Jiang Chen swept through the shop at breathtaking speed. In less than two quarter-hours, he had cleaned the place out completely.
Chu Xinghan had witnessed the entire process, and his jaw had practically hit the floor. So in the world of martial cultivation, being this brazen could actually be this exhilarating.
With the looting done, Jiang Chen naturally had no intention of lingering. He boarded the Star Fate flying boat and prepared to leave directly.
Commander Yan had become Jiang Chen's captive, having watched everything unfold firsthand. Once aboard the boat, the commander's eyes were wide as saucers, fixed on Jiang Chen with a glare that could have spewed fire.
Jiang Chen smiled faintly. "Commander Yan, you could stare your eyeballs right out of their sockets and it still wouldn't do you the slightest bit of harm. The only reason I haven't killed you yet isn't because I wouldn't dare — it's simply because I don't feel like it at the moment. You'd best watch that hostile look of yours, or you might just convince me to change my mind."
Commander Yan rasped, "If you're going to kill me, then do it! You think I'm afraid of you?"
Jiang Chen shrugged. "I have no need for your fear. You're welcome to keep provoking me — perhaps I'll grant your wish sooner than you expect."
Despite the brave words from Commander Yan's mouth, in truth, he was genuinely afraid should Jiang Chen decide to actually kill him. After all, he was in the prime of his life — vigorous, strong, at the peak of his career. A Ninth-level Heavenly Seat cultivator who had just secured a powerful backer, he had been planning to make a name for himself in the Blue Smoke Island Domain.
Who would have thought that he would meet his end in a humble little inn?
Honestly, Commander Yan felt unwilling. He wasn't ready to die.
The silence dragged on for a long while before Commander Yan let out a long sigh and asked in a hollow voice, "Your abilities are formidable, and you're clearly no nobody. I, Yan, have no cause to complain about losing to you. I'm not afraid of death, but before I die, could you at least let me die knowing who beat me?"
Jiang Chen smiled coolly. "What would you like to know?"
"I merely wish to know your identity and origins, so that I may concede with a clear conscience."
Yan Qingsang, who had been drinking with Jiang Chen all this while, suddenly chimed in with a cold laugh. "You people in the Blue Smoke Island Domain really don't know when you're outmatched. How does the Xiahou clan of the Eternal Divine Kingdom stack up against your Blue Smoke Island Domain, I wonder? And how about the rebel forces of the True Martial Divine Kingdom — would they give you any trouble?"
Yan Qingsang held Jiang Chen in extremely high regard. Ever since Jiang Chen appeared, Yan Qingsang's path in life had been on nothing but an upward trajectory. He was deeply grateful to Jiang Chen and admired him greatly, always taking pride in being his brother-in-law.
After all, when the entire clan had opposed Jiang Chen's relationship with Huang'er, Yan Qingsang had been the very first to open the door for him.
Though he had initially been against it as well, he had been the earliest to come around, the earliest to accept Jiang Chen and lend him his support.
So in his mind, he deserved at least half the credit on any medal of merit.
And reality had proven that his choice had been wise indeed. Because of Jiang Chen, Yan Qingsang had broken through to the Heavenly Seat realm. Because of Jiang Chen, he had continued to advance through the levels of that realm.
There were countless other benefits too many for Yan Qingsang to enumerate.
Commander Yan paused for a moment upon hearing these words, then something clicked in his mind. An expression of utter disbelief shot into his eyes as he stared fixedly at Jiang Chen, his voice suddenly stammering. "You... You're the young master of the Eternal Sacred Land — Jiang Chen?"
Jiang Chen neither confirmed nor denied it. Instead of directly answering, he simply looked Commander Yan up and down with an unusually deep gaze, as if he intended to dissect the man with his eyes alone.
Commander Yan found Jiang Chen's stare unsettling to the point that his scalp prickled. His gaze instinctively wavered, unable to hold Jiang Chen's eyes.
On one hand, he had learned from past experience just how terrifying Jiang Chen's ocular arts were.
On the other hand, the moment his eyes met Jiang Chen's, he felt as though he had not a single secret left — as though the young master could see straight through every last thing about him.
"Commander Yan, the next questions I ask will be very serious. If you want to live, answer them honestly and properly. If you'd rather die, then feel free to play tricks and tell lies."