"Are you Brother Jiang? I've long admired you, long admired you! I am Feng Xiaoyao." The handsome youth with sword-like brows and starry eyes cupped his hands politely toward Jiang Yuan.
"I am..."
Jiang Yuan listened to the four introductions and nodded slightly, but his mind was still turning over the contents of the <Heavenly Formed Exotic Bone Feather Ascension Record>.
One section specifically discussed how exotic bones and martial arts could mutually promote one another.
Thus, every Heavenly Gifted Martial Artist was a martial arts genius.
Yet it did not say that an increase in one's exotic bone would feed back into one's qi and blood, strengthening one's cultivation.
Every time Jiang Yuan killed a strange entity, the improvement of his exotic bone would feed qi and blood back to him, greatly enhancing his cultivation.
That was rather strange, but it did him no harm. The strengthening of his qi and blood was an enormous boon to him.
Within the Blood Qi Realm, qi and blood were undoubtedly the foundation of one's cultivation.
Seeing Jiang Yuan's absent-minded appearance, Feng Xiaoyao raised his sword-like brows slightly and said, "Brother Jiang, I have long heard of the Zhenyuan Escort Agency's Three Absolute Martial Arts of spear, sword, and saber. Since we have come to exchange pointers today, I would like to witness them for myself. Please enlighten me, Brother Jiang."
Jiang Yuan smiled when he saw Feng Xiaoyao looking at him as though he could not stand the sight of him.
Then he shook his head. He intended to end this match quickly and return to studying the <Heavenly Formed Exotic Bone Feather Ascension Record>.
Besides that method, there were other exchange rewards waiting for him in the simulator.
And there was the second dungeon as well. Had he known, he would have hung up a sign saying he was in seclusion. But what was a Late Qi and Blood Stage martial artist going into seclusion for?
Jiang Yuan said, "I have also long admired the Fengxing Family's Flowing Wind Sword Technique. Come."
Feng Xiaoyao froze. He had just learned a little about Jiang Yuan, Wenzhao's sole descendant. He had heard that Jiang Yuan had only recently broken through to the Late Qi and Blood Stage.
I, Feng Xiaoyao, have been in the Late Qi and Blood Stage for two years already! With the Flowing Wind Sword Technique, which is no weaker than the Zhenyuan Escort Agency's Three Absolute Martial Arts, there's no reason I should lose.
"My Fengxing Family has come to exchange pointers. I hope Brother Jiang will show mercy." Feng Xiaoyao spoke, but from the look of him, he was not asking Jiang Yuan to go easy on him. Rather, he seemed to be planning to go easy on Jiang Yuan himself.
Jiang Yuan patted his saber case, intending to get onstage as soon as possible.
At that moment, a group of escort agency disciples in ash-white robes and black jackets entered the reception hall. Quite a few people followed not far behind them—Escort Hands at the Late Qi and Blood Stage, as well as martial artists below that stage. They had all come to watch the match.
Those walking at the front were all official escort agency disciples who had broken through to the Late Qi and Blood Stage.
These people were all disciples of Wenzhao's line. Like Jiang Yuan, they had all trained under Instructor Tan.
They were now representing the Zhenyuan Escort Agency in battle against the Fengxing Family.
One of them brightened the moment he saw a female disciple from the Fengxing Family. The smile on his face nearly overflowed as he immediately walked over and began currying favor with her.
This Fengxing Family female disciple seemed to be called Feng Yao?
She was petite and adorable, but unfortunately, she was not Jiang Yuan's type.
The two appeared to know each other. This Zhenyuan Escort Agency disciple was not simply a bootlicker—he was the sort of bootlicker who had licked his goddess into becoming his.
He continued fawning over her, while Feng Yao of the Fengxing Family answered with a smile, utterly failing to notice that the three escort masters had already furrowed their brows slightly.
Jiang Yuan's expression did not change. He merely thought that this man was far too blind to the situation. These people were representing the Zhenyuan Escort Agency in an exchange match.
Not wanting to waste time, Jiang Yuan seized the moment and said, "My lords, Jiang Yuan wishes to fight Feng Xiaoyao of the Fengxing Family. I ask that you all..."
Jiang Yuan's words happened to pull everyone's attention away from that bootlicker.
The two escort masters instinctively glanced at Wenzhao, who had already taken the seat of honor.
Wenzhao waved a hand, indicating that they could decide for themselves.
"Good. The two of you, come."
"Hold on! My lords, I, Li Quan, wish to fight Junior Brother Jiang first!"
Everyone was stunned. No one from the Zhenyuan Escort Agency had expected their own people to start fighting among themselves first.
"Who brought this bastard in?" One escort master frowned and whispered to the person beside him.
"Old Brother Li Heng's only son. Old Brother Li had a son in his old age—you understand."
"Li Heng..."
The two escort masters whispered among themselves, while Li Quan stared at Jiang Yuan with bright eyes and said, "I heard from Yao Mei that you want to challenge Feng Xiaoyao? But you only just broke through to the Late Qi and Blood Stage. Feng Xiaoyao is the Fengxing Family's favored son of heaven, and even my combat strength falls three parts short of his. It is not right for you to choose him as your opponent."
Li Quan continued, "I can see that Junior Brother wants to find an opponent to spar with. Why not let your senior brother do it instead?"
Li Quan's words were beautifully phrased, making it seem as though he was wholly considering Jiang Yuan's interests.
"What is wrong with Li Quan? Isn't this an exchange match between our Zhenyuan Escort Agency and the Fengxing Family? Why is he fighting Jiang Yuan?"
"Tch, don't you know that Li Quan's Dao companion is that Feng Yao from the Fengxing Family? He wants to show off in front of his sweetheart."
"That's going too far."
"But he is right. Rather than letting Jiang Yuan lose face in a spar with Feng Xiaoyao, it would be better for him to lose to one of our own. I know Jiang Yuan—he only just broke through to the Late Qi and Blood Stage. How could he possibly be Feng Xiaoyao's match? Feng Xiaoyao's cultivation is deep and solid. Only Senior Brother Bai and Senior Brother Li can overpower him."
"Hm? He's that strong? Didn't the Fengxing Family's younger generation only produce two geniuses, Feng Han and Feng Yang? But I heard they both knocked open the Hua Jin Heavenly Gate not long ago."
"You know that too? Feng Xiaoyao has been judged by the Fengxing Family to be the next Feng Han and Feng Yang. Unfortunately, because of factional ties, he suffered considerable suppression before. Even so, Feng Xiaoyao's talent is terrifying. His Flowing Wind Sword Technique is truly extraordinary."
"And Lord Wen has actually come to oversee this match. If Li Quan performs well and catches Wenzhao's eye, he will soar straight to the heavens."
"Hm? Isn't Jiang Yuan Lord Wen's nephew?"
"You must not have been in the escort agency long. Who doesn't know that Lord Wen is impartial and selfless? Lord Wen will not hold a grudge against Li Quan merely because he defeats Jiang Yuan. On the contrary, he will only appreciate Li Quan's ability—provided, of course, that Li Quan truly has the ability."
The people watching below the stage whispered among themselves.
Between the lines, none of them thought highly of Jiang Yuan. Yet with Wenzhao overseeing the scene, none dared speak loudly.
At the same time, they all found it strange that Wenzhao was here. Although this exchange match had been initiated by Wenzhao, he had not concerned himself with one in a long time.
Jiang Yuan's brows had already drawn together slightly.
What a nuisance. What a waste of time.
The two escort masters nodded slightly, and Jiang Yuan and Li Quan stepped onto the martial stage set up in the reception hall.
"Please!"
"Please."
"Your senior brother cultivates the Tiger Roar Saber Technique! I do not yet know what Junior Brother cultivates." Li Quan tried his best to make himself appear gentler.
Though Lord Wen was impartial and mild-tempered, Jiang Yuan before him was Wenzhao's nephew after all. His attitude could not be too poor.
In his view, this could completely be turned into a guiding spar.
"The same."
"Then today, your senior brother will personally teach you the Tiger Roar Saber Technique. Watch carefully."
Before you continue