Persuading Jiang Yunfeng

"Talking about it now won't be convincing. I prefer to let the facts speak for themselves. Whether I can take first place—we'll see in a moment," Jiang Chen said.

"Good. Then Grandpa will see how you take first place. Haha." Jiang Tian laughed and left.

From Jiang Chen, he saw the reckless arrogance of youth.

After Jiang Tian left, Jiang Yunfeng said to Jiang Chen, "Chen'er, why did you promise to make up the forty thousand spirit stones? I can't gather that many spirit stones in such a short time." Jiang Yunfeng looked troubled.

He also blamed Jiang Chen for being too impulsive. Such a major matter, yet he had boasted without discussing it with him first.

If he could not repay the forty thousand spirit stones, he would become a laughingstock.

Jiang Hai would have even more reason to mock him then.

"Father, don't worry. I'll pay the forty thousand spirit stones. You don't need to worry," Jiang Chen said.

"What? Forty thousand spirit stones isn't a small sum. You'll pay it? Where did you get so many spirit stones?" Jiang Yunfeng was startled.

Not long ago, Jiang Chen had still been asking him for spirit stones and resources.

How had Jiang Chen become so wealthy after only a short time apart?

It had to be said that Jiang Chen had indeed been somewhat strange lately. Putting aside his explosive rise in strength, he had even said that he could produce forty thousand spirit stones. Was there something Jiang Chen was hiding from him?

Moreover, he had built a good relationship with Elder Huo and gotten him to save his life.

Jiang Yunfeng felt that he could hardly see through Jiang Chen anymore.

Ever since Jiang Chen had awakened, he had felt that Jiang Chen had changed greatly, becoming much more confident.

At the same time, he had also become even more talented.

Jiang Yunfeng knew that Jiang Chen had reached the tenth level of the Martial Artist Realm, and he had been utterly shocked at the time.

How had his strength increased so much in such a short period?

Jiang Chen had said that he had encountered an opportunity, but he had not explained what that opportunity was.

Everyone had their own secrets. Besides, Jiang Chen was his son, so Jiang Yunfeng was naturally happy for him and did not press further.

"Father, rest assured, you don't need to worry about this anymore. By the way, Grandpa is preparing to choose the next clan head. Father, I hope you'll also compete for it," Jiang Chen said.

"Huh? I'm supposed to compete too? But I don't really want to be clan head," Jiang Yunfeng said.

He disliked that sort of struggle for power and profit.

He felt that it would damage the feelings between brothers, and being an elder was quite good.

"Father, if you don't become clan head and the Great Elder does, he'll certainly make things difficult for you. As long as you become clan head, with Grandpa's support, he won't be able to cause much trouble," Jiang Chen said.

Jiang Chen's ambitions did not lie in Qingyue Town, but on a much larger stage.

He still had revenge to take.

Jiang Chen also hoped that the Jiang Family could leave Qingyue Town and develop toward a greater future.

Only if Jiang Yunfeng became clan head would Jiang Chen have the motivation to support the Jiang Family's development and improve its strength.

Otherwise, if Jiang Hai became clan head, Jiang Chen would have no desire to support the Jiang Family.

Of course, in Jiang Chen's eyes, he would first support Jiang Yunfeng's improvement, and only afterward support the other members of the Jiang Family.

Only if Jiang Yunfeng's strength far surpassed that of the other Jiang Family members could he firmly hold on to the position of clan head.

"Father, do you understand what I mean?" Jiang Chen said.

"You really want me to become clan head?" Jiang Yunfeng asked.

"I do. I hope you'll become clan head. When I'm not in the Jiang Family, you'll be able to protect yourself and Mother," Jiang Chen said.

Hearing Jiang Chen mention his wife, Jiang Yunfeng's heart was stirred.

That was right. Li Huirong had been married to him for so many years, yet he had never achieved anything glorious. If he lived such an ordinary, unremarkable life until the end, wouldn't that be too much of a failure?

If he became clan head, he would have access to more resources and the opportunity to break through to the Martial Grandmaster Realm, gaining a longer lifespan.

By then, he would also have the means to help Li Huirong advance her strength further.

In the past, Jiang Yunfeng had indeed been rather detached, with little ambition. He had felt that the greatest happiness was for the family to live in peace and safety, and he had always thought that way.

Now that Jiang Chen had said his ambitions did not lie with the Jiang Family, could he, as his father, really afford to fall behind?

"Chen'er, your words have woken me up. A man should strive upward. I know what I have to do now. I'm going to become clan head." A sharp gleam flashed through Jiang Yunfeng's eyes.

"Good." Jiang Chen nodded.

Jiang Yunfeng had not held Jiang Chen back from achieving his own goals.

Jiang Chen's talent was far superior to his own. He deserved a better stage and should not be confined to a tiny Jiang Family.

"Father, this time, I'm going to take first place. That will help you greatly in competing for clan head," Jiang Chen said.

"Do your best, Chen'er. With your cultivation, Jiang Dong probably isn't your opponent." Jiang Yunfeng nodded.

After the father and son chatted for a while, they parted. Jiang Chen returned to the area for the Jiang Family's talented disciples.

Jiang Yunfeng returned to the area for the Jiang Family's elders, where the family seniors sat.

The seating was also arranged according to seniority.

"The Jiang Family's talents this year look quite impressive. I heard there are more than a dozen talented youths above the Martial Artist Realm," the Third Elder of the Wang Family said.

This time, the Third Elder of the Wang Family had brought people to represent the Wang Family and watch the competition.

"Indeed. The Jiang Family can truly be said to have talents emerging in large numbers this year," the Second Elder of the Zhou Family said with a smile.

Although the three great families occasionally competed with one another, their relationship was still quite good.

There were no major conflicts.

Peace among the three families was the outcome they all desired most. The three great families ran different businesses.

There were not many conflicts. Moreover, the three great families sometimes joined forces to prevent the Bloodfire Mercenary Group from entering Qingyue Town.

With the three great families watching over the town, the Bloodfire Mercenary Group did not dare cause trouble in Qingyue Town.

It could be said that the three great families were bound together like lips and teeth—if one suffered, the others would suffer too.

If they exhausted one another through internal strife, the Bloodfire Mercenary Group would seize the opportunity to enter, and the consequences would be disastrous.

Every town in this world was controlled by a faction. Although the Bloodfire Mercenary Group was powerful, it still did not dare act recklessly.

Otherwise, even if it managed to take a town, the Bloodfire Mercenary Group would suffer heavy losses. By then, its deterrent power over the surrounding factions would be greatly reduced.

This world spoke with strength above all else.

For now, the Bloodfire Mercenary Group could only raid outside the towns.

The surrounding towns all did the same.

The Bloodfire Mercenary Group was their true threat.

As long as that threat remained, they could not feel at ease.

"Wang Family, Zhou Family, you're too kind. The talents of your two families are also quite impressive and no worse than those of our Jiang Family," Jiang Tian said with a smile.

Everyone exchanged a round of mutual compliments.

They still had to keep up appearances.

"Jiang Yunfeng, your son Jiang Chen was quite arrogant just now. Once the grand competition begins, I'd like to see how Jiang Chen can still be so arrogant." Sitting beside Jiang Yunfeng, Jiang Hai spoke to him.

He simply wanted his eldest son, Jiang Dong, to deal with Jiang Chen.

As for his second son, Jiang Nan, he had previously been defeated by Jiang Chen, so there was no need to mention him. The person he was counting on now was Jiang Dong.

"Jiang Hai, then let's wait and see. Don't assume that your son Jiang Dong has already secured first place. My son Jiang Chen is no slouch either," Jiang Yunfeng said indifferently.