Returning after 10000 Years Cultivation - Chapter 58

“Hmph! How dare you bully my cousin? Do you have a death wish?”

A girl in a red dress strode in like a haughty queen, her chin lifted arrogantly. She grabbed Li Danni’s arm and cooed, “Danni, are you okay?”

“Cousin! It was this guy—he scared me and even hit Brother Hui!” Li Danni wailed, clinging to Lu Biyao’s arm as she pointed at Jiang Tian.

“Jiang Tian? You?” Lu Biyao’s pretty face twisted in shock. She hadn’t expected the troublemaker to be him.

Earlier, Fu Lanjun had brought her to celebrate Long Gaitian’s birthday. The moment she saw Long Gaitian, she was utterly smitten by his charisma. She had been fawning over him when some of Xinghui’s lackeys rushed in, saying Brother Hui had been beaten and her cousin Li Danni was being held back. So, she came to see what was happening.

She had assumed the person who dared hit Brother Hui must be some big shot—but instead, it was Jiang Tian, that useless waste!

“Jiang Tian, Brother Hui is Long Shao’s man. He’s coming soon, so you’d better apologize while you still can.” Lu Biyao sneered, looking down at him with disdain.

Seeing that Jiang Tian knew Lu Biyao, the crowd thought there might still be hope—perhaps she could mediate.

But then, Jiang Tian frowned at her in confusion. “Who are you? Do I know you?”

“You—!” Lu Biyao nearly choked on her fury.

How dare he?! She was one of Linzhou’s Five Golden Flowers—beautiful, well-bred, and sought after. They had even met once during a blind date, where Jiang Tian had fawned over her like a puppy! And now, this bastard had the nerve to pretend he didn’t remember her?!

She had initially considered speaking up for him, but after that remark, she changed her mind.

“Hmph! You don’t remember me, but I remember you!” Lu Biyao smirked, her voice dripping with schadenfreude. “Jiang Tian, the Jiang family is finished. A worthless idiot like you could never compare to Long Shao. Just wait—he’s going to destroy you!”

“Oh? Tell him to hurry up. I still need to go home and make soup for Qing’er.” Jiang Tian chuckled, utterly unfazed.

“Are you that eager to die?” Lu Biyao was almost amused by his audacity.

“We should rush them! Otherwise, we’ll be beaten to death!” Li Rui whispered fearfully.

“Seems like our only choice.” Shen Le and the other men tightened their grips on beer bottles.

“Jiang Tian, weren’t you so tough earlier? Why aren’t you doing anything now?” Li Rui glared at him, furious. “You started this mess, and now you’re just sitting there. Are you even a man?”

“You bunch of trash—kneel and apologize! Now!” Long Gaitian stormed into the room, scanning the crowd. Just a few nobodies? Who dared cause trouble here?

But then, his gaze landed on a familiar face in the corner.

“J-Jiang… Jiang Tian?! It’s you!” Long Gaitian’s face drained of color, his voice trembling with terror.

He would never forget—Jiang Tian killing Fu Biao with a single punch from a hundred meters away.

He would never forget—Jiang Tian summoning lightning to obliterate the Ghost King, forcing Yang Guochang to his knees.

And Zhou Zhenghao had hinted that Liu Wangfeng and Wu Chaohui’s deaths… were Jiang Tian’s doing. Yet, despite their deaths, the police found no evidence. They had simply vanished.

From that moment, Long Gaitian had revered and feared Jiang Tian like a god.

“Get out. Kneel at the door.” Jiang Tian picked up a slice of watermelon with a toothpick, chewing slowly before speaking.

His voice was calm, but to everyone else, it was a thunderclap.

“Jiang Tian, are you trying to get us killed?!” Li Rui whimpered, on the verge of tears.

So what if he could fight? Long Gaitian had an army—and guns. To him, killing them would be as easy as crushing ants.

“See? He’s completely insane!” Fu Lanjun tugged Lu Biyao’s sleeve, scoffing. “Bragging, lying through his teeth—how dare a useless fool like him talk to Long Shao like that? He must be out of his mind!”

“Sigh, yeah, I was really shocked by him back then. Looking at it now, he’s completely insane!” Lu Biyao shook her head with a mocking expression, staring at Jiang Tian as if he were an idiot.

Jiang Tian was practically begging for death!

Daring to hit Brother Hui, daring to talk to Young Master Long like that, and worst of all… not even remembering her?

This was unacceptable to the narcissistic Lu Biyao. She couldn’t wait to see Jiang Tian crushed under Long Gaitian’s heel.

“He must be brain-dead! Drank so much his brain’s fried!” Li Danni sneered, looking at Jiang Tian with disdain.

……

Long Gaitian never expected to run into Jiang Tian here.

Just earlier, during dinner, he’d been discussing with Zhou Zhenghao how to build a good relationship with Jiang Tian—the revered Master Jiang.

Slapping away a dozen of Zhou’s elite men with a single motion, condensing qi into a sword that sliced through half the pavilion, killing Fu Biao with a single punch mid-air, and according to Li Zhenwei, even slaying a ten-meter-tall white ape and summoning lightning to vanquish a ghost king… This was a man who might as well be a god!

Long Gaitian, fearless his entire life, had never been afraid of anyone—except Jiang Tian.

If possible, he’d trade ten years of his life just to undo tonight’s encounter.

But here they were.

And to make it worse, Brother Hui was his subordinate. He had sent men to corner Jiang Tian. He had been the one spewing insults.

Would his fate end up like Liu Wangfeng and Wu Zhaohui’s?

His face turned ghostly pale. Trembling, he fought back the urge to cry.

Then, Jiang Tian spoke—ordering him to kneel at the entrance.

Long Gaitian reacted as if granted amnesty. Without hesitation, he stumbled to the doorway and thud to his knees, pleading in a tearful voice: “Master, I had no idea it was you here…”

The moment Long Gaitian knelt before Jiang Tian, the entire room froze.

Dead silence.

Every pair of eyes widened in disbelief.

Long Gaitian—the infamous “Underground Crown Prince” of Linzhou, a man who stood shoulder-to-shoulder with tycoons like Tang Jianfeng and Liu Tianle, who even overshadowed elites like Wu Zhaohui.

A man with immense influence, ruthless methods, and a reputation that struck fear into everyone.

And yet, here he was, kneeling and begging Jiang Tian for mercy. It was unthinkable.

“What’s happening? Why is he kneeling to Jiang Tian?” Lu Biyao’s voice trembled, her pretty eyes filled with shock.

To her, Long Gaitian was an untouchable elite—someone she’d dreamed of currying favor with. How could he be bowing to a nobody like Jiang Tian?

“Why? Why is he so terrified of Jiang Tian?” Fu Lanjun’s lips parted slightly, her mouth agape enough to fit two duck eggs.

“Long Gaitian actually knelt to him!” Li Danni’s breath hitched, staring at Jiang Tian like he was a ghost.

Shen Le came from an ordinary working-class family. How could he possibly have a friend so powerful that even Long Gaitian would kneel?

“Who the hell is he? Just Shen Le’s coworker? And yet Long Gaitian is kneeling?”

Li Rui’s eyes widened, regret creeping into her heart.

She suddenly realized she’d just missed the opportunity of a lifetime.

This was someone who could make Long Gaitian submit!

He had to be a scion of one of those red-walled aristocratic families from the capital, here in Linzhou to lay low!

Even Shen Le was dumbstruck, screaming internally: How is this possible?!

Once Long Gaitian was properly kneeling, Jiang Tian spoke indifferently:

“I don’t want to see Fu Xinghui ever again.”

“Understood! Your wish is my command. I’d go through fire and water to fulfill it!” Long Gaitian immediately signaled his men.

Several burly enforcers snapped out of their daze, dragging the half-conscious Fu Xinghui away.

The crowd shuddered, spines tingling with dread.

Jiang Tian’s meaning was unmistakable—Fu Xinghui’s fate was sealed.

With just one sentence, Jiang Tian had decided the life or death of a gang leader. Just how powerful was he?

“This is my brother, Shen Le. From now on, Fu Xinghui’s business operations belong to him.” Jiang Tian pointed at Shen Le, his tone casual.

“No problem! If Shen Le is Master Jiang’s brother, then he’s my grandfather! Grandpa Le, we’ll transfer everything immediately!” Long Gaitian nodded frantically.

If Jiang Tian ordered him to die, he’d have no choice. Keeping his life was worth far more than some petty business.

“What?” Shen Le blinked, convinced he was dreaming.

Fu Xinghui’s operations—construction materials, river sand—were low-profile but insanely profitable, raking in millions annually. A goldmine.

And now, with just one sentence from Jiang Tian, Long Gaitian was handing it all over? It felt surreal.

“Shen Le, are you satisfied? Anything else you’d like?” Jiang Tian smiled warmly.

“Satisfied! N-no, nothing else…” Shen Le stammered, still reeling.

“Then… shall we head back?”

Jiang Tian’s voice was calm.

After tonight, you’ve seen Li Danni’s true colors. I hope you find someone worthy.

“Yeah, let’s go.” Shen Le and the others followed Jiang Tian out, their earlier fear replaced with awe.

“Farewell, Master Jiang!”

As Jiang Tian exited, Long Gaitian remained kneeling, his trembling voice echoing behind them.

In the parking lot, Jiang Tian bid them goodbye.

“Jiang Tian… why did you help me like this?” Shen Le asked, deeply moved.

They’d only known each other for a few days, yet Jiang Tian had stepped in to save him at his lowest moment.

“Because you’re my brother.” Jiang Tian patted his shoulder, smiling gently.

Shen Le… in our past life, you had your legs broken protecting Xueqing. What I’ve done today doesn’t even begin to repay you.

This is just the start. One day, I’ll lift you to the pinnacle of wealth and power in this nation.

“Brother…”

Shen Le’s eyes reddened. At that moment, he’d have died for Jiang Tian without hesitation.

“Jiang Tian, you didn’t drive? Let me take you home!”

Noticing Jiang Tian heading for a taxi, Li Rui hurried after him, her smile suddenly sweet and eager.