Chapter 102: Clear Insight, Primal Attribute

"Understood?"

"Understood!"

With a calm expression and deep, unfathomable eyes, Lu Sheng opened his eyes and responded to Lu Chunyuan's inquiry.

Under Lu Chunyuan's guidance, his heart had been stirred toward the Dao, and he finally understood what he was truly pursuing in this life.

"So, what I seek is not merely health or longevity, but the Dao of the Origin of All Things!"

"With this heart set upon the Dao, the imprint of the Great Dao of 'Clarity' and the inheritance of the Dao Fruit of the True Master of Purple Void Clarity have finally been activated within me!"

As a mighty being who had neared the threshold of enlightenment—and perhaps even achieved it before passing on his karma—the Dao inheritance of the True Master of Purple Void Clarity was far beyond what the current Lu Sheng could fully comprehend. Yet, even the slightest fragment of it left Lu Sheng feeling profoundly enlightened.

"Inner reflection and outer illumination—the former acts within, the latter acts without. This is the prerequisite for cultivating the Heart of Clear Dao."

"Once the Heart of Clear Dao is cultivated, upon reaching a certain realm, one can gain full insight into everything pertaining to that realm."

"For instance, I am currently in the realm of Refining Qi into Spirit. If I cultivate the Heart of Clear Dao, every secret of this realm will be laid bare before me."

"Whether it be martial arts, combat techniques, alchemy, artifact forging, or even the materials and spiritual objects in heaven and earth suited for this realm..."

"I can learn and identify them rapidly through the Heart of Clear Dao."

"In a sense, the Heart of Clear Dao takes the ability to draw inferences about other cases to the extreme—this is truly a Great Dao born for the Nine-Nine Profound Art!"

The Nine-Nine Profound Art, once cultivated to a certain level, allows one to transform into all things and all spirits. However, after such a transformation, one cannot always fully replicate the capabilities of those beings, which inevitably leaves flaws. But with the Heart of Clear Dao, Lu Sheng could swiftly perceive the abilities of the creature he wished to imitate, and as long as they did not exceed his own cultivation, he could master them in an instant.

This Dao heart and the transformative power of the Nine-Nine Red Cloud Ruyi Profound Art were a perfect match. No wonder these two inheritances were passed down together!

***

"Now, I can finally see the true origin of others!"

With this thought, Lu Sheng activated the "Outer Illumination" he had just comprehended. A flash of light flickered in his eyes as he looked at Lu Hongjin, who stood beside him.

Although Lu Hongjin was a Great Martial Master, according to the classification of the Nine-Nine Profound Art, he was in the same realm as Lu Sheng—the realm of Refining Qi into Spirit—which Lu Sheng could now peer through.

A cyan-red light flashed before his eyes, and Lu Hongjin's attributes quickly manifested:

"Essence: 12.36, Qi: 15.22, Spirit: 9.63; Fortune: 1026 (31030), Merit: 583,280, Karma: 2,236,512."

Lu Sheng's eyes widened as if he had discovered something incredible. He pointed at Lu Hongjin, his mouth forming the word "You..." several times, but he could not bring himself to finish the sentence.

After all, the ability to see through another's strength, along with their fundamental attributes like Fortune, Merit, and Karma, was too miraculous. Even with his shock, he could not easily reveal this to others.

"What is it?"

Startled by Lu Sheng’s strange gaze and his pointing finger, Lu Hongjin asked. As the administrator of the Martial Academy, he had countless responsibilities. He had stayed here specifically hoping to gain something while Lu Sheng was in the midst of his enlightenment. Unexpectedly, Lu Sheng had not revealed what he had realized, and as an outsider, Lu Hongjin could not press him.

Now, after such a bizarre reaction from Lu Sheng, he felt a mix of shock and joy: "Could it be that he has discovered something about me? Has my destiny finally arrived?" He stared intently at Lu Sheng, waiting for an answer.

***

"It's nothing!"

Calming his heart, Lu Sheng thought of the karma data he had seen and asked, "Brother Lu, just how many people have you killed? Why is there such a heavy scent of blood upon you?"

Besides his accumulated Fortune, the most striking thing about Lu Hongjin to Lu Sheng was the sheer weight of his Karma. Furthermore, upon closer inspection, he sensed a heavy, lingering stench of blood. Clearly, this administrator had taken many lives. If not for the suppression of his Fortune, he would have likely met with disaster long ago.

"A scent of blood?"

"You can sense his bloodlust?"

"That shouldn't be possible. He has been cultivating his character in the Martial Academy for years; the bloodlust should have long since faded!" Lu Chunyuan frowned. It was his idea to move Lu Hongjin from the army to the academy, specifically to help him find his true self. After several years, Lu Chunyuan believed the scent of blood from his military days had vanished.

Yet, after Lu Sheng achieved his Dao heart, he had sensed this heavy aura. Though he knew Lu Sheng possessed the Spirit-Attuned Physique and was exceptionally perceptive, it was still inconceivable that Lu Sheng could sense what he could not.

Lu Chunyuan sensed for himself once more, frowned, and demanded of Lu Hongjin, "Speak, what is going on? Did you cultivate some secret technique to intentionally mask the bloodlust?"

Lu Sheng's perception could not be wrong. If so, Lu Hongjin must have used a secret technique—the kind used by assassins to hide killing intent even from Martial Ancestors. As the administrator, Lu Hongjin certainly had the means to access such forbidden arts.

"No!"

"I have been cultivating my character for years and have been busy with miscellaneous tasks; where would I find the time to study secret arts? Besides, if I had, wouldn't you know, Uncle Yuan?" Lu Hongjin cried out in grievance. He had been so occupied by Lu Chunyuan’s arrangements that he barely had time for anything beyond daily practice.

He turned to Lu Sheng, adding, "Little Brother, please don't wrong me. I haven't killed anyone in years! Even my father says I've become much more peaceful!"

In the academy, he had followed every order to the letter. Even when old enemies came to provoke him, he had never killed them. How could there still be a scent of blood? His first reaction was that Lu Sheng was mistaken—or perhaps even framing him. Yet, deep down, a flicker of hope remained: he was desperate for Lu Sheng to find the root of his troubles.