There are three Upper Domain cultivators in front of him. Each dressed differently, and their cultivation obscured their facial features, making them look indistinct.

It was clear without guessing that these people also feared the Jiang family, hence their concealment.

The situation was troublesome but not hopeless.

Although there was a chasm between the Heavenly Origin realm and the upper four realms, Jiang Chen possessed a treasure capable of crossing this chasm.

The three cultivators did not waste words and immediately took action.

At the critical moment, Jiang Chen gently touched his spirit ring, and an ancient imperial bell appeared once again.

This object was good for both offense and defense, but with his cultivation, he could only use it for defense.

Hidden within the bell, the attacks of the three cultivators struck the bell’s surface, causing it to tremble slightly.

“Boom!”

The sound of the bell resonated, vibrating the air around.

The sound waves emanated from the bell’s walls, reflecting back onto the three cultivators.

“Pfft!”

The next second, all three cultivators clutched their chests and spat out a mouthful of blood!

“Is this a superior-grade spiritual instrument? To possess such a treasure, worthy of being the young master of the Jiang Family!” one of the cultivators exclaimed in disbelief.

Their vision was limited. They had no idea that this ancient imperial bell was an ancient artifact.

Regardless, it was hard not to be tempted with such a treasure before them.

The three cultivators could tell at a glance that with Jiang Chen’s cultivation level, he could only use it for defense, and even then, not for long.

After exchanging glances, they spread out to surround Jiang Chen.

They did not attack again but quietly probed for changes in Jiang Chen’s breath.

Only when Jiang Chen’s breath began to weaken would they launch another probing attack.

Though they were still injured by the bell’s sound waves, the damage they sustained became lighter each time!

Clearly, Jiang Chen’s vital energy was gradually depleting!

Finally, the vital energy controlling the bell dissipated, and the golden patterns on the bell’s surface dimmed.

“Now’s the time!” shouted one of the slightly plumper cultivators.

Upon hearing this, the three cultivators mustered all their strength and attacked simultaneously!

But at that moment, a terrifying aura came from the direction of the Hengduan Mountain Range.

The aura surged like waves.

Under the influence of this aura, the once light air became extremely heavy, like Mount Tai pressing down, smashing directly toward the three cultivators.

The cultivators were shocked and conjured up a visible spiritual force as a shield.

But the next second.

“It’s Nirvana realm!!”

The three cultivators screamed in unison, crushed into dust by the overwhelming aura.

Sensing the change in the situation, Jiang Chen retracted the imperial bell.

At this moment, he was pale, his vital energy depleted, and even standing was extremely difficult.

“Thank you, senior.”

Jiang Chen bowed in the direction of the Hengduan Mountain Range.

He was very clear.

The only person who could help him from such a distance was the old woman from the Youhu clan.

“No need to thank me, I did it for my granddaughter,” the old woman’s voice transmitted.

“Since you’re wearing the attire of the Jiuyan Sect, you must be one of them. Your companions have arrived, so there’s no need to panic.”

Companions?

Jiang Chen frowned, sensing a bad premonition.

Sure enough, just as his internal injuries erupted and he was about to lose consciousness,he saw a familiar adversary.

Lin Feng!

……

After an unknown amount of time, Jiang Chen woke from his unconscious state.

Looking around, he found himself back at the Jiuyan Sect.

After checking his spirit ring, his expression turned grim.

“Gone…”

Not only the recently acquired Dao root of the Enlightenment Tree, but also the spirit stones and other valuable items in his spirit ring were all missing.

If it weren’t for the ancient imperial bell being bound to his blood, perhaps Lin Feng would have taken that too.

Jiang Chen had always known that Lin Feng, this Son of Destiny, liked to tamper with the contents of others’ spirit rings.

The fact that he managed to break the seal on his spirit ring without a doubt meant the help of Old Man Tianji!

Only Old Man Tianji could have done it!

Dragging his weary body, Jiang Chen left his residence.

He went to the sect’s prison.

Outside the prison, he saw Mu Kui and also Lin Feng.

Lin Feng was surrounded by a throng of Junior Brothers and Junior Sisters, basking in their praise and admiration.

Mu Kui scratched the back of his head, silent, but his expression showed he was equally grateful.

Jiang Chen shook his head helplessly and staggered away.

His figure was lonely and resigned.

Lin Feng saw him and smiled subtly.

Jiang Lianyue and Lin Mubai also saw him but quickly averted their gaze.

Qingning watched Jiang Chen’s retreating figure, wanting to say something but ultimately only letting out a long, deep sigh.

Only Mu Kui spoke up.

But what he said was…

“Eldest Senior Brother, both our lives were saved by Junior Brother Lin. We must remember this in our hearts.”

“If you want to remember, then you remember,” Jiang Chen waved his hand and walked away quickly.

Afterward, Lin Feng’s selflessness became deeply ingrained in people’s hearts.

And he, the Ninth Peak’s Eldest Senior Brother, became known as an ungrateful person, indifferent to his Junior Brother.

Not long after, Jiang Chen finally understood what had happened that day.

He had been ambushed by three Upper Fourth Realm cultivators, and the commotion had attracted not only Lin Feng but also many other cultivators looking to take advantage of the situation.

Lin Feng fought alone against that group of cultivators and emerged victorious.

Perhaps to showcase his selflessness, Lin Feng even took the initiative to send Jiang Chen back to the sect.

That was how the items in Jiang Chen’s spirit ring were stolen.

Since then, even the usually dull and honest Mu Kui began to hold Lin Feng in high regard.

Although this fondness was strange, it was strange enough that Mu Kui wouldn’t get as close to Lin Feng as others did, nor would he speak ill of Jiang Chen. Still, his fondness for Lin Feng was higher than for Jiang Chen, the villainous Eldest Senior Brother.

One day, Jiang Chen was punished to face the wall again.

On a rare occurrence, Mu Kui came to visit while bringing two jars of clear wine.

The two sat in front of the wall of reflection, both silent.

“Why have you come?” Jiang Chen finally asked.

His voice was soft and deep, tired yet filled with bitterness.

“I need to leave the sect to gain experience and won’t be back for a while. That’s why I’ve come to have a drink with Eldest Senior Brother,” Mu Kui replied.

“Why me?” Jiang Chen was puzzled.

“Why not Lin Feng or Lin Mubai? Wouldn’t they be good choices?”

“I don’t know the reason either.”

After gulping down a few mouthfuls of spiritual wine, Mu Kui’s face became slightly flushed as he said, “For some reason, it’s only when I drink with Eldest Senior Brother that I feel at ease.”

Jiang Chen nodded and said no more.

The brothers continued to drink together, neither breaking the silence.

During this time, Xiao Hongyi arrived.

She saw Jiang Chen, who was supposed to be punished, now drinking instead.

She wanted to scold him, but for some reason, she held her tongue and instead took out a jug of spiritual wine to drink alone.

Soon after, Qingning arrived riding Xiaobai.

Qingning, who clearly didn’t drink, insisted on snatching the wine jug from Jiang Chen’s hand and poured it into her mouth non-stop, her face turning red from the spicy liquor.

Xiaobai also had a little taste and then collapsed in front of the stele, tongue out and paws in the air.

They drank until the early hours of the next morning.

It was eerie yet somewhat warm.

The eeriness lay in the fact that despite so many people drinking, not a single one spoke.

The warmth was in the fact that it had been a long time since Jiang Chen had his junior brothers and sisters gathered around him.

As dawn broke, Jiang Chen stared blankly at the stele with a face full of drunkenness.

Qingning, completely drunk and unconscious, lay fast asleep on Jiang Chen’s legs as if she had returned to her childhood.

Xiao Hongyi left with a red face and a sigh.

Only Mu Kui was still somewhat sober.

“Eldest Senior Brother, I’m leaving,” he said with a bow.

No matter how notorious Jiang Chen was, he never failed to show respect, because that was his Eldest Senior Brother.

Whether this Eldest Senior Brother was good or evil.

“Fourth Junior Brother, take care,” Jiang Chen managed to say with a forced smile.

“If anything happens, you can come back to the sect to find me.”

Mu Kui nodded and left.

After a few steps, he turned back and said, “Eldest Senior Brother, take care of yourself too.”

“…”


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