As one of the highest-ranking officers under Lind, Zhang Liang possessed not only Admiral Candidate-level strength, but also considerable resources.
At least, that was how things looked to the "country bumpkins" of the Flower Country.
When Zhang Liang and Zhu Ying came knocking to challenge them, the various navies and martial arts schools all welcomed them with smiles upon seeing the "specialties" Zhang Liang offered.
Not only did they overlook the pair's challenges, they also readily agreed to exchange swordsmanship techniques and let them read their secret manuals.
They even turned a blind eye to the pair's poaching, watching as the two recruited their outstanding disciples.
Of course, all of this rested on Zhang Liang's formidable strength and Zhu Ying's powerful status, which kept every unsavory character in check.
The Zhu family now stood unrivaled in the Flower Country. Both of the country's only two Admiral-level powerhouses belonged to the family, giving it an overwhelming advantage over every other faction.
With all these factors working in their favor, the pair's journey through the Flower Country went remarkably smoothly.
They fought their way from south to north, then from east to west. Their basic sword techniques grew ever more refined, their strength steadily increased, and their group continued to expand.
Finally, when Zhang Liang defeated Shi Kaiyuan, the leader of the Second Treasure Navy, using basic sword techniques, everything reached its culmination.
The pair's already soaring reputation in the Flower Country reached its absolute peak.
They even received an opportunity similar to Zhu Feng's.
"Brother Liang, look at these two Devil Fruits. Aren't they the mythical zoan Devil Fruits Captain Lind mentioned?"
"I've seen them in the royal encyclopedia. I think they're the Human-Human Fruit, mythical zoan, Sword Immortal model, and the Bird-Bird Fruit, mythical zoan, Golden-Winged Roc model."
Holding two