Gu Sican had trained bitterly for years without even touching the threshold of Dark Force. But with a small piece of Immortal Flesh and a dozen or so days to refine it, she had crossed that barrier.
If she could get another piece... she might even become a Grandmaster of Huajin one day.
’Hmph, I, Gu Sican, will absolutely not lose to anyone!’
By the time Lu Yun returned to the Lu Family villa, the crystal chandelier in the living room was already lit.
Shadakang sat on a side sofa. The tea in front of him had already been refilled several times.
He wasn’t in a hurry, simply waiting with calm composure. He would occasionally adjust the collar of his well-pressed suit, then leisurely raise his head to look at the Western-style wall clock.
He had been waiting for about an hour.
Just then, Lu Yun walked in, leaning on his Wisteria Spirit Staff. The moment Shadakang saw him, he immediately stood up, a perfectly crafted smile spreading across his face.
"Advisor Lu!"
Hearing this, Lu Yun nodded in acknowledgment, then silently walked to the main sofa and sat down. He raised a hand, gesturing that there was no need for such formalities.
"Sand Affairs Chief, I’ve troubled a busy man like you to wait for me for so long."
Shadakang’s smile grew even brighter. He quickly waved his hands and shifted over, perching on just half of the sofa cushion.
"Oh, Advisor Lu, what are you saying! For an esteemed elder like you to not find my presence a disturbance is already the greatest honor."
"What’s a little waiting? I’d be happy to wait a whole day."
Hearing this flattery, Lu Yun simply gave a polite smile and didn’t respond.
After reading his expression, Shadakang immediately got to the point. "Advisor Lu, I wonder... have you heard about a certain matter?"
Lu Yun raised a slight eyebrow. "Oh? I’m listening."
"You haven’t heard?"
The next moment, Shadakang put on an expression that screamed, ’Oh, that won’t do. I must report it at once.’
"It’s about Master Ma—Master Ma Sanlie of the Wind-Splitting Falcon Xingyi Fist. His dojo was challenged and defeated by a woman from the Eastern Province."
"Her surname is Gong, and her full name is Gong Ning. She’s a twenty-seven-year-old Martial Artist at the Peak of Anjin. Truly remarkable."
Lu Yun picked up his teacup and said nothing.
Shadakang continued, "Advisor Lu, as you know, the rules of our Martial Arts Demonstration state that anyone who successfully defeats a dojo master earns the right to challenge one of the four advisors. And that woman..."
He glanced at Lu Yun and lowered his voice slightly. "She has specifically named you as her opponent for the challenge at the Martial Arts Demonstration. It’s scheduled for tomorrow morning."
After he finished speaking, Shadakang began to covertly observe Lu Yun’s expression.
In truth, a matter like this didn’t require a personal visit from him, the deputy city manager.
The Martial Arts Demonstration had its own secretaries. A written notice delivered to the Lu Mansion would have sufficed.
But Shadakang had gotten to his current position in Yun Port City precisely because of this kind of "unnecessary" diligence.
He had personally invited Advisor Lu to join the Martial Arts Demonstration, so he had to show him the utmost respect.
Lu Yun set down his teacup, his face impassive. Just as he was about to speak, Shadakang suddenly seemed to remember something and quickly asked.
"By the way, Advisor Lu, has that woman paid you a personal visit?"
Lu Yun said, "No."
At that, Shadakang’s face fell, the change visibly swift.
He was silent for two seconds, the corner of his mouth twitching as if he was holding back a curse.
Just a few days ago, he had specifically met with that Gong Ning and had made things perfectly clear, both directly and indirectly.
’Since you intend to challenge an advisor of the Martial Arts Demonstration, you should pay a personal visit to Advisor Lu.’
’What gifts to bring, what words to say—that’s for you to figure out. It’s protocol, and it shows sincerity.’
The unwritten rule was simple: if you satisfy the advisor, he might go easy on you and let you last a hundred moves.
Money, women, antiques, paintings, even your own body—if the advisor took a fancy to it, you had to give it.
Otherwise, why would a Grandmaster of Huajin hold back and let you easily withstand a hundred of his moves?
Every challenger knew perfectly well what the consequences of losing were.
You would be hunted by every martial arts dojo in Yun Port City until your martial skills were crippled.
Needless to say, not even a fool would want to end up in that situation.
Finally, Shadakang said resentfully, his words tinged with the frustration of having his good intentions utterly wasted.
"This woman... she really doesn’t know what’s good for her."
He paused, looked at Lu Yun, and said tentatively, "Advisor Lu, about this matter... I just wanted to hear your thoughts."
"If you feel it’s inconvenient, or if you’d like to postpone it, I can speak to the other three advisors at the Martial Arts Demonstration."
Lu Yun set down his teacup and said calmly, "That won’t be necessary. I have no problem with it."
He calculated the time. Tomorrow morning would still work. He’d have enough time to finish this fight and then drive out of the city and into the mountains.
Hearing this, Shadakang immediately stood up, his face once again plastered with a smile. "Excellent! I’ll go inform the other advisors and the masters of the various dojos right away."
"At the Martial Arts Demonstration tomorrow morning, everyone will be waiting to witness your magnificent presence, sir!"
Not long after, servants of the Lu Family filed in, bringing several steaming bowls of potent, restorative soup.
Lu Yun unhesitatingly swallowed it all—soup and ingredients alike. A warm current slid down his throat and into his stomach, only to be instantly and completely consumed by that formless power within him.
He rose and unhurriedly returned to his bedroom in the old courtyard house.
[Extreme Blue Martial Arts Modifier]
Name: Lu Yun
Gender: Male
Realm: Grandmaster of Huajin (Late Stage)
Cultivation Technique: Mountain-Breaking Inch Force Fist 3rd Floor (Initiate), Hard Qi Gong 2nd Floor (Initiate)
modified value: 67
’Gained another 3 points.’
Lu Yun glanced at the two lines for his Cultivation Techniques. The space after them was empty; the word "Modifiable" did not appear.
He withdrew his focus and closed his eyes to sleep.
「The next morning, at the headquarters of the Yun Port City Divine Land Martial Arts Demonstration.」
It was a three-story building made of reinforced concrete. Its exterior was plain and square, with no extra decorations, resembling a silent bunker.

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