Issuing a Challenge

Gu Hongchen sighed. "Sigh, your father knows you are proud and arrogant, but if you do not defeat him, I fear the knot in my heart will never be untied, and I will never be able to break through again."

Blood Saber was already dead, but his inheritance had been taken by someone else.

As long as his own son defeated Blood Saber's inheritor, he would still have hope of breaking through.

It would prove that he was no weaker than Blood Saber.

He had that confidence. Gu Jian's talent and strength were far greater than his own; his future entry into the Martial Grandmaster Realm was all but certain.

Defeating Blood Saber's inheritor would not be a problem.

Gu Jian frowned. "Father, is there truly no other way?"

"No!"

Gu Hongchen spoke decisively. A problem had arisen in his Dao heart; it was not something external forces could resolve.

"Furthermore, let me tell you, Blood Saber's inheritor is not weak. Beating him will not be easy. He defeated your cousin Gongsun Sheng in a single move and fought Mad Saber to a standstill." Gu Hongchen spoke temptingly, deliberately exaggerating Chu Jiang's strength in order to provoke his son into issuing a challenge.

His time was running out. If another ten or twenty years passed and his qi and blood began to decline, breaking through to the Martial Grandmaster Realm would become nearly impossible.

Before then, he had to shatter the curse hanging over him.

Even if it meant forcing his son to do something he was unwilling to do.

"Hm, that level of strength barely qualifies him to receive a challenge from me." A trace of surprise flashed through Gu Jian's eyes, and his attitude made a one-hundred-and-eighty-degree turn as he agreed.

"Go make the arrangements. The time and place will be decided by the other side!" Gu Hongchen knew his son's temperament. If he did not give him a way to save face—

Getting the number one on the Human Ranking to issue a challenge to the number eleven on the Human Ranking would be basically impossible.

Even if he was his father.

Once, he too had possessed such a temperament, but a single mistaken thought had led him down the wrong path and severed his martial path.

"Yes!"

Gu Jian gave Gu Hongchen a simple bow, then withdrew from the main hall.

The Sword King Sect had already left liaison personnel in Baishi County, and they used carrier pigeons to send messages.

The speed was very fast.

News arrived the very next day.

"Father, the other side refused!"

Gu Jian spoke. He had expected the other side to refuse.

Perhaps Chu Jiang knew his own limits and did not dare accept the challenge.

"They did not give a reason?" Gu Hongchen's face darkened somewhat.

"They said that anyone wishing to challenge him must offer stakes, and they had to be valuable items—preferably Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures, cultivation methods, or martial arts..."

Although Gu Jian was normally even-tempered, he was somewhat angered at this moment. He acknowledged that Chu Jiang was a strong opponent, barely qualified to fight him.

If Chu Jiang had simply refused outright, that would have been one thing.

Yet he had deliberately added those last words.

With that approach, it was as though Gu Jian were begging Chu Jiang to fight him, which made him slightly displeased.

"It is nothing. As long as he has not refused outright, it is not a problem." Gu Hongchen waved his hand, signaling Gu Jian not to worry, then continued, "I will handle the matter of the stakes!"

He paused, then continued, "Focus on preparing for your decisive battle with Blood Saber's inheritor. You must defeat him in one battle. There can be no mistakes."

Gu Hongchen's voice was low and resolute. Whether he could break the curse depended on this battle. Even if he had to pay a price, he would spare nothing.

Besides, he did not believe Blood Saber's inheritor could win.

No matter how many good things he offered, Chu Jiang would have no fortune to enjoy them.

"Rest assured, Father. If his strength is only at the level he displayed a few days ago, I will surely defeat him!"

Gu Jian spoke slowly, his words brimming with confidence.

His comprehension of the sword had reached a new height.

The Vast Righteous Sword Song, one of the Sword King Sect's four great sword arts, had already reached major mastery.

Now, even against a Vajra Realm Middle Stage opponent, he could remain calm and composed.

Very soon.

A piece of news rapidly spread through Dahe Commandery, Annan Commandery, Lingfeng Commandery, Ziyan Commandery... sweeping across a third of Yun Province.

Gu Jian, ranked first on the Human Ranking, issued a challenge to Chu Jiang, ranked eleventh on the Human Ranking. The battle would take place half a month later at Black Wind Mountain, thirty li northwest of Baishi County.

The stakes for this match were a Six-Revolutions True Essence Pill and a bottle of Jade Dew Nectar.

After the various factions received the news, their reactions differed.

Li Jianshan, head of the Myriad Flower Sword Sect, one of Annan Commandery's six major sects, laughed and clapped his hands upon hearing it. "Interesting, truly interesting! This boy is quite arrogant. He wants to fight the number one on the Human Ranking, yet he even demands treasures as stakes. Pass down the order: send people to closely monitor this battle."

Murong Fei, sect master of the Huangji Sect, frowned slightly. "I heard from the sect elders that Blood Saber's inheritor, Chu Jiang, knows our Huangji Sect's foundational martial art—the Great Vajra Palm."

"If that is true, he must give us an explanation..."

Sikong Miaoyin, the Hundred Flowers Sect Master, said, "Xue'er, you may take Yu'er to observe this battle. A battle of this level is rarely seen, and it will benefit you both."

At the Yun Province headquarters of the Demon Suppressing Guard, Left Commander said, "This little fellow has caused quite a stir. Send Qin Hundred-Household to Nanyang Prefecture at once to observe in secret and guard against any unforeseen events."

In some unknown place, Earth Fiend Star revealed a sinister smile. "This is quite a good opportunity... is this not the perfect place to seek a new avatar?"

Baishi County, County Yamen Demon Catching Division.

"These are five Two-Cycle True Essence Pills, one Flame Fruit, and one hundred-year-old Purple Cloud Ginseng." Gongsun Li, the representative of the Gongsun Lineage, pointed at the jade boxes before him and spoke with a smile.

"These are all rare precious pills and spirit herbs. Might you release our Young Master with a reduced sentence?"

The corner of Chu Jiang's mouth twitched as he spoke blandly. "Your Young Master committed a serious crime. He was the mastermind behind ordering others to smash, loot, and plunder, causing major economic losses to this county."

Sentencing him to two years was already lenient. Since you are willing to make compensation, I will make an exception and reduce his sentence by another year."

"This is the greatest concession this official can make!"

Gongsun Li cursed inwardly. Was it not just a few broken tables, chairs, and benches? What major economic losses? Was he not simply saying it was too little?

What did he mean by making an exception and reducing the sentence by a year? Whether he was imprisoned for one day or one year was not all determined by a single word from him? This fellow was far too greedy.

These things could not satisfy his appetite at all.

"My lord, you jest. I just remembered that there is another treasure I forgot to take out." Gongsun Li pulled another small jade box from his robes.

"This is a deep-sea Mermaid Pearl. Though it has already cracked, the energy contained within it is still considerable. This treasure is exceedingly rare... What do you think?"

The Lineage had given him quite a few treasures for this trip. He had originally intended to pocket some for his own use, but it seemed that would not be possible now.

Sigh.

Chu Jiang held the Mermaid Pearl in his hand and examined it carefully. It truly brimmed with immense energy.

"This is a good item. It seems your side has indeed come with sincerity. How about this? I will break precedent this time and reduce his sentence to three months... This truly cannot be reduced any further." Chu Jiang played with it for a moment and deliberately put on a troubled expression, as though he had made an enormous concession.

Gongsun Li was extremely furious. He furrowed his brows tightly, cursing the other party without pause in his heart.

The task given to him by the Lineage was to bring the man back immediately, no matter the price.

He forcibly suppressed his anger and spoke again. "These treasures are already everything the Lineage gave me. However, I still have two bottles of superior Body Tempering Fluid on me. They can increase the physical strength of someone in the Acquired Realm and accelerate breakthroughs."

Those two bottles of Body Tempering Fluid were already his last possessions. He had not expected to lose even those.

This trip had brought him no benefits at all. Instead, it had emptied out all the wealth he carried on him.

Chu Jiang remained silent for a long while before saying, "Come to the county yamen prison to collect him half a month from now. Even if you brought out dragon liver and phoenix marrow this time, I could not reduce it any further. After all, since he committed a crime, he must be locked up for at least a few days."

He had already seen that this man had basically nothing left on him.

No matter how hard he squeezed, he would not be able to squeeze out any more oil.

"Sigh."

Gongsun Li felt exceedingly heavy-hearted. Forget it, forget it.

Young Master, just stay inside for two more days. Your subordinate truly has nothing left to give that greedy official, so I can only let you suffer a little longer.

"Then, my lord, I shall take my leave. I will return in half a month to collect him."

After saying that, Gongsun Li left the Demon Hunting Office in low spirits.