Martial Arts Overlord!

At that moment, He Yulong's knuckles turned white as he gripped his phone.

The phone had gone dead, but he remained in the position of answering, his lips pressed tightly together.

The sun was shining brightly outside the window, but he sat behind his desk like a sculpture shrouded in shadow.

First-class, Grade A.

There are only ten spots available in the entire provincial martial arts academy, and each spot is a one-year training program with free access to all the academy's resources.

If the growth target is achieved, the program continues in the second year; if it is not achieved, the employee is removed from the program and replaced by someone else.

One radish, one pit; every pit is filled with gold.

He knew the provincial museum wouldn't give it away easily.

But when I actually heard the rejection, it felt like something had squeezed my heart tightly.

It's not because Lu Jin isn't qualified.

It's because the person speaking is wrong.

If it were back then, if that incident hadn't happened, the provincial museum would at least have seriously considered the recommendation He Yulong submitted, instead of rejecting it outright without even hanging up the phone.

His gaze immediately fell on the desk drawer. He didn't open it, but he remembered the contents of the drawer clearly.

It was a file with the words "Public Notice of Appointment of Deputy Director of Tianlong Martial Arts School in the Provincial Capital" printed on the cover, dated seven years ago.

Just one signature away, just one final step away.

Then, a letter of denunciation from Xu Haofeng abruptly pulled him down from the threshold of the provincial capital.

They colluded with other martial arts schools to leak the core martial arts techniques of our school.

The charges were fabricated, and after a six-month investigation, no evidence was found, but the appointment announcement had already expired.

No one will restart a program for someone who is "problematic," even if the problem is later proven to be unfounded.

He was transferred back to Pingshui City, where he held the title of head of the inner city branch for seven years.

The gates of the provincial capital never opened to him again after that.

Xu Haofeng, his former "senior fellow student" who competed with him for the same deputy director position, is now a powerful figure in the provincial academy. The final approval authority for the top-ranking official positions rests with Xu Haofeng.

"call!!"

"That Xu guy, fortunes change every thirty years!"

He Yulong took a deep breath, gently placed his phone on the table, leaned back in his chair, closed his eyes, and smiled.

Xiao Lu, whether your master can return to the provincial capital depends on you.

...

On the other side, Lu Jin also met Gao Zilu, who was indeed quite beautiful.

At this moment, Chen Wei stood next to the front desk, looking at Gao Zilu and then at Lu Jin, his mouth agape and his Adam's apple bobbing.

He had just observed this young lady up close; her skin was so good that all the models in skincare brands would be out of a job. When she smiled, her eyes curved into a perfect arc, even the young lady on duty at the front desk was stunned.

"Lu Jin".

Gao Zilu extended her hand, her voice clear and bright, carrying just the right amount of enthusiasm.

"I'm Gao Zilu, your fan. I've watched the video of you killing Jin Hu in the elevator at least a hundred times. I also saw the city-wide announcement last night, about three members of the Holy Spirit Cult, one of whom was a core member. So I couldn't resist coming over to meet you today."

She spoke very sincerely.

It's not the kind of fanaticism fans have for idols, but rather a genuine appreciation one person has for another.

This kind of sincerity is hard to fake, because it will show in your eyes. Gao Zilu's eyes didn't reveal any flaws.

"Nice to meet you."

Lu Jin squeezed her hand.

"I'd like to treat you to a meal," Gao Zilu said with a smile. "I know a really good restaurant in the inner city."

"Sorry, I still need to cultivate."

Gao Zilu's smile remained unchanged, but a hint of "I knew it" flashed in her eyes.

She withdrew her hand, picked up the book again, and said in her clear voice, "It's okay, I knew you'd say that. If not today, then another day. I won't give up."

After saying this, she nodded to Lu Jin, smiled slightly at Chen Wei, and then turned and walked towards the door.

His steps were neither fast nor slow, and his silhouette was cast as a slender line in the sunlight.

Only after the figure disappeared outside the door did Chen Wei suddenly turn his head and look at Lu Jin with a disappointed expression.

"Brother Lu Jin, are you out of your mind! A rich woman has her eye on you, and you actually rejected her!"

Lu Jin ignored him, his gaze still fixed on the direction Gao Zilu had left in.

Offering unsolicited favors is either a sign of malice or theft.

He remembered this sentence very clearly in both his lifetimes.

The heiress of the Qiangsheng Group, what kind of young talents hasn't she seen?

Just because she watched a few videos, she personally came over to invite him to dinner?

Being too sincere becomes deliberate.

But he couldn't quite put his finger on what was wrong.

He looked away, suppressing the matter for the time being, and turned to Chen Wei: "How are the preparations for your parents moving to the inner city to open a shop going?"

Chen Wei scratched his head: "We're still preparing. Opening a shop isn't something that can be done overnight. You know how expensive shops are in the inner city. It's impossible to rent a good location. My dad asked several acquaintances, but they all said we'd have to wait in line."

Without hesitation, Lu Jin took out his phone and dialed Han Chong's number. The phone was answered after two rings.

"Xiao Lu?" Han Chong's voice held a hint of surprise. "What is it?"

"Mayor Han, I have a favor to ask you. I have invested in a friend's weapons shop, and they are planning to move to the inner city, but they are encountering some difficulties with the shop."

Han Chong chuckled, his tone casual as if he were chatting about everyday things: "I thought it was something important. Write down this number."

He recited a string of numbers, "This is the head of the inner city's commercial management office. Have your friend call this number directly and give them my name. He'll take care of the shop matters."

"Thank you, Mayor Han."

"You're welcome. You're a member of the association; this is a privilege you deserve."

Lu Jin hung up the phone and forwarded the number to Chen Wei. Chen Wei stared at the string of numbers on the screen, completely stunned.

He slowly raised his head, looked at Lu Jin, his mouth moved, and his voice trembled: "Brother Lu Jin, this is... the number the mayor gave me?"

Several students who were eavesdropping nearby gasped in shock.

Their gazes fell on Chen Wei, their eyes conveying the same word!

envious.

It wasn't that I envied Lu Jin, but that I envied Chen Wei.

They couldn't envy Lu Jin's talent; it was a gift from God.

But Chen Wei, with mediocre martial arts talent, average appearance, and average family background, is now being personally helped by the city magistrate to solve his family's shop problems simply because he knew Lu Jin early on and became sworn brothers with him before Lu Jin became famous.

No matter what kind of shop it is, with this connection, it's guaranteed to make money in the future.

This kind of envy is more heartbreaking than envying Lu Jin, because they can't reach Lu Jin's heights, but they could have had Chen Wei's luck.

If they had taken the initiative to befriend Lu Jin before he began to show his talent...

Unfortunately, there is no such thing.

A red sports car was parked on the roadside not far from Tianlong Martial Arts School. Gao Zilu sat in the driver's seat, her phone pressed to her ear, the smile on her face gone.

It wasn't a deliberate attempt to conceal it, but rather like removing a mask to reveal the calm, almost icy, true nature beneath.

"Dad, he refused."

There was a moment of silence on the other end of the phone, then a deep male voice said, "It's alright. Invite them a few more times. It would be a real shame if such a genius died."

The man paused, his tone becoming more certain, "No man is unmoved by beauty and money."

"I understand, Dad."

Gao Zilu hung up the phone and tossed it onto the passenger seat. Through the car window, she looked towards the twenty-plus-story building housing the Tianlong Martial Arts Academy.

Sunlight shone on the dark gray exterior wall, reflecting a cold, hard light.

Her eyes reflected that light, devoid of any warmth.

The car started, the engine roared, and the red sports car merged into the traffic and disappeared at the end of the wide inner city street.

He Yulong sat behind his desk. When he heard Lu Jin mention Gao Zilu's name, he raised an eyebrow slightly and then smiled.

"Xiao Lu, you're so lucky! Not only are you talented, but the young lady is also pursuing you! I know Qiangsheng Group. It's a top-tier conglomerate in Pingshui City, with deep cooperation with martial arts schools and the government."

"His background is clean; if he had any connections to a cult, he would have been found out long ago."

He paused, then added, "Unless they're extremely well hidden, so well that even the authorities can't find out. But that's highly unlikely, so you don't need to worry too much."

"Is that so?" Lu Jin raised an eyebrow and didn't press further. He Yulong spoke with certainty, but the thorn in his heart hadn't been removed.

This isn't directed at Gao Zilu, but at all unexpected acts of kindness.

However, he quickly suppressed these distracting thoughts.

Whether Gao Zilu is a genuine fan or has ulterior motives is irrelevant.

The important thing is to become stronger. As long as he is strong enough, all schemes will crumble into dust before him.

For the next two days, Lu Jin lived a very peaceful life, going back and forth between two points. Yongye Guixu did not come, and no one disturbed his cultivation.

In his private training room, the medicinal herbs required for the Bone Forging Realm were piled up like a small mountain.

The bone-tempering pathway of the Azure Dragon Shattering Heaven Claw circulated repeatedly within his body, starting from his fingertips and tempering him segment by segment upwards.

Under the dual polishing of medicinal power and true energy, the bones of the Copper Bone Realm gradually changed from dark copper to bright copper, and then began to show a faint iron-gray luster.

That's a sign of the transition from bronze to iron bones!

The next evening, Lu Jin's ten finger bones simultaneously emitted a clear, melodious buzzing sound.

Starting from the fingertips, the iron-gray luster spreads along the metacarpals, wrist bones, and arm bones, and wherever it passes, the bone density and hardness simultaneously increase by a level.

A series of rapid, cracking sounds emanated from the muscles and bones inside the body, like a long-dormant machine restarting its gears.

Bone Forging Second Realm, Iron Bones, Achieved!

He opened the Superpower Editor.

[Azure Dragon Shattering Heaven Claw: Minor Success]

Attack: 516.3 → 562.7

Speed: 456.8 → 501.2

[Defense: 442.1→529.4]

[Stamina: 447.6→518.3]

[Spirit: 159.3→167.5]

[Willpower: 162.4 → 171.8]

"That feels good!" Lu Jin groaned.

From bronze bones to iron bones, all attributes have surged again.

Lu Jin clenched his fist, feeling an unprecedented hardness emanating from his finger bones.

Now, he can crush an alloy steel plate with the strength of his five fingers as easily as crushing a cookie.

"Two days, Iron Bones. By combining medicinal herbs with the bone-forging method, the speed of cultivation is much faster than normal."

Lu Jin muttered to himself, picking up a towel to wipe his sweat. His initial plan was clear.

In reality, the main focus is on cultivating the bone-forging method, first pushing the Azure Dragon Shattering Heaven Claw to perfection or even breaking the limit, and completing the dragon marrow tempering of the four realms of bone forging.

The Dream Essence obtained from the Eternal Night Ruins should be reserved for other martial arts. Only by advancing on both fronts simultaneously can the attributes be maximized in the shortest amount of time.

Just then, my phone rang; it was the front desk's number.

"Brother Lu Jin, Miss Gao has sent flowers again."

The receptionist's voice carried a numb calmness: "This is the third day. The flowers are still there, just like before. The greeting card still says, 'Looking forward to having dinner with you.'"

Lu Jin held his phone, remaining silent for several seconds. "Okay. Leave it."

He hung up the phone and stood by the window, looking at the lights of the inner city.

"It's quite rare; it's the first time a woman has ever pursued me and sent me flowers every day."

"Indeed, you never know how proactive a woman can be until she reaches a certain point."

Lu Jin had seen it all in his previous life, and this world was much the same in this one.

But he had no interest in any of that ridiculous romantic love story.

All he wants now is to become stronger!

Lu Jin felt helpless with people like Gao Zilu. Others would send her flowers every day, but you can't exactly beat her up, can you?

And it wasn't just Gao Zilu.

From the very first day Gao Zilu appeared at the martial arts school, women began contacting him like mushrooms after rain.

Some letters were delivered through the martial arts school, some were passed on by others, and some were simply "bumped into" when he left the school.

Everyone claimed to be his fan, everyone knew his achievements like the back of their hand, and everyone looked at him with just the right amount of admiration.

This feeling isn't enjoyable; it's mentally exhausting.

The exhaustion stems from his inability to distinguish between genuine and feigned sincerity, and he's even unsure if any of them are truly sincere.

Maybe there aren't any.

They could even be members of the Holy Spirit Cult.

Just then, everything went black, and the world spun around him, causing Lu Jintong to shrink back in shock.

Eternal Night Returns to Ruins!

Entering the Eternal Night Ruins from the Inner City!

"Damn it!"

Lu Jin cursed under his breath. Seeing that the cultivation room in front of him was starting to fall into disrepair and the lights were going out, Lu Jin quickly activated his Heavenly Eye, took out the Dao Integration Spear, took a deep breath, and cautiously walked out of the cultivation room.

What's meant to happen will happen!

There's no way to avoid it.

Although Lu Jin didn't know what level of monsters existed in the inner city, fortunately, his strength had improved considerably in the past few days.

"Let me see what kind of monsters and demons lurk in the inner city!"

...