When My Sword Is Drawn, It Will Draw Blood!

The sky grew dark in the courtyard of the First Branch of the Su Family.

Zhang Su sat under the tree in the yard with his older brother, Zhang Chen.

The surroundings were deathly quiet.

The servants had all consciously kept their distance from the two, not daring to disturb them.

Zhang Chen picked up the wine cup on the table and downed it in one gulp.

"Cough, cough, cough..."

The wine was very spicy.

It made Zhang Chen cough incessantly.

Zhang Su looked at his older brother.

In his memories, his brother was that gentle, scholarly bookworm who buried his head in his studies.

But now, although his brother remained gentle, he had matured significantly.

"Big Brother, stop drinking. Your health is weak."

Zhang Su stopped Zhang Chen.

"Hahaha, it's fine, I'm happy today. Seeing that you've made a name for yourself in the Guiyuan Sect, I can finally rest easy. Mom and Dad, in the afterlife, would surely be very happy too."

Zhang Chen was genuinely happy.

He had spent the entire afternoon talking with Zhang Su.

It seemed he still hadn't had enough.

However, no matter how much Zhang Chen talked, it was always about how successful Zhang Su had become.

It made him feel very gratified.

Yet, he never mentioned his own hardships.

But Zhang Su knew clearly that his brother had endured a great deal.

His brother used to be just a frail scholar who studied hard and ignored the affairs of the world.

Today, however, his brother had to be calculating in the business world, clashing with deceitful merchants, which was incredibly taxing and exhausting.

Moreover, the Su Family was not exactly peaceful.

"Big Brother, you've worked hard..."

Zhang Su didn't know what else to say.

A thousand words converged into a single sentence.

"Hard work... Hahaha, Second Brother, just knowing that you understand my intentions makes me very happy."

"Actually, the hardest times have already passed. Although I married into the Su Family as a son-in-law, Zhenzhen treats me very well, and my father-in-law trusts me deeply, handing all the business of the First Branch over to me."

"Tell me, which son-in-law could be trusted like this?"

"Now that Zhenzhen and I have Hutou, you have gained a foothold in the Guiyuan Sect, and our little sister is at the age for marriage... I am truly happy. In a few days, let the three of us go pay our respects to Mom and Dad..."

As Zhang Chen spoke, he had already fallen asleep.

He had drunk quite a bit of wine just now.

Zhang Chen's tolerance for alcohol was poor to begin with.

It was normal for him to be drunk.

At this moment, his sister-in-law Su Zhenzhen arrived with the servants. Seeing Zhang Chen in this state, she didn't blame him, but instead looked at him with eyes full of heartache.

"Second Brother, don't blame your sister-in-law for being talkative. Your brother carries too many things in his heart and has shouldered too much. He is genuinely happy that you could come back this time; I haven't seen him this happy in a long time..."

With a wave of Su Zhenzhen's hand, the servants carefully supported their master and took him back to his room.

Zhang Su was not drunk.

He had been a bit apprehensive before this.

He didn't know what would happen when he saw his brother.

But now, his heart felt incredibly peaceful.

Returning to his room, Zhang Su took out a Blood Replenishing Pill.

No matter where he was, his cultivation could not stop.

The night passed without incident.

In the morning, Zhang Su woke up early.

He hadn't slept at all.

Having cultivated for the entire night, he was still full of spirit, without the slightest feeling of fatigue.

He sensed the flow of blood and qi within his body.

"One hundred and sixty-eight strands of blood energy..."

The distance to two hundred strands of blood energy was getting closer and closer.

"Knock, knock, knock."

"Second Young Master, it's time for breakfast."

Zhang Su opened the door to find Uncle Guan standing outside.

Following that, Zhang Su went to the dining hall with Uncle Guan.

His eldest brother, sister-in-law, and younger sister had basically all arrived.

His eldest brother also looked full of vigor.

The family finished breakfast in a harmonious atmosphere, then rose to welcome their distinguished guests.

Today was the full-month banquet for Hutou.

The Su Family had invited many important guests, and as the person in charge of the First Branch, Zhang Chen naturally had to go and welcome them early.

"Right, I actually forgot to tell Big Brother about the Zhenyuan Escort Agency yesterday..."

In truth, it wasn't that Zhang Su had forgotten.

It was just that his eldest brother had been too enthusiastic yesterday.

He had kept Zhang Su occupied as if he had endless things to say, leaving Zhang Su no opportunity to bring up the matter of the Zhenyuan Escort Agency.

However, the people from the Zhenyuan Escort Agency should be returning today.

When that time came, his eldest brother would naturally find out, so there was no need to rush.

Soon, people began to arrive at the Su residence one after another.

Zhang Su sat in the distance.

His status was somewhat special.

He was essentially considered a guest.

Therefore, he naturally did not need to help with the welcoming.

The guests were also divided into several categories.

Ordinary guests were naturally welcomed by other members of the Su Family.

Only distinguished guests with high status were welcomed by Zhang Chen personally.

This also showed that Zhang Chen's position in the Su Family was indeed that of the "person in charge."

The rumors were true.

"Aside from the business with the Su Family Third Branch, Big Brother's situation in the Su Family is indeed very good..."

No sooner had Zhang Su thought of the Third Branch than he saw the people from the Third Branch arrive.

Su Qianhe had arrived.

Following behind him was Su Mulan.

However, beside Su Mulan was a young man with a tall, upright figure and a handsome face.

There was a sharp, piercing aura about him.

It was completely different from the temperament of the people around him.

He stood out like a crane in a flock of chickens.

A martial artist!

The other party was a martial artist, and one who was brimming with blood energy, having broken through the limits of the human body!

The man seemed to be intentionally radiating some of his blood energy, which allowed Zhang Su to sense that he was a martial artist who had broken through the human limit.

Such a martial artist would be considered an elite even in the Guiyuan Sect Outer Sect, let alone among this crowd of ordinary people, where his temperament stood far above everyone else.

He was almost like a bright moon in the dark night, recognizable at a single glance.

"Young Master, that is Jiang Cheng, who is betrothed to the Second Miss of the Third Branch!"

Uncle Guan seemed to notice Zhang Su's gaze and whispered.

"The Qilin Child of the Jiang Family, a martial arts clan..."

Zhang Su nodded.

Since arriving in the prefecture city, he had heard the name "Jiang Cheng" more than once.

Su Mulan and the others walked in.

When Su Mulan saw Zhang Su, her expression shifted slightly.

However, it seemed the lesson from yesterday had been too profound; even with Jiang Cheng by her side, Su Mulan did not dare to be too presumptuous.

She merely whispered to Jiang Cheng: "Brother Cheng, this person is Zhang Chen's younger brother. He has been in the Guiyuan Sect for a year, and his martial arts are not weak. Even Uncle Qiao praised him as someone not to be underestimated."

Jiang Cheng's eyes narrowed slightly.

An Outer Sect disciple of the Guiyuan Sect?

He had seen plenty of them before.

Most Outer Sect disciples of the Guiyuan Sect were nothing special.

None of them could even break through the limits of the human body.

Coming from a martial arts family, Jiang Cheng naturally understood very well that only a martial artist who had broken through the human limit could be considered a genius.

Although he had not joined any sect, he had broken through the human limit, and his internal blood energy exceeded one hundred and fifty strands; he was a genius in every sense of the word!

How strong could an Outer Sect disciple who had only been in the Guiyuan Sect for a year possibly be?

As for the Su Family guard, Fang Qiao.

He had merely spent a few more years wandering the pugilistic world.

He was not worth mentioning.

Su Mulan came from a merchant family; how could she possibly understand the gap between martial artists?

The four words "martial arts family" were far beyond what those wandering martial artists could compare to.

"Are you Zhang Su?"

Jiang Cheng looked straight at Zhang Su and asked.

"That's right. And you are Jiang Cheng?"

"It is I. I heard from Lalan that you cut off a strand of her hair with a single sword strike yesterday?"

"That is true. What, do you want to take revenge?"

Jiang Cheng shook his head and said in a calm tone, "It is not appropriate for outsiders like us to interfere in the internal affairs of the Su Family. However, since we are both martial artists of similar age, let us communicate in the way of martial artists."

"I have a sword technique that has never met an opponent in Qingquan Prefecture. You are a disciple of a major sect, so your swordsmanship must be extraordinary. I wonder if you dare to take a strike from me?"

As soon as these words were spoken, the surroundings fell silent.

At this moment, many people's gazes fell upon Zhang Su and Jiang Cheng.

They naturally knew of Jiang Cheng.

The Qilin Child of the Jiang Family.

It was said that he was extremely gifted in the martial path.

His reputation resonated throughout Qingquan Prefecture.

As for Zhang Su, who stood opposite him.

Many people had not even seen him before.

Upon asking around, they learned he was the younger brother of Zhang Chen.

It was said he had been in the Guiyuan Sect for a year.

"It seems the conflict between the First Branch and the Third Branch can no longer be contained."

"Although Zhang Su is a disciple of a major sect, he has only been in the Guiyuan Sect for a year. Besides, I heard that the Su Family spent silver to buy his spot in the sect. How can he be mentioned in the same breath as Jiang Cheng?"

"Today is a joyous day for the First Branch of the Su Family, yet the Third Branch has brought the Jiang Family here to cause trouble. They have completely torn off the mask of civility..."

Those who could come to the Su Family were all people of a certain reputation and status in Qingquan Prefecture.

They naturally knew something about the situation within the Su Family.

Looking at it now, this was clearly an internal conflict within the Su Family.

If things went poorly, the First Branch's banquet today would become a laughingstock.

At this moment, Su Zhenzhen and Zhang Chen also walked over.

Su Zhenzhen shouted sternly, "Su Mulan, what are you trying to do?"

Su Mulan said indifferently, "Brother Cheng simply wants to spar with Zhang Su. This is a matter between martial artists; what could I possibly be doing?"

Su Zhenzhen frowned.

Jiang Cheng?

She had also heard of Jiang Cheng's reputation.

He had a great reputation among the martial artists of Qingquan Prefecture.

He was an out-and-out martial arts genius.

For such a genius to specifically name Zhang Su for a spar?

Clearly, this was the Third Branch making their move!

"Second brother, you are a guest of our Su Family, and our Su Family will naturally protect your safety."

Su Zhenzhen then said coldly, "Jiang Cheng, today is the full-month celebration for my son; it is not the time to brandish weapons..."

However, Jiang Cheng did not even glance at Su Zhenzhen.

His gaze remained fixed on Zhang Su.

Clearly, his meaning was simple.

This was a matter between martial artists, and it had nothing to do with anyone else.

It only required Zhang Su to nod.

"What, are you afraid?"

Jiang Cheng raised an eyebrow.

"Second brother, don't be impulsive..."

Zhang Chen also arrived at Zhang Su's side, grabbing him directly as if to lead him away.

Suddenly, Zhang Su lifted his head.

"I have been considering a question this entire time: my sword draws blood once it leaves its sheath! Can you bear the price?"

As soon as these words were spoken, Jiang Cheng's expression changed in an instant.