Challenge

Because of its geographical location and certain historical reasons.

The prominent households of Peace City

were the most resistant to mud-legged peasants from outside.

Especially in recent years, chaos had erupted across every province of Chen State, with natural and man-made disasters never ceasing. Refugees fleeing hardship arrived here every day. There were also wealthy families from elsewhere, bringing their entire households to seize Peace City locals' resources and jobs.

Besides that,

many foreign martial artists who did not obey the Martial Restriction Order came to Peace City and acted with utter impunity.

Under the fine-sounding banner of "robbing the rich to aid the poor," they were in fact freely plundering wealthy households and massacring commoners. They even banded together and fled into the stockades, causing those stockades—long a chronic ill of Peace City—to grow ever stronger.

On top of that, the international situation was changing like wind and clouds. Amid unrest both within and without, Peace City, once secure and prosperous, had now declined with every passing day.

Under such circumstances, Qian Shiqi, born into a prominent household in Shahe County, Peace City, naturally harbored an inexpressible hostility toward Jiang Jingnian, who had arrived and snatched away his escort master position.

Toward the escort agency,

he naturally had grievances.

Toward Duan Escort Chief,

he bore even deeper resentment.

Yet neither was someone he could offend openly.

So he vented all that resentment upon Jiang Jingnian, that mud-legged peasant from outside.

"Such crude boxing, riddled with flaws."

"Tsk! Country folk are all like this. They know nothing but a few farmyard tricks—what kind of decent inheritance could they possibly have?"

"The only reason Duan Escort Chief thinks highly of him now is that he was born somewhat stronger than most. What does that amount to?"

"After becoming a Martial Master, advancement through every stage requires secret medicines and blood food. Even if a mud-leg were lucky enough to break open the Blood Tempering Aperture, he might still remain trapped in the Blood Refining Stage for life."

Qian Shiqi had been watching Jiang Jingnian's moves and the gaps and flaws in his boxing technique.

The longer he watched and studied, the more irritated he became, until he could not help laughing in fury.

Someone like this was obviously a novice martial artist, or else his inheritance was simply too poor. He had never received guidance from an elder or renowned master, and all he knew were the most rudimentary martial arts methods.

Qian Shiqi had thought he might be some rare blossom left behind in the countryside, some peerless martial prodigy, and that was why he had been able to steal Qian Shiqi's position.

Who would have thought

this was all he had?

Just this?

"Big Brother."

Carrying a bag of meat buns and eating as he walked, Qian Xiaofu entered from outside the escort agency. Seeing his eldest brother squatting in the corner, he jogged over. "Have something to eat?"

"Not hungry. I'm not in the mood."

Qian Shiqi waved his hand without even turning his head. His eyes remained narrowed as he watched Jiang Jingnian practicing his boxing.

Know yourself and know your enemy,

and you will remain undefeated through a hundred battles.

When it came to boxing and practical combat experience, he naturally looked down on this newly arrived "escort master." Yet the other man's innate physical qualities still made him highly vigilant.

"Brother, no need to watch anymore."

Qian Xiaofu grabbed a steaming-hot bun and took a savage bite. The fragrance of meat juice spread through the air, grease slicking his mouth. "I've been observing this Jiang Jingnian for the past two days. He has no practical combat experience at all."

"Every day, he just practices that set of village tricks. Whether he throws punches or kicks, he's terribly clumsy. He's nothing but a pure, simple-minded brute."

"And besides..."

At that point, Qian Xiaofu abruptly stopped and stuffed the other half of the bun into his mouth.

"Besides what?"

Only then did Qian Shiqi turn his head and glance at his third brother, who was deliberately being mysterious.

Qian Xiaofu's cheeks bulged as he chewed, his voice somewhat muffled by the food in his mouth. "Besides, he's never even seen blood. He doesn't have the slightest bit of killing intent on him. But you're different, Big Brother. You've licked blood from the edge of a blade for over two years. You've killed those bandits who tried to rob escort shipments."

"Compared to you, he's just a somewhat sturdy little white rabbit that has run into a vicious wolf."

"Don't be fooled by how Escort Master Yu seemed to suffer a hidden loss during their last spar. That was only an ordinary assessment—Escort Master Yu didn't even use a tenth of his strength."

He swallowed his food, then shook his head as he analyzed the matter.

In Qian Xiaofu's eyes, Jiang Jingnian was merely a frog at the bottom of a well, nothing to fear.

"You have a point, but his external training should be fairly good as well. Otherwise, he wouldn't have remained utterly unmoved after taking Escort Master Yu's palm strike."

Qian Shiqi rose to his feet, a hint of fighting spirit burning in his eyes. "I cannot underestimate him."

After the morning's routine training ended,

at around nine in the morning came the escort agency's regular meeting, where they handled matters such as transferring escort goods, negotiating business, and assigning miscellaneous duties.

Aside from those already out escorting shipments, nearly everyone attended such meetings.

In the main hall of the front courtyard,

the head escort chief sat above, assigning some recently accepted jobs to the escort masters and runners below. Duan Escort Chief stood beside him, checking the accounts and reviewing the newly signed escort contracts.

Neither of these matters could tolerate carelessness.

Usually, the stewards below would write, organize, and coordinate everything before submitting it to the two escort chiefs for final confirmation and handling, so as to prevent mistakes.

"Old Duan, judging by the time, that boy Li Mincheng should be returning to Peace City tomorrow, shouldn't he?"

The head escort chief was a somewhat bloated, fat man of around forty. His hair fell loosely to his shoulders, and every glance he cast carried an air of unruliness.

"Li Escort Chief said in the letter he sent the day before yesterday that he still had about five days of travel left. He probably won't arrive tomorrow."

Duan Escort Chief checked the account slips at the side and spoke without raising his head.

"There have been quite a lot of matters lately! With that Li Family boy still not back, we're a little short-handed. We'll have to delay the Su Family's hired-fist job by another few days."

"How about I lead some men to Orchid Garden Restaurant in a couple of days?"

While the two escort chiefs were speaking,

an ill-timed voice suddenly rang out in the hall.

"Head Escort Chief!"

Everyone in the hall turned their gazes toward the source of the voice.

It was Qian Shiqi, dressed in black fitted martial attire. He stepped out from the back row and walked to the center of the hall.

Countless gazes fell upon him.

The apprentices and runners in the back row all wore varying expressions. The newly arrived apprentices in particular looked as though they were eagerly awaiting a show.

As for the escort masters, including Escort Master Yu, their eyes flickered. After glancing at Qian Shiqi, they shifted their attention to Jiang Jingnian, who stood nearby holding a literacy primer and quietly reading and studying the words within.

They had also heard some of the rumors circulating within the escort agency.

One radish, one hole.

Qian Shiqi was a hardworking and talented runner, and he came from a prominent household, yet he had never managed to earn a promotion within the escort agency. He certainly had objections toward this new escort master who had suddenly taken his position.

"???"

Noticing the gazes around him, Jiang Jingnian put down his book. He subconsciously touched his cheek, then lowered his head to inspect his clothes.

Had he failed to wash them properly yesterday? Did he smell?

Seeing the boy's honest, simple look, several escort masters could not help smiling.

Though this new colleague came from a poor background, whenever they saw him, he was either practicing boxing in the training yard or squatting in a corner with a book in hand, learning to recognize words. Occasionally, he would even ask literate servants for instruction.

Such a humble eagerness to learn earned their admiration.

"Boy from the Qian Household, what is it you wish to say?"

The head escort chief lounged sideways in his chair. Looking at the whispering crowd below, he frowned slightly.

"According to the escort agency's rules, at this regular meeting, I wish to challenge this newly promoted Escort Master Jiang Jingnian."

The head escort chief had not been at the escort agency these past few days, and Duan Escort Chief had been handling its affairs. Qian Shiqi could only swallow his resentment.

But things were different now.

So, at the regular meeting and before everyone present, he directly issued a challenge to Jiang Jingnian.