Chapter Thirty-Four: The Advancement Assembly (Part One)

As Master Wang was troubled, Jiang Feng arrived upon hearing the news. He merely uttered four words to Master Wang: "I will face them." Then he drifted away, his bearing regal and unassailable, leaving Master Wang so startled that the words he meant to say caught in his throat and would not come out.

"It seems the time has come to find someone to test his strength," thought Master Wang privately.

News that Jiang Feng would challenge the Li family spread quickly through Wang Village. Wang Yingying followed Jiang Feng everywhere like a little shadow, but Jiang Feng grew ever quieter, spending his days staring blankly at his spirit beast. The spirit beast seemed to sense Jiang Feng’s mood and kept him company throughout.

A few days later, Master Wang brought an elderly, monk-like figure, saying he would take Jiang Feng’s pulse and read his features. Jiang Feng, of course, saw through this ruse immediately—this old monk was clearly sent to test him.

The old monk possessed an aura almost celestial, and though he wore a monk’s robes, he was not someone an ordinary person dared approach.

"Master Yichen," everyone addressed him with respect.

No one knew where Master Yichen came from or where he was headed. Some years ago, he arrived at Wang Manor to teach the arts of spirit communication. His skills were renowned, and his conduct upright, so many from Wang Manor and even neighboring villages sought to be his disciples. Yet he accepted only twenty, claiming he sought only the elite. Now, his disciples were all adept in the spirit arts, with more than a few outstanding talents among them.

Jiang Feng harbored no fondness for this man. He remembered well their first encounter—when Yichen entered the room, Jiang Feng had set a concealed weapon at the door, yet Yichen walked straight into it, making Jiang Feng think him little better than the charlatan who once fooled the Jiang family.

Though caught by Jiang Feng’s trap, Master Yichen showed no annoyance, only smiled at Jiang Feng and glanced at the spirit beast lying nearby.

He called Jiang Feng by name, then checked his pulse and examined his features. The process was oddly silent and left Jiang Feng unsettled. After a brief inspection, Yichen prepared to leave, and Jiang Feng, seeing he truly meant to go, grew anxious.

"Why did you only look me over without asking me anything?"

Yichen shook his head. "You were born with divine strength. What need is there to question you?"

Startled by Yichen’s direct assessment, Jiang Feng realized this man truly possessed some skill. He wanted to ask further about Wang Manor, but Yichen offered no more answers. Instead, he tapped Jiang Feng’s head three times before departing. Jiang Feng did not inquire about Yichen afterward, but quietly pondered the meaning of those three muffled taps.

"Three knocks—could it mean the third watch of the night?"

As these thoughts ran through his mind, a strange smile crept onto Jiang Feng’s lips. Master Wang, seeing that Yichen had found no fault with Jiang Feng, was delighted. At last, Wang Manor had someone capable of shouldering this great responsibility.

At midnight, Jiang Feng went to the courtyard gate, where he saw a small bowl of tea set in the center, with a freshly brewed pot beside it. He knew he had arrived at the appointed time.

Before Master Yichen arrived, Jiang Feng sat down. He had barely settled when a small feathered arrow shot toward him. He rolled away just in time to evade it. Judging by the force of the arrow, it had to have been fired by someone highly adept in spirit arts—and that could only be Yichen.

When Jiang Feng turned back, Yichen was already standing before him, having appeared without a sound, almost making Jiang Feng stumble. Yichen said nothing, just sat in Jiang Feng’s original seat and poured himself tea with practiced ease, leaving Jiang Feng at a loss for words.

"You’ve kept your word," Yichen finally said. He had long known Jiang Feng was no ordinary man and had expected him to come as promised.

"You old monk, you have some tricks, but why have you summoned me here?"

The old man smiled. "You are but a soul returned from death. If others learn you are not the original Jiang Feng, how will you maintain your place? No matter your formidable spirit power, if your secret is exposed, you’ll be expelled from the Jiang family. Then, not only will revenge be impossible, but you’ll have nothing left at all."

Yichen’s calm words left Jiang Feng uncertain. Since this old monk knew he was a soul occupying another’s body, he must know Jiang Feng’s past as well. Yet his words seemed without malice; had he ill intent, Jiang Feng would not be standing here unharmed.

"What do you want?" Jiang Feng’s tone was icy, betraying nothing.

"I want nothing, only for you to do me a favor. Go to the Forest of Mystery and fetch me something. It will benefit us both."

"What is it?"

"The Bloodshade Fruit."

Jiang Feng was stunned. The Bloodshade Fruit was a sacred fruit, also called the Crimson Dragon Blaze, blood-red throughout. Ordinary people who touched it would be burned alive. Its powers were legendary: those who ate it could greatly enhance their cultivation, even return from death. Jiang Feng could not fathom why Yichen wanted him to fetch it instead of going himself—surely, this was some kind of plot. If he went, his survival was far from assured; if he refused, Yichen might reveal his secret, making not only revenge but even ordinary life impossible.

Yichen only smiled, offering no further explanation. "Jiang Feng, I know you are a rare genius. I have no wish to destroy you. Lately, your talents have shone brighter and brighter, and I believe they will only grow. Fetch me the Bloodshade Fruit, and I will lend you my aid. Otherwise, you must leave your fate to Heaven."

Jiang Feng realized he had neither room to negotiate nor any leverage. He could only agree. Yichen told him to wait until after the Advancement Tournament before setting out, and insisted he bring Wang Yingying along. Jiang Feng was puzzled by this, but before he could ask, Yichen used earth-magic to vanish, leaving only a single phrase: "In time, you will understand."

Jiang Feng felt himself drawn into a vast conspiracy. Damn it—if not for that battle with the evil dragon, he might have returned to the Jiang family, and would not find himself in such a predicament. Escaping one peril, only to fall into another—was Jiang Feng fated for a life of hardship? Perhaps this was simply another trial.

After persuading Jiang Feng, Yichen chuckled to himself. Jiang Feng’s current strength was insufficient to face the truly powerful spirit masters; only by battling the monsters within the Forest of Mystery could he improve. Bringing Wang Yingying along would not only broaden her horizons but also rid Yichen of her persistent meddling. Such a subtle plan could only be conceived by Master Yichen, whose heart now brimmed with childlike mischief.

Blessings cannot be avoided, nor calamities escaped. Jiang Feng settled down at Wang Manor, and compared to the woodshed of the Jiang family, life here was fit for royalty. He continued his daily training, feeling that soon he would merge the Xuantian Mixed Arts with the Twenty-Five Styles—a breakthrough was only a matter of time. Yet he sensed some subtle flaw within himself, a change he could not quite name.

"Jiang Feng, time to eat..." Wang Yingying, as usual, called him to the dining hall. Jiang Feng put away his soul arts and followed her. Today was different from before; the hall was filled with members of the Wang family, making Jiang Feng uneasy.

When he arrived, the others made room for him, but as an outsider, Jiang Feng felt ill at ease, as if a weasel were wishing a chicken a happy new year—surely, there was some hidden motive. Yet these people were not malicious; they were all elders of the Wang family.

"Jiang Feng, welcome. The Advancement Tournament is approaching. Have you made your preparations?"

"Master, I have adjusted myself to peak condition and am ready to face any challenge. The Li family's lackeys are nothing to fear—you need not worry."

"Young Master Jiang, we have gathered today to discuss this matter with you. The Li family has reportedly hired a demon—one skilled in summoning, a rare summoner. It is said this summoner has mastered nine levels of summoning, achieving unity with Heaven and Man. Do you have a strategy?"

A summoner? The word flashed through Jiang Feng’s mind. He recalled his elders' warnings: summoners are dangerous, relying not on physical combat or spirit arts, but on conjuring terrifying beasts to siphon away your cultivation, then kill you cruelly. One of his own family elders had died at a summoner’s hands. Hearing this, Jiang Feng was deeply shaken.

He had never seen a summoner, nor knew what arts they wielded. He was unsure if his Twenty-One Styles and Xuantian Mixed Arts could counter such an opponent. Clearly, he would have to carefully consider his approach to this fight—not for himself, but for the Wang family, for their honor.