Chapter 101: Two Years, The Distinguished Prisoner

Two more years passed by.

Lu Yang was now fifteen years old.

The young boy who had once followed Zhao Ming through the corridors of the Imperial Prison had gradually grown into a young man.

His features had become more defined, and the childishness on his face had faded considerably.

Although he was not exceptionally handsome, his appearance was pleasant enough, and his calm temperament made him seem more mature than his age suggested.

He had also become thoroughly familiar with his work and no longer needed to follow other guards around to learn the basic procedures.

Whether it was inspecting prison cells, arranging patrols, distributing meals, or handling the records associated with newly transferred prisoners, he could now manage most ordinary tasks independently.

Over the past two years, he had accumulated considerable practical experience.

Combined with his outwardly displayed cultivation, which had recently advanced to the Fifth Stage of the Body Tempering Realm, he had gradually become one of the most capable guards under Old Sun’s command.

Alongside Zhao Ming, he was now regarded as one of the two leading figures among the ordinary guards in their group.

Naturally, this did not mean that he possessed any formal authority beyond his assigned duties.

He was still just an ordinary prison guard.

However, when Old Sun needed someone to handle an important task or temporarily coordinate the work of several guards, Lu Yang and Zhao Ming were usually the first people he considered.

Neither of them disappointed him.

Zhao Ming was meticulous, experienced, and skilled at dealing with people.

Lu Yang, on the other hand, was calm, observant, willing to learn, and rarely made mistakes.

Their temperaments were different, but they complemented each other reasonably well.

Over time, the two had also become good friends.

After working together for several years, they had grown accustomed to one another’s habits and gradually developed a tacit understanding.

Zhao Ming no longer treated Lu Yang merely as the grandson of the Prison Warden, but as a younger friend.

Of course, he still maintained an appropriate degree of respect whenever Lu Hai or Wen Fanghong was present.

He wasn’t foolish enough to forget the difference in their backgrounds.

Nevertheless, their relationship had become considerably more relaxed, which Lu Yang didn’t mind and even quite appreciated.

He had spent enough time in this world to understand that genuine friendships were not particularly easy to find.

There was no need to reject one simply because it had begun under circumstances involving status and connections.

As long as both parties treated each other sincerely, the relationship was worth maintaining.

Lu Yang’s cultivation, meanwhile, had progressed much further than anyone could imagine.

He had already reached the Ninth Stage of the Body Tempering Realm two years earlier, and since then, he had continued refining his Blood Qi, strengthening his physical body, and improving his control over the power contained within him.

His actual cultivation had long since reached the limits of the Body Tempering Realm, also known as the absolute pinnacle of Body Tempering Realm.

He was now preparing for the next step, the Spirit Awakening Realm.

However, he had not rushed into attempting a breakthrough.

He was still waiting for an opportunity to achieve the Spirit Awakening Realm in one fell swoop.

He had no intention of rushing the breakthrough merely to achieve an impressive age.

After all, his goal was not to become the youngest Spirit Awakening cultivator in Great Qian, but establish a foundation formidable enough to help him through the Essence Gathering Realm and even Qi Sea Realm.

If taking an additional few months or a year allowed him to establish a stronger foundation, then waiting was perfectly acceptable.

His family had also undergone several changes during these two years.

Three years earlier, Lu Shishui got promoted from the County Magistrate of Xihe County to the Prefectural Judge of Canglan Prefecture.

The promotion did not come across as a complete surprise.

During his years as County Magistrate, Lu Shishui had governed Xihe County with considerable success.

He had reduced unnecessary burdens on the common people, improved tax collection, suppressed the excesses of powerful local clans, and maintained stability without resorting to excessive force.

His accomplishments had earned him a favorable reputation.

When his term ended, these achievements became an important advantage in his subsequent appointment.

Now, as Prefectural Judge, he was responsible for judicial affairs throughout Canglan Prefecture, a position that carried greater responsibilities than his previous post.

Consequently, his work had also become more demanding.

The affairs of an entire prefecture were considerably more complicated than those of a single county.

There were more cases to review, more officials to supervise, and more powerful families whose interests occasionally conflicted with the laws of Great Qian.

Nevertheless, Lu Shishui had adapted well.

His previous experience had given him a solid foundation, and his temperament had become increasingly steady over the years.

According to Lu Yang’s estimation, if his father continued performing well, he might become the Vice-Prefect of Canglan Prefecture within another three years.

Twelve years into his official career, progressing from County Magistrate to Prefectural Judge and potentially reaching the position of Vice-Prefect was an impressive achievement.

There were not many officials in Great Qian who could advance so steadily.

Of course, Lu Shishui had benefited from his father-in-law’s influence. It would be unreasonable to pretend otherwise.

Chen Yuruo’s father, the Director of the Department of Appointments, possessed considerable authority over the careers of civil officials.

His support had undoubtedly opened certain doors that might otherwise have remained closed and promised a great early start.

However, connections alone could not explain Lu Shishui’s progress.

An official who repeatedly failed to perform their duties would eventually become a liability to the people supporting them.

The fact that Lu Shishui had continued advancing suggested that he possessed genuine ability.

Lu Yang was quite happy for Lu Shishui.

His father had found a suitable path and was progressing steadily, meaning there was no need for Lu Yang to interfere.

Besides, Lu Shishui had never attempted to force him to pursue the same career.

He had allowed Lu Yang to choose his own path, even when the latter decided to become an ordinary prison guard rather than follow a conventional route towards officialdom.

That was something greatly Lu Yang appreciated.

There was another matter that had occurred two years ago.

Two years earlier, Lu Hanqing was examined for cultivation talent, but the result was disappointing.

His younger half-brother possessed no discernible cultivation talent.

For an ordinary family, this might not have been particularly important.

There were countless people in Great Qian who lived their entire lives without cultivating.

They worked, raised families, and grew old without ever entering the cultivation world.

There was nothing inherently wrong with such a life.

However, in a world where cultivators possessed considerable authority and could influence the fate of entire regions, the absence of cultivation talent could place a person at a inherent disadvantage.

Lu Hanqing was also the son of Lu Shishui and Chen Yuruo.

His maternal grandfather held an important position within the Imperial Court, and his father was a rising official.

He would undoubtedly enjoy a better life than most ordinary people, yet his circumstances also meant that he would inevitably encounter cultivators throughout his life.

Without cultivation talent, he would have to rely on other means to protect himself.

Lu Yang felt somewhat emotional when he learned the result.

In his previous lives, he had never possessed a blood related younger sibling.

Now that he finally had one, the boy was unable to walk the same path that Lu Yang had chosen.

Of course, Lu Hanqing was still young.

There were many ways to live a meaningful life, and cultivation was not the only one.

Lu Yang was not going to treat his younger brother as inferior simply because he could not cultivate, and neither was he going to let anyone else do the same.

He had already decided to protect Lu Hanqing in this life.

He would ensure that the boy could grow up safely, enjoy the privileges of his family without becoming arrogant, and live a life in which he did not need to fear the powerful merely because he lacked strength.

It was a simple decision, but for Lu Yang, it carried a significance that he could not easily explain.

He had lost people he cared about in his previous lives, and more than just once.

Whether it be his wife, his daughter, or the friends and family members whose deaths had left marks that even reincarnation could not entirely erase.

He could not change what had happened.

However, this time, he had another opportunity.

There was no need to wait until tragedy occurred before deciding what mattered to him.

...

At this moment, Lu Yang was following old Sun through one of the ordinary detention areas.

The elderly Guard Leader walked at a measured pace, occasionally stopping to inspect a cell or exchange a few words with the guards stationed nearby.

Although he was already well past eighty, he remained diligent in his duties.

His cultivation had not advanced much over the years, but his experience had grown considerably.

He knew the ordinary detention areas almost as well as he knew his own home.

He could recognize most of the regular prisoners, remember which guards were assigned to particular lanes, and notice small irregularities that younger people might overlook.

Lu Yang had learned quite a bit from him.

Over the past two years, old Sun had gradually begun teaching him the responsibilities of a Guard Leader.

He had explained how to arrange patrols, coordinate the guards, handle disputes between prisoners, and report unusual incidents to the Prison Warden.

He had also taught Lu Yang how to deal with the various people who occasionally attempted to use their backgrounds to influence the prison’s operations.

These were matters that could not be learned entirely from written rules, but required experience.

Old Sun was already approaching the age when he would eventually retire.

Although he had not formally announced his departure, Lu Yang understood that the day was not far away.

Once old Sun retired, Lu Yang would most likely take over his position.

That was what Lu Hai had intended from the beginning.

By then, Lu Yang would have worked in the Imperial Prison for several years and accumulated sufficient experience to manage an ordinary group of guards.

His cultivation would also be considerably stronger, strong enough to command respect even among Guard Leaders.

Just then, old Sun stopped before the next cell.

Inside sat a young man who appeared to be in his early twenties.

He was sitting cross-legged, his eyes closed, and his breathing was slow and steady.

From his posture, he seemed to be regulating his breathing or cultivating some kind of technique.

Old Sun looked through the iron bars.

Then, as was his habit, he cupped his fists politely.

"Young Master, do you have any needs?"

The young man did not respond immediately.

Several breaths of time passed before his brows furrowed slightly.

He opened his eyes and looked towards the two people standing outside with a displeased expression.

"No."

His answer was brief and indifferent.

Old Sun did not seem offended, merely nodding calmly.

"If you require anything, you may inform the guards responsible for this lane. As long as your request follows the rules, we will handle it appropriately."

The young man gave no response, simply closing his eyes again, apparently unwilling to continue the conversation.

Old Sun also didn’t press him.

He stepped back and turned towards Lu Yang.

"Let’s go."