On the third day of cultivating in the Giant Tiger’s territory, Jiang Jichen left under the cover of night.

Having seen three Mountain Sect Elders get killed by the Giant Tiger, he knew the sect wouldn’t let the matter rest. They would undoubtedly dispatch powerful experts to eliminate the beast.

Furthermore, if they scoured the outer reaches of the Moonlight Forest without finding any sign of him, they would soon realize he was hiding in the territory of a Spirit Beast King.

Everything unfolded just as Jiang Jichen had predicted. Fortunately, he had left a day early; otherwise, he would have likely been captured by the Mountain Sect.

The young Fifth-level Mortal Warrior had woken up. His name was Zhang Xiaoyu, a talented disciple of the Golden Snake Sect. But due to his commoner background, his status was very low, and he was often ordered around.

However, after this incident, he could no longer return to the Golden Snake Sect. In fact, if the sect’s members discovered he was still alive, they would surely add him to their kill list.

Since Jiang Jichen needed to go rescue Han Qing, he couldn’t take Zhang Xiaoyu and Little Yue’Er with him. Thus, he had to find a safe place to leave them.

To Jiang Jichen’s surprise, Zhang Xiaoyu was highly skilled in the Concealing Dao. He practiced the Snake Breath Form, a technique perfectly suited for stealth and assassination—the Dao of Assassination.

In the end, Jiang Jichen found a hidden cave behind a waterfall on a mountain peak and told Little Yue’Er and Zhang Xiaoyu to wait for him there.

...

Jiang Jichen soon arrived at Han Qing’s location. Staying hidden in the shadows, he was surprised to find Han Qing standing among a group of young, talented Spirit Cultivators.

They were all glaring at him menacingly, but he seemed completely oblivious, boasting loudly, "I’ll be honest with you all, I’m as close as brothers with Cyan Moon City’s number one young expert, Jiang Jichen! You better not try anything funny. The moment I send a message that I’m in trouble, he’ll come rushing over. For all you know, he’s already here, just hiding out of sight."

A young Spirit Cultivator from the Murong Family sneered. "You’d better be telling the truth. The two-double-hour deadline is almost up. When the time comes, we’ll start by breaking one of your legs. Then, we’ll cut off another limb every hundred breaths."

Han Qing said nonchalantly, "Don’t you all know what kind of person I, Han Qing, am? I’m honest with everyone, young and old, a man of my word. They call me the Trustworthy Little Gentleman! You can rest assured. But, if I do lure Jiang Jichen here, you can’t skimp on the reward of one thousand First-Grade Spirit Condensing Pills you promised me!"

A disciple from the Mountain Sect scoffed, "Your reward is only a thousand First-Grade Spirit Condensing Pills. Only a lowlife like you would find that precious. To us, it’s nothing."

Hearing Han Qing’s words, the crowd erupted in waves of mocking laughter.

About forty people were gathered here, a mix of youths and young adults. Their cultivation levels were mostly between Sixth-Level Mortal Warrior and Ninth-level Mortal Warrior. The strongest among them was a twenty-five-year-old man at the Innate First Realm. He was a senior brother from the Mountain Sect and the most influential person present.

The legacy disciples and Elders from the various sects and Noble Families were not present. They had gone to watch the Mountain Sect’s Minor Grandmaster attempt to crush the Spirit Beast King. Although the Minor Grandmaster ended up being sent flying, they were now hundreds of miles away. Even if they received news, it would take them some time to rush back.

Jiang Jichen, however, had arrived a full hour before them!

The moment he saw Han Qing, Jiang Jichen knew his friend was running another scam.

’There are no powerful experts stationed here, yet Han Qing just happened to show up, far away from all the Elders and legacy disciples. Instead, he lured these trainees from the sects and Noble Families. By the time their Elders arrive to help, it’ll be too late.’

Unfazed by their mockery, Han Qing grinned. "You can say that, but with so many of you, I wonder who’s willing to fork over the one thousand First-Grade Spirit Condensing Pills for me?"

His words left everyone stunned.

They had, in fact, promised Han Qing one thousand First-Grade Spirit Condensing Pills, but none of them had ever intended to actually pay. While a thousand pills wasn’t much to a Ninth-level Mortal Warrior, it was a fortune in cultivation resources for any Spirit Cultivator below the Eighth-level Mortal Realm. Besides, who wanted to be the sucker who paid up?

However, before they could dwell on it, a figure emerged slowly from the forest, instantly drawing everyone’s gaze.

"Jiang Jichen!"

The disciples of the Murong Family would recognize Jiang Jichen even if he were reduced to ashes. One of them cried out in alarm.

The faces of the crowd paled. They couldn’t believe Jiang Jichen had approached them so silently. They had only noticed him because he chose to reveal himself. Perhaps, just as Han Qing had claimed, Jiang Jichen had been here all along, concealed in the shadows.

’Even the Mountain Sect’s Outer Sect senior brother, an Innate First Realm expert, couldn’t detect his presence. Could this man truly be as extraordinary as the rumors claim?’

A heavy feeling settled in the hearts of the young trainees. 𝒻𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘸ℯ𝒷𝘯𝘰𝑣ℯ𝑙.𝘤𝑜𝘮

"Everyone, why fear him? We have so many Ninth-level Mortal Warriors here, not to mention the senior brother from the Mountain Sect! If we work together, killing him will be as easy as crushing an ant!"

A Ninth-level Mortal Warrior from the Golden Snake Sect barked coldly.

The others considered this and agreed. Their confidence restored, they moved at once, surrounding Jiang Jichen and Han Qing.

But Jiang Jichen acted as if they didn’t exist, his eyes fixed on Han Qing. "Han Qing, you bastard, running another scam?"

Han Qing’s eyes bulged. "Scam, my ass! I, Han Qing, am honest with everyone, young and old, a man of my word! They call me the Trustworthy Little Gentleman for a reason! Gentlemen, I’ve brought Jiang Jichen here as promised. Now, about that reward of one thousand First-Grade Spirit Condensing Pills you owe me... it’s time to pay up!"

However, the disciples from the various sects and Noble Families just sneered coldly.

One of them spoke with chilling indifference, "Jiang Jichen is an enemy to all sects. Since you’re his accomplice, you’re just as guilty. We’ll cripple your cultivation but leave you your life. Consider that a monumental kindness. And you still want a reward? How ridiculous. Delusional!"

The crowd chimed in, mocking Han Qing for being stupid, naive, and ignorant.

No one was willing to give up the pills. Someone even sneered, "He’s just a commoner Spirit Cultivator, no better than an ant. Let’s just kill him along with Jiang Jichen."

"Still, Jiang Jichen must be furious right now. So full of regret and despair. He risked his life to save a commoner, only to find out he was betrayed. HAHA... Serves him right! Who told him to befriend a peasant and make enemies of all the sects and Noble Families?"

Many others joined in the derisive laughter.

Han Qing looked at Jiang Jichen with a helpless expression. "Just as I thought. Sigh. They’re not giving me my one thousand Condensing Spirit Pills. You’ll have to give me a cut later!"

Jiang Jichen smiled. "Why stop at a thousand? With this many people, even if you only take a twenty percent cut, you’ll still get several thousand pills!"

This time, Han Qing broke into a wide grin. "Now that you put it that way, it’s true! But we’re short on time, so you’d better make this quick!"

The two of them chatted casually, completely ignoring the disciples from the sects and Noble Families. This made the crowd absolutely furious.

At first, their conversation was baffling, but the crowd finally realized the truth: the two of them had teamed up to set a trap for them. They intended to take them all down.

What’s more, Jiang Jichen had told him to "make this quick," treating them like heads of cabbage, ready to be sliced at will.

The realization sent them into a rage. They felt utterly humiliated, more so than at any other time in their lives.

"How dare you look down on us!"

"Teaming up to trap us! What do you take us for?"

"Jiang Jichen, I’ll make you regret the day you were born!"

.....

The crowd was seething. The Spirit Veins in their bodies erupted with full force. Countless Spiritual Power Lines writhed like Spirit Serpents, twinkling like undying starlight.

"Killing all of you will be as easy as slicing cabbage."

However, before their shouts had even died down, Jiang Jichen spoke coolly.

As soon as he spoke, an abrupt silence fell over the area, and the atmosphere became incredibly oppressive.