Chapter 9: Twin Stars of the Lu Family, Surging Undercurrents
Time quietly flowed onward once more.
Seasons rotated, and more than a year had already passed.
The battle between Lu Yang and Lu Ming gradually became one of the frequently discussed topics among the younger generation of the Lu Family.
Especially among the mortal branch descendants, Lu Yang’s status had unknowingly risen to an entirely different level.
After all, for many years, the mortal branch had always lived beneath the shadow of the main line.
Resources, treatment, status, instructors, medicinal baths... everything was inferior.
Yet Lu Yang had forcefully defeated one of the most dazzling main line geniuses publicly, displaying astonishing talent and comprehension ability.
Even if many people did not dare say it openly, countless mortal branch descendants had already begun regarding Lu Yang as their pride.
As for Lu Ming himself, after recovering from his injuries, he truly became much quieter, at least outwardly.
Rumors even spread that his father, the seventh elder and a genuine Spirit Awakening Realm cultivator, had directly confined him for three months after learning of the battle results, forcing him to cultivate in seclusion and reflect upon himself.
Meanwhile, Lu Yang’s life gradually returned to calmness once more.
Cultivation, martial arts practice, medicinal baths, occasionally listening to clan lectures, and then cultivation again.
Compared to before, however, the resources supplied to him had increased significantly once more after entering the Second Stage of Body Tempering Realm. Even the quality of medicinal herbs distributed monthly had risen noticeably.
Within the quiet courtyard, steam slowly rose from a large medicinal bath barrel, bitter medicinal fragrance permeating the surroundings.
Lu Yang sat cross-legged within the medicinal liquid silently.
Crimson Blood Qi circulated continuously beneath his skin as the medicinal effects were absorbed rapidly into his flesh and bones.
Compared to when he first arrived at the Lu Family, his appearance had already changed greatly.
Although only seven years old, his figure was taller and sturdier than ordinary children. His skin carried faint toughness beneath its surface, while the calmness within his eyes grew increasingly profound.
His face had faded much of its childishness, gradually becoming more handsome and refined.
Moments later, Lu Yang slowly opened his eyes.
The medicinal liquid around him had already become much clearer, its efficacy almost entirely absorbed.
He quietly clenched his fist beneath the water.
The Blood Qi within his body surged smoothly without the slightest obstruction.
Third Stage of Body Tempering Realm...
It’s time now.
Over this past year, Lu Yang’s cultivation speed had slowed noticeably compared to before.
Naturally, this was only relative to his previous terrifying pace.
In reality, if his current cultivation speed were exposed outside, countless ordinary Body Tempering Realm cultivators would still be shocked speechless.
After all, many people required several years merely to advance one minor realm within the early stages of Body Tempering Realm.
Yet Lu Yang was about to achieve the Third Stage of Body Tempering Realm before even turning eight years old when he was merely a mortal just three years ago.
This speed was already enough to overwhelm all younger generation descendants within the Lu Family.
The reason he deliberately slowed himself slightly was naturally still caution.
The higher his displayed talent became, the more attention gathered around him, and attention was not always a good thing.
Especially before possessing enough strength to protect himself completely.
That was why he specifically spent more time than necessary to hone his combat skills and cultivate the Shattering Bone Palm and Flowing Cloud Steps, occasionally sparring with Guard Zhou.
The evening gradually deepened.
Soon afterward, Lu Yang stepped out from the medicinal bath quietly before changing into fresh robes.
The night breeze swept through the bamboo courtyard softly.
He slowly sat beneath the bamboo trees once more before beginning circulation of the Golden Vajra Body Tempering Qi and Blood Method.
The dense Blood Qi within his body gradually began surging violently.
His muscles trembled and bones vibrated faintly, warm Blood Qi currents repeatedly washing through every part of his body.
Just then,
Something seemed to suddenly break!
*Boom!*
A muffled sound echoed faintly from within Lu Yang’s body.
The surrounding Blood Qi fluctuations instantly surged upward.
His skin faintly emitted a bronze luster before quickly stabilizing once more.
Moments later, Lu Yang slowly exhaled a breath of turbid air.
Third Stage of Body Tempering Realm.
Success!
A faint smile finally surfaced upon his usually calm face.
Just a week remained before his eighth birthday.
Such cultivation speed...
Even Lu Yang himself could not help feeling slightly emotional inwardly.
In his previous life, he had spent nearly three years merely breaking through from the Second Stage to the Third Stage.
Back then, every advancement had required painstaking accumulation and repeated life or death struggles.
Yet now, everything had gone so smoothly it was almost unreal.
Lu Yang quickly suppressed the emotional fluctuations within his heart.
This was only the Body Tempering Realm, the true path of cultivation had merely begun.
The next morning, the entire Lu Family was stirred once more.
Although the shock no longer reached the exaggerated level from before, many clan elders still revealed astonishment after learning of Lu Yang’s breakthrough.
Breaking into the Third Stage before eight years old...
Such talent was truly enough to crown him the absolute top genius in the entire history of the Lu Family.
However, the Third Stage of Body Tempering Realm represented a subtle dividing line.
The breakthrough from the Third Stage to the Fourth Stage was considered a bottleneck by many cultivators.
Because beginning from the Fourth Stage, Body Tempering no longer focused merely on strengthening flesh and muscles superficially. Instead, one began tempering deeper bodily foundations gradually.
The difficulty increased drastically.
Thus, many people remained trapped at the Third Stage for years.
In his past life, Lu Yang had taken around six to seven years going from a newbie First Stage Body Tempering Realm cultivator to the Third Stage of Body Tempering Realm, yet it took him almost five more years to go from there to the Fourth Stage of Body Tempering Realm.
In the training grounds, Lu Shan silently swept his gaze across Lu Yang before finally nodding slowly.
"Not bad."
Although his tone remained calm, the approval within his eyes was impossible to conceal.
Soon afterward, he took out a somewhat thicker ancient manual from his robes, "This is the middle section of the Golden Vajra Body Tempering Qi and Blood Method."
Lu Yang’s eyes flickered slightly.
This portion of the cultivation method was sufficient to cultivate until the peak Sixth Stage of Body Tempering Realm.
Normally speaking, cultivators only received it after fully reaching the peak of the Third Stage and displaying sufficient contributions or talent.
Yet Lu Yang had just broken through yesterday.
Clearly, the clan had already decided to invest heavily in him completely.
Lu Shan handed over the manual calmly.
"From today onward, this old man will personally instruct your cultivation until you break through into the Fourth Stage."
Hearing this, even several nearby clan cultivators revealed traces of envy instantly.
Personal guidance from Lu Shan, such treatment was something ordinary younger generation descendants could only dream about.
Usually, others merely listened to lectures together once a week.
But Lu Yang was now receiving individual instruction directly from a Ninth Stage Body Tempering Realm expert.
Lu Yang accepted the manual respectfully, "Thank you, Instructor."
Lu Shan merely waved his sleeve lightly, "Your talent is worth this investment."
Soon afterward, Lu Yang returned toward his courtyard alongside Guard Zhou.
The clan pathways remained bustling as usual, with servants carrying medicinal herbs repeatedly between various halls while younger generation descendants occasionally practiced martial arts nearby.
As Lu Yang walked quietly, several discussions nearby gradually drifted into his ears.
"... Have you heard?"
"The Twin Stars came back from their travels yesterday."
"I heard both young master Lu Tianhe and young miss Lu Qingyu already stepped into the Sixth Stage of Body Tempering Realm..."
"At sixteen years old too..."
"They truly deserve their titles as the greatest geniuses of this generation."
Hearing those words, Lu Yang’s footsteps paused slightly.
The Twin Stars, he naturally knew of them.
Lu Tianhe and Lu Qingyu, a pair of siblings from the direct main line, children of the Family Head, publicly recognized as the strongest younger generation geniuses within the Lu Family currently.
Before Lu Yang appeared, nearly everyone believed the future of the Lu Family would belong to the two of them completely.
Sixth Stage of Body Tempering Realm at sixteen years old, quite impressive.
Even among sect disciples outside, such talent could be considered outstanding.
Guard Zhou glanced toward Lu Yang subtly.
However, Lu Yang merely listened quietly for several breaths before continuing forward, no remaining hint of any emotional fluctuations in his eyes.
He understood very clearly that sooner or later, he would surpass them.
With the Reincarnation Points invested in this life, remaining beneath contemporary geniuses of a Spirit Awakening Realm clan forever was impossible.
The so-called Twin Stars might currently stand at the peak of the younger generation, but that peak would eventually change.
A fire called ambition quietly burned within Lu Yang’s heart.
The spring breeze swept gently across the stone pathways.
Lu Yang’s robes fluttered lightly as he gradually disappeared into the distance.
...
Meanwhile, within a quiet pavilion somewhere deep inside the Lu Family estate, a pair of cold, beautiful eyes silently watched a report laid upon the table.
"Lu Yang..."
A low voice echoed faintly.
The fingers tapping against the table slowly paused.
Several moments later, the report was thrown into the darkness.
The figure sitting in the shadows slowly leaned backward.
Only a pair of indifferent eyes remained faintly visible within the darkness.
