Jiang Chen sighed quietly, but still hoped that his luck would hold up. “So the holy maiden’s brother is definitely not in the sect?”
“Of course, he was chased out of the sect when he was twelve. He wasn’t even allowed to stay in the Tilted Moon Region. No one knows where he went.”
“Do you mean that neither the Blue Moon holy maiden nor Holy Maiden Xu Meng know about this either?” Jiang Chen couldn’t help but ask.
“They would like to, but the Moon G.o.d Sect would never allow that knowledge to reach them. To be frank, no one even knows if he still lives to this day.”
It was blunt, but Jiang Chen knew it was the truth. He had never met his brother, so his father took precedence even though he was also concerned about his brother. After all, Jiang Chen had actually lived with his father. They shared a deep relations.h.i.+p with each other. He had never seen his mother, younger brother or younger sister before. Though there was still a bond of blood between them, it wasn’t as strong as the one he shared with his father.
This was about as much as he could glean from this person. He’d learned everything he needed to know. Jiang Chen pointed at the senior executive who’d answered him. “This guy isn’t bad, he can be allowed to live. You decide how he should prove himself.”
“There’s no better way to prove one’s allegiance than murder.” Liu Zhen laughed. The wandering cultivator’s gaze swept across the Heavensworn Four. “Take your pick from these four. You may leave immediately after you kill only one of them.”
The senior executive’s expression changed a little. It was one thing to betray the Heavensfall Society, and it was another to kill one of the Heavensworn Four.
Liu Zhen didn’t force him to make a decision. “I’m fine with it if you want to let this precious chance to live slip through your grasp.”
The senior executive paled at the change in Liu Zhen’s tone and cried out hastily. “Nonono, I’ll do it, I’ll do it!”
Beigong Ming was the first person to turn pale when he heard this. He was certain that this senior executive was going to kill him because they had argued with each other for the right to answer first earlier. Emperor Peerless smiled and poked at the air twice with his finger. It unlocked the restriction on the senior executive’s body.
The senior executive was pale, but strong determination was etched on his face. Anyone could see that he was prepared to kill. Beigong Ming had thought at first these people wouldn’t dare do so, because they should’ve done so a long time ago if they dared, but it was obvious that this was being too naive. Not only were these enemies utterly out of control, they were tactically breaking the Society up from inside. Judging from the expression on the senior executive’s face, he was obviously planning to kill Beigong Ming to prove his allegiance.
“Wait!” Beigong Ming cried. “I’m willing to prove my allegiance too.”
No one could stay calm in the face of death, and he was not an exception to the rule. He obviously didn’t want to die just like this.
Liu Zhen chuckled. “Who else is willing to kill to live?”
“I am!”
“I am too!”
“And me!” The captives immediately declared their decision to betray their organization. It stunned the Heavensworn Four.
“Cowards!” The fourth brother of the Heavensworn Four cursed loudly.
“Aren’t you afraid of death?” Liu Zhen beamed at the fourth of the Heavensworn Four.
The man raised his chin. “Like h.e.l.l I’m afraid of you! Touch me even once and the Moon G.o.d Sect will destroy you!”
Liu Zhen’s face darkened as he looked at Beigong Ming. “You wanted to prove yourself, didn’t you? Kill him then.”
Beigong Ming was troubled by this. The fourth Heavensworn Four was his sworn brother. Even if he had fallen out with his brother, he still found the idea of killing his brother difficult to accept.
“It looks like your sincerity only goes so far.” Liu Zhen said coldly, “It doesn’t matter. There are plenty of people who yearning for this opportunity instead.”
The wandering cultivator turned around. “All those who are willing to kill him, stand up now.”
About eight Society members instantly rose to their feet. They all looked eager to finish the task.
“That many? This is a dilemma. Who should I pick?” Liu Zhen pretended to be puzzled.
The wandering cultivator wanted to play, but Jiang Chen wasn’t in the mood to watch this ugly display any longer. “Wrap this up quickly.”
Liu Zhen nodded hurriedly and chose someone at random. “Alright, you do it.”
The chosen person nodded repeatedly and was about to walk over to do the dirty deed. It was at this moment Third Master Jing finally jogged over. “Wait, wait!”
Third Master Jing ran all the way to Jiang Chen with a fawning expression on his face. “If I may say something, young master Shao. The Heavensworn Four may be despicable people, but their patrons are extremely powerful. They even have the aid of a great emperor at the Moon G.o.d Sect.”
“So what?” Jiang Chen’s face turned cold.
Third Master Jing responded enigmatically, “Young master Shao, I may be able to introduce you to someone if you wish to inquire about Holy Maiden Xu Meng and that guy sold off by the Society.”
“Hmm?” Jiang Chen raised his eyebrows and stared at him sternly.
Third Master Jing hastily explained. “It’s like this. Just now I heard that they’ve turned over that prisoner to a captain named Gu Xintang, and it so happened that he and I are acquainted with each other. So…”
Jiang Chen mulled this over before fixing his gaze on Third Master Jing. “Why are you defending them? You guys don’t look that close.”
Third Master Jing let out a long sigh. “If I had a choice, I wouldn’t defend them at all. However, these b.a.s.t.a.r.ds notified the first division and I happened to be present. If I don’t help them during their plight, then I may not be able to maintain my position for long.”
Third Master Jing was being quite forthright and truly did have his reasons to help them.
“Bleakmoon Hall is about to show up very soon. If you kill them now, you’ll be clas.h.i.+ng swords against the Hall and immediately become the public enemy of Moon G.o.d Sect. If that happens, it’ll definitely complicate your attempts to inquire for information…” The third master was definitely an eloquent person. He had hit the nail in the head with just a few lines.
Jiang Chen considered this for a moment before nodding. “They may live, but they must suffer.”
As he said this, Jiang Chen took out a bottle of pills and pa.s.sed it to Liu Zhen. “This is my exclusive poison pill. Feed them one each and kill anyone who resists.” Jiang Chen ordered coldly.
Third Master Jing didn’t dare go directly against Jiang Chen’s orders, seeing how firm the latter’s att.i.tude was. He simply shook his head with a rueful smile on his face.
“This pill has an incubation period of half a month, and you can still be saved in half a month’s time. If I hear nothing about that person during this half month, then you may consider yourself unlucky.”
Liu Zhen personally made sure that the Heavensworn Four and a few hard headed senior executives swallowed the pill before he returned to Jiang Chen. He didn’t do the same to the small fries who’d announced their intention to leave Heavensfall Society, and it appeared that Jiang Chen was of the same mind.
“Third Master Jing, I’ll give you face and allow them to live half a month longer. If I can find that prisoner in half a month, then everyone will have a happy ending.” Jiang Chen smiled calmly.
Of course, if he couldn’t find his father in half a month’s time, then their punishment was death. No one in this world could cure the poison he created.
Third Master Jing simpered repeatedly. He would be a fool to disagree with Jiang Chen after the young man had given him face, not to mention that their relations.h.i.+p wasn’t deep to begin with. As the saying went, it would be wise to avoid conversely deeply with an acquaintance.
“Third Master Jing, I’ve already shown you my sincerity. Now it’s your turn to show yours.” Jiang Chen cast a meaningful glance at him.
Third Master Jing clenched his teeth and promised. “Don’t worry, I will contact Captain Gu Xintang.”
While he was speaking, a disturbance broke out from outside. Someone from the first division immediately came in. “Third Master, Bleakmoon Hall is here.”
A trace of excitement pa.s.sed through the Heavensworn Four’s eyes. Jiang Chen sneered and said nothing about Bleakmoon Hall’s arrival. It was clear that he didn’t think much about them. When Third Master Jing saw the unfriendly look on Jiang Chen’s face, he frantically interjected, “Please allow me to communicate with Bleakmoon Hall first before you decide whether to act against them, young master Shao.”
Bleakmoon Hall had been very concerned when they received the Heavensworn Four’s report. They immediately sent two enforcer teams with a captain each to the scene immediately.
Third Master Jing walked out with quick steps and noted a group of fully armed enforcers. He immediately recognized that the captains belonged to the Purple Moon faction.
“You’re finally here, captains.” Third Master Jing swiftly walked out to meet them.
The two captains stared at Jing Third before exchanging a glance with each other. One of them frowned slightly. “Jing Third? Why are you here?”
The third master smiled. “I dearly wish I was somewhere else, but it is not in my place to ignore the Heavensworn Four’s most urgent cry for help.”
“Hmph. How are they doing right now?” The purple-haired captain asked coldly and somewhat rudely. He didn’t seem to think highly of Third Master Jing.
“Oh nothing, they almost lost their lives, that’s all.” Third Master Jing said with a half smile on his face. “I had to waste a lot of breath to keep them alive, but they’re actually still in danger.”
“What the h.e.l.l is going on?” The purple-haired captain asked in an unfriendly tone. He was a little annoyed by the half-hearted explanation.
“Why don’t you head in and see it for yourself, Captain Luo?” Third Master Jing’s att.i.tude turned cold immediately after he noted the captain’s impoliteness.
“Enter.” The purple-haired captain didn’t care for Third Master Jing’s opinion and ordered his men to enter immediately.
Jiang Chen stared at the Bleakmoon Hall enforcers coldly.
“You’re finally here, Captain Luo. But why have you only brought two squads with you? Why hasn’t the hallmaster of Bleakmoon Hall come himself?” The fourth Heavensworn Four looked a little excited and disappointed to see them. It was obvious that he was slightly disappointed by the size of their group.
Jiang Chen and the others simply maintained a careless half smile on their faces as they stared at the enforcers. It was obvious that they didn’t think highly of these people. Setting aside the fact that there only two squads, they wouldn’t be afraid even if a hallmaster did show up. Moon G.o.d Sect was a first rank sect, but they only had four great emperors. These four great emperors were old people who had lived for thousands and thousands of years, and they would never bother themselves with such trivial matters.