Chapter 371: The Strongest Mentor Takes on Jiang Yiming as a Disciple

Chapter 371: The Strongest Mentor Takes on Jiang Yiming as a Disciple

At the entrance of the Martial Academy, the arrival of Bai Luoyu and Jiang Ning immediately calmed the previously turbulent atmosphere.

Xu Nianqing stood before the crowd from the Martial Academy.

"I've long admired General Jiang's reputation, and today's encounter proves it!" Xu Nianqing greeted Jiang Ning with her customary politeness.

Jiang Ning replied, "I've also long admired Mr. Xu's reputation!"

Bai Luoyu observed the two, a smile spreading across her face.

One had been dedicated to cultivation and teaching within the Martial Academy, while the other had remained secluded in Dongling City, rarely stepping outside. How could they have heard of each other's fame?

She understood the situation, and a smile formed in her heart.

The next moment, Xu Nianqing's gaze shifted to Jiang Yiming, who stood beside Jiang Ning.

"General Jiang, is your nephew truly fifteen years old?" Xu Nianqing asked.

"Absolutely!" Jiang Ning affirmed, reaching out to grab Jiang Yiming and pull him closer.

Before his appearance, he had been observing from the shadows and overheard Xu Nianqing's conversation with the elegantly dressed woman. Thus, he was aware of Xu Nianqing's intention to take Jiang Yiming as her disciple.

Xu Nianqing, despite not having heard of Jiang Yiming's reputation, immediately recognized the Martial Academy mentor's extraordinary nature just by her appearance.

Her skin was flawless, and even though she was of advanced age, with fine lines at the corners of her eyes, her complexion resembled white jade, making her appear younger.

This was a clear sign of successful Bone Marrow Refinement.

Successful Bone Marrow Refinement resulted in noticeable external changes.

It was a rare feature in the Ninth Stage Martial Dao that could be discerned at a glance.

Therefore, if this middle-aged woman truly intended to take Jiang Yiming as her disciple, he would be delighted.

Having a Fourth Stage Martial Artist as Jiang Yiming's mentor would provide an additional layer of protection for the Jiang Li family.

Moreover, this middle-aged woman had dedicated herself to teaching martial arts at the Martial Academy for a decade.

The disciples she had nurtured during this time shared a special bond with her.

This formed an extensive network of connections.

At that moment, Xu Nianqing's words startled Jiang Ning.

Fifteen years old.

Normally, this age marked the beginning of martial arts training.

Except for some boys who matured faster or those born into extraordinary circumstances, constantly immersed in rare treasures and nourished by precious elixirs since childhood.

Most people waited until their bodies were fully developed, usually around fifteen, before daring to embark on martial arts training.

The initial stages of martial arts training involved intense physical strain and exhaustion.

Starting too early, before complete physical development, could be detrimental rather than beneficial.

"What incredible talent!" Xu Nianqing thought to herself.

She then turned to Jiang Ning, "General Jiang, may I take your nephew as my disciple?"

Quickly, she added, "Rest assured, I will not squander his talent. I will dedicate myself to bringing out his full potential."

Hearing this, Jiang Ning smiled.

"This decision is not mine to make; I must seek the consent of my brother and sister-in-law."

He glanced at Jiang Li and Liu Wanwan.

Xu Nianqing's gaze followed his, also turning towards Jiang Li and Liu Wanwan.

Liu Wanwan, upon noticing this, playfully poked Jiang Li's soft rib.

Jiang Li quickly composed himself, "If Miss Xu is willing to take our son as her disciple, we are more than delighted."

At that moment, two figures approached from the entrance of the Martial Academy.

A man and a woman, both of advanced age and clearly Martial Academy mentors, walked towards Xu Nianqing.

"Congratulations, Sister Xu!"

"Congratulations, Sister Xu!"

The two mentors approached Xu Nianqing, offering their congratulations.

Their heightened senses had allowed them to overhear the conversation earlier.

Moreover, Xu Nianqing had already shared her intention with them before they made their appearance.

Although they also held Jiang Yiming in high regard, they did not compete for his mentorship.

This was not only because they were fellow mentors at the Martial Academy, but also because they wanted to give Xu Nianqing this courtesy.

More importantly, they lacked the qualifications and courage to vie with Xu Nianqing, who was the strongest mentor at the Martial Academy.

A Fourth Stage Martial Artist with successful Bone Marrow Refinement, Xu Nianqing's strength was second only to the two mentors present.

Given their inferior strength, they naturally refrained from challenging Xu Nianqing.

Xu Nianqing, seeing Jiang Li's nod of agreement and hearing her colleagues' congratulations, smiled and nodded in response.

She looked at Jiang Yiming, her admiration for him growing.

Not only was he handsome, bearing a resemblance to Jiang Ning, but at just fifteen years old, he had already entered the ranks of the Ninth Stage Martial Dao, capable of defeating a Martial Academy student in three moves.

His talent and strength were undeniable.

In Xu Nianqing's eyes, Jiang Yiming was a rough diamond, a rare gift from the heavens.

With this thought, Xu Nianqing's gaze shifted to the injured Martial Academy student and the burly youth with a broken leg lying on the ground.

Jiang Yiming's earlier words had not escaped her mind.

At this moment, having verbally agreed to take Jiang Yiming as her disciple, she needed to address this matter.

As Xu Nianqing raised her hand, True Energy surged.

In an instant, the two men were pulled into the air by an invisible force.

Xu Nianqing gently pressed down on the sturdy youth's leg, her eyes flashing with anger.

"As I thought, your leg injury was caused by someone pinching your shinbone!" Xu Nianqing spoke, her gaze fixed on the Martial Academy student whose leg bone was crushed by Jiang Yiming's fist.

The injured Martial Academy student, under Xu Nianqing's intense stare, felt a shudder of fear.

"Who asked you to do this?" Xu Nianqing demanded.

Before the injured student could respond, the other Martial Academy student who had arrived with him spoke up, "Xu Teacher, it was that person from the city who broke the leg. I just heard the sound of the bone being crushed."

"Speak, who instructed you?" Xu Nianqing pressed.

In the crowd, Liu Boming and the delicate youth exchanged a glance and began to back away.

Just then, they felt their bodies rise into the air, beyond their control.

Jiang Ning, with a single gesture, had telekinetically lifted the two men and dropped them to the ground.

"Mr. Xu, it's better to ask these two than him!" Jiang Ning declared.

Xu Nianqing's gaze followed Jiang Ning's, landing on Liu Boming and the delicate youth.

"Liu Boming, it's you!" Jiang Yiming gritted his teeth, his eyes filled with ferocity.

Under Jiang Yiming's intense stare, Liu Boming's legs went soft, remembering the beating he had endured a few days ago, the memory replaying in his mind.

"It seems Jiang Brother already knows who set this up!" White Luoyu clapped her hands and smiled.

"White Brother, please have someone question them for me!" Jiang Ning requested.

"No problem!" White Luoyu readily agreed.

Jiang Ning recognized these two at a glance.

One was the young master of the second branch of the Liu family, insignificant, whom he had met during his visit to the Liu family with Jiang Ning.

Witnessing this scene, he now understood the situation.

The other was a distant relative of the Qinghe Commander, also of little consequence.

These two, regardless of their family backgrounds, held no sway over him.

At this moment, Xu Nianqing realized that Jiang Yiming had a grudge against one of them and that these two were likely the masterminds behind the scenes.

"Will you confess, or should I call someone to take you away?" White Luoyu asked, her smile both warm and menacing as she looked down at the group on the ground.

Hearing this, fear flashed in their eyes.

"I confess, it was him who sent me!" The sturdy youth, with a broken leg, pointed at the injured Martial Academy student.

The accused student's face darkened at this accusation.

Then, he pointed at Liu Boming, "I was also instructed by someone!"

Liu Boming immediately retorted, "Nonsense!"

He glared at the delicate youth, and the words he was about to say were swallowed back.

The young master of the Qinghe Commander's family, he couldn't afford to offend.

Not revealing the young master wouldn't cause much trouble, but if he did, the consequences would be severe.

"Speak, why aren't you talking?" White Luoyu urged.

Liu Boming opened his mouth, then lowered his head, "I did it all."

Jiang Ning glanced at Liu Boming and then at the delicate youth.

He knew that this matter alone wouldn't faze them, unless he took action himself.

Even if the investigation was thorough, it would be challenging to make them pay.

After all, this incident was minor and didn't have severe consequences.

But he didn't want to let them off so easily.

"White Brother, the investigation isn't complete yet. Can you detain them for a while?" Jiang Ning asked.

"No problem!" White Luoyu nodded.

"Jiang Brother is thinking..." White Luoyu turned to Jiang Ning.

"Twenty days until the Imperial Exams!" Jiang Ning responded, not directly answering the question.

White Luoyu's heart understood upon hearing this.

Previously, he had wondered why the higher-ups favored Jiang Ning, listing him as a candidate for the Inspector General.

Now, he knew the reason.

He also understood that the transition to Inspector General held no difficulty for Jiang Ning.

Having reached the Fourth Rank, the position of City Inspector, let alone County Inspector, was well within Jiang Ning's grasp.

In the Inspector system, a City Inspector required the strength of a Grandmaster.

Above the Fourth Rank was the Third Rank, the Grandmaster level.

Even so, he felt it wasn't that simple.

Because a City Inspector needed to be a Heaven-Embracing Grandmaster).

This gap had caused countless Fourth Rank officials to falter at this hurdle.

The City Inspector position was quite challenging for Jiang Ning at this time.

However, the County Inspector position was different. With his Martial Arts proficiency, he only needed to pass the Imperial Exams to meet the requirements for promotion.

In Jiang Ning's evasive response, White Luoyu realized that he was waiting for his official appointment as a City Inspector before addressing the matter.

This day was not far off, merely twenty days or so.

The thought flashed through her mind.

White Luoyu nodded in agreement, "No problem! I'll send someone to take care of the detention right away!"

"White Luoyu, how dare you detain me? I'm the young master of the Qinghe Commander's Manor!" The effeminate youth protested.

"Idiot!" White Luoyu shot him a cold glance, and with a flick of her sleeve, the youth, slightly frail, passed out.

Seeing this, Xu Nianqing then arranged for someone to oversee the Martial Academy's admission process.

Martial Academy.

The place was shaded by lush green trees.

It was still the morning hour, and the sun had just risen, the gentle breeze carrying the chill that had brewed overnight.

Wang Qingtan led Jiang Ning into the Martial Academy, feeling a bit embarrassed.

Originally, she was supposed to oversee the admissions herself.

However, the sudden unexpected incident had attracted the attention of several senior instructors.

After the situation was resolved, Jiang Ning produced the token that granted him free access to the Martial Academy, expressing his intention to study there for a period of time.

Xu Nianqing was surprised, as in her eyes, Jiang Ning was on par with her, both having reached the Fourth Stage of the Martial Dao.

A Martial Artist of such caliber coming to study at the Martial Academy seemed unnecessary to her, and she felt that Jiang Ning, as an instructor, was more than qualified.

Among the instructors at the Martial Academy, those who surpassed his level were few.

She couldn't comprehend why a Martial Artist of his caliber would come to study at the academy.

However, despite her thoughts, she said nothing.

Holding the token granted him the right to study there, and the Martial Academy had to comply unconditionally.

Under these circumstances, she needed to guide her new disciple through the enrollment process to prevent any gossip.

Two other instructors were present to oversee the admissions.

Jiang Ning's status as a Fourth Stage Martial Artist made it inappropriate for ordinary students to host and explain things to him, as the status disparity was too great.

So, after a moment's thought, she assigned Wang Qingtan, the Martial Count's daughter, to represent the Martial Academy in receiving Jiang Ning.

Firstly, Wang Qingtan was the student representative of the Martial Academy, ranking second in strength among the students and a top-ranked Martial Artist on the Hidden Dragon Ranking.

Secondly, as the Martial Count's daughter, she had the status and qualifications to receive a Fourth Stage Martial Artist like Jiang Ning without any disrespect.

Thirdly, in Xu Nianqing's eyes, Jiang Ning's age was a factor. After reaching the Fourth Stage, both men and women would undergo Bone Marrow Refinement, making their skin flawless and appearing younger, but the passage of time wasn't so easily concealed.

She could tell that Jiang Ning was much younger than White Luoyu.

Wang Qingtan's age was similar to Jiang Ning's, making them better suited as peers.

At the same time, she had another thought.

In the Xia Dynasty, girls usually married at the age of fifteen.

Wang Qingtan was already over eighteen, well past the age of marriage.

Over the years, Xu Nianqing had watched Wang Qingtan grow and transform, becoming increasingly radiant.

Whether it was her appearance, her natural talent, or her status as the Martial Count's daughter, she stood out like a crane among chickens at the Martial Academy.

In Dongling Prefecture, those worthy of Wang Qingtan were few.

But after seeing Jiang Ning, especially when the two stood together, she felt they were a perfect match.

Both were exceptionally attractive, with Wang Qingtan possessing extraordinary Martial talent and being the eldest daughter of the Martial Count.

Jiang Ning, at his age, had reached the Fourth Stage, embodying the image of a young Martial Grandmaster.

This alone made him worthy of Wang Qingtan.

Their ages were also compatible, so after meeting Jiang Ning, she casually gave them an opportunity to get to know each other.

Whether they would end up together or not, she didn't force it.

The reason Xu Nianqing paid extra attention to Wang Qingtan was because of their unique relationship.

Although Wang Qingtan wasn't her direct disciple, their relationship was as close as that of a master and apprentice.

Over the years, Xu Nianqing had personally answered Wang Qingtan's Martial Arts questions.

Thus, while they didn't have the formal master-disciple title, they had the substance of such a relationship.

This was the reason for Wang Qingtan's deep respect for Xu Nianqing.

The gratitude for guidance and enlightenment surpassed the nominal master-disciple relationship.

As for Wang Qingtan's master, he wasn't a native Grandmaster of Dongling Prefecture.

Years ago, the Grandmaster had traveled to Dongling Prefecture and, upon seeing Wang Qingtan, immediately accepted her as his disciple.

When the Martial Count saw that a Grandmaster held his eldest daughter in such high regard, he had no reason to refuse, and agreed on the spot.

From that moment, their master-disciple relationship was established.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end