Chapter 4: Path of Cultivation

Chapter 4: Chapter 4: Path of Cultivation

When Lu Jing’an finished, Lu Huaiqian’s face was still impassive.

A meaningful smile spread across his second uncle’s face.

Only Lu Huaisan didn’t quite understand.

Lu Huaisan was not one for deep thought.

With two wily old foxes for an elder and second brother, he never had to use his brain.

"Jing’an, what do you mean by that?"

Lu Jing’an replied, "We find the person who tried to assassinate me, and then we get rid of them. That’s it."

"There’s no need to retaliate against the Liu Family and the Li Family."

"Absolutely not!"

Lu Huaisan grew anxious as soon as he heard this.

He slapped his knee with a hand as large as a cattail fan, his voice rising a few notches.

"Wouldn’t that be like admitting weakness to the Liu and Li Families?

They’ll walk all over us, thinking the Lu Family is a pushover!"

"Third Brother, what’s the rush? Let Jing’an finish."

Lu Huaichuan set down his teacup, his gentle voice cutting Lu Huaisan off.

Lu Jing’an explained patiently:

"Third Uncle, the root of this matter is the position of the Public Security Bureau’s chief.

The Lu Family’s foundations are still shallow.

Compared to century-old Noble Families like the Li and Liu, our heritage is far inferior.

If we were to forcefully compete for this position right now,

it would be like an egg hitting a rock. We’d have no chance of winning."

He paused slightly, observing his father’s reaction.

Seeing Lu Huaiqian still expressionless, he continued:

"Therefore, our family’s best strategy at the moment is to bide our time and react as things unfold.

We need to proactively show weakness to our enemies.

Let them understand

that we have no intention of competing for that position for the time being.

This will keep us from becoming everyone’s target."

"But at the same time,"

Lu Jing’an’s tone shifted, and his eyes grew sharp.

"we must make them understand that the Lu Family is not a pushover they can bully at will!

So, we must find that assassin as quickly as possible and eliminate him with swift and decisive action.

This will demonstrate the Lu Family’s determination and ability to hunt down our enemies,

and it will serve as a deterrent.

It will also prevent an all-out war with the Liu and Li Families,

keeping the conflict within a manageable scope."

After hearing this, a look of admiration flashed in Lu Huaichuan’s eyes. He clapped his hands and smiled.

"Big Brother, it seems the Lu Family truly has a worthy successor!"

Lu Huaisan, now finally understanding, grinned broadly.

"Heh! Jing’an, how did your brain get to be like that?

It’s way better than this blockhead of a third uncle!

Now that you’ve explained it, I get it completely!"

Lu Jing’an bowed slightly in humility. "Third Uncle, you flatter me. I’m just analyzing the situation."

At that moment, Lu Huaiqian’s profound gaze went past Lu Jing’an,

landing on Chen Xuan, who stood solemnly behind him like a shadow.

"Military Officer Chen, you examined the scene. Are there any clues?"

Chen Xuan immediately took a half step forward and reported his findings one by one,

particularly emphasizing the key detail that the killer used his left hand to wield the knife.

Lu Huaiqian listened quietly, then nodded and gave his order:

"Investigate in this direction.

Third Brother, send all your men out. Even if you have to leave no stone unturned..."

"Wait!"

Lu Jing’an suddenly spoke up, interrupting him. Everyone’s gaze focused on him once more.

"Father," Lu Jing’an said in a low voice, meeting Lu Huaiqian’s questioning gaze.

"I think the fact that the killer deliberately used his left hand might be a misdirection in itself."

Lu Huaiqian gestured for Lu Jing’an to continue.

Lu Jing’an organized the thoughts he had already formulated in the car and turned to Chen Xuan.

"Uncle Xuan, that Lamp Cultivator died from poison, and his hand was chopped off after he was dead, correct?"

"That is correct, Young Master," Chen Xuan affirmed.

"Then, given the killer’s strength, if he had fought him head-on, would he have been able to quietly eliminate that Lamp Cultivator?"

Chen Xuan pondered for a moment. "Judging by the evidence at the scene, the killer’s strength is far greater than the Lamp Cultivator’s. He was more than capable of it."

Lu Jing’an nodded and said slowly:

"And therein lies the problem.

When the killer came after me, he chose a rather clumsy street assault.

When he silenced the Lamp Cultivator, he used poison, a method that is not his specialty.

Then he went to the unnecessary trouble of cutting off the hand to fake being left-handed."

He paused, then presented his core deduction:

"Why would he go to such great lengths to hide his true methods?

Could it be because the characteristics of his usual right-handed techniques are too obvious?

Once he used them, his identity and origins would be easily exposed?"

As soon as he said this, a sharp light flashed in the eyes of Lu Huaiqian and Lu Huaichuan. Even Chen Xuan immediately bowed his head. "Director, I was negligent!"

Lu Huaiqian waved his hand, his tone gentle.

"You are not to blame. You had to both protect Jing’an and investigate the scene. It’s understandable that something might be missed."

After a moment, Lu Huaisan slammed the table and cursed in a booming voice:

"Damn it!

These bastards are more treacherous than the last!

Full of dirty tricks!

It’s a good thing you’re so meticulous, Jing’an. Otherwise, we would’ve wasted all our effort!"

Lu Huaiqian pondered for a moment, then gave a decisive order. "Military Officer Chen, I must trouble you with something.

Go and review the case files of all wanted martial artists from the past two years.

Focus on screening for individuals who match the characteristics Jing’an described:

someone with a distinctive right-handed technique."

"Yes, Director! I’ll see to it at once!" Chen Xuan accepted the order and left quickly.

After Chen Xuan left, an idea flashed through Lu Jing’an’s mind.

He thought of another way that might make the mastermind hand over the assassin themselves.

"Father, perhaps we can also take a two-pronged approach. We could find a way to make his employer hand him over voluntarily."

Hearing this, the three of them focused their gazes on him again.

Lu Jing’an took a moment to organize his words

and explained his plan, which had a good chance of success.

After listening to Lu Jing’an’s plan,

Lu Huaichuan’s admiration for Lu Jing’an turned directly to astonishment.

Even the expression on Lu Huaiqian’s face changed slightly as he looked at Lu Jing’an.

Lu Huaisan, however, was still scratching his head in confusion.

Lu Huaichuan said in a low voice, "Big Brother, Jing’an’s plan is actually worth a try, isn’t it?

And it might even help us probe the true intentions of those ’above’."

Lu Huaiqian pondered for a while.

"Second Brother, handle this matter through your channels."

Lu Huaichuan nodded. "Alright, I’ll take care of it."

A harsh glint flashed in Lu Huaiqian’s eyes.

"Also, secretly investigate which families in the city have been restless lately.

Without an inside man, it wouldn’t have been so easy for an outsider to slip in and find Jing’an so precisely."

Lu Huaisan immediately slapped his chest. "Big Brother, this is my specialty!

Leave it to me! I guarantee I’ll dig up all their dirty laundry!"

"Mm, be cautious. Don’t alert the enemy."

Lu Huaiqian added this warning, then turned to Lu Jing’an, his tone leaving no room for argument:

"During this time, you are to stay in the mansion. Do not go out."

Lu Jing’an knew the crisis was not yet over and readily agreed.

"Rest assured, Father. I won’t take a single step outside the mansion gates until the killer is caught."

With the matter settled, Lu Jing’an left the study first, along with his Second Uncle, Lu Huaichuan.

Walking down the corridor, Lu Huaichuan patted Lu Jing’an’s shoulder,

his tone holding both relief and a faint, hard-to-detect complexity.

"Ah, Jing’an, this ordeal might not be a completely bad thing for you.

The future of the Lu Family will ultimately rest on your shoulders."

Lu Jing’an responded respectfully:

"Second Uncle, you exaggerate.

With Father, you, and Third Uncle supporting the Lu Family, it’s as stable as Tai Mountain.

As for me..."

He smiled with a hint of self-deprecation.

"I’d much rather be a carefree, wealthy idler who frequents the pleasure houses and listens to music."

Hearing this, Lu Huaichuan sighed softly, his gaze drifting toward the depths of the courtyard.

"If these were peaceful times, your Second Uncle would want nothing more than for you to live like that.

But in this day and age, the merger of the three counties is likely just the beginning. A bigger storm is brewing..."

He didn’t elaborate, clearly not wanting to put too much pressure on his young nephew.

Lu Jing’an tactfully didn’t press the issue.

He had more pressing matters to attend to.

He had to find a Cultivation Technique for self-defense as soon as possible.

At the same time, he also had to practice with the most powerful weapons of this era: firearms.

’What man can resist the allure of playing with guns?’

In this world, he could legally own and master them.

「The next day, in a side hall of the Lu Mansion.」

Kui Shan arrived as scheduled.

Chen Xuan stood by Lu Jing’an’s side, ever the guardian angel.

This time, Kui Shan dispensed with the pleasantries, sitting down with a commanding presence and staring intently at Lu Jing’an.

"Kid, stop beating around the bush.

Tell me, where did my acting fall apart yesterday?"

Lu Jing’an smiled faintly and unhurriedly poured him a cup of tea.

"Senior, your acting has reached the Transformation Realm, but... when you see your own subordinate die a tragic death,

even if you aren’t grief-stricken, you should at least know his name, right?

I said ’Li Dengxiu’ twice, and you didn’t react, Senior.

In reality, that Lamp Cultivator’s surname was Zhang."

Hearing this, Kui Shan’s expression stiffened, and his brows furrowed tightly.

He was clearly trying his best to recall the name of that temporary Lamp Cultivator.

But in the end, he gave up, waving his hand in frustration.

"Testing me on purpose... you’re a cunning one."

Lu Jing’an had a favor to ask today, so he gave him an out. "Senior, you’re being too harsh on yourself. It was just a minor oversight in the details. If you’d patched that up, it would have been flawless."

Kui Shan snorted and downed his tea in one gulp. "Stop flattering me. Just say it. After going to all this trouble, what do you really want?"

Lu Jing’an’s expression turned serious. "This junior does indeed have a favor to ask.

After this ordeal, I am keenly aware of my own weakness.

I wish to find a Cultivation Technique for self-defense. I wonder if Senior could point me in the right direction?"

"You want to buy a Path of Cultivation?" Kui Shan cut straight to the point.

"Senior, you misunderstand. I wish to ’ask for’ one," Lu Jing’an corrected.

Kui Shan scoffed, his tone filled with the bluntness of a man of the Jianghu.

"Buying is buying.

In this world, as long as you’re willing to pay the price, what can’t be bought?

You can even buy a life, let alone a Cultivation Method!"

Lu Jing’an was taken aback. He realized he had been biased and had overestimated the rarity of Cultivation Techniques.

’It makes sense when you think about it. No matter how strong an individual’s Cultivation is,

what can they do against an organized army and powerful firearms?’

"If Senior says it’s buying, then buying it is. I wonder if you have any suitable recommendations?" Lu Jing’an went along with it.

Kui Shan sized up Lu Jing’an, his tone laced with its usual mockery.

"You rich young masters can’t endure hardship and want instant results.

I don’t have any cheap Techniques suitable for you here."

Lu Jing’an was not angered by this blatant disdain and said calmly:

"What if I am willing to endure hardship and pay the corresponding price?"

Hearing this, Kui Shan pointed a finger at the ever-silent Chen Xuan.

"If that’s really the case, why are you looking for me?

You’ve got a ready-made expert right here!

This Military Officer Chen is a genuine Great Martial Cultivator!

People like us are all considered unorthodox practitioners in the eyes of a Martial Cultivator.

Once a Martial Cultivator achieves success, they become Invincible."

Lu Jing’an was surprised.

It wasn’t that he hadn’t considered practicing martial arts, but there were many people around him who did.

Even on the streets, many people knew some basic fighting skills,

which made him subconsciously feel that Martial Arts was an ordinary path,

and less appealing than supernatural abilities like those of a Lamp Cultivator.

After Kui Shan left,

Lu Jing’an said to Chen Xuan with great solemnity, "Uncle Xuan, I want to learn martial arts from you."

Chen Xuan looked at Lu Jing’an’s determined eyes and said thoughtfully:

"Young Master, the path of Martial Cultivation is difficult and tedious. It cannot be mastered overnight.

To achieve even Minor Success, it often takes several years of hard work.

To achieve anything significant requires unwavering perseverance.

If the Young Master is simply looking for a quick method of self-defense,

I can ask someone to find you a Technique from another path."

But Lu Jing’an seized on the key point and pressed, "Uncle Xuan, please tell me directly. Among the many Paths of Cultivation, is Martial Cultivation the strongest path?"

Chen Xuan’s expression was calm as he said faintly:

"Among all the techniques in the world, there is no absolute strongest or weakest. The key lies in the person using it and the timing.

If one must make a comparison, a Martial Cultivator’s strength perhaps lies in a solid foundation and a strong physique.

When fighting others, the margin for error is slightly wider than with other Techniques."

Although that’s what he said, Lu Jing’an could hear the pride in Chen Xuan’s tone.

"Uncle Xuan, my mind is made up! I will study the Martial Arts with you!"

Lu Jing’an’s tone was resolute.

"I’ll have someone prepare the incense table and offerings for the discipleship ceremony right now..."

"Young Master, wait," Chen Xuan stopped him.

"There is no rush for the ceremony.

The Young Master can first try practicing the basics with me for a few days. If your determination hasn’t changed by then, it won’t be too late to perform the ceremony."

It was obvious Chen Xuan wasn’t very optimistic about Lu Jing’an learning martial arts.

Almost at the exact moment Chen Xuan’s voice fell, a clear notification appeared in Lu Jing’an’s mind:

[Special Relationship (Master-Disciple) detected. Establish?]

[Note: Once the Master-Disciple relationship is established, completing certain master-disciple tasks will allow you to collect entries from the target.]