Chapter 83: Harmony and Happiness

"You want me to kill this sea eagle?" Suddenly, Lu Wanshan turned to Lu Sheng.

"Uh..." Nearly losing his balance, Lu Sheng wiped the cold sweat from his brow and replied honestly, "I have a weapon that requires the core of a fourth-tier avian beast."

Indeed, just moments ago, he had fleetingly entertained the notion of urging Lu Wanshan to slay the sea eagle beneath them, but it was only a brief, wild impulse—nothing more than a mad thought. What he hadn't expected was that the grandmaster could sense even that split-second malice.

"Haha!" Without probing into Lu Sheng's secrets, Lu Wanshan laughed heartily at his expression, tossed him a spatial pouch, and admonished, "In front of martial masters or beasts above the fourth tier, you must restrain your ill intentions. When faced with threats to their own safety, those capable of refining their spirit and beasts with complete intelligence can sense it! Young man, there is much you must learn to survive in this world."

Though Lu Sheng's malice wasn't directed at him, and lasted but an instant, Lu Wanshan, a grandmaster of the Void Realm, could still perceive it within his domain. In fact, if not for being in Lu Wanshan's area of influence, the fourth-tier sea eagle beneath them might have sensed that flash of malice and sought trouble with Lu Sheng. That was why Lu Wanshan took the trouble to warn him, lest he provoke high-tier beasts in Yujing City and invite disaster.

"Thank you for your guidance, Ancestor! And this..." Sincerely grateful, Lu Sheng peered into the spatial pouch and was both surprised and delighted to find a massive snow eagle beast inside. "Could it be that Ancestor felt guilty after taking the flood dragon and is compensating me?"

"What nonsense, boy!" Lu Wanshan tapped Lu Sheng's head and said, "This snow eagle beast was a casual hunt yesterday while assisting Bao Zhen. Now I entrust it to you so you may deliver it to Lu Chun Yuan of the Martial Institute. Of course, if you need something from it yourself, take what you require. I have no interest in meddling in these matters."

The Martial Institute was not only a place for teaching martial arts, but also for researching them, vital to the Lu Clan of Great Jing. By giving them a fourth-tier snow eagle beast's corpse, Lu Wanshan intended for them to study related martial skills. He trusted that Lu Chun Yuan, who presided over the institute, would not disappoint him.

"Thank you, Ancestor!" Lu Sheng hastily expressed his gratitude. Though, like the snow eagle king, this beast's body was only passing through his hands, the act of delivering it earned him a favor. Thus, even if he suddenly visited the Martial Institute, he would not be excluded.

Moreover, this snow eagle beast not only possessed a core to power the flying dragon horse puppet, its eyes bore innate mystical patterns. If he extracted its blood essence and infused it into the snow eagle he had previously subdued, helping it ascend to a true beast, it would be much easier!

Some days ago, while living on the snowy mountains, Lu Sheng had tamed a snow eagle. Yet, though it carried the bloodline of beasts, it had not truly become one—a bit useless now. If it could advance after absorbing the blood essence of a fourth-tier snow eagle, it would surely be more useful to him. After all, a beastly avian, once linked by the mind-controlling gu and sharing senses, would grant Lu Sheng the power of aerial perspective!

---

"What is this?" As he pondered, Lu Sheng suddenly felt Lu Wanshan press a finger to his brow, transmitting a torrent of martial arts knowledge. Somewhat puzzled, he asked.

Lu Wanshan gave no answer, but instead questioned Lu Sheng about something he had mentioned earlier, "Lu Sheng, do you know now why I abandoned Lu Yunfei and chose you?"

Lu Sheng recalled their earlier conversation and, thinking of the descriptions in the Heroes List about Lu Yunfei, hesitantly replied, "Is it because he's ten years older than me and already has many women?"

Lu Yunfei was twenty-eight, precisely ten years Lu Sheng's senior. Though he had never formally married, he possessed numerous women—otherwise, the Heroes List would not describe him as 'debonair and unrestrained.'

"Ten years older, debonair—these are not real issues. What powerful martial artist doesn't have a few women?" Lu Wanshan shook his head.

"Then, is it because of my potential?" Lu Sheng ventured. At eighteen, his strength rivaled Lu Yunfei's at twenty-eight. Surely, in Lu Wanshan's eyes, he was more worthy of cultivation.

Lu Wanshan nodded slightly, then shook his head, saying, "I chose you not only because your potential is greater, but more importantly, because your true appearance far surpasses Lu Yunfei's in beauty!"

"Beauty?" Nearly knocked over by this statement, Lu Sheng protested, "Ancestor, what do you mean by that? Are you hoping I'll repeat my great-grandfather's tactics with Murong Yu?"

Seventy years ago, his great-grandfather Lu Quan had used his handsome looks to sow discord within the Murong Clan. But Lu Sheng had no confidence in such schemes; he lacked his ancestor's insight into women.

Lu Wanshan, though over three centuries old, spoke of these matters without a hint of embarrassment. He explained, "The ancestors of the Murong Clan seem to possess a special bloodline that makes them exceptionally beautiful from birth. Though this bloodline grants little aside from appearance, it has a real influence. Perhaps because higher-ranked bloodlines yield even greater beauty, the earliest generations of Murong Clan members naturally revered handsome men and beautiful women."

For those with special bloodlines, high-ranking ones suppress lower ones, especially if they are of the same type. The Murong ancestors clearly fell into this category.

Lu Sheng was familiar with such knowledge, listening as Lu Wanshan continued, "Later, though the Murong bloodline dwindled, this reverence became a unique cultural atmosphere within the clan. Even their martial arts were influenced, deepening their beauty as their cultivation grew."

Martial arts shape body inside and out; powerful techniques often affect a practitioner's form. Many martial artists are burly or gaunt due to their training. The Murong Clan's arts, however, focus these changes on enhancing appearance, explaining their abundance of handsome men and women.

"So, whether due to bloodline or reverence for strength, the Murong Clan's culture persisted! Your great-grandfather thrived because of it. As for you, so long as you maintain your appearance—after Murong Yu awakens, she will soon accept you!"

Though Murong Yu, raised in the Fire God Sect and practicing their arts, lacked her clan's typical admiration for beauty, it would be hard for her to completely sever the Murong influence. She was initially drawn to Quartz mainly due to his jade-like skin, which piqued her curiosity.

Thus, upon meeting Lu Sheng, Lu Wanshan immediately switched candidates—for his beauty surpassed all others. Lu Wanshan believed that once Murong Yu's body was transformed by the snow lotus essence and her fire arts abolished, breaking her faith in the Fire God and entering her heart would not be difficult. After some time together, the Murong Clan's instincts would inevitably draw her to Lu Sheng.

---

"Then why, Ancestor, have you given me these Murong Clan arts?" Lu Sheng asked, seeing in his mind the techniques, clearly the fruit of centuries of Lu Clan collection.

"I gave you these so you could learn how to use mystical energy to beautify yourself, maintaining—and even enhancing—your appearance," Lu Wanshan smiled.

The Murong Clan, with its ancient legacy, had unique methods for using mystical energy to preserve and refine one's looks. Before becoming a grandmaster, Lu Sheng needed this knowledge to maintain or alter his appearance. These were originally prepared for Lu Yunfei, intended to help him reshape his body. Even though Lu Sheng's looks were already enough, Lu Wanshan wanted him to keep them, just in case.

Despite sweating inwardly, Lu Sheng could not help but admire the grandmaster's meticulous planning. Still, mindful of the Lu Clan's enmity with the Murong Clan, he worried, "If Murong Yu never accepts me after awakening, what should I do?"

Without hesitation, Lu Wanshan answered, "Then seal her memories until she does! In short, until the reincarnation of the Snow Eagle King recognizes the Lu Clan, Murong Yu must not be lured back to the Murong Clan!"

Though the memories of a spiritual vessel cannot be erased, Lu Wanshan could still seal them for a time. He would only use this method if absolutely necessary. Aside from the risk of Murong Yu suddenly regaining her memories, his chief concern was that the reincarnation of the Snow Eagle King—Murong Yu's daughter—might develop aversion to the Lu Clan after learning of this.

Thus, the best scenario would be for Lu Sheng to win Murong Yu's heart, forming a harmonious family with the reincarnation of the Snow Eagle King, so that before her memories fully return, she would already recognize the Lu Clan.

This, ultimately, was the main reason for Lu Wanshan's elaborate arrangements for Lu Sheng.