A San

Discussing martial arts and scripture with Du Dajin had earned him a total of 260 Potential Points.

Jiang Dali examined himself.

Among his many martial arts, only movement techniques like Eight Steps Catching Cicadas and fist-and-kick techniques such as Four Directions Fist were relatively easy to improve.

The hidden weapons that had reached the third realm of modest accomplishment, the Iron Cloth Skill that had reached the fifth realm of consummate mastery, and the Tiger Fiend Golden Ring Saber Technique that had just reached the fourth realm of effortless familiarity were not so easy to improve.

Besides, aside from special foundational techniques like Four Directions Fist, they were all merely Mortal Grade martial arts.

Jiang Dali had had no choice before.

Now that completing the "Deal with Du Dajin" mission gave him a chance of obtaining Human Grade or even Earth Grade martial arts, Jiang Dali hoped to save some Potential Points to improve higher-grade martial arts in the future.

"However, once techniques reach high grade, they consume quite a bit of inner qi. I still need to improve my inner qi technique."

After some thought, Jiang Dali decided to first improve the foundational inner qi he had comprehended himself.

As 50 Potential Points were spent.

The foundational inner qi, already at 50% progress in the beginner stage, immediately rose by one level and reached the stage of gaining a first glimpse.

Jiang Dali only felt the sense of qi in his dantian grow much stronger. Though it was still weak compared to an old master like Du Dajin, it was considerably more powerful than before.

"To rise from gaining a first glimpse to the third realm of modest accomplishment requires 200 Potential Points."

Jiang Dali pondered slightly.

He still spent another 200 Potential Points, directly raising his foundational inner qi to the third realm of modest accomplishment.

Once he completed the "Deal with Du Dajin" mission shortly, he would receive a large number of Cultivation Points and Potential Points, enough to make up for this expenditure.

As his internal cultivation realm rose, Jiang Dali felt his sense of qi become far stronger—roughly three times stronger than when he had been at the first realm.

This meant that his internal cultivation could now roughly increase the power of fist-and-kick techniques by fifty percent.

"The inner power I comprehended myself is ultimately only foundational inner power. Though it has its advantages, it boosts combat strength far too little.

"If it were the Nine Yang Divine Skill, then even at the first realm's beginner stage, it could probably double my combat strength. And the Nine Yang Divine Skill also comes with effects such as rapid qi recovery, immunity to all poisons, immunity to water and fire, turtle-breathing, body strengthening, and immense strength. It is a peerless divine art among peerless divine arts."

Jiang Dali sighed inwardly, yearning even more for the "Nine Yang Divine Skill."

He decided that after making contact with the people from Prince Ruyang's Mansion this time, he would quickly advance to the Outer Qi Realm before obtaining the Nine Yang Divine Skill.

Without the strength of the Outer Qi Realm, there was no way he could safely retrieve the Nine Yang Divine Skill from the White Ape's abdomen.

Just then, a bandit underling ran in, delight written all over his face.

"Stronghold Chief, the Second Boss says the people from above have arrived."

"Oh?"

Jiang Dali raised his brows, his expression lighting up. At that moment, he also received the notification that the mission had been completed. A large amount of Cultivation Points, Potential Points, and even reputation had increased.

At the same time, another additional notification left him overjoyed.

"Congratulations on receiving an additional reward: three moves from the Earth Grade Peerless Technique Fragment, 'Great Vajra Palm'—Salute to the Buddha, Buddha's Mercy, and Vajra Bow!"

"Great Vajra Palm!?"

Jiang Dali was even more delighted.

But he had no time to examine the martial art closely. He immediately went out to welcome the visitors from Prince Ruyang's Mansion.

Almost as soon as Jiang Dali stepped out of the courtyard, he saw Xiong Ba, extraordinarily humble in manner, leading two people inside.

One of them had red lips and white teeth, a slender frame, yet walked with light and nimble steps. This person seemed to possess considerable attainment in lightness skill and movement techniques, and there was a hint of sharpness in every glance. They looked like someone disguised as a man.

The other walked at this person's side. His eyes were as round as bronze bells, his face broad, his mouth wide, and his short hair stood like steel needles. He looked utterly unlike an ordinary person of this ancient era. Broad-shouldered and powerfully built, he walked like an eagle poised to take flight, giving off the sense that he might suddenly erupt and wound someone at any moment.

"So he is A San, the Vajra Gate disciple from his younger days. It seems he has already brought Shaolin Dragon Claw Hand to the pinnacle of perfection."

Jiang Dali's heart jolted when he saw the broad-faced, wide-mouthed man. Recognizing the man's identity, he could not help feeling excited.

He had only guessed that A San might set his sights on the Dragon Gate Escort Agency. He had never expected the man to appear so quickly.

"Honored envoys of the upper gang, this is our Stronghold Chief, Jiang Dali. He is the one who detained Chief Escort Du."

Xiong Ba enthusiastically introduced Jiang Dali to the two.

At this moment, Du Dajin, who had been resting in a side room, also stepped out warily.

"Jiang Dali of Black Wind Stronghold greets the two envoys."

Jiang Dali approached them with a smile and quietly cast an inspection.

The result was that only the two men's health bars flashed before his eyes and vanished at once, revealing little other information.

However, the three question marks above the disguised woman's head were green to the point of blackness, while the question marks above A San's head were nearly pitch-black. This indicated that the former was perhaps only someone of the Inner Qi Realm, whereas A San had very likely surpassed the Outer Qi Realm.

"You are Jiang Dali? As far as I know, Xiong Ba used to be the chief of Black Wind Stronghold. Yet you made Xiong Ba willingly submit beneath you, and even managed to detain Du Dajin. You truly have some skill."

The fair-faced envoy disguised as a man looked Jiang Dali up and down, her eyes carrying a trace of satisfaction. "We will not interfere with the changes of power within Black Wind Stronghold. We are all serving our master together. So long as you handle the matters our master assigns properly, there will naturally be generous rewards."

"As it should be."

Jiang Dali replied politely with a smile, though inwardly he was strangely wondering who this woman really was.

In his memories, only the Princess Minmin Temur of Prince Ruyang's Mansion—treacherous and ruthless, yet daring to love and hate—had ever borne such an appearance.

But Princess Min had not even been born at this point.

While Jiang Dali was still startled and suspicious, Du Dajin beside him was filled with shock and fury.

He had never expected Jiang Dali to truly have such a powerful backing, and that he had been deliberately kept here simply to wait for these two mysterious visitors.

"Who is your master? Why does he want to see me?" Du Dajin glared at the two men and demanded.

The fair-faced messenger burst out laughing. Looking calmly at Du Dajin, he sneered, "Chief Escort Du, you can't even handle a tiny Black Wind Stronghold raised by our master, yet you still want to know who he is? But there's no harm in telling you.

"This time, seeking you out was also our master's wish. Let's go inside and talk."

With a smile, the fair-faced messenger took the lead toward the house.

Du Dajin wanted to resist, but when his gaze fell upon the burly, powerfully built man beside him, he inexplicably thought of Jiang Dali, who had seemed forged from iron in their earlier clash. A shadow had already been cast over his heart. With a cold snort, he still entered the room.

Jiang Dali watched the group enter the room, then ordered his men to withdraw and stand guard outside the courtyard. He himself left the courtyard as well.

Clearly, whether these reinforcements had come from Prince Ruyang's Mansion or the County Prefecture Li Family, they had secret business with Du Dajin and did not wish for more people to know.

If he forcibly eavesdropped and was discovered, he might instead disrupt the plans to come. There was nothing to gain from it.

"Looking at it now, the reason Prince Ruyang's Mansion sent A San after Du Dajin was most likely that Yin Susu of the Sky Eagle Cult had already handed Wudang's Yu Daiyan over to the Dragon Gate Escort Agency for escort.

"Or perhaps this plotline has yet to unfold, and Prince Ruyang's Mansion simply wants to cast its net across the martial world, recruiting every force it can to work for them."