Free Web NovelChapter 363: Chapter 361: A Complete Makeover
"Cough, cough..."
"I’m not dead, am I?"
A voice came from within the woods.
The figure on the ground slowly pushed himself up.
He then shot to his feet and glanced around.
His face lit up with joy.
"Haha, looks like I’m still alive after all."
This person was none other than Jiang Chen, who had escaped from below.
After a few chuckles, Jiang Chen fell silent.
He was wearing the Black Gold Silk Armor, but the blast from the Black Fire’s self-destruction below had still injured him badly.
His entire body ached, covered in wounds.
He quickly took out a Golden Healing Pill and swallowed it.
Jiang Chen then sat cross-legged on the ground to heal his injuries.
The night was silent.
Jiang Chen used a Spirit Art to absorb Life Force from the surrounding plants to accelerate his healing. At the same time, he activated the Nine Heavens Spirit-Seizing Technique, absorbing Heaven and Earth Primordial Qi to restore his cultivation.
Not until the next morning did Jiang Chen slowly let out a long breath.
’I’ve finally recovered.’
With this three-pronged approach, his recovery speed was countless times faster than that of an ordinary Martial Cultivator.
Now fully recovered, Jiang Chen rose to his feet.
He found a water source in the forest, washed himself, and changed into a brand-new black robe.
’No one can stop me.’
’Qin Family, I’m back.’
Jiang Chen sneered to himself.
He knew the Qin Family was behind his recent ordeal, but they had still failed to stop him.
When he left the forest, Jiang Chen was surprised to find he was already outside Guyue City.
He didn’t know why the One-Eyed Snow Worm from below hadn’t given chase, but he decided to put the matter aside for now.
But then he stopped short.
’It seems the Qin Family already knows I’ve reached Guyue City.’
’The City Lord’s Mansion is hunting me too. I should change my appearance, or I’m bound to run into trouble.’
Jiang Chen saw the situation clearly.
Right now, the City Lord’s Mansion and the Qin Family were united against him.
He would have to take precautions.
In fact, he was not afraid of the City Lord’s Mansion and the Qin Family.
After all, he had yet to reveal all his tricks.
He just didn’t want to reveal his hand too early.
His Black Fire alone was enough to make the Qin Family and the City Lord’s Mansion suffer immensely.
Entering the city again, Jiang Chen used a Disguise Technique, transforming himself into a burly, rugged man.
He looked truly imposing.
He passed through the city gate inspection without a hitch.
And made a beeline for the Qin Family estate.
「Meanwhile, at the Qin Family estate.」
Patriarch Qin Yun received news from the City Lord’s Mansion.
The news was that Jiang Chen had been captured and was now locked away in the Devil’s Prison.
"Haha, excellent! That brat has finally been caught."
"I will make you wish you were dead."
A vicious glint flashed in Qin Yun’s eyes.
’Now that he’s in the City Lord’s Mansion’s Devil’s Prison, there’s no chance of him disappearing.’
Qin Yun then led Qin Muxue and a large contingent from the Qin Family straight to the City Lord’s Mansion.
As soon as he saw Zhao Bing, Qin Yun asked eagerly, "City Lord, where is that little whelp Jiang Chen being held? Take us to see him."
Zhao Bing whispered, "The Crown Prince, Wen Shixuan, is at the City Lord’s Mansion. Your Qin Family should be careful."
What?
The expressions of Qin Yun and the others changed drastically.
Fortunately, they didn’t run into Wen Shixuan. The Crown Prince was staying at the City Lord’s Mansion, but he remained in seclusion and rarely appeared in public. No one knew what he was up to.
Zhao Bing himself rarely saw the Crown Prince. He wouldn’t dare seek him out unless summoned.
After all, Wen Shixuan was the Crown Prince of the Fire Sparrow Kingdom, far above the station of a mere City Lord.
Hearing that Crown Prince Wen Shixuan was at the City Lord’s Mansion, Qin Yun said hurriedly to Zhao Bing, "Rumor has it the Crown Prince and the Second Prince don’t get along."
"We’d best not provoke him. City Lord, just take us to Jiang Chen. We’ll deal with that brat first and worry about the rest later."
The Crown Prince and the Second Prince were both vying for the throne, so their rivalry was an open secret. The two had been at odds for years, and behind closed doors, each plotted the other’s demise.
And since Qin Yun’s daughter, Qin Muxue, was close to the Second Prince, any encounter with the Crown Prince would be incredibly awkward for all involved.
The Crown Prince might even decide to make a move against the Qin Family.
They did not dare to provoke Crown Prince Wen Shixuan.
So, Zhao Bing led the Qin Family straight to the Devil’s Prison.
「Devil’s Prison.」
When the guards saw the City Lord arrive, they hurriedly greeted him respectfully.
"At ease," Zhao Bing said with a wave of his hand. "Take us inside."
With experts surrounding him and the Qin Family in tow, the procession was large and imposing.
Zhao Bing rarely visited the Devil’s Prison. The place was filthy and chaotic, and the stench was overwhelming.
Qin Muxue clutched her nose as she walked deeper into the prison.
Her eyes burned with hatred.
’Jiang Chen, this time, I’ll make you wish you were dead.’
She inwardly schemed, imagining all sorts of vicious ways to deal with Jiang Chen.
Soon, the group arrived at the cell where Jiang Chen was being held.
"Open it!"
At Zhao Bing’s command, a jailer unlocked the cell.
Inside the cell, Scar and the others had been waiting for Jiang Chen to return. But ever since he’d left through the secret passage, there had been no sign of him. He had vanished without a trace.
They couldn’t help but feel a pang of regret.
When they suddenly saw City Lord Zhao Bing arrive with a group of people, they scrambled to the side in a panic.
"Greetings, City Lord."
Then they recognized the man beside Zhao Bing—it was none other than the Patriarch of the Qin Family, Qin Yun.
Their shock deepened.
Zhao Bing turned to the Martial King Expert at his side, Wan Zhenshan, and asked, "Where is Jiang Chen? Bring him out."
Wan Zhenshan looked incredibly smug.
After all, he was the one who had captured Jiang Chen.
He stepped forward and bellowed, "Jiang Chen, get out here!"
But the prisoners merely exchanged confused glances.
’Jiang Chen? They knew he’d left through the secret passage and hadn’t come back. Why would the City Lord’s Mansion bring such a large entourage just to find him?’
Wan Zhenshan shouted a few more times, but with no sign of Jiang Chen, his expression soured.
He turned to Scar and demanded, "Where’s the new brat?"
Scar trembled, terrified. He was, after all, facing a Martial King Expert.
He pointed to the secret passage. "The new guy... he went into that tunnel and never came back."
What?
Wan Zhenshan was stunned.
The faces of Zhao Bing, Qin Yun, and the others fell.
They rushed over to the tunnel. It was pitch-black inside.
An extremely terrifying aura emanated from within.
"Damn it, how did he get in there?"
Zhao Bing’s face darkened.
He had long known about this secret passage. He also knew that an Ancient Beast dwelled at the bottom, and anyone who went down would be devoured by it.
Moreover, he had tried to seal the passage before but failed. It seemed to be a vent for the beast’s breathing, and even the powerful experts he’d hired were unable to block it.
So, it had been left as it was.
There had been incidents of prisoners escaping through it, but he hadn’t paid them any mind.
He knew that entering the passage was a death sentence.
In truth, most prisoners wouldn’t dare try to escape this way.
And now, Jiang Chen had escaped through it.
Qin Yun looked at Zhao Bing.
His expression clearly asked: "So where is he?"
Qin Muxue, who had been fantasizing about making Jiang Chen’s life a living hell, saw her hopes dashed.
They were all dumbfounded.
Zhao Bing forced a wry smile. "Follow me."
He led Qin Yun and the others out of the Devil’s Prison.
He explained to Qin Yun, "A ferocious Ancient Beast slumbers at the bottom of that passage. Anyone who enters is guaranteed to die."
"Now that Jiang Chen has gone down there, there’s no way he could have survived."
"So, there’s no point in looking for him. He’s already dead."
Qin Yun and his people exchanged glances.
"City Lord, are you sure?"
A sneer crossed Zhao Bing’s face. "You felt the aura from that passage yourselves. Do you really think he could have survived?"
"No one can face an Ancient Beast and come out alive."
Qin Yun and his retinue had indeed felt the aura from within the passage. It was terrifying—enough to make even a Martial King Expert’s heart pound with fear.
After Zhao Bing’s explanation, Qin Yun and the others could only shake their heads in resignation.
"He died just like that, before I even had the chance to torture that bastard."
"He got off easy."
Qin Muxue was visibly grinding her teeth. She was furious that she hadn’t been able to deal with Jiang Chen herself.
She felt the hollow regret of an arch-nemesis dying before vengeance could be served.
With that, Qin Yun took his leave, leading the Qin Family away.
Zhao Bing also returned to his mansion.
