Chapter 22: Shattered Bones and Torn Tendons

“So, is my body an ordinary constitution, or is it an innate one?” Listening to Lu Hai recount the wonders of the innate physique, Lu Sheng asked. According to his own senses, his body did not seem ordinary.

“You possess the Innate Aperture Body, though it is incomplete. Of the nine divine apertures, only the oral and posterior apertures are opened,” Lu Hai replied, confirming his suspicions.

“Have my meridians been tempered by innate energy?” Lu Sheng pressed on. His father, Lu Hai, was not only a martial artist but also a physician, and with the family’s legacy, he surely had access to many secret arts.

Given these circumstances, upon discovering his son’s innate body, Lu Hai would have certainly tempered his meridians. Lu Sheng’s body, unlike Shi Qinhu’s, was not deliberately oppressed, yet he could achieve sevenfold strength at the same age, and was far more agile. Clearly, this must be attributed to his innate apertures.

“Of course, they’ve been tempered!” Lu Hai answered, then continued with a complicated tone, “But when you were born, I had only just become a martial artist, and my mysterious energy was insufficient. Your innate energy was not particularly abundant either, and the medicinal liquid your grandfather and I prepared was average, so we only tempered the twelve main meridians and the Ren and Du channels.”

“Even so, once you transform your strength into energy and become a martial artist, you will swiftly rise to the rank of martial warrior. With a bit of accumulation and proper training of your muscles and bones, you may attempt to sense the world’s energies, transform your internal energy into mysterious energy, and become a martial master!”

“This process may take one or two years, or perhaps five or six. Regardless, our Lu family of Blackstone Island will finally have a martial master around twenty years of age, and may even ascend to the List of Outstanding Talents!”

As he thought of his son, who, after this injury, could perceive spirits and quickly restore his strength, Lu Hai brimmed with confidence: his son would not stop at the rank of martial master. Achieving the realm of martial lord was not a mere dream!

“Seventy years of waiting have not been in vain!” Recalling the legacy left by their great-grandfather, enough to restore his branch to the heartland, and looking at his son ready to soar, Lu Hai’s heart was ablaze with excitement.

“I hope Sheng’er can achieve martial mastery before the legacy is unveiled. Then, father and son together may return to the heartland and restore the glory of the Lu clan of Bingzhou!”

------------------

“Doctor Lu! Doctor Lu! I, Zhou Dalin, beg your forgiveness—please, save my son!”

Just as Lu Sheng was about to inquire further about the divine apertures, a shout echoed from the clinic in the front yard; it seemed someone was badly injured and urgently needed Lu Hai’s help.

Lu Hai frowned, ceased his explanations, and said to Lu Sheng, “Let’s go! Let’s take a look together!” He led Lu Sheng outside.

“Zhou Dalin is Zhou Beitian’s father. His son was disrespectful to Father earlier, so it’s no surprise he’s here to apologize. But who is it that needs saving?” Following Lu Hai, Lu Sheng wondered.

Suddenly, he recalled his earlier urge to spend karma and wished ill luck upon Zhou Beitian. A thought flashed through his mind: “Could this be the result of my wish? Did Zhou Beitian get injured again because of me?”

“A wish worth twenty-eight karma points—I thought foiling his schemes and Father refusing to treat him was already enough, so why is there more? Zhou Beitian’s fortune should be at least two or three points, enough to withstand that amount of karma!”

While pondering, Lu Sheng and Lu Hai arrived at the clinic. Looking up, Lu Sheng saw a burly, dark-skinned man kneeling before the entrance. On a door plank beside him lay a young man—none other than Zhou Beitian!

“It really is that effective!” Lu Sheng was astonished. He heard Lu Hai ask, “What happened? Who beat him like this?”

Observing Zhou Beitian’s broken bones and torn muscles, Lu Hai was puzzled. After the previous incident with Zhou Beitian, he knew Zhou Dalin would come to apologize, perhaps even discipline his son to prevent a grudge. Yet, what he hadn’t expected was that Zhou Beitian was beaten so severely. Even for an apology, the punishment should not have been so brutal.

Seeing a crowd gathering, pointing and whispering, Zhou Dalin’s dark face flushed with embarrassment and annoyance. He explained, “This unfilial son was disrespectful to Doctor