Jiang Chen knew that bringing out two Heaven Grade Spiritual Medicines and two hundred million Saint Ling Shi in one fell swoop had ultimately attracted trouble.
It was like a toddler walking down the street with armfuls of gold. There was simply no way to avoid drawing unwanted attention.
Heaven Grade Spiritual Medicines were treasures one could only hope to encounter by sheer luck. Even Emperor-grade powerhouses would have their hearts stirred upon seeing one.
A single Heaven Grade Spiritual Medicine was practically something no amount of Ling Shi could buy.
On the open market, one wouldn't surface for ten or twenty years running. Only a fool unaware of its value would bring a Heaven Grade Spiritual Medicine to market for trade.
Jiang Chen had clearly committed a grave taboo—producing two at once. And he'd been spotted by exactly the kind of local bully that Third Master Jing was.
A flicker of mockery crossed Jiang Chen's face. "Third Master Jing, when it comes down to it, you're just a man who's caught sight of wealth and wants to shake me down. If you were man enough to simply rob me openly, I'd at least respect you as an upfront villain. But fabricating such a clumsy excuse… it really drives home how perfectly your surname suits you."
This remark left everyone bewildered.
What did this have to do with his surname? Was there something wrong with the Jing family name?
Third Master Jing furrowed his brows. "Boy, what exactly do you mean?"
"What do I mean?" Jiang Chen smiled lazily. "Isn't it obvious? Your surname is Jing, isn't it? Two strokes horizontal, two strokes vertical—it's nothing but 'twos' all over. That tells you exactly how much of a fool you are!"
The moment these words left his mouth, Third Master Jing's expression changed drastically. Every member of the First Division stood slack-jawed, staring at Jiang Chen as though he were already a dead man walking.
This kid was unbelievably reckless—mocking Third Master Jing's very surname. He was finished, absolutely finished.
After all, that surname was Third Master Jing's greatest source of pride. The Jing family's standing within the Moon God Cult was precisely why Third Master Jing had been able to become Division Master of the First Division with only a seventh-stage Emperor cultivation!
And here this brat was, making a mockery of the thing Third Master Jing was most proud of!
Sure enough, a layer of frost settled over Third Master Jing's face.
"Do you have any idea how stupid you're being?" Third Master Jing was so angry he laughed. "Boy, if you were trying to provoke me—congratulations, you've succeeded."
"But the price of angering me is catastrophic. Let me make it perfectly clear: you haven't just offended me, nor just the First Division. You've offended my entire Jing clan—and the entire Moon God Cult!"
It had to be said—Third Master Jing was a master of escalation. In the span of a few breaths, he'd appointed himself the voice of the entire Moon God Cult.
Jiang Chen, however, was completely unmoved. "And then what?"
And then?
Everyone froze. Did he really need to ask "and then"? Offending the Moon God Cult in the Crescent Moon Upper Region was a death sentence—what more was there to discuss?
"And then… then you'd better pray that in your next life, you're born a little smarter!" Third Master Jing let out a savage laugh and swept his hand forward. "Take them! Anyone who resists—kill without mercy!"
The Cai-surnamed powerhouse and the seventh-stage Emperor cultivator bowed immediately. "Yes."
Just as they moved to act, a cold laugh drifted down from the floor above, followed by an indifferent voice: "If I'm not mistaken, the strongest ancestor of the Jing family holds nothing more than a mere Elder seat in the Moon God Cult? Old Jing Three—this Emperor is genuinely curious. Where exactly do you find the nerve?"
Third Master Jing hadn't expected anyone else upstairs. The retort came unbidden: "And who the hell are you? The Moon God Cult's business—"
Halfway through, something felt wrong, and he stopped dead.
Wait. What had he just heard?
What had that man just called himself? *This Emperor?*
What did "this Emperor" mean?
Third Master Jing's heart lurched. Shock surged through him, quickly curdling into fear. *This Emperor!* That was a self-address reserved exclusively for Emperor-grade powerhouses!
Could it be that the person upstairs was actually a Great Emperor?
Third Master Jing was no stranger to the world, but before an Emperor-grade powerhouse, he truly had no grounds for arrogance.
Still, he was a Division Master. Though panic flickered through his mind, he hadn't completely lost his composure. *Don't tell me this kid is just bluffing,* he thought. *How many Emperor-grade powerhouses are there in the world? Even if there are, would any of them send a young man to wander the streets alone looking for Laughing Bodhi—and flash Heaven Grade Spiritual Medicines in broad daylight? Would an Emperor-grade powerhouse really lack that much common sense?*
Reassured by his own reasoning, Third Master Jing grew skeptical once more. He let out a cold laugh. "Friend, if you want to know where my confidence comes from—why don't you come down and see for yourself?"
Third Master Jing was trying to lure the snake from its hole. Whether the person was truly Emperor-grade or not, once he showed his face, everything would become clear.
A faint trace of mockery lingered on Jiang Chen's face as he gave a slight shake of his head. He could see it plainly—Third Master Jing was simply the sort of man who wouldn't believe the truth until it was staring him in the face.
The Peerless Emperor let out a cold laugh. "Then this Emperor shall see for himself."
As the words left his mouth, the Peerless Emperor's figure blurred, and he descended in an instant, landing squarely before Third Master Jing.