A New Era

High noon.

White Ape Martial Hall.

While the other disciples were still hotly discussing the news that Zheng Hao and the others had been killed, Jiang Chen had already arrived at the Practice Field to train hard.

Last night's encounter with the Soul Demon had pushed his desire to grow stronger to its peak!

If the Myriad Dao Chart hadn't been able to counter such evil spirits, he might well have been the one everyone at the martial hall was discussing now.

So he had to grow stronger!

And fast—every second counted!

In the midst of his grueling training, the hour of the Goat arrived.

"Qingzhu, something terrible has happened!"

"Your cousin and the others have been killed!"

Wang Qingzhu had just entered the martial hall when Zhao Xiaoyue hurried over to her.

"My cousin was killed? When did this happen?"

Wang Qingzhu was stunned.

Though Zheng Hao and the others were good-for-nothings, they were still disciples of the martial hall.

Who would be so bold as to attack people from the martial hall?

"People from the Yamen came this morning. I heard they were killed in an alley last night."

Zhao Xiaoyue told her what she'd heard.

"The Prefecture City is rife with undercurrents right now, and they still dared to go to a gambling den in the middle of the night..."

Wang Qingzhu sighed helplessly.

She had warned Zheng Hao long ago, but he obviously hadn't taken her seriously.

"Hm?"

Suddenly, Wang Qingzhu's bright eyes narrowed as she looked toward a corner of the Practice Field.

On an open patch of ground, a figure drenched in sweat was practicing his fist technique.

His footwork was light, his punches thunderous. At a glance, he looked just like a nimble ape from the mountains.

"Could it be..."

As Wang Qingzhu watched Jiang Chen training so hard, a startling thought suddenly surfaced in her mind:

Could Jiang Chen have been the one who killed Zheng Hao and the others?

As far as she knew, Zheng Hao and the others owed gambling debts and had been trying to make Jiang Chen pay them off.

In the past, with Jiang Chen as meek as he'd been, she would never have suspected him.

But ever since the incident at the Cursed House, Jiang Chen had seemed like a completely different person.

Perhaps Jiang Chen—or the Jiang Clan—really had something to do with this...

"Qingzhu, have you noticed that Jiang Chen really has changed?"

"Look at his fist technique. It's even smoother than what Senior Brother Sun teaches. These past few days, quite a few disciples have gone out of their way to ask him for pointers."

"Senior Brother Sun said Jiang Chen's comprehension is better than even the Inner Courtyard disciples'."

Seeing Wang Qingzhu look toward Jiang Chen, Zhao Xiaoyue told her about the changes in him over the past few days.

"His comprehension... really is extraordinary!"

A flicker of surprise crossed Wang Qingzhu's eyes.

If Jiang Chen's cultivation had advanced so quickly because the Jiang Clan had given him precious medicines, then his understanding of White Ape Fist was pure talent.

She truly hadn't expected Jiang Chen to have such remarkable comprehension.

"Why not give him a chance?"

Zhao Xiaoyue tried to set them up.

She sorely missed the days when Jiang Chen had been Wang Qingzhu's lovesick puppy.

Back then, following Wang Qingzhu around had earned her delicious food and snacks almost every day.

"It's a shame his bone aptitude is too poor."

Wang Qingzhu looked away.

With Ordinary Bone Aptitude, his future prospects were limited. He still wasn't good enough for her.

Still, Zhao Xiaoyue's interruption had dispelled her earlier suspicions.

Whether or not Jiang Chen had anything to do with Zheng Hao's death, she didn't intend to get involved.

There was nothing to gain by talking about it, and she'd only end up covered in trouble. It wasn't worth it.

"Whew!"

At dusk, Jiang Chen, drenched in sweat, finished his grueling training.

[Cultivation: Qi-Blood Second Stage · Mid-Stage (14%)]

On the Myriad Dao Chart, his cultivation continued to rise steadily as usual.

At this rate, he would soon reach the late stage. Breaking through to the Three Qi and Blood Gates could also be put on the agenda.

Jiang Clan.

"Master."

The trusted steward hurried over.

"How is Chen'er?"

Jiang Sihai asked anxiously.

"The young master is doing well."

The steward replied.

"However, something did happen at White Ape Martial Hall yesterday."

The steward then told him that Zheng Hao and the others had been killed.

"The Zheng Clan?"

Jiang Sihai was startled.

He was certainly familiar with Zheng Hao and the others.

During the half year since Jiang Chen had joined the martial hall, he had spent all his time hanging around with Zheng Hao and the others.

They had also been involved in the incident at the Cursed House, when Jiang Chen had nearly come to harm.

They were all dead?

Who had done this?

Who would dare kill disciples of the martial hall?

"Could this have anything to do with Chen'er?"

Jiang Sihai grew worried.

He wasn't suspecting that Jiang Chen had killed them.

He was afraid that whoever had killed Zheng Hao and the others might target Jiang Chen, too.

After all, Jiang Chen had once been cut from the same cloth as Zheng Hao and the others.

"The young master said he's quite safe at the martial hall, and there's no need for you to worry."

Seeing Jiang Sihai's reaction, the trusted steward reassured him.

"The martial hall is indeed the safest place."

Only then did Jiang Sihai relax.

"It's time to flush out the rats."

Once he was sure Jiang Chen was safe, Jiang Sihai's gaze turned cold.

If anyone dared to target Jiang Chen, they couldn't blame him for being ruthless.

No matter which faction they belonged to—even if they were spies planted by the clan—he would have every last one of them executed.

White Ape Martial Hall.

After a few days, the commotion over Zheng Hao and the others gradually died down.

Even a matter of life and death was just dinner-table gossip to everyone else.

Jiang Chen kept training hard these past few days, without the slightest slack.

One part effort, one part reward.

He was now getting closer and closer to the late stage of the Second Qi and Blood Gate.

That night, dark clouds veiled the moon.

On the Practice Field, Jiang Chen, soaked in sweat, was practicing his fist technique alone.

Boom!

Suddenly, he paused. A moment later, a powerful aura surged outward.

"I broke through!"

Jiang Chen's eyes lit up as he focused inward.

[Cultivation: Qi-Blood Second Stage · Late Stage (0%)]

Sure enough, the surging martial Blood Qi within his body had grown as pure as jade, without the slightest flaw.

It was a sign that the Five Viscera Essence had completely fused.

Thud! Thud! Thud!

Jiang Chen lowered his fists and stood straight, then walked over to the Iron Wood Stake.

He unleashed a full set of punches.

Clear fist marks appeared one after another on the wooden stake.

"Six hundred jin of force!"

His fists had sunk six inches into the wood, and he'd struck with six hundred jin of force.

Jiang Chen couldn't hide his smile.

There was something truly addictive about feeling himself grow stronger.

"After martial Blood Qi transforms, it'll nourish the five viscera!"

Jiang Chen examined his five viscera inwardly.

At the late stage of the First Qi and Blood Gate, martial Blood Qi had to nourish the limbs and bones.

At the late stage of the Second Qi and Blood Gate, martial Blood Qi had to strengthen the five viscera.

Cultivation in the Blood Qi Realm involved not only a transformation of Blood Qi but also the strengthening of the body.

The next day, at Si Hour.

After completing his third round of training, Jiang Chen went beneath the shade of a tree to cool off.

"Jiang Chen."

"Junior Brother Jiang."

"Senior Brother Jiang."

Many disciples who were resting, too, greeted him one after another.

Since Jiang Chen had entered the Second Qi and Blood Gate, the other disciples' attitude toward him had changed as well.

In this world, where martial strength reigned supreme, only great power could earn people's respect.

Some disciples also asked Jiang Chen for advice on White Ape Fist.

When it came to White Ape Fist, Jiang Chen's mastery was no worse than Sun Wu's—and might even have surpassed it.

The image of Jiang Chen as a lovesick puppy had been completely overturned.

"Big news!"

"An Upper Sect Envoy has entered the city!"

While everyone was chatting, a disciple came running over in a panic.

"An Upper Sect Envoy?"

"Which Upper Sect? The True Sun Sect?"

"Would someone from the True Sun Sect dare call himself an envoy?"

"Could this be about the early meal?"

Many of the disciples were shocked when they heard this.

Could unrest be breaking out in Anning Prefecture, too?

"Looks like news about the True Sun Sect has already spread."

Jiang Chen and the other disciples who knew what was going on remained calm.

City Lord Yu had been gone for many days. It was only natural that people from the True Sun Sect had arrived by now.

This also meant that, starting today, White Cloud County had completely entered a new era!

"I heard the True Sun Sect made a deal with the imperial court. From now on, they'll take charge of Anning Prefecture. More importantly..."

Sure enough, the disciple went on to tell them about the City Guard and the Martial Exam.

"So if you do well in the Martial Exam, you can change your fate?!"

This news landed like a bomb, and the disciples were all thrilled.

If they made the rankings in the Martial Exam, they could join the City Guard.

Considering how much the True Sun Sect valued the City Guard, that would be no less than a carp leaping over the Dragon Gate.

"The Martial Exam requires you to have reached the True Martial Realm. What are you getting so excited about?"

One disciple poured a bucket of cold water over them.

At the martial hall, only the elite disciples of the Inner Courtyard had any chance of making the rankings.

As for Outer Courtyard disciples like them, all they could do was watch the excitement.

After all, there were only a little over five months left until the end of the year.

Even with banned drugs, it would be hard to reach the Three Qi and Blood Gates and then break through to the True Martial Realm in just a few short months.

"We definitely won't get a chance this year, but next year's another story."

"Exactly. They'll keep recruiting to build a City Guard. If we give it our all this year, we might have a chance next year."

"Even if we can't make it next year, there's always the year after..."

The disciples were still buzzing with excitement.

The Martial Exam was held once a year.

They'd missed their chance this year, but they still had hope for next year.

At once, many disciples left the martial arts school to go home and discuss what to do.

The news that the True Sun Sect had taken over Prefecture City soon spread through the martial arts school, and disciples in both the Outer Courtyard and the Inner Courtyard were swept up in a fever of excitement.