If anyone who knew Jiang Tianhu were to see this scene, they would surely be shocked. The reason is simple: Jiang Tianhu is known as the "Number One Tiger" of Mingji City. In the past, people only ever apologized to him; there was never any reason for him to apologize to anyone else. Yet, here was Jiang Tianhu not only bowing in apology but also terrified that Mr. Chen might not accept it.
Truth be told, Mr. Chen was tempted. He didn't have his own place yet and had been staying at Tang Meilian’s, so this villa was exactly what he needed. Just as he was about to accept, he rolled his eyes and remained as still as a mountain. Jiang Tianhu dared not speak, cold sweat dripping from his forehead.
Suddenly, Xie Yongguo coughed twice. Jiang Tianhu’s expression shifted slightly. He took a bank card from his pocket, placed it on top of the keys, and said respectfully, "Mr. Chen, there is five million in here. Please, do me the honor of accepting it."
Mr. Chen remained as still as a mountain.
Jiang Tianhu’s expression changed again. Gritting his teeth, he took out another bank card, placed it on the stack, and said respectfully, "Oh, right, I almost forgot. There is another ten million here, also intended as a gesture of respect for you, Mr. Chen."
Although Jiang Tianhu’s heart was aching with regret, he had to maintain a friendly smile on his face, which was becoming quite stiff. Mr. Chen felt that was enough, so he finally beamed, took the keys and the bank cards, and said, "Since you are being so courteous, I will reluctantly accept."
He hadn't expected this trip to yield not only these medicinal herbs but also a villa and fifteen million in cash—a truly great harvest.
Jiang Tianhu felt a wave of relief and let out a long sigh, only then noticing that his back was soaked with cold sweat. However, Mr. Chen’s next sentence made his heart jump back into his throat.
"I was taken to the police station yesterday. Did you have anything to do with that?"
Jiang Tianhu shivered instantly. This powerful tycoon of Mingji City hurriedly explained, "Mr. Chen, it’s a misunderstanding! A complete misunderstanding! That was all Li Tongwei pulling strings behind the scenes..."
After Jiang Tianhu truthfully recounted Li Tongwei’s plan, he looked at Mr. Chen with trepidation.
"Li Tongwei?" Mr. Chen had a sudden realization. Wasn't that the rich second-generation heir who had been pursuing his "Big Wife" and whom he had beaten to a pulp? He hadn't expected the man to dare play tricks behind his back. A flash of sharp light glinted in Mr. Chen’s eyes.
After agreeing to deliver the Gujing Pill the following day, Mr. Chen took his leave. Since Han Muqing was not around, Xie Anxiang asked Xie Xingxuan to drive him, specifically instructing her to take Mr. Chen to the villa at the bay on the outskirts of the city.
Throughout the ride, Xie Xingxuan was preoccupied with the bet, terrified that Mr. Chen would demand something excessive. She felt restless, shooting a glare at Mr. Chen through the rearview mirror from time to time. Mr. Chen, however, spent the entire journey with his eyes closed in meditation, not even glancing at her, which left her feeling slightly disappointed.
When they were halfway there, Mr. Chen seemed to sense something unusual. He suddenly opened his eyes, frowned, and asked, "Do you have bodyguards following you?"
Xie Xingxuan shook her head, responding with a touch of haughtiness, "In Mingji City, no one dares to make a move against the Xie Family. There is no need for bodyguards."
Mr. Chen’s eyes turned thoughtful. Suddenly, he said, "Stop the car."
Xie Xingxuan slammed on the brakes instinctively, her head nearly hitting the steering wheel. She snapped, "Are you sick?"
"Wait for me here."
Mr. Chen opened the door and stepped out directly. He had only walked a few paces when Xie Xingxuan gritted her teeth, chased after him, and shouted, "You haven't told me the terms of our bet yet!"
Mr. Chen turned around. Looking at Xie Xingxuan, whose delicate figure was outlined by a cyan and white qipao, a mischievous smile curled his lips. He walked toward her, quickly reaching her side, close enough that he could catch the faint, elegant scent lingering around her.
"What... what are you doing?" Xie Xingxuan’s breathing suddenly quickened. Could it be… did he want to kiss her? Nervous and shy, she instinctively wanted to flee back to the car. But then she thought, she had already agreed to lose a request to Mr. Chen; if it were just a kiss, it wasn't entirely unacceptable. *I, Xie Xingxuan, always keep my word!*
Xie Xingxuan closed her eyes nervously, acting as if she were facing death. Only her crimson cheeks and the slight trembling of her eyelids betrayed her inner shyness and tension.
The next moment, things didn't go quite as Xie Xingxuan had imagined. Mr. Chen didn't kiss her; instead, he hugged her and breathed gently near her ear, teasing, "I'll tell you when I've decided. Now, be a good girl and wait for me in the car. Don't come out. I’ll be back soon."
It was the first time Xie Xingxuan had been this intimate with a man. Her earlobe, a private spot, felt tender and weak from the heat of his breath. If Mr. Chen hadn't been holding her, she might have lost her footing.
After Mr. Chen let her go, he turned and walked ahead. At the same time, a light drizzle began to fall from the sky. Watching his departing figure, Xie Xingxuan’s expression was complex.
Mr. Chen walked for some distance until he reached a stone bridge. The area was remote, with no pedestrians. Suddenly, a man dressed in black appeared on the opposite side of the bridge. His eyes were cold and his entire body radiated a sharp, biting aura—it was clear he was here with ill intent.
"I don't think I know you. Why have you been following me?" Mr. Chen asked, hands in his pockets, his demeanor relaxed and at ease. Back in Xie Xingxuan’s car, he had already sensed he was being followed, and since the person radiated such strong killing intent, Mr. Chen had intentionally gotten out in a remote spot to lure the snake out of its hole. It appeared the person following him was the man in black before him.
The man in black said coldly, "You are merely an ant of the lower class; naturally, you could not possibly know me. I come from the Zhao Family in the Provincial Capital. To you, I am an existence like a behemoth."
"The Zhao Family of the Provincial Capital?" This was the second time Mr. Chen had heard of them.
The man in black continued, "Young Master Zhao sent me to investigate Xie Xingxuan in secret, for she has caught his eye. Young Master Zhao is a germaphobe; he does not like others touching his women. Since you have hugged Xie Xingxuan, you must die!"
The man in black pulled out a short sword. The blade was narrow but razor-sharp, radiating a heavy, murderous aura. The atmosphere grew heavy, ready to snap at any moment.
At the same time, behind a willow tree not far away, a beautiful young woman’s eyes revealed a look of shock. "It’s actually him. This is trouble."
She was Su Wanbai, sent by Su Yingxue to protect Mr. Chen. She had reached the "Mid-Stage Qi Harmonization" level herself and could be considered a rare expert. But at this moment, her heart sank to the bottom. She had recognized the man in black as Zhao Tianlai, an elite of the Zhao Family. Legend had it he had reached the "Early-Stage Nether Penetration" realm and, relying on the short sword in his hand, had once taken on ten special forces squads single-handedly and emerged unscathed—a feat that brought him great fame and earned him the nickname "Zhao the Unscathed."
With Zhao Tianlai making a move, Mr. Chen was all but certain to die!
"Zhao Tianlai is a full rank above me. Even if I go out to stall him and give Mr. Chen a chance to escape, I’ll likely just be throwing my life away. What should I do?" Su Wanbai was filled with conflict; there was even a look of despair in her eyes.
On the bridge, the rain continued to fall, even showing signs of picking up. Mr. Chen raised an eyebrow and asked, "Are you sure you can kill me?"
"Because I intend to kill you, you are as good as dead. Remember, my name is Zhao Tianlai, also known as Zhao the Unscathed," Zhao Tianlai said slowly, the killing intent radiating from him growing even more intense.
Mr. Chen shrugged and said, "Heaven will rain, mothers will remarry, and if you insist on dying, I have no choice but to oblige you."
Zhao Tianlai’s eyes flashed with contempt, as he couldn't sense a single shred of martial energy from Mr. Chen. He could kill such an ordinary person with one strike! He held his sword and lunged forward with incredible speed, splashing up countless droplets of water.
Mr. Chen stood in place, still with his hands in his pockets. The next moment, Zhao Tianlai closed in, his short sword slashing downward in an instant. A faint silver light appeared on the blade, splitting the raindrops. Judging by the sheer force of the strike, it was several levels stronger than Leng Dao’s "Twin Blade Cross Slash"—he was certainly worthy of the title of an "Early-Stage Nether Penetration" expert.
Not far away, Su Wanbai closed her eyes in despair; she couldn't bear to watch Mr. Chen die under the blade. Zhao Tianlai felt triumphant, thinking his strength had improved once again. This strike would be enough to split Mr. Chen in two!
Suddenly, Mr. Chen’s eyes sharpened. He thrust out two fingers, and the strike, which had been so aggressive and imposing, was held firmly between his fingertips.
Zhao Tianlai’s eyes widened in disbelief.
"In front of me, you are not worthy of using a sword!" Mr. Chen punched with his other hand, striking Zhao Tianlai’s chest instantly. Zhao Tianlai let out a muffled groan as he flew backward. Several of his ribs shattered, and the short sword flew from his grasp. After sliding back for over ten meters, Zhao Tianlai finally steadied himself, only to suddenly cough up a large mouthful of blood.
Su Wanbai hadn't heard the scream she expected, so she opened her eyes out of curiosity and was immediately shocked. "What... what just happened? Why is Mr. Chen completely unharmed while Zhao Tianlai is heavily wounded?" Su Wanbai felt her brain couldn't keep up; she couldn't comprehend what was happening.
Mr. Chen picked up the sword and walked forward slowly. He said calmly, "Now, I will show you what real swordsmanship is."
"Who... who are you?" Zhao Tianlai asked in shock.
"My name is Mr. Chen, and I am the one who is about to kill you." Mr. Chen smiled calmly, continuing to walk toward him.
Feeling the approach of death, Zhao Tianlai was struck with terror. He was an "Early-Stage Nether Penetration" expert, especially skilled with the short sword, with power enough to cleave mountains and shatter stones. Yet, his full-power strike had been caught by Mr. Chen with just two fingers. Could it be that Mr. Chen’s strength was far above his own? Could Mr. Chen be a top-tier expert of the "Late-Stage Nether Penetration" realm?
"Damn it! I didn't investigate this properly!" Zhao Tianlai cursed fiercely before turning and running away.
"You want to escape? Do you think it’s that easy?" Mr. Chen kicked off the ground, splashing more water, and shot forward like an arrow released from a bow. In an instant, he overtook Zhao Tianlai, and with one downward slash, cleanly severed his right arm.
Zhao Tianlai screamed, blood spraying from his stump, before Mr. Chen kicked him to the ground, his body covered in blood and rain.
"You... you can't kill me! If you kill me, the Zhao Family of the Provincial Capital will surely avenge me. You won't find a place to hide when they come for you!" Zhao Tianlai hissed viciously.
"The Zhao Family of the Provincial Capital? They are welcome to try. Once they provoke me, Mr. Chen, I don't care if it's the Zhao Family or the King’s Family; I will make them all vanish into thin air!" Mr. Chen said with a playful tone. "As I said, heaven will rain, mothers will remarry, and since you insist on dying, I have no choice but to satisfy you."
With that, Mr. Chen leaned in. The short sword seemed to have a life of its own in his hand, the strikes as unpredictable as the tracks of an antelope in the sky. Wherever the light of the sword flashed, deep gashes appeared on Zhao Tianlai’s body, blood flowing incessantly and staining the surrounding rainwater red.
Su Wanbai was already frozen in place. Zhao Tianlai, revered as "Zhao the Unscathed," was being brutally dismantled by Mr. Chen. Aside from a "Late-Stage Nether Penetration" expert, who else could possess such skill? *Could it be that Mr. Chen, despite his youth, is already a "Late-Stage Nether Penetration" expert?* Su Wanbai was completely stunned.
With Mr. Chen’s final strike cutting through Zhao Tianlai’s throat, the expert who had once single-handedly defeated ten special forces squads died at his hands.
"If news of this battle gets out, Mr. Chen will surely become famous. But he has killed someone from the Zhao Family of the Provincial Capital; they certainly won't let this go," Su Wanbai worried. Suddenly, she realized that Mr. Chen had vanished from where he stood, and she was shocked.
"Who are you, and why have you been following me?" The next moment, Mr. Chen’s voice sounded behind her like a ghost. Su Wanbai jumped and turned around, only for her vision to blur as Mr. Chen gripped her throat.
Subdued in a single move!
At that moment, Su Wanbai felt the threat of death, and cold sweat broke out instantly. Mr. Chen had thrown the short sword away, one hand in his pocket, the other clutching Su Wanbai’s neck. After seeing her beautiful face clearly, Mr. Chen was slightly taken aback. Moreover, Su Wanbai was wearing a red qipao that revealed her fair, long legs, making her look even more alluring.
"A beauty like you, following me around... don't tell me you’ve taken a liking to me?" Mr. Chen chuckled, reaching out to touch her leg.
Su Wanbai felt a sense of humiliation and immediately said, "I... I was sent by Miss Su Yingxue to protect you."
"Oh..." Mr. Chen was stunned, his hand stopping in mid-air. He hadn't expected to tease someone sent by his "Big Wife." He released her, laughing awkwardly, "A misunderstanding. So, you’re one of my own."
Having regained her freedom, Su Wanbai coughed twice, gasped for fresh air, and then glared fiercely at Mr. Chen.
Mr. Chen asked sheepishly, "You said you were sent by my 'Big Wife'—what is this all about?" Although she was curious as to why he called Su Yingxue his "Big Wife," she didn't dare ask and truthfully replied, "Because you just arrived and have offended Li Tongwei, the young mistress was worried you might be in danger, so she sent me to watch over you in secret." Of course, she left out the part about reporting his movements to see if he was capable of succeeding in his business.
Mr. Chen’s expression turned odd. "My 'Big Wife,' she seems cold as ice, but I never expected her to be so kind to me."
Su Wanbai lowered her eyes, saying nothing, but a storm was raging inside her. *My Lady, if you had known Mr. Chen was this powerful, why would you have sent me to protect him? It’s more like he should be protecting me!*
Mr. Chen mused, "Go back and tell Su Yingxue that she doesn't need to follow me anymore." With that, Mr. Chen turned and left, disappearing into the misty rain.
"My lady, oh my lady, you must seize this opportunity. Mr. Chen is a true hidden dragon," Su Wanbai sighed. Then, she rolled her eyes and thought, "Still, this future husband of hers is bold. He even dares to kill people from the Zhao Family. I’d better help him dispose of Zhao Tianlai’s body to try and buy him more time."
Riding in Xie Xingxuan’s luxury car, Mr. Chen arrived at the bay villa Jiang Tianhu had gifted him, and Xie Xingxuan fled as if running for her life. Although he knew the villa was high-end, he was still amazed once he went inside.
The four-story detached villa, plus a two-story underground garage, spanned at least ten thousand square meters. The living room was filled with authentic calligraphy and paintings from Ming and Qing dynasty masters, appearing both grand and elegant. Standing in front of the floor-to-ceiling windows on the second floor, one could even see the vast ocean in the distance, soothing both body and mind.
"No wonder Jiang Tianhu can be a local tyrant; his generosity is bold. This villa must have cost at least several tens of millions. Tsk, tsk."
Mr. Chen first called Tang Meilian to tell her he had found a place and would be moving out. After she expressed her concern and told him to come over for dinner in a few days, they hung up.
Mr. Chen brought the medicinal herbs to the bedroom and began refining pills. Since he was a child, he had taken all kinds of rare pills to assist his cultivation. However, precious herbs were hard to come by, and since he had consumed almost all the herbs on the mountain, his cultivation had reached a bottleneck, forcing him to come down to search for rare ingredients. In another sense, alchemy was his specialty, even exceeding his medical skills.
"Missing the Cyan Jade Ganoderma, Fire Spirit Grass, and Heavenly Heart Fruit... well, I have no choice but to try my best. Hopefully, I can refine a 'Xuan-Yang Pill'."
Mr. Chen set the necessary herbs before him and pulled out a small bronze cauldron from his robes. It was engraved with the sun, moon, and stars, looking ancient and profound. The "Immortal Martial Unity Technique" he practiced revolved around using the pure Yang energy of heaven and earth, so it was only natural he could harness the essence of the herbs as well.
"Heaven and Earth unite, symbols merge into truth, Yin and Yang descend, echoing the Nine Mysteries, the nine-cycle flowing pill, condensing energy into essence."
Mr. Chen sat cross-legged, focused, and recited the incantation. Streams of cyan energy drifted from the herbs and gathered into the bronze cauldron, swirling inside. Mr. Chen circulated his inner energy, and the cauldron floated in mid-air as a flame erupted beneath it, burning fiercely.
A moment later, the timing was perfect. A rich, white, fragrant mist permeated the room, smelling refreshing and invigorating.
"Consuming the essence of the sun and moon, running the wonders of the two paths, the treasure of infinite mystery, descending the divine pill!"
Mr. Chen formed seals with his hands. The flame vanished, and the pill essence in the room was sucked into the cauldron like a whale drinking water, condensing into twelve crimson pills.
Just looking at the quality of the pills, one could feel the immense vitality contained within them. Yet, Mr. Chen looked disappointed, frowning, "As expected, I overestimated myself. Without those key ingredients, the real Xuan-Yang Pill couldn't be refined. Still, although these are failed products, they should be more than enough to treat Uncle Zhong’s chronic illness."
He decided to call this batch of failed products "Lesser Xuan-Yang Pills." They were called "Lesser" because compared to the real deal, their efficacy was not even a hundredth of the original, so they weren't of much use to him.
After refining some "Gujing Pills" as well, Mr. Chen tossed a "Lesser Xuan-Yang Pill" into his mouth and began his meditation. Although he couldn't break through, it was better than nothing.
The next morning, after asking Tang Meilian for another day off, Mr. Chen called Han Muqing to come pick him up. Han Muqing didn't know he had moved into the bay villa, and when she arrived at the address, she was truly shocked. She had been the general manager of the Mingji Trade Building for three years and was now the president, yet even her combined annual salaries wouldn't be enough to buy this villa. Mr. Chen, however, had managed it in just a few days. It really made one realize how frustrating the comparison could be.