Chapter 17: Weighing the True Measure

On the Jiang family plaza, the crowd was filled with righteous indignation, aching to surge forward and drive out the members of the Wang and Feng families.

“Miss, don’t hold back! Let them see that we are not to be trifled with!”

A shout rang out, stirring the clan members’ spirits, many echoing the sentiment.

On the elevated platform, Jiang Hai and his wife, along with the other elders, wore grim expressions, their nerves taut as a bowstring.

“Clan Leader, if things don’t improve, why not let the Second Miss take the stage?” an elder suggested.

Jiang Hai shook his head. “They openly came to challenge us only to test the strength of the Jiang family. With Yulong absent, Yutong is our ace among the younger generation. We must not let her enter the fray lightly.”

“But the Eldest Miss has blocked meridians; she won’t last long!” other elders fretted anxiously.

Li Qiumei interjected, “I’ve already sent a message to Hongcai. As long as Xuehan can hold on for one incense stick’s time, he should be able to break through and come out to fight, driving out the brats from the Wang and Feng families.”

The younger generation’s sparring had now spilled to their doorstep, yet the elders could do nothing, leaving them deeply frustrated.

“These bastards always slack off during training and lack proper tempering. Once their injuries heal, I’ll teach them a lesson! It’s infuriating!” The elder responsible for supervising the youths scowled fiercely, fearing blame from the clan leader.

Amid the clamor, Jiang Xuehan had already drawn her long sword and charged forth.

Her figure was as graceful as a swan in flight, her footwork fluid across the plaza, moving so swiftly she was almost a blur.

Wang Botao was sturdy and muscular, though young, built like a young ox.

Confident, he slammed his right foot down, shattering the bluestone tiles beneath him—a move that made some Jiang elders’ faces darken, as if this stomp had been a slap to their own pride.

If you want to fight, then fight properly—why deliberately destroy the tiles? Don’t repairs cost spirit coins?

As the sword blade approached, Wang Botao quickly sidestepped, throwing a punch toward Jiang Xuehan’s chest and abdomen with a tricky angle, showing no mercy. Even a tough beast would flinch from such a blow.

Jiang Xuehan twisted her body gracefully like the wind, dodging the strike.

Though strong, Wang Botao’s punch felt like hitting a cotton ball—there was no solid impact, and he soon sensed danger.

“You…” Wang Botao was stunned. The opponent was unleashing her full strength.

He had heard about Jiang Xuehan’s meridian blockage, her cultivation stalled, but her current performance was anything but. She seemed completely unblocked.

Sharp-eyed onlookers, including the Jiang elders, exchanged puzzled looks.

This was good news; the Jiang family’s confidence grew, hoping Jiang Xuehan could work a miracle.

Evading the punch, Jiang Xuehan’s sword tip swerved sharply, slashing out with sword energy.

Whoosh!

A spray of fresh blood burst forth as Wang Botao cried out, hastily retreating. A vicious wound appeared under his arm, his expression darkened.

“Second Brother…” Wang Jingrou trembled slightly, showing shock.

“Well done!” The Jiang family members shouted in unison, feeling immense relief.

All morning, they had been suppressed by the geniuses from the Wang and Feng families; now finally seeing their opponents wounded brought indescribable satisfaction.

Wang Botao was a fifth-level Spirit Refiner—indeed strong—but Jiang Xuehan was undoubtedly stronger.

Her cultivation had been stuck at the fifth level for years, forcing her to devote herself to perfecting martial techniques, achieving near perfection in skill, making her a formidable opponent among peers.

After landing a strike, she moved like the wind to follow up, sword energy sweeping, stirring up a great cloud of dust.

Slash, slash, slash…

She struck several more blows in quick succession, tearing Wang Botao’s upper garment into shreds, strips of cloth flying, leaving him increasingly embarrassed.

“Well done!” cheers erupted again.

Angry, Wang Botao drew a nine-ring cleaver from his spatial pouch and met Jiang Xuehan’s long sword.

Clang, clang…

They clashed over ten times in a short span, sparks flashing across the plaza in a fierce battle.

However, Jiang Xuehan’s years of experience at this level gave her the edge.

Wang Botao struggled to keep up and was eventually overwhelmed, sent flying by a fierce surge of sword energy, crashing against the plaza’s edge. At the critical moment, he blocked with his nine-ring cleaver, avoiding vital injury and bleeding.

“Refreshing!” many Jiang family members cheered, feeling vindicated.

Li Qiumei was stunned. This duel between the younger generation had lasted barely a quarter of an hour.

She had hoped Jiang Xuehan could hold on for one incense stick’s time, but it ended so quickly—and in victory. This illegitimate eldest daughter truly surprised her, yet also stirred unease in her heart.

Suddenly, an unexpected twist occurred.

A shadow darted across the plaza, striking at Jiang Xuehan’s back like a black lightning bolt.

“Sister, watch out!” Jiang Yutong cried out in alarm.

Jiang Xuehan’s expression shifted; she quickly turned, placing her long sword behind her to block while slightly shifting her stance to evade the attack.

Clang!

The shadow’s fist struck her sword, violently snapping the blade, and was about to crash into her back.

Fortunately, Jiang Xuehan’s reflexes were sharp enough to dodge the residual force of the punch.

Still, she stumbled, the cold poison in her dantian nearly spiraling out of control. She hurriedly channeled energy to suppress it.

Qin Liang’s face darkened; he dashed through the crowd to support her.

He pressed a pill into Jiang Xuehan’s mouth, helping her stabilize her breath and control the cold poison.

The pill, made from common herbs ground into powder, was one of Qin Liang’s spoils from earlier battles. Though not as precious as alchemical pills, it was sufficient for a Spirit Refiner’s cultivation.

“You rest now. Leave the rest to me,” Qin Liang whispered in her ear.

A warmth stirred in Jiang Xuehan’s heart. In times of crisis, having Qin Liang by her side was already a comfort.

“Feng Yuan, you despicable coward, to launch a sneak attack! Is this how your Feng family behaves?”

“Damn it all, don’t stop me! Let me go and die with him! This is outrageous…”

The Jiang family’s younger generation cursed loudly, especially the young men who had long admired Jiang Xuehan. They unleashed a torrent of verbal abuse at the gaunt, yellowish youth on the plaza, their spittle flying like rain.

The elders on the platform scowled deeply, fists clenched; the atmosphere grew tense.

Jiang Hai glared across and coldly asked, “Feng Kangnian, what is the meaning of this?”

Feng Kangnian, an elder from the Feng family accompanying Feng Yuan, equally formidable in strength, smiled lightly. “Sparring inevitably leads to injuries. Besides, matters between the young are best left uncontested.”

His words infuriated the Jiang family even more.

This was clearly a deliberate sneak attack, yet he acted as if nothing had happened, provoking Jiang’s wrath.

“A half incense stick has passed,” Li Qiumei reminded quietly, urging Jiang Hai to stay calm and wait for Li Hongcai’s breakthrough.

At this moment, an untimely voice rang out from the plaza.

“‘Sparring inevitably causes injuries,’ you say? If it were your people injured, could you remain so calm?”

Everyone turned to look at Qin Liang, surprised.

He had just detected his Dao root and hadn’t even become a Spirit Refiner yet. How dare he charge in like this? Was he risking his life to save a beauty?

Jiang Chang was also astonished, momentarily distracted. Qin Liang had been beside him moments ago, and now he had entered the fray without his notice. Even as a second-level Spirit Refiner, he hadn’t seen it coming.

“Xiao Liang…” Clan Leader Jiang Hai was alarmed.

If anything happened to Qin Liang, he wouldn’t be able to answer to the ancestors.

“Hahaha…”

The Wang and Feng families burst into loud laughter, as if hearing the funniest joke on the continent.

Feng Kangnian sneered disdainfully, “Our two families came to teach a lesson; winning or losing is natural. What’s there to get upset about? The problem is, you can’t lay a finger on us!”

“Is that so?”

Qin Liang instructed Jiang Xuehan to retreat outside the plaza, then faced the two families’ troops. He beckoned to the youths of his own age, “Come here. Let me see what you’re really made of.”