Has it nothing to do with the Water Cloud Sect?
The old man was stunned upon hearing this, and he didn't even care about being knocked to the ground by Gu Chen!
How could it be unrelated? What was given to Lu Fan was also meant for their Water Cloud Sect, wasn't it?
But before he could react, Gu Chen had already stood up, looking down at him and saying, "Elder Ye, whether you confess or not is up to you. My patience is limited."
"What do you mean?" The old man was taken aback again.
Gu Chen said to himself, "Today, I'll let you off the hook for now, out of respect for Steward Lu."
After saying that, Gu Chen turned and left.
Ye Canghong, a martial artist from the Water Cloud Sect, was standing at the door when he saw Gu Chen come out. He was swept over by Gu Chen's gaze and couldn't help but shudder.
"Are you Elder Ye's nephew?"
Gu Chen said calmly.
"Yes."
Ye Canghong felt a little uneasy when he recalled how he had been knocked to the ground by Gu Chen after calling himself "Grandpa."
"Not bad." After Gu Chen finished speaking, he walked out of the VIP room, let Zhao Bo and the other three come out, and headed out of the black market.
Ye Canghong was left standing there dumbfounded, completely unaware of what Gu Chen meant by "not bad".
"Master, letting them go like this is too lenient on them!"
Zhao Bo gritted his teeth, his face still showing resentment.
Clearly, he suffered a great loss at the hands of Elder Ye and that old woman, and is now deeply resentful.
Jiang Qi, Ma Gang, and the other two were alright. After all, they used to be involved in the black market and had been beaten up quite a bit in this place when they were underground boxers. In addition, the Water Cloud Sect was powerful, so their lives were not in danger, and naturally they had no complaints.
"Don't worry, I'll help you get revenge."
Gu Chen said calmly, "But now, the bigger picture is more important."
"Does Master have any plans?" Zhao Bo's heart stirred.
Over this period of time, through his interactions with Gu Chen, he has come to realize that beneath Gu Chen's youthful appearance lies a mature and calm heart that is frightening.
Faced with Zhao Bo's question, Gu Chen smiled without saying a word, and said calmly, "You should own property in Zhou City, right?"
"Yes," Zhao Bo said. "I own a villa over on the South Ring Road."
"Alright, we'll stay there for now," Gu Chen said. "We won't go to the black market, there's no need to. Zhao Bo, you continue to instruct them."
"OK."
Having escalated the conflict with the Water Cloud Sect to this point, Zhao Bo understood that returning to the black market was impossible. He nodded and said, "I'll lead the way." They arrived at the beat-up Santana that Ma Gang had parked outside, and the group headed towards the villa on South Ring Road.
On the train, Zhao Bo asked, "Master, how was the trip to Xiaoxiang Peak this time?"
"Not bad," Gu Chen said calmly. "In short, the forces that came to Zhou City this time will probably leave empty-handed. Moreover, knowing the truth, they'll probably thank me."
Zhao Bo was taken aback. He understood Gu Chen's first sentence quite well; he must have found the Shennong Grass. But he didn't understand the meaning of the second sentence.
He was unaware that the information about Shennong Grass was deliberately spread by Wang Gui, who had cultivated ghost cultivation techniques, in order to use the spiritual bones of martial artists to refine White Bone Grand Formation. Anyone who entered the heart of Xiaoxiang Peak would likely never return.
If Gu Chen were not a cultivator, he probably wouldn't have been able to escape unscathed.
"What do we do next?" Zhao Bo asked again. "In the few days since you left, Master, many forces have come to Zhou City, and we've already fallen out with the Water Cloud Sect. If the Steel Tremor Sect comes, I'm afraid we'll have a hard time dealing with them."
"Don't worry, there's no need to consider the Water Cloud Sect."
Gu Chen glanced calmly out the window and said, "As long as they're not stupid."
The black market. Inside the office.
After Gu Chen left, in the silent room, Elder Ye finally came to his senses, staring at the Shennong Grass in Lu Fan's hand, and said in a low voice, "Give it to me!"
His breathing was heavy, and his eyes were bloodshot.
No wonder he acted this way; the connection to Shennong Grass is far too significant!
This is a level four medicinal herb!
He hadn't expected that the rumors about Shennong Grass were actually true, and that Gu Chen had actually given Lu Fan one!
Although Elder Ye, with his level of cultivation, might not know that Shennong Grass is the main ingredient of Foundation Establishment Pill, the mere fact that it is a fourth-grade medicinal herb is enough to ignite a fierce competition among all the Huaxia and families in China!
Now that Lu Fan has one in his hands, how could he not be excited!
"This was given to me by Sect Master Gu..." Lu Fan said.
"Give it to me!" But before he could finish speaking, Elder Ye roared, interrupting him. "This belongs to the Water Cloud Sect, so your things naturally belong to the Water Cloud Sect too!"
"Elder Ye, you can't do this."
"You bastard, how dare you defy me?!"
Elder Ye was furious. He could tolerate Gu Chen earlier, but who did Lu Fan think he was? With that, he raised his hand and slapped Lu Fan across the face.
Puff!
Lu Fan was sent flying, crashing into the sofa and rolling several times on the ground before spitting out a mouthful of blood.
However, he held the Shennong Grass tightly in his hand and did not let it fall.
Elder Ye swiftly moved to stand before Lu Fan, looking down at him and extending his hand, saying, "Hand it over!"
"Elder Ye, we are all from the Water Cloud Sect, are you going to resort to blatant robbery?"
Lu Fan's heart trembled, but after wiping his mouth, he still stubbornly continued.
"Don't make me say it a second time!" Elder Ye said coldly.
"Elder Ye, you need to think this through. If you want to seize it and claim credit for it, I'm no match for you!" Lu Fan said, "But this thing, Sect Master Gu just made it clear, is for me! Even if it's given to the Water Cloud Sect, the one submitted can only be me, and the credit can only be mine!"
"Boy, how dare you threaten me?" Elder Ye was furious. "Lu Fan, do you want to rebel? You are a member of our Water Cloud Sect, not the Heavenly Pivot Sect!"
"Sect Master Gu is my friend!"
"Friend? My ass!"
Elder Ye erupted in fury, his anger barely contained!
He was already furious at Gu Chen's humiliation, and now that Lu Fan was being ungrateful, he was determined to kill him.
But Elder Ye's raised hand was suddenly grabbed by the wrist, and he could no longer bring it down.
"Don't stop me!"
Elder Ye turned his head and glared angrily at the old woman.
"Elder Ye, we may need to reconsider this matter."
The old woman took a deep breath, her face grave and her eyes filled with apprehension. She said in a low voice, "Now, I need to report to the sect leader. Unless Lu Fan himself is willing to hand over the Shennong Grass to the sect, we cannot touch it!"
Zhou City, Peony Flower Star-Rated Hotel.
This is a rare six-star hotel in Zhou City. The overall design is dominated by gold, exuding a rich Tong City flavor. It also features decorations from all over the world: French bronze, Italian musical fountains, French crystal chandeliers, world-class bedding, and magnificent corridors with gold leaf decorations, showcasing royal style from the inside out.
There are only four luxurious presidential suites here, but they have all been booked.
Inside one of the presidential suites, a man dressed in a black robe stood before the floor-to-ceiling window, swirling a glass of red wine in his hand, gazing calmly at the view below.
His demeanor was not elegant; rather, it possessed a cold, somber quality that seemed to complement the predominantly gray and black color scheme of the room.
Bang bang bang.
A knock sounded on the door, and the man finally turned around, revealing a slightly pale face.
Long hair, a hooked nose, phoenix eyes; though his gaze was calm, the faint curve at the corner of his mouth hinted at a ruthless nature.
"Enter."
The man's words were concise and to the point.
The door to the room opened, and a martial artist bearing the mark of the Wuji Manor walked in.