Success Brought Great Rewards

Wang Yue and his group rode back to the Wang Clan of Changyun County, heading straight for Wang Hu's private residence.

The moment they entered the courtyard, Wang Yue threw the three bandit chiefs' heads onto the ground. Blood dripped from them, leaving dark red traces across the bluestone slabs.

Wang Hu stepped forward. When he saw the face of the head in the middle, his expression changed abruptly. With some uncertainty, he asked, "Zhang Li? How could that be?"

After a pause, he said heavily, "A month ago, I wouldn't even have dared claim I could defeat that butcher with certainty!"

Only when his gaze fell upon the conspicuous long saber at Wang Yue's side did Wang Hu suppress his shock. He asked eagerly, "How exactly did you defeat him?"

Wang Yue did not hide anything. He recounted in full their nighttime raid on the camp, how Zhang Li had not been carrying a weapon, and how he and Jiang Peiling had joined forces to entangle him in battle.

Wang Hu frowned, lightly tapping the table with his fingers. "His weapon wasn't at his side? Even so, with Zhang Li's strength, he should have been able to kill the three of you brats barehanded."

Standing to one side, Xu Li still had a trace of lingering fear in his eyes. He hurriedly added, "Brother Wang fought him head-on and kept him occupied. That was the only reason I had a chance to seize his long saber."

As soon as he spoke, the sight of the two men fighting like a hurricane inside that room seemed to rise before his eyes again, making him clench his fists.

A look of surprise appeared on Wang Hu's face. Turning toward Wang Yue, he asked probingingly, "How many strands of Blood Qi have you condensed now? Three, or four?"

"Uncle-Master Wang, six." Wang Yue's reply was low and steady, yet Wang Hu's gaze froze instantly.

"Six?" Powerful shock burst from Wang Hu's eyes. "A road that takes others years to walk, and you crossed it in just over a month? Are you truly only of Middle-Grade Root Bone?"

What was even harder for him to believe was that Wang Yue, with six paths of Qi and Blood, had actually been able to contend with Zhang Li, who possessed nine. A true dragon had emerged from shallow waters!

Could it be that my Wang Clan is about to produce a Martial Dao Heavenly Talent?

Wang Yue took out the secret manual he had found in Zhang Li's room and handed it to Wang Hu. "Uncle-Master, I found this in his room. It's covered in strange symbols."

Wang Hu accepted the manual and opened it with a puzzled expression. But the more he read, the darker his face became. At last, he gritted his teeth. "I knew Zhang Li's origins were unclear. He appeared out of nowhere already at Blood Condensation Perfection—so he really is a spy from the Zhao Kingdom!"

He rapidly translated the symbols in the manual using a special method. When he saw the words, "Surrounded and slaughtered the Yan Clan; failed to find the artifact," his expression changed dramatically again, and even his fingers began to tremble.

At last, they had caught the tail of these Zhao Kingdom rats. They had been frantically wiping out Lineages within Hanshan Dao all along. The Yan Clan had not been weaker than the Wang Clan, yet it had been exterminated overnight. Even the distant Wang Clan had been deeply alarmed. Just to search for some artifact, they dared wreak havoc throughout the Great Chang Territory at will!

Only after a while did Wang Hu gradually calm down. He said to the three of them, "Leave behind the clan's stolen weapons and their heads. As for the remaining wealth and supplies, consider them your reward for this mission."

He added, "This matter is of great importance. I must see the Clan Head immediately. Go back first and wait for news."

Wang Yue looked toward the bodies of the four dead collateral-branch members outside the courtyard, worry in his eyes.

Seeing this, Wang Hu laughed. "The clan will properly arrange their funerals and provide compensation to their families. Rest assured.

"You have rendered great merit this time. I will truthfully report it to the Clan Head and let him decide your rewards."

Wang Yue said no more. He picked up the Good Victory Saber and headed outside. This saber could yield the Martial Soul of the Great Accomplishment Tiger Might Saber; to him, it was worth far more than gold and silver.

Seeing that he was taking the saber away, Wang Hu hurriedly called out, "Wang Yue!"

Wang Yue turned back and looked at him in confusion. "What is it, Uncle-Master Wang?"

Wang Hu's lips moved as though he wanted to say something, but in the end, he merely waved a hand. "Nothing. You may go."

He had wanted to remind Wang Yue, Leave this saber here as evidence for now. But when he saw Wang Yue's expression, he swallowed the words. This boy was meticulous and surely knew the saber's value. Besides, he had no intention of taking anything from someone of his grandnephew's generation. That was not the kind of man he was!

The corner of Wang Yue's mouth lifted slightly as he carried the saber out of the residence. Jiang Peiling and Xu Li were already waiting outside.

The three divided the rewards in a secluded spot beside the residence. Wang Yue first took the Good Victory Saber, then removed the Scarlet Blood Ginseng from the wooden chest and said to the other two, "I'll take these two. You can divide the rest."

Jiang Peiling walked over to the wooden box containing the Blood Replenishing Pills. After opening it, she took out three bottles and casually tossed them to Wang Yue. "Take these too."

Wang Yue was somewhat surprised. He had not planned to take any Blood Replenishing Pills, never expecting Jiang Peiling to voluntarily give him a share.

"Thank you." Wang Yue accepted the pills and cupped his hands in thanks.

Jiang Peiling gave a soft snort, though her tone softened somewhat. "You contributed the most in this battle. It is only natural that you receive more. Once you enter the Martial Academy, we will have a proper match."

With that, she picked up the remaining two bottles of Blood Replenishing Pills and two hundred taels in banknotes, then turned and left. Her black-clad figure soon vanished at the end of the alley.

"Xu Li, everything left is yours." Wang Yue smiled at Xu Li.

Xu Li looked embarrassed and hurriedly waved his hands. "Brother Wang, I shouldn't take so much. I'll give you half the money."

"There's no need." Wang Yue said calmly, "At the bandit camp, I already took gold, silver, jewelry, and banknotes. Keep these. You can use them to buy resources that replenish Blood Qi."

Seeing his firm attitude, Xu Li could only nod silently. Carrying the wooden chest filled with valuables, he followed behind Wang Yue as they returned to the rear courtyard.

The instant they entered the rear courtyard, the noisy training ground fell several degrees quieter. Everyone's eyes turned toward Wang Yue in unison. It was not because Xu Li behind him carried a heavy wooden chest, but because Wang Yue wore the Black Cloud Fist on one hand and held the striking Good Victory Saber in the other. Unwiped bloodstains remained on its blade, gleaming coldly beneath the sunlight.

"That saber... it looks extraordinary, doesn't it?"

"How did Wang Yue get another new weapon? And that chest in Xu Li's hands must be filled with rewards!"

"Hmph, isn't it just because Uncle-Master Wang gives him special treatment? We train our fists until dark, while he goes out to 'handle affairs' every day and comes back with benefits."

The murmurs buzzed like mosquitoes. Some faces were full of envy, others soured with jealousy. Several collateral-branch disciples who lived with Wang Shun even stopped practicing, leaning against the wooden posts and pointing at them, their voices brimming with indignation.

They did not know the life and death battles Wang Yue and Xu Li had endured in Lianmang Mountain. Nor did they know Wang Hu's arrangements had been based on their merits in the mission. They only felt that Wang Yue had "taken a shortcut" and received special treatment through connections.

Wang Yue turned a deaf ear to it all. He did not even lift an eyelid. Most of these people did not spend even half as much time practicing each day as Xu Li, much less compared to Wang Yue.

Perhaps one or two of them were concealing their abilities, but what of it?

After the martial exhibition at the beginning of next month, only a scant few would pass the assessment and enter the Martial Academy. The rest would likely remain in the rear courtyard or become clan servants. They would no longer belong to the same world as him and Xu Li.

Xu Li grew somewhat uncomfortable beneath everyone's stares. He unconsciously quickened his pace, wanting to return to the room as quickly as possible, but Wang Yue continued forward steadily, every step firm and solid.

He could clearly sense the faint pulse coming from the Good Victory Saber in his palm. Sealed within it was the Martial Soul of the perfected Tiger Might Saber, an important aid that would strengthen his martial path in the future.

The Scarlet Blood Ginseng and Blood Replenishing Pills in his robes were resources for cultivating the Blood Dragon Secret Method.

More importantly, he possessed a Martial Soul capable of extracting the essence of all things and learning the martial arts of others.

"Brother Wang, they..." Xu Li could not help speaking in a low voice, grievance in his tone.

"There is no need to care." Wang Yue calmly cut him off, his gaze directed toward the Wang Clan's Inner Court in the distance, where the upturned eaves of the Martial Academy could faintly be seen. "They keep their eyes on the weapons and silver before them. The road we will walk stretches far beyond this."

His fingers lightly brushed the hilt of the Good Victory Saber. He had already set his goal in his heart: entering the Martial Academy would not satisfy him, nor would dominating Changyun County be where he stopped.

With his Martial Soul, he could quickly master high-level techniques. With the Blood Dragon Secret Method, he could break through the limits of Blood Qi. With battle after battle tempered by life and death, he could forge ruthless practical combat strength.

Others might spend their entire lives trapped within the Blood Condensation Realm, unable even to touch the threshold of martial cultivation. But he would rely on this one-of-a-kind ability to advance step by step toward higher realms, until he stood at the pinnacle of this world and saw just how powerful those so-called "sects" and "supreme experts beneath heaven" truly were.

When they reached the dormitory entrance, Wang Yue stopped and glanced back at the training ground, where the discussions still continued unabated. A faint curve touched his lips.

Those fleeting misunderstandings and cheap jealousy were nothing more than dust on his path of martial cultivation.