Free Web NovelChapter 14: A Genius Who Repeatedly Exceeds Expectations
The Internal Affairs Hall remained quiet as always.
Ancient wood pillars stood beneath the high ceiling while clan servants moved carefully throughout the spacious hall.
At the center, the Internal Affairs Grand Elder slowly lowered the clan record within his hand before raising his gaze toward Lu Yang once more.
His calm eyes quietly swept across Lu Yang’s body.
Then, faint astonishment surfaced once again uncontrollably.
Even after so many years, each time this child appeared before him, he still felt increasingly absurd inwardly.
Fifth Stage of Body Tempering Realm at twelve years old.
And unlike many cultivators who forcibly advanced through excessive medicinal supplementation, Lu Yang’s aura was incomparably stable.
His Blood Qi flowed smoothly like an ancient river, heavy and condensed to an astonishing degree.
Even many veteran Fifth Stage Body Tempering Realm or even weaker Sixth Stage Body Tempering Realm cultivators within the clan could not compare to him anymore.
Several breaths quietly passed.
The Internal Affairs Grand Elder slowly exhaled.
"This old man truly doesn’t know what to say anymore."
Although his voice remained calm, the warmth within his eyes had already become impossible to conceal.
Over these past years, the Internal Affairs Hall had personally witnessed Lu Yang’s growth from beginning to end.
And the more they witnessed, the more terrifying Lu Yang appeared.
A genius was not frightening, what was truly frightening was a genius who continued surpassing everyone’s expectations repeatedly.
The Internal Affairs Grand Elder quietly asked, "You stabilized your cultivation already?"
Lu Yang nodded slightly, "Yes."
The elder remained silent briefly before suddenly laughing softly.
"Good, very good."
His gaze toward Lu Yang gradually became increasingly meaningful.
At this point, even fools could already see it clearly.
Lu Yang’s talent had long surpassed the limits of the younger generation within the Lu Family.
Perhaps...
The Lu Family truly might produce an extraordinary figure this generation.
Soon afterward, the elder completed the registration personally before speaking slowly, "Your monthly cultivation resources will increase again beginning next month. Additionally..."
He paused slightly.
"The clan treasury recently obtained several Body Tempering Realm medicinal formulas from outside. If you need them, this old man can authorize access personally." freёwebnovel.com
Several nearby clan members instantly revealed shocked expressions.
Direct authorization from the Internal Affairs Grand Elder himself...
Such treatment was already extremely rare.
Yet, no one felt much about it.
After all, a genius of Lu Yang’s calibre was definitely worthy of such treatment.
Lu Yang clasped his hands calmly before speaking.
"Thank you, Grand Elder."
The elder waved his sleeve lightly.
"No need to thank me. With your current talent, the clan naturally should invest heavily."
His voice carried faint emotion.
Truthfully speaking, even he himself no longer knew where Lu Yang’s limits truly lay.
Later stages of Spirit Awakening Realm? Peak of Spirit Awakening Realm?
Or even...
...
The next morning, the entire Lu Family exploded completely!
The news spread throughout the clan like a violent storm!
"Lu Yang broke through to the Fifth Stage of Body Tempering Realm!"
"At just twelve years old?!"
"Impossible..."
"How long has it been since he entered the Fourth Stage of Body Tempering Realm?"
Everywhere throughout the clan grounds, discussions erupted endlessly.
Even many older generation cultivators were visibly shaken after hearing the news.
Within the younger generation, the shock was even greater.
Because everyone immediately understood something clearly.
Lu Yang’s words from yesterday had not been empty arrogance whatsoever.
"It’s not the time yet."
At first, many people believed he merely lacked confidence.
But now, everyone finally realized the true meaning behind those words and how blind they were.
Lu Yang had never intended to just enter the Family Grand Competition or the top ten.
He intended entering only after stepping into the Sixth Stage of Body Tempering Realm.
And most terrifyingly, he actually possessed the qualifications to accomplish it!
Was this the thought process of a genius?
Throughout the Lu Family’s history, no one had ever cultivated this quickly before.
Even the Twin Stars themselves could only reach the Fifth Stage of Body Tempering Realm around thirteen years old despite possessing the best instructors, medicinal baths, cultivation environments, and resources since birth.
Meanwhile, before five years old, Lu Yang had just been a mortal branch child living quietly within an ordinary courtyard.
Yet despite starting so late, he still surpassed them completely.
This fact alone was enough to make countless people feel suffocated.
Within the training grounds, many younger generation descendants looked toward the direction of Lu Yang’s courtyard with increasingly complicated expressions.
Some gazes were filled with admiration, some were envious, and some even fearful.
But no matter their thoughts, one thing had already become undeniable.
Lu Yang’s reputation had now completely overshadowed the Twin Stars.
...
Meanwhile, within a secluded pavilion near the northern side of the inner clan grounds.
The atmosphere remained strangely silent.
Lu Qingyu quietly looked at the retreating figure of her guard who had just brought her the news.
Her beautiful eyes gradually narrowed slightly.
For the first time since returning from her travels, obvious shock surfaced within her expression.
"Fifth Stage..."
Her voice carried faint disbelief.
Beside her, Lu Tianhe also remained unusually quiet.
Unlike Lu Qingyu, however, his expression was not ugly.
Instead, his eyes carried a strange brightness.
Several moments later, he suddenly laughed softly.
"So that’s what he meant yesterday."
Lu Qingyu slowly clenched her fist unconsciously.
She finally understood why Lu Yang remained so calm while facing them yesterday.
Because from beginning to end, he never viewed them as people standing above him.
Perhaps in his eyes, surpassing them was merely a matter of time.
This realization caused an extremely complicated emotion to surge within Lu Qingyu’s heart.
There was shock, unwillingness, and even faint pressure she had never felt before from someone younger than herself.
For years, the Twin Stars had stood at the peak of the younger generation within the Lu Family.
Wherever they went, people praised them endlessly.
Yet now, a twelve years old child had already begun threatening their position completely.
Lu Tianhe slowly stood up afterward.
His gaze drifted toward the distant sky outside the pavilion quietly.
Then, he suddenly spoke, "If he truly enters the Sixth Stage of Body Tempering Realm before sixteen..."
He paused briefly before smiling faintly.
"Then this generation of the Lu Family might become very interesting."
Unlike Lu Qingyu, Lu Tianhe’s eyes did not contain hostility.
Instead, there was only curiosity and excitement.
Because geniuses always desired worthy opponents.
And Lu Yang...
Finally qualified to stand within his field of vision truly.
...
At the same time, deep within the inner clan region.
Inside an enormous luxurious mansion.
*Crash!*
A jade cup shattered violently against the floor.
Fragments scattered throughout the hall instantly.
Several servants and maids kneeling nearby trembled uncontrollably, not daring to even breathe loudly.
Despite being genuine cultivators in the early stages of Body Tempering Realm, they were deeply terrified of the woman before them.
The atmosphere inside the mansion was suffocatingly heavy.
At the center of the hall sat a beautiful woman dressed in luxurious crimson robes.
Although already middle-aged, her appearance remained stunning.
Her temperament carried innate nobility and pride, like a phoenix born above ordinary people.
However, at this moment, her expression appeared incomparably ugly.
This woman was precisely the Family Head’s most favored concubine, the mother of the Twin Stars, and the daughter of a Marquis household.
Dense fury filled her eyes completely.
"Twelve years old, Fifth Stage of Body Tempering Realm..."
Her fingers slowly tightened around the armrest beneath her sleeve.
Several years ago, she merely viewed Lu Yang as a somewhat talented mortal branch child.
Even after the assassination attempt failed, she still believed the situation remained controllable.
But now...
The speed of Lu Yang’s growth had already begun exceeding her imagination entirely.
At this rate, surpassing the Twin Stars was no longer impossible.
Rather, it was actually becoming increasingly likely.
Another jade cup shattered violently moments later.
The nearby servants lowered their heads further in fear.
No one dared speak.
Even the other concubines and servants living in nearby mansions remained completely silent tonight.
Because everyone understood clearly that the mistress’s mood had already reached the edge of eruption.
The commotion continued throughout nearly half the night.
Yet not a single person dared interfere, not even the Family Head’s official wife.
After all, this mortal woman did not merely possess the favor of the Family Head.
Behind her stood an enormous Marquis household from the Imperial Capital itself.
Although that household had declined greatly compared to its peak period, its influence still far surpassed ordinary Spirit Awakening Realm clans like the Lu Family.
There were still more than one or two cultivators in that household in the later stages of Spirit Awakening Realm, while the Lu Family had none, at least on the surface.
Finally, long after midnight.
The hall gradually quieted once more.
The woman slowly leaned back against her seat silently.
Her beautiful eyes gradually turned colder and colder.
...
Meanwhile, far away beneath the quiet moonlight, Lu Yang continued cultivating silently within his courtyard.
Dense Blood Qi circulated steadily throughout his body.
His expression remained calm from beginning to end, as if the uproar outside had nothing to do with him whatsoever.
