The courtyard was broad, with a hint of secluded depth.
After passing through several corridors in succession, the woman in the purple dress suddenly called out, "Father, Father, are you home? Someone has come to see you!"
Jiang Dao, following behind her, immediately twitched at the corner of his mouth.
Just as expected!
He had guessed right!
She was actually his distant cousin!
Heaven and earth bear witness, he did not even know her name.
"Miss... may I ask who you are?"
Jiang Dao could not help asking.
"My name is Yang Ziyan."
The woman in purple turned back with a smile.
"So you are Cousin Ziyan. I was presumptuous earlier; please forgive me!"
Jiang Dao cupped his hands.
"Hehe..."
Yang Ziyan gave a light laugh, finding it rather amusing.
"Ziyan? What is it?"
Suddenly, a man's voice rang out from within the courtyard.
A short, thin man in a blue-green long robe walked out from the yard.
"Father, someone has come to see you. Take a look and see if you know him."
Yang Ziyan answered and quickly walked toward the man in blue.
As the man in blue approached and saw Jiang Dao, he paused slightly. The face seemed somewhat familiar, and then he suddenly reacted. "You... you came from Feng Province? Are... are you Dao'er?"
As early as two days ago, Jiang Dalong had written to him, saying that his eldest son Jiang Dao was coming to seek refuge with him and hoping that he could recommend him into the Blazing Flame Sect.
"Your nephew Jiang Dao greets Uncle!"
Jiang Dao immediately cupped his hands.
"So it really is Dao'er. Good lad, it has been so many years since we last met, and you have grown this tall!"
The man in blue revealed a delighted expression. "Not bad, not bad. You are a grown man now. You wish to join the Blazing Flame Sect?"
"Yes. I hope Uncle will recommend me."
Jiang Dao said.
"Although the Blazing Flame Sect recruits quite a few people every year, those without good martial skills will have no future inside. They can only serve as thugs. How are your martial arts?"
Yang Xu asked.
"Father, he is incredibly strong. We ran into bandits on the road, at least several hundred of them. Their leader was even a notorious repeat offender, his face covered in a bushy beard, wielding a nine-ring saber. Even experts from the Blazing Flame Sect had failed to take him down before, yet he was casually killed by this man."
Yang Ziyan immediately whispered into her father's ear.
"Could it have been Bearded Bandit Guo Biao? He is dead?"
Yang Xu's expression changed in shock.
"Yes. It was a miserable sight to behold."
Yang Ziyan's beautiful eyes sparkled.
"Good lad, Dao'er. If you truly possess such strength, you can at least become a hall master upon entering the Blazing Flame Sect. But hearing is false, seeing is believing. Could you demonstrate a move before me and broaden my horizons?"
Yang Xu looked at Jiang Dao with bright eyes.
Jiang Dao immediately understood and nodded. "Very well. However, your nephew has learned too many miscellaneous arts. I shall demonstrate a claw technique."
His gaze swept around before landing on a stone table in the courtyard. He walked up to it, and his five fingers shot out like lightning in a fierce gouge and grab.
With a puff, a large chunk was ripped from the tough marble table, carved from solid stone, as easily as if it were cotton.
Yet that was not the most terrifying part. Jiang Dao suddenly clenched his five fingers.
The chunk of marble in his hand seemed to be crushed beneath a gigantic hammer, crackling and popping as it turned into flakes of stone in Jiang Dao's grasp.
Jiang Dao opened his hand, and white stone flakes came rustling down, scattering all over the ground.
"How is this level of strength?"
He turned back and asked.
Yang Xu stood utterly dumbfounded, looking as though he had seen a ghost in broad daylight.
Crushing stone into powder!
This was fucking crushing stone into powder!
Without forty or fifty years of cultivation, how could anyone achieve this?
He soon revealed an ecstatic smile. "What a claw technique! Dao'er, with strength like yours, you will absolutely have a great future in our Blazing Flame Sect. Come here, I have something important to discuss with you. This time, the two of us may be about to strike it rich."
His expression turned warm and affable as he immediately led Jiang Dao toward the study.
"Father, 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 in a study steeped in antique elegance.
With a broad smile, Yang Xu immediately motioned for Jiang Dao to sit down. Rubbing his hands together, he said, "Dao'er, to tell you the truth, just a few days ago, two hall masters of our Blazing Flame Sect died. According to sect rules, all core members are now qualified to recommend talents they favor. The final decision will be determined through martial contests.
"Whoever wins in the end may choose either of those two hall master positions at will. Since you possess such strength, I intend to submit your name as well. What do you think?"
Jiang Dao's eyes flashed. He immediately rose and cupped his fists. "If so, many thanks, Uncle!"
"Sit down quickly. Why be so polite with me?"
Yang Xu smiled and motioned for Jiang Dao to sit. "However, blades and spears have no eyes during a martial contest. You must be extremely careful when the time comes and absolutely must not get injured!"
"Your nephew will surely give it his all!"
Jiang Dao said.
"Good. In that case, stay here with me for now. I will register you at once!"
Yang Xu said with a smile.
He hurried to one side, took out a sheet of paper, ground the ink, and began writing.
In truth, he was not doing this entirely for Jiang Dao's sake.
A large part of it was for himself as well.
Though he managed the entire dock, he had no one above him in the sect. Everything he did required him to live at others' mercy and watch their expressions. Even any random steward sent from above could berate him like a dog.
Who knew when his family might be destroyed and his life ruined?
If he could recommend Jiang Dao and have him become a hall master, then from then on, he could shelter beneath Jiang Dao's protection.
In that case, his days would become far more comfortable.
This was mutual benefit, a win-win situation!
Soon, he finished writing a letter of recommendation.
Yang Xu smiled faintly. "Dao'er, I will have a servant arrange a room for you. I will deliver this letter of recommendation to the sect right away. It must be said that you arrived at exactly the right time, because today is the final deadline. Once today passes, it will be utterly impossible to run for a hall master position!"
"Thank you for your trouble, Uncle!"
Jiang Dao cupped his hands again.
Yang Xu immediately summoned a servant and had him lead Jiang Dao away. Then, carrying the letter of recommendation himself, he hurried out of the residence and made for the Blazing Flame Sect headquarters.
Jiang Dao temporarily stayed at Yang Xu's residence.
The room Yang Xu had prepared for him was indeed excellent—antique and luxurious, with maidservants and every necessity of daily life fully provided.
As evening approached.
Only then did Yang Xu finally return from outside.
The moment he came back, he went to see Jiang Dao at once, smiling broadly. "Dao'er, the letter of recommendation has been submitted. The martial contest will be held two days from now. I will take you there then."
"Thank you, Uncle."
Jiang Dao rose again to offer his thanks.
"Your father and I played together since childhood. Though not blood brothers, we are closer than brothers. From now on, 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. "All right. Thank you, Third Uncle!"
Yang Xu was extremely satisfied. He nodded lightly and said, "Right, let me tell you about the current structure of the Blazing Flame Sect. Our Blazing Flame Sect is now the largest sect in the southern part of the Great Ye Dynasty. We maintain over twenty thousand members, with subordinates spread across six provinces and eighteen cities.
"From top to bottom, there are the Sect Master, Deputy Sect Master, Left and Right Guardians, nine hall masters, and eighteen stewards. The vacant hall master positions this time are the hall master of Flying Eagle Hall and the hall master of Black Tiger Hall!
"The areas controlled by the two hall masters in Qianyuan City are also different. Flying Eagle Hall governs the southwestern district, surrounded by wealthy merchants and influential gentry, with plenty of profit to be skimmed. Black Tiger Hall controls the northeastern part of the city, which is mostly packed with poor folk and laborers. Coal mines and iron mines are everywhere around it; it is a typical slum.
"So this time, it would be best if you can compete for the position of Flying Eagle Hall's hall master!"
Jiang Dao nodded lightly. "I will leave everything to Third Uncle."
"Mm, there is one more matter. I have just learned that eleven people are competing for these two hall master positions. Of these eleven, two are exceptionally fierce. It is said that their martial arts have reached the Blood Tempering Realm, unfathomably deep.
"One is Fei Bin, the Wind-Thunder Palm, skilled in a set of 49-Form Wind-Thunder Palm. The other is Luo Peng, the Iron Brute, whose body is forged through external training and impervious to blades and spears. You must be careful if you encounter them."
Yang Xu said.
"I will."
Jiang Dao said, "Third Uncle, you mentioned earlier that these two hall masters died not long ago. How did they die? Given their strength and status, could there really be anyone in Qianyuan City who dared to kill them?"
At the mention of this matter, Yang Xu's expression immediately shifted. He sighed softly, and a trace of fear appeared in his eyes.
"The ones who killed them were not human..."
"Not human?"
Jiang Dao's eyelids flickered.
Malevolent Spirits?
Fierce monsters?
Or Spirit Eliminators?
Before you continue