Chapter 960 The Origin of the Heaven and Earth Group
"What is it?" Cheng Tiangang couldn't help but ask.
However, when he asked the question, Jiang Bai did not answer immediately. Instead, he looked at him sideways without saying a word, which made Cheng Tiangang feel a little embarrassed and uneasy.
He coughed twice after a while, then said in a deep voice, "Hey kid, what are you looking at? What's the matter? Why are you staring at me like that?"
"I remember asking you before what the Heaven and Earth Group 2 did, and you said you didn't know. Later, I roughly figured out what was going on with the Heaven Group, and then you guys confessed honestly."
"However, the Earth Group has never mentioned it, so I thought you didn't know."
"Looking at it now, it seems you knew all along!"
Cheng Tiangang's face flushed slightly after hearing those words. He coughed awkwardly twice, not in a hurry to speak, as if he was gathering his thoughts. After a while, he cleared his throat and then explained to Jiang Bai in a low voice, "Well... there are some reasons why I didn't tell you. The things that happened with the Earth Group are not very honorable. Under normal circumstances, we won't talk about them unless someone asks us."
This piqued Jiang Bai's curiosity, and he glanced at Cheng Tiangang with surprise, as if waiting for his explanation.
Seeing Jiang Bai's performance, Cheng Tiangang glanced at Hu Jiaojiao not far away.
Jiang Bai understood immediately, glanced at Hu Jiaojiao, and said coldly, "If I were you, I would cover my ears right now and shut down my hearing to make sure I can't hear anything. Otherwise, whether I can live or not is another matter."
Upon hearing this, Hu Jiaojiao was startled. Instinctively, a pair of white fox ears popped out of nowhere and stood up high. Hu Jiaojiao was so frightened that she quickly covered her ears and turned her head away to show that she would not eavesdrop.
Jiang Bai couldn't help but smile at this, and remained silent, gesturing for Lao Cheng to speak.
This scene surprised Cheng Laohu for a moment. He then shook his head and smiled bitterly, saying to Jiang Bai, "You already know about the Heavenly Group. They are basically composed of a group of cultivators, and their structure is somewhat similar to that of the Human Group."
"It is composed of many cultivator sects, and then formed an elders council. However, it does not have as many deacons as the Human Group. There are only ten real deacons, all of whom are experts from various sects and some highly respected True Persons among the cultivators."
"The matters they are responsible for are naturally those within their own cultivation world, or what they call matters within the cultivation world itself, to prevent anyone from doing evil."
"After all, you know these people are all true powerhouses. Even the weakest among the cultivators is extremely strong. This is not the ancient era, when human martial arts cultivators once dominated the world, and no one dared to act recklessly."
"It wasn't the era when Qin Shi Huang destroyed the martial arts world and made everyone shut up. Some people, relying on their strength, committed evil deeds. It was only after the country communicated with them and agreed on the code of conduct for cultivators that the Heavenly Group, this supervisory body, was born."
Speaking of which, this matter was actually initiated by Li Qingdi's family. Old Master Li played a significant role in it, which is why Li Qingdi has a particularly good relationship with the Heavenly Group.
"Did Old Li play a significant role?"
Jiang Bai was stunned for a moment, and couldn't help but wonder what exactly happened back then, and how Old Li managed to get these self-proclaimed gods to compromise with him.
They formed the current Heavenly Group, and their methods are so powerful that it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say they can turn the world upside down.
According to Jiang Bai's understanding, Li Qingdi is an ordinary person. Even if he has some strength, he is not strong. And Old Li seems to be an ordinary person as well. He is an old man in his twilight years and it is said that he spends half of the year in the hospital. He is definitely an ordinary person.
How exactly did they manage to do that? This piqued Jiang Bai's curiosity immensely.
However, Jiang Bai didn't ask about this, because it would be pointless. It wasn't that at this point, Cheng Tiangang would hide anything from him.
Rather, it's because such secrets are something that even Li Qingdi probably wouldn't know too clearly, let alone Cheng Tiangang.
"Yes, it plays a crucial role!" Cheng Tiangang said with some longing.
I have a certain longing for that spirited old Mr. Li from many years ago.
"What about the Earth Group?" The key question today is not the Heaven Group, but the Earth Group. Compared to the Heaven Group, which he already knows a little about, the Earth Group is mysterious and unpredictable, and Jiang Bai doesn't know anything about it.
However, the fact that it can be mentioned alongside the Heavenly Group shows how powerful it is. The Heavenly Group is composed of some cultivators, some high-ranking individuals who called themselves immortals in ancient times. So what about the Earthly Group?
The Earth Group should not be weak.
"The Earth Group? You probably won't believe it, but the Earth Group is actually made up of a bunch of monsters! A bunch of powerful monsters with extremely deep roots formed the Earth Group."
"Speaking of which, you know one of the most powerful figures in the Earth Group. Of course, this figure is the spiritual leader and doesn't usually manage the affairs of the Earth Group."
Cheng Tiangang gave a wry smile and said dryly, as if it was somewhat embarrassing to talk about this.
Heaven, Earth, Man, God, and Ghost – these are five groups of people. The other four groups, no matter how you look at it, are all composed of humans.
Whether they are martial artists, people with superpowers, Taoists, or cultivators, they are all human beings at their core.
The factions arose simply because of the different paths they chose and the different levels of cultivation they attained. But ultimately, they are all human factions, except for this Earth Group…
It turned out that they were composed of a group of monsters, which was indeed a bit embarrassing, and it's no wonder that Cheng Tiangang didn't want to say more.
"I know him?" Jiang Bai was taken aback, somewhat confused.
"Of course I know him, the Emperor of Ten Thousand Saints! You should be familiar with him, right?"
"The Earth Group was organized by the Emperor of Ten Thousand Saints. The condition was that the remnants of the Qing Dynasty be spared and that the Heaven Group be stopped from hunting down the demon race. He led ten great demon kings to organize the Earth Group, an organization similar to the Heaven Group, to prevent any demons from causing trouble in the human world. After difficult negotiations, the Earth Group was established on the second day after the founding of the country. It does not usually deal with anything else, but is specifically responsible for the affairs of demons in the human world!"
"That's why when you told me that this woman is a monster, I insisted on finding the Earth Group. According to the agreement at the time, we have no right to deal with these monsters; these should be handled by the Earth Group."
"Fortunately, they have done a good job over the years. Since the founding of the country, there have been very few demons causing trouble in the world, which is a change from the situation of the past thousand years. However, they seem to have become a bit lax in the last two years. Of course, this is related to the fact that many of their forces have been invited by the Heavenly Group to suppress and seal them together."
Cheng Tiangang offered his explanation to Jiang Bai's doubts, but this explanation greatly surprised Jiang Bai. He had considered many possibilities, but he never expected things to turn out this way.
Chapter 961 The Little Tiger is Disobedient
"I'll reiterate this once again: I've never met Emperor Wansheng, let alone know that old guy!" Jiang Bai said, speechless.
After saying this, he suddenly realized something, his expression changed, and he asked Cheng Tiangang, "The Myriad Saints Emperor is a monster? Then the Myriad Saints Sect is all monsters?"
"That's right, the entire Ten Thousand Saints Sect is full of demons. Otherwise, do you think just any creature could live that long? Even the Everlasting Spring Boy you met before was a demon, though he was said to be a half-demon!"
"Don't even mention them. Old Nalan has demon blood. Otherwise, how do you think he became an outer disciple of the Ten Thousand Saints Sect? It's just that his demon blood is quite thin, making it impossible for him to transform into a demon!"
Cheng Tiangang rolled his eyes at Jiang Bai, as if to say, "Don't pretend with me, kid. You know all this, don't you?"
Everyone knows you have a good relationship with the Myriad Saints Sect now, and the Myriad Saints Emperor is supporting you. This matter has caused quite a stir. It's understandable if you pretend to be friendly elsewhere and don't want to associate with them, but don't pretend in front of me.
You guys know what's going on here!
Come to think of it, who besides monsters could live for thousands of years without dying? Even the First Emperor couldn't.
Jiang Bai had always been skeptical about this matter, feeling somewhat doubtful, and even thinking that outsiders were helping the old guy Wan Sheng Di Jun to brag.
Now, however, there's a sudden realization: if that guy is a monster, then it's not surprising.
Jiang Bai was speechless at Cheng Tiangang's appearance. He gritted his teeth and said, "I'll say it again, I have nothing to do with them. I don't even know why the Emperor of Ten Thousand Saints fell ill and helped me! In short, I have absolutely nothing to do with them!"
Seeing Jiang Bai's angry expression, Cheng Tiangang chuckled and didn't dwell on the matter any further, giving him an expression that said, "I'm sensible, if you don't want to talk about it, then we won't."
He winked at Jiang Bai and then asked, "You already know about this, so what do you suggest we do about this six-tailed fox demon?"
The implication is that Jiang Bai is being asked why, according to the rules, since the crime was committed by a demon, it should be handed over to the Earth Group for processing. They have their own set of criminal laws and will deal with these demons who do not follow the rules.
In terms of methods, they are far more cruel than humans.
These guys are not only cruel to humans, they're not much kinder to their own kind either!
If this six-tailed fox demon, Hu Jiaojiao, falls into the hands of these people, the outcome is predictable.
"Speaking of this matter, I need to discuss it with you."
Upon hearing this, Jiang Bai remembered the real purpose of calling Lao Cheng over today. After thinking for a moment, he told Cheng Tiangang the whole story, including what Hu Jiaojiao had just said, without hiding anything.
Jiang Bai's words stunned Cheng Tiangang for a long time. He glanced at Jiang Bai, then at Hu Jiaojiao, who was still covering her ears and occasionally turning her head to look at him.
Hu Jiaojiao was startled when she saw Cheng Tiangang looking at her. She quickly turned away, then said somewhat uneasyly, "I wasn't eavesdropping, I wasn't eavesdropping!"
Jiang Bai didn't bother to argue about whether she had been eavesdropping or not. He chuckled and didn't take it seriously: "Alright, I've said what I needed to say. You can put your hand down now. This is the moment that will decide your fate!"
Hu Jiaojiao was startled by these words and quickly lowered her hands, looking at Jiang Bai with a pitiful expression.
She looked at Jiang Bai with pleading eyes, as if to say, "I know I was wrong, I won't eavesdrop anymore, please don't kill me."
Jiang Bai completely ignored her. Vixens have the most expressive faces, and it would be a fool for Jiang Bai to believe them.
"I don't know about this myself. I need to ask the Southern Border Witch God Sect and my maternal grandfather."
"but..."
Cheng Tiangang couldn't help but smile at this, then composed himself and spoke seriously to Jiang Bai. However, he hesitated towards the end, and it was unclear what was causing his hesitation.
"But what? Just say it, we're not strangers!" Jiang Bai asked curiously.
Cheng Tiangang seemed so troubled, there must be something he was having trouble saying. Jiang Bai, however, didn't care. They were brothers, so he could just say whatever was on his mind.
There's no need to hide it there. If it can be done, then do it; if it can't be done, then don't.
"However, as you know, the Southern Frontier Witch God Sect is a large and powerful family. My maternal grandfather doesn't really have absolute power there. There are still some elders and such. Although I am his grandson, when something really important happens, he still considers the Southern Frontier Witch God Sect's interests first."
"If this matter is false, then so be it. We'll just catch this vixen and hand her over to the Earth Group to handle. That's it. From now on, this matter has nothing to do with you or me."
"I'm afraid that if this is true, if there really is such a thing as the Qingqiu Map, then... with me here, the Southern Border Witch God Sect can't possibly monopolize it, but they'll inevitably have to share some of the spoils, and then..."
Jiang Bai understood Cheng Tiangang's meaning perfectly. Once those guys from the Southern Border Witch God Sect found out about this, they would probably want to split it in half and wouldn't let Jiang Bai have it all to himself. Cheng Tiangang was afraid that the two of them would have a conflict over this matter in the future, which was why he seemed so embarrassed at this moment.
He was afraid that if Jiang Bai later offered him a price to be expelled from the Southern Xinjiang Witch God Sect, and Jiang Bai refused to agree, the two sides would be deadlocked, and he, as the middleman, would be in a lose-lose situation.
"Hehe, I thought it was a big deal. If this is true, why not share half with them? I can't take over the entire Qingqiu Ancient Kingdom by myself. It's good to share the profits with them as repayment for the favor they did for me last time."
"Don't worry about this matter. No matter what the outcome, it has nothing to do with you, Lao Cheng!"
Jiang Bai laughed heartily and said generously, "I thought it was something big, but it turns out it's nothing."
Jiang Bai isn't that petty.
Hearing Jiang Bai's words, Cheng Tiangang finally breathed a sigh of relief and felt at ease. He then took out his phone and started looking for a number. After a while, he dialed a number and said to the person on the other end, "Uncle, I'm looking for my maternal grandfather."
A few minutes later, an old voice came: "Can't you come see me in person if you have something to say? Now that you're a high-ranking official, you've adopted the manners of a bureaucrat? You even use this lousy phone to talk to your grandfather now, instead of making a special trip? Little Tiger, you're increasingly disregarding your grandfather! You weren't like this when you were little!"
Cheng Tiangang's face flushed slightly at Jiang Bai's words. If there were no one else around, it wouldn't be a problem, but Jiang Bai was standing right there. Seeing Jiang Bai's ambiguous smile, Cheng Tiangang felt a little awkward.
"Ahem, Grandpa, I have something important to tell you."
After coughing twice, Cheng Tiangang said in a low voice, then took the phone and walked to the side to tell his grandfather about the matter.
Chapter 962 Even Fox Demons Have a Servant's Appearance
It wasn't that she was avoiding Jiang Bai, but she probably felt a little embarrassed to be scolded in front of Jiang Bai.
That's why Cheng Tiangang avoided Jiang Bai.
Jiang Bai was left standing there with his arms crossed, while Hu Jiaojiao, an observer, watched with great interest, making her feel uneasy all over.
Being watched by such a powerful expert as Jiang Bai was not a pleasant experience, especially under the current circumstances, which made Hu Jiaojiao feel immense pressure.
A pair of big, pitiful eyes looked at Jiang Bai, but dared not meet his gaze. She glanced at him and quickly looked down, then looked up again, her appearance quite comical.
Jiang Bai couldn't help but chuckle.
After a while, Cheng Tiangang returned, apparently having finished his call. He said to Jiang Bai, "My grandfather said that this matter is indeed true, the Qingqiu Map is real, and he hopes that you will take this fox spirit to the Southern Border Witch God Sect."
Jiang Bai frowned at these words and remained silent. Cheng Tiangang quickly added, "Don't misunderstand, my grandfather wouldn't want to keep this vixen all to himself. He asked you to go because he wanted to discuss with you in detail what to do."
"He knows about our relationship, and with my influence, he won't harm you!"
"He also said that if you don't trust him, you can first take this fox spirit to find the Qingqiu Map, and then go to the Southern Border Witch God Sect to meet him and discuss the matter of the Qingqiu Ancient Kingdom."
"He said there was more to this story than meets the eye, not as simple as the fox spirit made it out to be, nor as the rumors outside suggested. Even if I told you the details, you wouldn't believe me. Coincidentally, the Southern Frontier Witch God Sect has an ancient scroll in its collection that contains records of the ancient Qingqiu Kingdom."
"You can go and see for yourself."
"However, he also knows that now is a crucial time. It won't be long before we enter the Lishan Mausoleum, so there's no rush. You can go to the Witch God Sect after you return from the Lishan Mausoleum."
It seems that Cheng Tiangang had talked to his maternal grandfather about a lot of things, otherwise the grandfather wouldn't have given so many replies.
It doesn't sound like a lie; there must be something else going on.
"We'll talk about that later. For now, I'll keep this vixen in check, get my hands on the Qingqiu Map, and then go to the Witch God Sect. You're right, the time is approaching, and I also need to prepare for the Lishan Mausoleum. Going to the Witch God Sect now and worrying about this Qingqiu Ancient Kingdom is a bit beyond my capabilities."
"By the way, tell the old man that they don't have any. How much does the Southern Border Witch God Sect want?"
Jiang Bai nodded, basically agreeing with Cheng Tiangang's point of view and agreeing to the matter, and then gave these words.
Even if you have a very good relationship, it's best to talk things out. Even close brothers keep clear accounts.
"Half of it. The Southern Frontier Witch God Sect will provide you with ancient scrolls, and they can also send experts to help you find the Qingqiu Ancient Kingdom. All the profits from it will be split equally between you and the Southern Frontier Witch God Sect!"
After thinking it over, Cheng Tiangang gritted his teeth and told Jiang Bai about their opinion.
"Tell them we've made a deal!"
Jiang Bai chuckled, patted Lao Cheng on the shoulder and said this, then pulled up the six-tailed fox demon Hu Jiaojiao from the ground and said with a smile, "Looks like you've gotten lucky this time. What you said is true, enough to offset the mistake you made this time."
"I won't kill you, and I won't imprison you in the future. As long as you stay obediently in Tiandu and don't leave my territory, I will guarantee your safety, provided that you don't cause any trouble for me in the future!"
Upon hearing this, Hu Jiaojiao's face immediately lit up with joy, and she nodded repeatedly to Jiang Bai: "My lord, whatever you say is fine. Thank you for sparing my life, my lord. I am deeply grateful and will never dare to act recklessly again, and I will never leave the area you have designated!"
At this point, she no longer called herself a six-tailed fox fairy, but simply referred to herself as a little demon. It seems that meeting Jiang Bai made her realize how low her status was, and that she was not worthy of the title of fairy in front of Jiang Bai, so she even changed her self-reference.
Jiang Bai chuckled at this and didn't say anything more.
Seeing the smile on Jiang Bai's face, Hu Jiaojiao grew bolder and bowed to him, saying, "If there's nothing else, my lord, I'll take my leave!"
She tried to turn and leave as she spoke, but unfortunately, Jiang Bai grabbed her collar, almost tearing her red cheongsam and revealing a large expanse of her snow-white skin.
"Come back here! Why are you running away?"
Hu Jiaojiao trembled, her eyes welling up with tears as she turned her head to look at Jiang Bai pitifully. She said nervously, "M-Sir, you...you didn't say..."
"That's what I said, but that's after I get the Qingqiu Map. Right now, you'd better stay by my side. You fox spirits are all so cunning. I'm a simple person, and I'm afraid you'll deceive me. So, until we find the Qingqiu Map, you'd better stay by my side."
"Remember this: before we find the Qingqiu Map, you need to stay at least a hundred meters away from me. I won't be polite and will snap your neck. You know I have that ability."
Jiang Bai snorted coldly and sneered disdainfully, showing no kindness towards Hu Jiaojiao.
Although they hadn't spent much time together, Jiang Bai had already roughly figured out what kind of person this fox spirit was—someone with ever-changing expressions and a knack for acting. She was definitely the type who would beam with joy if given a little sunshine, and overflow with filth if given a little seawater.
You can't give her the slightest bit of a nice look, otherwise she'll immediately take advantage of you.
Hearing Jiang Bai's words and seeing his cold smile, Hu Jiaojiao trembled in fear and timidly whispered to Jiang Bai, "I...I understand."
He then lowered his head and walked to Jiang Bai's side, tapping his fingers and whispering, "My lord, when are you going to find Qingqiu Tu? Should I take you there now?"
"What's the rush? Are you in such a hurry to leave me? Am I that scary?" Jiang Bai raised an eyebrow and questioned him with some displeasure.
Startled, Hu Jiaojiao quickly shook her head, her head bobbing like a rattle drum: "No, no, absolutely not! My lord, you are wise and mighty, with an imposing presence. It is my blessing to be able to follow you, no matter how long it takes. How could I possibly have such thoughts?"
"This humble demon is only afraid that my lowly status, if I stay by your side for too long, will annoy you. That's why I asked this question. I have absolutely no ulterior motives!"
She kneels down to speak, looking like a loyal servant. I wonder where this vixen learned this trick.
Jiang Bai was speechless at this. He waved his hand impatiently to stop her and said, "Don't rush. We need to prepare before we set off, right?"
Chapter 963 Sir, could you give me some money?
After saying goodbye to Cheng Tiangang, he returned to the hotel with Hu Jiaojiao, who claimed to be a six-tailed fox spirit. Su Mei was still waiting for him there.
After arranging for Hu Jiaojiao to stay in the next room, Jiang Bai went into Su Mei's room. As for whether the fox demon would run away, Jiang Bai wasn't worried.
If she dares to run, I'll try and see if I can kill her.
I believe she doesn't have the guts.
Jiang Bai had already figured it out. This cunning vixen was a typical example of someone who was all bark and no bite, or to put it bluntly, a coward.
While her power was indeed inferior to his, if it were a fiercely independent demon, like Li Yaoji, who had already fought him to the death, today, if it were that Long-Armed Divine Ape, it would definitely roll up its sleeves and fight him to the death.
Even if you know you are no match for them, you must fight to the death.
Of course, guys who do this are bound to be a bit immature, or to put it bluntly, brainless.
Just like humans, monsters with brains are actually quite timid and value their lives. Only those without brains would roll up their sleeves and be ready to fight wherever they go.
Jiang Bai had figured these things out completely, to the point of being completely thorough.
It was precisely because they saw through Hu Jiaojiao's true nature that they were so confident and bold. If she wanted to escape, she would definitely consider the consequences. Once she thought about the consequences, she wouldn't dare to run away. Being afraid of everything, she would never achieve anything great.
"What, all done with your work?" Jiang Bai entered the room. Su Mei had regained some of her former radiance and was watching TV in her pajamas. She smiled when she saw Jiang Bai.
"Yes, things went very smoothly and have been resolved, so I came back to see you."
"You didn't need to come all this way to see me. Actually, I'm fine. I've come to terms with it. In fact, our relationship had already broken down a long time ago. Even if this hadn't happened today, we wouldn't have lasted long. Since he got injured, he's not the same person he used to be."
Su Mei shook her head and smiled bitterly.
Jiang Bai was speechless. After a long while, he thought of a few words of comfort, but Su Mei just shook her head with a light laugh.
Nothing happened that night, and Su Mei fell asleep leaning against Jiang Bai's chest.
When Jiang Bai woke up in the early hours of the next morning, Su Mei had already left. She left a note for Jiang Bai, telling him that she was fine and not to worry. She said she had to go back to school for her early class and wouldn't disturb his sleep. She also left a note reminding him to eat breakfast.
This put Jiang Bai at ease. After taking a shower and having a meal, Jiang Bai knocked on Hu Jiaojiao's door.
The vixen opened the door with a bright smile on her face, showing no signs of being listless. She was wearing a large bathrobe, her wet hair was tied up, and she even had a face mask on.
It seems that he was not frightened at all, but rather quite enjoying life here.
Jiang Bai looked at it with a strange expression.
"My lord, shall we depart?" Hu Jiaojiao looked at her luxurious room with some reluctance and asked Jiang Bai pitifully.
To be honest, after waking up, although Hu Jiaojiao had committed murder, she hadn't tried to steal any money. The red cheongsam she wore was a treasure from a hundred years ago, and she was living a very frugal life after waking up.
Let alone such high-end luxury hotels, even a small inn costing 30 yuan is a bit tight. Those damn lecherous men, not many of them are actually rich.
The little money Hu Jiaojiao had was only enough to pay her rent and keep her fed.
They were living such a miserable life.
Now that Jiang Bai has arranged for her to stay here, Hu Jiaojiao feels that this is what it means to enjoy life, and for a moment she doesn't even want to leave.
"Okay, no rush. You stay here for now. I have some things to take care of. We'll leave once I've finished."
Jiang Bai hasn't been back to Tiandu for a long time. During this period, the company has acquired several large conglomerates of Yamaguchi Hiroichi and expanded rapidly. Yao Lan has been handling many things, but it's not good if the boss, Jiang Bai, doesn't show up.
It was one thing if he wasn't in Tiandu before, but now that he's back, he naturally has to go out and explore. Otherwise, who will recognize Jiang Bai in the future?
There are some things that need to be dealt with personally, and these all take time.
Anyway, the matter of Qingqiu Tu isn't in a hurry, and Hu Jiaojiao can't run away here.
"Oh, I see. So, can I continue to live here?" Upon hearing this, Hu Jiaojiao's worry immediately disappeared, replaced by excitement. Her big eyes looked at Jiang Bai expectantly.
This left Jiang Bai with a strange expression, and he nodded.
An excited smile immediately appeared on their face, and they even jumped up in joy, leaving Jiang Bai speechless.
"Don't wander around here! Even if you need to go out, it's best to stay nearby. Here's a phone number; keep it accessible at all times. If I need to contact you, be there immediately!"
Jiang Bai glared at Hu Jiaojiao and tossed her a phone number. It was a number he had asked Lao Cheng for yesterday. It had a special location tracking system, so even if the phone was turned off, its location could still be found.
As soon as Hu Jiaojiao runs away, Jiang Bai will find out immediately.
Of course, she could choose to run away without the phone, but Jiang Bai would check at any time. If she wasn't there, catching her would only take a minute. At that point, Jiang Bai wouldn't be so nice to her anymore.
"Ah, okay. A phone! I've wanted to buy one before, but I didn't have enough money. Those damn men, those lecherous bastards, they don't even carry enough cash. I only have a little cash on me, enough for food, and I'm even struggling to find a place to stay, let alone buy a phone!" Hu Jiaojiao said excitedly, then couldn't help but complain about the people she had killed before.
Jiang Bai was quite speechless at this.
Ignoring her, Jiang Bai prepared to turn and leave, but at that moment, Hu Jiaojiao, who was standing behind Jiang Bai, suddenly spoke up: "My lord..."
"Hmm?" Jiang Bai frowned and turned his head. "Is there anything else?"
"Um, um..." Hu Jiaojiao hesitated.
"Speak!" Jiang Bai replied impatiently.
"Could you...could you...give me some money? I...I haven't eaten yet, and I have clothes...I've been wearing these clothes for a long time, and I want to change." Hu Jiaojiao said softly, looking at Jiang Bai cautiously, as if she was very embarrassed.
Upon hearing this, Jiang Bai's expression turned somewhat strange. This fox demon seemed to be in a pretty bad situation, yet she still had the nerve to call herself a fox fairy before.
A fox spirit who can't even afford food and shelter...
Jiang Bai took out his wallet and noticed that Hu Jiaojiao's eyes were shining as she looked at it. Jiang Bai was speechless. He took out a few thousand yuan, then thought for a moment and took out two stacks of brand-new banknotes from his wallet and threw them to Hu Jiaojiao.
"Go out and buy yourself some clothes, food and drinks later. The rest is your payment for this trip, so you won't accuse me of exploiting you and taking over your Qingqiu Map for nothing."
Chapter 964 Unable to Find the Place
However, Jiang Bai soon realized that what he said was just nonsense. At this moment, Hu Jiaojiao was already shining with pride as she looked at the banknotes in her palm, completely ignoring Jiang Bai's words. She probably didn't hear a single word he said.
Seeing her pathetic state, Jiang Bai was speechless. Judging from her appearance, she probably wouldn't even try to run away.
A poor wretch like me, how can I be as carefree as someone who follows me around?
Ignoring Hu Jiaojiao, Jiang Bai left and went straight to the company.
A meeting was held to summarize recent developments, get to know some new employees, and make some simple arrangements for the next steps. This took Jiang Bai a whole day.
After dealing with these matters, Jiang Bai felt that it was more tiring than going out and getting into a fight.
He didn't return home that night, but stayed at the hotel. Su Mei also stayed there and didn't return. Jiang Bai had already sent someone to handle her matter, but even if it was handled quickly, it would still take some time.
Although Xing Tongguang certainly wouldn't dare to do anything to Su Mei now, Su Mei herself didn't want to see him, so she didn't return.
Early the next morning, Jiang Bai took Hu Jiaojiao and left the hotel, heading to the place Hu Jiaojiao had mentioned.
The destination was in the mountainous region of Northwest China, a harsh and cold place on the Loess Plateau. However, during the prosperous Tang Dynasty, Guanzhong was fertile and could not be compared with the harsh and cold place it is today.
That was the place where Hu Jiaojiao, the six-tailed fox, was born. It was also in that place that she discovered the Qingqiu Map and gained a glimpse of opportunity.
That's what made her who she is today.
According to Hu Jiaojiao, after they obtained the Qingqiu Map, her friends discussed having her preserve it. She came up with a simple method: to reseal the place where the Qingqiu Map was found, and then dig three feet underground to place the Qingqiu Map there.
This actually protected Qingqiu Tu, because no one could have imagined that she would put it in such an obvious place.
Later, something happened, and the friends were all arrested, some died, some perished, but no one ever found the Qingqiu Map. This shows that Hu Jiaojiao was exceptionally intelligent.
"What kind of monsters are your friends? How could you not have thought of such a simple treasure trove?" Jiang Bai couldn't help but ask Hu Jiaojiao on the plane after hearing her words.
It's normal not to think of it right away, since that area is a blind spot in our thinking.
But surely they couldn't have come up with this after all these centuries?
Sure, some people die young, but some live long lives, right? Didn't they think of that?
Even if they couldn't have imagined it, according to Hu Jiaojiao, most of her companions died at the hands of human cultivators.
Even if Hu Jiaojiao knew that revealing the Qingqiu Map was dangerous, Jiang Bai didn't think her friends would be loyal enough to grit their teeth and keep quiet.
There is a 100% certainty that someone leaked this information, otherwise no one would have attacked Hu Jiaojiao.
If that's the case, then why haven't we found it?
Jiang Bai was filled with doubt.
The problem certainly doesn't lie with those cultivators. Those people who stand out from the crowd must be intelligent and quick-witted. They can find the clues they need and track down what they want.
The problem must lie with Hu Jiaojiao's friends.
"Uh, a pig demon, a wild ox demon, a hedgehog demon, and a pheasant demon."
After thinking for a moment, Hu Jiaojiao somewhat embarrassedly revealed the identities of her companions.
Jiang Bai was speechless. Well, judging from this, none of them were smart or quick-witted, which explained it.
Seeing that Jiang Bai remained silent, Hu Jiaojiao cautiously asked, "Sir, is there a problem?"
No, no.
Jiang Bai had never understood why Hu Jiaojiao was the one who had discovered the treasure together. Now he realized that those dim-witted people were simply not suited to keep such a treasure.
As it turned out, their choice was absolutely correct. If someone else had been in charge of preserving it, the Qingqiu Map would probably have been stolen long ago.
The plane flew for about two hours before reaching its destination.
After landing in Chang'an, Jiang Bai didn't rush over immediately. He didn't have anything urgent to do at the moment, so he didn't need to be in a hurry.
Having never been to this place before, Jiang Bai hired a local guide and spent two days sightseeing before leisurely making his way to the place Hu Jiaojiao had mentioned.
He found a local tycoon who was Yang Wudi's disciple. After informing Yang Wudi, the tycoon rushed to Jiang Bai the next day, trying his best to curry favor. When he heard that Jiang Bai wanted to travel to the surrounding mountainous areas, he immediately volunteered to lead the way for Jiang Bai.
After thinking it over, Jiang Bai didn't refuse the other party's kindness, so he asked them to arrange several cars. The six SUVs headed straight for the mountain that Hu Jiaojiao had mentioned.
Over the course of a thousand years, the landscape has changed dramatically. The lush green mountains in front of him have now been replaced by loess plateaus. Fortunately, Hu Jiaojiao had secretly returned twice before, otherwise Jiang Bai would have really been lost.
Nevertheless, they still spent a considerable amount of time searching, because it had been over a hundred years since Hu Jiaojiao last returned. With so many changes over the past century, it was no easy task for Hu Jiaojiao to pinpoint her destination.
The destination kept changing near a certain county town. After searching for a long time, Hu Jiaojiao still couldn't determine it, which made the local tycoon quite helpless, but he dared not show the slightest dissatisfaction.
If this were an ordinary person, and they were constantly being told to go here and there, this ruthless tycoon would probably have already turned hostile.
But who can blame him when this guy is Master Jiang?
Yang Wudi's friend, the infamous Ghost-Fearer, who would dare to cause trouble in front of him?
Isn't that just courting death?
If you really anger Master Jiang because of this, he might turn on you and slap you to death. Who can you then complain to?
Because he was aware of this real problem, Da Hao not only dared not show the slightest impatience, but also humbly accepted the instruction.
When Jiang Bai, with a disgruntled face, asked Hu Jiaojiao, "Are you even capable of doing this? Do you even remember the place? If you don't, don't make us wander around aimlessly!"
The wealthy man laughed heartily and said, "It's alright, it's alright. We don't have anything else to do anyway, so let's just keep Miss Hu company while she enjoys the scenery. We can take our time looking for it."
Deep down, I was probably already fucked to death. This Loess Plateau, all you see is the sun and yellow earth, what kind of scenery is there?
He dared not get angry simply because this was someone close to Jiang Bai.
Unfortunately, Hu Jiaojiao still disappointed everyone. After a while, she dejectedly threw down the map in her hand and said to Jiang Bai with a mournful face, "I haven't been back for too long. Everything has changed drastically. Even the names have changed. I really can't find the place."
Chapter 965 Ask what you should ask, and shut up about what you shouldn't.
Upon hearing this, Jiang Bai's face immediately darkened. "Are you kidding me?"
We should teach that stupid fox Hu Jiaojiao a lesson.
At this moment, it was the wealthy man from Chang'an sitting in the front passenger seat who was taken aback by these words. He then said to Hu Jiaojiao in the back seat, "Miss Hu said the place name has changed? We naturally don't know what the place name is, but we can ask some local elders."
"Moreover, as far as I know, Hu County has a history of several hundred years and a relatively complete county annals. If it's just because the name has changed and we can't find it, then we can look through the county annals and search for this place. There should be some clues."
These words made Jiang Bai's eyes light up; this was indeed a good idea.
"Okay, let's do it this way, let's go to the county town!" Jiang Bai nodded after hearing this and said this.
"Perfect timing. I have a friend here who I've heard has some influence here. He's been wanting to get out of this quagmire and develop his career in the provincial capital. He's met with me twice before to ask for connections, so this might come in handy."
After hearing this, the wealthy man chuckled and said this to Jiang Bai.
He subtly told Jiang Bai that he had someone here, but didn't directly say he was going to find that person, because he didn't know if Jiang Bai wanted others to know about this, and he didn't dare to make a decision on his own.
They say they're friends, but they've only met twice. Can they really be considered friends?
However, Jiang Bai roughly understood the implication of his words. In fact, someone here wanted to curry favor with him, but he ignored them. However, he had seen them before, and if he wanted to use them, they would definitely come running over eagerly.
The person who is qualified to curry favor with this powerful figure in Chang'an must be no ordinary person. He is probably a local tyrant in this county town, otherwise no one would introduce him to the person in front of him.
Even if you come to their door seeking refuge, you need to have a certain level of strength. If you're not strong enough, what use are you to them?
"I see, then let's go see him!" Jiang Bai thought for a moment and gave this suggestion.
Originally, Jiang Bai and Hu Jiaojiao didn't want to run around on their own because the other party was very hospitable and attentive, so they let him follow along.
I never expected it would come in handy now.
"OK."
Upon receiving Jiang Bai's instructions, the other party immediately smiled and said in a fawning tone, "It is an honor to work for Master Jiang."
Although it was a trivial matter, it was enough to make the person in front of him remember him, which was something to be proud of. It also meant that they had established a relationship, and if he ever needed anything of value in the future, he would probably feel embarrassed to refuse Jiang Ye.
Over time, they naturally got in touch with Master Jiang.
This is the way of social interaction, and the person in front of me is an expert in it.
If we didn't have this kind of relationship, and it was just a simple meal together, even if he's thick-skinned, he wouldn't dare to visit again.
Soon, this tycoon made a phone call to the local tyrant of Hu County. The person who answered the phone was incredibly humble. After hearing the tycoon's instructions, he immediately started fawning over him.
They speak so politely it's unbelievable.
Soon, a group of six luxury SUVs drove into the county town. Just as they reached the intersection of the county town road, they saw a group of people standing there. More than a dozen cars were parked on the side of the road, and dozens of people were standing there.
The leader was a middle-aged man in a suit and glasses, who appeared quite refined and had a smile on his face. However, the men behind him were not so elegant; they all had fierce faces and were clearly not easy to deal with.
There were more than a dozen cars, all mid-range sedans, except for one Audi A8, which was probably this person's car.
When they saw Jiang Bai and his convoy arrive, the refined middle-aged man leading the group subconsciously straightened his collar, adjusted his glasses, and led his entourage to greet them.
"Master Jiang, please wait a moment, I'll go down and say a few words to him." The wealthy man from Chang'an said to Jiang Bai with a smile when he saw this scene.
After the car stopped, he suppressed his smile and got out with an air of superiority.
When the local bigwig saw him come down, he ran over respectfully, clasped his hands tightly, bowed, and said with a big smile, "Brother Hao, you've arrived."
"Hmm, how are the arrangements I asked you to make going?" Hao Ge stood there and grunted, speaking with a hint of arrogance. He was completely different from how he acted in front of Jiang Bai, exuding a haughty and superior air.
However, none of the other group dared to show any dissatisfaction. The leader even said with a smile, "How could I, Hu Jun, dare to delay what Brother Hao has arranged! Don't worry, it's already being done."
"My men have already found the county annals and have arranged for the curator of the local history museum and two renowned scholars to wait there."
"In addition, my men have already gone out and brought over a few elderly people over 90 years old who are still senile from several surrounding towns. They should be on their way now, and you will be able to see them soon."
"Hmm, you did a good job. Today we're handling a matter for an important person, so you need to be careful and not make any mistakes. Your people should keep their distance and not get too close!"
"However, don't stray too far. Stay close and keep your eyes peeled. Don't let any irrelevant people get close to the big shot. If you offend him, no one can protect you, and even I will suffer the consequences!"
Hao was fairly satisfied with the arrangements made by the other party, nodded, and couldn't help but offer a reminder.
This was his real purpose in getting out of the car. He was afraid that Hu Jun and his men wouldn't know what was good for them and were all reckless and impulsive. If they offended Master Jiang and Miss Hu, it would be a huge problem.
Hao Ge's use of the word "big shot" immediately changed Hu Jun's expression. Not only him, but also the expressions of his trusted subordinates around him became extremely solemn. They did not feel any dissatisfaction because of Hao Ge's tone.
Instead, he looked at the convoy parked there with awe, and subconsciously swallowed.
Who is Brother Hao?
He was the tyrant of Chang'an, so powerful that it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say he could control everything. There was nothing in Chang'an that Brother Hao couldn't accomplish, and he was a well-known figure throughout the Northwest.
In their eyes, Brother Hao is like a god!
Even Hao Ge (a famous martial arts master) would call him a big shot...
They dared not even think about it anymore.
In short, he was an absolutely top-tier figure, someone they couldn't afford to mess with!
"Could it be Master Yang's..." Hu Jun, being more knowledgeable than his subordinates, couldn't help but whisper to Brother Hao.
Before he could even speak, Hao Ge glared at him and said, "Ask what you should ask, and shut up about what you shouldn't!"
Chapter 966 Hu Jun
After saying this, he seemed a little uneasy, hesitated for a moment, then pulled the other person aside and whispered, "Inside is Master Yang's friend, a real big shot, this one from Tiandu!"
He gave Hu Jun a thumbs-up as he spoke.
Upon hearing this, Hu Jun immediately broke out in a cold sweat, glanced at the car with lingering fear, and then obediently shut his mouth without saying anything more.
He turned around and yelled at his men who had followed him for years, "Did you all hear Brother Hao's orders? I'm telling you, you better to tone down your thuggish behavior."
"Keep your guards up high today. If anyone dares to be so blind as to offend this important person, I'll take their head. Don't say I, Hu Jun, don't show any brotherly affection!"
The scene startled those around them, who hurriedly nodded in agreement.
Actually, Hu Jun doesn't really need to be involved in this matter.
Who among them would dare to disobey Brother Hao's orders?
Have they really had enough of living?
Did they think fewer people were being buried in this yellow earth every year?
"Alright, it's a small matter. Why make such a fuss? I'm just looking for a place. Don't be so nervous! It's not like the leaders are on an inspection tour. There's no need to be so on high alert."
Jiang Bai was fully aware of the conversation between the two people and the situation outside. Seeing how grand the two of them were making such a fuss, Jiang Bai was speechless and couldn't help but open the car window and say this to the people outside.
His appearance immediately stunned the people outside, because Jiang Bai was too young, and no one knew who he was.
However, the fact that he dared to interrupt at this moment makes his identity obvious; he must be the important figure that Brother Hao was talking about.
Although some of the important figures are unbelievably young.
However, no one present dared to show the slightest disrespect; they all bowed and scraped before Jiang Bai, not daring to utter a word.
Only Brother Hao dared to say a few words. With a smile on his face and his body hunched over, he said humbly, "Master Jiang, you are right. We went too far, we went too far."
Jiang Bai chuckled and shook his head, glanced at Hu Jun in front of him, thought for a moment, and said to him, "Your name is Hu Jun?"
"Yes, yes, Mr. Jiang, you can just call me Xiao Hu."
Jiang Ye, you bastard, it's actually Jiang Ye!
Although Hu Jun reigns supreme in this small county town, he is not a narrow-minded local tyrant. In fact, he is constantly observing the outside world, hoping to one day be able to venture out.
He knows many important figures outside the region like the back of his hand.
Mr. Yang's friend, who is also the top dog in Tiandu, is also known as Mr. Jiang...
Besides that fearsome Master Jiang, who else could it be?
"Master Jiang actually spoke to me?" Hu Jun exclaimed inwardly, feeling incredibly honored.
His voice trembled slightly as he spoke.
"Thank you for your help this time." Jiang Bai said again, then closed the car window. Hu Jun outside was so grateful that he almost burst into tears, feeling that this was a great honor for his ancestors.
Jiang actually thanked him? Although it was just a single sentence.
What an honor it would be to work for Master Jiang!
Let's not even talk about it. If Hu Jun goes to the South in the future, he can just say, "I did things for Master Jiang!" Who would dare to look down on Hu Jun even a little?
Thinking of this, Hu Jun's face was filled with excitement.
Hao Ge reacted quickly. Seeing Jiang Bai close the car window, he knew Jiang Bai meant to leave. Hao Ge immediately instructed Hu Jun: "Quickly lead the way and take the documents to the hotel with the people you asked for."
"We've been driving for hours, and Mr. Jiang and Miss Hu still haven't eaten!"
"Yes, yes, I'll arrange it right away. Don't worry, the hotel is all ready. All the dishes and everything are prepared. I've booked the whole place. Now we're just waiting for you and Mr. Jiang."
Hu Jun quickly responded and then instructed his men to get into the car.
A convoy of about twenty vehicles drove through the small streets of the county town, attracting the attention of many people who stopped to watch.
Jiang Bai frowned slightly at this, while Hu Jiaojiao looked out the window excitedly and whispered to Jiang Bai, "Sir, look, look, they're all looking at us."
"In the past, when the governor went out, there was only a procession like yours."
Jiang Bai ignored her.
He didn't say a word, just leaned there with his eyes closed, resting.
Soon, Jiang Bai and his group arrived at the hotel. Judging from its size, it was a fairly large hotel, more than ten stories high, with a sizable parking lot. However, the parking lot had been cleared out, and there seemed to be no other guests in the hotel. This was probably all Hu Jun's doing.
It seems this guy really has absolute power here.
At the respectful invitation of the two people, Jiang Bai led Hu Jiaojiao inside and sat down in the largest private room on the second floor.
At this moment, there were already several elderly men and women with gray hair standing in the house, supported by several men. They were probably some elderly people from nearby towns and villages.
Although these people were not very educated, they were old enough that they remembered many things, even those not recorded in the county annals.
Besides these, there were also several middle-aged men who looked like scholars, standing there holding a pile of books.
They were all gathered in the left corner of the hall, which was over a hundred square meters in size. On the right was a huge dining table, which was filled with a sumptuous feast. Judging from the appearance, there were at least dozens of dishes, including common dishes such as abalone, sea cucumber, shark fin, and fish maw, as well as some rather rare wild game.
It's clear that Hu Jun put a lot of effort into entertaining Brother Hao this time.
"The arrangements were somewhat rushed, and I apologize for any shortcomings, Mr. Jiang and Brother Hao."
"It's very good, quite a feast, and the hospitality is very thoughtful. But I'm not here to eat this time. Hu Jiaojiao, what's the name of that mountain you mentioned? Tell everyone. Let's not keep everyone idle while we eat; let's use this time to look for the place."
Jiang Bai chuckled and said this, then sat down in the center seat and said the same thing to Hu Jiaojiao next to him.
He didn't invite the elderly to sit down, not because he didn't understand respect for the elderly and care for the young, but because sometimes such things are unnecessary. Hu Jun, being such a thoughtful person, would naturally make arrangements, and Jiang Bai didn't need to be a good person here in vain.
"Tiger Tail Mountain!" Hu Jiaojiao blurted out a name.
This surprised everyone present. Then, several scholars began to flip through books, while several elderly people, with the help of a man next to them, translated it into dialect. Then they began to ponder this place.
As for Jiang Bai and his group, they naturally started eating.
Hu Jun suggested having some drinks, while Hao Ge looked at Jiang Bai with a questioning gaze.
After thinking for a moment, Jiang Bai declined the offer: "We have other things to do today. We're here to find a place. We can have a drink here when we come back after we've finished our business."
Chapter 967 A Man with a Pig-like Physique
Upon hearing this, Hao Ge naturally backed down and dared not mention drinking or anything like that. Hu Jun, who was standing next to him, immediately abandoned his prepared set of words and enthusiastically introduced the local specialties to Jiang Bai.
Jiang Bai ate with relish, as for Hu Jiaojiao…
Well, ever since she gave her name, this good-for-nothing vixen hasn't said a word and has been sprawled on the table eating and drinking like a glutton.
He showed absolutely no manners, which made Jiang Bai's lips twitch.
I regret bringing this vixen into the public eye; it's really embarrassing. Although she's beautiful, she's essentially hopeless.
How shameful!
Jiang Bai glared at her, but the other person was completely oblivious, preoccupied with eating and drinking. Helpless, Jiang Bai ignored her.
As for the people around them, they were a little dumbfounded. Following this beautiful young lady, Mr. Jiang, it seemed like she hadn't eaten anything. However, no one dared to say anything, but their eyes were full of strange looks.
After eating for about an hour, when Jiang Bai put down his chopsticks, Hu Jun, who had been carefully attending to him, immediately called out to the group of scholars who had been summoned, "Have you found it yet?"
"This...this place isn't listed in the county annals."
The scholars gave a wry smile and a dry response. Their faces were not very good, and beads of sweat dripped from their foreheads. They seemed to have really put in a lot of effort, but unfortunately, things didn't go as planned, and they still couldn't find "Tiger Tail Mountain".
"What's going on! It's just a mountain. Miss Hu is sure this mountain is near our Hu County, so it must be there. Did you not search carefully enough?"
Hu Jun's face immediately darkened. He felt embarrassed that such a small matter had not been handled well.
"Well... Brother Jun, it's not that we don't want to look, it's just that we've searched everywhere, and there's no such place." A middle-aged man gave a bitter smile and said dryly.
This angered Hu Jun so much that he was on the verge of turning hostile. If Jiang Bai hadn't been there, and if he hadn't wanted to appear as a rude and violent thug in front of Jiang Bai, he probably would have already slapped him across the face.
"I've been thinking about this Tiger Tail Mountain for a while now, and I seem to remember there being such a place."
Suddenly, an old man in his nineties, with white hair and beard and a hunched back, touched his thinning hair and said in a hoarse voice.
The voice wasn't loud, but everyone inside could hear it clearly. It was in dialect, but everyone present could understand it.
"Grandpa, where is this place?" Hu Jun asked excitedly, as if he had discovered a treasure.
"This, let me think. I heard about it a long time ago, but I've forgotten it. I'm getting old and my memory isn't good. I really can't remember this place."
The old man frowned, rubbed his hair, and spoke slowly.
This really worried Hu Jun. If it weren't for the fact that the old man was really old, he would have said a few harsh words to threaten him. But he didn't dare, for fear that if he yelled at the old man, he would kick the bucket, which would be a real problem.
It's not that he's afraid of a few people dying. In Hu County, who can do anything to him about such a small matter?
The key point is that out of all these people, only this old man knows this place.
If something were to happen to him, no one in this area would know, and it would delay Master Jiang's affairs, which would be a terrible sin.
"Let me think, let me think. Oh, right, right, the place I used to live in, called Tiger Head Mountain, is now called Tiger Mountain!"
"When I was a child, my father told me that the place used to be called Tiger Tail Mountain. However, because the name meant tail, which was considered unlucky, someone suggested turning the tail into a head so that the people in the mountains could get rich. So it was changed to Chenjia'ao!"
"After the founding of the People's Republic of China, in order to destroy the Four Olds, the name was changed again. Because there were many people with the surname Chen there, it became Chenjia'ao! It's near my hometown, east of the county town..."
After a while, when Hu Jun was getting anxious and frustrated, the old man finally spoke up and said these words.
Before the old man could finish speaking, Hu Jun immediately clapped his hands and said, "Alright, I've been to Chenjia'ao. It's deep in the mountains, and very few people go there. I lived there for a while when I was young, so I know the place."
After saying this, he excitedly said to Jiang Bai, "Master Jiang, I know where this old man is. I'll take you there now."
Before Jiang Bai could even finish speaking or say whether he wanted to go or not, the door to the room was suddenly kicked open.
Several young people swaggered in, followed by a middle-aged man with a senile expression who looked rather fat and tall, making him quite conspicuous.
He was easily noticeable because he was very tall, at least two meters. But that alone wouldn't have drawn attention. What truly drew attention was his waistline, which was also around two meters tall, making him a huge, oval-shaped, fleshy mound.
His entire body was covered in fat, and he swayed as he walked. His clothes were specially made, otherwise he definitely wouldn't be able to wear them, because judging from his size, he weighed at least 500 pounds, just like a big fat pig.
"I heard that people here have brought over the county annals, as well as several famous scholars from the county town?"
"Damn it, you're delaying my business, hand over the guy!"
The young man leading the group, wearing a plaid shirt, coldly uttered this remark, his attitude extremely arrogant and somewhat disdainful of everyone.
Behind him were several young men, all appearing to be in their twenties, each with an extremely arrogant demeanor, as if they didn't take anyone present seriously at all.
This scene infuriated Hu Jun. He had instructed that no outsiders were allowed to come in while he was entertaining Jiang Bai and doing things for Master Jiang.
Now look what's happened! Someone has barged in recklessly, shouting and yelling, completely disregarding him.
This made Hu Jun feel extremely embarrassed. He had boasted to Brother Hao that he dared not say anything else, but that he, Hu Jun, was all-powerful in Hu County, and that even the county magistrate was not as powerful as him.
Now look what's happened. He hadn't even said anything long before he was blatantly humiliated. How could Hu Jun not be furious and embarrassed?
"Who are you? Who let you in?"
"Help! Help! Is everyone dead? Who let these bastards in?! Get out here!"
"Get them out of here!"
Hu Jun roared angrily at the door.
"Stop shouting. Your men don't know what's good for them. I've already taught them a lesson. Now none of them can get up. Shouting won't do any good!"
A young man sneered and said disdainfully, showing that he also didn't take Hu Jun seriously.
Chapter 968 Extreme Arrogance
These words caused the expressions of everyone in the room to change. They looked at each other, and remained silent for a long time.
Hu Jun was completely stunned. He had left dozens of people outside to prevent any fool from causing trouble and alerting Jiang Bai, which would put him in a very difficult position.
It wasn't that he was afraid Jiang Bai would be angry; a big shot like Jiang Bai would definitely not bother with someone as insignificant as himself.
The key issue is that Brother Hao has no way to explain this.
Jiang Ye might not hold it against him, but Hao Ge must already be determined to kill him. He must have spoken quite confidently to Jiang Ye when he approached him, and now look what's happened.
The sudden appearance of these unknown things was truly embarrassing for Brother Hao.
Hu Jun glanced at Hao Ge out of the corner of his eye, and immediately broke out in a cold sweat.
Sure enough, Hao Ge was now looking at him with a murderous gaze.
This made Hu Jun extremely uncomfortable.
Thinking of this, Hu Jun wished he could kill the people in front of him.
He was just about to teach these bastards a lesson, thinking that he was powerful just because he had dealt with his incompetent subordinates outside?
Don't they know that their current situation in this small corner of Hu County is not solely due to those good-for-nothings outside?
He relied on his own wealth, power, and network of connections. In Hu County, who hadn't taken benefits from him? From top to bottom, who wasn't one of his people?
Trying to challenge yourself here? Are you courting death?
"Who are you people! Are you looking for death? You think you can swagger around here just because you dealt with those good-for-nothings outside? Get out of here!"
Hu Jun angrily rebuked the people in front of him.
"Hehe, a local bully dares to yell at us. What do you guys think we should do?" Hu Jun's words made the young men laugh. One of them asked the people behind him with a mocking look.
"Hmph, everyone, this is Chang'an territory. People call me Brother Hao if they're being polite, and Little Hao if they're not. Who are you? You can reveal your identities and we can have a go."
Seeing that Hu Jun couldn't control the situation, Hao Ge's face darkened, and he stepped forward. Although Hu Jun couldn't control the situation, Hao Ge believed he could.
In this Chang'an region, there is no one who can rival him.
"I know you, Wu Tianhao. You have some influence here, but who do you think you are? How dare you yell at us brothers? If it weren't for Yang Wudi's sake, what would you be? We'd kill you in a heartbeat!"
"Get out of my way! This is none of your business!"
"You're nothing but a dog that Yang Wudi planted here, yet you dare to bark at us? You really think you're someone important?"
"We're here on business. If you know what's good for you, get out of here, and we won't make things difficult for you. Otherwise, don't blame us for being ruthless! If we kill you, even Yang Wudi won't be able to do anything about it!"
These people were very arrogant, and they even brought up Yang Wudi in their speech. Their words were not very respectful, and they seemed to have a very important background, which made Hao Ge's expression change on the spot.
Just as he was about to speak, Jiang Bai pulled him back: "Hehe, you guys sound pretty arrogant. I don't know you guys at all."
"And who are you?" the other party sneered at Jiang Bai, his contempt undisguised.
"Jiang Bai." Jiang Bai introduced himself, squinting his eyes.
Jiang Bai didn't recognize any of these people, but they seemed to be quite important, so he didn't hide his identity.
Upon hearing this, the young people on the other side did not show much panic or fear. One of them even sneered, "Who do we have here? Turns out they're just dogs from the Ten Thousand Saints Sect."
"Jiang Bai, if you know what's good for you, get out of here. This is none of your business. But if you don't, don't blame us for being impolite!"
These words were quite boastful, leaving Hao Ge and Hu Jun, who were standing next to him, completely shocked.
In their eyes, Master Jiang was already a top figure, wielding immense influence in the country. They were quite unaccustomed to someone suddenly speaking to him like that.
"Pig Ben Er! Is that you?" Before Jiang Bai could speak, Hu Jiaojiao stepped forward, looking uncertainly at the extremely burly and obese man behind the group of young people, who looked like a giant pig, and asked with a face full of surprise and uncertainty.
After these words, the tall, fat man behind him looked over blankly, tilted his head, and examined him for a while before saying uncertainly, "You are... Hu Jiaojiao?"
Then his expression suddenly changed, and he hurriedly shouted in a simple and honest voice, "Jiaojiao, Jiaojiao, run! Don't let them catch you!"
These words only made things worse. Everyone's expressions changed. One of the young men squinted at Hu Jiaojiao, a lewd glint in his eyes, and chuckled, "You're Hu Jiaojiao? I've heard this idiot mention you before, but I never expected to see you here."
"It's truly a case of finding something without even looking for it! I originally just wanted to bring this idiot here to try my luck and see if we could find the Qingqiu Map."
"I never expected to run into the person in question here."
"What luck!"
These words startled Hu Jiaojiao, and realizing something was wrong, she quickly hid behind Jiang Bai, looking at the group of young people in front of her with a wary expression.
"Hmph, Jiang Bai, did you bring this person?"
"Hand over the person if you know what's good for you, then get lost! This is none of your business!"
A young man sneered, showing that he had never taken Jiang Bai seriously from the beginning.
After saying this, he chuckled to his companions, "I didn't expect this vixen to be so pretty. It seems we're going to have both money and beauty this time. I'll treat you all to a good time tonight."
This immediately drew laughter from a group of people.
This turned Jiang Bai's face into a deep purplish-red. It had been a long time since anyone had dared to speak to him like that. These guys, whose origins were unknown, were so arrogant that they spoke to him without a second thought, completely disregarding him.
It's as if I'm some insignificant nobody, someone they can just squeeze and flatten at will...
What gives them the right?
Jiang Bai had been observing for a while. These guys didn't seem to be from the same system as him, and they weren't martial artists. However, their strength didn't seem to be that great either. Where did they get the courage to taunt him?
Aren't you afraid that you'll crush them all to death?
"Good, very good. It's been a long time since anyone dared to talk to me like that. You bunch of bastards have really broadened my horizons."
Chapter 969 Second Generation Immortal?
"Since you're so arrogant, you must have some connections, otherwise you wouldn't dare to do this. Tell me, where did you bastards come from?"
Jiang Bai stood there, squinting at the group of young people in front of him, and said coldly.
Although she was asking about their background, she was already making plans in her mind.
The world of ancient martial arts has actually declined, and Jiang Bai has more or less some contact with and acquaintance with the ancient martial arts families and sects that can be named.
The person in front of me is clearly not from these places.
What other forces does China possess?
They're nothing more than demons and immortals. Those monsters certainly wouldn't dare to be so arrogant, firstly because they are relatively low-key, after all, they are a class that is not tolerated by the world.
Secondly, even if they were demons, they wouldn't dare to openly clamor about the Myriad Saints Sect in front of me. The Myriad Saints Sect holds an extremely special position among the demon race. The Myriad Saints Emperor is a truly powerful figure, and the little demons wouldn't dare to call him by his name directly.
Not to mention naming names in front of him.
In the eyes of outsiders, I am protected by the Wansheng Sect. What bastard would dare to say anything bad about the Wansheng Sect?
So the rest are those guys who call themselves immortals.
These bastards are actually cultivators, but to put it bluntly, they are still human. They have cultivated some strange techniques and become cultivators, thinking that they are gods.
They were incredibly arrogant; now that I think about it, they must have been that kind of people.
These people, however, have no power or foundation in the secular world.
To put it bluntly, he had some strength, but not much, and no real power base. In the local area, the real voices were held by local tyrants like Brother Hao, and they were all actually under the command of the few people who included him.
In this worldly realm, it's still our group that calls the shots.
What are they anyway?
A bunch of unproductive, self-important losers who actually think they're so great?
As expected, upon hearing Jiang Bai's words, the group's expressions immediately changed. They stared coldly at Jiang Bai, and one of them said, "Jiang Bai, how dare you speak to us like that? You're just a mere mortal with a little cultivation, yet you're so arrogant? You're practically courting death!"
"Don't think that just because you've become the dog of the Ten Thousand Saints Sect, we won't dare to kill you!"
Jiang Bai scoffed at this, "What nonsense!"
Seeing Jiang Bai's cold smile, the other party showed no remorse. Instead, he pointed to a young man with long hair beside him and said, "This is Senior Brother Huo Buyi from the Shushan Sword Sect! He is the grandson of Elder Huo of the Shushan Sword Sect!"
He then pointed to a short-haired young man in a white tracksuit next to him and said, "This is Senior Brother Qingxianzi from the Kongtong Immortal Sect. He is the most outstanding member of the Kongtong Immortal Sect this generation."
After saying that, he pointed to the young man standing closest to him and said, "This one is even more remarkable. This is Junior Brother Min Hao of the Kunlun Sect. Junior Brother Min Hao is the son-in-law of the future sect leader."
"And me, Zhao Hong, is from the Five Elements Sect. My uncle is the current sect leader of the Five Elements Sect!"
"Any one of us is a prodigy, and you, some wild brat who just popped out of nowhere, dare to talk back to us? Let me tell you, even if that old bastard, the Emperor of Ten Thousand Saints, came, he wouldn't dare to talk to us like that!"
"If you know what's good for you, kneel down now, kowtow to us, admit your mistakes, and hand over this vixen. For the sake of that old man, Emperor Wansheng, we might let you off the hook."
"Otherwise, hmph..."
Before he could finish speaking, Jiang Bai interrupted him with a cold laugh: "Otherwise what?"
These spoiled brats, I don't know what kind of people they are, they're really bold. They probably think they're the boss at home, and they're completely ignorant of their own limitations.
Do you really think they're gods?
These cultivators brag about being immortals or something, and these guys actually believe them?
Even if they weren't, what reason would they have to be so arrogant?
Jiang Bai had never heard of these sects before.
Jiang Bai had no good feelings towards them and didn't know much about them, so he was too lazy to inquire about their situation. However, he did know some basic information: the Myriad Saints Sect was truly a behemoth.
Back when the Wansheng Sect dominated the world, this group of people joined forces with some martial arts practitioners to resist. It took them decades to barely manage to drive the Wansheng Sect back.
Even these cultivators themselves might not be able to do anything to the Myriad Saints Sect.
So, they dare to look down on the Ten Thousand Saints Sect?
They're quite arrogant. If that old guy, the Emperor of Ten Thousand Saints, really came to their doorstep, not to mention them, even their backers would be scared out of their wits.
How dare someone like this talk back to me?
"Or what?"
Jiang Bai said coldly, his face already covered with layers of frost, and a murderous intent was rising in his heart.
Jiang Bai was never a kind person. Everyone who knew him knew that he was difficult to deal with, vindictive, and extremely arrogant. If you offended him, he wouldn't give anyone face and would kill you first.
Otherwise, it wouldn't have earned the nicknames "Living Yama" and "Big Hedgehog."
These people actually dared to bully Jiang Baitou?
It would be a miracle if Jiang Bai were to be polite to them!
"Otherwise, you will die without a burial place. I know you have some businesses and some beautiful women. You should think carefully about them. It's not too late to kneel down and apologize now. Otherwise, your money and women will be ours. As for you... you won't even be able to leave with a whole corpse."
The young man from the Kongtong Immortal Sect snorted and said confidently.
"Good, very good!" Jiang Bai suddenly laughed, his laughter was quite loud.
The next second, he made his move. In a flash, he was in front of the young man from the Kongtong Immortal Sect, and somehow one hand had already grabbed the other's neck and lifted him up.
The speed was so fast that the people present didn't have time to react at all.
With a single reach, a finger pierced the opponent's dantian, directly breaking through their chest. A surge of energy rushed into their body, and in the blink of an eye, the opponent screamed in agony as their entire body was covered in blood, exploding from within their skin, with all their acupoints naturally bursting open.
In the blink of an eye, the man who was just moments before arrogant and domineering in front of Jiang Bai, clamoring to make Jiang Bai kneel down and apologize, or else swallow up his business and take his woman to his side, the current leader of the Kongtong Immortal Sect, became a blood-soaked figure.
There was absolutely no room for struggle; amidst screams, she completely lost consciousness, without even a shred of resistance.
He's a complete waste of space!
How dare they call themselves the leading figures of the Kongtong Immortal Sect in this era?