Person at the Top of the Pagoda

Hearing Shen Longteng speak so bluntly, Peng Jie and Yu Chunsheng's expressions both shifted slightly.

In all of Cloudshine County, the two of them stood at the top of the pagoda. What they heard every day was nothing but flattery—who else would dare speak to them like this?

But this man was Shen Longteng. No matter what he said, they could only take it.

Besides, they had come with ill intent in the first place, habitually looking to make trouble for the Soaring Dragon Escort Agency.

The higher one stood atop the pagoda, the more one wished there was no one else standing there.

After enjoying the worship of those below for so long, how could they bear looking up at someone else?

Seeing that Shen Longteng had agreed after all, Peng Jie smiled slightly.

"Since it's a sparring match between disciples, it wouldn't do without a prize. What do you think, Head Escort Shen?"

"Master Peng is right."

Shen Longteng replied calmly.

Peng Jie chuckled.

"Then I am willing to award the winning disciple of this competition a Golden Jade Pill, regardless of which side he comes from."

Shen Longteng glanced sideways at those words.

The disciples outside the hall immediately burst into heated discussion.

Prizes had always been offered for sparring matches between disciples, as proper encouragement for them.

But before this, the prizes had generally been silver, fine weapons, and other ordinary rewards—mostly symbolic encouragement and commendation, with little practical use.

Yet the Golden Jade Pill Peng Jie had produced this time could be called a core secret formula of the Vajra Gate.

This pill was specially designed to aid First Level of Practice martial artists in training. Taking it during Flesh Tempering greatly enhanced the results of external training. The Golden Jade Pill formula had contributed enormously to the Vajra Gate becoming Cloudshine's foremost school of hard martial arts.

Thus, while the Golden Jade Pill was no peerless treasure, it was still something the Vajra Gate only gave to disciples who had rendered merit. Peng Jie had never offered it before.

It seemed they had come prepared this time.

Shen Longteng merely smiled indifferently.

"In that case, I'll offer our escort agency's Superior Medicinal Bath for the Flesh Tempering stage to the first-place winner."

At his words, Peng Jie secretly exchanged a glance with Yu Chunsheng. A flash of delight vanished at once.

This old fool who cared so much about face had fallen for the bait as expected. He truly could not stand being outdone!

He had brought out the Golden Jade Pill precisely to make Shen Longteng offer up that Superior Medicinal Bath.

Although the Vajra Gate's hard martial arts were indisputably the finest in Cloudshine, even surpassing the Soaring Dragon Escort Agency, the escort agency's escort teams spent their days traveling outside and fighting, often suffering injuries. Long illness made doctors of men, and the agency's pharmacy had conducted deep research into all sorts of healing medicine and martial arts formulas.

In particular, for medicinal baths used during the First and Second Levels of Practice, the Soaring Dragon Escort Agency's formulas were far more effective than those elsewhere.

Since he had offered the Golden Jade Pill, the only thing from the Soaring Dragon Escort Agency that could match it at the same level was a Superior Medicinal Bath.

Of course, these rewards were for the champion of the competition. They would not fall directly into the hands of the Vajra Gate.

But...

Peng Jie smiled.

"Head Escort Shen, let the disciples begin."

Xie Yuan had already returned to the escort agency and was currently among the crowd watching in the outer courtyard.

"That guy is so tall. He's probably over two meters."

He was staring at a young man from the Vajra Gate who stood out like a crane among chickens when a blue-robed youth approached from beside him. It was Zhao Xingyang.

"Xiao Xie, you're competing in the sparring match with the Vajra Gate later too."

"Me?"

Xie Yuan was somewhat surprised.

"Newcomers have to compete too?"

"It's the newcomers who are competing. All of this year's newcomers are going. You're newer than anyone at the escort agency—if you don't go, who will?"

"Sounds good to me."

Xie Yuan grinned.

Zhao Xingyang smiled and patted him on the shoulder.

"Fight well. I'm counting on you to win a prize."

"There are prizes too?"

Xie Yuan had already been itching to cross hands with the Vajra Gate. Hearing this, his interest rose another threefold.

"That's right. The Vajra Gate's Golden Jade Pill, plus the escort agency's Superior Medicinal Bath. Aren't those exactly what you need?"

Zhao Xingyang chuckled.

Xie Yuan's eyes lit up. He immediately tightened his clothes, laced his shoes, and began warming up.

The Soaring Dragon Escort Agency moved quickly. Before long, the courtyard had been cleared and divided into several competition grounds.

The courtyard had originally been a Martial Arts Field, and it was large enough for several matches to be held at once.

Neither side had many newcomers this year. Including rest periods, half a day would be enough to determine the final winner.

The disciples taking part in the sparring began drawing lots and were paired off. They soon took the stage in order, and Xie Yuan was among the first batch.

Looking at the man before him, whose muscles were abnormally developed and who wore only a sleeveless short shirt despite the depths of winter, Xie Yuan cupped his hands.

"Soaring Dragon Escort Agency, Xie Yuan."

"Vajra Gate, Yang Li."

Yang Li held a whistle staff in one hand, a commonly used weapon in the Vajra Gate.

He looked at Xie Yuan's unremarkable build, then at Xie Yuan's handsome, tranquil face, refined like that of a noble young master. He clicked his tongue.

"The Soaring Dragon Escort Agency takes pretty boys now? Don't cry later."

"All right."

Xie Yuan nodded.

He definitely would not cry.

The moment the referee called for the match to begin, Xie Yuan stepped forward and drew his saber. The blade flashed like lightning, slashing toward Yang Li's throat with unstoppable force!

The first form of the Galloping Wolf Saber Art—Quick Draw Slash: Wolf Assault!

Yang Li's pupils shrank. He had never expected Xie Yuan's saber to be so fast. He only had time to raise his whistle staff, but it was effortlessly cut in two. The copper-cored staff was like a dead branch, unable to hinder the blade in the slightest.

His mind went blank. By the time he reacted, the saber had already stopped at his throat.

Only then had the referee's cry of "Begin" just finished falling.

Xie Yuan withdrew his hand, spun the saber in a flourish, and sheathed it.

That pretty boy... this guy's saber technique is this savage?

Yang Li swallowed. He did not dare say a word and immediately stepped down.

Xie Yuan looked at the referee.

"No need to rest. Let's have the second match."

"Mm, I can see that."

The referee was an Advanced Escort Master from the Soaring Dragon Escort Agency. He clicked his tongue repeatedly, full of admiration.

Xie Yuan's second opponent soon came onto the stage. Then it was the same process: Xie Yuan saluted, drew his saber, unleashed Wolf Assault, and sheathed his blade.

After his opponent staggered off the stage in a daze, Xie Yuan shook his head slightly.

"Beating down the Vajra Gate is satisfying, but there's no value in it as sparring."

He turned to look toward the competition ground on the other side, just in time to see the giant man over two meters tall sweep a wolf-toothed mace across the field, sending an escort hand flying out of the ring. The man vomited blood in midair, and Xie Yuan's gaze sharpened.

"A Xing!"

"You brute, how dare you strike so heavily in a sparring match?"

The people from the Soaring Dragon Escort Agency around them were shocked and enraged, loudly rebuking the giant. Yet their eyes also held deep wariness.

The giant showed no expression and turned a deaf ear to their scolding. He did not need to rest either, merely waiting in the ring for his next opponent.

This guy deserves a good beating.

Xie Yuan stroked his chin.

But while he was staring at someone else, others were also watching him closely.

Inside the hall, County Commandant Yu Chunsheng sat behind a table, his gaze roving over the field.

Zhang Yu Feng stood respectfully at his side, bent slightly at the waist.

"That one over there is Xie Yuan."

Yu Chunsheng followed the direction of his finger, stroked his mustache, and nodded faintly.

"He truly is a valiant young man, with an extraordinary bearing. Admirable, admirable."

His eyes narrowed into slits as he smiled, and his attitude toward Zhang Yu Feng was clearly much improved.

The fair-faced County Commandant was studying Xie Yuan when Xie Yuan suddenly looked back and met his gaze.

Then Xie Yuan's face turned fierce, as though he had seen something disgusting. He violently slashed down like thunder, directly chopping the Vajra Gate disciple who had exchanged several moves with him until the man spat blood.

Yu Chunsheng slammed his hand heavily onto the table. His eyes narrowed as he revealed a faint smile.

"What a wild horse."