Who Said a Counterfeit Had to Be Inferior to the Genuine Article?
"Senior Liu."
Inside the Withering and Flourishing Sect, Lu Changzhi looked at Liu Duanyuan who had come to visit and said:
"Is the Emperor Dao about to begin?"
Liu Duanyuan nodded and said:
Everything is ready, it'll be ready soon.
As he spoke, Liu Duanyuan looked Lu Changzhi up and down, and said:
"Have your martial arts skills improved anytime recently?"
Lu Changzhi smiled upon hearing this:
"You have a good eye, senior. You have indeed made some progress."
Liu Duanyuan also smiled:
"I have no discernment whatsoever; it's just a guess."
"But it was expected, after all, your Blazing a New Trail certainly can't be viewed according to conventional wisdom."
After saying that, Liu Duanyuan reminded him:
"On the Emperor Dao, you need to use your skills at the right time. Only then will these people outside be more convinced of your identity."
"At the right time?" Lu Changzhi asked, looking at him.
Liu Duanyuan nodded:
"If you can reach the end of the Emperor Road, then use it after you reach the end, or after you have surpassed others."
"If these things cannot be done, then this martial art should not be used."
Upon hearing this, Lu Changzhi couldn't help but smile:
"I understand what you mean, senior."
The way he said that didn't sound like he believed in himself at all.
As if he had anticipated Lu Changzhi's reaction, Liu Duanyuan immediately followed up with a sentence almost as soon as Lu Changzhi finished speaking:
"This is the Liu Clan's request, but personally, I still have faith in you."
"You should be aware of the situation on the Emperor Road by now. I hope they can put on a good show then, so I can go back and brag about it."
In a few words, he didn't forget to try to build rapport.
"Oh, right."
Lu Changzhi took the initiative to change the subject, pointed to his face, and said:
"Is it necessary to disguise one's appearance?"
Liu Duanyuan shook his head:
"Your appearance has been a secret since childhood, unknown to the outside world, so you don't need to change it."
"Achievement is the best disguise."
Lu Changzhi secretly sighed in regret.
Ultimately, it was because he was worried that his performance on the Emperor Dao would embarrass the Liu Clan.
Otherwise, if you're using someone else's name and reputation, and getting blamed for everything, wouldn't you be able to throw the blame around however you want?
After a few more casual words...
Liu Duanyuan then left with Lu Changzhi.
After several traversals through the void, Lu Changzhi arrived at a grand hall.
"This is the current patriarch of the Liu Clan, and also your nominal father. You two should get to know each other now, so that you won't seem like strangers later."
As Liu Duanyuan spoke, he gestured to Liu Xun, who was sitting in the hall.
Lu Changzhi looked over.
"The Unified Dao Realm Third Layer."
With Liu Duanyuan, Unified Dao Realm Sixth Layer cultivator, standing beside him, Liu Xun's realm didn't surprise Lu Changzhi too much.
On the contrary, it seems rather low.
As for qualifications, physical condition, and other aspects, there were not many deviations from expectations.
After all, how could someone who can become the patriarch of such a powerful force be lacking in these aspects?
Those who might be less capable are unlikely to end up in this position.
"But is the emphasis of this Ten Perfections and Nine Beauties talent on the overall perfection, or on the missing element of perfection?"
A guess flashed through Lu Changzhi's mind.
However, before he could continue to ponder, Liu Duanyuan spoke up again, calling out:
"Nephew Xun, you're spacing out again."
Liu Xun snapped out of her reverie, gave Lu Changzhi a deep look, and then stood up, saying:
"As long as you meet the requirements, the Liu Clan will certainly not let you down. You can rest assured about this matter."
As she spoke, Liu Xun couldn't help but try to recall again and confirm once more.
After Liu Duanyuan finished speaking, for some reason, he had a vague feeling that something was wrong.
But it's not very clear. Upon closer examination, it seems there's something, big or small, that's amiss.
Right now, there are only the three of them.
Perhaps, the problem lies with this junior in front of us.
As for why it's inappropriate...
Nothing has happened yet, so it's too early to draw conclusions, but it's possible that this younger generation may not be able to shoulder the responsibilities assigned to them.
The subsequent situation, for Lu Changzhi, can be summarized in one sentence:
I'd rather take a nap.
Liu Xun wasn't particularly tall, but he certainly wasn't humble.
It's incredibly boring to have contact with, communicate with, or even get to know this kind of person.
Although Liu Xun wasn't his real father, Liu Xun had a very strong fatherly presence.
What to do, how to do it, what approach to take if it doesn't work...
It seemed that Liu Duanyuan couldn't stand it anymore, and not long after, he found an excuse to bring Lu Changzhi out as well.
"This kid's words are giving me a headache."
After coming out, Liu Duanyuan shook his head.
Lu Changzhi nodded in deep agreement.
"However, there's no need to worry about such trivial details." Liu Duanyuan waved his hand, his gaze shifting to:
"Actually, there's only one core issue."
Lu Changzhi looked at Liu Duanyuan and said:
"Pretentious?"
"E..." Liu Duanyuan was slightly taken aback:
"The language is a bit rough, but the grasp of the point is very precise."
"As long as you have a sufficiently outstanding performance and remarkable achievements, no matter what you do or how you do it, the world will think that those are what a strong person can and should do."
Lu Changzhi nodded:
"Don't worry, senior, I will definitely find a way to achieve outstanding performance and amazing results."
After a conversation, he figured it out.
Whether it's Liu Duanyuan or Liu Xun, although their styles differ, they share one thing in common.
Performance, achievements.
Such importance, such attention.
Since that's the case, he might as well take it seriously and think about it some more in the next couple of days.
At this moment, another idea flashed through Lu Changzhi's mind.
"Forget it, I've already thought about it."
"If that doesn't work, let's just establish the true Aptitude of a Great Emperor of the Liu Clan."
Who says counterfeit products have to be of lower quality than genuine ones?
A little more merit might overshadow the ruler, but if his merits were even greater, and he stopped pretending, wouldn't the image of the Liu Clan's Aptitude of a Great Emperor be shattered?
Upon realizing this, Lu Changzhi changed his initial idea.
Let's put it on properly.
After all, while his current strength wasn't particularly great, it wasn't too weak for the Liu Clan either.
The only pity is...
Although they came to the Liu Clan, they did not find the figure of the Liu Clan's Aptitude of a Great Emperor through the system.
Otherwise, we could make a comparison.
Afterwards, Liu Duanyuan found someone to arrange for Lu Changzhi's External Avatar to stay temporarily.
After leaving, Liu Duanyuan returned to the gathering place of the Liu Clan's powerful members.
As soon as I returned, a voice said:
"Duanyuan, you're putting on too low a fuss."
"Indeed, he is just a junior after all. Don't forget, you are at the Unified Dao Realm and have the identity of the Liu Clan. People don't like being so enthusiastic. Perhaps he will turn around and not take our Liu Clan seriously."