Chapter 144: Tremendous Good News
Outside the Small Bamboo Forest, Lu Xin anxiously waited through the night. As soon as it got light, the Lu Ward ward gate opened, and Lu Xiang hurried over with Lu Ying. The Old Master had bloodshot eyes, and Lu Ying’s eyes were even more red and swollen, clearly having cried all night.
As soon as she saw Lu Xin, Lu Ying’s eyes brimmed with tears again, and with a sobbing voice she said, “Father, how is Younger Brother?”
“He’s fine, don’t make a fuss.” Lu Xin himself was a mess inside, but he still comforted his daughter, “With the Vice Sect Master here, Lu Yun is definitely fine.”
“I want to go in and see him.” Lu Ying said this and tried to rush into the Small Bamboo Forest, but Lu Xin hurriedly stopped her, “Don’t fool around, don’t you see what kind of place this is!”
“What kind of place is this?” Lu Xiang, however, blew his beard and glared, “I held Lu Xian when he was little, and now that he’s Vice Sect Master, it’s off-limits to outsiders?!”
“Father!” Lu Xin helplessly advised, “The past is the past, the present is the present, rules must be followed!” After a night, he had calmed down and realized the situation wasn’t without room for maneuver; now wasn’t the time to lose it.
Lu Xin tried hard to persuade them, finally stopping the two from charging into the Small Bamboo Forest like he had. But the two firmly refused to go back, so Lu Xin had no choice but to agree and let them wait outside with him.
Before long, Lu Bai and the other two arrived too. Lu Xin frowned upon seeing them, “Don’t you have morning classes?”
“We have to know Lu Yun is fine first before we can relax.” Lu Lin said gruffly.
“Yeah, Tenth Uncle, just let us wait here. Our hearts are tied in knots, we can’t practice cultivation well anyway.” Lu Song said with a bitter smile.
“My grandfather said last night he’d come over this morning.” Lu Bai quietly said to Lu Xin. He was usually the quietest, but his thoughts were the most meticulous. From Lu Xin’s reaction yesterday, Lu Bai vaguely sensed there might be some inside story not for outsiders’ ears. So he reminded Lu Xin.
Lu Xin gratefully nodded, his expression growing even more grave. Lu Xian wouldn’t refuse the Clan Leader at the door either. Once Lu Shang arrived, things would become clear. He had thought of this last night and prepared a few lines of response, but without time to coordinate with Lu Yun, he had no confidence at all.
Sure enough, not long after, Lu Shang arrived slowly from Sanwei Hall, accompanied by his two sons, Great Steward Lu Xiu and Fifth Steward Lu Wei.
Everyone hurried to bow to the Clan Leader. Lu Shang smiled and nodded, warmly patted Lu Xiang’s arm, and laughed, “How many years has it been since you came to Lu Ward?”
“Hey…” Lu Xiang was worried about Lu Yun and had no mood to make small talk with Lu Shang, so he pursed his lips and said, “Too many bad people, it makes me angry just looking.”
“You, at your age, still so blunt.” Lu Shang shook his head with a bitter smile, “Who knows how you produced such fine descendants.”
“That’s the skill.” Lu Xiang grinned smugly, but then his face fell, and he said sullenly, “Clan Leader, you judge this: Lu Xian saved Lu Yun, we’re grateful to tears, but not letting family see him—what kind of reason is that?!”
“Don’t worry, don’t worry.” Lu Shang comforted him, laughed, “I’ll go in and see what’s going on.” With that, he slowly walked into the Bamboo Forest accompanied by Lu Xiu.
Outside the Bamboo Forest, everyone waited eagerly. Lu Wei walked up to Lu Song and the other two, snorted coldly, “Daring to skip class, you guys have some guts.”
The three weren’t afraid of him. Lu Song chuckled, “Uncle, you’re not there as our master, what’s the point of us going?”
“I’m accompanying the Clan Leader…” Lu Wei said righteously, but then couldn’t hold back, “Alright, they don’t even need me accompanying.” He glared fiercely at the three, “When we get back, see how I deal with you!”
“Deal with us however!” As long as Lu Wei didn’t chase them away, Lu Song and the others didn’t care what would happen later.
“You said it.” Lu Wei gave a creepy laugh, then ignored the three and went to chat with Lu Xin.
Seeing Lu Wei’s creepy laugh, the three shivered together. They finally regretted talking so big…
.
Lu Shang had been inside for a good while with no movement. Outside, it was already bright daylight, and several stewards of the Lu Clan, along with some elders, had joined the waiting crowd.
Actually, among these people, few were truly worried about Lu Yun or cared about Lu Xin. They came over because they heard Lu Shang had entered the Small Bamboo Forest, wondering what exactly had happened to that kid to make the clan leader and vice clan leader discuss so long without announcing anything. These stewards and elders naturally wanted to figure it out.
Besides these high-level figures, many clan members had heard the news and come to watch the excitement. They didn’t dare get close and stood whispering off to the side. Some worried Lu Yun mustn’t have an accident, lest the Lu Clan lose a genius youth. But others gloated, wishing Lu Yun would be crippled outright to free up a quota.
Seeing more and more people gathering outside, Lu Xin’s heart sank lower and lower. If something happened now, it would spread through the Capital City in a flash!
What he worried about most was the Xiahou Clan learning of Lu Yun’s condition, and then linking it to the assassination attempt on Xiahou Lei…
The sun gradually rose higher, autumn sunlight shining on Lu Yun’s face, making a layer of fine sweat beads form.
.
In the Bamboo Forest, the young attendant indeed didn’t dare be arrogant anymore. Seeing the Clan Leader arrive, he hurried in to report.
Hearing this, Lu Xian frowned, seemingly not welcoming Lu Shang’s arrival. But he still got up to greet him, with Lu Yun and the young attendant following one on each side behind him.
“Clan Leader.” Lu Xian cupped his hands.
“No need for ceremony, nephew.” Lu Shang was all smiles, showing no air of clan leader before Lu Xian. He glanced at Lu Yun, “I heard this kid had a mishap, so I came specially to check.”
“You’ve troubled yourself, Clan Leader.” Before Lu Yun could answer, Lu Xian spoke for him.
“Oh…” Lu Shang immediately understood these two had an unusual relationship now. Even more interested, he asked, “What exactly happened yesterday? He looks lively as ever!”
Though he had already reached an agreement with Lu Xian, Lu Yun still felt a twinge of tension, fearing this transcendent master wouldn’t lie well and the old fox would detect something.
“This kid was deducing the bamboo here yesterday and nearly had Qi Deviation, but he’s fine now.” Lu Xian smiled and told the Clan Leader, “To express my apology to him, I’ve decided to accept him as disciple.”
“Uh…” Lu Shang and Lu Xiu’s jaws nearly dropped. They never imagined Lu Xian would accept a disciple! And this reason for doing so was too far-fetched!
Lu Shang was seasoned and knew it couldn’t be that simple, but since Lu Xian wouldn’t elaborate, he held back his curiosity. The next moment, Lu Shang burst into delighted laughter, “No wonder the magpies have been calling all morning—such huge good news!”
Lu Shang’s smile was somewhat genuine. As the Lu Clan’s only Grandmaster, Lu Xian had always refused disciples, a major worry for Lu Shang.
One had to know, the higher the level in martial arts, the closer it approached the Way. Those profound martial arts secret manuals were full of deep meaning in every line, hard to comprehend. Relying solely on personal study not only progressed slowly but easily led astray. At that point, one needed a master to guide. In the Lu Clan, guiding core disciples’ progress mainly relied on Lu Shang and Great Elder Lu Wen, the two former Grandmasters.
But both were in their seventies or eighties, with declining vitality. They could only explain verbally, not demonstrate personally, and couldn’t even promptly judge if a disciple’s energy circulation was wrong, so the effect was greatly reduced.
In other clans, prime Heavenly Rank Grandmasters would guide their promising descendants for rapid growth. Only in the Lu Clan, Lu Xian had secluded himself for over a decade without guiding any clan members, leaving many disciples, especially those at Grandmaster level, extremely frustrated.
Though the Lu Clan hadn’t produced talents in these years and couldn’t be blamed on Lu Xian, people always brought him up. Over time, even among the Lu Clan leadership, a strange consensus formed—as if Lu Xian accepting a disciple would make talents flourish.
These years, Lu Shang had kept seeking chances to persuade Lu Xian to consider the clan’s future. Now that Lu Xian had finally agreed, Lu Shang could finally put one worry to rest.
