“Old Brother Mo, who are these men?” Jiang Chen asked with a glance out the window. He guessed that they likely had something to do with Third Master Jing.
“Look at their clothes. They should be from Moon G.o.d Sect’s first division.” Emperor Peerless seemed indifferent. He obviously didn’t hold these men in high regard.
“The first division? By the way, do you know of a man with the surname of Jing? He’s apparently the number one tyrant in this city.”
“Jing? Third Master Jing?” The emperor nodded. “Yes, there’s someone like that here. He’s the vice head of the first division. The sect master of the division doesn’t really handle mundane affairs, so Third Master Jing actually holds the power in the division. He’s only at seventh level emperor realm, but his family holds a very high position in the sect. His cousin is apparently one of the strongest geniuses in the sect, and many of the elders in his family are also very powerful sect elders as well. This is the reason why Third Master Jing is able to throw his weight around like this. Even the city lord has to show him face.”
Jiang Chen finally understand why the third master was so arrogant and full of himself. It was only natural considering the reputation of his family and his position within the division.
“Little brother, what’s wrong? Did he offend you?” Emperor Peerless burst into laughter. “You sure are a huge troublemaker.”
Jiang Chen shrugged and smiled wryly. “Old brother, you’ve truly wronged me here. You should be calling him the real troublemaker instead.”
He described what went on in the Three River Street, and put heavy emphasis on what happened during the Smiling Bodhi trade. The emperor’s expressions grew darker and darker as he listened on. By the end of it all, he raised his hands in a cupped fist salute.
“Little brother, I’ve truly wronged you. This is all because you were trying to save my life! This decrepit old man is ashamed of dragging you into trouble. Brother, my grat.i.tude knows no bounds. I truly owe you too much. Don’t worry, not even the Jing clan ancestors would dare be arrogant before me, let alone someone as insignificant as Third Master Jing!”
The emperor wasn’t tooting his own horn. Even the most powerful Jing clan elder was only ninth level emperor realm. Someone not a great emperor wouldn’t even have the right to speak to him. They could only address themselves as his junior.
“Old brother, don’t show up until Third Master Jing comes so that you can regain some energy. Let me handle them first.”
Even though the poison didn’t leave any lingering effects, the emperor still needed some time to recuperate. He had to be at his top form so that he could root out Madame Yun’s poison later.
“Little brother, don’t overdo it or erupt in open hostilities with them. Wait for me.” Emperor Peerless advised.
Jiang Chen laughed in response. “Don’t worry.” He rushed downstairs in the blink of an eye.
Upon exiting the door, Long Xiaoxuan greeted him with an odd smile. “There were a few who came to stir up trouble just now. I’ve already taken care of them.”
“I knew you weren’t someone to be trifled with.” Jiang Chen had heard the commotion downstairs, but he couldn’t afford to pay any attention to it because he was trying to save the emperor.
“Hehe. You can’t blame the rest of this on me. They were here for you. I was feeling nice and took the trash out for you."
“What did they say?” Jiang Chen frowned.
“They said you cheated some sort of third master with fake sky rank herbs. Is that true?”
Jiang Chen flew into a rage. The sky rank herbs that he gave them were genuine! Otherwise, somebody in the crowd would’ve long since pointed it out. Moreover, how could someone as sharp as Third Master Jing fail to take notice if it was a fake? This was clearly slander.
He laughed due to the ridiculousness of the situation. Jing Third, how kind of you to show up at my doorstep so I can save the trouble of kicking your door down. Are two sky rank herbs and 200 million saint spirit stones still not enough for you?
Jiang Chen had seen greedier people, but he was completely enraged by Jing Third’s shamelessness. He didn’t want to stir up any trouble in Frostmoon City, but that didn’t mean he was afraid of trouble. Third Master Jing had simply gone too far.
“Brother Long, I only have two words to give you.”
“What two words?” Long Xiaoxuan was taken by surprise.
“Well done!” Jiang Chen lauded coldly. “Does that b.a.s.t.a.r.d really think I’m afraid of him? How dare he make an attempt on my life after extorting me? Fake sky rank spirit herbs? Even if they were fake, he can only blame himself for being blind!”
“Does that mean you gave him the real thing?” Long Xiaoxuan furrowed his brows.
“Of course! How could I give him fakes when I desperately needed the Smiling Bodhi to save Old Brother Mo?” Jiang Chen was burning with rage. “Let’s go! I want to see for myself how arrogant he can be!”
Long Xiaoxuan chuckled playfully. After following Jiang Chen for so long, he was finally getting over his fear of the outside world. Now that the fear was gone, the true dragon bloodline’s unfearing nature was beginning to take shape. Now, the dragon only feared that there wasn’t enough chaos in the world. Why would he stop Jiang Chen? It was already a courtesy that he wasn’t adding oil to the fire.
Trouble? Who in the world would be afraid of something like that?
“Senior brother Cai, someone has come out.” the seventh level emperor suddenly announced.
The eighth level emperor realm expert glanced upwards and saw two young men descending the flight of stairs. Somebody with good eyesight immediately recognized Jiang Chen.
“Lord Cai, it is he… it is he! The older one is the b.a.s.t.a.r.d who traded with the third master! He’s the one who scammed the third master with the fake sky rank spirit herbs!” There had been a few servants around when the trade had happened and they recognized Jiang Chen.
Lord Cai was feeling a little suspicious. Where were the men who first released the signal for reinforcements? Why were they nowhere to be seen? There didn’t even seem to be signs of a battle.
“Go get the innkeeper and his attendants,” he quietly ordered. An eighth level emperor was a lot more prudent afterall.
Someone immediately went searching for the innkeeper, but soon returned with his face aghast. “Lord Cai, s-something’s… not right. The innkeeper and his a.s.sistants are gone. There’s no one else in this inn!”
“Where else could he have gone? Did he abandon his business?” Lord Cai was stunned, but he quickly recalled that there was n.o.body at the reception either when he first entered the premises. He’d found it a little strange at first, but he paid it no heed. But now, this sent a chill down his spine. What exactly happened? Why was everyone gone?
“Brother Cai, c-could they have… killed everyone?” The seventh level emperor realm expert asked with a complicated tone and a fearful expression.
Shock also dawned on Lord Cai’s face at the sound of this. “Let’s ask them.”
Side by side, the two men approached Jiang Chen and Long Xiaoxuan.
Jiang Chen glared at these two emperor realm experts frostily. “Frostmoon City is truly restless. If I remember correctly, this should be an inn and not private property right? Are the bunch of you trying to flatten the entire inn?”
Lord Cai snorted coldly. “Friend, stop trying to mince words. I only have one question for you. Where are those men?”
“What men?” Jiang Chen naturally wouldn’t admit to anything.
“Hmph! You dare take action but not own up to your crimes? What kind of man are you?!” Lord Cai’s voice was extremely cold. “Don’t even think about talking your way out of this. I won’t let you leave until we get to the bottom of this!”
Jiang Chen laughed angrily. “Tsk tsk! Such arrogance! Are you perhaps the sect master of Moon G.o.d Sect or some sort of great emperor in the Upper Eight Regions?”
“The third master has arrived!” somebody announced while they were in the middle of their conversation.
Lord Cai was a bit relieved after hearing that the third master was here. Things would be easier to handle with him around. His words carried more weight as he was head of the first division.
“Third Master.”
“Third Master, you’ve come.” They were very respectful to the third master even though they were at seventh level and eighth level emperor realm respectively. They didn’t dare to put on any kind of airs. Their cultivation was no worse than his, but his family name was much more powerful than them.
Third Master Jing glared at Jiang Chen furiously. “Brat, I’ve been in this city for so many years, but you are the first person who’s ever tried to scam me. How dare you deceive me with two fake sky rank spirit herbs?!”
Jiang Chen laughed coldly. This man was clearly trying to get another sum of wealth from him again with this venomous slander. Since all pretense of cordiality was already thrown to the wind, he no longer had any need to explain himself.
“Brat! Are you mute or are you deaf? Didn’t you hear the third master Speak?” Lord Cai immediately yelled.
Jiang Chem smiled contemptuously. “Third Master Jing, I heard that you’re the vice head of Moon G.o.d Sect’s first division? Hmm, I really don’t understand why a first rank sect would choose a good-for-nothing like you for that task. Fake sky rank spirit herbs? Are you blind or are you plain idiotic? Wouldn’t you have immediately noticed if they were fake? Even I would feel ashamed if I were in your shoes!”
“Such insolence! How dare you speak to the third master in such a manner?!”
“Third master, this brat is showing no respect for our first division!”
“Brothers! Dice him into pieces! We shall make him pay for his insults!”
The smile on Third Master Jing’s face instantly disappeared. He raised his hands to stop his subordinates from causing any further trouble and fixed a sinister glare on Jiang Chen. “Brat, you have a very sharp tongue. But not even a thousand tongues can save you after you’ve provoked me. I will not fall for your antics. Hand over all of your valuables and I just might forgive you.”
This was clear daylight robbery now.