Chapter 503: The Conflict Begins
Chapter 503: The Conflict Begins!
The white spots marring the ink bamboo began to recede as the gray mist dissipated, leaving its surface coated in a warm, jade-like luster.
Seeing this, Qing Xuan reached out and pinched the stalk. A crisp crack echoed through the air. A faint fissure appeared on the bamboo, and soon, a pale green liquid seeped from within. It exuded the crisp, unique fragrance of fresh bamboo, brimming with mystical vitality.
Jiang Chen observed this and thought to himself, He wasn’t boasting. Everything within this painting is real. I wonder how vast the spatial realm inside truly is. From what I can sense, it is undoubtedly a high-grade Magical Artifact.
Qing Xuan nodded slightly. “The affliction upon the ink bamboo has indeed been resolved. It seems Brother Jiang’s method is quite effective.”
The moment he released his grip, the faint fissure rapidly healed. It looked perfectly whole, as if the damage had been nothing more than an illusion.
Jiang Chen smiled. “It is good that it works, but we must continue. The fan’s condition cannot be completely purged in a short time.”
Qing Xuan gave a light nod. “I understand. From now on, I will follow your lead.”
Jiang Chen glanced at the sky, then retrieved an item from his Square Inch Ring. Handing it over, he said, “Next is clearing the qi channels. Take this back, and at the hour of Zi, place it by the window. Once it brims with moonlight essence, channel it into the fan.”
Qing Xuan accepted the item and examined it carefully. “This… appears to be a fine strip woven from green bamboo?”Jiang Chen offered a thumbs-up and praised, “Good eye.”
Qing Xuan was momentarily stunned, then laughed with a mix of amusement and exasperation. “If I could not even recognize green bamboo, I might as well return to secluded cultivation for a few more years.”
Jiang Chen breathed a sigh of relief. “First the Three Purifications, then the Three Nourishments. Today’s tasks are complete.”
Upon hearing this, Qing Xuan stowed the folding fan away, yet he made no move to leave.
The two sat in the pavilion, resting beside a poplar tree that emanated faint wood-attribute Spirit Qi.
On the other side lay a small bridge over flowing water, the gentle current murmuring against the stones.
“This journey into the mortal world has broadened my horizons considerably!”
“Oh? I rarely venture out. Brother Qing, do tell!”
“Take Southern Heaven City, for example. Though nominally ruled by the mortal imperial dynasty, it is entirely controlled by Cultivation forces in the shadows…”
The two drank spiritual wine and conversed freely.
Qing Xuan recounted his recent experiences with an engaging, worldly flair.
Jiang Chen listened intently, occasionally offering a gasp of “amazement,” appearing completely captivated by the tales.
A full hour passed. Seeing the sky darken, Qing Xuan finally rose to take his leave.
Jiang Chen personally escorted him out of Red Leaf Valley. Upon returning, he headed straight for the second-floor bedroom.
Ruo Qunshuang leaned against the headboard and teased, “I thought you two were going to talk until dawn.”
Jiang Chen pinched her smooth cheek. “He is quite an interesting fellow. I figure having one more friend is better than making another enemy.”
Ruo Qunshuang pouted and gave a soft hmph. “I have a duel tomorrow, you know.”
Jiang Chen chuckled. “Then you will have to get past me first.”
Within the tranquil atmosphere of the room, indescribable sounds soon began to echo.
Downstairs, Da Huang and Wang Zai initially just covered their ears with numb expressions. Eventually, unable to sleep through the noise, the two hounds could only find a hole to burrow into.
…
…
In the days that followed, life settled into a familiar rhythm.
Patrolling the Spirit Farm.
Guiding visitors around the valley.
Resolving Qing Xuan’s troubles with the fan.
And occasionally watching their own people compete on the dueling platforms.
Because of his unorthodox methods, Jin Fugui found himself deliberately targeted by many opponents.
Although he could occasionally secure a victory, he ultimately lacked the honed instincts of a true combatant.
Thus, after winning his first few matches, he suffered a consecutive string of defeats, bringing his points dangerously close to zero.
In contrast, Tie Zhu advanced steadily. He won some and lost some, maintaining a solid standing without any major issues.
As for Ruo Qunshuang, despite her lack of life-and-death combat experience, her arsenal of high-grade Spirit Weapons and talismans left even the most formidable opponents helpless. She had yet to lose a single match.
Then, one day, the inevitable happened. Someone died.
The killer was a disciple of the Cloud Sea Sect, and the victim was a disciple of an ordinary Cultivation Sect.
It was not an isolated incident. Several such deaths occurred within a single day.
“The disciples of the great sects simply do not care whether we live or die!”
“Is this not blatant bullying?”
“Do they think they can act with impunity just because they belong to a great sect?”
The originally harmonious atmosphere of the gathering was shattered in an instant.
The friction between the great sects and the ordinary Cultivation Sects grew increasingly intense.
Regardless of which side they stood on, the combatants began fighting with genuine killing intent. The dueling platforms became increasingly uncontrollable.
Jiang Chen looked at the corpse lying amidst the crowd, then glanced at the “perpetrators” standing on the other side. He recognized several familiar faces.
Beside him, Miao Huayu whispered, “That… that guy seems to be from the Spiritual Harvest Society?”
Jiang Chen raised an eyebrow, thinking to himself, They couldn’t sit still any longer, could they?
Although accidental deaths during duels were normal, several occurring in a single day-all involving disciples of the three great sects killing disciples of ordinary Cultivation Sects-reeked of coordination.
Anyone with half a mind could keenly sense the underlying current.
“Why did you kill him?”
“It was a mistake! My hand slipped!”
“Why should we, disciples of the great sects, care about the lives of trash from ordinary Cultivation Sects?”
What started as a furious inquiry was quickly met with instigators fanning the flames and hurling sarcastic remarks from the sidelines.
Their words carried a haughty disdain, completely disregarding anyone outside the three great sects.
That single arrogant remark enraged the surrounding crowd. In the blink of an eye, the two sides became as hostile as fire and water.
Some even threatened that if the great sects did not provide an explanation and severely punish the perpetrators, they would retaliate in kind upon the dueling platforms.
Seeing the situation spiraling out of control, Jiang Chen quickly led Ruo Qunshuang, Miao Huayu, and the others away from the scene. He had no desire to wade into these muddy waters.
Everyone’s mood was heavy. People had died-several of them, and the blood had barely dried.
Ruo Qunshuang could not help but say, “I still have a duel today.”
Jiang Chen reminded her, “Then you must be careful. If you encounter disciples of the three great sects, it will be fine. But if you meet disciples from the ordinary Cultivation Sects, I am afraid…”
Although he did not finish his sentence, everyone present, including Ruo Qunshuang, understood his meaning perfectly.
Under the current circumstances, the disciples of the three great sects had already become mortal enemies in the eyes of the ordinary Cultivation Sects.
They might have shown restraint before, but now, they would absolutely strike to kill.
Ruo Qunshuang still could not understand. “How could things escalate to murder so quickly?”
Jiang Chen patted her shoulder, then cast a meaningful glance at Miao Huayu and the others. “It is normal for people to die in a duel. What is abnormal is that several died at once, and all of the victims were disciples of ordinary Cultivation Sects.”
Miao Huayu seemed to realize something. “Senior Brother, do you think there is a conspiracy at play?”
Jiang Chen quickly waved his hand. “I did not say that. You did.”
Miao Huayu was taken aback. “Uh.”
Xu Linshan and the others nearby could not hold back their quiet laughter.
At that moment, Jiang Chen sensed a gaze fixed upon him from the shadows. Following his intuition, he glanced sideways and spotted Ji Mingxuan, whom he had not seen in quite some time.
The man stood perfectly still, quietly watching him without making a single movement.
Seeing this, Jiang Chen directly sent a voice transmission. “Do you have something to say to me?”
Ji Mingxuan’s voice echoed back, carrying a grim warning. “Be careful. What comes next will…”