Settled

[Everyone marveled at your martial skills]

[Experience +166]

Chen Feng: "..."

I hadn't even moved yet.

He had just sensed Liu Hong's Qi Blood level and wanted to take a hit head-on to test his body's strength.

The result...

Was less than satisfactory.

He hadn't managed to test anything.

Liu Hong's eyes bulged in disbelief.

"H-How is that possible?!"

Chen Feng brushed the wood chips from his shoulder and said calmly:

"Your purity is too low."

As soon as he finished speaking, Chen Feng stepped forward and swung a simple, ordinary palm strike at Liu Hong.

He had even made a point of not using Five Elements Fist.

Liu Hong gripped half a wooden club.

His face went pale with terror.

To his horror, he realized that Chen Feng was so fast there was no way to dodge!

"Ugh!..."

The heavy blow slammed into Liu Hong's chest.

Liu Hong felt as if a bull had rammed into him. Every bone in his body seemed ready to fall apart.

Thud!

Amid the crowd's shocked cries,

Liu Hong went flying sideways.

He crashed off the platform.

In an instant, the entire venue fell silent...

Until Yang Huaiyuan voiced the question on everyone's mind: "Uncle Zhang, Uncle Yu, when did the matches at our escort agency turn into turn-based combat?"

Escort Leader Yu's mouth twitched.

He had expected Chen Feng to win easily.

He hadn't expected it to be this easy.

The match had ended in a single move.

Hearing Yang Huaiyuan's question, Yu Hengchuan remembered that he was the referee. He hurriedly stood and announced Chen Feng's victory.

The Escort Guards applauded and cheered.

"Such a handsome young man, yet his body-tempering skills are unbelievably strong! I wouldn't have been able to take that club strike, but look at him—he's like nothing happened."

"Who is this guy? I remember Liu Hong's a Martial Artist. How'd he get knocked down with one punch?"

"I remember his name's Chen Feng."

"...Impressive!"

The crowd praised him, but their faces showed even more shock.

This near-total crushing victory was simply astounding.

No matter how weak Liu Hong was, he was still a genuine Martial Artist, someone dozens of ordinary people couldn't defeat.

Once you crossed the threshold of Blood Qi, you had crossed it. There was no faking it.

So no one doubted his credentials.

...Except Chen Feng.

Because a mechanical voice rang in his ear:

[You have gained some combat experience]

[Experience +11]

Chen Feng: "..."

He'd be better off practicing two sets of punches than getting that little.

"Liu Hong!"

One of Liu Hong's friends finally called out and hurried to his side to check on him.

Fortunately, he wasn't seriously hurt.

He had only passed out.

When Chen Feng saw someone lift Liu Hong up, he froze. He remembered pulling his strength at the last moment.

How had the guy still passed out?

Could it be that he had broken through too quickly and hadn't fully adjusted? That he still lacked control over his strength?

Chen Feng's expression grew solemn.

This wouldn't do. It seemed he'd have to spend more time practicing his punches.

What Chen Feng didn't know was that

Liu Hong was still conscious. Aside from some pain, he was perfectly fine.

It was just that...

He didn't want to face any of this...

After Liu Hong was carried away, the Escort Guards for the mission were settled: Chen Feng would join Zhang Biao Tou's team.

The rest of the onlookers dispersed in a flurry, going back to their own business.

Chen Feng stepped down from the platform and walked over to Escort Leader Yu.

Yang Huaiyuan nodded at Chen Feng, greeting him in his own way.

He had heard his father mention long ago that Master Zhou had taken on a new disciple. This was their first time meeting.

Chen Feng also got a good look at the young man before him.

Yang Huaiyuan wore a Black Martial Robe and stood tall and straight, with a valiant air about him.

His bright eyes gleamed, his gaze sharp as an eagle's, as though he could see through everything.

He looked to be in his early twenties, a little older than Chen Feng.

"This man is strong."

A thought flashed through Chen Feng's mind.

He had only sensed an aura like the one faintly emanating from Yang Huaiyuan on his senior brothers.

They walked inside together,

returning to the place where Chen Feng had first met Zhang Biao Tou.

"Not bad. No wonder you're Master Zhou's Personal Disciple."

Escort Leader Yu smiled, his words full of approval. Then he turned to Zhang Biao Tou beside him and said:

"Chen Feng is yours. What do you think? Good enough?"

Zhang Biao Tou nodded repeatedly.

"Good enough? He's more than good enough. We need a powerhouse like him on the team."

Yang Huaiyuan asked curiously:

"Uncle Zhang, are you going on an Escort Mission?"

"Yes. It's the Cheng Family's Cargo Escort."

Yang Huaiyuan considered this for a moment, then took his leave.

"I still have some things to report to my father, so I won't stay."

He looked at Chen Feng and said:

"I wasn't able to host you properly. I hope you'll forgive me."

"Not at all."

Chen Feng hurriedly returned the courtesy.

After Yang Huaiyuan left, Zhang Biao Tou smiled at Chen Feng and said:

"My name is Zhang Jinsong. If you don't mind, just call me Uncle Zhang."

Escort Leader Yu quickly cut in:

"I call him Junior Brother, and you're asking him to call you uncle? What, trying to outrank me?"

Zhang Biao Tou laughed heartily.

"Let's each go by our own terms. Huaiyuan calls you Uncle Yu, doesn't he? By that logic, you're the same generation as Master Zhou."

Escort Leader Yu saw that he couldn't win the argument with his old friend, so he waved a hand and let it go.

"I have things to take care of too. Make sure you teach Chen Feng the ins and outs of escort work. A promising young talent like this is yours to look after."

"Of course."

Zhang Biao Tou showed that he understood.

Then Escort Leader Yu turned to Chen Feng and said:

"Chen Feng, you'll go with Old Zhang this time. He's got a big job on his hands, and the profit is substantial."

"If he weren't worried something might go wrong, he wouldn't want another person taking a cut."

"Yes," Chen Feng replied.

"Anyway, you two can work out the details. I'm off."

With that, Escort Leader Yu turned and left.

"Uncle Zhang..."

Chen Feng greeted him politely.

Looking at the young man before him, Zhang Jinsong felt genuine admiration. He was capable and polite, too.

It was hard not to like him.

Zhang Biao Tou said warmly:

"Chen Feng, come with me. I'll introduce you to the other Escort Guards who'll be setting out with us."

With Zhang Biao Tou's introductions, Chen Feng greeted the others one by one.

After meeting everyone,

Chen Feng realized how important this escort job was. Every person present was a Martial Artist, and at the very least, they were all in the Blood Refining Realm.

Aside from Chen Feng, they were all experienced Escort Guards.

There wasn't a single apprentice among them.

And with Zhang Jinsong, a Bone Forging Realm expert, leading the team,

the group was practically the best the Changwei Escort Agency could field.

The Cheng Family must have paid a hefty sum.

Though Chen Feng was a newcomer,

when everyone learned that he was a Personal Disciple of the Dragon Walk Martial Arts School, their faces clearly brightened.

It wasn't because they wanted to curry favor with Chen Feng.

The reason was simple—

Generally speaking, the greater a Escort Guard's reputation,

the safer the mission.

Take Chen Feng's Third Senior Brother, Lu Jinghong, for example.

Only a bandit with a screw loose would try to rob his escort. Most ran as far away as they could,

afraid he'd wipe them out while he was at it.

And Lu Jinghong had another peculiar hobby.

He liked to disguise himself as an ordinary Escort Guard and blend in with the caravan, acting completely unremarkable.

Then, when enemies tried to attack the escort carts, he'd leap out and strip them of everything they had.

Making himself a tidy fortune in the process.

As a result, the Changwei Escort Agency's escort safety rate had risen dramatically.

Many Escort Guards praised Lu Jinghong to the skies.

Listening to everyone take turns recounting his Third Senior Brother's legendary exploits,

Chen Feng came away with a fuller picture of Senior Brother Lu.

It seemed his Third Senior Brother was not only loaded, but also rather...

eccentric.