He had offered to heal the man’s legs and even help his cultivation break through to the Martial King realm.

Yet Elder Qi still refused.

Only then did Jiang Chen realize how much Elder Qi valued the Cyan Silkworm.

He couldn’t help but smile bitterly.

He was unwilling to leave just like that.

The Jiang Family could be threatened by the City Lord’s Mansion at any moment, and Jiang Chen couldn’t just stand by and do nothing.

How could Jiang Chen rest until he had control of Hanwu City?

The Cyan Silkworm was crucial for him.

"Still here? Scram!"

Elder Qi snapped, still fuming.

His gray-white hair drifted about, though there was no wind.

He looked ready to attack at the slightest provocation.

But Murong Xiangming stepped forward again. "Elder Qi, why are you acting like this? Jiang Chen didn’t mean to offend you. He truly needs the Cyan Silkworm for alchemy."

At that, Elder Qi grew even more furious, his eyes wide with anger.

Perhaps because of her connection to Master Tian Mu, he seemed more cordial toward Murong Xiangming.

Glaring at Jiang Chen in annoyance, he said, "I do have a Cyan Silkworm, but you have no idea how important it is to me."

"It’s been with me for many years. It’s a part of my life."

"My Cyan Silkworm and I share a deep bond. You wanting to take it for alchemy is like asking for my life."

Murong Xiangming finally understood.

She looked at Jiang Chen.

Jiang Chen quickly apologized as well.

"Senior, I truly didn’t realize your bond with the Cyan Silkworm ran so deep. Had I known, I never would have suggested it."

He smiled wryly inwardly. ’If this man remains this obstinate, I’m afraid I’ll never get the Cyan Silkworm.’

Naturally, Murong Xiangming spoke up for Jiang Chen.

Taking advantage of the small amount of goodwill Elder Qi showed her, she pointed to Jiang Chen and said, "Jiang Chen is an Alchemist. Elder Qi, I know these past few years must not have been easy for you."

"But one can’t live in the past forever. You have to look forward."

"If an elixir refined by Jiang Chen could heal your legs and allow you to break through to the Martial King realm, why wouldn’t you part with the Cyan Silkworm for that?"

She was trying to be objective. After all, such a person was quite rigid; perhaps with a little guidance, he might come around.

Murong Xiangming hoped her words could move him.

It wasn’t much different from what Jiang Chen had said earlier.

Hearing Murong Xiangming repeat the offer, Elder Qi did feel a flicker of interest.

But he still had his pride to consider.

Yet he kept a stern expression.

He said scornfully, "I have no interest in any of that."

"Spare me the act."

"Since you were recommended by Master Tian Mu, I’ll let it go this time."

"You should leave now."

Once again, he ordered them to leave.

But Murong Xiangming wouldn’t give up.

She pressed on, "Senior, my own breakthrough to the Martial King realm was also thanks to Jiang Chen."

"If he could help me break through, he can certainly help you too."

Left with no other choice, she played her final card.

’This man is definitely tempted,’ she thought. ’He’s just refusing because of his pride.’

She attributed her breakthrough to Jiang Chen.

And it was the truth. Jiang Chen’s Foundation Strengthening Pill had helped her immensely.

Without the Foundation Strengthening Pill, there was no way she, Murong Xiangming, could have broken through so quickly.

Moreover, Elder Qi’s own cultivation was already at the Martial Master Peak of Nine Heavens, and he seemed to be stuck at this bottleneck.

When he first realized her cultivation was at the Martial King realm, Elder Qi had clearly been envious, which proved he wasn’t immune to temptation.

They just hadn’t offered a compelling enough reason to truly move Elder Qi.

Now that she had revealed that Jiang Chen was behind her breakthrough, it would definitely change Elder Qi’s mind.

Elder Qi’s head snapped toward Jiang Chen.

He was stunned. Jiang Chen had actually helped Murong Xiangming break through?

"You’re really an Alchemist?"

For a moment, Elder Qi set aside his prejudice.

He became curious.

Jiang Chen nodded. "That’s right. If you are truly willing, Senior, I can help you break through to the Martial King realm."

"But the condition..."

The condition went without saying: the Cyan Silkworm.

Jiang Chen only wanted the Cyan Silkworm.

Elder Qi snorted.

"You’re just after my Cyan Silkworm."

"Forget it. You should just leave."

He wanted to break through, but he was completely unwilling to part with his Cyan Silkworm.

Jiang Chen and Murong Xiangming felt their hopes dashed.

The man’s stubbornness was unimaginable.

He remained unmoved even by the temptation of a cultivation breakthrough.

At this, the two of them exchanged a helpless glance.

Fortunately, Elder Qi no longer seemed as volatile as before.

Just then, Elder Qi’s expression suddenly changed.

He followed it with a cold snort.

"Bastards, they’re here again."

Jiang Chen and Murong Xiangming were both stunned, completely baffled by Elder Qi’s words.

But then, Jiang Chen’s expression also changed slightly.

"There’s killing intent."

He suddenly spoke, looking at Elder Qi.

Elder Qi gave Jiang Chen another look.

He seemed surprised at Jiang Chen’s keen perception.

After all, Jiang Chen’s cultivation was only at the Warrior Seventh Heaven. For him to possess a perception comparable to Elder Qi’s, a Martial Master at the Peak of the Ninth Heaven, was nothing short of astonishing.

His expression then grew calm.

He suddenly said to Jiang Chen and Murong Xiangming, "They’re here for me. You two stay in the room and don’t go out."

As he spoke, the Cyan Silk beneath him flashed. It instantly transformed into countless threads that stretched across the air.

They formed a bridge of Cyan Silk that connected to the area outside the house.

An ordinary person would never notice these nearly transparent threads of Cyan Silk without looking very closely.

Elder Qi’s body glided along the Cyan Silk as he prepared to rush out the door.

At the same time, Murong Xiangming also felt the killing intent coming from outside.

With a grim expression, she looked at Jiang Chen.

"They must be Elder Qi’s enemies. Let’s go take a look."

Jiang Chen naturally had no objection.

’I didn’t expect Elder Qi to have enemies.’

Without a moment’s hesitation, the two of them walked out the door.

Outside the manor, a group of people was rushing toward them.

The ones in the lead were a young man and a middle-aged man.

If anyone in the know saw them, they would definitely recognize the young man as Wen Bufan, the young master of Hanwu City’s City Lord’s Mansion.

The middle-aged man beside him was his guard, Lin Hai, an expert at the Martial Master Peak of Nine Heavens. Behind them followed a group of experts from the City Lord’s Mansion, every one of them at the Martial Master Cultivation level or above.

Wen Bufan sneered. "That old bastard is stingy as hell. He can’t even bear to part with a single Cyan Silkworm."

"We tried everything from pleading to threatening, but he wouldn’t budge. Last time, he even injured our men from the City Lord’s Mansion."

"This time, if he surrenders to our City Lord’s Mansion, we’ll let it slide. But if he dares to refuse, we’ll kill him outright. The Cyan Silkworm will be ours. That damned old fool."

He cursed and swore as he headed straight for the manor.

Lin Hai touched his shoulder, where a wound once lay, so deep the bone had been visible.

With time, it had slowly faded.

He could never forget how he had almost been killed by Elder Qi’s Cyan Silk during their last confrontation.

Now, his cultivation had greatly increased, and he had even found a few treasures to counter Elder Qi. He had returned to kill the old man and seize the Cyan Silkworm.

Their City Lord, Wen Quan, wanted to extract the Cyan Silk from the Cyan Silkworm’s body.

Not only did that stubborn old fool Elder Qi refuse, he even fought back.

This time, they would show Elder Qi no mercy.

"Kill...!"

With a wave of his hand, he led the men from the City Lord’s Mansion forward, their killing intent surging as they charged.

"Look! That old bastard’s manor is just ahead."

"Faster! Don’t let him get away!"

Soon, Wen Bufan, Lin Hai, and the others arrived outside the manor. Immediately, the guards of the City Lord’s Mansion quickly surrounded the manor.

A hundred men surrounded the manor, leaving no escape route.

Wen Bufan then let out a loud laugh.

Walking up to the manor’s entrance, he bellowed, "Old bastard, get out here!"

Beside him, Lin Hai and the others stared at the manor with murderous intent.

They then noticed that the manor’s main gate was already smashed open.

They immediately poured through the opening, rushing into the manor.