Chapter 39 - 38: Night is a Shroud, Murder Lurks

Chapter 39: Chapter 38: Night is a Shroud, Murder Lurks

Lu Jing’an had truly not expected this.

That a worn-out Fist Manual, discovered among confiscated goods, could have such a profound origin.

Then again, it made sense.

Without the keen eye granted by the [Master of Boxing] entry,

Lu Jing’an probably would have been like any ordinary martial artist,

seeing it as nothing more than a mediocre Cultivation Technique.

To most people, the *Mountain-Breaking Fist*

was just a Fist Skill with demanding requirements but seemingly ordinary power.

Who could have imagined it was created by a Great Ming Boxing Champion?

A supreme legacy that had been buried by the sands of time.

This fortuitous encounter stirred a hidden current in Lu Jing’an’s heart.

He quickly finished his breakfast, intending to begin Practicing Boxing with Chen Xuan.

"Young Master, there’s no need to rush into Practicing Boxing. There are some things I must explain to you first," Chen Xuan said, raising a hand to stop him.

"Please, Teacher," Lu Jing’an replied, suppressing his eagerness and composing his expression.

Chen Xuan took a thin booklet wrapped in gray cloth from his robes and said slowly,

"I, too, possess a partial Fist Manual for the Six Harmonies Fist.

I was planning to give it to you today, Young Master, but I didn’t expect you to acquire another part first."

His gaze swept over the *Mountain-Breaking Fist* manual in Lu Jing’an’s hands as he continued,

"If you are determined to follow the path of the Six Harmonies Fist, Young Master, I suggest you cultivate both manuals simultaneously."

"With these two Fist Skills complementing each other, you will surely be able to break through the ’Blood Barrier’."

"If you can find a third part in the future, you will be able to break through the ’Bone Barrier’ as well."

Lu Jing’an’s heart warmed at these words.

’This teacher of mine truly is a lucky star.’

But he wasn’t swept away by the pleasant surprise. Instead, he asked in a serious tone,

"Teacher, are there any risks in practicing two Fist Skills at the same time?"

Chen Xuan nodded, his expression turning solemn.

"Yes."

"Each part of the Six Harmonies Fist has a different path for its Powerful Qi.

When you first cultivate them together, the two streams of Powerful Qi will clash inside your body, like mixing fire and ice."

"You will need the aid of specific medicinal baths to guide the fusion of the Powerful Qi.

But that is only one part of it."

He paused, looking into Lu Jing’an’s eyes.

"The hardest part is that the Cultivation process is excruciatingly painful, like having your bones scraped and your flesh carved.

And once you begin, you cannot give up halfway."

"If you stop..."

Chen Xuan’s tone grew heavy.

"In the best-case scenario, your meridians will be damaged, and your progress in Martial Arts will be hindered.

In the worst-case, your foundation will be completely destroyed, leaving you a cripple."

"Therefore, Young Master, you must choose carefully."

Lu Jing’an pondered for a moment before asking,

"If I can reach the Entry Level in both Fist Skills, will the pain lessen?"

"That’s right." Chen Xuan nodded but cut Lu Jing’an off before he could say more.

"But you must understand, Young Master, if you cultivate only one,

with your aptitude, you could reach the Entry Level in a few days.

But if you cultivate both at the same time,

the difficulty will increase a hundredfold, and it will take much longer."

Lu Jing’an looked down at the Fist Manual in his hand. Its cover was yellowed, and the corners were frayed.

After a moment of silence, he looked up, his gaze firm and resolute.

"Teacher, I choose the Six Harmonies Fist."

Lu Jing’an’s reason for choosing this path was simple:

First, the Six Harmonies Fist was powerful enough to support his journey toward greater heights in Martial Arts.

Second, he had Energy Points.

’If the pain truly becomes unbearable, I can just pour in Energy Points to force my way to the Entry Level. With a cheat ability supporting me, it would be utterly foolish not to choose the strongest path.’

Seeing that Lu Jing’an had made his choice,

Chen Xuan offered no more words of caution.

Instead, he handed another Fist Manual to Lu Jing’an—the one he possessed for the *Thunder Shock Fist*.

Lu Jing’an accepted it with both hands and thanked him solemnly.

"Young Master, there’s no need to rush into practice. You can have Cui Jieyi prepare the medicinal bath first. While you wait, you can review the two Fist Skills."

Lu Jing’an asked, "Teacher, aren’t you going to explain them to me in detail?"

Chen Xuan replied, "Young Master, your comprehension of Fist Skills is already on par with my own.

With top-tier Martial Arts like these, the path you comprehend for yourself is the one that will suit you best."

"This is different from a Basic Boxing Skill like the Long Arm Fist. If you can achieve enlightenment on your own, your foundation will be the most stable."

"When you truly begin your practice, Young Master, I will naturally be by your side to protect and guide you."

With that, he took out a pre-written prescription from his sleeve and handed it to Lu Jing’an.

"So, Teacher, you expected I would choose the Six Harmonies Fist all along," Lu Jing’an said with a smile as he took the prescription.

"I was merely being prepared," Chen Xuan said, shaking his head.

"If you hadn’t chosen it, Young Master, I would not have taken this prescription out."

Lu Jing’an summoned a servant, handed him the prescription, and instructed,

"Take this to Doctor Cui Jieyi. Purchase whatever medicinal ingredients are needed. The silver coins can be drawn directly from the accounting office."

After the servant left, Lu Jing’an asked about another crucial matter.

"Teacher, are there any clues about the remaining four Fist Manuals?"

Chen Xuan mused,

"I have a rough idea where two of them might be.

Once you have mastered these two, Young Master, I can go out and search for them."

But Lu Jing’an waved his hand.

"Let’s have the servants handle the search for the manuals for now.

There’s no need to trouble you with traveling, Teacher, if it’s something money can solve."

Chen Xuan thought for a moment, then nodded.

Just then, the sound of two sets of footsteps, one after the other, came from the corridor.

Lu Jing’an turned to see the servant who had just delivered the prescription, followed by a servant who attended to his father, Lu Huaiqian.

"Young Master, the Master requests your presence in the study," the latter servant said respectfully.

Lu Jing’an nodded and turned first to the servant who had returned.

"What did Doctor Cui say?"

"Doctor Cui said that most of the ingredients on the prescription can be purchased within Yin Mountain County.

Only a few rare ones will require searching in the neighboring counties or even the Provincial City."

"She has already arranged for people to handle it. We should have news in five or six days at the latest."

"Good. Tell Doctor Cui she has full authority. I only need to see the results."

After giving his instructions, Lu Jing’an took his leave of Chen Xuan and followed the servant toward the study.

Along the way, he had already guessed what his father wanted to see him about.

Sure enough, upon entering the study, he saw Lu Huaiqian holding a scroll.

It was the Tiger Demon’s file, borrowed from the Anping Bureau.

Even Lu Huaiqian was a little surprised at how smoothly things had gone.

He had originally intended to use this matter to give his son some "experience."

Now, it seemed his son had "taught him a lesson" instead.

What surprised him even more was that his son’s influence with the Anping Bureau seemed to be greater than he had imagined.

"Jing’an, this is the Tiger Demon’s case file from the Anping Bureau. Take a close look."

Lu Jing’an took it and began to read with concentration.

The Anping Bureau’s records were extremely detailed, dating back forty years.

According to the file, the Tiger Demon had been occupying the forests outside Yin Mountain County for nearly forty years.

Its origins were a mystery. The Anping Bureau had organized two encirclement campaigns against it.

Both failed because the Tiger Demon was exceptionally cunning and stubbornly defended its lair.

On one occasion, a team of Cultivators from the Anping Bureau was returning from a mission and took a shortcut.

They ended up trespassing on the Tiger Demon’s territory and were ambushed and killed.

Unexpectedly, the demon possessed the ability to refine its victims into Chong Ghosts.

The Anping Bureau was unaware it had this ability at the time.

They suffered a great loss on their own turf.

They lost seven or eight Cultivators.

The entire Anping Bureau, including affiliated Cultivators, had fewer than thirty members.

Losing a quarter of their Cultivators in one go was definitely a major blow.

Afterward, the Anping Bureau investigated the Tiger Demon thoroughly for a long time.

Although they couldn’t harm it again, they learned a great deal about it.

After reading, Lu Jing’an handed the file back.

"Father, we need to make a copy of this file. It will be of great use in the future."

Lu Huaiqian nodded, summoned his secretary, and gave the order.

After a moment of contemplation, Lu Huaiqian couldn’t help but ask,

"You seem to be quite close with the Anping Bureau?"

Lu Jing’an’s expression remained neutral.

"We’re acquainted.

The reason I could access the file isn’t due to my own influence, but because the Anping Bureau follows its rules.

As long as you go by the book, they will naturally cooperate."

Lu Huaiqian nodded and said no more.

But he knew full well that things had never gone this smoothly when he had tried to go by the book in the past.

However, this was a good thing, and he had no desire to probe further.

Leaving the study, Lu Jing’an returned directly to his personal courtyard.

In his quiet room, Lu Jing’an spread the two Fist Manuals on his desk and immersed himself in them once more.

He studied them until night fell and the candlelight flickered.

Only then did he fully grasp the stances, Heart Methods, and critical points of Qi circulation for both Fist Skills.

Since Cui Jieyi had not yet prepared the medicinal ingredients, Lu Jing’an wasn’t in a hurry to begin his practice.

He simply practiced a set of boxing in the courtyard and held a Pile Skill stance for a while.

Afterward, he soaked in a medicinal bath until his entire body felt relaxed, then extinguished the light and went to rest.

That night, the moon was hidden and the stars were dim.

The long streets of Yin Mountain County Town were steeped in an inky darkness, the watchman’s clapper distant, the lights few and far between.

Unseen by anyone, several figures silently appeared in the shadows of the streets and alleys.

They moved without a sound and did not breathe. Their faces were ashen, and their eyes were fixed and unblinking.

These were the Chong Ghosts refined by the Tiger Demon.

The group of six "people" had all been Martial Cultivators in life.

Though now devoid of life, their bodies were even more rigid and ferocious.

The six had a clear target: the Lu Family Mansion.

Before long, the six figures had drawn near the Lu Family Mansion.

They easily scaled the courtyard walls.

They split into two groups. One headed straight for the East Courtyard where Lu Jing’an lived.

The other crept west, toward the courtyard of the son and daughter of Lu Jing’an’s third uncle.