Hengshan Sect's Strongest Sword Cultivator

Qiu Guangjun's gaze toward Zhao Rong changed repeatedly.

At first, he sought a connection because he valued the support of Liu behind Zhao Rong. He never expected the young man to possess such exceptional skills.

Given time, what might he become?

Caught off guard by the sudden incident, Qiu Guangjun had no choice but to express his gratitude profusely while his mind raced, considering how to foster a good relationship with Zhao Rong.

Despite the young man's superficial humility and politeness, he seemed even more challenging to deal with than Liu.

Old Qiu claimed to have considerable family wealth.

He kept trying to show goodwill, but Zhao Rong just smiled slightly, advising, "It was a mere trifle; don't take it to heart."

His imperturbability left old Qiu feeling frustrated.

Give me a chance...

At your tender age, why are you so guarded against me?

Does Qiu look so much like a villain?

"Zhao."

At this moment, Qiu Mengyin called him "brother" with utter ease, as if calling him "Uncle Zhao" would not be difficult either.

She took out the colorful embroidered handkerchief from her sleeve, which she had held in the palm of her hand for a long time, and finally seized the opportunity to hand it over.

She subtly hinted toward the corner of Zhao Rong's mouth.

"Thank you."

"It is Mengyin who should thank brother Zhao for saving my life," she said, her eyes fixed on the young man with an implicit glow.

Zhao Rong wiped away the bloodstains connecting his mouth to his neck with the handkerchief, which originally had a faint fragrance of femininity but now was tainted with the stench of blood. He casually pocketed the soiled handkerchief, giving the young lady a reassuring look to indicate that his brother was all right.

Miss Qiu hesitated to speak as she fixed her gaze on his chest. Without uttering a word, she simply murmured thanks and then gracefully retreated behind Qiu Guangjun, stealing glances from the side.

Old Qiu glanced at his daughter.

Mengyin was not usually this way; she was quite indifferent to the young men of Longquan.

As an old hand in the jianghu, he instantly understood everything.

While he thought Mengyin had good taste and he was one hundred percent satisfied with her choice, he had a premonition...

That this kid seemed... not so easy to get along with.

"Rong, how are your injuries?" Lu Gui asked with concern.

"Fortunately, we outnumbered him, and your side attack forced him to retract his palm. I didn't suffer too much, just a sense of blood surging and overall restlessness. The Inner Strength of the old ancestor from the Yellow River is truly fierce, and I am far inferior to him in foundation. If we were to compete in Inner Strength, I would be defeated on the spot."

"Eh!" Lu Gui shook his head, "Why belittle yourself? That old ancestor from the Yellow River is well-known in the Qi and Lu regions of the Central Plains; he's decades older than you. If you were the same age, I think he wouldn't be able to withstand a single palm strike from you."

"Hahaha, brother Lu flatters me too much."

"Flattery? Nothing of the sort. Lu speaks the truth."

Lu Gui made arrangements, "The sun is harsh at midday, which can aggravate restlessness. You'd better meditate to calm yourself, regulate your blood and qi. Afterward, we'll return to the escort agency and report the situation to the head of the agency."

Zhao Rong nodded slightly; then, he heard Lu Gui whisper:

"The Sword-Casting Manor of the Qiu Family is developing rapidly. Don't be fooled by their current distress; with over a hundred guests and disciples, and expertise in forging blades, they're a top force in Longquan. Brother Rong, since you have done a great favor for the Qiu Family and they are showing goodwill, there's no need to resist too much."

"To put it bluntly, brother Lu, you come from humble origins, and even if you joined the Hengshan Sect, you would still be alone in a short time. Liu appreciates simplicity and elegance, and his greatest passion is the music of the zither and flute."

"In the end, one has to rely on oneself."

"Brother Lu, I understand."

Zhao Rong pondered the words of Lu for a moment, then glanced in old Qiu's direction.

The Qiu Family was dealing with the commotion at the post station; with the old ancestor of the Yellow River gone, the post station officials could only hold the Qiu Family accountable and cared little about their loss of a hundred-year-old ginseng.

The Qiu Family conducted legitimate business in Longquan; there was no need to offend the authorities over a little money, so they even helped pick up the tables and stools from the ground.

Zhao Rong sat down and reflected upon the lessons learned from battling the old man.

The opponent, darting left and right among the crowd, skillfully used the environment to handle the weapons of a dozen people. His adaptability and the variety of his moves were beyond what Zhao Rong could match.

However, the effects of the Muscle-Tendon Change Scripture and the Sinew-Cleansing Scripture excited him.

Being able to exchange palms with the old ancestor from the Yellow River, even if by a sudden sneak attack, was dishonorable, but how long had he practiced?

Zhao Rong sat cross-legged, his hands resting on his knees, his upper eyelids slowly drooping to gently meet his lower lids.

He immediately calmed his mind with the cool energy from his pendant.

Imagining his left eye as the sun, his right eye as the moon, and the acupoints in his eyes as stars, they shone light, which he focused on smoothing along the meridians throughout his body.

This was the tenth technique of the Sinew-Cleansing Scripture, Curtained Observation.

The surging blood and qi were continually soothed and suppressed.

After the time it takes to drink two cups of tea, Zhao Rong woke from his meditation and took the initiative to bid farewell to Lu Gui and the people from Sword-Casting Manor, heading back to the escort agency ahead of the rest.

Qiu Mengting was still very weak and not fit for travel.

Moreover, a few were slightly injured and needed to rest for the night at the posthouse.

Otherwise, what assistance can a group of injured provide?

The two rode out of the posthouse, with old Qiu and several manor servants seeing them off to the Cliff Inscription, not returning until they could no longer see their figures.

"Father, don't worry too much, I'm unharmed,"

Qiu Mengting was already able to sit up and move his arms, clearly his blood and qi flowing smoothly.

Old Qiu grunted, then took the opportunity to teach a lesson, "Just so you know, there are always people better than you, and skies beyond skies."

"Our manor has a respectable reputation in Longquan, and the two of you have martial skills surpassing the young ones from the other two manors, but in front of a true master, can you withstand a single blow?"

"Are you still blaming me for making a fuss over nothing, for taking you to Hengyang to seek support at the first sign of trouble?"

"We dare not..." The siblings accepted the lesson.

One ancestor from the Yellow River was already so tough to deal with, let alone the elders of the Demon Cult.

A wave of hindsight fear washed over Qiu Mengting, which immediately reminded him of Zhao Rong, who had just left.

He couldn't help but sigh,

"No wonder Father always relies on Liu, with just one Brother Zhao showing such might, the disciples of prominent sects are indeed the inner circle of elites, while our mundane martial families hardly compare."

"Hahaha!"

Old Qiu burst into laughter hearing his son's sigh.

"Undervaluing oneself!"

A stern look flew from his eyes, "I've met many of Liu's disciples, they're a mixed bunch, and you two might not be inferior to some among them."

"In my opinion, this person, still dressed in the uniform of an escort today, is very likely the direct disciple Liu intends to focus on training next."

"Though young in age, he has a concealed sharpness and acts with perfect measure, bearing the air of a true master."

"His martial talent is even more rare."

"Such a character, as long as he doesn't die young, will definitely make a significant name for himself in the Martial World."

Miss Qiu's eyes reflected the savage palm strength of the ancestor from the Yellow River, as well as the figure of a man in grey who stood up to face the adversary; her beautiful eyes shone with warmth as she admired from a distance,

"Longquan has a strong martial tradition, and during the Climb High Festival in Pi Yun Mountain, hundreds of youths spar to boost the festivities. These people, I fear, would not be able to withstand even a single palm from the ancestor of the Yellow River."

"Father always talks about there being mountains beyond mountains; this time in front of Immortal Crane Ridge, we finally saw another range, towering and formidable."

Her eyes sparkled, "Father, since we wish to form good relations with the Hengshan Sect, why not let my brother and me study under their tutelage?"

Qiu Mengting looked at his sister in surprise.

He had brought up this matter in the past, but Meng Yin always opposed it.

The reason was simple...

"Switching masters mid-training leaves a gap, and if you are not favored by the elders of the sect, it's extremely hard to stand out. It's better to manage the Sword-Casting Manor, explore martial arts, and enjoy our freedom."

Today...

Why had his sister changed her tune?

Seeing the look of anticipation in her eyes, old Qiu instantly understood.

He couldn't be bothered to call it out.

"It's not so easy to work out, we need to think this through carefully."

"First, let's get through the matter with Changrui Escort Agency..."

...

After Zhao Rong and Lu Gui returned to the escort agency, they informed Lu Shilai of the Qiu Family's situation, and Changrui, as a local host, immediately sent an invitation.

Owing to the involvement of the ancestor from the Yellow River, Lu Shilai also needed to pay a visit to Liu's residence.

Any intelligence related to the Demon Cult in the vicinity of Hengzhou Prefecture must be reported to the sect by the external disciples as soon as they learn of it. If the situation is serious, the Hengshan Sect will also coordinate with the other four sects for mutual support.

This is the foundation of the Five Peaks Alliance.

Zhao Rong really wanted to remind Lu Shilai not to worry about the ancestor from the Yellow River.

The man came for medicine, likely refining life-prolonging pills to save his daughter, and had no interest in disturbing Changrui's plans.

But without concrete evidence, he couldn't voice these thoughts publicly.

Upon reflection, if the Hengshan Sect took this more seriously because of it and sent more people to support the escort agency, perhaps it might be a blessing in disguise.

Three days passed in a flash.

On the fourth day after the appearance of the ancestor from the Yellow River, Long, the head of the escort agency, returned with a number of friends.

More news arrived.

People from the Sanhe Sect and Zhenyuan Escort Agency would also soon arrive in Hengyang.

...