Golden Saber with Nine Rings (Seeking Recommendation Tickets)

Black Wind Mountain, Black Wind Stronghold.

Within the spacious courtyard.

"Kill!"

"Hah!"

"Clang clang!"

A sturdy man with hair barely an inch long, dressed in a sleeveless short tunic, was sweating profusely under the scorching sun, practicing his saber relentlessly.

As the Golden Saber with Nine Rings swung through his hands, the golden rings struck the blade with crisp sounds, creating a continuous momentum.

The Golden Saber with Nine Rings weighed a formidable forty-three catties and six taels and three qian. For an ordinary person without martial arts training, even lifting and wielding it would be difficult.

Yet, Jiang Dali wielded the saber with the ferocity of a tiger descending a mountain, each shout exuding a chilling aura.

His saber technique was quite simple.

It was merely the "Tiger Fiend Golden Ring Saber Technique," a mid-grade mortal martial art not considered particularly advanced in the martial world.

It was precisely this saber technique that allowed him to become one of the three Great Mountain Lords of Black Wind Stronghold, earning the admiration of hundreds of bandits.

As the saying goes, a saber grows brighter with sharpening, and a body grows stronger with training.

Practicing the saber was also a process of refining the body, honing physical fitness and strengthening the muscles.

However, at this moment, as Jiang Dali practiced his saber, lines of small numbers appeared on his body at regular intervals.

"Basic Saber Technique Proficiency +1"

"Basic Saber Technique Proficiency +1"

"Basic Saber Technique Proficiency +1"

"..."

After another quarter of an hour of continuous swings, Jiang Dali was drenched in sweat. Beads of sweat rolled down his sturdy, powerfully muscled physique like drops of oil, splashing onto the ground.

Suddenly, a white light erupted from his body.

"Basic Saber Technique Level +1"

"Zheng—"

An incredibly smooth whistling sound cut through the air. As the saber thrust forward, the nine golden rings struck each other in rapid succession, unleashing a fierce force.

"Done!"

Jiang Dali's expression was one of pleasant surprise, and he felt a sudden dryness in his throat.

"San San, Third Boss, have some wine— no, drink, drink, drink water!"

Just then, a bandit subordinate with bushy eyebrows, who had been waiting nearby, quickly ran over with a bowl and handed it to Jiang Dali, stammering nervously.

His eyes darted to Jiang Dali's muscular, well-defined physique, and he felt a mix of awe and excitement, unable to help but swallow. "Third Boss is getting stronger and stronger, such a powerful body, truly... so fierce! I really want to touch it and see if it's as hard as stone."

"Good water!"

Jiang Dali took the bowl and drank it down in one gulp, feeling a wave of coolness spread through his entire body, washing away his fatigue.

A white light rose from his body.

"Stamina +1"

Jiang Dali frowned and shoved the bowl back into the subordinate's hand. "Get lost! This bowl is too small, not satisfying enough!"

He strode towards a shady corner of the courtyard.

In the corner stood a large brown water tank.

The tank was filled with cool well water.

Jiang Dali reached out with his large hand, scooped up the water, and poured it into his mouth.

"Stamina +1"

"Stamina +1"

He let out a shout and directly hugged the large vat with both hands.

With a surge of strength, he lifted the water vat, which weighed at least two hundred catties, and drank several large gulps.

However, a red light then emerged from his body.

"Blood Qi -1"

Jiang Dali slammed the jar down, knowing he couldn't drink any more.

While it was important to rehydrate after strenuous exercise, drinking too much was detrimental to the body.

After drinking the water.

Jiang Dali rose again and leaped, landing steadily on the edge of the water tank, his movements as light as a large wildcat.

He walked around the water vat several times, practicing his footwork, even lifting his saber and leaping back and forth over the vat.

As if walking on mud, he treated it as nothing, his body unmoving, not even causing much ripple in the water within the vat.

This was repeated several times.

After his light body technique had also improved significantly, and he had almost used up all his potential points.

Jiang Dali finally took a breath.

He opened his status template to check his current martial arts progress.

"Jiang Dali [Black Wind Stronghold Third Boss (Gathering Force Realm Minor BOSS), Vitality 3000/3000, Inner Energy 0/0]"

Realm: Gathering Force (92/100)

Status: Third Boss of Black Wind Stronghold / Iron Killer of Green Robe Tower

Jianghu Title Reputation: Minor Notoriety (310/500)

Pet: Sword Gate Pass Demonic Eagle

Martial Arts: Hidden Weapons: Common Grade Mid-Rank "Sky Full of Flying Rain" (3rd Realm: Slight Mastery)

Fist and Foot: Basic "Four Directions Fist", Basic "Six Paths Kick", Basic "Eight Directions Palm"

Saber Technique: Common Grade Mid-Rank "Tiger Fiend Golden Ring Saber Technique" (3rd Realm: Slight Mastery)

Hardening: Common Grade Low-Rank "Iron Cloth Skill" (3rd Realm: Slight Mastery)

Light Body Technique: Common Grade Low-Rank "Eight Steps Catching Cicadas" (2nd Realm: Initial Glimpse)

Internal Cultivation Method: None

Cultivation Points: 3

Potential Points: 2"

His cultivation points and potential points were basically all used up.

Jiang Dali knew he had to hurry and earn more cultivation points and potential points.

He had to break through to the Inner Energy Realm before those disaster-like individuals descended upon this world, to gain sufficient advantage, and obtain the Human Grade hardening martial art "Thirteen Taibao Horizontal Training" and the Heaven Grade ultimate skill "Nine Yang Divine Skill", continuing to develop on the path of a powerful brute.

"Third Boss, the Great Boss has new orders from above again, calling for you."

At this moment, a mountain bandit subordinate with bushy eyebrows approached and reminded him.

"Oh?"

Jiang Dali laughed heartily, "Good, very good. I'll go find the Great Boss to receive the mission now."

With that, he put on the cloak beside him, picked up the Golden Saber with Nine Rings, wrapped it in cloth to prevent any sound, and strode out with powerful strides like a dragon.

"Third Boss!"

"Third Boss!"

"Third Boss, you seem to have improved your martial arts again! When can you give me some pointers?"

Walking on the compacted yellow mud road within Black Mountain Stronghold, some bandits stopped and greeted Jiang Dali very respectfully when they saw him, their expressions fawning and awed.

Jiang Dali's performance over the past two years had been truly astonishing.

In nearly two years, Jiang Dali had led teams to complete 13 large-scale escorts.

He had also cooperated with the Second Boss and Great Boss to seize a convoy from the Dragon Gate Escort Agency, making Black Wind Stronghold renowned for the past two years and supporting a large number of brothers.

Most importantly, Jiang Dali was not only skilled in battle but also adept at handling missions from above.

Black Wind Stronghold, operating in the bandit world, wasn't without its backing.

Otherwise, it would have been eradicated by the imperial court or some insignificant sect long ago.

The reason it could still claim a mountain as its territory was due to its strong backing.

And Black Wind Stronghold's backer would occasionally issue difficult missions to the three bosses of Black Wind Stronghold for them to handle.

Originally, these difficult missions were a great headache for the Great Boss.

But in recent years, as Jiang Dali grew, all the difficult missions from above were actively taken on and completed by Jiang Dali.

This kind of self-sacrifice and loyalty to his brothers naturally earned him the gratitude and respect of the Great Boss and the Second Boss.

They even passed down their renowned martial arts such as "Iron Cloth Skill" and "Sky Full of Flying Rain" to Jiang Dali with all their hearts, hoping that Jiang Dali would become stronger and take on all the missions assigned from above due to his capability.

A wise superior would definitely appreciate subordinates who are capable, get things done, and help them gain benefits and honor, rather than being jealous of their talent and deliberately suppressing them.

Although the Great Boss of Black Wind Stronghold, Xiong Ba, was a rough fellow, he also knew how to utilize people. He didn't resort to underhanded tactics just because Jiang Dali's martial arts were getting stronger and threatening him.

However, Jiang Dali also had value to be utilized.

After all, the difficult missions sent from above every so often were life-risking jobs.

The possibility of failure was extremely high if assigned to ordinary bandits, and the risk factor was also very high if the boss and second boss undertook them.

It was very pleasing that their third brother was willing to take them on.

The martial world was perilous. Since one could live comfortably by staying within their own territory and acting tough, why go out and risk their lives in dangerous situations?

With an exceptionally enthusiastic and unconventional individual like Jiang Dali, both the Great Boss Xiong Ba and the Second Boss Deathly Scholar were extremely pleased in their hearts.

Every deed Jiang Dali accomplished could be considered their collective merit in the eyes of those above, and their future promotions would depend on this.

If Jiang Dali unfortunately died outside, it wouldn't be them who sacrificed.

Where could they find such an honest person who actively sought benefits and did work?