Chapter 1186: An Unexpected Guest

Not only did the people of the Changyang clan hear the zither melody of unknown origins, many people in the city heard it as well. However, they were completely unaffected. It was only a pleasant tune to them. The soul attack hidden within the sound seemed completely useless

Jian Chen flew into the sky where the melody continued to linger. However, he did not find anyone as far as he could see. He could not even find the origins of the melody.

Jian Chen slowly closed his eyes with mixed feelings. He then rapidly expanded his presence in all directions.

Very soon, he opened his eyes again. He looked to the east and gently sighed. With a sway, he vanished, shooting off into the distance with lightning-like speed.

A few seconds later, Jian Chen left the city and arrived on a small hill ten kilometers away. In front of him was a two-meter-tall boulder, and a lady sat there with her legs crossed. A simple zither was placed across her knees as her hands slowly slid down the strings. She played a wonderful melody.

Jian Chen became filled with extremely mixed emotions when he saw the familiar figure. He had not seen the Heavenly Enchantress since he had left Dragon Island, so today was the first time in years, yet Jian Chen felt like he had no idea how to confront her.

Jian Chen stared at her silently before leaping down and landing masterfully on the rock. He stood a step away from the Heavenly Enchantress’ back and gently asked, “Why have you come?”

The Heavenly Enchantress was veiled as usual. It was like she did not hear what Jian Chen asked. Her eyes continued to be fixated on the zither. She played with a great amount of focus, as if the zither was all that existed in the world to her.

Jian Chen did not say anything more as he silently stood there. He gazed off into the distance, thinking about something.

After some time, the melody finally came to an end. The Heavenly Enchantress gently placed her hands on the strings and continued to stare at the zither. She said, “I’ve come this time because I want something.” The Heavenly Enchantress spoke very calmly, and her voice carried a hint of coldness, making her seem unapproachable.

The light in Jian Chen’s eyes wavered. He gently sighed and said, “I know already. You want the Saints’ Fruit.”

“Correct, give me the Saints’ Fruit,” the Heavenly Enchantress said in a straightforward fas.h.i.+on. She did not show any politeness, as if she took asking Jian Chen for the Saints’ Fruit as granted.

“No, I can’t give you the Saints’ Fruit,” Jian Chen gently shook his head. He had prepared the fruit for Tian Jian, so he could not give it to anyone else.

“You have to give me the Saints’ Fruit. I must leave with it.” The Heavenly Enchantress’ eyes became rather sharp.

“If you’re looking for other things from me, I can give them to you. It’s only the Saints’ Fruit that I cannot give up.” Jian Chen did not give in.

The Heavenly Enchantress suddenly stood up. She stared at Jian Chen in a fixated manner as fury burned inside. She cried out, “With your talent, you don’t need the fruit to become a Saint Emperor, so why are you keeping it? Give it to me.” Without any reason or explanation, the Heavenly Enchantress boldly asked for the Saints’ Fruit. As a father, Jian Chen should have been leaving the best for his child anyway.

“I’ve specially prepared the Saints’ Fruit for senior Tian Jian. It’s something I will be giving to him, and I won’t be giving it to anyone else other than him,” Jian Chen coldly replied. He had no idea why the Heavenly Enchantress wanted the Saints Fruit, nor did he ask why.

“You’re going to give the Saints’ Fruit to the grand elder of Mercenary City, senior Tian Jian?” The Heavenly Enchantress asked in disbelief.

“Correct!”

With Jian Chen’s firm reply, the Heavenly Enchantress shook violently. She became rather dejected as sorrow filled her eyes.

“Why would it be like that?” The Heavenly Enchantress softly murmured. Tian Jian had once displayed great kindness to her, so she really could not find any reason to stop Jian Chen from gifting the fruit to Tian Jian. However, Xiao Bao urgently needed the Saints’ Fruit to change his const.i.tution, so the Heavenly Enchantress really was stuck in a tough dilemma at that moment.

Jian Chen watched how she reacted in amazement. His impression of the Heavenly Enchantress was that she was cold and prideful. Ever since he had met her, she had always appeared to be icy. He had never seen her so dejected.

“Looks like the Saints’ Fruit is extremely important to her,” Jian Chen thought. Although he owed her, he could not give up the Saints’ Fruit.

Tears vaguely pooled in the Heavenly Enchantress’ eyes. She had never felt so helpless before. Xiao Bao was just too much of a cripple, and she really had no other methods to help him other than using the Saints’ Fruit. Xiao Bao would remain a normal person for his life if she could not obtain the fruit, and he would only be able to live a short life of two hundred years.

If she had really found Xiao Bao somewhere, she would not care this much at all. However, he was her own flesh and blood. She was unwilling to watch him be reduced to a corpse in two hundred years.

Jian Chen felt very curious when he noticed the tears in the Heavenly Enchantress’ eyes. He asked, “I know you’re not getting the Saints’ Fruit for yourself. Can you tell me just why you need it? I might be able to come up with other ways to help you.”

“I will be looking for you in the future.” The Heavenly Enchantress coldly turned around. With a gentle breeze, she disappeared into the distance as a blur. She vanished in the blink of an eye.

Jian Chen stood on the rock with his arms crossed. He pondered their interaction as he watched the Heavenly Enchantress leave. Afterward, with a slight movement, he turned into a blur and left as well, returning to the Changyang clan in Lore City.

Rui Jin had already left by the time Jian Chen had returned to the clan. He had set off for Dragon Island for Dragon’s Saliva by himself. They had already discussed everything, planning to seal up the Changyang clan and then go to the Heaven’s Incense School.

Hong Lian had vanished as well, having entered the artifact s.p.a.ce to prepare the formations needed. Whether it was sealing up the Changyang clan or going to the Heaven’s Incense School, they were all important matters. They needed to prepare for everything since they would be directly confronting them in their lair. It was not going to be a battle outside.

At noon, later that day, a s.p.a.ce Gate suddenly ripped open above the clan. Two old men in high spirits emerged with smiles. They radiated with powerful presences that engulfed the entire clan. They were two Saint Rulers.

However, just as they emerged, their smiles hardened. More than ten Saint Rulers had already appeared around them unknowingly. Every single one of them radiated with a much more powerful presence.

“Kong’er, it’s Kong’er!” A delighted voice rang out. Changyang Zu Yeyun rushed up in serendipity.

The one of them was the ancestor of the Changyang clan, Changyang Zu Yunkong, and the other was the caretaker of the clan, Chang Wuji.

The faces of the Saint Rulers around them immediately became much more gentle when they heard it was Changyang Zu Yeyun. Some of them even began to smile amicably.

“So it’s brother Yunkong…”

“It’s actually nephew Yunkong…”

All the Saint Rulers were members of the Zu branch. Many of them were Changyang Zu Yunkong’s elders, so they all greeted him.

Changyang Zu Yunkong immediately became stunned when he recognized them with a single glance.

Jian Chen came out to welcome them personally as well. However, what delighted him the most was that uncle Chang had finally become a Saint Ruler and his lifespan had been increased by two thousand years. There was far too much that could happen in two thousand years. His const.i.tution could be completely changed using heavenly resources, allowing him to undergo a rebirth. Coupled with excellent conditions, he could reach another level of cultivation. Jian Chen could not say that he would become a Saint Emperor, but he was confident that reaching Saint King would not be a problem.

They all conversed a little before leaving. Changyang Zu Yunkong was obviously pulled away by Changyang Zu Yeyun while Jian Chen was taken by uncle Chang to his room.

“Young master, it’s really all because of these three beast furs that I’ve been able to reach Saint Ruler successfully. My talent is only so-so, and I’ve reached the end of my life. If it weren’t for the beast furs and help from Xiao Ling, I never would have been able to reach Saint Ruler. Young master, I really need to thank you,” uncle Chang gratefully thanked him before handing the three beast furs to Jian Chen. It really was extremely difficult for him to break through to Saint Ruler this time.

Jian Chen accepted the beast furs. He frowned slightly and said rather unhappily, “Uncle Chang, don’t ever say things like that, or I’m going to be unhappy.”

Uncle Chang chuckled and did not delve on the matter. He said, “Going into seclusion this time, master and Huang Tianba have improved very rapidly. With Xiao Ling’s a.s.sistance, it’s countless times easier for them to comprehend the mysteries of the world compared to the ordinary rate, and they don’t need to worry about the lack of energy. Huang Tianba’s already reached the Eighth Heavenly Layer of Saint Ruler now. He wants to use the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to reach Saint King in a single stroke.”

Uncle Chang paused there. He stared deeply outside the building and asked with a deep voice, “Young master, has something happened recently? Why have so many seniors of the Zu branch come to the clan?”

Uncle Chang was a Saint Ruler now as well. He was strong enough to take responsibility and manage things, so Jian Chen did not hide the situation from him. He told him what had happened in the protector clan, which utterly stunned him.

At this moment, a guard reported outside, “Young master, caretaker, the old madam has invited the two of you to the discussion hall.”

The old madam referred to by the guard was obviously Changyang Zu Yeyun.

When Jian Chen and uncle Chang arrived in the hall, they just happened to hear Changyang Zu Yunkong roar out, “It’s too far. They’ve gone to far. They really don’t know shame if they can do things like this. Father, mother, from today on, let’s completely break free from the protector clan. In the future, the protector Changyang clan has nothing to do with our Changyang clan of Lore City.”

Jian Chen knew that Changyang Zu Yunkong had learned of the matter as well. Changyang Qing Yun and the others had indeed gone overboard with what had happened in regards to the Saints’ Fruit this time. Otherwise, this many seniors of the Zu branch would not have followed Changyang Zu Xiao away.