Eternal Life: Talent Grows with Age-Chapter 84 - 85: Lime Martial Artist

The instructors in charge of observation and record-keeping were stunned several times within the group.

They honestly didn’t expect anyone to prepare in such an unorthodox way.

It’s not exactly odd for things like lime powder packets to show up in the Martial Artist Institute—after all, scouts in the Great Yuan’s armies are skilled in these tricks. When facing sticky situations, their methods are all over the place, so the storeroom keeps some on hand.

But for nobles, using these kinds of dirty tactics is definitely considered low-class.

For a moment, everyone wavered back and forth in their minds.

A big shot?

Or... not a big shot?

God, this is a headache!

The instructor discretely jotted this down for the record.

Badge number 36: Weapons—fine steel long spear, fine steel sabre with ring pommel, and lime powder packets.

Their instructors didn’t know anyone’s real identity anyway; they just noted everything under the masked badge numbers.

In a blink, it was almost midnight.

The night was dead quiet.

Moving with a spring in their step, the group marched like a squad of Black Mountain Army, quickly making their way to a market square on the southwest edge.

"No one in that courtyard—we leave no survivors!" one instructor said, pointing to a grand courtyard not far off.

The plaque overhead bore the words "Lei Mansion."

"Looks like it really is the Nujiang Gang!"

Lu Chang’sheng’s heart skipped a beat.

Normally, he wouldn’t know the backstory of the Lei Mansion, but a few years back one of the Martial Artist Council got mixed in with the Nujiang Gang, so he got word of the connection.

The Lei Mansion is a noble family—the Lei clan has officials ranked as high as eighth grade.

Lu Chang’sheng even knew there were a few child scholars from the Lei family attending the academy.

An eighth-grade official’s status in Black Mountain Prefecture City is a big deal. At least a few people here must be worried right now, right?

"Boom!"

Just then, the sound of an explosion echoed from inside—someone was already fighting.

The Nujiang Gang is a top-tier society; there must be plenty of True Qi Realm experts. There’s no way they’d count on just us.

Seeing chaos break out inside, several instructors immediately urged them forward.

The group dashed out at a run.

Just as they hit the street, the Lei Mansion’s gates swung wide—someone inside had deliberately opened them.

Inside, winding corridors split in every direction. The group broke into teams, racing down their assigned passageways.

Suddenly, a crowd of panic-stricken maids came running out.

"Black Mountain Army—help us, sirs, please!"

One of the maids looked heartbreakingly beautiful, tears streaming down her pale cheeks—a sight that could soften anyone’s heart. Her shapely figure made a few of the nobles slow down in spite of themselves.

"Shit—watch out!"

One of the nobles, about to step up and comfort her, suddenly yelled, because that maid yanked off her own outer robes, baring two heaving, snow-white mounds and shaking them all into a dazzled trance for a second. In that instant, the "panicked" servants behind her all dropped their scared act, their expressions snarling. From under their clothes came the unmistakable sound of spring-loaded crossbows arming for action.

"Damn—crossbows!"

Up on the courtyard wall, two instructors were keeping watch. Seeing this, their hearts skipped. They were about to jump down and help when suddenly, a white blur whooshed straight for the group of servants.

The lead maid’s reflexes were lightning—she flicked her wrist and a short arrow shot straight into the airborne object.

Before she could sneer, that white thing burst apart from the hit, popping into a cloud of white mist.

"Take cover!"

The seven or eight nobles already lined up in defense brightened and rolled out of the way.

"Thwack thwack thwack!"

A rapid volley of crossbow bolts whizzed through thin air; the ones that hit, mostly pinged harmlessly off the nobles’ armored coats.

Their crossbows were just hand-held; not enough power to pierce proper armor.

"Well, that just made my life easier,"

Lu Chang’sheng thought to himself.

Originally, he’d intended to throw a hidden dagger and pierce that lime packet after tossing it, but hey—the enemy did it for him!

"To think the dignified Black Mountain Army would stoop to such dirty tricks. I, Lady Hua, refuse to accept this!"

The nobles had been caught off guard, but after dodging death by a hair, they were pissed—and with instructors up on the walls observing, each of them put on their best show.

These guys weren’t just some randoms—they’d all mastered pile skill to Great Success. Snapping out of it, they went all out—fearless, hacking those fake servants apart one by one.

In the end, that voluptuous, half-naked Lady Hua was covered in wounds, skewered through the stomach by a spear. As she lay dying, she turned and screamed at Lu Chang’sheng.

Lu Chang’sheng checked to make sure his mask was still on. Thank god.

If not, he’d have genuinely worried about Nujiang Gang survivors coming after his family.

"So yeah—this kind of business should be avoided. If you have to do it, make damn sure there are no loose ends."

The fight was over.

Have to admit, those noble-born prodigies, all at Great Success in Divine Power Stake, completely crushed Lady Hua—she didn’t even get a chance to fight back. Lu Chang’sheng hadn’t even made it over before she’d lost her head.

"Honestly... I was way too cautious and kept my distance,"

Lu Chang’sheng thought, a little bummed.

After that, everyone got way more careful, not sparing a single stranger inside the courtyard.

Gradually, the group made their way toward the main hall.

······

"This guy’s timing is spot-on—even if his style is making it hard to recognize who he is!"

Atop a pavilion of Lei Mansion, Lin Shan watched as Lu Chang’sheng handled Lady Hua, a bit of surprise in his eyes.

Being a True Qi Realm martial artist, he could see and hear all from his vantage point.

Discarding the peculiar moves, everything else the kid did was first-rate. When those elite Nujiang Gang disguised themselves as servants, he’d already sensed something was off—or maybe just followed the instructors’ orders to the letter. Either way, he reacted before their hand crossbows ever fired, chucking the lime powder packet first!

"So, assessment: Grade B-minus. What do you think, Mountain Master?" Hong Yuan asked, eyes bright as he tried to make out Lu Chang’sheng’s shadow through the darkness.

Lin Shan nodded, genuinely curious who this guy was—to earn a B-minus in such a short time?

Neither of them knew which badge number belonged to who. That info would have to wait till they checked records back at base.

Naturally, curiosity gnawed at their hearts.

A quarter hour later, both men suddenly jerked to attention.

Over in the inner courtyard, an eruption of intense energy—an old man fought clear of the True Qi Realm Martial Artist Institute instructors and bolted into the night.

It was none other than the Nujiang Gang’s gang leader—and head of the Lei family—Lei Hong!

"Never thought the Nujiang Gang’s boss was actually one of our own instructors!" Hong Yuan snorted at himself. "Definitely broke the institute’s rules!"

This was meant for Lin Shan’s ears alone.

Lin Shan gave a cold grunt. He wasn’t happy about it, but he followed anyway.

Meanwhile, Lu Chang’sheng and company ran into a new problem.

As they crossed a corridor, a figure smashed out of the adjacent guest room.

"Boom! Boom!"

A hulking brute, built like a tower, wielded a pair of pumpkin hammers and swung down hard on one of the nobles’ shoulders.

The hit was so heavy the noble’s right shoulder caved in, blood pouring from his mouth as he flew like a broken kite.

The brute’s face twisted in a fiendish grin—knowing he wouldn’t get out of this, he grew even crazier. He spun his pumpkin hammers and swung at another noble.

The other noble froze in terror—there was no time to dodge, so he braced with his spear.

Clang—a deafening impact sent both noble and spear crashing into the guest room, barely clinging to life.

This True Qi Realm fighter was crazy strong—and seemed even stronger than most by birth alone. A few swings of those pumpkin hammers sent four or five nobles flying, some dead, some crippled.

Even the Black Mountain Army armor they wore couldn’t save them.

As the brute charged him, Lu Chang’sheng tossed a lime packet backhanded and dove to the side in a roll.

"Bang!"

The brute, experienced from years of gang wars—a True Qi Realm martial artist—instinctively shut his eyes and slammed his hammer down.

Hearing the floor crack, he knew he’d missed, so he barreled through the lime fog. Just as he opened his eyes to look around, another lime packet splattered into him.

For several full seconds, the brute flailed in a blizzard of lime. By the time he regained his bearings, two figures had closed in and tangled him in battle.

Already exhausted from the killings, the brute was overwhelmed. Both instructors who’d rushed over were True Qi Realm martial artists, trained in advanced martial arts—in ten or so exchanges, the brute was cut down, fresh blood splattering everywhere.

As they hurried to the hallway and saw the few dying noble students, the two instructors felt a twinge of guilt.

They’d just been distracted by the chaos in the inner courtyard, and look what happened.

"All this lime everywhere—must be badge 36’s handiwork again!"

The two instructors exchanged glances, a bit amazed.

Earlier, they’d laughed at Lu Chang’sheng’s tactics. Now, after two consecutive incidents, they were floored.

"I wonder which student this is—he has survival down to an art!"

Their curiosity was burning—they sifted through names in their minds, but none matched this oddball style. In the end, all they could do was wait for the dust to settle and check records back at the institute.

······

Both returned to higher ground, observing and making notes.

There were plenty of instructors supervising too. This battle wasn’t just about the Nujiang Gang—it was also a major test for the students.

Otherwise, the instructors could easily mop everyone up themselves.

Soon, the pair spotted badge 36—Lu Chang’sheng—back in action.

This time, he was methodically picking off ordinary Nujiang Gang members, moving so cautiously it almost made them sweat in embarrassment.

In the end, after some thought, they both wrote down their assessment:

"High self-preservation instincts, extremely vigilant—unsuited for marshal rank, but could be considered for a Scout-related position!"

······

Soon enough, it was 1:00 AM.

Lu Chang’sheng leaned against a wall to catch his breath—and looked up just in time to see two figures trading blows on a distant rooftop.

One man fought bare-handed, his fists seeming to rip the very night apart, air visibly warping mid-strike.

Moments later, the other man took a punch to the chest, blood spraying through the air. Even so, he clung to life like a wildcat, scrambling up to the highest tower for one last stand—but after several minutes he fell from the rooftop, spent.

At last, everything was over!

"So that’s True Qi Realm combat..." Lu Chang’sheng watched in anticipation.

He wondered what these trials would actually measure, and whether he’d pass.

Well, considering his performance, there shouldn’t be any major problem. Most likely, he’d pass with no issue!