Chapter 30

"Lu Xiu! Lu Xiu! Lu Xiu! ……"

After winning the championship, Lu Xiu's name became immensely popular among the many students of the Martial Hall.

Countless people shouted from below, especially those students from humble backgrounds, who all regarded him as their role model and goal of struggle.

The rise of a previously unknown commoner's child undoubtedly became a legendary story in the Qingyun City Martial Hall for a long time to come.

Enjoying the admiration of countless people and bearing the halo of a genius, Lu Xiu's heart remained calm.

He was very clear about how he had achieved all this.

If the fusion of the Life and Death Pearl gave him the prerequisite to become a martial arts powerhouse, then the diligent training and life-and-death trials over the past five months forged his current strength and status.

If Lu Xiu's greatest gain was the realization that true strength is forged in blood and fire, and that one must endure countless hardships to remain standing, then that is what makes a true strong person!

Cultivating the body is merely the starting point of martial arts; the road he has to walk in the future is still long and far.

Lu Xiu walked down from the competition platform, and the crowd automatically parted to make way for him. Whether they were from the初级班, 中级班, or 高级班, all the Martial Hall students looked at him with awe and admiration.

Xu Fei, who stood by Liu Yuxin like a protector, now lowered his head, no longer daring to have any thoughts of opposing Lu Xiu.

"You'd better not provoke him in the future," Zhao Qi, Xu Fei's cousin, said with a bitter smile. During the competition, he had been quite dismissive of Lu Xiu, but who could have thought he would reach this point?

Liu Yuxin also gazed at Lu Xiu, but from start to finish, Lu Xiu did not even glance at her.

Her expression was gloomy, and she bit her lip, feeling regretful but could only laugh at herself.

She had thought that he did not have the qualifications to match her.

Now, she did not even have the qualifications to be noticed by him...

"Lu Xiu, come with me."

As soon as the competition ended, Elder Zhuang Nantian appeared before Lu Xiu.

In the deepest part of the Martial Hall, there was a palace where the head of the Martial Hall resided.

In the main hall, except for the elder in charge of the library, the other four elders were all present, and the head of the Martial Hall sat in the main seat, overlooking the hall below.

"Student Lu Xiu pays respects to the hall master and the elders." Lu Xiu stepped forward, standing in the center of the hall, and bowed respectfully.

He was very clear that these few people held the highest power in the entire Qingyun City!

Not only in Yunlong County, but in every city of the Tianwu Kingdom, the Martial Hall held the highest status.

"Lu Xiu, you won the championship, ranking first. This is your reward."

The head of the Martial Hall spoke slowly, and then a servant girl walked out from the side hall, holding a jade tray covered with a red cloth.

Three servant girls, three jade trays, Lu Xiu's eyes sparkled with curiosity about what reward he would receive.

"Wow!"

When the red cloth on the first jade tray was lifted, a palm-sized green token was revealed on the tray.

"Holding this token, you can enter the third floor of the library and choose any fourth-grade martial arts!" the head of the Martial Hall said.

"Choose any?" Lu Xiu was greatly surprised. He had thought that getting one fourth-grade martial art would be great, but he never expected to have the option to choose.

Doesn't this mean that he can practice fourth-grade martial arts for his internal skills, martial techniques, and movement techniques?

Next, the red cloth on the second jade tray was lifted, revealing a delicate jade bottle.

"This is a Qi Condensation Pill, a second-grade pill. After taking it, you can break through the peak of the ninth level of Body Cultivation and enter the Qi Sea, becoming a martial artist!"

Lu Xiu's gaze trembled, knowing the value of this pill. A ninth-level Body Cultivation martial artist usually needed to accumulate a substantial amount of internal energy and repeatedly attempt to break through the dantian, which could take at least half a year to a year to achieve the Qi Sea realm.

However, taking a Qi Condensation Pill could achieve the same result with half the effort, saving half a year to a year of hard cultivation.

Such a second-grade pill could be bought for at least a thousand low-grade yuan qi stones in Qingyun City.

Then, the red cloth on the third jade tray was lifted, revealing a bronze disk about the size of a bowl, engraved with numerous patterns and runes, similar to the spirit gathering array device he used.

"This is a second-grade spirit gathering array device, which can increase your cultivation efficiency by four times!"

Four times the cultivation efficiency means that Lu Xiu's one day of cultivation is equivalent to four days for others. The first-grade spirit gathering array device he originally used only doubled the cultivation efficiency.

This second-grade spirit gathering array device is much more valuable than the second-grade Qi Condensation Pill, worth nearly two thousand yuan qi stones!

The reward for ranking first is jaw-dropping!

Just the Qi Condensation Pill and the array device are worth more than three thousand yuan qi stones, and the reward of choosing any fourth-grade martial art is priceless!

"Thank you, hall master, for your reward!" Lu Xiu bowed in gratitude.

The head of the Martial Hall smiled slightly, "No need to thank me, this is what you deserve. The Martial Hall will not be stingy with resources in cultivating geniuses."

After speaking, the head of the Martial Hall turned to look at Elder Zhuang Nantian below.

"Bring him in!"

Zhuang Nantian stood up and shouted loudly.

At the entrance of the hall, Lu Xiu heard footsteps and looked in that direction, seeing two green-armored guards escorting a middle-aged man in brocade clothing into the hall.

The middle-aged man in brocade clothing looked haggard, and when he saw Lu Xiu standing in the center of the hall, his eyes suddenly turned cold.

"Lu Xiu, this is the head of the Zhang family in Qingyun City, Zhang Shaoyong."

Zhuang Nantian said slowly, "You severed Zhang Hai's meridians during the competition, and Zhang Shaoyong harbored a grudge. He hired a hunting team led by Chen Hu to kill you. The Martial Hall has obtained solid evidence and has taken him into custody."

"Sure enough, it's the Zhang family!" Lu Xiu immediately understood. In fact, he had suspected the Zhang family from the beginning, but lacked evidence.

"The Zhang family can stand in Qingyun City, but they are not without background. One of the ancestors of the Zhang family is a ninth-level innate martial artist and an outer gate executor of the Free and Easy Sect. Not long ago, that ancestor sent a message to save Zhang Shaoyong's life."

Zhuang Nantian continued, causing Lu Xiu to frown.

"According to the rules, plotting to harm a Martial Hall student is a capital offense, but with the Zhang family's ancestor, this matter becomes special. Do you understand what I'm saying?" Zhuang Nantian asked, looking at Lu Xiu.

Lu Xiu took a deep breath and nodded, "I understand, Elder. Your meaning is that the Zhang family has an ancestor as a backer, and he cannot be killed?"

"You are right, but not entirely!" Zhuang Nantian smiled slightly, "Although the Zhang family's ancestor is an outer gate executor, he cannot interfere with the affairs of the Qingyun City Martial Hall. With just one word from you, you can decide Zhang Shaoyong's life or death!"

Upon hearing this, Zhang Shaoyong's face changed, but he did not dare to say anything in front of the head of the Martial Hall and the elders.

At this moment, the head of the Martial Hall said calmly, "Lu Xiu, this is a choice for you. With your talent, you will inevitably enter the Free and Easy Sect. All disciples start from the outer gate, and the Zhang family's ancestor is an outer gate executor..."

The head of the Martial Hall did not say it outright, but Lu Xiu could understand the meaning.

"If I kill Zhang Shaoyong, I will offend the Zhang family's ancestor, who is an outer gate executor, but if I don't kill him..."

Lu Xiu frowned. In his view, even if he did not kill Zhang Shaoyong, the Zhang family's ancestor would not necessarily remember him as a favor.

Moreover, to reach the pinnacle of martial arts, if one is hesitant and fearful, it will inevitably affect one's martial heart.

For someone who wanted to put him to death, Lu Xiu believed Zhang Shaoyong deserved to die!

At the same time, he understood that the head of the Martial Hall letting him make this choice was also a test. If he feared the Zhang family's ancestor, it would leave a negative impression on the Martial Hall's upper echelons, making him seem timid and cowardly.

While Lu Xiu was pondering the pros and cons, Elder Zhuang Nantian suddenly said, "There is another matter. A few days ago, the Zhang family sent people to Panshi Town to capture your parents and sister."

"What!" Lu Xiu's face instantly changed.

"This... This is not my doing!" Zhang Shaoyong was also stunned, "I did not send anyone to capture Lu Xiu's parents!"

"Ridiculous! How dare you make a fuss in front of the hall master?" an elder shouted, a powerful aura surging out, making Zhang Shaoyong tremble and fall silent.

"You say it's not your doing, then why did the Zhang family send people to capture my parents and sister?"

Lu Xiu shouted angrily, his eyes filled with killing intent, "You, deserve to die! Your death is not enough to atone for your sins!"

Parents and sister are Lu Xiu's untouchable taboos. Regardless of the Zhang family's background, even if it were the head of the Free and Easy Sect, he would not care.

I don't care about your background. If you dare to touch my family, I will make you die!

"Take him out and execute him!" The head of the Martial Hall's voice was cold and commanding.

"Yes!" The two green-armored guards immediately took Zhang Shaoyong away.

"Not my doing! Hall master, spare my life! Hall master..." Zhang Shaoyong screamed, but the Martial Hall's upper echelons remained cold and indifferent. To them, a small family head in the secular world was nothing more than an ant.

Seeing Zhang Shaoyong being taken away, Lu Xiu's anger still did not subside.

"Lu Xiu, you have the courage and spirit at a young age, but you must be clear that once you enter the outer gate of the Free and Easy Sect, the Zhang family's ancestor will surely find an opportunity to deal with you," the head of the Martial Hall said.

"I understand, but I am not afraid!"

Lu Xiu bowed respectfully, "Please, hall master, tell me where my parents and sister are?"

"You can rest assured, they are safe and sound," the head of the Martial Hall said.

Lu Xiu quickly thanked him, feeling relieved.

He also understood that if it were not for his talent and strength, the Martial Hall's upper echelons would not have treated him specially. In the end, it all comes down to strength.

Only by becoming strong can he ensure the safety of those around him, and no one will dare to touch them.

Just like the head of the Martial Hall sitting in Qingyun City, it is a powerful deterrent, and no one dares to act rashly!

"Since you no longer have any worries, focus on your cultivation and strive to break through the Qi Sea realm as soon as possible. Once you become a Qi Sea martial artist, I will recommend you to participate in the outer gate examination."

The head of the Martial Hall spoke slowly, "Among the fourth-grade martial arts, I suggest you do not choose another internal skill, because the Pure Yang Skill you are cultivating is already a very high-level internal skill.

It is listed as a third-grade internal skill because the Pure Yang Skill is very difficult to cultivate, but once cultivated, its effectiveness surpasses many fourth-grade internal skills. When you join the outer gate of the Free and Easy Sect, you can cultivate an internal skill that is in the same lineage as the Pure Yang Skill, called the Innate Skill!"