109: Chapter 109 Replacement

Chapter 110: Exchange (Bonus chapter for Jiang She!)

Baili Mountain ancestral home.

Jiang Xingshi quickly received a message.

The Sun Family brothers were detained, the Han Family was demanding accountability, and Luoxi Mouth was under attack.

They specifically demanded the Jiang Family Clan Chief to appear.

These few sentences, taken together, felt like a hand reaching through the paper to choke him.

Jiang Xingshi slowly stood up.

Liu Zhaozhi said from the side, "Husband, you cannot go."

Jiang Xingshi did not speak.

He, of course, knew he could not go.

He had only just begun to take in Qi and enter the Dao.

If he went down the mountain, not only would he fail to save anyone, but he would also become a burden to everyone at Luoxi Mouth.

But Sun Jingan and Sun Jingcheng were members of the Sun Family.

The Sun Family was a core vassal clan of the Jiang Family.

No matter how unruly, gossipy, or frivolous they were on ordinary days, when it came to a moment like this, if the Jiang Family did not even show the intention to save them, the hearts of the vassal clans would be half-shattered.

Jiang Xingshi gripped the corner of the table, his thoughts in disarray.

Just then, a surge of Spiritual Qi suddenly came from the back courtyard of the ancestral home.

It was like spring water breaking through thin ice, finally revealing a new sound.

Jiang Xingshi suddenly looked up.

Outside the door, Jiang Yutao rushed in hurriedly, her voice filled with irrepressible joy.

"Brother, Uncle has come out of seclusion!"

Jiang Xingshi was stunned for a moment, then quickly walked toward the back courtyard.

Jiang Chengning stood in front of the closed stone chamber.

He was much thinner, with a few more strands of white hair at his temples, and his aura was a mix of old and new; it was clear he had only just broken into the Middle Stage of Qi Refining and had not yet truly stabilized.

Just by standing there, he immediately smoothed out the panic in Jiang Xingshi's heart.

Jiang Xingshi walked up to him and said, "Uncle—"

Jiang Chengning glanced at him, then looked at the message in his hand.

"Luoxi Mouth?"

Jiang Xingshi nodded and handed over the letter.

Jiang Chengning read it very quickly.

After reading it, he gently closed the letter, remained silent for a few breaths, and then said, "Xingshi, this trap today is aimed solely at you."

Jiang Xingshi lowered his eyes and did not answer.

He reached out and pressed his hand on Jiang Xingshi's shoulder.

"You are the new head of the Jiang Family, having just received Qi and entered the Dao. Everyone outside is now saying that you have obtained the main resources and Legacy of the Jiang Family and are the next pillar of the Jiang Family."

"Whether they believe it or not is not important."

"As long as they are willing to use this pretext to kill you, that is enough."

Jiang Xingshi's throat felt dry.

"Uncle, then what should I do?"

Jiang Chengning looked at him with a firm gaze.

"You stay on the mountain."

"If you go down the mountain, their net today will be tightened. No matter how many people die at Luoxi Mouth, it is all just to force you out of Baili Mountain."

"If you do not go down the mountain, their trap will lack the most crucial link."

Jiang Xingshi's eyes reddened.

"But the Sun Family over there—"

Jiang Chengning said, "I will go."

Jiang Xingshi looked up abruptly, wanting to say something but stopping.

Jiang Chengning's expression was calm.

"Although I have stepped down from the position of Clan Chief, in the eyes of outsiders, I am still the former head of the Jiang Family, your elder, and someone who can speak with the Clan Leader Han Jingchong."

He paused, his tone finally softening a little.

"Xingshi, your ability to handle affairs is now capable of being a Clan Chief, but what is a Clan Chief?"

"Is it just a mere dullard who handles various chores?"

"Do not be afraid, you are only sixteen; there is still plenty of time to think it over carefully."

Jiang Xingshi's lips moved, but he could not say a single word.

Jiang Chengning put the letter into his sleeve and walked out.

Jiang Xingshi stood in place, watching Jiang Chengning's back.

This time, it felt much more real.

At Luoxi Mouth, the rain fell more densely.

The stream water was murky yellow, and the surface was full of broken leaves and mud foam.

The array light shimmered faintly in the curtain of rain; Wen Zhibai was standing beside the Southern Array, his face somewhat pale.

Luo Qitang stood guard at the water mouth, the short blade in his hand dripping with water, his eyes staring fixedly at the Han Family group on the east bank.

Suddenly, a crisp sound of footsteps rang out in the rain.

It was Jiang Chengning who had arrived.

Seeing this, the Clan Leader Han Jingchong flashed a hint of surprise in his eyes.

Sun Changshui walked silently to Jiang Chengning's side, his face extremely ugly.

With two of the Sun Family's newly initiated juniors held hostage, he, the Clan Chief, was naturally like a heart on a frying pan.

But the more this was the case, the less he dared to speak rashly, for fear that one wrong word would force the Jiang Family to take risks for the Sun Family, and then later be used against them.

Jiang Chengning walked to his side and whispered, "I will lead the Jiang Family to handle this matter."

Sun Changshui nodded stiffly, as a response.

Jiang Chengning looked at Wen Zhibai again.

"How much longer can the Southern Array hold?"

Wen Zhibai said, "If Han Zhaoye does not use his sword again, it will be fine to withstand the offensive of the Han and Lu Familys for half an hour."

Jiang Chengning nodded.

"Luo Qitang, guard the water mouth; Shoushan, watch the front of the array; neither is allowed to attack proactively."

He issued several commands in succession, and the originally tense morale at Luoxi Mouth slowly stabilized.

The Clan Leader Han Jingchong looked over from across the array light and sneered, "Jiang Chengning, where is the new head of the Jiang Family?"

Jiang Chengning replied, "It has come to this point; if you want to fight, then fight; if you want to exchange people, then bring out the hostages; why waste so many words?"

The Clan Leader Han Jingchong narrowed his eyes.

"Fine, exchange people."

"My two Han Family disciples for those two Sun Family juniors."

"The location will be in the middle of the stream."

After he finished speaking, he cast a glance in the direction of the southern embankment.

Over there, a young man in a gray robe walked out, holding Sun Jingan and Sun Jingcheng.

Sun Jingan's face was deathly pale, and he was almost forced to shuffle forward by Sword Qi.

Sun Jingcheng walked more slowly, his right hand gripping tightly, and a grayish-white light faintly shone from under his sleeve.

Jiang Chengning took a look and recognized that the young man was the Lu Family Cultivator who had once participated in the battle and defeated Wen Zhibai, named Lu Zhaolin.

Then he turned his head and said, "Bring out those two from the Han Family."

Luo Qitang dragged the two injured Han Family Cultivators to the front of the array.

Both sides faced each other across the stream.

Han Zhaoye had not spoken the entire time.

His hand was pressed on the hilt of his sword, as if waiting for something.

Jiang Chengning said, "Release them at the same time."

The Clan Leader Han Jingchong nodded.

Thus, on both sides of the stream, the four people walked toward the middle together.

The two Han Family Cultivators had the Restrictions on their legs undone and stumbled toward the east bank.

Sun Jingan and Sun Jingcheng walked toward the Luoxi Mouth array.

The rain fell heavier and heavier.

The stream water submerged their ankles, rolling with mud and sand toward the downstream.

Sun Jingan walked in front, his eyes fixed on the Jiang Family group, as if he had seen a life-saving straw; he walked faster and faster, wishing he could immediately throw himself into the array.

But Sun Jingcheng stopped in the middle of the stream.

Sun Changshui's heart tightened.

"Jingcheng!"

Sun Jingcheng stopped in the middle of the stream.

The rain flowed down his forehead hair, across his brow bone, and hung on his eyelashes.

His right hand was tucked into his sleeve, his five fingers tensed one by one; the Sword Qi pellet in his palm pressed against his flesh, and the coldness drilled into his wrist veins inch by inch.

The stream water rushed past his feet.

Sun Jingan had already walked a few steps forward, and when he looked back and saw him standing still, he immediately shrieked, "What are you stunned for! Hurry up and walk!"

Sun Jingcheng's throat bobbed.

In that instant, it was as if he heard something chasing him from behind, pressing against his back, and an invisible hand slowly gripped his throat, pressing all the words he wanted to say back into his chest.

The color on his face faded bit by bit, and the corner of his mouth twitched uncontrollably, as if he wanted to laugh, or perhaps cry.

The rain fell on his face, and it was impossible to tell if it was water or something else.

He did not walk forward again, but slowly looked up at Jiang Chengning inside the array.

The young man in the gray robe stood by the southern embankment, and seemed to be stunned for a moment too.

Sun Jingcheng looked up at Jiang Chengning, his voice trembling, but the words he spat out were extremely clear.

"Elder Jiang, don't come over."

Sun Jingan looked back and cursed, "You're crazy! Hurry up and walk!"

Sun Jingcheng did not look at him, but stared fixedly at his own palm.

"I have a Sword Qi pellet in my hand."

As soon as these words were spoken, the faces of everyone at Luoxi Mouth changed.

Sun Jingcheng's voice carried a crying tone.

"He said if I let go, the Sword Qi pellet will explode on me; if I throw it, it will seek out the Jiang Family members on its own."

"Elder Jiang, don't come over."

Sun Changshui's vision went black, and he could barely stand.

Sun Jingan was so scared he started screaming.

"Why did you say that! Do you want to kill us!"

The young man in the gray robe on the southern embankment sighed, seemingly somewhat annoyed.

"Young Master Sun, why bother."

As he spoke, his fingertips moved slightly.

The Sword Qi pellet in Sun Jingcheng's palm suddenly lit up.

Jiang Shoushan took a step forward.

Han Zhaoye's Sword Qi also left its sheath at the same instant.

Wen Zhibai exclaimed, "Watch out for the Southern Array!"

Everyone's gaze fell on Sun Jingcheng's hand.

Sun Jingcheng closed his eyes, his whole body trembling, his five fingers gripping the Sword Qi pellet tightly without letting go.

The Sword Qi pellet exploded, and a blinding grayish-white light surged out, covering the surface of the stream like an avalanche, instantly obscuring everyone's vision.

The array light, the curtain of rain, the Cultivators of various clans, and Sun Jingcheng's figure were all swallowed up at this moment.

"Jingcheng!"

Sun Changshui screamed hoarsely.