5: Chapter 5 Jiang Chen establishes his authority

The Jiang Family headed straight for the Zhang Family to marry off the merchant's daughter, Zhang Yuniang.

The Zhang Family had always relied on the Jiang Family for survival.

Upon seeing the generous betrothal gifts sent by the Jiang Family, the Zhang Family head beamed from ear to ear.

Without a second word, he immediately agreed.

He even rushed to prepare the dowry, fearing that the Jiang Family might go back on their word.

The entire process went very smoothly.

The other route, however, was much more boisterous.

The Jiang Family had specifically dispatched Young Master Jiang Chen to lead the party.

The procession departed from the main gate of the Jiang Family.

Dozens of Jiang Family guards, wearing iron armor and holding weapons, lined both sides.

This display was even grander than when the three great families of Jiangyuan City married their primary wives.

Peddlers and Loose Cultivators on both sides of the street stopped in their tracks.

Their gazes followed the procession as it moved.

"Where is the Jiang Family going? What a grand display!"

"Looking at the direction, it's the Lin Family in the suburbs."

"The Lin Family? That down-and-out Family that's about to fall out of the ranks of cultivation families?"

"The Jiang Family is bringing so many betrothal gifts to the Lin Family—could it be that they've taken a fancy to Lin Qingxue?"

"Lin Qingxue is a beauty, and at only twenty, she is already at Level 4 Qi Refining. Her Aptitude is quite good. That old man, Jiang Feng, is quite the lucky one."

"Lucky? A sixty-year-old at Level 5 Qi Refining with withered life essence—I'm afraid he has the life to marry but not the life to enjoy it."

The discussions rose and fell.

Young Master Jiang Chen rode a Crimson Scale Horse at the front of the procession.

Young Master Jiang Chen was dressed in black martial attire.

A long saber was strapped to his waist.

Listening to the surrounding discussions, Young Master Jiang Chen remained expressionless, his eyes cold and sharp.

A few days ago, Young Master Jiang Chen was still a listless piece of Trash, crushed by the heavy pressure of the Family.

His cultivation at Level 7 Qi Refining had been stuck for years, without any progress.

But now.

Young Master Jiang Chen's back was straight as a rod.

The Spiritual Qi within him surged unceasingly like a great river.

Level 8 Qi Refining.

Jiang Feng had brought out a hundred top-grade spirit gathering pills, and several were allocated to Young Master Jiang Chen from the clan.

Young Master Jiang Chen consumed five of them in one go.

He went into seclusion for half a day.

The pure medicinal power directly opened up his blocked Meridians.

He successfully stepped into Level 8 Qi Refining.

With his cultivation greatly advanced, Young Master Jiang Chen regained his spirit.

He no longer felt the dejection of the past.

The Aura around him was steady and restrained.

Leading the marriage proposal this time was not just about completing a task.

It was also to establish the authority of the Jiang Family.

To establish the authority of Jiang Feng.

Not the slightest mistake could be tolerated.

The suburbs.

The Lin Family mansion.

It had long since lost its former glory.

The courtyard walls were mottled, and most of the red paint on the main gate had peeled off.

The entrance was desolate, without even a single guard.

Ever since Lin Yueyao had her cultivation crippled by the Qingyun Sect and was sent back, the Lin Family had been suppressed by other forces.

Their industries had shrunk, and resources were scarce.

They were barely hanging on, relying entirely on the meager assets accumulated in the past.

At this moment, inside the main hall of the Lin Family.

Clan Head Lin Cang was discussing Family affairs with several Elders.

"Clan Head, the Wang Family is urging for the rent of the market in the east of the city again."

Elder Lin Hu frowned, his tone agitated.

Clan Head Lin Cang sighed.

"Delay it for a few more days. Once Lin Qingxue achieves a Breakthrough to Level 5 Qi Refining, I will make a trip to the Wang Family."

Mentioning Lin Qingxue, a glimmer of light flashed in Clan Head Lin Cang's murky eyes.

Lin Qingxue was his own daughter.

She was also one of the few Cultivators with a Spiritual Root currently in the Lin Family.

Although her Aptitude was average, in the current Lin Family, she was already a junior being cultivated as a priority.

The Lin Family had poured all their remaining resources into Lin Qingxue.

They were counting on Lin Qingxue to marry into a good Family in the future and give the Lin Family a hand.

"Lin Qingxue is a promising child. If she can be favored by an Elder of some great Sect and taken as a concubine, our Lin Family will finally be able to make it through." Elder Lin Hu chimed in.

Just at this moment.

A clamor suddenly came from outside the gate.

The sound of horse hooves accompanied by gongs and drums arrived, and heavy footsteps made the Lin Family gate hum and vibrate.

Clan Head Lin Cang frowned.

"What is going on?"

A Lin Family disciple ran into the main hall in a panic.

"Clan Head! The Jiang Family... the people from the Jiang Family are here!"

"They brought so many betrothal gifts that they've blocked our main gate!"

Clan Head Lin Cang and Elder Lin Hu exchanged glances.

Both saw confusion in each other's eyes.

The Jiang Family?

What are they here for?

Clan Head Lin Cang stood up and, taking Elder Lin Hu and a group of Lin Family disciples, walked quickly towards the front courtyard.

Just as they stepped out of the gate.

Clan Head Lin Cang was stunned by the array before him.

Twelve large red wooden chests were lined up in a row.

Young Master Jiang Chen sat on his horse, looking down at the Lin Family members from a high position.

Elder Lin Hu was the first to react.

Looking at those betrothal gifts, and recalling the recent rumors in the city about Jiang Feng taking a concubine.

His expression immediately darkened.

Elder Lin Hu stepped forward and pointed at Young Master Jiang Chen on the horse.

"Young Master Jiang Chen, what is the meaning of your Jiang Family bringing these things to our Lin Family?"

Young Master Jiang Chen dismounted.

He brushed the dust off his body.

His tone was indifferent.

"Acting under the orders of our Jiang Family's Second Master, I have come to propose marriage."

As soon as these words were spoken.

The Lin Family crowd instantly became noisy.

At the same time, they concluded that the Jiang Family had come to seek Lin Qingxue's hand in marriage.

Elder Lin Hu's eyes widened, his chest heaving.

He instantly felt that the Lin Family had been insulted.

Lin Qingxue was their Lin Family's future hope, prepared to be used to climb the high branch of a great Sect.

What kind of thing is Jiang Feng?

A sixty-year-old old piece of Trash.

A Level 5 Qi Refining waste.

How dare he set his sights on the apple of the Lin Family's eye?

Elder Lin Hu glared coldly, his tone caustic.

"Young Master Jiang Chen, your Jiang Family is bullying people too much!"

"Just because of that old dog Jiang Feng, who has one foot in the grave, he dares to come to our Lin Family to propose marriage?"

"Simply delusional!"

"Young Miss Lin Qingxue is the future hope of our Lin Family; how can she be tainted by an old, dying piece of Trash!"

Elder Lin Hu's voice was very loud.

He deliberately let the surrounding onlookers hear it.

He wanted to use this to step on the Jiang Family and elevate the status of the Lin Family.

Once these words were spoken, the other Lin Family members behind him also joined in the commotion.

Each and every one of them spoke rudely.

Every sentence was insulting Jiang Feng.

They didn't put the Jiang Family in their eyes at all.

"A piece of Trash stuck at Level 5 Qi Refining for twenty years, daring to come and attach himself to our Young Miss Lin Qingxue—his skin is thicker than a city wall!"

"He should take a piss and look at his own pathetic state!"

"Hurry up and take your scrap metal and get lost, don't dirty the entrance of our Lin Family!"

"If you don't get lost, don't blame us for being impolite!"

The Lin Family disciples clamored.

They seemed to have forgotten that the Lin Family itself was the down-and-out one.

Young Master Jiang Chen stood where he was.

He did not speak.

But murderous intent leaked from his lowered eyes.

His expression was cold to the freezing point.

The surrounding temperature dropped by a few degrees.

Insulting him, Young Master Jiang Chen, is fine.

But insulting Jiang Feng of the Jiang Family is a capital offense.

The current Jiang Feng is the hope for the rise of the Jiang Family.

He is also Young Master Jiang Chen's benefactor who gave him a new lease on life.

If it weren't for the spirit gathering pill bestowed by Jiang Feng, Young Master Jiang Chen would never have been able to achieve a Breakthrough to Level 8 Qi Refining in this lifetime.

"Noisy!"

A cold shout exploded.

The sound was deafening.

Young Master Jiang Chen suddenly raised his head.

His Level 8 Qi Refining cultivation emanated from his whole body.

Majestic Spiritual Qi enveloped the entire scene.

The pressure enveloped the Lin Family's main gate.

The surrounding onlookers, Mortals and low-level Loose Cultivators, were forced to retreat repeatedly by this Aura.

The Lin Family members, bearing the brunt of it, had their expressions change drastically.

Those clamoring Lin Family disciples only felt their shoulders become heavy.

Their legs went soft, and they knelt directly on the ground.

They couldn't even lift their heads.

The arrogance on Elder Lin Hu's face instantly froze.

He stared fixedly at Young Master Jiang Chen.

Feeling that Spiritual Qi fluctuation that far exceeded his own.

"Level 8 Qi Refining?!"

"You actually achieved a Breakthrough?!"

Elder Lin Hu's voice changed pitch.

Previously, Young Master Jiang Chen was only at Level 7 Qi Refining, which was decent among the younger generation in Jiangyuan City, but not to the point of making people wary.

But in just a few days.

He had actually risen directly to Level 8 Qi Refining.

Young Master Jiang Chen did not give Elder Lin Hu a chance to argue or beg for mercy.

He stomped his foot heavily on the bluestone slab.

The stone slab shattered.

His figure darted out quickly.

Leaving an afterimage in the air.

He instantly closed in on Elder Lin Hu.

He raised his right hand.

Spiritual Qi condensed into tangible light in his palm.

He struck Elder Lin Hu's chest.

"Those who insult our Jiang Family's Second Master, die!"

Elder Lin Hu only had Level 6 Qi Refining cultivation.

Before Young Master Jiang Chen at Level 8 Qi Refining, he had no power to fight back.

He didn't even have time to circulate his Spiritual Qi for defense.

One could only hear a teeth-grinding sound of bones shattering.

His chest instantly caved in.

He vomited blood on the spot.

His entire body flew backward.

Smashing against the courtyard wall.

The brick wall was smashed into a large pit.

The corpse slid to the ground, its tendons and bones broken into pieces.

Without even being able to let out a scream, he died instantly.

The surroundings instantly became quiet.

The onlookers covered their mouths, watching this scene in horror.

No one expected that Young Master Jiang Chen would directly kill him.

The Lin Family members retreated repeatedly, no one daring to look at the corpse on the ground again.

"You audacious brat!"

Clan Head Lin Cang's eyes widened, his face livid.

A dignified Elder was slapped to death in public; where is the face of the Lin Family?

Level 7 Qi Refining Spiritual Qi emanated.

His withered claws, carrying a gust of wind, went straight for Young Master Jiang Chen's throat.

Young Master Jiang Chen stood where he was, without even drawing his saber.

He countered with a palm strike.

Bang.

The two Spiritual Qi forces collided, and shockwaves rolled out.

Clan Head Lin Cang let out a muffled groan, his figure losing control, and he retreated seven or eight steps before barely standing firm.

As his Qi and blood surged, a trace of blood spilled from the corner of his mouth.

Level 7 Qi Refining against Level 8 Qi Refining had no chance of winning.

Clan Head Lin Cang clutched his chest, gasping for breath.

"Young Master Jiang Chen! Our two families have no grievances, why must you be so ruthless!"

Young Master Jiang Chen swept a cold glance over Clan Head Lin Cang.

His tone was ice-cold.

"No grievances?"

"He insulted our Jiang Family's Second Master in public, that is a capital offense!"

"No one can save him!"

Young Master Jiang Chen stood with his hands behind his back, his Aura still enveloping the entire scene.

His voice was cold and sharp, spreading throughout the surroundings.

"Today is just a warning."

"If anyone dares to insult our Jiang Family's Second Master again in the future, this will be their fate!"