The saying goes: it’s not the thief you fear, but the one who has their eyes on you. Jiang Tian’s empire had grown immense now, a far cry from the days when he was just a lone man with no one to worry about.
The Jiang family, the Yaowang Group, and territories stretching across the Lingnan region—north and south of the great river—were all filled with his people and his businesses.
While these forces couldn’t truly harm him or Qing’er, even a little bit of sabotage would be more than enough to cause a massive headache.
In an instant, his mind raced through the possible masterminds behind this. Was it the Xingzhou Chinese Association? The East Asian Sakura Society? Or perhaps the Big Circle Gang?
“Master, the bounty was placed as a dark web contract. The identity of the client hasn’t been revealed, but the funds have already been transferred to the dark web. Once the assassin completes the job, the dark web acts as the intermediary to release the payment.”
Tang Linglong shook her head and continued:
“The dark web is the most secretive hacker network in the world. Its mastermind is known only as ‘Robin Hood the Hacker’—but that’s just a code name. No one knows their true identity, and not even the location of their headquarters can be confirmed.”
“I see… So that’s how it is…”
Jiang Tian smiled faintly. “Don’t worry. Your master and I will handle everything. She’s actually in need of a good chance to practice anyway!”
Qing’er was gentle and kind by nature. She wouldn’t even kill a chicken or a fish without having Jiang Tian do it for her.
But as a cultivator, one must defy the heavens, walk a path of slaughter, and use killing to forge their way. Only through the tempering of bloodshed could she ever forge a heart of a true warrior.
“Master, War Dragon is ready to help you eliminate these assassins!”
Tang Linglong took a deep breath and spoke with gravity: “This time, the stir is huge. The entire underworld has been drawn in by that five hundred million dollar bounty. Markers like Tombstone, Crimson Totem, Butterfly Skull, Heaven’s Eye, Blackwater—every assassin and mercenary group out there is preparing to make their move!”
“You’re decked out in full combat gear. You must be on a mission, aren’t you?”
Jiang Tian smiled knowingly.
“Master, don’t worry about that! Either way, this time is different. It’s serious—I can’t just stand by and do nothing!”
“Does your master really need you to protect him?” Jiang Tian chuckled.
Tang Linglong opened her mouth as if to say something, then held back.
“Alright, stop lurking around outside like a bunch of sneaky ghosts. Come on in!” Jiang Tian suddenly said with a grin.
“Disciple greets Grandmaster Jiang!”
Suddenly, Cheng Tiantian, Tyrant, Fox, and over a dozen other War Dragon members filed in, all bowing respectfully to Jiang Tian as disciples.
At that moment, Cheng Tiantian said with a troubled look: “Captain, it’s no use—our orders from above are to head to the northeast to intercept Qiao Bin!”
“Qiao Bin? He’s still alive?”
“He’s actually coming to Huaxia? What does he want?”
Huo Qingtian’s face went pale with shock, and Wei Feilong also looked uneasy.
Qiao Bin had once been the number one grandmaster of the northeast.
But during the Dragon Group’s “Sword Draw” operation in the late 1990s, he was defeated by Ye Zhantian and forced to flee to the Siberian Plateau.
However, veteran masters like Huo Qingtian knew the truth:
Qiao Bin’s strength back then had actually surpassed Lin Zhenyu’s by a considerable margin. Ye Zhantian had never truly beaten him. When the military saw Ye Zhantian was losing, they brought in heavy firepower—thousands of cannons roaring in unison. Qiao Bin was badly wounded and knew he couldn’t gain any advantage if he kept fighting, so he fled all the way to Russia.
“Yeah. Word is, over the years he’s been cooperating with the Russian military, and his cultivation has grown even more powerful,” Cheng Tiantian said with a grave expression.
“Then he’s probably already reached the true Half-Step Divine Realm by now!”
“Or maybe he’s even reached the true Divine Realm itself!”
Huo Qingtian and Wei Feilong were both stunned again.
“He’s staging a comeback this time, vowing to crush the entire Huaxia martial arts world. The Dragon Group and Ye Zhantian are at the top of his hit list.”
Cheng Tiantian continued: “Our intel says he could set out at any moment. High command ordered us to reach the northeast border defense zone within three days. If we spot him, we’re authorized to shoot on sight!”
“Then why aren’t you on your way already?”
Jiang Tian frowned, turning to look at Tang Linglong, and said in a serious tone: “Linglong, you need to understand—military orders are as unshakable as mountains. Obeying orders is a soldier’s sacred duty. You must carry out commands without hesitation and without cutting corners.”
Detecting the reproach in Jiang Tian’s tone, Tang Linglong felt both aggrieved and anxious. Her eyes reddened, glistening with unshed tears, as she said, “Master, I’m worried about you! I’m afraid I’ll never see you again!”
“Get going!” Jiang Tian waved his hand impatiently.
Tang Linglong lowered her head and fell into a long, heavy silence. Then, with a soft blink, a few crystalline teardrops fell to the ground with a faint pattering sound.
“Let’s go! Master’s so powerful—nothing’s going to happen to him!”
Cheng Tiantian tugged at Tang Linglong’s arm and spoke gently.
Tang Linglong stood up, shot Jiang Tian a resentful glare, lifted her chin proudly, and turned to leave without another word.
The group had just left the villa and climbed into the cars when Zhao Xueqing hurried over: “Linglong, wait!”
She pulled out dozens of protective jade talismans and handed them to Tang Linglong and the others. “Master wanted you to have these. They’re for protection—make sure you wear them at all times!”
“Thank you, Master and Mistress!”
“Master’s so good to us! These are those legendary magic talismans, aren’t they?”
Cheng Tiantian and the others all laughed and thanked them, eagerly putting them around their necks or wrists.
But Tang Linglong just sat there without moving, her face expressionless, her gaze fixed blankly ahead.
“Don’t be mad at him. He’s always been worried about you,” Zhao Xueqing said softly, letting out a quiet sigh.
Powerful enemies were closing in, but your master had already sent Wei Feilong and Huo Qingtian—both veteran grandmasters—to follow and protect you from the shadows! He can’t even afford to watch over the Jiang family in Jinling right now.
“Tell Master I said thank you…” Tang Linglong said at last, her head bowed low.
After the engines started and the cars had driven far away, Tang Linglong suddenly turned her head to glance back at the King’s Villa perched on the peak of Lion Mountain. She could no longer hold back her emotions. Tears streamed silently down her face as she choked back her sobs.
“Master… I’m so afraid I’ll never see you again.”
“I’m so afraid that the next time I see you, you’ll just be a cold corpse…”
In her heart, there was a deep, unspoken resentment: Master, all you ever see is Qing’er. You only know that she worries about you and cherishes you. You have no idea how much you mean to me.
——-
“What are we going to do, Jiang Tian? It seems like a lot of enemies are coming for us!”
Back in the villa’s living room, Qing’er looked at Jiang Tian with a worried expression.
Jiang Tian was quiet for a moment, then his eyes sharpened, and he said gravely: “Qing’er, you’ve already gained some cultivation. But now, you need to learn to actually put it to use. What do you say we leave these enemies to you?”
“What?! You mean—kill them?” Qing’er’s body trembled slightly, and her face went deathly pale.
She had always been gentle and compassionate by nature. Killing… that was something she’d never even dared to think about before.
“There’s an obstacle in your heart that you need to break through!”
Despite the reluctance in his heart, Jiang Tian knew this trial was something she had to face. He spoke firmly: “If you don’t kill them, they’ll kill us both! A true strong one must be willing to take lives.”
“Honey… I understand,” Qing’er sighed, but a glint of resolve flashed in her eyes.
“Mange, take Ghost Kick, Li Zhenwei, Qiu Gong, and the others. Head to Jinling immediately and coordinate with Ye Ziwei. Guard the Jiang family’s businesses with strict vigilance. Work with Yu Qiang and Xu Ruocheng to unite the forces of both the underworld and the upper world on this—do I need to teach you how to do that?”
Jiang Tian issued his orders.
“Yes, Master! Your servant understands!” Shen Mange acknowledged crisply, and turned to leave without hesitation.
“Hold on—here, take a protective jade talisman.”
Jiang Tian stood up, pressed a talisman into her palm, and gently patted her head with a smile: “These past days, you’ve worked hard.”
“Thank you, Master!”
Shen Mange’s cheeks flushed pink, and she lowered her eyes demurely, a flicker of shy joy rising in her heart before she turned and left.
She looked calm on the outside, but inside she was so giddy with happiness that she nearly tripped over the doorstep on her way out.
Behind her, Jiang Tian’s amused voice came: “And you call yourself someone at the Qi Refining level?” Shen Mange’s face burned even redder, and she hurried away with her head down.
“She really has been working hard. You should be a little nicer to her from now on,” Zhao Xueqing said, slipping her arm around Jiang Tian’s.
“I don’t mistreat her!”
“You were good to her today—look how happy it made her. Actually, why don’t you just take her in as a personal bed-warming maid?” Qing’er’s beautiful eyes sparkled with mischief as she laughed.
“Don’t dig a trap for me—I’ve got enough on my plate!” Jiang Tian was taken aback and quickly scurried off to the kitchen to cook.
After dinner, Jiang Tian sat cross-legged on the living room sofa, meditating and refining healing medicine. Qing’er curled up next to him, watching TV. The two of them chatted now and then—it was a rare moment of peace and sweetness.
Soon, midnight arrived. Qing’er came out of the bath wearing a silk nightgown, and smiled warmly: “Honey, you must be tired. Get some rest early.”
“Ha—still early for that!” Jiang Tian smiled lightly. He had a feeling the assassins would be showing up soon.
Qing’er suddenly blushed, lowering her head shyly. A thin mist seemed to shimmer in her eyes, her gaze soft and rippling, and her voice barely above a whisper: “Honey… now that I can cultivate, I don’t have to keep my Yin essence intact for the sake of training anymore…”
“Oh! That’s… actually true.”
So that’s why she’d dressed up so beautifully! Jiang Tian suddenly realized and scratched his head, grinning as he stood up: “Well then, let’s go… get some sleep!”
“Looks like someone’s here,” Qing’er said, frowning with clear displeasure—a hint of annoyance creeping into her tone.
Her spiritual perception was now on par with Jiang Tian’s. She had already sensed multiple powerful figures, leaping and bounding like grasshoppers, closing in from all directions and infiltrating King’s Villa.
“Mr. Jiang, I’ve long heard of your great name. I’ve come to pay my respects tonight. I hope I’m not too late and disturbing your rest with your lovely wife?”
Sure enough, a cold, sinister voice cut through the air. A figure draped in a black cloak materialized in the living room as if from thin air.
His head and face were hidden beneath his hood. His skin was pale, drained of all color, and his face was covered in strange crimson markings that coiled like earthworms across his flesh—a chilling, unsettling sight.
An overwhelming wave of bloodthirsty, grim energy radiated from him. The temperature in the room plummeted, as though they were trapped in the dead of winter; frost crystals began forming on the glass cups.
A terrible aura of death spread out, instantly suffocating the entire room. The vibrant roses in their vases seemed to have their life force drained away, wilting and shedding their petals one by one.
“Who are you?”
Zhao Xueqing furrowed her brow, mustering her courage, and said sharply: “Get out now. Otherwise—otherwise, I’ll kill you!”
The cloaked man sat down casually on the sofa across from Jiang Tian, acting as if he were the host and they were the guests—exuding the posture of a superior. He chuckled: “Grandmaster Jiang, I hear you’ve been injured, am I right? How about I give you a hand—let you live forever?”
“Oh? And how would you make me immortal?” Jiang Tian asked, studying him with amused interest.
“Have you heard of the Blood Clan?”
The cloaked man laughed in a low, creepy tone: “The Blood Clan—what you humans call vampires—is the greatest race in the world. Once you’re blessed with the noble bloodline of our kind, you can enjoy eternal life!”
“You’re a vampire?” Jiang Tian asked with curiosity.
“Correct. Aside from the Blood Ancestor, the descendants are ranked according to lineage and power—divided into Dukes, Marquises, Earls, Viscounts, and Barons.”
The cloaked man shrugged. He was undeniably sinister and wicked, yet strangely carried an air of elegance. His lips, red as dripping blood, parted in a smile as he said:
“And I, Antonio, am a distinguished Marquis-ranked vampire, you know! Taking out a grandmaster-level expert like you lot is child’s play for me. If I were to take just one sip of your blood, your injuries would heal instantly. Not only would you survive, but you’d evolve into an Earl—and live for at least three hundred years!”
