Chapter 28

"Strength test, continue on!"

Jing Mingzhi saw the Fourth Elder, Jing Tianying, leave the martial arts hall. He took a deep breath and said to the Jing family members present with a steady voice.

His gaze also deeply fell upon Jing Yan.

Jing Yan, feeling the Sixth Elder's eyes on him, naturally looked over and saw Jing Mingzhi smiling and nodding at him.

"Brother Jing Yan!"

"Brother Jing Yan, you're amazing, actually defeating Jing Lucheng."

"Haha, Brother Jing Yan has always been my idol."

"..."

After the match ended, many of the Jing family members around him greeted Jing Yan.

Jing Yan also smiled in response.

Having experienced the process of falling from the peak to the bottom, Jing Yan had become more open-minded about many things.

When you have strength, others flatter you. When you don't have strength, others don't even bother with you.

So, there's no need to take these people too seriously.

"Everyone, I need to go back and practice, so I'll leave first." Jing Yan bowed to everyone and prepared to leave the martial arts hall.

"Brother Jing Yan, have a good walk!"

"Another day, I'll treat Brother Jing Yan to a drink..."

Amidst the enthusiastic flattery, Jing Yan walked towards the main door of the martial arts hall.

Of course, not everyone was enthusiastic about Jing Yan's return. Inside the martial arts hall, some of the higher-realm Jing family members looked at Jing Yan with complex expressions, a strange feeling in their hearts that even they couldn't understand.

"Eh? Brother Jing Yan?"

Just as Jing Yan was about to step out of the main door, several figures walked in, led by Jing Chuanling, who had the cultivation of the Eighth Level of Martial Dao.

Jing Chuanling was clearly there for the strength test.

In fact, in the Jing family, only a few of the high-level martial artists like Jing Chuanling came for the strength test every month. Some people only came when they advanced in their realm.

However, Jing Chuanling came every month, not for the small reward. For an Eighth Level martial artist, there were many ways to earn spirit stones. A reward of two hundred spirit stones was nothing to an Eighth Level martial artist. High-level martial artists could form teams to hunt spirit beasts in the Blackstone Mountains, and as long as their luck wasn't too bad, earning a thousand spirit stones per month wasn't too difficult.

Of course, in Donglin City, the number of high-level martial artists wasn't large. Even within the four major families, high-level martial artists were considered experts.

The main reason Jing Chuanling came for the strength test was that he enjoyed hearing others flatter him and seeing their envious gazes.

Seeing Jing Yan, Jing Chuanling immediately greeted him with a smile.

"Chuanling."

Jing Yan also smiled and nodded.

"Ha ha, Brother Jing Yan, you're here for the strength test again. Have you finished the test?" Jing Chuanling's eyes flashed, and he smiled. His expression seemed friendly, but the disdain and contempt in his eyes didn't escape Jing Yan.

"Yes, I'm just about to leave." Jing Yan smiled coldly in his heart.

For someone like Jing Chuanling, it was impossible for Jing Yan to have no anger. However, it wasn't the right time to confront him. Jing Chuanling was an Eighth Level martial artist, and Jing Yan felt it would be difficult to defeat him. This difficulty would be resolved in a short time, so he decided to wait.

"I know Brother Jing Yan is short of spirit stones. Last month, I lent you some. Wait, after I get my reward from the test, I'll lend you some more." Jing Chuanling's lips curled up.

His voice wasn't low, and everyone present heard him. Of course, it was intentional.

The few Jing family members following Jing Chuanling sneered.

"Thank you for your kindness, Chuanling, but it's not necessary. I don't lack spirit stones now. By the way, here are the five spirit stones I borrowed from you last month. I really appreciate your generosity; these five spirit stones helped me a lot." Jing Yan took out five spirit stones and smiled as he handed them to Jing Chuanling.

Jing Chuanling was stunned.

He hadn't expected Jing Yan to return the five spirit stones. In fact, he hadn't even thought Jing Yan could have five spirit stones.

For a moment, he didn't take the five spirit stones.

"Ha ha!" Jing Yan pulled back his arm, and the five spirit stones fell to the ground with a 'clap, clap.'

Then, Jing Yan walked out of the main door of the martial arts hall.

At this moment, many of the Jing family members in the martial arts hall looked at Jing Chuanling with strange expressions. When Jing Yan was strong, Jing Chuanling had always followed him, and everyone knew Jing Chuanling was Jing Yan's person. Back then, Jing Chuanling had received many benefits from Jing Yan.

Everyone also realized that Jing Yan had apparently borrowed spirit stones from Jing Chuanling not long ago, but Jing Chuanling had only lent him five spirit stones. If Jing Yan hadn't returned the spirit stones, no one would have known about this.

"Is Jing Chuanling being ungrateful?"

"Considering the great favors he received from Jing Yan before, how can he treat Brother Jing Yan like this now?"

"Truly, one can't see what's in another's heart!"

Some of the Jing family members grumbled in their hearts, though they didn't dare say anything to Jing Chuanling's face. However, Jing Chuanling couldn't stop their thoughts.

"Damn it!" Only after Jing Yan left did Jing Chuanling clench his fists tightly, his anger almost uncontrollable.

Those five spirit stones on the ground were like a slap in the face, and it was in front of so many people, making a 'clap, clap' sound.

"Brother Chuanling!"

A Jing family member who was close to Jing Chuanling came to his side and called out softly.

"What is it?" Jing Chuanling's eyes swept over him.

"Jing Yan has reached the Sixth Level of Martial Dao." The Jing family member lowered his voice.

"What?"

"That's impossible!" Jing Chuanling's eyes narrowed, and he exclaimed in shock.

Last month, he had seen Jing Yan's test result here, which was the Third Level of Martial Dao. So, how could he reach the Sixth Level of Martial Dao in just one month?

This was absolutely impossible, a complete fantasy.

No one would believe it.

"It's true, they all saw it with their own eyes. And just now, Jing Yan defeated Jing Lucheng in a match." The voice of the family member grew lower, sensing the anger in Jing Chuanling's eyes.

"Whoosh!"

Jing Chuanling's eyes swept around, and he finally found Jing Lucheng, who looked like he had lost all his vitality, his eyes dull. It seemed he had indeed just been defeated by Jing Yan.

Jing Lucheng glanced at Jing Chuanling, then left the martial arts hall through the main door without a word. He felt uncomfortable all over here.

"How can this be? How is this possible?" Even if Jing Chuanling didn't want to believe it, the events unfolding before him left him no choice.

Clearly, many people here had witnessed Jing Yan's match with Jing Lucheng.

But even if Jing Yan had really reached the Sixth Level of Martial Dao, how could he defeat Jing Lucheng? Jing Lucheng was a genuine Seventh Level of Martial Dao!

Jing Chuanling's thoughts raced, and he took a deep breath.

"Damn it, how dare you humiliate me! Jing Yan, I won't let you step on me again, I won't!" Jing Chuanling's veins bulged on his arms as he swore in his heart.