Third Young Master

"Ye Chen?"

Chen Zhixing's brow lifted, a thoughtful look appearing in his eyes.

He could not be certain whether this person was one of the Destined Protagonists of the Great Cultivation world, but judging from his conduct, there was a very good chance he was.

"I'll go take a look."

After saying that, Chen Zhixing immediately rose and left, heading down Ziwei Mountain.

"Young Master, at least finish eating first."

Before Bi Luo could even finish her sentence, Chen Zhixing had already descended Third Peak.

As one of the great cities of Yan Province, Lin'an City had been prosperous since ancient times.

It had also always belonged to the Chen Family's territory.

Ever since Chen Zhixing was attacked ten years ago, the Chen Family had begun to take this matter seriously. Now, they had already laid down a barrier over Lin'an City.

Whenever a battle above Transformation into Void broke out, the barrier would automatically trigger and immediately suppress those fighting.

After ten years of recuperation and recovery, Lin'an City's prosperity had already surpassed its former days.

Among it, rough-and-tumble gangs like the Black Dragon Gang had also come into being with the times.

The Black Dragon Gang counted as a major gang in Lin'an City. Its members numbered over a thousand, and its leader, Xu Dalong, was even an existence at the Nourishing Spirit Realm.

Such a cultivation level might not amount to much in the Cultivation World.

But among ordinary commoners, he was already a local overlord no one dared provoke! However, Xu Dalong knew his limits when doing things, and the affairs he led the Black Dragon Gang in almost never crossed the line.

Therefore, the Chen Family turned a blind eye.

After all, when water was too clear, there were no fish; when there were too many people, there would be rivers and lakes, and rights and wrongs were inevitable.

Rather than let Lin'an City fall into chaos with every gang fighting endlessly, it was better to let the Black Dragon Gang dominate alone.

If one day they found the Black Dragon Gang displeasing to the eye, it would be conveniently easy to slap it dead, then simply cultivate a new gang.

On this day.

At the Black Dragon Gang headquarters, inside a courtyard.

The dark-faced leader of the Black Dragon Gang, Xu Dalong, was sitting boldly and imposingly in a grand armchair, holding a cup of hot tea in his hand as he gently blew at the tea blossoms floating on the surface.

On either side of him were two charming maidservants kneading his legs.

"Now this is what I call living!"

Xu Dalong could not help sighing with feeling.

Life was only a few short decades. Rather than suffering bitterly on the path of cultivation, a hundred boats fighting against the current, it was better to find a place to lie flat and live out several decades in peace and stability.

He, too, had once roamed the Cultivation World, but after experiencing countless setbacks, he had long since taken lightly the matter of seeking cultivation and immortality.

After all, he had neither talent nor background.

Rather than chase after some illusory long life and distant immortality, it was better to enjoy the present amid the red dust of the mortal world.

"Gang Leader, there's a kid outside asking for you by name!"

A burly, thick-waisted gang member hurried into the main hall.

"He wants to see me, so I have to see him? While I'm still in a good mood, hurry up and tell him to piss off."

Xu Dalong waved his hand impatiently.

"Yes!"

That gang member nodded and was just about to go drive away the young man outside.

Suddenly.

As if Xu Dalong had remembered something, he hurriedly called out, "Wait! Let me ask you, what does that person look like?"

The gang member thought for a moment, then replied, "Reporting to the Gang Leader, that young man is quite clean-browed and bright-eyed, handsome and refined. His clothing is luxurious, his bearing outstanding, and he doesn't have that sour, shabby air of ordinary street-side mud-legged poor folk. He should be of extraordinary birth."

At those words, Xu Dalong instantly shuddered, sat up straight, and muttered to himself, "Could it be Third Young Master has come?"

He hurriedly looked at that gang member and said, "You didn't offend that young man, did you?"

The gang member smiled and said, "Gang Leader, rest assured. I saw the young man's clothes and manner, and his calm bearing, and knew he was definitely not of ordinary birth. So I was polite the whole time and didn't dare offend him."

"Mm, you did well."

Xu Dalong immediately relaxed. Then, with both feet, he kicked away the charming women who were massaging his legs, rose to his feet, and straightened his clothes.

Immediately afterward, he strode out of the courtyard.

From afar.

He saw a young man in a Moon White Long Robe, holding a folding fan, standing at the entrance like an elegant young noble.

"Oh my, I was wondering why my left eye kept twitching today. So it turns out an honored guest like Third Young Master has come to my door!"

A fawning smile swiftly piled onto Xu Dalong's face, and he hurriedly ran up to Chen Zhixing.

He looked at the gang member beside him who was in charge of watching the gate and reporting messages, and immediately slapped him across the face, roaring, "Are your damn eyes blind? The Third Young Master is here, and you still dared to stop him?"

As Xu Dalong's trusted subordinate, the gang member naturally knew the score and hurriedly played along, crying out in grievance, "Gang Leader, I didn't know the Third Young Master had graced us with his presence. It's all this lowly one's fault for having no eye for such things..."

"Enough. Rein it in. Stop acting."

Chen Zhixing waved a hand, cutting off their exchange.

Seeing his little performance exposed, Xu Dalong immediately gave an embarrassed laugh.

Chen Zhixing got straight to the point.

"Xu Dalong, let me ask you. Did you recently capture someone called Ye Chen? Where is he now?"

Hearing this, Xu Dalong hurriedly replied, "Third Young Master, that foolish boy is currently being held in the Black Dragon Gang's prison. Please rest assured, I haven't touched a single hair on his head."

Before he could finish, "Take me there," Chen Zhixing spat out three words.

"Yes, yes, yes. Third Young Master, this way, please."

Xu Dalong hurriedly led the way, bringing Chen Zhixing past stretches of artificial mountains, garden pavilions, corridors, and halls.

Along the way, young and beautiful maidservants kept bowing to Xu Dalong in salute.

"Xu Dalong, you're living quite comfortably, aren't you?" Chen Zhixing suddenly said with a faint smile that was not quite a smile.

Xu Dalong, who was leading the way ahead, instantly went stiff all over, cold sweat continuously beading on his forehead.

"T-Third Young Master, these are all people from poor families who voluntarily came to work in my residence for a mouthful of food. This lowly one absolutely did not force anyone," Xu Dalong answered cautiously, both legs trembling slightly.

Never mind that outside, he was the Black Dragon Gang Leader, summoning wind and rain, arrogant and domineering.

But before a direct-line member of the Chen Clan like Chen Zhixing, he was nothing more than a tiny shrimp.

As long as Chen Zhixing showed even the slightest hint of displeasure toward him, by the next day there would be people wanting to cling to the great mountain that was the Chen Clan who would hang his head on the city wall.

"If you didn't, then why so nervous? Lead the way." After giving him a slight knock or two and seeing that the effect had been achieved, Chen Zhixing nodded and smiled.

"Yes..."

Xu Dalong hurriedly raised an arm to wipe the clammy sweat from his forehead, then finally arrived before an artificial mountain. Trembling, he took a key from his waist and opened the artificial mountain's great door.

At the same time, inside the artificial mountain, where a hidden world lay within.

In one of the cells, a handsome young man was sitting cross-legged on a pile of straw.

Across his knees lay a simple long sword covered in mottled rust.

Suddenly, the rusted Ancient Sword trembled.

"Ye Chen, someone's coming."

A woman's voice immediately rang out in his mind.

The young man immediately opened his eyes and said indifferently, "It should be that Black Dragon Gang Leader, Xu Dalong. This man is guilty of every evil. I'll kill him in a moment and Act on Heaven's Behalf. It'll count as ridding the people of a scourge."

The rusted Ancient Sword trembled again, and the woman's voice from before said helplessly, "Ye Chen, I've only just awakened for now and only have the strength of the Void Transformation Realm. This is Ziwei's Chen Clan's territory. It wouldn't be good if things got out of hand... Besides, from what I've seen, that Black Dragon Gang Leader's nature actually isn't bad. At the very least, he hasn't committed arson, murder, robbery, or plunder. His crimes don't warrant death. I think perhaps we should keep a low profile and not stir up trouble?"

The young man named Ye Chen immediately frowned at this and said unhappily, "Qing'er, you're the Longevity Sword Spirit. What is there to fear from a mere Chen Clan? Once we kill that Black Dragon Gang Leader, we can simply leave this place. Who could react in time?"

After a pause, Ye Chen simply said bluntly, "I don't care. I just can't stand that Black Dragon Gang Leader. I'm only asking one thing, Qing'er—will you help me or not?"

The woman's voice could only sigh helplessly. "Fine. I'll help you."

"That's more like it. Let this Black Dragon Gang become the first step of my, Ye Chen's, rise to fame in the Cultivation World!"

Ye Chen smiled in satisfaction.

Suddenly, as if the woman's voice had sensed something, her tone turned grave. "Wait! Ye Chen, beside that Black Dragon Gang Leader, there seems to be someone else!"