Chapter 25: Yi Family Recruitment


    Huh? Young Master, why did you return so early today? Did you not go to the Martial Arts Hall?


    Xiaonu was washingundry in the yard when she heard footsteps and turned her head. Beaming immediately upon seeing him, herrge eyes formed lovely crescents as she smiled and got up to greet Jiang Yi.


    Jiang Yi stroked Xiaonus head and nodded. Xiaonu,e in for a moment. I have something important to tell you.


    As if sensing the heaviness residing in Jiang Yis heart, Xiaonus smile froze on her face. She hurriedly followed Jiang Yi into the house, stopping to pour a ss of water for him before asking with her eyes wide. Young Master, what happened?


    Jiang Yi pursed his lips and forced out a smile. Its nothing serious. Just that I was assigned to a secret mission by the Martial Arts Hall so I may have to be away for three months. Im a little worried to leave you here all by yourself.


    Xiao patted her chest, mouth curving into an innocent smile. And here I thought it was something severe. Go ahead, Young Master! Xiaonu will be fine. I can take care of myself! Young Master will do great things in the future and will have to venture out after all.


    <em> Great things!</em>


    Shaking his head, Jiang Yi smiled bitterly. He had never had any grand ambition or aspiration; nor did he wish to achieve great things. All he ever wanted was to live a peaceful life with Xiaonu, and yet why must fate mess with him so? Troubles were guing him from both within and without; there were enemies trying to kill him from in and out of the family n. The only way for him to secure a stable and happy life was endeavoring to cultivate and striving hard to seed.


    Oh, thats right!


    It dawned on Jiang Yi to retrieve themand token from his chest pocket and showed it to her. Xiaonu, look what Ive got.


    Ah? Its themand token! Xiaonu cried out in a pleasant surprise, Young Master, youve managed to redeem it? But how did you procure ten taels of purple gold?


    The Martial Arts Hall gave them to me!


    Jiang Yi gave a piece of purple gold leaf to Xiaonu and left her with some instructions. Here, keep this gold leaf and take good care of yourself in the three months that Im gone. Bear one thing in mindunder no circumstance are you to leave the Jiang n courtyard. Fengyue Brothel will not purposelye looking for trouble, but that cant be guaranteed if you wander out. As long as you are in this courtyard, no harm wille to you. If anyone asks for my whereabouts, just tell them Im going away for three months, but do not tell them that Im working for the Martial Arts Hall, do you understand?


    Mm-mm! Taking the gold leaf, Xiaonu nodded emphatically and cracked a toothy grin, revealing two adorable little canines. Dont worry, Young Master. I will not go beyond this courtyard.


    Jiang Yi was somewhat relieved at Xiaonus promise. The Jiang n took itsws very seriously, especially the one about not implicating ones family members in conflict. Hence, Jiang Ruhus grudge should lie with him alone and would probably not make things difficult for Xiaonu lest the family n got wind of it. Then, there would be consequences.


    With another stroke of Xiaonus head, Jiang Yi got up and said, All right, Ill go inform Chief Rong. Xiaonu, wait for my return.


    Jiang Xiaonu nodded smilingly. She expressed only concern at Jiang Yis departure and not a trace of reluctance, Please be careful, Young Master. I will be sure to make you dumplings when you get back.


    Jiang Yi turned around and shut his eyes in anguish. He marched out the doors without a backward nce at Xiaonu, for he was afraid that looking at her any longer would render him incapable of leaving.


    Young Master, all the best!


    Jiang Xiaonu followed Jiang Yi to the gates and stood there watching him leave, steadily waving goodbye with a sweet smile on her small face.


    It was only until Jiang Yis figure disappeared in the distance that Jiang Xiaonus waving stumbled to a stop, and her smile froze instantly. With twin tracks of tears streaming silently down her face, she gazed in the direction Jiang Yi had gone and murmured, Young Master, Xiaonu doesnt know what has happened, but something must have gone seriously wrong, or you would not have left Xiaonu like this! Young Master, dont you worry about me. Be free to do whatever you wishI will be waiting for you at home. If you were to die, Xiaonu would not live this life either. Xiaonu would still be your maidservant in the Netherworld Realm.


    What? You are quitting? And leaving for three months?


    In his quarters, Chief Rong flew into a rage upon hearing Jiang Yis words. mming down on the table, he shot up from the chair, ready to give Jiang Yi a dressing-down. However, before any word of rejection could pass his lips, Chief Rong became distracted with the two pieces of gold leaves that made their way under his nose.


    Jiang Yi watched Chief Rong slyly putting away the gold leaves, a sliver of disgust wormed into his heart. He pitched his voice low, Chief, this is my tributary offer to you! Im leaving this time to go harvest herbs in the mountain with a fewndlopers. If I happened to find anything good, there would be more tributes for you when Im back. Please help me deal with the family in the meantime.


    Harvest herbs?


    Chief Rongs expression gentled right away. He patted Jiang Yis shoulder kindly, Good, Jiang Yi. You, little brat, have quite the capability. I understand. A young man like you itll be good for you to venture out for some experience and toughening, but you have to be careful. Return to the family n in three months lest things turnplicated if they investigate the matter and deem you a renegade of the family n


    Jiang Yi nodded; he would not have willingly given Chief Rong the two pieces of gold leaves if he wouldnt intend to prevent exactly that from happening. The Jiang n had strict familyws: any member who left the family n without permission would be pronounced as a renegade. Should such a fate befall on Jiang Yi, it would be better if he was already dead than being found by any of the Jiang n descendants who would have unopposed authority to kill him on sight.


    Jiang Yi bid Chief Rong farewell after the repeated promises to return in three months time. He swiftly exited the Jiang n from the north gates and wrapped himself up with a cloak the moment he was out the door, striding briskly towards the Martial Arts Hall.


    He reached the Martial Arts Hall safely in under an hour with the help of the wisp of ck essence force he transferred to his ears halfway. In addition, he had deliberately picked the small alleyways on his way here to ensure there was no one tailing him.


    Manager Yang was not displeased at Jiang Yis intention to go into seclusion at the Martial Arts Hall for three months. Rather, he generously waived Jiang Yis boarding expenses. Jiang Yi was able to concentrate all his energy into cultivation to elevate his powers to the fourth stage of the Cast Tripod Realm. In doing so, the Martial Arts Hall would then acquire a gold token-grade sparring partner who charged by each match.


    Jiang Yis quarter was a tiny room within the grand hall of the Technique Practicing Room. Besides the one sparring match he had every day with Yi Lingxue, he spent the rest of the time holed up in his room cultivating in seclusion. Manager Yang even kept him out of the grand hall for fear that young masters and mistresses alike would call for him as their sparring partner, thereby interfering with his cultivation time.


    Yi Lingxue was indeed a strange girlshe woulde to the Technique Practicing Room every afternoon and ask for Jiang Yi for a sparring match. Despite losing every single match, she never seemed to get tired of it. This made the other sparring partners at the Martial Arts Hall as well as Manager Yang dubious: could it be that she had taken a fancy to Jiang Yi?


    Hah I call quits. Lone Wolf, you are getting more and more obscenely powerful. Are you almost at the third stage of the Cast Tripod Realm? How is your cultivation speed so fast? And why are you still just at the second stage of the Cast Tripod Realm if you can cultivate at such a speed?


    On the 13th day of seclusion at the Martial Arts Hall, Jiang Yi finished his customary sparring match with Yi Lingxue. Afterward, however, instead of hurriedly leaving to change like she usually did, Yi Lingxue stayed behind and questioned Jiang Yi curiously.


    Hehe, I had no interest in cultivation in the past, but here at the Martial Arts Hall, the cultivation speed is not only faster; there is even a supply of Spirit Pills


    Jiang Yi rattled off a random exnation. In the past ten days, he had been cultivating round the clock and reduced close to a hundred characters of the runic patterns on his seal, which caused his cultivation speed to increase further. Coupled with the incessant supply of Spirit Pills from Manager Yang, how could his cultivation speed not be fast? By his calctions, he would be able to make a breakthrough in achieving the third stage of the Cast Tripod Realm within the next three to five days.


    Yi Lingxue straightened her fiery-red martial artist robes and sighed, Its such a shame if only you had put in more effort before in cultivating, you might have been one of the top ten geniuses of Skyplume City.


    Top ten geniuses? Which ten? Jiang Yi asked out of curiosity.


    Dont you know anything? Yi Lingxue rolled her eyes at him, her features creating a picture of unconscious seduction and allure. With her sensual body hugged tightly by sweat-dampened robes, it made Jiang Yi feel hot and bothered.


    Yi Lingxue paused for a moment before exining, Ji Family Second Young Master Ji Changge and Third Young Mistress Ji Tingyu; Ma Family Great Young Master Ma Heiqi; Jiang n Great Young Master Jiang Henshui, and Jiang Rulong from the side branch of the Jiang n; Leng Family Great Young Master Leng Qianjun and Fourth Young Mistress Leng Qianqian; Liu Family Third Young Master Liu He, and Liu Zhan from the side branch of the Liu family; andst but not the least Yang Family Great Young Master Yang Zhongtian. The ten of them are all under the age of 18, yet their power levels are minimally at the seventh stage of the Cast Tripod Realm. Hence, they are hailed as Skyplume Citys top ten geniuses of our generation.


    Jiang Yi, who was not favored by the Jiang n or not frequently engaged in conversations with outsiders, was unaware of such stories around town, though he was silently nodding now at Yi Lingxues words. There were two members from the Jiang n, as well as Ji Tingyu, on that list. They were indeed obscenely powerfulboth Jiang Henshui and Ji Tingyu were formidable martial artists whose powers were at the eighth stage of the Cast Tripod Realm. They only needed to attain one more breakthrough to reach the Purple Mansion Realm.


    Nevertheless, Jiang Yi did not care about any of that. Those young masters and young mistresses were living a life far different from his, and he did not wish to cross paths with them. He cast a look at Yi Lingxue, Young Mistress Yi is not doing too badly either. I can feel your powers rising fast during this period, havent all of your martial art techniques attained phenomenal sess yet? You must be elevating to the fifth stage of the Cast Tripod Realm, too?


    Hehe.


    Yi Lingxue grew excited at Jiang Yis words and balled her hands into fists, smiling. To be honest with you, Lone Wolf, all these achievements were because of you. Im perfectly aware of the extent of my own abilities. Actually, the reason Im staying behind today is precisely this!


    Because of me?


    Jiang Yis eyes were filled with surprise. He could help someones martial art technique to achieve phenomenal sess through sparring? Could there be such a bizarre thing in this world? Although Young Mistress Yis progress did seem unnaturally fast recently, was it really because of him?


    Lone Wolf!


    While Jiang Yi was still in a daze, Yi Lingxue solemnly retrieved amand token from her chest pocket and said, On behalf of the Yi Family, I, Yi Lingxue, formally invite you to join our family under the position of Second Elder of the familys martial arts training court. The remuneration will be


    Hold on! Second Elder of the martial arts training court?


    Jiang Yi waspletely stupefied. Him, a barely 16-year-old youth, the Second Elder of the Yi Familys martial arts training court? Was Yi Lingxue messing with him, or had the Yi Family n Head gone crazy? Jiang Yi was briefly stunned speechless, before asking incredulously. Young Mistress Yi, you are just joking, right?


    Yi Lingxue sent him a stern look and waved themand token in her hand. This is my fathersmand token, and I was not joking. Lone Wolf maybe you didnt realize it yet, but you have a very unique capability that can help martial artists attain phenomenal sess for their techniques. The Yi Family saw this in you; therefore, we decided to recruit you. Once you joined our family, you need not to do anything else except spar with the family descendants, helping them achieve phenomenal sess as quickly as possible


    <em>Could such a bizarre thing really happen? Is it due to the ck essence force?</em>


    Jiang Yi was in awe, mulling with his head lowered. Joining the Yi Family was obviously out of the question; aside from the agreement he had with the Martial Arts Hall, death would be an inevitable end if the Jiang n found out. It was an act of treachery against the family n after all.


    Yi Lingxue became slightly anxious at Jiang Yis silence. She took a few steps towards him until she was a meter away and lightly bit her lips, Lone Wolf, feel free to make whatever demands you see fit. Ill convey them to my father. If you are a descendant of another family, it wont be a problem either. You can marry into the Yi Family; I have a cousin who is even more beautiful than I am