You promised yourself to be a caged bird, but you became the supreme young master?

"If you can win this challenge, I'll grant you one request that won't cross any lines."

Lu Qingyan stood with her head held high, her slender, fair neck with clean lines, her chin slightly raised, exuding a noble and aloof air, and her red lips parted slightly as she made her promise.

What is easily obtained is never cherished.

It would seem a bit beneath her to offer Lu Heng to come with her.

If she made a suitable promise, and Lu Heng dared to ask, she wouldn't necessarily be unwilling to become his follower.

"Thank you, Miss."

Lu Heng answered silently.

He had his demands decided almost immediately.

It's troublesome for him now, but for a young lady like Lu Qingyan, it's just a piece of cake.

I will never cross the other party's bottom line, no matter what.

That refers to the tasks that the Foreign Languages ​​Department is required to perform every month.

Although one could choose some miscellaneous tasks from the outer courtyard as mandatory duties, that would ultimately waste a lot of cultivation time.

Not thinking he could possibly lose, Lu Heng planned to ask Lu Qingyan to find him a task where he would have free time to cultivate.

That's enough.

He doesn't need anything else now.

As for the talent displayed in this challenge?

Since it was already unavoidable, Lu Heng treated it as a rehearsal of his situation after his first evolution.

As for taking this opportunity to become this young lady's follower?

Sorry, but Lu Heng's values ​​are ultimately those of a normal modern person.

He wasn't brainwashed by the school beauty's personal bodyguard, the urban dragon king's son-in-law, or the immortal doctor.

It's impossible, and I'm not willing to make such a request.

………………

On the training ground in the early morning, all the outer courtyard youths, including Lu Heng, quickly arrived.

Compared to usual, Lu Heng could clearly feel that he was being watched by countless times more people.

Even more so than before, when Lu Qingyan had just asked him to be her sparring partner.

Clearly, as Lu Qingyan's sparring partner, rumors about him quickly spread throughout the entire outer academy.

Many people even knew that someone might use this as an opportunity to challenge him during a martial arts demonstration.

Therefore, among the many perspectives, those who enjoy watching the drama unfold and those who gloat over others' misfortunes make up the vast majority.

"I've already found out who's challenging you."

Lu Jinnian didn't care about what others thought, and moved closer to Lu Heng, speaking in a somewhat solemn tone.

"Who is it?" Lu Heng asked casually.

"You'd better pay attention; the guy challenging you this time is no pushover."

I don't know why he challenged you.

Logically speaking, it shouldn't make any sense at all. Seeing his friend's nonchalance, Lu Jinnian reminded him irritably.

"Then hurry up and tell me who it is?" Lu Heng's curiosity was piqued by Lu Jinnian's words.

"If I just say who it is, do you think you'd even know them?" Lu Jinnian glanced at Lu Heng speechlessly and asked quietly.

"I don't know him..." Lu Heng replied helplessly, choking for a moment.

With his mind solely focused on cultivation, he had no interest in learning about the outer academy, nor the energy to gather information.

Lu Jinnian was actually the same.

But his parents were both late-stage Body Refinement Realm cultivators.

They were much better informed than the average student in the foreign language department.

"The guy who's going to challenge you is called Lu Boyong."

Although he wasn't a top-tier cultivation genius, he was still of above-average talent, just like me.

Furthermore, his father, like my father, was a cultivator in the late stage of the Body Refinement Secret Realm.

Since the road has come to an end, all her energy is now devoted to raising her son.

Therefore, he entered the outer courtyard even two days earlier than me, and his cultivation level has most likely reached the third level of body refinement.

Furthermore, his training in the "Basic Sword Techniques" is at the same beginner level as yours.

Ah Heng, you should have improved your cultivation level recently, right?

If you accidentally mess up here, it will definitely become a black mark on your record.

Because of the time constraints, Lu Jinnian spoke very quickly, but that did not prevent Lu Heng from listening.

After he finished speaking, he still had some doubts and reflections.

"I don't know why Lu Boyong wants to challenge you? Is it because of jealousy? I've met him once or twice, and he doesn't seem like that kind of person."

So what's he after?

So Lu Heng casually told Lu Qingyan what he had heard from her.

"Wow... this is really boring!"

Lu Jinnian was speechless for a moment, but since they were in the martial arts arena, he didn't say anything more.

If even something as trivial as borrowing money from a gang can be used as a weapon, then it goes without saying that sensitive topics like criticizing one's master are even more problematic.

Saying it here would be giving others leverage against you.

"I have already reached the third level of body refinement." At the same time, Lu Heng also answered Lu Jinnian's previous question.

"It has to be you again..." Lu Jinnian replied with a wry smile, taking a deep breath.

Having become somewhat numb, he chose to accept it calmly.

………………

Not long after, when the middle-aged man with blue eyes, "Lu Guhong," arrived, a young man took the initiative to step forward.

After exchanging words, Lu Guhong turned his gaze toward Lu Heng's direction. Slightly surprised, he readily agreed to the challenge proposed by the young master of the outer courtyard due to the interference of the young master.

"Lu Heng, Lu Boyong has suggested a martial arts demonstration to you. Do you have any objections?"

Behind him followed the young man who had issued the challenge, "Lu Boyong." The middle-aged man with blue eyes came up to Lu Heng and asked him questions.

"I have no objection."

Lu Heng, who was already prepared, answered calmly, while feeling a sense of感慨 (gǎnkǎi, a complex emotion encompassing both admiration and reflection).

There were no rules for challenging the martial arts competition held every ten days, but the main family members of the outer courtyard needed to participate, so Lu Guhong, who was in charge of this group of outer courtyard youths, had to admit it.

Of course, this only makes it seem more formal. If it weren't for this, and without the interference of the host family, any challenger would probably be verbally attacked like a brainless villain in a novel.

Only then can one legitimately issue a challenge; it's a classic example.

However, this was indeed much more convenient, and Lu Heng didn't feel there was anything wrong with it.

Ultimately, cultivators must rely on their strength to speak for themselves.

With nearly two hundred teenagers watching from the training ground, and witnessed by the middle-aged man with blue eyes.

The two arrived at the center of the training ground.

Lu Boyong was clearly not a talkative person.

"Lu Boyong, Body Refinement Level 3." After a brief self-introduction, he looked at the young man before him with seriousness, without showing any disrespect.

As far as he knew, the boy in front of him was a genius of combat techniques!

Even if their talent for cultivation is lacking, they should never be underestimated!

"Lu Heng, Body Refinement Level 3." Satisfied with Lu Boyong's self-introduction, Lu Heng chose to simply copy it.

For a moment, the entire hall fell silent!