142: Archery Mastery

Inside a secret chamber of the Zhou Family.

Jiang Chen had a rough understanding of the Zhou Family's situation.

Simply put, the Zhou Family, the Jin Family, and the Blazing Fire Gang were enemies.

The Zhou Family's decline was precisely due to the Jin Family's monopoly on Alchemy, and even Zhou Miaoqing's mother, Zhou Yan's wife, was killed by someone from the Jin Family.

However, the Zhou Family was powerless and simply couldn't contend with the powerful Jin Family.

The fact that Zhou Yan could tell Jiang Chen these secrets clearly showed his immense trust in Jiang Chen.

Jiang Chen was not ambiguous, stating that he would definitely confront the Jin Family.

As for cooperation, it remained as previously discussed: the Zhou Family would provide medicinal ingredients, and Jiang Chen would handle the Alchemy.

Working together, the two sides would re-establish a foothold in Cangzhou City.

The Zhou Family had originally operated quite well in Cangzhou City and once had many connections.

After all, with Zhou Cang's status as a Third-Grade Alchemist, he was able to befriend many influential people.

As for how to proceed...

During this time, the Zhou Family would provide medicinal ingredients for Jiang Chen to refine.

Jiang Chen would perform Alchemy behind the scenes, while the Zhou Family would open a new business under a new name in Cangzhou City.

The Zhou Family would also contact some people who had previously been persecuted by the Jin Family to come and offer support.

At the same time, they also needed to hoard Medicinal Pills.

It would be best to use Fourth-Grade Medicinal Pills to hold the fort.

This would let the opponents know that they were not to be trifled with, and also deter them from acting recklessly.

If you can produce Fourth-Grade Medicinal Pills, and your various identities cannot be traced, then they will be wary and absolutely dare not act recklessly. The power of a Fourth-Grade Alchemist is naturally quite formidable.

Even the Jin Family and the Blazing Fire Gang would not dare to act rashly.

In fact, the Zhou Family had indeed been preparing in secret all these years.

Otherwise, with the Zhou Family's financial resources, they wouldn't even need to be in the Alchemy business anymore.

Originally, their hopes were placed on Zhou Cang, hoping he would Breakthrough to a Fourth-Grade Alchemist, which would give them hope for revenge. Thus, they had always maintained a low-key operation, but now with Jiang Chen's help, everything could be advanced.

"Oh, right, if you're going to Cangzhou City, you probably haven't found a place to stay yet, have you?"

"My Zhou Family has a Ziyun Villa in the Purple Cloud Mountain scenic area. It has been vacant for years. I'll send people to clean it these next few days. If you arrive in Cangzhou City, you can stay at the Ziyun Villa first."

"Although the Black Yamen also has official quarters for lodging, it's ultimately inconvenient."

Zhou Yan said with a smile.

The so-called inconvenience was something that those who understood, understood.

If so many people were to stay in the official quarters, it would indeed be inconvenient.

"That's too kind, I was just worrying about that," Jiang Chen quickly said.

Regardless of what Cheng Yurou and the others wanted to do later, they still needed a place to stay.

Jiang Chen himself also needed a quiet environment to practice martial arts.

He hadn't expected Zhou Yan to be so generous, directly gifting a manor.

A manor in Cangzhou City was naturally incomparable to the Purple Bamboo Manor in Dongfeng Town.

The two were simply not on the same level.

Night fell.

Zhou Yan had also arranged a lavish family banquet.

At the same time, Zhou Miaoqing also returned to the Zhou Family.

"I'm back."

When Jiang Chen went to participate in suppressing the Earth-Rank Demon Cave, Zhou Miaoqing naturally wasn't idle; she was, after all, an External Guard of the Black Yamen in Dongfeng Town.

So, she had corresponding tasks every day.

Evidently, Zhou Miaoqing's righteous nature, her hatred for demons, stemmed from the previous oppression by the Jin Family and the Blazing Fire Gang.

When Zhou Miaoqing saw that Jiang Chen was actually at home, her eyes immediately lit up.

"Brother Jiang... Jiang!"

Zhou Miaoqing's pupils shone with bright light.

"Miaoqing, you're quite diligent, commendable."

Jiang Chen saw Zhou Miaoqing's travel-worn appearance; she must have been out on a mission.

It was a good thing for the Great Lan Dynasty to have more passionate youths like Zhou Miaoqing.

Theoretically, the demon rebellion could be quelled.

However, there were simply too many people with ulterior motives.

"Father, why didn't you tell me!" Zhou Miaoqing immediately chided, stomping her foot in a hurry.

She then quickly ran to her room; she at least needed to change into a presentable outfit. If Brother Jiang saw her looking so dirty, wouldn't she be embarrassed in front of him?

Watching Zhou Miaoqing's girlish demeanor, Zhou Yan burst into laughter.

"My daughter... I've rarely seen her pay so much attention to her appearance."

Although he knew Jiang Chen had many confidantes, with Jiang Chen's strength and status, even if Zhou Miaoqing were to become a concubine, she would definitely not suffer.

Furthermore, it currently seemed that Jiang Chen's character was good; he wasn't the type to be sneaky, arrogant, or conceited.

Instead, he was down-to-earth, courageous, and resourceful.

Zhou Yan admired him greatly.

Miaoqing wouldn't suffer any losses by following Jiang Chen.

If it were an ordinary person, knowing the Zhou Family's wealth, especially after gaining Zhou Miaoqing's favor, they might resort to all sorts of insidious schemes just to cling to and acquire the Zhou Family's fortune. Zhou Yan would naturally keep such people at arm's length.

However, in Zhou Yan's opinion, Jiang Chen didn't seem to have much interest in Zhou Miaoqing.

He didn't worry about these matters; for young people's affairs, it was best to let nature take its course.

He understood young people's temperaments too well.

"Brother Jiang, I toast you this cup. If it weren't for you, I would have died at the hands of the demons long ago."

Zhou Miaoqing raised her wine glass and said to Jiang Chen.

Jiang Chen also raised his cup and drank it all.

However, Zhou Miaoqing, after that one sip, coughed repeatedly, choking badly.

Clearly, Zhou Miaoqing couldn't drink alcohol at all.

This caused Jiang Chen and Zhou Yan to burst into laughter.

Zhou Yan also had a premonition that the landscape of Cangzhou City would begin to change starting from this very meal.

Before leaving,

Zhou Miaoqing was already slumped on the table, carried back to her room by a maid.

Jiang Chen took out a Pill Formula.

"Family Head Zhou, if possible, please help me gather the medicinal ingredients listed here first."

Zhou Yan took it.

When he saw the medicinal ingredients written in the Pill Formula, a hint of surprise appeared in his eyes.

He recognized most of the medicinal ingredients in the Pill Formula, and they were all Fifth-Grade medicinal ingredients. Perhaps they were for refining Fourth-Grade Medicinal Pills, but he couldn't discern what kind of Medicinal Pill it was from the Pill Formula, and the composition of the medicinal ingredients was also more complex than ordinary Fourth-Grade Medicinal Pills.

"Alright, no problem. Give me two days," Zhou Yan said.

Two days later, at Purple Bamboo Manor.

Jiang Chen was guiding Xia Si柠 in archery practice.

In an instant, Jiang Chen seemed to merge with the heavens and earth, transforming into a sharp arrow.

There was a feeling of piercing through the Void Realm.

"This is... Arrow Intent!"

"My archery has reached Major Achievement!"

A hint of surprise flickered in Jiang Chen's eyes.

He clearly hadn't anticipated it.

His archery skills would improve so quickly.

Following his Saber Technique, his archery also successfully comprehended True Intent, entering the Major Achievement realm.

Next up, was his Fist Technique!