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Translator: Myuu
Translation Checker: Silavin
*Swoosh!* In response to Ji Yaoxing’s command, a group of armored knights rushed into the banquet hall and surrounded Jiang Chen. The air was thick with murderous intent which seemed to chill the room, making everyone tremble.
Jiang Chen appeared to be completely bewildered, as if he had been caught off guard by a sudden deluge of icy water. He stood there, frozen in shock, unable to process what had just happened. Despite his burning desire to seek justice on behalf of Ji Chuyue, there was simply no time for him to be upset about her situation right now.
After regaining their composure, the Young War Immortal and An Xi swiftly rose to their feet and positioned themselves protectively in front of Jiang Chen.
“Brother Yaoxing, what is the meaning of this?” Their brows furrowed with disapproval, and their voices carried a hint of dissatisfaction.
They couldn’t comprehend why Ji Yaoxing would attempt to seize Jiang Chen, who possessed the Legacy of a Divine Source Master and limitless potential. This seemed like an unnecessary and unjustifiable disturbance. Furthermore, Jiang Chen had been brought along by them, so if he was taken away by Ji Yaoxing, it would be a blatant insult to them.
“Brother Yaoxing, what is going on? Why did you order for the arrest of a Divine Source Master?” The other young prodigies also voiced their confusion.
“Brother…” Ji Chuyue paled as she quickly understood Ji Yaoxing’s intentions. Her mind raced with worry. Ji Yaoxing knew the truth about Jiang Chen’s identity. If his real identity were to be exposed in front of everyone, Jiang Chen would likely become a target for endless pursuit, forced to live as a fugitive and as an enemy of all.
“Lady Chuyue, you seem rather concerned for this Divine Source Master’s safety,” Gu Changge remarked with a curious tone.
Ji Chuyue reacted swiftly, her heart growing increasingly uneasy. She shook her head and quickly clarified, “No, you’ve misunderstood me, Young Master Changge… I simply…”
Gu Changge interrupted her with a small smile and said, “It’s admirable that Lady Chuyue holds friendship and righteousness in high regard, but I hope you still remember your status and his. Do you truly wish to bring unnecessary disaster upon your family?”
Upon hearing those words, Ji Chuyue’s delicate face turned even paler. She discreetly clutched her sleeves, attempting to articulate a response. However, the words faltered on her tongue, and she swallowed them back down. She could only hang her head sadly.
She was well aware that Jiang Chen had offended many Forces. Many even believed that he had murdered many Sect Masters within the Godly Illusion Tomb. Though Jiang Chen claimed he was falsely accused by Gu Changge and the Godly Illusion Clan, there was no concrete evidence to support his claims.
Given the circumstances, any assistance she provided to Jiang Chen would undoubtedly bring dire consequences to her family, especially so when Jiang Chen remained steadfast in viewing Gu Changge as his archnemesis.
Observing the perplexed expressions on everyone’s faces, Ji Yaoxing cast a glance at Gu Changge standing behind him. Upon receiving his subtle nod of approval, he continued to speak calmly, “It seems like you still don’t know this person’s true identity as he has chosen to keep it concealed, Young War Immortal and Lady An Xi.”
“True identity?” The word surprised the King with Six Crowns and the others. They all looked at Jiang Chen in confusion, wondering if he indeed had another identity.
Jiang Chen realized what Ji Yaoxing was going to say next. His face contorted with rage as he clenched his fists tightly. “Gu Changge, you sanctimonious hypocrite! You’re insane! Karma will bite you in the ass one day!”
Despite the potential consequences, Jiang Chen couldn’t hold back his fury any longer as strings of curses escaped his lips. He never had anything to do with the incident that occurred in Godly Illusion Tomb. In fact, he was falsely accused by Gu Changge and the Godly Illusion Clan for the murder of the Sect Masters. Jiang Chen’s eyes were ablaze with fury when he realized that Gu Changge had ordered Ji Yaoxing to capture him right now.
“What…? He has another identity?” An Xi and the Young War Immortal’s hearts skipped a beat, sensing that Jiang Chen’s true identity was about to be exposed. They very quickly regained their composure and pretended to be shocked and confused, acting as if they had no prior knowledge of Jiang Chen’s true identity.
Previously, Jiang Chen had confided in them about the animosity between him and Gu Changge, which of course, included the events that took place in the Godly Illusion Tomb. Even so, they could only feign ignorance as any action on their part could implicate them and even the Forces behind them might not be able to protect them.
Niu Tian was about to speak up in defense of Jiang Chen, but ultimately he let out a heavy sigh and remained silent. Anyone with a sound mind could see that no one could possibly save Jiang Chen today and he was not foolish enough to act recklessly when faced with such insurmountable odds.
Unfazed by Jiang Chen’s outburst, Gu Changge simply smiled and gracefully rose from his seat. “If you had concealed yourself better, perhaps I wouldn’t have discovered you. Yet you have the audacity to strut around right under my nose. Are you underestimating me or are you simply very confident in yourself?”
Jiang Chen’s eyes burned with fury as he glared at Gu Changge and spat, “You despicable hypocrite. You’re a beast disguised as a human… One day, someone will make you pay for the things you’ve done…!”
Before he could say more, an elderly man, dressed like a butler, suddenly appeared beside him. He elegantly flicked his sleeves, unleashing a powerful force that made Jiang Chen gasp in pain. His complexion turned ashen, and he coughed up a mouthful of blood before collapsing onto the ground, unable to even attempt to resist. The overwhelming pressure felt like an immense mountain bearing down on the top of his head.
“How dare you disrespect the Young Master. Do you have a death wish, young man?” the old man spoke nonchalantly, then waved his hand. A group of knights approached and quickly detained Jiang Chen. The atmosphere grew tense as the young prodigies watched, realizing that the elderly man was indeed a True Daoist. With someone like him around, it would be difficult for Jiang Chen to escape even if he were to grow a pair of wings on his back.
“It appears that further explanation is unnecessary. All of you should be able to tell that this man has disguised himself and infiltrated our midst with nefarious intentions. It would be wise to apprehend him before any harm is done,” Ji Yaoxing said.
Everyone was silent as they surmised that there was likely some animosity between Jiang Chen and Gu Changge. They were not foolish enough to stand up for Jiang Chen and potentially incur the wrath of Gu Changge.
“Damn it, I can’t believe that Brother Jiang would deceive us when we genuinely treated him as a good friend of ours,” the Young War Immortal lamented in disappointment as he watched Jiang Chen being led away.
An Xi shook her head and let out a sigh of disappointment too. “It seems we’ve misjudged Brother Jiang all along. Perhaps his intention was to deceive us from the very beginning. Thanks to Young Master Changge’s keen insight, we were able to see through his true intentions and prevent any potential disaster from occurring.”
With that, the Young War Immortal and An Xi managed to sever all ties with Jiang Chen cleanly. They even wore a pained expression, pretending to be saddened by the fact that they had been deceived by him for such a long time.
Although Gu Changge was amused as he observed the reactions of the Young War Immortal and An Xi, he remained composed and smiled gracefully. “He is indeed a sly man. He actually managed to hide in Dark Kun City for so long. It was only recently I discovered his presence.”
He refrained from having Ji Yaoxing expose Jiang Chen’s true identity to everyone as it would attract unwanted attention from other factions. Besides, he still had a use for Jiang Chen when they entered Kun Mountain tomorrow.
Following the unsettling incident, everyone resumed eating with a heavy heart. The King with Six Crowns and the Phoenix Lady were the first to bid farewell, as they planned to regroup outside of Kun Mountain the following day.
The Young War Immortal and An Xi couldn’t bear to stay a moment longer, so they took their leave too and went back to discuss how to ensure their survival in Kun Mountain.
Meanwhile, Niu Tian was left feeling helpless with his friend taken away. With no one else to turn to in the Upper Realm, he could only hope that An Xi and the others would come to their aid.
A person appeared in Niu Tian’s mind. [Hasn’t Xiao Ruoyin been by Gu Changge’s side all this time? If our friendships still have a place in her heart… perhaps it’s worth giving it a try?]
In the Upper Realm, Xiao Ruoyin was probably their only remaining ally. She could be the key to saving Jiang Chen’s life.
As the crowd dispersed, the Starcatcher Pavilion was soon left with only the Ji siblings. “Given that Jiang Chen is a Divine Source Master, he will certainly play a crucial role in our upcoming trip to Kun Mountain. Sister, join me later and offer some wise counsel to him. He’s a brilliant man and I’m sure he’ll know what to do.” Excitement danced in Ji Yaoxing’s eyes as he spoke to his sister.
He believed that Jiang Chen had feelings for his sister, so this would be an opportunity to dissuade his interest in her and make Ji Chuyue move on from her romantic feelings for him.
“I have to go too?” Ji Chuyue asked with hesitation in her heart. She didn’t even dare to look at Jiang Chen’s face, twisted with rage, like a wounded animal backed into a corner.
“It’ll be better to have him give up. Do not let your compassion cloud your judgment, sister,” Ji Yaoxing advised.
Ji Chuyue fell into a contemplative silence, her heart in a state of turmoil as she searched for the right words to say to Jiang Chen. She was not a heartless person. As she reflected on the situation, she couldn’t help but feel responsible for the revelation of Jiang Chen’s true identity.
Meanwhile, Niu Tian made his way alone to where Skyward Schloss resided in Dark Kun City after parting ways with the Young War Immortal and An Xi. He now carried the distinguished title of the unworldly young prodigy from the Hidden Ji Family, so the disciples of Skyward Schloss refrained from prying into the purpose of his visit despite their curiosity.
Niu Tian gazed at the magnificent palace before him and let out a sigh. He retrieved a letter from his chest pocket and handed it to the disciple standing guard outside. “Please give this to Lady Xiao Ruoyin, and inform her that an old friend wishes to see her.”
The content of the letter was penned in the script of their previous world, so it would be indecipherable to the common folk. He believed that once Xiao Ruoyin read the letter, she would know that it was from an old friend.
“For Senior Ruoyin?” The attitude of the disciple of Skyward Schloss standing guard at the entrance immediately shifted. Without a moment of delay, he quickly left to deliver the letter.
It was evident that Xiao Ruoyin’s status within Skyward Schloss had skyrocketed, with even the Elders showering her with flattery. Her reputation had become so illustrious that even most of the disciples dared not meet her gaze in her presence.
“I appreciate it.” Niu Tian thanked him and smiled bitterly as he realized the mixed emotions he felt. He could tell that Xiao Ruoyin was probably leading a good life here.
It was hard to imagine that a delicate woman, without any influence or authority, could not only become a member of the prestigious Force in the Upper Realm known as Skyward Schloss, but also hold such a distinguished position within it.
Had it not been for An Xi’s intervention and his special bloodline, he would have been far inferior to Jiang Chen. Even so, Jiang Chen was not worthy of gazing upon Xiao Ruoyin. She was able to acquire all this thanks to the support of the man she relied on! It was clear that Xiao Ruoyin and the both of them were now living in two separate worlds.
With mixed feelings in his heart, Niu Tian left the palace and made his way to the nearest inn. He chose a spot by the window and patiently awaited the arrival of Xiao Ruoyin. If she didn’t show up, then he was all out of options.
