Twisting Your Ankle While Cultivating at Night Is Indeed Your Honor
Twisting Your Ankle While Cultivating at Night Is Indeed Your Honor
Xiao Ruoyin knew a thing or two about this Divine Rock Conference. Practically every force and Daoist tradition in the Beyond would participate, making it an event of extraordinary significance.
At a time like this, the esteemed and vital status of Source Masters became plainly evident. Every force and tradition was racking their brains trying to recruit Source Masters of remarkable skill.
This time, at the Alliance of Thousand Merchants’ Stone-Gambling Stall, that mysterious man had put on a dazzling display that shook all of Kunwu City.
Many believed he was a Divine Source Master of mysterious origins, or perhaps the successor of one.
So everyone was scheming to recruit him.
However, his temperament was rather eccentric and peculiar. Nearly every force and tradition that extended an olive branch was turned away at the door, given the cold shoulder without even catching a glimpse of him.
Yet at this critical juncture, none of the various forces dared resort to forceful measures. They had to mind his mood and act accordingly.
That said, Xiao Ruoyin recalled how, back at the Stone-Gambling Stall, that young man had intended to gift her the Blood King Ginseng of his own accord.
If she took the initiative to visit him, that mysterious man might very well agree to meet her.
Then she could bring up Gu Changge’s interest in recruiting him.
In the vast Beyond of today, who would turn a blind eye to a recruitment offer from Gu Changge?
“Are you certain you can help me?”
Gu Changge wore an intrigued expression, seemingly a bit surprised.
In truth, this had been his plan from the very start when he came to find Xiao Ruoyin.
Still, it depended on what attitude Jiang Chen currently held toward Xiao Ruoyin.
“I can help Young Master Gu.”
Xiao Ruoyin nodded and assured him, “Though I’ll still have to give it a try.”
Before making contact with that mysterious man, she couldn’t be certain of his attitude either.
“Then I’ll await your good news.”
Gu Changge’s lips carried a faint smile as he spoke. He then discussed a few more matters with Xiao Ruoyin before departing.
He would have liked to witness firsthand the beginning of the falling-out between Xiao Ruoyin and Jiang Chen, but he had other matters to attend to, so he let it go.
After seeing Gu Changge off, Xiao Ruoyin didn’t delay for long either.
She understood that for matters like this, one had to strike first—otherwise, that mysterious man might be recruited by someone else.
So despite feeling somewhat unwell, she quickly tidied herself up and, bringing along the same few fellow disciples from before, set out to find the mysterious man from yesterday.
“Jiang Chen, flaunting your identity so brazenly—aren’t you afraid of being exposed?”
At that moment, in a courtyard on the eastern side of Kunwu City.
A woman in a pale yellow dress stood with her arms crossed, her breathtakingly beautiful face carrying a trace of puzzlement.
The courtyard wasn’t large. In the Kunwu City of today, it counted as little more than a remote, out-of-the-way corner.
Yet this was where the mysterious Source Master who had shaken the entire city these past few days resided.
Jiang Chen examined the piece of purple Spirit Gold he had cut out. To Ji Chuyue’s words, he merely replied in a lukewarm tone, “Afraid of what? Besides you, who knows who I am right now?”
At present, aside from Ji Chuyue, only his old acquaintance Monk Pu Du knew his true identity.
Jiang Chen still trusted Ji Chuyue quite a bit.
Although back at the Purple Mountains, she and her brother Ji Yaoxing had played him for a fool, Jiang Chen ultimately chose to forgive Ji Chuyue. He understood she had been forced into it at the time—intimidated by Gu Changge, she had no choice but to cast him aside as a disposable pawn.
Later, he ran into Ji Chuyue by chance at an auction house, and with her special innate gift, she recognized him at a glance.
There, Jiang Chen won the bid on something valuable, but unfortunately drew unwanted attention and nearly lost his life.
Fortunately, Ji Chuyue intervened in the end and saved him.
Through this back-and-forth, the two gradually grew familiar with each other. This time, the fact that Ji Chuyue was able to receive the summons from her Prime Ancestor Ji Shengchu near Kun Mountain was also largely thanks to Jiang Chen.
“I actually came to tell you that I probably won’t be associating with you anymore.”
“My brother has already taken notice of you.”
Ji Chuyue said kindly.
Jiang Chen froze. Seeing that Ji Chuyue didn’t appear to be joking, his expression couldn’t help but turn grave. “When did this happen?”
He didn’t doubt Ji Chuyue’s good intentions—he just wondered how Ji Yaoxing had noticed him.
“I don’t know either. When Gu Changge came to my Ji Family this time, my brother warned me about it,” Ji Chuyue said, shaking her head.
She and Jiang Chen shared a decent friendship, and she didn’t want to see him lose his life over something like this.
“I understand. I’ll be careful from now on.” Jiang Chen nodded, inwardly taking this very seriously.
Ji Yaoxing struck him as someone far less upright than he appeared on the surface.
He had also heard about Gu Changge’s plan to help the Ji Family rescue their Prime Ancestor this time.
So if Gu Changge ever tried to track down his whereabouts, Ji Yaoxing would very likely inform him.
“In that case, I really was careless. This is somewhat dangerous.”
Jiang Chen’s brows furrowed tightly. He had originally believed his Transformation Technique to be flawless.
He never expected Ji Yaoxing to have long since learned of his whereabouts.
After informing Jiang Chen of this, Ji Chuyue quietly slipped away without lingering.
“The Ji Family’s little princess treats Benefactor Jiang quite well, actually coming to warn you of such a thing of her own accord.”
After Ji Chuyue left, Monk Pu Du emerged from the other side and couldn’t help but chuckle.
Jiang Chen shot him an exasperated look. “You do realize that if my identity gets exposed, it won’t be good news for you either.”
“So what do we do now? Leave Kunwu City?”
Monk Pu Du shook his head and pressed his palms together. “With the Ji Family about to storm Kun Mountain, and a Divine Rock Conference this grand—a once-in-a-million-years event—would Benefactor Jiang truly be content to just leave like this?”
Jiang Chen gave a bitter smile. “Of course I wouldn’t be content.”
And there was something else he hadn’t said.
He had yet to warn Xiao Ruoyin to be wary of Gu Changge. How could he leave at ease just like this?
Even if he were to leave, he had to find a way to take Xiao Ruoyin with him.
Just then, a knock suddenly sounded from outside the courtyard.
“At this hour, who could be coming to visit?”
Monk Pu Du gazed toward the courtyard entrance with interest. He had laid down formations here to prevent other experts from spying on them.
“These forces are always like this, endlessly pestering...”
“I already told them I have no interest in their recruitment.” Jiang Chen frowned, quite displeased. He instinctively assumed it was yet another force trying to recruit him.
“Is the young master from the Stone-Gambling Stall in?”
But just as Jiang Chen was about to ignore the people outside and leave them hanging, a familiar voice drifted in.
His entire body jolted. He shot straight up from the stone bench, his face flooding with ecstatic joy.
“Ruoyin... that’s her voice.”
“Could the person outside the courtyard be her?”
Jiang Chen headed toward the courtyard gate without the slightest hesitation, intending to open it.
Seeing this, Monk Pu Du tactfully took his leave, having no intention of intruding.
He could tell that Jiang Chen and Xiao Ruoyin were likely old acquaintances.
Since Xiao Ruoyin had come seeking him out of her own initiative, what followed should be a reunion scene between the two of them. An outsider like him had no part in it.
Outside the courtyard, Xiao Ruoyin stood dressed in white, her dark hair cascading like a waterfall, lustrous enough to reflect light. She appeared ethereally cold and otherworldly, exuding an air untouched by mortal dust.
Behind her stood the few fellow disciples Jiang Chen had seen at the Stone-Gambling Stall before.
“Miss... is there something you need?”
Jiang Chen suppressed the excitement in his heart and asked with a perfectly measured smile on his face.
With outsiders present, he had no intention of revealing his true appearance and laying everything bare to Xiao Ruoyin.
But since Xiao Ruoyin had come looking for him today of her own accord, this was his opportunity.
“I’ve come to find you, young master, because there’s actually a matter I wish to discuss with you.”
Xiao Ruoyin hadn’t expected this eccentric, mysterious man to actually agree to see her.
A polite smile couldn’t help but surface on her face as she prepared to explain her purpose.
“Oh, so there’s a matter to discuss.”
“If Miss doesn’t mind, why not come inside and talk?”
Jiang Chen said with a slight smile, extending his hand in a gesture of invitation.
Xiao Ruoyin wasn’t worried that Jiang Chen might have any ulterior motives.
In the vast Kunwu City of today, powerful experts were everywhere. The slightest commotion here would quickly draw crowds of people.
Soon, Xiao Ruoyin and her companions followed Jiang Chen into the courtyard.
On the stone table in the middle sat tea that had yet to go cold, clearly indicating someone had been here just moments ago.
Xiao Ruoyin glanced at it but didn’t ask.
“People from other traditions were here just now, discussing some matters with me.”
Noticing her glance, Jiang Chen explained with a smile.
Since parting with Xiao Yinyin aboard the Ancient Battleship of the Immortal Ancient clans last time, this was the closest he had ever been to her.
However, Jiang Chen soon frowned. Being observant, he noticed that Xiao Ruoyin’s gait seemed a bit off—something looked strange about it.
“Miss, are you feeling unwell?” he asked with concern.
“Last night while cultivating, I accidentally twisted my ankle.”
Xiao Ruoyin’s expression turned slightly unnatural, but she offered a casual explanation anyway.
“Twisted your ankle? Is it serious?”
Jiang Chen didn’t overthink it. He just felt Xiao Ruoyin had been far too careless—a Cultivator actually twisting her ankle?
Though it sounded somewhat absurd, different cultivation methods could indeed lead to such situations. Sitting cross-legged for too long could cause blood and qi to stagnate and clot around the ankle.
If one stood up carelessly at such a moment, twisting an ankle was indeed possible.
“It’s not serious. It’ll heal before long.”
Xiao Ruoyin waved her hand dismissively, feeling that this mysterious Source Master before her seemed a bit overly concerned about her.
“As long as it’s not serious.” Jiang Chen nodded, then invited Xiao Ruoyin and the others to sit before finally asking about the purpose of her visit.
Xiao Ruoyin didn’t waste words and laid out her purpose to Jiang Chen.
This included the current situation in Kunwu City and the Divine Rock Conference taking place in a few days.
Hearing these words, the expression on Jiang Chen’s face gradually stiffened from its initial smile, until it finally turned rather dark and ugly.
“You came to find me just so I’d serve Gu Changge and work for him?”
Jiang Chen suppressed his fury, his fists clenched so tight they creaked, his gaze locked firmly on Xiao Ruoyin.
Never in his wildest dreams had he imagined that Xiao Ruoyin would come looking for him for this reason.
It practically made his lungs explode with rage.
“You should know that in the Beyond of today, Young Master Gu’s power is unmatched. His reach extends to the heavens themselves—even True Daoists hold him in awe and reverence. I know you carry the legacy of a Divine Source Master and are proud and arrogant by nature, but being able to work for Young Master Gu is truly your honor.”
Xiao Ruoyin’s delicate brows furrowed slightly. She had no idea why Jiang Chen harbored such deep resentment toward Gu Changge.
Still, she chalked it up to his pride and arrogance, and couldn’t help but earnestly try to persuade him.