Chapter 117: Chapter 115: Bafflingly Obscure
What a strange combination!
But how did they know I would be able to break through the encirclement and end up here?
Jiang Jichen had already pieced some things together, but seeing this bizarre group stirred up a host of new questions.
He came to a stop, his gaze first falling upon the Grand Elder and Second Elder of the Jiang Mansion. This was the first time he had faced them head-on since his rebirth.
Even though this was their first direct confrontation, Jiang Jichen harbored a profound hatred for these two.
In his memory, the monthly allowance for his Fifth Mansion had long been cut to the bare minimum. This was all on the orders of the Elders. Then, after the Stewards secretly skimmed their share, what finally reached Jiang Jichen was barely enough for daily life. Resources for his cultivation were almost nonexistent.
Jiang Jichen vividly remembered the moment he awoke, overhearing the conversation between Jiang Ling’Er and her handmaiden, Xing’Er. Their Spirit Medicines had been so severely cut back that they couldn’t even brew a proper medicinal soup, forcing them to resort to a simple medicinal bath instead.
Without the implicit approval of these Elders, the Stewards would never have dared to be so ruthless.
In truth, the instances of being secretly suppressed by these Jiang Family Elders were too many to count, and Jiang Jichen couldn’t be bothered to dwell on them.
And this time, the marriage between Jiang Ling’Er and Feng Tianxing had been secretly arranged by these same Jiang Family Elders, who hadn’t even bothered to ask for her opinion.
Jiang Jichen couldn’t fathom how these people could be so heartless.
"For two respected Elders to be waiting here for me... this nephew is truly overwhelmed by the honor!"
Technically, the two men were his uncles. Yet, when had they ever treated him as a nephew? They probably wished he would just die!
But Jiang Jichen needed to stall for time to recover, leaving him no choice but to engage them in this nonsense.
Otherwise, he absolutely would have given in to the urge to slap them across their faces.
When the Grand Elder and Second Elder saw Jiang Jichen—covered in wounds so deep that bone was visible, his face pale, his body frail and weak, possessing less than a tenth of his power—they heaved a sigh of relief, which was quickly followed by a surge of delight.
In the expert eyes of Zhang the Half-Immortal and the Elder Pharmacist, Jiang Jichen’s condition was even more dire, bordering on incurable. Yet, a faint, inextinguishable aura within him was preserving his life force.
"The Undying Medicine Power of the White Turtle Longevity Grass!"
The two exchanged a look, their eyes filled with delight.
Zhang the Half-Immortal sent a private message to the Grand Elder, Second Elder, and Elder Pharmacist. "Just as I predicted. Jiang Jichen managed to escape, but he’s sustained fatal injuries and has barely any fighting strength left. He’s just clinging to life. Nothing to be afraid of."
Hearing Zhang the Half-Immortal’s message, the three men relaxed completely.
At that moment, the Second Elder, Jiang Qingyun, stepped forward with a cold smirk. "Jiang Jichen," he said, looking him over, "You were lucky to survive last time, but you won’t escape now. You’ve finally fallen into our hands. Heh heh... I’ll be taking back that Mid-Level Storage Bag and the Red Copper Sword you’re carrying!"
As he spoke, Jiang Qingyun’s eyes swept over the Red Copper Sword in Jiang Jichen’s hand and the Mid-Level Storage Bag at his waist.
As for Cang Songzi’s High-Level Storage Bag, Jiang Jichen naturally didn’t dare use it. Not only would it be too conspicuous, but it also bore the mark of the Cang Family.
’My power is still too weak, and I have more than enough powerful enemies as it is. I can’t afford to attract the Cang Family’s attention!’
The Red Copper Rust Sword was now a Mid-grade Profound-level Spiritual Artifact, the likes of which even the Jiang Mansion didn’t possess. Jiang Qingyun couldn’t help but inwardly marvel at Jiang Jichen’s good fortune.
However, in his eyes, since Jiang Jichen had managed to find a Middle-Grade Spiritual Artifact like the Red Copper Sword in that fortuitous land, he must have other astonishing treasures, all of which were likely inside that Mid-Level Storage Bag.
He’d heard that Jiang Jichen had emerged from the land of ultimate treasures in Ice Dragon Valley. How could he not possess some world-shaking artifacts? Otherwise, how could his cultivation have advanced so rapidly?
Perhaps even the White Turtle Longevity Grass had been found in that treasure-filled land!
This was what Jiang Qingyun was thinking, and he was far from the only one.
"Last time? You mean when my Qi Sea was shattered and my Spirit Veins were severed?"
Though Jiang Jichen had recovered most of his memories, this was one detail he had never been able to recall.
He didn’t know if, as Zhang the Half-Immortal had claimed, it was truly caused by a Demon Possession incident during his training.
But from Jiang Qingyun’s words, that was clearly not the case. He went on, "So, it was all of you who wanted me dead. I assume Zhang the Half-Immortal was just here to help you with the performance? I simply don’t understand what grievous offense I committed against my esteemed uncles to make you hate me so much that you want me dead. I was once the top prodigy of Cyan Moon City, destined to bring honor to our ancestors and greatly strengthen the Jiang Family. Why would you, as Elders of that same family, conspire to take my life?"
The Grand Elder, Jiang Qingshan, spoke up. "That may be true, but you may not know this. Before your father disappeared, he offended some people from a mysterious power. As long as he was around, they caused no trouble. But after he vanished, a mysterious individual came to our Jiang Mansion with an ultimatum: either you die, or the Jiang Family will be annihilated. As the Grand Elder, what choice did I have? Everything I’ve done has been for the good of the Jiang Family!"
After hearing the Grand Elder’s words, Jiang Jichen, who had expected things to become clear, found that the situation had only grown more convoluted.
Jiang Jichen thought for a moment, then said, "You all seem quite confident you can kill me today. If that’s the case, I have a few questions I’d like to have answered!"
"Grand Elder, I’d like to ask, where did this mysterious power come from?"
Jiang Jichen didn’t wait for their consent and asked his question directly.
The Grand Elder seemed to believe Jiang Jichen was already a lamb for the slaughter, completely at their mercy, so he replied in a rather good mood, "If they are mysterious, then naturally we know next to nothing about them. We only remember that the mysterious person flew in from the east!"
The east!
Jiang Jichen committed the direction to memory. ’One day,’ he thought, ’when I’m strong enough, I’ll travel that eastern road to its very end.’
Then, Jiang Jichen asked his second question. "What I find strange is this: if this mysterious power is so mighty, why didn’t they just kill me themselves? Why did they need you to do it? Besides, I’ve been alive all this time, haven’t I? I haven’t seen any mysterious person come looking for you, nor has the Jiang Family been annihilated. It was clearly an empty threat, so why did you take it seriously? And if that’s the case, why do you still want me dead?"
The Grand Elder of the Jiang Family sighed. "You’ve offended the Young Master of the Feng Family, and you’ve offended the Emperor. Therefore, you must die to protect the Jiang Family. Everything I’ve done has been for the good of the family."
Jiang Jichen was rendered speechless by the Grand Elder’s constant repetition of his little catchphrase. He retorted, "The Grey-clothed Swordsman, Elder Qingxu, already promised to protect the Jiang Family for five years!"
But the Second Elder sneered, "And after those five years? Hmph! Only by taking your head and presenting it to the Feng Family can we ensure the Jiang Family’s survival! Jiang Jichen, enough with the questions. It’s time for you to die!"
