The Black Tortoise Sect, Cultivation

"I heard... that boy awakened his Martial Soul too?"

Black Tortoise City.

Deep within a lavish courtyard estate.

Xu Jiangliu gently rubbed the enormous diamond ring on his finger, a thoughtful look showing in his eyes.

"Yes. I didn't pay attention to what his Martial Soul was, but his Innate Soul Power was rank two... hehe, you surely understand, Master. Most likely, it's just a trash Martial Soul like Blue Silver Grass. He won't stir up much of a storm. You needn't concern yourself with him." The steward cupped his hands in a report, his gaze flattering and his expression eager to please.

"Mm, that girl has grown ever more lovely, poised and gracious, with sufficient talent too. My wife took a liking to her at first sight back then and wanted her to be Sanshi's bedchamber maid. But she was quite proud. She refused outright and left without looking back. My wife was so angry that she railed to me about how the girl didn't know the immensity of heaven and earth."

A trace of amusement appeared in Xu Jiangliu's eyes.

With a sweep of his dignified, ample robes, he slowly rose and walked to the window, gazing out at the artificial hills and lake within the courtyard.

He had only ever had one target: Jiang Nannan.

As for Lu Cheng, he had merely asked in passing. After all, in his eyes, Jiang Nannan was already his son's exclusive possession. How could another man be allowed to lay a finger on her?

"Rest assured, Master." Steward Chen understood instantly and bowed. "If that boy knows what's good for him, we can give him a chance to enter the Xu family estate and serve the young master in the future. If he doesn't... we'll send him off with a few Gold Soul Coins to look after Mother Jiang. That will also allow the second young mistress to study better at Shrek Academy."

"Hehe, some matters need to be put on the agenda..." Xu Jiangliu narrowed his eyes slightly.

His broad, powerful frame draped in a luxurious sable robe, he looked down indifferently at Chen Ling. "But remember, it must be watertight. Don't let Sanshi notice. That child has always valued his relationships. If this comes to light, it will only breed resistance in him."

"Yes..."

"Incidentally, that Madam Jiang came today to inquire about Mystic Water Pills. She was probably preparing one for the second young mistress," the steward suddenly said, his head lowered.

"Mystic Water Pills? Hehe, the Xu family has more than enough. Sell her one cheaply, then. But not too cheaply. Don't let her spot anything amiss." A smile appeared at the corner of Xu Jiangliu's mouth.

"Your wisdom is unmatched, Master."

It was just past noon.

Lu Cheng was roused in a daze by a fair-skinned hand.

Jiang Nannan sat beside the bed, pinching Lu Cheng's cheeks with her delicate hands and kneading them into all sorts of shapes. Mischief sparkled in her pink eyes as she curled her lips. "What were you doing up so late last night?"

"Cultivating!"

Lu Cheng yawned and rolled upright.

"Cultivating?"

Surprise filled Jiang Nannan's beautiful eyes, but she recalled that this silly little brother of hers had awakened his Martial Soul yesterday, with Innate Soul Power barely at rank two. She hadn't even had time to ask what his Martial Soul was. Her gaze instantly dimmed a little, and she hesitated to speak, afraid of hurting Lu Cheng's pride.

"Time to eat..."

Mother Jiang pushed open the door, interrupting the siblings' chatter, and gave Jiang Nannan a meaningful look.

Only then did Jiang Nannan slowly rise, straighten Lu Cheng's collar for him, and give his head another vigorous rub.

"Don't worry. Your big sister will definitely find a way..."

Lu Cheng: ?

He was a little bewildered, but Jiang Nannan soon pushed him out of the room. "Go wash up. It's time for lunch."

The girl planted both hands on her hips, deliberately stressing the word "lunch."

"Oh..."

Lu Cheng nodded, and after washing up with practiced ease,

he sat down at the dining table again.

"Sis, when is Shrek Academy's next enrollment?" Lu Cheng asked thoughtfully.

Last night, he had also tried cultivating with the cultivation method Jiang Nannan had given him. He was at least dozens of times faster than he had once been at rank two, as though he had received a trial card for being a top student. No wonder some geniuses were obsessed with cultivation. It brought real, tangible improvements to one's cultivation, and every drop of sweat spent cultivating manifested as a change in strength. It truly was addictive.

His Soul Power had broken through by one rank that very night, reaching rank three.

By his estimate, reaching rank fifteen from there would take less than two years at most.

With Blood Pupils, his original plan had actually been the Body Sect. Even in the simulator, he had a good impression of those fiercely protective fellows. The difficulty was... he couldn't find them.

At least, he could forget about it in the short term.

The Body Sect was a sect that had sealed its mountain and withdrawn from the world in the first place. Its remote location made it extremely hard to find, unless he exposed his identity and let them come looking for him. But before the Body Sect arrived, the Black Tortoise Sect would probably have already killed him or forcibly enslaved him.

In the eyes of these great nobles and sects entrenched within the empire, any commoner force naturally had to be drawn in and enslaved. And if it couldn't be used... then it could die.

A genius who had yet to grow did not deserve to be called a powerhouse.

There was no helping it. This era was simply that dark.

The powerful aristocratic clans would only seize the mountaintop first, then keep kicking down anyone behind them who tried to climb.

Unless a force like Spirit Hall or the Sun Moon Federation existed, otherwise...

Commoners had only two ways forward. One: fail to awaken a Martial Soul and obediently toil in hard labor for a lifetime. Two: awaken a Martial Soul through the noble lords' great benevolence, then sign away their freedom and work as the nobles' hired muscle.

So, he would first join Shrek Academy, then seek an opportunity to display his combat strength, revealing his Blood Pupils Martial Soul at the Continental Soul Master Tournament to attract the Body Sect's attention... that was his plan.

He would use Shrek Academy as a stepping stone.

"Shrek Academy?"

Mother Jiang and Jiang Nannan were both taken aback.

The latter looked a little awkward. She didn't want to discourage Lu Cheng, but she was also afraid that anything she said would sound like bragging... after all, she had already joined Shrek Academy, and her talent had been streets ahead of yesterday's Lu Cheng.

"It should be... in six months," Jiang Nannan said hesitantly. She had only been able to make time to visit because she was on summer vacation.

"Got it, Sis."

Lu Cheng nodded and continued shoveling food into his mouth, his expression unchanged.

I'll focus on cultivating first and raise my Soul Power to rank fifteen as quickly as possible. As for why he was hiding it... one could only say that possessing a jade treasure was itself a crime. Even Mother Jiang and Jiang Nannan might not believe that the Black Tortoise Sect had set a trap for them. Plans succeeded through secrecy. Once he cultivated to rank fifteen, he would tell Jiang Nannan the truth.

After a busy day chopping firewood and carrying water,

Lu Cheng wiped away his sweat.

He washed himself clean, retreated into his little room again, and sat cross-legged to begin cultivating.

Jiang Nannan had left that afternoon. She had already stayed here for a month, and with her vacation over, she had returned to Shrek Academy.

He had also taken the opportunity to ask her some questions about cultivation.

"Phew..."

Lu Cheng gently exhaled a breath of turbid air. He felt the circulation through the meridians within his body grow warmer and warmer, and the almost outrageous cultivation speed of last night appeared once again.

The Golden Core Skill, one of the introductory cultivation methods, was a method he had practiced since childhood in his memories. Naturally, he knew it by heart, and cultivating it felt as though he had divine assistance.

Following the book's instructions, Lu Cheng began circulating through the meridians within his body as described.

This cultivation method achieved similar wonders by a different path to the Tang Sect's Mysterious Heaven Skill.