The Founding Emperor and the Daoist!
Although Jiang Chen felt he was in the wrong, his pride still kept him from accepting it.
"Father, do you really believe Chen Feng possesses an immortal's treasure? How many years has it been since an immortal's treasure appeared in the Yue Kingdom? How could he possibly have one? Perhaps he has some other means."
"Besides, even if he does have an immortal's treasure, so what? Our Jiang Household has so many Xiantian experts. Wouldn't dealing with Chen Feng alone be easy?"
The Jiang Household had only four Xiantian experts on the surface, but in truth it had eight.
This was part of the Jiang Household's foundation.
Even with Jiang Xiao dead, there were still seven Xiantian experts.
Jiang Yaotian glanced at the conceited Jiang Chen and asked:
"Do you know how the founding emperor of our Yue Kingdom rose to power?"
Jiang Chen had not expected his father to ask this all of a sudden. He answered without thinking:
"Of course I do. Hundreds of years ago, the founding emperor was nothing more than a down-and-out scholar. On his way to the capital to take the examinations, he chanced upon a Daoist. The Daoist spoke with the founding emperor for only a few moments, then left him an Immortal Method and departed, treading through the air."
"From then on, aided by the Immortal Method, the founding emperor raised an army and destroyed the Jiang Kingdom, giving rise to the Yue Kingdom we have today."
Jiang Chen had heard this story since he was a child.
When the founding emperor met the Daoist, the Daoist was only a down-and-out old man who asked the founding emperor for food.
At the time, the founding emperor had only enough rations for three days, but he still shared some with the Daoist.
After learning that the founding emperor was on his way to the capital to take the examinations, the Daoist asked:
"If you fail the examinations, won't you have traveled a thousand li for nothing? What will you do if you fail?"
The founding emperor answered:
"Unless I die of old age, I shall never give up."
The Daoist greatly admired the founding emperor's resolve, so he bestowed an Immortal Method upon him. This was also the story widely told throughout the Yue Kingdom.
Jiang Yaotian, however, sneered:
"That was merely the imperial family's story to fool the world. The founding emperor did not obtain the Immortal Method because the Daoist valued his unwavering resolve."
"Rather, the Daoist was gravely injured when the founding emperor came across him. To help him heal, the founding emperor first slaughtered his entire family, young and old, and took their blood to aid the immortal's recovery."
"Then he led the immortal to three entire cities in the Jiang Kingdom and sacrificed every living being in them. Only then did he obtain the Immortal Method!"
Hearing this, Jiang Chen froze on the spot, a chill rising in his heart.
He had never imagined the story would differ from the one being told, much less that it would be like this.
"Father, is that true?" Jiang Chen's face was filled with disbelief.
The clan elders and elders in the main hall said nothing.
Clearly, they had long known about this.
Jiang Yaotian did not answer Jiang Chen's question. Instead, he said:
"Chen'er, though immortals cultivate the great Dao of longevity, they regard martial artists and mortals like us as blood food and ants. With a single thought, they can reduce us to ashes."
"When immortals are involved, a single mishandled matter will inevitably put our entire Jiang Household at risk of annihilation."
"But if Chen Feng really does possess an immortal's treasure, our Jiang Household will certainly not give it up either. It's just that we must commit the strength of the entire household, rather than send only a few people as you suggested earlier."
As soon as Jiang Yaotian finished speaking, all the elders and clan elders in the Jiang Household's main hall bowed in unison.
"We shall follow the household head's arrangements!"
Clearly, the clan elders and elders all understood this very well.
Looking at the clan elders and his father, Jiang Chen finally realized just how far behind these old foxes he was.
"Father, please make the arrangements." At that moment, Jiang Chen put aside his pride as well.
"I've already informed your aunt. She'll arrive from the imperial city in the next few days. Once she gets here, we'll make our move!"
Jiang Chen was somewhat shocked. His aunt was an expert above the Xiantian realm.
She held an important post in the imperial city and was also the Jiang Household's greatest backer. She would go more than ten years without returning home.
Jiang Chen had not expected his father to summon even his aunt over this matter.
He had still greatly underestimated the value of an immortal's treasure.
"I understand, Father. I'll immediately go summon our people who are away. When the time comes, we'll level Hengduan Mountain in one fell swoop!" Jiang Chen bowed respectfully.
Jiang Yaotian nodded.
"This matter must be kept secret. If we do obtain the immortal's treasure, everyone involved apart from those present here must be silenced."
Everyone nodded. None of them saw anything wrong with Jiang Yaotian's decision.
If they really obtained the immortal's treasure, it would be the Jiang Household's chance to rise.
As for the others, they could all be discarded.
The secret must never be discovered by other forces either, or their Jiang Household would immediately find itself in a crisis.
The modern world, Eagle Sauce Country.
Chen Feng appeared in the black market bar, holding a glass of whiskey.
The entire black market bar was thick with smoke and foul air, a jumble of all sorts of people.
Someone who looked like a student, as Chen Feng did, stood out sitting there.
Yet no one in the entire bar came to trouble Chen Feng.
The regulars all knew that this man from Dragon Country was Jack's most valued guest.
Even the woman behind the bar treated Chen Feng with courtesy.
"Sir, are you free tonight?" the woman behind the bar asked in a soft, seductive voice.
As she spoke, she pulled the neckline over her chest much lower.
Chen Feng glanced at her. This white woman's breasts were indeed large enough, but the tattoo on her neck left him with no interest in admiring them.
"I'm busy." Chen Feng refused outright.
He would never so much as touch a woman like this. She might be a biohazard breeding ground.
Disappointment immediately appeared on the barwoman's face.
She had wanted something to happen between her and the man from Dragon Country before her. That way, things would be easier for her here.
But unfortunately, he did not seem interested in her.
"Chen, my friend, it's so good to see you again!"
Not far away, Jack came over with a group of his underlings. His voice carried throughout the bar before he even arrived.
The music in the bar stopped with Jack's arrival.
Jack came up to Chen Feng and prepared to give him a hug.
Seeing this, Chen Feng immediately waved him off. "Jack, there's no need for formalities with me."
Chen Feng had no desire to hug this black guy. Black people's bodies came with an unpleasant smell of sweat.
Jack did not mind. Instead, he said with a smile:
"You want a lot of goods this time. It's beyond what I can decide, so our boss wants to meet you."
Chen Feng had already told Jack over the phone how much equipment he wanted this time.
The amount he wanted really was rather large, enough to equip an entire special operations squad.
It was beyond what a minor gang leader like Jack could decide.
"Where is he?" Chen Feng stood up.
He did not want to waste time here. The sooner he got the equipment, the sooner he could return to the Painting Scroll World.
As for Jack's gang, Chen Feng had looked into it.
The gang was called the Crips and Bloods. It operated across several states in Eagle Sauce and had connections to the Mafia.
It was considered a fairly large gang in Eagle Sauce.
"On a boat in the harbor. There are a few other important clients this time, so I'll take you over."
Jack wore a smile he could not conceal.
Chen Feng was a client he had brought in. Once the deal went through, his standing in the gang would rise significantly.
"All right, take me there."
Chen Feng was not surprised that the gang boss was on a boat.
After all, gang leaders like him were people the FBI in Eagle Sauce kept a close eye on.
They were safer on a boat than on land, since they could sail into international waters at any time.
Conversely, however, it was more dangerous for those doing business with a gang boss like this. Once the boat reached international waters, no one knew what might happen.