Inner Power

"Xuan'er!"

About two quarters of an hour later, Jiang Guiyuan finally came out of the Inner Hall with Jiang Xuan. Jiang Junyue hurried over to greet them.

The other clan elders gathered around as well.

"Father, I've broken through!"

Jiang Xuan could barely conceal his excitement.

After entering the True Martial Realm, he could become a personal disciple of the martial hall. From then on, both his status and strength would undergo a transformation.

"Good, good, good!"

Hearing Jiang Xuan admit it with his own ears, Jiang Junyue was so excited he hardly knew what to do. He kept exclaiming his approval.

"Heaven has blessed our Jiang Clan!"

The other clan elders were excited too.

Ever since City Lord Yu had left office, their Jiang Clan had been struggling at every turn.

Now that Jiang Xuan had broken through into the True Martial Realm, they could finally see hope.

"Let's see what Jiang Chen can do to compete with my son!"

Jiang Junyue thought of Jiang Sihai again and couldn't help letting out a smug snort.

So what if Jiang Sihai was quick-witted?

So what if he was better at business?

Out in the world, strength was what mattered.

He might not be strong himself, but he had a good son.

A fifteen-year-old in the True Martial Realm was unquestionably a genius.

Jiang Chen, by contrast, was just putting on an act. He had only just entered the Three Qi and Blood Gates, and was nowhere near his son's level.

"Jiang Chen? Compete with me? Compete for what?"

Jiang Junyue's words left Jiang Xuan baffled.

Had Jiang Chen stirred up trouble again while he was in seclusion?

"A few days ago..."

Jiang Guiyuan spoke up and recounted Jiang Sihai's bold declaration.

"Jiang Chen wants to catch up to me?"

Hearing that, Jiang Xuan couldn't help laughing.

A good-for-nothing with Ordinary Bone Aptitude actually thought he could compete with him?

What an overestimation of himself.

But the Three Qi and Blood Gates?

How could Jiang Chen's cultivation have progressed so astonishingly fast?

Wasn't he the lovesick fool who spent all day trailing after women?

"Great-grandfather, are you sure Jiang Chen entered the Three Qi and Blood Gates without taking a forbidden drug?"

Jiang Xuan immediately asked.

"Your Seventh Great-Grandfather examined him personally. There were no signs that he had taken any forbidden drugs."

Jiang Guiyuan nodded.

"That doesn't make sense."

Jiang Xuan was even more puzzled.

After all, the last time Meng Wentao broke through to the True Martial Third Layer and invited the Inner Courtyard disciples to a meal at the Thousand Fragrance Pavilion, Jiang Chen had only just started cultivating the Stone Moving Method.

If he counted from then, wouldn't that mean Jiang Chen had entered the Three Qi and Blood Gates in just two months?

With talent like that, he was no worse than someone with superior bone aptitude!

"It's obvious Jiang Chen was hiding his abilities before. He did it to take resources away from the clan."

Jiang Junyue said.

The clan elders all agreed with this explanation.

Otherwise, there was no way to account for how someone with Ordinary Bone Aptitude could cultivate so quickly.

"Half a year to reach the Three Qi and Blood Gates—that makes sense."

Jiang Xuan understood at last.

He hadn't expected Jiang Chen to have hidden himself so well.

He'd fooled even Jiang Xuan all this time, making him think Jiang Chen was a good-for-nothing who never applied himself.

"Great-grandfather, Father, I should head to the martial hall."

Then Jiang Xuan collected himself and spoke.

Someone like Jiang Chen still couldn't catch his eye.

His targets were Meng Wentao and Zhou Yuqing.

As for Tang Mu, he deliberately ignored him.

Just as he had never believed Jiang Chen could catch up to him, he didn't even entertain the thought of competing with a monster who had Superior Bone Aptitude.

There was no helping it. The gap was too great—so great it could drive a person to despair.

"Very well!"

Jiang Guiyuan and the others naturally didn't stop him.

"Make the arrangements..."

After sending someone to escort Jiang Xuan to the martial hall, Jiang Guiyuan had the news spread.

He had no intention of keeping it under wraps.

Right now, the Jiang Clan badly needed a shot in the arm, and Jiang Xuan—soon to become a personal disciple of the White Ape Martial Hall—was the perfect tonic.

A fifteen-year-old in the True Martial Realm.

A personal disciple of the White Ape Martial Hall.

By the end of the year, he was certain to pass the Martial Exam with top marks, and had a very good chance of joining the City Guard.

With such a genius born into the Jiang Clan, those forces coveting them would have to think twice before provoking them.

As for whether anyone might lash out in desperation and target Jiang Xuan?

He wasn't worried about that.

All these years, no force had ever dared to attack a personal disciple of the White Ape Martial Hall.

Even the madmen of the Azure Dragon Gang only dared to target ordinary disciples.

White Ape Martial Hall.

"Junior Brother Jiang."

"Junior Brother Jiang, it's been a while."

After Jiang Xuan arrived at the martial hall, many Inner Courtyard disciples greeted him.

Compared with Jiang Chen, who rarely associated with anyone, Jiang Xuan was much more popular.

The reason for that was, of course, his bone aptitude.

Zhou Yuqing and Meng Wentao had recognized Jiang Xuan's talent. He was a widely acknowledged genius. As for Jiang Chen, there was nothing worth mentioning.

"Huh? Junior Brother Jiang, have you broken through?!"

A personal disciple suddenly noticed and looked Jiang Xuan over carefully.

"Broken through?"

"The True Martial Realm?!"

The other disciples were taken aback when they heard that, and all turned to look.

"I was lucky. I just happened to break through."

Jiang Xuan smiled modestly, though he still couldn't hide his pride.

"Congratulations!"

"Our Inner Courtyard will have another personal disciple!"

Feeling the True Qi fluctuations radiating from Jiang Xuan, the Inner Courtyard disciples wore different expressions. Some congratulated him, some were envious, and some were anxious...

As the saying went, people did not all share the same joys and sorrows.

"Master Zhou!"

After exchanging pleasantries, Jiang Xuan went to pay his respects to Zhou Rongfeng.

"Oh, you've entered the True Martial Realm?"

Zhou Rongfeng could tell Jiang Xuan's cultivation at a glance.

"I broke through this morning."

Jiang Xuan answered honestly.

In front of Zhou Rongfeng, he reined in his pride.

The difference between a genius and a strong cultivator was like the difference between a child and an adult.

A genius who had yet to mature was still only a genius.

"Would you be willing to take me as your master?"

Zhou Rongfeng smiled.

He had indeed judged correctly. Jiang Xuan was the one worth cultivating.

"Greetings, Master!"

Jiang Xuan immediately performed the apprenticeship ceremony and presented him with a cup of tea.

When Tang Mu had become a disciple, Jiang Xuan had been quite envious. Today, it was finally his turn.

And with this bond between master and disciple, no one would dare covet his family in the future.

Behind Zhou Rongfeng stood the Zhou Clan.

"These are the first three layers of the White Ape Mountain-Suppressing Technique."

Zhou Rongfeng accepted the tea, wrote Jiang Xuan's name in the Personal Disciple Register, then took out a manual and handed it to him.

The White Ape Breathing Method was only suitable for the Three Qi and Blood Gates.

Once one entered the True Martial Realm, one had to cultivate a proper inner art.

The White Ape Mountain-Suppressing Technique was the martial hall's cultivation method.

At the True Martial First Layer, one cultivated the first three layers.

At the True Martial Second Layer, one cultivated the middle three layers.

Only at the True Martial Third Layer could one cultivate the complete method.

In other words, strength and resources were directly tied together.

To obtain better resources, one had to display greater talent.

"Thank you, Master!"

Jiang Xuan accepted it joyfully.

This was nothing like the Standing Post Technique or the breathing method.

Complete inner arts were almost all monopolized by powerful factions.

They simply weren't available for purchase on the open market.

Even if one occasionally surfaced in the Ghost Market, it couldn't be practiced openly.

Stealing another sect's techniques was a grave taboo. If discovered, having one's cultivation crippled would count as a lenient punishment.

"Cultivate well and strive for a good result in the Martial Exam at the end of the year."

"When the time comes, I'll recommend you to the City Guard. Once you join, you'll be eligible to compete for a place in the Upper Sect."

Zhou Rongfeng patted Jiang Xuan on the shoulder and said.

"I'll live up to your expectations, Master!"

At the mention of a place in the Upper Sect, Jiang Xuan was overcome with excitement.

As expected, the Upper Sect taking over Anning Prefecture was a tremendous opportunity for him.

If all went well, he would be able to rise rapidly in the future.

After leaving the courtyard, he hurried straight back to study the White Ape Mountain-Suppressing Technique.

He kept at it until noon. Only when hunger set in did he put away the manual.

"As expected of an inner art for the True Martial Realm. It's far more difficult than the breathing method."

Jiang Xuan looked somewhat worn out.

After more than an hour of studying it, he had only managed to memorize the steps for cultivating the White Ape Mountain-Suppressing Technique.

As for its core meaning, he couldn't grasp it at all.

It seemed that if he wanted to master this technique, he would have to put in a great deal of hard work.

Then he went to the dining hall. After showing his True Martial Token, he was given the highest standard of meals, making quite a few Inner Courtyard disciples envious.

"Hm?"

After lunch, Jiang Xuan was about to leave the dining hall when he unexpectedly ran into someone coming toward him.

That person was none other than Jiang Chen.