Advance the future and become a martial saint on earth!

Chapter 169 May I ask your name, Master? Your master is Xu Longxiang!
Prefect Ye Luan, Ye Ningzhi's teacher?
Upon hearing the other disciples who had joined the academy at the same time recount the origins of the woman in crane robes, Ji Xiu's expression shifted.

Ye Luan.

He was familiar with the name.

Moreover, the moment the woman named 'Ye Luan' appeared...

Even though he knew that Gao Ye came from the Danshan Gao Clan, a genuine 'noble family', he had no fear and still confronted him head-on, choosing to protect himself.

Ji Xiu felt a surge of goodwill, and then a strange look appeared in his eyes.

He had heard some stories about orthodoxy from Granny Shi before.

His own master, Duan Chenzhou, was once arranged to marry Xie Fuyao, the daughter of a wealthy family, by his grandmaster, Wang Xuanyang.

At the same time, she also has some entanglements with a woman who is the heir of the Jinghong Sword Sect, one of the six high mountains in Jiangyin, and who holds a position as a prefectural official.

The woman was Ye Luan.

It is said that this man fought his master dozens of times in martial arts throughout his life and never won.

This also indirectly led to Ye Ningzhi volunteering to come to Anning after hearing that Duan Chenzhou had taken her as his disciple, in order to wash away the shame of her sect's past. In the end, she was defeated by him and they formed a friendship.

As Ji Xiu pondered these key points, he couldn't help but sigh inwardly:
"But why does this scene seem so familiar?"

Looking at this scene, which felt strangely familiar...

Ji Xiu thought to himself silently.

It seems that before, when I was at the Beicang Marquis's residence, I encountered Xie Zhinan, the daughter of a wealthy family, who drove her ornate carriage into the inner courtyard, acting arrogantly.
He directly called out "Thank you, Master's wife" to Xie Fuyao, and that's how he made his entrance and got himself out of trouble.

We have now arrived at the government office.

Another person who had connections with his master has arrived.
Wouldn't it be better for him to just bow down and prostrate himself directly?
The idea is that you can never have too many powerful backers, and calling someone "Master's wife" won't cost you anything.

At most, it would just add another headache to Ji Xiu's master, whose whereabouts are currently unknown. He was just considering whether to drag his master out for another round of expenses when...
On the other side of the courtyard, there is a long corridor.

The officials and instructors who were originally standing together had different expressions as they watched this scene.

"The 'young lord' of the Danshan Gao family has, by sheer coincidence, run into this kid named Ji Xiu."

"Sigh, it's been many years since we've seen a promising talent in Jiangyin who can get first place in both the Martial God's Two Steles evaluation."

"To be under twenty years old and yet to have the foundation of immortal robes and divine soul thoughts, the requirements are extremely demanding."

"This one just happened to run into the sole heir of a noble family!"

"If it were just a noble family, that would be fine."

"But Gao Ye is the real deal, outstanding from a young age, and was personally appointed as the heir by his ancestor. He deserves to be called 'Young Master'!"

"As a mentor, it's not worth the risk of offending a future nobleman to take on a student who has some talent but whom I've never met before."

Instructor Qin Chuan, who had previously assigned one of his students to extend an olive branch to Ji Xiu, looked regretful.

Beside him, Yao Hong, who was being assessed on the Martial and Divine Steles, also shook his head and sighed.
"Ye Luan's actions are extremely unwise. For the sake of a student with some talent, she has offended a noble family, especially the 'Danshan Gao Clan,' who intends to move to Jiangyin Prefecture and may one day surpass the Thirty-Six Trades."

"If someone targets our embroidery business in the future, how will we continue operating?"

As the two were talking, a prefectural official, dressed in a yellow robe, with a hooked nose, sunken eyes, and deep eye bags, heard this and gave a faint, cold laugh:

"What else could it be?"

"This young man surnamed Ji is Duan Chenzhou's apprentice."

"Back when Duan Chenzhou was fighting hard, he was incredibly arrogant. When he stirred up trouble at the 'Eastern Canghai' and wiped out the Hun Tian bandits, he made a name for himself and put all his contemporaries behind him."

“Other descendants of prominent figures and successors of various schools of thought who fought against him back then all lost limbs.”

"This is especially true in that dojo district."

"Countless people who stepped onto the martial arts stage and signed a life-or-death contract were eventually trampled by him and stripped of their top positions in their dojos. Who among them could possibly find Duan Chenzhou pleasing to the eye?"

"As it turns out, Ye Luan supposedly lost dozens of times without a scratch, as if she went there specifically to ask Duan Chenzhou for sparring. Who would believe that there's nothing fishy going on between the two of them?"

"Now that I see my former lover is dead, and my apprentice is all alone and being bullied, I can't bear it and want to help him out."

Upon hearing these undisguised sarcastic remarks, Qin Chuan and Yao Hong exchanged a glance and frowned slightly, almost imperceptibly.

However, remembering the person's identity, he didn't say much.

This man, named Huang Hong, came from a branch of the pharmacy. He was very ambitious and rose to prominence early on, becoming a tutor for the prefectural government. Even the old master of the pharmacy recognized his lineage.

Now, the direct descendants of the three generations of the pharmacy have all been wiped out by Ji Xiu, his apprentice and master, leaving only concubines and branches.

Huang Hong rose to the position of prefectural official, and within the vast pharmacy, he was one of the strongest contenders for the position of head of the pharmacy after Huang Ai.

If nothing unexpected happens, perhaps in twenty or thirty years, when the old master of the Huang family, who runs a pharmacy, passes away, the position of the Nine Elders of Jiangyin, the head of the Grand Hall, will fall on his head.

Therefore, it's not worth getting into a conflict with such people over a few words.

Seeing Ye Luan step forward, Huang Hong made a few sarcastic remarks, but didn't stop there. At the same time, a ripple of emotion stirred within him:
"The old man's direct descendants, sons and grandsons, are all dead, and he holds a deep grudge against this kid."

“A couple of days ago, I heard that he wanted to join the academy. He even sent me a letter asking me to trip him up and expel him from the academy. He also promised that the resources of the pharmacy would be provided to me first and asked me to break through the Dragon Tiger Pass.”

“I was initially reluctant, after all, this kid couldn’t even kill the old man who had put a bounty on him in the black market. If he were to join the academy, he would definitely attract the attention of the other instructors and officials.”

"Although this kid has some debts, in the eyes of these instructors, it's not a big problem, and it can't stop them from wanting to take this talented young man into their fold."

"In addition, Pei Daoran, the head of the academy, has strict control over the academy and has spent his life trying to cultivate a 'leader of all academies' to go to Cangbei and make a name for himself."

"If I were to trip him up right under his nose, I would be lifting a rock only to drop it on my own foot."

"But things are different now."

Seeing Gao Ye stand out, Huang Hong's mind began to waver.

He was among the top instructors and officials in the Jiangyin Prefectural Academy, but the head of the academy valued Ye Luan the most and showed her great favor.

He was older than her, but not as talented. Their cultivation levels were about the same, and it was clear that the position of head of the academy and its succession would not fall to him in the future.

It wasn't a new head of the academy parachuted in from the upper-level military governors.

Ye Luan was able to see through the Dragon and Tiger, and was promoted by Pei Daoran, the head of the Jiangyin Academy.

Rather than wasting time here with no future, it's better to plan a way out for yourself as soon as possible.

It should be noted that even a prefectural official, according to the "Six Volumes of the Great Mystery," has only just stepped into the threshold of power and wealth.

In the eyes of some generations of officials and nobles, it was merely a starting point to gain recognition!

If there is a chance to climb up, who would be willing to remain here? To be granted a title and a fiefdom—that is the true achievement of a great man!

therefore.

This is a golden opportunity.

If Ye Luan wants to take Ji Xiu as a student, he can easily step forward and support Gao Ye, the 'young nobleman' from the Gao family of Danshan.

In addition, the supplies provided by Old Master Huang
With the support of the Gao family of Danshan and the entire pharmaceutical lineage, his path would be wide no matter what. The only difference was that he might offend a peasant from a rural area.

Undeniably, this kid has some talent. Even if Huang Ai had spoken up, Huang Hong had no intention of taking the risk of controlling him in the mansion.

If things go wrong and we suffer a setback, it will be a losing proposition.

But it's different now.

Even though it has a double A rating.

However, this was in the face of the profound heritage of noble families.
That's not enough.

No matter what, he's only seventeen years old. The bone age shown by the Martial God's Twin Steles is undeniable!

Even if he became a retainer of the Marquis of Beicang's mansion, in that young lady's eyes, he would probably just be a servant with some talent, and would not be worthy of the Marquis of Beicang's attention.

How can they be compared to the heirs of noble families?
Therefore, when Gao Ye saw Ye Luan approaching with a sword in hand in the courtroom, he wasn't intimidated by Ye Luan's reputation at all, and instead gave him a cold shoulder, his expression turning ugly.
Huang Hong followed closely behind and stepped inside:
"Within the government compound, strength reigns supreme."

"Only those who excel in all five categories—archery, horsemanship, military strategy, martial arts, and divine prowess—can represent the prefecture and participate in the prefectural examination."

“Gao Fusheng comes from a noble family and is determined to win the top prize in the prefectural examination. Why should he lose face by being so impulsive?”

"If Instructor Ye Luan wants to take it, then tell her to take it."

"Life in this mansion is not just a day or two; there is a long future ahead."

“A few days ago, the head of the Shangjiu Gang was favored by ‘Lord Gao’ and held a banquet to welcome the young lord to Jiangyin.”

"On that trip, I accompanied Old Master Huang from the pharmacy and met Young Master Gao once. Do you remember him?"

"If the young master is willing, I, Huang, can be your tutor during your time at the manor. At the very least, I will not be any worse than Instructor Ye Luan."

Huang Hong's gentle and persuasive words gave Gao Ye a way out.

His anger subsided, and he couldn't help but give Ji Xiu a deep look:
"What Magistrate Huang says is true."

"My ambition is to pass the five tests in succession, make meritorious contributions, and pass the examination to become a prefectural official. I will seize the day."

"Why compare yourself to a student who follows the established path and participates in the next cohort three years later?"

"We have a long future ahead of us." Gao Ye emphasized the words "a long future ahead of us," making Ji Xiu's eyes turn cold.

"Wasn't that punch enough?"

In short, the tension was palpable. Gao Ye was stunned for a long time, seemingly not expecting that even though he had taken the initiative to turn the page, this kid was still relentless.

His eyes then blazed with fury:

"The five tests are archery, horsemanship, weaponry, hand-to-hand combat, and spirit. After entering the academy, I vowed to overthrow my previous ranking and take first place."

"Kid, stop with the sharp tongue. If you're so capable, how about we have a contest of skills?"

Upon hearing this, Ji Xiu gave Gao Ye a cold glance and scoffed.

He had undergone rigorous testing at each of the five stages, receiving the enhancement of the Daoist talisman. Why would he be afraid of others?

He joined the government office with the intention of passing the examination to become a government official and to obtain the mansion and other privileges within the government office.

If one wants to enjoy these benefits, it is essential to be the first to stand out and excel.

Based on these alone.

Let alone Gao Ye being from a noble family, even if they were kings or nobles, he would still kick them over and trample them to the ground!

Judging by their arrogance, all I know is that they're ranked in the top two, but their foundation is slightly weaker than mine.

I don't know
I thought he was some kind of Qi Master, someone who was on track to be promoted and had already crushed me!

Just as Ji Xiu was about to make a sarcastic remark...
"enough!"

boom!
The door suddenly opened.

Pei Daoran strode in, his face grim.

Seeing his surging dragon and tiger aura, almost bursting from the top of his head and roaring into breath, a student watching the commotion recognized the newcomer and his eyes narrowed immediately:

"It's the head of the Jiangyin Academy!"

"This student greets the Headmaster!"

"Your Excellency, even Your Excellency has been alarmed by these two new students!"

Jiangyin Academy Head?

Upon hearing this title, Ji Xiu glanced at the old man, who was dressed in simple clothes and exuded a dignified yet unrestrained air, and seemed to be deep in thought.

This man is one of the three most powerful figures in the prefecture, on par with the garrison general with the tall red tassel.

Pei Daoran entered and glanced around before looking at Gao Ye:
“Gao Ye, once you become a student of the Jiangyin Prefectural Academy, you are no longer a young nobleman of the Gao family of Danshan.”

"You keep talking about being the top scholar in the five levels of examinations and the official rank of prefect. Do you think those geniuses who have been cultivating in the prefecture for three years, hiding dragons and crouching tigers, preparing for the prefectural examination, are just for show?"

"Let's talk about this after you've taken it. Otherwise, you'll be bringing shame to your ancestor!"

After letting out a heavy snort, Pei Daoran swept his sleeves.

Then, the head of the Jiangyin Academy appeared.

Even with Gao Ye's temperament, he didn't dare to act rashly. He bowed his head and agreed, and after listening, he subtly glanced at Ji Xiu.

"As for you"

After reprimanding Gao Ye, Pei Daoran turned to look at Ji Xiu, his expression complex.
"You come with me."

I?
Ji Xiu was taken aback. After hearing the words of this Jiangyin Academy Chief, whom he had never met before, he wondered why he wanted to see him alone.

Ye Luan, on the other hand, frowned slightly.
"Head of the courtyard."

Pei Daoran looked at Ye Luan, who had taken half a step forward, and felt somewhat helpless:

"Knowing that this is a descendant of your deceased friend, would the head of the academy really make things difficult for someone who is merely a 'student of the Imperial Academy'?"

"I just wanted to talk to this kid about something."

After speaking, the head of the academy hurried away, gave Ji Xiu a quick glance, and then left, looking preoccupied.

After thinking for a moment, Ji Xiu thanked Ye Luan and quickly followed.

They followed Pei Daoran, the head of the Jiangyin Academy, into a quiet room.

This highly respected elder then turned his head, and with a complex mix of emotions in his eyes, tinged with an unusual intricacy, he spoke:

"Boy, let me ask you, what's the name of that 'secret martial art' you just used?"

"Don't even think about hiding it. I've been the head of the Jiangyin Academy for many years and have lived most of my life. What haven't I seen?"

"The head of this academy will not make things difficult for you. There are no 'outsiders' here. Just tell me what's going on."

Secret martial arts techniques?

Upon hearing this, Ji Xiu felt a chill run down his spine as he recalled the secret martial art made from the bones he had seen at the Jade Marrow Cold Lotus pool!
Ye Longxiang, whose lineage traces back to the great master 'Ye Wenjiang,' is said to have been renowned in his time, being a true Taoist disciple.
This happened 60 years ago.

The fact that such old matters can be brought up suggests that there might be some old grudge between them and the head of the academy.
But judging from his expression, he clearly knew the details and background of the matter, and his attempts to conceal it were futile.

Therefore, after careful consideration, Ji Xiu still hesitated before speaking:
"This is something I learned from a senior colleague."

"Named..."

"Ye Longxiang"

In an instant, Pei Daoran, the head of the Jiangyin Academy, narrowed his eyes and was about to speak, but—

hum!
A sudden, inexplicable tremor ran through Ji Xiu's soul, accompanied by a thunderous voice that resounded in his ears, causing his eardrums to bulge, his eyes to widen, and his soul and mind to go blank for a moment!

Where is your senior now?

A towering figure, as majestic as a mountain and easily two meters tall, appeared out of nowhere and leaped out, grabbing his arm.

When Ji Xiu came to his senses, he found that despite his dragon tendons and jade bones, even with his instinctive reaction and all his strength, he could hardly move at all!
Looking at the old monster with white beard and hair, whose strength could move mountains, Ji Xiu felt immense pressure and his throat bobbed:
"That senior has long since passed away. I was able to inherit this skill by deciphering his legacy from the handwritten notes he left on the stone wall."

"Who is your Excellency?"

Ji Xiu had barely finished speaking.

Deng Deng!

Xu Longxiang's arms, which possessed the strength of mountains and seas, were instantly weakened by eight-tenths, forcing him to retreat several steps. The light in his eyes quickly dimmed.
"Yes."

"I should have recognized that fact when his life lamp shattered."

Xu Longxiang paused for a moment, referring to himself as habitually.

Then, he noticed the young man before him, so he subtly changed his address, looked him up and down a few times, and then stroked his beard:

"At this age, to have mastered the 'Ye Long Xiang Shou' technique to its full potential."

"Your talent and understanding are truly extraordinary."

“I am an old acquaintance of your great-grandfather, Ip Man-kong.”

"He is also an instructor at the Jiangyin Prefectural Academy, and is considered a contemporary of your headmaster."

"I've met that girl who stood up for you earlier. She's got some skills, but she can't teach you anything."

At this point, Xu Longxiang slightly raised his head, looked at Ji Xiu, and his eyes were serious:

"If you are willing, I can be your master and teach you the true essence of the martial art that originated from 'Ye Long Xiang Shou'."

"how?"

He extended a broad palm.

Ji Xiu was stunned for a moment, looked at Pei Daoran, then at Xu Longxiang in front of him, and his heart pounded for a split second.

He couldn't figure out the background of this tall old man who suddenly appeared, but since he could talk to the Jiangyin academy chief on equal terms, he must be an old-fashioned official in this academy.

If they're not intimidated by the pressure from those noble families, they must at least be exceptionally talented students!
Jiang Yin, the head of the academy, glanced at the side and his eyes twitched. His pupils seemed to tremble as if an earthquake had struck, but after forcibly suppressing his anger, he forced a smile, pretended nothing was wrong, and nodded in agreement with Xu Longxiang's words.

Ji Xiu pondered for a long time. Ye Luan's relationship with her master Duan Chenzhou was genuine. Whether or not he was her mentor, it made little difference.

Being able to make the acquaintance of an old-fashioned person as a backer within this mansion, thanks to the connection with 'Ye Longxiang,' is undoubtedly more beneficial than harmful.

After thinking it through, Ji Xiu spoke:
"Student Ji Xiu greets his esteemed teacher!"

Xu Longxiang was greatly pleased:

"well!"

"Your teacher left in a hurry this time, so I don't have much to give you. Next time, I'll take you somewhere and officially give you a proper title!"

Upon hearing this, Ji Xiu didn't take it seriously, thinking it was just a simple tea ceremony to honor the teacher and students, completely unaware of what this title meant.

"May I ask your esteemed name, Master?"

"Your teacher is Xu Longxiang!"

(End of this chapter)