Chapter 113: A Solitary Peak Stands Tall, Clouds Soar Over the Land

"Xiuwu, why have you returned from the Martial Academy?"

Just as Lu Sheng stepped into the Martial Repository, a young man with a spirited, austere presence in a Yujing City mansion frowned and questioned Shen Xiuwu.

In his understanding, Shen Xiuwu should have been studying at the Martial Academy rather than back at the estate. Lu Yunfeng held a deep disdain for such unauthorized returns and disregard for the academy's discipline.

"Young Master Feng!"

Bowing to him, Shen Xiuwu did not explain why he had returned in such haste, but instead said urgently, "This very morning, not long ago, Lu Yunfei—the highest-ranked member of the Great Jing Lu clan on the Prodigy List—was defeated by an eighteen-year-old youth."

"This person has already been hailed as the number one of the Great Jing Lu clan's younger generation!"

With an "oh," the man known as "Young Master Feng," Lu Yunfeng, seemed entirely unmoved by the news. Instead, he asked, "Is that why you returned to the estate without permission?"

"This..." Caught off guard, Shen Xiuwu remembered his father's assessment of Lu Yunfeng’s rigid nature and explained hesitantly, "I have already requested leave and received approval from the instructor!"

"Hmph!" Satisfied, Lu Yunfeng nodded and addressed the matter Shen Xiuwu had raised. "Although Lu Yunfei is a few years younger than I am and his cultivation has always lagged behind mine, he was born with open Yin orifices, granting him innate supernatural speed."

"Someone like that, even for me, would take some effort to defeat."

Among those with innate open-orifice constitutions, the opening of the two primary Yin orifices indicates a surplus of Yin energy, manifesting as innate speed. Lu Yunfei not only possessed this talent but had also invested immense effort into his footwork and agility, earning him the moniker "The Cloud-Flying across the Land." Even Lu Yunfeng, confident that his own martial arts surpassed his peer's, knew that defeating him would not be a simple task.

Therefore, he analyzed, "Based on your account, the person who just defeated Lu Yunfei seems to have won quickly. Thus, their duel must have taken place in the arena."

Given Lu Yunfei’s speed, even if he were to lose, he could have dragged the fight out for a long time outside of a ring. To fall in less than half a morning meant it had to be on the arena stage.

"Yes, it was in the arena!"

Looking at Lu Yunfeng with admiration, Shen Xiuwu continued, "Young Master Feng, Lu Yunfei was utterly crushed by that man named Lu Sheng in the arena. You should have seen him—he was beaten black and blue. His sister, Lu Yunwei, was so furious she looked ready to kill!"

As he spoke, he recounted the scene of the duel. Although Shen Xiuwu was not a martial artist and had not fully grasped the intricacies of the fight, with the help of Luo Liheng’s commentary combined with his own observations, he described the characteristics of Lu Sheng’s combat style.

Finally, he added, "That Lu Sheng possesses immense strength and equally great speed. He kept Lu Yunfei completely suppressed in the arena, leaving him almost no room to counterattack. Young Master Feng, if you duel him, you must use weapons. Given that boy's age, his skill with weaponry must be far inferior to yours!"

Following the battle with Lu Yunfei, Lu Sheng’s strength, speed, and mastery of unarmed combat had gained widespread recognition. However, the general consensus was that his skill with weaponry was mediocre. After all, for an eighteen-year-old, reaching such a level in martial arts and unarmed combat was already rare; the time he could have spent on weaponry must have been very limited.

This was why Shen Xiuwu suggested that his master challenge Lu Sheng to a weapons duel. As for whether Lu Yunfeng would actually challenge him, neither Shen Xiuwu nor any others observing the Great Jing Lu clan had any doubt.

"The Solitary Peak Standing Tall, the Cloud-Flying across the Land"—as the two most famous youths of the Great Jing Lu clan’s thirty-sixth generation, with Lu Yunfei already defeated, it was impossible for Lu Yunfeng, who stood alongside him, to sit idly by.

***

"Weaponry?"

Regarding the suggestion, Lu Yunfeng was non-committal. After pondering for a moment, he asked, "Is this Lu Sheng the same youth from the Bingzhou Lu clan who obtained a flood dragon two years ago?" Clearly, he had recalled the records from the Prodigy List and identified who Lu Sheng was.

"Yes, that is the one!" Shen Xiuwu confirmed, based on the intelligence he had gathered. Then, with a tone of regret, he added, "It is a pity that Lu Sheng was brought back by the Ancestor of Ten Thousand Mountains. Even if that flood dragon exists, it must have fallen into the Ancestor's hands. There is basically no hope of obtaining any dragon meat."

One cannot force an item from a Grandmaster unless they choose to bestow it. Even to attempt an exchange, it would have to be proposed by another Grandmaster. Therefore, although he knew his master desired dragon meat, Shen Xiuwu did not believe there was any opportunity left.

"Not necessarily."

Glancing sideways at Shen Xiuwu, Lu Yunfeng said coolly, "Given the Ancestor's temperament, if he took the flood dragon, he would certainly compensate Lu Sheng. It is only logical that he would have left some dragon meat behind."

As a member of the Great Jing Lu clan, one must understand the temperament of the clan's Grandmasters. Based on Lu Yunfeng’s knowledge, if Lu Wanshan took something from a junior, the compensation he gave would surely exceed the value of the prize. He presumed the compensation given to Lu Sheng must have been extremely generous.

"Right! Lu Sheng must have consumed the dragon meat—that explains why his strength is so great!"

Hearing Lu Yunfeng’s speculation, Shen Xiuwu’s eyes lit up. "Rumor has it that dragon meat not only replenishes essence but also increases raw strength! Given the Ancestor’s penchant for mentoring the younger generation, after seeing Lu Sheng’s immense strength, even if he took the flood dragon, he would certainly have left him some meat to help him continue growing. It is entirely possible for us to obtain it! Once you consume it, Young Master, your strength will surely increase even further!"

As a peer of Lu Yunfei, Lu Yunfeng was also born with an open-orifice constitution. However, unlike Lu Yunfei, who possessed innate speed through his Yin orifices, Lu Yunfeng had opened his Yang orifices, granting him innate supernatural strength. Currently, although he was only at the peak of the Great Martial Artist realm, his strength had already reached fifty thousand catties—approaching that of newly ascended Martial Masters who did not specialize in strength.

At this level, for those without special bloodlines, the only way to increase strength further—aside from breaking through to the Martial Master realm—was to use rare treasures to push past one's physical limits. The flesh of a flood dragon was precisely one such treasure.

Though Lu Yunfeng was proud and aloof, he was not immune to things that could benefit him. With these thoughts in mind, he produced a formal invitation and said to Shen Xiuwu, "Go. Take my invitation and challenge Lu Sheng to a duel. Let him decide the time, but the place shall be the arena at the Martial Academy. I hope he prepares himself well for this challenge."