Chapter 52: Master Lu Chen, on the Verge of Tears

"Ah?"

Zhang Xuan was startled.

He hadn't turned around quickly just now, nor had he used much force—how could Master Lu Chen have flown out?

Could it be that he was jumping around for fun?

"Master..."

He hurried over, intending to help the other up, and raised his hand behind him.

"I'm fine..."

Whoosh!

Before he could finish speaking, Master Lu Chen felt his whole body lighten, tumbled forward, and crashed headfirst into another row of bookshelves, his face covered in books.

"I..."

The master wanted to cry but had no tears.

Are you messing with me? When you help me up, do you have to use that much force?

"Master..."

Seeing him like this, Zhang Xuan was about to rush over and help again when he saw Master Lu Chen struggle to stand up, waving him off: "You... don't come over, I can manage on my own!"

"Uh..."

Zhang Xuan had to stop, blinking in confusion, looking at the old man with curiosity, and couldn't help voicing the question in his mind: "Master, are you jumping around for fun?"

"Jumping around for fun..." Master Lu Chen almost burst into tears.

Damn it, you're the one jumping around for fun, your whole family jumps around for fun!

I, a dignified master of calligraphy and painting, such an elegant person—how bored out of my mind would I have to be to jump around for fun? Besides, even if I were jumping around for fun, I wouldn't do it here! These are all my treasured books, my precious...

Master Lu Chen felt a tightness in his chest, barely able to breathe.

"What's wrong? Is your chest uncomfortable?"

Zhang Xuan came over, wanting to pat his back.

"No..."

Bang!

The moment his fist landed on the other's back, before Master Lu Chen could finish his words, his pupils contracted, and with a "whoosh," he shot forward, crashing headfirst into the wall in front of the study, his face covered in dust, even smashing a large hole in the wall.

"Master..."

Seeing him dash out again, Zhang Xuan scratched his head in bewilderment.

What exactly is this master trying to do?

First jumping backward, then dashing forward—is he having an epileptic fit?

If it really is epilepsy, he couldn't just ignore it. So he quickly took two steps to catch up, came to his side, and wanted to help him up again.

"Don't come over..."

Master Lu Chen wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, backed away repeatedly, looking at the young man before him as if he were a monster, on the verge of tears.

I was just feeling a bit down, not trying to die—and you hit me with that hammer... ouch, my old arms, my old legs...

"Master, what exactly is going on?"

Seeing him like this, Zhang Xuan could no longer hold back.

Earlier you seemed quite composed, but now you're jumping and bouncing—what are you trying to do?

"What's going on?" Master Lu Chen looked at him as if he were a monster, almost crying.

Don't you know what's going on yourself?

I was afraid you'd go into qi deviation, so I kindly came to warn you, but then you turned around and sent me flying, then came over and threw me out, and finally, with that last blow, if I hadn't had some cultivation, I would have lost my life... and you ask me what's going on?

Just as he was about to lose his temper, he saw the young man's puzzled expression, which didn't seem feigned. His heart stirred, recalling something, and his eyes filled with disbelief: "You... could it be that you just made a breakthrough?"

"Yes!"

Zhang Xuan nodded.

Cultivating the Heavenly Dao Golden Body should count as some kind of breakthrough!

"But... even if you broke through, you shouldn't have improved this fast..."

Master Lu Chen finally understood what was happening, but still couldn't believe it.

Some people, using certain special methods, could instantly boost their cultivation. The power after the boost, not yet fully adapted by the body, would lead to a loss of control. What seemed like normal force to him appeared as full effort in others' eyes.

It was like having a strength of 100 kilograms; using one-tenth, only 10 kilograms, was nothing for lifting a cup. But if it suddenly surged to 10,000 kilograms, still using one-tenth of the strength to lift the cup, 1,000 kilograms of force would be enough to shatter the cup directly!

Zhang Xuan was most likely in this situation now—his strength had suddenly increased, and even he himself didn't know how much it had grown. Still acting with his previous habits, it was natural that the other couldn't withstand it!

This kind of situation had been seen in books; adapting to such power required a long time.

He had thought it was just a legend, but unexpectedly... such a thing actually existed!

However, he simply couldn't believe that this guy, standing by the bookshelf, reading for a while and spacing out, had suddenly gained such immense strength?

Could it be some kind of accumulated insight, where he happened to read a certain book and suddenly had an epiphany, directly breaking through?

If that were really the case, his own luck would be too bad!

"Come with me to the living room!"

With doubts in his mind, Master Lu Chen said no more and walked ahead.

It was also simple to determine if this was the case—just find a testing stone pillar and test it.

Since the young man was looking for martial arts techniques for the sixth rank, he definitely hadn't broken through yet. Without reaching the sixth rank, even the strongest peak of the fifth rank only possessed the strength of four tripods!

If his strength exceeded that, it would indicate that he had indeed improved a lot all at once.

The previous situation would then make sense.

……

In the living room.

Huang Yu and Bai Xun had not yet left; they still sat in the room, looking toward the study, full of anxiety.

They had come on business, but as soon as Master Lu Chen finished examining Zhang Xuan, he took him away without giving them a chance to speak, so naturally they couldn't leave and had to wait idly.

"Xiao Yu, that... Master Zhang Xuan just now, has he really also reached the peak of the fifth level of martial arts?"

Bai Xun had now lost his previous hostility toward Zhang Xuan and spoke with a hint of excitement.

He wasn't actually very interested in calligraphy and painting; if his father hadn't forced him, he would never have come!

What truly interested him was cultivation.

He only felt excited when encountering the strong.

He had always considered himself a genius—at eighteen, reaching the peak of the fifth level of martial arts was considered extremely fast in cultivation, and few in the entire royal city could match him! He never expected that this young man, not much older than him and unassuming, had also reached this level!

How could that not excite him?

"I don't know either. As I told you, he only came to my shop to buy books... I don't know anything about him! But since he's looking everywhere for techniques of the sixth level of martial arts, he should have already reached the peak of the fifth level!"

Huang Yu said.

As for Zhang Xuan's actual strength, since he hadn't made a move, they weren't sure, but since he was looking for books of the sixth level, he should have already reached the peak of the fifth level.

Otherwise, even looking for such advanced books would be useless!

"At this age to have this level, I wonder what his combat ability is like. Later I'll go and test him..."

Bai Xun chuckled.

He was a martial arts fanatic; having someone to spar with, especially at the same level and similar age, he could hardly contain himself.

Tap tap tap!

As the two were talking, they saw someone walk in. Looking at the newcomer, both of them froze on the spot.

They saw that Master Lu Chen, who had been so elegant just moments ago, was now covered in dust, his face smeared with blood, walking over in a disheveled state.