Chapter 640: Dealing with the Sect of Dragon and Tiger
About ten thousand meters high in the sky above the Qinhuang Kingdom, the faint image of a person could be seen surrounded by a sea of clouds. With those clouds in the way, neither of the four Imperial Protectors had seen or sensed his existence.
The astral figure was currently staring down at the Space Gate in the center of the Qinhuang Kingdom’s palace. The figure’s fists were clenched tightly and his teeth were gritted angrily as he spat, “Blasted scoundrel! He escaped through the Space Gate. How troublesome, I didn’t even have time to place a tracer on him. Where has he gone? I’ll have to waste even more time and energy now, blast!” The figure thought to himself in anger.
But then a thought struck him, “Jian Chen is an Imperial Protector of the Qinhuang Kingdom. This means that if I pay attention to what they say in the kingdom, I’ll be able to figure out where he has gone to.” With the plan set, the figure then faded away from site.
All of the Heavenly Eagle Kingdom had been transformed into the territory of the Flame Mercenaries, but with the previously hidden tungsten alloy now known throughout the area, countless of smaller kingdoms had been enticed. However, not a single one of them had been spurred into action besides the Sect of Dragon and Tiger.
The pressure that came from the threat of the Sect of Dragon and Tiger was alleviated with the return of Jian Chen. Although Jian Chen didn’t fear the sect, he didn’t wish to make a preemptive strike against them either. Instead, he wanted to wait two days for the sect to come. Jian Chen wanted the sect to come with large forces and war banners ready for battle. He then wanted them to return back to where they came, ashen-faced with dejection and defeat.
On the morning of the second day, Jian Chen could be seen seated on top of the throne in the grand halls. Down beneath him was an older man bent down at the waist, “He Yun pays his respects to the captain!”
Smiling at the elder, Jian Chen said, “Master He Yun, they say that you are the most accomplished alchemist within this kingdom. What kind of alchemy are you capable of?”
“Captain, as an alchemist, I’ve several accomplishments under my belt. As long as I possess the ingredients, I am capable of concocting many different high-leveled pills.” He Yun respectfully answered. He knew that the young person in front of him was the leader of the Flame Mercenaries. The person who the seven factions of the defunct Heavenly Eagle Kingdom swore allegiance to.
“I’ve a single ten-thousand-year-old heavenly resource. Master He Yun, would you be able to process it into a pill?” Jian Chen calmly asked as if negotiating an everyday deal with He Yun.
Like any other person, He Yun was startled to hear of a ten-thousand-year-old heavenly resource, but he was quick to recover, “Captain, I hate to be one to disappoint, but a ten-thousand-year-old heavenly resource is beyond even my alchemical skills. I do not possess the ability to process such a treasure.”
“Jian Chen, you don’t have to make an alchemical pill from the ten-thousand-year-old heavenly resource. Your cousin’s body can’t handle the concentrated spiritual Qi inside the heavenly resource. All the alchemist has to do is make that Qi docile so that your cousin will be able to take it.” Jiede Tai explained to Jian Chen.
Nodding, Jian Chen turned to look at He Yun, “Master He Yun, would you be capable of this?”
Letting out a sigh in relief, He Yun cupped his hands, “Captain, as long as I have the compatible ingredients, this is something that I can do.”
“So be it then. I’ll be relying on you, master He Yun. Stay within the royal palace in the meanwhile, and I will deliver whatever ingredients you need with haste.” Jian Chen decreed.
“Yes, captain!”
……
In the blink of an eye, the two final days had gone by. Today would be the day the deadline the Sect of Dragon and Tiger gave to relinquish the vein of tungsten alloy to them. Several dozen Heaven Saint Masters floated anxiously waiting for the sect to arrive. Around the perimeter of the valley, even more Earth Saint Masters stood by.
This time, they were up against the experts of the Sect of Dragon and Tiger, so Jian Chen and the other powerful individuals had already gathered here. There were only one hundred Earth Saint Masters to reduce the casualty count because of the fact that they would be more of a liability than helpful.
Seated not too far away at an empty clearing in the valley was Jian Chen, Ming Dong, Dugu Feng, Tie Ta, Huang Luan, You Yue, Jiede Tai, Nubis, Wang Yufeng, and Little Fatty. Chatting and eating at the table, not a single one of them looked as if they cared about the Sect of Dragon and Tiger
Stepped this was the very first time he had stepped onto the continent, Little Fatty was extremely curious about everything. Without rest, he asked for guidance on many different facets and questions, and sometimes the extremely naive words of his caused everyone else to laugh out loud. Unwilling to disappoint, Wang Yufeng relentlessly explained every single little experience he had collected while exploring the continent to everyone there. Soon enough, everyone had become friendly with one another. Jian Chen himself would interject a few times. Only Nubis and Jiede Tai kept to themselves with their eyes closed and not a word spoken.
An hour later, both Nubis and Jiede Tai opened their eyes to look off into a distant direction. Not too long later, even Jian Chen realized the change. Putting a stop to the conversation, he looked off in the same direction with a pointed stare. “They’ve come. Nubis, Jiede Tai, hide your auras and don’t let them see you.”
“The great Nubis!” Nubis muttered in dissatisfaction.
Soon enough, a dozen Heaven Saint Masters came flying over before coming to a stop above the valley an equal distance away from the Heaven Saint Masters of the Flame Mercenaries. They were the men of the Sect of Dragon and Tiger.
Jian Chen stared down these new arrivals with a glare that could freeze water. Many of them were familiar faces, three of them were the ones he had once fought in front of their sect gates.
“Flame Mercenaries, your seven days are up. I presume you’ve made your decision.” The sectmaster, Kris, smiled.
“Sectmaster Kris, I wonder what it is that you want us to consider. Why don’t you come out and say it?” Jian Chen replied to him while biting into an apple.
Kris’ eyes hovered over to Jian Chen before he clasped his hands together in greeting, “Ah, so it’s the captain of the Flame Mercenaries and Imperial Protector of the Qinhuang Kingdom. I, the incumbent sectmaster of the Sect of Dragon and Tiger, greet you.” Kris paused briefly before saying, “Imperial Protector, we of the Sect of Dragon and Tiger are here for the tungsten alloy deposit. As agreed upon before, we want two-thirds of the deposit, and the remaining third will be left to you.”
Sitting upright on the stool he sat on, Jian Chen stared daggers at Kris, “How audacious your sect is to dare demand two-thirds of the resources. Do you think yourself capable of making such a demand?”
Instead of being angry, Kris only laughed, “Imperial Protector, the Heavenly Eagle Kingdom was originally ours to manage and govern. Therefore, the tungsten alloy is within our territory and is our right as well. According to logic, the entirety of the vein should be ours, but out of respect for the Qinhuang Kingdom, we shall only take two-thirds of it and leave the rest to you. That is a reasonable and fair amount.”
“What an overt excuse! Men of the Sect of Dragon and Tiger, listen to me now; the Heavenly Eagle Kingdom and its territories have already been subjugated by my Flame Mercenaries. The tungsten alloy is therefore under our possession. I’ll give you all a brief moment to leave. If you don’t, then don’t blame me for being rough with you.” Jian Chen coldly responded as if unwilling to quibble with them any longer.
“How brazen, Jian Chen! This old man would like to see just how rough you’ll be then!” An elderly voice suddenly made itself known as it echoed through the sky. Right above the men from the Sect of Dragon and Tiger, a single elderly man appeared out of nowhere — he was the Saint Ruler of the sect.
Leveling a cold glare at the elder, Jian Chen gave an equally cold smile. “Saint Ruler of the Sect of Dragon and Tiger, you’ve finally made your appearance, and here I thought you’d hide for a little longer.”
Expressionless, the Saint Ruler looked at Jian Chen, “You aren’t half bad at cultivation, but you are only still a Heaven Saint Master. Without the Qinhuang Kingdom behind you, you are merely a gnat in my eyes. I only pardoned your life last time out of respect to the Qinhuang Kingdom. That’s why you can still stand here today, but if you’re still so bold to spout off such blasphemous words toward my sect, then I cannot spare your life any longer. Are you willing to bet whether or not I’ll beat your body into a thousand pieces?”
“Does your sect not fear the Qinhuang Kingdom?” Jian Chen inquisitively asked.
Laughing, the Saint Ruler answered, “The Qinhuang Kingdom barely has any time to look after itself. How could it spend extra time trying to reach here? Jian Chen, if you were hoping to look to the Qinhuang Kingdom for support, then you should give up now and obediently hand over the tungsten alloy. I won’t make things troublesome for you, but if you don’t comply, then you’ll know the consequences.” Unless he was forced to, the Saint Ruler didn’t want to kill Jian Chen in front of everyone. It was true that Jian Chen, as a Heaven Saint Master, was as weak as an ant to him, but he was still an Imperial Protector of the Qinhuang Kingdom. Even a Saint Ruler would hesitate to kill one of them so quickly.
