Ten Directions Sword Master

Chapter 92 After all, how many of them really got the deer?

"You've arrived."

Lu Li followed the unassuming Steward Tian around several times, through several courtyards, and into a large, dark house, where he was greeted by an old man who was smiling at him.

His eyebrows were drawn together, and he smiled with a kind yet somewhat proud expression.

Manager Tian closed the door and stood guard at the entrance, quietly like a pillar.

"Lu Li pays his respects to the old man."

Lu Li bowed deeply to his great-grandfather and stood there with his hands clasped.

But the old man I remembered, with his fierce and ruthless demeanor, whose every glance could terrify the clan's elders and whose direct gaze could draw blood from a knife, was so different from the man before me.

"Sit down, sit next to me!"

Grandpa Lu's voice was already very old as he patted the seat next to him.

"Tell me, how exactly did you train your swordsmanship? You killed the Silver Fish Envoy with a single strike! I always thought that with my talent, why is it that none of my successors have lived up to my expectations? It turns out that all of that talent has been concentrated in you!"

"A fine sword is forged through tempering; your childhood dullness is merely the process of wearing away the stubborn outer shell, revealing your true nature!"

His eyes shone brightly, like lightning blades.

"Grandpa already knows?"

Lu Li was startled; it seemed that the arrest warrant from the thief's office had been noticed by someone with ulterior motives.

"Ha, you've managed to climb to twenty-fourth on the list of notables while also being wanted for house theft. You've accomplished quite a bit, and someone already informed me of the good news—I'm not afraid of you causing trouble, I'm just afraid you don't even have the ability to cause trouble. Those idiots at home probably don't know yet, thinking the list of notables is too far removed from the Lu family's interests—what a narrow-minded view!"

Grandpa Lu's laughter was full of vigor; who would have thought he was over a hundred years old? However, judging from his tone, he seemed to look down on his descendants.

"Forget it, it's pointless to ask. Everyone has their own destiny—if I can see a unicorn born into my family before I die, I can die in peace."

"I'll ask you just one question: after my death, would you be willing to return to Pengcheng, take up the Lu family banner, and sit in the position of family head?"

Lu Li's pupils dilated slightly, which was completely unexpected.

He was a marginal figure in the Lu family, with no foundation. Not to mention the deeply rooted eldest branch, even if ten other heirs were chosen, his name should not be among them.

Is the old man getting old and his mind is becoming senile?

If someone else takes over at this point, and he's still alive, the Lu family will be thrown into chaos.

"Don't worry about anything else. Just say this and you'll be able to secure your position as the head of the family—simply tell us what you're thinking and whether you're willing to be the head of the family and lead the people forward."

Old Master Lu seemed to see through Lu Li's thoughts and asked again directly.

"Since entering the academy and witnessing the mysteries of martial arts, I have only thought about climbing higher and seeing the view from the top. I am of meager virtue and limited ability and cannot possibly manage both martial arts and family affairs at the same time. Grandfather, you should find another successor."

Lu Li considered it very quickly, almost without any hesitation.

With the Nebula Compass in hand, having witnessed countless magnificent worlds, it would be a disservice to this opportunity to only think about vying for power and influence.

"Don't you think about it? The Lu family isn't as weak as you think. Even if you want to pursue something in martial arts, becoming the head of the family would be very beneficial."

Old Master Lu coughed lightly, staring intently at him, the imposing manner he displayed when he chased after a hundred or so men and slashed them all by himself in his youth had returned.

"Before Wei Bachuan assumed his current position, I owed him a great debt of gratitude, and I still owe him one—two low-grade treasure weapons are hidden within the clan, and only the clan head knows the location of the secret vault—Xiao Tian's Dragon Roar Iron Shirt technique has been improved by a master, and he can reach the Foundation Establishment stage within ten years; I adopted hundreds of orphans back then and raised seven people like him—"

"There are also breakthrough medicines, countless gold beads, and tens of thousands of hands—once you get that position, it's all yours. Don't you want to think about it anymore?"

Lu Li raised his head and asked in shock, "The leader of the Cao Gang? Grandfather, your connections are truly impressive. You can even get involved with such a big shot—but as I said, my focus is on martial arts, and I don't want to be distracted."

"I understand, you don't want your clansmen to slow you down—I've seen a few geniuses like you in my life, and those around you who are slow to catch up will be left behind without a trace."

Old Master Lu shrank back, looking extremely tired.

"In your eyes, it must be incredibly foolish of an old man not to strive for the Refinement of Spirit, but instead to linger over a few territories and fight over two waterways—but I am now 13 years old and can still eat three meals a day. How many Refinement of Spirits can live to this age?"

"I have many wives and concubines, and a house full of children and grandchildren. I even saw my great-great-grandchildren before I passed away. The Lu family reached its peak under my leadership, and now you, little brat, have joined the family. How many people who have reached the pinnacle of spiritual cultivation have such a glorious afterlife as I have?"

"At the end of martial arts, the Grandmaster of the Dharma Body, seemingly standing at the pinnacle, how many die peacefully? In that extra sixty years of life, how many beautiful people and beautiful things are sacrificed? After all, how many truly attain enlightenment? Hah—"

Old Master Lu seemed to have been provoked, pouring out his grievances in rapid succession. Only at the end did he say, "A life of swift retribution, a life of grandeur—I too had my chance, but I thought too much, carried too much burden, and missed it. Who wouldn't want to see the splendor of the realm above the Refinement of Spirits!"

"Grandfather has brought the Lu family to its current state, and his achievements surpass those of any of our ancestors. We are proud of this."

Lu Li said in a deep voice.

"Far from it—since you're unwilling to be the head of this household, I can't give you what I mentioned earlier—however, the favor Wei Bachuan owes me is even more useless to those fools, so I'll leave it to you."

Grandpa Lu grabbed an ancient book, flipped to the middle, and pulled out half a yellowed page with a flamboyant "Wei" character on it, though part of it had been torn off.

"Use it when you can, don't let Wei Bachuan die because of favors, otherwise the two knives I took for him back then would have been for nothing."

"However, I need you to promise that if the Lu family faces any difficulties in the future, you must come back to lend a hand—remember, you have the blood of the Lu family flowing through your veins. Even if you truly achieve the formation of a Dharma body one day, don't be someone who forgets all emotions and attachments!"

The ancient book was spread out on the desk, indicating that no matter how Lu Li answered, he was already prepared to pass on this favor to him.

Leader of the Canal Gang, ranked twenty-seventh on the Earthly Ranking —

I don't know if they'll still acknowledge it. If they do, then this half-piece of paper is incredibly valuable.

"If the family is in trouble, I will certainly lend a helping hand."

Lu Li nodded, feeling that the old man's idea might be somewhat flawed.

Not being the head of the clan and not having a deep emotional connection with the clan members does not mean that one should completely sever ties.

If someone dares to bully the Lu family, he will naturally intervene.

"There are two more volumes of Refining Spirit Martial Arts in the clan, which are for the patriarch to cultivate. I suppose you wouldn't be interested in them. Go back and cultivate properly. Since you're focused on martial arts, don't let external things blind you. I'll try to live for a couple more years and see if I can hear the news of the birth of the first Refining Spirit Martial Artist of the Pengcheng Lu Clan before I die."

Old Master Lu waved his hand impatiently, signaling the guests to leave.

"Don't worry, old man, it won't be too late."

Lu Li spoke with a firm and powerful voice, filled with a confidence that outsiders could not comprehend.

"Ranking twenty-four, haha, only twenty-one years old and ranked twenty-four! This is the kind of genius who has the right to say they want to walk the path of martial arts. Someone like me is just a coward who is afraid of giving everything only to be disappointed, so I simply deserted—after all, how many people actually get the deer, unaware that they dream of fishing all day long!"

Old Master Lu was overcome with tears, his gaze filled with longing.

"Master, someone from the inner courtyard has come to report that Steward Tian led the Fifth Master to the Old Master's place—the two talked for almost an hour, and Steward Tian personally guarded the door, preventing any servant from getting close."

Steward Li jogged a few steps and reported the latest news to the head of the table.

"What is Grandfather thinking? Why would he suddenly summon a great-grandchild? It's not even the time for ancestral worship yet. Even if Lu Li has performed exceptionally well at Bailu Academy recently, it doesn't warrant an exception for a private audience, does it?"

The current head of the eldest branch is the third-generation eldest grandson of the Lu family, a middle-aged scholar with a fair complexion and no beard.

"Did you take anything with you when you left?"

"No, they said they left empty-handed, seemingly without any reward. However, Steward Tian accompanied them the whole way—Master, does this mean they value him or not?"

Butler Li looked conflicted as he spoke.

"Never mind, have someone keep an eye on Lu Li and see what he does next—it's too unusual for my grandfather to summon a junior alone at this juncture; he must have told him something."

The middle-aged Confucian scholar was filled with worry. Everyone felt that the position of head of the Lu family belonged to him and could only belong to him.

But it wasn't until he actually took charge of the household that he realized how much power the old man had hidden beneath the surface.

With just a word from the old master, he, the undisputed heir, could still be overturned.

"Master, Young Master Li has left Pengcheng; judging by the direction he's heading, he should be returning to the county seat!"

The next day, Butler Li rushed in, excitedly reporting.

"They didn't even stay for the ancestral worship ceremony. Could it be that I'm wrong, and my grandfather doesn't intend to elevate Lu Li to the throne, but merely encourages his progress during this period?"

The middle-aged scholar's expression changed repeatedly as he pondered the problem until a servant announced that the city lord, Xie Ling, was coming to visit. Only then did he hurriedly tidy his clothes and go out the gate to greet him.

"After all, how many people can truly attain the Great Dao? For 99% of martial artists, the so-called Great Dao is indeed nothing but an illusion, like a dream. Without reaching the True Person Realm, what Great Dao can one talk about?"

Sitting in the carriage, Lu Li recalled his conversation with Old Master Lu, filled with emotion.

Even if one has perfected the Refinement of Spirit and is a powerful figure on the Earth Ranking, one is still just an ordinary member among the masses.

Unable to transcend, unable to be at ease.

Only Grandmasters, whose names are not allowed to appear on the Heavenly Ranking, are considered partners of the Imperial Court, with no subordinate relationship to them, and thus their lifespan is extended by another sixty years.

When one's understanding of legal principles is profound and rules are integrated into one's very being, one can be considered a terrestrial immortal, and only then can one be considered to have achieved mastery of martial arts.

Lu Li, having set his sights on a goal, would not waver because of these few words. He harbored the ambition to trace back the changes of the Middle Ages, to find out the reason for the shift in the Great Dao, and to retrace the path of the Great Power.

After spending a day in Pengcheng, he told his great-uncle to take good care of himself and not to worry about him, and then embarked on his journey back to the academy.

He hadn't yet handed over his gains from the Crimson Fire Secret Realm to the academy, but those gains should have already earned him a large number of credits.

And the long-awaited reward of the treasure soldier who made it onto the list of heroes for the first time.

These treasures are all waiting for him to return to Bailu Academy to retrieve them.