Jiang Ye Makes His Move!

Refugees from Lushan County have escaped here?!

The disciples, who had just been heatedly discussing Hu Tian's whereabouts, were struck silent as if by a collective chokehold.

The clamor ceased abruptly.

They looked at one another, the petty curiosity and gossip about others' prospects instantly replaced by a far heavier emotion.

Fear.

"Lushan County... wasn't that city locked down?"

"Refugees escaped? That... that means..."

"I heard this morning that the price of rice and flour had gone up again. If the refugees arrive, won't prices skyrocket to the heavens!"

"How many are at the city gates? A hundred? A thousand? Are the officials doing anything about it!"

Panic, like an invisible plague, began to spread through the martial arts hall.

The previous discussions regarding Hu Tian, Zhang Xu, and the Extreme Fist Martial Arts Hall now seemed so distant and insignificant.

Fortunately, this rapidly fermenting panic did not last long.

By the end of the Wei hour, new information arrived from the city gates, barely managing to suppress the boiling emotions.

According to the disciples who had rushed to the gates to scout for news, the number of refugees from Lushan County was indeed significant—about a hundred or so, dragging their families along and looking quite disheveled.

But the crucial piece of information was this: they had escaped before Lushan County was completely sealed off.

This meant that Lushan County had likely not yet fallen.

The chaos had not yet spread this far.

At the same time, another detail was noted by those with a keen eye.

Those who managed to escape before the lockdown were, for the most part, martial artists.

There were disciples from local martial arts halls in Lushan County, and martial masters who had been hired to guard the homes of the wealthy.

Relying on their agile bodies and well-informed connections, they had fought their way out with their families at the very last moment before the city gates were bolted shut.

Beside the main gate of the martial academy, Jiang Ye remained motionless on his small, polished stool, his eyes half-closed as if indifferent to the surrounding clamor and panic.

"Martial artists who escaped before the lockdown..."

Jiang Ye shook his head slightly, a strange glint flashing in his eyes.

It was foreseeable that once these people entered the city, Anxi County would surely become more tense and restless than before.

Just as Jiang Ye was pondering this, a middle-aged man in a pale green training suit, with a lean build and a gentle temperament, walked toward the gate at a measured pace.

Jiang Ye slowly stood up and gave a slight bow to the man. "Hall Master Zhou, you've come."

This man was Zhou Yue, the hall master of the Lingyue Martial Academy. He and Liu Qingshi had a decent relationship and often kept in touch.

Therefore, Jiang Ye was no stranger to him.

"Old Man Jiang, your complexion is as good as ever!"

Zhou Yue greeted Jiang Ye politely before stepping into the martial academy.

Jiang Ye stood outside the gatehouse, watching Zhou Yue's figure disappear behind the moon gate deep within the academy. His aged eyes narrowed slightly, a thoughtful, dark glint passing through them.

Zhou Yue coming over at a time like this... I fear he has something important to discuss.

Inside the academy study, tea fragrance curled in the air.

Liu Qingshi poured a cup of hot tea for Zhou Yue, and the two sat opposite each other.

The glow of the setting sun filtered through the lattice windows, spreading a warm gold across the desk, yet it could not dispel the heavy atmosphere faintly drifting in the air.

"What is it? No teaching today? You have the leisure to come over."

Liu Qingshi picked up his teacup with a faint smile, his tone as steady as ever.

Zhou Yue took a sip of tea first, savoring it on his tongue for a moment before raising his eyes to look at his old friend with a half-smile. "I heard your academy produced a traitor, so I came to offer some comfort."

Upon hearing this, Liu Qingshi couldn't help but shake his head and laugh, though there was a touch of genuine helplessness in his smile. "Good news doesn't leave the house, but bad news travels a thousand miles. This rumor certainly spread fast."

"The Extreme Fist Martial Arts Hall has been using increasingly despicable methods these years. They try to poach anyone with potential, regardless of how ugly it looks."

Zhou Yue sighed softly, then shifted the subject, his gaze becoming more scrutinizing. "However, your disciple has his own issues. To be tricked by such petty gains—his temperament and resolve were lacking in the end."

Liu Qingshi did not respond.

He lowered his eyes to watch the tea leaves floating and sinking in his cup, his expression somber, lost in thought.

Seeing this, Zhou Yue did not press the matter further.

He set down his teacup, cleared his throat, and his expression gradually turned solemn.

"Forget it, let's not talk about that. Let me tell you the real business."

He looked up at Liu Qingshi and began:

"You must be aware of the martial artists who fled here from Lushan County."

Liu Qingshi nodded slightly.

"The people who escaped this time are no simple matter." Zhou Yue lowered his voice, his tone carrying a hint of gravity. "The masters of the three martial arts halls are all Transformation Strength experts, and among their disciples, there are several skilled in Dark Strength, not to mention those at the Bright Strength level."

He paused, his voice growing heavier. "Taken together, this is a force that cannot be underestimated."

"I have already heard. The magistrate's intention is to accept them, let them put down roots in Anxi County, and bolster our local martial strength."

Liu Qingshi's brows twitched, vaguely guessing what was to follow.

Sure enough, Zhou Yue continued, "The Martial Assembly three days from now will be held as scheduled. And..."

He deliberately paused, "The martial artists from Lushan County will be participating as well."

"What?!"

Even Liu Qingshi, who was usually as steady as a mountain and kept his emotions well-hidden, felt a flash of undisguised shock in his eyes at this moment.

"With the situation so volatile, the Martial Assembly is still going ahead?"

In Anxi County, this Martial Assembly was an annual grand event that had continued for over a decade.

Every year on this day, the three major martial arts halls and several Martial Academies would gather at the Martial Practice Field in the north of the city, sending their disciples onto the stage to spar and compete.

When the time came, it was not only a gala for martial artists but also the focal point of the entire county.

Those disciples who performed exceptionally on stage would not only earn fame for their own halls and attract more students.

They could also catch the eye of wealthy local families, such as the Su Family or the Zhang Family, securing sponsorship and a brighter future.

Liu Qingshi had assumed that with the news of the chaos in Lushan County spreading, this year's Martial Assembly would likely be canceled.

Yet he had not expected that not only would it proceed, but these "dragons crossing the river" who had fled from Lushan County would be allowed to join.

He could almost foresee the astonishing ruthlessness and fighting spirit those outsiders would unleash on the stage, desperate to prove themselves and gain a foothold in a strange land.

"This is hardly good news."

Liu Qingshi's brows were tightly locked. He picked up his teacup and took a sip; the tea had gone cold, leaving a bitter taste in his throat.

Compared to the disciples of the martial arts halls, his Martial Academy disciples were already at a slight disadvantage.

Add in these "dragons crossing the river" from Lushan County...

The intensity of the competition at this year's Martial Assembly would likely far exceed previous years.

Watching his old friend's furrowed brows, Zhou Yue couldn't help but sigh.

"I came here just to give you a heads-up. At this Martial Assembly, I fear we academies are going to be suppressed by those martial arts halls and the newcomers."

He stood up and walked to the window, his voice tinged with complexity:

"The magistrate has his own considerations; in these troubled times, extra martial strength is extra security. But for those of us who teach boxing, it is never a pleasant feeling to watch our own disciples get trampled."

The study fell into a brief silence.

The news that the Martial Assembly would be held in three days was like a stone cast into a lake, instantly sending ripples through the Martial Academy.

The first to explode were the Outer Courtyard disciples.

These young disciples, who didn't even have the qualifications to step onto the stage, became the most excited group of all.

They gathered in twos and threes at the edge of the Martial Practice Field, lowering their voices to exchange the inside information they had gathered.

"Have you heard? Have you heard? The martial artists who fled from Lushan County are going to participate too!"

"Doesn't that mean there's a good show to watch? I want to see how the boxing styles of Lushan County differ from our Anxi County!"

"I heard there's a disciple from a hall over there who reached Dark Strength at only seventeen. Is that true or false?"

"Who cares if it's true or false? It's not our business anyway, we can't get on the stage..."

"That's true, heh, we'll just watch the fun."

Compared to the relaxed and jubilant atmosphere of the Outer Courtyard, the mood in the Inner Courtyard was far more complex.

During breaks in training, Inner Courtyard disciples gathered in groups of three or five under the corridors or beside the wooden training dummies, their topics of conversation revolving entirely around the Martial Assembly three days away.

These young faces wore varied expressions; some were excited and eager for a fight, while others were deeply furrowed with worry and gloom.

"The Lushan County martial artists are participating? Doesn't that mean we'll have a whole lot more opponents this year?"

"It's a good chance to see exactly how strong those Lushan County martial artists really are!"

"You're certainly optimistic. I heard that among those who fled, there are three hall masters, and their disciples number at least twenty or thirty—plenty of Bright Strength, and even Dark Strength..."

"So what if they have Dark Strength? It's not like our Inner Courtyard doesn't have seniors at the Dark Strength level."

"I wonder who from our academy will be going on stage this year..."

As the Inner Courtyard disciples discussed, they subconsciously cast their gazes toward Liu Yiyi, Su Yan, and Zhao Gang, the core disciples.

Beside a pillar, Liu Yiyi stood with her hands behind her back, dressed in a plain white martial outfit, her sleeves fluttering gently in the evening breeze.

She remained as cold as snow, as if the surrounding chatter—whether excited or anxious—was separated from her by an invisible curtain of water.

Yet those clear, cool eyes were fixed on the deepening twilight at the horizon, lost in some unknown thought.

On the stone steps not far away, Su Yan focused on her fist practice; she had already reached the peak of Bright Strength.

Especially after that "absurd battle" with the white-haired old man a few nights ago, she felt as if a certain barrier within her body had been pierced through.

She had a premonition that she would be able to knock on the door of Dark Strength in the near future.

It is truly... utterly absurd. To think I would have to rely on such a thing to stimulate my breakthrough...

The image of her "fierce battle" with the white-haired old man flashed subconsciously through Su Yan's mind, and her fair, tender earlobes were quietly dyed with a layer of crimson.

Her breathing also became rapid without her realizing it.

Moreover, it carried a hint of alluring heat.

What was even more fatal was that Liu Yiyi, not far away, seemed to sense something and looked over.

Their eyes met.

Whether it was her imagination or not, Su Yan felt as if she saw a faint, watery sheen in Liu Yiyi's cold, snow-like eyes.

Could Yiyi be thinking about that matter too...

The moment this thought flashed through Su Yan's mind.

Liu Yiyi instantly averted her gaze.

However, judging by the slight rise and fall of her chest, the young girl's state of mind did not seem calm.

In the center of the Martial Practice Field, Zhao Gang was sparring with several junior disciples, his every move as steady as a mountain.

As the senior disciple of the martial arts hall, he had always been the backbone of the Inner Courtyard disciples.

At this moment, his face still wore its customary, honest smile, but beneath that smile, there was a hint of gravity that others found difficult to detect.

Time passed quickly, and in the blink of an eye, three days had gone by.

Before the sky had fully brightened, with only a faint, fish-belly white appearing in the east, a withered figure was already standing in the open space in front of the gate.

Jiang Ye slowly assumed his stance, beginning with the Five Animal Fist.

His figure suddenly sank, his spine arching like a tiger ready to pounce, and then, with a light tap of his feet, he moved with the agility of a mountain deer, leaping lightly within a small space and landing without a sound.

Immediately following this, he tilted his shoulders and back, delivering a Bear Lean into the empty air, which produced a faint, muffled thud...

Several types of strength converted and merged into one another.

Jiang Ye stood still, his eyelids lifting slightly as his gaze fell upon a piece of bluestone the size of a man's torso nearby.

That stone was a leftover scrap from when the gatehouse was renovated years ago; it was thick and solid, weighing at least two hundred pounds, and had been left in the corner, ignored by everyone.

Jiang Ye would occasionally glance at it while sweeping, never giving it a second thought.

At this moment, as he looked at the stone, his right hand suddenly lifted, his five fingers hanging loose as if drained of strength, and he pressed a palm lightly against it.

Bang.

A soft sound.

The surface of the bluestone remained completely unmoved.

There wasn't even a single crack.

Yet, if someone were to crouch down and look closely at this moment, they would be shocked to discover that the bottom of the stone—the side touching the ground—was shedding fine, powdery dust.

The powder was extremely fine, as fine as sifted flour, piling up silently on the ground and kicking up a faint mist of dust in the morning light.

Jiang Ye withdrew his palm, lowered his eyes to look at the bluestone—intact on the surface but completely disintegrated within—and a trace of satisfaction flashed across his eyes.

Host: Jiang Ye
Lifespan: 85
Strength: Dark Strength (Late Stage)
Fate: Ascension Stairway [Effect 1: Superb Comprehension]
Martial Arts Mastered: Five Animal Fist [Great Success, 808/1000]
True Intent Mastered: Tiger Walk Like Sickness, Spirit Ape Thousand Changes

It had to be said that the effect of Superb Comprehension was truly terrifying; after three days of cultivation, Jiang Ye's strength had already improved to the late stage of Dark Strength.

He was not far from Transformation Strength now.

It was a matter of these next few days.

"Old Jiang, are you not going to watch the Martial Assembly?"

Liu Qingshi's voice interrupted Jiang Ye's train of thought.

He had changed into a solemn, dark-colored robe, followed by his disciples who were dressed and ready to depart.

Jiang Ye waved his hand. "I'm getting old. Young people fighting and killing is too stimulating. I'd rather guard this gate and enjoy some peace and quiet."

He had followed along to watch the excitement a few times in the past, and every time, the ones stealing the spotlight were none other than the Extreme Fist Martial Arts Hall.

Besides, he had other business to attend to today.

Seeing Jiang Ye refuse, Liu Qingshi did not press the matter further; he gave a slight nod and led his vast, imposing procession toward the north of the city.

The sounds of footsteps, whispers, and the rustling of robes drifted further away, eventually scattered by the morning breeze.

Jiang Ye stood by the door, watching those youthful figures disappear at the end of the long street.

Once the last trace of their presence had faded, he turned and returned to his room at a measured, unhurried pace.

When he pushed the door open and stepped out again, the person standing there was no longer that frail, elderly gatekeeper.

His stature had grown taller, his spine was straight, and his features were gaunt and cold, with an aura of hostility between his brows that warned others to keep their distance.

He looked down at this unfamiliar shell, flexed his knuckles, and confirmed that everything was in order.

"It is time to settle this!"

He left the Martial Academy without a sound and headed in the direction of the Zhang Family estate.

Over the past few days, through the chatter of the academy disciples, he had learned that the animal Zhang Xu was actually still alive.

Since the other party had not yet died, Jiang Ye would make sure he was thoroughly dead today.

As far as he knew, the Zhang Family retained a Transformation Strength martial artist, whose whereabouts were erratic and who rarely showed his face.

But today was the day of the Martial Assembly, and nine out of ten prominent martial artists in Anxi County would be gathered in the north of the city.

That Transformation Strength retainer, he reasoned, would likely not miss such a grand event.

Therefore, today was the best opportunity to assassinate Zhang Xu.

About an hour later.

Jiang Ye's figure appeared in a quiet alley outside the Zhang Family mansion.

He did not rashly scale the wall, but instead hid in the shadows, listening intently.

Then, he heard news from the mouths of the Zhang Family servants that left him speechless.

That animal Zhang Xu, despite his severe injuries and having only just stabilized his condition, had actually been carried by servants to the Martial Assembly to watch the excitement today.

After a moment of deliberation, Jiang Ye had no choice but to detour toward the north of the city to see if a suitable opportunity would arise.

Regardless of the circumstances, Zhang Xu had to die today.