Chapter 87 - 86: Jealousy
The Sun Family’s perfectly fine birthday celebration had turned into a day of remembrance for the dead. But in Chen Yuan’s eyes, there wasn’t much of a difference—it was all just a feast.
But the Jianghu people present were clearly in no mood to feast. One by one, they all scrambled to leave.
Whether or not the Sun Family was actually involved with the Blood God Sect, with a dangerous man like Chen Yuan around, they didn’t dare to linger.
Lu Li took his men to raid the estate, while Lu Wenxing was tasked with interrogating Sun Tiancheng.
Unfortunately, the interrogation didn’t yield much. The Sun Family knew little more than Qiao Haiduan.
The Blood God Sect was notorious in the Jianghu, and they knew they had to be careful and keep a low profile. Thus, their cooperation with the Sun Family was handled through a single point of contact.
The only information the Sun Family had came from Gu Hongyuan’s lips.
Just then, Lu Li returned with his men after finishing the raid and came to report.
"Sir, the Sun Family was much more thorough in cleaning up their tracks than the Wei Family. We found no clues linking them to the Blood God Sect.
Although the Sun Family also had an underground secret chamber obviously used for holding people captive, there were no traces of anything inside.
We’ve also tallied all the cultivation resources and valuables. The Sun Family’s wealth is truly substantial—at least three times that of the Wei Family!"
Chen Yuan glanced at the ledgers and couldn’t help but be a little surprised.
For a Small Noble Family that only controlled a quarter of Linyuan City, the Sun Family was practically swimming in wealth.
To put it in perspective, the Zhu Family of Lonely Mountain City, which Chen Yuan had annihilated, had controlled an entire small city, yet their family fortune wasn’t even a tenth of the Sun Family’s.
The Sun Family had accumulated so much wealth for two reasons. First, the smuggling business was indeed incredibly profitable.
Second, the family had a legacy stretching back over two hundred years, and a large portion of their riches had been amassed by previous generations.
Unfortunately, all this wealth and heritage couldn’t be converted into actual strength.
Without a foundation of powerful Cultivation Techniques, they were destined never to achieve anything great.
As was his custom, Chen Yuan only kept the various Elixirs and Spiritual Medicines from the Sun Family’s assets. Twenty percent of the remainder was divided equally among the other White Tiger Guards of the Garrison Mansion.
The same was done with the now-leaderless Yang Family. Chen Yuan didn’t even have to go himself; he simply left it to Lu Wenxing, with Qiao Haiduan’s Cyan Scale Gang assisting.
Once these matters were settled, Chen Yuan had Lu Li take the wealth obtained from destroying the Wei Family, along with Gu Hongyuan’s head, and head straight for Lujiang Prefecture.
Inside the White Tiger Hall’s Main Hall in Lujiang Prefecture.
When Feng Wushang heard that Chen Yuan had come bearing gifts again, he was somewhat astonished.
He had seen his share of tactful subordinates, but one as tactful as Chen Yuan was a true rarity.
"Greetings, Hall Master. I obtained these items from eliminating some lawless Jianghu forces in Linyuan City. I must trouble you with the task of disposing of them."
Chen Yuan had the valuables brought directly to the rear residence of the White Tiger Hall where Feng Wushang stayed.
Feng Wushang nodded in satisfaction, feeling more and more that Chen Yuan handled matters adeptly, spoke eloquently, and knew his place.
It was clearly a gift, yet Chen Yuan framed it as ’troubling’ him with its disposal.
He wasn’t like some of the veteran Inspectors, who would start making demands after offering the smallest of gifts.
"I’ve heard about what you did in Linyuan City. Well done. You’ve truly demonstrated the might of our Zhenwu Hall. Lord Military Advisor’s personal recommendation to bring you into the Zhenwu Hall was not in vain."
"You praise me too highly, Sir."
Chen Yuan’s expression suddenly turned grave. He said in a low voice, "The reason I annihilated three families in Linyuan City is because they dared to collude with the Blood God Sect and even directed the sect’s fiends to assassinate me.
The death of Linyuan City’s previous Guardian Envoy, Peng Jing, was also because he was silenced after discovering their secret collusion with the Blood God Sect.
The Cyan Scale Gang, one of the four major powers in Linyuan City, has already turned against them and can serve as a witness.
I have also slain the Blood God Sect assassin sent after me, and I have brought his head as well."
Feng Wushang, who had been somewhat nonchalant just a moment ago, immediately turned solemn upon hearing the three words "Blood God Sect." A grim, chilling, and murderous aura instantly radiated from him.
The unconscious pressure of his aura washed over Chen Yuan, making it hard for him to even breathe.
Chen Yuan’s expression remained unchanged, but his eyes betrayed a hint of surprise.
The Feng Wushang he’d known before was always lazy and listless, an insatiably greedy man who seemed interested only in gold and treasure.
Only now did Feng Wushang reveal the true aura of a Primordial Pill Realm Martial Arts Grandmaster.
It was true that he was greedy and lazy, but he knew what mattered.
The reappearance of the Blood God Sect in Ning Province, after having vanished for hundreds of years, was by no means a small matter.
"Immediately notify all Inspectors and Guardian Envoys from the Eight Prefectures and Forty-Two Cities! Tell them to report to the Main Hall at once!"
Feng Wushang immediately summoned a subordinate to relay the message to everyone under the White Tiger Hall’s command.
Feng Wushang had used the word ’fastest,’ so the Inspectors and Guardian Envoys of the Eight Prefectures and Forty-Two Cities knew something major had happened. They rushed over with all possible speed, arriving in Lujiang Prefecture within a single day.
Inside the White Tiger Hall’s Council Hall, Feng Wushang looked down at the crowd and said coldly, "The Guardian Envoy of Linyuan City, Chen Tian, reports that remnants of the Blood God Sect have been discovered in Western Ning Province, a territory under our White Tiger Hall’s jurisdiction.
Moreover, they have been secretly developing within our sphere of influence for who knows how many years. What have all of you been doing? How could you have failed to notice a single trace for so long?
Useless! All of you are useless! You’re not even as good as a newcomer!"
Feng Wushang had barely opened his mouth before he was already tearing into them.
It was fortunate that Chen Yuan had been the one to discover this and report it to him immediately.
If the Blood God Sect had revealed themselves and caused a major incident, wouldn’t it have been seen as his own incompetence and lax supervision?
Qi Yuanming frowned. "Hall Master, the Blood God Sect has been gone for so many years. Why would they suddenly appear in our Ning Province?
Could it be that this Chen Tian was mistaken? Perhaps there’s been some misunderstanding?"
The other Inspectors present also nodded, sharing his skepticism.
They would rather believe Chen Yuan had made a mistake than admit their own negligence and incompetence.
Chen Yuan offered a smile that didn’t reach his eyes. "I brought the head of the Blood God Sect remnant. All Martial Artists from the Blood God Sect raise their cultivation by plundering the Qi Blood of other Martial Artists. The power within their blood is different from that of a normal Martial Artist, as you will all see for yourselves.
I also left a survivor from the Sun Family, who colluded with the sect. You are all free to interrogate him."
With both a witness and physical evidence, their disbelief was useless.
"You’re useless yourselves, so you assume everyone else is just as useless?"
Feng Wushang snorted coldly. "The threat of the Blood God Sect is far beyond your imagination. All of you, get serious!
From now on, the City Governor’s Inspectors will take the lead. Search for traces of the Blood God Sect remnants within your respective territories. If necessary, you eight Inspectors can also consult with each other and concentrate your forces.
If you discover any Blood God Sect remnants at the Primordial Pill Realm Level, notify me at once. Do not engage them directly."
"Yes, Hall Master!"
Feng Wushang nodded. "Return immediately and begin your deployments. I am going to the Main Hall to report this matter. It’s possible the Blood God Sect remnants are not just in our White Tiger Hall’s territory, but spread throughout all of Ning Province."
After speaking, Feng Wushang paused, then said to Chen Yuan, "Chen Tian, you’re coming with me to the Main Hall."
"Yes, Hall Master."
After ordering everyone to search for the Blood God Sect, Feng Wushang immediately left for the Main Hall with Chen Yuan.
After the two departed, an Inspector suddenly chuckled. "It seems this Chen Tian is quite a favorite of the Hall Master. He’s even taking him to the Main Hall personally."
Ordinary Inspectors like them rarely had the chance to go to the Main Hall, let alone get any face time with high-ranking figures of the Zhenwu Hall like the Grand Commandant.
Being personally taken to the Main Hall by the Hall Master was an incredibly rare opportunity.
Qi Yuanming snorted coldly. "He’s nothing but a sycophant! He just got lucky this time and stumbled upon the Blood God Sect. He won’t be so lucky next time."
An Inspector patted Qi Yuanming’s shoulder and said with a chuckle, "Old Qi, nominally speaking, that Chen Tian is under the jurisdiction of your Kaiping Prefecture.
But it seems your subordinate doesn’t hold you in very high regard.
First, he killed your brother-in-law. Now, he discovers traces of the Blood God Sect and reports directly to the Hall Master instead of coming to you first. Tsk tsk, you don’t seem to command much authority as an Inspector."
"If you have a problem with that kid, deal with him yourself. Are you trying to provoke me? Do you really take me, Qi Yuanming, for an idiot?"
Qi Yuanming snorted again, flicked his sleeve, and turned to leave.
Chen Yuan had only been in his post for a few days, yet he had already earned such favor and importance from the Hall Master, making the other Inspectors slightly jealous.
This time, in particular, Chen Yuan was praised while they were reprimanded, which annoyed them even more.
However, these Inspectors were all sly old foxes; they wouldn’t make a move against Chen Yuan themselves.
Their only option was to try and incite Qi Yuanming, who already had a grudge against Chen Yuan.
Although Qi Yuanming said he wouldn’t be provoked, a dark shadow still flickered in the depths of his eyes.
After Feng Wushang brought Chen Yuan to the Main Hall, he immediately requested an audience with Grand Commandant Chao Hongtu to report on the Blood God Sect matter.
Inside the Council Hall, Chao Hongtu seemed extremely weary, with clear signs of fatigue on his face.
After Feng Wushang finished explaining the situation with the Blood God Sect, an angry expression immediately appeared on Chao Hongtu’s face.
"Those fiends from the Blood God Sect have been dormant for so many years, only to put down roots and grow in my Ning Province? Do they really think the Zhenwu Hall is made of mud?"
Feng Wushang sighed. "Ning Province is vast, and our Zhenwu Hall’s foundation is still shallow. It’s inevitable that some things will slip through the cracks."
"The scourge of the Blood God Sect may have passed hundreds of years ago, but the danger they pose is immense. We absolutely cannot allow them to flourish in Ning Province, or the very foundation of our Zhenwu Hall will be ruined!"
Chao Hongtu said in a low voice, "I will immediately summon the other three Hall Masters to discuss the matter of eradicating the Blood God Sect."
After saying this, Chao Hongtu turned his gaze to Chen Yuan and nodded in approval. "I never expected that the one to first discover these Blood God Sect fiends would be a newcomer to the Zhenwu Hall like you.
Liu Xian truly has outstanding wisdom and strategy; even his eye for talent is better than others. You’ve done very well."
"You praise me too highly, Grand Commandant. I was merely lucky."
Chao Hongtu waved his hand dismissively. "Luck is a skill in itself. You did well, and you should be rewarded. Go and collect a bottle of Upper Grade Elixirs later."
"Thank you, Grand Commandant."
Chao Hongtu still had to discuss the specific details of eradicating the Blood God Sect with Feng Wushang, and those were not matters for a mere Guardian Envoy to hear.
Therefore, Chen Yuan followed a Zhenwu Hall Guard and excused himself, taking the opportunity to visit the Treasure Vault and collect a bottle of Upper Grade Elixirs: Third-Turn Profound Yuan Pills.
The Zhenwu Hall had its own Alchemists, but its foundation was too shallow. Their Alchemists were of average skill and lacked the ability to refine Upper Grade Elixirs.
These Third-Turn Profound Yuan Pills were produced by Medicine King Valley and had been acquired by the Zhenwu Hall in exchange for other resources.
Just as Chen Yuan stepped out of the Treasure Vault, Liu Feiyan’s guard, Uncle Zhong, suddenly appeared.
"Young Friend Chen, I heard you came to the Main Hall. The Lord Military Advisor requests your presence."