Chapter 1637: Zither Music Through the Walls
Buying and processing raw ores was a time-consuming task. Naturally, Yan Qingsang returned long after Yan Jinnan and his cronies had. Evidently, they'd already lodged complaints about him.
The residence that House Yan's visitors lived in was shrouded with displeasure. Wherever Yan Qingsang looked, he found faces with dark expressions. As a temporary sidekick, Jiang Chen feigned unease as well. In truth, he'd never been more excited in his entire life.
He had a feeling that he and Huang'er were right under each other's noses. The sensation of being unable to acknowledge each other made his heart beat faster. He was anxious and sorrowful all at once.
"Who is this, Qingsang?" One of the house elders furrowed his brow further when he saw a stranger being brought in.
"Elder He, this is a friend I've made here. We get along pretty well and I've learned much about ancient jade from him. I invited him back so I can learn more." Yan Qingsang fashioned an even-handed reply.
He had taken a softer approach back at Jade Revel Lodge for the sake of the greater good. He didn't want to show House Yan's internal strife before outsiders. Now that he was back and knew Yan Jinnan had already tattled, he was in a sour mood. He saw no reason to hold anything back now.
"Hmph!" Yan Jinnan slammed his hand on a table. "Qingsang, you're falling further by the day. I'd like to know what you meant by your actions back at the Jade Revel Lodge. Are you trying to drag the house down? It took a lot of effort to invite Xiahou Xi, but you intentionally ruined the situation! Your obstinance destroyed any good we were doing!"
The other House Yan members glared at Yan Qingsang as well. Clearly, Yan Jinnan had riled up their anger ahead of time.
Yan Qingsang snickered. "Yan Jinnan, I didn't turn on you back at Jade Revel Lodge because I wanted to hide any internal bickering from outsiders. I have no problem if you want to build a good relationship with Xiahou Xi, but your shameless groveling and brown nosing was only losing the house's face! You were itching to kowtow to him! House Yan's heritage spans tens of thousands of years, and we've maintained an excellent reputation for millennia. Actions like yours are the kind that really humiliate our house!"
"That's a load of bull! You didn't know what's good for you, and now you're slandering me!"
"Good for me? What, is licking Xiahou Xi's boots supposed to be a good thing, Yan Jinnan? Don't you see how they saw you as a clown? You were paying for their drinks and whoring, but you were also part of the show! We are a first-rate house just like them. Why can't we socialize with a bit more pride, even when we want to offer an olive branch? There's no need to stick your head into their crotch. Unless you were born wanting that, of course!" Yan Qingsang had finally had enough.
"Quiet, both of you! You can't talk like that, Qingsang!" Elder He hectored.
Yan Qingsang kept his head held high. "Elder He, I'm not good at with wordplay. But I do know that strength and foundations are the basis of mutual respect between first-rate houses. Flattery and currying favor will only yield temporary self-delusion. We can't possibly hope to be respected in the long-term doing that. If we don't want to be pushed out by our peers, we must hone ourselves and rise up again, not debase and make fools of ourselves. That will only make others think even less of us!"
He made a good amount of sense too. House Yan had been one of the biggest houses once upon a time, essentially on the same level as House Xiahou. Its weakening had occurred only in the last few centuries or so.
Thus, Jinnan's slavish behavior did cheapen and dishonor the house to a degree.
The house elders traded looks with each other, unsure of how to respond. Because Jinnan and Qingsang were backed by different parties, they weren't at liberty to easily pronounce judgment. They couldn't afford to be biased to either side, since they would face wrath from the other.
"Jinnan, Qingsang," Elder He advised. "You two have different approaches to things, but you're both acting for the good of the house. I hope you can let go of your prejudices towards each other and discuss a unified course of action ahead of time. Don't leapt into things impulsively. Our house can't take much more conflict. Don't mind what happened this time. Xiahou Xi is a genius in his house, but he is far from one who holds authority. His likes and dislikes can't influence decision-making… at least, not for now."
"What, that's it?" Yan Jinnan was dissatisfied with the conclusion. "Isn't it obvious Yan Qingsang was thwarting the house's interests?"
"Enough of that, Jinnan. Qingsang is part of House Yan as well. No one in the house would tolerate him if he were to intentionally act to our detriment."
"You should be a little more careful, Qingsang. Calm yourself in situations like these. No matter how unhappy you are, you should discuss it only after you're home."
"I understand." Yan Qingsang nodded coolly.
Butting heads with Yan Jinnan any more wasn't going to get anything done. A lukewarm resolution like this was probably already for the best.
Yan Jinnan thought rapidly and snorted. "I suppose that can slide. But what about Qingsang bringing a stranger back? That's pretty undisciplined, right? Elder He, Elder Quan, do you think this should be allowed?"
Yan Qingsang burned with indignation. "Yan Jinnan, you just won't let things rest, will you? What's wrong with me making a new friend? Is there some rule forbidding that?"
"There are bad apples everywhere," Yan Jinnan cackled. "You might think he's a friend, but how do you know he thinks the same of you?"
Elder He glanced at Jiang Chen, then back at Qingsang. "Where is your friend from, Qingsang? Why did you bring him back?"
"His name is Shao Yuan. He's a master of all things jade-related. The jade festival is about to begin,and I'd like to learn as much as I can from him. Is there a problem with that, Elder He?"
Elder He was foiled by this explanation. Yan Qingsang's actions were mildly inappropriate, but there was certainly no regulation forbidding making acquaintances of outsiders. He couldn't exactly say that things were inconvenient right now, could he? The reasons for it were too clandestine to divulge.
"I can't really criticize you, Qingsang, though I do think you're young and rash. However, you're responsible for anyone you bring back. Take care he doesn't inconvenience the rest of the house."
"Naturally," Yan Qingsang retorted indifferently. "I have my reasons for doing things. This is better than trying to butter up people that don't care about us anyways, no?" Saying this, he raised a cupped fist salute. "I'm going back to my room."
He turned to Jiang Chen. "Brother Shao Yuan, come with me."
Jiang Chen put on an apologetic expression, pointing abashed looks at the members of House Yan. Deep down however, he was mildly disappointed. He didn't see Huang'er anywhere.
Huang'er, where are you? He called out silently. The residence and its courtyards were quite sizable. Where was Huang'er within these walls?
He lost himself for a few moments, the strength sapped from his soul as he shambled along behind Yan Qingsang.
Back in the hall, Yan Jinnan gritted his teeth. "Why do you keep spoiling him, Elder He! He's positively lawless. If something happens because of the stranger that he brought home, who's going to be responsible?"
Elder He sighed. "Elder Quan," he turned to the old man by his side. "Do you think there will be issues with the man Qingsang has brought back?"
Elder Quan sighed as well. "He didn't look like he meant us any ill will. He's not plotting anything, as far as I could tell. Perhaps he's a wandering cultivator who wants to earn our favor?"
"Should be." Elder He nodded as well. "Qingsang's grandfather is a venerated elder of the house. We can't apply too much pressure to him. Let him be and keep an eye on his new friend. If the stranger really does have ulterior motives, we'll just kill him at the earliest juncture."
"A wandering cultivator is nothing to worry about. Be at ease," Elder Quan assuaged the crowd. "House Yan may be down, but we are still an enormous entity. A mere wandering cultivator here in the Bluesmoke Isles won't dare cause trouble for us!"
Everyone could agree with that statement. More than likely, this was simply an overreaction. The cultivator wasn't even empyrean realm. So what if he'd gotten in? What could he possibly pull off?
...
Jiang Chen recovered from his reverie. While he walked behind Yan Qingsang, he used his consciousness to probe all around himself for Huang'er's presence. Suddenly, he stopped dead in his tracks. There was music from the other side of the wall – the sound of a familiar zither.
It was the Ethereal Soothing Melody!
He had taught this piece to Huang'er many years ago. How would he not know it? In fact, it was what they'd cemented their affections with.
He froze, petrified.
"Are you alright, Brother Shao Yuan?" Yan Qingsang turned around.
Jiang Chen finally realized his loss of composure. Reacting quickly, he asked with some emotion, "Brother Yan, do you hear that? The zither! The melody is excellently played, an almost heavenly musicality. May I ask where it comes from?"
He could barely restrain himself. It was all he could do to show no aberrant behavior.
Yan Qingsang blinked. Sorrow flashed through his eyes. "It comes from a younger female cousin of mine, Brother Shao Yuan. Let's go!"
"Hold on," Jiang Chen waved. "This zither is so captivating to the ear. I'll regret it for my entire life if I miss it."
How could he manage another step? He desperately wanted to flip over the courtyard walls to find the source of the sound. He was almost a hundred percent sure that Huang'er was behind the music.
Yan Qingsang was taken aback. "Do you understand music theory, Brother Shao Yuan?"
"A bit," Jiang Chen admitted readily. "Such music can't possibly have been played by mortal hands. Do you house an immortal in this residence, friend? May I see the fairy behind these notes?"
Yan Qingsang's face colored. "No, absolutely not. Don't chase after impossibilities, Brother Shao Yuan. Let's go."
Jiang Chen sighed softly, then suddenly shouted. "Oh, fairy beyond the wall, I am Shao Yuan, a wandering cultivator. The honor of catching such a wondrous piece is one unparalleled by three lifetimes!"
Chapter 1638: Meeting Once Again
Jiang Chen's shout was extremely sudden; Yan Qingsang didn't have the space to stop him in time. The young man's expression darkened. "Brother Shao Yuan, what are you doing? Such behavior is unbecoming of a gentleman."
Jiang Chen chuckled. "Sorry, I couldn't help myself. Let us proceed."
If Huang'er really was on the other side of the wall, she would've heard. There was no need for him to linger; he'd give himself away if he did.
"Never again, I hope," Yan Qingsang harrumphed.
Jiang Chen nodded with a smile. "Your blunt refusal makes me a bit sad, my friend. Even if your sister is breathtakingly beautiful, I don't see anything wrong with what I said. Why are you so tense about it? Has she never seen a person from the outside world in her entire life?"
Yan Qingsang had no desire to continue the conversation. He sighed. "Well, I hope you took what I said to heart. No more of that. As for why? Honestly, it's a long story… and not one that has to be told."
He evidently wanted Jiang Chen to move on as quickly as possible. "Let us observe civility, Brother Shao Yuan," he remarked coolly, then turned. "Come."
...
The music came to a sudden halt as soon as Jiang Chen's shout was heard. Huang'er's fingers pressed down on the strings of her zither. Her body trembled, and she almost collapsed. Then, she recalled what Elder Shun had told her.
He'd said her that she was likely under constant surveillance.
Thus, she kept a lid on her rising excitement. But it was difficult to smooth over her inner turmoil for the time being. How could she play any more?
Shao Yuan? Shao Yuan? Countless thoughts flickered across her mind. Didn't Brother Chen use that name all those years ago? When he passed by Pillfire City on his journey to Tilted Moon Region, this was the name he used. This is the name that Peerless first knew him by. Can... can it really be him?
Her questions were more self-reassuring rhetorical than anything else. She was almost certain that it was indeed Jiang Chen!
The thought of it filled her with uncontrollable passion. She wanted to take a look herself several times, but held herself back each time.
She warned herself over and over not to make a wrong move. If there were hidden observers, she would only elicit their suspicion by doing so. She was clever enough to gradually calm down after realizing this fact.
Her heart had been like a boat in the midst of a tempestuous sea, helpless in dilapidating despair. But a ray of sunlight had dawned on her dark soul, filling her with incredible warmth.
Brother Chen had come!
The man that she'd wished for night and day had finally arrived!
She had firmly believed that her beloved would eventually come find her in Myriad Abyss Island. And now, he was finally before her!
Though this wasn't Eternal Divine Nation, what difference did that make?
Brother Chen must have suffered a lot to find me. The man from Winterdraw with a bounty on his head – Jiang Huang – that must be him as well!
He must've heard about the ancient jade festival in Bluesmoke, how the Ten Divine Nations' houses would participate. He must've known through intuition alone that I would come. His pseudonym was to notify me, and he purposefully loudly complimented my music just now. All his trouble sneaking into House Yan's residence was to look for me, to tell me he's here so that I can be at ease…
Huang'er felt that her heart was going to melt.
Brother Chen…
She could imagine the amount of trouble he'd gone to in order to find and approach her. It both touched and pained her heart.
A youth from the human domain coming to Myriad Abyss Island was arduous enough. That, plus a bounty from Polylore Divine Nation… Huang'er understood all the hardship and difficulties involved, very much so.
She wanted to leap into Jiang Chen's arms right now. Only that could alleviate the heartache caused by their separation. But reason told her that now was the time to remain absolutely level-headed.
If she acted rashly, the house elders could utterly crush their dreams of reuniting with mere moments.
On the other side, Jiang Chen had been dragged off by Yan Qingsang to learn all about ancient jade secrets.
Jiang Chen's own heart was entirely tied to Huang'er right now. Still, he mustered all his intellect to tackle seriously each and every question Yan Qingsang had, while he tried to brainstorm a way to meet his beloved.
He could vaguely sense two presences where Huang'er was, watching her in secret. It was enough to sober him up completely.
Huang'er wasn't in a good spot at home. She was carefully guarded even in this temporary residence. It was virtually impossible to speak with her one-on-one. But his shout had been more than enough to inform her of his presence. That was enough for now.
Yan Qingsang turned out to be a studious and single-minded youth. He discussed ancient jade for three days and nights straight, stopping only when Jiang Chen mentioned several times that he wanted to rest. All food and drink consumed during that time had been delivered to the room.
The jade festival was about to start in another few days. Jiang Chen wanted to bid farewell and return to his inn, but Yan Qingsang was reluctant.
Still, the young man had enough self-awareness not to force Jiang Chen into extending the teaching session. They settled into a routine of lessons during daytime, and regular sleep schedules at night.
"Brother Shao Yuan, the jade festival is in three days. There's a family dinner tonight that I'd like you to attend as well. Teach them a few things about ancient jade. I'd like to show them that a friend of Yan Qingsang is far from a waste of food."
A family dinner?
Jiang Chen was assailed by a number of thoughts. "Sure. But is it really alright for an outsider like me to attend your family dinner?"
"Why not? You're a brother of mine. I say that you can!" After a few days of discussion, Yan Qingsang was thoroughly impressed with Jiang Chen's wealth of knowledge.
He'd been hesitant before that, but true wisdom was difficult to falsify. Additionally, Jiang Chen had inserted a fair deal of his own ideas and ideologies into their teaching sessions. His learning and mastery of the world was more than enough to win Yan Qingsang over completely. This was exactly the kind of effect he'd wanted to achieve.
The family dinner was simply a casual gathering between all House Yan members who'd come to the Bluesmoke Isles.
There was a matter to be discussed at this dinner, naturally. The topic du jour: the jade festival.
When Yan Qingsang appeared at the dinner with Jiang Chen in tow, Yan Jinnan launched another offensive. "What do you mean by this, Yan Qingsang? Why have you brought the outsider to a family dinner? I guess you really don't consider him an outsider, do you?"
"Certainly not! He's a brother to me." Yan Qingsang's rebuttal was straightforward. "Yan Jinnan, enough of your ravings. I called you Brother Jinnan back at the Jade Revel Lodge because I wanted to give you some face. I don't feel that you deserve it anymore – you have no right to mouth off like this."
These two were completely at odds with each other now.
As an actual outsider, it wasn't Jiang Chen's place to intercede. He merely stood before Yan Jinnan with calm and poise, unfaltering before the latter's feeble attempt at intimidation.
At this moment, a pretty figure walked out from the end of the hall. Jiang Chen looked over.
His heart almost leaped out of his chest.
Huang'er!
It was the girl that occupied his thoughts day and night. She'd appeared before him so easily!
Yan Jinnan glanced at her with a sneer. "Yan Qingsang, your entire branch is heretical and traitorous. This missy here betrayed the house by fleeing many years ago, and now you've brought in an outsider to a family dinner. Are you trying to tell me something…?"
"Shut up, Yan Jinnan." Huang'er was the one to reply. Her exquisite visage was positively frigid. "Do you believe that if I were to kill you now, no one in the house will do anything to me?"
She leveled an emotionless gaze at him, her eyes flashing with cold fury.
It was daytime, but Yan Jinnan shivered at the chill. Though he was a genius of the house, Miss Huang'er was too.
Even the best genius of the house, Yan Zhenkui, couldn't claim that he was more gifted than the young woman before him. She had simply remained reticent all these years.
Jiang Chen was astonished by Huang'er's movements. She was shockingly half-step empyrean already. Hadn't she been below great emperor the last time he'd seen her? Evidently, she'd made tremendous progress in the interim.
When he'd first made her acquaintance, Huang'er's cultivation had been far above his. A single motion from her back in Regal Pill Palace had scared off an arrogant Ninesuns disciple at the time.
She had superb martial dao talent, but her Generation Binding Curse had limited her. Now that it was gone, her cultivation surged, unimpeded like a flood breaking through a dam. It had taken her the short span of several years to breeze past great emperor, reaching half-step empyrean with ease.
Yan Jinnan paled. His lips curled, and he moved as if to retort something, but stopped himself.
He didn't suspect the veracity of her words for a moment. If she did manage to kill him, there was no way the house would punished her. As of right now, she was the entire house's lifeline.
Chapter 1639: Huang'er's Anger
The atmosphere froze. Qingsang scoffed at the long face Yan Jinnan pulled. It was quite a satisfying sight.
Yan Qingsang and Huang'er had the same grandfather. That made them cousins — closer on the family tree. He was sympathetic to his cousin's plight, but her fate had been decided by the patriarch of the clan and their grandfather.
Though he pitied her, he didn't have a say in anything. He also knew that Yan Jinnan was asking for humiliation himself in provoking Huang'er. House Yan had plenty of geniuses. Yan Jinnan was nowhere near the top. How dare he have a go at Huang'er?
If Huang'er hadn't been cursed by destiny, she would be the most remarkable genius in the family. Not even Yan Zhenhuai would be able to outshine her. What the hell was a mere Yan Jinnan?
Jiang Chen secretly cheered on Huang'er. This was a side of her he hadn't seen before. When they were together, Huang'er had been polite to everyone. She rarely grew angry, let alone glare coldly and deliver threats. He admired her assertiveness.
He cautiously refrained from looking at her; he could feel two pairs of eyes staying doggedly close to their target.
The two elders openly chaperoning the outing walked in from the other side of the room.
Elder He had a stern look on his face. "Enough! Haven't you gotten tired of fighting? Are you proud of tearing the family apart?" His tone was grave. The youths lowered their heads and didn't dare say anything in their defense.
However, Huang'er remarked faintly, "Elder He, Huang'er has done nothing wrong. Yan Jinnan mocked me as soon as I showed up. Yes, I am cursed by destiny and can't blame anyone for being the house scapegoat, but that doesn't mean the family can jeer at me for it. Don't forget, I'm bearing the sins for all of you. Every one of you is responsible for my cursed fate!"
Elder He couldn't argue with that. With an awkward scowl, he snapped at Yan Jinnan, "Apologize, Jinnan! What do you think you're doing? Huang'er is suffering greatly for the family. Watch your mouth!"
Yan Jinnan didn't have a choice when he noted how harsh the elder's tone was. He reluctantly cupped his hands at Huang'er. "I apologize."
Huang'er huffed and asked indifferently, "Am I still allowed to dine with the family?"
"Haha, what are you talking about, Huang'er?" Elder He said with a smile. "You're part of the family. Of course you're welcome at the table."
Huang'er nodded. Without another word, she picked a spot and sat down.
Yan Qingsang sighed and didn't say either, taking a seat next to Huang'er. He might not be able to help her, but he wasn't going to avoid her like she was some monster the way the rest of the family did.
Jiang Chen naturally took the seat next to Yan Qingsang.
Elder He's lips twitched. He gave Yan Qingsang and Jiang Chen a pointed look. Words danced at the tip of his tongue, but the elder swallowed them in the end.
"Who is this, elder cousin Qingsang?" Huang'er's eyes flicked to Yan Qingsang.
Yan Qingsang hadn't expected his cousin to strike up a conversation. He smiled and quickly answered, "This is a new friend of mine from the jianghu. He's an expert of ancient jade. I invited him here to share his knowledge with everyone. I've learned a lot from him over the past couple of days."
Once everyone was seated, Elder He turned to Jiang Chen and said, "Shao Yuan, is it? Is your knowledge of ancient jade a family heritage?"
"Yes," Jiang Chen bowed slightly from his seated position. "My family's teachings combined with my bloodline allows me to reach some level of proficiency."
"Oh? Are you going to show everyone what you've got in this jade festival?" Elder He asked probingly.
"I do very much look forward to the festival," Jiang Chen responded in a dignified tone.
"Don't beat around the bush, Elder He," Yan Qingsang cut in. "I know you have your doubts about my friend. That's fine. The ancient jade festival is starting soon. If any of you doubt my judge of character, how about a bet? If anyone can reap more than I do in the festival, I'll give you ten million sky spirit stones!"
Ten million sky spirit stones was a great fortune. Even the first bounty the three Polylore houses had put on Jiang Chen's head was only ten million stones. Though, they'd steadily increased it to fifty million stones since.
Yan Qingsang's declaration sent a ripple of astonishment around the room. Even Elder He was shocked to hear the ten million stones wager.
"Are you really that confident, Qingsang?" Elder Quan smiled at him.
The boy smiled back. "I am, but they may not be confident enough to take the bet.
"Haven't you always considered me an eyesore, Yan Jinnan? Wanna bet? Ten million sky spirit stones are yours for the taking. Do you have the balls to take the challenge?"
Yan Jinnan was tempted. He considered himself stronger than Yan Qingsang. Still, strength in martial dao wasn't the determining factor in the jade festival. He couldn't make an immediate decision.
Ten million wasn't a small number. He could afford it, but it would hurt greatly if he lost.
"I'll bet with you," Huang'er piped up.
Everyone in the room started. Huang'er? What was she taking the bet for?
Elder He smiled wryly. "Never mind that, Huang'er. You can't."
"I'm taking part in the jade festival," she responded, unfazed by his words.
Elder He froze. He hadn't given her permission and never would. He exchanged a look with Elder Quan. For the moment, neither of them knew what to do.
"We can give you everything else, Huang'er," Elder He finally said, shaking his head slowly. "But I'm afraid we can't fulfill this request."
Huang'er smiled cooly. "Worried that I'll run away?"
Elder He and Elder Quan paused awkwardly. They were indeed worried that Huang'er would flee. After all, only the contestants could enter the trial grounds once it started. The age limit meant that old men like them couldn't even get in. If Huang'er did something then, they'd be completely helpless.
"We've already submitted the list of applicants, Huang'er," Elder Quan spoke persuasively. "We can't change it."
Huang'er shook her head. "You put together the list without asking me. I'm going to the festival, with or without being registered."
Elder He became a tad displeased. "Don't make things difficult for us, Huang'er."
"House Yan has never made things easy for me. You can't blame me for giving you the occasional trouble." Huang'er's tone was aloof. "Don't worry. I just want to experience the jade festival for myself. If you're worried that I'll run away, I can swear an oath."
"Huang'er, we still wouldn't dare take the chance even if you swear a death oath," Elder Quan laughed wryly.
A death oath wouldn't make a difference. The worst that could happen to her was death, which wasn't any worse than becoming Xiahou Zong's cultivation vessel.
"Then I'll swear an oath on my parents," replied Huang'er. "If I make a run for it in the jade festival, let my parents languish in prison forever with no hope of resting in peace."
Her parents were her biggest weaknesses. If not for them, she wouldn't have returned to House Yan. Them being held in a hellish prison was her biggest concern. If not for them, she wouldn't have agreed to becoming a cultivation vessel, either.
She would've run away from Myriad Abyss and never looked back. Even if Elder Xi went to her, she could've threatened to kill herself. She only came back for this particular familial bond.
Swearing on her parents was the most convincing argument. This put Elder He and Elder Quan in quite a dilemma.
They exchanged a look and held a muttered conversation. Huang'er was determined. If they didn't let her go, it was very likely that she would force her way into the forbidden area of the festival. If Huang'er was killed on spot, how would they explain to the family?
If they let her go, she might run into dangers in the festival. What if something bad happened to her? What were they going to do then? It was a difficult decision to make.
"Of course we believe you with the oath, Huang'er, but the jade festival isn't completely safe. You're too important to the family for us to risk losing you."
"The festival is for people to extract ancient jade," Huang'er remarked coolly. "It's not a battle royale. What's there for you to worry about?"
House Yan had six spots. They could afford to give Huang'er one.
After some discussion, Elder He let out a long sigh. "Us two old men have been hypervigilant ever since we take on this duty, Huang'er. You must remember your oath and refrain from fleeing, but at the same time you have to stay safe and protect yourself. If you can't agree to the two conditions, we won't let you go to the festival."
"I agree." Huang'er was nonchalant.
Jiang Chen was separated from Huang'er only by one person. He was ecstatic that Huang'er would be in the festival. He had thought that she wouldn't be allowed to, no matter what. But Huang'er had won for herself the opportunity to attend! Once they both entered the festival, they would be able to reunite!
Since the elders had given the permission, the others weren't going to argue. Though it rankled slightly that someone would be replaced by Huang'er, none of them dared to take a stand against her.
Huang'er was currently someone they couldn't afford offend, more so than any elders.
"That's decided then. Let us eat." Elder He motioned for the family dinner to begin.
Yan Qingsang tried to make use of the dinner to have Jiang Chen show everyone what he was capable of, but Elder He and Elder Quen didn't give him any opportunities.
This slightly frustrated Yan Qingsang, but he was more determined that he would thoroughly impress everyone this time. He would show these arrogant snobs that he was more capable than they thought, and that he was a greater judge of character!
Thinking of the ten million stones bet, Yan Qingsang suddenly chuckled. "Did you mean it when you said you'd take my bet, Huang'er?"
Huang'er smiled gently. "Of course I meant it. Money means nothing to me, Brother Qingsang. I'm not going to feel bad even if I lose to you."
"Good! Who else dares bet with me?" Yan Qingsang was in high spirits. He fit the image of a genius superior to the rest of his peers in the clan.
Yan Jinnan had had enough. "I'm sick of your smug face! I'll take the bet!"
Chapter 1640: Yellow Dragon Ridge
"I'll take that bet too!"
Yan Qingsang was patently quite good at provoking people. Yan Jinnan's agreement was met with a flurry of responses from the other two geniuses on his side. All of them could afford the ten million, though it would be a big hit to their personal finances if they lost.
Yan Qingsang cackled. "Sure, no problem. I'm glad you're all generously contributing to my pocket funds."
"Don't busy yourself with boasting yet, Yan Qingsang," Yan Jinnan snickered. "If we include Huang'er, there are four people betting against you. Do you even have forty million?"
"What're you worried about? Any betting defaults between house members are sorted out by family rules." Yan Qingsang shied away from saying that he didn't. "Plus, I'm more worried that you won't be able to afford it!"
Yan Jinnan slammed a table. "I don't want empty promises. If you want to bet, take out your spirit stones to show us. We won't take anything else as proof."
"Yes, yes, show us the stones!" The other two chimed in noisily as well.
Huang'er smiled faintly at the developing scene. "If you're all betting, then I'll pass. Brother Qingsang, do you have enough? I can lend you some if you don't."
Yan Qingsang was rather flattered. Huang'er was famous for her frostiness. Normally, she completely ignored everybody in the family. She had some past relations with him, sure – but that was solely due to their status as cousins. Her willingness to lend him some money was rather a surprise.
"If you're not betting, Huang'er, I have exactly thirty million for those three." This was just about Yan Qingsang's current entire net worth. It was a mad prospect to bet all of it at once. But he had the confidence to take that bet and win!
Without hesitation, he flung all thirty million spirit stones from his storage ring onto the table. "Win these stones from me… if you dare!"
Yan Jinnan and his cronies were indignant. They pulled out their respective ten millions eagerly.
"Elder He, Elder Quan, please serve as our witnesses!"
The elders didn't intervene in the rivalry between the house's youths. In fact, they tended to encourage healthy competition. Though the sum on the line was rather large this time, it might stimulate their initiative.
"Alright. If you've all agreed to the bet, then we'll be reluctant witnesses. But remember: no matter who wins, the losing party shouldn't be sore about it. Familial harmony shouldn't be harmed in this."
Yan Qingsang chuckled. "If they can win against me, that means they're stronger than me. I hold only admiration for the strong. Why would I bear a grudge?"
Yan Jinnan snickered. "I'm just worried that you won't pay up after you lose."
With the bet concluded, the family dinner continued. The elders related a few things more about the jade festival, wrapping the tidbits into a hefty helping of encouragement for the younger generation.
Jiang Chen laid low through the entire affair. Occasionally, he pretended to sneak a glance or two at Huang'er in admiration before his eyes quickly darted away. Doing so allowed him to draw less suspicion. It would be far stranger for him not to turn even once towards her throughout the evening.
After all, Huang'er was too remarkable a girl not to be the center of attention of every man. Feigning lack of interest was too fake.
In the latter stages of the banquet, Jiang Chen made a show of working his courage up for a round of toasts.
Elders He and Quan politely accepted the toasts to them with easy reciprocation. Yan Jinnan and company put on airs, and responded reluctantly with a sip only after Jiang Chen had courteously drained his own.
He didn't care about those people. His sole purpose for this round of toasts was to raise his cup to Huang'er.
When it was finally her turn, Jiang Chen acted like a brainless fan. "Miss Huang'er, I heard amazing zither music from the other side of a wall the first day I came here. You must be the musician. An immortal beauty such as you would be the only one to play such music. I am Shao Yuan, a wanderer in the world. Please accept my humble toast."
After all this time, he could finally speak with her face to face.
His words thoroughly warmed Huang'er's heart. She wanted more than anything to throw herself into his embrace. However, this wasn't the time to let anything show.
Instead, she assumed a guise of complete serenity. Lightly lifting her wine cup, she touched her lips barely to its contents. "Do you understand the zither, sir?" she asked indifferently.
"I'm a crude wanderer, Miss Huang'er. I know only the bare basics of music, so I dare not discuss the zither with you."
"Alright, alright," Yan Qingsang coughed meaningfully in interruption. "Enough with your rambling, Shao Yuan. My cousin's sights and future are lofty indeed. I hope you don't have any unbecoming thoughts aside from appreciating her music. Otherwise, we won't be brothers any more."
Jiang Chen laughed with some embarrassment.
"You talk too much, just like everyone else." Huang'er shot Yan Qingsang a detached glance.
"Haha, I was just reminding him not to create worries for himself." Yan Qingsang clearly didn't want Jiang Chen to strike up a lengthy conversation with Huang'er. Though he sympathized with her, he had to put the house's benefit first and foremost.
Elders He and Quan heaved internal sighs of relief when they saw Yan Qingsang's interference. They hadn't been happy about the outsider's toast and associated speech. In fact, they were worried that he would do something as foolish as profess his love. If that were going to be the case, they would have to think about how to kick him out.
They were very satisfied to see Yan Qingsang taking preventative initiative. Though he was a bit ornery, Qingsang knew what was best for the house. With him nearby, Shao Yuan wouldn't be able to do much even if he had any tricks up his sleeve.
Plus, Huang'er had incredibly high standards of her own. Why would she take an interest in a jianghu wanderer?
Jiang Chen drank the wine in his cup, then sat back down in his seat. He didn't linger on that topic of conversation. The family dinner came to its natural conclusion and everyone returned to their room.
There was some residual bewilderment, however, inside the mind of 'Shao Yuan'. He remembered when Huang'er left, she'd said that she would be delivered to Xiahou Zong as his cultivation vessel when she reached peak great emperor or half-step empyrean.
At the time, she had also said it would take fifty years. But it hadn't actually taken long at all for her to get there.
Huang'er's martial talent was much more incredible than he had thought. After the removal of the Generation Binding Curse, her repressed martial cultivation had undergone a tremendous breakthrough.
Because of Yan Qingsang's repeated invitations, Jiang Chen agreed to come back straightaway after attending to his personal matters at the inn.
His disciple Hua Ming was still there; Jiang Chen couldn't just abandon the boy. The young student was overjoyed to see the return of his master.
"Master, you were gone for several days for the registration. I was getting a bit worried."
"Haha, I'm fine. I'm going to the jade festival tomorrow. Keep cultivating here in the meantime."
"Yes, master." Hua Ming now valued his current opportunity a great deal. The more his cultivation progressed, the more he realized how uncommon his experience truly was. The path of martial dao became more and more attractive to him.
He now quite regretted his good-for-nothing time in Oriole Valley and was thankful for having met such a discerning master. How could he not be grateful for the life-changing events that had taken place?
Having settled the boy in, Jiang Chen returned once more to House Yan's residence.
Holding back his longing for Huang'er, he met with Yan Qingsang once more. The young man trusted in Jiang Chen almost implicitly now; there was nothing he would not talk about to his new friend.
The morning of the next day and under the elders' supervision, the group departed for the location designated by the jade festival.
They arrived at Yellow Dragon Ridge in about four hours' time.
The ridge was a vast expanse that occupied almost a quarter of Bluesmoke's total size. The mountainous terrain, a hundred thousand miles in radius, was a sacred place that produced plentiful ancient jade.
Reportedly, it was once a battlefield in the primordial times. Much bloodshed had occurred back then, and the corpses of their expert participants were buried here.
Their flesh, blood, bone, and heritage had melded into the earth. An aeon of nurturing from the earth was sufficient to transform all of this into the unique jade that was the Bluesmoke Isles' speciality. In fact, some claimed that Yellow Dragon Ridge was unique in all of Myriad Abyss.
There was already an overabundance of people when House Yan's team arrived. Bluesmoke had invited thousands of factions, big and small in their varieties.
The Ten Divine Nations' representatives received the most attention. Aside from those, a number of other isles on the same level as Bluesmoke had been invited as well. Each set of isles had its own assortment of powers.
As such, the jade festival bustled with activity. And this was all without mentioning that the festival was technically open to wandering cultivators as well!
The Ten Divine Nations had several dozen factions in total. Each faction was eligible to enter five to ten people. Considering these alone yielded several hundred.
The lesser isles' factions received fewer entrant slots, but the factions themselves were far more numerous. In total, they amounted to about three thousand. The Bluesmoke Isles' own nobles and factions took another few hundred or so placements.
Lastly, about three thousand wandering cultivators had signed up. Adding all of these subdivisions up, the final total was almost eight thousand people. This was an extremely sizable event, considering the caliber of participants.
The upper crust of the Bluesmoke Isles stood above everyone else, paying their respects to all the honored guests they'd invited. There was a lot of grandstanding and speechmaking, but it generally boiled down to something resembling how pleased and privileged they were to have everyone gathered here.
Jiang Chen had no interest in listening to empty words. He devoted his time to observing the Ten Divine Nations' teams and geniuses instead. The Ten Divine Nations' geniuses really were on another level. A single one of them would be considered an extremely powerful expert in the human domain.
No wonder Huang'er told me that I couldn't come to Myriad Abyss without ascending to great emperor. She certainly had her reasons for saying that.
The more Jiang Chen looked around, the more solemn he became. Presumably, the strongest geniuses hadn't come to this event. Even so, there were more than enough terrifying strong attendees. He wasn't afraid of them though. So what if they were geniuses? He'd seen many like them and more in his last life.
Chapter 1641: Lovers Finally Reunite
It wasn't the ancient jade festival nor the impending competition with the Ten Divine Nations' geniuses that he most looked forward to. It was Huang'er. He had done all this solely for her sake.
He was at the jade festival solely for a legitimate excuse to meet with her. He'd done a great deal for this chance.
For her part, Huang'er had also intuited he would be here. Though she hadn't originally planned to come, she had specially requested it.
"Honored guests, the area we are opening this time is unprecedentedly large. You are free to go anywhere within a ten-thousand-mile radius. Anything dug up will belong to you and you alone. The Bluesmoke Isles will not take a cut from it.
"Of course, there are many competitors in the ancient jade festival as well. Conflict is unavoidable, but I must remind all of you: any death or injuries sustained are your responsibility. Bluesmoke offers only this arena of activity and does not bear responsibility for what you do here. We can only request that you bow to reason and avoid any murderous clashes."
These words were meant for the guests, especially those from the Ten Divine Nations.
Everyone had heard about the happenings of Winterdraw. Though Bluesmoke had been able to invite these honored guests, it didn't wish for a repeat for what had taken place elsewhere. If something happened to a young genius from the Ten Divine Nations, they didn't want to be blamed.
Jiang Chen found this rather amusing. Still, wanting to absolve themselves of responsibility in the face of a previous example was reasonable enough. The Rejuvenation Isles had been unlucky indeed. The wrath of three Polylore aristocratic houses had completely turned them upside down and thrown them into mad chaos.
The bluntness of the warning was perhaps a bit painful, but necessary.
"Alright, I think we've said everything that needs to be said. All participants, please prepare yourselves. The staging area is about to open."
Several thousand of the genius participants came to the forefront.
Elders He and Quan drummed important reminders into the skulls of House Yan's contingent. They weren't to pay attention solely to digging up ores. Keeping an eye on Huang'er in case of an accident was equally important.
Neither Yan Jinnan nor Yan Qingsang could refuse this task. It was relevant to the house's well-being as well as their personal interests. If something happened to Huang'er, House Xiahou's anger would burn everyone equally in House Yan.
Therefore, they understood its importance as well as the elders did.
Alas, Huang'er was free to move about. Their cultivation was entirely inferior to hers. It was almost impossible to surveil her without being noticed themselves. Thankfully, the fact they had five on their side made it a bit easier.
The verification process at the entrance was very strict. Each participant had an exclusive jade token that Bluesmoke had handed out ahead of time. The great houses' tokens in particular were custom made and freely given. The wandering cultivators who'd paid to enter were even more strictly scrutinized.
Several thousand wandering cultivators paying a fee of two hundred thousand per person… the income from this alone amounted to almost a billion sky spirit stones!
The jade festival created prosperity as well as popularity for Bluesmoke.
After Jiang Chen's token was checked for authenticity, he was let through. He entered the area in Yellow Dragon Ridge that was open to them. Touted to be ten thousand miles in radius, it was a stupendously vast place.
Though there were several thousand participants, being thrown into such a sizable area was like so many waves in a bottomless ocean. No individual participant was easily visible.
Jiang Chen felt a weight lifted off his shoulders as soon as he came inside. Finally, he was no longer being watched by House Yan's eyes.
Because House Yan's participants were honored guests from the Ten Divine Nations, they had entered ahead of him. Huang'er had gone in an hour earlier.
But his and her heart were intertwined. Though they hadn't communicated with their consciousnesses due to fear of detection, he wasn't at all concerned about finding her.
Their thoughts had fallen into step with each other long ago. Huang'er had left a number of clues behind her path that were undetectable to others.
With Jiang Chen's skills, even the most imperceptible of traces were plain before him. He found it trivial to follow her trail. Two hours later, he knew that Huang'er was right up ahead. However, he was in no rush to see her yet.
It was impossible that House Yan was at ease about Huang'er's participation. It was likely that all the other young geniuses of her house were keeping tabs on her. If he brashly ventured forward now, he might run right into them.
Thus, he decided somewhere so he could change his appearance yet again. That way, even if Yan Qingsang ran into him, the 'Shao Yuan' identity would remain safe.
Nothing was too extensive or bothersome to ensure that he was reunited with Huang'er. If he could, he wanted nothing more than to head to House Yan directly and spirit her away. Alas, he didn't have enough strength for such a task yet.
He could only bide his time until he did.
The deal he'd struck with Yan Qingsang wasn't currently a priority. He had a month's time to contact the Yan genius. Now in a new disguise, he slowly pursued the trail anew.
Just as he'd expected, Yan Qingsang and Yan Jinnan were keeping a casual eye on Huang'er. She'd also noticed it herself.
She suddenly sped up near a valley, vanishing into a thicket of trees. The development took Yan Qingsang and Yan Jinnan aback, and both rapidly followed through.
But Huang'er was nowhere to be found in the patch she'd gone into.
As they were baffled about where she'd gone, a shadow appeared in the air behind them. Shocked, they swiftly whipped their heads around – to find Huang'er glaring at them from right behind.
"This is your last warning. Don't follow me. I'm not going to run away. I just want to be by myself for a bit. If you're going to try this again, I don't mind making sure you never leave this area." Huang'er's glacial attitude and harrowing tone shone through.
Yan Qingsang's lips quivered. He wanted to say something, but couldn't. He exhaled after a moment. "Never mind. I won't pry into your business, Huang'er, but I hope you won't forget about the burden on your shoulders."
Yan Jinnan had even less of a right to speak. He knew that no matter what he said, Huang'er would only get angrier.
"Scram!" Though Huang'er was normally a genteel person, she forced herself into a brusque expression. She and Jiang Chen had gone to all this trouble to create an opportunity for themselves. She didn't want to be interrupted by annoyances like these.
Indignation flared up from Yan Jinnan's eyes, but he didn't dare turn on her in the end. He stomped his feet, gnashed his teeth, and left.
Yan Qingsang sighed helplessly, then disappeared without another word after raising a cupped fist salute.
Huang'er silently watched them depart. She was a bit apologetic especially towards Yan Qingsang; she hadn't wanted to be so threatening towards him. He was usually quite pleasant to her.
An easy laugh echoed from the forest shortly after their disappearance. "You're really not very good at pretending to be mean. You're so polite even when you get angry!" The voice naturally belonged to Jiang Chen.
Huang'er's slender body shook, her expression blossoming into one of sincere joy. It was a beautiful sight to behold, the unfurling of spring flowers.
Jiang Chen appeared from the void. They exchanged a look and a smile, their palms pressing together almost unconsciously.
"Come, Huang'er. I'll take you to a more discreet place."
Huang'er smiled blissfully. No further words needed to be said. The duo disappeared swiftly like a bolt of lightning.
After two days, they finally found a reasonably secluded place. "Huang'er," Jiang Chen asked with curved lips. "do you remember how I removed your Generation Binding Curse for you back in the human domain?"
"Do you mean that we should go underground, Brother Chen?"
"Yes. There are too many prying eyes above the earth."
"I'll do whatever you want." Huang'er's heart had already melted. She would comply with any request her beloved made.
With the help of the Bewitching Lotus and the Goldbiter Rats, Jiang Chen quickly excavated a private chamber deep within the earth. He took off his disguise and assumed his original appearance. Their eyes locked, then their arms; they could no longer control themselves.
Taking Huang'er's perfect waist into his arms, Jiang Chen crooned. "I've been waiting every day and night for this moment. The heavens have taken pity on us and we meet again. I'm sorry that you have to suffer in the way that we're reuniting!"
"Brother Chen," Huang'er pressed a finger softly upon Jiang Chen's lips. "I won't let you say anything like that." She shook her head. "I've always known you would come to Myriad Abyss Island. No matter how you got here, I feel only contentment and bliss."
Gazing upon Huang'er's breathtakingly delicate face, Jiang Chen couldn't resist lowering his head to kiss her rosy lips.
The momentary contact stretched on longer and longer.
After what seemed like an eternity, the lovers finally broke free from their sweet embrace. Tears brimmed in Huang'er's eyes.
"Brother Chen, I'm so weak. I said I wouldn't cry, but…" Huang'er murmured. "I've thought about you every hour of every day for the last… how many years? I wanted you to come, but I was worried your cultivation wasn't there yet. You don't know how much I've fretted over this day…"
"I know, I know…" Jiang Chen was greatly moved as well. He tenderly wiped at the tears on Huang'er's face. "I've come to take you away, and will deal with all the resulting problems before I do so."
Huang'er gasped. "Have you dealt with the human domain's troubles, Brother Chen? The demons…"
"The demon race has at least fifty more years before a large-scale outbreak occurs. My goal is to conquer House Yan within the next ten to twenty years, and take you away with full pomp and circumstance."
This was what Huang'er liked most about Jiang Chen. Such boasting from any other man would be considered bluster, but he had the right to make this kind of sweeping statement.
"How did you come this time, Brother Chen?" After calming herself, Huang'er was curious about his itinerary.
Jiang Chen hid nothing from her. He related all his experiences along the way.
Huang'er sighed after she had heard all. "So Jiang Huang was you after all. That was my first instinct when Elder Shun mentioned that name, that you'd come to find me!"
Chapter 1642: Endless Love
Huang'er listened with rapt attention. Her heart leapt to her throat when Jiang Chen relayed his experiences on Winterdraw Island. She felt both pride and heartache for her beloved. He had overcome so many difficulties and dangers to come to her. How would she not be moved?
"Oh right, Huang'er, didn't you estimate that it'd take decades for you to reach half-step empyrean? What's caused the dramatic growth in your cultivation after only a few years?" That was what Jiang Chen was most curious about.
"Brother Chen, after returning to my family, there wasn't a day when I didn't miss you greatly, so I threw myself into cultivation. For some reasons, I progressed at an unusual rate. Before I knew it, I had broken through great emperor and reached half-step empyrean."
Jiang Chen mused, "Your parents must be of remarkable bloodlines, and they passed down the best heritage to you. That's why you have an unparalleled natural talent in martial dao."
Even he marveled at the speed in which she had improved.
"Your cultivation has grown quickly as well, Brother Chen. You were first level emperor realm when I left, and now you're already great emperor."
"Haha, how can I say I've improved quickly when there's you?" Jiang Chen said teasingly.
Huang'er giggled. "Perhaps the breakthrough is to compensate for my lack of progress when I was in the human domain."
During those years, she hadn't improved much in martial dao, the main reason being the Generation Binding Curse hindering her cultivation.
They'd been apart for years. Naturally they had a lot to talk about.
Jiang Chen sighed and brought up a new topic in a conflicted tone, "There's something we need to talk about, Huang'er."
"Tell me, Brother Chen." Her eyelashes fluttered when she noticed the heaviness in his voice. She looked up at him with eyes as tender as water.
"During my trials in the Eternal Spirit Mountain, I was set up and accidentally consumed an aphrodisiac. A woman saved me while I was under the influence, but I never knew who she was. It wasn't until later that I learned she was Master Ye Chonglou's disciple, Dan Fei, whom I met when I was in Skylaurel Kingdom. After she sacrificed her chastity to save me, she went missing. It was much later that I found out Lady Dan'er, whom Emperor Peafowl had taken under his wing, was Dan Fei. She gave birth to my daughter..."
The thought of hiding the affair from Huang'er had never crossed Jiang Chen's mind. That said, he worried that she would be crushed by the knowledge.
After a brief pause, Huang'er chuckled. "Are there any other affairs you haven't told me about, Brother Chen?"
Jiang Chen smiled wryly. "Just that one. I've wronged you, Huang'er, but if I didn't accept that responsibility, that would be a bigger betrayal to Dan Fei and Nian'er."
"Nian'er?" she muttered. "Jiang Nian'er? That's a pretty name. Brother Chen, were you worried that I'd be jealous?"
He shook his head with a stilted smile.
She rested both her hands on his shoulders and met his gaze with adoring eyes. "There are countless men in the world, Brother Chen. Why do I love only you? You're responsible, knowledgeable, and magnamious. There are a lot of things I greatly admire you for. Of course I won't be the only one to fall for an extraordinary man like you. Dan Fei and the Ling sisters from Regal Pill Palace are all deeply in love with you as well. Doesn't Sister Gouyu harbor romantic feelings for you too?"
Huang'er was remarkably intelligent. She had been with Jiang Chen long enough to know how popular he was among women.
She knew all about Ling Bi'er's and Ling Hui'er's feelings. She'd even seen Ling Hui'er taking Jiang Chen's hand and place it on her chest. She was very smart to not point these things out and just let them take through their natural courses. Even if Jiang Chen ended up falling for them, she wouldn't judge him for that.
Most women's love was obsessively possessive. They wanted an extraordinary man to be theirs and theirs alone. Sometimes, it was too much to ask for.
Huang'er wasn't a regular woman. Her love was purer and more selfless. It was beyond the self-serving love of the mortals. That was why she didn't hold a grudge against Dan Fei; it was against her nature to be selfish.
Besides, Dan Fei had given away her innocence to Jiang Chen, but she left him afterwards instead of clinging to him. Huang'er respected her for that.
"Don't feel guilty, Brother Chen. If not for you, I would've lost my purpose in life like a wilted flower. You gave me the opportunity to start anew. You bring color to my life. I hope that there are more people at your side caring for and loving you."
She was overwhelmed by her love for him. She put her face to his chest, revelling in the heat of his masculinity. This was what happiness felt like. Nothing else mattered to her.
Jiang Chen put his arms around her and caressed her beautiful hair. "How high is Xiahou Zong's cultivation, Huang'er?" he asked gently.
She trembled at the mention of Xiahou Zong. The man had caused her a lifetime of nightmares.
"Don't worry, Huang'er. That name will soon disappear from Myriad Abyss Island. I'll end this nightmare he put you in with my own hands."
Huang'er started. "Are you going to challenge Xiahou Zong, Brother Chen?"
"I don't need to challenge him to eliminate him," he responded in a dark tone. "I'm not stupid. I won't attack House Xiahou head on before I attain the power to dominate them."
"Your martial dao potential is higher than his, Brother Chen. If all other factors were equal, he wouldn't be able to rival you in power. But he was born into the Xiaohou family, spoon-fed with the best resources and care. That's why his cultivation is..."
"Don't worry about hurting my feelings, Huang'er. Be honest with me. I have to gain a comprehensive understanding of House Xiahou."
That made Huang'er wonder. "I've never spoken about Xiaohou Zong, Brother Chen. Did Yan Qingsang tell you about him?"
"Your cousin?" Jiang Chen smiled wryly. "He couldn't be more opposed to me getting close to you. He's unusually stubborn, that guy. He shoots me down everytime I brought you up. That guy sure is persistent."
"Then how did you know about Xiahou Zong?" Huang'er was curious.
"I heard people talk about him after coming to Myriad Abyss Island. What's more, his brother Xiahou Jing went to the human domain with his followers and caused a lot of damage. I wiped him out."
"What? Did you say you wiped him out?"
Jiang Chen paused. "What's wrong?"
"Xiaohou Zhing was one of the three great geniuses of his family. He ranked a little higher than Xiahou Xi, their representative to the festival this time. Though Xiahou Jing was a level below Xiahou Zong, he seemed unwilling to accept Xiahou Zong's status in the family."
"That's right. His unwillingness to accept things was what prompted him to travel to the human domain in the first place. He and his followers established the Order of Wind and Cloud, leaving chaos in their wake. They almost left the human domain in shambles."
Huang'er was shocked. "Did you kill him, Brother Chen?"
"I did. We would never have been able to come to a truce. I'll finish what I started and kill every member of House Xiahou I encounter. If they fail to acknowledge their mistakes, I'll erase the entire family from the Divine Abyss Continent one day."
He meant what he said. As long as Xiahou Zong lived, Jiang Chen was destined to have a bitter feud with House Xiahou.
Huang'er knew he was doing it all for her.
"Xiahou Zong is one of the most remarkable geniuses among the younger generation in the Ten Divine Nations. I hear that he's breaking through mid empyrean realm during his closed door cultivation."
"Oh?" Jiang Chen's eyes lit up. His curiosity was piqued. If Xiahou Zong had only been first level or second level empyrean, the genius wouldn't have really been a threat. But Xiahou Zong had broken through mid empyrean at such a young age. Now that was surprising!
"Interesting." Jiang Chen smiled lazily. "He actually is good enough to be my opponent."
Huang'er was much more at ease upon seeing the relaxed expression on Jiang Chen's face. He hadn't lost his calm after knowing Xiahou Zong's cultivation.
She knew her lover could triumph over people of higher realms, but she wanted him to be more cautious and take fewer risks on Myriad Abyss Island.
"He may not succeed in breaking through mid empyrean, Brother Chen. You, on the other hand, will certainly be able to reach empyrean in a couple years. The cultivation gap between you and him will become increasingly smaller. I believe that once you're in the same realm, you'll easily win a fight against him."
"Haha, that's only the first step. My ultimate goal is to destroy House Xiahou in order to eliminate any future threats and to rescue your parents."
Warmth bloomed in Huang'er's heart.
Jiang Chen had never forgotten about her parents. A man's love for a woman could be seen in not only his care for her, but also his attentiveness to everything she cared about.
Huang'er's biggest weakness was her parents.
If he could rescue her parents from the Boundless Prison, there would be nothing tying her to House Yan. She'd only returned because she didn't want her parents to suffer for her deeds. They had suffered enough already, she didn't want to add to their burden.
"Alright, Huang'er. Xiahou Zong's cultivation is progressing quickly. I can't fall behind. I'll be cultivating in here the next few days."
Huang'er looked owishly at him. "Didn't you make a promise to Yan Qingsang, Brother Chen?"
"Haha, I have. But we have a month. I only need seven or eight days to locate the ores."
"Do you really have the means to detect ancient jade, Brother Chen?"
"Yes. Otherwise I wouldn't have been able to gain Yan Qingsang's unconditional trust. After the festival, I'll find a way to earn enough trust so that he takes me back to House Yan. I'm willing to work for House Yan to stay by your side."
"Brother Chen..." Huang'er was deeply moved. She knew Jiang Chen was a proud man. It was against his nature to be ordered around by her family.
"I can't rest unless I'm by your side, Huang'er. What's more, if one day House Xiahou suddenly comes to take you away, I'll be able to break you out. Even if I have to turn Eternal Divine Nation upside down, I will never let you become Xiahou Zong's cultivation vessel." Jiang Chen was quite determined.
Chapter 1643: Encounter on a Narrow Path
Though they were underground in a cramped space, that was no issue at all for the pair of lovebirds. Just being together was a happy luxury.
They knew that their current circumstances made such companionship rare. After the month was up, they would go back to the way they were before. Because of this, they considered the time they spent together nothing short of priceless.
Jiang Chen spent twenty-four days underground with Huang'er. He didn't slack on his cultivation during this time and so jis strength saw a noticeable increase despite the short timeframe.
After realizing Jiang Chen's change, Huang'er attained a new understanding of his martial dao capabilities. He was truly an extraordinary individual. Perhaps he really would trample Xiahou Zong underfoot – the entirety of House Xiahou, in fact.
Brother Chen hadn't fully perfected his strength yet. In the Ten Divine Nations, someone like him wasn't worthy of being mentioned. But his martial potential hid a tremendous energy that could upturn all of Myriad Abyss.
Huang'er firmly believed that this wasn't a delusion.
Brother Chen was very likely right. He didn't belong to this world, but was a reincarnated god from another who'd awakened his memories. How could Divine Abyss birth such an incredible man otherwise?
"It's already been twenty-four days, Brother Chen. The event ends in another six. If you don't leave soon, Yan Qingsang will get pretty upset." Huang'er didn't want to separate from Jiang Chen, but she knew they would really delay more pressing matters if they kept staying below ground.
"It's been twenty-four days already?" Jiang Chen sighed. "It feels like it hasn't been more than a dozen days."
Reason overcame desire in the end.
The lovers returned aboveground. After making a promise with Huang'er to meet again, Jiang Chen went to work in Yellow Dragon Ridge. His excellent mood increased his efficiency by leaps and bounds.
The seal in his consciousness was especially perceptive of jade from the ancient and primordial eras. This allowed him to have double the results with half the effort.
Though Jiang Chen didn't have much interest in ancient jade personally – he still hadn't refined the raw piece he had bought back in Oriole Valley – his seal seemed much more active in the pursuit of it.
This caused him to refocus on its potential importance. It seemed he had underestimated the attractiveness of the jade. The seal was a weathervane for him.
When it reacted violently to something, that thing invariably ended up being extremely useful and important. When it remained calm for a long time, that meant nothing remarkable was probably going on.
He couldn't say why, but he was entirely sure of the seal's effectiveness in delivering early warnings.
The chain seal had most likely been left behind by his father, the Celestial Emperor. He hadn't yet found a precise answer as to why though. Because of this, he considered any activity from the seal as his father's guidance. He trusted it implicitly.
Thanks to the seal's directions, Jiang Chen's efforts were outrageously effective despite the shortness of six days. He was quicker than he would've been even with a physical map.
Anywhere that elicited a reaction from a seal was a place that he ventured to. He was able to find something almost every hour. Sometimes, he would make a discovery as quickly as every fifteen or thirty minutes.
All in all, he brought home a haul of nearly three hundred ores. He could guarantee the existence of ancient jade within every single one.
Jiang Chen didn't care for near-imposters. He only went for ore that he was sure of. Just these pieces wouldn't do, though. Out of convenience and to round out the story, he dug up waste jade amounting in the tens of thousands.
These pieces of raw jade had no ancient jade within; they were just a smokescreen.
No single other contestant would match his profit, Jiang Chen surmised. Not even a ten-man team necessarily could.
For anyone else, excavating ore was gambling on luck. His process was positively cheating.
Only on the last day did he resume Shao Yuan's disguise. He found the highly distressed Yan Qingsang at their promised place.
"Man, were you hiding from me all this time?" Yan Qingsang's eyes were red with panic.
"Hey, don't discredit me like that. I was only doing you a favor. If I were together with you for the past month, what would they think? Even if you win, they'd only claim that you cheated."
Yan Qingsang blinked, then grinned in concession. "I suppose you make a certain amount of sense. How'd you do, then?"
"Pretty well, as it turns out. I have about three hundred ores that definitely contain ancient jade. I picked up some extra trash as well, of course, just to avoid alarming everyone else."
Yan Qingsang was speechless. Everything had been arranged for him; what else was there to say?
Jiang Chen gave most of the ore to Yan Qingsang and kept only a small fraction. "You take the raw ore for now, Brother Yan. Remember, we said we'd split it down the middle later. I want my pickings first, then you can have the rest, alright?"
Yan Qingsang agreed readily. "No problem. I'm getting it for basically free anyway. Oh, I dug up some ore as well… I wonder how I did with my own?"
"We'll see once we're out," Jiang Chen smiled.
Yan Qingsang nodded. "Sure thing. We should split up again though. Otherwise they'll say I cheated, yeah? Hahaha."
He made to do so as he said this, then remembered something important. "Brother Shao Yuan." He tilted his head with the question. "Have you seen Huang'er during this time?"
"Why are you asking me?" Jiang Chen retorted angrily. "I thought you didn't want me to get close to your cousin? And anyways, I wouldn't know how to look for her even if I wanted to."
Yan Qingsang chuckled. "Alright, alright. I have my reasons for not wanting you near her. My cousin is far above her peers in the Ten Divine Nations when it comes to beauty, talent, and all else. There are countless men who admire her beneath the heavens, but none dare express their emotions for her. Your heritage provides you some modicum of skill, but you don't think yourself superior to the divine nations' great houses, do you?"
Jiang Chen guessed from what he was hearing that Yan Qingsang really did mean well. The noble scion didn't want his brother to get in trouble if Jiang Chen got too close to her.
"One day, I'll make all the great houses in the Ten Divine Nations look up to me!" he huffed. These big words were naturally said for Yan Qingsang's benefit.
Yan Qingsang roared with laughter. "That's the spirit! I look forward to it. Alright, time's almost up. Let's get out of here."
Jiang Chen chuckled, but didn't move from his spot. His ears twitched, his expression turning frosty. "Come on out."
"What?" Yan Qingsang blinked.
Jiang Chen didn't respond to his friend. Instead, he pointed a cold look at the nearby forest. "What fool is hiding so secretively over there?"
There was a sinister cackle from within the trees, following by the appearance of a newcomer.
Yan Qingsang colored when he saw who it was. What a small world; it was none other than House Xiahou's Xiahou Xi, the one whom Yan Jinnan had curried favor with back at the Jade Revel Lodge. He was ranked top five among the geniuses of his house.
"You?" Yan Qingsang was a bit pale. He was anxious about the run-in since his cultivation lacked somewhat compared to his enemy's. "Brother Shao Yuan, take the goods and go on ahead." He tossed a storage ring at Jiang Chen. "I'll hold him up."
Jiang Chen laughed as he took the ring, then casually threw it back. "No, you go on ahead."
Yan Qingsang was stunned. "Brother Shao Yuan, this isn't related to you. This is a private matter between Houses Yan and Xiahou."
This statement gained Jiang Chen's respect. Most scions of these great houses wouldn't push away the involvement of others in their problems.
He smiled faintly, then glared about with his Evil Golden Eye. He found no prying eyes within several dozen miles.
"Damn it, Yan Qingsang, stop f*cking wasting time," he called out. "I told you to go on ahead!"
Yan Qingsang was no fool. It suddenly struck him that Brother Shao Yuan had noticed Xiahou Xi before him. Is this wandering cultivator stronger than me in martial dao? This both shocked and embarrassed him.
Xiahou Xi chose this moment to bark out a malicious cackle. "Yan Qingsang, was it? I remember you. You seemed to have quite a temper that day at the Jade Revel Lodge! It seems that heaven has put you into my hands. Do you think you can leave today?
"Oh, and you over there. I don't know where you're from, but you must be trash too if you're mixing with House Yan. Don't bother looking around. I've been following Yan Qingsang for quite a while, and I made sure there's no one around. No one's coming to save you. What other useless member of House Yan is going to stop me even if he sees me kill you? Yan Jinnan? I think he'd rather have you dead, hahaha!"
Yan Qingsang was blue in the face. He knew that Xiahou Xi spoke the truth. Even if there had been someone around, no one would interfere in House Xiahou's business. Moreover, others from House Yan wouldn't necessarily assist him if he were attacked here.
Jiang Chen chuckled abruptly "You were right about one thing. No one is around, for dozens of miles in fact."
"Oh?" Xiahou Xi's eyes narrowed into slits.
"Have you thought about this, Xiahou Xi? If you died here, no one would know." There was steel in Jiang Chen's serene declaration.
Chapter 1644: From Arrogance to Humility, Cutting a Contemptuous Figure
Xiahou Xi, die here?
The young man in question was slightly surprised, but Yan Qingsang was positively stupefied. Were his ears working right?
Get rid of Xiahou Xi, in this isolated place?
The idea stimulated his imagination and made his blood boil. His anger made his thoughts take an evil turn. Still, although it was an invigorating prospect to think about… but was it truly possible?
Yan Qingsang mulled it over. If Brother Shao Yuan were stronger than him – if he was roughly equal to Xiahou Xi – then he might just tip the scales enough in favor of their victory.
It was a small chance, in theory. Perhaps too small to gamble on. His fury receded at these second thoughts. If there wasn't a good chance of pulling it off, the risk wasn't worth it.
If Xiahou Xi didn't die here, there would inevitably be another round of verbal sparring outside. House Xiahou's current dominant position would lead to a renewed attack on House Yan. Though Yan Qingsang was often a straight-shooter, he didn't want to add any more troubles to his house than he'd already done so.
"Don't be too impulsive, Brother Shao Yuan. It's better for us to live to fight another day. If we band together, he won't be able to do anything to us." Yan Qingsang calmed down after he'd gotten a clear read on the situation.
"Leave what you have, Yan Qingsang," Xiahou Xi declared coldly. "Then kneel and kowtow to me three times. I'll let you go then. Your servant's life is mine, though."
"Don't you go too far, Xiahou Xi!" Yan Qingsang snapped back indignantly. "We are two, and you are one. What do you intend to do? Do you want to face us both?"
"Trash like you? I could take on ten of you." Xiahou Xi was astoundingly arrogant. He felt a natural sense of superiority over anyone from House Yan.
"Are you going or not, Yan Qingsang? I'm asking you for the last time." Jiang Chen glanced remotely at the young man beside him.
Yan Qingsang shivered as the gaze made contact with him. "Brother Shao Yuan…"
"Stop wasting time. You're only dragging me down by staying. Get out of here, alright? You saw nothing nor met anyone out of the ordinary today. Do you understand?" Jiang Chen's tone was meaningful.
Intimidated by his friend's steely look, Yan Qingsang instinctively nodded. "Okay, I'll pull back first. Don't hold on for too long."
"Go as far as you can. Remember, if you don't want to make any trouble for yourself, you haven't seen anything. Nothing at all!" Jiang Chen instructed once more.
Yan Qingsang had a sudden realization of something and silently vanished in retreat.
Jiang Chen's Evil Golden Eye locked onto Xiahou Xi, forcing him to cautiously remain still until Yan Qingsang's departure. Only then did he retract some of the pressure of his ocular skill.
Xiahou Xi harrumphed, then cackled. "I didn't expect House Yan to have a slave like you. I underestimated you, huh?"
Jiang Chen ignored the banter. He stood perfectly still in casual disregard of his opponent. He was waiting for Yan Qingsang's presence to disappear completely from the vicinity. Once it did, he opened his eyes once more.
"Xiahou Xi, hmm? I wonder what your relationship to Xiahou Zong is?"
"Hmph. Xiahou Zong is the best genius of our house. Who do you think you are to say his name like this?" Xiahou Xi reacted as if his tail had been stepped on. He was annoyed and flustered.
"Best genius? I'll make that so-called genius's head into my chamber pot one day. That's right, there's another Xiahou Jing from your house. Do you know him?"
"Brother Jing? You know him?" Xiahou Xi darkened, then snickered. "Don't bother with name-dropping. House Xiahou has countless geniuses. Do you think you'll be able to escape your doom today just because you can name two of them? Impossible!"
Jiang Chen laughed joyfully. "I thought Xiahou Jing was trash enough, but I've misjudged him. Compared him, you are far more of a piece of trash. He's definitely the smarter of the two."
Xiahou Xi bristled with fury. "You want to get the better of me with words, kid? I understand —
you're so near death already. Alright, I'll do you the favor of sending you to your doom."
"Actually, I'm doing you the favor. I'll send you to a happy little reunion with Xiahou Jing."
"What do you mean? Have you met Brother Jing?" Xiahou Xi became more uncertain with each passing moment.
"Sure I have. I killed him while I was at it." Jiang Chen smiled serenely. "Oh yes, he had two dogs of a servant with him too. Elders Mo and Peng, correct?"
Xiahou Xi had repeatedly told himself to calm down, but he couldn't after hearing this tidbit.
"Who are you, really? Why do you know these things?" His discomfort was becoming unbearable.
"Me? I'm a gravedigger for your entire house. Xiahou Jing's was the first I dug, and you'll be the second. Many more will come after. The entirety of House Xiahou will be sent to the underworld one day. You can all be together then."
Having said all this, Jiang Chen suddenly clapped both hands together, producing a burst of strange light from the air. Nine strange images floated within empty space, producing a series of interlaced pocket demiplanes.
He'd brought his Nine Labyrinth Formation to life.
"What's this?" Xiahou Xi blinked.
"Haha, tell me how you'd like to die, Xiahou Xi." Jiang Chen's voice echoed by his ear.
The young man's expression changed drastically, turning his head all around him. Alas, there was nothing to be found save for these odd-looking pictures in every direction. They seemed infinite and endless without exit, extending in every direction to create new domains of space.
"A formation?" As a genius of a great house, Xiahou Xi instantly realized the gist of what he was encountering. "What a petty trick!"
He refused to give in. Murder flashed across his eyes. The wave of a hand conjured a weapon into his fingers. He used it to cut into the image right in front of him.
Snick!
The image was ripped right in half by the attack. A mocking smile appeared at the corner of Xiahou Xi's mouth. He was pleased with his success. "What a joke a cheap prank like that is…"
He hadn't finished gloating before his voice ground to a halt. What he saw behind it terrified him.
It was another identical image, though the aura it exuded was even more mysterious and impenetrable.
This was absurd!
Xiahou Xi was in a complete panic. He finally felt that he'd met a fearsome opponent – someone who had the ability to threaten his life. Roaring multiple times in succession, he delivered a flurry thundering strikes against the Nine Labyrinth Formation's images.
Jiang Chen snickered to himself when he saw Xiahou Xi's rage. This was one of the dumbest ways to counteract the formation. Even Xiahou Jing hadn't been this foolish. Xiahou Xi was definitely inferior to his kinsman.
There wasn't much fun in tormenting such a weakling.
"You disappoint me, Xiahou Xi. I thought you'd be able to make a solid pass at solving this, like Xiahou Jing did. You got my hopes up for nothing."
Xiahou Xi howled resentfully. "You're just a slave of House Yan, kid. How dare you mouth off like that about House Xiahou's geniuses? Aren't you worried that you'll cause trouble for your masters?"
"House Yan? The hell does that house have to do with me? I'd be happy to see you two houses fight to the death, really." Jiang Chen had little goodwill toward Huang'er's house. A house that gave away its geniuses to another to be cultivation vessels wasn't worth his respect.
Xiahou Xi was flabbergasted. What did this man mean by what he'd just said? Was he not a servant of House Yan, after all? He'd hit a brick wall this time, truly.
"If you're not related to House Yan, friend, then you are no enemy of mine. This is a misunderstanding!"
"Not at all. I killed Xiahou Jing, you know," Jiang Chen smirked playfully.
"He has nothing to do with me. House Xiahou isn't without its own internal conflicts." Xiahou Xi tried his best to slither his way out of the situation. He had no other way to deal with his current dilemma.
The guy before him had more than enough ability to kill him on the spot. It was better for him to survive over anything else.
Jiang Chen shook his head. Xiahou Xi was conducting himself in a rather ugly manner. It looked like deep down, the Ten Divine Nations' geniuses weren't much different from the rest.
Cowardly, fearful of death, absolutely base and vile.
"Are you begging? Do you plan to to kneel before me and kowtow, hmm?" Jiang Chen scoffed.
Xiahou Xi was thoroughly discomfited. He tried his best to remind himself to stay calm and not run headfirst into his opponent If he did, he would be cut down where he stood.
"Friend," he offered a simpering smile. "I always pay my debts. If you let me live today, I will pay back tenfold."
"No need." Jiang Chen's expression darkened. "I have one principle only in my dealings with House Xiahou."
"What is it?"
"Death with no exceptions." Having said this, Jiang Chen raised his Holy Dragon Bow and sent an arrow hurtling into the formation. Outside of it, he could not guarantee his accuracy, but the formation worked in perfect tandem with the Holy Dragon Bow's power. Even Shu Wanqing, back in the human domain, had fallen prey to the combination.
Moreover, Jiang Chen was very different from his old self back in his campaign against the Order of Wind and Cloud. He was much stronger now.
'Death without exception' – the enunciation of these words chilled Xiahou Xi to the bone. He knew he was done for. A ray of light from within the void was accompanied by a reaping arrow in flight. The missile flew towards his face.
Xiahou Xi ducked hurriedly.
Alas, his attempt was stymied by the contracting images all around him. Within moments, they had boxed him into a tiny space. He was like a scurrying mouse trapped in a cage. The room left for him to maneuver grew increasingly tiny.