Not having seen Wei Xing'er left him somewhat worried about her situation.
He wasn't incapable of forcing his way into the Cuihua Pavilion headquarters. But doing so would plainly be the least intelligent course of action.
Setting aside whether the headquarters was a den of dragons and tigers, even facing the Cuihua Pavilion master and those four rogue cultivators on his own would be more than he could handle — unless he resorted to his trump cards.
Until he was driven to the absolute last resort, Jiang Chen had no desire to resort to brute force.
Years of experience had taught him to be smarter about such things — to recognize when brute force was appropriate and when cunning was essential.
In the current situation, brute force was clearly out of the question.
However, Jiang Chen quickly devised a plan.
After the pavilion master and the others had been inside for a while, Jiang Chen squeezed his way out of the crowd and headed toward the main gate of the Cuihua Pavilion.
Before he had even come close, four Cuihua Pavilion guards blocked his path.
"Sir, please stop. The Cuihua Pavilion is receiving honored guests only today." The guards' manner was reasonably polite, but their refusal was unmistakably firm.
Jiang Chen had long anticipated this scene and remained entirely composed. He smiled faintly. "I've heard that the Cuihua Pavilion collects the rarest and most extraordinary treasures under heaven. I'm no one of particular note, but I happen to possess one such treasure — and after traveling through every surrounding domain, I haven't found a single person who recognized its value. I came here specifically for the Cuihua Pavilion, only to discover that your threshold is this high? Is this really how the Cuihua Pavilion does business?"
Jiang Chen's tone carried a trace of displeasure, and a natural aura of authority radiated from him, making the guards hesitant to dismiss him carelessly.
One of them explained patiently, "Sir, if you truly possess a rare treasure, please wait three to five days. The Cuihua Pavilion will certainly give you a grand reception. However, these past few days happen to coincide with some important affairs at our pavilion—"
"Ha ha ha! Important affairs? No matter how important they are, surely that doesn't mean you've stopped doing business altogether. Fine, fine — it seems the Cuihua Pavilion's reputation is undeserved after all. This treasure of mine is simply not destined for your pavilion. I suppose I'll have no choice but to venture into the Upper Eight Domains and hope someone there recognizes its worth!"
Jiang Chen muttered these words to himself at a volume that was neither loud nor soft, yet with a penetrating clarity that carried far.
Inside the Cuihua Pavilion, a presiding elder of very high standing happened to hear the commotion outside. He strode out and fixed his gaze upon Jiang Chen.
"Young man, you dare raise your voice and boast right at the entrance of the Cuihua Pavilion? That alone would be one thing, but you even slander our pavilion — are you deliberately looking for trouble?"
This elder held an exalted position within the Cuihua Pavilion, and his words carried tremendous authority. It was clear he believed Jiang Chen had come specifically to cause a scene.
Jiang Chen showed no sign of backing down. He smiled coolly. "If not for the Cuihua Pavilion's sterling reputation, I wouldn't have traveled thousands of miles to get here. Now that I've finally arrived, you tell me to wait three to five days. With that kind of attitude, am I not even allowed to mutter a complaint or two?"
The presiding elder let out a light snort. "What treasure could you possibly have that warrants such arrogance? If you truly possess something remarkable, I, this elder, will take personal responsibility for today's matter. But if you're simply passing off worthless junk, then don't blame me for being discourteous."
Jiang Chen couldn't be bothered to exchange more empty words. He said flatly, "I'll see the Cuihua Pavilion master and no one else. You, old sir, can go back to wherever you came from. This is the Cuihua Pavilion — what use is it that you take charge here?"
"How dare you! This is an elder of our Cuihua Pavilion — how could his word carry no weight?"
"Sir, it seems you're deliberately here to pick a fight!"
The presiding elder's expression darkened with fury, and he laughed out of sheer anger. "Very well, very well — it seems you really didn't come to do business after all."
Jiang Chen frowned. "What makes you say that?"
As he spoke, he casually produced a small bottle — one that contained a drop of the Heavenly Kun bloodline he had obtained from the Glazed Pagoda.
At the time, Jiang Chen had obtained three drops in total.
He had already given one drop to the Peacock Great Emperor.
The remaining two, he had kept by his side. He had intended to save one for the Peerless Great Emperor, but the time was not yet ripe.
He needed to wait until the moment was right — until he could fully bring the Peerless Great Emperor under his command — before presenting the Heavenly Kun bloodline.
Any single drop of the Heavenly Kun bloodline could forge a Heavenly Rank powerhouse.
This miraculous power of bloodline shaping was an artifact inherited from the ancient era, something that no amount of cultivation in the modern age could replicate.
Every single drop was worth a fortune beyond measure.
If the right person recognized its value, any single drop would spark a bloodbath — and could even plunge the entire human territory into endless war.
This was no exaggeration. In the martial world, the drive to grow stronger and to seize more resources had given rise to countless needless wars and slaughters throughout history.
Jiang Chen casually withdrew a bottle that happened to contain one drop of the Heavenly Kun bloodline.
But he was certain that no one in the Red Cauldron Central Domain would recognize it. The aura of the Heavenly Kun bloodline was highly distinctive — unlike the True Dragon bloodline, which carried a powerful, unmistakable identification signature.
The True Dragon bloodline could be recognized at a single glance by anyone who knew its worth.