Upon hearing the news, Chu Jiang let out a slight sigh inwardly.
This state of not knowing whether someone was alive or dead was the most torturous.
Gu Hongchen's words were probably true. With Heart Fire in his body, he would not dare lie.
He composed himself, looked at the people of the Sword King Sect, and said coldly, "Gu Hongchen of the Sword King Sect intended to assassinate a court official. I suspect the Sword King Sect intends rebellion!"
"Have the Sword King Sect bring a Thousand-Year Treasure Medicine and give me an explanation here in seven days!"
"Otherwise..."
Chu Jiang snorted coldly.
With one hand, he forcibly seized Gu Hongchen; with the other, he carried Gu Jian.
He headed down the mountain.
Not a single person dared stop him. They could only stare blankly.
Mad Saber and the Bewitching Heart Demoness stood rooted to the spot, unable to recover for a long while. No one had expected the story to end this way.
First, he had beaten the Sword King Sect's two generations of most outstanding disciples until they were half-dead. Then, using the Sword King Sect's alleged intent to rebel as an excuse, he demanded that they produce a Thousand-Year Treasure Medicine to ransom them.
Such a person's methods were so ruthless that they left people tongue-tied.
How could his future achievements possibly be compared with those of ordinary people?
This great battle came to a dramatic end in a manner no one had anticipated.
Everyone dispersed and returned to their respective factions.
The Sword King Sect disciples in particular raced desperately toward Dahe Commandery. Carrier pigeons bearing letters had already gone ahead.
Such a major incident had occurred here; the Sword King Sect would likely be turned upside down. Gu Jian was the Old Sect Master's personally appointed heir of the next generation and could not be allowed to come to harm.
Some people did not leave and remained in Baishi County.
Everyone was looking forward to seeing how this matter would develop.
The Sword King Sect was renowned far and wide, one of the three great sects of Dahe Commandery.
It was a top-tier sect with a martial grandmaster.
Would it truly bow its head to Chu Jiang, or would it send a martial grandmaster to Baishi County with absolute force and compel Chu Jiang to release the captives? No one could say.
This was a Thousand-Year Treasure Medicine. Whether the Sword King Sect even possessed one was another matter altogether.
Baishi County.
"I've sealed these two men's meridians. Throw them into the county yamen prison!" Chu Jiang looked at Ma Han and the others, then continued, "For the next few days, I will personally guard the prison."
"To prevent the Sword King Sect from jumping over the wall in desperation and sending experts to break them out."
"Yes, sir! We will see to it immediately!"
Ma Han and the others answered in unison.
Annan Commandery bordered Dahe Commandery, and the news swiftly reached the Sword King Sect.
As expected, it sparked an uproar. More than a dozen elders in the sect master's grand hall argued in a chaotic mess, and the quarrel showed no signs of stopping.
"That ignorant brat actually dared seize the young sect master and the Great Elder!"
Great Elder Gu Hongchen had originally been expected to inherit the position of sect master. However, because he had long been unable to break through that final barrier, he had settled for becoming the Sword King Sect's Great Elder.
His status within the Sword King Sect was quite high.
"In all these years, he is the first person to dare threaten our Sword King Sect. If we do not teach him a lesson, who will fear our Sword King Sect in the future?"
"He even demands a Thousand-Year Treasure Medicine from us. Does he think Thousand-Year Treasure Medicine is something sold by the roadside?"
"Kill! Start with those around him. The Sword King Sect cannot be humiliated!"
Several war-minded elders spoke with fervor, their eyes brimming with killing intent.
"Gu Jian and the Great Elder are still in his hands. You madmen, are you trying to get them both killed?"
The faction supporting Gu Jian roared in fury.
"They may die, but the Sword King Sect's dignity must not be damaged!" an old diehard from the war faction said coldly.
"Insolence! You want to rebel against your superiors!" the elders of Gu Jian's faction raged.
"Do you truly think the Great Chu court will sit by and do nothing?"
"He may be old, but he is not dead yet."
An elder from the moderate faction spoke up.
"Please give the order, Acting Sect Master. With a single word from you, we will immediately head to Baishi County and cut off that brat's head," the old diehard of the war faction said, looking toward the sect master's seat.
The Acting Sect Master also had a headache. These people each clung to their own opinions; deciding what to do truly stumped him. No matter which choice he made, it seemed none too good.
He was merely a transparent figure temporarily managing the sect. Who could have imagined he would be saddled with this matter? No matter what went wrong in the future, it would all be his fault.
He could not carry such a massive black pot.
"I will handle this matter."
A middle-aged man in white sword robes suddenly appeared in the grand hall.
He came swiftly without a shadow, moved without stirring the wind, and possessed an extraordinary bearing.
When the elders saw him, their expressions changed drastically, and they all fell to their knees.
"Greetings, Old Sect Master!"
"Old Sect Master, please restore the Sword King Sect's honor!"
The Old Sect Master had been in seclusion for many years. Now that he had emerged, his divine arts must have reached completion, and he must have made another breakthrough.
The Old Sect Master's true name was Li Haoran. The Vast Righteous Sword Song, one of the Sword King Sect's four great sword arts, had been created by him. He was the Sword King Sect's greatest genius in a century.
Among those of the same realm, almost no one could stand against him.
"I will bring a Thousand-Year Treasure Medicine to ransom the father and son. This matter ends here." Li Haoran spoke expressionlessly, then vanished from before everyone.
"This..."
"How can this be..."
The Sword King Sect had always been powerful and had never yielded to anyone. Yet today, it was actually going to lower its head before a mere brat and bring a Thousand-Year Treasure Medicine to ransom its people.
From the Old Sect Master's words, he even intended to personally visit Chu Jiang to settle this matter. Was it necessary to give him such face?
But the Old Sect Master had already spoken, and no one dared disobey.
The Sword King Sect's present deterrent power rested entirely on the Old Sect Master's might alone.
Sword King Sect forbidden grounds.
"Left Commander, your Demon Suppressing Guards have produced quite a promising seed."
Li Haoran looked expressionlessly toward the person hidden in the darkness.
Left Commander's voice came from the air, yet his figure could not be seen.
"You too, Brother Li. I hope you keep your promise and do not make things difficult for him."
"This chapter has more to come. Please click the next page to continue reading—the later parts are even more exciting!"
"I'll be back shortly!"
Li Haoran snorted coldly, took a single step, and flew away from the forbidden grounds.
This Left Commander was quite a ruthless man.
For the sake of one insignificant Demon Suppressing Guard, he had actually not hesitated to turn against him.
If Li Haoran made things difficult for Chu Jiang in Baishi County or attacked him, that fellow would suppress and kill every disciple of the Sword King Sect under the charge of rebellion.
This infuriated him greatly.
Yet he had no choice. In the present Great Chu, the Demon Suppressing Guards reigned supreme.
Even the old emperor treated them with three parts respect.
Their foundations were not something his Sword King Sect could contend with.
"With you standing guard here, Commander, I expect he will not dare act recklessly." Qin Hundred-Household said with a smile.
He had watched the entire battle at Black Wind Mountain.
When Chu Jiang captured the two men and demanded that the Sword King Sect exchange a Thousand-Year Treasure Medicine for them,
he knew that, given the Sword King Sect's temperament, they would never let the matter rest.
So he contacted Left Commander at once.
"This child possesses exceptional talent, and his temperament suits my taste as well. He is a rare good seed for our Demon Suppression Division. If properly nurtured, he will surely become a great figure in the future!"
"Have him head to the Yunzhou Demon Suppression Bureau as soon as possible. Use the Demon Reflecting Mirror to verify his true identity. Once it is confirmed beyond doubt, he may be added to the priority training list."
Left Commander spoke calmly, but his words revealed his appreciation for Chu Jiang.
Qin Hundred-Household nodded slightly in agreement.
This was an indispensable procedure, meant to guard against demons slipping in among them.
After all, history had seen a painful lesson: a Peerless Genius painstakingly cultivated by the Human Race had turned out to be a shape-shifting demon in disguise.
After the truth was exposed, that demon slew several Human Race experts before fleeing without a trace.
These were all bloody lessons.
Before you continue