w.a.n.g Han Slaps His Own Face
Elder Wu Hen’s face darkened. He said frostily, “Jiang Chen, you treat my Walkabout Sect differently. Do you feel guilty? The more you do, the more I actually suspect you.”
The sly fox had kept his mouth shut so far as he sized up the situation. Possible ways of taking care of Jiang Chen even ran through his mind. If he left a lethal poison on Jiang Chen’s body, he wouldn’t have to worry about him not handing over the sky rank spirit herb. As valuable as it was, it wasn’t worth dying for.
Although his plans were well thought out, it was a pity Jiang Chen had ruined them with a few simple words. If he couldn’t freely search Jiang Chen, it would be difficult to do anything to the boy. Elder Yun Nie and Xiang Gan both had sharp eyes, it would be incredibly difficult to surrept.i.tiously poison Jiang Chen under their supervision.
Jiang Chen remained cool and collected. “What the h.e.l.l do your suspicions have to do with me? This farce wouldn’t exist if it wasn’t for many here suspecting me. What makes you so special that I have to accede to your wishes?”
Elder Xiang Gan spoke at this time, “Alright, less nonsense. I can promise nothing will be overlooked if I conduct the search. Let’s settle this fairly. Wu Hen, it doesn’t matter if your Walkabout Sect is involved.”
The Great Cathedral always brought along a domineering aura, so Elder Wu Hen had to pause and consider Elder Xiang Gan’s words. Elder Wu Hen was infuriated. But in front of the elder from the Great Cathedral, he didn’t dare to be too overbearing. A dark laugh escaped his mouth as he said, “Of course, ole brother Xiang, I fully trust you. It’s just that I understand the devious nature of this child like no other, and when it comes to several thousand blades of Sage Fledgling Gra.s.s, I prefer to keep matters in my own two hands. I also bear responsibility to sage nephew w.a.n.g Han from the Sacred Sword Palace!”
Elder Chen of the Sacred Sword Palace nodded. “Indeed, I believe Elder Wu Hen is the most impartial. If he cannot conduct the search, I won’t accept the outcome!”
Tristar Sect Elder Tan Lang was also quite irritated. “I don’t care what you all are blathering about. I’ll go first. Jiang Chen, open your storage ring and don’t try to resist me with your consciousness. I’m going to search you.”
Jiang Chen smiled faintly. “Please do as you wish.” He allowed Elder Tan Lang access to his storage ring. One after the other, the elders of the various sects swepped their senses over the contents of his storage ring. Jiang Chen let it all happen, a cold smile on his face.
He had long since antic.i.p.ated that w.a.n.g Han would try to frame him, so he had made some preparations like placing all his newly gained treasures into the Millionditch Stone Nest. The nest had a s.p.a.ce that could hold millions of rats, so there was definitely enough room for Jiang Chen’s spirit herbs. Luckily so, because if the elders were to see the sheer number of earth rank herbs and the single Hidden Chameleon Cloudpine in his possession, even without the Sage Fledgling Gra.s.s, they would be stunned speechless. Hundreds of his Goldbiter Rats had scavenged the ancient herb garden, gathering far more spirit herbs than the other fifty people here combined. Jiang Chen also received quite the haul from the storage rings of Wei Qing and Du Lihuang.
With all that said and done, there were only tens of thousands of upper rank spirit stones and some true saint rank and saint rank spirit herbs within his ring. These were all items everyone knew about as well. He also had some pills, but they were nothing out of the ordinary. Everything he wished to keep a secret, like the Longevity Pills, were also hidden in the nest.
The elders’ consciousnesses didn’t overlook any corner of Jiang Chen’s storage ring. They swept back and forth, but couldn’t even find a single blade of the Gra.s.s, much less thousands. To the elders, Jiang Chen’s storage ring was of no value. There was nothing that caught their eyes. In fact, his items were so ordinary, they didn’t even pause on any for a closer look.
Elder Tan Lang was the first to retract his consciousness and swept it over Jiang Chen’s body. He didn’t find anything out of the ordinary on his body either, so he shook his head and looked at w.a.n.g Hang with the hint of a smile. It was obvious that the elder was now thinking that w.a.n.g Han had purposefully set Jiang Chen up.
The elder of the Dark North Sect walked up and searched Jiang Chen from top to bottom, then walked off, a smile on his face.
Elder Xiang Gan was even more careful than Elder Tan Lang in his search, but came up empty-handed as well. He shook his head and said, “Ole brother Chen, your Sacred Sword Palace really creates too much trouble. I believe sage nephew Jiang Chen is innocent.”
Everyone from the Regal Pill Palace sighed in relief when they heard Elder Xiang Gan’s words. Especially Mu Gaoqi had nervousness written all over his face. He wasn’t all that worried about a few blades of gra.s.s, but if Du Lihuang and Wei Qing’s storage rings were found, a sect war was more than likely to break out. Mu Gaoqi was soaked in cold sweat, terrified of what might happen. Only when Elder Xiang Gan’s words entered his ears, did he manage to calm down the worry in his heart.
Elder Wu Hen laughed coldly. “It’s my turn now, isn’t it?” He was absolutely certain Jiang Chen played some trick on them. Otherwise, where had that sky rank spirit herb gone to? Of those present, only Elder Wu Hen and Elder Wu Qi knew Jiang Chen had a sky rank herb. They concluded from the reactions of the three elders before them that they hadn’t found it. That could only mean Jiang Chen had hidden it somewhere!
He began a careful search under the supervision of Elder Yun Nie and Elder Xiang Gan, but he too came up empty-handed. However, he was more detail oriented than most and desired more than anyone else to grasp one of Jiang Chen’s secrets. He searched through Jiang Chen’s storage ring for a long time when his vision landed on a certain item. “What’s with this stone? It looks very odd.”
He was talking about the Millionditch Stone Nest, and Jiang Chen’s treasures really were hidden within it.
Jiang Chen only snorted coldly, “Does that stone look like Sage Fledgling Gra.s.s to you?”
Elder Wu Hen sniffed. “Answer my question. Stop it with the useless excuses.”
Jiang Chen was indifferent.. “Are you speaking useless plat.i.tudes or am I? You’re looking for the Gra.s.s, so why the sudden interest in a stone? Do I even have the obligation to answer you?”
Elder Wu Hen cackled. “I think there’s something wrong with this stone.”
Jiang Chen laughed in anger. “Do I have to explain everything, everytime, when you have it out for me again? Can I try that too? You’re the descendant of the demons! Can you prove to us you aren’t?”
Elder Yun Nie harrumphed. “Wu Hen, are you trying to create trouble where there is none?”
Elder Xiang Gan also showed his displeasure. “Wu Hen, are you done searching?”
Elder Wu Hen rolled his eyes, a million thoughts running through his mind. “I suspect there’s something amiss with his stone, but he doesn’t dare take it out for inspection. Pretend I hadn’t said anything.”
Elder Chen of the Sacred Sword Palace immediately followed up. “No clues should be overlooked when it comes to the Sage Fledgling Gra.s.s.”
Elder Yun Nie could take it no longer. “Chen! Watch it!”
Xiang Gan spread out his hands and spoke to Jiang Chen, “Sage nephew Jiang Chen, what is the stone?”
Jiang Chen shrugged. “I want to decorate my residence in the Regal Pill Palace with some stones. Why? Do you guys really think I can hide Gra.s.s in a stone…?”
Silence followed.
Before anyone, especially Elder Wu Hen, could regain their wits, Jiang Chen continued, “You’re a senior, so I should respectfully call you Elder Wu Hen. However, you’re not worthy of my respect, Wu Hen. I’m not fake like you. If you want to search my stone so badly, fine, you may. I only have one condition. Just like w.a.n.g Han had to do before, swear a heavenly oath, and if you’re wrong, you must slap yourself across the face twice. After you make the oath, you can search all you want.”
“Disrespectful brat!”
Jiang Chen had properly enraged the members of the Walkabout Sect. He laughed heartily, “Disrespectful? Look at how much time we’re wasting here because of an idiot’s words.”
Elder Wu Hen’s expression was overcast, no one knew what he was thinking. Finally, he showed a bright smile and said, “Forget it, I give up.”
He had a name and reputation, a heavyweight of the Walkabout Sect. He couldn’t take the ign.o.ble loss of face that came with slapping himself. He trusted w.a.n.g Han, who had accused Jiang Chen of taking all the Sage Fledgling Gra.s.s, but he couldn’t dismiss the possibility Jiang Chen had hidden the Gra.s.s somewhere else prematurely. It was the only explanation he could come up with as to why Jiang Chen could stand here so fearlessly. Although Elder Wu Hen wasn’t the headstrong, proud young man w.a.n.g Han was, he wasn’t a pushover either. He was experienced and shrewd, and guessed he wouldn’t be able to find any clues on Jiang Chen after weighing things up.
Elder Wu Hen decided to give up for now. It was actually good news for him they were unable to find anything. That meant he still had a chance to gain the sky rank herb for himself! With Elder Wu Hen’s announcement of giving up, the search concluded. Naturally, the two parties in question, the Regal Pill Palace and Sacred Sword Palace, didn’t search.
Jiang Chen took a step forwards, a cold glint in his eyes and his mouth tightly shut as he stared at w.a.n.g Han. Shen Qinghong was dancing with joy inside, absolutely thrilled and delighted. He finally had the chance to jeer at w.a.n.g Han. He walked up to Jiang Chen’s side, smiling, and said, “Brother w.a.n.g Han, the heavenly oath is said to work unerringly. Don’t joke with your own life now.”
Mu Gaoqi also smiled. “Is this an example of being caught in your own web and picking up a stone to smash your own feet?”
Shen Qinghong said between his fits of laughter, “Junior brother Mu is wise, there’s also another saying that says you won’t die if you don’t look for death. Hahaha!”
All eyes focused on w.a.n.g Han, who was now boiling with rage as the flames of fury surged in his chest, wanting to explode out. If he could vent this fury on Jiang Chen, he wouldn’t have minded killing him ten times over. However, he couldn’t even regret things in the face of the heavenly oath.
He grit his teeth as he stared at Jiang Chen with the eyes of a viper. “Jiang Chen, I know you’re up to something. I lost the bet, so I apologize to you.”
w.a.n.g Han showed no compa.s.sion to himself as he stretched out both arms and slapped himself fiercely on both cheeks.
The crisp sounds of the slaps numbed everyone’s scalps. They muttered inwardly, thinking Jiang Chen wasn’t a character to antagonize. Even a genius like w.a.n.g Han had met with defeat in his hands.