Threading the Needle

After killing the two guards, Jiang Chen lost himself in his own thoughts. He walked out of the compound only to see that he was at a deserted place, the air full of a musty smell.

According to his memory, this was the most remote area in Fragrant Sky city. It had been abandoned for more than 10 years. On an average day, no one would ever come here. The Yang brothers indeed did a fine job finding a place to finish him off.

Though abandoned and rusty, the view in front of Jiang Chen was filled with a serenity unexplainable in words. As he took steps out of the abandoned place, he felt more comfortable with his surroundings and accepted the new world.

He gazed into the horizon, marveling at the setting sun.

'The past is gone,

The present sings of the pleasant future.

The man dreams of a beautiful wonderland,

Standing over a heap of bones.'

Jiang Chen's thoughts wandered from the beauty of this world to the slaughter he was destined for. The serene beauty of this world hid the greatest killing intent in its depths.

When Jiang Chen arrived at the main road, he was quickly spotted by the patrol guards of The Mayor Mansion and brought back.

Jiang Chen often went out to play unannounced. Mayor Jiang Zhenhai was busy with his work, so he had appointed a few guards to protect Jiang Chen in secret. When these guards failed to report back this morning, he arranged an extra patrol to search for Jiang Chen.

With Jiang Chen's impending engagement, it would be a great shame for the mayor if the news of his missing spread.

Mayor Jiang Zhenhai was well aware of his son's personality. Jiang Chen was pampered, pompous, and spoilt brat. Afraid of pain and hard work, Jiang Chen was lazy but stubborn. Jiang Zhenhai would not have thought of Jiang Chen's marriage if he had rightly practiced.

Jiang Chen was in a jolly mood when he arrived at the mansion. In the main hall, A middle-aged man paced back and forth with anxiousness. He was dressed impeccably as someone in a position with power.

He was the mayor of Fragrant Sky City, Jiang Zhen Hai!

"Don't worry, Dad. Everything will be fine as brother has come back."

Besides the mayor stood a good-looking young man in white clothes. It looked like he was 17-18 years old, and at first glance, anyone would know he was no ordinary person. One could see that the smile on his face was perfunctory. His face hid the anger in his heart.

"This spoiled kid will never let me have peace of mind. If he had half of your ability, I would be laughing in my dreams."

Jiang Zhen Hai said helplessly. Jiang Ru Long answered with a smile while scolding the old man inside. He was just a foster son accepted by Jiang Zhen Hai to babysit his incompetent son.

When Jiang Chen arrived in the hall, he was greeted by a fuming Jiang Zhen Hai.

"Jiang Chen, you dare go out uninformed. Don't you know how important tomorrow's engagement is?"

"Dad, Don't be angry with Chen'er. He understands tomorrow's importance. Isn't he back now."

Jiang Ru Long played a mediator to curb his foster father's anger. This facade has been staged countless times, and he was very proficient in it.

"Ru Long, don't always side with him. This little bastard has become more and more disobedient."

Jiang Zhen Hai snarled.

"Don't get mad, dad."

Jiang Ru Long said.

"Yeah, Dad. I am here, so there is no need to worry. I just went to enjoy my last days of freedom. Now, I am ready to start a new phase in my life. Why don't we have dinner together to celebrate my engagement? I am already hungry."

Jiang Chen also appeased Jiang Zhenhai.

"That's better." Jiang Zhenhai was pleased. Marriage does change people. He hoped that his son would keep up this positive attitude and work hard.

Meanwhile, hundreds of thoughts swirled in Jiang Rulong's brain.

"Useless peasants, how dare they let this bastard come back alive?"

A frown appeared on his face, but Jiang Ru Long's face shifted to a more normal one as he walked to the dinner table. He wanted to find the two useless brothers immediately but held back.

At the dinner table, Jiang Ru Long kept adding food to Jiang Chen's plate from time to time to keep up the 'loving' brother facade.

"You to eat, brother!" Jiang Chen was not very pleased too. He, too, held a fake smile on his face.

Jiang Chen was very conflicted inside. He was surprised with himself. He never thought that he would accept someone as his father so readily and, more importantly, be able to have dinner with someone who wanted to kill himself.

He calmed down a little as food entered his stomach. He opened his infinite status panel while eating.

====

Name - Jiang Chen

Cultivation - Qi Realm Lvl. 7 - [1521.6/10000]

Health - [98/100]

[Infinite Status]

1. Qi Breathing Cultivation Skill - [Qi: +0.1(1) per sec]

2. Herbs - [Health: +0(20) per day][Qi: +0.2(1) per sec]

3. Cleansing Medicine - [Impurity: -0(10) per sec]

====

Jiang Zhenhai was one of the strongest people in the city with the cultivation of late-stage Qi Sea Realm. Jiang Rulong was one of the best in the younger generation in the town with Level Nine Qi Realm cultivation.

As Jiang Chen was an incompetent fellow before, he knew nothing about the family businesses. He knew that tomorrow's engagement was a sham. It was the beginning of an open feud between the families.

He clearly remembered this marriage as this was one of the most unique plots from any novel he had ever read. For the first time, a woman was vividly described as burly and masculine. Adding to her muscular physique, her shrill voice had made her the first female character who would definitely be not paired with the male lead.

Jiang Chen knew that he was very different from the greatest saint. He could not bulldoze his way to the top, nor did he have the same drive to reach the top. He wanted to enjoy this world.

"Dad, who brought up the idea of my marriage to you." Jiang Chen suddenly asked.

"What! want to beat him up."

Jiang Zhenhai thought about it according to his previous understanding of Jiang Chen. He knew that his son often brought guards to beat up people. He was the son of the mayor and fully exploited that privilege. Jiang Zhenhai laughed.

"It doesn't matter. You can't beat him. After all, he is your father-in-law. Haha!"

Jiang Rulong, too smirked, seeing the bleak expression on Jiang Chen's face. The smile vanished when he thought about how good Jiang Chen's life was. He had strength but no strong background. He had to keep up appearances while useless Jiang Chen would marry the daughter of the second strongest family in the city.

Jiang Chen smiled helplessly as he thought of how he should handle this marriage. He can never accept the bride, while explicit rejection would give a reason for Murong Family to challenge the Mayor's authority.

Jiang Chen did not remember who or what was backing the Murong family. Someone was indeed behind this event; else, the balance between the two giants could not be tipped.

While thinking of a solution, he again glanced at his panel when an idea struck him. At the end of the dinner, Jiang Chen spoke up.

"Dad, I recently advanced in my cultivation. Why don't we have a spar?"

Jiang Zhenhai was surprised. His son really did change a lot, just by applying a little pressure in the form of marriage. Indeed a man constantly changes for a woman.

"Let me check your cultivation first."

Jiang Chen extended his hand while Jiang Zhenhai checked his pulse.

"You! How did this happen? Why are you at the Seventh Level of Qi Realm? How did you do it?"

Jiang Zhenhai was shocked. He never imagined that someone, especially his son, could jump straight from Level 1 to Level 7 of Qi Realm in three days.

"Dad, I ate an apple in the market, and since then, my cultivation keeps on rising. I don't know how that happened, but I also feel very healthy, and the fatigue from medicines is also gone."

Jiang Chen made up an unbelievable excuse.

"Dad, I think that brother and I will soon become Qi Sea Realm warriors. Then, Murong Family will directly approach us to marry their daughter."

Jiang Zhenhai and Jiang Rulong already had a hard time accepting Jiang Chen's incredible growth in strength, but his sentence confused them both.

"Brother, they were the ones who brought up the marriage."

Jiang Rulong was already feeling uncomfortable about Jiang Chen's strength but could not understand his thoughts.

"Brother, though they were the ones to propose the marriage, who does not know that I am a trash who does not cultivate while squandering all the money from the house. With this proposal, the initiative would be on their side."

Jiang Chen spoke his thoughts.

"Murong Family would gain the crowd's sympathy as they accepted a useless me as their son-in-law. Later at every moment, they would use it as an excuse to suppress our businesses."

"Son, It would have been so if you were still a weakling. Now, who would dare to say such a thing? It would be Murong Family climbing a larger tree, not them giving us alms."

Jiang Zhenhai interceeded. He understood that he was playing with his own position in the city by agreeing to this marriage. But his son was much more important to him, and his gamble had paid off till now.

"Dad, both families, have fought for so long, and think about it, would you ever play such a hand if you do not have an ace up your sleeve."

Jiang Zhenhai's expression changed. Jiang Rulong also understood the implications of this marriage. He was blinded by his jealousy and did not think much about this aspect. He devised a plan to kill Jiang Chen and gather both families under his own palm. Still, Jiang Rulong understood that he got greedy and nearly facilitated the trap set by others. Only absolute strength could make his plan work, of which he had no hope in a short amount of time.

Jiang Rulong could picture his own dismay. He married the Murongs and showed his strength to the city, but he was just a foster son with an empty family behind him.

Jiang Zhenhai, after the death of his son, would have become dispirited. If The Murong family played their card well, he would forever be suppressed under them. He shuddered and felt thankful that Jiang Chen did not die.

All this wealth and power would slip right from his hands if either of them married the Murong Family at this moment.

"Dad, brother is right about this matter. We would lose a lot at this moment. Even if we become powerful, if they start to target our trades, we would never be able to counter them."

Jiang Rulong spoke up.

"That's right! I never thought of this matter. Surely, my sons have grown up now. Well done, Chen'er. Haha!"

Jiang Zhenhai was happy that his sons could clearly see through their opponents.

"That Murong Zhan played it well this time, but he would never think that we have seen through him. But the problem is how do we decline it this time."

Jiang Zhenhai was in a joyous mood as he saw through Jiang Chen's expression. His son had already seen through his opponent. Then Jiang Chen must already have devised a plan to strike back. Anyways, now they have sufficient strength to duke out.

"Dad, we can not expose my cultivation as it would expose all our strength along with a chance for them to lift their guards. The harmonious facade is sure to break if we decline the marriage with or without compensation."

"Compensation?"

Jiang Rulong questioned, to which Jiang Chen answered calmly.

"If we do not give compensation for declining the marriage, it would be turning faces. Giving compensation would make us look weak before them, which would only delay the timing of their attack."