Six Fleeting Years

A few threads of warmth rose in Jiang Yuan's heart.

He carried his sleeping younger sister to bed, then began eating the food she had left for him.

Days like this were pretty good too...

The next day, Jiang Yuan arrived at the Golden Saber Sect's main hall—the first place he had seen when he opened his eyes upon coming into this world.

"Drink this cup of apprenticeship tea, and you will become an official disciple of my Golden Saber Sect! Li Xiaotian, are you willing to advance and retreat alongside the Golden Saber Sect?"

"This disciple is willing!"

"From today onward, you are a disciple of my Golden Saber Sect!"

Though it was called the Golden Saber Sect, it was really just a martial arts hall.

Golden Overlord Saber served as its head instructor. Beneath him were several disciples who had already completed their training. Some remained at the Golden Saber Sect to help the old master teach the younger disciples, while others relied on their martial skills to seek wealth and glory outside. They, too, opened up paths for their junior brothers and sisters.

This was the most basic martial arts hall system.

It differed somewhat from the elder-and-disciple structure within sects.

Among Thousand Cloud City's martial arts halls, the Golden Saber Sect ranked around the middle. Golden Overlord Saber was already a master who had attained Hua Jin - Body Completion.

With the backing of a faction, Jiang Yuan could cultivate without a care in the world.

The ever-changing situation in Thousand Cloud City did not affect Jiang Yuan in the slightest.

He cultivated like this for three years.

Jiang Yuan's cultivation did not advance by leaps and bounds as it had in reality.

Yet with the experience from reality, Jiang Yuan could avoid many detours in his cultivation. His martial arts also ensured that he remained invincible among those of the same realm.

It was only that Jiang Yuan in this life had learned to keep a low profile, never revealing too much of his strength. Even so, the name Swift Thunder Saber Li Xiaotian had still spread far and wide.

After three years, Jiang Yuan's cultivation had reached the peak of the Mid Qi and Blood Stage. He was only a final thread away from achieving the completion of Blood Qi.

"Brother, I heard Aunt Chen next door say that the White Lotus Sect is causing trouble again in the south of the city."

The moment Jiang Yuan returned home, his younger sister Li Ke spoke to him with some concern.

It seemed she had been worried all day.

Thousand Cloud City's situation was truly rather chaotic now, yet Jiang Yuan was not bothered in the least. "Three martial arts halls with Hua Jin Martial Artists are stationed in the south of the city. Nothing will happen."

Then Jiang Yuan added, "You've reached the age to cultivate as well. I have a friend at Peerless Martial Arts Hall. Tomorrow, I'll take you there to become her disciple."

Jiang Yuan spoke decisively, but Li Ke seemed rather downcast. It was clear that she did not like martial arts, yet she had never learned how to refuse her brother's words.

"Brother, what is this?"

As usual, Jiang Yuan returned to his study. Three years had passed, and the siblings no longer lived in that shabby little house from before, but in a residence with its own courtyard.

Jiang Yuan had been writing something, never expecting Li Ke to follow him in.

"Nothing."

Jiang Yuan answered casually.

What he was writing down were the opportunities others had obtained throughout Thousand Cloud City over the past three years.

These opportunities were not merely heavenly treasures. They included chances to befriend masters, hiding places of martial arts manuals, and treasures others had stumbled upon through sheer luck.

There were also several major events that had occurred over the past three years.

Jiang Yuan was preparing all this for his next life simulation.

It would naturally be best if he could clear this life simulation in one go.

But if he failed in one attempt, then the opportunities he had written down from these three years would become a vast treasure trove in his next life.

Three years were enough for many things to happen.

Bang! Bang!

The sound of flesh colliding rang out as Jiang Yuan calmly watched the senior brother before him.

This was another day for testing the disciples' cultivation.

Jiang Yuan's hands moved like lightning, throwing out several afterimages of fists. This style of boxing had his senior brother groaning in misery.

The Golden Saber Sect had always been renowned for its saber techniques. When had it ever possessed such a fist technique?

Jiang Yuan's footwork shifted slightly. Like a loach slipping through mud, he dodged his senior brother's hand saber. Then he threw a punch, powerful and heavy.

It slammed squarely into his senior brother's back.

Pfft!

His senior brother fell to the ground.

Exclamations of astonishment rose throughout the grounds. Jiang Yuan stretched his body and looked toward the surrounding Golden Saber Sect disciples.

He cupped his fists, then helped his senior brother up from the ground.

"Senior Brother Zhou, are you all right?" Jiang Yuan's tone carried a trace of apology.

Senior Brother Zhou stood up and looked at Jiang Yuan with complicated eyes. Six years ago, he had watched this junior brother enter the sect. Now, that same junior brother could easily defeat him.

Though he had not used the saber techniques he excelled in, Senior Brother Zhou knew that Jiang Yuan's saber skills far surpassed his own.

"Hahahaha! Excellent, Xiaoyuan!"

Golden Overlord Saber, Zhang Hong, looked no different from six years ago. Seated there, he watched Jiang Yuan with a beaming smile, his eyes full of gratification.

"Very good, Xiaoyuan. Tomorrow, you will represent my Golden Saber Sect in the Martial Arts Hall Tournament. With Xiaoyuan there, I'd like to see the looks on those old fossils' faces!"

Zhang Hong said with a laugh.

Jiang Yuan respectfully cupped his fists and answered yes.

"You have also been in my Golden Saber Sect for six years now. In six years, your cultivation has entered the Late Qi and Blood Stage. In a few more years, once you reach Blood Qi completion, you can try to knock on the Hua Jin Heavenly Gate. Then my Golden Saber Sect will have a Hua Jin master as well."

Zhang Hong bared his somewhat yellowed teeth in a wide grin. His mood was clearly excellent.

Yet Jiang Yuan's heart was in a daze.

Six years. He had been in this world for six years already. He could no longer tell where reality ended and where the life simulation began.

He had spent longer in this life than he had since transmigrating to the Hundred Cities Domain.

Jiang Yuan recalled the past, feeling somewhat dazed, yet his memories remained exceedingly clear.

Perhaps it was the boost from the [Perseverance] talent, but Jiang Yuan quickly recovered.

Over these six years, Jiang Yuan had cultivated step by step, leaving one footprint after another. He had gained a deeper understanding of cultivation in the Blood Qi Realm. Once he returned to reality, his cultivation would improve further as well.

After a long while, the match ended.

Jiang Yuan left the Golden Saber Sect's courtyard. Just as he stepped outside, a lovely figure flew into his arms like a swallow returning to its nest.

Jiang Yuan was not surprised in the slightest. A doting smile appeared on his face as he rubbed the girl's head in his arms.

Six years had passed, and Li Ke was now seventeen. She had grown graceful and slender, her lovely features fully blossomed. Standing there, she resembled a blooming narcissus flower.

Li Ke's talent was also far greater than Jiang Yuan's.

It seemed Heaven had bestowed both beauty and talent upon his younger sister, then forgotten all about her older brother.

At seventeen, Li Ke had already reached the Mid Qi and Blood Stage. She was just one step from the Late Qi and Blood Stage, nearly catching up to her brother.

Because of this, Li Ke held a very high position within Rain Sword Martial Arts Hall. Moreover, quite a few male disciples were pursuing her.

Jiang Yuan's face darkened slightly as he looked at the several male disciples not far from Li Ke.

These were the ones who wanted to pluck his family's cabbage?

Hm?

Jiang Yuan's brows furrowed almost imperceptibly. On the back of one male disciple's hand, he saw several unusual markings.

Though this life was ordinary, he still possessed one special talent: Eidetic Memory. Because of this talent, Jiang Yuan remembered everything he had experienced with exceptional clarity.

The markings twisted around one another, looking somewhat strange, yet they were nothing remarkable. Most people would merely glance at them and move on.

But Jiang Yuan remembered them perfectly. They were the mark of White Lotus Sect followers.

And not ordinary followers at that. At the very least, he was a Class A Follower.

In the new three years, the city seemed to have been jointly suppressed by many martial factions and had remained peaceful for a long time. But Jiang Yuan knew that the White Lotus Sect's forces were stirring in the shadows.

He had discovered this by accident while going out to "make money."

Originally, Jiang Yuan had not wanted to interfere, but now...