Chapter 791: The Coiling Dragon Clan Lord
Young master Ji San sighed, “It is just that ridiculous.
Veluriyam Capital is situated in the southern part of the Upper Eight Regions,
and its influence envelopes the entire region. However, Pillfire City is
situated in the northern part of the Upper Eight Regions, and their influence
spreads through the northern, northeast and northwest parts of the Upper Eight
Regions. Their pill business can only be described as astounding. They’re just
as wealthy as some countries.”
Pillfire City? Jiang Chen remembered the description that
went with the name in the book Huang’er had given him. However, the
introduction of the place within was merely a shallow overview. He continued to
stare at Boss Li, “Who did you sell those two people to?”
Boss Li said, “I’m not sure. I only know that they belong to
Pillfire City.”
Young master Ji San spoke angrily, “How dare you do business
with them even with the knowledge that they are from Pillfire City? Don’t you
know that Veluriyam Capital and Pillfire City are sworn enemies in the pill
industry?!”
“This is the decision made by my family’s superiors. My
status is low, and I have no say in this matter.”
Jiang Chen and young master Ji San were both dumbfounded by
his answer. They kept interrogating him, but ultimately failed to glean any
more clues.
“This matter is much easier to deal with now that we know
where they’ve gone, brother. Should I send someone to Pillfire City to take a
look around?”
Jiang Chen nodded, “Please. There is also one more thing I’d
like to ask your help with, Brother Ji.”
Young master Ji San nodded, “Then let us speak outside.”
Jiang Chen had no interest in Boss Li. The accomplice of a
crime was more than deserving of death, so naturally he didn’t bother to
inquire into Boss Li’s fate. The Coiling Dragon Clan would deal with him. Soon,
they were both within a private room. Young master Ji San turned to him, “You
can tell me anything, brother. There is nothing the Coiling Dragon Clan can’t
do in Veluriyam Capital.”
Jiang Chen didn’t try to hide his intentions. He told young
master Ji San everything about his father, Jiang Feng.
Young master Ji San pondered, “Do you have any clues or
keepsakes that are tied to your mother’s background?”
Jiang Chen shook his head. “None. I’ve also searched inside
my old home, the Jiang Han manor, but there were no clues there either.”
“If there are no clues, then we can only inquire about him
slowly through various channels. The search won’t be very efficient though.”
Jiang Chen also understood that searching for someone like
this was akin to trying to find a needle in a haystack. But still, delegating
the task to the Coiling Dragon Clan was far more efficient than having him
searching around blindly. After all, he still had next to no foundation in the
Upper Eight Regions. Most importantly, he couldn’t reveal his true identity
yet. Otherwise, there were plenty of ways that he could spread his name through
the Upper Eight Regions. If that happened, his father would naturally seek him
out on his own.
But sadly, it wasn’t an option he could take. The Eternal
Celestial Capital and the Ninesuns Sky Sect were still eyeing him covetously.
He would only bring trouble to those around him if he spread his name.
“Brother Ji, how is the clan lord doing as of late?” Jiang
Chen thought that he should repay young master Ji San a little, seeing that he
had helped so much.
“The same as ever. The clan lord is afraid to cultivate
because it would only quicken the rate of his cultivation dissipating.
Therefore, he’s basically focusing on recuperating and maintaining his physical
condition.” Young master Ji San’s tone was extremely heavy. This matter had
become a constant worry in the mind of every Coiling Dragon Clan member.
An idea entered Jiang Chen’s mind. “Can you take me to the
clan lord?”
Young master Ji San looked surprised. “Do you wish to meet
the clan lord, brother?”
“Mm. I’d like to meet the clan lord and get some details on
his condition. This way, if I meet my master again in the future, I’d be able
to tell him any pertinent information. That way, he would be able to take the
most appropriate steps.”
Young master Ji San nodded repeatedly, “You’re right, you’re
absolutely right. I’ll apply for your entry right now. Please sit here for a
moment while I go and facilitate this. I’ll be back right away. I’ll ask
Captain Mo to accompany you while I’m gone.”
The moment he finished his words , young master Ji San
strode away with hurried footsteps and an incredibly urgent look on his face.
Jiang Chen understood that the Coiling Dragon Clan’s clan lord must be faring
extremely badly from how anxious young master Ji San looked. Otherwise, someone
of his bearing would never reveal such a look on his face.
After young master Ji San had gone out, Captain Mo came in
and smiled, “The young master had requested that I keep you company for a bit,
Pill King Zhen. I haven’t interrupted you, have I?”
“Don’t stand on ceremony, Captain Mo. Young master Ji San
and I are as close as brothers, and you’re actually our senior, aren’t you? If
you are going to continue speaking this courteously, then I’ll really have to
leave.”
Captain Mo broke out in laughter, “Pill King Zhen, young
master Ji San has had countless friends in his life, and I have come to know
them all in one way or another. However, I’ve never been impressed by anyone
until you showed up. That gamble you fought on the day of Taiyuan Tower’s
opening was truly astounding.”
“You praise me too highly, Captain Mo. I was just lucky to
have met my teacher in my youth, not to mention that I pulled a fast one during
that bet.”
“Haha, the Majestic Clan’s the one who tried pulling a fast
one. They came prepared, whilst you and Taiyuan Tower were given no choice but
to accept their challenge. It was no simple feat to take on a battle you were
unprepared for and then win the whole thing. House Wei is lucky to have met you,
Pill King Zhen.” Captain Mo obviously enjoyed a high position under young
master Ji San. He talked and laughed freely. The two had a wonderful chat while
they waited.
A while later, young master Ji San came in with a beaming
smile on his face. “The clan lord is very happy to hear your wish to visit him,
brother. He’s asked me to bring you to him right away.”
Upon hearing this, Captain Mo hastily said, “Then go
quickly, Pill King Zhen. Let us talk again later.”
Jiang Chen nodded and followed young master Ji San. Without
bringing a single subordinate with them, the pair walked into the most
important area in the entire Coiling Dragon Clan residence. There were numerous
road blocks along the path to the clan lord’s residence. Even young master Ji
San was not exempted from the checkpoints. Many inspections and stops later,
they finally arrived at the entrance of a garden.
“Brother, my clan lord is a powerful person who’s only a
single step away from becoming a great emperor. His consciousness is powerful
and capable of divining many truths. In my opinion, you should not hide your
identity from him. If he acknowledges you, then it may help you further in your
attempt to establish yourself in Veluriyam Capital. Would you be alright with
that?” Young master Ji San sent a message to Jiang Chen right before they went
through the door.
Jiang Chen smiled. “Someone like the clan lord would never
lower themselves to betray the likes of someone like me, so why would I hide it
from him? Plus, you are my sworn brother. How can I possibly trouble you with
such a thing?”
Young master Ji San was overjoyed, and he patted Jiang
Chen’s shoulder. “You are a true brother! Now let’s go! We shouldn’t let the
clan lord wait.”
The two entered the garden as they chatted with each other.
The garden was extremely large, holding a stable tiny world inside. Following
young master Ji San’s footsteps, the two arrived at an artificial mountain
where the sounds of water burbled happily in their ears. There was a man
standing beside the fake mountain, his hands behind his back. As he stood
there, he almost seemed to meld with the landscape itself to form an ink
painting that was full of extraordinary meaning.
“Pill King Zhen has come to visit you, clan lord.” Young
master Ji San withdrew his usual flippant demeanor and spoke respectfully to
the clan lord. It was obvious that he greatly admired the clan lord.
The person with his back facing towards them was neither
tall nor sturdy, but the way he stood there gave off the impression that the
world itself moved to a melody he controlled. When he turned slowly, the visage
of a calm old man entered Jiang Chen’s eyes. However, the senile appearance
that usually accompanied someone of his age wasn’t present at all.
“Well met, clan lord,” Jiang Chen moved forward and bowed to
the old man.
“What were you saying just now at the entrance, Ji San? Pill
King Zhen’s identity? Is there something else that you’re still hiding from
me?” The old man’s tone was a third interrogative and two thirds teasing.
Both Jiang Chen and young master Ji San were shocked. Their
communication had been through their consciousness earlier, so how on earth had
the clan lord heard it?
“You little monkey. Don’t you know how many restrictions
exist in this area? One of those is particularly tricky one that transmits
consciousness messages straight to my ears. Didn’t you know of it?”
Young master Ji San clicked his tongue and couldn’t say
anything for a very long time. Finally, he let out a wry laugh, “I guess not
even consciousness messaging is reliable anymore!”
The clan lord smiled leisurely, “It’s not impossible. If you
recognize this restriction for what it is and avoid their grasp on purpose,
then you can continue to communicate by consciousness as usual. Most
importantly, you let down your guard in the residence.”
Young master Ji San let out a small sigh of relief when he
noticed that the Coiling Dragon Clan clan lord didn’t seem to be scolding him.
The clan lord beckoned them over, “Come over and speak plainly, you two little
rascals. Pill King Zhen eh? Hehe, from what I can see, you’re just twenty years
old or so. That’s good. The saying that heroes can come from the youth isn’t
wrong, considering that you were able to strike such a massive blow to the
Majestic Clan. You’re also a successor of the Deviant Pill Faction. You’ll
definitely go far!”
“Junior Jiang Chen has been forced to conceal his identity
due to certain circumstances, clan lord. Please forgive my transgressions.”
Jiang Chen could only sigh as he said this.
“Jiang Chen? You mean Jiang Chen of the Regal Pill Palace,
of Myriad Domain? The youngster who killed an Eternal Celestial Capital holy
king? Are you him?” The clan lord was obviously slightly surprised by the
revelation.
“That would be this junior.” Jiang Chen was only twenty or
so years old during this lifetime, so there was no shame in calling an old man
who was over several thousand years old his senior.
“Well, isn’t that interesting. This is beyond my
expectations. I’d known of Regal Pill Palace’s Dan Chi, and I’d always assumed
he was the greatest genius in the Regal Pill Palace. But I never realized that
you would be the true genius instead, Jiang Chen! I have heard quite some
stories about your achievements. I hadn’t imagined that you would also be the
one who’d thwarted the Majestic Clan’s scheme. Heroes truly do come from the
young. How precious, how very precious!” The clan lord’s tone was full of
praise.
“I am truly honored by your praise, clan lord,” Naturally,
Jiang Chen couldn’t act as noble as he usually did before the Coiling Dragon
Clan lord.
The Coiling Dragon Clan lord nodded slightly, a trace of
appreciation appearing within his eyes. After a long moment spent examining
Jiang Chen, he smiled. “It’d be strange if I gifted you another Imperial Advent
Defense Talisman since Ji San has already given you his, but as the senior, it
is also inappropriate for me not to give you a gift during our first meeting.
How about this. I have two Sage Smile Pills here. It can increase a sage realm
cultivator’s power unconditionally by a level without any side effects
whatsoever. This is my gift to you. But you must remember that you can only
take one pill. They cannot be used in succession.”
The Sage Smile Pill? Jiang Chen was rather moved. This Sage
Smile Pill existed in his past life too. It possessed the same effects as the
Origin Doubling Pill, which increased the power of an origin realm cultivator
unconditionally by a level. However, the spirit ingredients of the Origin
Doubling Pill—the Firstcloud Dew—was already incredibly rare. It was a treasure
that one could only stumble across by chance. The spirit ingredients of the
Sage Smile Pill were even rarer than Firstcloud Dew, and the pill itself even
more so. He didn’t think that the Coiling Dragon Clan clan lord would give out
two of such precious pills just like that!
Chapter 792: Diagnosing the Coiling Dragon Clan Lord
The Coiling Dragon clan lord laughed when he saw Jiang
Cheng's and young master Ji San's surprise. “Don’t think too much on it. I
accidentally obtained some of its ingredients when travelling the world in my
youth, so I invited a ninth-level pill king to refine a cauldron of Sage Smile
Pills. That cauldron produced seven pills. Two pills went to that pill king as
his pay, while I kept the other five. I’ve already bestowed three on geniuses
in the clan. These two pills are the last ones I have left.”
Young master Ji San smiled. “I took one of those previous
three. Brother, there's no need to hesitate when the clan lord is gifting them
to you. Take them. The clan lord has many other good things anyways!”
Without any fawning, Jiang Chen bowed at once to express his
thanks. “In that case, Senior, it would be impolite for me to refuse. Many
thanks to the clan lord for his precious gift!”
A burst of curiosity possessed young master Ji San, causing
him to inquire, “Clan Lord, how are you even aware of me gifting my Imperial
Advent Defense Talisman to my brother Jiang Chen?”
“What's so strange about that? I was the one who gave you
that talisman, so it has my unique aura on it. I knew as soon as he came in.
You crafty fox, just tell me if you want another one. Beating around the bush
so slyly, hmm!” The clan lord seemed to be scolding him with his words, yet a
smile hung on his face. He was obviously planning on giving another one to Ji
San.
A mischievous smile split Ji San’s face, “Hehe, I know that
the clan lord dotes on me.”
The clan lord withdrew his smile as he put on a stern tone,
“Stop buttering me up. The reason why I bestow gifts upon both of you is
because of your candid words at the gates. If you were of two minds, or if you
were merely paying lip service, then you wouldn't have received anything.”
Young master Ji San scratched his head and sent a sidelong
smile at Jiang Chen, both of them secretly thinking, how lucky. Who would have
thought that careless words exchanged before coming inside would have benefited
them so much?
After indicating for Jiang Chen and young master Ji San to
sit down, the clan lord asked some more questions about the Regal Pill Palace.
Jiang Chen didn't disseminate and roughly explained the current situation. With
a sigh, the clan lord said, “The Eternal Celestial Capital's power is rather
formidable. Although it doesn't match that of Veluriyam Capital, I can't help
you reverse this situation with only my power. At least not for a matter of
this level. However, it's still possible for me to offer you some convenient
protection here inside the Capital.”
The clan lord wasn't distancing himself on purpose. No
matter what, the Eternal Celestial Capital was still a first-rate sect. It
might not be as powerful as Veluriyam Capital, but it was certainly a level
above the Coiling Dragon Clan. No matter how powerful Veluriyam Capital, it was
still just equivalent to two or three first-rate sects at most. Most of the
Veluriyam Capital's power lay in the seven great emperors. The Coiling Dragon
Clan might be the foremost clan in Veluriyam Capital, but it was still a
second-level faction. It wasn't powerful enough to contend with a first-rate
sect over a long period of time.
Of course, the clan lord's words definitely carried great
authority inside Veluriyam Capital's domain. It wasn't any issue for him to
protect Jiang Chen inside the Capital. Moreover, neither the Eternal Celestial
Capital nor the Ninesuns Sect would dream about running wild in public inside
Veluriyam Capital. The consequences would be too dire to contemplate if they
were to provoke the ire of the seven great emperors. So what of a first-rate
sect? If one offended Veluriyam Capital and aroused the thunderous wrath of the
seven great emperors, it wasn’t out of the question for them to completely
eradicate a first-rate sect!
Jiang Chen hadn't been counting on the Coiling Dragon Clan
to help him contend with the Eternal Celestial Capital. It wouldn't have been a
realistic idea. Although he did need to borrow borrow outside power to enact
his revenge and rebuild the sect, he had to have the strength to request it in
the first place. If he was too far lacking in strength himself, then it was
impossible for others to pay the great price of lending him their strength. At
present, the thing Jiang Chen lacked the most was personal strength. That being
said, strength wasn’t the only thing that added to his value. His pill dao
greatly enhanced his current value.
Young master Ji San spoke from off to the side, “Clan Lord,
Brother Jiang Chen is the one who told me about the Pinecrane Pill. Back then,
he exerted his all to prevent me from gifting the clan lord with the Longevity
Pill. He also stopped me from wasting quite a lot of money.”
Hope dawned in the clan lord's eyes. He was different from
young master Ji San. As a powerhouse who'd lived for millennia, he was still
more composed and more self-possessed than young master Ji San even as he stood
at this juncture between life and death. He didn't forget himself, though a
faint hope shone in his eyes. “Little friend Jiang Chen, to be entirely frank,
this Pinecrane Pill is of prime importance for this old man. I wonder, what did
your honored master say back then? I am eager for guidance.”
Jiang Chen hurried to say, “I dare not offer guidance, but
when my venerated master spoke of the Pinecrane Pill and the Longevity Pill, I
didn't believe him. As such, he refined a cauldron of Longevity Pills on the
spot so that I could broaden my horizons. As for the Pinecrane Pill, because he
had none of the ingredients on hand back then, I wasn't blessed with the good
fortune of seeing the venerable elder refine the pill. However, my master isn’t
someone fond of deceit. If he says it can be refined, then it can be refined.
And judging from his tone, refining this pill didn't seem particularly
difficult either.”
“Oh? The refining isn't difficult?” A brief flash of joy
glinted across the clan lord's eyes.
“My master's skills are divine when it comes to the dao of
pills. Even though it's not difficult for him, it might be something another
pill master wouldn't achieve even for an entire lifetime.” A strong sense of
worship emanated from Jiang Chen's tone. He knew that since he'd already
fabricated the mysterious character of his “master,” he had to maintain this
facade no matter what.
The clan lord's thoughts seemed to wander. “This honored
master must be a great expert in pill dao. Little friend, your fortune is truly
great.”
Jiang Chen nodded. “Yes. It was entirely unfortunate that I
could only learn from him for a mere ten years. Now that it's been so many
years since I last saw him, I miss him deeply.”
Young master Ji San said, “Brother, I know that you only
have one opportunity to contact your teacher. I also mentioned this to the clan
lord.”
The clan lord nodded. “I am someone about to die, so there
is no need for me to talk in a roundabout way. If I can obtain the Pinecrane
Pill and rise from the ashes, then you would be the benefactor giving me a new
lease on life, and also the benefactor giving our clan a bright path forward.
When the day comes, I will certainly bestow an even better fortune upon you! If
I break my promise, may the heavens and the earth strike me dead!”
An even greater fortune? Jiang Chen was slightly surprised,
but he merely offered a faint smile and didn't probe any further. “I felt close
to young master San at first sight. I treat him as a brother, sharing joys and
woes with each other. Leave the Pinecrane Pill to me. As long as you can find
the cone of an Invisible Chameleon Cloudpine, I can guarantee I will have a
Pinecrane Pill for the clan lord!”
This was the first time Jiang Chen had made such a firm
promise. Both the clan lord and Ji San lit up with delight. Ji San was the most
moved. “Wonderful, wonderful! No matter the cost we have to bear, our clan will
definitely find an Invisible Chameleon Cloudpine.”
As for the clan lord, he asked instead, “Is the Pinecrane
Pill truly so miraculous?”
Jiang Chen smiled. “The Longevity Pill can prolong the life
of cultivator in the sage realm for five to eight hundred years. Even the
shoddiest Longevity Pill can prolong life for five hundred years. For a
upper-rank Longevity Pill, prolonging life for a thousand years isn't a
difficult task. On the other hand, the Pinecrane Pill can help an emperor realm
cultivator live for a thousand years more at the very least.”
“Are these your honored master's words from back then?” The
clan lord couldn't hold back his surprise and joy.
“The master's words back then were even more exaggerated
than this. I’ve already softened them a little,” Jiang Chen said, smiling.
“Fate in his world is truly a wondrous thing.” The clan lord
sighed with emotion.
Ji San spoke up, “Clan Lord, Brother Jiang said he wanted to
check your condition and understand your situation, so that he may make a clear
report to his master in the future.”
The clan lord's smile was free and unrestrained. “As someone
not long for this world, I'm not much a stickler for propriety. Little friend,
do as you wish.”
Jiang Chen nodded. “Then I will be so bold as to try.” With
a blink of his eyes, Jiang Chen's God's Eye shone bright, releasing golden
light that swept deep into the clan lord's body.
“Hm? Is that an eye art?” The clan lord was slightly taken
aback. As the lord of a great clan, he'd naturally seen many who cultivated eye
techniques. However, it was his first time seeing such an incisive eye
technique. It was domineering and penetrating, a momentum that no obstacle
seemed able to stop.
“Clan lord, please restrain your consciousness and allow
this junior to check the condition of your body. I will be done in a few
breaths.” Combining God's Eye with the Evil Golden Eye, Jiang Chen's gaze
started roaming over the clan lord. At Jiang Chen's level, an eye technique was
enough to replace some of the more mundane methods of diagnosis.
The clan lord felt Jiang Chen's gaze wander over his body in
circular ripples. Under normal circumstances, he would have smacked someone
else dead already for the audacity of sweeping over him like this. However, he
was as obedient as a lamb right now, allowing Jiang Chen to do as the latter
wished without offering any resistance. Jiang Chen secretly admired his
tolerance. Those sitting in a leader's seat were usually mistrustful, while
this clan lord had obviously risen above such paranoia already. It was clearly
an insight born from this critical juncture where his life hung in balance.
Jiang Chen retracted his shining gaze after a few breaths.
With a nod, he said, “Apologies for the offense.”
With a slight nod, the clan lord indicated there was no
harm, while young master Ji San, unable to wait any further, asked, “Brother,
how is my clan lord's situation?”
After a moment of hesitation, Jiang Chen muttered, “In his
current state, the very latest that cultivation dissipation will begin is
twelve months. In the worst case, it’s more than possible for it to start in
nine months.”
“So soon?” Ji San was astounded.
The clan lord seemed to have anticipated such a result. With
a calm face, he sighed and said, “I still thought I could struggle and endure
until the opening of the Veluriyam Pagoda. It seems that it was a vain hope in
the end.”
“The opening of the Veluriyam Pagoda?” Jiang Cheng was taken
aback.
“Do you not know of it?” The clan lord shot a glance at Ji
San. He thought Ji San had already told Jiang Chen about this matter.
Ji San immediately slapped his forehead. “My poor memory! I
was only thinking about the clan lord's matter these past few days and
completely forgot about that. Brother, it's like this. The Veluriyam Pagoda is
our Capital's titular piece of architecture. It houses the ancient Veluriyam
King's empyrean decree. It opens once in the first year of every cycle, that
is, once every sixty years. There are altogether three towers in the Veluriyam
Pagoda, divided as one main tower and two auxiliary towers...”
Ji San started to talk at length about the various matters
pertaining to the Veluriyam Pagoda. “The competition for the Pagoda isn't only
a struggle for fame. There are tangible benefits to placing highly. The
competition for the main tower in particular, it's the stage for geniuses to
soar to new heights. Countless geniuses appear at every Pagoda competition that
the seven great emperors take a fancy to. They then go on to become influential
figures in the Capital. From the seven great emperors high above all the way
down to the common folk, the opening of the Pagoda is widely seen as the greatest
festival in sixty years.”
Chapter 793: A Way to Delay Cultivation Dissipation
Thanks to young master Ji San’s introduction, Jiang Chen
finally understood what the opening of the Pagoda meant to the Capital. The
Skylaurel Kingdom also had a wishing tower that was celebrated like a national
holiday every time it was opened to the public. The Veluriyam Pagoda was
Veluriyam Capital’s ancient building of inheritance and totem. In every
citizen’s heart, it was worshipped as their holy ground. The fact that it was
opened only once per sixty years showed just how important it was to the
Capital.
“Brother, I’m sure that the Pill Pagoda’s competition will
be nothing to you with your pill dao talents. Moreover, there is an iron rule
that states that all Veluriyam Pagoda competitors must not be older than sixty
years. This also means that every person has one, and only one chance, to
participate.”
“Even I can?” Jiang Chen looked surprised.
“Of course you can. You’re qualified as long as you have a
legitimate identity. Even a foreigner can participate in the event as long as
they acquire a legitimate identity in Veluriyam Capital first.” Ji San smiled.
“Doesn’t that make it very easy for enemy forces to
infiltrate your ranks?” Jiang Chen looked curious.
“Hehe. First, there’s no point in sending an ordinary
cultivator because they’d eventually be flushed out by true talent. The results
wouldn’t change even if they were to send thousands of such cultivators. But if
the enemy went so far as to send real geniuses into the Veluriyam Pagoda
competition, they would possess certain special characteristics that would
eventually be found out sooner or later. Moreover, all those who wish to be
chosen by the seven great emperors must be of clean background and survive a
rigid selection process. It is not at all easy to infiltrate our ranks.”
Jiang Chen nodded. He recalled that the Veluriyam Pagoda had
been passed down since ancient times, so they must have a way to filter out the
plants. If Veluriyam Capital was this easy to infiltrate, then it would’ve
fallen a long time ago.
“You are House Wei’s guest pill king, brother. Even if you
aren’t, the Coiling Dragon Clan still can provide you with an illustrious
qualification to participate.” Ji San encouraged him, “We are all born to
strive towards the top. Although you are closely knitted with House Wei now, I
am sure that you won’t stay there forever! Ah, I’m not trying to drive a wedge
between you and House Wei, it’s just that anyone can see that you’re fated for
something bigger. You simply must participate in the Veluriyam Pagoda
competition. This is also an excellent opportunity for you to rise swiftly to
the top. If you are chosen by any one of the seven great emperors, your status
would definitely rise by leaps and bounds. When that happens, you wouldn’t need
to worry about the likes of the Eternal Celestial Capital even if you were to
publicize your identity right then and there.”
Although House Wei was one of the Coiling Dragon Clan’s
forces, Ji San’s words were indeed completely selfless. He really was thinking
for Jiang Chen’s sake.
The clan lord also nodded, “You can consider Ji San’s
suggestion, young friend. In fact, I believe that you may participate not just
in the Pill Pagoda, but in the Martial Pagoda as well. With your talents, I am
sure that you can achieve great things, and perhaps even the main pagoda is not
out of your reach. This is a great opportunity for you to improve your status.
The human domain is particularly vast. Working solo is ultimately a path that
leads nowhere.”
Jiang Chen had to admit that he was tempted. Considering his
current situation and the rate of his growth, it was highly unlikely that he
could emerge as a prominent force without at least eight to ten years of
investment and work, and even that was optimistic. After all, pill dao talents
could at best only attract other people’s attention. It was extremely unlikely
that he could attract the undying loyalty of true experts with just pill dao.
“This is a rare opportunity, brother, you won’t find a
better chance than this. Moreover, you’re currently carrying a lot of heavy
responsibilities on your back, aren’t you? If you can win the favor of a great
emperor in the Veluriyam Pagoda competition, then a lot of troubles will
disappear from your path.” Ji San advised him earnestly and patiently.
“The Eternal Celestial Capital wouldn’t dare to harm you,
and you would have more channels to use in your search for your father. Even
your plans to revitalize your sect and rebuilt the Regal Pill Palace would be
much easier with Veluriyam Capital’s support.”
Jiang Chen nodded, “Thank you for the advice, Brother Ji. I
will consider this seriously and bring forth my full efforts to bear if I do
participate.”
“Now that’s how it should be!” Ji San smiled, “When the time
comes, the two of us brothers shall join hands and stun the Veluriyam Pagoda
event with our might!”
Jiang Chen gave him a smile and asked another question, “How
much longer until the Pagoda opens?”
“Next year on the 15th of March. It will last an entire
year, until March 15th of the next year. The Pill Pagoda’s competition will be
held during the first three months, then the Martial Pagoda’s competition for
the following three months, and finally, the main pagoda competition will be
held during the final six months of the event!
“The Pill Pagoda and Martial Pagoda’s competitions are just
warm up events. Only those who shine above the rest in those competitions will
qualify to compete in the main pagoda’s competition. Moreover, the seven
emperors’ forces will also participate in the main pagoda’s competition in
search of promising new talent. Anyone chosen by the seven great emperors will
become a member of an emperor level faction on the spot. It’s the moment of
their making!
“The 15th of March next year... that’s less than a year’s
time. Your health, my lord…”
The clan lord sighed softly, “News of my failing health have
long since spread in private. It’s just that none of them could confirm it
outright. Since it wasn’t confirmed, there aren’t many who’ve dared to act
recklessly. However, if they confirm that I’m about to lose my cultivation very
soon, then the Coiling Dragon Clan may immediately sink into a quagmire. That’s
why the Veluriyam Pagoda event next year is a major obstacle to me. It is an
event that even the seven great emperors are required to personally
participate, much less clan lords like us. When that happens, everything and
everyone within the clan will be put under a magnifying glass and displayed for
the world to see.”
A cultivator with dissipating cultivation looked completely
different from a normal expert. If an expert started losing their cultivation,
the symptoms were impossible to hide. The symptoms of power loss were even more
obvious than symptoms of illness, as the cultivator’s physique itself would
shrivel and wither. Anyone who wasn’t blind would recognize the symptoms of
cultivation loss. The clan lord had already cut back on his public appearances.
However, the Veluriyam Pagoda event wasn’t an event that he
could skip out on. It was an obstacle that he had to somehow overcome, for it
was around the time he would start losing his cultivation. When that happened,
the truth would be revealed. It would be an absolute disaster for the Coiling
Dragon Clan.
Jiang Chen nodded and closed his eyes in thought. After considering
many potential gains and losses in his mind, he finally spoke, “Clan Lord, I
may not be capable of refining the Pinecrane Pill, but my master once told me
about a way to delay the loss of one’s power. If the method’s results are
outstanding, then the symptoms can be delayed by five to ten years; if the
results are average, then it can still delay the symptoms by one to two years.
I’ve never tried it though, if you don’t mind…”
“What?” A light of hope suddenly lit up inside the clan
lord’s eyes. It was like a man who’d been floundering in darkness suddenly
finding a single ray of light. After studying Jiang Chen for a very long time,
the clan lord finally said solemnly, “How confident are you at succeeding?”
“I’ve never tried it before, so I dare not give you a number
to consider. However, this method has no side effects. Even if it fails, it
will not cause your condition to worsen. I can guarantee this with my life!” In
reality, Jiang Chen was about seventy to eighty percent sure that he would
succeed, but considering that his patient was a clan lord, boasting was
inadvisable, and safe was better than sorry.
“No side effects, is it?” The clan lord murmured, “Is this
fate? The last time a House Wei guest pill king offered his services to me, he
caused my condition to instantly worsen. But now, the same offer has been made
by another guest pill king of House Wei. It seems as though this is a test of
my faith.”
Jiang Chen didn’t answer, but his eyes were honest and
clear. He was simply giving a suggestion. Whether the clan lord accepted it or
not was his own choice. After all, the Coiling Dragon Clan clan lord had had
his trust betrayed before. Jiang Chen could understand his choice if he were to
turn down the offer. The reason he brought up this suggestion was because he
didn’t want to refine the Pinecrane Pill just yet. He felt that the time wasn’t
right yet.
If he were to refine the pill now, there was no telling if
he could maintain a harmonious relationship with the clan lord like today.
After all, the ruler of a great clan was no different from an emperor. These
people could change their minds in an instant, and there was no telling if they
could be entirely trusted. Jiang Chen had no intentions of revealing his trump
card this early.
As long as the clan lord’s life remained threatened, and as
long as the hope of treatment continued to lie in Jiang Chen’s hands, the
latter had sufficient room to advance or retreat. With this thread of hope in
hand, the clan lord would do everything in his power to protect Jiang Chen at
all costs. Although this wasn’t the most honest way, it was the wisest choice.
The clan lord wasn’t Ji San after all. Ji San was an
impulsive but loyal young man. Jiang Chen could trust the young master with his
life. However, the clan lord was the lord of an entire clan. Once he had truly
regained his vigor, the first thing he would consider was the overall interest
of the clan. Jiang Chen’s weight in his heart would also be downgraded from the
one hope that could save his life to a mere benefactor.
Although a benefactor was very important to a clan lord, it
was definitely incomparable to the only hope that could save his life. Even
though Jiang Chen didn’t think that the clan lord was an ungrateful person,
there was nothing wrong with preparing for the worst.
The clan lord pondered for a long time. Finally, a hint of
determination appeared in his eyes, “Alright. If this really is my fate, then
what do I have to fear? Do your best, young friend. If you can extend my life
for a couple of years, I will reward you greatly for this favor!”
Ji San was overjoyed to hear the clan lord’s agreement,
“Don’t worry, my lord. Jiang Chen is my brother. I can guarantee that his
character is impeccable with my head.”
“Hehe, I’m the one who made the choice. Why would I need
your head as a guarantee? Young friend, what materials do you need? I’ll send
someone to prepare them straight away.”
Jiang Chen nodded, “This method isn’t complicated, but it
does need a lot of materials. I’ll prepare a list of items right now.”
Ji San hastily went away to personally make preparations.
The list of items was quickly written down.
“Take my token and bring these materials from the warehouse.
Everything must be prepared within two hours,” The clan lord instructed Ji San.
“Will do!” Ji San took off as soon as he accepted the token.
Jiang Chen said to the clan lord, “Clan lord, if you’ll
excuse me, I will run through some simulations in my mind for a moment. Just to
ensure that I won’t make a mistake and fail you later.”
Jiang Chen sat down right where he was, meditating. He
hadn’t fabricated this delaying tactic out of nowhere. In fact, he remembered
at least ten ways from his past life that could delay the loss of one’s cultivation.
Therefore, he didn’t need to simulate anything at all. The reason he used such
an excuse was to avoid talking too much with the clan lord. He wanted to
prevent the clan lord from making any indirect inquiries that might put him in
a difficult position. Meanwhile, the unsuspecting clan lord actually grew more
trustful of Jiang Chen after witnessing such an attitude.
Chapter 794: The Five Elements Augmentation Art, Success
Ji San was quite competent. In less than half an hour, he
had gathered and prepared all the materials on the list.
“Clan Lord, please prepare a private room. Although the
process of the treatment isn’t difficult, it requires absolute silence and zero
interference.”
The clan lord nodded, “No one will dare interrupt this space
without my orders.”
The method Jiang Chen had selected was called the ‘Five
Elements Augmentation Art’. In his prior life, Jiang Chen had been born with a
yin constitution and thus possessed an extremely short lifespan. His father had
used heavenly power and utilized the Five Elements Augmentation Art to prolong
his life. However, there was a difference: the art his father used was called
the ‘Heavenly Five Great Elements Augmentation Art’. To put it bluntly, it was
an art that literally created life force out of nothing by using the energy of
the five elements within the body. This unnatural method had come at great
cost.
Even someone as powerful as his father would employ it only
once in a while. It wasn’t until the Sun Moon Divine Pill was refined later
that Jiang Chen managed to become a mortal with a lifespan that stretched over
millions of years. This Sun Moon Divine Pill had almost exhausted all of his
father’s fortune and was one of the direct factors that triggered the cataclysm
later. Although the father from his past life had never brought it up, Jiang
Chen had finally understood this to be true after he’d analyzed the matter and
the details of his previous life.
But by the time he finally realized just how much his father
had sacrificed for his sake, they were already a lifetime away from each other.
Of course, Jiang Chen was absolutely incapable of performing the Heavenly Five
Great Elements Augmentation Art. This art could extend a person’s life by
several thousand years every time it was performed. It was also impossible to
execute unless one had a degree of strength comparable to his father. However,
a rough and basic version of the Five Elements Augmentation Art was not beyond Jiang
Chen’s capabilities. Moreover, it wouldn’t use up too much of his strength.
Of course, this rough version didn’t possess even a
thousandth of the original’s power. At best, it could extend a person’s life by
three to five years. However, this would be enough. It was exactly the amount
Jiang Chen wanted. First, he would sell the clan lord a favor. It was also a
reciprocation for the gift he had received. The successful execution of this
art would also win the clan lord’s undying loyalty because the clan lord could
now be sure that Jiang Chen’s words were real. There was only good to be had to
winning the clan lord’s trust and admiration. As long as the clan lord wasn’t
suicidal, he would support Jiang Chen with all his might in the future.
Even though Jiang Chen was about to execute a simple version
of the Five Elements Augmentation Art, it was still extremely complicated and
not a technique that just anyone could control. There were a lot of internal
knowledge involved, and was thus impossible for an outsider to understand just
from observation. After he’d gone through a few simulations, the Art appeared
immeasurably profound. Jiang Chen wasn’t afraid that the clan lord would steal
the technique from him. Just like pill refining, it was impossible for anyone
to pick up how to execute this technique at first glance. At best, they would
be able to learn the superficial details. Moreover, Jiang Che was certain that
the clan lord wouldn’t dare attempt the technique carelessly. His life was at
stake, and reckless experimentation could result in his death.
As he started, the power of the five elements were being
gathered and pressed into the clan lord’s main acupoints through various seals.
These acupoints were all places that controlled the clan lord’s life force.
When the power of the elements entered his body, these main acupoints
temporarily regained their vitality and exuded a vibrant lifeforce. Jiang Chen
continued to seal in five elements power until he’d made forty nine main seals.
This covered all of the main acupoints in the body and formed a large cycle of
life force. A few beads of sweat appeared on his forehead when he was finished.
The process had been a lot harder than he’d initially
imagined, but thankfully, things had gone relatively smoothly. However, the
amount of energy he’d exhausted was greater than he’d imagined. Thankfully,
Jiang Chen had already ascended to earth sage realm. His sea of qi and
circulation of inner energy was much improved. Regardless, he felt a lot more
comfortable after he consumed a couple of energy restoration pills. He opened
his eyes, “You can move now, clan lord.”
The clan lord was currently in a completely relaxed state.
He didn’t dare put up any resistance, use the slightest bit of consciousness or
circulate his own life force. One could say that he was an insensanate doll
that Jiang Chen could manipulate however he liked. It was only when Jiang Chen
said that he could move that the clan lord finally came back to himself. He
began circulating his consciousness and life force once more. The moment he did
so, he was immediately stunned by the results.
“Eh?” A look of wild joy appeared on the clan lord’s face,
“My body! It’s so alive! I haven’t felt such a vigorous life force in such a
long time!”
Jiang Chen smiled and nodded, “The treatment has gone
relatively smoothly. It was a lot more exhausting than I initially imagined,
however.”
Gratitude appeared in the clan lord’s eyes. “I can’t believe
you have the ability to reverse death itself! What an eye-opener this
experience was! You’re truly brilliant, young friend! Most impressive, most
impressive!”
Ji San had also heard the commotion from outside. When he
impatiently burst into the room and looked at the clan lord, he was immediately
stunned. “Clan lord, your… your body seems to have improved a lot!”
“Haha, you’re right, you’re very right! Ji San, this brother
of yours is truly amazing! There aren’t many people who impress me in this day
and age, but today that count just went up by one more. And such a young
cultivator no less! The heavens truly haven’t forsaken me. It is the entire
clan’s fortune to be blessed with such an amazing genius!” The clan lord was
blooming with happiness and excitement. After all, he had been plagued by
death’s steps for many years. Naturally, the feeling of having put off this
final deadline and his burgeoning lifeforce was unimaginably wonderful. Even a
person who had lived for a couple thousand years couldn’t help but lose his
composure a little after being relieved of that burden.
Ji San hastily asked, “Brother, how long can the clan lord’s
current state be maintained?”
Jiang Chen said honestly, “Anywhere between three to five
years. Such is the extent of my abilities. If this technique were to be
executed again, its effect would be largely mitigated. It is truly a technique
that kills the goose that lays golden eggs, and a solution that isn’t really a
solution because it disturbs the harmony of the heavens. I’m afraid that my
teacher will scold me in the future for this bold attempt.”
Although he had used his fictional teacher to compose his
explanation, his words weren’t false. This technique took life from the very
heavens themselves, and there would absolutely be some side effects if used too
many times.
The clan lord said gratefully, “I won’t forget your efforts,
young friend. I will remember this enormous favor well.”
Jiang Chen sighed, “It is unfortunate that I can’t extend
the clan lord’s life longer than this.”
The clan lord waved his hands, “This is enough already.
Three to five years time is enough for me to get through the Veluriyam Pagoda
Meeting confidently. Plus, the chances that we can find the Invisible Chameleon
Cloudpine before the end of my lifespan are now far greater.”
“That’s true. Now we have three to five years of additional
time. Things are looking much brighter.” Ji San was all smiles.
His joy at the clan lord’s recovery was only natural. After
all, the clan lord’s fate was connected to the Coiling Dragon Clan’s fate.
Moreover, his brother had been the greatest contributor in improving the clan
lord’s condition. Naturally, it meant that his own contribution was quite
considerable too. There was no doubt that his status had just greatly risen in
the clan lord’s heart.
The clan lord flipped his hand over and showed them a
glittering token, “This is a Silver Dragon Medallion, young friend, a token
that commands authority second only to my clan’s highest Golden Dragon Token.
With this token, you may freely enter or exit the clan lord residence and see
me. You will also be able to pass through all blockades freely without having
to report to anyone. Moreover, even great clans would have to show you some
face with this token in hand.”
Ji San was overjoyed when he saw this, “Good luck has come
to you, brother. Even I haven’t been able to get a Silver Dragon Medallion
myself!”
Jiang Chen was surprised for a second, but immediately noted
that this token might actually be very useful to him. He accepted it with a nod
and said, “Thank you for the great gift, clan lord.”
“It is nothing compared to the favor I owe you for saving my
life,” The clan lord was obviously in good spirits. “I’m in a very good mood
today, so I insist that you drink some wine with me, young friend. Also, don’t
complain, Ji San, you are one of the successor candidates of the Coiling Dragon
Clan, so I absolutely cannot grant you this Silver Dragon Medallion. If I gave
the candidates something like this, you young’uns would only use it to strut
around Veluriyam Capital and show off your might. It would sow the seeds of
arrogance and be detrimental to you. Plus, how on earth will you temper
yourself if everyone is forced to give way to you because of this object? Jiang
Chen here is different. He has no foundation in Veluriyam Capital, so this
token may be of use to him at a critical time.”
Ji San chuckled, “I’m not asking for the token, am I? On the
other hand, an Imperial Advent Defense Talisman… Hehe, the clan lord
understands, right?”
The clan lord flicked an Imperial Advent Defense Talisman
straight at Ji San with a loud bark of laughter. “You little slyboots. Take it
as a reward for your great contribution. You’ll probably come back and nag me
if I don’t anyway.”
That was what he said, but the clan lord’s appreciation of
Ji San was as clear as day. It was obvious that Ji San’s recent performance had
satisfied him greatly. There were plenty of people who’d actively made
contributions to the Coiling Dragon Clan, but the only one who succeeded in
contributing to the clan lord himself was Ji San.
The trio began drinking inside the garden.
When the wine was quaffed, the clan lord instructed, “Ji
San, young friend Jiang Chen is the Coiling Dragon Clan’s honored guest.
Therefore, your first duty is to ensure his safety and assist Taiyuan Tower’s
development, starting from today. No matter what happens, you must remember to
protect our young friend. During times of need, you may mobilize the Coiling
Dragon personal guards directly.”
“Understood.” Ji San was overjoyed to hear that he could
mobilize the Coiling Dragon personal guards directly. This was an extremely
special level of treatment. After all, only those who had been selected to
become the clan’s next lord had the qualification to mobilize the Coiling
Dragon personal guards. Moreover, they normally had to obtain the clan lord’s
permission as well.
“Work hard. If you perform well during the Veluriyam Pagoda
competition, you’ll have a great chance to win the position of young clan lord
of the clan.” The clan lord was giving Ji San a rare firm hint.
Ji San felt even more delighted after hearing this. He
chuckled, “I’ll definitely do my best.”
After they departed the clan lord’s residence, Ji San
couldn’t help but thank Jiang Chen again and again. Jiang Chen merely smiled at
his thanks, “You and I are brothers. Thanks are unnecessary between us.”
“You’re right, you’re right. My good brother, we shall brave
hardships and enjoy blessings together! Oh right, you should think some more
about the Veluriyam Pagoda when you go back. I’ll have someone prepare a set of
detailed information for you once I return home. It’ll have all the interesting
stories and classics in Veluriyam Pagoda.”
Jiang Chen nodded, but changed the topic to something else,
“Brother Ji, I need a quiet and spacious place. Can you arrange that for me?”
“What kind of place?”
“As spacious and as secluded as possible. It would be best
if there is no one around at all,” Jiang Chen responded.
Chapter 795: Preparing for Long Xiaoxuan's Breakthrough
Ji San mused for a moment. "If you want a sparsely
populated place, you'll have to go outside the city. It's hard to find
somewhere like that within the walls. The Coiling Dragon Clan has countless
estates in the surrounding lands, so you'll have dozens of spots to pick from.”
There were several million miles of land under the
jurisdiction of Veluriyam Capital. As the foremost clan of the city, the
Coiling Dragon Clan naturally had properties all over the countryside. There
were many options for a secluded place. "Brother, what do you need it
for?" Ji San was curious.
"Cultivation for a breakthrough," Jiang Chen
laughed.
Deciding not to probe him further, Ji San simply nodded.
"Then, leave it to me. When do you need it by?"
"As soon as possible. It would be best if there was a
body of water nearby. A lake, maybe." Jiang Chen added another
requirement.
"Easy enough. I'll go make the appropriate preparations
now and take you there tomorrow. How about it?" Ji San readily agreed. To
him, details like that were merely a trifle. Compared to the things that Jiang
Chen had done for the clan lord, this request was negligible.
"That’d be wonderful. Thank you for your help."
Jiang Chen was just as straightforward. He wasn't making preparations for
himself this time, but for Long Xiaoxuan. It had been almost half a month since
the dragon said he was going break through. If Jiang Chen still didn't tend to
the preparations, the dragon would be furious.
Jiang Chen returned to Taiyuan Tower to rest for the night,
notifying Huang'er of his plans for the next few days. "Huang'er, Long
Xiaoxuan is going to break through to the emperor realm. Things are quite
urgent. I must leave the city to find a spacious area so that I can help
him."
Huang'er had seen Long Xiaoxuan once before, and was no
stranger to the dragon. "Would you like me to accompany you?"
Huang'er asked, ever so thoughtfully.
"You've been in the Capital for so long, and it can get
quite oppressive here. If you're not busy, let's take the chance to get some
fresh air together."
Huang'er nodded in response, her heart joyful.
Ji San arrived at Taiyuan Tower early next morning to seek
Jiang Chen out. "Brother, I've found a few good places. Here’s a map of
them, feel free to choose any of these."
Taking the map in his hand, Jiang Chen saw that the places
available to choose from had all been carefully selected and was immensely
satisfied. "Let's go here then.”
Ji San grinned, "Shall I guard you while you
cultivate?"
The clan leader had instructed him to keep Jiang Chen safe,
but from a personal perspective, Ji San also didn't want Jiang Chen to come to
harm either. Jiang Chen shook his head. "There's no need. It would be good
if you could keep watch for us here in the Capital. I don't want to be
followed, and this isn't a matter suitable for crowds."
As a private matter, cultivation was made worse by
over-participation. Ji San knew that as well as anyone else. "No need to
worry. There's no one able to tail us here in the Capital. Well, not on my
watch anyways."
Ji San made a few arrangements, then took Jiang Chen and
Huang'er around Veluriyam Capital in a way that made sure to throw off any
tails. Before long, the duo were sent out of the capital in secret.
"Brother, I've made sure that no one is following you, but security is a
lot worse outside the city. Adventurers and outlaws abound in these regions.
You should be careful, and worst comes to worst, remember the Silver Dragon
Medallion you have."
Ordinary wandering cultivators did not dare offend someone
with the Medallion. Jiang Chen merely smiled. "I've already cut through
entire armies to get here. We're only going for a walk outside the city today.
There’s no need to be overly concerned." In terms of methods of self-preservation,
Jiang Chen was likely far more well-equipped than even Ji San.
"Mm. This is my personal letter. Take it to the place
you wish to go, and tell the person in charge there that you're taking over
temporarily. They'll hand over control when they see it, and you can stay as
long as you like. It's all Coiling Dragon Clan land, after all."
Stashing the letter away, Jiang Chen gave Ji San a cupped
fist salute. "Brother Ji, see you around."
Ji San waved back, and watched as Jiang Chen and Huang'er
disappeared into the distance. "It's not often that I make the
acquaintance of a good friend. Suddenly separating like this… ah, I feel a
little reluctant."
But after saying so, he shrugged it off with a smile.
"Ole Mo, let's stick around for a while, and make absolutely sure no one
is watching or following them. We can go back after."
"Precisely," Captain Mo nodded.
Following the map, Jiang Chen and Huang'er arrived at their
destination in half a day. The steward here was surnamed Zhang and was a
retainer in charge of the nearby lands. He had received a message much earlier,
which was only reinforced by Jiang Chen's letter. "Honored Pill King, the
surrounding three hundred miles have been marked as off limits to all and
available only to you. Rest assured, the peace of your cultivation will not be
disturbed. Anyone insensible enough to disobey will be considered an enemy of
the Coiling Dragon Clan. We will kill them on sight!"
"Very good. Thanks so much, Captain Zhang. If I may, I
shall express further gratitude after my business here is complete."
Despite their differences in station, Jiang Chen didn’t put on any airs. Quite
the opposite, he was the picture of civility.
The retainer was flattered. "Not at all, not at all.
Pill King Zhen, you are someone important to the clan lord. I am only doing my
duty as a subordinate."
"Captain Zhang, there's no need to be so distant. We
are both on the Coiling Dragon Clan's side. We should be as close as family,
and all is shared between friends," Jiang Chen smiled.
Captain Zhang's heart filled with emotion at Jiang Chen's
words. Having been a retainer of these lands for many years, he was no stranger
to aristocrats from the capital who came out to the countryside to hunt.
However, those people were the very image of ostentation. When they were in a
good mood, they called him 'Captain Zhang'. Otherwise, they ignored him. Even
worse, they would often do as they wished. Though he was nominally the master
of the land, his feelings were entirely disregarded. It was quite a depressing
time for the captain in hunting season.
When he'd heard the news earlier about a pill king who was
coming to cultivate, he’d expected a difficult man with a mercurial temper.
Upon contact, however, he found his expectations rather overturned.
This Pill King Zhen was easier to talk to than anyone else
he knew. He was perfectly polite, and his words soothed people's hearts.
Captain Zhang didn't take it as license to ramble, though. Excusing himself
continuously, he and his men retreated from the premises.
"Brother Chen, your down-to-earth personality is really
likable. This Captain Zhang, for example… he probably suffers a lot under
normal circumstances. When we first came here, he was respectful but a little
adversarial. Now, it seems like he'd take his heart out for you." Huang'er
cracked a smile.
Jiang Chen easily returned the gesture. "I was just
putting myself in his shoes. If I were him, I would want to be respected as
well."
Huang'er was deeply moved, her heart in secret applause. She
was pleased with the degree of his magnanimity. After all, many young scions,
especially from noble houses, found it easy to lord it over those that they
felt superior to. They were long since accustomed to their positions of
superiority. It was difficult for them to maintain an ordinary heart. Yet Jiang
Chen had pulled it off. Moreover, it wasn't simply a charade.
Though Captain Zhang had already cleared the grounds once,
Jiang Chen wasn’t entirely at ease. Activating his Cicada Wings, he circled the
skies a few times to make sure the place was completely clear of outside
interference before descending again. Taking out the Ancient Crimson formation
flags, Jiang Chen planted one in each of the eight cardinal directions in order
to prepare a formation.
He didn't want an outsider to intrude on Long Xiaoxuan's
breakthrough. Once the formation was complete, the only thing visible from the
outside would be a black mass. After finishing his arrangements, Jiang Chen
went to the lakeshore to summon Long Xiaoxuan.
"Brother Long, please move the lake's water elsewhere.
I will put the wood spirit spring here instead. I haven't found a place yet to
keep it since recovering it from Gong Wuji. Let's house it here for a time,
just for your breakthrough."
With a single shake of his body, Long Xiaoxuan opened his
mouth to take in the lake’s water. It didn't take long for the lake to be
sucked completely dry. Jiang Chen took out what appeared to be a wine flask,
but was actually a treasure for holding liquids. Within it was the wood spirit
spring that Gong Wuji had taken, its full volume held by the vessel. Removing
the seal, Jiang Chen poured the spring out from the container. Green-blue waves
rushed out of the flask, jumping over each other. Before long, the majority of
the lake was filled again.
Seeing the wood spirit spring again was quite endearing for
Long Xiaoxuan. With a flip of his body, he dove into its waters, immersing
himself completely. Jiang Chen watched him for a moment before turning to
Huang'er. "Let's back off a little to the outer part of the formation. We
can keep watch from there. Best to avoid troublemakers from just barging in
here."
Though the formation cut off the outside world and provided
a capable defense, there was no guarantee that every expert would be denied
entry. Jiang Chen had no desire to see Long Xiaoxuan's breakthrough
interrupted. Exiting the formation, Jiang Chen and Huang'er found a peaceful
place to rest their feet.
Since they'd bared their hearts to each other, the two had
gotten a lot closer. Huang'er no longer avoided certain topics about herself,
and was happy to tell Jiang Chen about many things about her past. She was
especially eager to speak about the time she'd spent with Elder Shun after
they’d escaped the Myriad Abyss Island. Like a bird who’d escaped its cage, she
felt pleasure in freedom. That she had to adopt a wandering lifestyle was no
issue at all to her. "Brother Chen, I'd like to apologize for
something."
"What is it?"
"When Elder Shun paid attention to you all those years
ago, Huang'er didn't take him too seriously. I thought you were just some
duke's foppish son from an insignificant kingdom, and that maybe Elder Shun had
made a mistake, but… mm, now I'm quite embarrassed." Huang'er's smile was
full of innocence, without a trace of duplicity. She was graceful and sincere,
even in her admission of guilt.
In that moment, the sweetness of her smile sent Jiang Chen
into a daze. "That people as amazing as you and Elder Shun lived in the
Eastern Kingdom… that was also a thought beyond my wildest imaginations back
then." Jiang Chen shared a similar emotion in his reminiscence.
At the end of the day, he had the Heavenly Karma Pill to be
thankful to. If it wasn't for that pill's recipe, he never would’ve made the
acquaintance of the Hall of Healing. And if not for that, he never would’ve
been noticed by Elder Shun and Huang'er.
Suddenly, Jiang Chen's consciousness was struck by a
disturbance, and his expression froze. Standing up with a steely gaze, he shook
both wings, propelling himself into the air. His God’s Eye was entirely opened
in an effort to sweep the surroundings.
"Brother Chen, is there an intruder?" Huang'er was
a little surprised by Jiang Chen's unusual reaction, and shot up into the sky
as well, staying close behind him.
Jiang Chen paused for a moment, his eyes in close scrutiny
of the landscape, before he locked on to the south. "Over there. Let's
go."
Dozens of miles out, Captain Zhang and his men had set up a
line of defense on a mountain trail. On the other side was a group of ruffians,
their demeanors vicious and sullen. From their stance, it was clear they were
planning on barging into the area.
Chapter 796: Invaders
"I'm warning you again, this is private property owned
by the Coiling Dragon Clan, and completely off-limits. Anyone who forcibly
enters will be treated as an invader! We will not be responsible for any
consequences that may ensue!" Captain Zhang was resolute. Although the
other side had considerable numbers and seemed stronger than his men, this
territory was still his responsibility. He couldn’t tolerate any trespassers.
Moreover, he had a mission now. This area was temporarily under the
jurisdiction of Pill King Zhen, an honored guest of the clan lord. More
importantly, Pill King Zhen was an easygoing man who had been quite amiable
towards him. Captain Zhang was flattered by the treatment, and it made the
resolution to fulfill his responsibilities all the stronger.
The men opposite him were dressed in hunting gear. The one
leading them was an one-eyed man with a burly figure and an intimidatingly
arrogant demeanor. "Oh shut your mouth! We were hunting a true saint rank
spirit beast and almost killed it, but it disappeared into the surroundings of
this area. We suspect foul play. You must be the ones hiding our prey!"
"Yes, hand it over straight away. You should pay
attention to your own abilities before trying to rob us of our prize!"
Captain Zhang was upset by their fabrications. "I've
been here for a very long while, and I've seen no spirit beast at all! Enough
idle talk, leave or die!"
"Die? Be careful when you brag, you might hurt your
tongue! Threatening us when you're just a band of measly pushovers? What a
joke!" The one-eyed man snickered and waved a hand. The dozen or so people
around him swiftly scattered, a brutish grin on each face. Evidently, they
considered Captain Zhang and his men to be beneath them.
Captain Zhang was furious, raising a hand in counter to
their movements. "Men, form up!"
His troops had drilled together for a long time and thus
were well-coordinated. Though their individual strengths could not compare to
those of the opposing side, their synchronicity in combat made them formidable.
The one-eyed man laughed, a sound between a cackle and a snarl. He grasped the
air, and an enormous mountain-splitting axe appeared. With a single shake of
his arms, he transformed as he flared his aura and qi. The act burst the seams
on his clothes, sprinkling the rags into the winds. His rippling musculature
had the texture of steel, and gave off the impression of boundless strength.
Arm outstretched to the sky, the one-eyed man bellowed to his subordinates,
"Brothers, hold the line! I'm heading in!"
With a thunderous shout, the man slammed his mountain
splitter into the ground. The ground cracked instantaneously, growing into long
fissures that snaked outwards with maddening speed. A black blast of qi burst
out of the axe, hurtling towards his opponent like a herd of oxen.
"Out of my way!" The one-eyed man stomped upon the
earth and sped forward with impossible haste, cutting into Captain Zhang's
formation with a single swing. The splendid dark arc that the axe traced
through the air was accompanied by the cracking of necks. Captain Zhang's
warriors were cut down like wooden stakes, unable to react. Eight heads were
swept up by the axe, forever parting with their owners and flying towards the
firmament. The one-eyed man savagely chortled, "Break, break, break! I'll
destroy you all!”
His axe pounded the air like a pestle. The airborne heads
were smashed to smithereens like melons and onlookers were showered with flesh
and bone. The goriness of the scene ignited the one-eyed man's bestial side. He
threw his head back in laughter, and the bloodthirst in his eyes intensified.
The people behind him barked in support. "Boss Hong’s Universe Axe isn't
just for show! That was a slaughter!"
"Tsk tsk, I’m itching for a fight too now!”
"Leave some for us, boss!"
Captain Zhang was secretly surprised by the one-eyed man's
viciousness. He was a fourth rank sage realm expert, but this Boss Hong carried
himself like a seventh level sage realm expert. The captain’s heart dripped
with blood upon seeing his troops’ lives being reaped like wheat. With a
flourish of his silver blade, he cried out, "Everyone back off, I'll
handle him!"
Drawing a half-moon of glistening white steel, Captain Zhang
swept his sword towards the one-eyed man, creating room for his soldiers to
back off. However, his men didn't quite share the same idea. His troops were
loyal to the death, and their wills iron. The ferocity of their enemy only
steeled their resolve. Upon seeing their peers decapitated, they were willing
to fight to the last man. "Captain, please retreat! We will keep him
occupied!"
The guards didn’t retreat beneath the one-eyed man's blows
as they yelled, rather frantically advancing, rushing towards their enemy. Like
enraged beasts, they had nothing in sight but blood. They were willing to lay
down their very lives.
"Useless ants!" The one-eyed man sneered. He swept
the axe in his hand towards the warriors that came towards him in a wide,
horizontal swing. It whipped up a whirlwind that caught eight men within.
"Die!"
The axe was outlined in muted brilliance, shimmering like
innumerable black carp scales in water. But at this very moment—
An unexpected ray of light slammed into the blade of the
axe. The sudden interruption seemed to bind the axe with an unseen force as its
momentum stalled. When experts traded blows, victory or defeat was decided in
an instant. In that instant, the eight men who previously were sentenced to
certain death saw an opportunity to attack. All kinds of weapons flew towards
the one-eyed man in a flurry.
Greatly shocked by this turn of events, the man pushed both
arms forward, intercepting the attacks with his axe. At the same time, his body
bent as he hurtled backwards. His reaction was fairly quick, but even so, two
swords managed to breach his defenses.
Pfft! Pfft! One swish had cut his arm, and the other, his
leg. However, his defenses were formidable. The power behind the two swords
wasn't weak by any means, but they had only managed to slice skin and flesh,
and wasn’t a serious injury.
"Boss!" His henchman were astonished by the turn
of events, dashing to his side. The one-eyed man held up a hand to stop them,
scanning his surroundings before locking onto the northern skies.
Jiang Chen and Huang'er glided side by side towards the
gathered men. Captain Zhang's eyes lit up with a mixture of pleasant surprise
and mild shame. He had been unable to perform his duties to the fullest, and
the pill king had been disturbed.
"Pill King Zhen, my incompetence has caused your
inconvenience."
Jiang Chen's expression was contrite. "Captain Zhang,
it is I who should apologize. You lost several brothers for nothing because of
me."
Hearing his words alleviated some of Captain Zhang's sadness
and brought warmth to his heart. On the other side, the one-eyed man and his
underlings examined Jiang Chen with odd looks. More accurately, they were
examining the girl at his side. Their eyes were shifty and deranged, the light
of madness slowly shining out of their eyes, highlighting the men's wretched
and brusque manners. Though Huang'er had made some alterations to her original
appearance, the radiance of her exquisite beauty couldn’t be masked.
"Boss, this is the girl."
"Heh heh, so she came out on her own. Saves us the time
of searching inside. This is the time for us to shine in front of the young
clan lord, boss!"
"A girl as pretty as this is hard to find in Veluriyam
Capital, tsk. Where did this beauty come from?"
"Truly. Her composure, countenance, and physique are
unrivaled! The other women at the young clan lord's side just cannot
compare."
"Let's do it, boss!" Hong's followers all had
brazen looks on their faces as they openly leered at Huang’er, almost as if
they thought that Jiang Chen, Captain Zhang, and his men were already dead. The
latter group was completely ignored.
Having lived on Myriad Abyss Island since her childhood,
Huang'er was brought up as a lady in her family. Though she was designated as a
cultivation vessel for another since birth, her highborn status meant that
ordinary commoners had no place before her.
In the few years off the island spent in travel with Elder
Shun, she’d lived reclusively, without seeing many people. Certainly, she
hadn't been exposed this kind of coarseness on her travels. Hearing the
complete lack of respect and utter rudeness from these scoundrels, even someone
as serene as her felt a little upset. Before now, her good-naturedness had
stopped her from stooping to the level of any brutes that'd crossed her path.
But now that her and Jiang Chen's hearts were aligned, and their emotions known
to each other, she was upset at the things said of her in front of the man she
loved.
"Don't get angry. I'll deal with it." Holding
Huang'er's slender hands lightly, Jiang Chen gave her a consoling look.
Like a streak of sunlight, his gesture brightened Huang'er's
mood considerably. "Alright." She nodded gently in acquiescence.
Huang'er wasn't someone naturally delicate, nor did she like to purely rely on
others. However, she was perfectly happy to act both ways in front of the
person she liked. She knew that Jiang Chen was afraid of her harming her
consciousness if she grew angry and triggered the Hundred Generations Curse
again.
"Brat, you better let go of that girl. If you know
what's good for you, scram!"
"Girl, this brat doesn't look impressive at all. He
probably has no status either, huh? Being with him doesn't seem worthwhile. Why
not come with us to our young clan lord instead? He has enough riches to last
more than ten lifetimes!"
"Hey, boss, isn't she a flower stuck on a heap of cow
dung?" Another guy smacked his lips, smirking at Jiang Chen.
Jiang Chen already considered them dead men in his heart.
Unprovoked by the man, he asked quietly, "So you're saying, you made up
your words about hunting, and your true quarry is us?"
Boss Hong had recovered by now, and snickered in response.
He locked eyes with Jiang Chen, his gaze vicious and harsh. "Kid, were you
responsible for that trick earlier?"
"Answer my question first," Jiang Chen said
coldly.
Boss Hong looked unimpressed by his tone and burst out in
raucous laughter. "Ah, you’re smarter than you look! Why don't you look
yourself in the mirror first, kid. What makes you think you're worthy of a girl
as pretty as her, hmm? How's that saying go?"
"A man’s wealth is his own ruin when it causes greed in
others." An underling stepped up, affecting a foppish air as he quoted.
"Aha, yes, that's the right of it. Kid, you have no
ability, and you don't look like the heir to a noble house either, but you're
bringing a beauty everywhere you go. That's your crime!" Boss Hong gazed
at Huang'er openly, making no attempt to hide the perverseness in his gaze. The
occasional smacking of his lips only added fuel to the fire.
Chapter 797: Leave None Alive
The obscenity of the one-eyed man drove Captain Zhang to the
point of fury. "Show some manners! Pill King Zhen here is an honored guest
of the lord of the Coiling Dragon Clan. Are all of you as blind as old dogs?
You dare to trespass on our property and then trifle with our womenfolk!"
"Tsk tsk, you are one who’s a dog here, Zhang! Just a
loyal watchdog, you don't scare me! But hey, if you want, look, I'm sooo
afraid." The one-eyed man feigned fear, but his behaviour disgusted anyone
who had the misfortune to see him. He abruptly burst into wanton laughter.
"The Coiling Dragon Clan? I heard that it's the foremost clan of the
Veluriyam Capital! Haha, how prestigious and grand! It's a shame that it’s a
tower that’s about to collapse. Trying to scare Ole Hong when all the
inhabitants are trying to scatter, pfft!"
"So what if you're from the Coiling Dragon Clan? What,
are you gonna bite me? Who knows if that clan will even exist after this year.
Who're you trying to scare, ah!?"
"A fallen phoenix is no better than a chicken. A clan
that'll be ashes soon, that's what you're trying to scare us with?"
These people were clearly on bad terms with the Coiling
Dragon Clan, of that their opinion was clear. In their mouths, the Coiling Dragon
Clan received not a shred of respect, and in fact quite the opposite.
Captain Zhang was about to explode with fury. He didn't live
in the central part of Veluriyam Capital, only on the outskirts, and so wasn't
privy to the goings-on of the ruling class. But even he knew that the Coiling
Dragon Clan was the foremost clan of Veluriyam Capital. It was a symbol of the
power and authority of the city, and could not be challenged willy nilly. As a
subordinate to the Coiling Dragon Clan, Captain Zhang had always carried out
his responsibilities loyally in service to the clan. Given his devotion, it was
natural he would be furious at the sight of these people's insolence towards
the Coiling Dragon Clan.
Pulling Captain Zhang behind him, Jiang Chen brushed his
eyes across each man in the one-eyed man's group. There were nine in total.
"Hey, what're you looking at, kid? Are you just going
to to take this lying down?"
"That's right, we’re gonna steal your girl and slap
your face today, whaddya gonna do about it?"
"Boss Hong, I don't like the look in this guy's eyes.
Shall I gouge them out for you?"
Jiang Chen paid no heed to their words, instead he patted
Captain Zhang on the shoulder, "Captain, take your men and retreat for
now."
"Pill King Zhen, Ole Zhang isn't someone who's scared
of death. My higher-ups gave me orders to protect you. I will fall in battle
before I let you come to harm!" Captain Zhang anxiously replied.
Though they didn't know each other well, and while the
captain could even be said to be a little foolish, Jiang Chen rather liked his
forthrightness. "Captain Zhang, I don't like others watching when I kill
people. Please, consider you and these fine brothers excused. You can come out
again in a bit.“
"That, er…"
"Go on." Jiang Chen would not be refused.
Seeing Jiang Chen's persistence and lack of worry in this
situation made Captain Zhang worry even more, but he couldn't do much about it,
especially when even the girl beside the pill king didn’t seem to be anxious.
"Pill King Zhen, if you need help, just give us a shout. We won't be
far."
Jiang Chen smiled faintly, nodding to the captain before
looking back at the one-eyed man. He affixed his gaze upon the gang.
"Which one of you said they wanted to gouge out my eyes just now,
hmm?"
Jiang Chen's voice was cool. His Evil Golden Eye began to
faintly shimmer with their trademark colour, their light barely perceptible as
he looked at the man who had made the remark. The man was a fourth level sage
realm expert. He was confident in the idea of strength in numbers, and
personally thought that Jiang Chen looked fairly weak. What did he have to be
scared of? Sniggering, he stood out from his peers, thumping his chest.
"That's right, I said it. Are you gonna bite me for it?"
Jiang Chen nodded lightly. "Very good, you're quite
brave."
Activating his Evil Golden Eyes as he spoke, he gathered the
limitless power of the heavens and the earth. In a single instant, his eyes
became as brilliant as a beam of sunlight. In the void, the drums of war and
the hoofbeats of horses began to sound and the din of combat roiled. The next
moment, the power he'd gathered transformed into a laser-like golden light,
pouring itself into the wretched man's eyes.
"Aaah!" Having been injected with the potent
glare, the man's eyes became unmoving. With a feral scream, he clutched at his
face, twitching with every breath. His struggles didn't last long. With a
sudden tremor that ran through his body like an electric shock, he grew still
and fell over like a stone statue. Both of his hands were still over his eyes,
and his posture was of one writhing in agony.
"Ole Sixth, what happened?"
"Ole Sixth?" His peers were caught by surprise at
this sudden turn of events, the one-eyed man included.
On the other hand, a smile curled Jiang Chen's lips. His
demeanor was just as unassuming as before, almost like it wasn't him that had
shot a beam just now. The one-eyed man was the quickest to react, his gaze
hardening as he turned to bark at Jiang Chen. "What are you playing at,
kid?"
"What do you think?" Jiang Chen replied quietly.
The man met Jiang Chen's eyes for a moment before his
instincts sounded a warning in his heart. He quickly looked away, with a shout
to his comrades, "This kid has a creepy set of eyes, don't look him in the
eye!"
“Boss, Ole Six is dead, and his body is as rigid as
rock!"
"No, he’s hard as metal!"
The one-eyed man was horrified as all the hairs on his body
stood on end. A hint of dread crept into his eyes, and he backed off two more
steps. "Take out your weapons, let's take him out together!" He
shouted.
Snickering, Jiang Chen activated the Ancient Slaughter Formation
of Seven. The scenery before their eyes changed into an endless forest. An
endless wall of vines coiled towards the remaining eight, like thousands of
threatening tentacles. The strangeness of the transformation awed the eight
men. They had not expected this unusual shift in landscapes.
A formation? They scarcely had time to react to this before
they heard four screams of pain. Four men had been caught by the vines of the
Bewitching Lotus of Fire and Ice. Combined with the Ancient Slaughter Formation
of Seven, it was quite the deft tool for murder. In particular, cultivators on
the same level were as easy to reap as wheat.
The cultivators here were all uneven in terms of level. The
strongest among them, the one-eyed man, was seventh level sage realm. The
others were mostly earth sage realm experts, and two or three were even third
level - placing them in the mortal sage realm. Even a Jiang Chen that had just
entered sage realm would easily be able to cut several of them down, never mind
the current him at earth sage realm!
Seeing his comrades fall one by one, the one-eyed man was
both angry and fearful, and rallied them together. "Everyone, gather up!
We need to watch each other's backs."
Under the man's ranting, the four who remained took up a
position facing each of the cardinal directions. Each occupied a corner in an
attempt to fend off the vines that flooded the skies. Hands behind his back,
Jiang Chen was expressionless. Since they’d taken precautions against it, there
was no longer a need to use the Evil Golden Eye. With a flourish of his hand,
he produced a mirror.
He hadn't refined the mirror for very long, and so was only
able to use twenty to thirty percent of its power. This was the Featherflight
Mirror, one of the treasures that had belonged to Emperor Featherflight
himself. It was thanks to this mirror that Jiang Chen had been able to block
the one-eyed man's axe swing, and slow its sweeping impetus. Its reflected rays
had the effect of a space locking technique even from a distance. It was very
useful for hampering the opponent. A wandering cultivator like Emperor
Featherflight was very reliant on his various treasures to navigate the human
domain, and this mirror was one of his most prized possessions. Though Jiang
Chen could not yet bring the full potential of the mirror to bear, even the
small fraction he was able to muster was enough. Moreover, he had used it in
this battle in an effort to impede rather than harm. As long as the men were
slowed down, they were like lambs led to the slaughter in the Ancient Slaughter
Formation of Seven. There was no chance they would survive.
"Huang'er, these brutes must pay for speaking ill of
you. They didn’t come here because of some spirit beast, they were pursuing us
all along. If we were regular cultivators, we would surely be dead upon falling
into their hands. Which one do you think should die first?" There was no
pity in Jiang Chen's tone. They deserved worse than death.
Huang'er clearly shared his sentiments. "Mm, I agree.
They should not be forgiven."
Jiang Chen nodded in response, waving the Featherflight
Mirror towards his first chosen victim. The man instantly slowed down, and was
quickly ensnared by the wraith-like vines of the Bewitching Lotus.
Swish, swish, swish! A fire lotus plant carried him away, its
petals swallowing the man like a giant maw. His screams echoed long after he
disappeared, chilling his companions to the bone.
"You should stop here, kid! We are followers of the
young lord of the Murong Clan. A small-fry pill king like you killing us like
this… can you handle the consequences?!"
"If you kill us, then you will become the enemy of
Murong Clan's young lord! That's as good as being an enemy of the entire
clan!"
"If you stop now, we can still pretend nothing
happened!" Though these three had been arrogant before, they still
flinched when faced with the very real prospect of death. However, they weren't
aware how close and impending that reality was. They still thought that
bringing up their master would be enough to solve their problem. Sadly, they’d
already made a fatal mistake. They’d picked a fight with the wrong person this
time.
For other pill kings, even those in the Coiling Dragon Clan,
the consequences of antagonizing the Murong Clan were worthy of making one
pause. But, Jiang Chen had a personal bottom line when it came to how he acted.
Anyone who went past it was past negotiation. Even if they were direct
subordinates of the seven emperors themselves, Jiang Chen would still not bat a
brow at their demise. So what if they were from the Murong Clan?
With two swipes of the Featherflight Mirror, two more were
dragged away by the Lotus. There was no room for resistance. How were they
supposed to combat the vines of the Bewitching Lotus of Fire and Ice when they
were slowed by the Featherflight Mirror? They could barely defend themselves as
it was.
Now, there was no one left save the one-eyed man. He was a
general without soldiers. Even someone as proud and unrestrained like him had
panicked. "Kid, are you really killing us all?"
"What, you think I was joking?" Jiang Chen
sneered.
The one-eyed man's eyes were filled with unbridled terror
for a few moments when he realized that Jiang Chen was intent on cutting him
down. Finally, the man went beyond fear and began to laugh viciously.
"Kid, even if you kill me, then what? We've already sent a message to the
young clan lord! He's hunting nearby, and will come over very soon. The pretty
girl you have right now will be the young lord's. Wash your neck, and prepare
to die a brutal death!"
Chapter 798: The Loyal Captain Zhang
A young clan lord? Jiang Chen sneered. This one-eyed burly
fellow was a ruthless killer from head to toe. He'd slaughtered Captain Zhang's
subordinates without even blinking, the way one would kill chickens. Jiang Chen
naturally wouldn't spare a cruel and brutal man like this just because of a few
words of deterrence.
“It's best if he doesn't come. If he dares come, then I can
also kill him just like how I’ll kill you today,” Jiang Chen said while
flashing the Featherflight Mirror. This one-eyed fellow wanted to dodge, but
the Featherflight Mirror's speed was far beyond his ability to avoid. The
continuous flashes didn't leave him anywhere to hide, and soon, the Mirror's
glare landed on him. A lotus opened wide and, with a squish, directly swallowed
him whole.
The evolution of the Bewitching Lotus of Fire and Ice
required constantly devouring food, and powerful cultivators like him were the
best type of nutrients. Every time the Lotus swallowed a cultivator, it would
absorb the life essence born from their cultivation, furthering its own
evolution. The Bewitching Lotus of Fire and Ice was a sky rank species to begin
with. Its shape the first time Jiang Chen had obtained it was much inferior to
now. Back in the spirit realm, the Lotus had been Jiang Chen's trump card. Now
that he'd stepped into the sage realm, the Lotus was still an effective killing
tool.
After dispatching the one-eyed man, Jiang Chen tidied up the
scene and removed all traces of fighting, not leaving a single clue behind.
Only after that did Jiang Chen transmit with his consciousness, “Captain Zhang,
you can come out now.”
Captain Zhang highly respected Jiang Chen. As such, he
hadn't dared stay and observe the scene of the fight after Jiang Chen had
ordered him to leave, but he'd stayed on alert. It didn’t take long for him to
stride to Jiang Chen’s location.
“Hm? Where are they?” Captain Zhang was bewildered when he
saw the scene restored to its former state, not a trace of fighting to be
found.
“I killed them all, and I also tidied up the surroundings.
I've stored your brothers' remains inside this storage ring. Take it back and
give them a proper burial. I'm the one who dragged all of you in this matter.
I'll make sure to give you due compensation later.” Jiang Chen wasn't one to be
unreasonable, and even less one to shirk his responsibilities. He knew full
well that he shouldered a large part of the blame in this matter.
From the very beginning, the one-eyed man and his band
hadn't been after some spirit beast. They'd been after Huang'er. While the two
of them traveled here, they must have been inadvertently spotted from afar.
People had come and gone along the way, Jiang Chen hadn't paid much attention
to them. Who would have imagined that Huang'er's outstanding temperament would
attract this group of evil dogs?
Captain Zhang was feeling very ashamed. “It's due to our
insufficient skills that we couldn't accomplish the mission entrusted to us.
How would I dare ask compensation from the honored pill king?”
Jiang Cheng said, “Let's talk about it later. First, take
your people and retreat, as to avoid any further mishaps.”
“Mishaps?” Captain Zhang blinked.
“Those people were rabid dogs in the service of the Murong
Clan. Their master isn't far away and he'll be here very soon. You should hurry
up and leave, or you'll be implicated too.”
However, Captain Zhang was a stubborn man. He raised his
eyebrows. “How could we do that? Wouldn't we be shirking our duties again if we
were to leave now? How would we be worthy of the Coiling Dragon Clan's care
then?”
Jiang Chen was caught between laughter and tears. “This
matter doesn't involve the Coiling Dragon Clan, it's merely a private feud of
mine. I wouldn't rest easy if I were to drag all of you into it.” His face
turned stern when he saw Captain Zhang still of a mind to argue. “Captain
Zhang, if you care about the brothers under your command, then take them and
leave right this second. This matter is already beyond the scope of your
duties. If the clan lord raises the issue, I'll put a word in for you.”
Captain Zhang let out a helpless sigh when he saw Jiang's
Chen's resolve. He glanced at Jiang Chen and clenched his teeth. “Brothers,
we're leaving!”
Jiang Chen sighed in relief when he saw Captain Zhang lead
his men away. Jiang Chen wasn’t afraid of this young clan lord of some Murong
Clan or another. He'd met Wang Teng, the young lord of the Majestic Clan,
already. Why would he be afraid of this particular young lord?
Jiang Chen might not know how the Murong Clan ranked among
the twenty eight great clans, but the thing he could be certain of was that it
paled in comparison to the Majestic Clan. The Majestic Clan was strong enough
to contend with the Coiling Dragon Clan for the position of number one, so its
status was certainly a cut above the other great clans. Even if this Murong
Clan had some foundations, it still couldn't possibly be as strong as the
Majestic Clan. Since he'd already offended the Majestic Clan, why would he fear
a Murong Clan?
As they said, familiarity breeds contempt. Jiang Chen wasn't
one to stir up waves, but when trouble befell him, he didn't have any reason to
be afraid. In the end, he wasn’t the one who'd provoked them. They were the one
who'd provoked him, and for no rhyme or reason to boot.
“Huang'er, these crude pigs spoke groundless nonsense and
wronged you.” Though he'd destroyed the one-eyed man and his band, the anger in
his chest still hadn't entirely abated.
As for Huang'er, she responded with a faint smile, “A trifle
like this isn't much of a wronging. Rather, Huang'er is the one who’s dragged
Brother Chen down.”
With that, she let out a soft sigh. Although she didn't
agree with what they’d said about whatever femme fatale, she was still aware
that her looks attracted some unwanted troubles sometimes. That was also a
reason why she’d previously concealed her appearance. Neither fearful nor
guilty, she just wasn't willing to cause unwarranted trouble when traveling.
In fact, she'd already somewhat hidden her true features in
this appearance. Since she and Jiang Chen had confessed their feelings for each
other, she naturally wasn't willing to wear her previous ugly facade.
Nevertheless, even with that, she'd attract unwanted trouble even. This made
Huang'er slightly apologetic.
However, Jiang Chen's smile was free and easy. “Huang'er,
your innate beauty is ingrained in you. You can't hide your charms even when
you try to. How laughable, I even felt pity for you back then.”
“Pity?” Huang'er giggled. “Did you pity Huang'er for being
an ugly duck?”
Jiang Chen let out a gentle chuckle. This scene, these
feelings; they made him feel warm and happy like never before. He'd never met a
woman like this in his previous life, one who could give rise to such emotions,
such urges— At that very moment, Jiang Chen very much desired to possess this
woman in front of him, to possess her for a lifetime, and never leave her even
after they grew old and their hair white.
“I wonder how Brother Long's breakthrough is going?” Jiang
Chen suddenly realized with a start that if the Murong Clan's young clan lord
came to this place, it would probably be difficult to avoid disturbing Long
Xiaoxuan's cultivation.
Hence, Jiang Chen actually said, “Huang'er, it seems there's
no choice but to wrong you again. Please wear your mask for a moment.”
With a soft giggle, the obedient Huang swept her sleeves
over her face, a mask settling gently on it. Even Jiang Chen had to gasp in
admiration at her peculiar sleight of hand.
“Let's get out of here first.” In Jiang Chen's estimation,
if this one-eyed fellow had really sent news back to the young clan lord, the
latter would find his way to them in a short time. From the one-eyed man's
tone, this young clan lord was bound to be a despicable playboy. The reason
Jiang Chen told Huang'er to wear a mask wasn't out of fear of the young clan
lord, but because he knew they would certainly disturb Long Xiaoxuan's
cultivation if they started a fight here.
For that reason, even if they had to fight, they couldn't
fight here and now. They had to delay things for as long as they could. Long
Xiaoxuan's breakthrough would definitely not happen immediately. Maybe three to
five days, or perhaps ten days to half a month. Jiang Chen wouldn't allow
anyone to cause a disturbance during this time.
Long Xiaoxuan had put his trust in him and tied his fate to
Jiang Chen as an ally. Jiang Chen was a man of his word. Since they were
allies, he had to scrupulously abide by his duties at a time like this. Not to
mention that Long Xiaoxuan had become something of a hired muscle during their
travels, sharing difficulties and tribulations together. This was something
Jiang Chen firmly kept in mind. He couldn't leave Long Xiaoxuan, while the
dragon also needed him.
Just as Jiang Chen was about to leave, a figure quickly
strode in from a mountain path on the side. Jiang Chen looked over and saw
Captain Zhang coming back. “Captain Zhang, didn't I tell you to leave?” Jiang
Chen frowned. He didn't actually dislike this man. In fact, he rather admired
the captain. The captain might be a little blindly loyal, but he was certainly
a man who took his duties to heart.
Captain Zhang stayed silent a long time before finally
saying, “I'm going to stay here and protect Pill King Zhen.”
“Captain Zhang, do you know the consequences of intruding on
this matter?” Jiang Chen couldn't become angry when he saw this fellow's serious
eyes. He meant well, after all.
“I'm aware,” Captain Zhang said with a clear, concise nod.
“Even so, I must stay here. I don't want to send my brothers to death, but that
doesn't mean this ol' Zhang is afraid of dying. If not for the Coiling Dragon Clan
promoting me, I never would’ve gotten so far in this life. A cultivator is
always ready to die for one who puts his trust in him! I've never married
throughout my life nor any descendants precisely because I'd planned on selling
my life to the Coiling Dragon Clan! Those people insulted the clan, so they're
my enemies. When their comrades come here, they'll certainly be the clan’s
enemies as well. Even if I'm going to die, I will die on this piece of land.
This is my domain!” Old Zhang had clearly been holding these words for a long
time. The eloquent speech had not a shred of hesitation, only his strong
resolve.
Jiang Chen and Huang'er exchanged a glance. Neither of them
had foreseen that this Captain Zhang would be so devoted that he was ready to
die. Since he'd said so much already, it seemed inappropriate to chase him
away.
Jiang Chen immediately nodded. “Ol' Zhang, the Coiling
Dragon Clan won't fall with people with you at its core. Believe me, the clan
will stay the number one clan. No other clan in the Capital will overtake its
position.”
Captain Zhang's eyes shone. “Pill King Zhen, do you think so
as well?”
Looking at this hot-blooded fellow, Jiang Chen nodded in all
seriousness. “I don't simply think so. I'm stating a fact!” With such loyal and
devoted subjects, the Coiling Dragon Clan was worthy being of the number one
clan. Such foundations, such faith and loyalty; this was a core that only the
number one clan had. In contrast, the Majestic Clan lagged far behind. Jiang
Chen only saw fawning and flattery from the Majestic Clan's underlings, and
only fairweather friends. He'd never seen such unyielding loyalty!
Captain Zhang was delighted when he saw Jiang Chen's
certainty. He was about to ask something, but Jiang Chen suddenly cut him short
with a wave of the hand. “Someone is coming. Captain Zhang, take cover first.”
Captain Zhang quietly swore, “Must be those guys'
companions. Don't worry, Pill King Zhen, I’ve already contacted the clan. I'm
certain reinforcements will be here very soon as well.”
“You already notified them?” Jiang Chen was a little taken
aback.
“Yeah. Those guys seemed like trouble to me when they came,
so I'd already made a report to my superiors. Considering the amount of time
that’s gone by, they should be here soon.” Captain Zhang gave a firm, decisive
nod.
Chapter 799: The Murong Clan
The new group of trespassers was larger than the previous. A
young man dressed in luxurious clothes strutted at the front while accompanied
by a bustling group of experts. They raised quite a clamor as they moved. The
young man leading the group didn’t look more than twenty years old. He looked
rather handsome, but the movement of his thin lips added some malice and
frivolity to his appearance.
“Young clan lord, I believe that this is the place,” A
hunchbacked old man with a round forehead and eagle-like eyes next to the
youngster scanned their surroundings. It was obvious that he was an emperor
realm expert who carried himself with natural dignity and power.
“Where’s Old Hong and the others, Uncle Tuo?” The youngster
frowned.
The hunchbacked old man looked a little surprised too. He
couldn’t find any clues about them despite his search. “This should be the
place they mentioned in their message, but I can’t seem to sense their
presences. How strange. Young clan lord, there’s someone over there. Let’s head
over and ask them!”
“I’m too lazy to walk, Uncle Tuo. Just capture them and
interrogate the information out of them,” The young clan lord’s tone was
careless, but his words were that of a hedonistic person who cared nothing for
human life.
Obviously, this Uncle Tuo obeyed the young clan lord’s every
word. He cackled strangely and nodded before ordering the bodyguards around
them, “Protect the young clan lord properly. I’m heading over for a moment.”
The hunchbacked old man’s figure vanished like a wisp of clear wind, and he
instantly arrived in front of the hill. He stopped three hundred meters away
from Jiang Chen and his men.
“Come here, kid,” The hunchbacked old man sounded like a
broken bell. His voice was so shrill that it scratched at the heart uncomfortably.
Jiang Chen simply sneered and ignored him. However, Captain
Zhang couldn’t endure this transgression and abruptly shot to his feet, “Who
are you? This is the Coiling Dragon Clan’s forbidden area. How dare you intrude
here without permission?”
The hunchbacked old man was caught off guard. The Coiling
Dragon Clan’s forbidden area? This place didn’t look like a forbidden area no
matter how he looked at it. But this hunchbacked old man was not a coarse idiot
like the one-eyed man. He was an old and cunning bastard, and despite his
initial surprise at the announcement, he smiled faintly, “Who are you, and why
are you using the Coiling Dragon Clan’s name to intimidate me? Which part of
this place looks like a forbidden area?”
Captain Zhang yelled, “If the Coiling Dragon Clan orders it,
then any land in the Coiling Dragon Clan’s territory is taboo. Your people have
already crossed the boundary. Leave immediately!”
The more the hunchbacked old man heard, the more irritated
he became. Who the hell is this guy? How dare an earth sage realm expert put on
airs before me? His young clan lord had told him to come and capture someone,
not listen to nonsense. Therefore, the old man snarled, vanished, and pounced
on Captain Zhang wildly an eagle diving its prey.
Jiang Chen saw his movements clearly and threw out the
Featherflight Mirror. Whoosh! An invisible light was fired from the
Featherflight Mirror, and it struck the hunchbacked old man head on, greatly
slowing down his movements.
This hunchbacked old man was no ordinary person. He was
fifth level emperor realm and a top class expert even among the rest of the
young clan lord’s followers. He was also the head of young clan lord’s
bodyguards. He had also fought in innumerable wars in his life. Therefore, the
sudden decrease in his movement speed that happened without warning caused
warning bells to ring loudly inside his head. He didn’t dare to continue
further. He landed back onto the ground once more.
“Who’s there?” The older someone was, the more alert they
were.
Jiang Chen slowly rose to his feet, “Sir, how many times do
we have to tell you that this is Coiling Dragon Clan’s domain, and that you are
not to intrude without permission?”
Despite facing a fifth level emperor realm cultivator, Jiang
Chen was no longer who he was before. He couldn’t deny that he was feeling a
bit of pressure, but it wasn’t so heavy that he was intimidated.
“And you are?” The hunchbacked old man narrowed his eyes and
examined Jiang Chen.
Captain Zhang exclaimed, “This man here is Pill King Zhen
and the honored guest of our clan lord. Who are you people, and how dare you
behave atrociously in Coiling Dragon territory?!”
Captain Zhang was honest, but he wasn’t stupid. Although he
knew who these people were, he pretended that he hadn’t recognized them.
However, the hunchbacked old man raised his eyebrows as a light of recognition
flashed across his eyes, “You are Pill King Zhen of Taiyuan Tower?”
An indifferent smile appeared on Jiang Chen’s lips. Although
he noticed some undercurrents to the old man’s words, he thought it beneath him
to deny the admission. He hadn’t wanted to bring up his name, but Captain Zhang
had blurted it out before he could stop him. Since it’d already happened, he
had no reason to deny his own identity.
“You’re not denying it, so I’ll assume that you are Pill
King Zhen.” The hunchbacked old man chuckled evilly.
“So what if I am?” Jiang Chen’s tone was indifferent, “Are
you one of the Majestic Clan’s dogs? You sure don’t look it though.”
Jiang Chen noticed that this hunchbacked old man’s smile was
very unfriendly. Naturally, he didn’t care to be polite any longer. He was
hoping to avoid a fight, but it would appear that the circumstances were not as
kind.
The hunchbacked old man laughed loudly, “I am not a member
of the Majestic Clan, but the Majestic Clan is related to my young clan lord.”
With that, the hunchbacked old man turned around to inform the youngster,
“Young clan lord, something interesting has just happened. Do you know who that
guy is?”
“I have zero interest, Uncle Tuo. Have you found where Old
Hong has gone to? Also, where’s that pretty girl he said he saw earlier? That
old guy claimed that she was so beautiful that even I’ve never seen such beauty
before… I’d like to see with my own eyes exactly who that lady was to deserve
such exaggerated praise from Old Hong!” It was apparent that this youngster was
the young clan lord.
But instead of answering the question, Uncle Tuo laughed
with his broken voice, “If you can capture this person, young clan lord, your
uncle and your cousin Wang Teng will be most pleased!”
At first, young clan lord Murong wore an impatient look on
his face. But when he heard Uncle Tuo’s words, he raised his eyebrow and
floated to Uncle Tuo’s side in an instant. “What did you say, Uncle Tuo? What
does he have to do with my uncle?”
His uncle was none other than the lord of the Majestic Clan
himself. This also meant that young clan lord Murong’s mother was the younger
sister of the Majestic Clan lord. That was why the young clan lord had called
the latter his uncle, and Wang Teng his cousin. The two great clans were
extremely close with each other. The Murong Clan was pretty much the Majestic
Clan’s most solid and loyal ally.
“Young clan lord, you haven’t forgotten what happened at
Taiyuan Tower, have you?”
A ruthless gleam appeared in young clan lord Murong’s eyes,
“I was travelling in another region and didn’t make it to that pill battle in
time. I heard that Taiyuan Tower is the sworn enemy of my uncle’s family.”
Uncle Tuo chuckled and cast a glance at Jiang Chen, “The
main culprit of Taiyuan Tower is someone called Pill King Zhen, and it would
appear that this brat in front of us is that same person.”
Fierce light appeared in young clan lord Murong’s eyes. A
wolfish gleam seemed to shine from his pupils as he stared closely at Jiang
Chen. “Are you that pill king surnamed Zhen of Taiyuan Tower?”
Jiang Chen smiled coldly, “And who the hell are you to ask
me that?” Now that he knew what kind of relationship this young clan lord
Murong shared with the Majestic Clan, he knew that this grudge had been long
set in stone. So what was the use of courtesy in this situation?
However, Captain Zhang looked extremely displeased with
himself. His momentary lapse of judgment had caused him to forget about Taiyuan
Tower and blurt out Pill King Zhen’s identity. Moreover, he didn’t know exactly
what had happened inside the capital while he was outside. He never realized
that Pill King Zhen was the Majestic Clan’s sworn enemy. When he realized that
he had revealed Pill King Zhen’s location, Captain Zhang practically felt like
committing suicide. He felt like a cat on a hot tin roof.
Young clan lord Murong’s handsome face abruptly darkened as
a killing aura erupted from his body. “Take down this kid and pull out his
venomous tongue first, Uncle Tuo. Let’s see if he can keep up that cheek of his
after that.”
The hunchbacked old man chuckled, “Understood.”
Jiang Chen squared his shoulders and got ready for a fight.
He secretly slipped his formation disk into his hand, and was ready to activate
it at any moment. Be it the Minor Artifice Formation or the Ancient Slaughter
Formation of Seven, neither was enough to deal with a fifth level emperor realm
cultivator. However, they were enough to harass and delay his enemies for a
short period of time.
“If I were you, kid, I would save myself some pain and just
surrender.” Uncle Tuo laughed maliciously and pounced towards Jiang Chen like a
ghost.
It was at this moment a loud voice crashed through the air
like thunder, “I’ll kill every last one of your group, old hunchback, if you
dare make even a single move!” The sound truly sounded like a clap of summer
thunder as it came down from the sky.
Uncle Tuo felt his expression changed a little, as if he’d
heard the devil’s voice himself. He hastily protected young clan lord Murong
behind his back and looked ahead with a severe expression on his face, as if he
was about to face his mortal enemy. A rift was torn open through space itself,
and a man walked out. This man was stocky, spirited, and exuded immense
presence. He was none other than the captain serving under young master Ji San,
Captain Mo.
“Please forgive Ol’ Mo’s tardiness, Pill King Zhen. My young
clan lord is currently leading a large group of elites upon hearing that
someone is causing trouble here. He will be arriving immediately. Since he was
afraid that you might come off worse in the exchange, he told me to come
first.” Captain Mo possessed an immense amount of presence. His mere entrance
was enough to force looks of worry and unease on the faces of everyone on young
clan lord Murong’s side. “You’re quite bold, old hunchback. How dare you behave
so atrociously in Coiling Dragon territory? Do you want to take a gamble and
see if I can end your house’s lifeblood right here?”
Captain Mo chuckled strangely before sweeping his gaze
across young clan lord Murong’s body several times. Although young clan lord
Murong was also an outstanding genius, he was slightly inferior to Wang Teng.
He was ultimately just a young man about twenty years old of age, and at the
seventh level sage realm. He was considered good enough among all other great
clan descendants, but he hadn’t made it to the very top because of his age.
There was no doubt that a sixth level emperor realm cultivator like Captain Mo
could crush him as easily as killing an ant.
Uncle Tuo had a dark expression on his face as he said,
“Captain Mo, aren’t you afraid that your tongue will catch a stroke with such
boastful words? Your realm may be slightly higher than mine, but I’m not afraid
to take you on!”
“Oh? What if we joined the fray then?” Young master Ji San’s
voice rang through the air as an enormous group of troops descended from the
sky. Man after man, until a large troop of elites took position around the two
sides, completely surrounding Jiang Chen and young clan lord Murong.
Young master Ji San’s eyes were dark and cold as he stared
at the other side. “Color me curious, Murong Qiu, since when did the Murong
Clan grow so bold? You dare harm a member of the Coiling Dragon Clan in our
territory? It would appear that your father and your uncle haven’t taught you
the most basic of manners. Perhaps I should teach you a lesson of manners
today!”
Young master Ji San sounded as furious as a volcano that was
about to explode!
Chapter 800: The Coiling Dragon Clan Turning of the Tables
Young master Murong had brought a large group of people with
him and thus had held the advantage in numbers at first, since Jiang Chen’s
group only had three people. However, young master Ji San and his men’s
appearance suddenly turned them into the losing side with an absolute
disadvantage. Furthermore, young master Ji San had a high cultivation, a genius
just half a step away from reaching emperor realm. Every time he took a step
towards Murong Qiu, a few beads of sweat would surface on the latter’s forehead.
Uncle Tuo stared closely at young master Ji San with bloodshot eyes. He looked
like an animal desperately protecting its young.
“Don’t act rashly, old hunchback. If you want a fight,
you’ve got one right here!” Captain Mo chuckled oddly before he sprang off the
ground on the balls of his feet. He drew a circle in the air with a hand,
drawing it back and slamming it through the circle to send a palm strike flying
towards Uncle Tuo. Even the simplest technique possessed tremendous power when
executed by an emperor realm expert. It was a power that could shake mountains
and move the world itself.
Uncle Tuo didn’t dare look lightly on Captain Mo’s attack as
he yelled, “Protect the young clan lord!”
As he said this, he crossed his arms in front of his body,
receiving the palm blow as he strove to dissipate it. He pushed forward like he
was turning a millstone, eventually dispelling Captain Mo’s palm strike. An
exchange of experts was an extraordinary occurrence. Although it looked like
they were fighting in close combat, in reality the two clashed many times with
their domains as well. They were both emperor realm experts, and they both had
a rough understanding of the other’s strength. As such, there was no need to
deploy their emperor domains in full from the start. An emperor’s domain could
cause a lot of destruction. The people around them might be hurt because of it.
But although they hadn’t fully deployed their emperor
domains in full, the resulting impact of a tentative exchange was still shocking.
The surrounding folks faltered on their feet a little every time. In fact,
Captain Zhang literally staggered backwards. Jiang Chen remained unaffected. He
gently stepped in front of Huang’er to protect her from the shockwave.
Huang’er giggled, “I’m fine, Brother Chen. This tiny bit of
aura can’t hurt me.”
Although she couldn’t use her consciousness, Huang’er was
born of Myriad Abyss Island and possessed immeasurable strength. How could she
possibly be blown off her feet by these little aftershocks? The Murong Clan was
a second rate clan among all 28 clans in Veluriyam Capital, and so on a
completely different level compared to the number one clan, the Coiling Dragon
Clan. Moreover, they hadn’t brought their most elite troops with them this
time. However, young master Ji San had brought only elites to Jiang Chen’s
rescue when he heard that Jiang Chen was in trouble. Therefore, this battle
already heavily favored one side before it had even truly begun.
Young master Murong Qiu looked pale as he watched his
bodyguards being taken down one after another by the fearsome Coiling Dragon
guards. “You go too far, Ji San!” Murong Qiu yelled loudly, “We are both
members of great clans. What can you possibly do to me? If you kill me, even
the seven great emperors will not tolerate the Coiling Dragon Clan!”
Although Murong Qiu was afraid, he was an unyielding person.
Instead of begging for his life, he tried to verbally attack young master Ji
San instead.
Young master Ji San smirked. “I can kill you as easily as I
kill a dog, but I only plan to teach you a lesson on manners today.”
With that said, he took a step forwards and arrived in front
of Murong Qiu. Ji San swung his arm back and punched straight at Murong Qiu.
Murong Qiu was a seventh level sage realm expert, and hadn’t gotten to that
level with external help. He clenched his teeth, patted the silver ring in his
hands once, and conjured many sharp, silver rings of slaughter into existence.
With a growl, they cut towards young master Ji San.
This Silver Ring of Slaughter was a retractable killing
weapon. However, young master Ji San was a genius just half step away from
reaching emperor realm. He was stronger than even Cao Jin back then, so not
only was he fearless in face of the Silver Ring of Slaughter, he actually
brandished his sleeves and yanked all of the silver rings from mid-air, as if
he was turning a trick.
Murong Qiu was shocked to find his weapon so easily taken
down by his enemy. He immediately leaped towards Uncle Tuo. Young master Ji San
chuckled and sent a kick straight at Murong Qiu’s butt, landing it with unerring
accuracy.
Murong Qiu cried out and flew high up into the air. Then, he
crashed heavily on the ground like a splatter of mud. Young master Ji San took
two steps forward and stepped right on Murong Qiu’s face, “I heard that you
want to pull out my brother’s tongue? So should I return the favor and pull out
your tongue now?”
Young master Ji San exerted some internal strength and
stepped fiercely on Murong Qiu’s face a couple of times. Crack! Half of Murong
Qiu’s teeth were instantly destroyed. Blood, fluid and saliva leaked from the
corner of his mouth in an ugly fashion. Murong Qi snarled, “Kill me if you
dare, Ji San!”
Jiang Chen was prepared to fight to the death, but since
young master Ji San and Captain Mo had shown up in time, he decided to shelve
the thought for some other time. He walked over after seeing that Murong Qiu
had been put under control. “Murong Qiu, is it? I thought you were impressive,
but I guess you’re all bark and no bite.” Jiang Chen crouched down and patted
Murong Qiu’s face. He sneered, “Don’t you forget, this doesn’t end today.”
Since the Coiling Dragon Clan had taken action, Jiang Chen
had no interest in beating a downed dog. However, Huang’er was Jiang Chen’s
bottom line. Jiang Chen wouldn’t tolerate even someone ten times stronger
acting this way, much less Murong Qi. He had offended the Majestic Clan itself,
so why would he fear a mere vassal force of the Majestic Clan?
Since they were all great clans, young master Ji San
couldn’t possibly slaughter them to the last. After teaching all of them a
stern lesson, he noticed that Captain Mo and the old hunchback were about done
fighting.
The old hunchback had been at a disadvantage throughout the
battle, but ultimately Captain Mo hadn’t defeated him. The captain ended his
fight after seeing that the battle at young master Ji San’s side had come to an
end. Seeing that young master Ji San was done teaching their master a ‘lesson’,
Murong Qiu’s subordinates stumbled their way to his side and lifted him to his
feet. Murong Qiu had never suffered such a terrible loss until today. He glared
hatefully at young master Ji San and held up one side of his face. Without half
his teeth, he couldn’t help but speak with a lisp. “Ji Ole Third, the Murong
Clan won’t stand for this blatant abuse of power. We will sue you all the way
to the seven great emperors if we have to!”
Uncle Tuo was also furious after seeing his young master
beaten blue and black and partially toothless, “Mo, my clan lord will
absolutely hear of this!”
Captain Mo shrugged. He was just a subordinate. Whatever
happened after this would be the clan’s business and none of his concern. He
was a fighter and a bodyguard. All he needed to do was his job.
Young master Ji San smiled faintly, “What a joke! The
Coiling Dragon Clan hasn’t been the foremost clan in Veluriyam Capital for only
a year or two. Where on earth did you find the courage to fight us, ah? I guess
my punishment just now was too kind. You are the ones who intruded in our
territory. What can the seven great emperors say even if we did kill you?”
Although there were forces of varying strengths throughout
Veluriyam Capital, there was a set of rules that they all had to obey. There
was definitely a rule that stated that a faction shouldn’t intrude another
force’s territory. This was especially true when the intruders had attempted to
force their way in and even turned hostile after receiving a warning. This was
a great taboo. If the defenders were to take out all the intruders during the
clash, then the trespassers would have literally died for nothing. Young master
Ji San was absolutely justified in killing all of them. However, he didn’t wish
to make a complete enemy out of the Murong Clan without the clan lord’s orders.
The old hunchback said angrily, “This isn’t a core or
important location. Even if we did accidentally intrude into this place, it’s
still just a misunderstanding.”
“A misunderstanding? If so, then why did you still attack
the Coiling Dragon Clan’s honored guest? Are you going to tell me that this was
a misunderstanding too?” Young master Ji San sneered. He completely rejected the
old man’s cunning excuse.
However, the old hunchback continued to speak firmly, “There
are so many random people these days. Who knew if he’s just an imposter? He
hasn’t shown us any proof that he is who he is, and his tone is arrogant and
disrespectful to his seniors. How could it be wrong for me to teach him a
lesson?” The old man had a way to put himself and his side entirely in the
clear.
Jiang Chen sneered and said nothing. He knew that there was
no point in trying to talk reason with an unreasonable person. However, Captain
Zhang grew furious upon hearing this, “That’s not the case at all, young
master. This old hunchback said that he wanted to capture Pill King Zhen and
turn him over to the Majestic Clan after hearing his name. He said that young
clan lord Murong’s uncle and cousin would be very happy if Pill King Zhen was
captured. They are the ones who started things first, and they were really
disrespectful to the Coiling Dragon Clan earlier.”
The captain was an honest person. How could he possibly
stand to see the old hunchback distorting the truth however he liked and endure
it in silence? Ridicule gleamed in young master Ji San’s eyes as he stared at
the old hunchback, “Go on, just keep making up more of those lies! No matter
what you say, you can’t change the fact that you’re the one who provoked us
first. I was going to leave things at this, but if you want to point fingers at
us, the Coiling Dragon Clan can play with you to the end. Did you really think
that we’ve lost our fangs just because we’ve been silent for so many years?”
Young master Ji San obviously sounded more confident than he
was before. The Coiling Dragon Clan had kept a low profile for many years
because of their clan lord’s lifespan. Their forces had also withdrawn themselves
and avoided making too much contact with the outside world. This low key
display was naturally interpreted by the outside world as a sign that the
Coiling Dragon Clan was in its twilight years.
But after Jiang Chen had used the ‘Five Elements
Augmentation Art’, the Coiling Dragon Clan’s clan lord had regained his former
strength, and would be able to hold on for another three to five years. This
extension of the clan lord’s lifespan would at least ensure that the Coiling
Dragon Clan would survive the current dangerous period. Moreover, this period
was also sufficient for them to prepare the Pinecrane Pill. With the Pinecrane
Pill in hand, the Coiling Dragon Clan clan lord would add a thousand years to
his lifespan. He would definitely be able to return to his peak or climb to
even greater heights!
With these convictions in mind, it was only natural that
young master Ji San’s confidence had soared. Considering how many years the
Coiling Dragon Clan had kept a low profile despite being the number one clan in
Veluriyam Capital, and considering how many grievances they suffered to the
point where even a second rated clan like the Murong Clan would dare climb onto
their heads, young master Ji San couldn’t help but grow angrier and angrier.
Just because the tiger hadn’t bared its fangs didn’t mean that it was now a sick cat! Therefore, the Coiling Dragon Clan had to set an example and display its might and strength to the world, and the Murong Clan had graciously offered themselves on a platter right now. An attack on the Murong Clan would be an indirect one on the Majestic Clan. It would be a show of strength to the entire Veluriyam Capital and the world that the Coiling Dragon Clan was still the foremost clan in Veluriyam Capital!
