A Choice!

"Zhou Kingdom had finally come to this."

Jiang Ye sighed inwardly.

In the past, although refugees and bandits had caused trouble, at most they had made a disturbance in the countryside.

Now the unrest had spread to the county seat. That meant the situation had already deteriorated to a certain point.

Jiang Ye fell silent for a moment. His sharp gaze gradually softened, and his voice returned to its earlier calm.

"Since the times have forced your hand, I suppose I can't blame you. These Blood Replenishing Pills... Give me twenty bottles to start."

He didn't haggle over the price any further, simply naming the quantity.

With great turmoil on the horizon, resources to improve his strength were more important than gold and silver.

"Twenty bottles?!" Cui Yang's eyes suddenly lit up, and the smile on his face grew even more sincere and warm. "You're certainly decisive, old sir! Please, have a seat. I'll fetch you the finest stock!"

He immediately turned around and personally instructed a nimble young shop assistant behind him to fetch the medicine.

Before long, the assistant hurried back carrying a heavy rosewood medicine box.

When the lid was opened, deep red velvet lined the inside, where twenty thumb-thick, jade-white porcelain bottles sat neatly arranged. The bottles had a warm sheen and gave off a faint medicinal fragrance.

Cui Yang personally took out a bottle and presented it to Jiang Ye with both hands. "Old sir, please have a look. This batch was made with Mature Blood Ginseng that's over three years old. It's two points more potent than ordinary stock, and if stored properly, it'll retain its efficacy for a year."

Jiang Ye took the porcelain bottle, pulled out the stopper, and brought it to his nose.

A rich, mellow medicinal fragrance, with a hint of sweetness and bitterness, wafted over. Just breathing in a trace of it made the qi and blood in his chest and abdomen stir faintly.

He nodded slightly, then stoppered the bottle again and put it back in the box.

Without any needless chatter, he took a neatly folded banknote from his robes and slowly spread it across the counter.

One thousand taels!

Cui Yang's pupils contracted slightly. He took the banknote with both hands and carefully checked the serial number and seal. Once he confirmed it was genuine, his manner grew even more respectful.

"All right, old sir. Here's your medicine, and I've sealed the receipt as well. There are some things to keep in mind when taking Blood Replenishing Pills. It's best to..."

He deftly packed the medicine box and wrote up a receipt, then handed everything to Jiang Ye with a few friendly reminders about how to take the pills.

Jiang Ye accepted the box and tucked it into the broad inner fold of his robe. Then he turned and left, his pace unhurried.

"Take care, old sir. If you need anything in the future, please come back to Treasure Medicine Hall."

Cui Yang called after the figure that had already crossed the threshold.

Only after the gray-brown figure had completely merged with the night outside did the smile on his face gradually fade. A thoughtful look flickered in his eyes.

"That old sir must be at least a Dark Strength expert. Since when did someone like him appear in Anxi County?"

All martial artists needed pills, and as Treasure Medicine Hall's manager, he inevitably dealt with them.

Still, this white-haired old man was a Dark Strength expert, yet Cui Yang had no impression of him at all. It was truly surprising.

The night hung like a curtain.

Jiang Ye sat cross-legged beside the hard plank bed, meditating for a long while, his breathing as steady as a still well.

A moment later, he slowly reached into his robes and took out the warm, jade-white porcelain bottle. He tipped out a Blood Replenishing Pill and swallowed it in one gulp.

The pill dissolved as soon as it entered his throat. At first it was cool, but in the next instant, a searing yet gentle current of heat spread through his body.

"Not bad."

Jiang Ye gave a muffled grunt, a glint of light passing through his aged eyes.

The medicinal potency of this batch of Blood Replenishing Pills was even stronger than that of the pills he'd previously snatched from Xu Tao.

He had no intention of wasting any of their potency.

As soon as the current of heat began to spread, surging fiercely through his body, Jiang Ye moved. He rose from beside the bed and slowly assumed the opening stance of the Five Animal Fist in the middle of the cramped gatekeeper's room.

Ever since he learned that Lushan County had been sealed off amid internal turmoil, Jiang Ye had felt a sense of urgency.

This fire would eventually spread to Anxi County.

Under Liu Qingshi's protection, he had lived in peace for decades, but this unrest, now reaching the county seat, was anything but ordinary.

Even Liu Qingshi, a Transformation Strength martial artist, would likely struggle to remain unscathed.

So before the unrest arrived, he had to improve his strength as much as possible.

"If I can break through to Transformation Strength before the unrest arrives..."

A solemn look flickered through Jiang Ye's eyes.

No matter how great the turmoil became, he would have confidence in himself.

Three days passed in the blink of an eye.

At dawn, the horizon had only just begun to brighten.

On the open ground before the Martial Academy, Jiang Ye slowly finished the final move of the Five Animal Fist, Bird Soaring.

He stood still, the energy around him shifting from motion to stillness, like a rushing stream flowing into a deep pool. In an instant, not a ripple remained.

Only the slight flutter of his robes still carried the lingering rhythm of his circulating strength.

Host: Jiang Ye

Lifespan: 85

Strength: Dark Strength (Middle Stage)

Fate: Ascension Stairway [Effect 1: Extraordinary Comprehension]

Martial Arts Mastered: Five Animal Fist [Great Mastery, 501/1000]

True Intent Mastered: Tiger Walk Like Sickness, Spirit Ape Thousand Changes

He glanced at the system panel, a look of satisfaction flickering in his eyes.

After three days of cultivation, his control over his strength had improved another level. He had reached the middle stage of Dark Strength.

He raised his eyes slightly and looked in a certain direction.

That girl Liu Yiyi had spent years cultivating and had a solid foundation. By now, she should have reached the middle stage of Dark Strength as well.

Of course, that was only her apparent strength. He had comprehended two fist intents, so if they really fought, Liu Yiyi would certainly be no match for him.

"It's time to rest."

Jiang Ye slowly exhaled a long breath of stale air. The surging qi and blood in his body settled with it, like the sea receding with the tide and returning to stillness.

Although he no longer lacked pills to nourish him, this aged body was still no iron pot.

He understood better than anyone that too much of a good thing was harmful.

Once his breathing had settled completely and the thin sheen of sweat on his brow had dried in the morning breeze, Jiang Ye unhurriedly opened the Martial Academy's gates and continued his work as its gatekeeper.

"Hey, have you heard? Our neighboring Lushan County seems to have sealed itself off because of internal turmoil."

"Sealed off? I thought it was just a rumor! So something really happened."

"Th-then could it spread to Anxi County? My family lives by the west wall, not far from the refugee camp..."

"Hard to say. My mom said the price of rice and flour in town has already started rising."

"In these turbulent times, life just gets harder and harder."

Sitting by the entrance, Jiang Ye heard the disciples discussing their worries, their brows furrowed. A solemn look flickered in his eyes.

Even these young disciples, who knew little of the world and devoted themselves wholeheartedly to martial arts, had begun talking about the upheaval in Lushan County. That meant the news had already spread through the streets. The worsening situation was likely even more serious than what Cui Yang had told him three days ago.

A sense of panic spread among the Martial Academy's disciples.

But that afternoon, another piece of shocking news arrived at the Martial Academy.

Hu Tian had successfully broken through to Bright Strength!

"Tsk, tsk. Junior Brother Hu Tian is incredible."

"He's only been practicing martial arts for half a month, and he's already broken through to Bright Strength!"

"At this rate, Junior Brother Hu Tian might even break through to Dark Strength within a year!"

"An upper-grade bone structure really is enviable."

The Inner Courtyard disciples watched Hu Tian with envy and jealousy, their exclamations never-ending.

At the center of all the discussion, Hu Tian was also beaming with joy, though he wasn't as boastful and smug as he'd been when he first learned a fist technique.

For the past few days, he'd been worried about offending Liu Yiyi and Su Yan, and hadn't had the heart to think about anything else. He could only devote all his time to practicing his punches.

He hadn't expected to seize the opportunity to break through to Bright Strength.

"Hu Tian."

A deep, resonant voice came from behind the crowd, and the hubbub stopped at once.

No one knew when Liu Qingshi had emerged from his study. He stood beneath the corridor with his hands behind his back, his gaze falling on Hu Tian as he nodded slightly.

A rare trace of approval appeared on his usually stern face.

"I thought it would take you a month to break through. Good. You were faster than I expected."

He walked over and took from his sleeve the small blue-and-white porcelain bottle everyone had come to recognize. He held it out to Hu Tian.

The bottle had a warm sheen and gave off a faint medicinal fragrance. It was a fresh bottle of Blood Replenishing Pills.

"Keep up this diligence. Don't let that bone structure go to waste."

"Thank you for the reward, Master. I'll work even harder at my training!"

Hu Tian excitedly accepted the Blood Replenishing Pills from Liu Qingshi.

After offering Hu Tian a few more words of encouragement, Liu Qingshi glanced at Shi Lei, who was practicing his punches diligently not far away. An almost imperceptible look of satisfaction flickered in his eyes, then he turned and returned to his study.

Once the master of the academy had left, the atmosphere in the Inner Courtyard grew livelier.

Several disciples who were close to Hu Tian immediately gathered around him, their words now tinged with undisguised flattery.

"Junior Brother Hu Tian—no, I should call you Senior Brother Hu Tian now! You've broken through to Bright Strength, so from now on we're on equal footing!"

"Senior Brother Hu Tian, when you have time, you must let your junior brother treat you to a celebration for your breakthrough!"

"Hey, wasn't Junior Brother Shi Lei the same day as Senior Brother Hu Tian when they first learned the fist technique? I wonder how far he's gotten now..."

"Why even ask? Junior Brother Shi Lei only has a middle-to-lower-grade bone structure. By the time he breaks through to Bright Strength, Senior Brother Hu Tian will probably already be preparing to reach Dark Strength!"

Someone lowered his voice, teasing on purpose, his eyes darting toward the solitary figure in the distance.

Hearing the disciples' fawning discussion, Hu Tian couldn't help lifting the corners of his mouth in a smug smile.

Meanwhile, Shi Lei was completely unaffected, as if he and the other disciples lived in separate worlds.

Zhao Gang, the Martial Academy's senior brother, had been about to go over and offer a few words of comfort. Seeing this, a trace of admiration flickered in his eyes.

"I never thought Junior Brother Shi Lei would be so steadfast..."

He glanced at Hu Tian, who was beaming with pride not far away, and thought to himself, Given time, Junior Brother Shi Lei might not be unable to catch up with Hu Tian.

At the same time.

When Hu Tian's gaze passed over Shi Lei, who was practicing his punches alone like an ascetic monk, an undisguised look of disdain flashed through his eyes. He sneered inwardly.

"With a middle-to-lower-grade bone structure, no matter how hard he trains, he'll never even see my heels."

The smugness on his face grew, and he could hardly stop himself from laughing aloud.

Suddenly.

The corner of his eye inadvertently caught sight of two figures beneath a distant corridor.

Liu Yiyi and Su Yan stood side by side, one as cold as snow, the other as gentle as the moon.

They weren't even looking this way...

And yet Hu Tian's heart inexplicably gave a shiver.

It was as if a basin of ice water had poured without warning over the crown of his head.

The pride that had just flared up, the joy swelling until it nearly spilled from his chest, was suddenly cut in half by a chill that came from nowhere.

The smug smile still hung at the corners of his mouth, but had stiffened into an unnatural curve.

The exhilaration of breaking through to Bright Strength inexplicably faded by a third.

Closing time finally approached.

Hu Tian was once again the first to leave the Martial Academy.

He couldn't wait to go home and share the joy of breaking through to Bright Strength with his older sister.

Just as he passed through a quiet street corner, a black figure seemed to grow out of the wall's shadow, blocking his path squarely.

"Big Brother Zhang Wang?!"

Hu Tian stopped abruptly, nearly stumbling.

The man before him was Zhang Xu's trusted subordinate, Zhang Wang.

Zhang Wang sized Hu Tian up, then slapped him on the shoulder with great familiarity.

"Impressive, impressive! The young master really did pick the right person. How many days has it been? You've broken through to Bright Strength! Among the younger generation in all of Anxi County, your talent is second to none!"

As he spoke, he draped an arm over Hu Tian's shoulder. "Come on, Brother Hu Tian. The young master wants to see you."

At that, Hu Tian's face changed, and a trace of hesitation appeared in his eyes.

Although he didn't know what Zhang Xu had done with the two senior sisters that night, resulting in his expulsion from the Martial Academy, it was obvious that the two sides had completely fallen out.

And because he'd acted as the go-between, he had offended the two senior sisters as well.

If he went to see Zhang Xu now, it would be even harder for him to find a place in the Martial Academy later.

"Big Brother Zhang Wang, do you know what Senior Brother Zhang Xu did that night..."

Hu Tian was about to ask.

"Alas..."

Zhang Wang let out a long sigh, cutting him off. "Brother Hu Tian, I don't know the details either."

"But you can ask the young master in person."

Seeing Hu Tian still hesitate, Zhang Wang spoke again. "Brother Hu Tian, have you forgotten how the young master looked after you when you first joined the Martial Academy?"

As he spoke, Zhang Wang's eyes swept over Hu Tian's clothes.

He was still wearing the clothes Zhang Xu had taken him to buy back then.

"All right. I'll go see Senior Brother Zhang Xu with you."

After hesitating for a moment, Hu Tian eventually went with Zhang Wang.

Anxi County, east of the city.

The Zhang Family manor.

"Senior Brother Zhang Xu... how did you... end up this badly injured?!"

Hu Tian followed Zhang Wang into the room. His pupils shrank sharply, and he froze in shock.

Zhang Xu lay on the bed, his face deathly pale. Bandages wound around his chest, with thin trails of blood seeping through.

He looked like he'd just crawled back from the gates of hell.

At the same time, Hu Tian grew all the more curious about what Senior Brother Zhang Xu had done that night to end up in this state.

Hearing Hu Tian's voice, Zhang Xu slowly opened his eyes. Half-awake, his lips trembled as he spoke:

"Hu... Hu Tian, you finally came..."

His voice was weak and hoarse, with an added trace of effeminate softness that made one's teeth ache.

Hu Tian suddenly snapped out of it and nearly stumbled as he rushed to the bedside.

He stared at Zhang Xu's sunken, bloodless face, his voice trembling. "Senior Brother... th-this... what in the world..."

Zhang Xu was silent for a moment. He didn't answer Hu Tian's question, but instead asked, "Hu Tian, how do you think I've treated you?"

Hu Tian froze. After a long pause, he nodded slightly. "Senior Brother Zhang has treated me pretty well."

Zhang Xu stared fixedly at Hu Tian, his voice growing even hoarser:

"Then would you be willing to leave Bluestone Martial Academy?"