“This young man is far too arrogant! Even if he is a Transcendent Realm grandmaster, he shouldn’t be so haughty!”
Only after Jiang Tian had walked far away did Wei Feilong let out a regretful sigh, his face full of disappointment. “Since he remains so stubborn and unyielding, I can’t be bothered to worry about him anymore. Once Old Master Huo arrives, I’ll simply ask him to take action!”
Hearing this, the crowd erupted in cheers.
“Master, are we really staying here? What if they seek revenge? Shouldn’t we leave?”
On the way back to their lodgings, Tang Linglong said with concern.
“If they want to get rich, let them get rich. I don’t care about money…” Jiang Tian replied with a light, casual laugh.
“Revenge! Master, you… how can you still joke at a time like this!” Tang Linglong stamped her foot in frustration, not knowing whether to laugh or cry.
“Oh, revenge against me? Then I’ll just kill them…”
Jiang Tian shook his head indifferently, utterly unconcerned. “Anyway, I can’t leave. I still need to find that Empress Flower for your mistress!”
“Master, how did you discover that mixed-race white man was speaking earlier?” Ghost-Foot Kick interjected, frowning.
“He was using ventriloquism…” Jiang Tian replied with a calm expression.
This secret technique relied on vibrations from the abdomen to produce sound, with the mouth not moving at all, which naturally could deceive ordinary martial artists.
But how could it fool Jiang Tian’s eyes, capable of both X-ray vision and spiritual perception?
…
Over the next two days, Jiang Tian wandered around the martial arts gathering, chatting with various martial artists, inquiring about the Empress Flower.
Strangely enough, many martial artists who had been openly hostile, calling for his death in the Assembly of Righteousness, were privately fearful and went out of their way to flatter him.
They held a mixture of hatred and fear towards Jiang Tian. In a crowd, they felt emboldened, but when facing Jiang Tian alone, fear took precedence, and they dared not offend him.
“Sigh, martial artists are still human. Sometimes, it’s just about survival…” Jiang Tian shook his head with a wry smile at this.
He asked many martial artists, but none could provide any information about the Empress Flower.
Jiang Tian had been mentally prepared for this and wasn’t discouraged.
But in truth, many martial artists harbored deep hatred for Jiang Tian, eagerly awaiting Huo Qingtian’s arrival to come and slay Jiang Taichu.
It could be said that undercurrents and hidden killing intent swirled beneath the surface of this martial arts gathering.
…
On the morning of the third day, the atmosphere was palpably different.
All martial artists woke up early, their faces brimming with excitement, nervousness, anticipation, and unease.
This was the day the arena matches would begin to decide the Martial Alliance chairman, and also the day Huo Qingtian was due to arrive.
“Master, let’s go take a look. I want to see what level these grandmasters are really at…”
Tang Linglong tugged at Jiang Tian’s sleeve.
“What’s there to see? You go ahead…” Jiang Tian shook his head, lacking interest.
Tang Linglong thought to herself, Well, that’s true. Master can annihilate even Mo Haoxiong and Hong Tianzhao with a flick of his finger. Which grandmaster in the world could possibly catch his eye?
But she herself was eager to broaden her horizons. So she left the courtyard and followed the flow of people towards the lakeside part of the Water Manor.
A large area encompassing the Water Manor and a section of Poyang Lake had been cordoned off with police lines. Numerous officers patrolled around the manor or on speedboats on the water, separating the martial arts practitioners from the ordinary spectators, strictly forbidding non-practitioners from approaching.
Judging by the license plates on the police cars, not only were there local officers from Jiujiang, but many had also come from Hongcheng. Clearly, the Jiangxi police took this matter quite seriously.
The lakeside part of the manor, with its open courtyards and excellent views, elevated one to two meters above the water, had been designated as the viewing area. Colorful flags fluttered, banners were hung, and many spectator seats had been set up.
Wei Feilong and Zhao Yuankun flanked a tall, imposing old man with a powerful aura, seated prominently in the front row on grand armchairs.
This old man wore a black cloth robe, appeared to be over seventy, with a white beard and white hair. Yet his tiger-like eyes shone with intense light, indicating exceptionally refined cultivation.
Wei Feilong and Zhao Yuankun, who were themselves figures of high status, seniority, and profound cultivation, treated him with utmost respect, behaving like students.
Behind them, sat many renowned martial artists according to their cultivation level and seniority.
Not only were there Iron Body realm practitioners, but also several dozen Internal Energy masters, and a few Transcendent Realm grandmasters.
“Who is that old man? I saw many wealthy tycoons bowing to him.”
Outside the police line, in the crowd, Chu Mengyao, looking weary, exclaimed in wonder.
Beside her stood Lin Monong, Tang Bao’er, Lei Gang, Xia Miao, Ye Feng, and other young people from Jinling.
Their status was too low, and they lacked martial arts skills, so they were relegated to viewing outside the police line, not even qualified for a seat.
“Yeah, that’s Hong Tao, chairman of Central Plains Real Estate; Chairman Liu of Jiangnan Shipbuilding; Chairman Zhao of Tianwei Entertainment… these are regulars on the Forbes rich list… And also Lei Gang’s father, Lei Ming, a martial arts master from our Jinling…”
Tang Bao’er also stared intently at the imposing old man, reciting the identities of those tycoons like counting treasures, her face full of disbelief.
These magnates were all famous across China, with assets in the tens of billions, far surpassing the wealth of Jinling’s Chu and Tang families.
Yet now, they were all bowing reverently and greeting that old man with humility. It was truly incredible.
“He must be one of those legendary martial arts masters…”
Lin Monong’s beautiful eyes sparkled brilliantly, shimmering with fascination. Yet inwardly, she wondered: Is Jiang Tian that kind of powerhouse too?
“Do you think Jiang Tian is like them?” Suddenly, Tang Bao’er tugged at Lin Monong’s sleeve.
Lin Monong, being an ordinary person, couldn’t possibly know. She smiled and said, “I’m not sure! But seeing how respectfully Zhao Yuankun treated Jiang Tian, even calling him ‘Grandmaster,’ he must be quite powerful…”
“Hmph, impossible!”
Chu Mengyao had thought about it all night, unable to sleep, but finally arrived at her current conclusion: “Jiang Tian might know a little martial arts, but he’s definitely not some master. He was completely useless before!”
Yes, in her mind, Jiang Tian was a good-for-nothing waste. In college, he never attended classes, slept through lectures, failed exams, was clueless about business, and only knew how to chase girls and get into fights.
His health was terrible too, always hanging out in internet cafes, bars, chasing girls, eating instant noodles—his body had long been drained. How could he possibly become a master?
“But, Zhao Yuankun treated him with such respect…” Tang Bao’er offered weakly in protest.
She didn’t like Jiang Tian either, but after seeing him dominate three outstanding young men—Lei Gang, Xia Miao, and Zhao Hao—although she couldn’t accept it, she vaguely sensed Jiang Tian’s unusual nature.
“Hmph, what’s so strange about that?”
Chu Mengyao said coldly, “Don’t forget, the Jiang family is a major medical clan. Jiang Changgeng is a renowned physician in Jinling. Martial artists often get injured, right? Maybe Zhao Yuankun was treated by Jiang Changgeng. That’s why he gives Jiang Tian face. It’s possible…”
She simply couldn’t accept the fact that Jiang Tian had become powerful. It was like a dusty pearl suddenly being wiped clean, becoming radiant and brilliant, making her lose the courage to even look directly at him.
She had tossed and turned all night, pondering deeply, before finally coming up with this “reasonable” explanation.
“He himself definitely doesn’t possess that ability…” Chu Mengyao stated with absolute certainty.
Beside her, Lei Gang seemed about to speak but held back. The way Jiang Tian had slapped down Zhao Hao was undoubtedly the skill of a grandmaster.
But Xia Miao was also there, and he was Jiang Tian’s love rival. As Xia Miao’s friend, it wasn’t appropriate for him to talk about how amazing Jiang Tian was.
“So, the Jiang family isn’t as bad as the rumors say…”
Tang Bao’er said with her characteristic innocent naivety, “Even if it’s relying on family, what’s wrong with that? Don’t Xia Miao and Lei Gang rely on their families too? Sister Mengyao, actually, Xia Miao really isn’t as good as Jiang Tian…”
“Stop talking. There’s no possibility between us…”
Just hearing Jiang Tian’s name filled Chu Mengyao with irritation, her heart a tumult of mixed emotions, an exceptionally uncomfortable feeling.
“Grandmaster Li Tuofeng of the Northwest has arrived to observe the proceedings!”
As a loud announcement rang out, another group of people emerged from within the manor and entered the viewing area.
This old man wore an old sheepskin jacket, a white towel tied around his head, was thin and wiry, with dark skin, and had a hunched back. He also held a brass tobacco pipe, looking more like an old farmer.
“Old Master Li! I never expected you to come!”
“Old Master Li, how have you been?”
“Old Master Li, I’ve long wanted to pay my respects, but never had the chance!”
Many of the wealthy tycoons present hurriedly stood up, bowing respectfully with cupped fists, offering such greetings.
“Old Hero Li! You’ve finally arrived! Forgive us for not welcoming you properly!”
Even Wei Feilong and Zhao Yuankun came forward together, their faces wreathed in smiles to greet him.
Among all the assembled heroes, only Huo Qingtian did not go to meet him, though he did stand up and offer a distant cupped-fist salute.
“What’s so special about this old man? He looks quite poor! His old leather jacket is worn smooth and bald!” Tang Bao’er remarked with her typical innocent bluntness.
“Little girl, watch your words. This is a martial arts grandmaster…” An old man within the police line, some distance away, said sternly.
“Huh? How can you hear me?”
Tang Bao’er was instantly startled.
I’m a good ten meters away from this old man, and I deliberately lowered my voice. How did he hear me?
“Heh, I’m an Internal Energy martial artist. My ears can hear ants fighting. What’s this little distance to me?”
Seeing Tang Bao’er’s innocent and cute demeanor, the old man couldn’t help but say a bit more.
“Grandpa, what you said… what is a ‘martial arts grandmaster’?” Tang Bao’er asked curiously.
“You’re not martial artists? Whose children are you? How did you get in here?”
The old man immediately frowned, asking seriously.
Given that the family assets of Chu Mengyao and Tang Bao’er were only in the hundreds of millions or tens of millions, they had no right to enter.
They had been brought in by Jiang Tian, but Tang Bao’er was worried Jiang Tian might not be able to impress this old man, so she smiled and said, “Oh, we are disciples of the Jinling Lei Clan Martial Arts School…”
Beside her, Lei Gang quickly stepped forward with a cupped fist salute. “Esteemed elder, Lei Ming is my father. These are my junior martial brothers and sisters…”
“Oh, Lei Ming… seems to be a Cannon Fist master, right? Has he broken through to the peak of the Iron Body realm yet?”
The old man clearly didn’t know Lei Ming well, hesitating for a long time before remembering.
“Oh, thanks to your blessings, elder, he just reached the Iron Body peak last year,” Lei Gang replied respectfully.
“Oh, that’s quite an achievement!”
The old man nodded indifferently, then asked in surprise, “But these junior martial brothers and sisters of yours are too lacking. They don’t even know what a martial arts grandmaster is? Didn’t your father teach them about it?”
