Chapter 970 The Fear of the Elites
When Jiang Bai captured this guy, he tested him and made some calculations.
Although they are from different systems, Jiang Bai has already judged the other party's strength to be roughly equivalent to a first-grade master, or even slightly weaker. Of course, it cannot be ruled out that the other party has other methods that they have not used.
After all, the systems are different. I heard that these guys have some kind of magic arts and magical treasures.
However, due to the vast difference in strength between the two, and Jiang Bai's sudden attack, he had no chance to unleash his full power. Only after Jiang Bai had actually used his power could he assess the opponent's strength. However, judging solely from his physical attributes and reaction time, he was at most at the level of a first-grade master, or even slightly inferior.
If this is the kind of character the so-called elite of the Kongtong Immortal Sect is?
In Jiang Bai's opinion, this sect was nothing special and had no reason to exist. With such strength, how dare they show off their power? Didn't they feel ashamed?
"What are you doing?!"
Jiang Bai's actions startled the group, turning them all pale. One of them looked at Jiang Bai in terror and said this.
The others also stared wide-eyed at Jiang Bai with utter horror.
They simply couldn't believe that Jiang Bai would act so resolutely, completely disregarding what they were doing.
They just started doing it like that?
"What are you doing! I just want to see how powerful you are. You're all talk, I thought you were some big shots, but you're just a bunch of trash. You dare to talk back to me with this little bit of strength?"
Jiang Bai sneered disdainfully and casually tossed aside the genius disciple of the Kongtong Immortal Sect, a leading figure of the era.
"You...you killed him?" several people asked, their voices trembling.
They never expected that Jiang Bai would actually dare to make a move, and that he would kill someone as soon as he did?
This is absolutely outrageous.
"No, why would I kill such a piece of trash? But it's a pity that his cultivation is probably beyond saving. I damaged his dantian and shattered more than 300 acupoints all over his body. Even if he is healed, he will probably be a cripple."
"If your place is really as miraculous as you say, and can cure him, then I'll have to admire you."
Jiang Bai sneered and said disdainfully.
"Pig Demon! It's your turn. Go! Deal with this guy! Kill him!" The son-in-law of the Kunlun Sect Leader's daughter's expression changed upon seeing the scene before her, and she said this to Pig Ben Er behind her.
Despite being tortured and abused like this by them, this pig demon was actually subdued by their elders who placed a restriction on it, allowing them to control it.
But in terms of strength, this pig demon is actually superior to them.
Seeing that Jiang Bai had so easily subdued this outstanding member of the Kongtong Immortal Sect, the expressions of the others changed. The future son-in-law of the Kunlun Sect leader, the master of this pig demon, could not stand it any longer. He roared and ordered the pig demon to attack Jiang Bai.
Zhu Ben's expression changed, but he didn't make a move; his expression was somewhat complicated.
He was Hu Jiaojiao's friend, so naturally he didn't want to deal with Hu Jiaojiao or Jiang Bai, who was always hanging around with her. But he couldn't just stay put.
He is being controlled, and his life is now completely in the hands of the other party. All they need to do is chant a spell to make him suffer unbearable pain, a fate worse than death.
In this situation, he dared not not take action, so he was in a dilemma!
"You damned pig demon, what are you hesitating for?" The future son-in-law of the Kunlun Sect leader kicked Zhu Ben'er in the body, somewhat angrily.
Unfortunately, this pig was too burly, with too much fat all over his body. When he was kicked, all that happened was that his fat jiggled, and he didn't feel anything at all.
This infuriated him, so he took out a whip, and flames suddenly burst forth from the whip.
With a sharp "smack," the whip struck Pig Demon Two, causing him to scream and groan in agony. He roared, "If you don't make a move, I'll kill you first, you damned idiot!"
This made Zhu Ben Er hesitate for a moment before slowly stepping forward, his expression complicated.
"You're quite generous, it seems you still remember your friend who doesn't want to fight, so I'll spare your life," Jiang Bai said with interest, looking at Zhu Ben Er in front of him.
Before the other party could react, he reached out and the Claw of Heaven appeared, a giant handprint out of thin air that firmly controlled the other party. This was because he did not use force; otherwise, Zhu Ben Er, who was at most equivalent to a mid-level star, would have been turned into ashes immediately.
This is a martial arts supernatural power, and one of the most advanced martial arts supernatural powers.
Let alone a mere pig demon like him, even an ancient martial artist of the Great Star level could turn him into ashes in an instant.
"This is... a martial arts divine power! You are a Heavenly Rank martial artist!"
Although Zhu Ben'er wasn't particularly strong, he had lived for a very long time and his knowledge far surpassed that of ordinary people. As soon as Jiang Bai made a move and controlled him, he immediately came to his senses, his face filled with inexplicable terror.
"What? A Celestial Rank... How is this possible!"
The faces of these several prodigies immediately changed. They weren't fools or frogs in a well, and although they were extremely arrogant, they still had a basic understanding of ancient martial arts and such.
What is the concept of the Heavenly Rank? Ancient martial arts practitioners at the Heavenly Rank are definitely experts who can rival the elders in their sects, and are truly divine figures.
They are far superior to them.
Thinking back to how they had just said those words to an ancient martial artist who had reached the Heavenly Realm, the group broke out in a cold sweat and were filled with regret.
"Damn it, how could this be! How old is he?" someone couldn't help but growl.
They were all people with a solid background and deep understanding, so they naturally knew Jiang Bai's age. In fact, they already knew about Jiang Bai when he was still a high-ranking official, and they were quite dissatisfied with him.
Some were envious that this peasant had such formidable strength, but they still didn't take him seriously.
Although those at the Great Star Rank are terrifying and dealing with them is as easy as cutting melons and vegetables, they are still nothing in the eyes of true cultivators.
They all have powerful backers; Jiang Bai's cultivation level is insignificant in their eyes.
That's the source of their arrogance.
But now that Jiang Bai has advanced to the Heavenly Rank, things are different.
All those below the highest position are ants.
This is no exaggeration. The difference between those at the Heavenly Rank and those who are not is a completely different level. Ancient martial arts practitioners will undergo a qualitative change at this time, completely crushing other cultivators of the same level.
Even if the big shots behind them stepped forward, they would still be no match for Jiang Bai.
Chapter 971 Side Quest: The Immortal Sect's Revenge
Unfortunately, Jiang Bai didn't talk to them about that. He sneered, casually tossed Zhu Ben Er aside, and immediately prepared to attack those second-generation immortals.
"Quick! Unleash your magic weapons! He's about to attack us!" someone exclaimed in alarm.
The nephew of the Five Elements Sect leader threw out an earth-yellow flag and held it up in front of him.
The other two were not to be outdone. One of them threw out a flying sword that glowed with blue light. It appeared out of thin air and headed straight for Jiang Bai's chest, moving as fast as lightning.
Meanwhile, another person threw out a large seal, which transformed into the size of a person and fell from the sky.
It must be the legendary magic weapon. Jiang Bai sneered at this, disdainfully. He stood there, one hand pointing upwards to hold up the huge seal, while the other hand reached forward and grabbed the flying sword.
"What kind of rubbish dares to call itself a magic weapon?" Jiang Bai sneered, and with a little force, the seal shattered into pieces, while the flying sword broke into pieces.
This was their signature weapon, but unfortunately, it was as vulnerable as a collapsing terracotta dog in front of Jiang Bai.
Then Jiang Bai leaped forward, turning his palm into a fist, and suddenly threw a punch that shattered the fluttering flag.
With a single kick, each person sent the three men flying. They used hidden force in their attack, directly damaging their bodies and completely crippling their cultivation.
They showed no intention of holding back at all.
"How do they control you, you pig demon?" Jiang Bai asked Zhu Ben Er with great interest.
Pig Ben Er said with a snoring voice, "Demon Control Talisman."
"The experts from their sect have placed a restriction on me. There is a talisman controlling me. If I have any disloyal thoughts, they can use the talisman to kill me."
Jiang Bai ignored him and searched the body of the future son-in-law of the Kunlun Sect leader. He found a talisman, shook it a couple of times, and exclaimed, "Is this it?"
"Yes, yes." Zhu Ben Er nodded hurriedly.
Jiang Bai nodded and tossed it to Zhu Ben Er. The pig demon immediately swallowed it, and then a ferocious look appeared on its face, its fair skin now contorted in a hideous grimace.
If it weren't for the many ordinary people present, Zhu Ben Er would have already gone berserk, revealed his true colors, and devoured these bastards alive.
What does it really matter whether he reveals his true appearance or not?
Those present were stunned by the fantastical dialogue and methods; the actions of these people were a complete shock to their decades-old beliefs.
Seeing this, Hu Jiaojiao covered her mouth and smiled slightly. Then she waved her hand, and everyone around her, including Brother Hao and the others, fell into a deep sleep.
Then, she winked playfully at Jiang Bai and said, "Sir, they will forget everything that happened in the last hour soon, so you don't need to worry."
I never expected Hu Jiaojiao to have such methods.
Jiang Bai gave Hu Jiaojiao an approving look, then looked at the people lying on the ground in front of him and sneered, "Have you thought about how you want to die?"
"This… Jiang Bai, how dare you! You can't kill us. We are all important figures in our sect. If you kill us, the sects behind us will not let it go."
"Yes, yes, you killed us. My father-in-law will not let you get away with this. Even if you are an ancient martial artist at the Heavenly Rank, you are no match for our sects. If you kill us, it will be a fight to the death. They will not let you go!"
Are these guys still threatening Jiang Bai?
Jiang Bai sneered at this, then thought for a moment and ransacked the people, but unfortunately, he found nothing of value, only a few small space bags containing some materials and some pills.
After looking at the items, Jiang Bai emptied one of them, kept it for himself, stuffed it in his pocket, and then threw everything to Hu Jiaojiao, who thanked him repeatedly.
Before they could even speak, Jiang Bai had already killed them all.
Jiang Bai had no interest in keeping those bastards around; he was busy right now and didn't have time to deal with them.
They're right. If Jiang Bai wants to kill them, it'll definitely be a fight to the death. But things have already come to this. Jiang Bai has already crippled these guys. Do you think that if they let them go, the other party will feel it's forgivable and won't hold it against Jiang Bai?
Is that possible? I'm afraid the retaliation will come even faster and more fiercely.
Since that's the case, it's better to just kill them all.
As for any trouble that might come afterward, Jiang Bai wasn't worried at all. Would he dare to come?
Let them come, do you think I'm afraid of them?
"Sir, they are..." Zhu Ben Er was dumbfounded when he saw Jiang Bai swiftly and decisively stomp these people to death, and couldn't help but speak.
Before he could finish speaking, Jiang Bai waved his hand, and Zhu Ben Er wisely shut up. Jiang Bai said indifferently, "They're just a few ignorant fools. Killing them is fine. I'm not afraid of the people behind them. If a fight breaks out, who will dare to kill them?"
"Well said. Young man, after years of my training, you have finally shown some spirit, which makes me very satisfied. In recognition of your heroic performance, after receiving the original reward of 500 prestige points, the system has decided to personally sponsor you with 100 prestige points as a reward. Young man, keep up the good work!"
The system's voice suddenly rang out at this moment, sounding somewhat gloating.
Jiang Bai rolled his eyes, too lazy to bother with this troublemaker.
Damn it, you have the nerve to bring up your little bit of prestige? Is this some kind of pathetic person?
"Shut your beak! I don't want your 100 points of prestige, you can keep them for yourself," Jiang Bai retorted angrily.
"Young man, don't be like that. A hundred points of prestige is still prestige. Don't you understand the principle of accumulating little by little?" the system couldn't help but complain to Jiang Bai.
"Get out!"
Jiang Bai simply said those two clean and concise words; I really didn't want to bother with this guy.
The system wasn't angry at all; it seemed to have no temper at all. It chuckled and said to Jiang Bai, "Of course, if you don't want any prestige, I can give you a side quest."
"Ding dong, the system has issued a side quest: The Immortal Sect's Revenge! Withstand three fierce retaliations from the Immortal Sect. If the quest is completed, the host has the right to request that one of the host's skills be randomly upgraded by one level."
"Those that have reached their final form can undergo ultimate evolution."
"Failure will randomly reduce one of the host's skills, with no time limit. Condition: The host must not die, and all attackers must be wiped out!"
After saying this, he stopped talking again, leaving Jiang Bai looking bewildered.
Chapter 972 Chill
To be honest, this task from the system is actually quite good.
Randomly improving one of your existing skills is undoubtedly a very, very good reward.
However, the retaliation from this immortal sect is clearly not easy to deal with.
Jiang Bai's words sounded impressive, showing that he didn't take these sects seriously at all. However, that was just talk. Were these sects really that easy to deal with?
Obviously not.
These guys are really tough to deal with.
As beings who once ruled this land and called themselves immortals, although they have completely declined, they still possess unimaginable strength. They... are not easy to deal with.
The few he had just killed were among the best of their kind. It wasn't that their cultivation was particularly high; Jiang Bai believed that these few were definitely not the most outstanding among these sects.
However, one thing is certain: they are definitely among the most powerful people in their respective sects, otherwise they wouldn't be so arrogant.
Because they all have powerful backers, they dare to be so arrogant even when facing Jiang Bai, a high-ranking official they know.
Otherwise, how could they dare to be so arrogant with their own strength alone?
If you kill them, the people behind them will definitely be restless and seek revenge. It's just unknown what kind of force they will come from, but Jiang Bai thinks it will definitely be extremely fierce.
The things I did in Europe haven't reached the ears of these monks yet, but it's only a matter of time.
If they still dare to retaliate after they find out, then the ones who come will definitely be extremely difficult experts, and their retaliation will be like a raging tidal wave, impossible to resist.
As for whether they would dare not act recklessly because of their superior strength and the support of the Myriad Saints Sect, Jiang Bai completely ignored this possibility.
If he had harbored such wishful thinking before, he completely lost that idea after the system issued this task.
Because he knew this matter wouldn't end there, and the other party would definitely retaliate; otherwise, there wouldn't be such a system side quest.
"It seems I've made another enemy for myself, no, several enemies, and all of them are formidable ones," Jiang Bai muttered to himself with a wry smile.
The sound was very soft and no one else could hear it; otherwise, who knows if Hu Jiaojiao and Zhu Ben'er, who are still standing there, would have any other thoughts.
I calmed my mind and stopped thinking about these things. This was a task I couldn't refuse. The system had already issued the task, so there was no way to refuse.
Jiang Bai was already extremely familiar with this guy's nature, so he didn't hold out any hope at all.
He instructed Zhu Ben'er and Hu Jiaojiao to clean up the mess.
This thing was quite decisive, directly changing its form. A huge body, over four and a half meters tall and over eight meters long, appeared out of thin air, filling the high-ceilinged hall. It had huge fangs and a ferocious face.
With two grunts, it devoured the boys in front of it, chewing them with smacking sounds, making Jiang Bai and Hu Jiaojiao shudder.
After finishing eating, it licked its lips, then transformed back into human form, looking as if it had savored the meal, which gave Jiang Bai goosebumps all over his body.
Hu Jiaojiao looked at Zhu Ben'er with disgust and said with some dissatisfaction, "Zhu Er, how have you become so perverted? You've started eating people! Didn't we say we wouldn't eat people?"
"Well, I just couldn't help myself. The master told me to deal with them, and I couldn't think of any other way. Besides, you don't know how awful these kids are. They've been on their way to find the Qingqiu Map, and they've been torturing me along the way."
"They would either hit me or curse me, they bullied me so much, I just hated them! But they were already dead, I couldn't take revenge on them, so I couldn't hold back and ate them."
Zhu Ben Er scratched his sparse hair and said with an embarrassed look.
Jiang Bai was speechless. He glanced at the guy in front of him and wondered if he should kill the man-eating monster, but after thinking about it, he gave up the idea.
It is, after all, a life, and it seems quite honest. Let's observe it a little longer. If it doesn't repeat the mistake, I'll call old Nalan and give it to him.
They're all monsters; Old Nalan should be happy to accept them.
Although Old Nalan was actually just a half-demon with a diluted bloodline, those guys from the Ten Thousand Saints Sect were monsters, and he was one of their kind.
As for Hu Jiaojiao, she definitely shouldn't be associated with her.
She has a connection to the Qingqiu Map and the Witch God Sect. Jiang Bai has made an agreement with them to split the spoils equally, so she can't go back on her word, or Old Cheng will be embarrassed.
And he had promised to let her off the hook.
"Alright, let's not talk about this anymore. Hurry up and get ready to wake him up," Jiang Bai waved his hand and said.
Hu Jiaojiao then woke them up. Just as she said, these people knew nothing about what had happened, not even about the arrival of those people. They just looked at Zhu Ben Er with some surprise.
When Jiang Bai introduced Zhu Ben'er as a friend, Hao Ge and Hu Jun were exceptionally enthusiastic and specially invited Zhu Ben'er to sit down. Once seated, the guy started eating and drinking voraciously, which surprised everyone else, as he had a really large appetite.
After dealing with everything, Jiang Bai didn't let Zhu Ben'er leave. Instead, he called Lao Nalan and told him that he had found a pig demon in Hu County and asked him to take over.
After a moment of hesitation, Jiang Bai agreed. He left Zhu Ben Er there to continue his feasting, while he himself left Hu County with Hu Jiaojiao and headed to Chenjia'ao.
With Hu Jun leading the way, the journey was extremely smooth. A dozen off-road vehicles and dozens of people arrived at Chenjia'ao in a grand procession.
The local village official had already led a group of people to welcome Brother Jun. After giving them some casual instructions, the group went up the mountain, led by two familiar locals who often went up the mountain.
There were many people: Hu Jun's group, Hao Ge's group, Jiang Bai and Hu Jiaojiao, the local village chief, and a few guys familiar with the route, totaling forty or fifty people.
After Hu Jiaojiao described an ancient temple in the mountains and the basic terrain there, several people familiar with the area pondered for a while and discussed it together. After a moment, one of them stood up and said that he had been there before.
After discussing it, the group was fairly certain that the place was the one Hu Jiaojiao had mentioned.
This delighted Hu Jiaojiao, and the group then arrived at the ancient temple that Hu Jiaojiao had mentioned, led by someone.
Actually, things didn't have to be so complicated. You could just ask the system and get the answer directly. It's just that this guy is too greedy. He charges 30,000 reputation points for each question, which is why Jiang Bai had no choice but to give up.
Chapter 973 Blue Stone Slab
Although it took a little effort, it was all minor trouble. Now that he had found the place, Jiang Bai felt relieved.
Jiang Bai still considers the Qingqiu Map to be dispensable, and he doesn't have a strong desire to obtain it.
However, since the Southern Border Witch God Sect is so eager for this thing, Jiang Bai naturally has to make a move, because it is enough to prove that this is a good thing.
Good things should be kept in one's own hands and not allowed to be obtained by others.
At the entrance of this dilapidated ancient temple, Jiang Bai had Hao Ge and his men spread out around the area to guard it and prevent others from entering, while he himself went inside with Hu Jiaojiao.
The Qingqiu Map is of great importance, and these people are not our own, so it's best not to let them know.
Moreover, this thing was too fantastical, and there were only ordinary people outside, so Jiang Bai didn't want to scare them.
Hao Ge and the others were all very sensible. After receiving Jiang Bai's instructions, they all nodded and bowed with smiles on their faces to indicate their agreement, and then stood around the ancient temple.
Jiang Bai was fairly satisfied with this, thinking that this guy was quite good at handling things, and that he would praise him when he saw Lao Yang in the future, as he was a capable person.
Upon entering the ancient temple, Jiang Bai noticed that it was not very large and was quite dilapidated. Apart from a Buddha statue in the center whose features were no longer discernible, the surrounding area was filled with ruins. This made Jiang Bai frown, wondering why something like the Qingqiu Map would be buried here.
However, Hu Jiaojiao's words made Jiang Bai's heart skip a beat, and he couldn't help but look around, his face full of curiosity and surprise.
Because Hu Jiaojiao whispered, "This place is really strange. It looked like this in the early Tang Dynasty, and it hasn't changed at all in the past thousand years."
This surprised Jiang Bai. What kind of place was this dilapidated temple that was so magical and had remained the same for thousands of years?
If it weren't for the fact that this place is so dilapidated and the location so remote, it probably would have already attracted the attention of interested people.
There are countless ancient temples in China, and many more are abandoned and dilapidated. It's not surprising that some of these buildings are located in remote, desolate areas. However, this ancient temple has remained completely unchanged for thousands of years, which is truly astonishing.
Since nothing can withstand the erosion of time, the fact that nothing here has changed at all is quite surprising to Jiang Bai.
Perhaps there's something else hidden here besides the Qingqiu Map.
"Where is the place you're talking about?" Jiang Bai couldn't help but ask Hu Jiaojiao.
The ancient temple is small, only about ten meters square. The beams and other structures have long since collapsed. It has no roof and is completely open to the elements. The walls on all four sides are also dilapidated, as if they could collapse at any moment.
Apart from the stone Buddha in the center whose face was no longer visible, there seemed to be nothing special here. Jiang Bai was very curious about how Hu Jiaojiao had hidden the Qingqiu Map.
"Didn't I say it was under the ancient temple? Look, under the stone statue."
Upon hearing this, Hu Jiaojiao narrowed her eyes, and at this moment she looked exactly like her true self.
Jiang Bai was stunned for a moment, then Hu Jiaojiao didn't waste any more words with him and led him to the stone statue. The ground was covered with a layer of dust, and there was nothing special about stepping on it; it was just a mound of earth.
But looking at Hu Jiaojiao's expression, she didn't think she was joking, and she didn't have the guts to do it.
Walking to the front of the stone statue, Hu Jiaojiao measured with her hand, taking a distance of sixty-five palm lengths from the front of the statue. Then, without caring about getting dirty, she dug her hands away from the ground.
The ground, covered in dust and more than a meter deep, was dug up by Hu Jiaojiao.
Of course, she dug a one-meter hole here only after revealing her sharp fingernails; otherwise, it wouldn't have been easy for those fair fingers to dig this hole.
A one-meter-deep pit appeared, and Jiang Bai finally saw a bluestone slab underneath. This surprised Jiang Bai, and Hu Jiaojiao, seeing his surprised expression, explained, "This is how it was originally. When we found this place, we also thought the ground of this ancient temple was just soil."
"However, there was a hole here back then, probably because the ground below collapsed. After we obtained the Qingqiu Map, we replaced it with stone slabs and sealed it up."
As she spoke, she used her hands to more than double the size of the pit around her. This time she was very fast, her claws moving like lightning. What would take an adult half a day to do, she finished in just a few breaths.
After lifting the heavy bluestone slab and moving the stone, which was at least forty or fifty centimeters thick, Jiang Bai discovered a dark hole in front of him.
The entrance to the cave was small, only wide enough for one person to pass through. It was pitch black inside, and you couldn't see anything. When you opened it, there was a foul smell coming from inside, probably because it had been sealed for many years.
Taking out the high-powered flashlight she had prepared beforehand, Hu Jiaojiao smiled gently and went in first, followed closely by Jiang Bai.
Once inside, Hu Jiaojiao, having found some torches, lit them and quickly ran to several locations to completely illuminate the area.
Only then did Jiang Bai get a clear look at everything around him.
Four large stone blocks appeared in the four corners of this underground space. Jiang Bai only realized the unpleasant smell now; it was the smell of candles and kerosene that had been sealed for many years.
Hu Jiaojiao set these places on fire, illuminating the surrounding space. This place was much larger than the ancient temple above.
It was a large underground cave, several hundred square meters in size. Although it was covered in dust, everything around it could still be clearly seen under the illumination of the four flames.
Inside the cavern made of bluestone slabs, apart from a nine-tailed fox demon statue with its head raised to the sky in the center, the hall was empty and there was nothing else.
Jiang Bai remained silent and glanced at Hu Jiaojiao.
Hu Jiaojiao smiled slightly, walked up to the nine-tailed fox, gritted her teeth, and used all her strength to slowly lift the stone statue, which was four or five meters in size and weighed several thousand kilograms. She then gently placed it aside, walked to the original spot of the statue, looked down, thought for a long time, and slowly lifted one of the stone slabs.
Another smaller stone slab appeared in front of Jiang Bai, carved with countless patterns and emitting a soft, bluish light. It was unclear what material it was made of.
The most eye-catching feature is the nine-tailed fox above, which is remarkably similar to the stone statue.
"This is the Qingqiu Map. When I was young, my friends and I found this place. Back then, this thing was right in front of the stone statue, but it was much brighter than it is now, and it had some kind of energy that awakened our intelligence, allowing us to know the origin of this thing and some basic cultivation methods."
Chapter 974 Contact the System When in Trouble
"However, they are not from the fox clan, so they don't know as much as I do, and they don't benefit as much as I do."
"Later, they told me to hide it, so I thought of this place and put it under the stone statue."
As Jiang Bai listened to Hu Jiaojiao's explanation, he picked up the bronze tablet and examined it carefully.
To be honest, Jiang Bai couldn't figure it out at all. This thing wasn't a map at all, nor did it look like a key.
Jiang Bai expressed doubt about the so-called "Qingqiu Map".
But Hu Jiaojiao spoke with conviction, and she didn't seem to be faking it. More importantly, this thing did look very special. It automatically emitted a certain light, and when held in the palm of your hand, it felt cool and made you feel very good. I don't know what material it was made of.
However, upon closer inspection, Jiang Bai found nothing resembling a map, only a nine-tailed fox and scenes of nine-tailed foxes fighting with some kind of creature.
The painting is very detailed, clearly exquisitely crafted.
Jiang Bai looked at it for a long time, but he still couldn't figure it out.
"System, where's the map? Is this the Qingqiu Map?"
Left with no other option, Jiang Bai could only ask the system in his mind.
Under normal circumstances, Jiang Bai is rather stingy and unwilling to waste his precious prestige points on this, even though he can now gain more than a thousand prestige points every day.
However, it is shameful to waste money for no reason; only by accumulating little by little can one become truly wealthy.
However, given the current situation, Jiang Bai had no other choice but to consult the system to prevent Hu Jiaojiao from deceiving him.
Besides, even if what Hu Jiaojiao said is true, and this is the Qingqiu Map, judging from her appearance, she definitely wouldn't be able to explain it clearly. What use would she have for this thing?
The Southern Frontier Witch God Sect claims they have some ancient texts that record the Qingqiu Map, but they've never actually obtained it. Who knows if their records are accurate or if they have a way to decipher it?
If not, then we still need to ask the system, right?
Even if it exists, are you suggesting that Jiang Bai hand it over to the Southern Border Witch God Sect now so they can study it?
Wouldn't that be like handing this thing over to everyone? What was originally an equal partnership would instantly become unequal.
That's right, the Southern Frontier Witch God Sect and Lao Cheng are blood relatives, and in principle, they have a good relationship. But it's definitely not to the point where Jiang Bai has to hand over everything he gets.
Jiang Bai isn't stupid; once he gives this thing to them, it will be difficult to get it back.
What will we do then? Will we really have to completely break off relations?
Therefore, Jiang Bai has now chosen the simplest and clearest method: when in doubt, just ask the system.
It's just a few prestige points; I just hope the system isn't too greedy.
"30,000 prestige points!"
The system coldly presented this price.
"What the hell! Are you fucking crazy?" Jiang Bai couldn't help but curse. You ask for 30,000 just to ask about a location, and now you're asking for 30,000 for such a simple question? Are you out of your mind or what?
Do you know how much prestige it took me to rise to power? You weren't this ruthless back then.
Jiang Bai couldn't help but scream inwardly, almost turning against the system, cursing it out, and then abandoning this damn thing to study it on his own.
"Young man, calm down. I have a lot to tell you, and it's not as simple as whether this thing is the Qingqiu Map or not. Of course, you can choose not to listen, but I think even if you find someone else, they won't be able to help you decipher this thing."
"This thing is too ancient, and the information you can find is limited, so it will be very difficult to crack. Only my great system can help you."
"So don't yell at me here. Thirty thousand prestige points is not only not too much, but it's actually a bargain. In your words, it's a favor price! You understand? A favor price!"
"This price is only because of our long-standing relationship!"
Jiang Bai was speechless at this. After a long while, he gritted his teeth and said in a deep voice, "Fine, I agree!"
Thirty thousand it is, just consider it as being bitten by a dog and lying in bed for a month, during which I did nothing!
With a chuckle, the system deducted 30,000 prestige points from Jiang Bai, reducing his already meager total by 30,000, causing Jiang Bai a pang of heartache.
Then the system's voice came: "I can tell you definitively, young man, this is the Qingqiu Map you are looking for, the map of the ancient Qingqiu Kingdom, and also the key to the ancient Qingqiu Kingdom."
"Really? But why can't I tell it's a map at all?" Jiang Bai was stunned. He didn't expect it to be real, but why couldn't he figure it out?
"Of course it's true. Would I lie to you? Young man, don't be impatient. Since I've taken 30,000 prestige points from you, I certainly won't just tell you such a simple question!"
"You're not young anymore, why are you still so impulsive?"
The system's rambling made Jiang Bai speechless, so he wisely shut his mouth and listened to the system.
Since it had already said all that, what could Jiang Bai say? He could only listen quietly and see what shocking things the system could come up with.
"The reason you can't see this map is because it's simply impossible for you to see it!"
"The Qingqiu Map was originally a treasure left behind by the Nine-Tailed Celestial Fox for the sake of the fox clan's inheritance. It records the specific location of the Fox Kingdom's Qingqiu and contains the ultimate inheritance of the Fox Kingdom, as well as the treasures collected by the Fox Kingdom over the years."
"You should know that foxes are quite wealthy. They are a race of demons who are good at scheming and are clever and quick-witted. They also love to produce beautiful women. Every fox girl is extremely beautiful, and they are all loyal to the Fox Kingdom."
"Over countless years, this has naturally made the ancient Qingqiu Kingdom incredibly wealthy, and it contains countless treasures."
"In the ancient war, humans rebelled against the heavens, and the Fox Kingdom of Qingqiu was destroyed as a result. The demon race suffered heavy losses in that war, with most of them being killed or banished to the underworld, while a small number of them barely survived in the human world. The ancient kingdom of Qingqiu was extremely powerful at the time, so it also suffered a great blow."
"For the sake of Qingqiu's legacy, the Nine-Tailed Celestial Fox used her last strength and sacrificed herself along with many elders to seal the ancient Qingqiu Kingdom, leaving only this Qingqiu Map."
"Naturally, it wouldn't be possible for a human like you to obtain this thing and easily find the Qingqiu Ancient Kingdom."
"Because that place is already a treasure trove, how could the wisdom of the Nine-Tailed Celestial Fox allow a human or any other race to easily obtain all their possessions? If that were the case, what would be the point of their sacrifices? Don't you even understand this simple truth?"
Chapter 975 Robbery?
Jiang Bai was an extremely intelligent person, quick to understand. After hearing what the system said, he immediately realized what it meant.
"You mean that neither I nor anyone else can open this thing, and only someone with demon blood—no, fox blood—can open it, or more precisely, only a fox spirit can open it?"
Jiang Bai hurriedly asked, glancing at Hu Jiaojiao who looked bewildered beside him as he spoke, making Hu Jiaojiao feel extremely uncomfortable and uneasy.
"Hey, you're not too stupid, that's what I mean."
"That was also the intention of the Nine-Tailed Celestial Fox. The Qingqiu Map they created is a map that only fox demons can understand, and a key that only fox demons can use."
Upon hearing this, Jiang Bai's expression immediately changed. He narrowed his eyes and looked at Hu Jiaojiao with murderous intent. Hu Jiaojiao trembled in fear, her face turning pale as she stared at Jiang Bai.
If what the system said is true, then this fox spirit is deceiving me. She knows perfectly well that only fox spirits can understand and use the Qingqiu Map, yet she still gave it to me. Is she just playing a trick on me?
Or is there some ulterior motive?
Regardless of the circumstances, the malicious deception made Jiang Bai very angry.
"Don't look down on her. She's just a wild demon. What does she know? Back then, she came here by herself with the key, obtained the inheritance, and truly purified her bloodline. She might even be able to understand this Qingqiu Map."
"It's a pity she came with a bunch of idiots, so the energy that was originally meant for the fox clan to purify their bloodline, improve their cultivation, and receive the inheritance was distributed among a bunch of morons."
"As a result, she naturally only received a few words and gained a tiny bit of insignificant benefit, and has ended up like this after thousands of years."
"However, every gain has its loss. This is also your luck, kid. If she had obtained the entire inheritance and completely purified her bloodline, tsk tsk, she would at least be a pure-blooded six-tailed fox demon now, and maybe even a seven- or eight-tailed one."
"A pure-blooded demon with her own origins and heritage, heh, that's no longer a wild demon. After a thousand years of cultivation, you still think you can capture her?"
"It would be good enough if she didn't chase us all over the streets. She's probably another great demon king who can rival the Emperor of Ten Thousand Saints."
Jiang Bai was speechless and remained silent, realizing he had misunderstood Hu Jiaojiao. Looking at her terrified expression, he hissed, "What's the panic? Look how scared you are! Do you think I'd eat you?"
One sentence made Hu Jiaojiao pout, not daring to utter a sound, looking at Jiang Bai with lingering fear, her expression as if to say: "I thought you were going to eat me up."
However, she dared not say these words aloud; she could only keep them to herself.
Ignoring him, Jiang Bai squinted at the Qingqiu map in front of him, then asked the system, "How can I open this thing and get this fox spirit beside me to take me to the ancient kingdom of Qingqiu?"
The good stuff the system mentioned wasn't just simple gold and silver jewelry; those vulgar things wouldn't be worthy of the system's praise. It must be something good, and Jiang Bai was quite tempted.
Moreover, although the system didn't say it explicitly, Jiang Bai could still sense that it was implying something, guessing that the Qingqiu Ancient Kingdom was truly extraordinary.
Thinking about the rumors of "secrets to immortality," Jiang Bai became even more tempted.
However, only purebred fox demons can use and understand this thing, which put Jiang Bai in a difficult position.
Where can you find such a monster?
Don't assume that just because Jiang Bai encountered two monsters, monsters are really running rampant in the streets.
In fact, there are not many monsters left now. Apart from those from the Ten Thousand Saints Sect, there are probably only some great demon kings who live in seclusion in the deep mountains and a few under their protection.
Otherwise, these wild and untamed creatures wouldn't have committed so few crimes after the founding of the nation.
Don't assume they're afraid to act recklessly because of the Jizo's fearsome reputation. That's certainly one reason, but another reason is that monsters and such have almost disappeared now.
The idea that plants, crystals, birds, and beasts could all become demons was extremely rare in the distant past, since the rise of humankind.
Monsters are basically born naturally; it's almost impossible for them to be raised naturally by nature because resources and the environment are constantly being destroyed.
As for reproduction, these guys seem to have poor fertility, so their numbers are extremely small.
It's difficult to find any fox spirits here.
How to find a pure-blooded fox spirit?
Don't be ridiculous! Where are you going to find that?
I reckon that only Hu Jiaojiao in front of me might have a slightly purer bloodline.
Unfortunately, this foolish fox is a disgrace to the fox clan. She's not smart at all. She actually shared her own opportunity with so many other fools. Now, her bloodline is impure and her lineage is illegitimate. Even with the Qingqiu Map, it's all for nothing.
This gave Jiang Bai a real headache.
"System, can you lend her a hand?"
Jiang Bai couldn't help but ask the system.
The meaning is clear: it's not about helping Hu Jiaojiao improve her cultivation level and make her more powerful, but about purifying her bloodline so that she can unlock the Qingqiu Diagram.
The system's single sentence nearly made Jiang Bai vomit blood: "Of course, there's nothing the omnipotent system can't do. Two million prestige points, complete immediately."
One sentence almost made Jiang Bai vomit blood!
Two million reputation points? Are you robbing me?
Jiang Bai currently has about 30,000 fixed prestige points per month, not much more, which is 180,000 per year. Although he absorbed Yamaguchi Hiroichi's conglomerate, his fixed prestige is increasing every day along with the stability of the company.
It is expected that once things truly stabilize in another month, daily income will double.
That's 60,000 a month, or 360,000 a year.
Two million?
It would take Jiang Bai at least six or seven years, without eating or drinking, to raise enough money.
Although he could kill some truly skilled fighters and accumulate some prestige.
That's exactly what he did in Yamato last time, hacking through eighteen streets, killing countless masters, and gaining immense prestige.
He killed a cardinal in Europe and then killed so many others in the League of Assassins, which gave him nearly a million reputation points out of thin air.
However, this also caused extremely bad consequences, namely that Jiang Bai now has no one to kill.
Those experts are treasures of various forces, and each one is extremely important.
Jiang Bai's indiscriminate killings had long been unbearable, but people had to tolerate it for certain special reasons.
However, this does not mean that the other party's patience is unlimited, allowing Jiang Bai to slaughter them piece by piece.
Chapter 976 Unhappy
Jiang Bai was certain that if he went to Dahe and slaughtered indiscriminately again, he would definitely be attacked by the crowd.
Even if there's something incredibly important going on in Yamato, the experts there will still jump out and fight Jiang Bai to the death.
As for other places, I guess it's the same.
Although Jiang Bai wasn't afraid, he already had enough enemies, and this matter gave him a headache every day.
Just before he arrived, he killed several self-proclaimed immortals in Hu County. Now, this trouble is still unresolved, and the system has even assigned him a side quest.
It's clear he's gotten himself into a lot of trouble.
Do I really want to cause trouble for myself now?
Jiang Bai thought it best to forget about it.
He does have quite a few enemies in the West, and they are practically at odds with each other. However, the last time Jiang Bai killed a cardinal, it caused quite a stir there.
If Jiang Bai hadn't been hiding in China, giving the other side some pause, they probably would have already come knocking on his door.
Is Jiang Bai still hoping to cause trouble for others?
I reckon that if he dares to step out of the country, he'll be hunted down by countless experts.
So these two million prestige points are really a headache.
"Don't think it's expensive. I guarantee it's absolutely worth the price. If you can get your hands on anything from the Qingqiu Ancient Kingdom, the benefits will be immeasurable!"
"That's a valuable item for vixens to guard their homes and protect their lives."
The system chuckled and actually advised Jiang Bai to help Hu Jiaojiao, spending two million prestige points, and even told Jiang Bai that it was well worth the money.
After a moment of silence, Jiang Bai was assessing how much of what the system said could be believed.
After thinking it over, Jiang Bai also felt that what the system said might be true.
However, he really doesn't have that kind of prestige right now. Two million is not a small amount, and it's not something that can be raised in a short time.
Moreover, he really felt a pang of regret at having to part with those two million prestige points.
Two million prestige points are enough for him to participate in the lottery twice, and it's the ultimate lottery that everyone dreams of!
Those are all tempting treats!
Even without the lottery, two million prestige points, doubled, would be enough for Jiang Bai to directly raise his cultivation level by one level, pushing his cultivation to another peak and becoming a mid-level expert!
By then, we'll be ten times stronger than we are now, sweeping everything aside. We won't have anything to fear then, and we can immediately jump to the West to take revenge on those bastards.
So much prestige was used to purify Hu Jiaojiao's bloodline?
What does she have to do with him? To say that Jiang Bai doesn't feel sorry for her would be a lie.
However, if he doesn't help Hu Jiaojiao, wouldn't Jiang Bai miss out on the Qingqiu Map?
Therefore, Jiang Bai was caught in a dilemma, looking at Hu Jiaojiao with great confusion.
In the end, Jiang Bai gritted his teeth and told the system, "I don't have that much prestige right now. Let's talk about it when I have it."
In truth, he was thinking that he had given so much, but he was going to have to give half of it to the Southern Frontier Witch God Sect, and he felt unbalanced.
Since that's the case, I might as well take this for now and deal with it later when my strength has improved.
Back then, whoever wanted a share of the pie, whether they were from the Witch God Sect or any other sect, had to consider whether they were qualified.
"This is useless. I'll put it away for now!"
Jiang Bai glared at Hu Jiaojiao, this useless thing, and said something vicious that left Hu Jiaojiao completely bewildered before turning and leaving.
With the item tucked into his pocket, Jiang Bai leaped up and rushed out.
Hu Jiaojiao, looking aggrieved, glanced at the empty hall and, without mentioning extinguishing the torches or moving the stone statue back, simply followed Jiang Bai away, her face full of grievance.
She didn't know why Jiang Bai suddenly started cursing at her, but she didn't dare to argue back. What could she do when she was weak? She could only follow behind Jiang Bai with her head down, like a punching bag, not daring to say a word.
Stepping out of the cave, Jiang Bai stood at the entrance, still somewhat unwilling to give up, and asked, "System, if I don't use this Qingqiu map to find the Qingqiu Ancient Kingdom, can you provide its address?"
"Of course! In fact, I know where it is, and I'm not afraid to tell you, it's in Guanzhong!"
Jiang Bai was stunned by the system's unusual generosity in not asking for prestige points. This surprised Jiang Bai greatly, as it was not in accordance with common sense.
Could it be that this guy just received his prestige points, said a few words, felt a little guilty, and now has a change of heart?
However, he soon realized he was overthinking things, because the system changed its tone and said, "The Qingqiu Ancient Kingdom is a self-contained space."
"Yes, it's a small paradise. It's not small in area, but it's not very big either. It's roughly the size of a province in China."
"In fact, these spaces of all sizes are scattered throughout the world, but they are extremely hidden and not easy to enter, so you don't know about them."
"The ancient kingdom of Qingqiu is also such a place. If the location is not revealed by the Qingqiu Map and does not serve as a key, no one can enter."
"In fact, when the fox clan was destroyed, quite a few people knew the location of the ancient Qingqiu Kingdom, but no one could get in."
"Without the Qingqiu Map, unless your cultivation is earth-shattering, like that of the Qin Emperor, you can forget about it."
"Of course, Qin Shi Huang was unlucky. No one in his time knew the location of Qingqiu anymore, otherwise he might have actually been able to storm in."
"As for you, you can still get in even without the Qingqiu Map. It's very simple. Give me ten million prestige points, and I'll guarantee you can come and go as you please."
Upon hearing this, Jiang Bai decisively abandoned this grandson, losing ten million prestige points.
Are you kidding me? With a little more effort, Jiang Bai could level up two levels and become a super master at the Great Heaven Realm.
Why would I go to the ancient Qingqiu Kingdom? Even if the things there are good, would they really make him level up twice?
Dream on!
"Hello, please go away, go far away. We can't be friends anymore." Jiang Bai only gave the system this one sentence, and then ignored it.
She glared angrily at Hu Jiaojiao, who already looked aggrieved, and walked out with a cold snort. This made Hu Jiaojiao feel even more aggrieved, and she followed with her head hanging low, not daring to lift her head at all.
She didn't know why Jiang Bai had repeatedly expressed his dissatisfaction with her, but she knew that in the current situation, it was best not to provoke him by touching his sensitive nerves.
Anyone who speaks too much in front of Jiang Bai at this time will definitely be in big trouble.
Hu Jiaojiao wasn't the only one who noticed Jiang Bai's gloomy expression. There were too many people outside who knew how to read people's expressions; they were all experts in this area. Understanding people's hearts and reading people's expressions were their livelihood.
Without this skill, I wouldn't be where I am today.
Seeing Jiang Bai's displeased expression, Hao Ge and Hu Jun immediately changed their expressions, wisely shutting their mouths and asking no questions. They told their men to stand back, lest they offend Master Jiang and then suffer the consequences.
Chapter 977 My Sister is Looking for You
Having obtained the Qingqiu Map but unable to use it, Jiang Bai didn't rush to tell Cheng Tiangang about it.
Jiang Bai was still planning to study how to handle this matter properly, but he hadn't decided on a choice yet.
Two million prestige points are far too much. In Jiang Bai's opinion, it's not worth using them to help Hu Jiaojiao evolve her bloodline and obtain the complete inheritance.
Jiang Bai had only known Hu Jiaojiao for less than a week, so it was unrealistic for him to easily trust her.
Jiang Bai didn't want to invest so much only to end up with nothing, so he was somewhat hesitant.
In the end, Jiang Bai decided to put the matter aside. After saying goodbye to Hao Ge and the others, Jiang Bai returned to Tiandu with Hu Jiaojiao. The Lishan Mausoleum was drawing closer, and Jiang Bai needed to make some preparations.
Of course, his so-called preparations actually involved a full-scale search for the whereabouts of his spatial ring, which was extremely important to Jiang Bai.
After spending tens of thousands of prestige points to obtain the exact location of the spatial ring from the system, Jiang Bai immediately arranged for someone to retrieve it.
Fortunately, this item did not fall into the hands of the Dark Council, but was obtained by a nearby child and then resold to a collector who liked to collect items made of special materials.
Jiang Bai has now gone through several channels to get people to retrieve this item, offering a price that the other party cannot refuse.
Of course, if the other party is not sensible, those people will happily end their life and turn that price into money for their life.
By the time Jiang Bai returned to Tiandu, he had already obtained the item and was currently on his way back. He estimated that it would be back in Jiang Bai's hands by tomorrow.
After releasing Hu Jiaojiao, Jiang Bai gave her some money as a reward. The amount wasn't much, just a few tens of thousands of yuan. Hu Jiaojiao left Jiang Bai's side excitedly.
Of course, before leaving, she made a special promise to Jiang Bai that she would be available whenever he called.
Jiang Bai ignored her and waved her away impatiently.
Jiang Bai returned to his home and rested quietly for a day. The next day, he finally got his spatial ring and put the key, which resembled the Qin Emperor's key, and the Qingqiu map into it.
An indestructible spatial ring is obviously the safest place.
After dealing with these matters, Jiang Bai finally felt at ease, but he was surprised to find that he had nothing to do.
He had already made simple preparations for the major event at Lishan Mausoleum, but the Heavenly Group was still making a huge fuss about it, and there was still no result.
Jiang Bai could only stay at home bored, playing games and such. Occasionally, when he had some free time, he would go and play with the two little girls from Su Mei's class.
Or else, he would go to have dinner with Lin Wanru.
Or maybe I could arrange a date with Su Mei... or something.
The days seemed incredibly boring. The only unexpected news was that Jiang Yuqing, who was far away in Europe, called Jiang Bai to say that her training had ended and she would be returning to her airline soon.
She asked Jiang Bai how his matter was going and whether she needed to hide for a while longer.
This made Jiang Bai very embarrassed. He quickly told Jiang Yuqing that the matter had been resolved and that she could rest assured. He also invited her to come to Tiandu first after she returned so that he could see her.
However, she refused, saying she was too busy with work and wouldn't be coming for the time being, and that if Jiang Bai missed her, he could go to Hong Kong to find her.
This made Jiang Bai realize that the other party seemed to be a little angry. He tried to appease them with kind words, but it didn't have much effect, and the other party was still a little angry.
However, Jiang Bai didn't mind and told the other party that he was busy with some important matters during this period and would go to Hong Kong as soon as the matters were finished.
Although the other party was somewhat angry, they expressed their understanding and then asked for a specific timeframe. Jiang Bai gave them a month's notice before hanging up the phone.
"So boring, so boring." Jiang Bai felt extremely bored sitting at home.
Just then, an unexpected phone call interrupted Jiang Bai's boring life.
Jiang Bai was taken aback when he heard that the call was answered by Ye Qingcheng, the nation's goddess. Ye Qingcheng was incredibly popular and extremely busy. He had recently heard that she had started working with an international director and was preparing for a blockbuster.
I'm so busy, why would someone call me at this time?
Is she missing me?
Jiang Bai unconsciously thought this to himself, and a warmth spread through his heart.
Unfortunately, his fantasy was quickly shattered. Ye Qingcheng might miss him, but she would never call just to tell him about this.
"Brother Jiang Bai, what are you doing?" Ye Qingcheng's voice rang out, still as clear and melodious as ever.
"Playing video games at home, what's wrong?"
Jiang Bai thought about it and didn't deny his boring life.
"My sister wants to meet you..." After hesitating for a moment, Ye Qingcheng whispered these words to Jiang Bai, seemingly a little embarrassed, for reasons unknown.
"Your sister?" Jiang Bai was taken aback, somewhat surprised.
Ye Qingcheng has an older sister and apparently an older brother. She has quite a few siblings, and they are said to be quite capable. Jiang Bai has never met them, but before this, Ye Qingcheng had claimed several times when Jiang Bai encountered trouble that she would tell her sister so that her sister could solve the problem.
It seems that Ye Qingcheng's older sister is quite a formidable figure, at least in Ye Qingcheng's mind. Her sister is omnipotent!
Jiang Bai had suspected this matter before and had people investigate it several times, but the investigations yielded no results, which made Jiang Bai quite curious.
Of course, this is because he didn't use too many connections or make a big fuss by having people like Li Qingdi and Cheng Tiangang investigate. Otherwise, there should have been a result by now.
Even so, Jiang Bai could tell that Ye Qingcheng's sister was no ordinary person.
Logically speaking, Ye Qingcheng and Jiang Bai have a very good relationship. They are extremely close, and it could even be described as ambiguous. It's just that they haven't made this clear to each other yet.
However, the two of them already understood each other without saying a word, and were just waiting for things to naturally fall into place.
However, Jiang Bai had absolutely no connection with Ye Qingcheng's sister. At this moment, Ye Qingcheng suddenly called, saying that her sister wanted to see Jiang Bai...
This is a bit strange.
Why would she contact me out of the blue? I don't think I know her very well.
This left Jiang Bai completely baffled.
Chapter 978 Taking the Initiative to Invite?
There are many things he doesn't understand, and this is definitely not the only one, but since the other party has come to him, Jiang Bai has no reason to refuse.
This isn't an outsider; it's Ye Qingcheng's older sister.
Who knows, she might become my sister-in-law in the future. After all, she's family, so I can't neglect her.
So Jiang Bai thought for a moment and said, "Alright, since your sister wants to see me, let's set a time. You tell me the time and place, and we'll meet."
Without even asking what it was about, Jiang Bai agreed to let Ye Qingcheng meet with her sister.
Since they were all family, Jiang Bai didn't want to be too formal. They could talk things out when they met; there was no need to be so distant.
If Ye Qingcheng's sister needs his help in anything, Jiang Bai will definitely do his best without hesitation.
"Oh, that's great! I..." Ye Qingcheng immediately smiled with delight upon hearing this. Just as she was about to speak, it seemed as if someone nudged her from beside her, causing her to stop abruptly.
After pausing for several seconds, he said, "In that case, I'm in Tiandu now. Let's meet at Mousse Coffee downstairs in the Hill Hotel in the central area. The coffee there is very good."
"The central area?" Jiang Bai was taken aback.
"Is there a problem?" Ye Qingcheng couldn't help but ask.
"No, okay, I'll go over now and we'll talk when we meet." Jiang Bai thought for a moment and then agreed.
She just felt a little strange. Didn't this girl know how famous she was? Why was she going to the city center? Wasn't she afraid of being recognized?
That's going to cause a huge stir.
"National Goddess on a Date with a Mysterious Man in the City Center?"
Ye Qingcheng is Taken!
Who is the goddess's man?
Once discovered, articles like these will likely dominate the front page headlines.
But who cares if she's willing? It'll just be a bit troublesome later. She can just talk to the media and relevant departments and suppress the matter. It's not a big problem.
This is China, after all. It's not difficult for Jiang Bai to do these things with his power. If this were abroad, those uncrowned kings wouldn't be so easy to deal with.
Having made his decision and hung up the phone, Jiang Bai quickly tidied himself up, changed into a casual outfit, put on a pair of white sneakers, and leisurely headed out the door.
Jiang Bai had the driver take him to the city center and got out of the car. He had never been to a coffee shop like Mousse Coffee before, but once he arrived, he saw the huge sign and it wasn't hard to find.
At this moment, there aren't many people here because it's afternoon and a weekday, so the number of people allowed is limited.
Looking around, Jiang Bai spotted a woman in a white dress wearing a wide-brimmed hat sitting with her head down in the distance. Jiang Bai recognized her immediately as Ye Qingcheng.
Because Jiang Bai bought that white dress with Ye Qingcheng when he had some free time.
With a smile, Jiang Bai walked over and sat down casually. He chuckled softly, "Why did we have to meet here? Where's your sister?"
"My sister said she couldn't come because of something, but since she's busy, I'm free, so I came to see you. I haven't seen you in a long time, and I've missed you!"
Ye Qingcheng raised her head, blinked her big eyes, and said this playfully to Jiang Bai. However, she was obviously much more generous and proactive than before, which surprised Jiang Bai.
This was the first time Ye Qingcheng had expressed her admiration for him so clearly, which surprised Jiang Bai quite a bit.
"Hehe, I miss you too." Jiang Bai chuckled, thought for a moment, and replied in the same way.
Since the girl has spoken up, Jiang Bai has no reason to lag behind, right?
At this point, you can only go along with what they say; how can you refuse?
This is such a loss of face; Jiang Bai simply couldn't bring himself to do it.
"The coffee here is very good, would you like to try some?" After thinking for a moment, Ye Qingcheng suddenly asked.
"No, I'm really not that interested in this kind of thing, as you know. But since your sister can't come, what should we do?"
"We can't just sit here idly all afternoon, can we?"
Jiang Bai declined Ye Qingcheng's suggestion, then asked with a smile.
"What do you want to do?" Upon hearing this, Ye Qingcheng's face turned slightly red, as if she had misunderstood Jiang Bai's words.
"Uh, I wasn't thinking about anything." Jiang Bai also realized that what he said seemed a little off. It was a very ordinary sentence, but it sounded a bit strange when he said it at this time, especially after Ye Qingcheng asked him that question.
So he quickly changed the subject and asked Ye Qingcheng, "By the way, what did your sister want with me?"
"I don't know. I don't know why my sister is looking for you. She's always so secretive. How would I know what she wants to do? Anyway, she suddenly came to me and said she wanted to see you."
"But we'd already arranged the place, and then she suddenly said she had something to do and couldn't come. How am I supposed to know what she's up to?" Pouting, Ye Qingcheng said with some dissatisfaction, seemingly quite unhappy with her sister's behavior.
Jiang Bai chuckled and shook his head at this.
Before Jiang Bai could speak again, Ye Qingcheng suddenly raised her head, her bright eyes staring intently at Jiang Bai. After scrutinizing him for a while, she suddenly said, "I'm a little tired, how about... we go upstairs and rest for a bit?"
"Holy crap, what's going on here?"
Jiang Bai said he was stunned on the spot, his eyes wide open, looking at Ye Qingcheng, whose face was flushed with embarrassment, with disbelief.
What does that mean?
Going up to rest in broad daylight? Where are you going? Isn't it the hotel up there?
What does this mean?
Ye Qingcheng wanted to be with him...
Thinking about this, Jiang Bai felt a rush of blood to his body. This all happened so suddenly. What's wrong with this girl? Why is she being so proactive today? This filled Jiang Bai with curiosity.
To be honest, Jiang Bai was more surprised than excited. However, as a man, a normal man, when faced with such a beautiful woman making such a request, his first reaction would naturally be to subconsciously agree. Jiang Bai was no exception.
He immediately said, "Oh, okay, I'll make the arrangements right now."
After saying this, she looked slightly embarrassed, realizing that she might have been a bit too eager.
This whole thing... it's kind of awkward no matter how you look at it.
But the words have already been spoken, so what can we do now?
Is it possible to back out now?
Of course not!
Putting aside the question of what would happen to the girl's face if he went back on his word, Jiang Bai himself couldn't bring himself to do it.
Chapter 979 Ye Qingguo
After a brief silence, Jiang Bai steeled his resolve and made a gesture to invite Ye Qingcheng to stand up, taking her slightly cold hand in his.
Then, with the other party's tacit approval, they went upstairs.
The hotel was very efficient. Jiang Bai paid the bill and then took Ye Qingcheng to the presidential suite on the rooftop.
I entered the room and closed the door.
Jiang Bai glanced at Ye Qingcheng, who had taken off her hat and had long, beautiful hair, and felt slightly embarrassed.
At this point, Jiang Bai really didn't know what to do.
Logically speaking, since things have been made so clearly before, shouldn't I now transform into a wolf, pounce on the other party, and then wreak havoc on them?
Or you could call the hotel reception and ask them to prepare some fine wine and food, have a drink first, then light candles to add some ambiance.
Jiang Bai was conflicted for a moment.
In the past, things like this were always done naturally, but now that the two of them are together, it's noticeably a bit awkward, which leaves Jiang Bai momentarily at a loss as to how to proceed.
Just then, Ye Qingcheng, who was looking at Jiang Bai with a serene smile, tilted her head and stared at Jiang Bai for a long time with an expression that was neither a smile nor a frown. She even gave Jiang Bai an encouraging look.
How could Jiang Bai possibly tolerate this?
Just about to transform into a wolf...
Ye Qingcheng suddenly stretched and leaned against the headboard, falling asleep fully clothed.
As she lay there, she mumbled to Jiang Bai, "I'm really tired. I'm going to sleep for a while. Brother Jiang Bai, if you're free, you can watch TV outside."
After saying that, he just lay there and went to sleep.
This made Jiang Bai feel like a million grass mud horses were galloping through his mind.
What does this mean?
At this critical juncture, you actually went to sleep?
This made Jiang Bai's inner fire rise, and he was ready to ignore Ye Qingcheng, who was lying on the bed preparing to sleep, and directly transform into a wolf, pounce on her, tear off her clothes, and then have a wild time.
However, in the end, Jiang Bai gave up the idea, calmed his restless heart, took a deep breath, smiled bitterly, and walked out of the room.
He actually turned on the TV in the living room and started watching it.
Although it was a bit of a stretch, Jiang Bai gave up on the tempting idea he had been having. Since Ye Qingcheng didn't think that way, he couldn't just do it recklessly.
These aren't outsiders. Don't mess around with them, then turn your backs on them and become strangers from now on.
This is a close acquaintance, and Jiang Bai isn't in such a hurry.
So at this moment, he convinced his restless heart, made a difficult decision, and truly became a man of integrity.
Half an hour later, the closed door opened, and Ye Qingcheng reappeared in front of Jiang Bai. However, the shy expression and serene smile on her face had completely disappeared, replaced by a frosty look.
That feeling keeps people at arm's length.
Jiang Bai, who was sitting there, immediately jumped up from the sofa, squinted at the woman in front of him, and said in a deep voice, "Who are you!"
Although they wore the same clothes, had the same face and hairstyle, Jiang Bai immediately realized that the person in front of him was not Ye Qingcheng.
Even if Ye Qingcheng were furious, because she had acted like a beast, sitting in the living room watching TV, she would never have such an expression.
It's not that she wouldn't have it, but Jiang Bai was certain that Ye Qingcheng couldn't learn that kind of aura. It was an innate arrogance and coldness that kept people at arm's length.
Ye Qingcheng didn't possess that kind of aura, only a coldness that came from her very bones.
You should know that the world is full of wonders. There are too many masters and too many strange things in this world. Disguise and similar techniques are not considered to be very advanced skills.
Jiang Bai also believed that there were true masters who could transform themselves into Ye Qingcheng's appearance, and perform so perfectly that even the closest people would not be able to detect anything amiss.
Jiang Bai subconsciously thought that the person in front of him was also that kind of person.
"You have some self-control, which is different from what I expected. You were able to resist your restlessness in the face of such a beautiful woman... It seems that Qingcheng was right to trust you!"
"Indeed, to have such a career on this day, one must be no ordinary person."
"People say you're a true ruthless and vicious man, a killer without hesitation. But it seems that at least you've treated Qingcheng quite well."
"I didn't use any tricks on her, nor did I take advantage of her vulnerability or use any despicable means."
As the other person squinted and looked Jiang Bai up and down, he spoke coldly, without showing any expression throughout.
"Who are you?" Jiang Bai asked, squinting his eyes as well, already certain that the other party must have some connection with Ye Qingcheng.
Jiang Bai was even speculating whether the other party was Ye Qingcheng's sister.
"Ye Qingguo, Ye Qingcheng's older sister." The woman in front of him didn't play games with Jiang Bai, nor did she have any interest in beating around the bush. She stood there and said coldly, without any expression throughout.
She had already walked over while speaking, found a place to sit down casually, and lacked the alluring aura that Ye Qingcheng exuded in her every move. Everything about her seemed a bit stiff, giving people a rigid feeling.
"Twins?" After examining them closely and finding no signs of disguise, Jiang Bai tentatively inquired.
"That's right, twins! I'm ten minutes older than her, so I'm the older sister and she's the younger sister!" The other party didn't mince words with Jiang Bai on this issue and answered straightforwardly.
He then glanced at Jiang Bai and said in a deep voice, "Qingcheng is disobedient. My mother was just saying it casually when she was young. She wanted to become a movie star when she was young. It was just something she said casually, or rather, just a dream she had when she was young."
"But this girl actually took it seriously and insisted on going to some film academy. She even ran away from home against everyone's wishes to join some film crew, and almost got hurt in the process!"
At this point, Ye Qingguo paused, glanced at Jiang Bai, and said in a low voice, "My brother and I should thank you for this."
"I have a very good relationship with her, this is all perfectly normal, no need to thank me." Jiang Bai waved his hand and chuckled upon hearing this.
But in my heart I was thinking, looking at you like this, how could you possibly have any intention of thanking me?
This thank you... is a bit too awkward, isn't it?
Those who know you are thanking me, but those who don't might think you're interrogating a criminal.
However, Jiang Bai didn't say these words; he just listened quietly as Ye Qingguo continued.
Because he knew that the other party had come to see him specifically for more than just this.
That was clearly a test, but her purpose was definitely not limited to that.