I logged into the God panel.

"hiss....."

The spirit detached from the imprint, and the perspective also retreated from the dry corpse.

Lu Daosheng gasped, gently rubbing his temples, his nerves throbbing with pain.

With a spirit of 3.02, manipulating the body of a dried corpse, even just speaking, just uttering a few words... it was still too much of a stretch.

"One sealed artifact, ten alchemical creations." A smile appeared on his face, and his heart beat slightly faster.

If we can get this money, it will provide a lot of attribute boosts in a short period of time!

However, according to the person holding the cane, it will take some time to gather these things... at the latest within a month.

How to receive it is also a problem.

On the computer, God's Xiaomi has sent a new message.

[God's Xiaomi: I heard the upheaval in Donghai City has temporarily come to an end? Let me know if you have any news.]

Lu Daosheng hesitated for a moment, not responding immediately. He was still somewhat worried about the so-called sealed artifact that had brought about this forum.

Will my true identity be exposed?

If he's been exposed, then his response at this point, the speed at which he received the information, is far too fast...

If I give an answer in a couple of days, even if my identity is exposed, it won't be a big problem.

Yeah, it's something that can be used to shift blame onto parents.

Although Lu Daosheng did not see his parents directly in the northern suburbs, his intuition told him that they were definitely there.

As usual, I cleared the records, turned off the computer, returned to my room, and quietly began practicing the Holy Fist Manual and meditation.

Physical fitness, agility, and mental strength are all improving at a slow pace, and the dark necklace has provided another 0.01 attribute points.

The total accumulation has reached 0.06.

Too few, far too few.

…………

in the afternoon.

Lu Yu, her father, and her mother returned home one after another.

"You've worked hard these past two days."

Zhao Baiqin smiled and said:

"I bought a free-range chicken from the market, and I'll stew it tonight to make it more nourishing."

"What's so hard about this?" Lu Tianyang gently stroked his wife's hair and said tenderly, "It's you who's been doing academic research these past few days; that's what's truly hard work..."

"Alright, alright, alright!" Lu Yu yelled, "I'm the one who works the hardest, okay? We're an old married couple, why are you still being so lovey-dovey every day!"

"You child!" Lu Tianyang and Zhao Baiqin glared at each other.

The latter gave Lu Yu's ear a rather unceremoniously twist: "You haven't been behaving yourself these past few days either. I heard from your brother that you haven't even been home? Can't you learn a thing or two from your brother?"

Lu Yu winced in pain, broke free from her mother's grasp, and lunged at Lu Daosheng, baring her teeth and claws.

"Well, you little snitch!"

Lu Daosheng rolled his eyes and ran around the coffee table, with Lu Yu chasing after him.

The siblings played around for quite a while.

It was dinnertime.

Today's meal was exceptionally lavish: stir-fried pork with garlic sprouts, sweet and sour pork ribs, stir-fried cabbage, and a pot of stewed old hen with mushrooms. It was a truly satisfying meal for Lu Daosheng.

The bread and eggs he'd eaten the past couple of days had made him feel nauseous...

"Oh, right."

Lu Yu, gnawing on sweet and sour pork ribs, mumbled:

"I made an appointment with Mint. She and a teacher from White Elephant Academy will come to our house on Saturday to do a test. Another senior I'm close to is also coming; her name is Yellow Sparrow."

Lu Tianyang glanced at his daughter:

"They haven't even started school yet, and they're already making friends?"

"That just shows I'm popular!" Lu Yu said with a grin, taking a sip of chicken soup. "But actually, it's Mint's friend."

After pausing for a moment, she continued:

"I reckon that senior student Huang Que is after Mint because her family is rich. I heard that the scholar's path costs a lot of money."

"Apprentices and scholars are the same," Zhao Baiqin said, serving her son a bowl of chicken soup. "It's just that apprentices are safer."

Lu Daosheng felt a sense of wonder:

"Mom, why do you say apprenticeships are safer?"

He was somewhat puzzled. Apprentices who practiced secret martial arts to strengthen their bodies were often the first to charge into battle when conflicts arose.

Scholars, on the other hand, only need to hone their spirit, and when it comes to fighting, they stay in the back... By all accounts, scholars are the safest.

Zhao Baiqin thought for a moment and said:

"I don't know much about the superhumans either. I've only heard some priests mention them a few times when I was doing archaeological research."

She organized the language:

"Apprentices focus on the body, scholars cultivate the mind, delve into the mysterious and ancient—that is where the danger lies."

"Studying the mystical inevitably leads to being tainted by the divine, hearing insane ramblings, and being corrupted by chaotic spirituality... And this is the only way for scholars to become stronger."

Lu Yu shrank her neck, as if she was thinking of some bad memories, and poked the rice bowl with her chopsticks again and again.

"In fact, apprenticeships can also be dangerous."

Lu Tianyang then spoke:

"I heard from a superhuman who came to the police station to give a lecture that after the apprentice path becomes powerful, the blood energy is as intense as a lighthouse in the dark night."

It will attract many extraordinary beings from other worlds who covet and spy on it, such as beings from the abyss, the underworld, and the spirit world...

As he spoke, he reached out and slapped his daughter, glaring at her and saying:

"Eat your food properly and stop playing with your chopsticks."

"Oh!" Lu Yu said, looking aggrieved.

Lu Daosheng remained silent, quietly observing everything.

Or.

She watched quietly as her father patted Lu Yu, revealing the scars on his wrists.

It was a new scar, exactly the same as the wound on the cane-wielder that was constantly oozing black blood, a perfect match.

The shadow...the church?

He drank the chicken soup in one gulp.

…………

The following day, Saturday.

December 16, 2020 (Gregorian calendar).

Early in the morning, Lu Daosheng was given a lecture by his parents... and the reason was quite simple.

The police called, recounting what had happened that day and trying to persuade Lu Daosheng to sign a letter of forgiveness...

By observing the movements of the Southern District Chief through divine grace, Lu Daosheng gained a general understanding: the infection had inexplicably faded, leaving only a very faint trace.

Madam Chen was naturally released as well.

He was practically given a severe dressing-down by his father, while Lu Yu watched on gleefully.

"He's the son of Gao Chong, the president of the Southern District Chamber of Commerce," Lu Tianyang said with a headache. "He's the richest man in our Southern District, and he could even compete to be the richest man in the entire city."

Zhao Baiqin frowned:

"We wouldn't make things difficult for a child."

"No, it shouldn't have been," Lu Tianyang sighed, "but the police detained his wife for two days, which is embarrassing, and they might hold a grudge..."

Beside her, Lu Yu curled her lip:

"We live in a society governed by the rule of law, so nothing will happen."

Since she stepped halfway into the realm of the extraordinary, her confidence has been growing rapidly. Although she is not arrogant, she has become indifferent to many things.

"What do you know, you're just a little kid?" Zhao Baiqin tapped her daughter's forehead. "But it shouldn't be a big problem."

Lu Tianyang still frowned:

"I'll talk to the director later and see if we can make peace with that family. Our chamber of commerce president is no saint; he made his fortune through shady means and only recently cleaned up his act."

He lit a cigarette, but noticing his wife's disapproving look, he sheepishly stubbed it out.

"Knock knock!"

"Mint and the others are here!"

Just then, a knock sounded at the door. Lu Yu jumped off the sofa and rushed to open it. Li Bohe burst in first.

She was wearing a floral dress and had her hair in a ponytail. She looked radiant and cheerful. Following her were a young girl who was almost an adult and a middle-aged man wearing glasses.

"Let me introduce myself! Let me introduce myself!"

Lu Yu was in high spirits:

"This is Senior Sister Huang Que, this is Instructor Zou from the academy... this is my dad, my mom, and my little brother Lu Daosheng."

The college tutor surnamed Zou glanced at them casually and nodded indifferently, while Huang Que greeted the uncle and aunt very politely, but it was obviously just a formality.

After all, this was just an ordinary family, not worthy of the attention of extraordinary individuals.

Lu Tianyang and Zhao Baiqin politely invited everyone to sit down.

Professor Zou shook his head slightly:

"No need. Mint has already passed the spiritual test, ranking as a lower-middle-level spiritual being—a rare genius... Should we test these two children's apprentice or scholar talents?"

He glanced at the two children, but didn't think much of it.

"I'm a scholar!"

Lu Yu jumped up, and the couple glared at him. If there hadn't been outsiders present, they probably would have already given him a hard slap on the head.

"I'll become your apprentice," Lu Daosheng said with a smile. If it involved testing one's mental fortitude...

Compared to his own mental state, he was more worried about some uncontrollable accident.

After all, I didn't know exactly what the process of the aptitude test was. What I experienced at the church was a general test, just to see if I had any talent.

It's worth noting that even Lord Nostaan, whom the Church of Shadows called an angel and the gatekeeper of the underworld, was blown to smithereens after merely glancing into their own mental world!

If this mentor were to blow it up in front of everyone, I really wouldn't know how to explain it.

"Is everyone coming?"

Professor Zou nodded casually and took out two crystal balls from his pocket, one light blue and the other dark red.

Seemingly a necessary procedure before testing, he briefly explained:

"The mental talent orientation test requires a brief communication with the dream world. The testing method has been improved, and the probability of attracting the attention of the [Eternal Nightmare] is now extremely low."

Zhao Baiqin frowned:

"The Dream World Measurement Method? This method is extremely dangerous. Why is the Church of the Sun still using it?"

Many eyes turned to her.

Zhao Baiqin added:

"I am an associate professor in the Department of Archaeology at Tunghai University. I heard about it from a priest."

The professor surnamed Zou was clearly surprised. An archaeology professor?

This is one of the professions that brings ordinary people closest to becoming extraordinary.

He said calmly:

"While the dream world method may be dangerous for other churches, it is very safe for us to conduct the test under the radiant protection of the great sun god."

"But..." Zhao Baiqin seemed to want to say something more, but was interrupted by the tutor surnamed Zou, who said with an unfriendly expression:

"What, does this parent know more about the great sun god than I do, or about the eternal nightmare of the dream world?"

The oriole also spoke with a smile:

"Don't worry, Uncle and Aunt. I used the Dream World test method back then too... and so did Mint. It's very safe."

Zhao Baiqin remained silent, but nodded nonetheless. However, Lu Daosheng noticed that his mother's fingers unconsciously curled up twice as she touched her nose.

It seems... that he's nervous.