Chapter 57: Postponed Assessment

Lu An frowned and said:

"With my current meridian damage, I'm afraid I won't be able to participate. Just reply to him directly."

Ying Chang hesitated and tried to persuade him.

"Brother Lu, if you miss this opportunity, you'll have to wait another year. Are you sure you want to give up?"

Lu An didn't hesitate and nodded.

Seeing this, Ying Chang no longer hesitated and immediately returned to give Elder Zhang a response, bringing back the materials from the recent demonic beast hunts.

Before leaving, he advised Lu An not to hunt any more demonic beasts until his injuries healed.

Lu An, knowing the seriousness of the situation, agreed wholeheartedly.

That day, Elder Zhang came to the Spirit Talisman Residence again, and upon seeing Ying Chang had returned, he was pleased.

"Friend Ying, what did Lu Xiaoyou say?"

Ying Chang relayed Lu An's message, and Elder Zhang's expression changed dramatically.

"No, he's not participating?"

Ying Chang nodded.

"Don't! The assessment starts in a week. Isn't it a pity to miss it?"

Elder Zhang was anxious and said.

Ying Chang shook his head, his tone somewhat helpless.

"I have no way to change Lu An's decision. No one can alter it."

Elder Zhang's expression shifted several times, then he forced a wry smile.

"Friend Ying, please persuade him again. It's not serious if he's injured. If necessary, I'll postpone the assessment until he's recovered."

Ying Chang was surprised. Postponing the assessment so casually?

He didn't know that Elder Zhang had staked all his hopes on Lu An, relying on him for advancement and promotion.

With Lu An's proficiency in talismans, if he passed the assessment, Elder Zhang would recommend him to Yongning County City, where he would receive recognition from the Talisman Hall.

This would help Elder Zhang exceed his performance targets for the year and easily secure a promotion.

Ying Chang appeared hesitant, thinking for a while before nodding.

"Alright, I'll ask Lu An again. However, I can't control his final decision."

He felt it was too bad for Lu An to miss this assessment, so he planned to persuade him once more.

"Of course. Whether to participate or not is entirely up to Lu Xiaoyou."

Ying Chang picked up a communication jade slip and contacted Lu An.

The business of the Spirit Talisman Residence had been growing day by day, with some surplus funds now available.

Lu An had also arranged for communication jade slips and small defensive arrays.

The salaries and wages for Ying Chang, his wife, and Bai Sheng had more than doubled.

Under these circumstances, everyone was excited and felt an increasing sense of belonging to this small group.

After a while, Ying Chang slowly looked up and said:

"Lu An agreed to participate in this assessment, but…"

Elder Zhang's heart leaped with joy and he quickly asked:

"But what?"

"However, it has to be two months later. I'm not sure if Elder Zhang can wait?"

"Lu Xiaoyou said that he doesn't want to make things difficult for the elder. He doesn't place much importance on this assessment, so if it's not feasible, then it's fine."

Elder Zhang quickly waved his hand, raising his tone slightly.

"Lu Xiaoyou's words are unnecessary. A mere two months, I can still wait. It's settled then. I'll return to the Talisman Hall and await Lu Xiaoyou's return."

Ying Chang was shaken. He had thought Elder Zhang would not agree to the delay.

So when he got Lu An's reply, he didn't hold out much hope.

To his surprise, Elder Zhang actually agreed. How could he be so eager for Lu An to participate in the assessment?

After pondering for a long time and still unable to make sense of it, he decided not to think about it further.

In the following days, Lu An healed from his injuries and began hunting demonic beasts again. Once his storage bag was full, he returned to the Spirit Talisman Residence to focus on his cultivation.

During this period, he faced several life-and-death crises and even encountered a ferocious tiger at the Ninth Layer of Qi Refining. Fortunately, with his experience of escaping death multiple times and the assistance of various talismans, he managed to escape perilously.

His progress was rapid; his entire demeanor seemed to have changed. Once a graceful young master, he now resembled an ancient fierce beast, with less elegance and more ruthlessness.

One morning, Lu An went to the courtyard and saw Ying Chang and Fang Ling sparring, so he watched from the sidelines.

Just as Fang Ling was about to lose, Ying Chang suddenly exposed a flaw and was struck by Fang Ling's palm.

"Wife, your strength is too great. I am no match for you."

Fang Ling cast him a reproachful glance but couldn't hide her happiness.

Ying Chang's eyes swept over and noticed Lu An's figure.

"Oh, Brother Lu has arrived. Would you like to come down and have a match?"

"Sure, I was just thinking of that."

Lu An leaped into the arena and struck a pose.

"Brother Ying, be careful."

As soon as he finished speaking, he charged forward, one hand gathering a massive fireball while the other hand condensed a water dragon and unleashed it.

Ying Chang smiled slightly and suppressed his cultivation to the Seventh Layer of Qi Refining to meet the attack head-on.

In the blink of an eye, the two exchanged dozens of blows.

Ying Chang had long known that Lu An's strength was no longer what it used to be, so he was not surprised.

But Fang Ling was different. Seeing Ying Chang completely at a disadvantage, she was astonished.

"Brother Ying, you can't suppress me with the Seventh Layer of Qi Refining. It's better to raise your cultivation level."

Ying Chang, not one to boast, directly raised his cultivation to the Eighth Layer of Qi Refining and began to clash with Lu An.

The two fought fiercely for over a hundred exchanges without a clear winner and then jumped apart.

"Refreshing!"

Lu An was delighted. It had been a long time since he had such an exhilarating fight.

In Mangdang Mountain, it was either you die or I die, with no chance to test moves, as every strike was fatal.

Ying Chang smiled wryly, knowing that although they seemed evenly matched, he was aware that he had lost.

Outwardly, he had suppressed his cultivation to the Eighth Layer of Qi Refining.

But in reality, to counter Lu An's spiritual sense, he had to elevate his own spiritual sense to the Foundation Establishment stage, making the fight more balanced.

This was understandable because with Lu An's Yimu Shenghun Jue improving, his spiritual sense had become much stronger, nearly on par with the Foundation Establishment level, both in refinement and quantity.

If Ying Chang had only used his Eighth Layer Qi Refining spiritual sense, he would have been at a disadvantage.

As they were about to resume their fight, a voice drifted from above.

Lu An looked up, his eyes showing a trace of confusion.

"Senior Gu, didn't you go to Yongning City for your new position? What brings you back here?"

The newcomer was indeed Gu Chuanfei. Shortly after his promotion to the Core Formation stage, he had gone to Yongning County City to take up his post.

The business of Juyuan Studio in Guxian County had also been entirely handed over to Gu Yuer.

Gu Chuanfei waved his hand and said:

"I'm here today to invite young friend Lu for a drink. Do you have time?"

Lu An was even more puzzled but did not ask further.

"Of course, I would be delighted."

He then called Bai Sheng and instructed him to buy some food and drink.

In the courtyard, they chose a shaded area, set up a table with chairs, and arranged the food and drink.

After everything was prepared and everyone had taken their seats, Lu An asked:

"Senior, are you here to visit relatives?"

Given Gu Chuanfei's current status and position, Lu An couldn't think of any other reason for his return to Guxian County.

Gu Chuanfei lifted his cup and drank it in one gulp. Only after the warmth flowed down his throat did he let out a sigh and utter a shocking statement.

"I am no longer a member of Juyuan Studio. There's no question of visiting relatives."