Advance the future and become a martial saint on earth!

Chapter 223 I can see through the truth and falsehood at a glance. I am the chief, and all the mountains and rivers follow me!

Jiangyin Prefecture, Jin'ao Island, Heavenly Blade Style!
The casting platform and ancestral temple, built with blue bricks and tiles, were once deserted and almost uninhabited.

But today.

As Ji Xiu arrived on the island
But then I saw—

Everywhere you look, there's a cacophony of voices!

The well-dressed young men, including local businessmen and wealthy merchants from Jiangyin Prefecture, as well as those from various counties under its jurisdiction and even surrounding prefectures, all gathered together after hearing the news, vying to come and pay their respects!
The sect is about to hold an 'Advancement Ceremony' in a few days, and the entire sect has only a handful of true disciples, you can count them on two hands!
Isn't this a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity?
For a while.

Many sensed an opportunity and tried to secure a spot on the island through various connections.

Even if the relationship isn't that strong.

He also tried every means to enter the Dojo Street and seek a place as a disciple in the 'Heavenly Blade Dojo' that Ji Xiu had reopened under the gaze of the Dojo Master of the Sixty-Three Seas of Qi, carrying the sword plaque on his shoulder.

It's true what they say: when you're poor, no one cares even in the bustling city; when you're rich, even distant relatives come calling from the deep mountains.

Seeing this scene all alone, Ji Xiu couldn't help but feel a pang of emotion.

And right now.

Beside him was a young master wearing a blue headscarf and accompanied by an old servant. Seeing that he had arrived on the island alone, the young master approached him and tried to get closer.

"Young brother, have you also heard that the 'Heavenly Blade True Sect' will hold an 'Advancement Ceremony' on the seventh day of the seventh lunar month, and that the Xuan Yang Martial Saint is currently recruiting disciples from various schools on that blade-forging platform? Is that why you've come here specifically to participate in the trial and assessment, hoping to enter the threshold of the True Sect?"

"I am Zhuang Qi, the young master of the Xiangmen, one of the 'Nine Gates' of Tianhe Prefecture, which is adjacent to Jiangyin Prefecture. Young brother, you seem to be a local. Why don't we have a drink together after the exam? Tell me about the history of Jiangyin Prefecture?"

Ok?
Ji Xiu turned around, glanced at the young master behind him, and raised an eyebrow:

"Tianhe Prefecture, one of the Nine Gates?"

"The news of the Heavenly Blade True Sect has even reached the neighboring prefecture city? The commotion is quite significant."

The so-called "Nine Gates" of Tianhe Prefecture are just like the "Thirty-Six Trades" of Jiangyin Prefecture, each being a leading family that controls various businesses.

It was only because of Jiangyin's water conservancy, which connects to the northern border of Changbai Mountain and Heilongjiang River and extends to the Jiangnan region, that the region was able to develop the Thirty-Six Trades.

Neighboring prefectures, which are also part of the same state, do not have such favorable conditions and are naturally inferior in comparison.

However, as the young master of a family, his family is no weaker than the major families in Jiangyin Prefecture.

Ji Xiu naturally looked up and paid more attention.

It hasn't been long, but the influence of our own school has already spread beyond our own prefecture, with people vying to follow us.

Upon hearing this, the blue-robed young master Zhuang Qi immediately clicked his tongue twice:
“Young brother, you may not know this, but my family used their connections to secure me a spot in the Tianshui Sword Sect. If nothing unexpected had happened, I would have joined the sect the very next day.”

"but"

The young master of the Incense Clan gave a wry smile and held up one finger:
"I was just one day off; thankfully, I didn't make the cut!"

"As I packed my bags, carrying the letter of recommendation for entry, and prepared to head to the 'Tianshui Sword Sect'..."

"The news that Ning Buyu, the master of the Tianshui Sword Sect, had been defeated in Anning County had just reached Tianhe Prefecture."

"Following closely behind, the entire 'Tianshui Sword Sect' was wiped out by a Martial Saint. On that day, an ancient dragon-elephant, whose strength could uproot mountains and whose aura could cover the world, leveled the entire sect!"

Mentioning this, Zhuang Qi breathed a sigh of relief, still feeling a lingering fear:
"Luckily, I arrived a day late. Otherwise, if I had truly joined their ranks and become a disciple, I would have been slapped to death without even realizing it."

"At that point, it won't just be a loss of the apprenticeship allowance; you might even lose your life. That would be a real loss!"

At this point, his gaze fell upon the bustling crowd of the Heavenly Blade School, and a look of awe appeared in his eyes:

"The one who destroyed the Tianshui Sword Sect was the Dragon Elephant True Sect, which was famous throughout Beicang. I heard that the patriarch Xu Longxiang has become a giant and is about to enter Cangdu and occupy a place."

"The True Sect has stood for a hundred years, and its members are full of talented people. It is extremely difficult to become a disciple."

"But this newly risen Heavenly Blade True Sect is by no means inferior!"

"First, there was the ancestor Wang Xuanyang who defied the odds and became a martial saint. Then there was the chosen Daoist Ji Xiu, a young prodigy who gained the appreciation of the feudal lords and the favor of the Martial Marquis, who also betrothed his daughter to him."

“I’ve heard of that young lady, Xiao Mingli. Back then, she was a big shot in Tianchi, one of the Ten Pillars of Heaven. Her mother’s blood was from the Yuhuan Xie Clan, one of the Nine Great Clans. Before the tragedy, she had already broken through the Four Limits, condensed her precious body, and was a shoo-in for the Young Dragon Stele!”

"Even though she now lives a secluded life and her foundation has been destroyed, her background is still immense. Countless sons and daughters of kings and generals would not be able to marry her."

"Such a noble and beautiful young lady, a marriage alliance with her, plus the Dragon Elephant True Sect..."

"In my opinion, although that Xuan Yang Martial Saint is at the height of his power, Ji Daozi, the chief of both sects, is the true hope for the future of the great True Sect!"

Zhuang Qi rubbed his fingers together, his tone seemingly regretful, and subtly glanced at Ji Xiu, his gaze carrying a hidden meaning:
"It's a pity, though. The chosen one has not yet shown up. It's a real shame that someone like me, who has come from afar, has not been able to see his face."

He first sighed, then looked at the forging platform in the distance, where Chen He's disciples were working hard and sweating profusely, and said with envy:

"Those true disciples who persisted and remained loyal even when their schools of thought declined have really struck it rich."

"I heard that the entire supplies of the 'Tianshui Sword Sect' will soon be moved to this Jin'ao Island."

"Given time, these true disciples who have shared hardships together, even if their aptitude is poor, will definitely reach the fifth realm without any flaws. If they have even a little talent, they can be expected to become dragons and tigers!"

"For example, the preliminary screening of the current 'True Sect Examination' is conducted by these true disciples, or by that Daoist disciple whom we have never met before."

"If we can establish a connection, it would be like having the advantage of being close to the water tower!"

"Even those Jiangyin Daxing, which spent huge sums of money to contribute to the Heavenly Blade True Sect's 'Promotion Ceremony' and thus received an invitation, are not as good as those who have the opportunity to recommend disciples."

At this point, Zhuang Qi looked somewhat dejected:
"It's a pity that I had previously bribed my family and received a huge sum of money, which I then donated to the Tianshui Sword Sect. Later, it all ended up in the pocket of the Dragon Elephant True Sect."

"My family can't really get any more help from another prefecture in a short time. I can only rely on myself, which is not as good as those who have connections and 'recommendations' from their families."

"I don't even know if I'll be selected."

His tone carried a hint of wistfulness.

As soon as I finished speaking.

Someone nearby immediately made a sarcastic remark:
"Young Master Zhuang, most of your family's wealth has gone into the 'Heavenly Water Sword Sect,' and you still come to the Heavenly Blade True Sect, hoping to stand out from the crowd? Are you kidding me?"

"Those who participate in the examination now are all people with connections and influence, who are recommended by invitation. The Heavenly Blade True Sect is newly established, so it will naturally not accept some peasants who do not offer money."

"What, you're now dragging along a lone, complete local, thinking that by gathering more information you can join the true sect?"

"Whimsical!"

Ji Xiu silently watched this interlude.

Behind Zhuang Qi, the young master of the Xiangmen sect in Tianhe Prefecture, a richly dressed young man lightly waved a folding fan, looking arrogant and domineering, not someone to be trifled with.

After hearing this, Zhuang Qi turned around with a grim expression:

"Your words are rather harsh."

"I have admired the deeds of the Heavenly Blade True Sect ever since I heard about them."

"Otherwise, wouldn't it be wonderful to live a life of luxury and debauchery in Tianhe Prefecture? Why bother coming all this way?"

"That chosen one, Ji Xiu, is a man of extraordinary talent and bearing, a man of exceptional appearance and talent."

"I predict that he will become a pillar of martial arts in the future. If I can join the Heavenly Blade Sect, get to know him, and learn martial arts from him, wouldn't that be better than joining a 'half-step true sect' established by a pseudo-Martial Saint?"

"The opportunity is right in front of us. How can we, as warriors, know if we don't try!"

Ji Xiu twitched the corner of his mouth.

Considering the hardships he's faced, when did he become so influential?

These people are all incredibly shrewd.

They watched quietly as the young master of the Fragrant Clan performed. As the commotion drew attention, many martial artists who had come to the island to take the entrance exams and seek to join the True Sect looked towards this place.

Many of them were locals from Jiangyin Prefecture, some even being prodigies from the prefecture who had returned from the Earth Dragon Cave. They were very familiar with Ji Xiu's face, and upon seeing him, immediately recognized him and exclaimed in surprise:

"Ji Xiu. It's Ji Xiu!"

"Is this really 'Ji Daozi,' the third-generation chief chosen by the golden words of Ancestor Wang Xuanyang, who will be crowned at the ascension ceremony on the seventh day of the seventh month?!"

"It really is him, I can't be mistaken!"

Wow!
time.

The movements were like waves rising and falling.

Meanwhile, the argument between the young master of the Xiangmen sect from Tianhe Prefecture and the arrogant young master came to an abrupt end.

Zhuang Qi stiffly turned his head to look at Ji Xiu, whose face held a half-smile, and stammered in a perfectly timed manner, as if he were extremely shocked:
"Little brother, you, no..."

"You are actually the 'Heavenly Blade Daoist'!?"

The arrogant young master who had been mocking her suddenly changed his expression, turning pale and speaking without restraint, immediately bowing loudly in fear:
"Ji Daozi, it's a misunderstanding, it's all a misunderstanding!"

"If I had known that the two of you knew each other, I would never have dared to speak so arrogantly. I'll leave now, I'll leave now."

These words were spoken loudly and without any attempt to conceal them.

The news even reached the forging platform, prompting Qin Zhuo, the senior disciple in charge of the selection, to rush over with two others upon hearing the commotion.
"Junior brother!"

Qin Zhuo's eyes lit up with delight the moment he saw Ji Xiu.

He then noticed Zhuang Qi beside Ji Xiu. After learning the ins and outs of the matter, he immediately formed an impression of this young master of the Xiangmen from the neighboring mansion.

Out of respect for Ji Xiu, he was just about to speak.
At this moment, Ji Xiu suddenly spoke up, his tone carrying a faint smile:

"Brother Zhuang, it's always better to be practical."

He patted Zhuang Qi on the shoulder, whose expression was starting to falter:

"I will ask my master to return the apprenticeship fee that your family gave to the Tianshui Sword Sect."

"But if you think these 'little tricks' will allow you to join the true sect,"

"Then you're overthinking it."

After saying that, Ji Xiu stopped there.

And he didn't try to hide his voice.

Are the people around them stupid? In an instant, they understood what had just happened. Their eyes lit up with realization, and they looked at Zhuang Qi, whose smile had now truly frozen, with a look of astonishment in their eyes.

Wow, you've got a really fast mind!
He first used the identity of a person from outside the prefecture who had never been to Jiangyin Prefecture to 'accidentally' befriend Ji Xiu.

They then showered him with praise and subtly found someone to act in his charade, making a big fuss about it.

At this moment, by using the help of others, they directly revealed the identity of this 'Ji Daozi,' set up a stage for him to perform, and made a public display of his divine power, so as to tie themselves together with him!
To have such thoughts the moment I saw Ji Xiu.
No wonder he became the young master of one of the 'Nine Gates' of Tianhe Prefecture next door; he's got quite a few tricks up his sleeve!
Unfortunately, Ji Daozi had sharp eyes and saw through his thoughts at a glance, otherwise this guy would have really succeeded by finding another way!
Didn't you see that the person in charge of the examination, Qin Zhuo, the former top disciple of the Heavenly Blade True Sect and now the Grand True Disciple, remembered him?

Although this true disciple of the Heavenly Blade True Sect has a weak foundation and low cultivation level, his status is obviously high, which is why he can catch the eye of the sect. In addition, he has good cultivation and a good background, so he will become sworn brothers with them in the future.
Who knows, I might be able to climb up to the upper echelons of the True Sect!
That's quite a clever plan!
Zhuang Qi's face was pale:

"Daozi, me."

He orchestrated all of this.

Ji Xiu was so famous in Jiangyin Prefecture that he naturally had no shortage of portraits and such.

As the young master of the nine gates of Tianhe Prefecture, how bad could things get?
As soon as Ji Xiu arrived.

In a flash, Zhuang Qi sketched out the outline of this entire series of plans.

Even that arrogant young master was just a lackey of his Tianhe Mansion, specially sent to cooperate with him in a 'double act'.

This was undoubtedly a huge gamble, he knew that.

But the 'rewards' of winning the bet are too great!
He was unwilling to give up the opportunity to get to know Ji Xiu.

If he were to strike up a conversation under normal circumstances, this Daoist would certainly ignore him completely, but if his plan succeeds...
Zhuang Qi hadn't expected that Ji Xiu would see through him at a glance, which made him smile wryly.

He had clearly been extremely careful with his words, only saying nice things. Even when he stood up for Ji Xiu, he didn't do it so obviously. Instead, he mostly expressed his respect for the Heavenly Blade True Sect and the Heavenly Blade Daoist.
He wants to improve so much.

But a pity.

Those who can gain the favor of two titles are no ordinary people.

He can choose to gamble for the winnings.

One can naturally accept the consequences of losing a bet.

He thought Ji Xiu would use the power of the Heavenly Blade True Sect to severely punish him, and even oppress the Incense Sect behind him, stripping him of his position as young master, but he didn't expect this.
“You don’t need to explain further, Brother Zhuang.”

"Since you dare to gamble, it means you have the will to 'compete'."

"Martial arts are all about competition. If you can truly fight with thousands of troops to secure a spot in the Heavenly Blade Sect..."

"I may not be unable to approve of you."

"Most of what you said just now is correct, but there's one point."

Ji Xiu stood with his hands behind his back, his clothes fluttering in the wind:

"While I wouldn't claim that the examinations of my Heavenly Blade lineage are absolutely fair, you'll still find a way even if you don't offer money or have any connections!"

"My master and I both came from the mud. If you truly have talent and perseverance, I will be waiting for you on the mountaintop."

After saying that, Ji Xiu and Qin Zhu strode up to the Heavenly Blade Sect's courtyard.

Zhuang Qi was left clenching his fist, lost in thought. He never expected that Ji Daozi would actually lift him up high and then gently put him down.

In an instant, his desire to join the Heavenly Blade True Sect deepened even further.

His original intention was to take a gamble; he was a gambler.

You can't win against Ji Xiu's connections.

Competing with others
As one of the 'Nine Gates' of Tianhe Prefecture, he might not necessarily lose the gamble!
Simultaneously.

The onlookers, witnessing Ji Xiu's demeanor, were momentarily moved.

If he were an ordinary person in the world.

Faced with this situation, one should either show off in public and flatter Zhuang Qi, or expose him, severely punish him, and establish authority.

But Ji Daozi did not do that; instead, he gave a big stick and a sweet treat.

Even so, it still makes them feel like they're basking in a spring breeze.
can only say.

This young man possesses the demeanor of a sect leader and a lineage master, truly deserving of the title of a dual-lineage Daoist!
A martial artist is not qualified to lead a sect simply because he has a high level of cultivation.

But this person handled it perfectly, making it convincing.

Forging Platform, Heavenly Blade Hall!
Standing at the threshold, Wang Xuanyang, looking as vigorous and youthful as ever, with his hands behind his back, took in the entire landscape below the mountain.

Then, turning back to look at the several imposing figures seated on the large chairs, he couldn't help but grin:
"Fellow colleagues of the 'Ancestral Court of Swordsmanship'"

"Among the chief disciple of the Heavenly Blade Sect, the lineage of my ancestor Wang Quan, are you still capable of achieving anything?!"

(End of this chapter)