An unexpected turn

"Chen'er, what do you think of the clan's decision?"

In the carriage, Jiang Sihai asked Jiang Chen what he thought of today's events.

"Bone aptitude is the most important bargaining chip."

Jiang Chen spoke calmly.

That was also why he had spared no effort in showing how quickly he cultivated.

Even his own clan judged people solely by their bone aptitude.

White Ape Martial Hall and the Zhou Clan, let alone the City Guard and the Upper Sect, would naturally place even greater importance on it.

Without other advantages to bolster him, his ordinary bone aptitude probably would not catch anyone's eye.

"I thought you'd be angry and resentful about the clan's decision."

Jiang Sihai's eyes lit up.

He truly had not expected Jiang Chen to look past his emotions and see the heart of the matter.

The boy really had come into his own.

"From the clan's standpoint, there was nothing wrong with Third Great-Grandfather's decision."

Jiang Chen smiled.

He could cultivate so quickly because he had the Myriad Dao Chart's help.

Without that cheat, his ordinary bone aptitude would probably have left him stuck at the first qi and blood gate even now.

So the clan's decision to devote all its resources to nurturing Jiang Xuan, who had medium bone aptitude, was entirely sound.

After all, not everyone had a cheat like he did.

Of course, Jiang Guiyuan and the other clan elders all had their own selfish motives.

But those selfish motives had not been placed above the clan.

Simply put.

The interests of the whole clan outweighed any individual's gains and losses.

By that measure, Jiang Guiyuan and the others were doing a perfectly adequate job.

As for Jiang Junyue, he was not even worth mentioning.

He had no sense of the bigger picture and cared only about lining his own pockets.

If he took power, the clan would fall apart within a few years.

Letting emotions rule and treating people unfairly.

Those were grave taboos.

"If only you had medium bone aptitude too, Chen'er."

Jiang Sihai sighed.

If Jiang Chen had medium bone aptitude to go with his extraordinary comprehension and outstanding physique, he might even be able to compete with those who had superior bone aptitude.

Unfortunately, Jiang Chen only had ordinary bone aptitude.

His future path in martial arts was destined to be arduous.

"By the way, Father, did you tell the clan about the Azure Dragon Gang?"

Jiang Chen asked.

At present, his family faced two hidden threats: the Azure Dragon Gang and the Zheng Clan.

Setting the Zheng Clan aside for now, they had no concrete evidence and could do little more than investigate in secret.

But the Azure Dragon Gang was different.

Now that they had set their sights on the shops, they would not loosen their grip easily.

The Upper Sect Envoy's prohibition might not restrain the Azure Dragon Gang.

After all, Prefecture City was vast and full of powerful factions, while his family was too insignificant.

Even if the Azure Dragon Gang actually did something, the Upper Sect Envoy might never hear of it.

"Don't worry. I reported it to the clan long ago. If the Azure Dragon Gang makes a move, the clan will come to our aid immediately."

Jiang Sihai said.

"That's good."

Jiang Chen relaxed.

Although the clan no longer had the City Lord's Mansion backing it, it still possessed considerable reserves.

After all, it had been entrenched in Prefecture City for so many years. Even a starved camel was bigger than a horse.

"Time to cultivate!"

Once the carriage reached home, Jiang Chen returned to his courtyard and sat cross-legged to meditate.

Although he had not managed to fleece the clan today, he had laid his trap.

Once he entered the True Martial Realm and caught up with Jiang Xuan, he could carve a great slab of meat off the clan.

The clan had pooled the resources of its various branches. Two-thirds of those supplies would be more than enough to support him through the True Martial Realm.

Two days passed in this diligent cultivation.

Boom!

It was evening.

Jiang Chen, who was sitting cross-legged, suddenly shuddered. Immediately afterward, an even more formidable aura swept outward.

"The Third Aperture!"

Jiang Chen opened his eyes, a sharp gleam flashing within them.

[Myriad Dao Chart]

[Dao Master: Jiang Chen]

[Cultivation method: White Ape Breathing Method · Perfection]

[Cultivation: Three Qi and Blood Gates · Third Aperture 0%]

[Martial arts: White Ape Combat Method · Perfection]

[Talent: Soul Seal · Tier 1 (7/10)]

[Origin Source: 0 points]

The cultivation entry on the Myriad Dao Chart had changed.

"Just as I thought. The transformation of martial blood qi can only be honed slowly."

Jiang Chen threw a few punches into the air, each unleashing a low, explosive rush of wind.

Judging by the burst of his martial blood qi, his strength had still increased by only fifty jin.

A single punch carried roughly seven hundred and fifty jin of force.

Of course, if he amplified it with martial arts such as the White Ape Combat Method, his combat strength would be another matter.

"Keep going."

Although he had broken through, Jiang Chen did not slacken off. He took the opportunity to refine Origin Clear Qi.

The Jiang Clan's main hall.

"Master! Disaster! Warehouse No. 3 is on fire!"

A shop assistant rushed in frantically, shouting in alarm.

"Warehouse No. 3?!"

Jiang Sihai's expression changed at once upon hearing the news.

Warehouse No. 3 held a large quantity of valuable medicinal herbs.

If anything happened to it, he would suffer a crippling blow, and his cash flow might even collapse.

"Let's go."

Jiang Sihai immediately took his men and rushed toward Warehouse No. 3.

The warehouse could not have caught fire for no reason. Someone had probably set it deliberately, and the Azure Dragon Gang was almost certainly involved.

Those gangs loved using such filthy, underhanded tricks.

"Madam! Something's happened! The master is in danger!"

About three quarters of an hour later, a man covered in blood came stumbling and crawling back.

He was one of the guards who had accompanied Jiang Sihai to the warehouse.

"What exactly happened?"

Though startled, Lin Shuyun remained composed. She had someone bandage his wounds while questioning him carefully.

"We were ambushed on the way..."

The man quickly explained what had happened.

On the way to Warehouse No. 3, they had been ambushed by arrows fired from hiding and suffered heavy casualties.

While the others risked their lives to protect Jiang Sihai as he fled, he had played dead amid the chaos. That was how he had managed to return and raise the alarm.

"The warehouse fire was a trap?"

Lin Shuyun's expression turned grave as she understood.

Warehouse No. 3 was only a diversion. Their real target was Jiang Sihai.

"Uncle Qi, gather Head Guard Li and the others immediately and go rescue the master!"

Lin Shuyun issued her orders at once.

"Madam, if Head Guard Li and the others leave, what if..."

The trusted steward was worried about the household's safety.

"I'll take Chen'er to the Ancestral Residence. Have a carriage waiting at the side gate. No, prepare three carriages and send them toward the Ancestral Residence from three different directions."

Lin Shuyun naturally knew this might be a ploy to lure the tiger away from its mountain.

So she would divide their forces.

One group would rescue Jiang Sihai.

The other would escort her and Jiang Chen to the Ancestral Residence and summon reinforcements along the way.

"Understood!"

Only then did the trusted steward relax, immediately hurrying off to notify the household guards.

Lin Shuyun hurried to the courtyard.

"Chen'er..."

Just as she reached the courtyard, Jiang Chen pushed the door open and stepped out.

"Mother, what happened?"

Jiang Chen hurried over to her and asked at once.

From his mother's expression and the confused clamor outside, something serious must have happened.

"Your father's in trouble. We're going to the Ancestral Residence now."

Lin Shuyun pulled Jiang Chen along as she explained what had happened.

"Hmm?"

As Jiang Chen walked briskly along, his expression suddenly shifted.

At a bend in the corridor, a figure was furtively keeping watch.

This time, it was not intuition, but the clear perception of his Soul Seal.

There was a mole in the house too?

Planted by the Azure Dragon Gang?

"Mother, take the others to the side gate first. I have something to deal with."

Jiang Chen stopped at once.

Judging by his Soul Seal Perception, that man was only at the first qi and blood gate. He could subdue him effortlessly.

"Chen'er, this is no time to fool around!"

Lin Shuyun's expression changed, and she gripped Jiang Chen's wrist tightly.

She did not know what Jiang Chen intended to do, but nothing was more important than reaching the clan.

The sooner they reached the clan, the safer they would be, and the sooner the clan could send help.

"Mother, there's a mole in the house. I'll drag him out and find out what they're planning."

Jiang Chen explained quietly. Passively taking a beating was not his style.

"Let someone else handle that."

Lin Shuyun was still worried.

"Until we've gotten to the bottom of this, we can't trust anyone lightly."

Jiang Chen wasted no more words. Martial blood qi surged quietly within him.

"I'll wait for you at the side gate. You must be careful."

Seeing that Jiang Chen was determined, Lin Shuyun released his hand, her eyes reddening.

The Jiang Chen of today was no longer a boy who needed her protection.