Chapter 1925: Revisiting Old Haunts
Jiang Chen had put it plainly enough. Imperial Prince Huo would be a fool not to understand by this point. The prince's heart pounded as he held the items in his hand. His heart was crystal clear on their meaning: these were immeasurably precious treasures for Rejuvenation, fit to be passed down through countless generations.
More men from Heavenlight arrived on Winterdraw in a fortnight's time.
When they heard that some of their comrades had fallen into young lord Jiang Chen's hands, they were dumbfounded. The Eternal Sacred Land and its young lord weren't entities that they could afford to anger.
Furthermore, the ones who'd brought back this news had described Jiang Chen's power and the Vermilion Bird's terrifying consciousness in exaggerated detail.
The whole of Heavenlight had descended into great fear, concerned that Jiang Chen would take this chance to strike at them. Thankfully, the end of the message included only a request for ransom. The young lord didn't seem to want to ruin them too much.
Heavenlight could finally breathe a sigh of relief. The ransom was quite exorbitant in its amount; it took seven days to ready that many funds.
After they were prepared, a group was sent to Winterdraw to immediately redeem the prisoners. The prisoners were incredibly important to Heavenlight's power structure. If they couldn't return, its strength would plummet overnight, possibly to a level equal to the likes of Rejuvenation.
Thus, the ransom had to be paid, even if they had to pinch pennies for a while after the fact.
Jiang Chen kept things simple. He released his captives as soon as he got the money, but not before issuing a warning.
If these Heavenlight nationals committed some crime and ran afoul of him again in the future, a simple ransom wouldn't be enough resolution.
Everyone else involved made fervent promises as to their future subservience before they were finally permitted to depart.
The little interlude had substantially increased Jiang Chen's spirit stone supplies. He now had seventy percent of the amount needed to reactivate the Great Formation.
The remaining third wouldn't be too much harder to put together. Another trip to the Eternal Sacred Land and some extra work was needed, but three to five years was quite doable.
He didn't plan to stay too long in Winterdraw. Huang'er was with him, and her heart had probably already flown to Eternal Divine Nation.
Yan Qingsang had wanted to return to House Yan alongside Yan Wanjun before, but the old man had denied his grandson's audacious request. Yan Qingsang been forced to stay on Winterdraw and train instead.
Jiang Chen and Huang'er's return presented a welcome opportunity for the youth. He swore up and down that he would be accompanying the couple back to Eternal Divine Nation this time.
Yan Qingsang's obvious resolution was enough to sway his friend. The rebellion had already been quelled in Eternal, so the trip wouldn't be particularly dangerous. Moreover, the Vermilion Bird was more than sufficient of a deterrent to any threats.
"Let's go back together then, Brother Qingsang," he nodded.
Calling Lu Che and the others to his side, he instructed them, "Rejuvenation and Tritalent have both sworn their allegiance to me. If anything serious arises, you can request help from them when necessary."
"Yes, milord," Lu Che nodded.
After taking care of everything, Jiang Chen soared rapidly atop Starfate in Eternal Divine Nation's direction.
Huang'er felt very differently about this trip home than her last.
Darkness and despair had gripped her heart the previous time she'd been here. Aside from her faith in Jiang Chen, she had very little to hold on to.
This time, she was together with her beloved. Her worries now rested with her parents. She knew that House Yan had been warned to rescue them from the Boundless Prison within the allotted time, but she couldn't cast aside her anxiety.
The suffering her parents had no doubt experienced over the years cut her heart to ribbons. She didn't even know if they were still alive!
"I'm sure they're blessed enough to survive, Huang'er. We'll be back at House Yan in only a few more days. Everything will be made plain then." Jiang Chen comforted his beloved, aware of the topic of her worries.
Huang'er leaned lightly upon his shoulder. "Brother Chen," she murmured, "my parents were thrown into the Boundless Prison not long after I was born. It's been so many years since then… what if they haven't lasted until now? Even in my childhood I heard stories of how terrifying that place is…"
Jiang Chen had heard of the Boundless Prison before. Supposedly, it was a kind of extra-dimensional prison that had entrances in each of the ten divine nations. It was a tremendous furnace that consumed the vast majority of those who entered.
Having little actual impression of her parents, Huang'er's apprehension for them stemmed from something more primal.
One day, Starfate passed by the Bluesmoke Isles.
Bluesmoke had been the place of their reunion some time ago. Jiang Chen still had some ancient jade on hand from the meeting that'd forged his friendship with Yan Qingsang. He would earn quite a pretty stone for them if he sold them now.
Informing Huang'er of his intentions, he was met with complete support. Huang'er knew what these spirit stones meant to Jiang Chen. It would only take half a day to sell the jade, an inconsequential delay in the grand scheme of things.
"Your business comes first, Brother Chen. Don't worry about me."
Jiang Chen nodded, and the couple revisited Miracle City.
Stepping upon the ground of the city recalled past experiences, filling his heart with warmth. He gripped Huang'er's hands more tightly. Evidently, she shared the same sentiment as he did. Adoration filled the lovebirds' eyes when they looked at each other.
"Good thing you're dressed in your normal clothes, Huang'er. If you were wearing a man's clothing, the imperial family might recognize you. They're probably looking for a certain someone."
Huang'er burst out in laughter. She knew what Jiang Chen was poking at; Ling Bi'er had been a princess here, and they'd taken her away, never to be heard from again.
Though Bluesmoke's imperial family had sent envoys to Eternal Divine Nation to investigate what had happened, they'd only managed to pick up on the drastic changes within House Yan. No one knew a thing about 'Princess Bi'er'.
Tremendously depressing news for them, to be sure.
A little asking around found them the largest jade store in Miracle City. Its reputation and scale were unparalleled. Its employees didn't dare slight a customer with Jiang Chen's imposing aura. He demanded to see the person in charge as soon as he entered.
Someone higher-up was found immediately: a shrewd, middle-aged woman who was perceptive and experienced. She was the very image of courtesy to the couple of undoubtedly grand origins.
Chapter 1926: The Unexpected Arise
"Honored customers, my surname is Liu. Many within the industry call me Sister Liu. Your noble bearings mark you as extraordinary people. If I may?" The middle-aged woman was adroit at socializing and hobnobbing with her betters.
But Jiang Chen was uninterested in small talk. He was here to transact in business, nothing else.
"My surname is Shao," he stated coolly. "I'm in the market to make a mutually profitable deal. Are you interested, Sister Liu?"
"Haha, Sir Shao, then. We are open for business, so of course we're happy to consider all business propositions. What amount of product are you looking to buy or sell?"
Jiang Chen brought out the storage ring with the ancient jade. Opening it up, he laid out a veritable mountain of jade.
Sister Liu drew a sharp breath. Some of the jade was of exceptional quality, which frankly astonished her. Even this store rarely handled jade in such impressive amounts.
Excavation on this kind of scale was largely impossible. Moreover, Bluesmoke hadn't seen any events that did involve extensive unearthing of ancient jade. Where did all these come from then?
The woman colored slightly before recovering.
"Are you able to take all of this?" Jiang Chen scrutinized the manager across from him.
Sister Liu breathed in deeply. "We need a few days to gather up the requisite capital. It's a bit hard for us to rustle up this much cash on the spot."
"A few days?" Jiang Chen frowned. "Never mind then. Buy as much as you can afford and I'll look for a few more stores to lighten your load."
"Please don't, honored customer," the Liu surnamed woman hurriedly interrupted. "If you split it up between several stores, you won't get the best price for such a huge amount of jade."
"If you can't purchase all of it, then that is what I must do."
"Will two days suffice?" Sister Liu looked at Jiang Chen earnestly.
"I can't wait for even that long. All of this jade will be yours tomorrow at this time if you can furnish the funds. If not, then let that be the end of it," Jiang Chen declared decisively. He only had a single day to dawdle here for.
Fervor flashed through Sister Liu's eyes. There was so much jade here that she couldn't resist its allure. Gathering the stones in just one day was an almost impossible task, but she agreed without hesitation nevertheless.
"One day is fine! Let us follow through on our agreement tomorrow at this time."
"Hah, what agreement? We haven't decided on the price yet," Jiang Chen smiled coolly.
"We have a systematic method of determining the price based on rank and amount. I guarantee you'll get fair market value for your jade," Sister Liu laughed. "Our store is the largest of its kind here in Miracle City, the leader in the industry. We wouldn't damage our own reputation by ripping off our customers."
"Alright. I'll wait a day for you then." Jiang Chen had nothing further to say. He whisked his ancient jade and Huang'er away.
With a conflicted look, Sister Liu saw the couple off until they disappeared into the street.
She'd made several important deals since getting into this line of work, but none of them had been on the scale of the one she was about to make.
Many cultivators could only sell a handful of jade at once. The volume of jade that this young man had produced completely defied her understanding. Could he be a scion of the imperial family?
Definitely not!
There were only so many in the imperial family. None of them had the ability to get their hands on so many – nor were they so dignified and beautiful as the young couple she'd just received.
Regardless of her turmoil, Sister Liu absolutely wanted to push the deal through. If she could finalize the purchase of these goods and flip them later, she would make an incredible amount of profit.
"Watch the store," she directed her employees. "I'm going to gather funds."
As promised, Jiang Chen and Huang'er didn't visit any other stores afterward. Instead, they checked into an inn. The young man planned to complete the transaction the next day.
If Sister Liu couldn't get together the stones in time, he would sell as much jade as she could afford. The leftover amount could be offloaded onto the other stores.
He wasn't much interested in what was contained within the ancient jade. There were some neat finds, yes, but nothing particularly valuable to him.
The former half of the night passed relatively peacefully, but this wasn't to stay the case. Amid Jiang Chen's meditations, just after midnight, he heard a flurry of quick footsteps from all around. Countless cultivators approached from every direction.
Furrowing his brow, he opened his eyes to find Huang'er staring at him.
"Is something the matter?" She looked a little puzzled. "Are they here for us?"
Jiang Chen frowned a little. "I don't know yet. If they are, I can only attest to their blindness."
He was no longer the hot-blooded youth he used to be. He wouldn't come to a hasty conclusion without evidence. He focused on listening to the commotion outside before declaring, "The place has been surrounded. They're after someone in this inn, I presume."
"Everyone inside the inn, listen up! Bluesmoke's Blue Eagle Guard is looking for a criminal. You should remain in your rooms and await our search. Do not move about or leave. You will incur our wrath if you do."
The Blue Eagle Guard?
Jiang Chen remembered a force with that name as the imperial family here's private guard. They occupied a lofty position and possessed considerable strength, a group to be reckoned with.
In the Bluesmoke Isles, they could do as they liked.
He didn't take them too seriously though. Miracle City was one of the most bustling cities in Bluesmoke, filled with outsiders from every corner of the world.
That the Blue Eagle Guard was operating with such a high profile was utterly irritating, regardless of whether they were actually tending to their duties. Personally, Jiang Chen wouldn't permit them to search his room for a second.
Many shared his attitude. A number of people began to curse loudly.
"What criminal are you looking for at midnight?! You can do whatever you need to tomorrow. What the hell are you disturbing our sleep for?"
"Exactly. I'm not from Bluesmoke myself. The Blue Eagle Guard has no right to be so obnoxious!"
"Want to search my room? I'd like to see you try!"
There were definitely more than a few uncooperative individuals. The Blue Eagle Guard's rude, overbearing attitude had provoked quite a crowd.
Chapter 1927: The Blue Eagle Guard
Jiang Chen sat idly back down and smiled at Huang'er. "Looks like we don't have to do anything. Others will be giving them trouble."
Huang'er nodded. "I hope they aren't here for us."
Huang'er's worries weren't unfounded. One's fortune was best kept a secret. They'd let it be known that they had a wealth of ancient jade earlier. It was possible that someone had targeted them for it.
The Blue Eagle Guard might not be the righteous organization it claimed to be. There was no telling if they had any qualms about committing clandestine deeds.
However, Jiang Chen wasn't concerned at all.
The Blue Eagle Guard would be wise not to make a move on him. If they did, he wouldn't hesitate to teach them a lesson. He'd been irritated enough these days due to the pressure of collecting spirit stones.
Outside, all hell had broken loose.
Numerous cultivators shouted and swore at the guards, but that didn't stop the guards from doing their job. Many foreign cultivators were beaten up. After howls of protestation and pain, they were forced to cooperate with the investigation.
Tempers were stoked ever higher.
On hearing how aggressive the guards were, many cultivators rushed out of their rooms in a fit of rebellious rage to support the victims.
The conflict continuously escalated.
More and more cultivators left their rooms and as a result, a temporary alliance against the Blue Eagle Guard was formed.
That rather surprised Jiang Chen. He hadn't expected the cultivators in the inn to be bold enough to go against the guards.
After all, the Blue Eagle Guard was the authority figure of the Bluesmoke Isles. No one dared disobey their orders.
Most of the cultivators in the inn were wandering cultivators from other lands. They had no support network in Bluesmoke. It would be very unwise for them to fight the guards. And yet, more and more cultivators took a stand to join the resistance.
Bam, bam, bam!
Someone pounded on Jiang Chen's door.
He frowned. Was the Blue Eagle Guard truly blind enough to target him?
The door burst open.
Jiang Chen swept a frigid glare outside, surprised to find that his caller wasn't anyone from the Blue Eagle Guard or a ferocious, uniformed cultivator, but a few wandering cultivators.
One of them cupped his hands in greeting. "Excuse me, brother, the Blue Eagle Guard is way out of line and keeps bullying us foreign cultivators. This isn't the first time they've conducted a midnight raid and they always make a scene. We can't let them walk all over us. We're all ready to stage a protest. Are you going to selfishly think only of your own safety, brother?"
Jiang Chen smiled slightly. "I've just arrived and know nothing about this city. What's wrong about the Blue Eagle Guard investigating and searching for wanted criminals?"
"Ai, it's more than wrong. Do you know how many innocent people they've victimized lately? How many have been falsely accused?"
Jiang Chen shook his head. "I don't."
"Let's put it this way, brother. The Blue Eagle Guard claims to be searching for wanted criminals, but really, no one knows who they're looking for. If you have a lot of valuable items on you, you better be careful. It won't end well for you if they find out."
A surprised look blossomed across Jiang Chen's face. "What would my property have anything to do with them?"
"Ha, that's for them to say! This is Bluesmoke, not your home. Your words don't count. Here, they have the final say. So are you joining us or not?" the cultivator asked in a frustrated tone. "If you hide in here and something happens to you, don't blame us for not giving you a hand then."
In other words, if he didn't help when it was needed, he only had himself to blame when he was targeted and no one helped.
Jiang Chen huffed out a silent laugh. He wasn't a selfish man. However, he didn't want to blindly follow the herd before he had a good grasp of the situation. He smiled faintly. "You guys can go on. I'd like to see what's happening first."
The cultivator scoffed angrily and waved a hand in the air. "Fine. Good luck with that."
He and his companions stalked away without another word.
When Jiang Chen returned to the room, Huang'er frowned at him. "It looks like the Blue Eagle Guard isn't exactly a lawful organization."
"I hope they don't bother us." Jiang Chen smiled. "Why don't we go take a look?"
The din outside was making it impossible for Huang'er to meditate. She nodded. "Alright, let's do that. We can see if they're actually searching for criminals, or just using that as an excuse to rob people."
There was a patch of empty ground outside the inn. The inn itself had been encircled by the Blue Eagle Guard. Not even a fly would be able to escape.
More and more wandering cultivators swarmed to the empty ground, standing up to the guards. It was chaotic, and tension was thick in the air. Both sides were running high on emotions.
Jiang Chen and Huang'er stayed on the fringes of the crowd and calmly looked on. Jiang Chen took note of a thing or two.
Suddenly, the guards parted to the side to make way for a group of people. At the center of the newcomers was a burly man with eyes as bright as lightning, his presence remarkably fierce.
"Commander Yan!"
"Greetings, Commander Yan!" All guards bowed to the man in unison.
Commander Yan's presence loomed over all the protesting wandering cultivators. His piercing gaze swept through the crowd and made everyone shudder.
"Ninth level empyrean?" This took Jiang Chen off guard. He hadn't expected someone of that level to be part of the Blue Eagle Guard.
Bluesmoke was merely a second tier faction, with quite a ways before they reached their first tier brethren. And yet, the commander of the Blue Eagle Guard was a ninth level empyrean cultivator!
There was no denying that Myriad Abyss was powerful.
However, Jiang Chen could tell that the commander had only just entered ninth level empyrean. His consciousness would definitely overpower the commander's.
"The Blue Eagle Guard is fulfilling our duty as the law enforcers. What do you think you're doing?" Commander Yan's voice wasn't loud, but it demanded respect.
The crowd fell silent. Previously shouting cultivators timidly averted their eyes, worried that the commander would target them.
"Any objections to us doing our job?" the commander slowly asked again.
A cultivator took a step forward at this time.
"Commander Yan, we came to do business in Miracle City because we admire the city. However, the Blue Eagle Guard kept intervening during this time and always causes a great disturbance. How do we know you're actually doing your job or if there's something nefarious going on? None of us know if the people you arrested are wanted criminals!"
Jiang Chen knew the man was in trouble as soon as he'd taken a stand.
Chapter 1928: Playing the Tyrant
As expected, a figure leapt from Commander Yan's side. He reached the wandering cultivator's neck with a single, wraithlike grab.
The poor sap didn't even have time to resist before being picked up like a hapless chick.
He was thrown onto the ground with incredible force, making every bone and organ in his body creak in protest. The impact brought him to the brink of death as he breathed out without taking any air in.
The one who'd taken action was one of the captain's capable underlings. After the deed was done, he dusted off his palms, like he'd done something utterly insignificant.
The display of brute force utterly stunned the other dissenters.
"Since when did the Blue Eagle Guard suffer commentary from the rabble?" The guard swept a murderous glare across the wandering cultivators' faces.
"All of you, get the hell back to your rooms now and wait for inspection. Anyone who does not after a count of ten will be treated as a rebel. The penalty for noncompliance is death without exception!" The man spoke in a dominant, unquestionable tone.
Jiang Chen shook his head to himself. He didn't know why these guardsmen thought they were untouchable, or if there was another reason. But what they were doing was utterly unreasonable.
Yes, the Blue Eagle Guard was unrivaled in Bluesmoke, but who knew if anyone present was from a greater outside faction? What guarantee was there that they would respect Bluesmoke's strength?
There wasn't much risk of the above occurring, but it certainly existed.
Still, there had to be a reason for their actions, though Jiang Chen wasn't interested in finding out what they were.
In the meantime, the ruthless subordinate had already begun the countdown.
"Ten, nine, eight, seven…"
Part of the crowd scampered off with each counted number, retreating back to their rooms. The more cowardly cultivators gathered couldn't ignore the threat.
"Five, four…" The man put down his fingers one by one, mockery plain upon his face. These cultivators were nothing special. A bit of shock and awe would easily force them into submission.
But there were a few stubborn ones that remained. They furtively traded disgruntled looks.
Commander Yan's aura was the deciding factor that beat them back. He was too strong for them to take on.
All of the wandering cultivators here added together wouldn't be able to defend against a single one of his attacks.
In the blink of an eye, most had retreated back into the courtyard. Those who were especially timid had already retreated into their rooms. The stragglers were close behind them, sighing helplessly all the while.
Jiang Chen's eyes rested on the back of one of them. A surprised glint entered his eye. The person he was looking at seemed rather familiar!
Just as the last couple of people were about to walk back into the inn's courtyard, the guard interrupted them. "Stop right there, you lot!"
The stragglers tensed as their footsteps came to a stop, unnerved by the sudden demand.
"Commander Yan, these guys should be the ones behind that commotion we had earlier. They're the last ones to leave. Clearly, they're not going willingly." The savage lieutenant snitched to his captain.
Commander Yan nodded slightly. "Investigate all of them. Don't miss a single lead."
All of the mentioned people paled at this. "Commander Yan," a few of them called out, "we didn't start anything. Look, aren't we going back inside as well?"
The captain ignored these people. He swept his gaze in front of Jiang Chen instead, scrutinizing the youth in the corner.
In the meantime, Jiang Chen's attention was on the wandering cultivators. When the one he'd noticed turned around, he was very pleased to confirm his suspicions.
It really is him!
Jiang Chen hadn't remotely expected to see him here in Bluesmoke. It had been so many years… that they would meet again!
It was none other than Chu Xinghan, whom Jiang Chen had saved on Eternal Spirit Mountain! The former disciple of the Purple Sun Sect had then departed under the charge of Elder Shun.
As a student of the House Yan elder, he had disappeared after Elder Shun's capture a few years back. Jiang Chen had asked the elder about his whereabouts, but the elder hadn't known where the young man had ended up.
To meet him again here at this Miracle City inn was certainly propitious!
Jiang Chen's drastic growth and disguise had prevented Chu Xinghan from noticing him. Even if he had, he wouldn't have recognized him.
The Eternal Sacred Land's young lord swept his eyes across his old acquaintance. Chu Xinghan certainly hadn't wasted his time in Myriad Abyss in these recent years.
He wasn't yet empyrean realm, but already peak great emperor. This kind of progress was virtually impossible in the human domain. And yet, it was only slightly remarkable in Myriad Abyss.
If he had kept studying under Elder Shun's tutelage, he might have been talented enough to break through to empyrean.
By now, Chu Xinghan and a few others had caught the unwelcome attention of the Blue Eagle Guard. Several furious guardsmen surrounded them.
"Hand over your storage rings!" There was immediately an unreasonable demand.
The cultivators who were hemmed in collectively paled at this.
A sallow man mumbled, "Good sirs, I'm from House Helian of the Verdantpine Isles. I'm definitely not the criminal you want. Here's proof of my identity…"
"Enough prattling. Do you not have ears? Didn't you hear what we said?" The lieutenant who'd killed someone a moment ago delivered a crisp slap.
Clearly, the Blue Eagle Guard had no regard whatsoever for some so-called House Helian.
The man's face bruised immediately. The hungry guards stripped him bare, then began to loot his valuables.
Though everything worth money was found, it was thrown on the ground in front of him. Evidently, his property wasn't particularly interesting. "What a beggar. Go back to your room!" a guard cursed.
The sallow-faced man stumbled off dejectedly, afraid of making another fuss. He picked up his things and clothes, then ran for shelter.
Chapter 1929: They Come With Unfriendly Intentions
"You, come here!" One of the guards pointed to Chu Xinghan, his face twitching impatiently. He didn't seem to hold with much regard the person he was intent on victimizing.
Defiance shot out from Chu Xinghan's eyes. His resilient, resolute nature had once caused him to be discarded by the Purple Sun Sect. In fact, he had almost died at the hands of a former ally.
After all these years, he was still the same stoic, indomitable man.
Chu Xinghan had no intention of cooperating: Jiang Chen saw it in his eyes. He wasn't going to go down without a fight.
A moment later, his actions confirmed this. Chu Xinghan raised his head, glaring coldly at the uppity guard.
"I am only a wandering cultivator, but I am no dog. Do you take me for some animal you can order around? You can kill me, but you cannot humiliate me!"
The guard was unprepared for such adamance. The murderous lieutenant from earlier grew icy. He brandished a sleeve towards Chu Xinghan, sending gleaming steel towards the young man's head.
His bloodthirst was almost instinctive. He didn't want to waste any words. Why do that, when cutting the guy in half was so much easier?
This subordinate of Commander Yan's was clearly much stronger than Chu Xinghan. He was a mid empyrean expert, and gave no opportunity for his weaker prey to flee from the blow.
Jiang Chen's intervention was nearly instantaneous. He'd known before Chu Xinghan had spoken that the young man would not go quietly. The prospect of him being attacked was almost a certainty.
Thus, he reflexively tossed out a magnetic storm toward the attacker. A different drawing force pulled Chu Xinghan towards himself.
The fluidity of his motions belied their difficulty. His martial expertise was on display for all to see.
This unexpected turn of events caused the situation to descend into chaos once more.
All of the Blue Eagle Guards drew their blades. Their eyes were trained upon Jiang Chen with hungry interest, waiting only for their captain's order to pounce.
The wandering cultivators were overjoyed to see someone stick up for them. The few who'd been stopped were already despairing at being shamed or killed today. That someone would intercede on their behalf was a blessing from heaven!
The vicious cultivator stumbled as Jiang Chen's magnetic storm slammed into him, almost biting the dust in his unsteadiness.
All eyes rested upon Jiang Chen. He had stood in the corner prior to now as someone unassuming and unnoticed. That had immediately changed when he joined the fray.
The wandering cultivator who had visited Jiang Chen earlier was agape with surprise. He had thought the impassive man a coward, but it was obvious that that was a misunderstanding.
Commander Yan examined Jiang Chen with great scrutiny. "I've been paying attention to you for a while. Are you simply interfering in others' business? Or are you the criminal we've been after all along?"
Jiang Chen sneered. "I've traveled all over the world and have been to the Ten Divine Nations as well. However, this is the first time I've seen law enforcement behave in such an arrogant way."
The captain cracked a sinister grin. "There are many firsts in life. I'm sure you're prepared for the consequences of acting this way?"
"What consequences are you talking about? Actually, don't bother answering that. I'm not interested," Jiang Chen retorted coolly. He didn't much care what these guardsmen had in mind for him.
"To resist the Blue Eagle Guard is to make an enemy of us." When Commander Yan's tone grew frosty, the atmosphere around him did as well.
But party tricks like that didn't scare Jiang Chen one bit.
Yes, the captain was a strong and capable cultivator with a powerful consciousness. Regardless, trying to scare the young lord with a mental ability was a foolish endeavor.
Cultivation-wise, while Jiang Chen might only be at the threshold of advanced empyrean, his consciousness rivaled demigods'.
Therefore, this Commander Yan's ninth level empyrean consciousness wasn't worth very much in his eyes at all. The pressure the man tried to exert felt barely more than a spring breeze. There was minimal actual effect.
Derision curled at the corner of the young man's mouth. "Commander Yan, was it? I'm rather curious. If it were some common criminal, the Blue Eagle Guard alone would be enough. The fact that you're here means it's not that simple. Why not make plain what you're here for?"
From the details of the situation, Jiang Chen supposed that these guards and their captain could very well be here for him. The reason? Because he had shown off so much ancient jade earlier.
Perhaps they did have another criminal they were after, but a trumped up excuse seemed more likely.
Commander Yan's expression darkened as questions swirled in his mind. Just who was this young man? He seemed to be able to see clearly through everything.
He didn't like the youth in front of him, not one bit. Not his smile, not the way he talked, and certainly not the way his eyes seemed to pierce his soul.
"I've no interest in wasting words. The Bluesmoke Isles has seen many instances of ancient jade being excavated without permission by some rogue or bandit. We've received information that this individual has been roaming near Miracle City as of late. This inn could very well be his hideout. Therefore, you better make every effort to accommodate our inspection. If you don't, your fate will be determined by whatever I say!"
Jiang Chen burst into peals of laughter.
"I see no reason to explain myself then. Sure, I have some ancient jade with me. Your excellent investigative abilities will no doubt conclude that I am that bandit, correct? I wonder, who's really the bandit here? I think you're failing to notice some important suspects right in front of you."
Anyone could hear Jiang Chen's sarcastic insinuation: these guardsmen were using the excuse of arresting a criminal to conduct robbery.
Commander Yan's face was as black as coal.
There was a bandit he was after, but he wasn't here because of that. He had heard from Sister Liu that this person possessed a tremendous amount of ancient jade, and the temptation of such a princely sum had lured him here.
Though she'd informed him that the ancient jade wasn't freshly excavated, the captain didn't care at all. Did it matter whether this person was the bandit or not? Not really.
He had something that the commander wanted!
Jiang Chen was smart enough to guess that this was the case. Thus, both men had a tacit understanding of the other's motives.
Chapter 1930: Stunning the Blue Eagle Guard
Jiang Chen hadn't expected to run into Chu Xinghan here. The two young men held a mutual admiration of each other, and Chu Xinghan had become Elder Shun's disciple to boot. Jiang Chen couldn't possibly stand on the sidelines when he was going to be killed.
That was the reason behind the intervention, which gave the Blue Eagle Guard another excuse to attack.
Chu Xinghan was actually completely befuddled. He'd been in Myriad Abyss for years now and knew how aloof the locals were and how dangerous the jianghu could be. It was unimaginable that someone would come to his aid.
He'd been prepared to die, yet a young man had stood up for him and saved him at the last moment.
His rescuer didn't seem to fear the Blue Eagle Guard. He maintained an easy smile even when faced with the aggression from so many guards.
He must be someone important.
Moreover, Chu Xinghan had an unexplainable inkling that his rescuer was an old acquaintance.
Taking a closer look at the man's appearance, he didn't find anything familiar about it, and he was sure he'd never known someone with such a strong consciousness and presence.
So why was the man familiar? Chu Xinghan didn't have an answer.
The Blue Eagle Guard had gathered around Jiang Chen and was prepared for a fight. The air was thick with tension and killing intent. The slightest movement would be enough to trigger a fight.
Commander Yan took in a deep breath and boomed, "I'm going to ask you one last time, young sir. Who are you?"
Jiang Chen broke out in laughter. "Why bother asking when you've clearly made up your mind already? Just do whatever you want to do. You'll only be embarrassing yourself by getting to the bottom of this."
"So you insist on defying the Blue Eagle Guard?" There was a growing doubt in Commander Yan's mind. Something about the young man made him wary.
Even young geniuses from powerful factions would at least show some signs of nervousness in such a situation. However, this man didn't seem at all concerned. His confidence gave even Commander Yan, who had a wealth of experience, pause.
Could they afford to offend the young man?
He pushed aside his doubts and hardened his resolve. To hell with that. The young man is too insolent. Even if he is from an important faction, we'll take him down first. If he resists, we'll kill him. What's he gonna do?
Anger boiled and made him bold.
"Take him!" ordered the commander. "If he resists, kill him!"
At his order, the empyrean cultivators at the frontline growled and split into groups, their faces contorted as they charged Jiang Chen.
Looking at them piercingly, Jiang Chen manifested a golden behemoth of a mountain with a fling of his hand, from which came countless air torrents that rushed in all directions like a golden waterfall.
The torrents of air covered Huang'er and Chu Xinghan in a protective circle.
The magnetic golden mountain had become progressively stronger as Jiang Chen continued to refine it. Capable of both offense and defense, the mountain could deter most regular cultivators.
The empyrean cultivators struck relentlessly at the mountain, but they couldn't break through the defenses and get to Jiang Chen.
Unfazed, Jiang Chen shot them a glare, and his Evil Golden Eye split through the air in the form of golden arrows, hitting three cultivators at the front.
They froze, their movement slowed. The next moment, it felt as if their blood had also congealed due to some unknown force, its flow decelerating.
"Shit!" The three cultivators finally realized they were in trouble, but it was too late. Their consciousness had already started to dull.
Commander Yan thought that they'd been hit by Jiang Chen. He shouted, "Retreat, all of you!"
He was on the right track. It was survival instinct to back away from danger. However, he didn't know what the three cultivators were facing. His warning was useless.
The petrifying force of the Evil Golden Eye had seeped into their meridians, blood, and organs, and then entered their consciousness.
Their movements slowed visibly, their expression pained and increasingly desperate.
In no time at all, they had stilled completely. Their bodies were frozen and harder than stones. They had become immovable, lifeless statues.
The cultivators trying to break through the magnetic mountain looked on with fear in their eyes, their hearts pounding. Reflexively, they took a few steps back.
Jiang Chen looked idly at them. They didn't even have the courage to meet his gaze.
Commander Yan finally realized what Jiang Chen's method of attack was. "Watch out and don't meet his eyes!" he exclaimed. "He has a powerful eye technique."
It was too little, too late.
Those with a weaker will suffered the same fate as their peers when Jiang Chen's gaze swept over them. One after another, the guards were turned into statues.
The same thing befell more than ten of the arrogant and egoistic guards. Not even the most aggressive empyrean cultivators had escaped the fate. Without any forewarning, Commander Yan lost all his best people to Jiang Chen.
He felt a sharp pang in his heart. These were his best officers. Without them, he was a beast without wings and fangs. What would a commander do without anyone to command?
Resentment burned in his eyes, but even he cautiously averted his gaze from Jiang Chen. It was clear that he dreaded the young man's terrifying eye technique.
He could tell that Jiang Chen's cultivation fell short in comparison, but the young man's eye technique and consciousness were no lesser than his. In other words, even he had to be cautious when fighting the young man. He couldn't guarantee that he would be able to defend against the eye technique.
The wandering cultivators struggled to recover their dropped jaws. It wasn't the first time they'd witnessed a raid from the Blue Eagle Guard. The guards had been unchallenged in Bluesmoke. They'd never suffered such loss before.
They turned to Jiang Chen with conflicting emotions in their eyes. Who was this young man?
No wonder he didn't care about the Blue Eagle Guard's threat. His cultivation was at such a great height and his techniques so powerful!
Chapter 1931: Facing Off Ninth Level Empyrean
Commander Yan was deeply conflicted. He could count on one hand the number of ninth level empyrean experts in Bluesmoke. Moreover, the guard had acquired a powerful patron recently. That was why they had been so aggressive and bold, and why they dared enforce the law in such an unreasonable manner.
They had been unchallenged in the past, running rampant in Bluesmoke without encountering any resistance.
However, as the saying went, it was impossible not to get one's shoes wet when frequenting the river bank. They'd finally targeted the wrong person, offending a man they never should have.
Jiang Chen had been in a dark mood these days, stressed about the demonic threat and the Great Formation of Heavenly Soul Confinement. He'd planned to just sell his ancient jade in Bluesmoke, but trouble had come knocking even though he'd done nothing to warrant it.
He hadn't intended to do anything to the Blue Eagle Guard, it was they who had foolishly made a move against him. One really couldn't always get what they wanted.
"Commander Yan, I've already witnessed how arrogant the Blue Eagle Guard can be. Unfortunately, you aren't powerful enough to back up your arrogance. Do you have any other tricks up your sleeve?" Jiang Chen's tone dripped with sarcasm.
Commander Yan glared at Jiang Chen, his eyes as vicious as those of a wolf's.
Jiang Chen didn't even have to summon the Vermilion Bird to fight the commander. He was eighty percent sure that he'd be able to defeat the man himself. As for the Blue Eagle Guard, they didn't even pose a challenge to someone at Jiang Chen's level. He could take all of them on easily.
Commander Yan refused to acknowledge his defeat. He growled, "I admit that you're good, kid, but I'm going to test you myself."
He decided to take matters into his own hands. If he won, all was good. If he failed, he'd retreat and fight another day.
Jiang Chen scoffed at the commander's insistence on struggling. He came to full attention and focused his mind. If there was going to be a fight, he would win. He wouldn't let Commander Yan control the flow of the battle or allow the man to pull away and retreat easily.
Commander Yan's presence grew exponentially stronger.
With a sudden whip of the commander's arms, countless rays of blinding light shot towards Jiang Chen like torrential rain. There was no warning, but the young man was prepared.
He boosted the magnetic mountain's defense again, pushing it to its limits.
The rays of light turned out to be Commander Yan's concealed weapons. Blades fashioned like swallow wing-feathers hit the golden air currents and were attracted by the mountain.
The mountain was capable of resolving any attacks from metal weapons, and neatly rendered Commander Yan's sneak attack ineffective.
"Hmph, is this all you've got? Absolutely nothing to boast about." In truth, Jiang Chen was drenched in cold sweat. If he hadn't been prepared, even if the attack hadn't hurt him, Huang'er and Chu Xinghan might be hurt.
That further deepened Jiang Chen's dislike for the commander.
The commander was the head of the Blue Eagle Guard, yet he cared nothing about honor when he fought. This was a man who would do anything to further his goals. Jiang Chen resolved to take out Commander Yan no matter what.
Commander Yan was mortified and angered by his failure. He reached out and summoned his feathered blades. With a twist of his wrists, the two snow-white blades twirled and advanced towards Jiang Chen.
This in turn stoked Jiang Chen's competitive spirit. He howled and exclaimed, "I'll meet your twin blades with my twin swords!"
He had many means of attack that could defeat the commander, but he decided on using the Taiji Pisces Swords.
The two blades came to him with a whip of his hands, the yang sword in his left, the yin sword in his right. He crossed the blades before him in the initial stance of Sword of Genesis. The swords created a unique energy when used together.
Commander Yan was an experienced fighter. The moment Jiang Chen presented his weapons, he realized that the young man was no small fish and wouldn't be easy to deal with.
Regret rose from the bottom of his heart. He'd been too reckless after all. If he'd found out who Jiang Chen was before making a move, his people would still be alive, and the Blue Eagle Guard would still have the upper hand.
But it was too late to think about that.
Commander Yan hardened his resolve. There would be no peaceful resolution to the situation. He had to finish what he started and take out the young man.
The feathered blades in his hand were the perfect weapon. Every move flowed into the next like a river. Once his attack started, it was unstoppable.
However, even in the face of such relentless attack, Jiang Chen remained composed. The Sword of Genesis was, in essence, infallible no matter how ferocious the opponent's attack was. He could meet every attack and resolved it easily like they were sparring.
Having started picking up the Sword of Genesis only some time ago, Jiang Chen was at best a novice. There was a long way to go before he could master it.
Nevertheless, it was enough for him to fight the commander's feathered blades. Although Commander Yan's attacks were relentless and seemingly unstoppable, he was more frustrated and surprised than anyone. His attacks didn't even leave so much as a scratch on Jiang Chen!
The young man danced around and evaded the blades with grace. When the commander attacked ferociously, the young man's swords always easily rendered the assult useless.
Battles like these were the most frustrating.
Commander Yan had killed countless experts, but Jiang Chen's strange swords were posing a real challenge. A deep sense of helplessness overtook him.
He tried many strategies - aggressive, patient, slow and unrelenting, and bold. None of his attempts mattered to the young man. His moves and rhythm remained unchanged.
Commander Yan grew more and more anxious and insecure.
The more powerful members of the Blue Eagle Guard could tell the challenge their commander was facing. They gathered together and discussed what they could do, trying to come up with a solution to their commander's plight.
Chapter 1932: Taking Down Commander Yan
Disparate pairs of Blue Eagle Guard gathered together and pulled out their crossbows, wanting to help their commander by attacking the formidable foe who had come out of nowhere.
Unfortunately, their plan was destined to fail.
Arrows flew at Jiang Chen like locusts, but they couldn't get closer than a few meters to the man before being blown away by the natural defenses of his tempered body. However, in doing so, the Blue Eagle Guard angered the Vermilion Bird and Long Xiaoxuan, who had been secretly watching.
Those lackeys had dared make a move before they had?! This was a challenge to their authority!
Long Xiaoxuan howled. Without even showing his form, endless wafts of black fog manifested and tumbled through the air. It was one of Long Xiaoxuan's techniques - Black Prison.
When activated, it caught every one of the Blue Eagle Guard and trapped them in a prison of black smoke. Their wails and cries rang through the sky.
Commander Yan was dumbfounded. The young man was still locked in a fight with him. Why would the remaining guards get attacked so suddenly? The young man's female companion hadn't done anything. Were there others?
Commander Yan froze, overwhelmed by a sense of terror he'd never felt before. He'd remained calm before because he was sure he wouldn't be in danger even if he couldn't defeat the young man. As a ninth level empyrean expert, it was next to impossible for the young man to threaten his life.
However, it seemed that he'd been too optimistic.
All he could hear was the Blue Eagle Guard's pained cries. The elites of his team were completely enveloped by the writhing black smoke, their forms obscured.
"The hell!" Commander Yan's heart skipped a beat. This was it. If he didn't flee now, he'd lose his chance to retreat as well. He immediately cycled his twin weapons and sent two torrents of frosty blade edge at Jiang Chen, trying to rush backwards to escape.
Jiang Chen scoffed and threw an enormous golden bell into the air. It morphed into sudden existence and rang with tremendous might.
The solemn sound invoked the impression of sutras being chanted. Strange patterns emerged from the body of the bell and glowed with a golden light, awakening the secret power within and bringing about its hidden effects.
Countless rays of light shot from the bell and smothered the commander.
He slowed under the pressure and broke into a cold sweat. He hadn't expected the bell's control to be so powerful! Even someone at his level found it impossible to break free.
Before taking action, Jiang Chen had already made up his mind to keep the commander from leaving. Even when the commander had lost the will to fight, that didn't mean Jiang Chen was going to let him off the hook.
After taking the bell from Forefather Goldenbell, the more he refined it, the more he realized it was more complex and powerful than he had thought.
He was quite certain that the golden bell was a divine weapon. Although he couldn't tell its rank yet, one thing was for sure: The bell had been wasted in the forefather's hands. The former owner hadn't tapped into much of its full power.
Jiang Chen was slowly discovering the true potential of the bell, but a large part of it remained untapped.
The patterns on the bell, especially, were connected to the ancient times. If he could understand all of them, he'd be able to further boost the bell's might.
Under the pressure of the divine treasure, Commander Yan gradually lost his strength and his resistance grew weaker. After half an hour, he collapsed to the ground like a pile of mud.
Jiang Chen subdued him without any hesitation.
The cage made of black smoke slowly dissipated, leaving nothing in its wake. The guards who had been flaunting their power had vanished into thin air. If not for the bodies on the ground and the newly formed statues, the Blue Eagle Guard might as well have never been here.
The wandering cultivators erupted into cheers and applause, expressing their respect and gratitude for Jiang Chen.
Jiang Chen snorted. He hadn't made a stand for the wandering cultivators, and yet they considered him their savior. He shot a glance at Huang'er and transmitted, "We'll talk inside."
Before he could step back into the inn, the owner went up to him with a group of clerks. All of them dropped down to their knees.
"Please have some mercy, sir. This small establishment cannot accommodate someone as great as you are if we want to continue doing business. You've killed so many of the Blue Eagle Guard. That's going to get us into a lot of trouble. Please step away from the inn. We can't afford to offend either you or the Blue Eagle Guard."
Jiang Chen didn't expect that he would be considered a troublemaker. Anger translated into a sharp smile. "Do you mean that I'm the one to blame and not the Blue Eagle Guard?"
The owner bowed down in pleading. "We don't dare judge the Blue Eagle Guard for doing their jobs."
Jiang Chen was furious. He didn't want to take his temper out on the owner, but he wasn't going to leave just when asked to do so. He'd paid for the room, and it was a matter a principle that he should stay.
He didn't know how many more members Blue Eagle Guard had in Miracle City, but Commander Yan was the head of the guards. With the man under his control, why would he fear the guards?
"Hmph, if I leave now, aren't you afraid that the Blue Eagle Guard will take their anger out on you? With me here, they'll only target me when they come to seek revenge. I'll be here to take the brunt of their anger. What more do you want?"
In a flash, Jiang Chen flew past the owner and the clerks like a ghost and disappeared.
The owner's face turned ashen. Before he could speak, the other patrons of the inn started to reprimand him.
"Are you in cahoots with the Blue Eagle Guard?"
"Agreed! Our safety isn't ensured at all here, and you have the audacity to kick your patrons out?"
"You better watch out. You've angered that young master! Perhaps he'll burn this unethical establishment to the ground."