The other two were thunder talismans, capable of being used multiple times. At least in China’s current cultivation world, they could be considered top-grade magical tools.
“Master Jiang, we will never forget your great kindness and virtue!” Cheng Ming said, weeping with gratitude, and bowed his head to the ground.
Magical tools were too precious. It could be said that although those pieces of jade marrow were highly valuable, in their hands they were almost like waste.
Now, after being wonderfully carved by Master Jiang, they had instantly turned from rotten wood into something miraculous, becoming priceless magical tools.
He truly felt that his luck was too good, or rather that his son’s luck was too good, to have actually come to know a great master like Jiang Tian.
After helping him up, Jiang Tian finally had time to ask about what they had gone through.
Cheng Ming slowly recounted the years of their fugitive life. When he reached the furious parts, he slammed the table and cursed. When he reached the sorrowful parts, tears streamed down. When he spoke of the Cheng family’s current state of decline, he sighed again and again.
Finally, he looked at Jiang Tian gratefully and said, choking up, “Now it’s good. With Master Jiang’s help, why should I fear the Yamaguchi-gumi? Our Cheng family has preserved its lifeline and now has hope of rebuilding the family!”
The speaker did not mean much by it, but the listener took it to heart. Jiang Tian frowned and asked, “Uncle Cheng, who exactly is that Li Jinzhu who so righteously helped you?”
“Oh, Li Jinzhu comes from the Li family of the Dangun lineage in South Korea. In South Korea, Dangun is comparable to Laozi and Confucius and Mencius in China, the founding ancestor of the Daoist and Confucian schools. Confucianism governs the state and family, while Daoism cultivates the body through practice. The Li family absorbs both Confucianism and Daoism. The Li family is now very powerful in South Korea. Even South Korea’s Samsung Li family belongs to one of their branches!”
Cheng Ming explained, “Once, Li Jinzhu’s father came to China for activities and was hunted by several Japanese enemies. He was badly wounded. It just so happened that I saw it, so I drove off the enemies and saved him. He was deeply grateful and called me brother. We even arranged a marriage between our unborn children. Li Jinzhu is now considered Cheng Yi’s fiancée.”
At this point, a hint of shyness appeared on Cheng Yi’s face. He said, “Actually, Li Jinzhu is gentle and kind, and she’s beautiful. She also comes from a wealthy, powerful family. Our Cheng family has fallen to this state now, so we really are reaching too high. We already proposed canceling the engagement, and the Li family agreed!”
“Yes, now she and Cheng Yi call each other brother and sister!” Cheng Ming added from the side.
“How beautiful is she?” Jiang Tian asked with a smile.
“In South Korea, there is a Goddess Festival. It’s one of their traditional holidays, when the most beautiful girl in the country is selected. Starting from when she came of age, Li Jinzhu was publicly chosen as the goddess for three consecutive years!” A trace of pride appeared on Cheng Yi’s face.
“Oh…” Jiang Tian nodded.
Cheng Yi added, “She has truly done everything she could for our Cheng family. She often sends me money and constantly asks after us, showing special concern for my father and me. What a pity. I’m not good enough for them…”
“Constantly asks after you?”
Jiang Tian said with a meaningful smile, “Have you noticed that it seems every time you tell her where you are hiding, the Yamaguchi-gumi shows up right after?”
Cheng Yi was slightly stunned, then forced a relaxed smile. “How could that be?”
Cheng Ming’s eyes darted around. Suddenly, he was startled and said angrily, “That’s really how it is! Could it be that this woman actually isn’t concerned about us at all, but has been gathering and passing information to the Yamaguchi-gumi all along?”
“Although the Yamaguchi-gumi is powerful, it’s impossible for them to infiltrate to the point that they know immediately as soon as you check into a hotel!”
Jiang Tian said calmly, “Besides, later on you were staying out in the wilderness. No one except Li Jinzhu knew about it, yet they could still follow you so quickly. Last night, just one hour after you went to sleep, Chiba Shoichi and his people came killing over! That reaction speed, tsk tsk…”
Sensing his father’s gaze, Cheng Yi said dejectedly, “Last night before bed, I contacted Li Jinzhu and told her we were staying at Wushan, and told her not to worry…”
“So it really was her!”
Cheng Ming was so angry that he slapped the table and shouted. Then, puzzled, he said, “No, that’s not right. Historically, the Eastern Ocean has invaded South Korea many times. As elite organizations of their respective countries, the Dangun lineage and the Sakura Society are deadly enemies. Why would Li Jinzhu send them information?”
“I’m afraid Li Jinzhu has already been controlled by them…” Jiang Tian said with a faint smile.
There were far too many ways and methods to turn an enemy into a loyal slave. For example, the cultivation world’s “spiritual sense steel seal,” or the way he himself controlled Xu Ruocheng with Heart Bloom.
One could even turn the other person into one’s own clone. Although cultivators on Earth were not that powerful, there were still some extraordinary individuals who could use secret methods to control another person’s thoughts and consciousness.
“Master Jiang, what should we do?” Cheng Ming asked.
“If this matter isn’t cleared up, I’m afraid it will always remain a knot in your hearts. How about this: you arrange to meet Li Jinzhu and say you’ll give her the jade marrow directly! She should show herself!” Jiang Tian said calmly.
“Yes! Good!” The Cheng father and son nodded.
Cheng Yi immediately called Li Jinzhu and said, “Jinzhu, I was hunted by the Yamaguchi-gumi again today!”
“Oppa, are you hurt? Jinzhu is really worried!”
Li Jinzhu spoke Chinese fluently. Her voice was soft and pleasant, full of concern.
“I’m a little hurt… but I still escaped.”
Cheng Yi pretended to be very sorrowful and sighed, “Jinzhu, I’m afraid I can’t protect the gem anymore. I want to hand it over to you. No matter what, it must not fall into the Yamaguchi-gumi’s hands.”
“That’s not appropriate, is it? That’s your Cheng family’s heirloom…” Li Jinzhu said hesitantly.
“No. I want to give it to you with my own hands. I don’t know when they’ll come killing again!”
Cheng Yi insisted.
“Alright, then I’ll fly to Jinling in China right now. I’ll be able to see you tomorrow. Jinzhu is really looking forward to it!” Li Jinzhu finally agreed.
…
The next evening, Cheng Yi and his father called Jiang Tian. Li Jinzhu had arrived in Jinling and asked Jiang Tian to accompany them to the meeting.
Jiang Tian immediately met up with the two and hurried to the meeting place.
At this time, snow had been falling for a day and a night. The whole of Jinling was wrapped in silver, beautifully adorned, like a world of jeweled towers and jade palaces.
Li Jinzhu was very cautious. The meeting place she chose was a private club called Bukchon Hanok.
This private club was located at the edge of the Qinhuai River scenic area. In Jinling, it was very high-end, with high spending. In Jiang Tian’s view, this was probably a stronghold of the Li family or Li Jinzhu.
Inside, it was built entirely in the style of classical South Korean architecture, making extensive use of mud, stone, and straw, giving people a feeling of closeness to nature. White Korean paper was pasted on the windows, red paper lanterns hung under the eaves, and the rooms had solid wood floors with heated underfloor heating.
The young women who welcomed and served guests all wore classical Korean clothing, polite and courteous, with gentle, shy smiles, like Dae Jang Geum. When customers walked in, it was as if they had entered the Silla Kingdom era of ancient Korea.
Under the guidance of two maids in plain, elegant Korean clothing, Jiang Tian and the Cheng father and son walked deeper into the club.
As Jiang Tian walked, he observed the surroundings. Suddenly, his sword-like brows lifted, and a trace of mockery appeared at the corners of his mouth.
Although it was the coldest part of winter, when water froze as soon as it dripped, the moment he pushed the door open, Jiang Tian immediately felt warm.
He saw a woman in a professional skirt suit, her back to Jiang Tian and the others, kneeling on a cushion. She was using a pair of large scissors to cut meat slices and grilling them on an iron plate atop a low marble platform. Beside her were plates of kimchi, stone pot bibimbap, and a bottle of Korean soju.
Although she had her back to everyone, just from her slender, curvaceous waist and hips, the fleeting glimpse of her snowy, tender neck, and the calf tucked under her bottom that was fair as frost and snow, one could tell this girl was absolutely first-rate in beauty.
Beside her knelt an old man in a kimono, with a katana placed horizontally across his knees. His aura was as deep as an abyss and as vast as the sea, and when his eyes blinked, there seemed to be a sharp light flickering.
“Oppa! You’re here!”
Hearing the door open, Li Jinzhu jumped up happily, then hurriedly wiped a bit of oil from the corner of her mouth and lowered her head with a slightly shy smile. “I just got off the plane and was too hungry, so I ate a little first. Sorry!”
Her barefoot height was at least 1.7 meters. Her figure was curvaceous, her features exquisite, and her skin fair.
Especially when she smiled, two deep dimples appeared, indescribably innocent and cute. The moment her smile bloomed, it was like a hundred flowers blossoming, making the whole room seem brighter.
“Girl, it’s fine. If you’re hungry, eat. Our families are old friends. No need for so many formalities!”
Cheng Yi already had misgivings in his heart and said nothing with a stiff face. Cheng Ming, after all, was an old hand in the martial world, so he laughed as if nothing were wrong.
“Everyone, please sit. If you haven’t eaten, let’s have a little together!”
Li Jinzhu quickly said warmly.
Her gaze swept over Jiang Tian, but she did not pay much attention to him, merely taking him as a helper or attendant of the Cheng family.
After Jiang Tian and the Cheng father and son sat down, Li Jinzhu warmly poured wine and grilled meat for everyone, chatting enthusiastically with the three.
Her beautiful eyes were lively, she smiled lightly and spoke softly, tender as water, very approachable, and she kept the atmosphere pleasant.
Finally, unable to hold back her impatience, she smiled sweetly and asked, “Uncle Cheng, where is that piece of jade marrow? Leave it to me with peace of mind. The Li family has the Dangun lineage protecting it. It will absolutely not fall into the Yamaguchi-gumi’s hands!”
The Cheng father and son did not speak, but looked toward Jiang Tian.
Jiang Tian smiled faintly and took out from his storage ring a piece of empty spirit stone the size of an egg that had not yet been used. He smiled and said, “Is this what you want?”
The man in the kimono opposite him immediately let out a sharp, cold gleam from his eyes. His face turned ferocious as he asked:
“Why is the spirit stone that my junior brother Chiba Shoichi obtained in your hands, and half of it has already been used?”
As soon as the samurai said this, the Cheng father and son realized that Li Jinzhu really was in league with the Yamaguchi-gumi.
The two could not help but burn with anger, but they knew that today they had to rely on Jiang Tian, so they could only suppress their fury, stay fully alert, and watch coldly from the sidelines.
“Idiot, this is called an empty spirit stone. It can be used to forge storage magical treasures.”
Jiang Tian said lazily, “That’s right, that so-called Chiba Shoichi or whatever was killed by me! I’ve already used this empty spirit stone to forge storage rings. Only this little bit is left!”
Jiang Tian flipped his hand, and that small piece of empty spirit stone immediately disappeared without a trace, shrinking into the storage ring.
In that instant, Chiba Masao’s originally sinister eyes suddenly became greedy and burning. He trembled all over with excitement:
“A storage ring, this is a storage ring. I never thought such a miraculous magical treasure really existed in this world!”
