The killing intent that surged through Jiang Chen was like a tide unleashed—truly a river of blood.
None of the second wave of attackers managed to escape. Heads tumbled to the ground one after another.
The gory spectacle turned the faces of onlookers along the street pale with horror. They scrambled to get out of the way, terrified that they might accidentally be drawn into this slaughterhouse.
Jiang Chen's bloodlust was high, but he hadn't lost his reason. After cutting down those who had picked the fight, he reined himself in. He didn't lose control and start massacring everyone nearby as well.
After dispatching these men, a faint, indifferent smile played at the corner of Jiang Chen's lips. His gaze swept around in a wide arc, but every pair of eyes that met his—eyes brimming with fear and cowardice—instinctively darted away.
"You, come here."
Jiang Chen pointed at a young cultivator and beckoned him over.
The moment the young man was singled out, he went pale with fright, trembling from head to toe.
"Tell me—who were these people?" Jiang Chen swept his gaze over the corpses on the ground and asked the young cultivator.
The young cultivator stammered, "They… they were members of the Silver Sword Gang."
The Silver Sword Gang?
Jiang Chen had naturally never heard the name. His knowledge of Myriad Abyss Island was limited at best—he knew only of the Ten Great Divine Kingdoms and some second-rate powers.
As for the Silver Sword Gang, a group that ran roughshod over a backwater like Small Tang Island, they couldn't possibly be a major force. At most, they were local bullies ruling this small island's underbelly.
Put in the context of the entirety of Myriad Abyss Island, they probably wouldn't even rank among the fifth-tier powers.
"The Silver Sword Gang is a force based on Small Tang Island? How many members do they have? What sort of things do they usually do?"
The young cultivator looked miserable. "Brother, please don't put me in a difficult position. Everyone on Small Tang Island knows the answers to those questions, but who would dare gossip about them behind their backs? I beg you—have mercy and let me go."
"Oh? You're afraid the Silver Sword Gang will retaliate against you?" Jiang Chen furrowed his brow.
The young cultivator smiled bitterly. He didn't say anything, but the meaning was obvious. For a moment, Jiang Chen found himself at a loss for words.
"Get lost." Jiang Chen didn't press him any further.
Suddenly, Jiang Chen produced a pill. "I have a pill here called the Emperor Ascension Pill. It gives an Emperor realm cultivator a seventy to eighty percent chance of advancing by one full sub-realm. Whoever gives me information on the Silver Sword Gang—this pill will be yours."
Jiang Chen knew that a sufficiently generous reward would always produce brave men.
In the world of martial cultivation, where people made their living by the edge of a blade, there were always those who didn't fear death.
Moreover, Jiang Chen's reward was simply too tempting. Though no one had ever heard of the Emperor Ascension Pill, the effect it promised was nothing short of heaven-defying.
Many of the Emperor realm cultivators present felt their eyes light up, silently doing calculations in their heads. Clearly, everyone was weighing the risk against the reward—wondering whether the gamble was worth it.
"Friend, is this Emperor Ascension Pill really that powerful?" a sallow-faced Emperor realm cultivator asked cautiously.
"If you don't believe me, I can offer a different reward," Jiang Chen replied evenly.
"No, no, no—I want this pill. But you must guarantee it isn't exaggerated."
"The pill's effects are no exaggeration. If you're interested in the bounty, take the gamble. If not, I won't force you."
The cultivator hesitated for a moment, then gritted his teeth. "Brother, please—this way."
The man had clearly made up his mind, but he didn't want to complete the transaction under the scrutiny of so many eyes. Without looking back, he strode ahead.
Jiang Chen smiled faintly and followed.
The man moved quickly, making turn after turn until they reached a secluded alleyway, then ducked into a quiet, secluded courtyard.
"This is the place. This courtyard seems to have been abandoned for a long time—nobody ever comes here." The cultivator stopped and turned around.
Jiang Chen looked around carefully. Sensing nothing out of the ordinary, he nodded. "Take the pill. No tricks."
To earn the man's trust, Jiang Chen tossed the Emperor Ascension Pill directly to him.
The man caught it with both hands, turning it over and examining it for a long moment. Sensing the extraordinary nature of the pill, his eyes blazed with greed.
"Rest assured—this pill is the real thing," Jiang Chen said with a smile.
"Good! Brother, what do you want to know? I'll tell you everything I know, holding nothing back." The man's face broke into a grin, clearly very satisfied with the pill.
"It's the Silver Sword Gang." Jiang Chen frowned. He kept feeling that something was off—how had these people found him out of nowhere? Could there be another reason behind the attack?
"The Silver Sword Gang is a group that rose to prominence on Small Tang Island over the past century. In terms of strength, they're not particularly formidable. But on Small Tang Island, their rise has been astonishingly fast. I hear the Gang Master is a Celestial Seventh Rank powerhouse! Under him are several Protectors, each at the Celestial Sixth Rank. Put them in the context of the whole of Small Tang Island, and they're one of the most notable forces around."