Chapter 1028: A Way to Repay a Favor Once and For All
Regardless of the reliability of this news or whether it was even relevant, it was still very important. Jiang Chen couldn’t ignore it no matter what.
“Shopkeeper Niu, was this mission widespread?” Jiang Chen couldn’t help but ask.
“the Tilted Moon Region is situated near the northwest side of Upper Eight Regions, so few people in Veluriyam Capital knew about this. However, this mission is somewhat known to the regions northward of Upper Eight Regions. Of course, this was rather small news, so no one thought much of it even if it was brought up during a conversation. The only reason it was even mentioned was because a first rank sect was involved. Had the sect been a second or third rank sect, then no one would mention it at all.”
A first rank sect normally earned more attention because there weren’t many real first rank powers in the Upper Eight Regions. Veluriyam Capital was located to the south in the Upper Eight Regions, whereas the Tilted Moon Region was situated at the northwest of the Upper Eight Regions. There was around 300,000 miles distance in terms of a straight line between the two regions. If someone were to travel on foot from Veluriyam Capital to the Tilted Moon Region, they would have to walk for at least a million miles. If one were to factor in potential mishaps one during the journey as well, then it was literally impossible for a normal person to travel from Veluriyam Capital to the Tilted Moon Region without travelling for at least three to five years.
Jiang Chen thought about this carefully. “Are you sure that you’ve heard nothing about the person who posted the bounty since?”
“Mm, I have heard nothing about him since. He’s probably a long way away from Veluriyam Capital already. His cultivation isn’t very strong, and considering his strength he would probably have to travel at least seven to eight years before he could reach the Tilted Moon Region. If he was looking out for the holy maiden of Moon God Sect, then his final destination must be the Tilted Moon Region, right?”
Because he had no idea who this person was to young master Ji San, Niu Wuhua didn’t dare make a careless comment. Frankly speaking, he quite doubted that the poster of this bounty could make it to the Tilted Moon Region alive. To travel from Bluesky Nation to the Tilted Moon Region was to traverse more than half of the Upper Eight Regions. It was just too unlikely for a weak cultivator to reach the Tilted Moon Region without running into any troubles at all. The chances of success were almost nonexistent.
Moreover, the poster had obviously never heard of this bit regarding Moon God Sect. Therefore, he might not even be aware that he should search travel to the Tilted Moon Region. Jiang Chen was content with what he’d learned from Niu Wuhua even though the intelligence was somewhat indefinite. It had all happened far too long ago. That Niu Wuhua even remembered some of it was quite impressive already. It would be entirely normal if he’d forgotten about the details of a small bounty from almost ten years ago.
The Tilted Moon Region, Moon God Sect. Jiang Chen quietly repeated the words to himself. He had already made up his mind to check out the place. He had to pass through Pillfire City if he wished to make it to the Tilted Moon Region anyway. Pillfire City was situated at the north side of Upper Eight Regions, whereas the Tilted Moon Region was situated to the northwest of Pillfire City.
Of course, he could also choose not to [ass through Pillfire City. There was a desolate, ten-thousand mile stretch of mountain ranges to the south of the Tilted Moon Region. If he chose to go down that path, he would have to pass through the desolate and uninhabited mountain ranges. Mountain ranges like these were normally ripe with all sorts of monsters and extremely dangerous to say the least. Therefore, most cultivators who wished to go to the Tilted Moon Region chose to pass through Pillfire City.
Jiang Chen had already planned out the route in his head. He would head to Pillfire City first and save Mu Gaoqi. Then, he would go northwest to the Tilted Moon Region and inquire about the Moon God Sect.
“Steward Niu, your intel is very useful to me. Where does Grand Steward Dong Sheng live right now?” Jiang Chen asked.
Niu Wuhua felt a spike of joy when he heard Jiang Chen asking about Dong Sheng’s dwelling. He knew that the young master was going to defend him. For a moment, he was so excited that he wasn’t sure what to do. The only thing he thought as of late were ways to reject Dong Sheng’s demands. He hadn’t actually thought of plotting against the grand steward at all. Therefore, he was actually at a loss when Jiang Chen asked him about it.
“Tell me, what is your bottom line?” Jiang Chen smiled faintly.
“My bottom line is to protect my share and not let Dong Sheng take everything. Plus, he’s absolutely unqualified to run Prancing Horse Inn’s business.”
Manager Qiu also echoed these sentiments. “The grand steward’s actions showed that he’s too selfish. He allows his idiotic brother-in-law to cause chaos in Prancing Horse Inn just for the sake of his own goals. The current inn is a foul place to be in.”
“If that’s so, then let us have Dong Sheng surrender his own share,” Jiang Chen said indifferently.
“Ah?” Niu Wuhua was stunned by these words.
Manager Qiu’s brain also blanked out for a moment as his mouth fell open. Have Dong Sheng give up his own share? Wasn’t this turnaround a little too abrupt? He was demanding they hand over their share. But the young master was going to pull off this instead? Was it even possible?
Niu Wuhua smiled wryly. “Young master, that Dong Sheng… seems to have some powerful backers. I hear that the vice city lord of Goldtower City has a son who’s close to Dong Sheng. It appears that they’re sworn brothers.”
“Vice city lord?” Jiang Chen looked startled. “Does the vice city lord have the final say in Goldtower City?”
Niu Wuhua started, then shook his head subconsciously. “Not really, the city lord is normally the one who has the final say, although that is not the case sometimes. After all, this is Bluesky Nation. The monarch of Bluesky Nation is the one who has the final say when major events are involved.”
“Then there’s no problem, is there? If the vice city lord himself can’t decide what goes in Goldtower City, then what can the son of this vice city lord possibly do?” Jiang Chen smiled. “How about this. I’ll visit Bluesky Nation’s palace myself while the rest of you wait here for my good news.” A moment of thought later, he ultimately decided to settle this matter once and for all. He did owe Niu Wuhua a favor, so it was his responsibility to settle this properly and take care of it once and for all. Judging from Niu Wuhua and Manager Qiu’s tone, Dong Sheng was probably younger and wilder than they were. He was no slouch when it came to socialization given his sworn brotherhood with the son of the vice city lord. He must be a silver tongued and cunning person.
If a person like this saw hope, he would work towards his goal by crook or by hook. Even if Jiang Chen forced him to cough out his business shares, he would absolutely cause trouble for Niu Wuhua and Manager Qiu in the future. Therefore, simple oppression wouldn’t work in this case. Jiang Chen had to find a way to scare Dong Sheng so much that he couldn’t even muster the thought of resistance. That was the only way he could settle this matter once and for all.
The royal palace of Bluesky Nation was heavily guarded. At the Eastern Palace where the crown prince lived, a few sorry-looking pill masters were walking out the place dejected and depressed. They looked like they couldn’t wait to sprout wings and fly away from this place.
“Trash, all of you are trash! How can the nation achieve great things if you are the kind of people we keep?” A young man with flawless wearing official, ceremonious robes and a golden crown yelled angrily at the group of pill masters. The young man rained a torrent of abuses on the elderly pill masters, but not one of them dared to rebuke him. Instead, they kept their heads bowed and walked outside.
“Your Highness, they’ve already done all they can. It is not their fault that the pill is too difficult to concoct,” an elderly voice advised.
It was only then the young man stopped swearing and waved his hands impatiently. “Get out, get as far away from me as you can!”The pill masters immediately poured out of the palace as if pardoned from a terrible crime.
The young man’s kindly face turned beet red with anger when he saw their reactions. He sighed towards an elder. “Grand Tutor, it seems that I have to make a trip to Veluriyam Capital. There is only so much the pill kings of Bluesky Nation can do. I hear Veluriyam Capital has produced many amazing pill kings as of late, and the new young lord of Sacred Peafowl Mountain is even heralded as a future pill emperor of the pill industry. Even the invincible legend of Pillfire City was defeated by this young lord.”
The elder smiled wryly. “Your Highness, Bluesky Nation is but one of the many nations ruled by Veluriyam Capital. I doubt we can even be compared to those first rate great clans. No problems will arise if you simply wish to visit the pill kings of Veluriyam Capital, but if you wish to visit young lord Zhen, I fear that…”
The elder didn’t continue, but his unsaid words were clear. You may be the prince of Bluesky Nation, but you’re still not important enough. Even the monarch of Bluesky Nation couldn’t meet young lord Zhen any time he wanted to.
The prince seemed to be aware that he wasn’t important enough. “It’s not like I’m visiting him out of selfish interest.” He sighed. “Everybody says that that young lord Zhen is a kind, friendly person who respects the wise. These days you can hear everyone under Veluriyam Capital’s rule praising him everywhere you go. I hear it so often that you can see calluses growing on my ears. So there must be some truth behind those praises, right? There’s no reason for him to close the door on my face, is there?”
While they were speaking, a palace attendant suddenly rushed in to report. “Your Highness, a strange person requests to see you outside the entrance of the Eastern Palace.”
“A strange person?” The prince looked confused. “Who is it?”
“This servant doesn’t know.” The palace attendant looked just as confused.
“What? You came in to report to me without even checking who he is? And, how did he make it to the Eastern Palace?” The inner section of the palace was heavily guarded. It was impossible for a stranger of unknown origins to make it all the way to the Eastern Palace.
So where had this strange person come from?
The palace attendant turned deathly pale after hearing this. He stuttered. “I… I’ll tell the guards to chase him out right away.”
“A moment, Your Highness.” The elder suddenly spoke. “The fact that this person can come all the way without being detected proves that he also has the ability to come and go as he wishes. He sent someone in to report his arrival means that he isn’t entirely inconsiderate. Since we may not necessarily be able to chase away someone like him, we may as well meet with him instead.”
This old man was the prince’s teacher. Therefore, the crown prince was more receptive towards his advice.
“Send him in.” A moment of thought later, the prince decided that his teacher’s words made a lot of sense.
A while later, an average-looking fighter strode into the hall. When he saw the prince, he smiled and clasped his hands together carelessly. “Well met, crown prince of Bluesky Nation.”
The palace attendants next to the prince immediately scolded the newcomer when they saw how rude he was.
“Insolence! Why do you not bow immediately when you see the prince?”
“Where do you come from, barbarian?! How dare you act like this before the prince?”
