Chapter 60 It would be better to seize Xu Zangyu's cultivation.
"Master?"
Chen Shu saw the pleading in Lu Ming's eyes, and after a moment's thought, said, "Why don't you come forward?"
Xu Cangyu walked up to him, and a wisp of spiritual energy wrapped around his wrist. The spiritual energy probed into his body through his meridians, as if it had been stirred into boiling water, making him extremely volatile.
Most importantly, every meridian has been damaged to varying degrees. A normal person would either be crippled or dead. Xu Zangyu is still alive and well because he is lucky.
Just as she was about to tell Lu Ming to get rid of this trouble as soon as possible, her spiritual energy flowed to her dantian and was immediately met with a backlash.
Even the spiritual energy of a peak Nascent Soul cultivator was completely shattered. Chen Shu felt a surge of blood and qi in his chest, and only after his qi calmed down did his expression soften.
"How is Master?"
Seeing his master's extremely pale face, Lu Ming thought that if he really couldn't cure him, he would secretly keep him alive, since everyone outside would think Xu Zangyu was dead anyway.
He finally found an interesting person, so there's no reason for him to let him go so easily.
Xu Cangyu knew that the person in front of him was probably the most powerful person in the Qiushui Sect. If even he found this matter troublesome, then he was probably in grave danger.
"The spiritual energy has surged, damaging all the meridians in his body. It's difficult to heal, but if left untreated, his life will be in danger." Chen Shu paused for a moment, then said to him, "You wait here. I have some things to tell Lu Ming."
Lu Ming knew that his master had something he couldn't say in front of Xu Zangyu, so he told Xu Zangyu, "Go and come back soon," and followed Chen Shu.
Upon entering the inner room, Chen Shu raised his hand and set up a protective barrier, his expression still somber.
"Master, please speak frankly about what you have to say."
"Five years ago, when Tianyi Sect eliminated the disaster, Chu Shu went mad and Xu Cangyu disappeared. Everyone thought that Xiao Mingxin had obtained the opportunity, but I now know that someone else obtained the opportunity."
Lu Ming: "Master means... could it be that the one who received the opportunity is Xu Zangyu, who has become a cripple?"
“It’s him,” Chen Shu said excitedly. “I remember in the last disciple competition, Xu Zangyu was only in the mid-stage of the Golden Core realm, but now… his dantian contains the spiritual power of the Nascent Soul stage. No wonder his meridians were burst. This is a power that ordinary people cannot withstand.”
"Transformation into a Nascent Soul!!! He leaped to the Nascent Soul stage in one step!" Even his master had been stuck at the peak of the Nascent Soul stage for nearly a hundred years. Xu Zangyu had leaped through the ranks again and again to reach the Nascent Soul stage. Who wouldn't be envious of such good fortune?
Chen Shu sneered, "Even if he's a Nascent Soul cultivator, he's just a useless one. As long as he unblocks his spiritual veins, the surge of spiritual energy will surely kill him."
Lu Ming felt that he was a complete scoundrel. When he learned that Xu Cangyu could not use the power of the Nascent Soul stage, his subtle jealousy was actually balanced.
As someone with exceptional talent, who has worked hard for many years, it's hard to remain calm when it's not as fortunate as someone else's unexpected luck.
However, Xu Zangyu's luck ultimately ran out.
Success and failure both stemmed from luck; he couldn't withstand this vast and unpredictable fortune.
If it were him...
Chen Shu gritted his teeth and swallowed his regret, then said to Lu Ming, "The wealth that Xu Zangyu couldn't bear, you might not be unable to bear."
Lu Ming was startled, his heart clenching involuntarily. "What does Master mean?"
“There are forbidden techniques that allow one to steal another’s cultivation through dual cultivation. Xu Zangyu is ultimately a cripple; it’s just a matter of whether he dies sooner or later. Why not turn his Nascent Soul power into our own?”
Lu Ming could hardly suppress the longing in his heart, and almost forgot to breathe, until Chen Shu's hand patted his shoulder heavily.
"However, he is ultimately a Nascent Soul cultivator, and his spiritual energy may not be willing to be taken away by others. Whether you can gain his trust and avoid backlash depends on your abilities."
Lu Ming composed himself and said, "Disciple understands."
Chen Shu reminded him, "Extraordinary means may be used when necessary. I believe you understand what this means. Luck is not always on the path of cultivation, so Lu Ming, you must seize the opportunity."
He couldn't hear a word of conversation inside the door. As he approached, Xu Cangyu felt himself being blocked by an invisible force. Outside the door, there were groups of two or three guarding disciples, and the area was completely surrounded.
Since we're from the same school, why be so guarded? What is it that can't be said to his face?
After a long while, the door to the inner room was opened, and Lu Ming stepped in with a gentle smile. Almost all of his temper had been completely suppressed. He took his hand and said, "I've kept you waiting, junior brother. Master and I are discussing your treatment plan. Don't worry, senior brother will make sure nothing happens to you."
Xu Cangyu chuckled inwardly without saying a word, marveling at how this man's face could change so quickly, making it impossible to discern his true nature.
He withdrew his hand subtly. "I've long since given up on life and death. If it really can't be cured, it's not a big deal. However, before I die, I must see the beautiful landscape outside, so that my life won't have been in vain."
"Junior brother, what nonsense are you talking about? I can cure you."
Xu Zangyu looked up at him with clear, unadulterated eyes, and Lu Ming felt a moment of panic when his gaze met Xu Zangyu's. Xu Zangyu took the hat from his hand and put it back on him. Only after the intense gaze dissipated through the thin veil did Lu Ming look back at Xu Zangyu.
"Let's go back."
Lu Ming's hand gripped his wrist tightly, gradually sliding into his palm and clenching each finger. Xu Cangyu tried to move, but couldn't break free. Silence froze between them like ice.
“You and I used to hold hands like this, promising to be together for life. It’s okay if you don’t remember many things. I will slowly help you remember. I only hope that you won’t reject me, at least leave a way for me in your heart.”
The silence remained unbroken for a long time, and Lu Ming's expression gradually darkened until he finally heard a sentence from him.
"I need time to adjust. Senior brother, let me remember. That way, I won't be biased towards you."
Thinking back is impossible; Xu Zangyu doesn't need to recall those unimportant memories. He only needs to carry with him the memories that Lu Ming brought back to him.
Lu Ming smiled and said, "I will help my junior brother remember what he used to be like."
Xu Zangyu was taken to Lu Ming's residence. Apart from Lu Ming and himself, there was no one else there. An array was set up around the area, and no one except Lu Ming could enter or leave.
Lu Ming would brew him a bowl of herbal soup every day, saying it was to help him repair his meridians and restore his memory.
Xu Zangyu always complained that the medicine was bitter, so Lu Ming coaxed him to buy him candied fruit from outside. After the others left, Xu Zangyu immediately poured the medicine into the soil.
"Junior brother, here are your favorite snacks."
The urgent footsteps drew closer, and Xu Cangyu covered her mouth and said, "Hurry up and give it to me. You promised to bring me some snacks after I finish my medicine."
Lu Ming brought over the food box, and when he saw the clean medicine bowl on the table, his smile deepened. "Of course I wouldn't lie to my junior brother."
Xu Zangyu opened the food box, took a bite of candied fruit, and his tightly furrowed brows relaxed. "I drink medicine every day but I can't remember anything at all. Does our Qiushui Sect even have a reliable doctor?"
"Your injuries are severe; you can't expect to recover in less than half a month with just medicine. Be patient, junior brother."
Xu Cangyu started acting like a scoundrel, saying, "I don't care. I must eat Huifangzhai's pastries every day, otherwise I won't drink another drop of that medicine."
Lu Ming shook his head. "Okay, whatever you say."
He sat down and pulled her into his arms, but before he could even kiss her, she slipped away like a fish.
He rummaged through drawers and cabinets and took out a money pouch. "Oh right, I forgot to ask my senior brother. This seems to be my old money pouch. Is there a lot of money inside? I can't open it."
Lu Ming's smile faded, his patience wearing thin as he suppressed his irritation. He didn't lash out, perhaps because he had lost his memory. Xu Cangyu was as innocent as a child, completely clueless about relationships. No matter how he indulged and coaxed her, the distance between them didn't grow any closer.
Does this mean we really have to resort to the extreme measures Master mentioned?
"That's not a money bag, that's called a Qiankun bag. It contains a universe within it and is used by cultivators to store items. It needs to be opened with spiritual power."
Xu Cangyu happily handed it over: "Then, senior brother, please open it for me."
Seeing that he was stunned, he asked in return, "Is it not allowed?"
Lu Ming smiled wryly. If Xu Cangyu had sealed it with his Nascent Soul spiritual power, he really wouldn't have been able to open it. He used his spiritual energy to probe it and only breathed a sigh of relief when he found that the person sealing the Qiankun Bag was still in the mid-stage of the Golden Core realm.
“The Qiankun Bag is a cultivator’s private item. Since you don’t mind, I will open it for you.”
After the restrictions were lifted, Lu Ming took the lead in checking to make sure there was nothing inside that revealed Xu Zangyu's identity.
But the Qiankun bag was surprisingly simple. He took out a money bag with only a few hundred taels of silver and threw it to Xu Zangyu.
Then, he found a few more pieces of clothing and some miscellaneous, unimportant trinkets, which he guessed were gifts from the Tianyi Sect.
As for the several cultivation manuals of the Tianyi Sect inside, he hid them all in his sleeve.
Lu Ming still gave the seemingly extraordinary sword to Xu Cangyu, since he had no spiritual energy now, and the sword was useless to him.
Xu Cangyu liked the sword very much, but it lacked spiritual power, so he didn't know how powerful it was.
Lu Ming spotted something stored separately among the pile of trinkets: a delicate little crane. He couldn't tell if it was a magical artifact or a communication device. He infused it with spiritual energy but found that it didn't react at all.
"What is this?" Xu Cangyu was attracted by the pretty little gadget, put down his sword, and took it.
Lu Ming kept a watchful eye on things. If this thing really was a communication device, then it needed to be destroyed as soon as possible, turning it into a completely inanimate object.
With a flick of spiritual energy from his sleeve, Xu Cangyu eagerly leaned closer, asking, "What else?"
The spiritual energy dissipated at his fingertips. Lu Ming took the last item in the Qiankun bag first. It was placed in a long wooden box. When he opened it, it turned out to be a calligraphy and painting. Unlike all the other useful items in the Qiankun bag, this calligraphy and painting was particularly outstanding.
The scroll, carved by the cultivator with spiritual energy, comes to life when unfurled, revealing the expressions of the figures within.
Lu Ming's face turned as black as the bottom of a pot, and he almost wanted to destroy the painting immediately.
Xu Cangyu curiously leaned closer, but Lu Ming instantly closed the scroll, not letting him see a single thing. "Senior brother, what is that? It's mine, can't I even look at it?"
Lu Ming's face darkened. "I didn't know that Junior Brother was hiding the lewd toys from Chun Ci Fang, or did Junior Brother do something good behind my back?"
For the first time in many days, Lu Ming didn't restrain his temper. Xu Cangyu was even more curious about what had angered him to the point of not even pretending anymore.
"Senior brother, what exactly is it? Even if you're going to scold me, let me be scolded clearly."
Lu Ming's hands clenched so tightly they cracked, and finally, a corner of the scroll was unfurled.
As Xu Zangyu watched, his smile froze.
A boy sat on a smooth chest, the person being pressed down seemed to be forced by him, his fingers gripping the ground as he endured it.
But he was very proud of himself as a young boy, and although his true face was not seen, the lower half of his face was very unrestrained.
What made Xu Zangyu even more ashamed was that the boy looked exactly like him.
Before Xu Zangyu could even see the face of the person being pressed down, Lu Ming put away the scroll and pressed, "Did they go inside?"
".......ah?"
Xu Zangyu suddenly didn't want to understand immediately.
"I never knew my junior brother was so repressed that he made these mistakes. No wonder he has offended so many people outside."
Faced with the evidence, even Xu Zangyu, with her silver tongue, became stammering, "...Who...who is the person on this?"
"The most outstanding disciple of the Tianyi Sect has a fierce fiancée. You're being tormented like this by your junior brother before you're even married. Do you think either of them will let you off the hook?"
“”
Now he has not only committed countless evil deeds, but is also a notorious villain.
Lu Ming put away the painting, his pent-up anger finding nowhere to vent, and seeing Xu Cangyu's guilty look made him even more furious.
"It's all my fault for indulging you in the past. If you continue to act recklessly like this, I will get my revenge twice over."
Unable to vent his anger on Xu Cangyu, Lu Ming left the courtyard, chopped down a towering tree, and destroyed most of the surrounding area. Apart from being exhausted, he was still furious.
"Is this all the pathetic thing you've got?"
The voice behind him brought Lu Ming back to his senses. He suppressed his anger and respectfully said, "Master."
"Has there been any progress in the past two weeks?"
Lu Ming remained silent, while Chen Shu snorted coldly, "You're not planning to use sincerity as bait to move me with genuine feelings?"
"I thought you were always decisive, but I didn't expect you to be such a naive young man when it comes to relationships." Chen Shu said earnestly, "True feelings or genuine affection are not important; what matters most is what you can truly have in your hands."
"Given your current progress, when will you be able to obtain the power of the Nascent Soul stage? If you really can't, this opportunity should be given to a junior brother who is capable of it."
Lu Ming felt a sudden tightness in his back as his heart was gripped. "Please, Master, give me some more time. I was the one who discovered him first, and I've been taking care of him all this time. If it were someone else, he would probably be even more resistant."
Chen Shu didn't want to say more. "It's good that you understand. From now on, there will be no Xu Cangyu. You must hide yourself well. If the wild wolves outside find you, you will probably be torn apart."
*
"Zhang Qian, I haven't seen you for almost two months. Where have you been having a good time?"
Zhang Qian lay in bed for a long time, only coming out with his cronies after his injuries healed. If it weren't for the fact that the crazy old woman he had accidentally offended was from the Lu family, he would have already obtained that gold. He had already found out that the young man had been taken home and raised by the crazy old woman as if he were the young master of the Lu family.
But he didn't believe it; that young man never left his house his entire life.
Looking at his cronies, a wicked thought arose again: "Do you know that crazy Mrs. Lu's new son? He's incredibly handsome, and he's carrying a huge bag of gold. I originally planned to rob the gold and have him keep me company, but that crazy woman ruined everything halfway through."
"A big bag of gold?" The group of men, who usually made a living by stealing chickens and dogs, suddenly became interested.
"How handsome can a man be? Zhang Qian, you like women, so how can you be so shameless towards men?"
"What do you know? Once you see them, you'll realize that what you've seen before were just ordinary, vulgar women."
He laid out paper and picked up a brush, quickly sketching a figure with natural grace that was unforgettable.
"If it were really as depicted, then it would truly be—"
Suddenly, a head rolled off, its blood staining the painting. It fell near the hand of the beauty in the painting, and the group fell silent. Zhang Qian, who had just been speaking to them, had lost his head in the blink of an eye.
"Who...who is it?"
Lu Ming stepped out from behind, glanced at the bloodstained painting, and burned it clean. "Since you've all seen this person, you can only go to the underworld to seek justice."
Several corpses fell to the ground with a thud and were burned to ashes by a large fire.
Lu Ming rushed to the Lu family home and repeatedly gave instructions to everyone before leaving with peace of mind.
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