Chapter 112: Chapter 17: Conflict and a Bet

Inside Kang Guang Tower, the best restaurant in Huangyuan Marketplace, Ren Xingzhou tossed a large bag of Spirit Stones directly onto the counter.

“Shopkeeper, arrange a private room for us.”

The Shopkeeper of Kang Guang Tower immediately recognized them as Cultivators who had passed the Five Elements Platform test. He bowed at the waist, ready to have a waiter lead the Cultivators to a private room on the second floor. But just then, four other Cultivators swaggered in—the very same ones from Huangyuan Marketplace who had made an excuse to leave earlier.

Both parties looked a little awkward.

“Fellow Daoists, why don’t we all share a table?”

Ren Xingzhou, ever the smooth operator, immediately stepped forward with a warm welcome.

The leader of the four was Zhang Yanhao of the Shangyang Zhang Family.

The Shangyang Zhang Family originated from the Royal Family of the Chen Kingdom. They were granted a fiefdom on Zhangyang Mountain, a branch of the Huangyuan Mountain Range, and subsequently changed their surname to Zhang. Their Power ranked among the top of the many Qi Cultivation Clans in the Chen Kingdom, boasting three Foundation Establishment Cultivators. The Royal Family had established this branch of the Zhang Family to monitor the activities of the various Foundation Establishment Clans within Huangyuan Marketplace.

The Marketplace’s Scribe, Zhang Wenchun, came from this clan. However, he was merely a distant relative of the Chen Family, incorporated into the Shangyang Zhang Family almost as an afterthought, and his status was worlds apart from Zhang Yanhao’s. Five years ago, Zhang Yanhao’s name was still Chen Yanhao. Hailing from a house of great wealth and prestige, he looked down on even Cultivators from ordinary Foundation Establishment Clans, let alone an Independent Cultivator like Yang Jing.

“Hmph. Since you’ve stooped to associating with the likes of this Independent Cultivator, you still think you can sit at the same table as me?”

Ren Xingzhou’s face burned as if he’d been slapped. He was from Celestial Yang Marketplace, over eight hundred li away, and knew nothing about the Shangyang Zhang Family’s background. He never expected Zhang Yanhao to show him such disrespect.

CLANG!

Yang Jing drew the Demon-slaying Sword directly from his Storage Bag. As it left the scabbard, the cold glint of the longsword flashed across everyone in the restaurant.

Everyone present was stunned. Even Ren Xingzhou’s jaw dropped in surprise; he had never imagined Yang Jing would be so fiercely protective of him.

’Is… is the custom in Huangyuan Marketplace this aggressive? A mere verbal dispute has to end in bloodshed?’

“Zhang Yanhao, if you insult me, I can treat it like a fart in the wind. But today you dared to insult my friends. Do you dare to face me?”

Zhang Yanhao was also at a loss. He had no idea why Yang Jing was acting so crazy, but after seeing that the weapon in Yang Jing’s hand was just a Demon-slaying Sword, he let out a cold laugh.

The Demon-slaying Sword couldn’t even be considered a Magical Artifact; it was mass-produced for Innate Martial Artists and Low Tier Cultivators. ’This Yang Jing doesn’t have a single decent Magical Artifact, yet he dares to challenge me? He must have lost his mind after getting into the Five Elements True Spirit Sect. He doesn’t even know his own worth anymore.’

The next moment, his expression froze.

A blade of Sword Gang lit up on the Demon-slaying Sword, dazzling and blinding. Even from more than a dozen paces away, one could faintly feel a stinging pain on their skin.

“Th-this is… Sword… Sword Gang!”

“Refining Sword into Gang!”

Everyone present instantly recognized the Sword Gang; only Sword Gang could project such an omni-cutting sharpness.

Zhang Yanhao stumbled back two steps before steadying himself.

Sword Cultivators were known for their formidable combat strength, always standing out among peers of the same Realm. They were also known for their unyielding nature, preferring to break rather than bend. He had no confidence at all that he could survive an attack from Yang Jing’s sword.

“If you don’t want to fight, then apologize to my friends!” Yang Jing said coldly.

Zhang Yanhao’s face was pale. His lips moved, but no words came out.

The Cultivators from the Outer Marketplace also looked awkward. Although they were a little happy that Yang Jing was standing up for them, it felt completely unnecessary. Zhang Yanhao had only insulted Yang Jing and Ren Xingzhou. Yang Jing’s actions had, without them realizing it, forced them to take a side.

Fortunately, Ren Xingzhou stepped forward to smooth things over:

“Brother Yang, calm down, calm down. Fellow Daoist Zhang just misspoke; it’s not worth all this. Fellow Daoist Zhang, would you be willing to join us for a drink?”

Zhang Yanhao raised a sleeve to hide his face and mumbled his assent.

Only then did Yang Jing sheathe his Demon-slaying Sword.

From that moment on, not a single Cultivator present dared to look down on him. The other Cultivators from Huangyuan Marketplace were so intimidated they didn’t even dare to meet his gaze. To achieve Refining Sword into Gang at the Fifth Layer of Qi Cultivation was an accomplishment that would grant him a direct promotion to Inner Sect Disciple in the Taixu Sword Sect, where he would be specially nurtured by the Sect.

Even if the Five Elements True Spirit Sect didn’t have many Sword Technique inheritances, they would still place great importance on him.

Seeing everyone’s reaction, Yang Jing knew he had achieved one of his goals.

According to Wang Tong’s confession, the president of the Profound Carp Association was supposed to be a disciple of the Five Elements True Spirit Sect with a fairly high standing in the Sect. This was why he still dared to manipulate Yang Jing even after Yang Jing had broken through to the Fourth Layer of Qi Cultivation using the Five Talisman Scripture.

Yang Jing was from Huangyuan Marketplace. If he also revealed his proficiency in Alchemy, it would be too easy for the Profound Carp Association’s president to become suspicious.

But if he didn’t reveal some extraordinary ability, it would be extremely difficult to justify his current eighth-layer Cultivation. Therefore, after much consideration, Yang Jing decided to reveal a portion of his Sword Dao Cultivation. He had a friendly relationship with Song Luoxi, a true disciple of the Taixu Sword Sect, and had received a Sword Mantra from her, so comprehending Refining Sword into Gang wouldn’t seem too abrupt.

Furthermore, for Sword Cultivators, comprehension was more important than resources. When others saw that Yang Jing had mastered Refining Sword into Gang, they would only marvel at his outstanding Sword Dao Talent and not suspect anything else. But if he were to reveal his cultivation in the True Yang Body, others would start to wonder where he got the Spirit Medicines to aid his body tempering.

Over decades of accumulation, the Five Elements True Spirit Sect had amassed over a hundred thousand Outer Sect Disciples. Some of these disciples grew to be seventy or eighty years old and still remained in the Outer Sect. If he wanted to become an Inner Sect Disciple and stand out from this massive crowd, he would have to reveal his edge eventually. It was better to do it sooner rather than later.

In their eyes, Sword Cultivators were mostly eccentric characters. This trait could also provide cover for his actions.

As for offending the Zhang Family, Yang Jing truly looked down on these Foundation Establishment Clans of the Chen Kingdom. The Western Continent had thirty-six kingdoms, large and small, and the shallow-rooted Chen Kingdom was ranked near the bottom. The Zhang Family’s influence was confined to Huangyuan Marketplace; once inside the Five Elements True Spirit Sect, there was little difference between them and an ordinary Independent Cultivator.

Besides, he had only offended Zhang Yanhao as an individual. The Shangyang Zhang Family was the Shangyang Zhang Family, and Zhang Yanhao was Zhang Yanhao; the two could not be equated.

However, the main reason he chose this moment to make a scene and reveal his Sword Dao Cultivation was for Ren Xingzhou.

Ren Xingzhou might seem unassuming now, but his future accomplishments would far surpass those of any other Cultivator present.

After entering the Five Elements True Spirit Sect, Ren Xingzhou would lay low before shocking everyone with his achievements. It would take him only seventy years to successfully reach Core Formation, and he would build a wide network of allies. In the future, when the Six Passes Defense Line of the Six Great Sects collapsed again and again, their defeat like a landslide, the three kingdoms of Chen, Cai, and Wei would all fall and become demon territory, wiping out three hundred years of work in an instant. It was he who would step forward to reorganize the troops and logistics, holding the crumbling Six Passes Defense Line together and preventing the situation from deteriorating completely.

Since such a good opportunity had presented itself, Yang Jing naturally seized it to befriend Ren Xingzhou.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep