Chapter 46: Martial Uncle, You’re Too Amazing
The Martial Arts Realm of Jiangnan Prefecture had a vibrant Martial Arts atmosphere.
Lu Changfeng had heard about this before from a waiter at an inn in Xing City.
Located in the heart of Jiangzhou, Five Horses Street was certainly no exception.
This Martial Arts Hall tournament was an event jointly hosted by the three top Martial Arts Halls on Five Horses Street, each backed by a Bone Refining Martial Sect.
The Martial Arts Hall tournament was held every night at the Five Horses Street central auditorium.
You could register and compete on the same night. The only requirement was that you had to represent a Martial Arts Hall.
The duels were meant to be demonstrations of skill, and competitors were expected to avoid causing injury.
The tournament was incredibly lively every night.
The common people of Jiangnan Prefecture were more than happy to buy tickets and watch.
Once a Martial Arts Hall made a name for itself in the tournament, people would naturally want to join it.
"This Martial Arts Hall tournament sounds like a great opportunity."
"The Martial Arts culture here in Jiangnan Prefecture is truly impressive," Lu Changfeng remarked.
Back in Feng City, there were hardly any opportunities to spar with other Martial Artists so frequently.
Most fights there were to the death.
’This was just the kind of event Lu Changfeng loved. It brought together so much talent from the Five Horses Street Martial Arts Halls. Maybe he’d even find a few people with Talent Root Bone that caught his eye.’
Zhou Feng laughed. "I’ve become much more level-headed after staying in Jiangnan Prefecture for so long. Everyone here does their best to follow the rules."
"Of course, that’s not to say Martial Artists from Jiangnan Prefecture can’t handle a life-or-death battle."
"They just pre-arrange the rules for a deathmatch if that’s what’s intended."
"I think they’ve really nurtured a unique culture around the Martial Arts here in Jiangnan Prefecture."
"Perhaps that’s why Jiangnan Prefecture has remained so prosperous and peaceful."
Clearly, Zhou Feng was very fond of the atmosphere in Jiangnan Prefecture.
After he was happily married, he would probably integrate completely into Jiangnan Prefecture, and his descendants would become true locals.
"Junior Brother, let me treat you to dinner at a restaurant tonight. It’ll be a good chance to introduce you to your sister-in-law."
"Your sister-in-law comes from a scholarly family. Her father holds a position in the Jiangzhou Prefecture Yamen. Sometimes, he can be of some small help."
Lu Changfeng accepted Zhou Feng’s invitation with a nod.
’After dinner, it would be the perfect time to check out the tournament venue.’
’If he was going to integrate into the Jiangnan Martial Arts World, he had to start from scratch. Making a name for his Martial Arts Hall was the first step.’
"Alright, then I’ll go arrange things for tonight. I’ll take you to see my Martial Arts Hall another day."
"Okay!"
Lu Changfeng escorted Zhou Feng to the Martial Arts Hall entrance, watching him leave.
’Just as I thought. You can’t survive in Jiangnan Prefecture without a reputation.’
After Zhou Feng left, the rest of the day passed without a single person coming to actually register as a disciple, aside from a few common folk who saw the advertisement and asked some questions.
The thirty taels of silver Lu Changfeng had spent on the newspaper ad seemed to have been a waste.
「That evening.」
Zhao Xingtian still had not returned.
Lu Changfeng left Hei Niu to watch the Martial Arts Hall.
He changed into a new set of clothes and went with Chunzhu to the restaurant for the dinner engagement.
The restaurant, named Water Cloud Space, was located on Five Horses Street and was one of its finest establishments.
Lu Changfeng and Chunzhu went on foot.
They took the opportunity to enjoy the sights of Five Horses Street along the way.
Five Horses Street was mostly frequented by Martial Artists.
As Lu Changfeng looked around, he saw they were all Martial Artists with some level of Root Bone.
He could even spot some low-to-middle grade Martial Talent among the passersby.
As Lu Changfeng observed the others, they were also secretly admiring him and Chunzhu.
Lu Changfeng, of course, was tall and imposing. Having filled out over the years, he was exceptionally handsome, with a heroic air about him.
Although Chunzhu’s cultivation was still at the Blood Forging Third Layer, her years of martial arts practice, combined with her proficiency in Lightweight Skill, gave her an extremely slender and graceful figure.
A perfect martial arts couple like them was a rare sight on Five Horses Street.
When they arrived at Water Cloud Space, Zhou Feng was already waiting downstairs with several people.
He spotted Lu Changfeng from a distance and raised a hand in greeting.
Lu Changfeng strode over to them.
"Let me introduce you," Zhou Feng said to the woman beside him. "This is my junior brother I’m always telling you about, Lu Changfeng, the one with extraordinary Swordsmanship!"
"And this is his partner, Sister Chunzhu!"
Zhou Feng spoke to a woman in her early twenties beside him.
Lu Changfeng subconsciously glanced at the woman. Her Talent Root Bone was rather poor and her build was delicate. She had a scholarly air about her and showed no signs of martial arts training; she was an ordinary person.
’This must be Zhou Feng’s partner.’
Sure enough, Zhou Feng’s next words were to introduce the woman, Sunx Yu, as his fiancée.
"You truly are a beautiful couple. I’m so envious!" Sunx Yu’s eyes lit up.
Although she didn’t practice martial arts because of her Root Bone, she was a huge fan of the Martial Arts Realm.
She loved stories about martial arts heroes and heroines, and Lu Changfeng and Chunzhu perfectly matched the image in her mind.
Sunx Yu had heard from Zhou Feng that this junior brother had already condensed his Sword Intent at a young age. With his talent, it was only a matter of time before he made a name for himself on Five Horses Street!
"You’re too kind, Sister-in-law! You and Senior Brother are the ones we envy!" Lu Changfeng replied.
After a few pleasantries, Zhou Feng introduced the three young men behind him.
They were all True Disciples he had accepted since opening his Martial Arts Hall.
Lu Changfeng swept his gaze over them. The most talented was Zhou Feng’s head disciple, a sixteen-year-old named Xiao Yao, three years Lu Changfeng’s junior.
The boy had a Lower A Class Root Bone, though no specific Talent. If nurtured properly, he had a high chance of breaking through to the Tendon Transformation realm in the future.
With the introductions complete.
The group went upstairs to a private room and sat down.
It was a long-awaited reunion for Lu Changfeng and Zhou Feng, and the two of them drank heartily.
Sunx Yu and Chunzhu also got along wonderfully.
During the meal, Xiao Yao, having perhaps heard how superb Lu Changfeng’s Swordsmanship was, spoke up.
With an expectant look, he asked, "Martial Uncle, could you let this humble one witness your Sword Intent?"
Lu Changfeng had also had a bit too much to drink, and he immediately condensed his Storm Sword Intent! A faint, cyan energy flickered in and out of existence around him.
But to everyone else’s senses, a gale seemed to sweep out from Lu Changfeng, and a deadly feeling enveloped them!
In an instant, everyone in the private room stopped moving and fell silent.
Chunzhu nudged Lu Changfeng with her elbow.
Lu Changfeng snapped out of it. He circulated his qi and blood, and a thick white vapor, smelling of alcohol, rose from his head as he instantly sobered up.
Lu Changfeng withdrew his Storm Sword Intent, his face flushing slightly. "COUGH COUGH, my apologies. I got a little carried away."
But to his surprise, not only were there no negative feelings in their gazes, but everyone’s eyes were shining brightly.
Zhou Feng’s three True Disciples, in particular, looked at their young Martial Uncle with expressions of pure adoration.
Xiao Yao was so excited he shot to his feet. "Martial Uncle, you’re incredible!"
’Lu Changfeng was half-afraid they would abandon Zhou Feng and try to switch their allegiance to him.’
It was the first time any of them had seen a substantiated Sword Intent with their own eyes!
"Junior Brother, your Sword Intent... it’s actually reached the point of substantialization!" Zhou Feng said, shocked.
Lu Changfeng put down his wine cup.
The Martial Arts Realm’s classification of Sword Intent levels wasn’t as distinct as the one on his interface.
"Ordinary Sword Intent" and "Substantiated Sword Intent" corresponded to Basic Sword Intent and Intermediate Sword Intent, respectively.