A Sudden Turn

The moment Jiang Tian reached his front door, his enhanced hearing picked up the murmurs and rustling from the courtyard through the door.

Big Brother was back!

Jiang Tian raised an eyebrow and flung the courtyard gate open.

But the overwhelming smell of medicinal herbs rushed at him, and his heart sank straight to the bottom.

His expression tightened, and he strode toward the east room.

He stepped inside.

The first thing he saw was his big brother Jiang Minghai's pale face. His lips were bloodless, as if every drop of blood had been drained from his body.

White bandages wrapped around him, and blood kept seeping from his chest, staining the gauze a shocking red.

His sister-in-law, Bai Zhiruo, was half-kneeling beside the bed, changing his bandages. Her eyes were red, and her fingers trembled slightly, yet she bit her lip and stayed silent.

Their niece, Jiang Yuexi, stood obediently in the corner, her little face tense. She neither cried nor fussed, but her black gemstone eyes were filled with fear.

Jiang Tian looked up, and the panel above his big brother's head appeared.

[Name: Jiang Minghai]

[Realm: Manifest Energy (Hidden Energy)]

[Traits: Gifted Intelligence (Green), Excellent Bone Structure (Blue)]

The instant Jiang Tian saw the "Realm" line, his brows knitted together.

By rights, with his own Hidden Energy cultivation, he shouldn't be able to see his big brother's traits. Unless... His eyes fell on the small brackets, and his heart sank.

His big brother had been injured so badly that he'd fallen a realm!

From Manifest Energy to Hidden Energy.

"Big Brother!" Jiang Tian called out, worry plain on his face.

The moment he saw Jiang Tian, a smile tugged at Jiang Minghai's pale face. His voice was as faint as a strand of spider silk in the wind. "You're back?"

His eyes carefully examined Jiang Tian. His younger brother was far more solidly built than before, standing straight-backed with a lean, powerful air about him. He looked like a different person.

Had he... tempered his body?

Jiang Tian hadn't made a move, so Jiang Minghai could only judge by feel and naturally assumed his younger brother was still in the Body Tempering Realm.

"Good, good, good!" A relieved smile spread across Jiang Minghai's face as he said "good" three times. "How many days has it been? And you've already tempered your body! Good, good, good! You've far surpassed your big brother!"

Perhaps the excitement was too much for him. A sickly flush rose in his cheeks, and he immediately broke into a violent coughing fit.

"Cough, cough, cough!"

His coughs sounded as if he were about to hack up a lung. They shook his chest, and fresh blood seeped through the bandages.

Bai Zhiruo hurriedly rubbed Jiang Minghai's back. Her eyes red, she said, "All right, get some rest. Don't talk anymore."

"Big Brother, what exactly happened to you? Was it the Poison Wolf Gang?"

"Mm." Jiang Minghai nodded. He seemed reluctant to say more and worry his younger brother, so he waved a hand and put on a forced smile. "It's all right. My injuries aren't serious. I'll recover in a few days. Don't worry about me. Just focus on your training."

"And don't worry about money, either. I was injured in the line of duty. The county magistrate won't leave me to fend for myself."

Jiang Tian opened his mouth, but in the end he didn't press him. He turned and went back outside.

Not serious?

He'd fallen a realm. How could those injuries not be serious?

The county magistrate...

His eyes flickered as if a stone were weighing down his heart.

He had barely returned to the west room when the courtyard gate rang with an impatient, urgent shout.

"Jiang Minghai! Jiang Minghai!"

"Coming, coming."

Jiang Tian slipped behind the door and watched the courtyard through the narrow crack.

A young man in brocade robes had arrived. He had fair skin and features seven or eight tenths similar to someone else's... Li Batian!

Jiang Tian quickly compared him with the face in his memory. If he wasn't mistaken, this had to be Li Batian's older brother.

No traits appeared above his head... He was at least a Manifest Energy expert.

"Li Kun, what are you doing here?"

Jiang Minghai stood beneath the eaves, leaning against the doorframe. His face was even paler than before.

Li Kun acted as if he hadn't heard. First, he gave Bai Zhiruo, who had come out after him, a brazen once-over. Only then did he slowly shift his gaze to Jiang Minghai, wearing a hypocritical smile.

"I heard you were injured, so I came to bring you a bottle of medicine."

He pulled a small celadon bottle from his sleeve and weighed it in his hand.

Jiang Minghai frowned and first gestured to Bai Zhiruo. She bit her lip and went back inside.

Only after she disappeared behind the curtain did Jiang Minghai turn to Li Kun, his expression still dark. His voice was cold. "I appreciate the thought. Take the medicine back."

"Oh?" Li Kun raised an eyebrow. His smile faded a little.

He paused, tucked the bottle back into his sleeve, and changed tack. "Then I'll get straight to the point."

"To celebrate our great victory in suppressing the bandits, I've decided to host a feast at the Drunken Wind Pavilion in five days. Make sure you come."

Jiang Minghai replied in a low voice, "All right."

But inwardly, he scoffed. A great victory? How could this bandit suppression count as one?

If the county magistrate hadn't hurriedly summoned the masters of several martial arts schools in the city, they would have lost a lot more people.

"Oh, right!" Li Kun added lightly, as if he'd suddenly remembered something. "Bring your sister-in-law, too."

At that, Jiang Minghai's expression changed instantly.

His temples throbbed, veins bulged on his neck, and he clenched his fists until his knuckles turned white. He growled furiously, his voice seeming to scrape its way out of the depths of his throat. "Li Kun, what do you mean by that?"

"What do I mean?" Li Kun tilted his head with a smile. "Isn't it obvious?"

"Hmph!" Jiang Minghai snorted, his expression dark as could be. "Li Kun, do you think your Li Family rules Blackwater County?"

"In Blackwater County, the county magistrate is the one who rules!"

"Fool." Li Kun laughed scornfully, his smile full of condescending contempt. "Jiang Minghai, can't you see it yet?"

He held up one finger and counted slowly.

"How many people from the City Patrol Division died suppressing the bandits this time? Do you know? Why don't you use your head and ask yourself why the City Patrol Division was brought along in the first place?"

"How many from the City Patrol Division died, and how many of Commander Liu's men outside the city died?"

At that, he paused. His expression suddenly softened, as if he'd changed masks, and his voice grew gentle, dripping with nauseating "kindness."

"If you let your sister-in-law come with me, with my Li Family's influence and my position as a company commander, I could probably arrange a cushy post for you among the camp troops. I could even find someone to treat your injuries."

"Get out!"

That was the only answer he got.

Jiang Minghai's chest heaved violently. "Li Kun, I, Jiang Minghai, may not amount to much, but I'd never sell my wife for advancement! Get out of my house!"

"Heh."

Li Kun wasn't angry. If anything, his smile grew more smug.

He straightened his collar and turned cheerfully to leave, tossing a parting line over his shoulder. "All right, I'll be waiting for you at the Drunken Wind Pavilion in five days."

With that, he strode away.

Behind the crack in the door, Jiang Tian's eyes brimmed with murderous intent.

Over the past few days, he'd come to regard Jiang Minghai and Bai Zhiruo as his own family.

Five days?

He clenched his fists so tightly his fingernails nearly dug into his flesh.

That should be enough.

Early the next morning, Jiang Tian left home.

He went to the medicine shop first and spent nearly every silver coin he had. He bought Blood Vitality Pills and medicine for his big brother's injuries, more than a thousand taels' worth, filling a whole bag.

When he got home, he brought the medicine for his big brother to the bedside.

"This..." Jiang Minghai stared at the bag of fine-quality medicine, his brows knitted together. "Xiaotian, where did you get so much silver?"

"The Martial Arts Hall gave it to me." Jiang Tian had already thought up an explanation. "The master said I had talent, so he rewarded me."

Jiang Minghai looked at him with lingering doubt, but ultimately didn't press him.

At the Martial Arts Hall, Jiang Tian didn't stop to exchange pleasantries with anyone.

He trained.

He trained without stopping.

[Beep! You possess Innate Martial Bone and Superb Comprehension! Five Animals Creation Play +9!]

[Beep! You possess Innate Martial Bone and Superb Comprehension! Five Animals Creation Play +9!]

[Beep! You possess Innate Martial Bone and Superb Comprehension! Five Animals Creation Play +9!]

He threw punch after punch, like a tireless machine, until sweat pooled in a small puddle at his feet.

Passing Yuan Long's study, he noticed the door was tightly shut, with the faint smell of medicinal herbs wafting through the crack.

Was Yuan Long injured too?

Jiang Tian frowned but didn't dwell on it.

At lunchtime, Li Batian came over again, carrying a food box.

"Junior Brother Jiang, today's dishes."

Jiang Tian had meant to refuse, but thinking of Li Kun from the day before, he patiently started chatting with him.

Once they'd talked for a while, he cautiously asked, "Batian, is Li Kun your older brother?"

The smile on Li Batian's face stiffened slightly.