"The only thing you lot can do is to pray that that man is safe. If he's safe and I happen to be in a good mood, then maybe I'll let you live. Otherwise… you know the consequences." Jiang Chen didn't wish to waste more breath, so he left with a flourish of his sleeves. The others followed behind him. As for the remaining pathetic souls, no one cared if they lived or died.
Third Master Jing glanced at the Heavensworn Four while doing his best to suppress his mirth. Sighing fakely with regret, he too walked towards outside. His smile bloomed like a flower the second he stepped out of the door. Delight was the only thing he felt from the Heavensworn Four's misery. Normally, the four were so arrogant that their noses were in the air. They never showed him any respect at all despite his position.
Third Master Jing might be an asshole, but he was also the vice head of the first division and an official representative of the Moon God Sect. What was the Heavensworn Four? Sure, they had a patron in the sect, but it was also impossible for an underworld faction to gain official recognition. These tyrants who didn't even have official recognition strutted before him and had given him no face for the longest time, so of course Third Master Jing wasn't happy with them.
Frankly, the Heavensworn Four should be thankful that he had the self-control not to set off a few fireworks in celebration of their misery. It was only natural that he would feel a comforting sense of schadenfreude. At the same time however, the third master was struck by a lingering sense of fear and thankfulness. After all, had he made a single mistake when Jiang Chen showed up, he might've ended like the Heavensworn Four. Death was not an impossibility either.
Luckily for him, he was a flexible man. He had submitted immediately when he judged the situation to be against him. He felt ashamed at the time to behave so in front of his subordinates, and the flushing of his cheeks didn't fade even after he returned to the division. But now, he couldn't help but thank his lucky stars for making a decision that turned out to be so impossibly wise. If he hadn't caved back then, he doubted that his fate would be much better than the Heavensworn Four's. A wise man submits to the circumstances. This was Third Master Jing's law of survival. After witnessing the Heavensworn Four's downfall, he thought even better of his own principle.
"Young master Shao, the Heavensworn Four is an underground faction and a cancer to Frostmoon City that I've wished to eliminate since a long time ago." Third Master Jing hurriedly caught up to Jiang Chen's group and beamed passionately at the young man. "However, they were too powerful at the time and they were supported by some powerful people. Your feat today is something that gladdens everyone's hearts, and I'm sure that countless people would make a memorial tablet for you if this news were to be made public."
His words might be honeyed with thick flattery, but some parts of it were definitely true. Heavensfall Society was without a doubt the biggest cancer in Frostmoon City. Third Master Jing might be an overbearing vice head, but it wasn't to the point where he would shrink from no crime. True, he was a bit arrogant, greedy and sometimes ruthless, but compared to the Heavensworn Four he was practically a good guy.
The Heavensfall Society was a faction that committed all sorts of evil. Again, the third master had no doubt that there was at least a number of people who hated him to the bone, but compared to Heavensfall Society it was like comparing an ant to an elephant. The Society was hated by everyone, and their name was literally the synonym for evil in Frostmoon City. The name "Heavensworn" Four could shut up even crying babies in the night.
"Third Master Jing, I doubt there's anyone here who's happier than you to witness the fall of Heavensfall Society, am I right? No need to hold it in, you can laugh as much as you wish." Jiang Chen smiled.
Third Master Jing laughed. "You are truly a humorous man, young master Shao. I admit that Heavensfall Society has been a thorn in my side for the longest time. After all, we are technically the face of our sect, so we cannot completely ignore the wicked deeds they commit. But if I were to seek them out and tell them to tone things down a little, they would show me, the vice head of the first division, a terrible attitude. Would you be able stomach this? So I'll be honest with you, young master Shao. I'm quite happy right now."
Jiang Chen nodded before asking suddenly, "You haven't forgotten your promise, have you?"
Third Master Jing responded quickly, "I was just going to talk to you about this, young master Shao. I will be leaving you to inform Captain Gu Xintang about your request right away. If you have nothing else to do, please feel free to make yourself comfortable in the division building. I guarantee that Captain Gu will show up if he's not held up with a mission right now."
As it turned out, Third Master Jing was quite well acquainted with Gu Xintang. His invitation hadn't gone out for more than four hours before the captain showed up at the division building. The third master didn't know why his guests were so interested in Holy Maiden Xu Meng, but he knew very well what to ask and what not to ask.
After he had returned to the division that day, Third Master Jing had investigated Jiang Chen's title. When the news of Pillfire City had reached his ears, he immediately made a connection between Jiang Chen and Emperor Peerless and the arena lords of the Bounty Arena. This made it easy for him to connect the dots between the two pairs.
Emperor Peerless' reputation need not be further elaborated upon. There was almost no one who hadn't heard about him. Perhaps not even the Moon God Sect was willing to offend such a powerful person. As for young master Shao, he had performed shockingly well in the Bounty Arena and had become the bounty king. There was even intelligence noting that young master Shao's background might be shockingly profound. Although Third Master Jing couldn't imagine how important young master Shao was, he was sure that the young master was no ordinary person considering that he frightened even the powers of Pillfire City. Honestly, there were no powers in the entire Upper Eight Regions or even the human domain that would inspire wariness in the Pillfire City. This meant that young master Shao might hail from an even more mysterious place.
Third Master Jing was a member of a first rank sect and his knowledge and experience was greater than most people. He'd sometimes heard rumors that there were more mysterious and unfathomable places in Divine Abyss Continent. He suspected that young master Shao came from one of those places. Otherwise, there was no explanation for how a man as young as he would claim all the limelight in an event like the Bounty Arena, surpassing even Emperor Peerless and Pill King Blue Phoenix in terms of fame.
Moreover, Emperor Peerless' current attitude towards young master Shao piqued his curiosity even more. That was why he spared no effort in currying favor with Jiang Chen and Emperor Peerless.
"Brother Gu, you haven't set aside official business to come here, have you?" Third Master Jing might be a bastard, but he had always been good in the art of socializing. His greeting was both affectionate and warm.
"I couldn't possibly miss your invitation, can I? I'm not on duty today, so there's no official business for me to handle." Gu Xintang looked to be about thirty or forty years old. Of course, that was just appearance, his true age was most definitely greater than forty. After all, he was a captain in Bleakmoon Hall of Moon God Sect. He couldn't possibly hold his post if he was that young.
"Hehe, I have a task I'll like to entrust you with, brother. At the same time, I'll like to introduce you to a few important people."
"Oh? Which VIP have you invited today?" Gu Xintang looked a little overwhelmed. As a captain of Bleakmoon Hall, Gu Xintang was in fact at the same level as Third Master Jing, the vice head of the first division. However, Gu Xintang's background, network and supporters were far inferior to Third Master Jing's. That was why when the third master had invited him, Gu Xintang didn't think much and just answered the summons.
There was a large hall and a banquet already laid out. Jiang Chen, Long Xiaoxuan, Emperor Peerless and Madame Yun were all present at the table. Liu Zhen had declined from attending the feast because he was feeling slightly self conscious. He wasn't completely clueless. He knew very well that he would stand out like a sore thumb even if he sat in the most inconspicuous seat because of his status and strength, or rather lack thereof.
"Come, come! Allow me to make some brief introductions, in fact let me introduce them to you first, Brother Gu. This here is Emperor Peerless, the famous pillar of the wandering cultivator community!"
"Emperor Peerless?" Gu Xintang turned pale with shock. "A great emperor?"
Third Master Jing predicted that Gu Xintang would lose his composure slightly, and so he smiled and said, "That's right, he is Senior Peerless. That aside, Senior Peerless doesn't care much for courtesies and is a very amiable man. Oh right, this here is his wife, Madame Yun."
It took a long time before Gu Xintang recovered from his daze and made a hasty bow. "The junior greets Senior Peerless and Madame Yun."
Emperor Peerless smiled calmly. "You are too kind. I am just a wandering cultivator, and I don't mind a lack of pleasantries."
"Brother Gu, this here is young master Shao and young master Long. They may look young, but they are both top rate geniuses. In the Upper Eight Regions, they are without a doubt the best geniuses you can find out there."
"They really are as young as you say. How impressive." Gu Xintang was shocked to find how profound Jiang Chen and Long Xiaoxuan's cultivation and bearing were despite their age.
"Brother Gu, you are a captain of Bleakmoon Hall at your prime age. Your future is just as boundless." Jiang Chen also sighed.
This wasn't undue flattery. Gu Xintang definitely deserved to be viewed as an important figure. Everyone introduced themselves to each other before Third Master Jing finally beckoned everyone to take a seat. After the drinks cycled through the table for a couple of rounds, Third Master Jing looked at Gu Xintang. "Brother Gu, I won't beat around the bush anymore. Today, I have a very serious question I'll like to ask you."
Gu Xintang looked slightly surprised. "Please speak, Third Master."
"Do you still remember when the Heavensfall Society escorted a man to the Moon God Sect? Were you in charge that day?"
Gu Xintang's forehead wrinkled when he heard this. "I remember. The man had been captured by Heavensfall Society for inquiring about a taboo. I am the one on duty and took charge of his custody that day."
"Where is he now?" Third Master Jing asked in a low tone.
Gu Xintang looked surprised. "Where? I don't know. I ordered my subordinates to throw him into the Sable Cells of the sect."
"What?" Third Master Jing's complexion turned deathly pale. The Sable Cells were an exceedingly terrifying place...