Chapter 118: Chapter 116: Death is Very Close
Save the Jiang Family from destruction?
Jiang Jichen couldn’t help but sneer. They were just after the treasures he possessed and wanted to cozy up to the Feng Family, yet they insisted on finding such a grandiose excuse.
He ignored the Second Elder, turning to Zhang the Half-Immortal. "And what about you two? Zhang the Half-Immortal, Elder Pharmacist... what are you here for?"
Zhang the Half-Immortal was an elderly man with the poised air of a Daoist sage. He gently stroked his goatee and said, "I can sense the aura of the White Turtle Longevity Grass on you, which means you’ve consumed at least half an Immortal Leaf. Your physical body is imbued with the rich aura of an immortality elixir. Therefore, even if you no longer possess the Longevity Grass, simply refining your body will be enough to create several Blood Qi Life-extending Pills!"
The Elder Pharmacist nodded at the side. "What’s more, you’ve also consumed Ice Dragon Grass. Although its medicinal power has been fully absorbed, its properties are now permanently part of you. Any Blood Qi Life-extending Pills refined from your body will also have the effect of strengthening one’s own."
The Second Elder’s voice rang out, full of resentment. "This is maddening! I don’t know how this brat got such heaven-defying luck, getting his hands on both Ice Dragon Grass and an Immortal Leaf. The worst part is he already consumed them! It’s no different than if a dog had gotten to them!"
"Here’s the deal. We cut off his head and send it to the Feng Family. You two take his body for your alchemy, but we must get one of the Blood Qi Life-extending Pills you create. As for the Mid-Level Storage Bag, that originally belonged to our Jiang Mansion, so it’s ours by right. The contents of the bag, plus the Red Copper Sword, we’ll split four ways! Of course, if we manage to find the White Turtle Longevity Grass itself, that’s another matter entirely!"
At that moment, the four of them were staring at Jiang Jichen, their gazes no different from merchants sizing up goods for sale.
Jiang Jichen sneered inwardly. ’Enjoy it while it lasts!’
He ignored the Second Elder’s pathetic resentment and asked, "One last question. How did you know I could break through the encirclement and would pass this way?"
At this, Zhang the Half-Immortal stroked his goatee and smiled proudly. "I forgot to mention, I have another title. I am also an Inference Master. While my inferences aren’t infallible, based on the information the two Elders provided, I was about eighty percent certain you’d come this way."
’So that’s how it is!’
Aside from the identity of the mysterious force trying to annihilate him, everything else was now clear. All the while, Jiang Jichen had been refining more Primordial Spirit Pills and Blood Qi Pills to restore his energy.
Of course, this power was hidden away in his Great Innate Acupoint. Not even the combined perception of Zhang the Half-Immortal and the Elder Pharmacist’s medical expertise could detect it.
The Elder Pharmacist’s eyes lit up as he sized up Jiang Jichen. "Alright, questions are over. Now it’s time for the dismemberment! If it’s undamaged, with such powerful Blood Qi, this is an absolutely perfect vessel for alchemy!"
Feeling the Elder Pharmacist’s gaze on him, Jiang Jichen was overcome with revulsion.
’These people are sick, wanting to refine a human being into medicine.’
But Jiang Jichen just smiled. "Indeed, the questions are over. Now it’s time to settle our accounts. It’s quite simple, really. This will all be settled by life and death!"
Jiang Jichen showed no sign that he was a man about to be dismembered, his expression utterly relaxed.
The Second Elder looked as if he’d heard the funniest thing in the world. He laughed mockingly. "A man on death’s door still dares to spout such arrogance. How laughable!"
The Elder Pharmacist’s voice was grim. "Enough pointless talk. Cut off his head already. I can’t wait to use his body for alchemy! GYAHAHA..."
The Elder Pharmacist’s laugh was hideous, enough to make one’s skin crawl.
Zhang the Half-Immortal and the Grand Elder nodded simultaneously. Though they knew Jiang Jichen was severely wounded and all but spent, they remained cautious, closing in together for a coordinated attack.
"Jiang Jichen, time to send you on your way."
"Don’t blame me. Everything I do is for the sake of the Jiang Family."
"Jiang Jichen, die!"
With a thunderous roar, they all struck at once. A storm of blades and sword shadows descended upon Jiang Jichen’s neck.
All pretense was now torn away. In this true battle of life and death, Jiang Jichen held nothing back. He had no choice but to risk it all. The Physical Strength he had just managed to gather surged from his Great Innate Acupoint, flooding his entire body.
During their conversation, Jiang Jichen had already ascertained the Cultivation of all four opponents.
The Grand Elder had the highest Cultivation, at the Late Stage of Innate Fifth Realm. Zhang the Half-Immortal was next, at the Mid-stage Innate Fifth Realm. The Second Elder was at the Innate Fourth Realm Perfect Realm. The Elder Pharmacist, who probably specialized only in alchemy, had the lowest Cultivation—only the Middle Realm of the Innate Third Layer.
If his Cultivation were at its peak, killing these people would have been as easy as turning over his hand. But now, he had little more than twenty percent of his power left.
Only by fighting with everything he had was there a sliver of a chance for survival.
It was entirely possible that he would truly die here today—dismembered by these four and refined into medicine.
But no matter how dire the circumstances, Jiang Jichen would never give up. He would fight for the very last shred of life.
The twenty-odd percent of his power flowed through him as Jiang Jichen used the Illusory Unstable Step Technique. He dodged the attacks aimed at his neck but allowed the others to strike his body.
Meanwhile, the Red Copper Rust Sword in his hand was already in motion!
"Yin Yang Two Principles!"
With the little power Jiang Jichen had remaining, he could barely execute this Sword Technique, and its might was a far cry from what it once was.
Fortunately, however, they were at extremely close range. The four of them never imagined Jiang Jichen still had the strength to fight back, let alone that he would open with a suicidal, life-for-life trade, completely disregarding his own safety.
Thus, the twin black and white Sword Auras of Yin and Yang instantly reaped the life of the weakest opponent, the Elder Pharmacist, and grievously wounded Second Elder Jiang Qingyun!
Of course, Jiang Jichen paid a terrible price. With new injuries piled upon old, his remaining strength dwindled to a mere ten percent.
Having landed a devastating blow, Jiang Jichen didn’t retreat. Instead, he charged straight toward Zhang the Half-Immortal.
"This is bad!"
Zhang the Half-Immortal’s expression changed drastically as he remembered Jiang Jichen’s terrifyingly powerful body.
Although he could unleash an attack to kill Jiang Jichen at that moment, if he were caught in Jiang Jichen’s grasp, he was afraid they would both perish.
’Retreat!’
Zhang the Half-Immortal had no desire to die. Without a moment’s hesitation, he dodged to avoid Jiang Jichen’s suicidal tactic and quickly retreated.
However, just as he retreated ten meters, he suddenly felt a chill in his chest!
He looked down to see that a small shard of bone had pierced his heart. He could feel his life draining away, his consciousness fading, his body growing cold.
As an Inference Master, he had calculated a thousand possibilities, yet he had failed to account for the Little Skeleton!
Filled with indignation, Zhang the Half-Immortal breathed his last, his eyes wide open in death.
Meanwhile, the Grand Elder, the strongest of them all, had already unleashed a fatal blow. Endless Palm Seals descended on Jiang Jichen from all directions, leaving him no room to escape.
This was one of the Jiang Mansion’s ultimate techniques, the Four Directions Sealing Palm!
No matter how miraculous his Step Technique, in his current Realm and weakened state, he had no way to evade this.
Of all their attacks, this strike from the Grand Elder was the true Ultimate Kill.
Even though he had dispatched the other three, if he couldn’t evade the Grand Elder’s attack, the final outcome for Jiang Jichen would remain unchanged.
At this moment, the stench of death was so close it washed over his face.
