Chapter 40: If Becoming First Means I Have to Marry Luo Xuan, I'd Do It

Jiang Man spent the entire night cultivating.He only rested for a brief moment when dawn approached.

Starting today, he would focus on two main tasks.

First was filling his sixth "gourd," and second was improving his spell techniques.

At the very least, he needed to master all the spells available at thirty, forty, fifty, and sixty points.

This way, even if Luo Xuan and the others had other powerful spells supporting them, he would still have the ability to fight back.

Just as he arrived at the small courtyard,

Master Fu appeared.

"It's already late November," Fu Yidan said, looking at Jiang Man. "The time remaining for you is extremely limited. I've collected the spell techniques for you—which one would you like to learn? I can still teach you now."

As she spoke, she handed four spell books to Jiang Man.

These were precisely the spells available from thirty to sixty points.

They included the thirty-point "Dragon Subduing Method."

It involved nourishing dragons with qi, nine layers forming nine dragons—a purely offensive technique.

The forty-point "Torrent Collapse Technique."

It condensed qi in both feet, highlighting the weight of spiritual energy, making each step weigh a thousand pounds, with maximum power when stepping downward.

The fifty-point "Green Smoke Prelude."

It transformed the body into smoke, a close-range evasion technique with strong bursts but limited duration. Rumor had it there was a latter part that could be used beyond the Qi Refinement stage.

And the sixty-point "Basic Sword Technique."

A truly basic sword method with no offensive power, but it served as the foundation for sword control techniques.

Both the most useful and the most useless.

Jiang Man looked at these spells, thought for a moment, and decided to learn them step by step.

He would start with the Dragon Subduing Method.

So this morning, he would learn the Dragon Subduing Method from Master Fu.

No one else had any objections.

Those at the fourth level of Qi Refinement could basically learn it, and those who couldn't could still simulate it.

When they could learn it later, it would save considerable time.

Learning more theory now would help them cope when they encountered challenges later.

After Master Fu's instruction, Jiang Man began to improve.

He could still only reach the fifth level.

After that came sparring practice with Luo Xuan.

Because of last night's letter, he was curious about what expression she would show.

Unfortunately, he couldn't detect any expression at all.

She remained as composed and graceful as before.

It seemed she was completely unaware of the letter's existence.

This made him glance toward Cheng Yu's side, discovering that she, like Luo Xuan, showed no change whatsoever, not even paying him any attention.

It felt as if last night had been nothing but a dream.

After that, Jiang Man stopped overthinking it.

With rare sparring opportunities, he naturally wanted to gain more experience.

Luo Xuan was also doing her utmost to understand Jiang Man's fighting habits.

Sparring with Jiang Man couldn't improve her experience or skills,

but it helped her figure out his patterns.

Such practice offered significant benefits for her,

since her greatest enemy right now was Jiang Man.

Golden dragons materialized one after another, crashing into each other, forcing Jiang Man back several steps before he stabilized.

"My respects," Luo Xuan said softly.

Jiang Man nodded slightly, realizing he was far inferior to Luo Xuan.

At the same level, without mobilizing sufficient spiritual energy, he was completely outmatched.

It was a gap in skill proficiency...

Close combat was still essential in Qi Refinement, so he needed to learn basic fist techniques and palm techniques, and also dabble in basic movement techniques.

After sparring ended, cultivation began.

This was Jiang Man's domain.

Everyone had to follow his lead in cultivation—if he didn't leave, no one else could.

The top-ranked set the example.

The rest could only follow closely in the top-ranked's footsteps.

Previously, some had complained, even muttering dissatisfaction under their breath.

But now...

They could only voice their complaints after the top-ranked had left.

Each day felt worse than the last.

Luo Xuan, Fang Yong, and the others followed Jiang Man in cultivation without a single word.

Before, they had the authority to break this atmosphere.

Now they had lost that privilege.

Especially today, when they saw Chang Qiwen's bruised and swollen face.

The top-ranked's authority remained unshaken.

After dusk fell, Jiang Man finally left.

But not long after he departed, Little Fatty caught up with him.

"Brother Jiang, could you end a bit earlier next time?" Little Fatty asked, drenched in sweat and exhausted from cultivation.

"So you can go back early and cultivate in secret?" Jiang Man questioned.

Little Fatty: "......"

After a pause, he asked curiously, "Did Chang Qiwen lose? But everyone says you haven't practiced spells much?"

Jiang Man thought for a moment and said, "Natural talent."

Little Fatty remained silent for a while before asking, "Where does this talent come from?"

Jiang Man pondered briefly and said, "How about trying to get married?"

Hearing this, Little Fatty sighed and whispered, "If I could have talent like that, if becoming first meant I had to marry early, or even marry Luo Xuan, I'd be willing."

Upon hearing this, Jiang Man was taken aback and said, "Would marrying her be such a hardship for you?"

"Of course it would," Little Fatty said with complete seriousness. "She has exceptional talent and high ambitions—she's destined to marry someone truly extraordinary."

"If someone like me married her, wouldn't that be an insult to her?"

"Before long, she'd probably kill me."

"Marrying her would be no different from suicide."

"I prefer someone like Cheng Yu—gentle, considerate, not competitive, with a smile that feels like a warm spring breeze."

"Truly relaxing and comfortable."

"Especially since she speaks so pleasantly and doesn't look down on those of us with low scores."

"Of course, I'm not worthy of her either, and I don't dare dream of such things."

"If someone like that suddenly approached me, there'd definitely be some scheme involved."

"I'd keep my distance, that's for sure."

"Besides, if I married someone else, I could marry several—both beautiful and gentle."

Jiang Man looked at Little Fatty in silence for a long time.

Especially when he heard the part about marrying several.

Ah, the spoiled rich kids.

Also, in Little Fatty's eyes, marrying Luo Xuan was equivalent to being struck by lightning.

But Cheng Yu seemed like a genuinely good person in his view.

Was that really the truth?

Jiang Man didn't know.

But he had to stay cautious.

Too bad last night's letter mentioned cattle—otherwise he could have given it to Little Fatty.

Let him live in constant fear.

After bidding farewell to Little Fatty, Jiang Man returned to the guard station, first seeking out the two guards.

They were the ones who had suggested the shift replacement.

The middle-aged guard looked at Jiang Man and said, "Got free time now?"

"Yes," Jiang Man nodded. "I'll have free time for a while after this."

Since he'd already taken the spirit source for the shift replacement, he had to do it.

Although it was just gate duty, at least it wasn't difficult, and he could still cultivate on the spot.

Not exactly a bad deal.

The only downside was occasionally being seen by passersby.

The sole disadvantage was earning considerably less spirit source compared to the Spirit Gathering Hall.

At this moment, the other guard nearby asked curiously, "Has your ranking in the small courtyard changed recently?"

"Unchanged," Jiang Man said with a smile. "Still first place."

Last time he was last place, today he's first place.

Both are first place.

The two guards: "......"

They knew perfectly well that Jiang Man had been made an example when he first arrived.

That zero score.

A zero score was too iconic—you couldn't avoid knowing about it.

It spread faster than news of a genius appearing.

At least that was the case at the guard station.

But for someone with zero score to claim he was first place deserved the guards' admiration.

Better not provoke him—what if he actually succeeded?

With such an extreme character, showing some respect couldn't hurt.

After that, Jiang Man headed inside to find Manager Miao.

The specific arrangements would depend on Manager Miao's instructions.

"Is this you?" Manager Miao looked at the paper in her hand, then at Jiang Man.

"It's me," Jiang Man nodded.

"Is this really you?" Manager Miao asked again.

"This is really me," Jiang Man answered once more.

Manager Miao fell silent.

She stared at the large characters "FIRST PLACE" on the paper, rendered speechless.

He had actually succeeded—this wasn't good.

Had her previous attitude been insufficiently friendly?