Chapter Eighteen: Winning Over the Jiang Family

Jiang Yue was naturally delighted to see the Jiang family restored, but she felt a tinge of anger upon seeing her younger sister.

“Qian’er, you’re seeking revenge for the Jiang family—why didn’t you bring me along? Am I not part of the Jiang family?”

“Sister, you misunderstand me! It’s not that I didn’t want to include you; the situation just unfolded too suddenly. Originally, our master intended to come to Wanxiang City to recruit disciples, but we encountered some reckless foes and dealt with them on the spot. Then, master recruited our junior brother Qin Tian. To train us, master launched an attack on the Su family—before that, we were unprepared! The Su family was so weak, that’s why we managed to take them down easily.”

“The Su family was weak? Forget it! Ever since you followed the sect leader, your cultivation and combat strength have improved tremendously. But it seems your desire to avenge our parents has faded away.”

“Sister, who said you can’t take revenge? Taking down the Su family was just an appetizer! Now that the Jiang family has been rebuilt, we’ll strike at the Asura Sect. If it weren’t for the Asura Sect helping the Su family attack us, the Jiang family wouldn’t have fallen so disgracefully. Now our strength has surged, and with the sect’s strong backing, we will surely settle the score with the Asura Sect.”

“You’re right. This time, our sect’s elite forces are fully mobilized; I doubt the Asura Sect can stir up much trouble.”

...

After this conversation, the sisters felt their frustrations ease. They then focused on cultivating, quickly advancing with the help of the sect’s alchemical resources.

With the Jiang family now firmly stabilized, all major factions in Wanxiang City understood that the family’s alliance with the Morning Light Sect would lead to its rise. Yet, the city lord’s family, the Yin clan, grew deeply uneasy at the Jiang family’s resurgence. Lord Yin Tianxiong, upon hearing the Su family was wiped out in a single day, suspected the Morning Light Sect was a hidden powerhouse—otherwise, how could such a formidable sect have remained unheard of until now?

Unwilling to offend such a mighty sect, Yin planned to personally visit the Jiang family bearing gifts, hoping to use them as a stepping stone to connect with the Morning Light Sect. His intentions were sound, but he remained unaware that his own son, Yin Yaozu, was engaged in unspeakable deeds behind the scenes. The reason the bandits at Qingfeng Village received information so swiftly was closely related to Yin Yaozu’s underlings. Though Qingfeng Village had been destroyed, Liao Chen was not about to let the city lord’s eldest son off easily.

Yin Tianxiong’s arrival left the Jiang family somewhat flustered. Wanxiang City was under the city lord’s jurisdiction, and if Yin Tianxiong wished to target the Jiang family deliberately, even with the Morning Light Sect’s backing, their future would be bleak. Yet, Jiang Fuyan, the current head of the Jiang family, never expected that Yin’s visit was not to cause trouble, but to forge closer ties.

“Lord Yin, you bring such generous gifts to the Jiang family. Surely, it’s not merely because we have reestablished ourselves in this city?”

“Heh heh, Master Jiang, you overthink. This visit isn’t just to win your favor. I also wish to inquire about the Morning Light Sect. Their sudden emergence is so conspicuous that no one can say whether they bode well or ill for Wanxiang City. For the sake of the city’s people, I hope you can introduce me to understand the sect’s intentions upon stepping into the world.”

“Lord Yin, I am but the head of a modest family. Though we have some ties with the Morning Light Sect, it’s not as if I can introduce them at will. Of course, if you are not in a hurry, I will arrange an introduction when the opportunity arises.”

“Very well, I shall await good news. I have other official duties, so I will not stay longer. Farewell!”

As Jiang Fuyan watched Yin Tianxiong depart, waves of unease stirred within him. He knew the nature of this man well: Yin never appeared without reason. He had not come when the Jiang family was besieged before, yet now, with their rise, he arrived bearing rich gifts to curry favor. Such a man must be approached with caution. As for his stated concern for the people—it was nonsense. If he truly cared, he would not have remained indifferent during the beast surge that once struck Wanxiang City.

With this in mind, Jiang Fuyan resolved to inform Liao Chen, the sect leader, leaving the handling of the matter to him.

After meeting Liao Chen, Jiang Fuyan relayed Yin Tianxiong’s purpose. Liao Chen smiled faintly and said, “Lord Yin came to me unbidden? He must be quite anxious. Let him stew for a few days; I will meet him again in half a month.”

“Yes, sir!” Jiang Fuyan bowed and left.

Meanwhile, Yin Yaozu, the city lord’s eldest son, soon learned of Qingfeng Village’s destruction. His panic was greater than his father’s. With Liao Chen’s capabilities, it was impossible they didn’t know the village’s connections to him. Now that Qingfeng Village was gone, he feared being unmasked as the mastermind.

Yin Yaozu approached his father, attempting to persuade him to eliminate the Morning Light Sect and the Jiang family, believing only then could he rest easy. But upon hearing this, Yin Tianxiong grew furious.

“Do you realize what you’re saying, you scoundrel? If the Morning Light Sect learns of this and retaliates against our Yin family, do you want us to share the Su family’s fate?”

Yin Yaozu argued, “Father, how can the Su family compare to ours? We have ten profound kings and an ancient emperor-level patriarch. Even if the Morning Light Sect is strong, they cannot have a saint-level powerhouse. If you yield to the Jiang family, who will submit to us in Wanxiang City? Even if the Morning Light Sect has a saint-level powerhouse, we have the backing of the Great Yong Dynasty. We can claim they provoked us first, and we merely defended ourselves.”

Hearing his son, Yin Tianxiong found some merit in the argument. He disliked showing weakness. His lavish gifts to the Jiang family were a preemptive move, sensing their rapid rise and hoping to secure ties early. Yet he remained uncertain of the Morning Light Sect’s true strength. If they only had emperor-level powerhouses, the Jiang family was no threat. But if there were saint-level warriors, he would have to tread carefully, as the Yin family lacked such power.

Yin Tianxiong did not agree to strike the Jiang family outright but ordered ongoing investigations into the Morning Light Sect. He planned a two-pronged approach: continue supplying resources to the Jiang family to confuse them while recruiting formidable experts above the divine power realm. Once the sect’s true strength was known, he would not hesitate to eliminate them if necessary.

Elsewhere, the Jiang family lived in constant anxiety, redoubling their cultivation efforts. With the Morning Light Sect’s resources, they soon broke through the primal core realm, with Jiang Qian and her sister progressing even faster.

System notification: “Ding. Congratulations, disciple Jiang Qian has broken into the first level of the divine power realm. Rewarding master with thirty million cultivation experience points, one hundred exquisite Thunderlight Swords, one million fifth-grade supreme Essence Nurturing Pills, and one million fifth-grade supreme Marrow Purifying Pills.”

System notification: “Ding. Congratulations, disciple Jiang Qian has broken into the second level of the divine power realm. Rewarding master with thirty million cultivation experience points, one million fifth-grade supreme Essence Nurturing Pills, and one million fifth-grade supreme Marrow Purifying Pills.”

...

Liao Chen listened to the system’s rewards with great satisfaction; after all, free cultivation experience was always welcome. When Jiang Qian ceased her training, Liao Chen summoned her and casually tossed her two bottles of pills—one fifth-grade supreme Essence Nurturing Pill and one supreme Marrow Purifying Pill. Though Jiang Qian did not need the latter, she could distribute it among the Jiang family members.