“Lord Jiang, please wait!”
Jiang Yunhai took no farther than three steps away from the mentors’ resident wing when a silvery, lilting voice rang out from behind. The voice sounded pleasing to one’s ears, but it held a chilly undertone that could not be concealed.
Pleased, Jiang Yunhai quickly turned to smile at the person. “Mistress Su, greetings. Has Elder Fu changed his mind?”
“Not really…”
Dressed in a long, snowy-white dress, Su Ruoxue’s alabaster skin was as white and as delicate as a snowflake. Her face was void of any expression as she walked and spoke. She was the pinnacle of detachment.
She was silent for a moment before speaking, “Jiang Yi has already withdrawn from the tournament, and there is no way to change that no matter who makes the appeal. However, you must have heard of… the Mt. Spirit Beast Blood Purge? In two months, it will begin in Spirit Beast City!”
“Mt. Spirit Beast Blood Purge!”
Jiang Yunhai’s eyes lit up as realization dawned upon him instantly. He bowed deeply in gratitude. “Thank you, Mistress Su, for pointing me in the right direction. Should Jiang Yi be fortunate enough to make it into the school, I’d be grateful if you could look out for him.”
“There’s no need to thank me!”
Still a picture of indifference, Su Ruoxue turned to leave. It was only when she reached the entrance to the courtyard that she turned her face slightly. “You are not the reason I came out specifically to share this information—Jiang Yi is. Although there is a great number of rumors from the outsiders about him, I personally believe that someone who is willing to give up his future and his life for a maidservant is not an evil person at heart. Alas, we already have too few of such true-hearted souls in this world…”
As Mistress Su walked away, Jiang Yunhai gaped and remained rooted at where he stood. Her words allowed him an unexpected glimpse into a side of her, of which he was previously unaware of. This Mistress Su’s inner self appeared far less frigid than her appearance suggested; she must have had a story of her own.
…
“What? Grandfather, you want me to attend Mt. Spirit Beast College? I’m not going; I want to stay with Xiaonu…”
In the subsidiary wing where he was staying, Jiang Yi shook his head vigorously in objection the moment Jiang Yunhai made the suggestion. He was very much ill-disposed towards the Mt. Spirit Beast College. The place was swarmed with young masters and mistresses who were deemed as extraordinary geniuses in martial arts, whereas there was nothing that Jiang Yi disliked more than these young masters and mistresses at the moment. He might appear steadfast, but once his line was crossed, he would go berserk for sure. There was no telling what he could do in such a place.
“Young Lord, please hear me out!”
Jiang Yunhai waved a hand soberly. “I have discussed Xiaonu’s condition with Ji Tian earlier. We both concluded that there are only two solutions to save her!”
This shut Jiang Yi up instantly. He sat down and inquired nervously, “What are they?”
Jiang Yunhai pursed his lips. “The first solution is to locate a certain someone! However, I would not want to go with this option unless absolutely necessary—as locating him would mean exposing your identity, and this would go against your mother’s wishes. If she were to hear of this, her soul would not find peace in the underworld…”
” ‘A certain someone’?”
Jiang Yi’s expression darkened, the corners of his mouth twisted in bitterness, “You meant my father, didn’t you?”
“Yes.”
Looking afar from the window, Jiang Yunhai’s face was similarly clouded with anger. “Your father was a powerful man, but he also abandoned Madam back in the day. Madam would not have died if it weren’t for him, so… I will not go to him unless there is no other choice. I do not even want to see his face—lest it tempts me into trying to kill him with everything I have! But… if you wanted to reconnect with your father, I would not stop you of course—although you and I might never see each other again.”
“Say no more, Grandfather!”
Jiang Yi gave a wave of his hand decisively. “There’s no need to go to him. I can live without a father, but I cannot live without you. Grandfather, don’t you know me? Let’s not dwell on this matter anymore, and I do not wish to hear another word about him…”
“Very well then.”
Jiang Yunhai nodded, gratified. There was a slight pause before he continued. “That is why I thought of the second option: for you to enroll in Mt. Spirit Beast College. As I’ve said earlier today, one way of curing Xiaonu is to purchase saint-tier elixirs. However, we can’t be sure when such elixirs might turn up—it could be years before they do. Another way is to seek help from a heaven-tier healer.
“There are only four heaven-tier healers in the entire Stellarsky Continent—two of them are being worshipped by the royalties of the Great Xia Kingdom and the Northern Liang Kingdom while another roams the world, and no one has heard of him in ages. The location of the last healer, on the other hand, is at the Mt. Spirit Beast College. Therefore, I propose that you enroll in the school to win his favor before asking him to help to cure Xiaonu! He would not help otherwise, not even if I offer him an astronomical amount of money.”
“I see.”
Understanding dawned on Jiang Yi’s face. He cast a look at Xiaonu, who lied quietly in bed, looking deathly pale; and he nodded. “Then I shall go. But… how do I enroll? Did I not quit the tournament?”
“Do not concern yourself with this.”
“Your sole mission now is to get better and put all your efforts into cultivation. In the meantime, I will procure top-grade ingredients for you to enhance your cultivation speed. In another month’s time, I will take you and Xiaonu to the Spirit Beast City,” Jiang Yunhai expounded.
“Okay!”
Jiang Yi consented readily; a hint of excitement crept into his voice now that he learned that Jiang Yunhai planned to take him and Xiaonu far away from this sad and sorrowful place of which he had grown so weary.
“Oh, that’s right!” A question suddenly came to Jiang Yunhai, “How do you wish for the Ma and the Jiang clans to be dealt with? If you are not yet gratified, I could slay the entire Ma Clan, as well as those in the Jiang Clan who had offended you in the past…”
“Ah?”
Jiang Yi gaped for a second and shook his head. “Forget it, Grandfather. After all, you are still one of the Jiang Clan, and enough people have perished for this. I’ve already killed Ma Heiqi, Jiang Rulong, and their likes. I’d prefer not to commit more killings.”
“Very well. Why don’t you rest and mend your wounds; I’ll be out for a while.”
Jiang Yunhai patted Jiang Yi on his shoulder and left. One look at Xiaonu was all it took for Jiang Yi to put aside everything to cultivate and mend his injuries.
Nothing mattered more to him than curing Jiang Xiaonu. No matter how much he despised Mt. Spirit Beast College and those young masters and mistresses in it, he would endure for Xiaonu’s sake. After all, the objective was not to have fun or learn but seek help to save a life!
…
The heavy rain subsided forty-five minutes past noon, but the air remained somewhat chilly; and there were puddles of water everywhere on the streets. Few ventured outdoors, and the entire city seemed empty of people.
It was a different story, however, in the Ma Clan courtyard where a crowd was gathering. Jiang Yunhai had left the city lord’s manor for the first time, and he was here at the Ma Clan courtyard with Jiang Huai. The scouts from the various family clans were immediately called into action upon this news while other onlookers came to see if Jiang Yunhai would go berserk again and take out one of the five great family clans—the Ma Clan.
“A humble welcome to Lord Yunhai and General Jiang Huai!”
Leading the entire group of Purple Mansion Realm martial artists in the Ma Clan, Ma Kui welcomed Jiang Yunhai and Jiang Huai into the Ma Clan courtyard. Along the way, not a word was heard from Jiang Yunhai. His stony silence terrified Ma Kui and the others, who nevertheless had to maintain a facade of excessive service on the surface.
Once he reached the main hall, Jiang Yunhai went straight to the host’s seat and sat down unreservedly. He waited till Jiang Huai was seated before casting a look at the rest, eyes like daggers. “Let’s cut to the chase. Two options: either everyone in the Ma Clan dies, or you compensate us for your actions! Ma Kui, make up your mind!”
The hearts of Ma Kui and everyone else in the Ma Clan trembled; even Deputy General Jiang Huai appeared uneasy at his words. Even though strength was everything in Stellarsky Continent and the law was generally deemed as useless, shouldn’t one make a show to follow legal procedures at the very least? How could Jiang Yunhai outright threaten to take out the entire Ma Clan without even attempting to give a cover-up?
Options? What option was there?
Ma Kui sneaked a glance at Jiang Huai. When the latter remained silent, Ma Kui had no choice but to admit defeat through clenched teeth. “I choose compensation. Lord Yunhai, please name your price.”
Ma Kui was still unsure how this feud between Jiang Yi and the Ma Clan started—as most of those who were directly involved were now dead, and the Ma Clan had been in lockdown since. Regardless, even if the Ma Clan was in the wrong, they also suffered heavier losses: considering the number of clan disciples Jiang Yi killed and the numerous Purple Mansion Realm martial artists who were taken down by Jiang Yunhai. Yet, Jiang Yunhai was the one demanding for compensation; and there was no reason given either.
“Haha!”
Jiang Yunhai was indeed here to openly rob the Ma Clan of their wealth. He chuckled coldly, “Five thousand earth essence elixirs, in addition to five hundred thousand taels of purple gold, and we will call it a day. I also promise to get out of the hair of the Ma Clan from now on. How about it?”
“What?”
The facial expressions of Ma Kui and the other Ma Clan elders changed. How ruthless could Jiang Yunhai get? Earth Essence Elixir belonged in Earth-tier medial-grade and cost a hundred gold a piece. Five thousand pieces would mean five hundred thousand taels of purple gold. Counting the actual amount of purple gold for the compensation, the Ma Clan would essentially be paying a million taels of purple gold!
Did the clan have enough?
Sure they did!
But that would require selling off most of the clan’s properties. It was obvious that Jiang Yunhai intended to hollow out the clan. A million taels of purple gold gone was a huge blow to the Ma Clan, and it would take more than a decade for them to recover. Moreover, the Ma Clan might be targeted by the other clans and be reduced to second-rate clan altogether.
“You have five days. Deliver the elixirs and purple gold to the city lord’s manor in five days’ time, or else… heh!” Jiang Yunhai ignored the hatred hidden in the downcast eyes of the Ma Clan members. He nodded to Jiang Huai and walked out of the courtyard.
Stopping at the gates, Jiang Yunhai waved away the West Garrison Army and lowered his voice at Jiang Huai. “General Jiang Huai, I don’t care what your speculations are, or if you guessed right or wrong. Either way, I do not wish to offer any explanations. It will serve you well not to ask.
“It is not a good thing for you if word got out about what had happened in Skyplume City so please let whatever you have to say remain unsaid. The five hundred thousand taels of purple gold from the Ma Clan are yours to treat your men as you please; I implore you to not refuse! Yours truly owe you a debt of gratitude. Why don’t you take your men back, and I will take care of the rest?”
“Very well! Lord Yunhai, if there’s anything else that you need, all you have to do is ask!”
Jiang Huai nodded and cupped his fists in greeting. He appeared nothing but respectful, although inwardly, he was already jumping for joy.
Jiang Yunhai was incredibly generous: five hundred thousand taels of purple gold—and a debt of gratitude to boot—from someone who was at the Soul Travel Realm! Jiang Yunhai would become a true general if he were to join the army. Of course, more significant was his status within the Western Garrison Liege Lord’s manor. Jiang Huai had been sending mails via carrier pigeons these past few days, and he had found out that Jiang Yunhai was once the Inner Court Chief Supervisor in the liege lord’s manor! Even though he had left the manor years ago, the manor’s many long-serving staff still held him in high regard.
“Tell everyone to return to their respective units and stand by for orders in the city lord’s manor!”
Watching Jiang Yunhai’s departure, Jiang Huai issued the order and cast his gaze to the horizon, brows knitted together in deep contemplation.
The one who provided him the information was a cousin of his who worked in the liege lord’s manor. According to him, the liege lord had only one son. There was no evidence of the liege lord having an illegitimate child or anything of the sort. If Jiang Yi was not the bastard son of the Western Garrison Liege Lord, then whose son could he be? And if the master of Jiang Yunhai was not the Western Garrison Liege Lord, to whom Jiang Yunhai was heavily indebted, then who else could it be?
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