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

"What preparations should we make?"

Just as Lu Heng was about to ask, he instantly realized why his friend had spoken up.

After all, Lu Jinnian knew very well that he absolutely did not want to be anyone's follower.

Given this, he now displays an undeniable talent thanks to his pair of blue eyes.

So the imminent trouble is arguably unavoidable.

"I'm ready."

I am now Miss Qingyan's follower.

Remember to keep your distance from me from now on.

Lu Heng spoke in a serious tone.

However, Lu Jinnian in front of him was visibly shaken, and his expression changed several times in an instant.

He opened his mouth, his expression somewhat bitter, but he comforted her, "It's good that you're thinking positively."

I was worried that you might be having second thoughts and couldn't figure things out for a while.

With your talent, Ah Heng, you can definitely repay the injustices you suffer now tenfold or a hundredfold in the future.

"It's not what you expected." Lu Heng touched his nose, not expecting Lu Jinnian's reaction to be so intense.

"What's different?" Lu Jinnian also realized that given his friend's personality, there was no reason why his temperament would suddenly change so drastically.

Or perhaps, the follower Lu Heng was referring to was not the same as the follower he understood.

Otherwise, based on his understanding, Lu Heng would have been mentally prepared long ago, so how could he have given in so easily?

"It's not what you expected..."

I am indeed Lu Qingyan's follower now.

But it was she who suggested pretending.

Lu Jinnian was stunned for a moment before he reacted.

"Well, you dare to play me!"

"Making it so tragic..." He took a step forward and grabbed Lu Heng, who looked completely innocent, with both hands.

"That's all in your head, okay?"

Lu Heng stated that his wording was indeed somewhat suggestive, but that was absolutely not his intention.

"Heh." Lu Jinnian sneered, shook it vigorously, and didn't believe it at all.

He then released his grip and looked at the boy in front of him with a mocking expression.

"This young lady, Lu Qingyan, has offered such lenient terms."

It's completely unconditional help.

How did you manage that? Did you sell your body, or something?"

Lu Jinnian's speculation cannot be said to be without any basis.

After all, this was his good friend…

Nowadays, if a man were willing to dress as a woman, he would definitely be a national calamity, the kind of beauty that could topple empires!

Even though cultivators prioritize cultivation above all else, this does not prevent them from appreciating beauty.

"You're overthinking it," Lu Heng said nonchalantly.

"And what caused the changes in you?" Lu Jinnian asked curiously.

He knew that his friend had probably foreseen his own changes.

And they have absolutely prepared convincing reasons.

Or rather, the change itself is reasonable.

"The breakthrough in the Basic Body Refinement Method caused a reversion of the bloodline to its ancestral form." Lu Heng brought up the same reason he had just used again.

"Indeed, I can't think of any other possibility besides a bloodline atavism."

Lu Jinnian stepped forward and patted his friend on the shoulder, happy for him.

Lu Heng then explained the changes from the first evaluation to the previous ones.

However, Lu Jinnian did not feel the same confusion as he had before.

Instead, he said with certainty, "You're definitely withholding some crucial information."

"How did you find out?" Lu Heng asked, somewhat puzzled.

"Knowing the family as I do, it's impossible for them to be so wasteful!" Lu Jinnian said smugly.

Lu Heng rubbed his forehead helplessly. Compared to him, the native youths of the Lu clan were indeed more able to accept the family's inhumanity.

"Want to team up?" Lu Heng asked after completing the remaining rules.

"No need, I'll have my dad find me two teammates."

"Now that you're so popular, I'm worried you'll drag me down with you!" Lu Jinnian decisively rejected his friend's suggestion.

What he said was indeed true; Lu Heng's talent had already reached an absurd level.

Now, he has awakened his Azure Eyes, making up for the last shortcoming in his cultivation talent.

He will rise to prominence soon, and by then, the enemies he will encounter will be far beyond what he, or even his family, can handle.

He said he didn't want his friends to drag him down, but actually...

Lu Jinnian was also unwilling to implicate Lu Heng.

"Okay." Lu Heng didn't say anything more.

Some things are better left unsaid; it's enough to know them.

………………

I returned to my room in the outer courtyard.

Lu Heng chose to begin his cultivation immediately.

Even though he has already completed his first life leap, he still has no right to waste time.

Humans are prone to laziness.

Perseverance is an extremely difficult thing, and once you break your resolve, it becomes very difficult to persevere again.

Lu Heng had no intention of testing him.

His eyes slowly closed, and his aura subsided.

The practice of the "Basic Body Refinement Method" is about refining the body's original Qi and blood. It is most important to avoid being impatient and restless, and to remain calm and composed.

He cleared his mind of all distractions, his consciousness sinking into his body, following the patterns of the cultivation technique, guiding his qi and blood to flow slowly.

There was no sound in the room. He sat quietly like a finely sculpted stone statue, even his breathing became long and weak, blending into the surrounding silence.

Only beneath the skin and flesh, the surging power of qi and blood becomes increasingly concentrated. Each flow seems to be polishing the muscles and bones, gradually washing away the hidden stagnation.

The light outside the window gradually dimmed, and twilight spread across the windowpane, casting a faint silhouette on him.

Lu Heng remained motionless, his internal energy and blood firmly contained within his meridians, without spilling out even a ripple. In the utmost tranquility, the foundation of his life was quietly nourished.

When I opened my eyes again, my proficiency in the Basic Body Refinement Technique had increased by 100.

"Is that really the case?" Lu Heng muttered to himself.

His cultivation efficiency was indeed as he had expected, reaching a full five times that of before.

But he wasn't particularly happy.

Improving cultivation efficiency is indeed a good thing, but it's not necessarily the case given his already limited cultivation resources.

Originally, he could gain 20 points of proficiency by practicing the Basic Body Refining Method ten times a day.

Now, after practicing ten times, the proficiency level has reached 100.

It increased fivefold, so it couldn't have come without a price.

The price, of course, is that the required cultivation resources will double!

Of course, it's not five times; it's about completing the first life leap and achieving a transformation in one's talent.

Lu Heng's efficiency in utilizing cultivation resources is much higher than before.

However, according to his estimates, in addition to the original daily resource requirement of one serving of medium-grade spiritual food and five servings of low-grade spiritual food, there will be additional needs.

Now he needs to add two more servings of medium-grade spiritual food every day in order to maintain his cultivation needs.