"Tsk tsk, Jiang Chen has some nerve, actually daring to fight Jiang Zhi?"
"I think he's overestimating himself and asking for humiliation. Jiang Zhi is a dignified Martial Artist at the Peak of Third Stage, and he's even cultivated the Falling Leaves Saber Technique to the Great Success Realm. How could a mere Jiang Chen possibly stand against him?"
A buzz of discussion rose from the crowd.
However…
Their voices came to an abrupt halt.
The relaxed smiles on their faces instantly froze, replaced by expressions of shock and disbelief.
As Jiang Chen brushed past Jiang Zhi, his sword left its sheath in a flash of brilliant Sword Aura. With a crisp DING, Jiang Zhi's Battle Blade was sent flying from his grasp with a single strike.
It spun a dozen times in the air before landing in the ground with a THWANG.
Jiang Chen smoothly returned his sword to its sheath.
Jiang Zhi staggered back two steps, then suddenly froze. Immediately after, two streams of crimson blood gushed like fountains from his eyes and legs.
Jiang Zhi's legs had been severed below the knees, and both his arms had been sliced off at the shoulders.
His eyeballs had burst, leaving him blind.
All of this, with just one strike from Jiang Chen!
This was the Aurora Sword Technique at the Great Success Realm. A sword like the aurora, gone in a flash. You couldn't even see the blade's path before it had severed limbs and blinded its foe.
"Ah... My eyes, my legs, my arms... Jiang Chen, you'll die a dog's death..." Jiang Zhi struggled in a pool of his own blood.
Jiang Chen watched indifferently, his voice icy, "You twisted right and wrong, unable to tell black from white, so I crippled your eyes. You attacked without reason, aiming to take my life, so I severed your limbs. You should be glad we are within the family grounds today. I showed you mercy because of the clan rules. If there is a next time, I will kill you!"
Jiang Chen swept his emotionless gaze over the crowd, then returned the longsword to the young man. "Thanks!"
"Y-You're welcome!"
The young man was completely dumbfounded.
Jiang Chen nodded, turned, and walked back to the Sword Tower.
Along the way, everyone automatically made way for him, not daring to block his path.
Only after his figure disappeared into the Sword Tower did the crowd erupt...
"Holy shit, what did I just see? Jiang Zhi was crippled with a single strike?"
"Is this a hallucination? Jiang Zhi awakened a Yellow Tier Sixth Grade Martial Soul and is an expert at the Third Stage of Martial Arts. How could he not even block a single strike from Jiang Chen?"
"Jiang Chen's Sword Skill is terrifying."
"Is he... really trash?"
At this moment, everyone's gaze toward Jiang Chen was filled with deep awe and fear.
No one dared to call him trash anymore, and no one dared to look down on him.
This was a world where the strong devoured the weak, a world where strength reigned supreme!
...
Back on the 4th Floor of the Sword Tower, Jiang Chen's eyes flashed. 'The Aurora Sword Technique is truly worthy of being a Yellow Tier Low-Grade Sword Technique. Its power is extraordinary!'
After collecting the exclusive weapon from within the Sword Tower again, Jiang Chen's gaze swept over to the Sword Tower Puppet.
His longsword shot out, its light pulsing.
Jiang Chen and the Sword Tower Puppet were locked in battle!
Meanwhile…
「In a tavern next to the Sword Tower.」
Jiang Tai and the others wore expressions of stunned shock. They exchanged glances, each seeing the same astonishment reflected in the other's eyes.
"That brat... The Sword Technique he just used was so powerful. Someone who didn't know better would have thought he was a Sword Dao Grandmaster. It's unbelievable."
A worried look appeared on Jiang Tai's face as he turned to the silent Jiang Ziyou. "Little Ziyou, what do we do now?"
The potential and methods Jiang Chen had revealed were already making him feel a great sense of threat and unease.
Even Jiang Ziyou couldn't hide the turmoil and shock in her heart. She took a deep breath, her eyes hazy. 'Jiang Chen, oh, Jiang Chen, I have been merciful enough, not hounding you to your death. But your determination to destroy me never wavers, and that robs me of my peace. Since it has come to this, don't blame me, Jiang Ziyou, for being ruthless!'
At this thought, Jiang Ziyou gently smoothed a lock of hair at her temple. A cold curve played on her slightly raised lips as she spoke calmly, "Father, your child recalls that the father of the Jiang Rui brothers, Jiang Hu, was severely punished by Jiang Taixu for abducting a common girl, having one of his arms cut off. After that, Jiang Hu left the family and went to the Bluestone Mountain Range to form a Demon Hunting Team, didn't he?"
"Yes. That Jiang Hu is quite a character. After Jiang Taixu crippled his arm, not only did he not fall into despair, but he pulled himself together and gathered a group of murderous Evil Stars to form a Demon Hunting Team. Little Ziyou, why do you suddenly bring him up?" Jiang Tai asked, staring at Jiang Ziyou in confusion.
A Demon Hunting Team was a special kind of group that specialized in hunting Demon Beasts, exchanging their Demon Pills and materials for high rewards.
Every member of a Demon Hunting Team was a deadly Evil Star, accustomed to a life of licking blood from a blade's edge!
The hand Jiang Ziyou was using to smooth her hair paused abruptly. Her eyes, narrowed to slits, flashed with a cold light as she said faintly, "I hear Jiang Hu has always held a grudge about what happened back then. And, he dotes on his two sons. Tell me, what do you think he would do if he found out what happened to them... and that Jiang Chen is in the Bluestone Mountain Range?"
"Hiss!"
Jiang Tai and Jiang Ming both gasped.
Did that even need to be said?
Jiang Chen's father had cut off Jiang Hu's arm, and now Jiang Chen had crippled one of his sons, Jiang Rui, and completely disabled the other, Jiang Zhi.
If Jiang Hu knew Jiang Chen was in the Bluestone Mountain Range, he would probably stop at nothing to obliterate him!
The plan was truly vicious!
Jiang Ming cleared his throat and said hesitantly, "Miss Ziyou, even if we tell Jiang Hu what happened here, he wouldn't dare to openly move against Jiang Chen within the clan, would he?"
But Jiang Ziyou seemed completely unconcerned, speaking faintly, "I naturally have a way to make Jiang Chen walk right into the trap and go to the Bluestone Mountain Range to die..." After a pause, Jiang Ziyou beckoned to Jiang Ming. "Elder Jiang Ming, I will need you to make a move shortly!"
Jiang Ming hurried forward. As he listened to Jiang Ziyou's plan, a sinister glint flickered in his murky old eyes...
...
「Sword Tower, 4th Floor.」
After three bitter double-hours of fighting, Jiang Chen finally cut down the Sword Tower Puppet.
The entire fourth floor was filled with surging Spiritual Qi.
Jiang Chen sat down cross-legged, circulated the Profound Yellow Undying Technique, and quickly absorbed all the Spiritual Qi on the fourth floor until it was completely gone.
'The Spiritual Qi in the Sword Tower is becoming less and less helpful to me. This time, it only allowed me to break through to the Middle Stage of the Third Stage of Martial Arts. But if I can pass the fifth floor, I should be able to break through to the Fourth Stage of Martial Arts!' Jiang Chen clenched his fists, his eyes blazing with fighting spirit.
Just over ten days ago, he had only just awakened his Martial Soul and was still the trash everyone despised.
In the blink of an eye, he was already on the verge of breaking through to the Fourth Stage of Martial Arts.
Such a rate of progress had never been seen in the history of the Jiang Family. Jiang Chen felt even more confident about the four-clan gathering at the Yulan Festival, four months from now.
The arrogant and cold figure of Jiang Ziyou appeared in his mind, and Jiang Chen let out a cold laugh. 'Jiang Ziyou, I'm getting closer and closer to you. Just you wait. The Yulan Festival will be when I defeat you in public and take back everything that belongs to me with my own two hands!'
'The Saint Martial Order belongs to me. No one can take it away!'
Jiang Chen took a deep breath as the True Qi in his body surged wildly.
He was about to continue cultivating when he heard a voice from outside the Sword Tower, "Jiang Chen, it's me, Jiang Ming!"
"Elder Jiang Ming?"
Jiang Chen froze, frowning as he wondered, 'Why is Jiang Ming suddenly looking for me?'
Filled with doubt, Jiang Chen went to see Jiang Ming.
He saw Jiang Ming looking at him with an expression of praise and kindness. The elder let out a long sigh and said, "Jiang Chen, this old man has already heard about what you've been through. Ai, for the Young Miss and the Patriarch to do such a thing is truly too heartless."
Jiang Chen smiled noncommittally.
'To be attentive for no reason is to be a villain or a thief.' Jiang Ming's sudden visit made Jiang Chen suspicious of his motives.
"Ai... As an Elder of the Jiang Family, I shouldn't be meddling in this behind the Patriarch's and Young Miss's backs. But your father was once kind to me, and this old man has seen your progress and hard work these past days."
Jiang Ming said with a look of self-reproach, "A few days ago, this old man found out that the Patriarch had expelled you from the family, and that the Young Miss had even snatched away the Saint Martial Order your father left for you. I wanted to speak up for you, but my words carry little weight. There was nothing I could do to help you!"
A look of shame appeared on Jiang Ming's old face. His eyes were slightly red, and he looked full of remorse.
He looked up at Jiang Chen, as if he wanted to say something but was hesitating.
Jiang Chen's heart stirred. "Elder, if you have something to say, please speak freely!"
"I heard that you plan to challenge the Young Miss at the Yulan Festival. After thinking it over and over, I decided to come and tell you: I've received news that the Young Miss has already used the Saint Martial Order to contact the Saint Martial Sword Sect," Jiang Ming said in a low voice.
Jiang Chen's expression changed slightly.
He had never expected Jiang Ziyou to act so quickly.
"Jiang Chen, I originally wanted to persuade you to give up on challenging the Young Miss and offer you some money to leave this place of conflict. However, after seeing your performance in the Sword Tower and your fight against Jiang Zhi, I've decided to help you!" Jiang Ming said suddenly.
Jiang Chen was taken aback and looked at Jiang Ming. "Elder Jiang Ming, how do you plan to help me?"
"Three years ago, while hunting Demon Beasts in the Bluestone Mountain Range, I discovered a Blazing Flame Vermilion Fruit in the Spiritual Monkey Valley. However, the fruit wasn't ripe at the time, so I didn't pick it. I originally intended to keep it for myself, but now I've decided to tell you about it and give it to you."
A sharp glint flashed in Jiang Ming's eyes as he said gravely, "The Blazing Flame Vermilion Fruit is a First-grade Spiritual Medicine containing supreme medicinal power. Perhaps it can be of some help to you. Consider this my compensation to you, and a way to repay the debt I owe your father!"
"The Spiritual Monkey Valley in the Bluestone Mountain Range?"
Jiang Chen's eyes flickered.
He stared intently at Jiang Ming. 'One must always be on guard against others.' For Jiang Ming to suddenly find him and offer him such a great opportunity was truly suspicious.
But he had no conflicts or contradictions with the man, and the other party seemed to have no motive to harm him.
Perhaps it really was just to repay his father's kindness?
Besides…
While cultivating in the Sword Tower could indeed increase his cultivation speed, it clearly wasn't enough to defeat Jiang Ziyou at the Yulan Festival. Perhaps a trip to the Bluestone Mountain Range was a good choice!
At this thought, he cupped his fists toward Jiang Ming and said in a deep voice, "Jiang Chen thanks you, Elder!"
"Ai, your father was kind to me back then. This is the only meager help I can offer you!" Jiang Ming paused, then asked, "When do you plan to head to the Bluestone Mountain Range?"
"I plan to rest briefly and set out tomorrow!" Jiang Chen said in a low voice after a moment of thought.
"Good. Before you leave, come find me again. I'll give you a weapon!" Jiang Ming said with a nod.
Jiang Chen gave him a grateful look, then continued to cultivate in the Sword Tower. After a full day and night, sustaining two major battles, he finally broke through to the Peak of the Third Stage.
The next morning, Jiang Chen found Jiang Ming, took a Fine Iron Sword, and hastily left the Jiang Family estate.
However, Jiang Chen, having left through the Jiang Family's main gate, did not know that as he departed, three figures were watching him from the shadows. A cold smirk graced the lips of one of them. "Jiang Chen, oh, Jiang Chen, did you think my sword was so easy to take? Hmph. Jiang Ming, you can go inform Jiang Hu now!"