"Jiang Chen, the family is looking for you right now. It's good that you've come back. They're discussing the matter in the Jiang Family's main hall. Come with me—I'll take you there," a squad captain said.
"Okay." Jiang Chen nodded.
He knew that his affairs had brought trouble to the Jiang Family.
He would resolve this matter himself and would not let the family suffer any losses.
Before long, Jiang Chen arrived at the Jiang Family's main hall.
A clansman quietly informed Jiang Tian that Jiang Chen had returned.
Jiang Tian was secretly delighted when he heard this, so he had someone bring Jiang Chen in and give everyone an explanation.
"All right. We've just received word that Jiang Chen has returned. He's waiting outside the main hall right now. Let's first hear what Jiang Chen has to say," Jiang Tian announced to everyone.
"What?" Many people were stunned. They had not expected Jiang Chen to return at a time like this.
Was he really not worried that the Jiang Family would hand him over?
"Hmph, then let him come in. I'd like to see what else he has to explain," Jiang Hai said with a cold snort.
His plans had been obstructed, and his mood was terrible.
He had originally thought he could use Jiang Chen's matter to suppress Jiang Yunfeng. Who would have thought that quite a number of people would support Jiang Yunfeng and refuse to compromise with the Bloodfire Mercenary Group by handing over Jiang Chen?
When Jiang Yunfeng heard that Jiang Chen had returned safely, he was also extremely happy.
At least Jiang Chen was safe for now.
Jiang Chen arrived at the Jiang Family's main hall and said to the elders, "Jiang Chen pays his respects to all the elders."
"Mm, Jiang Chen, you should have heard that the Bloodfire Mercenary Group came to the Jiang Family demanding that we hand you over, right? What do you have to say?" Jiang Tian asked directly.
"I think our Jiang Family should resist the Bloodfire Mercenary Group to the end. In truth, the Bloodfire Mercenary Group isn't that terrifying. The reason everyone fears them so much is because their strength is indeed quite formidable. More importantly, though, it's their fierce reputation and ruthlessness, which gives people a sense of intimidation," Jiang Chen said.
Jiang Chen naturally had the confidence to say this because he had the strength to deal with the Bloodfire Mercenary Group. He was a powerful cultivator who could pose an enormous threat to them.
If they could join forces with other factions to deal with the Bloodfire Mercenary Group, then the Bloodfire Mercenary Group would be nothing to fear.
Even if they could not form an alliance, Jiang Chen was confident that he could protect the Jiang Family.
That was where Jiang Chen's confidence came from.
His strength was advancing too quickly.
Jiang Chen would only grow stronger and stronger.
Even in the worst case, the Jiang Family still had a mysterious expert—Elder Huo.
When the time came, he could negotiate some terms with Elder Huo and ask him to take action.
However, experts had eccentric tempers, and Jiang Chen was not entirely confident that he could persuade Elder Huo.
That was only a last resort.
Still, Jiang Chen believed he would never be reduced to such a predicament.
"Hmph, Jiang Chen, you're truly arrogant. You caused this trouble yourself, yet you want the entire Jiang Family to bear the risk for you? You really have some nerve. You're dragging the entire Jiang Family into an abyss!" Jiang Hai said.
"I'm also a member of the Jiang Family. Of course I won't let anything happen to the family. I naturally have my reasons and confidence for doing this," Jiang Chen said.
"As for why I incurred the Bloodfire Mercenary Group's enmity, it's entirely because they wanted to kill me and seize my treasures. I only resisted and killed them to protect myself. From beginning to end, I've never believed that I was in the wrong. The people of the Bloodfire Mercenary Group are human too, and they can die as well. I don't understand—what's there to fear about them?" Jiang Chen said coldly.
No one knew how many members of the Bloodfire Mercenary Group had died at Jiang Chen's hands. Jiang Chen had truly never been afraid of them.
One slash was enough to send their heads flying all the same.
When Jiang Chen had returned earlier, he had even slain two Martial Master Realm experts from the mercenary group.
"Also, when I came back, I was stopped by two Martial Master Realm experts from the Bloodfire Mercenary Group. However, I killed them," Jiang Chen said.
"What? You killed Martial Master Realm experts? Are you fucking joking? And two of them?" Some people were utterly shocked when they heard this.
Most of the people present were Martial Master Realm cultivators.
If Jiang Chen could kill Martial Master Realm experts, didn't that mean he also had the strength to kill them?
Was he stronger than them?
"Of course. I've also entered the Martial Master Realm," Jiang Chen said.
After speaking, Jiang Chen released his aura. The aura of a Martial Master Realm, Fifth Level expert caused the expressions of everyone present to change dramatically.
Heavens, what had they just seen?
An eighteen-year-old genius at the Martial Master Realm, Fifth Level.
The Jiang Family had never produced such an incredible genius. At least, none had appeared in the records of the clan's genealogy.
Jiang Hai was also utterly shocked. Jiang Chen's talent was terrifying. How could he have cultivated to the Martial Master Realm, Fifth Level in such a short time?
He was so young, and his future was limitless.
The patriarch, Jiang Tian, was also stunned, after which he was filled with joy.
Jiang Chen's talent was so monstrous. This was truly the Jiang Family's good fortune.
Yet the Bloodfire Mercenary Group wanted to kill such a monstrous genius of the Jiang Family. How could Jiang Tian possibly allow that?
As long as Jiang Chen did not die, the Jiang Family had hope of rising.
"What powerful strength." Many Jiang Family clansmen sighed.
They had all underestimated Jiang Chen. Who would have thought that his appearance this time would give everyone such a huge surprise?
Jiang Yunfeng's face was also filled with wild joy. His son was actually this outstanding.
"Good, good, good!" Jiang Tian shouted several times in delight.
The Jiang Family had to protect a genius like this even at the cost of their lives.
Hand him over?
Only someone with a problem in the head would do that. The Bloodfire Mercenary Group had broken its word far too many times.
After learning of Jiang Chen's talent, the Bloodfire Mercenary Group might fear that the Jiang Family would produce an even more powerful genius and might attack the Jiang Family anyway.
That was highly possible.
"All right, does anyone still have an opinion? Does anyone still want to hand Jiang Chen over to the Bloodfire Mercenary Group?" Jiang Tian asked, sweeping his gaze over everyone.
At this moment, everyone fell silent.
Considering the family's overall interests, they absolutely could not hand over a genius of Jiang Chen's level.
He was the hope of the Jiang Family's rise.
No one was willing for the Jiang Family to remain merely a small-town family.
Jiang Hai also said nothing. If he continued insisting on handing Jiang Chen over, he would incur everyone's wrath.
After seeing Jiang Chen's talent, Jiang Hai felt that he no longer had any chance of competing for the position of patriarch, so he wanted to give up.
If he could change Jiang Chen's impression of him, then once Jiang Chen rose to prominence, Jiang Hai would not lack benefits either.
That would bring him far greater benefits than becoming patriarch.
After weighing the pros and cons, he felt that supporting Jiang Chen might bring him even more benefits.
Pursuing profit was how many people thought. It was only human nature.
When the possibility of greater benefits appeared, changing one's mind was far too common.
Jiang Chen had not expected that revealing enough talent would change Jiang Hai's way of thinking.
"All right. Since no one has any objections, we'll reject the Bloodfire Mercenary Group's demands from now on and resist them to the end," Jiang Tian said.
"Good. We'll resist them to the end," many clansmen said one after another.
Judging by Jiang Chen's current cultivation speed, they felt he should be able to enter the Martial Grandmaster Realm soon. When the Jiang Family had another expert at the Martial Grandmaster Realm, would its rise still be far away?
Many times, when a family produced a monstrous genius, as long as that genius did not die prematurely, the family's rise was inevitable.
Throughout the long river of history, examples like this were too numerous to count.
"All right. Next, we'll discuss how to deal with the Bloodfire Mercenary Group's retaliation," Jiang Tian said.
Everyone then began discussing the matter.
Soon, they had worked out a general plan.
Jiang Chen did not care much about this matter. Given his character, how could he allow the Bloodfire Mercenary Group a chance to retaliate?
That was what Jiang Chen was thinking. Tonight, he planned to head once more to the outpost east of the Bloodfire Mercenary Group.
He was preparing to cleanse that outpost in blood.
They wanted to retaliate against the Jiang Family? Then Jiang Chen would be the one to retaliate first.
The Bloodfire Mercenary Group that had threatened the Jiang Family had sent people from that eastern outpost.
Previously, they had robbed the Jiang Family's goods, nearly causing Jiang Yunfeng's death.
Jiang Chen had raided their outpost at night, seized its treasury, killed dozens of people, and slapped them in the face.
Now they actually dared to come to the Jiang Family to issue threats and demand spirit stones. How could Jiang Chen possibly endure that?
Even when Jiang Chen's strength had been insufficient, he had still been this bold.
Now that his strength had risen, he could be even less of a coward.
Soon, the meeting ended, and everyone was told to return and make preparations.
On the way back, Jiang Yunfeng looked at Jiang Chen.
"Chen'er, how did your cultivation advance so quickly? You're almost catching up to me," Jiang Yunfeng asked.
If Jiang Yunfeng had not broken through two levels of cultivation during this period, Jiang Chen would truly have reached the same level as him by now.
Moreover, Jiang Yunfeng's breakthrough of two levels had been thanks in large part to the pills Jiang Chen had provided earlier.
"Father, I gained an opportunity after entering the Great Desolate Mountain Range, so I advanced this quickly," Jiang Chen said with a smile.
Of course, this was merely an excuse.
Jiang Yunfeng paused. He naturally knew that this was just Jiang Chen's wording, so he did not question him further.
He knew that it was enough that Jiang Chen was his son.
Everyone had their own opportunities. Seeing his son grow stronger and stronger made him proud as a father.
Had he not seen the astonished looks on everyone's faces when Jiang Chen revealed his strength at the family meeting?
Jiang Yunfeng had felt indescribably pleased at the time. It had made him look good.
After Jiang Chen displayed his strength, everyone changed their minds, demonstrating Jiang Chen's importance to the Jiang Family.
Jiang Chen did not return to his residence immediately. Instead, he went to the Myriad Treasures Trading Company in Qingyue Town.
He sold some valuable spirit medicines, materials, and the like there.
Jiang Chen was wealthy now. After all, he had killed quite a few experts and obtained their possessions. How could he not be rich?
After he sold so many things, even the manager of the Myriad Treasures Trading Company was shocked.
This was a huge transaction. In the end, the spirit stones totaled more than two hundred and ten thousand.
It was absolutely a huge deal.
Moreover, these materials, weapons, and the like were merely a portion of what Jiang Chen had in his storage bag.
He still had some things he had not sold.
Jiang Chen's current wealth might already be comparable to the Jiang Family's.
After all, he had killed quite a few Martial Master Realm experts and had previously plundered the treasury of the Bloodfire Mercenary Group's outpost.
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