Chapter 650: Why Is Tianzhou Martial Arts Declining?

Jiang Feng finished the sentence, didn't wait for Qiao Zhenyu to answer, and turned toward the outside of the main building.

His steps were neither fast nor slow, like a stroll, as he passed through the banquet where cups still clinked and the guests still flatteringly offering toasts.

Those guests, seeing him approach, quickly cleared a path, lowered their heads, bent their waists, and dared not even exhale.

Qiao Zhenyu stood in place, his whole body as if frozen, not moving.

His mind buzzed, and the corner of his mouth twitched slightly.

The sentence Jiang Feng said echoed back and forth in his ears, each word clear, yet he simply couldn't react.

He glanced at the surrounding guests still reveling, then at Jiang Feng's back already stepping out of the main hall doorway, hesitated a moment, and then hurriedly followed.

His strides were long, his steps urgent, as if fearing that a single step later would miss something.

The Lin Family prepared for Jiang Feng a standalone two‑story building, situated on the east side of the Lin Family Compound.

Jiang Feng pushed the door open, walked in, and casually sat on the living‑room sofa.

The sofa was leather, dark brown, wide and soft.

He casually picked up a book on the coffee table, leafed through it, then set it down, as if waiting for someone.

Qiao Zhenyu followed behind, stepping in with a hesitant gait.

He stood at the doorway, watching Jiang Feng's casual posture; the nervous feeling in his heart not only failed to subside but grew stronger.

He swallowed, then carefully walked to Jiang Feng's side, standing upright, hands pressed against his thighs, head slightly lowered, like a student being punished to stand.

Jiang Feng set the book down, lifted his eyes to glance at him, and the corner of his mouth curved slightly.

"When you were testing me earlier, wasn't Commander Qiao rather casual? So why have you become so timid now?"

Qiao Zhenyu's forehead instantly beaded with fine droplets of sweat.

He thought Jiang Feng was looking for trouble, so he quickly clasped his fists in salute, bending his waist lower than he had in the courtyard.

"Lord Martial Saint, previously my eyes were blind, I did not recognize Mount Tai, I have offended your dignity, I beg your forgiveness!"

Jiang Feng looked at his demeanor and waved his hand.

"Enough, ignorance is no crime. And guess why I didn't strike you down?"

Qiao Zhenyu's body paused slightly.

He lifted his head, looked at Jiang Feng's calm face, his mind raced a few rounds, then tentatively spoke.

"Is it because... Master Zang?"

Jiang Feng nodded slightly, a hint of approval flashing across his face.

"That's right. Senior Brother Zi Jian and I once cultivated together on Kunlun; since you are his disciple, that also makes me half a junior disciple to you."

The words came out, and Qiao Zhenyu instantly felt as if granted a great pardon.

He seemed as if pulled from water, let out a long sigh, and the tense expression on his face for half a day suddenly relaxed.

He took two steps forward, his voice becoming a few notes lighter, even carrying a hint of excitement.

"So it's Uncle! Please forgive me, Uncle; I did not intentionally insult your dignity today, but these people truly are the backbone of my Tianzhou Martial Arts. If they were to die here because of some people's foolishness, it would be a pity. At that time, I had no other choice, so I had to risk my face and offer a Soul‑Nourishing Pill to exchange a life for them."

Jiang Feng watched him, his gaze carrying a hint of scrutiny.

He leaned against the sofa, his fingers lightly tapping the armrest twice, as if pondering a question.

After a while, he spoke.

"Although Tianzhou is not as great as Jingdu Minghai, it is still a northern stronghold with a thousand‑year legacy. How is it that I sense your Tianzhou Martial Arts to be so waning?"

He paused, as if recalling something, his brows slightly furrowing.

"Today I sensed that genuine Heavenly Human Realm warriors in the whole Tianzhou amount to only four or five. Moreover, even you, a Heavenly Human Realm Commander, have clearly waned qi and blood, lacking the full vigor a Heavenly Person Expert should possess. This is abnormal."

Upon hearing this, the joy on Qiao Zhenyu's face instantly faded by more than half.

He fell silent for a moment, his expression turning somewhat bleak, his voice lowering a few tones.

"Uncle, there are things you do not know; my Tianzhou Martial Arts is indeed difficult."

He walked to the chair beside him, sat down, hands resting on his knees, his gaze fixed on some blank spot ahead, as if gathering his thoughts.

After a long while, he continued.

"Tianzhou borders the sea port, especially being very close to the Ying Kingdom. In those years, the Ying Kingdom repeatedly raided Tianzhou's coast, burning, killing, looting, committing every evil. Later the Empire strengthened the naval defenses; they dared not openly attack, so they changed tactics… under the pretext of sparring martial arts, they repeatedly sent warriors to provoke Tianzhou Martial Arts community."

He clenched his fists, his knuckles turning white.

"Those people strike ruthlessly; nominally it's sparring, but in reality each time they aim to eliminate several of our Tianzhou masters. At first we could barely cope, but we couldn't withstand their repeated assaults. Over a dozen years, many of Tianzhou's masters have fallen; the older generation either got maimed or had their Dao hearts shattered and stopped cultivating. The younger generation didn't have time to mature before being crushed beneath them. Thus generation after generation is cut off, fewer each time…"

His voice grew lower, eventually almost turning into a sigh,

"To be honest, Uncle, in three days the Ying Kingdom's martial arts world will again send three top masters to descend upon Tianzhou. Their leader is Chi Tian Yi Lang, who is said to have already entered the Heavenly Human Middle Stage, surpassing me by half a realm. The other two are also experts of the Heavenly Human Initial Stage. With Tianzhou's current strength, we simply cannot find three people to meet them. Young nephew has already thought of it; if it doesn't work, I will sacrifice myself, risking this life to preserve the last bit of Tianzhou's dignity."

After he finished that sentence, the living room fell silent for a while.

Jiang Feng leaned on the sofa, looking at Qiao Zhenyu's face marked with fatigue and despair, remained silent for a moment, then spoke.

His voice remained that faint, emotion‑indistinguishable tone.

"Three days later?"

Qiao Zhenyu lifted his head, looked at him, and nodded.

"In three days they will set up an arena at the Tianzhou Martial Arena, and according to the rules, Tianzhou must send three Heavenly Human Realm warriors to fight. But we…"

Jiang Feng cut him off, his tone still flat.

"Make the arrangements; I'll go take a look then as well."

Qiao Zhenyu's eyes widened sharply.

He opened his mouth, looking at Jiang Feng, as if not understanding the meaning of the sentence.

After several breaths, he finally reacted, his voice carrying an uncertain, disbelieving tremor.

"Uncle... you mean..."

Jiang Feng did not answer him, merely stood up from the sofa, stretched lazily as if ready to end the conversation, walked two steps toward the stairs, then stopped, did not turn back, and his voice floated from ahead.

It's getting late; you go back first. That soul‑nurturing pill, deliver it to Here tomorrow.

Qiao Zhenyu sat on Chair, stared blankly for more than ten breaths, then, with a sudden motion, Standing, he got up, bowed deeply toward Jiang Feng's silhouette, his voice filled with an uncontainable Excitement.

Yes! Little nephew, bring it over first thing tomorrow morning!