20 (Thanks to My Brother Called Three-Fold Alliance Leader)

Seeing that it was Zhang Rongfang, Li Fuhua replied softly, "That man is called Yan Kun. He's an old acquaintance of Senior Sister Zhao's. This time, he came over from another Dao Palace for exchanges and is staying here temporarily. Somehow, the two of them started sparring."

"That man is also Second Grade?" Zhang Rongfang asked.

"He's already Third Grade, but Senior Sister Zhao was born with great strength. It looks like she didn't suffer a loss," Li Fuhua replied.

Zhang Rongfang nodded. He could see that as well.

Zhao Dacong truly deserved her Second Grade status. In speed, strength, and every other aspect, she surpassed him by quite a bit.

If he really went up against her, he probably would not last more than a few moves before she shattered his defensive stance and beat him badly.

But that was the result of over ten years of bitter training. How long had he trained for?

Still, while Zhao Dacong was strong, that yellow-haired Daoist was even stronger.

Zhang Rongfang swept his gaze across the onlookers. Most were Martial Cultivators at the beginner level, and many were still in the Blood Nourishing stage.

There was not a single person who had Entered the Ranks.

After all, once one Entered the Ranks, one could head to Spirit Official Hall, complete the assessment, take up an official post, and receive a higher monthly stipend.

Many skilled fighters who had Entered the Ranks would, once they had money, buy houses in Huaxin County and live there. They generally would not return to the Martial Arts Daoist Temple.

People like Zhao Dacong were a minority, after all.

Before long, the two in the field suddenly slammed their fists together in a clash, then retreated at the same time and cupped their hands.

"You let me win." Yan Kun cupped his hands impassively, then turned and left.

Zhao Dacong stood where she was, her face faintly reddened—a sign that the blood and qi throughout her body were surging rapidly.

"Senior Sister! Are you all right!?"

Zhang Rongfang and the others hurried over to ask.

"I'm fine. But I still lost," Zhao Dacong sighed. "I didn't expect that he had already broken through the third limit and stepped into Third Grade."

The others helped her to one side, and someone brought over a wooden stool for her to sit on.

"Does breaking through one more limit really affect strength that much?" a young Daoist could not help asking.

"Although the Ninth Grade system was assessed by the Imperial Court, in broad terms, it is also known as the Nine Great Limits.

"Among them, breaking the limit for the first time grants the greatest enhancement. Each time after that is weaker than the last.

"Yan Kun has broken through three times. If we calculate it seriously, he is not all that much stronger than me. His strength is only a little greater than mine. I lost because I lacked real combat experience."

Zhao Dacong sighed.

"Back then, I was born stronger than him, so when we were at the same rank, he couldn't beat me. Now it's good—this fellow has come back for revenge."

Zhang Rongfang listened from the side, deep in thought.

After resting for a while and seeing that Zhao Dacong was fine, everyone found their own places to practice sparring moves.

Li Fuhua simply sought out Zhang Rongfang as well. After all, on the surface, Zhang Rongfang had only just entered the beginner level.

The two stood facing each other, with Li Fuhua making the first move.

She took an arrow step forward and threw a straight punch at his chest.

This move was called Facing Wind. It was also among the thirty-two moves of Yue Type Talisman.

Li Fuhua's coordination of strength, movements, techniques, and footwork was quite good. When she made her move, some of the people around them could not help calling out in praise.

But in Zhang Rongfang's eyes, her movements and footwork were clumsy and crude, while her technique was weak and limp, utterly lacking in decisiveness.

He casually raised a hand to deflect her, easily redirecting Li Fuhua to the right until she nearly fell.

"Again!" Li Fuhua refused to accept this. She steadied herself, then charged forward once more with Facing Sun Peak Strike, aiming at the joint of Zhang Rongfang's right arm.

Bang.

Unfortunately, halfway through her swing, Zhang Rongfang precisely intercepted her arm. She could no longer exert any follow-up force and could only change her move.

But over the next dozen or so moves, no matter how she varied her attacks, Zhang Rongfang precisely brushed them aside or blocked them.

Clearly, Zhang Rongfang was using less force than she was, yet he was far more relaxed.

"Hm?" Zhao Dacong, watching from the side, showed surprise.

"He has trained his moves to the level of complete mastery and perfect clarity." She rose from the wooden stool where she had been resting and carefully observed Zhang Rongfang.

As the spar continued, the more she watched, the more certain she became. It truly was Yue Type Talisman at the level of complete mastery and perfect clarity.

"Senior Sister, are completed moves really that formidable?" Li Fuhua was easily forced back again. Hearing this, she asked breathlessly and unwillingly.

"Yes. In sparring between fellow disciples, once your moves have reached completion, they restrain fellow disciples enormously. You can't beat him now," Zhao Dacong nodded.

"To train Yue Type Talisman to this extent requires quite good comprehension. The next stage is to wait for time to accumulate, pass through the bodily transformation stage of Blood Nourishing Tendon Forging, then attempt to break the limit and Enter the Ranks."

She sighed. "For us Martial Cultivators, what we need most are comprehension and innate physique.

"Comprehension lets one understand and learn martial arts more quickly. Innate physique allows martial arts to strengthen our bodies more effectively."

"So my comprehension is decent, then?" Seeing that Li Fuhua was no longer fighting, Zhang Rongfang withdrew his hand and smiled.

"It's quite good." Zhao Dacong nodded. "If your physique can keep up as well, you'll probably be able to break the limit in four or five years."

"Then Senior Sister, what changes happen after breaking through the limit? Could you tell me about it?"

Zhang Rongfang modestly displayed a little of his potential according to plan, then began asking about new things.

"After breaking the limit, your body is enhanced to different degrees according to the focus of the martial art you practice. Your strength increases, your skin thickens. Other than that, there's nothing," Zhao Dacong shook her head.

She studied Zhang Rongfang. From their sparring just now, she could vaguely tell that Zhang Rongfang seemed to be hiding some strength. This kid did not seem as simple as he looked.

"Do you still want to go—"

"Senior Sister Zhao, Senior Brother Zhang, Master told you to hurry over!"

Her words were suddenly interrupted as Sun Yuanfeng hurried over from afar, his expression somewhat off.

"What happened?" Zhao Dacong frowned.

"It's Senior Sister Xiao Qingying. The Servant Disciple who was with her has disappeared," Sun Yuanfeng said quickly.

"Disappeared?" Zhang Rongfang was startled. The first person he thought of was Chen Wuyou.

For so long, because Xiao Rong suspected him, Xiao Qingying had spent most of her time acting together with another female Servant Disciple.

But now... Zhang Rongfang knew the situation had changed. If Chen Wuyou had done this again, then... The three of them did not delay and hurriedly left the Martial Arts Field, rushing to the pavilion where Xiao Rong lived.

On the first floor of the pavilion, inside the main hall.

Xiao Rong's expression was cold and stern, while Xiao Qingying stood to one side with a Pale Face.

The other disciples had also arrived. Jiao Teng, as Senior Brother, stood to one side with an Ugly Face.

When Zhao Dacong and Zhang Rongfang arrived, Jiao Teng turned his gaze toward Xiao Rong.

"Master, according to Junior Sister Xiao Ying, I fear that the person is already... The Top Priority now is not finding out who did it, but ensuring Junior Sister Xiao Ying's safety."

Xiao Rong remained silent, seated upright in a Grand Tutor's Chair without moving.

No one knew what he was thinking.

After Zhang Rongfang and Zhao Dacong entered, they performed their bows and then stood separately to one side.

When he saw Zhang Rongfang, Xiao Rong's Eyes Flickered.

"From today onward, Rong Fang, you must follow Xiao Ying at all times and places. You are not permitted to leave her for any reason. If anything happens to her, even if you die, you will preserve her life for me! Do you understand?"

Zhang Rongfang's Heart Shivered. He hurriedly stepped forward, cupping his hands and bowing.

"This disciple understands!"

He had been Promoted to a Cultivation Disciple in order to protect and warn Xiao Qingying. Now that the other Servant Follower had disappeared, naturally he was the only one who could Fill In.

And in this world, so long as there was a reason, a Master had the right to deal with their disciples as they pleased. Even if they put one to death, no one could say anything.

"Jiao Teng," Xiao Rong continued.

"This disciple is here!" Jiao Teng hurriedly stepped out.

"I leave the investigation to you. You must give me an answer!" Xiao Rong Said Solemnly.

"Yes!" Jiao Teng cupped his hands.

After that, Xiao Rong instructed Zhao Dacong to help protect Xiao Qingying, yet he did not mention Second Senior Brother Chen Wuyou even once.

...Outside Huaxin County, within the mountains and forests.

In dry, Withered Yellow grass and woodland, a figure swiftly passed through the shrubs and grass, arriving before a great tree marked with a White Triangle and waiting quietly.

By dusk, the night was growing darker.

Before long, two Strong Men clad in worn Plain Clothes, carrying Long-handled Machetes, quickly approached to within Several Meters of the figure and stopped.

"Brother, we've finished the job. Shouldn't you settle the money now?" the Scarred Strong Man with a scar on his chin Said Coldly.

"I hired you to kidnap someone, not kill someone! And now you still have the nerve to Ask Me For Money??" the figure said, emotion in his voice.

"Heh, that woman wanted to scream after we caught her. We couldn't hold back, so we casually slit her throat. Either way, we did the job. If you won't pay, think carefully about the Consequences." The Scarred Strong Man Said With a Cold Laugh.

The figure Paused, but still raised a hand and tossed something over.

It was a Gray Cloth Money Bag.

The Strong Man caught it and opened it for a look, immediately Showing a Smile.

"There's one more thing I need you to do," the figure spoke again. "After the Job is Done, I'll pay double the price!"

"Easy to Say, easy to say. Tell us what you need!" The Scarred Strong Man's tone changed at once. A smile appeared on his face as well.

"Since we've already acted, we Might As Well Deal With all of them!" A ray of Evening Sunlight fell across the figure's face, illuminating his entire appearance.

It was none other than Chen Wuyou of Qinghe Temple.

"So long as you support my Father in making Further Progress and helping him Secure Position, Qinghe Temple will Join Forces with you then. Whether it's trade or Money and Food, neither will be a problem."

"What do you mean?" The Scarred Strong Man was tempted.

"I want you to Provide People, capture Xiao Qingying, lure Xiao Rong out, and cripple him completely!" Chen Wuyou said viciously.

Last Time, he had nearly succeeded, but Xiao Qingying Escaped. Later, when he tried to contact her again, Xiao Rong stopped him.

Clearly, Xiao Rong Not Only suspected that kid named Zhang Rongfang, he suspected him as well.

At a subsequent meeting within the Dao Palace, Xiao Rong had vaguely shown an inclination to become Supervisor. This filled Chen Wuyou with anger.

His father, Patrol Inspector Chen Zhihan, was also deeply dissatisfied with him.

Since they could not pull him over no matter what, they Might As Well cripple that Old Undying. Now that they had the mountain bandit army joining forces with them, if they were not worried that exposure would bring Ling Ting's purge, they could have simply seized the position directly.

In any case, that Old Undying who headed Qinghe Temple did not have much strength left.

What waves could a Sixth Grade man so old he could barely move possibly stir up?

"Fine. But according to your information, that old fellow has some tough ones under him—two Second Grade disciples. You'll have to calculate their price separately. And afterward, you people must help us buy grain!" The Scarred Strong Man thought it over before replying.

"Old Huang was once a Fourth Grade expert of the Imperial Court. Are you afraid of two Second Grade disciples?" Chen Wuyou frowned.

"Heh, fine. As long as the money is in place, anything is Easy to Say." The Scarred Strong Man laughed.

His Iron Tiger Skill had already reached the Limit of the technique. The blood and qi throughout his body circulated as one whole, and he was in the prime of life. Before the uprising, Ling Ting had just rated him Fourth Grade.

To deal with one or two skilled fighters from a third-rate sect like Qinghe Temple, he truly would have no great problem in a one-on-one fight.

Not to mention that he never went alone. His hundred-odd brothers were not just for show either.

"Also, that old thing's Eldest Disciple, Jiao Teng, has already been persuaded by us. He will secretly cooperate when the time comes. In a few days, I'll create an opportunity to go out. This time, it should be as easy as reaching into a bag and taking something out," Chen Wuyou said.

"Vicious enough, but I like it! Hahaha!" The Scarred Strong Man laughed heartily.

"Oh, right. Last time, two of my brothers were killed by that Daoist Follower of Xiao Qingying's. This time, make sure to lure him out too. I want to Deal With him myself!" he said viciously.

"He's just a minor Daoist without even a rank. Do whatever you want with him." Chen Wuyou nodded, his gaze cold.