Spiritual And Martial Conqueror/C5 In the Secret Room of the Woodshed
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Spiritual And Martial Conqueror/C5 In the Secret Room of the Woodshed
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C5 In the Secret Room of the Woodshed

Lu Shaoyou hoisted a bag of goods onto his shoulder, suspecting it was filled with salt. Glancing back, he noticed Lu Xiaobai struggling under the weight of a similar bag, barely able to stand upright. "Is it that heavy?" he asked.

"How did you suddenly get so strong? That bag of salt is 120 kilograms; you used to be unable to lift it," Lu Xiaobai remarked with surprise, observing Lu Shaoyou carry the salt with ease.

"Is that so? It doesn't feel heavy to me," Lu Shaoyou mused, puzzled. He remembered struggling with such weights before, but now the bag felt as if it were a mere 30 to 40 kilograms on his shoulder, hardly requiring any effort at all.

"You're incredibly strong," Lu Xiaobai commented. Together, they joined the servants in transporting the salt to the warehouse.

The warehouse was a good distance from the back door. Lu Shaoyou hadn't taken a close look at the Lu family estate the previous night, but now he realized its vastness. The area they were in was just the backyard; the main family members resided in the front yard, which appeared opulent and expansive.

At the backyard entrance, Uncle Nan sat silently by the back door, his gaze deliberately following Lu Shaoyou as he made several trips with the salt. Uncle Nan's face was expressionless, yet a discerning observer might catch the occasional sharp glint in his eyes.

Having served the Lu family for decades, Uncle Nan held a significant position within the household. His true name was unknown; everyone simply called him Uncle Nan, and even Chief Zhao held him in high regard. Uncle Nan's usual duties involved guarding the back door and tending to the backyard's flora. It would take the servants the entire morning to move the thousand bags of salt, and by the end, all were exhausted except for Lu Shaoyou, who remained energetic.

As Lu Shaoyou brought in the last bag of salt through the back door, Uncle Nan rose slowly and, seemingly by accident, bumped into him, coughing immediately afterward.

"Uncle Nan, are you okay?" Lu Shaoyou quickly steadied him by the hands.

"I'm fine, Young Master Lu," Uncle Nan assured, gripping Lu Shaoyou's hands to steady himself.

"I'll be on my way then. Take care, Uncle Nan," Lu Shaoyou said, noting the warmth in Uncle Nan's hands before he continued on to the warehouse.

"How peculiar. How could this be? He possesses the Yin and Yang Physique," Uncle Nan murmured to himself, watching Lu Shaoyou's retreating figure.

"Aren't you unable to become a Martial Artist? What do you want with a Martial Skill?" Lu Xiaobai inquired after lunch, in Lu Shaoyou's room.

"Is there a way you can get it?" Lu Shaoyou asked.

"How could I, a mere servant, obtain a Martial Skill? However, I do have an external sect Martial Skill that was left by a roommate of mine who's gone home for a visit," Lu Xiaobai explained.

"Bring it to me; I'd like to see it," Lu Shaoyou said, eager to examine the Martial Skill.

"Alright, I'll bring it to you later," Lu Xiaobai agreed.

That afternoon, Lu Shaoyou found himself with nothing to do and unnoticed by the Lu family. He spent the afternoon wandering the backyard, which was all he could access. The front yard, where the direct descendants of the Lu family resided, remained out of bounds for him.

As dusk settled in, Lu Xiaobai arrived with a small pamphlet in hand. Shortly after, his mother returned, looking utterly exhausted. Lu Shaoyou's heart ached at the sight; it was clear she had endured a hard day. He knew he had to change their circumstances—and fast.

Retreating to his room, Lu Shaoyou opened the Martial Skill pamphlet that Lu Xiaobai had brought. His hopes quickly turned to disappointment as he leafed through it. The techniques of the outer sect were far from the peerless divine abilities he aspired to master—just simple moves that seemed pointless to read.

"How do I become a Martial Artist?" he whispered to himself, knowing that achieving such a status was the first step to altering his destiny.

"Why bother becoming a Martial Artist when you're close to death?" A voice, faint as a mosquito's buzz, teased his ears.

"Who's there?" Lu Shaoyou spun around, scanning the empty room with wide eyes.

"Don't want to die? Then come to the firewood shed—and don't alert anyone else," the voice instructed before fading away.

The voice struck a chord of familiarity with Lu Shaoyou. After a brief hesitation, he resolved to investigate the firewood shed. This could be a matter of life or death. Regardless of its veracity, he had to check it out. Whoever could project their voice like that was no ordinary individual.

Under the cover of night, Lu Shaoyou crept toward the firewood shed, not far from his dwelling. The midnight silence reassured him; no one was around. Once he reached the shed, he surveyed the area—still no one in sight.

"Enough looking. Get in here," the voice urged again.

"Who exactly are you?" Gathering his courage, Lu Shaoyou nudged the shed door open and, peering through the dim light, recognized the figure before him. "Uncle Nan? It's you?"

Uncle Nan stood before him, a stark contrast to the frail old man he appeared to be by day. His eyes sparkled with vitality, and an intangible presence emanated from him, though his complexion was a shade too pale.

"Surprised? I wouldn't have bothered if I hadn't watched you grow up and known you to be a good-hearted lad," Uncle Nan said, his gaze fixed on Lu Shaoyou.

"Uncle Nan, save me? You seem... different than before," Lu Shaoyou remarked, puzzled.

"You're on death's doorstep and you're still clueless," Uncle Nan replied with a stern look.

Lu Shaoyou examined the old servant, then himself, and protested, "That can't be right. I'm perfectly healthy. Uncle Nan, you must be joking."

With a light laugh, Uncle Nan responded, "You think this is a joke? Five, four, three, two, one..."

As Uncle Nan counted down, Lu Shaoyou felt a sudden clash of hot and cold currents within him, threatening to ravage his insides.

Before a cry could escape his lips, his vision blurred, and Uncle Nan was suddenly before him. A few precise taps from Uncle Nan's hand on Lu Shaoyou's chest and abdomen, and the tumultuous energies inside him stilled.

"I didn't deceive you, did I?" Uncle Nan said, a hint of solemnity in his voice.

"Uncle Nan, what's happening here? You've got to help me out." By now, Lu Shaoyou was convinced that Uncle Nan, the old servant, must be the storied warrior of legend. It appeared that Uncle Nan had been deliberately concealing his true identity within the Lu family. The contrasting hot and cold streams coursing through his body could only be the result of those two Demonic Pills.

"Follow me," said Uncle Nan, casting a glance at Lu Shaoyou before heading to a corner of the firewood shed. He pressed a hidden spot, and suddenly, a secret chamber was revealed beneath the corner of the wall.

Without acknowledging Lu Shaoyou's astonished look, Uncle Nan strode into the chamber. Lu Shaoyou, still reeling from the revelation, followed him into the hidden space.

With a soft click, the door to the secret chamber sealed shut. Inside, Lu Shaoyou's gaze found nothing but a solitary stone bed.

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