Chapter 185 - 122: Iron Bone Perfection

Chapter 185: Chapter 122: Iron Bone Perfection

Seeing Orchid still hesitating, Lu Jing’an’s tone grew sterner.

"If you don’t go stand guard now, the heat will escape and alert others. *That* would be a real problem for me."

"Ah! I’ll go right now! Young Master, please be careful!"

Snapping out of her daze, Orchid lifted the hem of her dress and scurried out the door, her face deathly pale.

She gently pulled the door shut and leaned her back against the cool wood.

Her heart was still pounding wildly as she strained to hear the slightest sound from inside the room.

After sending the young maid away, Lu Jing’an sank completely into the Inner Realm.

Within his body, the mental simulations had run tens, even hundreds of thousands of times.

Subtle changes began to accumulate, leading to a qualitative transformation.

First, his flesh and tendons grew denser and tougher.

They filled with explosive elasticity, and streams of vital energy and blood coursed through them,

producing a faint roar, like a great river surging.

Next were his bones. Already harder than fine iron at the Iron Bone realm, they were now undergoing an even deeper change under the dual tempering of extreme heat and Energy.

Their color transitioned from a deep, heavy black to a subdued, dark-golden luster.

Their density and hardness soared once more, as if making the leap from simple iron to Hundred-refined Fine Steel.

Deep within his bones, inside the marrow cavities,

the very source of his hematopoiesis began to glow with the gentle luster of white jade, brimming with immense vitality.

This signaled that once his breakthrough was complete, Lu Jing’an’s total vital energy and blood, as well as his recovery rate, would ascend to a terrifying new level.

Outside, although separated by the heavy door, Orchid could still feel waves of scorching heat radiating from within, causing her to break out in a fine sweat despite the winter air on the veranda.

The air seeping from under the door was dry and scalding.

It felt as if the Young Master’s room had become a roaring furnace.

And the Young Master was the divine metal within, being hammered again and again to purge all impurities and refine its essence.

An unknown amount of time passed. Perhaps it was thirty minutes, perhaps an hour.

The terrifying heat and Energy fluctuations inside the room slowly receded like the tide.

"Orchid," Lu Jing’an’s clear, calm voice called out, now resonant with newfound power. "Bring me a clean set of clothes."

"Yes, Young Master!"

Orchid’s heart, which had been lodged in her throat, finally dropped back into place. She answered at once,

almost skipping with joy as she ran to fetch the fresh set of clothes that had already been prepared.

It was a set of well-made casual wear.

She gently pushed open the door, which was still warm to the touch.

A wave of hot air, a mixture of a burnt smell and a strange, sweet fragrance, washed over her, making her cheeks flush.

The room was in disarray: the bed linens were scorched black, and the surfaces of the furniture were cracked from the heat. But there, sitting on the edge of the bed, was the Young Master.

Orchid looked up and instantly held her breath.

Lu Jing’an had already wiped himself down and was wearing only his under-trousers, his back to her.

The afternoon light outlined the smooth, perfect lines of Lu Jing’an’s back.

His shoulders were broad and his waist was narrow. His muscles were not grotesquely bulging.

Instead, they were lean and well-defined, like a cheetah’s, with every line hinting at explosive power and incredible elasticity.

His skin had a healthy tone, smooth as jade yet with a faint metallic sheen.

His back alone was a portrait of harmonious and powerful beauty.

"Ahem." Lu Jing’an cleared his throat.

Orchid snapped back to her senses, her cheeks flushing crimson.

She hastily lowered her head and passed the clothes through the bed curtains, her fingertips trembling slightly.

A moment later, Lu Jing’an emerged from behind the curtains, fully dressed.

The navy-blue casual wear fit him perfectly, accentuating his tall, straight posture.

His features were handsome, and the last traces of boyishness in his expression had been replaced by a calm, composed maturity.

His eyes shone with a clear light, and his gaze held a natural authority.

Most notably, the immense vital energy from his breakthrough had yet to be fully restrained.

It seemed to surround him in an invisible aura of heat extending several feet, making it difficult for anyone to meet his gaze directly.

Orchid found herself staring, dazed again, until Lu Jing’an walked right up to her.

He flicked her lightly on the forehead.

"What are you spacing out for? I’ve been in there so long I’m starving.

Staring at me like that... are you hoping I’ll act like some mountain spirit and make a snack out of you?"

Lu Jing’an’s tone was teasing, but his eyes held a warm glint.

"Ah! I’ll go right away! I’ll have the kitchen bring the food to the parlor at once!"

Orchid clutched her forehead, stuck out her tongue playfully, and turned to run off.

As she reached the door, she muttered just loud enough for Lu Jing’an to hear, "Well... if it were the Young Master... I suppose I wouldn’t mind..."

Hearing this, Lu Jing’an shook his head and chuckled. ’That girl...’

「The Parlor.」

Several refined but not extravagant dishes were already set on the mahogany round table.

A bowl of thick, fragrant millet porridge steamed gently.

Lu Jing’an and Chen Xuan sat across from each other.

Chen Xuan’s gaze was electric. It swept over Lu Jing’an, and with a flash of understanding in his eyes, he knew.

Chen Xuan raised his cup and asked directly, "You broke through? To the Great Success Realm?"

Lu Jing’an nodded. He picked up the wine pot, filled Chen Xuan’s cup, and then poured one for himself.

"I was fortunate enough to cross the threshold.

I have you to thank for it, Master. You held back yesterday and guided me through actual combat.

Otherwise, if I’d just stuck to the usual routine, I’m afraid I would have had to wait until after the New Year."

Lu Jing’an raised his cup, his expression solemn. "This cup is for you, Master."

Chen Xuan said nothing more. He raised his cup, and they met with a crisp clink. Both men tilted their heads back and drained their cups.

The mild yellow wine was warm, melting down their throats and dispelling the last traces of the winter chill.

Putting down his cup, Lu Jing’an changed the subject. "Master, did that ’Mr. Xu’ arrive yesterday?"

"He did."

Chen Xuan set down his cup, his tone flat.

"I delivered the bank draft to the Lord personally. The man himself, however, is not staying in the Lu Mansion."

"Oh? Where is he staying?"

"The next street over. Yuelai Inn, Room No. 3 of the Celestial Building," Chen Xuan stated the address.