Chapter 2354: Chapter 2358: Slander (Bonus Chapter for ’Old Dong’)
The entire third floor had their attention captivated by Jiang Chen’s actions; everyone wanted to know what was inside the ring, given Old Jin’s extraordinary status. What could be worth Jiang Chen’s special offering?
The attendant reached out and took the space ring with a smile on his face, "Young Master Jiang, rest assured, I will definitely deliver it to Old Jin without keeping any for myself."
"Haha, if it were a small number, I might worry you’d keep some. But inside are billions of gold coins; you wouldn’t dare take them!"
Jiang Chen said with a light chuckle.
The smile on the attendant’s face suddenly froze as he stared blankly at Jiang Chen.
Pfft!
Cough, cough, cough!
A sound of spraying water echoed, and some diners around, who were drinking, spat out their liquor in shock, looking at Jiang Chen with wide eyes.
"Bi-billions of gold coins?"
"Damn! That kid carries billions of gold coins with him?"
"This..."
"Which noble family does this young master belong to? No, what kind of family would allow their disciples to travel without carrying spirit stones but with billions of gold coins instead?"
The diners exclaimed in amazement.
"Jiang Chen, you... you brought billions of gold coins with you? Where did you get so many gold coins?"
Even Lin Shanshan and the others were dumbfounded, looking at Jiang Chen in shock.
Only Jian Wuheng, after a slight surprise, understood. Jiang Chen obtained Tong Jiang’s space ring, and Jian Cangqiong gave him the Cheng family’s spirit stones and gold coins. For a top family in a major region, billions of gold coins are nothing, as their diverse livelihoods require a lot of gold coins to sustain.
"It’s something I did back then, and a senior rewarded me for it."
Jiang Chen explained vaguely.
Seeing that Jiang Chen was unwilling to say more, the others stopped asking.
"I’ll go find Old Jin immediately!"
The attendant finally regained his composure and hurried towards the stairs.
After sampling the delicacies of the Forsaken Tavern, everyone distributed the rooms.
Among them, only Lin Shanshan was a girl, so she had a room to herself. Liu Chang, along with Jiang Chen, Yun Tao, and Feng Qingyang shared a room, while Wu Zhong and three others shared another room.
After some discussion, they decided to adjust their condition today and enter the Abandoned Plains tomorrow.
...
Outside the Forsaken Tavern.
Pang Wei glared sinisterly at the third floor after stepping outside, muttering in a low voice, "Jiang Chen, just you wait, I will not let you go!"
"Do you hold a grudge against Jiang Chen?"
An eccentric inquiry sounded.
Pang Wei turned to see Meng Tianjiang, who had been scolded away by Jin Tianlin, standing not far from the tavern entrance.
"If you want to cause trouble for Jiang Chen, perhaps we can help you; after all, we have some grudges with him too!"
Meng Tianjiang spoke with a sly smile.
"What do you plan to do?"
Pang Wei narrowed his eyes, speaking cautiously.
"First, tell me about your grudges with Jiang Chen."
Meng Tianjiang’s eyes bore a scrutinizing gaze.
"He kicked me out of the team, making me lose ten thousand points!"
Pang Wei spoke with a sullen face.
"Points?"
Meng Tianjiang’s eyes lit up as he said meaningfully, "I hear at Cangling Academy, points can be exchanged for any cultivation resources. Ten thousand points, that’s a lot of resources!"
"I definitely won’t spare him!"
Pang Wei spoke coldly, a chilly glint in his eyes.
"An enemy’s enemy is a friend. We also want to cause trouble for Jiang Chen. How about we join forces?"
Meng Tianjiang suggested with a light smile.
"Joining forces..."
Pang Wei’s eyes flickered as he whispered, "I know their destination in the Abandoned Plains."
"Great!"
At these words, Meng Tianjiang was overjoyed and grabbed Pang Wei’s shoulder, saying, "Let’s go find the Young City Lord. If we successfully deal with Jiang Chen, the Young City Lord’s reward will definitely surpass what you can exchange for those ten thousand points!"
Jiang Chen, it was you who were ruthless first, so don’t blame me for returning the favor!
A bunch of bastards! Not one spoke up for me, so I’ll make sure you all fail your mission!
Pang Wei’s eyes flickered with resentment as he followed Meng Tianjiang to a corner of the town.
The next day.
Jiang Chen and his group left the Forsaken Tavern early and headed for the Abandoned Plains.
...
On the boundless plains, mountain strongholds stood.
At this moment, people from various strongholds were gathering forces, preparing to advance towards the central region of the Abandoned Plains.
It was the time of the Necro Spirit outbreak in the Abandoned Plains!
Necro Spirits typically hide underground and only appear at night when the energy of the moon is strong, enhancing their combat abilities.
However, during a Necro Spirit outbreak, they will also appear during the day.
The Necro Spirit outbreak in the Abandoned Plains occurs periodically, but the reason is unknown; no information has ever been passed on.
During the Necro Spirit outbreak, because it happens during the day, the sun’s power is strong and suppresses the Necro Spirits’ power, making it the best time for adventurers to enter the plains and hunt Necro Spirits, hoping to obtain more Necro Spheres.
Within a stronghold several miles from the plains’ edge.
At this moment, everyone in this stronghold had returned, waiting for the stronghold leader’s orders to hunt Necro Spirits, numbering nearly a hundred people, ranging from the Divine Infant Realm Early Stage to Mid Divine Infant Realm.
The cultivators in the Abandoned Plains are not all at the peak of the Divine Infant Realm and above, there are always those who have nowhere else to go, regardless of their level.
In the discussion hall within the stronghold.
A middle-aged man with a fierce appearance and face full of scars sat at the head of the hall.
To his left sat six young men and women and an elderly man in black.
To his right, there were four men with broad shoulders and a ferocious air about them.
"Is Liu Shao’s information accurate?"
The middle-aged man at the head furrowed his brows at the young man in white seated at the first seat on the left.
This young man in white was none other than Liu Yunjian, the Junior Master of Qingyang Prefecture, and the other young people were Li Tianjiang and three others, as well as Pang Wei, who had been expelled from the team by Jiang Chen.
"Of course!"
Liu Yunjian nodded heavily, "The students from Cangling Academy who want to eliminate your stronghold arrived at the Forsaken Town yesterday and will certainly enter the plains today. If Chief Li doesn’t prepare early, they might catch you off guard."
The man at the head was the stronghold chief, Li Kuiyong!
"Why is Liu Shao sharing this information with us? If you joined those students in eradicating us, wouldn’t that help you curry favor with Cangling Academy?"
Li Kuiyong looked suspiciously at Liu Yunjian, obviously distrustful of him.
"Cangling Academy is too powerful for me to align with. Instead of hoping for a distant alliance, I prefer to vent my own frustration!"
Liu Yunjian spoke coldly, a bitter glint flashing in his eyes.
"Oh?"
Li Kuiyong showed a look of interest. With his keen gaze, he could see Liu Yunjian’s injuries were not fully healed and had his suspicions.
"Those students, relying on their status from Cangling Academy, are arrogant and disrespectful..."
In Liu Yunjian’s narrative, Jiang Chen and his companions were painted as tyrannical scoundrels, while he portrayed himself as a righteous man wronged and humiliated.
