Chapter 180 : Dumb Loss
Chapter 180: Dumb Loss
“Turns out he is the Seventh Young Master of the Jiang Family. No wonder he harbors such deep hatred for Chen Ming.”
Fang’er heard the man at the neighboring table and smelled gossip in the air. Curiosity itched in her heart, and she quickly asked, “This big brother, does this Jiang Shihua have a grudge against Chen Ming?”
“More than just a grudge! It was a stolen marriage...”
Just one “big brother” made the man overjoyed, and he eagerly recounted the feud between the two.
At this moment, a beautiful maid walked in from outside and approached Zhuang Xiaotian. “Young Master Zhuang, how is your injury? Is it not serious?”
Zhuang Xiaotian had been helped up by a few subordinates. Upon hearing this, he shook off their hands and said, “I’m fine. That fellow surnamed Jiang wouldn't dare actually hurt me.”
Though Jiang Shihua spoke fiercely, his actions were measured. His main aim was to save face, not to truly injure him seriously. That would be hard to clean up.
Of course, that final sword—he was genuinely enraged and went for the kill. If not for the people outside intervening, Zhuang Xiaotian would have been gravely wounded, if not dead.
The beautiful maid said, “That’s good. My young master is right outside. It’s inconvenient for him to enter at the moment.”
“Brother Chen really came?”
Zhuang Xiaotian’s face lit up with joy. He had just heard something that sounded like Chen Ming’s voice, but hadn’t dared to confirm it.
The beautiful maid said, “Yes.”
Zhuang Xiaotian brushed the dust off his body as he walked outside.
“Brother Chen, it really is you!” At this moment, Jiang Yingxue, seeing that Jiang Shihua was unharmed, threw him aside and ran out the main gate.
Jiang Shihua’s injuries had not been severe, but upon witnessing this scene, he was so furious he spat a mouthful of old blood and fainted on the spot.
...
The people in the inn immediately began whispering among themselves.
“How is that possible? From Ninth Grade to Fifth Grade in just four years?”
Fang’er, hearing halfway through, suddenly exclaimed in disbelief.
The man laughed heartily and said, “It’s natural for you not to believe, miss. I didn’t believe it at first either. But whether true or not, he dominated the Azure Cloud Ranking battle and secured sixth place. That part is certainly not false.”
Fang’er didn’t dwell on the matter any longer and praised, “That Miss Zhao truly had a discerning eye. She chose Chen Erlang before he rose to fame. In the end, she proved her judgment right.”
It had to be said—her perspective was indeed unique.
The man sighed, “Unfortunately, that Miss Zhao’s master forcibly separated the pair and grounded her at home, all because he offended the Qin Family.”
“The Qin Family?”
Fang’er’s eyes gleamed. Among all she knew of Jiangzhou, the Qin Family and Jin Yutang were among the few notable names.
The man said, “Exactly. That Qin Changyuan is truly detestable. Just because Chen Ming caught the attention of Tianxiang Tower’s courtesan, he grew jealous and declared he would trouble Chen Ming. Honestly, isn’t it just because he has no sect or backers, and is easy to bully?”
Fang’er grew suspicious. “Could this Chen Ming be some lecher who flirts everywhere?”
The man laughed. “They say Chen Ming is incomparably handsome. With a man like that, women are bound to be drawn to him. Can you blame him?”
Fang’er scoffed at that and didn’t wish to speak further.
...
Meanwhile, after exiting the inn, Zhuang Xiaotian saw a luxurious carriage.
Chen Ming’s voice came from inside the carriage. “Brother Zhuang, come aboard. Let’s talk inside.”
The beautiful maid pulled open the carriage door.
Zhuang Xiaotian felt a bit confused. The Chen Ming he knew was always humble and never put on airs—but upon entering the carriage and seeing the scene inside, he couldn’t help being stunned.
Chen Ming was seated at the center of the carriage, with one hand supporting a woman’s back. Both women wore veils, hiding their faces.
“Brother Chen, you are—”
Zhuang Xiaotian was dumbfounded.
“This matter is a long story.”
Chen Ming shook his head without elaborating and simply said, “It seems you’ve been promoted. Congratulations.”
Zhuang Xiaotian, seeing he didn’t wish to talk more, didn’t pry. “I have you to thank. After your name appeared on the Azure Cloud Ranking, Lord Du summoned me, chatted about everyday matters, and the next day I was promoted to Seventh Grade Patrol Envoy.”
“That’s because your cultivation was up to par. If you hadn’t broken through to Seventh Grade, even if Lord Du wanted to promote you, he couldn’t.”
Seeing Chen Ming’s sincerity, Zhuang Xiaotian felt deeply moved.
Clearly it was Chen Ming who helped him, yet he never took credit. He was nothing like the high-ranking figures Zhuang had encountered before. Those people from the Six Doors Authority—let alone promoting someone—treated even a few extra words like a huge favor.
He said, “I haven’t congratulated you yet—for taking sixth on the Azure Cloud Ranking. You don’t know what a stir it caused in the city. Big Brother was so excited he almost fainted, and kept shouting that once you returned, he’d renovate the ancestral tomb.”
Chen Ming smiled. That truly sounded like Big Brother. This time he had indeed brought honor to the family, and the first thing his brother thought of was renovating the ancestral tomb.
He asked, “I’ve been away for a few months. Is everything well at home?”
“All is well. Oh, Big Brother bought a new residence—ten times larger than the old one—right near the Inspector’s Residence.”
“That’s good.”
“Even the Inspector himself visited your home personally and gifted a plaque inscribed with ‘Soaring High on the Azure Cloud.’ It was written by the Inspector himself. With that plaque, no one would dare offend your family again.”
Chen Ming nodded. “My brother mentioned that in his letter.”
He then asked about a few acquaintances, including Zhang Mingyu and others.
At last, Zhuang Xiaotian lowered his voice suddenly. “Have you heard that rumor?”
“The False Tomb of Eternal Life?”
Zhuang Xiaotian, seeing that he indeed knew, spoke gravely. “Recently, a large number of martial artists have flooded into Qingfeng City from all over. Even two Third Grade Experts have shown up. If this continues, something big might happen.”
Chen Ming nodded. He had already anticipated such a development—hence his urgency in returning to Qingfeng City.
“What brings you here?”
This place was still about fifty li from Qingfeng City.
Zhuang Xiaotian said, “I was sent to investigate a murder case.”
Chen Ming asked curiously, “At a time like this, even if there’s a murder, isn’t it just a martial feud? Is it worth dispatching so many people?”
“The deceased was someone from the authorities.”
“Who was it?”
“Have you heard of the Princess Mingyu?”
...
When Jiang Shihua woke up, he found himself in a carriage. His sister Jiang Yinghua sat beside him with a gloomy face. His facial muscles twitched, and he angrily asked, “Uncle Fu, why didn’t you act just now?”
After a while, Uncle Fu’s voice came. “The other side... had a First Grade.”
What?
Jiang Shihua could hardly believe it. “How could he have a First Grade Expert by his side?”
“If this old man didn’t misjudge, it was that old ghost from Cangyue Sect. Didn’t think he was still alive...”
Cangyue Sect?
How could that bastard be connected with Cangyue Sect?
Jiang Shihua had been away from Jiangzhou City for some time. News about Chen Ming and Yu Haitang hadn’t reached here yet.
He knew well—this dumb loss could only be swallowed.
“You just wait!”
He fumed in his heart.
...
“Your friend has impure intentions.”
After Zhuang Xiaotian left, Yu Haitang suddenly said, “Earlier, he righteously confronted Jiang Shihua to uphold justice for you only because he knew Jiang Shihua couldn’t kill him.”
The greater the family, the bigger the sect, the less likely they would dare harm someone from the Six Doors Authority. Killing was out of the question—even crippling someone would hand over a massive handle.
Chen Ming said, “That’s just human nature.”
“Aren’t you afraid of keeping someone like him around becoming a disaster later?”
“Miss, your way of handling subordinates, I admire. But I’m different. I’ve always walked alone. I don’t need fiercely loyal subordinates, nor do I seek life-and-death sworn brothers. If we get along, we’re friends. If one day fate ends, then so be it.”
Yu Haitang was silent for a moment before saying, “Listening to you talk, you don’t sound like a young man—more like a weary elder in his seventies or eighties.”
Chen Ming smiled. “I’ll take that as a compliment from you.”
Yu Haitang teased, “Then what about this lady? That day, you’d rather die than abandon her, and wanted to become a pair of doomed lovers.”
It was her first time mentioning Su Zhi Ning.
All this while, she had acted as if Su Zhi Ning didn’t exist, never asking or speaking.
Su Zhi Ning was the same—since arriving, she hadn’t spoken a word.
Chen Ming said calmly, “Because I knew that even if I tried to flee alone, I wouldn’t escape. I just wanted to say something heroic to stir Elder Sun’s compassion. But unexpectedly, he remained unmoved.”
Yu Haitang said softly, “How do you know he was unmoved?”
“What do you mean by that, miss?”
“Who do you think told my aunt that you could save me?”
Chen Ming was stunned.
So it was Elder Sun who informed Madam Yu, leading her to rescue him.
He asked in a low voice, “Who exactly is Elder Sun? Why do you hold him in such regard?”
“Why should I tell you?”
“Come on, tell me.”
“Unless... you tell me why your Gang Qi is so dense?”
This was already the fifth day since they left Jiangzhou City.
Chen Ming alone protected both her and that female disciple from the Heaven’s Path Alliance, maintaining their heart pulses with seemingly inexhaustible Gang Qi. It was truly unbelievable.
Chen Ming said, “Of course it’s due to the Jade Dragon Pill Madam Yu gave me.”
Yu Haitang snorted, “If you don’t want to say, then forget it.”
She knew exactly how effective the Jade Dragon Pill was—it was impossible to achieve such results.
So clearly, he had secrets.
One day, she would dig them all out.
Chen Ming changed the subject. “Right, who exactly is this Princess Mingyu?”
At that moment, Qiuxiang beside them said, “Reporting to Young Master, when the Sea-Calming King died mysteriously back then, his wife and children were all killed. To prevent his bloodline from being extinguished, the former emperor adopted a son and daughter from the royal clan and granted them inheritance—this generation’s Sea-Calming King and Princess Mingyu. But they’ve always lived in the capital and have never been to Jiangzhou.”
Chen Ming was astonished. “Then her coming to Jiangzhou—could it be related to the False Tomb of Eternal Life?”