Chapter 124: The Auction

It is not uncommon for martial artists to pass by the villa entrance, as this neighborhood is a prestigious area in Beihai, and it is perfectly normal for practitioners to reside here. However, the person who passed by this time had masked their aura, which was completely transparent to Ling'er. In an instant, she had discerned their strength to be at the mid-stage of External Force.

In a place like Dragon City, this would be a strength not to be underestimated, let alone here, where such power could hold its own. But since the individual was merely concealing their aura without any hostility or intention to linger, Ling'er paid them no mind.

In the days that followed, school life gradually returned to a peaceful state. Ito no longer acted arrogantly; he kept to himself, and whenever he saw Jiang Xiaotian, he reacted as if he had seen a ghost, either hiding or pretending he wasn't there.

Jiang Xiaotian, naturally, had no interest in stirring up trouble. However, Hanada Sakura was extremely curious. She constantly observed him, pestering him to explain how he had defeated so many opponents at once.

The woman was like a piece of chewing gum. When Jiang Xiaotian went to eat, she would run to the table opposite him. The only saving grace was that she was beautiful, so Jiang Xiaotian couldn't bring himself to be angry. She seemed genuinely interested in Huaxia martial arts, and since Jiang Xiaotian couldn't shake her off, he decided to go with the flow. The two began to exchange insights on martial arts.

Hanada Sakura was worlds apart from Ito. Ito was a second-generation rich kid looking for superiority and girls, but Hanada seemed to have come precisely because of her genuine love for Huaxia martial arts. That was why she had expressed regret earlier, especially regarding Tai Chi, which she considered the most ancient and mysterious of Huaxia's martial arts. She attributed Jiang Xiaotian’s strength entirely to Tai Chi, and he couldn't be bothered to correct her.

Jiang Xiaotian’s main focus was to learn about swordsmanship. He didn't know until he looked into it, but the reality was quite surprising. Eastern martial arts were categorized quite crudely. Unlike Huaxia, where every individual has their own unique path—even within sects, everyone’s application varies—in the East, it was rigid. Karate was just Karate; everyone practiced it the same way, and once they started, they would never touch another form of martial art in their lives.

Overall, it was quite inflexible, and within this framework, martial arts were strictly tiered. For instance, certain disciplines were forbidden to those of lower strength. The swordsmanship Jiang Xiaotian mentioned fell into this category. Eastern swordsmanship was highly regarded not just because the techniques were formidable, but because only those who were already powerful were permitted to practice them. Consequently, a swordsman would never be below the early stage of Internal Force.

Jiang Xiaotian gained a rough understanding, but it made learning even more difficult. He had assumed any Easterner could practice it, but it turned out there were rigid social hierarchies involved. Just when he thought learning Eastern swordsmanship was an impossible dream, a turning point appeared on his way home.

The moment he stepped out of the school gate, he saw a Rolls-Royce parked there. It looked incredibly grand, and many people—men and women alike—stopped to look back at it. Any man has a love for fine cars, so Jiang Xiaotian couldn't help but take a few extra glances. The next second, the window rolled down, revealing a bald man grinning at him.

"Master Jiang! Come over, come over!"

With that, Jiang Xiaotian, who had finally faded from the spotlight, shocked everyone once again. A wealthy tycoon in a Rolls-Royce was respectfully addressing him as "Master."

Jiang Xiaotian smacked his lips and quickly got into the car. He hadn't expected Brother Long to have upgraded his ride; it seemed he had been making quite a profit.

Indeed, as Jiang Xiaotian’s influence grew, Brother Long, as his former associate, naturally received much attention, gaining significant leverage even in Jiangzhou. However, he understood the value of remembering those who helped him, and he knew that everything Jiang Xiaotian had given him could just as easily be taken away. Thus, as soon as he had a good opportunity, he rushed to find Jiang Xiaotian.

"Master Jiang!"

"Enough, enough. Just call me Jiang Xiaotian. Hearing 'Master' every other word is quite grating. Tell me, what do you want?"

Brother Long was as cheerful as ever when he saw him. "I heard you made quite a splash in Dragon City. What did you do? News has spread everywhere, even beyond the major economic hubs like Jiangzhou. My god, you are the only person I, Long Zaitian, have ever followed correctly!"

Jiang Xiaotian looked confused. "Did you change your name?"

Brother Long immediately scratched his head and laughed. "It’s a stage name, a stage name, hehe! Let’s talk business. Do you know there is an auction coming up in Jiangzhou?"

Jiang Xiaotian shook his head. "No, and I’m not interested. What does an auction have to do with me? I don't have any money."

Brother Long immediately patted his wallet. "What are you talking about? I do!"

Jiang Xiaotian was still puzzled. "What is wrong with you? Do you have too much money to spend? This auction has nothing to do with me, and I’m not interested. Why would I go?"

Brother Long leaned in mysteriously. "Hey! You don't know, but the organizers asked me to cut the ribbon, and they gave me some tickets for the member’s area. You should go take a look. An auction of this level often has items that are useful to martial artists."

As he spoke, Brother Long seemed to recall something. "Oh right, the star attraction this time is an Eastern martial art called the 'Flower Flow Style.' Are you interested?"

Upon hearing this, Jiang Xiaotian’s eyes widened. "Hmm? An Eastern martial art?"

"Yes. Even though no one has ever heard of this 'Flower Flow Style,' many Easterners have traveled thousands of miles just to bid on it!" Brother Long said, sounding quite excited.

Martial arts are always valuable, especially Eastern ones. It hadn't just attracted Easterners; many local practitioners were also signing up to participate. Seeing how heated things were getting, Brother Long thought it might be helpful for Jiang Xiaotian, so he had come to inform him personally.

Jiang Xiaotian wasn't interested in the auction itself, but this "Flower Flow Style" was intriguing. If possible, he had to get his hands on it. No wonder the Ito family was making such a fuss; it seemed there was more to their motives than met the eye.

However, this also proved that even if he won the bid, he would still need the capability to keep it. The conflicts behind the scenes would likely be intense. Jiangzhou was not like Dragon City, where martial artists were scarce; he wouldn't have anyone to help him there.

"Alright, I’ll go check it out. Thanks for letting me know." Jiang Xiaotian expressed his gratitude. Brother Long insisted it was nothing, then promptly drove him home, even shoving a sum of money into Jiang Xiaotian’s hands, claiming it was a brand endorsement fee. He had used Jiang Xiaotian’s name for several deals, so Jiang Xiaotian figured he might as well take it—though he had no idea how much was in the envelope.

The auction was about a week away, so he wasn't in a hurry to get to Jiangzhou. He would use this time to learn more about Eastern martial arts.

According to Brother Long, the main opponents wouldn't be his fellow countrymen. In fact, in a crisis, they would be Jiang Xiaotian’s strong allies; regardless of personal grievances, everyone knew how to prioritize the greater good.

The biggest threat to Jiang Xiaotian obtaining the Flower Flow Style would be the Easterners themselves. The Ito family was just one faction; there were many other foreign powers looking to seize it. If Jiang Xiaotian ended up with it, they would likely band together to confront him. Even as strong as he was, it would be difficult to handle; after all, there was someone in the Ito family with strength comparable to his own lurking in the shadows. He didn't fear one, but what about two or more?

He had to be fully prepared. As for money, he didn't need to worry. Not to mention the cash Brother Long gave him, his superiors had also sent him three million. If it really wasn't enough, he could just borrow more from Brother Long.

Lost in his thoughts, Jiang Xiaotian arrived home. But the moment he opened the door, he sensed an unusual atmosphere.

Ling'er was very angry today!

He cautiously poked his head inside, then froze. Ling'er wasn't watching television; she was sitting on the sofa, glaring at the living room, where a girl with twin tails was playing with Jiang Xiaotian’s game console.

Hearing the door open, both of them turned around. The girl was Ling'er’s biological younger sister, Long Xuan'er. She wore an oversized hoodie and looked very trendy, and with her cute twin tails and small fangs, she would surely grow up to be an enchantress on par with Ling'er.

"Yay, you're back! I came to find you for dinner. I’m starving, let’s go!" Long Xuan'er dropped the controller and darted over.

She was intercepted halfway by Ling'er. The two seemed to despise each other; sparks flew the moment they met. But when Dragons fight, it's not like kittens or puppies brawling; Jiang Xiaotian felt the ground shake, and the house felt like it was about to collapse!

Ling'er gritted her teeth and glared at Jiang Xiaotian. "Who told you to agree to take this little brat out to dinner!?"