Chapter 156 - 101: The Young Lord Offers Dragon Blood, a Dragon Gate Jump, a Dream Without a Trace

Chapter 156: Chapter 101: The Young Lord Offers Dragon Blood, a Dragon Gate Jump, a Dream Without a Trace

"I stood at his door for a whole double-hour! A whole double-hour!"

"He wouldn’t even see my face, and he has the gall to claim he’s busy?"

"When real trouble starts, you run faster than anyone!"

Huang Xiuwen’s face turned livid.

’To think, in my entire life, I’ve never been this humiliated!’

This Ji, a mud-legged peasant from Anning County, had never even been to the Prefecture City in his life. On what grounds should he have to take this from him?

And another thing.

His conflict with that young mistress and her servant had nothing to do with him!

But the moment he ran into him...

Fan Nansong, the Flying Immortal Temple Master!

The Qilin Maiden of the Ye Family from the Brocade Workshop!

And that wasn’t all.

There was also Qin Zhuo, the top disciple of the Celestial Blade School—a school that was on the verge of collapse, about to be wiped out!

One by one... they popped up like mushrooms after the rain, all scrambling to stand up for that brat.

’Who the hell does he think he is, with connections like that?’

"My grandpa is one of the Nine Lords of the Jiangyin Thirty-Six Professions, a Lineage Master of the Thirty-Six Professions!"

"What is he? What gives him the right to fight me?"

"Didn’t the Hall Master of the Wind and Cloud Daoist School say that the Wind and Cloud Association he founded was half the world of Anning County?"

"So what if that Zhao doesn’t care about me..."

"Feng Zhengming represents his master’s honor. His master has already bowed his head to my grandpa, so how could he not listen to me!"

"Let’s go. I’m going to find out... just who this guy Ji really is!"

...

「Nightfall. Anning County, Wind and Cloud Association headquarters.」

The leaders of the Three Major Professions—the Fire Kiln, the Chai Market, and the Cattle and Sheep Market—Lu Chengfeng, Xu Zhuang, and Wei Dinchang were all seated.

Their expressions were sycophantic as they smiled up at Feng Zhengming, who had come from the Prefecture City and sat at the head of the room, clad in a green robe.

"Younger Brother Feng, to have achieved the Outer Gang realm before the age of thirty is incredible. It’s a certainty that you’ll wear the Immortal Robe in the future. Even inheriting your Master’s mantle, surpassing him, and breaking through to Qi Cultivation is well within your grasp."

"Truly a man of great youthful promise, truly..."

Lu Chengfeng said with great enthusiasm, holding up his wine cup.

Feng Zhengming.

He was the direct successor and public face of the Qi Cultivation Grandmaster—the man who had founded the Wind and Cloud Association after studying his Art in Jiangyin Prefecture, and the Boss of their Three Major Professions.

When it came to status, he was naturally beyond comparison for peripheral members like them.

"Mr. Xu, the Qi Dao Pill Master from the Medicine Shop, is coming to the Earth Dragon Cave to find an Earth Treasure. He needs to refine a Secret Medicine for an important personage in the Prefecture City who is unwell."

"As the saying goes, even a mighty dragon can’t crush a local snake. Aside from having followed my Master for a long time and learning a bit of Martial Arts, there’s nothing I can do that would compare to you three elder brothers..."

"This time, I hope the three of you can lend me some men. If we render a great service to the Medicine Shop and this important person, my Master will be pleased and will naturally permit you three to send your children to the Prefecture City..."

Feng Zhengming raised his cup in response. He didn’t look down on the three men; after all, he was the one asking for a favor.

’Although Master sent me here with the intention of taking direct control,’ he thought, ’some things must be done slowly. Being too aggressive will only be counterproductive.’

Sure enough, the moment he mentioned Xu Li, a renowned Qi Dao Pill Master in the Prefecture City, Lu Chengfeng and the other two exchanged a look, their eyes lighting up:

"Oh? So that’s how it is..."

"Rest assured, Younger Brother Feng. How could we possibly take our Master’s orders lightly!"

"Right, right! Whatever men you need, whatever you need done... just give the word!"

"The Medicine Shop is a Grand Lineage in Jiangyin Prefecture! Even the Wind and Cloud Association relies on them, let alone us!"

The three of them laughed heartily and patted their chests, offering no excuses or refusals.

Until—

With a CREAK, someone pushed the door open, a blast of frigid, snowy wind swirling in behind them. Having overheard the conversation, the newcomer spoke abruptly:

"Oh?"

"In that case, I, the direct grandson of the Medicine Shop’s lineage, do indeed need your help with something."

"I want... you to bring a certain someone named Ji to me, so he can kneel and apologize!"

"On my way here, I already made some inquiries. That brat is just a former Groom. Not long ago, he was living under the Wind and Cloud Association’s roof. You were all his Bosses. For a simple request like this, for this little bit of face, he won’t refuse you, will he?"

"After it’s done."

"My Medicine Shop will guarantee your children entry into the Prefecture City and a path to a boundless future!"

Revenge had to be taken slowly.

But face...

must not be lost!

It wasn’t that Huang the Seventh Young Master hadn’t heard of Duan Chenzhou and Fan Nansong.

The former was fine; he was already a cripple. But if the latter was truly dead set on acknowledging this so-called ’Ancestral Master,’ it would be difficult for him to get confrontational.

But business was business.

’My family’s power in the Prefecture City is immense. The Flying Immortal Temple’s business is half selling Divine Soul Secret Skills and half selling his Spirit Medicines.’

’If the Medicine Shop wasn’t trying to restrain him a little, to suppress his fame...’

’Does that Fan Nansong really think his Alchemy Skill—which is more fame than substance—could have gotten so much hype on its own?’

’If he really pushes Huang the Seventh Young Master, he should remember my old man only has one direct grandson!’

’And this Ancestral Master of yours, which rock did he crawl out from under?’

’At best, he’s just some practitioner of the Outer Dao. Maybe in the capital of Great Xuan he’d be someone, but in Jiangyin Prefecture, he’s weak and alone. He can’t make any waves here!’

’All I want is for this mud-legged peasant to apologize to me! I’m not asking for his life yet. No matter who comes, it won’t matter!’

However.

After hearing Huang Xiuwen’s words, the Bosses of the Three Major Professions...

...found the smiles on their faces...

freezing simultaneously.

Lu Chengfeng and Wei Dinchang, in particular, furrowed their brows. They looked at Feng Zhengming, their tone suddenly growing cold and hard:

"Younger Brother Feng, is this your intention as well?"

Feng Zhengming’s smile was stiff. He looked at the arrogant princeling, the corner of his mouth twitching slightly. Remembering his Master’s instructions, he couldn’t help but sigh:

"Yes."

"Young Master Huang’s meaning... is my Master’s meaning."

He invoked the name of the Qi Cultivation Grandmaster from the Wind and Cloud Daoist School.

The three Bosses felt a heavy weight settle on their backs.

But...

even after just a moment’s thought.

Lu Chengfeng still rose to his feet. He drained his cup of wine in one go, his tone flat:

"Ji Xiu is the Mountain Road Chief of Anning. He hasn’t been part of the Wind and Cloud Association for a long time."

"How could we possibly have any authority over him?"

"The temple of Jiangyin Prefecture is large, and our temple is small. We don’t belong together."

"Young Master, I will take my leave."

He got up and left the table. The other two exchanged a look and followed suit, not giving him an ounce of face.

It left...

Huang Xiuwen completely stunned, so angry he was almost in tears.

’Seriously, on what grounds does this Ji get to do this?’

Watching this scene unfold, Feng Zhengming rubbed the bridge of his nose:

"Young Master Huang, it seems this Ji Xiu’s influence in Anning is truly extraordinary. The Mountain Road Chief... if we are to search for the Earth Treasure, we might even need his help."

"Look, why don’t you try to be the bigger person for now..."

BANG!

’Be the bigger person, my ass!’

Huang Xiuwen kicked open the door and plunged out into the bitter cold, his eyes terrifyingly savage.

Now, he didn’t want an apology anymore.

"Old Huang, in the information you just gathered, did you find out if that brat had any old enemies?"

"Reporting to Young Master, there are a few gang Dragon Heads who have crossed paths with him. They’re quite powerful."

"However... they are remnants of the Central Yellow Sect."

"The Central Yellow Sect..."

Huang Xiuwen murmured:

"What rank were they?"

"Dharma Guardian Generals."

"Then what’s there to be afraid of!"

"Find me those remnants. Find them..."

"I will create an opportunity for them!"

Huang Xiuwen said through gritted teeth:

"I refuse to believe..."

"that in all five hundred li of Anning, there’s no one who can deal with a mere Groom!?"

...

「A good night’s sleep. The wind had stopped, and the snow had ended.」

When Ji Xiu slowly awoke, he felt a refreshing comfort coursing through his muscles and bones. His strength was greater than ever before by an unknown margin—it was as if he had undergone a complete Transformation!

[The Tutor successfully pre-drew from ’Dragon Gate Jump.’ By entering a state of epiphany and using Dragon Blood on the Dragon Ascending Platform, the effect was doubled. Pre-draw progress +2!]

[Current: Mortal Transformation: Soaring Dragon Gate (2/9)]

"I can clearly sense it..."

"I am closer to the state of Bone-like Glaze, Blood-Melting Gold!"

"At this rate, it won’t take many more times before I can break through the Second Great Limit and achieve Mercury Blood Silver Marrow!"

He looked at his own skin, beneath which his flesh glowed like gold and jade. His blood was as scorching as a furnace, almost steaming like wolf smoke.

Ji Xiu was ecstatic.

However...

when he looked at the girl in front of him. Her features were pale, inspiring a sense of pity. Her black hair was disheveled, and she was fast asleep with her brow furrowed.

He fell abruptly silent.

’I...’

’What did I do last night?’

Just as Ji Xiu was pondering this question...

on the eaves above...

PATTER!

Something suddenly shifted, startling him. He looked up abruptly, only to see that a roof tile had been moved at some point, leaving a hole.

He was just about to get up, straighten his clothes, and step outside...

when he suddenly heard his "fake handmaiden," Cai Ling’er—who was supposed to have two days off—suddenly return, crying out in alarm from outside:

"You, surnamed Ye?!"

"Since when did you become a ’gentleman on the rafters’ and start peeping on people?!"

(PS: I was too tired and fell asleep last night... Woke up early and have been slacking at work to write this until now QAQ)