Wen Zhao is Back?

Jiang Yuan's skin was covered in thin, purplish-black lines that looked like centipedes crawling all over him.

All over his body, he felt a mix of sensations: burning heat, sharp pain, coolness, and comfort, all coming and going.

Jiang Yuan's expression shifted constantly, from contorted in pain to relaxed, then twisted, then serene.

The muscles on his body writhed continuously. Some bulged as if begging for release, while others shrank until his bones were visible. It was incredibly bizarre.

At this moment, Jiang Yuan's mind was blank. He gritted his teeth tightly.

Time ticked by, second by second. Jiang Yuan had no idea how long had passed.

Finally, the strange phenomena on his body slowly disappeared. The scorching power of the Exotic Bone returned to the Exotic Bone in his chest, while the Star Power vanished. His entire body seemed to have returned to normal.

Jiang Yuan, feeling a bit weak, clutched his head and slowly got up from the ground. He glanced at the tattered pieces of clothing on the floor before changing into a new set.

Then, he looked at his right hand.

Two patterns on the back of his right hand looked as if they had been carved in by a knife.

These two patterns seemed to be just two peculiar scars.

Jiang Yuan looked at them, realizing he could somehow manipulate these two patterns.

"Army Breaker?"

Jiang Yuan muttered softly. Suddenly, his right hand flashed with light, followed by a wave of intense pain. The patterns seemed to be glowing.

Then, the light faded, and Jiang Yuan's right hand was covered in blood.

Jiang Yuan looked at the marks that had been branded onto his hand.

He cupped his right hand with his left, found a roll of bandages in the room, and wrapped his right hand.

After bandaging the patterns on his right hand, Jiang Yuan glanced at the messy room and sighed slightly before starting to tidy it up.

The Internal Force within his body was circulating, and Jiang Yuan could feel that it seemed to have become even purer?

And then there were no other changes?

Did the power of his Exotic Bone and Star Power just serve to refine his Internal Force?

Jiang Yuan frowned slightly. After tidying the room, he opened the door and felt the new power contained within his body.

Being in the Late Qi and Blood Stage only allowed him to be an Escort Hand, while a master of Hua Jin could become an Escort Agent or an Escort Leader.

Becoming a master of Hua Jin meant truly establishing himself within the escort agency.

Next, he needed a cultivation technique for the Internal Force Realm.

At Zhenyuan Escort Agency, after breaking through to Hua Jin, one could claim a top-tier Hua Jin cultivation technique from the agency.

He could also go to claim his Escort Agent identification, cultivation technique, and uniform.

However, his advancement had been a bit too fast. Would it be too conspicuous?

In the history of Zhenyuan Escort Agency, no Martial Artist had ever crossed the entire Late Qi and Blood Stage in just one month.

Jiang Yuan hesitated, but ultimately decided to wait a few more days.

As for the cultivation technique, his original body's mother had left him the Gale Embrace Art.

It was an excellent Hua Jin cultivation technique. According to Wenzhao, this Gale Embrace Art was much stronger than the one provided by the escort agency.

Among all the Hua Jin cultivation techniques at the agency, it could rank within the top three.

However, Jiang Yuan had another, even better option.

"Use Martial Arts Customization Card!"

[Please select customization direction]

"Internal Force Realm cultivation technique"

[Deducing based on host's physical condition...]

[Deduction countdown: 11:59:55]

Customizing martial arts still takes time? But Jiang Yuan didn't lack this much time.

"Did you hear? The Wang Family in the city has been wiped out!"

"What? The Wang Family! Damn it, I have a close friend in the Wang Family. Is he still alive?"

"I don't know. Everyone in the Wang Family residence that day died! Including the Wang Family's Old Ancestor. But your friend... if he was outside, he might have escaped."

"Young Brother Wang Jie! I'm here to find you!"

"Sigh, the Lords in the city suppressed everything, I didn't expect that an Abnormality could still enter Haiyuan City."

"How long ago was the last time something like this happened?"

"Fifteen years ago?"

Jiang Yuan listened to the escort agency disciples coming and going around him, his eyes flickering slightly. An Abnormality?

Even the Blood Force Grandmasters, who could devour ghosts, couldn't stop it?

It's still this kind of incident, where an entire major clan is massacred... And the Wang Family itself isn't weak, holding a position among the second-rate powers.

Jiang Yuan put the matter out of his mind.

Meanwhile, the entirety of Haiyuan City began to stir. Second-rate powers, fearing for their lives, frantically sought the protection of first-rate powers.

Jiang Yuan even saw several leaders of second-rate powers come to the escort agency requesting protection.

However, the three great escorts had not yet returned. Even if they had come, there would be nothing they could do.

Jiang Yuan shook his head.

Even a peak Hua Jin expert like the Wang Family's ancestor died at the hands of the Abnormality? It seems my strength is still insufficient!

I need to continue cultivating.

Fourth life, past life!

Sin Heart...

Jiang Yuan wanted to know what the component related to Sin Heart in the Gate-Breaking Pill was, but to no avail.

The escort agency flatly refused to tell him, no matter how many Merit Points Jiang Yuan offered.

The Gate-Breaking Pill is the foundation of every power, and its formula's effects are extraordinary. Each power's formula is also different, so it's normal for the Zhenyuan Escort Agency to be unwilling to provide the formula to its disciples.

However, there are some Gate-Breaking Pills in the black market. It's just that the effects of those Gate-Breaking Pills are quite poor, and only some rogue cultivators would buy them. But the effects of these inferior Gate-Breaking Pills are far from the genuine article. Even if rogue cultivators swallow these, it's difficult for them to break through.

But Jiang Yuan didn't need the inferior Gate-Breaking Pills; he only needed the Sin Heart component within the Gate-Breaking Pill.

Jiang Yuan suddenly froze.

Where is the black market...

It seems I'll need to find an acquaintance to take me there...

Who among the escort agency members is an acquaintance...

Beichuan Wan? Zhang Maoxi?

*

*

"Brother Li, I apologize for the intrusion."

"Brother Jiang, what is it?"

When Jiang Yuan found Li Quan, he was squatting on a large, square bluestone, writing something.

Seeing Jiang Yuan approach, Li Quan quickly stood up.

"Brother Li, what are you...?" Jiang Yuan pointed doubtfully at the letter on the bluestone.

Li Quan scratched his head sheepishly and said, "Writing a letter to Sister Yao."

At this moment, Jiang Yuan's eyes swept over the entire content of the letter. It wasn't that Jiang Yuan intentionally tried to peek; it was simply that his vision was extraordinary, and he saw all the contents of the letter at a glance.

Afterward, Jiang Yuan understood what Li Quan was writing.

It was actually a love letter, and the words within were all clichés. Not sweet, but cloying.

Jiang Yuan shook his head and said, "Brother Li, if you want to write a love letter, I happen to have a few lines you could use as inspiration."

"Ah?"

"For example: 'If you are well, it is a sunny day.'"

"'Watching the sky at dawn and the clouds at dusk, I think of you when I walk and when I sit.'"

"'For the rest of my life, you are the wind and snow, you are the ordinary; you are the poverty, you are the prosperity; you are the tenderness in my heart, and you are where my gaze falls.'"

"'The spring and autumn in your eyes surpass all the mountains and rivers I have ever seen or loved.'"

Jiang Yuan casually recited many famous love phrases from his previous life.

Perhaps some people in this world wrote better than what Jiang Yuan remembered, but that person was definitely not Li Quan.

Li Quan's eyes lit up, and he looked at Jiang Yuan with immense admiration.

Jiang Yuan sighed slightly, remembering his days as a simp in his previous life. It was because of those days that he could remember these love phrases so clearly.

But now, what are girls? Is cultivating not fun?

"Wow, Brother Jiang, you're truly amazing! I'm incredibly impressed!"

"But Brother Jiang, why do you know these... these romantic phrases? Could it be that the rumors about you and Miss Beichuan are..."

Jiang Yuan's face darkened, and he interrupted Li Quan.

He quickly said, "Brother Li, I came to find you to go to the black market. I need some Gate-Breaking Pills."

"Gate-Breaking Pills? Did Brother Jiang fail to break through a few days ago... Unfortunately, I don't have many Special Merit Points left. Brother Jiang, follow me. I know a little about the black market."

Jiang Yuan nodded and was about to take a step when a Hua Jin escort rushed over. Seeing Jiang Yuan, he rejoiced and said, "Jiang Yuan, Lord Wen wants to see you."

Wenzhao is back?