Thirty Percent Sword Qi

"Father, why don't you go to the Escort Agency and see Big Brother?"

Jiang An looked at his father. He truly could not stomach these pickles; beef was far more satisfying.

"If you want to go, then go yourself. I'm not going." Jiang Fu refused flatly.

"But only Big Brother can help me now."

Jiang An grew somewhat anxious. "I found out clearly. Big Brother isn't a porter—he passed the assessment and became an escort master. On that escort mission that day, he earned two taels of silver."

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

Being able to earn half a tael of silver on one trip was already a sudden fortune in Jiang Fu's eyes. Yet now he learned that the other party could earn two taels of silver in seven or eight days!

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

"And." Jiang An added, "I also heard that an escort master who was a Martial Artist in the agency took a fancy to him and bestowed upon him a Stance Technique and ten taels of silver. 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 resentfully, "No wonder that unfilial son has been able to treat his younger sister so generously over this past month. So he's already become a wealthy household."

"Father, you have to go see eldest brother. It isn't just that I need to practice martial arts—your daughter-in-law is pregnant as well, and she needs to nourish her body even more."

Jiang An continued.

Hearing this, Jiang Fu shook his head slightly and sighed. "Even your mother refuses to see him. And the one he resents most must be me—how could I possibly get to see him?"

"At worst, we make a scene. If we make it big enough, then if he cares about his reputation, he'll have no choice but to see us even if he doesn't want to!" Jiang An gave a light laugh.

"This..." Jiang Fu froze. If he truly did that, never mind whether the unfilial son's reputation would be affected—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 deep and powerful, its glow dazzling, impervious to blades and swords.

Clang!

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

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

Jiang Ping was not particularly satisfied with his own realm.

In one month, he had gone from newly entering Eighth Rank Iron Skin to Great Accomplishment. That speed could only be called terrifying.

Yet compared with the might of his own techniques, it still seemed too lacking.

And this was only the power of one-tenth Sword Qi. What about Thirty percent?

Boom!

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

He formed a sword with two fingers, and magnificent streams of Sword Qi swept forth without end.

One stream, two streams, three streams...

A full thirty-two streams!

Scorching Sun Swordplay, perfection!

The sharpness displayed by these Sword Qi streams was not the slightest bit weaker than Song Yuanshan's that day.

"Techniques are still more formidable, and they improve faster too."

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

Song Tianjiao's five years of effort had taken him merely one month to match. Such speed was monstrous beyond monstrous!

"With this, in Yang City and throughout Changping Prefecture, I can be considered to have some ability to protect myself!"

Jiang Ping thought to himself.

Escort Huang had once said that a Seventh Rank expert could not be injured without Thirty Percent Sword Qi.

He had now achieved it. In other words, 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 could no longer be trained any further, while advancement in realm still required time. Only by obtaining Grandmaster Swordplay could he rapidly increase his strength once more.

Moreover, compared to Song Tianjiao, his current achievements gave him some qualification to stand on equal footing. But before Chen An, who ranked among the top ten of the Martial Examination Ranking, he was still somewhat lacking.

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

"I still have to work hard. I'll strive to catch up with Chen An within three years, and I'll participate in the Martial Examination too."

Jiang Ping's train of thought turned. He wanted to resolve matters with the Chen Family father and son, and he also harbored improper ambitions toward Martial Examination Merit.

It was said that once one became a Martial Graduate, not only would one's status and position rise, one would also obtain a place granting direct entry into the Black River Province Martial Academy.

It was a Martial Artist academy established with the majority of a province's resources, a place that trained Martial Dao talents for the Da Li Dynasty.

Only by entering the Martial Academy could one encounter the true world of Martial Dao and use it to travel farther.

Therefore, Jiang Ping would contend for the next Martial Examination as well!

Having made up his mind, he immediately packed his belongings, intending to set out that very night for the Prefecture City to seek Grandmaster Swordplay.

However, when he was halfway through packing, a visitor arrived.

It was Escort Huang.

The other party brought two pieces of news.

"The two Escort Agencies still haven't reached an agreement. Don't wander around lately." Huang Youren spoke, making Jiang Ping frown as he said:

"Didn't you say they had already begun negotiating half a month ago? Why haven't they settled it yet?"

"I don't know." Escort Huang shook his head. "The terms had nearly all been agreed upon, but the other side suddenly changed its mind. They'll have to negotiate for a while longer."

"Oh, there's one more thing."

Escort Huang suddenly stared at Jiang Ping with a strange look in his eyes. "Your family is here."

"Hm?" Jiang Ping raised a brow. His refusal to see his birth mother last time had been his way of expressing his resolve. They would never meet again in this life, and he meant what he said.

"Who came?"

"Your entire family came."

"..." Jiang Ping waved his hand. "Have the guards drive them away."

"They're making a scene. Quite a few neighbors have already gathered to watch."

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

If he refused to see them, it would definitely affect his reputation. He might even have the label of unfilial son nailed firmly onto him.

But.

What was a reputation worth?

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

Outside the Escort Agency, many people had gathered to watch the show.

Jiang Fu threw away his old face and bared his teeth at the guards. "I'm his father! I raised him from birth! How can he simply refuse to see me? Even if this matter is taken to court, I'm in the right!"

The two guards were miserable beyond words. If this had been an ordinary household, they would have long since put on the Escort Agency's airs.

But these were Escort Jiang's family.

Escort Jiang was deeply favored by Escort Huang, and he himself possessed talent. Before long, he would become a Martial Artist and enter the Escort Agency's core ranks.

Naturally, they did not dare offend his family carelessly. Yet they also had to obey Escort Jiang's instructions, leaving them in a terrible bind.

Bang!

At that moment, the gates the guards had shut opened.

Jiang Fu's heart immediately tightened. Was that unfilial son coming out?

Instead, out came an exceptionally tall strong man who looked difficult to provoke at a glance.

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

"I am." Jiang An immediately raised his hand in reply, his face full of enthusiasm. "Might you be my Big Brother's friend?"

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

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

He seemed to understand somewhat why Escort Jiang was unwilling to see his family.

At that moment, Jiang An asked excitedly, "Did my Big Brother leave any instructions?"

"Yes." Sun Qi nodded.

"What instructions?" Jiang An blurted out instinctively, only to see a fist the size of a sandbag swing toward him in an instant.

He instinctively raised his arms to block it.

Jiang An had actually practiced martial arts before and gained a hundred pounds of strength. But after he got married, he had let it fall to waste, indulging in wine and women. His body was now even weaker than before he had practiced martial arts.

"Ah—!"

The onlookers saw only the tall strong man knock Jiang An to the ground with one punch, followed by the latter's agonized wails.

Jiang Fu was dumbfounded. He did not understand it. Clearly, he was the one making trouble, so why was his child the one suffering?

And wasn't the other party Jiang Ping's friend?

"Stop!" Jiang Fu reacted quickly and tried to break up the fight, but Sun Qi shoved him aside and signaled for the two guards to hold back the couple.

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

Sun Qi planted his foot on Jiang An's chest and looked toward Father Jiang and Mother Jiang. "Escort Jiang said that you may come make trouble anytime, but the price will be severe each time."

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

With that, he grabbed one of Jiang An's fingers and yanked it backward with force. A crack of breaking bone rang out.

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

Sun Qi actually felt some reluctance too. Escort Jiang was rather ruthless toward his younger brother, but these were the other party's instructions, so naturally he had to obey. He said to Father Jiang and Mother Jiang:

"The next time, it will be one hand."

Hearing this, Jiang Fu's heart bled. He felt chilled to the bone and somewhat afraid. He had not expected Jiang Ping to be so heartless. This was the other party's own younger brother!

Zhang Yun stared blankly at the scene, seeming somewhat lost. She looked utterly despondent, and tears flowed down unconsciously.

Eight taels of silver. Just those eight taels of silver had shattered what was once a happy family into such a state.