“It’s an incomplete skill called Black Fury Skill,” Lu Sheng did not bother to hide it. It was, after all, a technique bought openly at an auction—mysterious to common folk, perhaps, but hardly a secret among those who understood such things.
At the mention of the name, Li Shunxi’s brows tightened.
“Isn’t Black Fury Skill a body-tempering technique? I’ve heard it contains fire poison, yes—but that poison should only be strong enough to raise boils on the skin. How much inner force would it even take to wield power like Brother Lu… enough to kill a Soul of the Dead?”
Lu Sheng paused. The question triggered a realization—the contrast between himself and other practitioners was greater than he assumed.
Hesitating, he asked quietly, “Brother Li, how many full-strength strikes can you unleash?”
Li Shunxi blinked, confused by the odd question.
“At full strength? One strike, of course. Isn’t that obvious?” He shot Lu Sheng a strange look. “Gathering every thread of inner force into a single blow naturally empties the reserves. After that, you meditate and wait for your Qi to recover. That’s basic common sense.”
Lu Sheng froze.
Softly, he continued, “Then… how long does it take you to recover your Qi?”
“An hour or so of meditation. Why? Isn’t it the same for everyone?” Li Shunxi answered without much thought.
And in that moment, everything fell into place for Lu Sheng.
Ever since mastering multiple inner force techniques simultaneously, his Qi had never truly stopped flowing—surging in continuous cycles, endlessly replenishing itself. Even if he exerted himself to the limit, he could still deliver more than ten consecutive full-force strikes before even needing to think about recovery. And with the aid of Yin Yang Attraction, his inner Qi returned even faster.
Because of this, the depth and weight of his Qi had long surpassed others of the same level.
And when the Black Fury Skill evolved into Blood Fury Skill, the density of his inner Qi increased yet again—more than doubling in strength.
As a result, every strike Lu Sheng made carried a sweeping, crushing force far beyond what any ordinary cultivator could muster.
“I’d like to ask something,” Lu Sheng said at last, his thoughts settling after the earlier revelation. “If someone were strong enough to withstand an Anomaly’s attack, would it be possible to completely destroy it?”
Li Shunxi looked at him in disbelief, his expression a strange mix of confusion and shock.
When he finally spoke, Lu Sheng could feel impatience creeping up.
“Anomalies cannot die. No matter how many times you kill them, they reappear easily. Maybe the Noble Families have ways of handling them, but not people like us. And as time passes, Anomalies grow stronger. We should count ourselves fortunate the one we met was newly formed. If we’d faced an Anomaly that had existed for decades—or centuries—we wouldn’t be sitting here talking now.”
A shadow passed over Li Shunxi’s face as a memory surfaced, turning his expression dark once more.
Lu Sheng sensed he was thinking of the Anomaly his master had once encountered, and he kept silent out of respect.
For a moment, both men remained still.
Then Lu Sheng spoke again. “Brother Li, would you mind explaining the supernatural beings you’ve encountered before? It would help me understand the dangers better.”
He had just saved Li Shunxi’s life, so the request was hardly excessive.
Li Shunxi chuckled. “Earlier, I misunderstood Brother Lu. Of course—this is no problem.”
He began recounting more than ten different varieties of ghosts he had personally faced. None, he said, had ever been the same twice. Their appearances varied wildly; their abilities even more so.
The demonic ghosts Lu Sheng had encountered, for example, were completely foreign to him.
By the end of their exchange, both were satisfied. Lu Sheng had gained a wealth of information about other ghosts, while Li Shunxi filled the gaps in his own understanding with Lu Sheng’s experiences. More importantly, he was glad to repay even a fraction of the debt he owed.
The two sat together until the sky dimmed into dusk, before returning to Mountain-Edge City side by side.
Li Shunxi bid Lu Sheng farewell and departed from the apartment. After watching him go, Lu Sheng summoned the men under his command and ordered them to begin constructing a new path to the iron mine—one that would completely bypass Song Manor.
Over the next few days, the workers toiled relentlessly. From bare earth, a fresh route gradually took form. Lu Sheng personally assured them that as long as they avoided Song Manor, their safety would not be compromised.
With the new road complete, the iron mine roared back to life. Waves of miners were recruited and sent into the tunnels, pickaxes echoing through the darkness. Lu Sheng stationed his own men there as well, assigning them to guard the area and oversee the operation.
Order returned in full.
After two uneventful days of steady work, Lu Sheng made his way once more to the Crimson Whale Sect headquarters, a detailed report in hand. He submitted the conclusive account of the situation, then waited—still hoping to receive full legitimacy in his position so he could finally enter the Martial Proclamation Library.
…………
At the Crimson Whale Sect headquarters, the colossal ship remained as imposing as ever, though the halls felt emptier. Most of the upper echelon had been dispatched on various missions. Only the Sect Master, the two Deputy Sect Masters—Gongsun Zhanglan and Chen Ying—and two Internal Affairs Emissaries were present.
The old Sect Master looked pale, his frailty more obvious than before.
“So, the supernatural being was behind the Song Manor incident?” he asked, coughing as his gaze settled on Lu Sheng seated below the podium.
“Indeed,” Lu Sheng answered steadily. “During my investigation, I encountered the legendary, indestructible Soul of the Dead. After several exchanges, I barely managed to escape unharmed. Song Manor has already become a haunted zone. Not even a blazing fire can destroy it.”
The old Sect Master coughed again, then closed his eyes, choosing silence.
Deputy Sect Master Chen Ying drew a breath, preparing to speak, but Gongsun Zhanglan cut in abruptly.
“So in other words, the matter remains unresolved, correct?”
Lu Sheng’s expression did not waver. “If Deputy Sect Master Gongsun is confident, you may try it for yourself.”
“Just answer the question. Has it been resolved?” Gongsun Zhanglan smiled, but there was no warmth in it.
Lu Sheng met his gaze for several seconds before replying.
“As Deputy Sect Master says, it’s unresolved. However—”
“There is no ‘however.’ If it’s done, then it’s done. If not, then not.” Gongsun Zhanglan’s smile widened. “Since it isn’t, Wu San’s estate should not be inherited by you. Am I correct?”
Lu Sheng had no response. Even Chen Ying, simmering with anger, found no words to defend him.
The old Sect Master sank deeper into contemplation, and the atmosphere in the grand hall turned heavy and suffocating.
Suddenly, a shout shattered the silence.
“News!!!”
A guard burst into the hall, dropping to one knee before the old Sect Master.
“Sect Master! External Affairs Emissary Zhang has returned from Jie Long City!”
“He’s returned?! Quickly—bring him in!” The old Sect Master straightened, energy returning to his face.
Lu Sheng had heard much about External Affairs Emissary Zhang over the past few days. Among the current External Affairs Emissaries, he was reputed to be the strongest.
Before long, a muscular man staggered into the hall. His robes were soaked in blood, his face ashen, and every step he took seemed to drain what little strength he had left. A guard followed closely behind, ready to catch him if he collapsed.
“Greetings to Sect Master, Deputy Sect Masters,” he said, clasping his hands together. His voice was thin and strained, his Qi clearly depleted. Despite his sturdy build, he looked no different from a battered old man who had weathered far too many storms.
“Thankfully, I did not fail my mission. We have finally learned the movement patterns of the powerful ghost blocking our route.”
The old Sect Master quickly stepped forward to steady him.
“You’ve worked hard, External Affairs Emissary Zhang. This ghost is no small matter—far beyond what an ordinary person can handle. It is already remarkable that you returned alive.”
“Sect Master…!”
Before he could continue, Gongsun Zhanglan’s voice rang sharply through the hall.
“And you, External Affairs Emissary Lu—what did you bring back? Nothing. Emissary Zhang returns with wounds, blood-soaked robes, and accurate intelligence. You return without a scratch and without results. What right do you have to claim the position of External Affairs Emissary?”
Chen Ying’s face darkened. He stepped forward, unable to tolerate the insult any longer.
“Zhanglan, you spout too much nonsense! Brother Lu entered Song Manor and came out unscathed—that alone proves his remarkable strength. Do you expect all our men to crawl back covered in blood just to be considered brave?”
“That’s not what I said,” Gongsun Zhanglan replied with a smile, though his eyes flickered with resentment as they lingered on Lu Sheng. Had this upstart not appeared, the title would have fallen to his niece. But because of Lu Sheng, her long-awaited opportunity had slipped away once again.
The old Sect Master raised his hand, silencing them all.
“Enough. Though Brother Lu did not complete the task fully, the Manor is exceptionally dangerous. From today onward, it is to be listed as a forbidden zone. Put up signs—no one is to enter and risk their lives.”
“This case is closed. Brother Lu has proven his strength. Many of our men have witnessed the strange terrors of that place. Brother Lu fully deserves the position of External Affairs Emissary.”
“With that settled, let’s move on to Jie Long City. White Sands Sect and Green Star Sect have formed an alliance. Establishing a route will not be easy—and there’s still that ghost obstructing the path…”
With the old Sect Master’s declaration, Lu Sheng’s matter was conclusively resolved.
More than a hundred sect disciples had witnessed with their own eyes how Lu Sheng sent the girl-ghost hurtling back with a single saber strike, and how he led Duan Meng’an and Ning San out of the haunted manor without a scratch. While a handful of jealous disciples continued to nitpick, the majority of the sect now fully acknowledged his strength.
The discussion shifted to the growing tensions between the Crimson Whale Sect and the two sects guarding the route toward the Central Plains—White Sands Sect and Green Star Sect.
Lu Sheng knew nothing about this struggle, so he remained silent, merely listening.
Although the Crimson Whale Sect dominated the Northern Territories and held countless connections among local authorities, its influence did not extend into the Central Plains. The distance alone made matters difficult. Even someone as highly ranked as External Affairs Emissary Zhang had barely survived his journey back. The severity of the situation was evident.
The meeting stretched until noon before finally adjourning.
Lu Sheng was then invited by the old Sect Master to share a meal.
After lunch, the old Sect Master took him for a walk through the rear garden of the headquarters. The massive Crimson Whale’s deck held a lush collection of plants and living creatures, turning the place into a drifting sanctuary of greenery.
The two strolled leisurely. Sunlight filtered through thick foliage, scattering pale gold patches across the damp earth and soft grass beneath their feet.
With his hands clasped behind his back, the old Sect Master walked ahead, his voice carrying a quiet sigh without him turning around.
“Brother Lu, do you know why Deputy Sect Master Gongsun is so opposed to you?”
Lu Sheng followed behind and nodded. “I’ve heard the rumors. His niece wanted the position. Neither of them expected me to appear and take it out of nowhere.”
The old Sect Master paused, turned slightly, and let out a hearty laugh.
“You’re honest to speak your mind.”
“What’s there to hide? I joined the Crimson Whale Sect precisely to cross paths with stronger experts. If Gongsun Zhanglan wants to pick a fight with me, that would only make my day,” Lu Sheng said casually, without the slightest concern.
Old Sect Master Hong Mingzi let out a quiet laugh. “Brother Lu truly is different from the others… Elder Ouyang and the others have spoken much about your remarkable strength. But remember, we are all members of the same sect. We’ll meet often, and harmony is better than needless conflict.”
Lu Sheng nodded lightly. “Since old Sect Master has said so, if Gongsun Zhanglan ever makes a move against me, I’ll give him some face.”
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