“Jiang Tian definitely won’t be able to cure Mr. Tang. In fact, he’ll probably cause a medical accident. When that happens, rush in and beat him to death. With the Tang family backing us, the authorities won’t hold us accountable…”
In the hospital corridor, Wu Zhaohui was puffing on a cigarette, giving instructions to two thugs on how to deal with Jiang Tian.
But suddenly, his eyes nearly popped out of their sockets.
Mr. Tang and Jiang Tian were walking side by side, hand in hand. Mr. Tang looked full of energy, as if he had regained ten years of youth.
“What the hell? He’s cured?!”
Wu Zhaohui’s jaw dropped, and his cigarette fell to the ground. His face was a picture of disbelief.
He grabbed Tang Linglong and asked, “Linglong, how is Mr. Tang cured? What happened?”
“You’re such an idiot!”
Tang Linglong slapped him hard across the face, her voice filled with anger.
“You called Jiang Tian a lunatic, but he’s actually a miracle worker. You tried to stop him from treating Grandpa. What were you thinking?”
“He’s a miracle worker? Don’t be ridiculous…”
Wu Zhaohui’s face stung from the slap, and he was utterly confused.
But Tang Linglong had already walked away.
Mr. Tang, beaming with joy, escorted Jiang Tian all the way to the hospital entrance. “Mr. Jiang, let Xiao Wei drive you home!”
“No need. I’ll walk on my own,” Jiang Tian declined with a wave.
He still needed to find a quiet place to cultivate and didn’t want anyone disturbing him.
“Mr. Jiang, is there anything else I can do for you? Do you need a consultation fee or…” Tang Linglong asked.
“Oh, just give me 100 yuan. I don’t have money for lunch,” Jiang Tian suddenly said, slapping his forehead.
Zhao Xueqing had left in such a hurry earlier that she hadn’t even given him cab fare. He was completely broke.
“Oh, you need money? No problem!”
Tang Linglong didn’t hesitate. She took out all the cash from her wallet—over a thousand yuan—and handed it to Jiang Tian. Then she asked, “Mr. Jiang, do you have a bank card? I can transfer you 100,000 yuan for emergencies.”
“I don’t have a bank card…” Jiang Tian smiled wryly. Without further ado, he hailed a taxi and left.
After his alcohol poisoning incident, Jiang Tian had become erratic. He had once withdrawn tens of thousands of yuan from the bank and handed it out to strangers on the street, even using money to light cigarettes.
Because of this, Zhao Xueqing had taken away his phone and forbidden him from carrying cash or bank cards.
As the taxi disappeared into the distance, Tang Linglong suddenly stamped her foot. “Oh no! I forgot to get his contact information!”
“This Mr. Jiang is definitely someone worth befriending,” Mr. Tang said thoughtfully, his hands clasped behind his back.
He then gestured to his bodyguard and said, “Xiao Wei, follow him and find out more about Jiang Tian. But remember, keep it confidential.”
“Understood!” Xiao Wei replied promptly.
—
After grabbing a quick meal, Jiang Tian took a taxi to Baizhang Cliff in the western suburbs of Linzhou.
Twelve hours passed in the blink of an eye.
Night fell, and the sky was filled with stars.
Baizhang Cliff, deserted and silent, was shrouded in darkness.
Under a pine tree, Jiang Tian sat cross-legged, bathed in starlight, deep in meditation.
Long strands of white spiritual energy gathered from all directions, causing the branches above him to rustle and sway as if reaching out to him. The energy flowed into his body like a rushing river.
“Body Refinement, Level One—success!”
Suddenly, Jiang Tian opened his eyes and let out a sigh.
His eyes shone brightly, like twin lanterns flickering in the dark.
In just one night, Jiang Tian had refined the ghostly energy in his dantian and the spiritual energy he had absorbed from the surroundings, transforming it all into pure true essence.
“Ha!” Jiang Tian exhaled a long stream of white energy, which stretched out like a ribbon for over three meters.
Now, his meridians and limbs were filled with true essence, and his strength felt boundless. With a single palm strike, he could shatter a boulder.
“In my past life, I primarily cultivated the Cloud Sea Azure Dragon Art. Back then, the first continent I set foot on with my master was the Spirit Abundant Holy Yuan Continent. That technique served me well, but it lacked versatility.”
Jiang Tian recalled his experiences of traversing the cosmos and exploring countless worlds. He nodded slightly and murmured, “It wasn’t until I arrived at the desolate, lifeless, and spirit-starved Yinghuo Continent that I met the Crocodile Ancestor Immortal. We hit it off immediately, and I began cultivating his unique Chaos Creation Art. Now that I think about it, the Chaos Creation Art is truly remarkable. It can absorb and refine all kinds of energy, turning waste into treasure.”
Suddenly, Jiang Tian’s ears twitched. He heard a faint sound about a hundred meters away.
A cold smile spread across his face. “Skulking around in the shadows? You’ve been watching me all night. It’s time to come out.”
“Haha, Jiang the Lunatic, are you part dog or something? Your brain might be messed up, but your ears are sharp!”
Two burly men emerged from the dense forest. Both were muscular and heavily tattooed, with menacing expressions that screamed “trouble.”
“Insulting me? You’re asking for death. Kneel and apologize now, and I might spare your lives.”
Jiang Tian’s clear eyes gleamed with arrogance, as if he were looking down at two ants he could crush with a flick of his finger.
“Whoa, Jiang the Lunatic, you’ve got quite the mouth on you!” The bald thug was taken aback.
The long-haired thug sneered disdainfully. “Kid, you really are crazy. Haven’t you heard of the infamous Twin Demons of Star Glory? Someone wants you dead. Why don’t you jump off the cliff yourself and save us the trouble?”
Star Glory was one of the top three gangs in Linzhou, with thousands of members, all known for their ruthlessness.
The Twin Demons of Star Glory were their elite enforcers, feared throughout the underworld. Rumor had it they were former Shaolin disciples, capable of taking on five or six men at once. Their punches could break sandbags, and their kicks could shatter wooden boards over two centimeters thick.
“Sigh, I gave you a chance, but you didn’t take it.”
Jiang Tian sighed regretfully, stood up, and slowly walked toward the two men, his hands clasped behind his back.
In his past life, he had dominated the cosmos, suppressing countless races across the stars. With a flick of his finger, he had slain saint kings and divine princes. With a wave of his hand, he had vanquished ancient demons and monstrous beasts, striking fear into the hearts of countless powerful beings and reigning supreme over an era.
And now, these two petty thugs dared to challenge him? It was laughable.
“Fine, if you won’t jump, we’ll just have to do this the hard way!”
The bald thug lunged forward, throwing a powerful punch straight at Jiang Tian’s chest.
It was a classic Shaolin Arhat Fist, with enough force to create a gust of wind.
“Pathetic.”
Jiang Tian smirked disdainfully and casually swatted at the bald thug’s head like he was swatting a fly.
Thwack!
Blood splattered, and chunks of flesh flew everywhere.
The bald thug was sent flying over five meters, his back slamming into a sharp rock. The impact nearly broke his spine.
“Ahhh! It hurts! It hurts so much!”
The bald thug writhed in agony, his legs twitching violently before he finally passed out from the pain.
“Holy crap! He sent him flying five meters with a single slap? How strong is he?!”
The long-haired thug’s eyes bulged in disbelief. His heart raced with terror, and he nearly collapsed on the spot.
He had heard that Jiang Tian was weak and constantly bullied. How had he suddenly become so powerful?
“Scared now? Tell me who sent you, and I’ll spare you the pain,” Jiang Tian said, shaking his head as if disappointed.
He realized he needed to be more careful in the future. He had only used ten percent of his strength, and he had nearly crushed the bald thug’s skull.
Although he had once reached the pinnacle of cultivation, dominating the cosmos and suppressing countless races, that was all in the past.
Right now, he didn’t have the strength to resist the might of a nation’s military or law enforcement. Killing someone would only bring unnecessary trouble.
But then again… out here in the wilderness, who would ever find out?