Chapter 85: Day of the Imperial Examination, Third Stage of Body Tempering Realm

Of course, Lu Yang didn’t intend to hide his cultivation forever. That would be too conspicuous.

If a five year old child with extraordinary cultivation talent progressed extremely slowly, that would instead make people suspicious.

Even if no one suspected anything specific, there would inevitably be questions.

Therefore, hiding his cultivation also needed to have a limit.

Thus, after another two weeks, he would reveal that he had entered the Body Tempering Realm.

It wouldn’t be as astonishing as his actual cultivation speed, but it wouldn’t be something that could be dismissed either.

More importantly, it would fit the image he wanted to create.

A child with excellent cultivation talent, not a once in a century monster.

Lu Yang slowly got off the bed.

He had already finished cultivating the Dust Hiding Breath Concealing Method for today.

Although he had only reached the entry level, it was enough to conceal his cultivation from anyone below the Spirit Awakening Realm.

As long as he didn’t deliberately reveal his Blood Qi, no one would know that he had already stepped onto the cultivation path.

Lu Yang walked out of his room.

By the time he arrived at the dining hall, his father and grandfather had already returned.

The three of them ate dinner together.

Lu Hai sat at the head of the table. He was an old man with a stern face.

His eyebrows were thick, his eyes sharp, and the aura accumulated over many years of working in the Imperial Prison made him appear rather intimidating.

Even when he wasn’t angry, there was an invisible pressure surrounding him.

After all, the people he dealt with every day weren’t ordinary people, but thieves, robbers, cultivators who violated the law, officials temporarily detained for various reasons, and occasionally, even cultivators whose crimes were serious enough to make entire families tremble.

Working in such an environment for decades naturally left traces on a person.

Lu Hai’s aura was especially overbearing when he was outside.

But in front of his beloved grandson, that stern expression softened considerably.

"Yang’er, eat more."

Lu Hai placed a piece of meat into Lu Yang’s bowl.

Lu Yang looked at the meat for a moment before obediently picking it up.

"Thank you, Grandfather."

"Good." Lu Hai nodded with satisfaction.

He had only one son, and his son only had one child. Therefore, Lu Yang was the most important junior in the entire Lu family.

Especially now that Lu Shishui had discovered his son’s extraordinary cultivation talent, Lu Hai was even more pleased.

Although he didn’t know the exact extent of Lu Yang’s talent, he had lived for decades and naturally understood what it meant for a five year old child to possess such comprehension and cultivation aptitude.

He was delighted, but he didn’t intend to spoil Lu Yang, at least not when it came to cultivation.

After all, he had seen too many people in the Imperial Prison.

Some had extraordinary talent when young, and some had even been considered geniuses by their families, yet because they became arrogant after obtaining some achievements, they eventually ended up dead in some unknown corner.

The path of cultivation was long, and the early stages were only the beginning.

Lu Hai understood this very clearly.

Therefore, although he was happy, he didn’t interfere with Lu Yang’s cultivation, simply watching from the side.

The same applied to Lu Shishui.

Neither father nor son knew that Lu Yang had already entered the Body Tempering Realm.

...

Two weeks passed quickly.

During these two weeks, Lu Yang continued cultivating.

He didn’t cultivate recklessly. Every day was divided between cultivation, eating, resting, and ordinary activities.

To everyone else, he was simply a quiet and well-behaved child, but beneath that appearance, his cultivation continued increasing steadily.

The Azure Spirit Body Tempering Art circulated within his body again and again as his Blood Qi became denser, his meridians became stronger, and his physical body continued transforming.

At the same time, the Dust Hiding Breath Concealing Method gradually became more familiar.

Although he had only reached the entry level, Lu Yang’s control over it was already becoming increasingly precise.

He could even adjust the aura he revealed to weak, ordinary, or slightly stronger.

This was especially useful, after all, if he suddenly revealed an aura that was too strong, it would be suspicious.

He needed to reveal his cultivation naturally.

And so, two weeks passed by like this.

Today, Lu Yang walked into his father’s study.

Lu Shishui was sitting behind his desk, reading a book.

He looked up when he heard footsteps.

"Yang’er?"

Lu Yang stood before him, his expression slightly hesitant. This hesitation was naturally deliberate.

Lu Shishui immediately put down the book.

"What’s wrong?"

Lu Yang lowered his head.

"I..."

He hesitated for a moment before finally saying, "Father, I think I’ve broken through."

Lu Shishui froze, and for a moment, he wondered if he had heard incorrectly.

"Broken through?"

Lu Yang nodded.

"Yes."

Lu Shishui stared at his son for a moment before he stood up.

"Come here."

Lu Yang walked over immediately.

Lu Shishui reached out and grabbed his wrist, a strand of Blood Qi carefully entering Lu Yang’s body to inspect him.

His expression was initially calm before his eyes widened slightly and his breathing paused.

The Blood Qi within Lu Yang’s body was restrained by the Dust Hiding Breath Concealing Method, and Lu Shishui was only at the Sixth Stage of Body Tempering Realm.

There was no way he could see through it, only sensing the faint Blood Qi and suppressed physical body that Lu Yang had deliberately allowed him to perceive.

Yet, that alone was already enough.

Lu Shishui’s hand trembled slightly.

"First Stage Body Tempering Realm..."

He murmured, looking at his son deeply again.

"How long has it been since you began cultivating?"

Lu Shishui asked, seemingly confirming again.

Lu Yang thought for a moment before answering honestly.

"Father taught me the cultivation method seventeen days ago."

Lu Shishui’s pupils contracted. He really didn’t misremember.

His son had entered the Body Tempering Realm in seventeen days.

Lu Shishui couldn’t help but laugh.

"Good!"

He released Lu Yang’s wrist and patted his shoulder.

"Good, good, good!"

His face was filled with joy.

He already knew that his son possessed extraordinary cultivation talent, but knowing something was one thing, and witnessing it personally was another.

Seventeen days to enter the Dao, even in the Imperial Capital, this was an impressive achievement.

Lu Shishui had been a cultivator for many years and naturally knew what this meant.

Such talent could be found among some powerful cultivation forces with Essence Gathering Realm foundations, and it wasn’t impossible for someone with this talent to reach the later stages of Spirit Awakening Realm, perhaps even the peak.

And if everything went smoothly, there was a chance of impacting the Essence Gathering Realm.

That was already an entirely different level.

Essence Gathering cultivators were genuine powerhouses. Even in the broader territory of Great Qian, they could not be ignored.

However, Lu Shishui’s excitement didn’t turn into madness as he quickly calmed himself and looked at his son seriously.

"Yang’er, you must not become arrogant because of this."

Lu Yang nodded obediently.

"I know, father."

Lu Shishui smiled, "Good."

He was extremely satisfied.

His son was talented, his comprehension was extraordinary, and he was obedient as well.

What more could a father ask for?

Of course, Lu Shishui knew that the Imperial Capital was the center of Great Qian.

There were countless powerful families and cultivation forces gathered here.

A talent capable of entering the later stages of Spirit Awakening wasn’t enough to shake the entire capital, but that didn’t mean it wasn’t valuable.

Such a child was still worth nurturing carefully.

Lu Shishui naturally understood that.

He immediately thought of something.

"Your grandfather should know about this."

...

That same day, Lu Hai learned that his grandson had entered the Body Tempering Realm.

His reaction was almost identical to Lu Shishui.

"Hahaha!"

The stern old man laughed loudly.

He even picked Lu Yang up and tossed him into the air once.

"Good!"

Lu Yang was speechless.

His grandfather was quite strong indeed.

"Good child!"

Lu Hai’s face was filled with satisfaction.

He didn’t ask too many questions, only reminding Lu Yang to cultivate steadily and not become arrogant.

As for telling others, neither Lu Hai nor Lu Shishui mentioned it.

The matter was kept within the family.

Lu Yang was still too young, so there was no need to announce his talent yet.

It would be better to let him grow a little more first.

Lu Yang naturally had no objections. In fact, this was exactly what he wanted.

...

And so, time continued flowing.

The seasons changed quietly as Lu Yang cultivated every day.

His cultivation steadily increased, but on the surface, he remained an ordinary five year old child.

He occasionally played outside, sometimes reading books and sometimes accompanying his grandfather.

Sometimes, he also listened to his father discuss matters concerning the Imperial Examination.

His life was extremely peaceful unlike his previous two lives, and Lu Yang liked it very much.

He had spent too much of his previous lives surrounded by bloodshed.

This kind of peaceful life was something he had rarely experienced.

Sometimes he would sit in the courtyard and watch the people passing through the streets, listen to scholars discussing politics, and hear cultivators talking about matters concerning the cultivation world.

As the year passed, his cultivation continued advancing.

His understanding of the Azure Spirit Body Tempering Art deepened, his Blood Qi became increasingly vigorous, and the Dust Hiding Breath Concealing Method also gradually improved.

Although it had not reached major achievement again, Lu Yang could already hide his aura much more naturally.

His control over his own body also became increasingly precise.

A year, for an ordinary child, was a long period.

For a cultivator, especially one who had lived for nearly a hundred years in his previous life and possessed a mental age exceeding two hundred years, it was almost insignificant.

Yet, this single year represented enormous transformations for Lu Yang.

Eventually, the day of the Imperial Examination arrived.

The entire Imperial Capital became lively as scholars from all over Great Qian gathered in the capital.

Carriages filled the streets and guards were stationed everywhere.

The Imperial Examination was one of the most important events in the secular world of Great Qian.

For countless scholars, this was the day that would determine their future.

Some would soar into the heavens, some would fail, some would try again next year, and some would never have another chance.

Lu Yang stood beside the window and quietly watched the scene outside.

His father had prepared for this day for many years.

If he succeeded, his father would officially enter the Imperial Court.

Lu Yang had no idea what position his father would eventually obtain, but he was still somewhat curious. After all, his father’s future would also influence his own.

He turned away from the window.

Today, he was six years old.

One year had passed since he entered the Body Tempering Realm.

Slowly, Lu Yang sat down on the bed and closed his eyes.

The Azure Spirit Body Tempering Art began circulating as his Blood Qi flowed throughout his body.

Time passed little by little until eventually, an invisible fluctuation spread through his body.

*Boom!*

His Blood Qi suddenly became more vigorous as his meridians trembled slightly while his flesh and bones were strengthened once again.

Lu Yang opened his eyes, a sharp light flashing through them.

At six years of age, Lu Yang had finally reached the Third Stage of Body Tempering Realm.