Nine-Death Rebirth Herb!

Reluctantly climbing out of the bathtub and rinsing off quickly, Jiang Zhe changed into a loose azure Hanfu and headed to the front courtyard.

The front courtyard's reception hall was brightly lit.

Jiang Zhe rather admired the visitors. They had no idea how long they had waited in Lanling Base City, afraid his grandfather might slip away again tomorrow morning, so they had come to block him late at night.

A knock sounded at the door.

After receiving a response, Jiang Zhe pushed the door open and entered. His deep, abyss-like eyes instinctively swept across everyone in the room.

The old man sat in the seat of honor, with Jiang Zhe's eldest uncle seated to his left.

Across the table on the old man's right sat a gaunt elder with grizzled hair, with a lean middle-aged man beside him.

Jiang Zhe recognized the two men.

In such a small Conference Hall, there were actually three Councilors and one chief. That was quite a lineup.

The only person standing in the reception hall was a young man in his twenties. He looked haggard, his features carrying a trace of nobility and cruelty.

The eyes were the windows to the soul.

As a Psychic Master, Jiang Zhe met the young man's gaze, and it was as though all the man's past ugliness began replaying in his own eyes, stirring up the deepest fears in his heart. The young man trembled all over like a sieve.

"A Mid-Level Battle General? That's it? A coward from the Wang Family!"

With a disdainful chuckle, Jiang Zhe withdrew his gaze and stopped applying pressure.

Wang Zhen felt as though he had been granted amnesty. He staggered back two steps and only avoided falling by bracing himself against the vermilion-painted pillar behind him. The back of his shirt was already soaked with sweat.

"Haha, please forgive my grandson's rudeness."

"That brat just returned from the Wilderness Zone. He slaughtered too many Lord-Tier monsters, so he can't quite rein in his killing intent yet."

"You two are his elders, so please be understanding!"

The old man laughed heartily, words pouring from his mouth like a string of firecrackers. There was nothing but pride in his tone, not the slightest hint of apology.

The lean middle-aged man and the elder exchanged a quiet glance. They found it amusing, but also breathed a sigh of relief.

Sure enough, their worries had been unnecessary.

When they had heard in the War God Palace about a sixteen-year-old War God Level Psychic Master, both of their first reactions had been that he was drugged up.

Fortunately, a family as strict as the Jiang Family would never do something as shortsighted as killing the goose that laid the golden eggs.

Being able to hunt Lord-Tier monsters meant Jiang Zhe had not spent the past month mindlessly taking drugs and merely piling up his cultivation realm. He had tempered his true combat strength.

The old man waved Jiang Zhe over from the doorway. "Come here. Let me introduce you to two uncle elders."

"This is Jia Yi, the Strongest Councilor of Hanxia!"

The lean middle-aged man smiled and nodded at Jiang Zhe. "Haha, seeing such a fine grandnephew makes me feel that the title of 'Strongest in Hanxia' will soon have a new owner."

"You flatter me. I'm still far from that," Jiang Zhe replied politely.

Honestly, he was a little socially phobic. He was confident he could get along splendidly with his brothers, but he truly could not deal with people bearing the title of elder.

His toes were practically digging a three-bedroom apartment into the floor.

Grandpa, let's not call him "Uncle Elder." Call him "Big Brother" instead. I guarantee I'll take proper care of my good big brother Jia Yi.

Naturally, the old man could not hear Jiang Zhe's internal scheme to rewrite the family hierarchy and continued, "This is Mr. Zhou. You should know him."

"Uncle Elder Zhou." Jiang Zhe nodded and greeted him.

He did know him, though only through a television screen.

They exchanged a few pleasantries, mostly praising him as a hero in his youth and the youngest War God since Earthlings entered the new era...

Nice words were pleasant to hear, but too many of them became tiresome.

Jiang Zhe patiently exchanged a few more words. Just as he was about to excuse himself, Mr. Zhou noticed and finally brought up the real reason they had called him over.

"I'll call you Little Zhe as well."

"Little Zhe, the unjust treatment you suffered this time was jointly caused by both us and the Wang Family. Neither side can evade responsibility."

"The traitors within our ranks who dared exploit their positions to leak your communication coordinates have all been dealt with. The Wang Family's masterminds and accomplices have also been arrested and will be executed today."

"It was Wang Li, the youngest member of the Wang Family's second generation. He was jealous of your talent and abused his family's influence. Not only did he tarnish the Wang Family's reputation, he nearly endangered your life and caused irreparable losses to the Jiang Family and even Hanxia."

As Mr. Zhou spoke, Jiang Zhe simply stared at him. Those deep eyes made it difficult for the man to maintain his composure.

Still, as a major figure at the helm, he forced himself to continue. "Now that the aftermath has largely been settled, Jia Yi and I have brought compensation. Our primary purpose is to ask you to forgive the grave mistake we made through negligence."

As he spoke, Mr. Zhou pushed the metal case that had long been sitting on the table toward Jiang Zhe.

Jiang Zhe had his own mind and did not ask for the old man's opinion. Without any ceremony, he opened the case and inspected its contents.

The first layer contained a sheet of white paper.

There were brush-written ink marks on it. The calligraphy was quite good, flowing calligraphy rather than printed text.

"Psychic Master Fundamentals"—to be redeemed upon entering the War God Palace!

This was the most exquisite Psychic Master manual Earthlings possessed. Jia Yi wanted to explain it, but Mr. Zhou stopped him.

Jiang Zhe might appear inexperienced, but he understood the value of this secret manual better than anyone.

To Earthlings, it was supreme. Hong absolutely refused to let it appear in paper form in the Real World.

Even Phantom Demon Katlan, who held an exalted position within the HR Alliance and came closest to becoming an Invincible War God, had never had the chance to access this secret manual.

One could imagine the price Hanxia had paid to obtain a single opportunity to study this secret manual from Hong.

But... rather than be Hong's sucker, wouldn't it be better to directly convert what they paid into compensation for me?

Jiang Zhe muttered inwardly.

To him, this secret manual was tasteless and useless. Everything inside was shallow, even bordering on utter nonsense.

I'm talking about you, the most essential part of the manual—"Celestial Diagram"!

The entire secret art could be summed up in four words: practice makes perfect!

Jiang Zhe seriously suspected that this secret art had been fabricated from the wild imagination of Earth's experts based on fragmentary information left behind in Ancient Ruins.

As for his current Psychic Power Amplitude... he had used his Psychic Power frequently these past two days and had already broken through to a tenfold amplitude.

I really want to go to Site Number 9 and see what my Brain Domain Capacity is.

Jiang Zhe's gaze passed over the paper and fell upon the second layer of the case.

Inside lay a layer of unadorned Cultivation Resources.

From the outer edge inward were ten portions of unknown ointment, four portions of Jade Marrow, and in the very center, the most important and core item: a portion of golden blood.

80 billion—Dragon Blood!

Jiang Zhe felt that with his current physical condition, he needed at least two portions, while three would be safest. There would certainly be some excess medicinal effect and waste, but that did not matter.

Jiang Zhe did not care. His family had money. It was better than leaving his body unfed.

At the very bottom was a neatly folded uniform carrying a heavy sense of responsibility, as well as an identification booklet tucked against the side of the case.

He glanced at the epaulets beside it. The rank insignia had reached the very top.

Sure enough, compared to an Invincible War God-level Psychic Master, he still carried less weight.

Grumbling inwardly, Jiang Zhe closed the case, lifted it from the table, and made his stance clear.

Mr. Zhou smiled. "Little Zhe, you also have a personal guard unit. Its establishment is—"

"Uncle Elder, forget the personal guard unit. I don't need that kind of ceremonial escort. If I really fought monsters, it wouldn't even be certain who would protect whom."

Jia Yi and Mr. Zhou both burst into laughter.

Taking the opportunity, Mr. Zhou said, "I've already explained our primary purpose in coming. Our second purpose is to speak for the Wang Family."

"This time, the Wang Family has sent its heir, Wang Zhen, to bring compensation. Since the mastermind has already been executed, they hope the two families can turn hostility into friendship and work together in the future to contribute to Hanxia's economy."

Mr. Zhou turned toward Jiang Lie and emphasized, "Of course, I am not applying pressure. I am only here as a mediator. Whether your two families reach an agreement or not, I will merely serve as a witness."

Then, seemingly inadvertently, he sighed. "It's a pity that the Wang Family Head could not come personally to negotiate. He was admitted to intensive care a few days ago and has not come out since. The doctors say his condition is serious. He will likely not survive the month."

Jiang Zhe raised an eyebrow slightly. Was that a dignified death?

At Mr. Zhou's signal, Wang Zhen stepped forward and handed over a sandalwood box the size of two palms.

Jiang Zhe accepted it and opened it. Inside was a clump of withered grass. Part of it had been cut away, leaving two-thirds behind.

"Little Zhe, do you know what a Wood Spirit is?"

Jiang Zhe nodded.

Mr. Zhou continued with a smile, "The box contains a Wood Spirit called the Nine-Death Rebirth Herb. It belongs to one of the most ancient groups of land plants."

Jiang Zhe froze for a moment, then suddenly said, "Isn't that just Club Moss?"

Jiang Zhe had stripped away the dry grass's grand mystique, instantly lowering its prestige by several levels and extinguishing the atmosphere Mr. Zhou had tried to create.

"Cough, cough..." After coughing twice, he continued, "Yes, more or less. But this is mutated Club Moss. Just like domestic pigs and Firescale Tri-Tusk Boars, they cannot be compared."

"Don't be fooled by the fact that it is still withered and only has a little more than half remaining. As long as you let it touch soil and water, it will immediately regain its vitality."

"Its medicinal effect is also like its habit. It can preserve a person's final breath and rapidly restore all injuries within a short time. In addition, consuming it can increase Physical Quality by fourfold. Even the portion remaining now can increase it by nearly threefold, with the limit reaching the Greater War God Peak."

Jiang Zhe closed the box and tossed it twice in his hand. "Very good, but..."

He casually tossed the wooden box to Wang Zhen, who caught it in a fluster.

"I wasn't injured in the assassination, so I don't need compensation, nor can I accept the Wang Family's offering. The Wang Family's sincerity moves me greatly. Let's end the discussion here."

"Grandpa, what do you think?"

Only after deciding on his own did Jiang Zhe turn to the old man.

Naturally, the old man would not betray him. He smiled approvingly. "Haha, whatever my grandson says goes. Let's end this matter here."

Jiang Zhe wore a faint smile and nodded to them. "Uncle Elders, I'll take my leave first. Please continue."

He lifted the metal case and turned to leave.

However, as he brushed past the dazed Wang Zhen, he gave him two extra appraising looks. The meaning in his eyes was obvious—they were all leaving, so weren't you going to follow them and enjoy some family affection?

The Psychic Master's unique mental intimidation radiated passively through his eyes.

To Wang Zhen, a worthless Battle General, those eyes staring at him were like a black hole, swallowing his consciousness! Tearing it apart! Grinding it to pieces!

His already fragile psychological defenses, battered by torment, completely collapsed. He could not help bursting into tears.

"Uncle Zhou, he wants to kill me! Save me!"

"Uncle Zhou, save me! My grandfather, my grandfather showed you kindness! You can't forget that! You have to save me! You said you could save me..."

"It wasn't me, Uncle Zhou! I don't want to die!"

"Uncle Zhou! Save me! Uncle Zhou!"

Wang Zhen staggered away from Jiang Zhe, fell to the ground, then scrambled forward and clutched Mr. Zhou's leg.

Jiang Zhe had no interest in staying to watch the spectacle. Carrying the metal case Hanxia had given him, he coldly left the reception hall.

Nearly forty minutes later, Mr. Zhou, Jia Yi, and the other man finally departed, bringing the visit to an end.

Jiang Zhe carried the metal case back into the reception hall.

"Why did you bring it back?" The old man sat in a grand armchair, playing with a sandalwood box as he glanced at Jiang Zhe.

"These things weren't meant for me alone."

Jiang Zhe set the metal case on the table, opened it, and took out the Cultivation Resources one by one.

"The Dragon Blood is for you."

"The other ten portions are top-grade Beast Bone Paste. They're made from the bones of king-tier tiger monsters mixed with numerous aged spiritual herbs. They're a specialty from the northeast."

"Apply it to the body, and it can increase Physical Quality by 1.3 times. It only works once, with the limit reaching the Elementary War God Peak. Four portions should be enough for you."

Jiang Zhe readily kept only four portions of Beast Bone Paste and one portion of Dragon Blood in the case, placing everything else on the table for the old man.

Seeing the familiar sandalwood box in the old man's hand, Jiang Zhe asked curiously, "Why did you keep the Nine-Death Rebirth Herb?"

His brow furrowed slightly, somewhat displeased.

"This?" The old man shook his head with a smile. "It has nothing to do with you. It's a congratulatory gift for your eldest uncle and me to break through to Councilor Level."

"Oh, right. Remember to watch the news when you wake up tomorrow morning."

Jiang Zhe said, "Hm?"

"Jia Yi's convoy apparently got into a car accident on the way back. That unlucky fellow Wang Zhen died in the accident. You'll probably hear by tomorrow night that Wang Zhen's Second Uncle has succeeded as the Wang Family Head."

Jiang Zhe's expression was quite remarkable.

What kind of car accident could kill a Mid-Level Battle General?

The old man continued talking to himself. "As for Wang Zhen's Second Uncle, he had it quite rough when he was young. He was an illegitimate child and suffered constant exclusion. Fortunately, he was clever enough to voluntarily request exile to Xixia Base City..."

Jiang Zhe listened to the old man's rambling, nodded, and felt that it was not bad.

By the time he returned to the small courtyard, dawn was almost breaking.

Jiang Zhe took out the Beast Bone Paste and began cultivating.

The Beast Bone Paste was an ashen white substance resembling congealed lard, carrying a sweet, fishy smell.

Suppressing his greasy discomfort, Jiang Zhe smeared the Beast Bone Paste all over his body, then assumed the Five Hearts to Heaven posture to cultivate Gene Primordial Energy.

Five hours later, the sun was already high in the sky.

Jiang Zhe woke from cultivation, unable to stand the smell of rancid animal fat on his body. He rushed into the bathroom to wash himself and nearly scrubbed his skin raw before emerging.

He went to the rear courtyard, activated the Punching Power Tester, and threw a punch.

—"52045 kg!"

"52 tons?"

"That's punching power only found at the High-Level Battle General High Stage, but cutting it in half gives my actual theoretical realm."

"26 tons!"

"That's still within the range of a Mid-Level Battle General..."

"The Beast Bone Paste is too weak. I still need to set my sights on Dragon Blood and Wood Spirits."

At that moment, Butler Wu suddenly shouted from the front courtyard, "Young Master Zhe, someone from Limit Martial Hall is here to assess your War God Level strength."

Jiang Zhe: ???

"War God Level strength assessments even have house calls? Don't you usually have to kill two Lord-Tier monsters?"