that would have been one thing. But now that he possessed such a fortune, attracting the attention of too many top powers might not be a good thing.
If a Divine Ability Grandmaster were to discover the fortune in the black ring, there was no guarantee that person would not harbor greed and ill intent.
So until Lu Ming had attained a certain level of strength, he still needed to keep some things hidden.
Though this might seem overly cautious, the Lu Clan's past was a warning written in blood. Lu Jin had to snuff out even the slightest possibility of their family being destroyed and their loved ones killed.
"Father is right. We'll tell outsiders that you awakened a High-Grade Divine Ability Bone. That will still draw considerable attention, but it won't be nearly as shocking as a Sub-Heaven-Grade Divine Ability Bone," Lu Qingyan agreed.
Naturally, Lu Ming had no objection.
"Huh?"
At that moment, Lu Ming suddenly noticed that the black ring he had been holding had vanished. In its place was a black ring-shaped mark on one of his fingers.
Lu Ming hurriedly tried to sense it. He found that he could still perceive the space inside the black ring, but he could no longer take the ring off.
"I was hoping to let you all try again, Grandfather, to see if you could enter the black ring's space, break the dome of light, and take out those three mysterious fire seeds." Lu Ming scratched his head.
"This fortune has a master. How could others try it lightly? There's no need to rush. The fortune is already in your hands; as long as you improve your strength step by step, you'll eventually be able to uncover all its wonders. Our Lu Clan has waited so many years already. We can afford a little more time."
"Also..."
Lu Jin's expression turned exceedingly grave as he looked at the spot between Lu Ming's brows. "Although the foundation left behind by the Lu Clan's ancestors has temporarily isolated the Spirit-Sealing Curse for you, that doesn't mean the problem of the curse on you has been completely resolved."
Lu Ming's expression shifted. "Do you mean the Spirit-Sealing Curse will erupt again, Grandfather?"
Lu Jin sighed, his voice low and filled with resentment and fear. "How could the methods of an entity that even the Lu Clan at its height could not deal with be so easily undone for good?"
"Judging from some of the warnings left by our ancestors, the blood-and-bone fire ring formed from their foundation will be dissolved by the Spirit-Sealing Curse in as little as two years or as many as four. When that happens, I'm afraid it will rebound against you even more fiercely. After all, its purpose is to shackle the Lu Clan bloodline below the level of a High-Grade Divine Ability Bone. How could it tolerate the appearance of a Sub-Heaven-Grade Divine Ability Bone?"
Lu Qingyan and Lu Jinglei's expressions also changed, worry appearing in their eyes. The last of the foundation their ancestors had painstakingly accumulated had already been used up. If the Spirit-Sealing Curse erupted then, Lu Ming would likely face a vicious wave of suppression, and his Divine Ability Bone might not even retain its mid-grade rank.
Lu Ming fell silent for several breaths, then took a deep breath. By the candlelight in the ancestral hall, the boy's somewhat youthful face showed a steadfast refusal to yield. "Our ancestors poured out their blood and bones in a desperate situation to win me a good start. From here on, I'll have to face the dangers and difficulties myself."
"There's no more foundation to protect me, so I'll cultivate one of my own!"
"As long as I become a Divine Ability Grandmaster, I'll be able to shake this Spirit-Sealing Curse. If a Grandmaster can't do it, then I'll go beyond a Grandmaster!"
"I refuse to believe this Spirit-Sealing Curse can trample the Lu Clan into the mud and dust for all generations!"
The boy's voice, youthful yet unyielding, echoed through the ancestral hall, moving Lu Jin and the other two. They exchanged glances, their eyes brimming with pride and relief.
"Good! That's the Divine Ability Child of our Lu Clan!" Lu Jin laughed heartily. In his view, only with such unyielding tenacity could Lu Ming, propelled by his natural talent, walk farther and climb higher on the great path of divine abilities.
After a moment's thought, he continued, "If you truly have that kind of resolve, then once our Thunderfire Hall rises to fourth rank and gains the qualifications to enter the Great Luo Domain's Hundred Hall Mystic Assembly, you can seek out a divine ability called the Great Sage Fire Talisman in the Great Luo Domain's Divine Ability Tower. Only someone with a High-Grade Divine Ability Bone can master it. Though it can't break the Spirit-Sealing Curse, it can counteract it to some extent."
"The Great Luo Domain, the Hundred Hall Mystic Assembly, the Divine Ability Tower... the Great Sage Fire Talisman?"
Lu Ming was momentarily taken aback. Their Qingyuan Market was one of many markets under the jurisdiction of Fengyang Prefecture, which in turn was one of the prefectures belonging to the Great Luo Domain.
The Great Luo Domain itself was one of Great Shang's seven domains.
"You need a High-Grade Divine Ability Bone to cultivate it? That's an incredibly harsh requirement."
As if a thought had occurred to him, Lu Ming asked in surprise, "Grandfather, was another reason you poured Thunderfire Hall's resources into training Zhang Yue to obtain the Great Sage Fire Talisman divine ability?"
Lu Jin nodded and said calmly, "My father's generation went to great lengths to uncover the secret of the Great Sage Fire Talisman. I had originally hoped that if our Thunderfire Hall became a fourth-rank divine ability hall one day and obtained this divine ability, Zhang Yue would remember how Thunderfire Hall had spared no effort to train him and help counteract the Spirit-Sealing Curse on the Lu Clan, giving us a little breathing room."
Only then did Lu Ming understand. He had wondered why Lu Jin, who had dealt with countless people, had devoted so much effort to an outsider like Zhang Yue, and why even his father and second uncle had no objections. So this had been their ultimate goal.
As far as he knew, a divine ability hall needed two Divine Ability Masters holding the fort to reach fourth rank. His father and second uncle had been unable to become Divine Ability Masters for so long because of the limits imposed by the grade of their Divine Ability Bones. Thus, Lu Jin could only place his hopes on Zhang Yue. What was more, Zhang Yue possessed a High-Grade Divine Ability Bone, a prerequisite for cultivating the Great Sage Fire Talisman.
But no one had expected that, just as Thunderfire Hall had sold everything it could and poured out its resources to raise Zhang Yue to the Dharma Rune Realm and make him a Great Divine Ability Practitioner, with the hope that he would become a Divine Ability Master within a few years, Zhang Yue would suddenly leave Thunderfire Hall. He had even borrowed the Great Golden Crow Hall's might to force Thunderfire Hall to swallow their broken teeth, making them the laughingstock of Qingyuan Market.
"Hmph, that ungrateful wretch! He consumed so many of the Lu Clan's resources, yet not only did he give nothing back, he even brought outsiders here to oppress and humiliate Thunderfire Hall!" His second uncle Lu Jinglei's face was livid with fury.
"Truthfully, I don't blame Zhang Yue for wanting to leave Thunderfire Hall. With his High-Grade Divine Ability Bone, his talent really was being wasted here. I had originally intended that once he obtained the Great Sage Fire Talisman and helped the Lu Clan bloodline catch its breath under the suppression of the Spirit-Sealing Curse, I would recommend him to another high-rank divine ability hall if he wished to leave. But I never expected that he wouldn't even wait that little bit longer."
Lu Jin's aged face remained calm, and there was little anger in his eyes. At his age, he had been through too much for this setback to amount to much.
"Zhang Yue's Divine Ability Bone is probably no ordinary High-Grade Divine Ability Bone. Otherwise, that noble young lady from the Great Golden Crow Hall wouldn't think so highly of him. But it doesn't matter. He's just a passerby in the end. Now that A-Ming has a Sub-Heaven-Grade Divine Ability Bone, he'll reach the Dharma Rune Realm faster than Zhang Yue." Lu Jin reached out with his withered hand, missing one finger, and gently ruffled Lu Ming's hair.
Lu Ming nodded and said gravely, "Grandfather, don't worry. I'll help Thunderfire Hall become a fourth-rank divine ability hall and obtain the Great Sage Fire Talisman. Once I've mastered it, I'll try to help ease the Spirit-Sealing Curse's suppression on all of you."
There was also his little sister, Lu Mengmeng. He had used up all the foundation left by their ancestors this time. If Lu Mengmeng opened her bone in the future, she would inevitably be suppressed by the Spirit-Sealing Curse, so Lu Ming would also need the Great Sage Fire Talisman to help her break free of that predicament.
The three of them looked gratified at his words.
"Thunderfire Hall may have a hard time in Qingyuan Market for a while, but you needn't concern yourself with these troubles. Leave them to your father and second uncle. Your most urgent task now is to complete your remaining two rounds of bone refining as quickly as possible and enter the Dharma Rune Realm."
"As for cultivation resources, don't worry about those either. Although Zhang Yue drained a great deal from Thunderfire Hall, these old bones of mine can still move. Even if I have to go out and hunt demons, I won't let your cultivation go short," Lu Jin said.
Hearing this, Lu Ming suddenly smiled. "Didn't that noble young lady from the Great Golden Crow Hall leave a High-Grade Bone Refining Pill to exchange for him?"
Lu Jinglei frowned. "What do we want with that filthy thing? That woman only did it to humiliate Thunderfire Hall. One High-Grade Bone Refining Pill in exchange for a High-Grade Divine Ability Bone? Heh. The greater Zhang Yue's achievements in the future, the more people will laugh at Thunderfire Hall. What a venomous woman."
"Don't be angry, Second Uncle. I was thinking, since they want to humiliate us in such a vicious way, we can naturally turn it back on them."
A youthful defiance flickered in Lu Ming's eyes, though his expression was perfectly serious. "I'll use this High-Grade Bone Refining Pill. If I reach the Divine Ability Grandmaster level before Zhang Yue in the future, I'll go to the Great Golden Crow Hall and demand an explanation for what happened today."
"Then I'll have to tell that noble young lady that it was thanks to the High-Grade Bone Refining Pill he gave me today that I got through the Bone Refining Realm sooner. So she gave me a 'helping hand' in becoming a Grandmaster."
"I imagine... the looks on their faces at the Great Golden Crow Hall would be quite a sight then, wouldn't they?"
Lu Jin and the other two were stunned, brilliant light flashing in their eyes. Just imagining the scene gave them a satisfying sense of vindication, and they could not help bursting into laughter.
"Good, good, good! You're the one with ideas, lad! Your second uncle will be waiting for that day!"
Lu Jinglei laughed, his brow relaxing as some of the gloom in his heart dispersed. He took out the High-Grade Bone Refining Pill and tossed it to Lu Ming.
Lu Ming caught it and lowered his head to look at the perfectly round pill. The faces of Jiang Ling and Zhang Yue flashed through his mind, and a trace of coldness appeared in his eyes.
His grandfather and the others had risked their lives to earn Thunderfire Hall's resources, and now those two had eaten and used them for nothing...
I'm afraid you won't be able to pay it back someday.