"A declaration of war?"
Jiang Xinghai scoffed. "The Martial Arts of Central State? What right do they have to declare war on Jizhou?"
"Sir, the Martial Arts Association is an entity under the Imperial City's Martial Arts Departnt. Central State is one of the fifteen regional cities in Shanhe Province, and it governs twelve county-level cities, including Jizhou," Yan Qingshan explained truthfully.
"By that logic, isn't Central State declaring war just a case of the strong bullying the weak?" Jiang Xinghai asked gravely.
"You could also see it as Central State coming to Jizhou to hold soone accountable," Yan Qingshan added.
"Accountable?"
Jiang Xinghai scoffed again. "Just because Wanyan Xiong died? Is that really worth the Martial Arts Association getting involved?"
"Sir, Wanyan Xiong wasn't a mber of the Martial Arts Association, but they had been trying to recruit him. His father, Wanyan Honglie, however, was a mber of the Central State branch. Their deaths infuriated Central State, which is why the three of us were dispatched," Yan Qingshan answered every question put to him.
"So, what now?" Jiang Xinghai's gaze swept over the three bodies on the floor.
"Sir, you are a man of imnse talent. I am willing to follow you." Beads of sweat broke out on Yan Qingshan's forehead.
His two companions, both Great Venerables, had been killed with a single punch each, while Su Damao had been slain by Shen Zhengye's swift and ferocious attack.
Not only had their trip to Jizhou failed to achieve its objective, but it had also ended in their near-total annihilation.
He had always been a ticulous and very pragmatic person.
How could he not be shocked? A young man who looked to be in his twenties possessed such heaven-defying skills.
How could he not be in awe?
He was already over eighty years old. Only by relying on countless Spiritual dicines and the vast resources of the Martial Arts Association had he managed to forge his position as a Great Venerable.
Therefore, he believed Jiang Xinghai must have taken so kind of shortcut.
Or perhaps he had an extraordinary background, with a grandmaster guiding him from the shadows.
"Does the Martial Arts Association have any Graded herbs?" Jiang Xinghai asked, changing the subject.
"The National dical Hall, which is protected by the Martial Arts Association, does. But the highest they have are Second Grade Spiritual dicines," Yan Qingshan replied.
"Only Second Grade?" Jiang Xinghai sounded a little displeased.
In Kunlun, Third Grade Spiritual dicines were everywhere!
If he had known Spiritual dicines were so rare in the Mortal World, he would have brought so dicinal seeds down the mountain with him.
"Sir, Second Grade is already excellent! Third Grade ones can only be found in the Provincial City," Yan Qingshan said, stunned by Jiang Xinghai's displeasure.
'Only Second Grade?'
After all, with his current status and qualifications, the most he could hope to obtain of a First Grade Spiritual dicine was just a few petals or leaves.
"Are you willing to submit?" Jiang Xinghai asked suddenly.
"Submit..."
Yan Qingshan hesitated for a mont upon hearing the word.
'Submitting is a far cry from simply following.'
'But the potential rewards would also be imnsely greater.'
"Sir, I am willing to submit," Yan Qingshan nodded decisively.
Jiang Xinghai raised a hand and pressed it to Yan Qingshan's forehead. "Don't resist."
In an instant, a spiritual imprint shot into Yan Qingshan's sea of consciousness.
"From now on, you are one of my servants."
Jiang Xinghai clasped his hands behind his back. "I will personally visit Central State another day. When I do, I will grant you a great fortune. Until then, take these three bodies back and tell whoever is in charge that if they want revenge, they're welco to try."
"Master, that is not wise," Yan Qingshan said hastily.
"What's not wise about it?" Jiang Xinghai asked.
Yan Qingshan explained thodically, "Master, I don't think we need to publicize their deaths. Leave it to this old servant. I have ways to clean this up perfectly."
"You don't want standing in the eye of the storm?" Jiang Xinghai smiled.
Yan Qingshan nodded. "Yes. There is no need for Master to expose himself to the public."
"How about this," Jiang Xinghai decided. "You clean up the deaths of the two from the Martial Arts Association. As for Su Damao, you can just say I was the one who did it."
"Master wishes to settle scores later. I understand," Yan Qingshan nodded heavily.
Just then, Xue Zhong approached, his deanor deeply respectful.
Yan Qingshan naturally recognized Master Xue Zhong, one of the ten Saint Hands of the National dical Hall. "Master Xue, you're here as well."
"Old Yan, it's been a while."
Although the National dical Hall, to which Xue Zhong belonged, was under the jurisdiction of the Martial Arts Departnt, its mbers held a very distinguished status.
"Master Xue, please don't mock ," Yan Qingshan said, still kneeling on one knee.
Xue Zhong smiled aningfully. "This is my benefactor, Mr. Jiang."
"Benefactor?" Yan Qingshan's eyes showed his shock.
'For soone to make Xue Zhong their disciple, they must be a master of dicine!'
'Could it be that my master not only has heaven-defying Martial Arts, but also dical skills that reach the heavens?'
Suddenly, he thought of Shen Zhengye, whose Dantian had once been destroyed. He instantly made the connection: the Divine Doctor had to be Jiang Xinghai.
"Master, for the dicinal ingredients you tasked with buying, we are still missing one: the Dragon Scale Bamboo. Central State has it." Xue Zhong then looked toward Yan Qingshan.
Jiang Xinghai nodded slightly and also looked at Yan Qingshan.
He needed to refine a batch of Gathering Essence Pills to make a deal with Chuchu, the woman who had once tried to assassinate him.
Now that Shen Lingxue was about to embark on the path of Martial Arts, she would need the help of Gathering Essence Pills even more.
"Master, Dragon Scale Bamboo is a Second Grade Spiritual dicine. Obtaining it will be extrely difficult," Yan Qingshan said hurriedly.
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