Chapter 14: Major Affairs of the Eagle Alliance

At the dining table, Xiang Nan gazed at the dishes Xu Jiya had brought, his appetite thoroughly stirred. The table was set with meat, vegetables, and soup, all boasting delightful flavors.

Zhang Chen, too, picked up his chopsticks and bowl, eating heartily without the slightest courtesy. After a long, exhausting day, both of them were famished.

Once they were sated and the meal was finished, Zhang Chen glanced at Xu Jiya, then at Xiang Nan.

“Boss, are you two really living together?” He had noticed them coming and going together on the plane, and now it seemed clear—they were a pair!

Xu Jiya blushed faintly, but Xiang Nan simply rolled his eyes. “Don’t let your imagination run wild. That’s not the situation at all!”

Seeing Xiang Nan’s reaction, Zhang Chen knew better than to pry further. He changed the subject. “Those antiques…”

Xu Jiya quickly replied, “If you need to use them, take them. My father has plenty of such bottles.”

Such wealth and generosity!

Xiang Nan said, “Once we finish the medicinal wine, we’ll return the bottles. After all, they’re antiques—no need to be wasteful.”

With that, Zhang Chen picked up the bottles again and headed outside, leaving only Xiang Nan and Xu Jiya in the room.

“Xiao Ya, are you really staying here?” The prospect of sharing a house with a beautiful young girl left Xiang Nan a bit flustered.

“Of course,” Xu Jiya answered, as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

“Why didn’t you tell me earlier?”

“You never asked.”

“This… isn’t it a bit inappropriate?” After all, they were both young and full of vigor.

“Why? Are you afraid your snoring will keep me up? Don’t worry. The soundproofing here is excellent; I won’t hear a thing.”

Her answer was perfectly reasonable, and any further protest would only make Xiang Nan seem strange.

“Uh, fine. Then tell me about this Young Master Selection Tournament. What exactly is it?”

Xu Jiya’s expression grew serious at once. “This is a major event for our Eagle Alliance. Half a year ago, our leader went into the abyss to slay demon beasts and has not been heard from since. No one knows whether he’s alive or dead.”

“The leader had no children, so the four chief stewards decided to select a young master through a competition to one day lead the Eagle Alliance.”

Xiang Nan was puzzled. “Why not just choose one of the four chief stewards to be the leader?”

Xu Jiya shook her head. “Each steward has their own faction. If one were chosen, the others would never accept it.”

“And besides, the leader is only missing—he could return at any moment. If a steward took his place, things would be awkward should the leader come back.”

“But choosing a young master is different. If the leader returns, the young master remains as such. If he does not, the young master can lead the Eagle Alliance with the support of the four stewards.”

“So it’s just picking a puppet?” Xiang Nan muttered. “Why do they want me to participate? I only just joined the alliance.”

“The young master must be selected from disciples under the age of thirty. At that age, most are at the first or second tier in cultivation.”

“You have inherited the talent of Wong Fei-hung and possess the highest potential. If you enter the competition, your chances of success are high. Unless…”

Here, Xu Jiya paused to think, then shook her head. “No, she probably won’t return.”

“She? Who?” Xiang Nan asked, puzzled.

Xu Jiya bit her red lips. “She’s a genius as well, but she’s not in Jiuzhou. It’s unlikely she’ll return for this tournament.”

Xiang Nan’s lips curled into a wry smile. “You want me to win because the Xu family recommended me, and since I have no ties with the other families, I’d be under your control, right?”

Xu Jiya pressed her lips together, not denying it.

“Brother Xiang Nan, becoming young master would do you no harm. The Xu family would be your support—money, influence, whatever you desire, we can provide. Isn’t that a good thing?”

What she said was true. Becoming young master would bring nothing but benefits, and the Xu family might not be able to control him regardless.

A puppet who cannot be controlled is no puppet at all.

Since that was the case, what was there to hesitate about?

He would go for it!

But outwardly, he remained calm. “Are there second-tier martial artists in this selection? I’m only first-tier right now.”

Silently, Xu Jiya produced a brocade box. When she opened it, a rich fragrance filled the air, and three spirit pearls, glowing with a gentle white light, were revealed.

“These are three second-tier spirit pearls. They can help you quickly advance your cultivation.”

Seeing Xiang Nan remain silent, Xu Jiya softened her tone.

“Brother Xiang Nan, I know—even with the spirit pearls, three days isn’t enough to reach the second tier. But your ancestor is Wong Fei-hung, a master of the highest rank. Though advancement is harder for you, your power exceeds the norm. I believe in you!”

Xiang Nan understood perfectly. This was a world of ancestral inheritance. As long as one reached the level of cultivation their ancestor achieved, they could undergo another inheritance and advance further.

For example, many martial artists’ ancestors never exceeded first-tier, six stars. Once they reached the same level, they could inherit again and become second-tier martial artists.

Though their rank improved, in terms of actual strength, they might not be a match for a first-tier, seven-star martial artist.

Since joining the Eagle Alliance, Xiang Nan’s compatibility had risen to sixty-two percent, putting him at first-tier, six stars—already higher than any other first-tier martial artist.

With the help of the “Serene Heart Mantra” to absorb spiritual energy, all his skills were enhanced in power.

With three days and the aid of these spirit pearls, he could break through even further.

His chances of winning the selection were high indeed.

“Brother Xiang Nan, will you help me?” Xu Jiya bit her lip, her eyes full of earnest pleading.

“What do you mean?” Xiang Nan asked, curious.

“To be honest, though the Xu family is one of the four great families in the Eagle Alliance, we are the weakest. If we lose the young master selection again, we’ll have to rely on marriage alliances to maintain our status.”

As she finished, Xu Jiya’s round, rosy cheeks flushed slightly.

Thinking back to the way Gu Shaoqing had fussed over Xu Jiya at the door earlier, Xiang Nan easily understood her predicament.

A faint smile played on his lips. “All right, I’ll participate!”

Since it cost him nothing, why not accept the favor?

With his answer, Xu Jiya’s face lit up with joy, and she hurried upstairs to prepare a room and tidy up bedding for Xiang Nan.

Yet as she turned away, a trace of worry flickered in her eyes. “Will she really not return this time? If she does, Brother Xiang Nan may not have a chance to win…”

A moment later.

Xiang Nan found a spacious spot in the villa’s backyard, took out the spirit pearls, and began refining them.

Spirit pearls were the crystallized cores of demon beasts, containing their powerful innate energy.

To refine a spirit pearl, a human needed to use their own true flame to absorb and assimilate the energy within—a process far from simple.

Especially for a first-tier martial artist, refining a single spirit pearl could take months.

However, with the Serene Heart Mantra automatically circulating within him, Xiang Nan felt his blood and energy surge; the spirit pearl’s energy was drawn into him as if it were tangible.

Just like the energy he absorbed when cultivating the Serene Heart Mantra, after a full internal cycle, it was all stored within his brow.

In less than an hour, Xiang Nan had refined a second-tier spirit pearl.

Such speed was astonishing!

Unlike the ambient energy, thin and impure, the spirit pearls contained the purest spiritual power.

A great reservoir of energy swelled within his brow, and his limbs felt as if they were filled to bursting with power.

Xiang Nan knew his breakthrough was imminent.

Excitement! Elation!

He clenched his fists and punched the ground in front of him.

The gravel of the garden exploded under the force, leaving two small pits, while two unlucky saplings nearby had their roots severed by the blast.

To break saplings at a distance with nothing but a punch—Xiang Nan himself was stunned!

His spirits soared, and his heart brimmed with joy.