Chapter 43 Joy and Sorrow (1/2)

Standing by the door of the inn and watching the carriage drawn by the ferghana horse vanish into the distance, Lu Qinghu was still in a state of shock, and it took him a long while to come to his senses.

A lesser-grade offensive technique… and a bottle of qi-gathering elixir that can help me break through the bottleneck?

He had taken a look at the lesser-grade martial art that the youth had written out and passed to him, and it was indeed genuine.

This confirmed that he had made the correct decision… It was better to be friends than enemies with this youth.

However, can this bottle of qi-gathering elixir really help me break through the bottleneck of level-three of Qi-gathering? If I really manage to break through, I will directly attain level-four of Qi-gathering!

Muttering to himself, Lu Qinghu fished out a small medicine bottle from his pocket and looked at it with suspicion.

Far from him being unwilling to believe that youth, but what the youth had told him was simply too shocking.

He, the first among the three elite lesser families of Yunfeng prefecture, at level-three of Qi-gathering, had long ago practiced to his limit, just a step shy of level-four of Qi-gathering.

However, it was precisely that particular step that had proven so difficult time and again.

After such a long period of time, that step had become a bottleneck that had proved impossible to break through.

No matter what, I have to try… what if it really does work?

Although he could not quite believe it, Lu Qinghu nevertheless hurried back to the Lu family residence and consumed the qi-gathering elixir once he got back to his room and began to practice.

This qi-gathering elixir… increases the sensitivity to qi by at least ten percent!

After practicing for some time after consuming the qi-gathering elixir, Lu Qinghu opened his eyes, which were now filled with shock and disbelief.

I remember… even the best qi-gathering elixir formulated by the superior-level medicine master in the Imperial Court of Yunyang could only increase the sensitivity to qi by twenty percent.

And the Lu family had no way to obtain even that standard grade of qi-gathering elixir… Otherwise, I would have attained level-four of Qi-gathering long ago.

No wonder… no wonder he said that a bottle of qi-gathering elixir could help me break through the bottleneck and attain level-four of Qi-gathering. This qi-gathering elixir can increase my sensitivity to qi by forty percent!

Lu Qinghu no longer dared to doubt Zhou Donghuang’s words.

Even using a qi-gathering elixir that increased his sensitivity to qi by twenty percent, he was fairly certain that he would be able to break through the bottleneck and attain level-four of Qi-gathering.

Now, with a bottle of qi-gathering elixir, he might as well commit suicide by banging his head against the wall if he still could not break through.

…

One day and night later.

“Hahahaha… hahahahahaha…”

Gales of hearty laughter coming from Lu Qinghu’s room could be heard far and wide.

Soon, Head Elder Lu Pinglan and Second Master Lu Bao of the Lu family, who both lived nearby, hurried over along with two other elders of the Lu family.

“I’ve broken through and attained level-four of Qi-gathering.”

Lu Qinghu had already stepped out of his room when Lu Pinglan, Lu Bao, and the others arrived in the courtyard, beaming radiantly.

“Congratulations to the patriarch!”

“Congratulations to Big Brother!”

Lu Qinghu’s words stunned Lu Pinglan and the others at first, but they recovered, and unbridled joy began to spread across their faces.

An advancement level-four of Qi-gathering implied the birth of a preeminent family.

From this day on, the Lu family would be a preeminent family!

“Head Elder, Second Younger Brother, please stay. Third Elder, go to the Fang family and invite the patriarch of the Fang family over. Fourth Elder, go to the Ma family and invite the new patriarch of the Ma family over.”

As soon as Lu Qinghu finished speaking, the two elders left to carry out his instructions, their faces still flushed with excitement.

From this day on, they were no longer elders of a lesser family.

They had become elders of a preeminent family!

“Big Brother, how did you break through so suddenly? From what I know, level-three of Qi-gathering has been a bottleneck for you for many years.”

Although Lu Bao rejoiced at his big brother’s breakthrough, he felt that the breakthrough was extremely sudden.

“Patriarch, you haven’t slept last night because you were gathering herbs for Zhou Donghuang… and yesterday morning, you went to give him the herbs and money?”

Lu Pinglan looked at Lu Qinghu suspiciously. “Your breakthrough… doesn’t… doesn’t involve him by any chance?”

“Head Elder, if it doesn’t involve him, why do you think I broke through at this particular time and not at any other time?” Lu Qinghu countered with a smile.

Without waiting for Lu Pinglan and Lu Bao to reply, he took a piece of paper out from his pocket, passing it to them both. “Have a look at this.”

Lu Pinglan took the paper, and both of them were captivated by it at first glance.

“Lesser Weighted Sand Palm, a lesser-grade technique?”

It took only a moment to confirm that it was indeed a lesser-grade technique that was recorded on the paper. Lu Pinglan and Lu Bao were so excited that their faces were flushed.

“Patriarch, could this be…?” Lu Pinglan looked up at Lu Qinghu and asked with some difficulty.

She had not yet finished her question when Lu Qinghu interrupted her, “Exactly! This technique is from Zhou Donghuang.”

Evidently, Lu Qinghu knew what Lu Pinglan was about to ask.