Thirty Percent Sword Qi

"Father, how about you go to the Escort Agency and see Big Brother?"

Jiang An looked toward his father. He truly could not get used to eating these pickles; beef was still far more satisfying.

"If you want to go, then go yourself. I'm not going." Jiang Fu refused without hesitation.

"But only Big Brother can help me now."

Jiang An was growing anxious. "I asked around. Big Brother isn't a porter—he passed the assessment and became an escort. That day, he earned two taels of silver from an escort mission."

"That much?" The old couple was somewhat shocked.

Earning half a tael of silver on one trip was already a fortune in Jiang Fu's eyes, yet he had only just learned that the other party could earn two taels in seven or eight days!

To ordinary commoners like them, that was already an enormous sum!

"And..." Jiang An added, "I also heard that a martial escort in the Escort Agency took a liking to him and bestowed a Stance Technique and ten taels of silver upon him. With the Escort Agency's rewards added in, he must have at least several dozen taels of silver on him."

Jiang Fu's body trembled. Then he said hatefully, "No wonder that Unfilial Son has been treating his younger sister so generously this past month or so. Turns out he's already a wealthy man."

"Father, you have to go see Big Brother. It's not just that I need to practice martial arts—your daughter-in-law is pregnant too, and she needs nourishment even more."

Jiang An spoke again.

Hearing this, Jiang Fu slowly shook his head and sighed. "He won't even see your mother, and the one he hates most is surely me. How could I possibly meet him?"

"At worst, we make a scene. If we blow it up big enough, then if he cares about his reputation, he'll have to see us whether he wants to or not!" Jiang An gave a soft laugh.

"This..." Jiang Fu froze. If he truly did that, never mind the Unfilial Son's reputation—where would he put his own old face?

Inside the single house.

Jiang Ping circulated the Eighth Grade Still Autumn Technique. A crystalline membrane enveloped his entire body; his aura was dense and powerful, its light dazzling, impervious to blades and swords.

Clang!

Yet at the touch of ten percent Riding the Wind Sword Qi, that steel-like skin, beautiful as fine jade, instantly cracked apart.

"Iron Skin at Great Accomplishment still isn't strong enough."

Jiang Ping was not very satisfied with his current realm.

In one month, he had gone from newly entering Eighth Rank Iron Skin to Great Accomplishment. The speed was nothing short of terrifying.

But compared with the power of his techniques, it still seemed lacking.

And this was only the power of ten percent Sword Qi. What about Thirty Percent Sword Qi?

Boom!

At that thought, an incomparably fierce gale erupted from Jiang Ping's body.

He formed a sword with two fingers, and wave after wave of majestic Sword Qi swept forth without end.

One streak, two streaks, three streaks...

A full thirty-two streaks!

Scorching Sun Swordplay, complete mastery!

The sharpness displayed by this Sword Qi was not the least bit inferior to Song Yuanshan's that day.

"Techniques are still stronger—and they improve faster."

At last, a faint smile appeared on Jiang Ping's face.

Song Tianjiao's five years of effort—he had matched it in a single month. Such speed was monstrous even among monsters!

"With this, I finally have some ability to protect myself in Yang City, and throughout Changping Prefecture."

Jiang Ping thought to himself.

Escort Huang had once said that without Thirty Percent Sword Qi, one could not injure a Seventh Rank expert.

Now that he had achieved it, it meant that when facing Seventh Rank martial artists in the future, even if Jiang Ping could not defeat them, he could still retreat unscathed.

"It's time to make a trip to Changping Prefecture City."

Jiang Ping's eyes flickered. His techniques had reached the point where there was nothing more to train, while his realm still required time. Only by obtaining Grandmaster Swordplay could he rapidly increase his strength again.

Moreover, compared to Song Tianjiao, his current accomplishments gave him at least some qualification to stand on equal footing with him. But when facing Chen An, who ranked among the top ten on the Martial Examination Ranking, he still fell somewhat short.

The other man had been declared certain to obtain Martial Examination Merit in the next Martial Examination, which showed just how formidable he was.

"I still need to work hard. I'll strive to catch up to Chen An within three years—and take part in the Martial Examination as well."

Jiang Ping's thoughts turned. He wanted to settle matters with the Chen Family father and son, and he also harbored ambitions for Martial Examination Merit.

It was said that once one became a Martial Examination graduate, not only would one's status rise, but one could also obtain a place that led directly to Black River Province Martial Academy.

That was a martial academy established by pooling most of a province's resources, a place where the Da Li Dynasty cultivated Martial Dao talent.

Only by entering the Martial Academy could one come into contact with the true world of Martial Dao, and only then could one travel farther along this path.

Therefore, Jiang Ping would fight for a place in the next Martial Examination as well!

Having made up his mind, he immediately packed his things, preparing to set out that very night for Changping Prefecture City to seek Grandmaster Swordplay.

But halfway through packing up, a visitor arrived.

It was Escort Huang.

He brought two pieces of news.

"The two escort agencies still haven't reached an agreement. Don't wander around lately," Huang Youren said, making Jiang Ping frown. "Didn't you say they'd been negotiating half a month ago? How come they still haven't settled it?"

"I don't know." Escort Huang shook his head. "They'd practically agreed on all the terms, but the other side suddenly changed their mind. It'll take some more time to negotiate."

"Oh, and there's one more thing."

Escort Huang suddenly fixed Jiang Ping with a strange look. "Your family is here."

"Hm?" Jiang Ping raised a brow. The last time, when he had refused to see his birth mother, he had made his resolve clear: they would never meet again in this life. He meant what he said.

"Who came?"

"Your entire family."

"..." Jiang Ping waved a hand. "Have the gate guards send them away."

"They're making a scene. They've already drawn quite a few neighbors over to watch."

"..." Jiang Ping had not expected them to pull a stunt like this.

If he refused to see them, it would certainly damage his reputation. It might even cement his status as an Unfilial Son.

But—

What was reputation worth?

"I'll go to the Training Ground." Jiang Ping rose to his feet.

Outside the Escort Agency, a great crowd had gathered to watch the show.

Jiang Fu cast aside all shame and bared his teeth at the guards. "I'm his father! I raised him myself. How can he refuse to see me just because he wants to? Even if this goes before the court, I'll be in the right!"

The two gate guards were miserable beyond words. If this had been some ordinary family, they would have long since thrown the Escort Agency's weight around.

But these were Escort Jiang's family.

Escort Jiang was deeply favored by Escort Huang, and he himself was talented as well. Before long, he would become a martial artist and enter the Escort Agency's inner circle.

Naturally, they did not dare offend his family lightly. Yet they also had to obey Escort Jiang's instructions, leaving them caught between a rock and a hard place.

Bang!

The gates the guards had shut opened.

Jiang Fu's heart immediately tightened. Was that Unfilial Son coming out?

Instead, a towering strong man emerged, the kind who looked like trouble.

The moment he appeared, he asked, "Who is Jiang An?"

"I am." Jiang An promptly raised his hand, his face full of enthusiasm. "Are you perhaps a friend of my big brother's?"

"You are?" Sun Qi looked at the fair, delicate young man.

They were blood brothers, yet Escort Jiang had been as dark as could be back then, while this one was pale and clean-looking.

He suddenly seemed to understand why Escort Jiang had been unwilling to see his family.

At that moment, Jiang An asked excitedly, "Did my big brother give you any instructions?"

"Yes." Sun Qi nodded.

"What instructions?" Jiang An asked without thinking, only to see a fist the size of a sandbag swing at him in an instant.

He instinctively raised his arms to block.

Jiang An had practiced martial arts before and gained a hundred pounds of strength, but after getting married, he had let it all go to waste, drowning himself in wine and women. His body was now even worse than before he had begun training.

"Ah—!"

The onlookers saw only the towering strong man knock Jiang An to the ground with a single punch, followed by Jiang An's agonized wails.

Jiang Fu was completely dumbfounded. He could not understand it. He was the one making a scene, so why was his child the one suffering?

And wasn't this man Jiang Ping's friend?

"Stop!" Jiang Fu reacted quickly and tried to intervene, but Sun Qi shoved him aside with one hand and signaled for the two guards to hold the husband and wife back.

Then, beneath Jiang Fu's livid gaze, Jiang An was beaten into a pig's head, even his nose knocked crooked.

Sun Qi planted a foot on Jiang An's chest and looked at Father Jiang and Mother Jiang. "Escort Jiang said you can come make trouble whenever you like, but the price will be severe every time."

"For example, the price of the first time."

With that, he seized one of Jiang An's fingers and yanked it back hard. A crisp crack rang out.

Jiang An's finger immediately bent back at a ninety-degree angle. The pain made him howl madly, "My finger! My finger!"

Sun Qi felt somewhat unable to bear it himself. Escort Jiang was rather ruthless toward his younger brother, but these were his instructions, and Sun Qi naturally had to obey. He said to Father Jiang and Mother Jiang, "Next time, it'll be one hand."

Jiang Fu's heart bled at the words. A chill ran through him, along with fear. He had never expected Jiang Ping to be so heartless. That was his own younger brother!

Zhang Yun stared blankly at the scene, seeming lost and dazed. Tears slipped down her face without her noticing.

Eight Taels of Silver. It was only Eight Taels of Silver, yet it had torn what was once a happy family apart until it had come to this.