With the help of the copy interface.
Over the past year and a half.
Lu Changfeng’s Talent had undergone a tremendous transformation.
But Lu Changfeng felt this was still not enough.
After witnessing Zhang Desheng’s death with his own eyes.
Lu Changfeng’s goal had shifted to pursuing Longevity through Martial Arts.
Even with great Talent and outstanding Combat Power, one would still face death one day.
Only by pursuing Longevity at the pinnacle of Martial Arts could one achieve true, everlasting freedom.
To achieve immortality, immense Combat Power alone was not enough.
He needed a stronger Root Bone to advance his Martial Arts Cultivation!
Exiting seclusion, Lu Changfeng had already made his decision: he would change his name and enter the Wang Family in the Inner City!
As the greatest power backing Feng City, the Wang Family had no shortage of members with outstanding Root Bone Talent.
Naturally, Lu Changfeng’s goal was to infiltrate the Wang Family, copy their Root Bone Talent, and further strengthen himself!
Aided by an unlimited supply of Celestial Silkworm Meat, Chunzhu’s cultivation had already broken through to the Blood Forging Third Layer. Her Lightweight Skill had reached the level of Great Success, making her more than capable of taking care of the Celestial Silkworm Seeds in Lu Changfeng’s courtyard.
After leaving the Changle Martial Arts Hall, Hei Niu had rented a place next to Lu Changfeng’s small courtyard. With Lu Changfeng’s support, his cultivation had also reached the Blood Forging Second Layer.
His height had also increased from 1.7 meters to 1.75 meters. He was now of above-average height, and no one would call him short anymore.
Before they left, Lu Changfeng gave Chunzhu her instructions and set up a schedule for future Celestial Silkworm Meat deliveries. Then, he took Hei Niu and headed for the Inner City.
「At noon.」
A tall young man arrived at the Wang Family’s Retainer Hall in the Inner City. At his side was a dark-skinned, sturdily built servant.
The two were none other than Lu Changfeng and Hei Niu.
The Wang Family recruited Retainers year-round. After arriving under an alias and stating his intentions, Lu Changfeng was led to the Retainer Hall’s reception room.
Before long, a member of the Wang Family strode in.
The man introduced himself as Wang Jin. He was responsible for all matters in the Retainer Hall, including the recruitment of Guest Ministers.
"So, Lu Ren, could you tell me about your background and your skills? Do you have any special requests?"
Lu Ren was the alias Lu Changfeng had chosen.
Hei Niu had taken the alias Lu Niu, posing as Lu Changfeng’s servant.
"I’m from a Martial Arts Hall in Cyan Mountain Prefecture..."
"My cultivation is at the Blood Forging Fifth Layer, and I specialize in Saber Techniques."
Wang Jin glanced curiously at Lu Changfeng’s back. "You specialize in Saber Techniques? Then why are you carrying a sword as well as a saber?"
Lu Changfeng replied, "My Saber Technique has reached a plateau at its current Realm. I thought that by practicing Swordsmanship, I might gain new insights."
"What you say makes a lot of sense," Wang Jin nodded. "I hope you can achieve Great Success with your Saber Technique."
"Hmm, and what are your requests, aside from the standard stipend?"
Lu Changfeng said, "I wish to view the Martial Arts techniques collected by the Wang Family."
Wang Jin’s brow furrowed slightly, but he still agreed. "We have a Retainer Collection Pavilion, but it is typically only open to Retainers who have made significant contributions."
"However, to have reached the Blood Forging Fifth Layer in your early thirties... reaching the Tendon Transformation Realm in the future isn’t out of the question. Consider it an investment from our Wang Family. The Retainer Collection Pavilion will be open to you!"
Hearing this, Lu Changfeng cupped his hands. "In that case, I have no other requests."
"Then let’s sign the contract."
Lu Changfeng and Wang Jin signed the contract. That very day, he moved into a private courtyard within the Prince’s Mansion’s Retainer Hall, an abode reserved exclusively for Retainers.
The courtyard wasn’t large, with only three rooms, but it was sufficient.
Daily meals were provided by a dedicated kitchen for Retainers.
The annual stipend corresponding to Lu Changfeng’s cultivation was eight hundred taels of silver.
The stipend wasn’t the most important part. More importantly, the Wang Family also provided a monthly supply of high-grade Earth Dragon Meat to its Retainers.
The Wang Family’s Retainer Hall currently had over thirty Retainers, most of whom had been drawn by the promise of Earth Dragon Meat.
The Retainers had little to do on a daily basis. When the Wang Family needed them, they would naturally be called upon.
After joining the Retainer Hall, Lu Changfeng spent over ten days cooped up in his courtyard, focusing solely on his cultivation.
Lu Changfeng was perfectly happy with this arrangement, immersing himself in his cultivation.
The Blood Forging Sixth Layer was the limit for most people. It was only thanks to Lu Changfeng’s outstanding Root Bone, coupled with his Great Success in the Le Mountain Angry Vajra technique, that he could continue to enhance the qi and blood in his body, inching his way toward the Blood Forging Seventh Layer.
His cultivation speed had slowed considerably, but Lu Changfeng knew this was necessary for a better Foundation Establishment. Cultivation could not be rushed.
「Half a month later,」 Wang Jin found Lu Changfeng and assigned him his first mission as a Retainer.
’Protect the Wang Family’s Sixth Miss on an outing outside the city?’
Indeed, many of the Retainers’ missions involved protecting the younger generation of the Wang Family.
Of course, the scions who qualified for a Retainer’s protection were all exceptionally talented.
Lu Changfeng rubbed his nose. Early the next morning, dressed in a purple Retainer Robe and with his saber and sword on his back, he arrived at the Sixth Miss’s courtyard.
The Wang Family’s Sixth Miss was named Wang Yue. She was the sixteen-year-old sixth child of the current Wang Family Patriarch, Wang Shou.
Her Root Bone was said to be exceptionally outstanding, and she was considered one of the Wang Family’s rising stars.
When Lu Changfeng arrived at Wang Yue’s courtyard, he found two other purple-robed Retainers from the Blood Forging Realm, just like him. To his surprise, there was also a Retainer in a Black Robe!
In the Wang Family, a Black Robe signified a Retainer who was a master of the Tendon Transformation Realm—a true Martial Artist.
This was the first time Lu Changfeng had encountered a Martial Artist other than his own master.
And here in the Wang Family, a Martial Artist was merely a Retainer Guardian!
’I definitely came to the right place!’
As fellow Retainers of the Wang Family, they all nodded to one another and exchanged names.
Lu Changfeng’s youthful appearance drew some attention.
The other two Blood Forging Realm Retainers looked to be in their forties or fifties, and the Black-Robed Retainer from the Tendon Transformation Realm was an old man.
Lu Changfeng took the opportunity to covertly inspect the other Retainers’ cultivation and Talents.
Name: Shangguan Zheng
Root Bone: B Class+
Talent: None
.
Name: Liu Anx
Root Bone: B Class+
Talent: Low-Grade Sword Technique Talent
.
Name: Mo Tian
Root Bone: Lower A Class
Talent: Low-Grade Fist Technique Talent
Mo Tian was the Martial Artist in the Tendon Transformation Realm, while Shangguan Zheng and Liu Anx were both Martial Artists at the Blood Forging Fifth Layer.
’If he were to copy Mo Tian’s Lower A Class Root Bone, he would need to do it fifty-six times to gather enough to synthesize eight Upper A Root Bones, which could then be combined into a Heroic Root Bone.’
’I get seven chances to copy per year, so fifty-six copies would take eight years.’
’If there’s no other option, copying Mo Tian’s Root Bone could be a fallback plan.’
However, the moment Lu Changfeng saw the Wang Family’s Sixth Miss, Wang Yue, he instantly changed his mind.
Wang Yue was clearly dressed meticulously for her outing today.
She had a slender figure, was dressed in a long gown, and possessed an exceptional appearance and air about her.
The young woman carried herself with great poise and propriety, nodding to each of the four Retainers assigned to protect her.
When her gaze fell upon Lu Changfeng, she showed a hint of surprise.
"I don’t believe I’ve seen this Retainer before. Have you just joined our family?" Wang Yue asked, her voice as melodious as a songbird.
"My name is Lu Ren. I did indeed join the Wang Family just a short time ago," Lu Changfeng replied.
Wang Yue nodded. "No wonder I haven’t seen you before. For you to have such cultivation at your young age, Retainer Lu, it’s wonderful that you’ve joined our Wang Family."
Wang Yue spoke with a surprising air of authority, as if she were the Patriarch herself.
An ordinary person would easily be charmed by her words and develop a favorable impression.
Lu Changfeng’s mind, however, was elsewhere. He was focused on Wang Yue’s Root Bone, calculating. ’If I copy her Root Bone, it will only take four years to complete the fusion of my Heroic Root Bone!’