CHAPTER 39: CHAPTER 39: THERE’S SOMETHING DIFFERENT ABOUT THE EDUCATED! (THIRD UPDATE)

The disciples of the Single Sword Sect were numerous, but there were not many true masters among them.

Sect Leader Sun Tianhui, a Fifth-Grade Martial Artist, was rumored to soon break through to become a Fourth-Grade Martial Artist.

Zhuge Yuanlang had no martial arts skills but possessed astonishing strategic wit.

Among the disciples was the Senior Sister, a Seventh-Grade Martial Artist, who at only eighteen already towered above the many other disciples.

The Second Disciple had the best talent, but he preferred action to stillness and was currently not within the mountain gate.

The remaining disciples included a dozen or so Eighth-Grade Martial Artists, but they were all getting on in years. It seemed that they were destined to remain in the Eighth-Grade Martial Artist Realm for the rest of their lives.

The rest of the disciples, though all Ninth-Grade Martial Artists, were only of average talent. Unless they encountered some great fortune, they would likely spend their twilight years in the Single Sword Sect.

By contrast, the members of the Profound Yellow Sect were all Eighth-Grade Martial Artists, led by a Seventh-Grade Martial Artist. Judging by their apparent youth, the disparity with the Single Sword Sect’s older disciples was stark.

Players naturally wouldn’t mess around, so during character creation, they focused on making them as attractive as possible.

The oldest among the players was probably "Abbess, Don’t Love Me." After all, her daughter was already in the fifth grade. Ninety percent of the other players were young people.

Flourishing Flowers, leading a group of players, stepped into the Single Sword Sect and glanced at their numbers, feeling somewhat uncertain. If it came to a fight, it seemed they would be at a disadvantage. To resurrect and return would take quite a bit of time. So they needed to think of another strategy.

Zhuge Yuanlang was also quite surprised to see the young Profound Yellow Sect Disciples. He hadn’t expected them to be so young, nor that each of them would be an Eighth-Grade Martial Artist. Such disciples, in Fengxiang Prefecture, would be eagerly sought after by any power, wouldn’t they? Profound Yellow Sect? Interesting, indeed.

"Ladies and gentlemen of the Profound Yellow Sect, you have traveled far to come here. Our Sect Leader is in seclusion and cannot come out to meet you, so please allow me to stand in on his behalf. I hope for your understanding."

Zhuge Yuanlang held a feather fan, presenting himself with a cultured and amiable appearance, "I am Zhuge Yuanlang, Vice Sect Leader of the Single Sword Sect."

This also made the players feel some fondness for this NPC. After all, nobody liked NPCs with a bad temper.

"Hey, this guy has read some books, hasn’t he? He speaks so eloquently."

"This is a real scholar. Look at that demeanor; it makes me want to knock my teacher out."

"If I had a teacher with such a good temper, I definitely would have gotten into a 985 or 211 university!"

"All scholars, yet the difference is huge, eh?"

"..."

Facing the players’ jesting conversation, Zhuge Yuanlang maintained an air of nonchalance throughout. It seemed as if nothing could perturb his demeanor, short of the sky falling down.

Flourishing Flowers stepped forward, imitating a polite bow, "My name is Flourishing Flowers, Hall Master of the Cloud Lament Hall of the Profound Yellow Sect, and today we are here to..."

What were they here for again? Right! To make a name for the Profound Yellow Sect!

"Today we are here to specifically visit the brethren of the Single Sword Sect. Our Profound Yellow Sect upholds the principles of humanitarianism and adheres to the ethos of fairness, justice, and transparency. We are determined to become one of the top two Major Sects in the world..."

Flourishing Flowers just started spouting nonsense.

The players behind him, hearing his blather, couldn’t help rolling their eyes.

"Damn, how can Flourishing Flowers talk such big talk?"

"We’re here to fight, can’t he be more direct?"

"I can’t take it anymore! Who’s going to pull Flourishing Flowers back? It’s embarrassing, okay? This kind of speech is really too cringey."

"..."

A few players stepped forward and pulled Flourishing Flowers back. They were also somewhat intolerant of Flourishing Flowers’ gibberish.

Zhuge Yuanlang looked at them, smiling as he asked, "So, are you here to make friends through martial arts?"

"’Make friends through martial arts,’ that’s a good phrase!"

"Listen to what he says, Flourishing Flowers. You need to brush up when you get back."

The two players dragging Flourishing Flowers earnestly reasoned with him.

Flourishing Flowers rolled his eyes incessantly. How was he to know this NPC would be so cultured? In the end, who was the Hall Master? Was the team starting to become hard to manage now?

"COUGH, COUGH!"

Flourishing Flowers coughed, straightened his clothes, and smiled, "Sect Leader Zhuge, don’t misunderstand. We from the Profound Yellow Sect don’t have many formal rules; among us, everyone is like brothers. So... ’Make friends through martial arts!’ That’s exactly why we are here today, to simply spar with each other, no need for any serious fighting."

A joke! Who would want to reincarnate before even receiving their Reincarnation Points reward? And after Reincarnation, the chance would be long gone.

"Good!"

Zhuge Yuanlang took a look at Flourishing Flowers. It was apparent that this young person was the leader of the group. At such a young age, already a Seventh-Grade Martial Artist, as talented as that girl from their Single Sword Sect. Perhaps in the future, Jianghu would belong to these young ones.

"How would Hall Master Flourishing Flowers like to compete?"

Such a strange name.

Zhuge Yuanlang quietly asked, "Guests should be treated with respect. So, Hall Master Flourishing Flowers, how would you like to make friends through martial arts?"

Hearing this, Flourishing Flowers was also stunned. How would he know how to ’make friends through martial arts’? Usually, playing the game just involved spending money and then fighting like crazy. Even farming was done with paid substitutes. Now this question clearly went beyond his comprehension.

Flourishing Flowers looked back at the other players and asked, "Brothers, do any of you know how to play ’make friends through martial arts’?"

"It should be like the normal arena fight, right?"

"1v1 seems good. Getting into a brawl seems a bit not worth it for us."

"But who shall we send?"

"I want to give it a try; can I get a chance?"

"..."

After the players made their decision, Flourishing Flowers didn’t beat around the bush anymore and turned back to explain, "Sect Leader Zhuge, let’s each send three people. Since it’s just making friends through martial arts, three for a little exchange should be fine."

"Good!"

Zhuge Yuanlang nodded slightly and agreed. He wasn’t sure what the state of the Profound Yellow Sect Disciples was, but the other party didn’t seem to be here just to cause trouble. Could it really be for an exchange of martial arts? If so, their Single Sword Sect couldn’t afford to lose this exchange. The Profound Yellow Sect losing to them wasn’t shameful; after all, it was a small sect from Liang City with no famous figures. But it was different for their Single Sword Sect. They couldn’t afford to lose face! If they refused, it would instead damage the demeanor of a Major Sect. After all, the others had come from afar.

"Mo Yao, Lin Shaojie, Li Yi, you three will represent us in battle."

Zhuge Yuanlang said calmly, "Are you three confident?"

Within the Single Sword Sect, Mo Yao was the renowned Senior Sister. She had made her name with the Flowing Cloud Sword Technique. Additionally, she was quite pretty—a rare beauty in Fengxiang Prefecture—and had captured the hearts of many Wandering Knights and Sect Disciples. Lin Shaojie and Li Yi were outstanding individuals among the Eighth-Grade Martial Artist Realm Disciples. Compared to other disciples, these two also possessed impressive power, each having their unique strengths in swordsmanship.

Sending these three out was a considered decision by Zhuge Yuanlang. In a situation where the enemy was in the dark and he was in the light, extra vigilance was necessary. It was also a chance to use these three to learn about the specific situation of the Profound Yellow Sect Disciples; knowing oneself and one’s enemy is the only way to win all battles...