Chapter 122: Do You Want Some?

Two years passed in the blink of an eye.

Lu Yang was now eighteen years old.

During these two years, his life remained relatively peaceful. He continued working in the Imperial Prison, cultivating whenever he had free time, and occasionally exchanging letters with his family.

There had been no particularly troublesome incidents, and everything proceeded according to its usual routine.

As for Lu Yang’s cultivation, he had reached the peak of the First Stage of Spirit Awakening Realm.

His progress was not particularly fast by his own standards.

With his talent, comprehension, and accumulated experience from previous lives, Lu Yang believed he could have broken through to the Second Stage of Spirit Awakening Realm shortly after turning eighteen if he possessed sufficient resources.

Unfortunately, cultivation was not something that could be accomplished through talent and comprehension alone.

Even the most extraordinary genius would eventually encounter limitations without adequate resources.

Spirit Awakening Realm cultivators needed Spirit Qi and many resources to refine their Blood Qi and strengthen their Divine Sense.

Although Lu Yang’s foundation was considerably more solid than that of ordinary cultivators, he still could not just ignore the requirements of cultivation.

He had considered several ways to obtain additional resources, however, most required either money, time, or unnecessary risks.

For the time being, he decided to be patient. There was no need to rush.

He had only begun cultivating in this life at the age of five. Reaching the peak of the First Stage of Spirit Awakening Realm by eighteen was already an achievement that would astonish countless cultivators in Great Qian.

If he continued progressing at this pace, he would eventually reach the Second Stage of Spirit Awakening Realm by the end of this year.

And once he accumulated sufficient strength, there would be plenty of opportunities to obtain resources.

For now, he had other matters to attend to.

The two year deadline he had given Zheng Hui was approaching, and he needed to visit Wuyuan Province to inspect the results of his investment.

If it was successful, then he could obtain a steady stream of income annually, and combined with his salary working as a prison guard, it would be enough to support his cultivation.

Moreover, his father was expected to be promoted to Vice-Prefect soon.

Lu Shishui had served as Prefectural Judge for several years. His governance was stable, and his earlier achievements as County Magistrate had already established more than enough merits.

If nothing unexpected happened, the promotion would be a natural next step in his official career.

Lu Yang was quite happy with this development.

His father had worked hard for many years, receiving a promotion was only right.

More importantly, it meant that his family would have even greater influence in Wuyuan Province.

Although Lu Yang did not intend to rely on that influence excessively, there was nothing wrong with having a few more options available.

After all, a peaceful life was much easier to maintain when one possessed sufficient strength and influence to protect it.

...

On this particular day, Lu Yang was carrying out his usual duties in the Imperial Prison.

He walked through the familiar corridors, distributing the daily meals to the prisoners under old Sun’s supervision.

The food was simple. A portion of rice, some vegetables, and a bowl of thin soup constituted the usual meal. The exact quality depended on the prison’s supplies, but it was rarely anything worth looking forward to.

Most prisoners had long since grown accustomed to it.

Some complained occasionally, while others ate without saying a word.

Song Fuyao belonged to the former category.

When Lu Yang arrived at her cell, he passed her meal through the opening.

"Your food."

Song Fuyao glanced at the tray before looking at him.

"Dog official, have you been feeding pigs in the kitchen again?"

Lu Yang ignored her complaint.

He had heard variations of the same insult countless times over the past two years.

After setting down her meal, he pulled a small stool over and sat outside the cell.

Song Fuyao watched him suspiciously.

"What are you doing?"

"Eating." Lu Yang took out a food container and placed it beside him.

Inside were several dishes he had ordered from a reputable restaurant near the Imperial Prison. The food was freshly prepared, and the aroma spread through the corridor as soon as he opened the lid.

There was a plate of roasted chicken, several pieces of braised meat, and some vegetables seasoned with fragrant spices.

He also took out a small gourd of fruit wine, which, of course, contained no alcohol.

It was the sweet fruit beverage he had become accustomed to drinking over the years, made from a variety of fruits native to Wuyuan Province.

Lu Yang uncorked the gourd and took a leisurely sip.

Song Fuyao stared at the food, her eyes following the chicken legs from the moment Lu Yang opened the container, unable to help but swallow involuntarily.

Then, she looked down at the thin soup in her own bowl.

The difference was rather obvious.

Lu Yang picked up a chicken leg and took a bite.

The skin was crisp, the meat tender, and the seasoning was excellent.

He nodded slightly in satisfaction.

The restaurant had maintained its usual standard.

He took another bite before finally noticing Song Fuyao’s gaze.

Their eyes met, and for a moment, neither of them spoke.

After a while, Lu Yang raised an eyebrow.

"Do you want some?"

Song Fuyao’s eyes immediately brightened as she nodded eagerly.

Lu Yang looked at her eager appearance for a moment before taking another leisurely sip of fruit wine.

"Unfortunately, it’s against the rules."

Song Fuyao froze at the words.

Her expression remained blank for an instant, as if she did not fully understand what he had just said.

Then, her face darkened visibly, "...What?"

"You heard me." Lu Yang picked up another piece of chicken.

"Prison regulations prohibit guards from giving prisoners privately purchased food without authorization. If I make an exception for you, old Sun will have to explain it if someone reports the matter."

He spoke in a calm, matter of fact tone.

Song Fuyao stared at him and then looked down at the chicken in his hand before looking back up at him.

"Then why did you ask?"

Lu Yang considered the question seriously before answering.

"Courtesy?"

Song Fuyao’s face turned red.

She clenched her fists, her entire body trembling with anger.

Lu Yang watched her silently for a moment before lowering his head and continuing his meal.

Song Fuyao slowly sat back down.

She picked up her spoon and began poking at the thin, watery soup in her bowl.