Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio
Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
Jing Lucheng had an empty expression on his face.
Even though he and Jing Yuqin were holding each other’s gazes, his eyes looked dull and unreadable.
He had obviously been traumatized. If he couldn’t climb out of the shadows, his rank might remain at the Seventh Heaven for the rest of his life.
Jing Yuqin’s narrowed eyes rounded with confusion when she heard Jing Lucheng’s words.
Didn’t kill him?
Couldn’t kill him?
What did he mean exactly? Was it that Jing Lucheng had tried to kill Jing Yan, but he was stopped by an Elder?
Even if that was the case, why would Jing Lucheng look so miserable? Was he worried that she would blame him for failing to get it done correctly?
“Lucheng, don’t worry. We will have a lot more chances in the future. We won’t let Jing Yan get away with what he’s done.” Jing Yuqin tried to comfort Jing Lucheng. She felt bad for him as she examined the beaten-up look on his face.
“Aunt Yuqin, you… I… I was no match for Jing Yan!” Jing Lucheng looked down, ashamed.
“What? Lucheng, what are you talking about?” Jing Yuqin asked. Although she still had the smile she’d plastered on her face while she was comforting Jing Lucheng, that smile had now frozen.
“I lost the fight! I lost to Jing Yan! Jing Yan is stronger than I am. I’m sorry, aunt, I’m useless.” Jing Lucheng lowered his voice so much that it was barely audible. It buzzed and crackled as if the sound was being made by tiny insects.
Jing Yuqin finally realized that things weren’t turning out quite as expected.
Yet, she still couldn’t understand what exactly had happened.
How could Jing Lucheng lose to Jing Yan now?
“Lucheng, come with me,” Jing Yuqin said as she dragged Jing Lucheng out of the Ru Yi Pavilion, heading towards the Jing Clan’s mansion.
Once they were back at the Jing Clan’s mansion, Jing Yuqin asked around a bit and figured out what had happened.
Jing Yan had a spurt of progress!
The previous abilities test showed that his rank was the Third Heaven, yet this month it had gone up to the Sixth Heaven.
After leveling up three ranks in one month, Jing Yan not only rose to become a Middle-ranking warrior, but he also defeated Jing Lucheng, who was a High-ranking warrior.
“That’s impossible!” Jing Yuqin groaned.
She finally understood why Jing Lucheng was acting so downtrodden.
…
In the Patriarch’s yard.
“Patriarch, you wanted to see me?”
Jing Yan had been led there by Jing Chengye’s personal guard.
When he received the Patriarch’s summons, Jing Yan hadn’t been too surprised. His performance at the Martial Arts Performing Stadium was enough to shock a lot of the Jing Clan members. If the Patriarch hadn’t summoned him, that would actually have been strange.
“Jing Yan, I’ve already heard about your performance at the Martial Arts Performing Stadium. Good. Very good. At a speed of recovery like this, it won’t take long before you regain your previous strength,” Jing Chengye said with a smile.
The First and Fourth Elders were also still present.
“I appreciate it very much, Patriarch. I will keep working hard.” Jing Yan nodded slightly as he smiled.
“Jing Yan, there’s something I want to ask you. Today in the fight between you and Jing Lucheng, you used the Stance of Autumn Wind and Falling Leaves. The Fourth Elder said that the version you used has been improved. Did you improve it yourself?” Jing Chengye’s question was quite straightforward.
While Jing Chengye was talking, both the First and the Fourth Elders were gazing at Jing Yan.
They also wanted to know if Jing Yan had improved the Stance of Autumn Wind and Falling Leaves all by himself. If he hadn’t, then they wanted to know who improved the skill for him.
It had to have been someone extraordinary who improved the Stance of Autumn Wind and Falling Leaves and made it as strong as a Middle-grade martial system. If it wasn’t Jing Yan, then how had he come to know such a person?
Both the Elders and the Patriarch were gazing at Jing Yan, holding their breath.
“It really was me. I improved the martial system,” Jing Yan confessed. He had decided to be honest about it. He expected Jing Chengye to ask about this, so he was prepared.
Eyes widened around the courtyard as Jing Yan admitted that he had improved the martial system.
It really was Jing Yan who had improved the Stance of Autumn Wind and Falling Leaves! How? How did Jing Yan manage to do so?
Suspecting that Jing Yan was the one who had improved the skill was one thing, yet confirming it was another.
Jing Chengye didn’t think Jing Yan was lying. Since Jing Yan had admitted it, it should be the truth. Not to mention that Jing Yan had already demonstrated the power of the improved version of the Stance of Autumn Wind and Falling Leaves.
Jing Chengye’s eyes were blazing bright.
“The reason I was able to improve the Stance of Autumn Wind and Falling Leaves was that I have cultivated this martial system before. If someone else is cultivating the skill, the most I can do to help is to offer some instruction.”
“But right now, I need to spend all my time on recovering my abilities,” Jing Yan said.
Jing Chengye certainly knew what Jing Yan meant. Jing Yan was suggesting that he currently didn’t have time to instruct other Jing Clan members in his method of cultivating the Stance of Autumn Wind and Falling Leaves.
“Jing Yan, if you have the ability, you should contribute to the family as much as you can. What kind of attitude is this?” Jing Chunyu’s eyes had gone cold.
“First Elder, you’ve misunderstood me. It’s not that I don’t want to contribute to the family. I simply don’t have the time,” Jing Yan said, glancing at the First Elder and hiding the sneer that tried to form on his lips.
“You…” Jing Chunyu was about to get mad.
“First Elder!” Jing Chengye raised his hand slightly and stopped Jing Chunyu with a glance.
“Jing Yan, I understand what you mean. Don’t worry. For now, all you need to focus on is your cultivation,” Jing Chengye said to Jing Yan in a calm tone.
“I really appreciate your understanding, Patriarch,” Jing Yan bowed.
“No worries, Jing Yan. I will arrange for two guards to guard your yard so that nobody can interrupt you,” Jing Tianying said.
“Yes sir.” Jing Yan nodded to Jing Tianying.
Jing Yan had always trusted and felt close to Jing Tianying. Even when his rank was falling continuously and he was considered a useless loser by many, Jing Tianying had always been supportive.
Jing Yan also knew that Jing Tianying used to be a supporter of his grandfather. Among the Jing Clan’s senior members, Jing Tianying was the person Jing Yan was closest to.
“Haha, Jing Yan, whatever you need for cultivation, just come to me. The family will provide you with all the Spiritual Stones you need. The same goes for other sources, too. The family has your back!” Jing Chengye said, patting Jing Yan’s shoulder.
“If I need anything, I will definitely let you know, Patriarch,” Jing Yan nodded.
He was just saying that, though. He didn’t really plan to ask the family for sources. If he wanted to progress fast, he would need a lot of sources. But if he went to ask for sources from the family, he would be indebted to them. Whatever the Jing Clan asked him to do for the family in the future, he would find it difficult to say no. If he declined, he would face criticism from the senior members, especially people like the First Elder.
So unless he had no other options, Jing Yan wouldn’t use the family’s sources.
“Well then, you can go back to carry on with your cultivation, Jing Yan. Work hard! Glorify our Jing Clan!” Jing Chengye said in a solemn tone.
“Patriarch, Fourth Elder, I will be on my way then.”
Jing Yan bowed and left the Patriarch’s yard.
The First Elder’s face instantly darkened. Jing Yan had bowed to the Patriarch and the Fourth Elder, but how dare that young man not bow to him?
What was going on? What the heck was Jing Yan doing?
“What a jack*ss! D*mn you!” Jing Chunyu seethed in his mind.
He felt as if something was clogged up in his chest and smothering him. He was about to vent his anger, but Jing Yan had already left, so he had lost his target.