Jiang Chen flatly rejected Long Baxiang's insolent demand.
"Young Lord, you should be wary of the Heavenly Dragon Sect." The one who said this wasn't the Peerless Great Emperor but rather Jiao Yun, the elder of the Two Jiaos of Huai Mountain.
The two brothers, Jiao Yun and Jiao Feng, had long since become Jiang Chen's most loyal confidants, serving as his personal guards. They had clearly been won over by his methods.
Jiao Yun continued in a low voice: "The two of us have roamed the jianghu and dealt with all manner of sects and factions. We know a thing or two about the Heavenly Dragon Sect. They're the type who never rest until they've gotten what they want. In ordinary dealings they might not be as flashy as the Nine Sun Heaven Sect, but once they set their sights on something, their ruthlessness surpasses even theirs. Among the eight great first-order sects of the Upper Eight Regions, the Heavenly Dragon Sect may well be the most troublesome."
Jiao Feng nodded in agreement: "Indeed. The Heavenly Dragon Sect is not to be underestimated."
Jiang Chen didn't know much about the Heavenly Dragon Sect, but he was good at reading people. One look at Long Baxiang told him this was not someone easy to deal with.
However, Jiang Chen could never hand Long Xiaoxuan over to Long Baxiang.
That was a matter of principle.
In the present Glazed Royal City, Jiang Chen was already its absolute core figure. The Peacock Guards personally cleared the way for him, and the various great emperors kept a loose perimeter — all quietly protecting him.
Before long, Jiang Chen and his party had returned to the Peacock Sacred Mountain.
At the Young Lord's estate on the sacred mountain, Huang'er had brought a group of Jiang Chen's close retainers to welcome them at the entrance well in advance.
Jiang Chen had been cautious. For this rogue cultivator summit, to avoid any unexpected incidents, he hadn't brought everyone along. Aside from the Peerless Great Emperor, the Two Jiaos of Huai Mountain, the Geng Brothers, and the Four Great Sovereigns — all cultivators of formidable strength — he had only brought Dan King Bu, Dan King Lü Feng, Lin Yanyu, and a few others.
Most of the rest had stayed behind at the estate.
The rogue cultivator Tan Zhi trailed at the back of the group, following behind Mo Wushuang. When he arrived at the estate entrance, he still looked visibly ill at ease.
Mo Wushuang chuckled: "Don't worry — everyone here is part of the Young Lord's household. Since the Young Lord has agreed to take you in and brought you back to the estate, he certainly won't mistreat you."
Tan Zhi nodded. He was a naturally modest man and didn't dare let his eyes wander too freely. Hearing Mo Wushuang's reassurance, he felt somewhat steadier and cautiously began to take in the Young Lord's estate.
His gaze swept around, lingering on the crowd gathered at the entrance to welcome them.
Suddenly, a look of utter disbelief flashed in Tan Zhi's eyes. He stared fixedly at the crowd, astonishment written across his face.
"What is it?" The Peerless Great Emperor's spiritual sense was powerful, and he immediately noticed Tan Zhi's abnormality.
Tan Zhi's shoulders trembled slightly. He let out a soft sigh: "Perhaps I saw wrong."
The Peerless Great Emperor chuckled, not thinking much of it: "People in the Young Lord's estate come from all corners of the land. It's entirely possible you really do have an acquaintance here. Come, let's go."
Tan Zhi quickly nodded and followed obediently behind the Peerless Great Emperor. But his gaze kept darting back toward the welcoming crowd, as though there was someone there in particular who had caught his attention.
"Gouyu, see to the arrangements. This rogue cultivator friend is called Tan Zhi. From now on he's part of our Peacock Sacred Mountain. Make sure he's lodged near the Peerless Great Emperor and let the Peerless Great Emperor show him around and help him settle in."
Jiang Chen issued his instructions.
Gouyu nodded and glanced at Tan Zhi without putting on any airs.
"Senior Brother, the rogue cultivator summit must have been incredibly lively today! I really wanted to go down and see the excitement." A fresh-faced young Daoist — none other than Mu Gaoqi — spoke up to Jiang Chen.
"Gaoqi, today was only the first day. I was worried something might go wrong, so I didn't let anyone go. Tomorrow is the trade fair — I'll bring you along to see the sights. Your alchemical talent is outstanding; how could a trade fair like this possibly do without you?" Jiang Chen said with a smile.
Mu Gaoqi's face lit up with joy: "That's wonderful! Can my master come along too?"
"Of course he can."
From the back of the crowd, a graceful figure pushed her way forward, pouting: "Senior Brother, you can't play favorites. If you're taking Junior Brother Gaoqi, you certainly can't leave Hui'er behind."
The girl was Ling Hui'er.
"Fine, fine, everyone can come." Jiang Chen waved his hand grandly.
"Hee hee, I knew you wouldn't say no to Hui'er." Ling Hui'er beamed with delight, her face brimming with excitement.
Everyone laughed as they filed into the estate.
Standing behind Mo Wushuang, Tan Zhi caught sight of Mu Gaoqi and Ling Hui'er, and his entire body jolted as if struck by lightning. He stood there in a daze, his legs nearly refusing to move.
Mu Gaoqi… Ling Hui'er…
A storm of thoughts whirled through Tan Zhi's mind, his lips trembling ever so slightly. Several times he wanted to open his mouth and say something, but reason held him back each time.
In the end, Tan Zhi's gaze turned to Jiang Chen, filled with bewilderment. A sudden thought flashed through his mind, and when it did, his entire body jolted once more — a warm current surged through him, so exhilarating that he wanted to cry out to the heavens.