"Extra, extra, read all about it—the Jianghu Mansion Report, freshly published in collaboration between Miss Mingsheng Nan of the Ming Family and our local Tongwen House! For just one wen, it brings you the in-depth backgrounds and family histories of three Outstanding Figures who arrived in Baojiao County today."

Chen Ku listened, and felt a slight stir in his heart. He called out to the paperboy, saying,

"One copy, please."

He casually took out a wen and handed it to the boy, receiving a copy of the 'Jianghu Mansion Report.'

"Here you go, sir. Take care of it."

The Court Newspaper, originally from the Imperial Government Office, was used to spread news of Officials' appointments and promotions. However, since the establishment of the Daji Dynasty, it had evolved into many privately published Court Newspapers by various merchant houses.

The prestigious Ming Family of Qiu Dragon Mansion had made their fortune through this very Jianghu Mansion Report, which spread far and wide.

Unexpectedly, since Mingsheng Nan's arrival in Baojiao County, she had teamed up with Jiang Shaoyou's family to establish their own version of the Jianghu Mansion Report here.

Chen Ku looked at the report in his hand. He saw the first line on the front page, printed in bold ink: 'Grandmaster Qin's protector enters Baojiao County; Three Outstanding Figures, hearing the news, are eager to become disciples'...

Three Outstanding Figures?

On the report, there were portraits of three individuals, each with detailed explanations of their backgrounds:

"Di Jianqing, contemporary heir of the Di Family from Qiu Dragon Mansion, is only sixteen and soon to step into the Jade Skin Realm. He possesses three Ultimate Skills, among them the family's Ultimate Skill, 'Arrogant Dragon Mace,' which he has already cultivated to the Perfection Realm."

Chen Ku was profoundly shocked as he read the description of the young man in the portrait:

Such a genius? Just based on this identity and Qualifications, he has already left Eldest Senior Brother Kou Ming far behind. Eldest Senior Brother Kou Ming, now around twenty-four or twenty-five, possesses two Ultimate Skills and has cultivated the family's Iron Palm to the Perfection Realm, but he is a full seven years older than this Di Jianqing! Is this the caliber of an Outstanding Disciple from Qiu Dragon Mansion? In his previous life, Chen Ku knew one thing clearly: there were innumerable geniuses in the world. Intelligence and Talent were among the most unfair gifts in life. Baojiao County wasn't small, with one hundred thousand households. Chen Ku, nearing eighteen, had been called an "Outstanding Figure" for his rapid Cultivation progress. But Baojiao County was just one of the thirty-six counties of Qiu Dragon Mansion. The entire Qiu Dragon Mansion had over a million households and nearly ten million people. With such a huge population base, it wasn't surprising to find numerous 'peerless geniuses.' As expected, when Chen Ku looked further down, the other two of the Three Outstanding Figures possessed similarly terrifying Talent and Qualifications to Di Jianqing.

"Cai Feihong, second daughter of the Cai Family from Qiu Dragon Mansion, is eighteen. Three years ago, she was engaged to the third young master of the Wu Family, a renowned Bounty-Hunter Family in Qiu Dragon Mansion. However, she defied her father's orders, personally went to the Wu Family to break off the engagement, and was expelled from her own family due to her father's great wrath. Unexpectedly, over the past three years, she encountered numerous fortuitous adventures. She not only reached the Jade Skin Realm but also mastered an Absolute Skill Level Swordsmanship to great achievement."

"Fu Huangfei, unaffiliated with any sect or faction, appeared out of nowhere with unknown origins. At the age of seventeen, he has already defeated many Jade Skin Realm masters. He is suspected of possessing the 'Lesser Yang Meridian Body,' which allows for natural flow in his Congenital Meridians without needing Cultivation. He can progress simply by eating and drinking, potentially up to the Fourth Realm of Meridian-Opening. He is currently at the entry-level of the Third Realm, Jade Skin."

Chen Ku looked at these Three Outstanding Figures.

Two men and one woman.

He couldn't help but sigh again: Truly, the world's talents are as numerous as fish crossing the river. Baojiao County is still too small. Qiu Dragon Mansion is a much broader world.

And just as Chen Ku was walking towards the Grey Clothes Tower, reading this page of the Jianghu Mansion Report...

"That tomboy from the Ming Family! We've only been in Baojiao County for two days, and she's already managed to make our identities known to everyone. So annoying."

Inside Hongyan Tower, a robust-looking and handsome youth of about sixteen or seventeen, dressed in brocade robes, listened to the paperboy's cries outside. He angrily slammed his two Gold Handle Copper Refined Maces on the ground, muttering, "Once I enter the Five Realms, I'll personally go to the Ming Family's press and burn all their newspapers to ashes!"

The youth was none other than Di Jianqing.

"The Ming Family is an age-old establishment of three hundred years with a deep heritage,"

Sitting next to Di Jianqing was a stunningly beautiful eighteen-year-old woman with a slender physique and a cold demeanor, dressed in red. A sword lay on the table beside her. She took a sip of tea and continued, "Forget the Five Realms; even those in the Sixth Realm might not intimidate them. Besides, they're not just reporting on us. When the time comes, they'll report on others who arrive too. This could actually benefit us, as we'll know who is coming to compete with us for a spot as a Grandmaster's Disciple."

"I'm not too interested in those people from Qiu Dragon Mansion."

Fu Huangfei, one of the Three Outstanding Figures, folded his arms, his gaze fixed on a sentence in the corner of a Jianghu Mansion Report on the table.

[Baojiao County's Chen Ku, after cultivating for half a year, is suspected to have reached the Mystic Barrier Peak. His Talent and Qualifications are in no way inferior to the Three Great Outstanding Figures. He may become the primary local adversary that the various Outstanding Figures from the Prefecture City will encounter in Baojiao County.]

TAP. TAP.

Fu Huangfei stretched out his slender fingers, tapping on the table. "Instead, this Chen Ku intrigues me. I heard his Bloodline grants him Fire Avoidance. I wonder... can it withstand my 'Lihuo Mysterious Skill Force'?"

The three were dining openly in the main hall of Hongyan Tower, their presence unconcealed and under the covert scrutiny of people from all walks of life in Baojiao County.

Unbeknownst to them, among a large group of ordinary guild members, a tall elderly man was slowly picking at his food with chopsticks, his eyes fixed intriguingly on Fu Huangfei.

This young fellow's 'Lesser Yang Meridian' indeed meets the criteria for cultivating the First Level of our Imperial Enlightenment Sect's 'Huntian Overlord Body'—the 'Separation Yang True Qi.'

Shan Lingguan muttered to himself, Regardless, this move by young Qin has indeed attracted young people from Qiu Dragon Mansion and even other Prefectures. Perhaps it might truly be possible to pass on a few levels of the Huntian Overlord Body. Even if not all of it can be inherited, a few sparks of its legacy might remain. At least, this young man named Fu Huangfei could inherit the First Level. But whether he's truly suitable still requires closer observation.

At this moment, the Three Outstanding Figures were almost done with their meal.

"Dinner's done. So, are you two going to join me in that task?"

Having finished his meal, Di Jianqing wiped his mouth. He lowered his voice, using Sound Transmission into Secret, and chuckled, "After all, we're the first batch to arrive in Baojiao County. How can we not stir up a bit of a scene?"

"The Peace Path, huh?" Cai Feihong gently gripped the sword on the table, her intent sharp. "The three of us together could indeed try to take down one of their Incense Altars. If we can uproot one before the Grandmasters make their move, it would likely make a strong first impression and win us considerable favor. Let's investigate first."

「Inside the Grey Clothes Tower.」

"The distinguished guest has come again. What sort of bounty are you submitting this time?"

The middle-aged man in grey at the counter recognized "Er Lang." Although Er Lang's visits to the Grey Clothes Tower were infrequent, each one involved submitting information for bounties worth tens of thousands of taels. The Blade-Handler List in Baojiao County already ranked "Er Lang" tenth.

"I'm here to turn in the target for the fifteenth bounty on the Bounty List."

Chen Ku lowered his hat brim and said slowly, "Let's find a quiet place."

"The fifteenth..." The man paused, his eyes widening. "Is that... the Nine-Colored Deer, worth Five Hundred Thousand Taels?"

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