NOVEL WEB CHAPTER 309
CHAPTER 309: Beneath the Calm
Lin Feng’s face had drained of color. His expression frozen, he stared at Lu Ming, whose calm, composed demeanor was unsettling. Lin Feng’s lips trembled as if searching for words, but nothing came.
He shifted his gaze toward Jiu Han, desperately seeking clarity. But what he saw was far worse—a look of admiration in the old man’s eyes as he studied Lu Ming.
Lin Feng felt a sinking sensation in his chest. His voice, when it came, was barely above a whisper.
“Teacher... is what my junior brother said true?”
Jiu Han nodded gently, confirming Lin Feng’s worst fears. “Yes. It’s true.”
“He… killed Jie Hai?” Lin Feng’s voice wavered.
“With his own hands.”
“After only 386 years?”
Jiu Han’s brow lifted slightly. “Actually, it was 385 years and 3 months. The time you both experienced in the dream realm was identical.”
Lin Feng felt his mind go numb, as if a sledgehammer had struck him. He struggled to comprehend.
“This... this is impossible!” he finally burst out. “How can someone reach the quasi-Divine realm in just 386 years of cultivation? That doesn’t even make sense!”
Lu Ming remained unflustered. “Didn’t you notice? The body we were given in the dream realm had exceptional talent.”
Lin Feng’s face reddened in frustration. He had noticed—he’d felt the extraordinary potential within himself during the dream. But even with such talent, how could anyone expect to break through to the quasi-Divine realm so quickly? He had worked relentlessly, pushed his limits, yet had barely reached the fourth level of the Ancient Realm.
“That may be,” Lin Feng snapped, his voice rising, “but even then, it’s impossible to reach the quasi-Divine realm in just a few centuries!”
Jiu Han sighed, shaking his head. “It’s not impossible.”
“If it were anyone else, no... it wouldn’t be. But Lu Ming… this disciple… he did it.”
There was an air of disbelief in Jiu Han’s tone, as though even he hadn’t fully accepted it. After a long pause, he asked the question lingering in his mind.
“You trained for 16 hours a day, every day, for 386 years. Didn’t you ever tire? Didn’t it exhaust you?”
Lu Ming thought for a moment before responding, his voice matter-of-fact. “I was tired, of course. But I couldn’t afford to slack off. Not with my revenge incomplete.”
Jiu Han’s brow furrowed. “And you never once took a break? Not a single day to rest, to enjoy the world outside, or experience life? Didn’t you ever find it... boring?”
At this, Lu Ming’s face lit up, as if the very question amused him. “Boring? Not at all!”
He spoke with enthusiasm now, his words flowing effortlessly.
“My father left behind countless techniques and secret skills, along with abundant resources for cultivation. And with no bottlenecks in the dream realm from the mortal realm to the quasi-Divine, I knew I could reach that level.”
“When you have a clear goal,” he continued, “and feel yourself growing stronger every day, it’s incredibly satisfying. I couldn’t think of anything more fulfilling.”
Jiu Han opened his mouth but quickly shut it again, struggling to find words for Lu Ming’s unique mindset.
After a long silence, he finally spoke, half to himself. “You… you’re like a cultivation machine.”
Lu Ming didn’t miss a beat. “What’s wrong with that?”
“Being a cultivation machine means no distractions, no unnecessary worries. With all the resources I needed and no reason to take risks, I had everything I could want. Why go looking for trouble?”
“I don’t care much about the world outside,” he added simply. “So, if I’m not cultivating, what else is there to do?”
“Seek adventure? Too risky. Stir up trouble? That’s just foolish.”
Both Jiu Han and Lin Feng stood speechless. There was no arguing with such logic.
After a moment, Jiu Han broke the silence with a chuckle. “You’re right. The path of cultivation truly has no end. But tell me, what’s your goal? What’s your final destination in this endless journey?”
Lu Ming raised an eyebrow, his voice firm. “Being invincible. That’s the end.”
“First, you reach invincibility. Then, you make plans. Until you’re unbeatable, why waste time thinking about anything else?”
Jiu Han could only stare at him, stunned by the simplicity—and conviction—of his words.
At that moment, Lin Feng found his voice again, though it was tinged with bitter sarcasm. “Stronger than a god? Do you really think that’s possible? There’s always someone stronger. Being invincible is a fantasy.”
His words were laced with jealousy, a desperate attempt to bring Lu Ming back down to earth.
Lu Ming met his gaze calmly. “Even gods start from nothing. And if becoming invincible seems too far off, there’s no point worrying about anything else. Focus on cultivation—that’s all there is to it.”
Lin Feng opened his mouth to retort but found himself lost for words. What could he possibly say to someone who had trained for 386 years without faltering, without hesitation? His own arguments felt weak, trivial, in comparison.
Jiu Han, still processing Lu Ming’s extraordinary resolve, studied his disciple with newfound respect.
“Your talent is… beyond rare,” he said slowly. “And your dedication—there’s no one who wouldn’t be humbled by it.”
Although Jiu Han still found Lu Ming’s outlook a bit extreme—too single-minded, too focused—the combination of such remarkable talent and sheer determination was unlike anything he’d ever seen.
Lu Ming was, quite simply, the perfect disciple.
“I never thought,” Jiu Han murmured, more to himself than anyone else, “that I’d have a disciple like you.”
The joy on Jiu Han’s face was unmistakable. He could barely contain it.
“Your future is limitless,” he said at last. “Come to the Boshi Tower tomorrow morning. I’ll take some time to figure out how best to guide you.”
With that, Jiu Han turned to leave, but paused, casting a glance at Lin Feng.
“You come tomorrow as well,” he said gently.
Then, with a soft rustle of his robes, Jiu Han disappeared into the distance, leaving only Lu Ming, Lin Feng, and the others in the courtyard.
As Jiu Han’s presence faded, Lu Ming scratched his head, turning toward Jiang Weiquan.
“Senior Brother…”
Jiang Weiquan waved a hand with a smile. “No need to call me Senior Brother. I’m not qualified to be a disciple of the Palace Master. Call me Teacher Jiang.”
Lu Ming nodded. “Teacher Jiang, is there accommodation available on campus?”
Jiang Weiquan blinked. “Didn’t you book a room at the hotel outside?”
Lu Ming’s expression turned earnest. “I just offended a Divine Realm expert. I’d feel safer staying closer to Teacher.”
Jiang Weiquan opened his mouth, ready to assure Lu Ming that he’d be safe no matter where he stayed, but something in Lu Ming’s sincerity stopped him. Instead, he nodded.
“We usually arrange accommodation for students in groups, but since you’ve requested it, we’ll make an exception.”
“How about I set you up with a room right at the foot of the Boshi Tower?”
Lu Ming’s face brightened. “Thank you, Teacher Jiang!”
As Lu Ming prepared to leave with Quan Chao and Jiang Weiquan, a voice called out behind him.
“Junior Brother, wait.”
It was Lin Feng.
Lu Ming turned to see Lin Feng approaching, his face fixed in a smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes.
“Junior Brother,” Lin Feng said smoothly.
“Senior Brother,” Lu Ming replied.
Lin Feng’s smile widened, though there was something sharper beneath it now. “Your words earlier left quite an impression on me. Do you have some time tonight? Perhaps we could share a drink?”
The offer seemed friendly enough, but Lu Ming shook his head.
“I’m sorry, Senior Brother. I have to focus on cultivation tonight. Maybe another time?”
Lin Feng’s smile faltered for just a fraction of a second before he quickly recovered.
“Of course,” he said, his voice tight. “Another time, then.”
Lu Ming turned and walked away, leaving Lin Feng standing alone, his expression hardening as he watched his junior brother’s retreating figure.
As Lu Ming disappeared into the distance, his expression shifted, too. The naive, innocent facade faded, replaced by something sharper, more calculating.
This Lin Feng… something’s not right.
END OF CHAPTER 309