Chapter 25 A Grand Banquet: The Su Family Old Master's Test

The red Ferrari cut through the quiet night of Cloud Top Villa like a burning lightning bolt.

"We're here. This is the Su Family residence."

Following the crisp voice of Su Qingyue, Jiang Chen sleepily opened his eyes.

Before him lay an expansive manor, nestled against the mountains and waters, shrouded in mist.

Most importantly, as soon as Jiang Chen stepped out of the car, he felt that the concentration of Spiritual Qi in the air was at least three times higher than in the city center.

Taking a breath here was practically like drinking an energy drink.

"What a great place..." Jiang Chen couldn't help but exclaim. "If you put a bed here, even sleeping on a straw mat would prolong your life."

Su Qingyue rolled her eyes at him and tossed the car keys to the attendant bowing respectfully at the entrance: "Is that all you care about? Follow me, Grandfather is waiting for you in the main hall."

Walking into the main hall, which resembled a palace, the opulent decorations did not catch Jiang Chen's attention. His gaze was instantly drawn to a sandalwood box placed on the table in the center of the hall.

Even through the box, that refreshing coolness and a faint "calming wave" were already making his eyelids heavy.

【Ding! Detected an epic-level sleep aid — Ten Thousand Year Warm Jade!】

【Effect: Wearing this jade forces the user into a 'Deep Sleep' state, Mental Energy recovery speed +300%, and it can nourish the Divine Soul, preventing Qi Deviation.】

【System Evaluation: This is the top-tier 'sleeping pill' you have been dreaming of! Obtain it at all costs!】

Jiang Chen's eyes lit up instantly, the look in them even more fervent than if he had seen a peerless beauty.

"It seems you have already sensed its extraordinary nature."

A powerful, resonant voice rang out.

On a majestic armchair, an old man in a Tang suit slowly opened his eyes.

His hair and beard were snow-white, but his complexion was ruddy, and he was twirling two heavily patinaed lion-head walnuts in his hands.

The head of the Su Family, Su Zhentian. The last remaining Great Grandmaster-level powerhouse in Jianghai City.

As he opened his eyes, an invisible pressure surged toward Jiang Chen like a tidal wave.

This was the unique Mental Energy field of a Great Grandmaster. Under such pressure, an ordinary person would likely not even be able to stand steady.

Su Qingyue was about to plead for him, but was surprised to find that not only did Jiang Chen not kneel, he even... yawned?

"Ha..." Jiang Chen rubbed his eyes, his body swaying. He looked precarious, but in reality, he was as steady as Mount Tai. "Old man, this welcoming gift is quite unique. Does it come with a hypnotic effect? It's making me sleepy."

A flash of brilliance appeared in Su Zhentian's eyes.

To be able to chat and laugh under his pressure, and even feel sleepy?

This kid's Mental Energy is unfathomable!

"Hahahaha! What an arrogant kid!" Su Zhentian withdrew his pressure and stood up laughing. "Since you know I have a treasure, you have to see if you have the ability to take it! Qingyue says you are full of hidden depths, so today I will inspect the goods myself!"

"How do you want to test me?" Jiang Chen's gaze never left the wooden box. "As long as you don't make me do advanced math problems, anything is fine."

Su Zhentian pointed to a middle-aged man standing like an iron tower beside him: "This is the manager of my Su Family guard unit, Zhao Tieshan, at the Peak of the Bone Forging Realm, born with Divine Power. If you can take three punches from him without adopting any defensive posture and not fall, this Warm Jade is yours!"

"Grandfather!" Su Qingyue was anxious. "Jiang Chen just finished the college entrance exam, and Uncle Zhao practices hard qigong; one punch has the force of ten thousand catties. This isn't fair!"

"In this world, having big fists is fairness." Su Zhentian remained unmoved, looking at Jiang Chen with an amused expression. "Kid, do you dare? If you don't, take the five-million check and leave. You won't be taking this jade."

Five million?

Can five million buy me a Divine Artifact that lets me fall asleep in seconds?

Jiang Chen looked at the jade, and the System notifications in his mind were scrolling frantically:

【host! The 'Ultimate Sleep Wave' emitted by that jade is too strong! Suggest falling asleep immediately!】

【Detected hostile target (Zhao Tieshan).】

【Activating passive skill: Sleepwalking Tai Chi.】

"Fine."

Jiang Chen walked to the center of the hall, hands in his pockets, his eyelids already completely drooping. "Come on, Manager Zhao. Hurry up, I'm in a rush to dream."

Zhao Tieshan frowned, feeling slighted. He cupped his fists and said: "Young Master Jiang, offense taken! I'm a rough man, and fists have no eyes. Be careful!"

Boom!

Before the words faded, Zhao Tieshan stepped forward, making the floor tremble. The muscles in his right arm bulged instantly like coiled dragons, and with a shrill tearing sound, he punched straight at Jiang Chen's chest.

This punch had no frills, only pure strength and speed!

Su Qingyue covered her mouth in fear, not daring to watch what would happen next.

However.

Just as that mortar-sized fist was about to smash into Jiang Chen's chest.

Jiang Chen's head bobbed, and it seemed... he had actually fallen asleep?

If one didn't look closely, no one would have noticed that in the millisecond before Jiang Chen's body made contact with the punch, his muscles underwent an extremely strange, wave-like tremor.

Pfft!

A muffled sound.

The scene of Jiang Chen flying out and hitting the wall, which everyone expected, did not happen.

Zhao Tieshan only felt that his punch had hit a ball of water-soaked cotton, or like stepping into a bottomless quagmire. That force of ten thousand catties was strangely guided along Jiang Chen's body and into the ground.

Crack—!

With Jiang Chen at the center, the hard marble floor beneath his feet instantly cracked, forming spiderweb-like fissures, and stone debris splashed everywhere.

As for Jiang Chen himself, apart from his clothes fluttering, he hadn't even moved an inch. He even smacked his lips and mumbled vaguely: "This massage pressure... is a bit too heavy. Be lighter next time."

The whole hall was dead silent.

The eyes of the Su Family's uncles and elders were almost popping out.

"This is... force dispersion? Perfect force dispersion?!" Su Zhentian almost crushed the walnuts in his hand. "This requires relaxing the entire body's muscles to the extreme at the moment of contact. Even a Great Grandmaster finds it hard to do it so perfectly! He actually... did it while asleep?"

"Two more punches." Jiang Chen kept his eyes closed, his body rising and falling slightly with his breathing, like a willow catkin in the wind.

"Come again!"

Zhao Tieshan didn't believe it, roared, and threw both fists, striking like a rainstorm.

But a bizarre scene occurred.

Jiang Chen was like a tumbler. If you push him, he leans; if you retract the force, he rights himself. No matter how Zhao Tieshan exerted his strength, those forces were like mud oxen entering the sea, all guided into the ground.

The floor was already ruined, but Jiang Chen hadn't lost a single hair.

Third punch.

Zhao Tieshan was panting, his face flushed. Gritting his teeth, he used his signature skill, "Mountain Crushing Force," condensing all his Qi and blood into one point, aiming straight for Jiang Chen's face.

This time, Jiang Chen finally moved.

In his dream, he seemed to dream of an annoying mosquito buzzing in his ear.

"Stop it... go away, mosquito."

Jiang Chen frowned slightly, raised his hand with extreme impatience, and waved it seemingly casually.

Slap!

This slap landed squarely and precisely on the most vulnerable nerve on Zhao Tieshan's wrist. And it used exactly the right amount of leverage to deflect the force.

"Ah!"

Zhao Tieshan let out a miserable shriek, half of his body went numb instantly, and he staggered backward like a drunkard, finally landing on the ground with a thud.

And Jiang Chen, still maintaining that waving posture, his head bobbing, was clearly sleeping soundly.

Silence.

A deathly silence.

Su Qingyue looked at the young man standing in the center of the ruins, eyes closed in meditation, her beautiful eyes filled with shock and... some unspeakable admiration.

"Is... is this his true strength? Even Grandfather's Great Grandmaster aura couldn't suppress his sleepiness?"

"Good! Good! Good!"

Su Zhentian suddenly burst into loud laughter, the sound shaking the chandelier. "Truly a hero among the youth! This 'Sleepwalking Tai Chi', I have never seen in my life! Brilliant! Simply brilliant!"

He waved his hand, and the sandalwood box on the table flew up automatically, landing steadily in Jiang Chen's arms.

"This Warm Jade is yours!"

With the Warm Jade in his arms, that extreme feeling of coolness instantly coursed through his entire body.

Jiang Chen slowly opened his eyes (actually, he was woken up by the cold), felt the box in his arms, and revealed a satisfied smile: "Many thanks, Old Man. This mattress... oh no, this jade, I like it very much."

Su Zhentian looked at him deeply, his tone becoming serious: "Jiang Chen, this jade is not only a treasure but also a hot potato. Also, the situation in the Imperial Capital is complex, and my Su Family has many rivals there. Qingyue is simple-minded; when you go to the Imperial Capital, you must look after her."

Jiang Chen glanced at Su Qingyue, who was blushing beside him, remembering that this girl was not only his "phoenix blood power bank" but now also a wealthy patron.

"Don't worry." Jiang Chen tucked the Warm Jade away and yawned. "She is my teammate. Anyone who dares to touch her is disturbing my sleep. I am a person with a lot of Waking Up Anger."

After saying that, he waved his hand, rejected the Su Family's offer to send him off by car, and walked out of the manor gate alone.

Su Qingyue watched his back, feeling a surge of emotion in her heart.

This guy who was usually lazy, when he got serious, was actually damnably secure.

...

At this moment, on the winding mountain road outside the manor, the night was deep.

Jiang Chen hummed a tune, his steps light. But just as he turned a corner, a red dot suddenly lit up on the System radar in his mind.

【Warning! Detected strong Killing Intent in the Black Pine Forest ahead!】

【Quantity: 5.】

【Identity Judgment: Remnants of the Zhao Family / Professional Death Soldiers.】

Jiang Chen stopped, touched the Warm Jade in his arms, and a cold arc curved at the corner of his mouth.

"Just got new equipment, and there are monsters delivering themselves to my door to test the blade? This Zhao Family is really 'thoughtful'."