Only Got My Martial Arts Modifier in My Old Age
Chapter 256: Chapter 134: Convince with Virtue, and Martial Virtue is Still Virtue
The Jiang Family in the west of the city was one of the great clans of Hejiang City, the capital of Shun’an Province. They also lurked in the shadows, backing Hejiang City’s largest gang: the Nine Rivers Tyrant Dragon Association.
Collecting protection fees, running casinos, loan sharking—basically, they did whatever made a quick profit.
The true master behind this gang was the old Patriarch of the Jiang Family, Jiang Haiwan.
This Jiang Haiwan had quite an impressive background. He was a Martial Champion Scholar of the Yin Dynasty, from the cohort right before Lu Yun’s.
That year, in the prime of his life, he was only thirty-two, yet he was already a Grandmaster of Huajin. His ancestral saber technique was considered unmatched at the time.
Likewise, the Martial Examination that Jiang Haiwan participated in was one of the most intense in the Yin Dynasty’s history.
The empire’s finest talents gathered in the Capital City. The competition was a storm of flashing blades, a true battle of titans. Then, Jiang Haiwan burst onto the scene, seizing victory with overwhelming force, leaving the entire imperial court—both civil and military officials—in stunned admiration.
The last Emperor, Yin Che, personally summoned him to the Taihe Palace. There, in front of all the civil and military officials, he praised Jiang Haiwan, declaring, "With the bearing of a martial champion, you are unmatched in this world."
He was thus directly appointed Palace Guard Commander, given the honorary title of General, bestowed with a Yellow Mandarin Jacket, and granted permission to carry his blade within the inner court.
The imperial edict further praised him lavishly, stating that Jiang Haiwan held a respected position without commanding an army and a prominent role without governing the people, so he could serve exclusively by Our side, bringing glory to his family and serving as an honor for all Martial Artists in the land.
Later, he was assigned as the General of Shun’an Province. With a great army at his command, he became a regional power in his own right.
But when the Yin Dynasty fell, Jiang Haiwan, as a former General, became a primary target for the Daxia New Country.
Jiang Haiwan knew when to advance and when to retreat. He unhesitatingly relinquished all his military authority, surrendered his official seal, and disbanded the great army of Shun’an Province, asking only to preserve his family’s wealth and holdings.
Seeing that he was sensible enough to know his place, the new authorities turned a blind eye and let him off the hook.
From then on, Jiang Haiwan retreated into the shadows, propping up the Nine Rivers Tyrant Dragon Association, the largest gang in Hejiang City, the capital of Shun’an Province. All in all, he lived a very comfortable life.
Moreover, Jiang Haiwan never neglected his Martial Arts. For thirty years, he trained without cease, honing his skills to the peak of perfection.
This was especially true for his ancestral Dragon Overlord Saber Technique, a style defined by grand, sweeping movements and an aura that could swallow the world.
The blade lunged like a dragon and recoiled like a tiger. Once drawn, it was said that ten thousand men could not stand against it.
Through these decades of bitter training, he managed to break through to become a Mid-stage Grandmaster of Huajin.
As a result, the top powers in Shun’an Province all knew of his existence. Zhou Lie, the Soul-Seeking Tower, Jingkong Temple, Fuyun Temple... even these long-established Grandmasters of Huajin had to give him a measure of respect.
As for the ordinary people of Hejiang City, they had no idea such a "true dragon" dwelled in their midst.
The Jiang Family estate was especially lively today. Large red lanterns were hung high, and a constant stream of carriages and horses flowed to the gates. Unfortunately, the arrivals weren’t guests coming to offer congratulations, but creditors coming to collect a debt.
Leng Mingye, the master of the Soul-Seeking Tower, had arrived. Master Huishan from Jingkong Temple had arrived. Daoist Lingxu from Fuyun Temple had also come.
In short, nearly every Grandmaster of Huajin of any renown in Shun’an Province was present. They hadn’t come for a feast; they had come to demand the Immortal Flesh.
Outside the grand hall, Jiang Haiwan sat calmly on a tiger-skin chair. The chair itself was made of the finest red sandalwood, its back carved with a glaring, lifelike tiger descending a mountain.
A complete tiger pelt was draped over the chair, its head hanging behind the chair’s back and its two front paws resting on the armrests.
His hair and beard were snow-white, his face lean. He wore a dark, teal-colored robe and leisurely sipped a cup of tea.
Standing before Jiang Haiwan were his three sons: Jiang Bofeng, Jiang Zhongwu, and Jiang Yunwen.
The three brothers were spirited and imposing, their auras thick and powerful. With gazes as sharp as lightning, they coldly faced off against the crowd in the courtyard.
Jiang Haiwan had many sons, but these three possessed the greatest talent for the Martial Arts. As such, Jiang Haiwan had personally and meticulously trained them from a young age.
And now, with the help of a massive amount of Immortal Flesh, their cultivation Realms had advanced by leaps and bounds.
The eldest broke through to Mid-stage Huajin, while the second and third sons both reached Early-stage Huajin. Adding Jiang Haiwan himself to the count, a single family with four Grandmasters was unheard of in Shun’an Province.
But you can’t wrap fire in paper. When this earth-shattering news got out, all of Hejiang City was in an uproar.
The Soul-Seeking Tower, Jingkong Temple, Fuyun Temple... none of these old powers could sit still any longer.
The Jiang Family had suddenly produced three new Grandmasters of Huajin. This was simply unacceptable!
It didn’t take a genius to figure out that the Jiang Family must have acquired a massive amount of Immortal Flesh.
With that much Immortal Flesh, even a tiny sliver would be enough for old-timers like them to advance to the next level.
Leng Mingye, dressed all in black, stood at the very front of the crowd with a gloomy expression. He was the first to speak, his tone dripping with sarcasm.
"Elder Jiang, you’re not playing fair. A treasure like the Immortal Flesh should be shared among those who see it. For your family to hoard it all for yourselves... don’t you think that’s going a bit too far?"
The portly Master Huishan, wearing a gray monk’s robe and a benevolent expression reminiscent of the Maitreya Buddha, placed his palms together and spoke with a wide smile.
"Amitabha. Donor Jiang, this humble monk is not a greedy man. It is simply that the Immortal Flesh is a matter of great importance. If it were to be used by evil and heretical paths, the consequences would be unthinkable."
"Why don’t you allow this humble monk to take a few pieces back and safeguard them on your behalf, Donor Jiang?"
Daoist Lingxu, who had the white hair of a crane but the face of a youth, wore an azure Daoist robe, held a Duster, and wore a pair of cloud-patterned shoes. He had the complete air of an otherworldly immortal. With a flick of his Duster, he spoke.
"This humble Daoist has also come today for the sake of all living beings. I trust Donor Jiang will prioritize the greater good."
Hearing this nonsense, Jiang Haiwan set down his teacup, looked at the men before him, and chuckled.
’Thank goodness I used the Immortal Flesh to break through to Late-stage Grandmaster of Huajin,’ he thought. ’Otherwise, I’d really be a fish on the chopping block right now, at their mercy.’
"I’ve lived a long life. What haven’t I seen? You want the Immortal Flesh? Then take it—if you have the skill."
The moment Jiang Haiwan spoke, Leng Mingye, master of the Soul-Seeking Tower, sneered and took a step forward. "Elder Jiang, your family can’t possibly stomach this much Immortal Flesh."
Behind him, Master Huishan and Daoist Lingxu said nothing, but both took half a step forward in unison.
Three at Late-stage Huajin against one at Mid-stage Huajin and three recent breakthroughs at Early-stage Huajin. The outcome was self-evident.
The eldest Jiang son, Jiang Bofeng, scowled. "Lady Leng," he shouted, "don’t push your luck!"
Qi surged around him, making his robes flutter loudly. He was ready to fight.
Jiang Zhongwu and Jiang Yunwen stepped forward as well. The three brothers stood shoulder to shoulder, their combined presence quite formidable.
Leng Mingye didn’t even spare him a glance. His gaze, sharp as a blade, was fixed on Jiang Haiwan. "Elder Wan, you’re an intelligent man. I have the utmost respect for you."
"It would be best for everyone if this didn’t end in a bloodbath."
Sitting in his tiger-skin chair, Jiang Haiwan glanced at Leng Mingye, then at Huishan and Lingxu. His expression slowly turned grave.
’These three old fossils are truly a pain to deal with,’ he thought. ’Am I really going to have to hand over some of the Immortal Flesh?’
Just then, the sound of rhythmic, marching footsteps echoed from beyond the gates.
A gray-clad mass of soldiers flooded into the estate, swiftly surrounding the entire courtyard until it was completely sealed off.
The man in the lead strode in with purpose. He was powerfully built, his tunic open to reveal a solid, muscular chest.
The man’s features were rugged, with thick brows and large eyes. A roguish smirk played on his lips. It was Zhou Lie.
"HAHAHAHA! Elder Wan, you’ve certainly got a lively party going on here!"
With that, he turned his head to Leng Mingye, his smile turning mischievous as he taunted, "Leng Mingye, you’re like a damn fly. Everywhere I go, there you are."
Publicly humiliated by Zhou Lie, Leng Mingye’s face instantly turned thunderous.
"You bastard! Zhou Lie, you’re dead! I still haven’t settled the score with you for what happened last time!"
Last time, in the affair concerning Chen Baitong and Chen Yuyu, his Soul-Seeking Tower, Jingkong Temple, and Fuyun Temple had joined forces.
They had been on the verge of capturing those two, only for that brat Zhou Lie to call in his brother-in-law, who brought an army and brazenly snatched the prize right out from under them.
Even now, the memory made Leng Mingye grind his teeth in fury. He wished he could skin Zhou Lie alive.
’That animal,’ he fumed silently. ’I heard he even became a disciple of that Grandmaster of Divine Intent. I wonder if it’s true.’
In any case, the disciples under that bastard Zhou Lie certainly went around every day proclaiming that their Master’s Master was Lu Yun.
Zhou Lie, however, acted as if he hadn’t heard a thing. He walked up to Jiang Haiwan with a wide grin, clasped his fist in salute, and said, "Elder Wan, this junior, Zhou Lie, pays his respects."
A flicker of surprise crossed Jiang Haiwan’s eyes. ’This punk Zhou Lie is usually so brash and arrogant, acting like he’s number one in the world no matter who he meets.’
’Why is he being so polite today?’
He gave a slight nod, his tone neutral. "Master Zhou, what business brings you to my Jiang Family today?"
Zhou Lie straightened up and grinned, his smile brimming with self-satisfaction. "Elder Wan, this junior has come today to deliver a grand gift."
He pulled a photograph from his robes and waved it in front of Jiang Haiwan.
In the photograph, Lu Yun was seated in the seat of honor while Zhou Lie knelt before him, respectfully offering the tea of a discipleship ceremony.
Jiang Haiwan’s eyes flew wide. He shot to his feet, snatched the photograph, and stared intently at the man depicted in it.
’The Governor of Yun Port City, Lu Yun... Daxia’s first Grandmaster of Divine Intent... and, like me, a Martial Champion Scholar of the Yin Dynasty.’
’That man was from the cohort after mine, and he’s already a Grandmaster of Divine Intent, while I’m still struggling at the Late-stage of Huajin.’
Zhou Lie grinned, put the photo away, and scanned the crowd. His voice boomed, "Gentlemen, our Shun’an Province has reached a critical turning point. It is time to welcome a new world order."
He paused, then declared, word by word: "From this day forward, Shun’an Province shall follow the lead of the Governor of Yun Port City, Lu Yun. The same goes for the neighboring Yifeng Province."
Everyone was stunned by this declaration. Leng Mingye was the first to recover, his voice dripping with cold sarcasm. "And on what authority do you speak for Yifeng Province?"
Hearing the challenge, Zhou Lie instantly unleashed his power at the Peak of Huajin. In an instant, Qi swirled around him as scorching steam rose, making him look as if he were engulfed in flames!
He raised his right fist and grinned. "By persuading them with virtue, of course. I believe the Military Governor of Yifeng Province is a man who understands the greater good."
"And as they say, martial virtue is a type of virtue, too!"
The courtyard fell into a dead silence. The members of the Soul-Seeking Tower, Jingkong Temple, Fuyun Temple, and the Jiang Family all stared, wide-eyed, at Zhou Lie.
’The Peak of Huajin... This happy-go-lucky, devil-may-care guy has actually broken through to the Peak of Huajin!’
’That wasn’t even the most critical point. The terrifying part is that this bastard Zhou Lie practices Horizontal Martial Arts Training, which already makes him far stronger than other Martial Artists at the same Realm.’
’Now that he’s broken through to the Peak Realm of Huajin, it means only a Grandmaster of Divine Intent could kill him with ease.’
At this thought, Leng Mingye’s face turned livid, and the smile on Master Huishan’s face froze solid.
A complicated emotion flickered in the eyes of both Daoist Lingxu and Jiang Haiwan.
’Neither of them had ever imagined that they, as seniors, would be surpassed by a junior.’
At that moment, Zhou Lie spoke again, his voice a tempting lure. "Gentlemen, don’t you wish to see the view that lies beyond the Grandmaster of Huajin Realm?"
’He didn’t believe these old-timers could remain unmoved. After all, the Grandmaster of Divine Intent Realm—the state beyond the Grandmaster of Huajin—was the Divine Domain that all Martial Artists pursued their entire lives.’

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