Chapter 820: If You Can't Kill a Cow with One Punch, You're Not Worthy of Being a Jia Family Member!

"I naturally follow Master's lead!" Ao Yulie felt it was still best to play it safe.

"Alright, you guys get familiar with the situation. If there's anything, we'll talk tomorrow." Tang Luo said.

Right now it's the middle of the night, not good to run around everywhere.

He grabbed the unconscious Jia Zhen from mid-air and threw him outside.

Jia Zhen traced a perfect parabola and crashed heavily outside the courtyard, falling even more miserably than just now.

After throwing Jia Zhen out, Tang Luo couldn't be bothered to look, turned and returned to the room, leaving the door ajar.

Returning to the inner room, standing by the bed, Tang Luo said: "You're awake."

Qin Keqing stirred, sat up, a head of green silk hanging down, covering half her face in the darkness: "Husband, Father-in-law he..."

"Chased away by me." Tang Luo said.

Qin Keqing had actually woken up when Jia Zhen knocked on the door; Tang Luo distinctly felt her body suddenly tense up, and her fists clench tight.

Judging from the reaction, she and Jia Zhen hadn't hooked up yet at this time; it was Jia Zhen's one-sided wishful thinking.

Jia Zhen said "just took a wife," looks like Jia Rong just got married not long ago.

But just married not long ago, and Jia Zhen comes smashing the door in the middle of the night — he's really impatient; of course, being drunk is also a factor.

If he hadn't been drunk, Jia Zhen might not have been so presumptuous.

But his heart's intent, I'm afraid, is like Sima Zhao's heart — "known to everyone on the road."

"Husband..." Qin Keqing still wanted to say something; Tang Luo waved his hand, walked to the dressing table nearby, and looked into the mirror.

Even if only through a bit of moonlight and the candlelight from the corridor outside, Tang Luo could clearly see his current appearance.

Just that looking in a mirror in the middle of the night, however you look at it, it's eerie.

Qin Keqing, having lain back down, shrank her body, almost curling into a ball.

Marrying into Ningguo Mansion, indeed fine clothes and jade food, glory and wealth; only, the husband is cowardly, the father-in-law like a wolf or tiger.

Originally an adopted abandoned infant, the Qin family compared to the Jia family is simply not worth mentioning; her natal family isn't even a backer.

She doesn't know how much longer she can hold on.

Now the husband sharing the bed acts strange and eerie, lighting a mirror in the dark of night, making one's hair stand on end.

That fear arising from instinct deep in the heart is even worse than Jia Zhen.

Heaven and earth as witness, Tang Luo truly had no intention of deliberately scaring Qin Keqing.

He just conveniently took a look at his current looks.

This bronze mirror reflects figures quite clearly; at first inside was Tang Luo's original appearance, but very quickly it changed into a handsome-faced man.

Precisely Jia Rong; his looks are quite decent, counting as a romantic young master.

Tang Luo still wore the brocade kasaya on his body; outside was a set of ancient-era "underwear."

The brocade kasaya was then concealed; this concealment won't last too long.

These "external objects" like the brocade kasaya need Tang Luo to put away himself, to avoid revealing flaws; as for appearance and physique, there's no need for any worry.

This disguise is almost perfect, won't be broken.

Even if Ao Yulie, Zhu Bajie and them transform into wild boar, true dragon forms, after changing back they'll still be Jia Huan, Jiao Da's appearances.

A night without words.

The next day.

Tang Luo, Qin Keqing, under the maids' service, washed and ate; the whole process besides picking up chopsticks and eating themselves, the rest didn't need them to lift a finger.

Making one sigh at this terrible feudal society, simply raising useless people.

Tang Luo also properly sized up Qin Keqing; truly the number one beauty in Dream of the Red Chamber (Ao Yulie's words), bright and charming, temperament gentle and peaceful yet revealing natural allure, absolutely worthy of the three words 'female enchantress'.

With Tang Luo's wide experience, her beauty could also rank in the top five.

After finishing the meal came a series of rinsing, washing hands, etc.; after everything was done, Tang Luo lay on a chair in the courtyard, basking in the sun.

Not paying the slightest heed to the maids' occasional strange glances.

Today no Jia Zhen came looking for trouble; last night's matter also didn't blow up; this is very normal.

The Jia clan now is one clan two mansions, divided into Ningguo Mansion and Rongguo Mansion.

The Duke of Ningguo is the Jia Yan Zhu Bajie mentioned; died many years ago.

His son also died many years ago; now the true head of Ningguo Mansion is actually Jia Yan's grandson Jia Jing, that is Jia Zhen's father, Jia Rong's grandfather.

But Jia Jing is a weirdo; he pursued the Dao to an obsessive degree.

Year-round not home, always cultivating at Xuzhen Temple, not asking about worldly affairs.

Therefore, everything in Ningguo Mansion is decided by Jia Zhen, his word is final.

The Ningguo Mansion branch, population not considered flourishing, not many children born, but quickly.

The Jia Rong Tang Luo currently plays is actually the youngest generation of the Jia family; there are no Jia family members of a younger generation than him.

There might be some distant collateral relatives, but the relation is too far.

True Jia family members are only the two Jia of Ningguo Mansion and Rongguo Mansion.

That hit last night, Jia Zhen fell hard, still unconscious and not awake; on Ningguo Mansion's side, one could say there isn't even a person in charge.

Reviving the unconscious Jia Zhen is the top priority; how would anyone have time to come find trouble with Tang Luo over last night's matter?

On the other side Qin Keqing learned the truth from the two maids Ruizhu and Baizhu; a pair of beautiful eyes widened, hard to believe.

The cowardly Jia Rong actually hit Jia Zhen; now Jia Zhen is still unconscious, not yet awake.

The mansion went to invite an imperial physician; the Grand Madam (Jia Zhen's step-wife) said the Eldest Master got drunk and fell while walking.

Obviously trying to suppress this matter.

Father-in-law kicks daughter-in-law's door at night, gets beaten half to death by son?

If this really spreads, Ningguo Mansion's reputation will be ruined.

Tang Luo couldn't be bothered with the undercurrents in the Ningguo Mansion, and chatted with Zhu Bajie, sorting through the basic situation one by one.

Setting aside the situation of the Jia family that needed reviving, their numbers were many and their relationships quite complex.

What Zhu Bajie understood wasn't the situation inside the Jia Mansion.

What he truly understood was the basic situation of this world; Tang Luo said the waters ran deep, and that was indeed no mistake.

This world does not follow the path of immortal cultivation and seeking the Dao; it follows the path of martial arts.

Martial artists are numerous in quantity, and extraordinary in strength.

The realm divisions are relatively simple: First Rank to Ninth Rank, same as the court's official rank grades, with Ninth Rank the lowest and First Rank the highest.

Above First Rank there are still Grandmasters, Great Grandmasters, and Supreme Grandmasters.

They sound formidable, and in reality, they are indeed not weak.

According to Zhu Bajie's speculation, in a head-on clash, Ao Yulie might not even compare to a Second Rank or First Rank martial artist.

First Rank and Second Rank martial artists have a combat power of "One Dragon."

Grandmasters and such have at least Ten Dragons, quite extraordinary.

A bona fide high-martial world.

However, martial artists are unlike cultivators; they do not move heaven and earth, their divine abilities and spells are not exaggerated, their moves are not "world-destroying."

They fall short in terms of grand scenes and destructive power.

Additionally, martial artists likewise need to eat and drink; they cannot achieve complete inedia, subsisting on wind and dew, finding it hard to detach from the mortal world and roam freely at ease.

Martial cultivation is divided into three stages in total.

Ranks Nine through Six are the Body Tempering stage; Ranks Five through Three are the Qi Cultivation stage; Ranks Two and One, plus the Grandmasters above, are the Spirit Refining realm.

The distinction can be understood somewhat from the stage names; Zhu Bajie did not go into deeper details.

Knowing the general picture was enough.

Anyway, Master beats anyone all the same.

The country where the Jia family resides is named Great Qian.

It is not the only dynasty under heaven; there are two other great nations standing alongside it, forming a tripartite balance of power.

Bordering regions often have minor frictions, but no major wars.

The Great Qian imperial clan is the Gu family; the Emperor is Gu Ling, who changed the era name to Kaiyuan upon ascension, and is also called the Kaiyuan Emperor.

Currently it is the twentieth year of Kaiyuan; the Kaiyuan Emperor has reigned for twenty years, right in the prime of life and power.

Although there are two ferocious neighbors eyeing them covetously, everyone mutually dreads each other, and none will spark a large-scale war.

The three nations have developed to this day, and can be considered peaceful and prosperous.

At least in this imperial capital, it is bustling and flourishing, truly deserving to be called a golden age of prosperity.

However, the more prosperous the era, the harder it is to lead the Jia family to the pinnacle.

For the mission, the backdrop of a flourishing golden age is instead unfavorable.

"Right, Master. That Jia Zhen is actually a Seventh Rank martial artist." Zhu Bajie said.

"Oh?" Tang Luo responded, "No wonder his head is still quite hard."

"But this Seventh Rank martial artist of his was piled up in his early years relying on medicated diets and various precious objects. It was convenient when inheriting the title, but if he really fights, forget a Seventh Rank martial artist, he might not even beat a proper Ninth Rank martial artist." Zhu Bajie said.

"I see his strength is quite great though; he could even snap iron-clad hardwood." Tang Luo said with a smile.

Zhu Bajie also laughed: "Proves human potential is limitless."

At this moment, the maid Ruizhu walked over, carefully saying: "Eldest Master, that door latch is already rotten; do you want to replace it with a new one?"

"Oh?" Tang Luo looked at that broken latch that had been cleared away, only then noticing this latch was gilded on the outside but rotten within.

Looks like it was swapped out long ago.

"Mm, replace it then." Tang Luo nodded.

Right, I overestimated this piece of trash Jia Zhen.

For Qin Keqing, Jia Zhen schemed exhaustively; too bad alcohol ruined things, and he ran into Tang Luo.

"Master, I saw Eldest Senior Brother's brother!"

Ao Yulie joined the group chat.

"Who?"

"Jia Baoyu!"

"How did he become Wukong's brother?"

"They're both leftover products of the Sky-Mending Wondrous Stone. Oh, right—Eldest Senior Brother isn't a Sky-Mending Wondrous Stone." Ao Yulie said, "Never mind, Jia Baoyu really does have a face like a full moon."

"What Rank martial artist?" Tang Luo asked.

The focus of concern is completely different from Ao Yulie's.

"Judging by appearances, he should have Eighth or Ninth Rank too..." Ao Yulie wasn't very sure.

For Body Tempering realm martial artists, it's very hard to distinguish rank without exchanging blows.

But this Jia Baoyu has vigorous qi and blood; he's no ordinary person, definitely a martial artist too, and most likely the same as Jia Zhen — both fed into existence with various precious objects.

In the Rongguo Mansion, Jia Baoyu is a treasure; except his old man looks at him with disfavor.

Everyone else dotes on him to death.

With the Jia family's current assets, let alone Seventh or Eighth Rank, feeding out a peak Sixth Rank martial artist isn't impossible either.

"Oh... saw the Four Springs, the two from Lin and Xue, and also a Shi Xiangyun; they really are all very pretty." Ao Yulie gave a live voice report, "Master, something's off; their ages have all increased quite a bit; the timeline of events in Dream of the Red Chamber probably can't be relied on."

In the original Dream of the Red Chamber, Jia Baoyu and company all appeared at very young ages, standard elementary schoolers.

But now looking at them, each and every one has the appearance of youths.

Tang Luo, this already-married Jia Rong, also only looks a few years older than them nominally.

"Not important, what cultivation level are these people?" Tang Luo directly got to the point.

Original work? Don't even mention it—this wasn't even the original world to begin with, and even if it were, the moment Tang Luo and the others descended, there was no original work anymore.

"They're all young ladies who don't practice martial arts," Ao Yulie said.

The body-tempering stage of martial cultivation is an extremely arduous process.

From childhood, those from wealthy families clad in silk and jade food—male heirs couldn't endure the hardship of martial training, let alone women.

Female martial cultivators, compared to males, are exceedingly rare—less than one in ten.

"How can one not practice martial arts? How can one not practice martial arts and become strong? How can one not become strong and lead the Jia family to the pinnacle?" Tang Luo said, "From now on, I'll have them train martial arts together—if they can't kill a bull with a single punch, they're not worthy of being members of the Jia family!"