Chapter 8

"Jun'er, come here. Let me introduce you to two people. This is a steward of the Wan Jin Merchant Association. You may call her Manager Su. And this one is an outstanding talent among the Wan Jin Merchant Association's younger generation, Xia Zhilan." Master Yan suppressed the shock in his heart and beckoned Jia Lie Jun over, introducing them.

"I, Jia Lie Jun, greet Manager Su and Miss Xia." Jia Lie Jun hurried forward and gave them a greeting.

"So you're the precious disciple Master Yan keeps talking about. You really are a fine-looking young man." A fragrant breeze washed over him. Jia Lie Jun looked at the beauty walking up to him. This Manager Su was indeed exceedingly beautiful, with a graceful, slender figure and an elegant, mature charm radiating from head to toe, brimming with feminine allure. Beside her, however, Xia Zhilan let out a cold snort and cast a rather disdainful glance at the disheveled Jia Lie Jun. These past few days, Jia Lie Jun had been busy cultivating, and as soon as he broke through, he had rushed back, so he had not paid attention to his personal hygiene and looked a little sloppy.

"Lan'er, don't be rude. Come and greet Little Brother Jia Lie." Manager Su glanced at Jia Lie Jun with slight apology, and only then did Xia Zhilan greet him with a cold expression.

"Jun'er, you and Zhilan are of the same generation. You should interact more in the future." Seeing this, Master Yan quickly stepped forward to smooth things over.

"Jun'er, have you heard of Danxian Pool?"

"I have. Rumor has it that Danxian Pool contains extremely pure yin and yang energies, which are greatly beneficial to martial artists at the Heavenly Origin Realm." Hearing this, Jia Lie Jun nodded and replied.

"That's right. Though Danxian Pool has such miraculous effects, its output is extremely limited. Flame City's three top powers all want to take it for themselves, but the strengths of the factions are roughly equal, and none has the ability to monopolize it. In the end, they came up with a compromise. Each faction sends three representatives from the younger generation to compete for it, in a best two out of three format. The victor will obtain one year of usage rights to the Pool. Our Wan Jin Merchant Association has only found two outstanding juniors and is still short one slot, so your master thought of you," Master Yan said with a light laugh.

"Master wants me to participate in the Pool Competition."

"Precisely. You're now at the late Earthly Origin Realm, and with your status as a One-Seal Rune Master, you can be considered someone of note in Flame City. That should be enough to handle it. Moreover, your master has secured some benefits for you. If we win, the Wan Jin Merchant Association has promised that you may enter Danxian Pool," Master Yan said with a nod.

"All right, Master. How many days are left until the Pool Competition?" Jia Lie Jun asked.

"Four days. Spend the next few days resting and conserving your strength."

Flame City, Wan Jin Merchant Association.

"I said, Song Qing, we already have a better candidate. Master Yan's disciple will represent our Wan Jin Merchant Association this time, so there's no need to trouble Young Master Song." Xia Zhilan looked in disgust at the somewhat effeminate blue-clothed young man beside her, her voice cold.

"Zhilan, I advise you to think it over carefully. I heard this person has only been under Master Yan for two months. I'd guess he has barely even entered the path of runes. Though I, Song Qing, can't be considered one of the very top figures among Flame City's younger generation, I'm still not someone who can be compared to a person who has only just touched the path of runes for two months." Song Qing's expression darkened slightly because of Xia Zhilan's words, and he shot Jia Lie Jun a vicious look. Song Qing did not fear Master Yan's status. The power of his Song Clan also ranked highly in Flame City.

"All right, Song Qing. I'll explain this matter to your father," Xuan Su, who was standing nearby, said with a faint smile, her voice gentle.

Hearing this, Song Qing looked at Xuan Su with a burning gaze. A trace of lecherous malice flashed deep in his eyes, then he turned to the two old men seated nearby and gave them a look.

"As expected, wherever there are people, there will be conflict. Even within the same force, there will be some struggles in the shadows." Jia Lie Jun, who was nearby, took in every one of Song Qing's movements and could not help sighing inwardly. Then he thought of the Jia Lie Family. Hadn't his grandfather always been thinking of seizing the position of family head as well?

"Xuan Su, might this matter be a little rash? Danxian Pool concerns the future of our Wan Jin Merchant Association's younger generation. We cannot be careless. Besides, we don't understand the strength of Master Yan's disciple. In my opinion, why not do this? Let this little brother and Song Qing have a match." The two old men exchanged a glance, and one of them spoke with a smile plastered across his face.

"That's right. To be safe, we should still let them compete," the other old man quickly chimed in.

Xuan Su looked at Jia Lie Jun apologetically. Seeing this, he did not want to make things difficult for her, so he stepped forward and said, "In that case, I'll show my humble skills."

The moment his words fell, almost in an instant, a powerful fluctuation of Origin Energy suddenly erupted from Song Qing's body. He stamped a foot down, his body shot out, and he attacked Jia Lie Jun.

"Shameless." Seeing Song Qing launch a sneak attack, Xia Zhilan's face filled with anger.

As Song Qing came at him, Jia Lie Jun remained unhurried. His face was calm, without the slightest trace of panic, letting that fierce fist wind roar toward him. With a muffled bang, Song Qing's fist actually stopped dead half a foot away from Jia Lie Jun, unable to advance even an inch, as if an invisible wall had blocked it.

"Spiritual Power." Seeing this, Song Qing's face filled with shock. Immediately, his expression turned cold, and he held nothing back, frantically mobilizing the Origin Energy in his body as an even stronger fluctuation surged out. Mid Heavenly Origin Realm. Sensing this fluctuation from the side, Xuan Su and Xia Zhilan's pretty faces darkened slightly, their hearts growing solemn. They had not expected Song Qing to have already broken through to the mid Heavenly Origin Realm.

The wildly swelling Origin Energy allowed Song Qing to shatter the Spiritual Power barrier directly. Immediately after, a cold gleam flashed from his sleeve, and a sharp dagger slid into his hand, stabbing toward Jia Lie Jun's neck.

Seeing this, anger rose in Jia Lie Jun's heart. Immediately, an exceptionally powerful surge of Spiritual Power burst out from his Mud Palace Pill like a sea tsunami, smashing fiercely into Song Qing's body. Faced with the intense Spiritual Power impact, the Origin Energy wrapped around Song Qing's body instantly collapsed, and waves of stabbing pain shot through his brain. His body, as if struck by a heavy punch, flew backward under the astonished gazes of Xuan Su and Xia Zhilan, slammed hard into the hall wall, then dropped to the ground. At once, he spat out a mouthful of fresh blood.

The entire battle lasted less than a minute from start to finish, and Jia Lie Jun had not mobilized the slightest bit of Origin Energy. Relying solely on his formidable Spiritual Power, he had sent Song Qing, who was at the mid Heavenly Origin Realm, crashing to the ground in defeat. Looking at the young man standing in the hall with his hands behind his back, everyone's faces were filled with shock.

"Haha, good! Jun'er, you've truly brought honor to your master." Master Yan laughed loudly, his face full of excitement.

"Hehe, gentlemen, my judgment isn't bad, is it?" Xuan Su said with a light laugh, but her heart was full of astonishment. Though she knew that someone who had caught Master Yan's eye would certainly not be ordinary, she had not expected Jia Lie Jun's Spiritual Power to be absurdly strong.

The two managers looked at Song Qing lying on the ground, their faces full of astonishment. Then they reacted and said rather awkwardly, "Yes. Manager Su truly has exceptional insight." Immediately, they picked up Song Qing and quickly left.