True Dragon

"Wrong!"

"This aura... it's not a Soul Demon?!"

As his Soul Seal perception expanded, Jiang Chen clearly captured that specific fluctuation.

His previous intuition had been correct.

That specific fluctuation was indeed very similar to the perception of a Soul Seal.

However, it was completely different from the eerie chill of a Soul Demon.

In other words, that specific fluctuation was very likely some other kind of demon or evil spirit?

"I cannot take the risk!"

Jiang Chen retracted his Soul Seal and left with a calm expression, as if nothing had happened.

Regardless of whether that specific fluctuation was a Soul Demon or not, he could not reveal anything unusual, otherwise, he might very well be noticed by the other party.

He did not want to be targeted.

At this moment, in an inn by the street.

An old man with a head of gray hair and a young man dressed in simple clothes were sitting cross-legged in meditation.

In front of each of them sat a small bronze cauldron.

Wisps of gray mist rose from the cauldrons, dissipating into the air with the breeze.

Hum!

Suddenly, the small cauldron in front of the old man trembled slightly.

The old man, who had been keeping his eyes closed, opened them immediately. He quickly formed seals with his hands, and a wisp of black energy seeped from between his brows, merging into the small cauldron.

"Found it?!"

Hearing the commotion, the young man also opened his eyes, unable to hide his joy.

The Soul Cauldron reacting meant that the Soul Demon was hiding within the Prefecture City.

As long as the Soul Cauldron could brand it with its aura, that Soul Demon would have nowhere to run.

But at this moment, the small cauldron that had been trembling suddenly went silent again.

"Strange."

The gray-haired old man stopped his hand seals, a look of surprise appearing in his eyes.

"Senior brother, why did the Soul Cauldron stop reacting?"

The young man asked.

Logically speaking, since the Soul Cauldron had sensed the fluctuation, it should be able to track it like a maggot on a rotting bone until it left a mark.

Why had the Soul Cauldron suddenly gone silent now?

"The Soul Demon's fluctuation has vanished."

The gray-haired old man said.

Before he could even leave a mark, the Soul Demon's fluctuation had completely disappeared, leaving no trace behind, not even enough for the Soul Cauldron to track.

"How can that be? That Soul Demon is just a defective product; it hasn't even developed intelligence yet. It shouldn't be able to shake off the Soul Cauldron's tracking."

The young man was full of questions.

"That Soul Demon is not simple. It might have awakened a special talent; otherwise, it wouldn't have been able to escape from the seal."

The gray-haired old man replied.

"Then what should we do now?"

The young man asked.

"No rush. It needs to devour souls with high spirituality to replenish its origin. We just need to wait for it to strike again."

The gray-haired old man was very calm.

As long as they were certain the Soul Demon was hiding in this Prefecture City, things would be easy to handle.

"I will go to the east and south of the city, and you go to the west and north. Bury the Soul Severing Talisman to prevent that Soul Demon from possessing someone and escaping."

Immediately, the gray-haired old man made arrangements, intending to catch a turtle in a jar.

"Understood!"

The young man nodded.

The two packed their things and split up to take action.

Jiang Clan.

Jiang Chen and his group returned home safely.

"Chen'er, nothing happened on the way, did it?"

Jiang Sihai and Lin Shuyun were already waiting.

Judging by their expressions, it was clear they already knew about the White Ape Martial Hall disciples disappearing one after another.

"Mother, don't worry, the city isn't that chaotic yet."

Jiang Chen smiled to reassure her.

"Chen'er, go bathe first, then come to my study later."

Jiang Sihai said.

"Alright!"

Jiang Chen returned to his quarters, enjoyed a comfortable bath, and then went to the study.

"Father, has something happened at home?"

Jiang Chen went straight to the point.

Being called to the study to talk meant something important had happened, most likely related to the clan's resources.

"The clan sent a letter, telling me to take you to the Ancestral Residence tomorrow."

Sure enough, Jiang Sihai revealed the clan's move.

"It seems the clan is planning to make an example of us for the sake of Jiang Xuan."

Jiang Chen guessed the clan's intentions.

Although Jiang Xuan possessed mid-tier aptitude, he would need a massive amount of resources to step into the True Martial Realm or secure a high ranking in the year-end Martial Exam.

Naturally, the clan would not let his family's resources go.

"A few days ago, after Jiang Xuan returned from the martial hall, he began preparing to break through to the True Martial Realm. Based on the latest reports, the probability of him succeeding is extremely high."

Jiang Sihai revealed the inside information.

Last time, using Jiang Chen's breakthrough to the Second Qi and Blood Gate as an excuse, he not only refused to hand over resources but also demanded that the Ancestral Residence allocate resources according to clan rules.

The Ancestral Residence naturally had no resources to allocate, but they did agree that his family would not need to hand theirs over.

It was a result both sides could accept.

Who would have thought that not long after, Jiang Xuan would actually be attempting to break through to the True Martial Realm.

The completion of the Three Qi and Blood Gates and the True Martial Realm might seem like only a thin line apart, but the gap between them is like heaven and earth.

Take the White Ape Martial Hall, for example.

Those at the Three Qi and Blood Gates are merely elite disciples, while those at the True Martial Realm can be promoted to personal disciples.

Naturally, the clan would support him with everything they had.

When that time came, his family's resources would inevitably be taken.

"Father, don't worry. Even if Jiang Xuan really enters the True Martial Realm, our family won't need to hand over any resources."

Jiang Chen, however, smiled.

He didn't know if Jiang Xuan would successfully break through.

But as long as his own resources kept up, he would reach the completion of the Three Qi and Blood Gates in a little over a month, and stepping into the True Martial Realm would be a certainty.

Naturally, he wouldn't let his family hand over their money.

Just for the Three Qi and Blood Gates, he needed six thousand taels of silver a month; once he stepped into the True Martial Realm, the required funds would only increase.

He didn't even have enough for himself, so how could he possibly hand money over?

Therefore, not only would he not pay, but he would also make the Ancestral Residence allocate resources to him.

Those old fogies at the Ancestral Residence loved to use clan rules and righteousness as leverage, didn't they?

Then this time, he would make them lift a rock only to drop it on their own feet.

"Chen'er, are you preparing to break through to the Three Qi and Blood Gates?"

Seeing Jiang Chen's confident appearance, Jiang Sihai's eyes lit up.

Compared to Jiang Xuan's seclusion to break through to the True Martial Realm, the weight of the Second Qi and Blood Gate was far from enough, but if it were the Three Qi and Blood Gates, the situation would be different.

Going from the Standing Post Technique to the Three Qi and Blood Gates in less than two months—even Jiang Xuan couldn't compare to such talent.

He would naturally have the confidence to gamble with the clan.

"I'm not preparing to break through; I have already broken through."

As Jiang Chen spoke, the qi and blood within his body surged, and a powerful aura swept outward.

"Three Qi and Blood Gates..."

Feeling the thick qi and blood radiating from Jiang Chen, Jiang Sihai was stunned on the spot.

No way?

How long had it been since Jiang Chen last came home to ask for money?

At most, it had only been half a month, right?

In such a short time, Jiang Chen had already stepped through the Three Qi and Blood Gates?

Were the Three Qi and Blood Gates really that easy to break through?

If he remembered correctly, it had taken Jiang Xuan quite a while to make that breakthrough back then.

Even for someone with medium-grade aptitude like Jiang Xuan, the breakthrough had been incredibly difficult; it should have been even more strenuous for Jiang Chen, who only possessed ordinary-grade aptitude.

How had things ended up the exact opposite?

"Chen'er, the Aperture Breaking Pill you bought at the Ghost Market—it doesn't contain any forbidden drugs, does it?"

After a long silence, Jiang Sihai finally regained his composure and couldn't help but ask.

He couldn't help it; Jiang Chen's cultivation speed was simply too bizarre.

Forget ordinary-grade aptitude; even those with medium-grade aptitude couldn't progress this quickly.

"Father, what are you thinking? If I had taken forbidden drugs, there's no way the martial hall would have allowed me to become an Inner Courtyard disciple."

Jiang Chen took out the Inner Courtyard Token.

"The Inner Courtyard Token of the White Ape Martial Hall?!"

Jiang Sihai took the token and examined it, his face flushing with excitement.

He had seen this type of token on Jiang Xuan before.

Only by becoming an elite disciple of the White Ape Martial Hall could one be issued an Inner Courtyard Token.

Who could have imagined that the once lazy and good-for-nothing Jiang Chen would possess such terrifying potential?

In less than two months, he had stepped through the Three Qi and Blood Gates.

If he could reach the True Martial Realm, it would naturally be no difficult task, and in the future, he might even have the chance to be accepted into the True Sun Sect.

A true dragon had emerged from his family!