Chapter 63: Poison Cultivators
Jiang Chen and rest were all gathered in a courtyard in a fourth division.
Jiang Chen "Hmm. Since we are already here, I would like to tell you few points to remember."
Jiang Chen "In outer court, there are exactly five thousand members. We are just over hundred in numbers. It is lucky for us that we are arranged in close proximity. So most of us will not face direct threats."
Jiang Chen "Since me and brother Ha Ling are in first division, we will get significant influence in few cases."
Jiang Chen "You don't have to worry about weapons and pills, we will handle this situation. LingRou is also here ,she is also a 4th grade weapon maker. I will ask for her to make suitable weapons for you."
Jiang Chen "I have few things to warn you guys about. There are only 5 groups ahead us in numbers."
Jiang Chen "Xie Family, Sai Family, Xue Family , Han Family and Yin family. Others are insignificant before us."
Jiang Chen "There are over 500 members of Xie family here,over 400 members from Sai Family ,Xue family and Yin family and 300 members from Han family."
Jiang Chen "Now Han family is bit weaker, they lost over 100 members because of us.They don't know about our involvement yet, I don't think we would be able to hide it completely."
Jiang Chen "Han family will be in reshuffling and in fights would be happening now. Han Ming is their top genius and we removed his force. So, for now Han Ming would be trying to suppress one of his rivals and take over the force . It would take some time, so Han family will not try to get into fight with us, even if they want to get involved they will try to be with us."
Everyone were listening to this information carefully, everyone of them have already accepted the situation here. Here they are not just disciples but they also form an individual faction, led by Jiang Chen and Ha Ling. Their faction is not weak one."
Jiang Chen "Our immediate major threat is Xue family."
Ha Go "Brother Jiang, you have good relationship with the genius of Xue family Xue WuXia and WuHen, you helped them individually. "
Jiang Chen "That is where the difference between our thinking and theirs."
Jiang Chen "Xue WuXia even though she belongs to Xue family, she is not their genius. Instead she was suppressed by them. Now, their preference would be to control Xue WuXia back. Xue WuXia is their immediate concentration. But I would be seriously involved in this scenario. I am over 70% sure that Xue WuXia will get involved with us. She will be in our faction."
LingRou "Brother isn't it good for us to have her in our faction?"
Jiang Chen "She is the number one genius from Miracle Peak excluding me. She is a woman adding to it. The threat she brings is not just from Xue family, but from other peaks and seniors sect disciples too. She is the only sky grade cultivation technique genius in river province."
Jiang Chen "Also she doesn't have any numbers with her. Only her and WuHen."
LingRou "It would be biggest problem then. We should avoid such issue then."
Jiang Chen chuckled at this "She is a genius that can rival me. She matched me toe to toe in today s fight. I was only able to win because of her weak weapon."
Ning'er "Jiang Chen, you fought in equal grounds, you have advantage with fire attribute over her ice attribute."
Jiang Chen "Do you believe, that I can defeat a water cultivator with my fire attribute."
Ning'er "We have seen you doing this many times. You mean she can do same."
Jiang Chen "You have to believe it. You have to see her as you see me in terms of cultivation and fighting skills."
Ning'er and others were in thoughts, leaving Xue WuXia would mean there are no one other than Jiang Chen can stop her if she is enemy.
Ning'er "She would be double edged sword for us then. Even if she is with us it would be trouble and if she is not there also will bring trouble for us."
Jiang Chen "You don't have to doubt her capabilities, she would be able to handle many things by herself. She would be great addition for us in our future plans, when we leave River's province.."
Ning'er face was unpleasant, she already felt threatened by WuXia. She is better than her in everything.
Ha Ling "Now it leaves Xie family, Sai family and Yin family."
Jiang Chen "All of them are top families and have their own secrets."
Ha Ling "Secrets?"
Jiang Chen "Do all of you remember, what I told about those modification techniques."
Every one nodded their head. Just then there was a disturbance from the entrance and they saw WuXia there.
WuXia "I guess I cam at right time. I will also join the meeting." she stepped inside without permission and sat beside Ning'er.
Jiang Chen turned to Ha Ling and others asking for their opinion. They just nodded.
WuXia "Xue family would not act immediately, they are still not clear about what is happening. But Xue Long should not be underestimated. He is very dangerous."
Jiang Chen "What is that about Xue Long, even I feel that he is not that simple."
WuXia "He is specially nurtured by Xue family to be the next leader. No one is completely aware of his secrets. I even suspect that he could be a dual cultivator, there is also a possibility his secret art is very precious. Should be possibly high earth grade."
Jiang Chen "Ice attribute, high earth grade secret technique. What kind of technique could it be." Jiang Chen was thinking.
WuXia "It is not defensive or supplementary it was a technique guarded by Xue family."
Jiang Chen "Hmm. Secret techniques."
Jiang Chen "Yes, about those three families."
Jiang Chen "You should be very careful with the Sai family members, they are the most dangerous threat of all. Even more dangerous than Xie family."
WuXia nodded agreeing "Poison Cultivators."
Jiang Chen " Yes, Sai family are traditional practices of poison arts. They are their secret techniques. They modify one of their body parts with a deadly poison. You should never get into a fight with Sai family members without prior preparations. Today Ha Ling was really lucky. If it was a life and death battle, no one would have been able to save you."
Ha Go "Isn't it unethical to use poison in fights."
Jiang Chen "There are no ethics in life and death. There is only living and dying. Either you kill or you die."
WuXia "There are over 15 poison techniques with Sai family , they are techniques they commonly use. I don't have any idea about their guarded techniques and poisons. So, there is no particular antidote too. You would have to carry bunch of them if we are fighting them. They never reveal them unless they are in most critical situation."
Jiang Chen "I know only about their techniques, I can concoct pills for protection but there is not ideal one, that covers them mostly. They are so cunning that they created techniques such a way that the antidote of one technique would intensify the effects of other. "
Every one were sweating hearing this, how come Jiang Chen know this much information.
Jiang Chen " I would be trying to get a universal poison resistance pill, but it is very tough and out of my capabilities. So, enmity with Sai family should be avoided at any cost."
Jiang Chen "There is no direct way or technique to counter them. That is reason they are able to grow steadily even with their lesser numbers. There is one effective technique but only LingRou and me can practice it. It is called Fire Throne amour technique. It is based on fire attribute.There is also a techniques called Poison body , similar to their technique but a defensive technique,it is suitable for water attribute cultivators only, but that technique has no other purpose than protect us from poison. It would waste of efforts and also very dangerous to practice, it has success rate of 3/20, only three cultivators who practice that technique in twenty survive."
LingRou "Then how are Xie family able to hold the Sai family off."
Jiang Chen "There are eight top geniuses from Xie family, if I am not wrong at least two of them are specifically trained to counter Sai family. They select their most talented disciples and forces specifically to practice techniques to counter Sai Family."
Jiang Chen "Among 500 disciple, over hundred would be hear to deal with Sai Family and they are their top geniuses. They will not belong to any faction they are the weapons of Xie family."
Jiang Chen "Real strength of Xie family is these disciples, they will not be involved in any sect matters, you will not even know about their existence. They are the true threat from Xie family."
Now they are slowly gaining understandings on the bigger picture. They are never prepared for this situation.
Xue WuXia "You should also know, it would be Xie family that would trouble us more. They are very dangerous. Others may or may not trouble us. Han family is already down, Xue family have issues too, Sai family are mysterious group no one knows what exactly they want. Yin family, they are also ice attributed family like Xue Family, they didn't try to come out of River Yin City. Xie family , we are near River's city and they want to hold their power here."
Jiang Chen " Those are threats just among us in Miracle Peak. You will never know bigger picture."
Ha Ling "So, we have to concentrate on Xie family first."
Jiang Chen "It is exactly the thing we should avoid doing. We should avoid all the attention as much possible. Also I believe it would not be just me and Miss Xue here who practiced weapon techniques, there should be few more hidden weapons of Xie family and lot more people in the inner sect and outer sect."
LingRou "Brother, I am not understanding what you are trying to accomplish in this meeting."
Jiang Chen "I just want to find out, who here still wants to stick with us. Even though we already know all about them. You should know they will not target either me and Ha Ling directly."
Jiang Chen "Even, Ning'er might be able to avoid the trouble to some extent."
Jiang Chen "Their target would be you people. It is already established that. I care more about my friends and brothers. It is true too. If you are following me I will not differentiate you with others. They can't hurt me directly , their target will be you people."
Jiang Chen "So, I would make it clear. Those who still want to stick to us can do so, I will not treat those who left now as enemies.But, if I found those who are with me and betrayed me, I will not let them have death at all. You will not understand what my enemy gets."
Jiang Chen was silent and didn't speak further.
Xue WuXia "Jiang Chen is bit exaggerating. I will explain it more clearly to you. When you are in this kind of situation, where there was a constant struggle for power. Only two type of people survive. One is the person who is involved in a big and strong group already, others are person who is complete loner who doesn't have anything to fear they will not have any friends at all."
Xue WuXia "Both of their lives will have full of challenges, their own issues and all. No one will have a peaceful time."
Xue WuXia "That is the reason for this meeting. For you to know that all the bullshit you think and goals you have are nothing for the people like us or them. You would just become pawns in the game played by bigger pawns."
Xue WuXia "So, you should know already that you are a pawn, even I am but a pawn and same goes to Jiang Chen. For us to survive , only way is to know this. Their is no individual here."
It was too direct, she started with convincing tone and jumped to harsh threat.
Xue WuXia "Here Jiang Chen is only attempting to make you a powerful pawn that is it. You will be able to hold off however, you soon will be forced to choose a side , because lone tree always falls first when cyclone comes."
Jiang Chen "What are you trying to do?" he asked WuXia either she is mad or idiot to say this way.
Xue WuXia "They have to know it clearly, else it would be foolish on our part."
Jiang Chen "I never invited you."
Xue WuXia "Our goals are same."
Jiang Chen "They are not, you don't have faintest of idea about it."
Xue WuXia "That is why I like this challenge."
Jiang Chen "Ignore her. But she is right. We are just pawns. Well I am just a bigger Pawn now, there are few more bigger pawns than me and lot more bigger pawns than them. My goal is to find the biggest pawn, I will become bigger pawn only when I have my own lot of pawns."
Ha Ling "You both are worse at convincing people."
Ha Ling "For now you have to remember a simple thing, you sure need a protection from bigger pawn , you have a choice of your own on which pawn you should select. Shit it, I am also speaking the language of idiots now."
There are few laughs here and there.
Ha Ling " Well let me speak, you can not individually survive in the place like this. We are already outside our safety zone. For us to have better chances at future you sure need to find a better place where you feel comfortable. But there is a challenge for that comfort. You also have to protect that place."
Ha Ling "When you join a group, you would only be told about its gains you get. Brother Jiang being idiot, he started of with the threats first. Now you people know your leaders, enemies and friends and your challenges to some extent."
Ha Ling "Now you have choices to give up or be here in this place for better team."
One of disciple "But we are from same city and we are brothers."
Jiang Chen "Well it is good that you remembered that comrade ship. But, my only question and purpose is to find what are your limits of comradeship. Those words I spoke that day are still applicable."
Jiang Chen then took out his bow and arrow.
Jiang Chen "I would describe it simply. When you draw the bow to some extent and release it arrow flies relying on this tension of string.The longer you draw the longer it reaches and more powerful the force is. But if you draw it too much the tension will snap the string and bow is useless."
Jiang Chen "That tension here is your limits and commitment. I can rely on you people only to some extent else I will fail myself."
Jiang Chen "So, you reorganize your thoughts and think for your own future and what is good for you guys, if you decided to stick to this group you should know your limits too and your weakness. My goal is different from your goals, I will not say your goals are unimportant but for me they are. My goal is to go to Central Grand for now. Brother Ha Ling's goal is to roam around the continent freely unbounded. We have a similarity in our goal. So, we know why we are sticking together and our limits to this scenario. He believes that being with me will help him achieve his goal, I believe same way that Brother Ha Ling would be very helpful for me. So we know why we are sticking together."
Jiang Chen "LingRou believes what ever I do is for her good, her goal is to have a see things beyond. She has a reason to trust me."
Jiang Chen "What you receive , protection , resources and improvement are just part of things you need. You need a clear set goal and path. That is what I told you on the day of trial. Now I believe most of you have a target and path."
Jiang Chen "How many of you think that you have better chances to fulfill it with me? There would also be few who think that being with me is against their goal."
Jiang Chen "You choose now. You can leave only now."
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone