Running for Hall Master?

The courtyard was spacious and somewhat secluded.

After passing through several corridors, the purple-clad woman suddenly called out, "Dad, Dad, are you home? Someone's here to see you!"

Jiang Dao, trailing behind her, felt his lips twitch.

Just as he suspected!

His guess was correct!

This was actually his distant cousin!

Heaven and earth as his witness, he didn't even know her name.

"C-cousin, may I ask who you are?"

Jiang Dao couldn't help but inquire.

"My name is Yang Ziyan," the purple-clad woman replied with a smile, turning back.

"Ah, Cousin Ziyan, my apologies for my earlier rudeness!" Jiang Dao cupped his hands in greeting.

"Heh heh..." The purple-clad woman chuckled softly, finding it rather amusing.

"Ziyan? What is it?" a man's voice suddenly called out from within the courtyard.

A short, thin man dressed in a blue long gown walked out from the yard.

"Dad, someone's here to see you. See if you know them." Yang Ziyan responded and quickly walked towards the blue-robed man.

As the blue-robed man approached, he saw Jiang Dao and paused slightly. The face seemed familiar, and he suddenly realized, asking, "You... are you from Fengzhou? Are you... Dao'er?"

Two days prior, Jiang Dalong had written him a letter stating that his eldest son, Jiang Dao, would be coming to seek his help and hoped he could introduce him into the Blazing Flame Sect.

"Nephew Jiang Dao pays his respects to Uncle Cousin!" Jiang Dao immediately cupped his hands.

"It really is Dao'er. Good lad, you've grown so tall after all these years!" The blue-robed man beamed with joy. "Excellent, excellent, you're a man now. Are you looking to join the Blazing Flame Sect?"

"Yes, I would be grateful for your introduction, Uncle Cousin," Jiang Dao said.

"Although the Blazing Flame Sect recruits many people each year, those without good martial arts skills don't get far. They just end up as thugs. How are your skills?" Yang Xu asked.

"Dad, he's incredibly strong! We ran into bandits halfway here, at least a hundred of them. Their leader was a notorious criminal with a thick beard and a nine-ring sabre. Even experts from the Blazing Flame Sect couldn't take him down before, but he killed him with ease," Yang Ziyan whispered into her father's ear.

"Could that be Bearded Bandit Guo Biao? He's dead?" Yang Xu's expression shifted in surprise.

"Yes, it was a gruesome sight," Yang Ziyan said, her beautiful eyes shining with excitement.

"Good lad, Dao'er, if you truly possess such strength, you could at least become a hall master in the Blazing Flame Sect. However, hearing is not seeing. Could you demonstrate something for me? I'd like to broaden my horizons." Yang Xu looked at Jiang Dao with piercing eyes.

Jiang Dao understood immediately and nodded. "Alright. However, my skills are quite varied. I'll try my claw techniques." His gaze swept around and landed on a stone table in the courtyard. He walked over, his five fingers moving like lightning as he suddenly dug and grabbed.

With a thump, a large chunk was torn from the sturdy marble stone table as if it were cotton, effortlessly.

That wasn't all; what was even more terrifying was that Jiang Dao suddenly clenched his five fingers. The piece of marble in his hand instantly crumbled like it had been crushed by a massive hammer, making cracking sounds as it turned into stone fragments in Jiang Dao's hands.

Jiang Dao loosened his grip, and the white stone fragments cascaded down, scattering all over the ground.

"How is this strength?" he asked, turning back.

Yang Xu was utterly dumbfounded, looking as if he had seen a ghost.

Crushing stone into powder!

He was literally crushing stone into powder!

How could one achieve this without forty to fifty years of practice?

He quickly showed elation and said with a smile, "Well said, Claw Technique. Dao'er, with your strength, you'd have a great future in our Blazing Flame Sect. Come here, I have something important to tell you. It looks like we're both going to strike it rich this time."

He kindly led Jiang Dao towards the study.

"Dad, what about me?"

Yang Ziyan asked.

"You go back to your room and rest first,"

Yang Xu waved his hand.

Before long, Jiang Dao arrived at a study filled with ancient charm and elegance.

Yang Xu, with a smile, immediately motioned for Jiang Dao to sit. He rubbed his hands together and chuckled, "Dao'er, to be frank, just a few days ago, two Hall Masters in our Blazing Flame Sect died. According to the sect rules, all core members are now eligible to recommend someone they favor. The final decision will be made through a martial arts competition.

Whoever wins will get to choose one of the two Hall Master positions. Since you have this kind of strength, I plan to put your name forward. What do you think?"

Jiang Dao's eyes flashed, and he immediately stood up, cupping his fists. "If that's the case, thank you, Uncle!"

"Sit down quickly, there's no need to be so formal with me!"

Yang Xu smiled, gesturing for Jiang Dao to sit. "However, during the competition, weapons have no eyes. You must be extremely careful and absolutely cannot get injured!"

"Your nephew will do his utmost!"

Jiang Dao replied.

"Good, then in that case, you'll stay here with me for now, and I'll sign you up immediately!"

Yang Xu said with a smile.

He hurried to the side, retrieved a piece of paper, ground some ink, and began to write.

In truth, his actions weren't entirely for Jiang Dao's benefit.

A significant portion was also for himself.

Although he managed the entire dock, within the sect, he had no one above him. Everything he did required him to rely on others and read their expressions. Even a random supervisor from above could berate him like a dog.

Who knew when his family might be ruined!

If he could recommend Jiang Dao to become a Hall Master, then from then on, he would have Jiang Dao's protection.

This way, his life would be even more comfortable.

This was a mutually beneficial, win-win situation!

Soon, a letter of recommendation was finished.

Yang Xu smiled slightly and said, "Dao'er, I'll have a servant arrange a room for you. I'm going to deliver the letter of recommendation to the sect right away. I must say, you've arrived at the perfect time, because today is the final deadline. After today, it will be impossible to compete for a Hall Master position!"

"Thank you, Uncle!"

Jiang Dao cupped his fists again.

Yang Xu immediately called for a servant to lead Jiang Dao away. He then took the letter of recommendation himself and hurried out of the courtyard, heading towards the Blazing Flame Sect headquarters.

Jiang Dao stayed at Yang Xu's place temporarily.

The room Yang Xu prepared for him was indeed excellent, with a simple yet luxurious style, complete with maids and all necessary living supplies.

As evening approached, Yang Xu finally returned from outside.

As soon as he got back, he went to see Jiang Dao first, a smile on his face. "Dao'er, the letter of recommendation has been submitted. The competition will be held in two days, and I'll take you there then."

"Thank you, Uncle."

Jiang Dao stood up again to express his gratitude.

"Your father and I grew up playing together. We're like brothers, closer than brothers. From now on, you can just call me Third Uncle. Everyone in the family calls me that anyway!"

Yang Xu said with a smile.

Jiang Dao hesitated slightly, then nodded. "Alright, thank you, Third Uncle!"

Yang Xu was extremely pleased and nodded lightly. "By the way, let me tell you about the current structure of the Blazing Flame Sect. Our Blazing Flame Sect is currently the number one sect in the southern region of the Great Ye Dynasty, with over 20,000 regular members. Our members are spread across eighteen cities in six prefectures.

From top to bottom, we have the Sect Leader, Deputy Sect Leader, Left and Right Protectors, nine Hall Masters, and eighteen Supervisors. The vacant Hall Master positions this time are for the Flying Eagle Hall Master and the Black Tiger Hall Master!

The two Hall Masters control different territories in Qianyuan City. The Flying Eagle Hall governs the southwest region, surrounded by wealthy merchants and gentry, offering plenty of opportunities for profit. The Black Tiger Hall controls the northeast section of the city, where most of the poor and laborers are concentrated, with coal and iron mines nearby, a typical slum.

So, it would be best for you to compete for the Flying Eagle Hall Master position!"

Jiang Dao nodded slightly. "I'll leave it all up to you, Third Uncle!"

"Yes, and there's one more thing. I just found out that there are a total of eleven people competing for these two Hall Master positions. Among these eleven, two are extremely formidable. It's said that they've both reached the Blood Tempering Realm in their martial arts training, making them unfathomably strong.

One is Fei Bin, the Wind-Thunder Palm, who is skilled in the 49-Form Wind-Thunder Palm. The other is Luo Peng, the Iron Brute, whose body is well-trained and impervious to blades and spears. You must be very careful if you encounter them."

Yang Xu said.

"I will,"

Jiang Dao replied. "Third Uncle, you mentioned earlier that these two Hall Masters died not long ago. How did they die? With their strength and status, is there anyone in Qianyuan City who would dare to kill them?"

Mentioning this, Yang Xu's expression immediately changed. He sighed softly, a hint of fear in his eyes.

"The ones who killed them weren't human..."

"Not human?"

Jiang Dao's eyelids flickered.

Malevolent Spirits?

Fierce beasts?

Or perhaps Exorcists?