"Yun'er!!" Song Zhenguo was badly shocked, hurriedly embracing Yun'er with an anxious face. "What's happened to you?! What's going on?! Just what exactly is happening?!"

Enfolded in his arms, a helpless smile emerged on Yun'er's face.

"Brother Song... I... I..."

At the side, Lusheng had actually long guessed Yun'er might not be human. Unsurprised by this outcome.

The maidens on that boat were likely not human at all and had perished long ago. Only that some special power kept their existences shackled aboard to obtain certain goals by means of their charms.

He did not disturb the pair, instead silently walking away to one side to watch over the passed out Chen Jiaorong and regulate his breathing to recover from injuries.

With every cycle of Black Tiger Jade Crane Skill, he could feel the wounds across his body faintly tingle. This was the sensation of flesh growing and healing.

After roughly one incense stick worth of time, Song Zhenguo walked over with reddened eyes. Yun'er was already nowhere to be seen.

"Let's go. Back home..." He said heavily with open eyes. His voice also somewhat hoarse.

Lusheng understood matters had concluded. Yun'er definitely had some relation with that ghost ship Red Mansion. With the boat's demise, her existence naturally vanished too. Song Zhenguo likely also understood reasons behind everything by now.

The two silently carried Chen Jiaorong on their backs as they hurried towards Yanshan City. The entire journey, Song Zhenguo did not speak and Lusheng also kept silent, only until they neared Yanshan City's gates did Song Zhenguo suddenly say:

"Brother Lu, can I also learn martial arts from you?" His gaze carried supplication and grief, Yun'er's death clearly impacted him tremendously.

Lusheng halted his steps, looking at him with a sigh.

"There must be a powerful hidden force behind Yun'er. Otherwise, Yanshan City authorities would not condone Red Mansion's ghost ship openly harming lives on the river. Moreover, under normal circumstances, they did not really inflict harm. Likely only taking actions when necessary."

Song Zhenguo forced a bitter laugh. "Everything you said, I understand. Speaking frankly, Yun'er's grudge lies with that white-clad female ghost who Brother Lu killed so there shouldn't be any more problems. I just... just don't wish for similar matters to repeat in future..."

Lusheng watched him, seeing the deeply-rooted powerlessness and anguish within his eyes.

"You have to know, for the martial world, ordinary arts may be learned as long as money exchanges hands. But for sect-exclusive skills, they cannot be casually imparted."

Song Zhenguo's gaze was resolute. "Whatever conditions needed for Brother Lu to be willing to instruct me, even formally acknowledges me as disciple. No issues!"

"No... no hurry. I'm also uncertain whether you possess the aptitude needed. Testing must come first," said Lusheng. He was also an amateur who stumbled into martial arts so he lacked personal testing methods regarding aptitude. He could only have Song Zhenguo try first.

Sect-exclusive martial arts cannot be freely spread, this was also the norm here. Frankly, such martial arts were mostly painstakingly researched and tested to creation by their founders, expending tremendous effort and vitality, some even crippling themselves in exchange to invent those skills.

For such fruits of labor, who would willingly teach outsiders for no reason? This was similar for merchant tycoons who painstakingly built up most of their fortune over an entire lifetime. Would they randomly hand their wealth over to another?

This was the truth behind many top experts' so-called hereditary martial legacies. Not spreading it externally meant it could only be passed down the family line.

Lusheng also heard that some people would casually impart martial arts to others on a whim. Such situations often arose because the martial arts were too easily obtained, not cherished enough.

However, he did not care much for this logic. With the Modifier in hand, no matter who it was, wanting to compare cultivation speeds with him was pointless. For identical techniques, he could reach the pinnacle countless times faster than an ordinary person.

Thus, Lusheng was not worried over this point but rather, worried over exposing his background. If outsiders discovered his martial prowess was deduced and innovated from various different techniques, perhaps it would attract immense attention.

This went against his plans of silently accruing strength while keeping a low profile.

"How about this? Let's test you first and I'll reconsider whether to impart martial arts based off the results," said Lusheng. He wanted to assess Song Zhenguo's talents first. Provided he indeed possessed aptitude, Lusheng intended to teach foundational skills.

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

"Very well!"

Song Zhenguo also understood trials would be involved during legacy impartations. This was rather commonplace in some fantastical stories with chivalrous swordsmen.

The two entered the city one after another together with Chen Jiaorong in tow. Right as they reached the gates, a clothes store boss spotted Chen Jiaorong and swiftly left to spread the news.

As Lusheng's current visage was unsuitable for appearance before others, he let Song Zhenguo bring Chen Jiaorong back to explain matters to his clan while stealthily leaving himself, returning home.

All along the streets back, countless gazes looked at him oddly. Many kids even chased his backside to watch the spectacle.

Helpless, Lusheng could only quicken his pace. By the time he reached home, a check of his body revealed his key and money pouch were both incinerated from the flames.

"Big loss now... all the silver notes were inside..." Lusheng froze up, feeling impending doom.

Knock knock knock.

Left with no alternatives, he could only knock on the door.

"Coming, coming!" Little Qiao'er's dainty footsteps rapidly closed in. "Who is it?"

"It's me," Lusheng responded. "Lost my keys, open up little Qiao'er."

Hearing his voice, little Qiao'er promptly opened the door.

The door slowly creaked open, revealing little Qiao'er's charming and cute face. A smiling expression emerged as she raised her head to look.

Seeing Lusheng at first glance, this lass froze up before her eyes fiercely rounded out.

"You, you, you...!!!" Then her eyes rolled back as she fainted onto the floor.

Lusheng was speechless as he watched the commotion from his movement drawing the neighboring shops over. He hurriedly brought little Qiao'er in and placed her atop the bed inside before going to boil water and prepare a wooden tub.

After a spell of busyness, intensely washing off the char and grime which even dyed the tubs of water pitch black, Lusheng stood back up to wipe himself down with another basin of water, staining those towels ash black too before finally getting clean.

Changing into a fresh set after his bath, little Qiao'er soon awakened too. Seeing him, her eyes widened as she carefully scrutinized him from head to toe before recognizing this was none other than her daily served Young Master Lu Sheng.

Lusheng earnestly explained for a period that his clothes got incinerated by fire and luckily his injuries were not heavy plus more. Only then did little Qiao'er frantically run off to fetch a doctor. Apart from Lusheng's savings set aside at home, several dozen taels of silver were also kept for little Qiao'er's daily expenses. Fetching a doctor could still be adequately afforded.

Watching Lusheng's burns all over while the doctor slowly applied ointment, little Qiao'er's eyes brimmed with tears. She sat at the side, seeming to want to touch yet also worried she might hurt Lusheng, completely fretful.

After treating these burns, Lusheng rested at home for a period without even attending the academy to recuperate.

In merely half a month, most of his injuries already healed. Only his skin no longer had any hints of past hair.

Oddly, his skin bore no burn scar traces at all. Merely all bodily hair incinerated away, leaving his bare head devoid of any strands or brows, even his beard gone. Utterly smooth.

After home recuperation for some time, he promptly asked for prolonged academy leave due to imminent imperial exams right after.

Song Zhenguo did not contact him again after departing without any news on his status. As for Chen Jiaorong, after returning home and learning of events, he merely sent a letter to thank Lusheng for the rescue but omitted any mentions of bizarre ghost boats within. Likely because Song Zhenguo did not elaborate details to him. Even if he did, Chen Jiaorong might not necessarily believe such hearsay.

The letter stated he was under house arrest. Although privately visiting flower boats did not count as serious misdeeds, doing so still lacked integrity and could not see the light of day. Moreover, this time's incident even escalated into near death by immolation which provoked tremendous rage from his father at home, ordering that he be restricted from going out.

Chen Yunxi personally came by to express gratitude on her father, the Chen household leader's, behalf. She even gifted a pair of white jade qilins as thanks. Furthermore, she relayed invitation for Lusheng to visit their estate as a guest after recovering to interact more.

But upon seeing Lusheng's hairless appearance at their doorsteps, Chen Yunxi was also badly startled. Yet she instead felt it humorous. Half anxious and distressed but also tickled over Lusheng, she fooled around for nearly an entire afternoon before leaving.

After home recuperation, once Lusheng's body gradually recovered, he also planned on finding ways to test his current strength level. He remained rather concerned over that final explosive strike back at the flower boat.

But before he could arrange anything, an unexpected guest slightly disrupted his plans.

............

Beside Yanshan City's General Residence loomed the Drunken Pleasure Teahouse.

On the pointed crimson three-storied roof, Lusheng and a bewitching beauty in black veils sat face to face inside the highest floor's private room.

Between them on the table were assorted snacks like melon seeds, chicken feet, fruits and nuts. A vermilion ceramic teapot tranquilly rested atop the table, its spout still giving off faint wisps. Two teacups were placed before them, half-filled with emerald liquid.

Lusheng extended a hand to grab a dried fig, lightly popping it into his mouth. Yet his eyes calmly watched the woman across him.

"How many times does this make our meetups?"

Duanmu Wan smiled as her face betrayed exhaustion. "Was conveniently passing by so dropped in for a... hmm... an acquaintance perhaps. Didn't expect running into you on the streets."

She noticed Lusheng while riding on horseback. After their encounter, Lusheng invited her for tea which she accepted for reasons unknown despite her misgivings.

"Miss Duanmu previously went to find that treasure right?" Lusheng could grasp details on huge affairs behind that massive blast at Jiuliu City precisely because Duanmu Wan informed him. Thus, he also hoped to learn even more related news and intelligence from this mysterious woman. Especially matters regarding her world.

"Mm... People seeking that object... very many..." Duanmu Wan's immense fatigue could be seen. Even her outfit was wrapped under black veils with a wide-brimmed hat hanging from a clothes rack beside. If not for Lusheng looking up from below on the streets, he really could not recognize her as Duanmu Wan.

Lusheng eyed her hands. Slender snowy hands with torn and cut marks near her wrists and cuffs, even some dried bloodstains. There were also some speckled yellow mud dots plastered on her pants, likely from rushing about on horseback. Coupled with the faint dark eye rings below her eyes, she was evidently lacking proper rests.

"Really tired huh," Lusheng sighed.

Duanmu Wan nodded with a sighing breath, completely lacking her initial graceful allure during their first encounter.

"Some people are always convinced of their inevitable victory no matter what you say or do. They believe solely in themselves being right. No matter how much proof you present that they're mistaken, it's useless... Would you say such folk are very annoying?"

Lusheng pondered silently for a spell.

"Yes, very annoying."