Zhenyuan Escort Agency

Luo Bin's words fell, and the young servant's face turned pale with fright. Anyone bold enough to say such things was not someone a gatekeeper could afford to offend. He immediately turned and sprinted toward the inner courtyard, shouting at the top of his lungs:

"Gentlemen, sirs, someone's here to challenge the agency!"

"Come out, take charge of the situation, wuwu..."

His voice struck like a stone thrown into a calm lake, ripples spreading in an instant.

"Who? Who dares to come to our Zhenyuan Escort Agency and pick a fight? Don't they know the reputation of our escort masters and martial masters? I'll have to see who's got the guts of a bear and the gall of a leopard..."

A burly man in a short tunic snorted, about to stride outside to "get a look" at this so-called challenger, when a short, thin man beside him suddenly grabbed his arm.

"Wei Ang, don't be impulsive. Times have changed. Since someone dares to challenge us, they must have backing. What if they have a gun... us brothers at the Golden Skin Pass can't take that well.

Better call Brother Duan and the other Jade Bone Pass experts to handle the scene. If something goes wrong, the chance of injury is smaller."

The burly man named Wei Ang was reckless, not stupid. After hearing the short, thin man's words, he thought it over briefly, then strode toward the back courtyard.

The main courtyard of the Zhenyuan Escort Agency wasn't like the "several-entrance, several-exit" mansions of wealthy families. It had been remodeled internally, divided only into a front and back courtyard. The front courtyard housed mostly those at the Golden Skin Pass, and even some minor martial masters who hadn't entered a realm...

The four Jade Bone Pass martial masters of the agency all lived in the back courtyard.

Before long, led by Wei Ang, a man in a dark blue short tunic walked out with steady steps and a composed demeanor. The two of them immediately locked onto Luo Bin's presence.

Luo Bin was admiring the surrounding scenery when his heart stirred. He turned his head, his gaze meeting the eyes of the two approaching martial masters one by one, finally settling on the man with the steady stride.

"This young master, you're alone... here to challenge the agency?" Wei Ang was suddenly struck by a sense of absurdity.

A youth who looked about sixteen or seventeen, even if he came from a wealthy family in Ping City, at such a young age, how strong could his martial arts be? Challenging the entire Zhenyuan Escort Agency by himself?

Not to mention him and the vigorous escort master beside him named Duan Qing, many old escort masters who had steeped themselves in martial arts for years were still in the agency, even if they often escorted caravans outside...

When they heard the words "someone's challenging the agency," these people couldn't even be bothered to move from their seats. It was Wei Ang, being cautious, who had pulled in someone who had just broken through to the Jade Bone Pass a few days ago.

Luo Bin's gaze stuck to Duan Qing, sizing him up and pondering.

This man's pressure on him was far less than Jiang Ling's, but observing the skin exposed by his short tunic, the glossy sheen characteristic of the Golden Skin Realm seemed to have faded. His overall aura was restrained. Luo Bin made a judgment in his mind in an instant.

This was a martial master of the Jade Bone Pass!

The fighting instinct surged in his blood, but also stirred up doubt.

"What's going on with this Zhenyuan Escort Agency? Any random escort master that comes out has the strength of the Jade Bone Pass?"

"I've been at the Chen Family for so many days. Logically, for such a big family, aside from an unfathomable Jiang Ling, there should be at least one Jade Bone martial master in the open, right..."

"The Chen Family is playing me!"

Luo Bin snapped back to attention and said, "That's right, just me alone.

I've long heard of the Zhenyuan Escort Agency's prestige. Your escort masters travel through the Ghostly Demon Forest without batting an eye, and you've even cooperated with the great ocean merchants of the Balun Kingdom. I wonder if you've ever encountered those 'Western False Gods'?"

Wei Ang, a late-stage Golden Skin Pass martial master, had his own pride compared to ordinary people. Seeing Luo Bin's arrogant tone, he was furious and was about to teach this reckless youth a lesson when Duan Qing suddenly extended his right hand, a surging force pressing down on his shoulder.

"Brother Duan, you...!"

"You're too impatient. Go back and rest. I'll handle this."

Wei Ang slunk back into the courtyard, dejected, as Duan Qing smiled like a spring breeze and said, "Young master, you haven't entered the Jade Bone Pass. I'm afraid this challenge won't go through..."

Luo Bin smiled faintly. "How do you know I can't do it? I'd like to see the strength of a Jade Bone Pass martial master."

This was his goal. If he had politely announced himself, the martial masters in the agency would have just played along with empty pleasantries. After all, in the upper echelons of Ping City, face was everything, and they wouldn't gang up to bully a junior.

But coming with this attitude, so arrogant it made one's skin crawl, changed the nature of things.

Only then could he make these escort masters, who had been drifting through the underworld for years and were slick as oil, hate him to the bone and thus go all out...

Duan Qing chuckled lightly. "Since the young master is so confident, why not step into the courtyard? Outside, we might disturb passersby..."

"Fine."

Luo Bin didn't waste words and followed Duan Qing inside.

A spacious training ground came into view. Many people were sparring on the open ground, and at the very center was a solidly built arena where escort masters were practicing against each other. At a glance, they were mostly early and mid-stage Golden Skin Pass martial masters.

They all looked young, from fifteen or sixteen to eighteen or nineteen. There were also quite a few in their twenties and even middle-aged men, all well-dressed with abundant blood and energy. The male-to-female ratio was roughly seven to three.

When the crowd saw Duan Qing bringing in a youth in a Western suit, countless eyes immediately flicked over. Noticing the faintly defined muscle lines beneath Luo Bin's suit, they couldn't help but frown.

"Who is this? Brother Duan is a great martial master of the Jade Bone Pass, and he's bringing in a youth with such a friendly face?"

"Probably not simple. Didn't the gatekeeper just shout that someone was challenging the agency..."

"No way, is it him? Coming alone to challenge the agency? Although our Zhenyuan Escort Agency has many brothers who haven't entered a realm, our combat power at the higher levels is definitely not weak."

Wei Ang added from the crowd, "This guy is here to challenge us, and he's incredibly arrogant. Brother Duan and I already asked his intentions outside...

He's simply asking for death. In all my years, I've never seen anyone dare to come here and pick a fight..."

Murmurs rose and fell. Duan Qing's ears caught these voices, and they resonated with him.

Now even any stray cat or dog could come and cause trouble for the agency...

He waved for the people sparring on the arena to come down, then explained the situation to the crowd. A chorus of curses erupted.

"A little brat, what gives him the right to be so arrogant...!"

"Do you really think this agency is your backyard, that you can come and go as you please? If you don't leave an explanation here today, you're not walking out!"

Luo Bin listened to the increasingly fierce rebukes and felt a faint thrill. Since breaking through to the Golden Skin Pass's perfection, the strength of the Pure Yang Body-Forging Technique had never been tested. Today would be the perfect chance to hone his combat skills and insights.

But he had to admit—the Zhenyuan Escort Agency had a truly overwhelming number of Martial Masters.

During his dealings with the Chen Family and the Green Bamboo Gang, he had seen Golden Skin Pass Martial Masters like Zhang Huai and Hu Junzhi, and Luo Wendi seemed to be one as well. As for Jade Bone Pass Martial Masters, the Chen Family had deliberately kept them hidden, and Luo Bin had yet to encounter any...

Yet today, in this very courtyard of the Zhenyuan Escort Agency, Golden Skin Pass early-stage fighters were everywhere, and mid-stage ones were as common as dogs.

Zhang Huai and Hu Junzhi were definitely on his side. When Luo Bin sparred with them, he held back, afraid of causing injury... But today, he could finally cut loose!