System ————— System rewards accepted.
———————————– The System began to glow, and two golden lights shot forward, entering his head directly.
They contained the complete knowledge of the System rewards: the Earth Medium-Grade King’s Physique Technique and the Earth Medium-Grade King’s Qi Cultivation Technique.
Another light flashed and settled gently in his palm, revealing a smooth, fragrant Mortal High-Grade Qi Breaking Pill.
“I know these two techniques like the back of my hand now…
this is great!” said Jiang WuShang with a smile.
“Looks like I have to hurry, or I’ll lose that bet.” He sat down cross-legged and closed his eyes to start cultivating.
“According to the King’s Physique Technique, to start cultivating I need to break and repair my body to make it strong,” muttered Jiang WuShang.
He forcefully clenched his hands, snapping his own fingers.
“Ah!
Ah!
It hurts!” He then stretched his arms, forcefully dislocating his shoulder with a sickening pop.
“Egh…
System, this hurts!
Can’t you do anything?” ————-System ————— Host, I cannot help you become stronger.
You must rely on yourself.
———————————– “Okay, I will bear with it!” said Jiang WuShang through gritted teeth.
He began twisting and bending his arms and legs according to the unnatural postures of the King’s Physique Technique.
The sound of bones cracking and snapping filled the quiet room, enough to send chills down anyone’s spine.
“Fuck!” He spat a mouthful of blood onto the floor.
“I’ve already started, I can’t stop now!” He continued breaking and resetting his bones again and again.
Soon, the day came to an end and night fell, but the agonizing sounds of bone-breaking did not stop.
Day and night, those terrible sounds echoed inside the room for six whole days.
“Haff…
haff…
System, did I make it?” gasped Jiang WuShang.
Before receiving an answer, he fainted dead onto the bed.
All around him, the room was covered in blood as if a terrible massacre had taken place, and a thick, pungent stench of blood filled the air.
Meanwhile, on the second floor of the Night Rose Brothel, a young girl in black knelt respectfully.
“Young Miss, I received a report.
Your brother returned to the Capital this morning.
He is gathering disciples with Mortal High-Rank roots, and he even found an Earth Low-Rank disciple who could join as an intern, though he was forced to become a disciple instead,” said the girl.
“Don’t call him my brother.
He is just a liar, and I have confirmed it,” said the Young Lady in an angry voice.
But when she thought of someone else, her tone softened considerably.
“And as for his disciple, do you think he can compare to Young Master Jiang?” “What?
Young Miss, what are you talking about?
Your father personally accepted him as a godson, so he became your godbrother,” said the young girl in shock.
“What do you know about my father’s godson, or my relationship with my father over the past few years?” said the Young Lady in a cold voice.
“His name is Jiang Bai.
Your father accepted him as a godson to repay an old friend.
And as for your relationship with your father…
he always thought you were simply against Jiang Bai becoming your godbrother,” said the young girl after giving it some thought.
“Do you know his Talent Root?” asked the Young Lady.
“Mortal High-Rank,” said the girl.
“If my father had a true friend whose kindness he needed to repay, do you think that friend’s son would be this kind of trash who can’t even reach the Martial Realm?” the Young Lady questioned sharply.
“Miss, are you saying he is a fake?
But how can this be?
Your father personally tested him!” said the young girl, utterly stunned.
“Yes, I am certain he is a fake.
As for my father, I don’t know how they managed to fool him,” said the Young Lady, a sad expression touching her eyes.
“Should we inform your father about Jiang Bai?” asked the girl.
“No.
He might just think we are plotting something against Jiang Bai,” said the Young Lady.
“Then what should we do?
We can’t just sit here doing nothing!” “He wants my father’s position.
But now that the real son of my father’s friend has been found, I am sure we can turn things around,” said the Young Lady with an icy expression.
“What?
The real young master has been found?
How come I don’t know about this?” asked the girl in puzzlement.
“Jiang WuShang,” said the Young Lady with a small smile.
“No wonder his talent is so high in a remote place like this!
But…
his talent is still too low to compare to you and your father,” said the young girl, feeling a mix of shock and disappointment.
“How can you be so sure?
Can’t you remember?
The Root Stone cracked the moment he touched it!
We have to test him with a hundred-year Talent Stone to confirm his real Talent Root Rank,” said the Young Lady with a serious face.
“I do remember it!
Young Miss, are you saying his Talent Root is even higher?
Does that mean he has at least a Heaven Low-Rank Talent Root?
As expected of someone so important to your father!” exclaimed the young girl in awe.
“Yes, his Talent Root is far higher.” The Young Lady looked out into the open sky.
“There are eight days left for the Azure Academy recruitment…
will he win the bet?” She blushed slightly.
“Miss, why do I have a feeling that you *want* him to win the bet?
Besides, if your father finds out the truth, he might just end up as your godbrother anyway,” said the young girl with a mischievous smile.
“Don’t talk nonsense, or you’re up for a beating!” said the Young Lady, her face burning red.
“Okay, okay!
I won’t speak about it, but can you stop blushing?” laughingly shouted the young girl as she turned and ran away.
“Don’t let me catch you, or I’ll beat you until you can’t speak!” called out the Young Lady, chasing after her.
After some time had passed, Jiang WuShang finally woke up.
Seeing the bloody mess all around his room, he scratched his head groggily.
“I’m exhausted…” said Jiang WuShang.
He immediately began examining his internal state.
“9th…
9th Level of Body Formation!
This is great!
I broke through to the 9th Level of Body Formation in just six days!
Haha, System, you are my Godfather!” Jiang WuShang cheered with excitement.
“Now that I’ve reached the 9th Level of Body Formation, I can take the Mortal High-Grade Qi Breaking Pill to break through to the Qi Gathering Realm!” Jiang WuShang took out the pill and swallowed it whole.
The moment it dissolved, a radiant golden aura erupted around his body.
“Holy crap, this pill is powerful!
I have to focus, or I’ll explode and die!” He immediately sat down and began channeling the Earth Medium-Grade King’s Qi Cultivation Technique.
Outside Jiang WuShang’s house, two figures in dark clothes crept through the alley.
“Are you certain that boy lives here?
We have to kill him without letting anyone know, or Rose Master will come for us.
If that happens, we won’t survive, and even our families will suffer,” whispered one of the men.
“I’m certain.
Young Master Ling said so himself,” replied the other man in a serious voice.
They approached the front door, but just as they drew their weapons, a low, ominous voice echoed out of nowhere: “Trespassers will be killed.
Do not approach.
This is not just a warning.” “Who…
who’s there?!
Show yourself!” shouted the man in black, looking around frantically.
“I will not repeat myself.
Return, or you will all die,” the voice rang again.
“Come out here and face me if you’ve got guts!” yelled the taller man of the two.
“Return or die.” “Brother, I think we should return.
That person speaking isn’t normal,” whispered the man in black, trembling slightly.
“What are you afraid of?
I’m at the 7th Level of Qi Gathering!
Go kick that door open!
In a place like this, the only person we can’t afford to offend is Rose Master,” said the tall man arrogantly.
“Yes, brother.” The man stepped forward and raised his leg to kick the door open.
“Die.” A pitch-black shadow launched outward from the doorway with a blade in hand.
With a single fluid slash, he cleanly beheaded the man attempting to kick the door.
“Did you think I was joking?
This is where my Master is cultivating, and you dare disturb him?” “No!
Brother!
You will pay for his life!” screamed the tall man.
He unsheathed his saber and charged forward, but his feet suddenly froze in place as a suffocating pressure hit him.
“9th…
9th Level of Qi Gathering?!” said the tall man, his face turning pale with absolute terror.
“Sir!
I don’t know who you are, please let me go!
It was Young Master Ling who ordered us to kill someone in this area!
I didn’t know your master was cultivating here!
Please, sir, Magistrate Ling is also at the 9th Level of Qi Gathering, why do you have to offend him?
Just don’t kill me, let me go!” “No matter who it is, if they try to kill my Master, I will kill them first,” said Shadow coldly.
“Master?
That boy is your Master?!
How can this be…
Sir, please!
I didn’t know about this, please let me go!” pleaded the tall man, trembling violently.
“Yes, he is my Master.
Now die, and remember in your next life not to offend those you shouldn’t,” said Shadow.
He slashed his sword once more, beheading the tall man instantly and spilling his blood across the ground.
Inside the room, the golden aura slowly faded back into Jiang WuShang’s body.
“Finally, I absorbed that pill!
Now it’s time to cultivate all the way to the 6th Level of Qi Gathering,” said Jiang WuShang happily.
He opened his eyes, looked around, and saw Shadow kneeling by the doorway.
“Shadow, what happened?
Why did you come out of my shadow?
Is there something you want to report?” asked Jiang WuShang.
“Master, Young Master Ling sent two assassins to kill you, but they were killed by me.
Their bodies are lying outside,” reported Shadow respectfully.
Jiang WuShang’s eyes narrowed dangerously.
“Young Master Ling…
you’ve got guts, trying to assassinate me.
I will make your life a living hell, just you wait.” He let out a long breath and settled back down.
“Shadow, wake me up on Azure Academy Recruitment day.
I’m off to cultivate.” “Yes, Master,” replied Shadow.
He dissolved back into the darkness, quietly watching over everything.