"No… I didn't lose! How could I lose to you, Jiang Chen, a worthless piece of trash!"
Jiang Yunhong spat out several mouthfuls of blood, his face pale and eyes filled with madness. He seemed unable to accept the reality before him.
With a crazed expression, he staggered to his feet, clenched his fists, and rushed at Jiang Chen once more.
"You refuse the toast only to drink the forfeit!"
A cold light flashed in Jiang Chen's eyes, and his fist clenched involuntarily.
However, before he could strike, a ghostly figure descended from the sky, landing directly in front of him.
Jiang Chen narrowed his eyes at Jiang Qianhe, a sneer curling his lips.
"What's this? The dignified elder of the Jiang family intervening in a fight between juniors?"
"Jiang Chen, you've truly surprised me."
Jiang Qianhe gazed deeply at Jiang Chen before turning to Jiang Yunhong.
"Hand over the Lingyun Martial Academy token!"
Jiang Qianhe had originally intended to give this opportunity to his grandson. But now, suppressing Jiang Chen would only provoke dissent within the Jiang family.
The so-called "waste" had shown potential far beyond Jiang Yunhong, and it was too risky to ignore that.
"No! Grandpa, I haven't lost! I can still beat him!"
Jiang Yunhong's face turned crimson with frustration.
He had always been hailed as a genius within the Jiang family. How could he lose to this "trash"?
"Enough! A loss is a loss. Stop embarrassing me!"
Jiang Qianhe's face darkened, his voice sharp.
"Give him the Lingyun Martial Academy token. Do you intend to disobey me?"
Faced with his grandfather's wrath, Jiang Yunhong had no choice but to hand over the token, his face filled with unwillingness.
Jiang Chen snatched the token from Jiang Yunhong's hand and, without another word, walked toward the gate of the Jiang family compound.
With the Lingyun Martial Academy token in hand, Jiang Chen planned to report there directly.
He had already proven himself today, taking back the opportunity that rightfully belonged to him.
Staying at the Jiang residence any longer was risky—Jiang Qianhe and Jiang Yunhong might plot against him in secret.
Once he entered Lingyun Martial Academy, they wouldn't dare touch him!
---
Lingyun Martial Academy was located in Lingyun City, the central hub of Lingyun Prefecture, not far from Cangshan City.
After walking for a long time, Jiang Chen finally arrived at the academy's gates.
[Ding! Your Yellow-Rank Advanced foot technique, Cloud Shadow Step, has reached perfection. You have successfully advanced to the Black-Rank Primary foot technique, Flowing Light Phantom Step!]
"Finally, a Black-Rank technique!"
The system notification filled Jiang Chen with joy.
From the Jiang family compound to Lingyun Martial Academy, he had been steadily accumulating experience in his foot techniques.
Thanks to the hundredfold cultivation system, his Intermediate Yellow-Rank technique, Meteor Step, had upgraded to the Advanced Yellow-Rank, Cloud Shadow Step, along the way.
Now, Cloud Shadow Step had reached perfection, advancing to the Black-Rank Primary technique, Flowing Light Phantom Step!
He had literally walked his way to a Black-Rank foot technique!
Black-Rank techniques were incredibly powerful and rare, often extremely difficult to master.
For someone in the Body Tempering Realm to successfully cultivate a Black-Rank martial art was extraordinary. Even in Lingyun Martial Academy, such talent was exceedingly rare.
With Jiang Chen's current strength at the Body Tempering Sixth Stage, using Flowing Light Phantom Step would give him a speed comparable to someone at the Body Tempering Eighth or even Ninth Stage!
The power of a Black-Rank technique was immense.
---
"Oh, isn't this Jiang Chen, the so-called 'waste' of the Jiang family?"
A sneering voice pulled Jiang Chen from his thoughts.
"It seems your father's influence really did get you a place in Lingyun Martial Academy!"