"Listen!" Gong Wuji was a high-ranking figure of a first-rank sect, a Dharma King of the mighty Bumie Tiandu, a personage who commanded respect across the Upper Eight Domains. Yet today, he had been reduced to utter helplessness by a mere Saint Realm brat. The fury burning in his heart was beyond description.
"First: take your people and get the hell out of Danqian Palace's territory right now!"
"Second: every person you captured—every single one—return them to me at the fastest speed possible. If even one is missing, I'll carve out one of your grandson's organs. Remember: you have one month!"
"Third: everything you took from here—every last item—bring it all back. If a single thing is missing, your grandson suffers again!"
Jiang Chen had no desire to say more than necessary. After laying out these three conditions, he fell silent, regarding Gong Wuji with a calm, indifferent gaze.
He hadn't made any unreasonable demands. Everything he asked for was something Gong Wuji had both the authority to approve and the means to deliver.
After all, while Gong Wuji was worried about his grandson, Jiang Chen cared just as deeply about his fellow sect members and subordinates.
Hearing the demands, Gong Wuji's face turned dark as storm clouds.
If Jiang Chen hadn't explicitly stated there was no room for negotiation—and if his grandson weren't in the other's hands—he would have unleashed a torrent of abuse on the spot.
Any one of these three conditions was within his power to fulfill, but each was a devastating humiliation. If he agreed to all three, this entire trip would have been for nothing, and he would have made a spectacular fool of himself.
Yet if he refused... this was his only direct grandson. If the other side threw caution to the wind, he might not even have time to regret it.
"Jiang Chen, these conditions... I can consider them. But how can I trust that you'll actually release Gong Qi?"
Jiang Chen replied flatly, "I said no negotiation. If you want to talk, do it after you've brought the people and the goods back and these useless pawns have cleared out."
"One month. Remember that."
With that, Jiang Chen smiled faintly, took Gong Qi, and leisurely descended the fighting platform with Huang'er.
He went nowhere else—heading straight for Danxia Valley, toward his own cave dwelling.
He was a disciple of Danqian Palace, and this was where he belonged.
Now, with leverage in hand, it was these people who needed to leave!
"Oh, and if these people don't leave, I won't mind coming out and killing a couple from time to time. If you don't mind casualties, you're welcome to stay."
Watching Jiang Chen's nonchalant retreating figure, Gong Wuji several times felt the urge to charge forward and cut him down on the spot.
But ultimately, he didn't dare take that gamble.
He knew that if he rushed in, he probably stood a decent chance.
But this was a gamble he simply couldn't afford to make. If he lost, his beloved grandson would be separated from him forever, divided by death itself. The stakes were far too high—he couldn't afford to lose.
"Lord Gong, that brat is far too arrogant..." The Master of the Leiyan Sect sidled up, attempting to curry favor.
"Get lost!" Gong Wuji snapped. Clearly, just as the Leiyan Sect Master had feared, his fury had spilled over onto them.
The Leiyan Sect Master's face twisted with bitterness, but he didn't dare utter a single word of protest and obediently retreated.
"My lord, please calm yourself. The priority right now is to rescue Young Master Gong." The Master of the Jukun Sect stepped forward, playing the peacemaker.
"Gong Wuji!" Gong Wuji's eyes blazed with fury as he watched Jiang Chen's figure vanish from sight. He clenched his fists, and his knuckles cracked loudly, like beans roasting over a fire.
"You two sects—pack up your people and withdraw from Danqian Palace's territory!" Gong Wuji was seething, but he still didn't dare provoke Jiang Chen's wrath.
"Yes." The two sect masters dared not object. At this point, if Jiang Chen had demanded their deaths, Gong Wuji would likely have killed them without hesitation.
Getting far away from this place was no small mercy right now.
Besides, Jiang Chen had made it clear: if they stayed, he wouldn't hesitate to come out and kill a few of them now and then. Given his strength, that was no empty boast.
"Leave everything you took. And don't play any tricks—if anything goes wrong at any stage, I won't hesitate to make your entire sect pay the price." Gong Wuji's tone was flat.
The two sect masters could only swallow their bitterness, but they answered meekly, "Yes."
The Jukun Sect Master still tried to ingratiate himself, stepping forward to say, "My lord, those prisoners have already been taken to the Imperial Capital. I suggest we contact them without delay. The longer we wait, the greater the chance something goes wrong—we wouldn't want to jeopardize the important matters at hand..."
Gong Wuji nodded woodenly and waved his hand. "Noted. Leave first."
Jiang Chen stood at a high vantage point, watching the Leiyan Sect and Jukun Sect withdraw in succession, his killing intent churning.
"This time, I'll let you retreat. But the day I, Jiang Chen, march into the Chiding Central Domain will be the day your sects are annihilated." His killing intent only intensified.
He kept telling himself to endure. To hold back.
Even so, there were moments when the urge to charge in and slaughter them all was almost overwhelming.
The greater picture came first!
Jiang Chen endured, grinding his teeth through it all!
…