Thinking that Jiang Chen would give him only a single treasure, Ji San was just wondering what it could possibly be. He hadn’t expected so many to choose from!
Overwhelmed with abundance, he wasn’t entirely sure which one to pick.
Chuckling, Jiang Chen pointed at a whip. “This whip is very high quality and synergizes well with your true dragon bloodline. Why don’t you try it?
“These gloves are good as well. They’re suitable for closer combat.”
Ji San chuckled. “The whip attacks from afar, and the gloves fight up close. It’s hard for me to choose!”
“Then take them both,” waved Jiang Chen.
He had countless treasures of this level on hand. Giving Ji San several was no issue at all. After all, his friend was a diehard supporter of Sacred Peafowl Mountain.
Ji San’s eyes lit up. “May I?”
“What, you don’t want them? Well, I can put them away then.”
“Oh, I do, I do,” Ji San interjected hurriedly. “These two weapons are perfect for me.” It was impossible to find weapons like these in the human domain, no matter how badly he wanted to. His lack of treasures was a serious deficit for him.
The two heaven rank weapons would be a tremendous boon to his combat ability.
Smiling coolly, Jiang Chen nodded to indicate permission. Ji San was overjoyed with his new acquisitions, putting away the two weapons eagerly.
“Brother Ji, these two weapons represent the lesser of the two reasons I called you here. Know you of the other?”
Ji San’s expression sobered up to match Jiang Chen’s tone. “What is it?”
“About Coiling Dragon’s injuries.” The young lord’s face brimmed with seriousness, weighing down Ji San by proxy.
“Young master Chen… you don’t mind me calling you that, do you?”
Jiang Chen waved a hand. “You can call me whatever you like when no one’s around.”
The only reason he needed others to call him young lord was to establish authority before outsiders. He preferred a more relaxed approach for those closer to him.
Considering his present prominence though, it was difficult to expect Ji San and the others to be comfortable in calling him anything that resembled ‘brother’.
“Brother Ji, where was Coiling Dragon attacked? Was he alone, or were others with him?”
Ji San thought for a moment before cautiously replying. “He had three elders with him at the time. Two were fatalities in the attack, but one returned bearing the venerable Coiling Dragon on his back. The elder requested the death sentence for himself after coming back to us.”
“Why is that?”
“He claims he didn’t take good care of Coiling Dragon, which he believes to be a heinous crime,” sighed Ji San.
“What happened after that?”
“He was seriously wounded himself from the journey. Plus, the ambush was so sudden and unpredictable. Why would the clan punish him?”
“Where is he? Did I see him just now?” Jiang Chen pressed.
“He is still recovering. The house has granted him three years of rest and recovery, leaving the time of his return up to him.”
Jiang Chen nodded. “He deserves credit for rescuing Coiling Dragon. Isn’t his request a bit too duplicitous?”
Ji San’s face reddened. He looked at Jiang Chen, somewhat perplexed by the sudden opinion from his friend. In his view, the elder deserved approval rather than criticism.
Jiang Chen smiled at the fleeting displeasure upon Ji San’s face. “Brother Ji, the world is an unpleasant place. I’m not quite certain of anything just yet, but please keep an eye on that elder for me. Don’t make it too obvious – keep your intentions secret.”
Ji San frowned. “Young master Chen, if I may ask, why do you want me to do that? I am sure that my house’s executives are all fiercely loyal.”
“I don’t doubt his loyalty, but you shouldn’t doubt my judgment, either,” Jiang Chen replied coolly before chuckling. “Feel free to speak your mind.”
“Young master Chen, the house is distressed and confused. We mourn Coiling Dragon’s current condition, and many are worried whether I can shoulder the responsibility of leadership in my youth. I can’t allow further mistrust to fester.”
“First, I can cure Coiling Dragon’s wounds. Second, I have no intention of sowing mistrust within your house.”
“Wait, you can?” Ji San was astonished.
“Yes, though I don’t plan to do so immediately.”
“Why not?” Ji San couldn’t understand.
“Because I strongly suspect the demons are responsible for hurting Coiling Dragon. This means that they’ve appeared in the human domain. I want to use Coiling Dragon as bait to lure them out. If I saved him now, it would only alert the mastermind behind his attack, making it harder to kill him later on.”
“Demons?” Ji San was greatly taken aback.
He had no idea things would get this complicated. The mere mention of demons was cause enough for him to simmer down. After thinking for a moment, he gasped. “Young master Chen, that elder… could he…”
“I’m not sure whether the demons are using him to infiltrate us, but it’s never bad to be careful. Demons are masters of trickery, so you should act prudently yourself. Since you lead Coiling Dragon right now, I’m worried that the demons will target you as well – or even try to control you directly.”
Ji San looked rather pale.
The fearsome nature of demonkind was carved into every human’s heart. He was no exception.
Taking one on in a fair fight was one thing, but underhanded devices and conspiracies were quite another. A sinister, unseen hand was something to be feared.
Gathering his wits after the stunning revelation, Ji San took a deep breath. “Are you just guessing, or certain about the demons?”
“It is almost certainly their work,” Jiang Chen retorted.
There was no reason for Ji San to doubt the young lord’s word. He had always maintained the principle of conservatism with his statements.
