The night passed. Lu Yun sat in a Taishi Chair in the main hall of the old family home, leisurely sipping this spring’s new tea.
The Rosewood Walking Stick that had been his companion for many years had already been put away in his room.
He was now nimble and hale, his steps steady and strong. He no longer needed any external support. He had only carried it the past few days out of habit.
Soon, a flurry of lively footsteps and the sound of children’s laughter came from outside the courtyard.
Led by his eldest son, Lu Jingteng, his eldest daughter-in-law, Shen Luoying, his second daughter-in-law, Li Zhiyu, and six grandsons and granddaughters of varying ages all came crowding in.
It was a custom of their own making to run to the main hall every morning and pay their respects to Lu Yun.
"Dad!" Lu Jingteng’s complexion was much improved today. He wore a crisp white shirt and black trousers, and after some rest and recuperation, he was largely recovered.
His two daughters-in-law followed behind Lu Jingteng and bowed respectfully. "Father!"
The six grandchildren were much more lively. Like little birds returning to their nest, they chirped and surged forward, surrounding Lu Yun to call out sweetly, "Grandpa!" "Grandpa!"
"Mm!" Lu Yun set down his teacup, a kind smile spreading across his face. He let out a hearty laugh, stood, and opened his arms to the little ones. "Come on, all of you, come to Grandpa!"
Under the astonished yet amused gazes of Lu Jingteng and his two daughters-in-law, Lu Yun actually managed to get all six children "settled" in place.
He perched the two slightly older granddaughters, one on each of his broad shoulders.
He picked up a younger granddaughter in each arm, and finally, he even used the tops of his feet to gently "support" the two boldest grandsons, letting them sit on his shoes!
"HAHAHAHAHA!" The children roared with laughter, delighted by this new and exciting "game." Lu Yun himself was beaming, his eyes crinkling with joy.
Lu Jingteng sat down in a nearby chair, a relaxed smile spreading across his face as he watched his father and the children play.
Seeing their father-in-law in such high spirits, Shen Luoying and Li Zhiyu watched from the side with beaming smiles. Only after the roughhousing had gone on for a while did they step forward to gently intervene.
"Alright, alright, that’s enough. Come down now, stop roughhousing. Grandpa just had his tea, so be careful."
They carefully helped the children down from Lu Yun.
Soon, the main hall grew quiet, leaving only the father and son, Lu Yun and Lu Jingteng. The children had been led away by their mothers for breakfast.
Lu Yun raised his teacup, took a sip, and let his gaze fall upon his eldest son. "Your health... it’s all right now?"
Lu Jingteng immediately sat up straighter and replied earnestly, "Dad, I’m really fine. I just feel a bit fatigued. I’ll be fully recovered after a few more days of rest."
He paused, and then a look of irrepressible excitement washed over his face. "Dad! I heard from Uncle Fu... that you... you’re now a Grandmaster of Huajin? Is... is it true?"
At this moment, Lu Jingteng’s mood could only be described as "wild with excitement!"
Ever since childhood, he had viewed his father, Lu Yun, as his lifelong idol and role model.
Each of his father’s accolades: Champion of the Final Imperial Military Examination, Yun Port City Harbor Guard General, founder of the Lu Family Import-Export Company.
As his son, each one filled him with immense pride, and he considered it the greatest blessing of his life.
And now, at the age of sixty, his father had added yet another, even more dazzling and legendary title: a Grandmaster of Huajin!
How could Lu Jingteng not be thrilled beyond measure?
This wasn’t just a personal honor for his father; it was an immense blessing and a powerful backer for the entire Lu Family!
Watching his son’s face flush slightly with excitement, Lu Yun set down his teacup and slowly nodded. "Mm. A stroke of luck... just a small bit of progress, that’s all."
His father’s nonchalant confirmation, that it was "just a small bit of progress," was all Lu Jingteng needed to hear. The wild joy in his heart could no longer be contained.
He shot to his feet, his face beaming with an indescribable excitement and pride. "Dad! Doesn’t this mean our Lu Family can walk with our backs even straighter from now on? We’ll stand a head taller than anyone we meet! No, no, no—ten feet taller!"
’Does the value of a Grandmaster of Huajin even need to be stated?’
’They are terrifying beings who truly stand at the pinnacle of Martial Arts, capable of shifting the balance of power in an entire region!’
’In all of Yun Port City, you could count the number of known Grandmasters of Huajin on one hand—there were only three. And now his own father was the fourth!’
’What did this mean? It meant that from this day forward, the Lu Family’s position in Yun Port City would be ironclad. They might even be able to rise a step higher!’
"You rascal, what’s with all this fidgeting? Sit down!"
Lu Yun chided him with a laugh, watching his son look so excited he was practically dancing on the spot.
"Right, right!" Lu Jingteng realized he’d lost his composure and quickly sat back down with a sheepish grin.
At that, Lu Yun raised his teacup and gently blew the foam from its surface. The smile vanished from his face, replaced by a slow, gathering seriousness.
"I’ve told you time and again to practice martial arts, to forge your body, but you always dismissed it. I told you to practice the Heart-Breaking Fist to improve your health, and you paid it no mind."
"You even claimed the times have changed, that a single Western rifle can rule the world."
"So let me ask you now—that night on the river, were you afraid?"
The look of excitement on Lu Jingteng’s face instantly froze, replaced by a shadow of lingering fear and shame.
He lowered his head, his voice dropping with it. "Afraid... I was scared to death. Dad, you don’t know... the feeling of your whole body going ice-cold, your mind growing fuzzy, your body slipping from your control..."
"I... I thought I’d never see you and Luo Ying again."
Lu Yun slowly set down his teacup and snorted. "Hmph. You and your third brother, Jingyao, grew up swaddled in luxury. You’ve never tasted hardship, so you couldn’t bear the grueling nature of martial arts training. As your father, I didn’t force you; I let you choose your own paths."
"And what was the result?"
"The reason you were possessed so easily by that filthy thing on the boat—apart from that place being truly malevolent—is another, very important one: your body is far too weak!"
"Your vital essence is insufficient, your positive energy is weak. You’re like a bright lamp in the dark of night, the easiest target for those unclean things to find!"
"Had you been strong and healthy, brimming with vitality—had you even practiced the Heart-Breaking Fist to the level of Ming Jin—your body would have possessed its own aura of pure, positive energy to protect you. That ghastly thing would never have dared get close to you! And you certainly wouldn’t have been tormented to the brink of death!"
As he listened to his father’s rebuke, Lu Jingteng’s head sank even lower, his face flushing red and then turning pale in shame.
’In chaotic times, external forces eventually have their limits. Only one’s own strength can truly be relied upon.’
"Father, I... I know I was wrong."
Lu Jingteng looked up, his voice firm. "From this day on, I swear I will properly learn the fist arts from you, Uncle Fu, and Jingwu. I will forge my body! I will never slack off again!"
Seeing the genuine determination in his eldest son’s eyes, Lu Yun’s expression softened slightly. He nodded. "Good. As long as you recognize your mistake. Your body is your foundation. Wealth and power are merely external things."
"You’ve had a brush with death now, so you should understand the gravity of the situation."
His tone grew gentler. "You’re still recovering, so no strenuous exercise for now. Start by following Ah Fu. Learn the basic methods of breath control and stance training to replenish your essence. Rebuild your foundation first. It won’t be too late to learn the fist arts once your body has fully healed."
"Yes, Dad!" Lu Jingteng nodded emphatically. This time, his assent came from the very bottom of his heart.
After this ordeal, he finally, truly understood his father’s painstaking efforts back then, and he had come to recognize the vital importance of one’s own strength in these chaotic times.

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