Chapter 29: How Long Do You Think It Will Take Me to Master It?

Chapter 29: Chapter 29: How Long Do You Think It Will Take Me to Master It?

In the morning, Lu Ming headed to the branch office, walking with a spring in his step.

He was even happier today than last time.

"Morning, Old Li. Here’s some breakfast I brought for you." Lu Ming smiled and tossed a wrapped bundle of steamed buns to Old Li.

Old Li had already heard about what happened yesterday. Someone had come to challenge Lu Yuan, only to be easily defeated, and it was ultimately revealed that Lu Yuan had joined the Demon Suppression Bureau.

"I heard Xiaoyuan joined the Demon Suppression Bureau. Congratulations!"

"Haha, the boy has made good. I rarely discipline him, but he does have some talent," Lu Ming said modestly. He also made sure to explain that he hadn’t helped at all this time; it was entirely the boy’s own capability.

"Yes, Xiaoyuan is gifted. I could tell he had the potential of a Heavenly Being when he was just a kid," Old Li praised.

"Ah, that’s too much. Heavenly Beings are Fifth Grade. My son might not reach that level. He should be a Sixth Grade in the future, or at least have a shot at reaching Sixth Grade," Lu Ming quickly waved his hand.

Fifth Grade martial artists were absolute experts—the pillars of the Court and major factions. It was incredibly difficult for commoners to reach that level; each one was one in a million.

"He’s still young. It’s not impossible for his future," Old Li smiled.

"Haha, I’ll take your word for it!" Lu Ming cupped his hands in thanks and hurried inside.

"Mr. Lu!"

"Mr. Lu!"

His subordinates were far more enthusiastic than usual. After all, a son’s achievements reflected his father’s future. A formidable son meant the father would fare better, gaining more power and resources. Following a boss like this meant they didn’t have to worry about a mid-way decline.

This was the power of legacy.

"I bought breakfast for all of you. There’s plenty to go around!" Lu Ming laughed loudly, bringing out a large sack of food.

"You’re the best, boss! Congratulations!"

"Congratulations, Mr. Lu! And congratulations to Brother Yuan for joining the Demon Suppression Bureau!"

"Boss, Brother Yuan is amazing! Like father, like son!"

"Wrong, it should be the son outshining the father!"

"Right, right, right! Listen to my dumb mouth!"

Dozens of constables and Deputy Officers surged forward, scrambling over one another. Even those who hadn’t been particularly close to him before joined the fray.

"Haha, you’ve all heard? How did the news spread so fast?" Lu Ming feigned distress on his face.

"We can’t help it! Good news always travels fast!"

"Yeah, news like this is meant to be spread quickly!"

"This is a massive cause for celebration!"

Lu Ming chatted with the crowd for a while, and the steamed buns in his arms were almost entirely handed out. However, he specifically saved two and walked over to Yang Lian.

"What, is the breakfast I bought not good enough for you?"

"Hehehe." Yang Lian glanced at Lu Ming, forcing a stiff smile. "I already ate at home this morning, so..."

"Oh, what a pity. You’ll miss out on the good luck from my Ayuan joining the Demon Suppression Bureau." Lu Ming shook his head helplessly. "Speaking of which, I should thank those people who came knocking yesterday. Otherwise, my boy might not have been in a hurry to announce it. He probably would have kept it from me a bit longer just to give me a surprise."

"Yes, Xiaoyuan would definitely do something like that," Yang Lian nodded. "I’ve met the kid. He’s very assertive."

"Naturally. Since he was young, I’ve taught him to make his own decisions when faced with trouble," Lu Ming affirmed.

"Joining the Demon Suppression Bureau is only the beginning. The missions are treacherous, and the Demon Suppression Bureau loses quite a few people every year..." Yang Lian looked at Lu Ming, speaking with earnest gravity. "You should teach him more life-saving techniques."

"You worry too much. The Demon Suppression Bureau has far more life-saving techniques than my Lu Family. They also have many experts. They’re always fully equipped and meticulously plan for every mission." Lu Ming’s smile faded. "Anyone who dares to touch a member of the Demon Suppression Bureau will meet a gruesome end, facing the execution of their entire clan."

"Yes, right. You’re absolutely right," Yang Lian nodded, his two fingers digging fiercely into the floor tiles. "But he still needs to be careful."

***

At the Demon Suppression Bureau’s training ground.

Lu Yuan practiced for a while, easily hitting the bullseye from thirty paces away. Just as he was about to practice with the fifty-pace target, he glanced at the other four people nearby, and a sudden thought struck him.

These four wealthy young masters were all filthy rich. It would be a genuine shame not to fleece them a little. Besides, he was just worrying about where to get his hands on some Qi Nourishing Pills.

He picked up the manual for the Nine Glories of Archery and walked over.

"Brothers, which of you knows Archery Skills?"

"Archery Skills? Doesn’t everyone know those? Anyone with hands can do it." Jiang Hongfei sneered disdainfully. "You should be asking who doesn’t know them."

"I know a bit," Liu Zhi raised his hand, smiling rather shyly. "But I can only hit the bullseye every time from fifty paces."

"Only fifty paces?" Yu Qiuyang scoffed. "When I was in the Ninth Grade, I could easily hit a target with perfect accuracy from a hundred paces."

Mu Lingche couldn’t even be bothered to answer. Asking him such a question was practically an insult.

"Then do any of you know the Nine-Star Linked Beads?" Lu Yuan asked again.

"The Nine-Star Linked Beads!"

"The Nine-Star Linked Beads!"

The expressions on the four men’s faces changed instantly. As martial artists from prominent families, they naturally knew of the Nine-Star Linked Beads, one of the top-tier foundational Archery Skills. This Archery Skill was practically invincible among anyone below the Seventh Grade. As long as the bow was strong and the firing speed fast enough, there were very few who could block it.

SLAP.

Lu Yuan tossed the secret manual of the Nine Glories of Archery onto the ground and sat down beside it.

"I’m practicing this Archery Skill now. How long do you think it’ll take me to master it?"

"You? Practicing this?" Jiang Hongfei stopped his training, walked over, and looked him up and down. "I don’t think you’ll ever master it. Even if you had three years, you couldn’t do it. Probably not even in a lifetime."

"Yeah, I completely agree with Young Master Fei," Yu Qiuyang nodded without hesitation. "The Nine-Star Linked Beads isn’t something just anyone can master!"

"I think Brother Lu can master it! Give it two years!" Liu Zhi came over to show his support. The result wasn’t important; it was the gesture that counted. He couldn’t leave Brother Lu hanging like that. While the Nine-Star Linked Beads was difficult, it wasn’t entirely hopeless. Besides, even if he failed, his Archery Skill would definitely see immense improvement by then.

Mu Lingche threw a passing glance but remained silent. On average, not even one in a thousand people could master such top-tier Archery Skills. He felt the probability of Lu Yuan mastering it before the Seventh Grade was extremely slim, and it would just waste a lot of time. Of course, he had no obligation to point that out.

"Place your bets! Place your bets!" Lu Yuan waved his large hand. "I bet that I can master it within a month. If you disagree, you can place a wager. Even odds, one-to-one payout!"

"A month?"

"A month!"

Jiang Hongfei, Yu Qiuyang, Liu Zhi, and even Mu Lingche froze, utterly dumbfounded.

Where did he get this confidence? Where did he get this nerve?

That was the Nine-Star Linked Beads! A top-tier Archery Skill, not just ordinary target practice. Let alone a month—anyone who mastered it in two years was a genius, mastering it in three years earned high praise, and even doing it in five years was worth bragging about.

Within a month? Unheard of! A normal person wouldn’t even dare to dream of it! Was this kid kicked in the head by a donkey?

"A month? You’re talking big! Just don’t back out when the time comes!" Jiang Hongfei’s interest was instantly piqued. His eyes gleamed with a predatory light, feeling as if he had finally caught an opportunity.

"Exactly!" Yu Qiuyang nodded as well.

"Bullshit, if I have the guts to say it, I have the guts to own up to it!" Lu Yuan shot them a look. "This is the Demon Suppression Bureau. Where would I even run to?"

"Deal!" Jiang Hongfei pulled a stack of silver notes from his pocket. "I’ll bet three hundred taels. Can you take it?"

"Three hundred taels... that’s a bit much." Lu Yuan showed a hint of reluctance on his face before gritting his teeth. "I can take it. Place your bet. But the limit is three hundred taels. You can’t add any more than that."