"Who are you?" Xu Yang was on guard.
This person’s Lightweight Skill was superb. If he hadn’t been hiding his true strength all this ti, he might not have even noticed he was being followed.
"I am Xue Hong, a disciple of the Blood Lotus Sect. I have co to invite Brother Xu to join our sect. If you agree, the Blood Lotus Sect will cover all the resources you need for your cultivation. Within half a year, we guarantee you will break through to Marrow Cleansing. You will also be able to cultivate the sect’s Divine Skills.
"In at most five years, we guarantee you will reach Marrow Cleansing Perfection and get a glimpse of the Celestial Spirit Realm."
’Blood Lotus Sect... the na alone sounds shady. It’s definitely one of the demonic sects and heretical paths.’
Xu Yang felt a bit helpless. He had tried his best to keep a low profile during the Martial Arts Examination, but his reputation had spread nonetheless.
And with fa, the demonic sects and heretical paths ca knocking.
"You have the wrong person, sir. I’m about to beco a disciple of the Purple Sun Sect and have no intention of joining the Blood Lotus Sect."
Faced with the other party’s offer, Xu Yang didn’t feel the slightest bit tempted.
’Marrow Cleansing Perfection in five years? He couldn’t care less even if it only took a year.’
’If this were an upright and respectable faction, they wouldn’t have co looking for in the middle of the night, acting all furtive.’
’If I make a move... I wonder if I can kill him...’
The thought of killing Xue Hong had already risen in his heart. ’When these sorts of demonic characters co knocking, it’s best to kill them on the spot to avoid a mountain of trouble.’
But he held back. If the man had accomplices who knew he was coming here, killing him would only lead to endless trouble. As long as the other party didn’t attack first, it was best to let him leave. There was no need to stir up unnecessary conflict.
"The Purple Sun Sect?"
Xue Hong sneered. "Brother Xu, perhaps you are unaware, but the power of my Blood Lotus Sect far surpasses that of the Purple Sun Sect. Besides, if you join the Blood Lotus Sect, we would still want you to proceed to the Purple Sun Sect..."
"My apologies, but please allow to refuse," Xu Yang said, cupping his hands.
’They haven’t shown any real benefits, just made empty promises, and they already want to be a spy in the Purple Sun Sect.’
’Not only are they incredibly calculating, but they’re also treating like an idiot.’
’Their promises are a joke. If I actually agreed, they’d give whatever they felt like, and I might even end up losing out.’
’With the identity of an undercover agent, if they wanted you dead, you wouldn’t even be able to refuse.’
"Brother Xu, you are turning down a great opportunity."
Seeing Xu Yang interrupt him before he could even finish, Xue Hong understood that Xu Yang would not agree.
He imdiately said in a sowhat helpless tone, "Brother Xu, now that you know my identity, and you won’t agree... you’ve put in a difficult position."
Xu Yang’s heart sank. ’Recruitnt has failed, so now he’s resorting to threats of silencing by death.’
He could only say, "Brother Xue, we never t tonight. How about that? You sought out, so you should know that I’m not one to ddle in others’ affairs."
’He couldn’t afford to provoke these demonic sects right now. If he could avoid a fight, he would.’
’As long as it didn’t affect him, he wouldn’t be stupid enough to tell others that the Blood Lotus Sect had sought him out, which would only invite suspicion.’
"I hope Brother Xu can keep his promise!"
Xue Hong said after a mont of silence.
He probably didn’t act because he was worried that killing Xu Yang to silence him would alert the Purple Sun Sect.
Although they hadn’t reached an agreent, both sides had their reservations.
"Farewell!"
Xue Hong leaped up and disappeared from sight after a few bounds.
’He ca looking for ... does that an he’ll also look for others?’ A sense of vigilance rose in Xu Yang’s heart.
’I have my panel, so Xue Hong’s offer wasn’t the least bit tempting, but that might not be true for others.’
’So, once our group enters the Purple Sun Sect, it’s possible that many among us will have already beco spies and undercover agents for the Blood Lotus Sect.’
When he returned ho, Xu Qing was still practicing her writing. She told him sothing that surprised him.
Yang Jun had been beaten into a cripple and was paralyzed in bed. Yet, Xu the Second had actually gone back to play the role of Dorgon, helping Zhang Cuiting take care of the paralyzed Yang Jun.
"A leopard truly can’t change its spots."
Xu Yang sneered and returned to his room to cultivate the Vajra Skill.
Ti passed slowly.
「Three days later, at dawn.」
Xu Yang was still practicing when soone started pounding on his door.
"Brother Ah Yang, open up, quick!"
"Ah Lan, what’s the rush?"
Xu Yang pushed the door open to find his cousin from his eldest uncle’s family, Xu Lan.
Xu Lan’s face was pale. "Yang Jun is dead!" she said.
Hearing that Yang Jun was dead, his first reaction was that Xu the Second had done it.
After Yang Jun achieved Qi Gathering, he had held his head high. Although he hadn’t completely obliterated Xu the Second, he had driven him out of the house.
’Now that Yang Jun was crippled, he must have thought Xu the Second had gone back to get revenge.’
But he had clearly overestimated Xu the Second. According to Xu Lan, the state of Yang Jun’s body was horrifying, and he hadn’t died at ho.
It seed he had been taken from his ho in the middle of the night and had died in a small grove a few hundred ters away.
"Oh, right. The village chief asked to co and get you to take a look," Xu Lan said.
She hadn’t co here just to tell Xu Yang that Yang Jun was dead; the village chief of Bai Shi Workshop had sent her to ask Xu Yang to co and help.
Although Yang Jun was dead, he was still a Martial Artist from Gale Hall. His death was no small matter in Bai Shi Workshop.
Xu Yang didn’t want to get involved, but when he thought about how Zhang Cuiting had mistreated him and Xu Qing in the past, he felt he should go take a look at her miserable state, just to vent so of his pent-up frustration.
"Xiaqing, let’s go!"
Calling out to Xu Qing, the three of them imdiately rushed towards the place where Yang Jun’s body was found.
While still several hundred ters away, they could already hear Zhang Cuiting’s heart-wrenching sobs.
When they arrived, many of the villagers from Bai Shi Workshop were already there. Zhang Cuiting, hair disheveled, was being supported by several people as she sat on a large rock, her voice hoarse from crying.
Xu the Second, his face ashen, leaned against a tree, looking utterly shaken.
When he saw Xu Yang appear, a glimr of light flashed in his eyes. He instinctively wanted to approach, but seeing Xu Yang’s cold expression, he could only remain rooted to the spot.
"Ah Yang is here!"
"Quick, make way! Let Ah Yang see what kind of creature is causing trouble in Bai Shi Workshop."
Xu Yang had originally co to see Zhang Cuiting’s miserable state, but after seeing Yang Jun’s corpse, his expression changed instantly.
He saw that Yang Jun’s flesh and blood were completely withered, as if so terrifying entity had sucked away all his vital essence, leaving only a skeleton.
’Is this the work of a demon, or soone who cultivates a Demon Technique?’
He had never heard of actual demons, so it was most likely the work of soone who cultivated a Demon Technique.
"I can’t tell what it is. You should send soone to notify Gale Hall."
Whatever it was, Xu Yang didn’t want to get involved. After giving the village chief his suggestion, he imdiately took Xu Qing and left quickly.
He couldn’t even muster any curiosity, worried he would provoke sothing he couldn’t afford to offend.
Back ho, he didn’t go to the Martial Arts Hall. Today was the day the Martial Arts Examination results were announced, and the Governnt Office would be sending his official docunts and Dragon Ascending Order. He had to be there to receive them personally.
Around noon, the sound of gongs echoed from outside Bai Shi Workshop, followed by the sound of firecrackers.
"Good news! Congratulations to Master Xu Yang of Bai Shi Workshop for achieving the rank of Martial Scholar in the Martial Arts Examination..."
"Good news! Congratulations to Master Xu Yang of Bai Shi Workshop for achieving the rank of Martial Scholar in the Martial Arts Examination..."
The criers announcing the good news shouted all the way, and the entire Bai Shi Workshop instantly burst into a lively commotion. Everyone knew that Xu Yang had beco a Martial Scholar.
The doors of every household opened, and people young and old poured out of their hos, heading towards Xu Yang’s house.
"So impressive! If only I could have a day like this in my life."
Zhang Daniu watched the long procession and listened to the deafening gongs, filled with envy.
Beside him, He the Third had a complicated expression, filled with regret.
’They could have been friends with the great Martial Scholar, but they had intentionally distanced themselves out of fear he would borrow money. Now, they were kicking themselves, but it was too late.’
"Brother, you really beca a Martial Scholar!" Xu Qing was overjoyed.
Although she had long known Xu Yang would beco a Martial Scholar, hearing the official announcent from the Governnt Office still made her unable to contain her excitent.
Just a year ago, she and Xu Yang were still worrying about their next al, suffering daily bullying and exploitation from the Sanhe Gang. Who would have thought that after only a year, Xu Yang would beco a Martial Scholar.
The change was so imnse that even she felt like she hadn’t quite adjusted.
A ten-person procession appeared in view. Xu Qing took out a string of firecrackers she had prepared behind Xu Yang’s back, hung it by the door, and lit it. Amidst a cacophony of CRACKLES and POPS, the procession announcing the good news arrived at their doorstep.
"We are the procession from the Governnt Office, here to announce good news. May I ask which of you is Master Xu Yang?"
The leading official held a tray, covered with a red cloth and adorned with a large red flower.
"I am Xu Yang!" Xu Yang stepped forward and said.
The official was all smiles. "Master Xu has a truly dignified bearing; you have the makings of a Martial Champion Scholar! These are your docunts and the Dragon Ascending Order. Please check them, Master Xu."
The mont the words "Dragon Ascension" were spoken, the crowd of onlookers, who had co to watch the excitent, erupted as if a giant boulder had been thrown into a calm lake.
Xu Yang was not an ordinary Martial Scholar, but a Dragon Ascension Martial Scholar.
A Dragon Ascension Martial Scholar—even in a rural place like Bai Shi Workshop, everyone knew what "Dragon Ascension" ant.
It ant that in the future, Xu Yang could establish a Noble Family, live in the Inner City, and be on equal footing with the great and powerful households currently residing there.
This was because all the great and powerful households in the Inner City had only beco what they were after producing a Dragon Ascension Martial Scholar in their family.
Everyone’s faces were filled with shock as they stared in astonishnt at the man who was as calm as still water. To think that a place like Bai Shi Workshop could produce such a figure.
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