In this chaotic world,
wealthy restaurants in Tianwu City were still filled with song and dance. A young man sat at the head of the table, surrounded by several beautiful women. He looked about twenty-five or twenty-six, dressed in opulent clothing, with an ordinary appearance and a pale, ashen complexion.
He had the look of someone who had indulged too much. Despite his mundane features, his brows were filled with arrogance and pride. Behind him followed several young men in green robes, their collars embroidered with cloud patterns – the insignia of the Cloud Mist Sect, one of the Nine Sects of the Eastern Desolation.
The usually aloof Jiang family head, Jiāng Chánglíng, was all smiles and deference, leaning forward and respectfully asking,
"Young Master Lín Hán, have you had a good time these past few days?"
Lín Hán pushed away the beauty in his arms and cast a dismissive glance.
"Tianwu City is just a border town, with millions of people, and yet you can only produce these few?
"This... these women are all the top courtesans from the Heavenly Fragrance Pavilion. I'll go find more at once..." Jiāng Chánglíng's voice trembled slightly as he spoke, cold sweat beading on his forehead.
Although he was the head of the Jiāng family, before this Young Master Lín Hán, he was as humble as an ant. It was all because this person's background was too extraordinary. Not only was he the legitimate son of one of the prominent families in Eastern Barrens Commandery, the Lín family, but he was also a direct disciple of an Elder in the Cloud Mist Sect, holding an exceedingly high status.
With this person's capabilities, crushing the Jiāng family would be as simple as uttering a word.
"Young Master Lín Hán, this humble one happened to see a peerless beauty these past few days, but..."
Jiāng Fēng, sitting below, hesitated.
Lín Hán looked impatient.
"But what? Don't just talk about little Tianwu City; even in the Eastern Barrens Commandery, any woman I, Lín Hán, fancy is mine with a word!"
Seeing the great figure speak, Jiāng Fēng fawned,
"It's just that this woman recently married a good-for-nothing who hasn't even reached Qi Condensation. Such a delicate flower planted in dung, it truly is a pity..."
Lín Hán let out a lewd chuckle.
"Good, good, good! A married woman. I, Lín Hán, have plucked flowers for many years, but I've never had this experience. It suits my taste perfectly. Jiāng Fēng, you're quite thoughtful."
Hearing Lín Hán's praise, Jiāng Fēng's eyes almost glowed. He hastily bowed,
"Jiāng Fēng will forever be loyal to Young Master Lín and offer my utmost service!"
......
The next morning,
outside Jiāng Chén's courtyard, there was a clamor. It seemed many people had arrived.
"Open up, old man Jiāng! Jiāng Chén! Hurry and open the door!"
Jiāng Chén had been practicing martial arts until late the previous night and wanted to sleep in.
He heard Xiè Sāndāo's voice outside the door and was instantly enraged. He threw on his clothes and rushed out. The moment he opened the door, he saw Xiè Sāndāo standing brazenly at the entrance.
"What, did I not beat you enough a few days ago? You dare to come back?"
Xié Sāndāo hastily stepped aside. Although he was indeed at Qi Condensation Stage Five, ever since he was thrashed, he still held some fear towards Jiāng Chén.
"Jiāng Chén, you've committed a grave mistake, do you know?"
"Yes, I made a mistake. My mistake was beating you too lightly last time!"
Xié Sāndāo, seeing Jiāng Chén about to move again, hastily retreated, shouting,
"The truth is out, and you still dare to hit someone! You married someone with consumption, are you trying to kill us all?!"
Only then did Jiāng Chén notice that he was surrounded by over a hundred people, neighbors from the surrounding streets. Unlike the last time when people sat on stools to watch a show, their faces were now filled with indignation and disgust.
"A trash who can't even condense Qi, plus someone with consumption. It's a good thing we found out early, or they would have brought disaster upon us!"
"I knew it. A woman so beautiful couldn't be without some problem to marry into the Jiāng family. See, I was right."
"They even invited us to the wedding banquet a few days ago. I think they just wanted to infect us with consumption. This family is too wicked!"
The neighbors' discussions continued to reach his ears,
also alerting Jiāng Hǎi and Nángōng Wǎn'ér.
Jiāng Chén, looking at the smug Xiè Sāndāo, knew that this incident must have been fabricated by him.
"Everyone, my wife only has Lung Yin Deficiency, and she absolutely does not have consumption. A few days ago, I specifically got medicine from Shopkeeper Chén. Please do not believe Xiè Sāndāo's nonsense."
"Jiāng Chén, you still refuse to admit it? It was Shopkeeper Chén who told everyone about your wife having consumption!"
A neighbor, face full of anger, pointed at Jiāng Chén and cursed.
"Shopkeeper Chén is right here. Jiāng Chén, you scoundrel, you still won't admit it? If Shopkeeper Chén hadn't spoken out righteously, we would still be in the dark!"
"If only you could have brought some honor to your deceased father by successfully condensing Qi! You wouldn't have ended up being kicked out of the Jiāng family!"
"Exactly! To protect your Jiāng family's house, you'd do such a despicable thing? Aren't you afraid of divine retribution?"
At this moment, Shopkeeper Chén trembling walked out from the crowd and pointed at Jiāng Chén.
"Jiāng Chén, a few mornings ago, it was you who came to the Hall of Returning Spring, pulled me aside, and told me about your wife's condition. Fearing that I would spread the word, you gave me thirty taels of silver. This silver is the proof!Indeed, Shopkeeper Chén took out thirty taels of silver from his bosom.
This was a large sum, enough for a family to live on for half a year.
If it weren't true, how could Jiāng Chén, given his family's circumstances, bear to part with thirty taels of silver?
"If one knowingly marries a woman with consumption, according to Human Race law, they should be exiled to the army!"
"Jiāng Chén, we are all neighbors. If you hand over the sick woman now, we won't report you to the government!"
"Yes, Jiāng Chén, hand over the bringer of misfortune in your family!"
Xié Sāndāo, however, spotted Nángōng Wǎn'ér in the courtyard. He rolled up his sleeves and walked towards her with a lascivious grin. He knew that Nángōng Wǎn'ér did not have consumption and wondered when else he could take advantage if not now.
The young woman was as tender as a ripe peach, with a curvaceous figure, truly alluring.
"It's her! Still hiding and not coming out!"
In her panic, Nángōng Wǎn'ér had her wrist grabbed by Xiè Sāndāo and was pulled out. Just as she was about to use her power to retaliate, the pain in her lungs struck again. She coughed several times, and a trace of blood appeared at the corner of her mouth.
"See, Jiāng Chén? You still won't admit it? What else could this be but consumption!"
"Jiāng Chén, you're not afraid of dying, but we are!"
"Expel them from Tianwu City!"
"Beat the consumptive woman to death and throw her out!"
"Beat her to death! Chapter 15 Death-bound Battle Flag
Not far from Jiāng Chén's house was a teahouse.
The second floor offered a clear view of Jiāng Chén's doorway.
In a private room,
Jiāng Fēng was having tea with a young master.
"Young Master Lín, this Green Bamboo Tea is a specialty of our Tianwu City. While not particularly precious, it has a unique flavor."
"Not bad. For such a remote place as your Tianwu City, I wouldn't expect such good tea."
Jiāng Fēng paid no mind to Lín Hán's arrogant demeanor, becoming even more respectful.
"I'm glad you like it. I've prepared some for you to take back before your departure."
"The tea is secondary. What about that young married woman? Have you and your father made arrangements?"
Jiāng Fēng narrowed his eyes and pulled back the curtain.
"Young Master Lín, please look..."
Lín Hán stood up and looked at the commotion not far below.
A captivating figure appeared in his line of sight.
Even from afar,
the undulating curves like mountains and rivers were deeply imprinted in his heart.
Lín Hán's mouth fell open, and he was completely stunned, staring intently at the graceful figure. Her alluring physique was simply indescribable. Beneath her long skirt, her shapely, slender legs were vaguely visible,
exuding an unparalleled charm. While her beauty was not staggering, her seductive allure far surpassed that of ordinary beauties.
Combined with her soul-stirring almond eyes, she emitted an irresistible charm. Even having seen countless women, this woman was among the top three he had ever seen!
"That woman!" Lín Hán's expression was one of both surprise and excitement, his voice trembling slightly.
"Exquisite, absolutely exquisite!"
Seeing Lín Hán's excited expression, Jiāng Fēng knew he had achieved his goal.
"This is the peerless beauty I've prepared for you. Her name is Gōng Wǎn. She's not from Tianwu City; she's a refugee from Lingnan. For some reason, she recently married a young man from my clan. However, Young Master Lín, you might not know this: this boy is twenty years old and still only in the Body Tempering Realm. How could a weakling like him be worthy of such a beautiful wife?"
"No wonder she has such a charm. The wife of a Body Tempering martial artist... Jiāng Fēng, you're very thoughtful. If this matter is handled well, you can follow me."
Lín Hán's lips curved into a lewd smile. Married women were more interesting to play with.
Jiāng Fēng's eyes widened abruptly. He was ecstatic beyond words. After a long pause, he finally reacted and knelt at Lín Hán's feet.
"Jiāng Fēng thanks Young Master Lín for his great kindness. If I can follow by Young Master Lín's side, I will dedicate all my efforts and serve you wholeheartedly!"
Jiāng Fēng had originally intended to kill two birds with one stone: to drive out Jiāng Chén and to gain favor with Lín Hán.
He never expected to encounter such an opportunity for a meteoric rise. After all, the insignificant Jiāng family and a disciple of the Cloud Mist Sect were two entirely different concepts. If he could enter the Cloud Mist Sect, even as an outer disciple, it would be enough to bring glory to his ancestors and skyrocket the Jiāng family's status!
.....
"Jiāng Chén, you married someone with consumption just to avoid being kicked out of the Jiāng family! We watched you grow up.
Even though you've never succeeded in condensing Qi, we still treated you like our own nephew. Send this woman out of the city,
and we won't report you to the authorities!"
"Jiāng Chén, you're too audacious. Send the consumptive woman away, and we won't make things difficult for you!"
Jiāng Chén stood in front of Nángōng Wǎn'ér.
Looking at the pretense of these people, he saw the fickleness of human relationships and the cold reality of the world.
Having lived two lives, he understood.
In Jiāng Chén's memories, during his most impoverished times, he couldn't even get a meal. What were these neighbors, who treated him like a nephew, doing then?
In his previous life, when his master, Immortal King Chóngmíng, was at his peak, countless powerful figures visited with heavy gifts, calling themselves brothers. But when he was besieged, not a single one of those so-called brothers appeared. Instead, many kicked him while he was down.
In his view, some people were more terrifying than demon beasts. Beneath their masks of hypocrisy lay a more dreadful evil!
Moreover, as a man, Nángōng Wǎn'ér was his lawfully wedded wife. Even if she truly had consumption, he would never abandon her because of illness, let alone allow these outsiders to insult her so!
"She is my lawfully wedded wife. If she truly has consumption, you don't need to drive us out; we will leave Tianwu City of our own accord and never return. But if you slander my wife for your own selfish gain, even if I have to give up my life, I will not let you go!"
Jiāng Chén's anger surged, and he glared at the crowd.
"Jiāng Chén! The evidence is conclusive, and these neighbors are all witnesses! Do you still intend to deny it? I think you deliberately brought a consumptive woman into Tianwu City to harm us neighbors! Your intentions are evil!"
"Expel the Jiāng Chén family!"
"Yes! Expel them from Tianwu City!"
Nángōng Wǎn'ér's body trembled. The repeated coughing of blood made her face paler. If not for Jiāng Chén supporting her, she might have already fallen to the ground. Looking at the disgust and disdain in the eyes of the surrounding crowd, and then at Jiāng Chén protecting her,
she never imagined she would fall to such a state. Worse, because of her,
she had even implicated Jiāng Chén and his grandfather. She gently pushed away Jiāng Chén's hand.
"This has nothing to do with you. Don't lose your home because of me."
She tried to push Jiāng Chén away, but he grasped her hand and said gently, in a voice only she could hear,
"Don't worry. You are my wife. We'll leave together, or stay together. Let alone that you don't have consumption; even if you did, we'd find a way to cure you, even if we had to sell everything we own."
Nángōng Wǎn'ér looked at Jiāng Chén with complex emotions.
She was, after all, a saintess of the Demon Race.
She never imagined being protected by a human martial artist who hadn't even reached Qi Condensation. Yet, this fragile body stood fearlessly before her, and his words made her previously panicked and helpless heart feel stable and warm. It seemed that no matter how great the danger or how difficult the challenge, she no longer feared.
In the lawless environment of the Demon Race, she had never experienced such a feeling...
"Get out, you consumptive!"
"You've contracted this disease and still come to endanger us? May you die a terrible death!"
The surrounding neighbors continued to curse.
Jiāng Chén's blood and qi surged within him, as if a powerful force was colliding with his meridians.
He took a step forward,
pulled Nángōng Wǎn'ér behind him,
and faced the crowd with a stern aura and a chilling gaze.
"She is my wife! Whoever wants to drive my wife out of Tianwu City must step over my dead body!"
"Who dares to drive out my granddaughter-in-law!"
A roar came from the courtyard,
shaking the surroundings.
Jiāng Hǎi emerged from the courtyard, holding a dust-covered box. He glanced at Jiāng Chén and Nángōng Wǎn'ér standing together. Jiāng Hǎi had once been a martial artist in the Xiantian Stage but was injured on the demon beast battlefield, losing all his cultivation.
From that day on, his back never straightened. But this time, his back was perfectly straight.
"Over thirty years ago, the Demon Race invaded our Human Race territory. Jiāng Liè was just a child then. I took the family's ancestral steel spear and entered the battlefield.
I experienced hundreds of battles, big and small.
I survived countless near-death encounters.
I was once a genius of the Jiāng family, but after returning severely injured, I lost all my cultivation. From that day on, no one looked up to me anymore!
Several years ago, my son, Jiāng Liè, was hailed as the foremost expert in Tianwu City.
When the demon beast offensive was fierce, I advised him not to go to the front lines. But he said to me,
'When the Human Race is in peril, how can we stand idly by?
Even if I fall, even if I die on the battlefield, I want to be a mountain, a ridge, to block the demon beasts' advance!'
He fulfilled his promise with his life. He used his life to protect his kin behind him. But you all! What have you done to him?"
"Bullying his family, seizing his property!"
He opened the box and pulled out a banner.
Perhaps it was a Death-bound Battle Flag.
On the white cloth, a large character 'Death' was written in blood!
In the corner, a few lines of small text were written:
"Human Race in peril, demons ferocious,
Fortunate to have a son, volunteering willingly,
Carrying a flag, always by my side,
Wiping blood when injured, wrapped in it when dead,
Facing death as if returning home, never forgetting the original heart."
These few lines surpassed thousands of eloquent speeches.
"Grandson, unfurl the battle flag. Let's see who dares to drive our family out! Chapter 16 Cloud Mist Sect Disciple Attacks
A brief silence fell over the scene.
Since the loss of his cultivation, Old Master Jiāng Hǎi had always appeared meek and timid.
But who could forget that he was once full of heroic spirit?
It was the grief of losing his son in old age that had robbed him of his former vigor.
His words, however, were filled with sincerity,
and everyone present was moved. Some even showed genuine admiration in their eyes.
Only Xiè Sāndāo sneered in anger. He glanced grimly and waved his hand. The head of the Jiāng family had anticipated this situation and sent several experts. Otherwise, would he dare to knock on your door?
From the crowd, several figures emerged, their auras clearly different from ordinary people. They were obviously experts at or above Qi Condensation Stage Five.
Seeing their gait, one could tell they were masters who had practiced Martial Skills.
"Hmph, Jiāng Chén, I see you're determined to be with this sick woman. Then don't blame me for being ruthless. Attack!"
Several people instantly surrounded them. They had received orders from Jiāng Fēng: if Jiāng Chén resisted, they need not hold back. Even if they killed him by accident, Jiāng Fēng could frame Jiāng Chén for harboring a consumptive patient.
"Hah!"
One person roared, True Essence condensed, his robes billowing. A faint white light coiled around his arms, emanating immense power. He stomped his foot and shot forward.
Jiāng Chén shielded Nángōng Wǎn'ér and Jiāng Hǎi behind him and stepped aside, throwing a punch that sent the attacker flying.
"Attack together!"
Xié Sāndāo urged. The other individuals circulated their True Essence. It turned out that each of them was a martial artist in the late Qi Condensation stage. Judging by their auras alone, they likely all possessed strength at or above Stage Five.
The neighbors backed away. Nángōng Wǎn'ér was supported by Jiāng Hǎi to the entrance.
"Grandson, take the spear!"
Jiāng Chén took the spear, his aura suddenly intensifying.
"Splitting Mountain Hand!"
Jiāng Chén's vision flickered as an attacker rapidly closed in. With a spear in hand, Jiāng Chén's combat power was formidable!
A splash of blood. This martial artist at Qi Condensation Stage Five was no match for Jiāng Chén and fell to the ground, defeated.
"Cloud-Splitting Leg!"
"Icy Palm Force!"
"Sky-Breaking Sword Technique!"
Jiāng Chén's killing intent was as deep as the ocean. He swept his spear, and his profound energy sent the attackers flying several yards.
Not far away, in the teahouse,
Jiāng Fēng's expression was grim. He was already a martial artist at Qi Condensation Stage Eight. Killing intent and apprehension flickered in his eyes. This Jiāng Chén was surprisingly terrifying. Although he hadn't condensed Qi, the strength he displayed was no weaker than his own!
Lín Hán glanced over, his lips curling into a look of disdain. Then he said indifferently,
"A border town indeed lacks proper education. Your subordinates are nothing but mud and dogs. They probably can't even defeat a handyman from the Cloud Mist Sect. Cui Tu, go and capture that brat. Alive or dead, I don't care."
"Yes."
The outer disciple of the Cloud Mist Sect named Cui Tu suddenly unleashed his aura, creating a blast of energy that swept through the second floor of the teahouse.
Jiāng Fēng's eyes showed a hint of shock. This person was only around twenty years old yet possessed strength far surpassing his own.
Lín Hán seemed to understand Jiāng Fēng's thoughts.
"Just Qi Condensation Stage Eight."
Jiāng Fēng's pupils dilated.
What!
A disciple at Qi Condensation Stage Eight possessed a foundation a hundred times stronger than his own. The Cloud Mist Sect truly lived up to its reputation!
If an outer disciple was so powerful, how terrifying must Lín Hán be, who had already reached the Spirit Refinement Stage?
He looked at Lín Hán again, his gaze not only respectful but also filled with awe. Just as Jiāng Chén was about to withdraw his attack,
he suddenly felt a sharp killing intent. A palm strike had pierced Jiāng Chén's defense and landed on his chest. The palm strike appeared gentle, but the power contained within it was astonishing.
Jiāng Chén felt a powerful force strike him.
"Pfft!"
He spat out a mouthful of blood.
"Chén'er!"
Jiāng Hǎi rushed forward, but Jiāng Chén stopped him.
"I'm fine!"
Jiāng Chén steadied himself and looked at Cui Tu, the person in green robes before him.
"Cloud Mist Sect!