Chapter 4: Entering the Lu Family, Cruelty of the Cultivation World

The next day, as soon as dawn broke, the eleven children were all gathered at the entrance of the front yard, waiting for Lu Chuan.

The parents and other close relatives of each child were also present, giving instructions to them in low voices.

Soon enough, Lu Chuan appeared, and without wasting any words, led them out of the estate.

All the powerful Spirit Awakening Realm clans of Canglan Prefecture and the government forces had their base located in the city center, each with sprawling mansions and estates, while their mortal branches and descendents of other minor factions who didn’t have cultivation talent lived in the west city, including merchants, rich people with no cultivation, and the likes.

The east side was where loose cultivators and those minor cultivation factions gathered, the south side were the ordinary commoners, artisans, and the likes, while the north was the slums.

Even in a prosperous place as the Canglan Prefecture City, there was no shortage of poor people. In fact, it was the same case in almost every other place in the world.

The True Martial Sect was actually not located within the city, but atop the highest mountain peak in a hundred mile radius of the city.

For a Spirit Awakening Realm cultivator, a hundred miles could be crossed within two hours without any difficulty.

Although this was an ancient dynasty called the Great Qian, the government in each prefecture and province were in a cooperative relationship with the local top forces, such as the True Martial Sect in Canglan Prefecture, Azure Spirit Sect in Luoyun Prefecture, and so on.

After all, forces with Essence Gathering Realm cultivators were already considered first rate within Great Qian, with less than 30 existing in the dynasty.

The True Martial Sect could be considered among the strongest of the Great Qian’s Essence Gathering Realm powers.

Outside the estate, there was only one, massive carriage parked, pulled by four horses twice as big as normal ones. They were clearly Demon Beasts with special bloodlines, much stronger than ordinary horses despite having no cultivation.

The carriage was extremely spacious, enough for dozens of people to sit in comfortably.

The children all looked around in wonder as they settled inside, followed by Lu Chuan.

Lu Yang also feigned expectation and surprise as he sat down, though he didn’t feel much in his heart.

He had seen much grander displays in his previous life, including the battle prowess of an Essence Gathering Realm mighty cultivator.

That being who stepped upon the clouds, using a sword light to cut down several Spirit Awakening Realm cultivators in an instant across a hundred meters.

A casual blow from such a cultivator could destroy entire buildings, as he had heard in the Azure Spirit Sect.

That was true power; before that power, everything seemed so fragile, so insignificant.

In this life, his ultimate goal wasn’t merely the Spirit Awakening Realm.

It had always been that great realm capable of allowing one to control their own destiny and be a recognized powerhouse no one would dare to provoke easily, at least not in the Great Qian.

But for now, his initial goal was indeed to achieve the Spirit Awakening Realm, and only by achieving the Spirit Awakening Realm before the age of 30 could he hope to impact the Essence Gathering Realm.

Soon, the carriage stopped before a grand estate, towering walls made of blackstone blocking all view, with only a single entrance.

At the entrance, two guards stood ramrod straight, their figures tall and muscular, holding silver cold iron spears.

Seeing the carriage and Lu Chuan’s figure inside, both of them respectfully cupped their fists and opened the gates.

The carriage entered the grand estate, and the Lu Family truly appeared before everyone’s eyes for the first time.

Mansions and giant courtyards were scattered around, appearing as if casually tossed around by a giant from above yet also looking orderly, possessing a certain natural charm.

Members of the family walked around, some minding their own business while most looked at the carriage with curiosity.

"The new batch from the mortal branch?"

"You think anyone from this batch will be able to enter the later stages of Body Tempering Realm?"

"Who knows, what if there’s one or two geniuses among them this time?"

Scattered conversations floated around, but the children simply did not hear them at all, as their focus was on taking in everything around them, embedding the memory of this place deep into their minds, the place they had all yearned for since they could remember.

Lu Yang also pretended to be amazed, curiously looking around.

Artifical ponds, rockeries, training grounds, it all resembled those estates of nobles from his life on earth.

The carriage slowly came to a halt, and Lu Chuan stepped out, followed by the children.

"From now on, you are officially members of my Lu Family. You must always remember this in your heart."

The children all subconsciously nodded upon hearing this as Lu Chuan led them deeper into the clan grounds, until they finally arrived before a three storey pavillion, three words carved on the plaque hanging above its entrance: ’Internal Affairs Hall’.

As soon as they entered the Internal Affairs Hall, an invisible force seemed to sweep past them, as if peering through their very being, nothing could be hidden from this force.

Lu Yang’s pupils subtly constricted, and his breathing became erratic for a moment before returning to normal, a panicked, uncomfortable expression appearing on his face just like the other children around him.

Divine Sense!

The hallmark of a Spirit Awakening Realm cultivator!

How could he not understand what this power was?

Looking up, he saw a stern looking middle aged man flipping through memorials on the front desk, a faint light flickering in his eyes as he quickly read through each page in a few seconds before moving on to the next.

To an ordinary person, it might seem like he was just skimming through them and not actually reading, but Lu Yang understood, he was using Divine Sense to read them at an incredibly fast pace, so fast it was unrealistic for any ordinary person!

Looking at the man, for the first time in this life, Lu Yang felt an extremely fatal sense of danger!

This was a true Spirit Awakening Realm cultivator!

For such a being, killing the current him was as easy as crushing an insect!

Just then, Lu Chuan stepped forward and bowed respectfully, a hint of reverence appearing in the old man’s otherwise indifferent eyes for the first time.

"Juniors greets the elder. These are the latest batch of seedlings from the mortal branch, and one of them possesses excellent bone structure."

By this point, the middle aged man paused briefly and looked up, putting down the memorial and taking out a register made of special material.

"Names?"

His voice rang out in the calm hall, devoid of emotion.

Lu Chuan quickly told him the names of all the children, and the man wrote them down swiftly before closing the register.

It was as if a special force emerged out of nowhere, binding it tightly, which only the man could dispell.

"Give them the first part of the Golden Vajra Body Tempering Qi and Blood Method, allocate their monthly resources, and assign them to the Rising Sun Mansion. They can move out and get more resources after truly entering the Body Tempering Realm."

The man subtly glanced at Lu Yang as he said the last sentence, and Lu Chuan immediately understood.

Lu Yang also knew that the man meant that having a top tier bone structure wasn’t enough, he had to show discipline and persistence as well to get better treatment in the family.

Soon, Lu Chuan led the children away from the Internal Affairs Hall, each of them carrying a token and a book titled the Golden Vajra Body Tempering Qi and Blood Method.

"These tokens are your proof of identity as members of the Lu Family, try not to lose them. Don’t try to cultivate just yet; in a while, I’ll send someone to deliver your resources, clan rulebook for things to remember, clothes, and daily necessities. From tomorrow onwards, you will officially begin your cultivation. Gather in the training grounds at 6 am sharp, or you will get punished for lacking discipline."

Lu Chuan explained as they walked towards the Rising Sun Mansion, the place where all children of age lived together for one year or until they become true cultivators at the Body Tempering Realm.

It wouldn’t just be these mortal branch members living there, but also the descendents of the main family and children of those Spirit Awakening Realm powerhouses.

Just as they were about to cross the training grounds, a shrill scream completely dispelled the excitement of the children.

Looking to the left, there were two boys, both around eight or nine years old, facing eachother.

Or rather, one was kneeling down, clutching his stomach in pain, while the other was standing straight, looking down at him with disdainful eyes.

He wore exquisite azure cloud patterned robes, with a folding fan in his hand and his other one behind his back, displaying an air of superiority.

The other boy wore ordinary clothes of a Lu Family member, looking up at him with difficulty, a trace of blood seeping out of the corner of his mouth.

"You lowlife, do you seriously think that just because you can reach the Second Stage of Body Tempering Realm after three years of cultivation, you’re worthy of competing with me?"

The injured boy tried to explain, his eyes blurred with tears, "I-I didn’t mean to compete with young master chen–"

Before he could even finish speaking, the man referred to as young master kicked him squarely in the face, causing him to roll away a few feet, covered in dust.

"Just the fact others in the clan are comparing your talent to mine is insulting to me. I’m only a year older than you, yet I’m already almost at the peak of Second Stage of Body Tempering Realm. Within a year at most, I will surely breakthrough to the Third Stage of Body Tempering Realm. Do you still think you’re in any way still comparable to me?"

The youth’s tone was extremely arrogant, clearly used to being condescending.

All the children turned pale at the sight, some clenching their fists in anger, but no one dared to step forward to intervene.

Those two were already Body Tempering Realm cultivators, far beyond what ordinary mortals could compare to, much less five year old children like them.

Lu Chuan didn’t even glance in that direction, continuing to walk forward as he spoke in a deep voice, "The Lu Family is not a paradise. What you’ve just seen is only the tip of the iceberg. No matter how talented you are, as long as that talent hasn’t transformed into strength, it is useless here. Status matters as much as talent. Do not try to provoke those main line descendents, stay as far away from them as possible, even if they’re in the wrong, you are more likely to be punished in most scenarios. Endure what you should. This is the most basic principle of not just the Lu Family, but the truth upon which the entire cultivation world functions on. Always remember that."