At the entrance of the Canglang Martial Arts School.
While the crowd buzzed with discussions, Cao Bin, followed by a group of constables, strode straight toward the school's main gate. Xu Yunfeng trailed closely behind him.
At the same time, another constable beside Cao Bin glanced at the school's gate, a flicker of fear flashing in his eyes. He leaned in and whispered to Cao Bin, "Brother Cao, remember, I'm just here to back you up!"
"Don't worry!" Cao Bin replied in a low voice. "Brother Wang, you can relax. The person I'm here to arrest is just a new disciple of the school. The evidence against him is solid, and his crimes are heinous. I'm sure Wang Jin won't harbor a criminal."
Wang Desheng, standing beside Cao Bin, shook his head inwardly.
Solid evidence? Heinous crimes?
It was all just an excuse because Cao Bin had taken a liking to someone else's wife. Jiang Li was truly pitiful. He had married a beautiful woman, only to have disaster strike out of nowhere.
Wang Desheng couldn't agree with Cao Bin's actions. He usually just went along with him superficially, never fully supporting or indulging him. Thanks to his martial arts skills, which had reached the peak of the ninth rank, and his official position, Wang Desheng had managed to live comfortably. But today, with Cao Bin showing up in person, he couldn't outright refuse him. After all, Cao Bin was backed by the powerful Cao family. Out of respect for the Cao family and Cao Bin's elder brother, Wang Desheng had no choice but to give Cao Bin some face.
A moment later, the group stopped in front of the Canglang Martial Arts School's gate.
"What are you doing here?" The two disciples guarding the gate looked nervously at the group.
"Arresting someone!" Cao Bin said coldly.
Meanwhile, inside the school.
"Junior Brother Jiang, there's no time to explain. Just know that Cao Bin is on his way to arrest you. If you want to survive, you need to flee the city immediately. Once you're out of Dongling County, you'll be safe." Cheng Ran grabbed Jiang Ning's arm and pulled him along as he blurted out these words.
Cao Bin?
Hearing this, Jiang Ning was stunned. As Cheng Ran dragged him along, his feet kept moving, and the two soon appeared in the school's front courtyard.
"Brother Cheng, what's going on?" Jiang Ning asked, keeping pace with Cheng Ran.
At that moment, Cheng Ran suddenly stopped.
"It's too late!" He looked toward the school's entrance, his voice filled with despair.
Jiang Ning's gaze followed, and he immediately saw a group of constables dressed in black robes, with long knives hanging at their waists, standing at the school's gate. Among them, he also spotted Xu Yunfeng.
At the front of the group were two men with stern expressions, wearing uniforms made of red and black fabric. Jiang Ning recognized them immediately they were constable captains, a rank above ordinary constables. He had seen this uniform before when his elder brother's superior, Captain Feng, had visited their home a few times. Each time, Captain Feng had been wearing the official uniform of a constable captain.
It wasn't hard to deduce that these two captains were leading the group.
Constable captains held the ninth rank in the official hierarchy, and their status naturally placed them above ordinary people. Moreover, any constable captain was a skilled martial artist at the ninth rank, making them prominent figures in any county town. Wherever they went, they were addressed as "sir."
From what Cheng Ran had just revealed, it was clear that one of the captains was Cao Bin, the mastermind behind this operation. They had come to the school to arrest Jiang Ning.
"This is trouble," Jiang Ning thought to himself.
At the same time, Xu Yunfeng spotted Jiang Ning in the front courtyard and whispered something into Cao Bin's ear.
A moment later, Cao Bin's gaze fell on Jiang Ning, and their eyes met in mid-air.
Then, Cao Bin's lips curled into a faint smile. "You ask who I'm here to arrest?" he said as if responding to the two gatekeepers but also addressing everyone present. "I'm here to arrest Jiang Ning! Jiang Ning's elder brother, Jiang Li, is a member of the Heretic God Cult. That's a capital offense! So, everyone connected to Jiang Li must be brought back to the county office for questioning. Is that explanation clear enough?"
As he spoke the last sentence, Cao Bin's gaze sharpened like a blade, directed at the two gatekeepers.
Meeting Cao Bin's eyes, the two disciples guarding the gate instinctively took half a step back, making way for the group.
"W-we understand," one of the disciples stammered, his legs trembling.
Meanwhile, Jiang Ning tightened his grip on the long knife in his hand, thinking to himself, this is trouble. They've lost their patience. In less than half a month, they've resorted to underhanded tactics, framing my elder brother. Now, I have no choice but to fight my way out! I need to escape the city, lie low for a year or two, and then come back to avenge my elder brother and his family!
He quickly scanned his surroundings, looking for a suitable escape route. This scenario wasn't entirely unexpected. He had prepared for it. As far as he knew, even among those who had reached the martial arts ranks, few spent much time on movement techniques. In the early stages of martial arts, focusing on movement techniques was considered a waste of time. Only those who needed to engage in frequent combat dabbled in them, and even then, only slightly.
After all, spending time on strengthening one's vitality, refining martial arts, and mastering internal force was far more meaningful in the early stages than focusing on movement techniques. If his elder brother had achieved full vitality and entered the martial arts ranks earlier, he would have been qualified to become a constable captain, holding an official rank and enjoying the privileges that came with it. Everything would have been different.
If a ninth-rank martial artist could perfect their techniques and master internal force, they would open the door to the eighth rank, with limitless potential ahead. Compared to these benefits, even if one's movement techniques reached perfection, allowing them to move like the wind, it wouldn't bring any change in status or position.
So, as far as Jiang Ning knew, few people delved deeply into movement techniques in the early stages. And that was his advantage.
The Five Animals Fist not only enhanced vitality but also improved speed and agility. Moreover, after tempering his internal organs, his stamina far surpassed that of ordinary martial artists. In a long-distance chase, even a ninth-rank martial artist would struggle to keep up with him.
Besides, his current strength wasn't weak either. After rigorous training, his strength had reached 400 jin, almost matching Xiao Peng's. As far as he knew, even after entering the martial arts ranks and achieving skin refinement, one's strength rarely exceeded 1,000 jin. At this stage, the real advantage lay in defensive capabilities, while increases in strength and vitality were secondary.
The two constable captains likely only had about twice his strength, so he wasn't overly intimidated. In a confrontation, with his mastery of the Canglang Blade Technique, which allowed him to unleash two layers of internal force, he could hold his own. If his opponents underestimated him, even without unleashing his internal force, his strength could seriously injure a ninth-rank martial artist who had achieved skin refinement. And that was without considering his focus on escaping!
All things considered, Jiang Ning felt that the situation was different now. Even with two ninth-rank constable captains leading the group, he had a chance to fight his way out. Once he escaped the city, the Five Animals Fist, which was well-suited for mountainous and forested terrain, would allow him to survive like a tiger in the wild.
At this moment, countless thoughts raced through Jiang Ning's mind. He gripped his long knife tightly, feeling the internal force circulating within his body, ready to burst forth. His eyes also underwent a subtle change.
On the other side, Cao Bin waved his hand. "Take Jiang Ning away!"
"Yes, Captain Cao!" Xu Yunfeng bowed his head and was about to lead a few men into the school's front courtyard to arrest Jiang Ning.
Just then, a thunderous shout erupted, shaking the entire school.
"Who dares!"
Everyone's gaze immediately turned toward the direction of the shout, coming from the rear courtyard. A figure leaped over the wall, moving with the grace of a monkey and a crane. The essence of the Five Animals Fist was evident in every movement.
In the next moment, the figure landed steadily in front of Jiang Ning, standing tall like a mountain.
Seeing this figure, Jiang Ning's grip on his knife relaxed slightly, and the veins that had bulged on his hand returned to normal. He had been waiting for this waiting to see his master, Wang Jin's, stance. With such a commotion at the school's gate, Jiang Ning was sure that Wang Jin, who lived in the rear courtyard, would have noticed.
If Wang Jin chose not to appear, it would mean that he was wary of the Cao family and didn't want to confront them directly. In that case, Jiang Ning's only option would be to escape at all costs. As for revenge, he would have to bide his time, waiting until he had mastered martial arts to the point where he could dominate Luoshui County, or even Dongling County and Guangning Prefecture, before settling scores and destroying the entire Cao family.
But now that Wang Jin had chosen to step forward, it meant that he intended to protect Jiang Ning and confront the Cao family head-on. So, Jiang Ning decided to wait and see.
With that in mind, Jiang Ning made a decision a decision to increase his value in Wang Jin's eyes.
"Greetings, Master!" he said respectfully, his hand subtly touching Wang Jin's shoulder.
In that instant, a surge of internal force the Ninefold Force flowed through Jiang Ning's body and into Wang Jin's right arm through the contact.
What is this?! Wang Jin's heart was struck by a wave of shock as he felt the immense, mountain-like force entering his arm.
The Ninefold Force!
This is the Ninefold Force, the internal force generated after mastering the Canglang Blade Technique!
At this moment, Wang Jin was certain. He was all too familiar with the Ninefold Force. He had practiced the Canglang Blade Technique for nearly twenty years, and in recent years, this mid-tier martial art had reached a high level of mastery in his hands. At full power, he could unleash five layers of internal force. So, he was intimately familiar with the Ninefold Force.
Having lived with this force for nearly twenty years, how could he not recognize it?
The thought made him inwardly gasp. Jiang Ning's talent with the blade was terrifying! He hadn't even entered the martial arts ranks, and his Five Animals Fist hadn't yet reached perfection, allowing him to comprehend the mysteries of internal force. Yet, he had already condensed the Ninefold Force, a powerful internal force.
I was wrong! I misjudged him! This kid's talent isn't just in fist techniques his true talent lies in blade techniques! He's a natural-born blade prodigy, perfectly suited for the blade!
No wonder he was still practicing the blade that afternoon. He had truly achieved something. In just three days, he had mastered the basics of the Canglang Blade Technique and successfully condensed the Ninefold Force.
Incredible! His talent with the blade is simply incredible!
The more Wang Jin thought about it, the more shocked he became, though his expression remained unchanged. He took a deep breath, suppressing his astonishment, and his resolve grew firmer.
Even if it means breaking ties with the Cao family, I must protect this kid's life!
With such raw talent, once he grows, I could make a name for myself in Guangning Prefecture, or even the entire Great Xia Empire, thanks to him. I might even be able to nurture a disciple who becomes a martial arts grandmaster!
The thought filled Wang Jin with excitement.
A grandmaster!
That was a level he could only dream of reaching. A grandmaster was a terrifying existence, capable of charging into an army of ten thousand and taking the enemy general's head. Even if he couldn't reach that level himself, having a disciple who could would be immensely gratifying.
What master wouldn't want their disciple to surpass them, to rise to greatness and make a name for themselves in the world?
I must protect this kid at all costs!!!
Wang Jin's determination solidified.
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