Chapter 790 He was raised by me
"To nip it in the bud is the ultimate principle. How do I know that even if you take him away today, he might come back to cause me trouble in the future? This matter cannot be left like this. If I don't kill him, he will kill me in the future!"
Jiang Bai spoke in a deep voice, expressing his concerns.
Although he knew that the rosy-cheeked, youthful-looking boy in front of him was probably not a simple person, he still did not agree to the other party's request.
If Jiang Bai wasn't mistaken, the child in front of him should be a master from the Wansheng Sect, since Old Nalan seemed to be an outer disciple of the Wansheng Sect.
His senior brother was naturally from the Ten Thousand Saints Sect.
Thinking of this, Jiang Bai was stunned for a moment, feeling a chill in his heart. This Ten Thousand Saints Sect... was far too terrifying.
Old Nalan was once a master who reached the Great Star level, yet he was only an outer disciple?
Damn, just how powerful must the inner disciples, elders, and high-ranking members of this sect be?
Not to mention that Emperor Wansheng...
Jiang Bai felt a chill run down his spine just thinking about it.
"Nalan, do you think you'll seek revenge on him someday?"
Upon hearing this, the boy glanced at Jiang Bai, then at Nalan Zongde, his eyes darting around. He then put on a stern face and questioned Nalan Zongde.
Jiang Bai clearly saw that Nalan Zongde was also taken aback. He glanced at Jiang Bai, somewhat indignant, after all, he had lost unjustly. However, he did not dare to talk back to the young man in front of him, nor did he say anything malicious. After hesitating for a while, he said with an uncertain expression, "Everything is up to Senior Brother to decide!"
Hearing this, the "senior brother" nodded slightly in satisfaction, glanced at Jiang Bai, and said in a deep voice, "You heard that? He said it's up to me! Let me tell you, all your old scores are wiped clean!"
"From now on, as long as you don't take the initiative to deal with him, he will never cause trouble for you or anyone around you. From now on, Nalan is under house arrest in Shengjing!"
These words made Jiang Bai's eyes widen. With just one sentence, Nalan Zongde was confined to his quarters?
This "senior brother" is way too in charge, isn't he?
Jiang Bai glanced at the other person suspiciously and said uncertainly, "Are you sure what you're saying represents him?"
"Jiang Bai! What do you mean! You dare to question my senior brother's words! Do you want to die? I'll fight you to the death!"
Upon hearing Jiang Bai's question, before the young senior brother could even speak, Old Nalan behind him became indignant and struggled to stand up, ready to fight Jiang Bai to the death.
Undoubtedly, this little boy held an extraordinary place in the heart of the old Nalan.
"Idiot! Sit down! You dare to move around in your condition? Are you tired of living?" Unexpectedly, Old Nalan's words were met with a reprimand from his senior brother, who angrily said this to Old Nalan.
As he spoke, he kicked old Nalan, sending him sprawling to the ground.
Of course, the force wasn't great; it was just enough to keep old Nalan in line.
Old Nalan didn't dare to utter a word, but glared at Jiang Bai resentfully, as if he was going to hold Jiang Bai responsible for this.
This left Jiang Bai speechless, and he felt even more determined not to agree to the request.
"You don't need to doubt it. Nalan has been with me since he was twelve years old. I practically raised him. He won't listen to others, but he wouldn't dare disobey me. I've made the decision on this matter, so let's just leave it at that!"
"I guarantee he won't cause you any more trouble. If he acts recklessly again, you won't even need to lift a finger; I, Changchun Tongzi, will personally eliminate him!"
These words stunned Jiang Bai, who stared at the two people in front of him with his mouth agape in disbelief.
Did Nalan start following him when he was twelve?
I heard that Old Nalan is already eighty-eight! She followed him from the age of twelve and was raised by him?
How old is this guy in front of me?
Seeing Jiang Bai's strange look, Changchun Tongzi snorted and replied, "What are you looking at? I just look young. I had a slight mishap in my early cultivation, which is why I can only maintain this form!"
"But I'm much older than you, so you're not at a loss if you call me grandpa!"
"Damn it, who are you taking advantage of!" Jiang Bai was furious.
"Taking advantage of you? You're the one who benefits from calling me grandpa. I'm 168 years old! Born at the end of the Daoguang era of the Qing Dynasty. You're the one who benefits greatly by calling me grandpa!"
Jiang Bai was speechless. He looked at the Changchun Boy in front of him as if he were a monster. The person in front of him was the oldest person he had ever seen, one hundred and sixty-eight years old...
Damn, he lived longer than the legendary Zhang Sanfeng.
Although he looks incredibly young, he's actually a real old monster!
Seeing Jiang Bai looking somewhat dazed and speechless, Changchun Tongzi glared at him and said in a deep voice, "Give me a word, whether it's good or not!"
Upon hearing this, Jiang Bai narrowed his eyes and refused to say more, beginning to ponder, wondering what kind of background this Changchun boy had and why he was making such a promise to him.
It's said that Nalan couldn't fight before because of old injuries.
What if I don't agree?
Jiang Bai narrowed his eyes and said this.
This answer was clearly unexpected for Changchun Tongzi. He had thought that if he stepped forward and introduced himself, Jiang Bai would give him some face and let him take Lao Nalan away. But now it seemed that things were not as simple as he had thought.
"You won't agree? Then what do you want in return?"
This answer surprised Jiang Bai. Since he was Nalan Zongde's senior brother and was so old, his strength must not be weak.
Jiang Bai knew that in this ancient martial arts world, the stronger the expert, the more powerful they were. An expert who could live to be 168 years old must be incredibly powerful, and his strength was probably above that of Old Nalan.
It's unclear exactly how strong he is, but he should at least be a Heavenly Realm expert.
He can be called a figure who is like an emperor.
Jiang Bai had expected the other party to attack without warning, but to his surprise, the other party said something like this.
This surprised Jiang Bai to no end.
"I thought you would fight me. You are Nalan Zongde's senior brother, so it would be reasonable for you to fight me. Your cultivation should be stronger than his, right? Why don't you have any intention of fighting me?" Jiang Bai asked with great curiosity after hearing this.
He hadn't said anything definitive; he was just testing the other party. Jiang Bai found it strange that the other party hadn't attacked right away.
That's why I said that one sentence to test the waters.
If this young man from Changchun were to attack right away, what could Jiang Bai do?
They immediately backed down. With a powerful enemy at hand, they naturally do whatever the other party says, given the strength of that enemy.
He was testing the waters, but the other party's strange attitude made Jiang Bai feel that there must be something he didn't know about.
That's why he said those words. But unexpectedly, it actually tested the waters for him. He refused to let go of anything, and the other party actually said such things to him. This surprised Jiang Bai.
Chapter 791 Key Points
Jiang Bai's expression changed, but the other party seemed not to take him seriously. Compared to Changchun Tongzi's helplessness, Old Nalan's expression changed several times, as if he had realized what was going on. A hint of anger flashed across his face as he glanced at Jiang Bai.
He opened his mouth, then looked at Changchun Tongzi, as if he had something to say, but in the end he had to swallow it back.
"Fight? You're definitely no match for me in a fight, but I can't fight!" Upon hearing this, Changchun Tongzi tilted his head and looked at Jiang Bai, his brows furrowing innocently, looking quite adorable.
That look made Jiang Bai reluctant to test her.
He wasn't the only one who couldn't stand it anymore; old Nalan over there also couldn't stand it and angrily said, "Jiang Bai, don't try to play tricks on me! My senior brother stays on the mountain most of the year and doesn't go out much. Although he's old, he's as innocent as a child. Don't try to deceive him or try to get information out of him. If you want to kill him, then kill him; if you want to torture him, then torture him! I, Nalan Zongde, will accept it all!"
"Shut up!"
Old Nalan was undoubtedly thinking of Changchun Tongzi's best interests, but unfortunately, he was met with a scolding. After a loud shout, Changchun Tongzi continued, "Is Senior Brother really that incompetent?"
Old Nalan blushed and dared not say another word.
Jiang Bai was filled with curiosity, knowing that Old Nalan was not lying. This Changchun Boy was quite old, but he didn't often go out and was rather naive.
Jiang Bai was very curious: how could someone with such a pure heart raise such a cunning and treacherous fox as Old Nalan?
Could it really be due to genetics?
Old Nalan naturally dared not speak ill of Changchun Tongzi. He seemed to be both afraid of and respectful of Changchun Tongzi. Therefore, his face turned red and he did not speak. However, his hatred towards Jiang Bai became even more intense.
Clearly, he was blaming Jiang Bai for this again.
"I can't make a move because Xu Changsheng won't allow us to!" Ignoring Old Nalan's words, Changchun Tongzi, standing there, frowned and said this with some dissatisfaction and anger.
"Xu Changsheng again?"
Jiang Bai was stunned for a moment, and subconsciously said this.
This Xu Changsheng is truly invincible. He not only beat up Old Nalan, but it seems he even took down the Wansheng Sect behind Old Nalan.
So, did Xu Changsheng also beat up the legendary Emperor Wansheng, who had lived for thousands of years?
"Yes, it's because of Nalan. Xu Changsheng made a bet with the Emperor, and the Emperor lost to him. He promised that my Wansheng Sect would close its gates for twenty years and never leave again!"
"We absolutely cannot lay a hand on outsiders, so we cannot lay a hand on them!"
Changchun Tongzi's words surprised Jiang Bai.
"It's dark and windy here, and there are no outsiders. Even if you really attack me, as long as you handle the aftermath properly, no one should know. So what are you afraid of?"
Jiang Bai blurted out that offhand remark, and immediately regretted it afterward.
Damn it, this guy is just asking for trouble. If this Changchun boy really listens to me and tries to cover up the crime, I'll be in big trouble. Isn't this just asking for trouble?
Jiang Bai wanted to slap himself hard.
However, Changchun Tongzi's answer surprised Jiang Bai and made him feel slightly embarrassed!
The other party glared fiercely at Jiang Bai and said angrily, "How can a man of honor go back on his word? Who is our Emperor? How can he break his promise? What are you all thinking? Is integrity so worthless in this world now?"
Jiang Bai was speechless at the question. There are really not many people in this society who value integrity. They are all ruthless and cunning. To put it nicely, it is the method of successful people. To put it bluntly, it is unscrupulous and no different from animals.
After saying that, the other party added, "If we say twenty years, then it means twenty years. Within twenty years, the Wansheng Sect will not lay a hand on anyone and will not leave Changbai Mountain. This is our promise. Nalan originally came to find me this time."
"But I didn't agree to him, and that's why! There's still a year and a half left in the twenty years. Otherwise, why would Nalan need to find someone else to fight you? With just me, no matter what help you bring, I'll make him suffer a crushing defeat!"
The other party's confident statement left Jiang Bai both impressed and speechless.
The other party's words were arrogant, but Jiang Bai knew that the other party had the right to be arrogant.
However, Jiang Bai soon realized he had been overthinking things, because Changchun Tongzi immediately added, "Don't let Zhao Wuji tell Xu Changsheng about my trip down the mountain this time!"
After all that, it turns out this sentence is the key point. Jiang Bai suddenly realized something, while Old Nalan couldn't help but cover his forehead.
There's one thing Old Nalan was right about: this Changchun boy is indeed quite naive.
So it turns out that this Changchun boy, and the Wansheng Sect behind him, refused to help Old Nalan deal with him not because of any agreement, but simply because this matter involved Xu Changsheng.
They felt that they were connected to Zhao Wuji and Xu Changsheng, and that this matter might be discovered by Xu Changsheng after they were dealt with. If Xu Changsheng found out that they had broken the rules and agreements, the consequences would be quite severe.
That's why they didn't attack me.
If it were someone else, Jiang Bai would never believe that he would have such good fortune.
"Old Nalan is really going after me, scheming against me and the people around me. If it weren't for his old injury flaring up today, I might already be dead at his hands. This matter can't be settled just because of your words."
Having accurately guessed the other party's thoughts, Jiang Bai spoke with full confidence and straightened his back.
"So what do you want?" Changchun Tongzi asked, frowning.
"That's simple. Old Nalan can leave, but the rest of them can't. I don't care what agreements they had before or whether they formed an alliance. Anyway… since the others are dealing with me, I can't let them leave. Nalan Zongde alone is already the limit!"
After thinking for a moment, Jiang Bai put forward his first condition.
"That's fine! I agree!"
Changchun Tongzi agreed without hesitation. He had only come for Nalan Zongde. As for the others, what did they have to do with him? He didn't care who they were or whether they lived or died.
After saying this, Changchun Tongzi prepared to leave with Nalan Zongde, but Jiang Bai stopped him: "Don't be in such a hurry, this matter is not over yet, you don't think it's that simple, do you?"
"What other conditions do you have? Feel free to say them all. As long as they're not too outrageous, I'll agree to them all. But the condition is that this matter ends here today, and we shouldn't retaliate against each other in the future, nor should we reveal this matter to anyone else, especially Zhao Wuji and Xu Changsheng!"
Chapter 792 Hostage
Changchun Tongzi spoke crisply and decisively, without even asking Jiang Bai what conditions he would propose, which left Jiang Bai somewhat stunned.
Old Nalan, standing nearby, had already covered his forehead, as if he had long been certain about the matter.
He sighed helplessly, but dared not utter a single word in front of Changchun Tongzi.
However, after Changchun Tongzi said those words, his gaze towards Jiang Bai held a hint of helplessness, probably because Changchun Tongzi's words made it impossible for him to take revenge on Jiang Bai.
Jiang Bai remained silent for a moment, not expecting that the Wansheng Sect was so afraid of Xu Changsheng that they let him say whatever he wanted, just to keep this matter from Xu Changsheng's knowledge.
Of course, it cannot be said that the Wansheng Sect is afraid of Xu Changsheng. After all, the Wansheng Emperor only lost one move to Xu Changsheng. The one who is truly afraid of Xu Changsheng should be the Changchun Boy in front of him.
"Is Xu Changsheng really that fierce?" Jiang Bai couldn't help but ask. The other party told him to name his conditions, but he felt there was nothing to say. There would definitely be conditions, but they weren't that important.
Old Nalan is so far away, and he can't possibly devour someone in one bite. Old Nalan is not a pushover, nor is Changchun Tongzi. They are afraid of Xu Changsheng, not Jiang Bai.
His conditions couldn't be too unreasonable, otherwise, if people ignored him and left, Jiang Bai would be dumbfounded.
Who will we complain to then?
Others understand, but I don't?
Xu Changsheng and Zhao Wuji had only met once. Who knew where he had taken Zhao Wuji?
"He's incredibly fierce, much fiercer than you. I wonder who this guy is. When he was about your age, he already challenged our Ten Thousand Saints Sect to a duel. Isn't that fierce?"
"It can be described as suppressing the heavens and earth!"
"We've fought our way through the entire world; just thinking about it sends chills down my spine."
Jiang Bai was speechless at this. Xu Changsheng had said himself that he was only in his forties.
Damn, he already attacked the Ten Thousand Saints Sect nineteen years ago and suppressed the universe. Just how powerful is this guy?
Jiang Bai was very suspicious about how this guy was born. Did he start cultivating in the womb?
You have to understand, Jiang Bai has the system, which is a huge cheat code, yet he still can't catch up with others. Jiang Bai even feels that life has no meaning.
"Could it be that this guy also obtained some kind of system back then?" Jiang Bai couldn't help but think to himself.
"Don't overthink it. Xu Changsheng is no ordinary person. Although he is only forty years old, he cannot be considered a normal human being. I don't know exactly what he is, but the Emperor knows, though he has always kept it a secret."
"Only Xu Changsheng and our Emperor Wansheng know the answer to this question. We lowly minions would never be able to figure it out even if we racked our brains."
Seeing Jiang Bai's confusion, Changchun Tongzi didn't hide anything and said in a deep voice, his words quite solemn, leaving Jiang Bai speechless.
Changchun Tongzi already considers himself a nobody, so what else can he say? Compared to these people, Jiang Bai now also considers himself a nobody. The slight sense of satisfaction he had before vanished without a trace in an instant.
I thought I had reached the pinnacle, standing at the top of the world.
Therefore, Jiang Bai was no longer in a hurry to improve his cultivation level, and he wasn't even in a rush to complete the mission from the Assassin Alliance. He was just waiting to find an opportunity to take action.
But now it seems that my strength is far from enough!
Leaving aside those far away, figures like Xu Changsheng and Wansheng Dijun are all hidden big bosses who don't usually show up, which is fine.
But it's a bit frustrating that even Jiang Bai couldn't handle Old Nalan.
The current Nalan has old injuries, so Jiang Bai can beat him without any problem. But the fact that Jiang Bai is no match for him when Nalan is uninjured is something Jiang Bai finds hard to accept.
So he had already made up his mind that after dealing with things here, he would go to Europanis Water City specifically to find the Assassin's Guild and make sure to find these rats.
Then improve your own strength.
"I don't ask for much, just 10 billion US dollars, to be given within ten days. Old Nalan will have to sell everything he owns and find a way himself. My request is not excessive, and I think he should be able to do it."
Jiang Bai made this suggestion, and Changchun Tongzi agreed without hesitation: "Let's do it this way!"
He had absolutely no concept of money. This guy rarely left the Wansheng Sect and had no idea how much it pained Old Nalan to part with all that money.
Didn't you see that old Nalan's face turned green?
Fortunately, his senior brother was incredibly strong and had a deep friendship with Old Nalan. If it were anyone else, Old Nalan would probably have turned against them long ago.
One hundred billion Jiangbai was nothing to him. This amount of money was a lot for the average person, equivalent to more than six hundred billion in Chinese Yuan. However, for Lao Nalan, although it was a bit painful, it was not a problem for him to take it out.
Ten days is a bit tight, but Jiang Bai believes that Old Nalan can handle it.
Jiang Bai didn't ask for too much because he didn't have the absolute strength to suppress him, and he was also afraid of pushing the other party to the brink of death, so he didn't do that and just casually quoted a price.
Holding his breath and remaining silent, Old Nalan nodded, then was lifted up by Changchun Tongzi with one hand and floated away in a single leap.
The two of them left, but the rest couldn't. Several experts died here, and the rest were all seriously injured. Old Nalan and Changchun Tongzi turned around and left, abandoning these people.
A quick glance revealed at least seven or eight top-tier experts, and four other peerless masters who had already fallen unconscious. These were the most outstanding figures from the four major powers.
Jiang Bai chuckled at them, making those who hadn't fainted feel a chill run down their spines and become uneasy all over.
"You, you, you...you guys, are you from the Nangong family?" Jiang Bai pointed at a few old men and asked arrogantly.
The other party didn't want to admit it, but at this point it seemed there was no other way but to admit it. After struggling for a while, they finally had no choice but to step forward, grit their teeth, and stand there without saying a word.
His expression was dry and lifeless, as if his parents had died.
"You guys go outside and call for more people. There are already so many people outside. Ask a dozen or so to come over. Also, prepare a few cars so we can move to another location."
Jiang Bai chuckled and said this, then leaped down to the side of the Nangong family head and the two peerless experts of the Nangong family, adding, "Don't you dare run away. These people are my hostages. If you run away and don't come back, not only will your family head be dead, but you two seniors who woke up in the ice coffin will also die!"
Chapter 793 Demanding Ransom
Jiang Bai's order immediately changed the expressions of the remaining three experts from the Nangong family, and their looks towards Jiang Bai became extremely strange.
If we were to ask who among all of Jiang Bai's enemies understood his character best, it would undoubtedly be them.
After hearing this, his face turned extremely ugly.
"What do you want to do?" someone couldn't help but ask.
"What are we doing? Do you even need to ask? We've kidnapped a hostage, so naturally we need a ransom. We've clearly stated our prices: one billion US dollars for a top-tier expert, and one hundred billion US dollars for a peerless expert. If it's even a penny less, I'll kill the hostage. You have three days to raise the money, or we'll be done with it!"
"You can pass this message on to the people outside later."
Jiang Bai smiled, his eyes narrowed.
In reality, money doesn't mean much to him now. He's accumulating wealth just to complete his current task as quickly as possible. The goal is too big, and it won't be easy to achieve.
Jiang Bai has amassed considerable wealth, but the mission still feels like it's a long way off.
He is now eager to complete this main mission as soon as possible, gain prestige and benefits, and then improve himself, which is why he is now engaging in blackmail.
Otherwise, Jiang Bai would want rare and precious materials, not this useless money.
"You scoundrel!" someone couldn't help but condemn Jiang Bai's behavior.
"That villain!"
Jiang Bai scoffed at this.
These days, might makes right. Since they ambushed him and failed, isn't it only natural for him to turn around and extort them?
"Do you want me to wipe you all out?" Jiang Bai retorted, and everyone present fell silent, the room instantly becoming completely quiet.
They were filled with resentment towards Jiang Bai, who had a hideous face, but there was nothing they could do. They could only bitterly accept the proposal, fearing that Jiang Bai would really kill them all in a fit of anger.
Money may be very important to ordinary people, and it certainly has value to these people. A top expert is worth a billion US dollars, and a peerless expert is worth ten billion US dollars. Although it is a bit expensive, it would still be a huge financial burden for them to take it out.
But it's still something we can still produce.
These are all deeply entrenched forces that have severely eroded the local area. They have plundered the area over the years and have never lacked money, so it is not difficult for them to make some money.
Jiang Bai wants money, which is better than losing his life, isn't it?
"Um, this... Benefactor, we... we Bon religion have no money." Just then, a Bon religion expert, his face flushed, stepped forward and bowed to Jiang Bai.
When I said that, I guess I felt pretty embarrassed myself.
They only have one top expert and one Living Buddha left. Redeeming them would require 11 billion US dollars, but... the Bon religion can't afford that.
For outsiders, this money is not a problem; they are wealthy and powerful, so taking it out is not an issue for them. But the Bon religion cannot produce it.
It's not a lie; I genuinely can't produce it.
They are a group of monks, and although they do own some property, it is all in remote areas of Tibet. The more prosperous areas have been occupied by those bastards from the Tantric sect.
Their Bon religion can only operate in those poor, remote places that Tantric Buddhism looks down upon. They rely on the offerings of believers and do not engage in production themselves, so they have no decent industries.
To be honest, these past few years have been quite difficult.
They really can't come up with that money.
With a cold snort, Jiang Bai knew that the old lama wasn't lying. The Bon religion was indeed a bunch of poor devils, otherwise they wouldn't be so hostile to Tantric Buddhism. It was because they were originally wealthy, but ever since they were defeated by Tantric Buddhism, they had lived an extremely austere life for thousands of years.
If even the leading Living Buddha is struggling to survive, the others are even more desperate. It would be strange if they didn't harbor hatred towards Tantric Buddhism.
Knowing they couldn't come up with the money, Jiang Bai pondered for a moment and said, "That's easy. I heard that your Bon religion temple in Nepal enshrines a relic of Shakyamuni Buddha. Bring it to me, and we'll call it even."
"This is impossible! We Bon religion would rather lose everything than agree to this condition. You are the master of Lingjiu Palace in the Great Snow Mountain. Do you want to watch us open the stone Buddha?"
The old lama's expression changed immediately. Despite his injury, he still roared loudly and even said some threatening words!
Upon hearing this, Jiang Bai's expression changed. He naturally knew what a stone Buddha was. The so-called stone Buddha was similar to the ice burial coffin of aristocratic families and sects.
They also used special methods to seal the masters who were about to pass away in the past generations inside the stone Buddha statues, so that future generations could worship them while protecting the peace of the sect. They would not open the statues unless absolutely necessary.
These methods were used many times during the conflict between the Bon religion and the Lingjiu Palace of the Great Snow Mountain. Now they don't have many stone Buddhas left, but... according to the news from the Lingjiu Palace of the Great Snow Mountain, there are still about ten.
Among them are two quite famous masters who are probably on par with or even surpass him.
However, the methods used to create the stone Buddhas have been lost. Each one activated reduces the number of Buddhas remaining, and they dare not activate them unless it is a matter of life and death.
"Are you threatening me? Are you planning to renege on your debt?" Jiang Bai narrowed his eyes.
He knew that the Bon religion was run by poor people, but he couldn't let the matter rest.
If they threaten me because they don't have money and refuse to give it to me, what about the others? The Nangong family has so many ice burial coffins, can they also threaten me?
The Tang Clan has countless tricks up their sleeves, so maybe we don't need to give them to them either?
And what about those foreigners? Do we still not need to give them anything?
Who will Jiang Bai ask for the money from?
"No, no… I just wanted to ask if we could consider the situation of Bon. We have been living off the offerings from our followers, and Bon is located in a remote area. Even if we sold all our treasures from over the years, we wouldn't be able to raise that much money. We are really in a difficult situation."
"Didn't I say that if you bring me the relics of Shakyamuni Buddha that you are worshipping, then our score will be wiped clean?"
Jiang Bai repeated, "Whether this is the legendary relic of all the Buddha Shakyamuni after his passing, I don't know."
However, according to the records of Tantric Buddhism, it is probably true. It should be a relic from the remains of Shakyamuni, transformed from a section of his hand bone. It is said to possess mysterious and unpredictable power, which is naturally of great importance to Bon religion.
It can be called the most precious treasure of the town.
Although the ancient Xiongxiang Buddhist teachings of the Bon religion are older than those of Shakyamuni, and logically they are not from the same system, this relic has displayed great power since it was obtained by them and has been preserved from ancient times to the present.
It is of great significance.
Jiang Bai wanted this thing because they didn't have anything else of value. In recent years, the Bon religion had declined, and many of their good things had been lost or destroyed.
There were some other items that were quite valuable, but they weren't worth the ransom. After thinking it over, Jiang Bai decided to take this one.
We can't just kidnap someone and go back empty-handed, can we?
Chapter 794 Dissatisfaction is normal
Anyway, the old lamas at Lingjiu Palace in the Great Snow Mountain were extremely envious of this thing, regarding it as a sacred object. Taking it over would be a way to win over people's hearts.
Of course, whether or not to bring them together is not very meaningful. The Lingjiu Palace in the Great Snow Mountain is just a group of brainwashed working slaves. They are all born for the Living Buddha and will be destroyed for the Living Buddha's master.
Having become the master of the Lingjiu Palace in the Great Snow Mountain, they would never betray him even without his efforts to win them over.
Jiang Bai wanted to make the Benjiao suffer.
Who told them to be so reckless as to collude with their enemies and ambush them?
"Benefactor, I know that the Nangong family and the Tang Clan are wealthy and powerful. I wonder if you could lend us a little? In the future, my Bon religion will definitely repay your kindness and serve you with utmost loyalty!"
The old lama was a flexible person. Seeing that he couldn't reason with Jiang Bai, he turned to the Nangong family and the Tang Clan.
The two people on the other end of the line exchanged glances, considered for a moment, and then gritted their teeth and agreed.
The loyalty and assistance of the Bon religion are far more valuable than money, and the old lama would not have resorted to such a drastic measure unless he was being pressured by Jiang Bai.
Jiang Bai saw this and sneered. He knew what they were up to. These people were already teaming up right in front of him? Wouldn't they be joining forces against him again later?
However, Jiang Bai didn't care. Pressure is the driving force, and without motivation, there is a possibility of progress. He could just use them as whetstones.
However, if they team up next time, this matter won't end so easily.
"Um... our Tang Clan doesn't have any peerless masters. We can pay the ransom to you on the spot. But I don't know... about the Rain of Pear Blossom Needles..."
The Tang Clan was not seriously damaged. Tang Xiangdong was the first to step forward and said this to Jiang Bai. He didn't finish his sentence, but the meaning was clear: they were willing to pay, and they would pay right now, but they hoped that Jiang Bai would return the Rainstorm Pear Blossom Needles!
This is their clan's most treasured artifact, and it cannot be lost. Otherwise, when those senior experts wake up, they will definitely devour them alive.
This item must be retrieved.
"Rain of Pear Blossom Needles? Those are my spoils of war!"
Jiang Bai snorted coldly and gave this reply.
The Tang Clan leader's face fell immediately, and he looked at Jiang Bai as if his parents had died.
After a long pause, he managed to say, "We are willing to redeem the Rainstorm Pear Blossom Needles! Name your price."
They dared not set their own price; saying too much or too little would be inappropriate, lest Jiang Bai become angry and embarrassed, which would be a real problem.
"Two hundred billion US dollars." After thinking for a moment, Jiang Bai offered this price.
He thought the price was appropriate, but whether the Tang Clan would accept it was another matter entirely.
To everyone's surprise, the other party agreed without hesitation, which made Jiang Bai realize that he had miscalculated!
His expression changed, becoming somewhat unpleasant. He ordered the other party to gather the money within three days, otherwise, he would consider the item his spoils and would not return it to them no matter how much they offered.
The Tang Clan members naturally dared not say anything more about this.
So Jiang Bai found a hotel, chained up all these people, and used the secret techniques of the Lingjiu Palace in the Great Snow Mountain to control them one by one. He also dispatched a large number of experts from the Lingjiu Palace in the Great Snow Mountain overnight to guard and detain them.
Only then could I sleep peacefully.
The next day, they set off, taking all these people to Lingjiu Palace in the Great Snow Mountain. Leaving them in southern Sichuan was still somewhat unsafe, as this was their territory, and if something happened, they wouldn't be able to react in time.
Once you reach the Lingjiu Palace in the Great Snow Mountain, a sacred site of the Tantric sect with a history of thousands of years, things will be much easier. There are many experts in the surrounding ascetic elder group, and the Lingjiu Palace itself is not weak either.
In addition, they are not afraid of being suddenly attacked by others.
However, Jiang Bai still felt that his strength was inferior to others, so he personally opened the secret vault of the Lingjiu Palace in the Great Snow Mountain and took out eight relics for the four Dharma Kings and the four elders of the ascetic elder group to absorb.
A day later, with eight more beginner Martial Kings at the Lingjiu Palace in the Great Snow Mountain, Jiang Bai finally felt completely at ease.
With them, Jiang Bai's place is completely safe.
The Tang Clan was the fastest to send the ransom; they raised the money the next day and transferred it to Jiang Bai's account. At the same time, experts from the Bon Cult also made their payments.
The foreigners were dragging their feet, and it wasn't until the third night that they transferred the money to Jiang Bai. They were somewhat reluctant, but they still gave it to him.
Jiang Bai released these people as promised, and told them to have his men pick them up near the Great Snow Mountain. Jiang Bai didn't care about sending them out.
After much hesitation and procrastination, only the Nangong family remained.
This made Jiang Bai, who was staying in the Lingjiu Palace in the Great Snow Mountain, feel dissatisfied and somewhat doubtful.
This time, the Nangong family had the most people kidnapped by themselves, including two peerless masters and two top-tier masters. Their strength was not weak, and the ransom amount was also extremely huge. However, for a thousand-year-old family like the Nangong family, this amount of money should not be a problem.
More importantly, they are not just one family. The four great families are closely connected, and there are more than twenty smaller families that depend on them. All of these people are extremely wealthy.
They may lack other things, but they have plenty of cash. Raising money is no problem for the Nangong family. However, three days have passed and there has been no response, which is somewhat unusual.
On the evening of the third day, after dinner, as Jiang Bai was pondering this matter, his phone rang again. It was a satellite phone, and only a limited number of people knew about it.
After the call connected, Yang Wudi's voice came through: "Jiang Bai, get ready, we're going to Yamato."
This made Jiang Bai frown. Just as he was about to retort, Cheng Tiangang's voice came from the other end: "It would be strange if this kid listened to you if you talked to him like that. Go away, go away, I'll talk to him."
"What do you mean by going to Yamato? I've been staying at home just fine, and I haven't even had a chance to relax yet. Why do you want me to go out again? I joined the Human Group, but I haven't received a single benefit. Why am I always the one doing all the work? Doesn't the Human Group have anyone else?"
Upon answering the phone and learning it was Cheng Tiangang, Jiang Bai angrily expressed his dissatisfaction to Cheng Tiangang.
Everyone says that joining the Human Group has its advantages. Before joining, Jiang Bai thought so too. After joining, he got a set of general's uniform, which made him feel cool, but he never wore it.
Since there were no occasions where he needed to wear it, he had kept it, along with his identification, in his spatial ring, and it hadn't been of any use to this day.
Besides that, he seemed to receive a monthly salary of over ten thousand yuan, and they even gave Jiang Bai a salary card, but now Jiang Bai doesn't know where that card is.
More than ten thousand a month? You have the nerve to give that to Jiang Bai?
What use would he have for that little bit of pocket money?
I didn't get any benefits, but I've had a lot of trouble, this today, that tomorrow...
Besides Yang Wudi, there's also Li Qingdi. Jiang Bai feels like he's practically working for them now.
Dissatisfaction is normal!
Chapter 795 Ready to be buried in the mausoleum?
In the past, Jiang Bai had no ability to resist Yang Wudi. However, Yang Wudi was a man who preferred to settle things with his fists, so Jiang Bai could only shut his mouth and wait obediently. In addition, since the other party hadn't used him for nothing, he didn't resist or anything.
But can things be the same now as before?
Should we settle things with our fists?
Who is Jiang Bai afraid of?
If Yang Wudi were to be so foolish as to try to reason with Jiang Bai with his fists now, it would be too easy for him; Jiang Bai would teach him a lesson in no time.
Even though Yang Wudi is a genius, it's still a long way off before he can break through from a low-level Martial King to a mid-level Martial King.
Don't even think about it without one or two decades of hard work.
It was precisely because Jiang Bai understood this that he was so confident.
"Uh, the Human Group is indeed empty, you know that." Cheng Tiangang then gave Jiang Bai a speechless remark: the Human Group was indeed empty.
There's no one left. Everyone who can be used has been used. What's left are the trump cards of the major families. Even the people in the ice coffins and the top family heads can't be commanded by the human group.
If you want them to put in the effort, they have to be willing to put in the effort first.
These people always obey orders but not proclamations, and they only obey those who are registered. Which of the masters treasured in the ice burial coffins was ever on the register?
However, this is understandable. The Human Group can't expect families to sacrifice their own interests for the greater good, right? They are quite willing to do so, but the problem is that the powerful families and sects are not.
The Human Group is merely a union of aristocratic families and sects. As long as their fundamental interests are not touched, these people are quite honest when it comes to the greater good of the nation.
If their fundamental interests are touched, these people will turn on the spot!
This is an open secret, so the group can only mobilize a limited number of people. And these limited people have already been used up, leaving no one available. This is no secret, and Jiang Bai knows it too.
"Why do you want me to go to Yamato? Have you lost another fugitive there? Or has something valuable been stolen and you want me to go and help find it?" Jiang Bai said with dissatisfaction.
It seems they've already guessed what Cheng Tiangang and his group—no, I should say Yang Wudi and his group—would ask him to do.
It's definitely not going to be anything good.
"No, I want you to meet someone. You have a vague idea of what we're doing over there. We've mobilized almost all the resources that can be mobilized in China."
"However, it's still not enough. According to our estimates, it will only last two or three years at most before it can't hold out any longer. So we plan to open the Lishan Mausoleum!"
These words made Jiang Bai shudder, his expression changing several times, unsure of what place Cheng Tiangang and Yang Wudi were referring to.
Cheng Tiangang did not contribute, but he knew the details very well. Yang Wudi and Li Qingdi gathered almost all their forces, including the human and divine groups.
Besides that, the Ghost Group only had Zhang Tianshi left, while the Heaven and Earth Groups didn't leave anyone behind, all to deal with that place.
Jiang Bai had a rough estimate of the strength of the three groups: the Human Group, the Ghost Group, and the God Group. They were extremely powerful, and there might be peerless masters among them who he didn't know about before, meaning people who had stepped into the real world were supporting them.
However, they were all so engrossed in this matter that they were unable to walk among humans, which is why Jiang Bai was so arrogant and domineering back then.
Besides these three groups, there is also the mysterious and unpredictable Heaven and Earth Group II. As the core of China, according to Cheng Tiangang, Heaven and Earth Group II will only step forward in times of true crisis, and will remain hidden from the world in ordinary times.
These two groups are also the strongest and most powerful. The three groups of humans, gods, and ghosts are like ignorant children in front of them. These are Yang Wudi's original words.
These two groups also entered the area, which means that the place has gathered all of China's top-tier resources.
Now, Cheng Tiangang is actually telling Jiang Bai that he can't hold on any longer?
How could Jiang Bai not feel a chill run down his spine?
"What do you mean by 'can't hold on anymore'? What kind of hellish place is that?!" Jiang Bai couldn't help but ask.
Yang Wudi grabbed the phone as if afraid Cheng Tiangang would tell Jiang Bai something he shouldn't, and hurriedly said, "You can't know about this for now. I'll tell you when you come back from Yamato."
He didn't argue with Yang Wudi. He wasn't Cheng Tiangang, who would have told him if he said a few words. Yang Wudi was a man of his word. If he said he wouldn't say it now, then he would rather die than utter a single word to Jiang Bai.
"Fine, I won't tell you then! What do you want me to do? What does this have to do with you opening the Lishan Mausoleum? Don't you already have the treasure map and the Qin Emperor's key?" Jiang Bai asked curiously.
Jiang Bai has already obtained the treasure map of the underground palace for them, and he has also obtained the Qin Emperor's key for them. Aren't these already complete?
Go in and find the Twelve Golden Men. Since this matter is so urgent, then go in! What's with all the nonsense? What's the meaning of sending me to Yamato?
"There is a very important person on Yamato's side. We need to meet with him to confirm whether or not we can enter the underground palace. This matter is highly confidential, and we don't want others to know."
"You were involved in the entire Qin Emperor's Mausoleum project. Whether you knew about it or not is no secret to you, which is why we wanted you to go."
"Go and bring that person back. If he refuses to come back, you must also obtain his ancestral notes. These are extremely important for opening the Lishan Mausoleum."
"It can be said that this concerns the life and death of China! It is a matter of utmost importance that cannot be delayed!"
If Cheng Tiangang had said this, Jiang Bai would have completely ignored it, because Cheng Tiangang had become increasingly cunning, learning from Jiang Bai, and could spout any lie he wanted. He was a seasoned sly fox, and now had very little credibility with Jiang Bai.
But if Yang Wudi said those words, then it's different.
Jiang Bai knew that Yang Wudi was an extremely serious and rigid person who would never joke about such a thing. If it was a matter of life and death, then even if it wasn't, it was very close!
"Who is this person, so important? If he's so important, why don't you bring him back? I think it shouldn't be a problem for you to bring back one or two people from Yamato, right? Don't tell me that our great China's intelligence system can't even handle such a small matter?"
Jiang Bai rolled his eyes and couldn't help but ask.
Even if it were an important matter, they should be able to handle it, so why are they asking me for help? Do they think I'm bored and want to find something to do?
Yang Wudi and Cheng Tiangang don't have that much free time to be so bored, do they?
Chapter 796 What secret is making you so nervous?
"This is a dangerous matter. The other party's identity is not ordinary. If it were an ordinary person, would they need to ask you for help? This matter is dangerous, and it would be difficult for our men to handle!"
"Another, and most importantly, is that the higher-ups are somewhat dissatisfied with you. Someone in the central government has said that you're always causing trouble at home. With a major event approaching, a national celebration, they've sent you out for a stroll until this is over before you come back!"
Another voice rang out at this moment; it belonged to Lee Qingdi, one of the three conspirators.
"Damn it!"
Upon hearing this, Jiang Bai felt like a million grass mud horses were galloping through his mind. What did he mean by saying that he had caused trouble and that something big was about to happen, and that he was being told to go out for a stroll?
Isn't this just telling me to get out of the way so I don't cause any big trouble?
It's said that someone from the central government spoke up, but damn it, Jiang Bai thinks it was Li Qingdi who spoke up!
"How am I a troublemaker! Explain yourself!" Jiang Bai asked angrily.
"You think we don't know what you've been doing in southern Sichuan? You've gone too far in southern Sichuan, haven't you? You kidnapped four peerless masters and nine top-tier masters as hostages, extorting tens of billions of US dollars from the four major powers and Old Nalan. You think we don't know about this?"
"Jiang Bai's matter is definitely not over. With the grand event coming up, you've been stirring up trouble here, making things so bad for them. Can you guarantee they won't cause you any trouble after they pay the ransom?"
"Nobody will allow you to cause trouble at this critical juncture! So you should leave and avoid the situation for now. Come back after this is over, and we won't care if you fight to the death then!"
Li Qingdi responded with a cold laugh, clearly knowing everything about Jiang Bai's whereabouts and actions.
"You know that Old Nalan ambushed me?" Jiang Bai immediately sensed something was wrong and asked tentatively.
"I don't know. He did it very discreetly. Old Nalan has considerable influence. These things were all done in secret. I only found out after you fought him. You kidnapped so many hostages, and they've been searching the world for money. Now, who doesn't know about this?"
Jiang Bai remained silent and did not respond.
He changed the subject and asked, "Who is this person, so important that I have to go out of my way to bring him back?"
"Do you know Xu Fu?" Li Qingdi suddenly asked this question.
This person is so famous, how could Jiang Bai not know him?
The textbooks all have a special introduction to this person: Qin Shi Huang unified the world, and the alchemist Xu Fu sailed east to Penglai Island in search of the elixir of immortality, never to return.
This is no secret. Some unofficial historical records even state that Xu Fu did not seek the Three Immortal Islands during his eastward voyage, but instead went to Yamato, bringing with him three thousand boys and girls, thus creating the Yamato people of today.
This person is so famous, how could Jiang Bai not know him?
"Do you think I'm stupid? How could I not know who Xu Fu is? Are you trying to tell me to go and bring Xu Fu back?"
Jiang Bai asked in an annoyed tone.
That happened two thousand years ago. Xu Fu was a human, not a monster. He died long ago. Even the First Emperor died, let alone a mere alchemist.
"Well, Xu Fu is obviously out of the question. Rumor has it that he died long ago. We're talking about his descendants."
"He possessed a crucial piece of information that no outsiders knew about. We sacrificed many people to obtain information about him from various sources. However, this descendant of Xu Fu has been worshipped by the Ise Grand Shrine and has been completely assimilated into Japanese culture."
"There is even a Yamato surname that has been passed down for countless generations. It would be very difficult to get them to come back or reveal the secret of that matter. I have no choice but to send you there."
"What secret? Why is it so important? Didn't they say they couldn't hold out any longer? Opening the Lishan Mausoleum and retrieving the twelve golden men is the most important thing. Everything else is secondary. Why are you all so concerned about Xu Fu? Isn't that putting the cart before the horse?"
Jiang Bai asked, frowning.
He began to ponder this matter. It had been at least two thousand years since Xu Fu sailed eastward, and his descendants had long since become Yamato people and would never identify with China.
Moreover, they are worshipped by the Ise Grand Shrine. What kind of place is the Ise Grand Shrine?
That is the center of Yamato Shinto.
It's a place similar to a human-god combination, teeming with experts and powerful figures. The difficulty of bringing out important people from there, especially when they're not very cooperative, is unimaginable.
For this one person, for this incomprehensible secret, Jiang Bai felt that the three people on the other end of the phone had put the cart before the horse.
"No, this secret is really important. It concerns whether we dare to attack the Qin Emperor's Mausoleum at Mount Li! In other words, Yang Wudi is absolutely right. This is a matter of life and death for China."
Li Qingdi said in a deep voice, surprisingly agreeing with Yang Wudi's words. This made Jiang Bai narrow his eyes and begin to ponder the key points.
"Since that's the case, just find someone to kidnap him. Why do you need me to find him? Even if the Heaven and Earth Groups are in trouble, they should still be able to send some experts. Since you've found him, why not raid the Ise Grand Shrine and take him away? It shouldn't be too difficult. I can join and resolve this matter quickly."
After thinking for a moment, Jiang Bai said that his superiors didn't like him staying at home, fearing he would cause trouble. He should just go out, since he had a lot of things to do anyway.
He was going to Nice Water City to find those Gray Rats of the Assassin Guild, wipe them out, teach them a lesson they would never forget, and complete the mission along the way. This would take quite a bit of time.
In addition, there's Atlantic City. Jiang Bai needs to go to Country A again to teach those bastards a lesson for daring to team up with others to cause him trouble.
Don't think that paying the ransom is the end of the matter.
No way!
He has many things to do and is unwilling to waste his life in Japan.
"If that were possible, we would have done it already. Why would we need you to remind us? The second group of Heaven and Earth is short-staffed, but temporarily transferring one or two experts is not a problem. A surprise attack on the Ise Grand Shrine is not impossible."
"The key is that they can't do that. They have their own difficulties. They can't go abroad, or even step outside the borders of China. More importantly, I'm not sure if that person knows about this."
"If he knows, that's fine; we can just take him back. But what if he doesn't know? If Xu Fu recorded this matter in his notes, what then?"
"Do you think we can launch a second surprise attack on Ise Grand Shrine? Do you really think Ise Grand Shrine is just a facade, allowing you to come and go as you please?"
Lee Cheong-di's helpless response.
They had considered all the problems Jiang Bai suggested, but they only approached Jiang Bai because those problems didn't work. If they could work, they would have done it already and wouldn't be wasting time talking here.
"What secret is it that makes you all so nervous?" Jiang Bai couldn't help but ask this crucial question.
Chapter 797 Is the Qin Emperor Dead or Not?
"There's only one problem, but it's very crucial," Li Qingdi said after a moment's hesitation.
"Don't talk nonsense!"
Jiang Bai roared in dissatisfaction, and Li Qingdi said dryly, "There's only one question: Is Qin Huang dead or not!"
"Isn't that obvious? How many years has it been? Two thousand years? Even a monster would be dead by now. Do you really think he's a god?" Jiang Bai rolled his eyes and said with great dissatisfaction.
After saying that, he suddenly realized: "Wait, you said you wanted to find Xu Fu's descendants, you mean..."
"Yes, I suspect that Qin Shi Huang did not die at all. According to historical records, when Qin Shi Huang destroyed Wu, his cultivation was earth-shattering, and he could be said to have suppressed the universe. He was much more powerful than Xu Changsheng now."
"According to the classification of ancient martial arts practitioners, he should be, he should be..."
At this point, Li Qingdi hesitated, as he seemed to know very little about this.
Yang Wudi immediately chimed in, "Get out of the way! Get out of the way! What do you know about this stuff!"
He snatched the phone and said to Jiang Bai, "We all know that martial artists are divided into nine ranks. Above the ninth rank are peerless masters, similar to my level. They can be called ancient martial arts practitioners. Of course, in the words of those foreigners, those who reach this level are all called 'entering the real world'."
"You should know that the ancient martial arts practitioners were clearly divided into ranks. The lower star level was called the primary martial king, the middle star level was called the intermediate martial king, and the higher star level was the advanced martial king."
"Then there are the Heavenly Realm experts, namely the Lesser Heavenly Realm Martial Emperor, the Middle Heavenly Realm Martial Emperor, the Greater Heavenly Realm Martial Saint, and the Supreme Heavenly Realm Great Martial Saint."
"You should have felt it too. With each level of cultivation you advance, your strength increases dramatically, and your lifespan also increases. Legend has it that a Great Martial Saint can have a lifespan of several hundred years, or even longer."
"Of course, people at that level no longer exist. Anyone who surpassed the Martial King level was not spared when Qin Shi Huang destroyed the Martial King realm."
"Only a very few inconspicuous individuals managed to survive, which led to the beginning of martial arts as we know it today."
"Logically speaking, someone with Qin Shi Huang's cultivation level shouldn't have died so young. It's very abnormal that he died at the age of several decades!"
"We used to think it was just a legend, but recently we have gained some insights from the documents unearthed from an ancient tomb. We have discovered that the Qin Emperor may not have died and may be hiding in the Lishan Mausoleum for some reason."
"The clue we have now is that only Xu Fu knows the truth about this matter, so I need you to go to Yamato to find his descendants, find his notes and manuscripts, or find out the truth from his descendants."
"This could very well determine our future. If he is still alive, the Lishan Mausoleum must never be opened!"
Yang Wudi took the phone and spoke eloquently.
Jiang Bai was speechless: "You've said so much, but you still haven't explained to me what Qin Huang's cultivation level is!"
"Uh, surpassing the Supreme Celestial Rank!"
Hearing this, Jiang Bai felt a chill. He had never seen a Heavenly Realm expert before, and he guessed that among the people he knew, Xu Changsheng was probably the only one at that level.
There was also the Myriad Saints Emperor of the Myriad Saints Sect whom Jiang Bai had never met. Apart from those two, Jiang Bai didn't know who the Heavenly Realm experts were. That Changchun Boy might be one, or he might not. Jiang Bai couldn't confirm it, so he didn't classify him into that level.
Even if these two are true masters of the Heavenly Rank, their level shouldn't be very high, but they are already so terrifying. Qin Huang's level is truly astonishing.
"What level is it to surpass the Supreme Celestial Realm?"
Jiang Bai was stunned for a moment, unsure how to describe his feelings at that moment.
"There was no specific title. Before that, no one had surpassed this social class. We know nothing about that era now. In order to cover up the truth about Qin Shi Huang's destruction of Wu, he later burned books and buried scholars alive, and almost all historical materials were destroyed."
"We only know from a few scattered records that he might be at this level. People at the time called him the God of War!"
Jiang Bai remained silent for a long time afterward.
As for why, if Qin Shi Huang were alive, he wouldn't have opened the Lishan Mausoleum.
The reason is actually quite simple: if this person were still alive, who knows what level he would be at. He is in the Lishan Mausoleum for some reason and cannot or does not want to go out, so we should not disturb him.
It's best for such a great emperor to stay where he is; if he's allowed to come out, things will get really complicated.
He's not like Jiang Bai; he wouldn't consider so many things. Besides, his strength is too great and there's no way to check him. Once he's out, he'll be completely lawless and can do whatever he wants.
What if he suddenly gets the urge to restore the Qin Dynasty?
Who will be able to stop him then?
The Heaven and Earth Groups seem mysterious, and their power is said to be terrifyingly strong, but they could never be stronger than the Qin Emperor. They don't know what they are dealing with, and they are already willing but unable to do so.
They desperately urged Yang Wudi and Li Qingdi to search for the Qin Emperor's key, as well as treasure maps and other such things, hoping to retrieve the twelve golden statues to help them overcome their difficulties.
The Emperor Qin was far more troublesome than the Twelve Golden Men. What would we do if he suddenly had a change of heart?
While the twelve bronze statues are certainly important, we can't let the enemy pass through the front door only to let the enemy in through the back.
That is clearly not a wise move.
Smart people wouldn't do that.
If that doesn't work, we can think of other ways. But if we release the First Emperor, Jiang Bai thinks they won't be able to come up with a solution even if they rack their brains.
Then we'll really be sitting on eggshells.
"I understand. I will take care of it. But how do I get close to her? She is a deity worshipped by the Ise Grand Shrine. I don't need to explain what kind of status the Yamato Ise Grand Shrine holds, do I?"
"They're not really going to send me in to snatch them away, are they?"
After hearing this, Jiang Bai helplessly said that he would not agree, as this matter was of great importance.
The First Emperor was everyone's biggest worry. If he were to emerge, no one would have a good life. He truly was a ruler who ruled the entire world, where all land belonged to him and all people were his subjects.
If it were accidentally exposed, not only Li Qingdi and his group, but also Jiang Bai and his group, or rather, everyone would be in for a rough time.
Imperial rule... is no longer popular and is unpopular.
"That's simple. Although the other family is worshipped by the Ise Grand Shrine, only the head of the family resides there. The others are left to their own devices and their freedom is not restricted. As long as they don't leave Yamato, they are just like ordinary people."
Jiang Bai was taken aback by Yang Wudi's words. "Patriarch?"
Does this mean there are quite a few of them?
Jiang Bai thought about this question and asked, "There are quite a few people?"
Chapter 798 A Good Persuader
"The number of people is not large. Historically, the Yamato period was turbulent and many people died. Xu Fu's descendants are not very strong, so not many have survived. In fact, only the head of the family line is still alive. The others have long since died or scattered."
"Besides, whether they are here or not has little to do with us. Only their family head knows the truth. Asking others is pointless."
Yang Wudi's words left Jiang Bai feeling helpless.
"Then what identity should I use to approach them? They can't expect me to go to the Ise Grand Shrine too, can they? Do they really think they're fools?"
"How is that possible?" Yang Wudi exclaimed in surprise, then explained to Jiang Bai, "Their patriarch has two sons, one of whom is an officer in the Self-Defense Forces. Now that they have no offspring, we certainly cannot arrange for you to join the Self-Defense Forces."
Isn't that obvious?
Jiang Bai rolled his eyes. "Send him to serve in the Japanese army?"
Damn it, are you out of your mind? Go find whoever you want, Jiang Bai isn't going.
"The other one is the eldest son, who is now doing business in Xijing. He is a businessman of moderate size and seems to be doing quite well. He is also the next generation's heir to the ancestral temple."
At this point, Jiang Bai roughly understood: "You want me to get in touch with his eldest son?"
"That's right. I heard that the current head of the family is in very poor health and could die at any time. I estimate it will be within the next month or two. Anyway, no one wants you to be in the country during this period."
"Perfect timing! Go over there now, make some contact with people, build some relationships. Once they inherit the position of family head, you can find out what you want. If possible, you can even bring them over. Of course, you can't forget Xu Fu's notes!"
Yang Wudi chuckled and said something like that. Just as Jiang Bai was figuring out how to deal with this guy who had completely assimilated into Japanese culture and considered himself a Japanese merchant, Cheng Tiangang chuckled and snatched the phone.
"Hehe, Jiang Bai, are you thinking about how to contact them? You don't need to worry about that, we've already arranged it!"
Hearing this, Jiang Bai rolled his eyes, extremely dissatisfied. These guys had already made arrangements? What did they mean?
They haven't even asked for my opinion yet. Are they taking advantage of me?
That's outrageous!
"It's all arranged. How was it arranged?" Jiang Bai asked, dissatisfied.
"That's right. This Nakayama Naoto doesn't actually know much about his father's situation. This is also their family rule. If he doesn't inherit the position of head of the family, he will be raised outside until the head of the family passes away, at which point the heir will return to Ise Grand Shrine."
"The others, on the other hand, became completely indistinguishable from the crowd."
"The old patriarch is now in imminent danger. Naoto Nakayama is now protected by people from the Ise Grand Shrine. In fact, they had people before, but not many. Now they have a large number of people."
"Anyone who gets close to him will be strictly screened. It's not easy for you to get close to him, and we don't recommend that you do so."
"Compared to him, his daughter is easier to approach. I heard she's quite a pretty girl. After our discussion and research, and the intelligence department's analysis, you should be the most suitable person to go there as an exchange student."
"Become his classmate, date her, and it'll be like an ugly son-in-law meeting his father-in-law! Then it'll be easier for you two to communicate."
Cheng Tiangang said with a grin, which left Jiang Bai speechless. He wondered which intelligence agent had given such a stupid suggestion. Jiang Bai thought it was a bad idea at all. Asking him to sacrifice his beauty was definitely not a good idea.
"You can find someone else for this kind of job. There are plenty of pretty boys out there. I'm not doing this!" Jiang Bai refused on the spot. Who was Jiang Bai? He wouldn't take on this kind of job where he had to sacrifice his looks to pick up girls.
"I heard she's pretty. Don't you like pretty girls? This girl is really good-looking. I've seen her; she's at least as good-looking as the ones around you." Cheng Tiangang added after hearing this.
"Then I won't agree!" Jiang Bai wavered.
"Jiang Bai, there are plenty of pretty boys, but you are the only one who can complete this task. You should know that it would be very dangerous for anyone else to go. This job sounds simple, but it is not easy to do."
"Especially since he is not without enemies there. Many people are targeting him and do not want him to inherit the position of enshrined priest at Ise Grand Shrine. You should know that Yamato is not a monolithic entity either."
"Honnoji and Honganji have always coveted Ise Grand Shrine. The enshrined successor holds a special position there and is the spiritual symbol of Ise Grand Shrine. If he dies, there will be no successor, which will be a huge blow to the entire Ise Grand Shrine."
"The enshrinement office is located in Ise Grand Shrine, making it difficult to deal with. Naoto Nakayama is the easiest to deal with. There must be someone eyeing him now, and perhaps someone has already set their sights on his daughter."
"Naoto Nakayama was widowed early and never remarried. Junko Nakayama is his only heir. If you can't get rid of Naoto Nakayama, getting rid of Junko Nakayama is a good option. So getting close to her would be very dangerous."
"If they don't make a move, fine, but once they do, it will be a thunderous strike that others can't withstand, and all their previous efforts will be in vain. You should know that there are quite a few experts among the people from Honganji and Honnoji!"
"Besides, the ultimate goal of this matter is the Lishan Mausoleum, and you've always been very tempted by the treasures inside. You promised that we would only take the twelve bronze statues, and you could take everything else except for the most important cultural relics. This is an enormous fortune, and you wouldn't just give it up like that, would you? I think you also want to know whether the Qin Emperor is really dead or not."
"You should be very clear about this: as long as this news remains uncertain, we cannot enter the Lishan Mausoleum."
"As long as we get definite information this time, we will set off immediately. The countless treasures of the Qin Emperor will be yours. Think about it yourself."
Cheng Tiangang understood Jiang Bai better, knowing that this guy was obsessed with money.
He is a very good persuader.
As expected, these words silenced Jiang Bai. After pondering for a long time, he realized that this matter was indeed worth making a trip to. Firstly, it was of great importance and could not be taken lightly; it was very important to China.
Secondly, it was also very important to him. Having extorted so much money, Jiang Bai's wealth would definitely rank him at the top of the Forbes list if it were tallied. However, the mission still hadn't been completed, which made Jiang Bai realize that the system had calculated the wealth of many hidden forces.
Leaving aside the thousand-year-old families in China, there are countless financial families abroad with long-standing traditions and enormous wealth.
If Jiang Bai wants to complete his main quest, he can only take a shortcut. Without a windfall, at his current rate of accumulation, it will be difficult to complete it.
Chapter 799 Get the hell out of here!
Although the launch of a special drug would bring Jiang Bai a great deal of wealth, he was still uncertain and needed a windfall.
But what windfall can compare to the treasures in the Lishan Mausoleum?
It is important to know that when the First Emperor collected all the gold in the land to cast the Twelve Golden Statues, he also seized countless gold and silver treasures. Most of these things were stored in the Lishan Mausoleum, which was filled with mountains of gold and silver and countless pearls.
It was an absolutely tremendous fortune; with it, Jiang Bai had enough confidence to complete his mission.
So, after thinking for a moment, Jiang Bai agreed.
"Which university does she attend?" Jiang Bai pondered for a moment, not giving an immediate answer, but his meaning was quite clear: he agreed.
"Which university? Jiang Bai, you've got it wrong. It's not a university, it's a high school. That girl just turned eighteen today. I'm good to you, right? I know you're into this kind of thing, so I specially found you a pretty and innocent one. She's definitely a virgin."
"Of course, it's not appropriate for you to approach him in your current capacity, so you'll approach him as a classmate. We'll take care of everything, so don't worry about it."
"We've made very thorough arrangements, there won't be any problems. From now on, you'll be the son of a Chinese man who has been doing business in Japan for many years and has now returned to Chinese citizenship."
"That's a seed we've planted in Yamato for years, but it hasn't been put to use yet. Now it's the perfect time to put it to use. You can go there as his son from the mainland. We've taken care of everything."
"Yes, of course. Since you're going, you can't use your current name anymore. It'll be more down-to-earth to use a local name. I've already thought of one for you. You can be called 'Junichiro Kojima' over there. What do you think?"
"It matches the name Junko quite well."
Cheng Tiangang laughed heartily, saying, "He delivered this speech quite fluently, without giving Jiang Bai a chance to interrupt. It seems like this was a prepared script."
"Get the hell out of here!"
Jiang Bai was furious. What kind of name is this? Are you deliberately trying to disgust your grandpa?
"Let me tell you, Cheng Tiangang, if you want to use this awful name, go ahead and use it yourself! I think 'Little Green Hat Cheng' is quite fitting!"
Jiang Bai responded angrily, directly hitting Cheng Tiangang's sore spot without hesitation.
Cheng Tiangang laughed and didn't seem to mind, as if he had expected Jiang Bai's reaction. Yang Wudi, on the other hand, took the phone and said to Jiang Bai, "Don't listen to his nonsense. Everything has been arranged. Considering your feelings, and since this pawn also has the surname Jiang, you can use your real name."
Do you think I look like a high school student?
Jiang Bai asked helplessly.
"Same!" the sinister trio on the other end of the phone shouted in unison.
Jiang Bai was speechless. He looked in the mirror and realized that he really did look young. If someone said he was in his early twenties, some people would actually believe it.
Jiang Bai could only remain silent in the face of this. Since Zhao Wuji disappeared, these three guys had grown closer and closer, and now they seemed to be forming a faction, aiming to control everything.
Jiang Bai was quite helpless. Although he wanted to sow discord among these three, they were all shrewd people, and it wouldn't be easy to do so. Helpless, Jiang Bai had no choice but to give up the idea.
"I have a question," Jiang Bai said after thinking for a moment.
"What's the problem?" Yang Wudi replied.
"I've heard about Qin Shi Huang's destruction of Wu more than once, but I don't know what it actually means."
"I just heard people say that the Qin Emperor's destruction of the Wu Kingdom caused a huge uproar. They said that the Qin Emperor destroyed the Wu Kingdom and also the demons, the immortals, the demons, and the gods. What does that mean?"
Jiang Bai seized the opportunity to ask the question that had been lingering in his mind for a long time.
He had already gone out twice to do things related to the Lishan Mausoleum. Each time, he had heard about Qin Shi Huang's destruction of Wu. He roughly knew what it was about, but he didn't know the specifics.
I've heard it so many times, it's gotten to the point where my ears are calloused.
Jiang Bai had also consulted some ancient texts at the Lingjiu Palace in the Great Snow Mountain, but the Lingjiu Palace had only been established for a short time, so Jiang Bai did not obtain any useful information.
Jiang Bai had wanted to ask this for a long time, but he hadn't had the chance. Now that the topic of the Qin Emperor had come up again, he took the opportunity to ask Yang Wudi for an answer.
Others may not know, but Yang Wudi, the leader of this group, must know something.
He even knew the secret that the First Emperor might not have died, let alone the major event of Qin Shi Huang's conquest of Wu. Yang Wudi might not know everything, but Jiang Bai absolutely did not believe that he knew nothing at all.
He definitely knew, it was just a matter of how much he knew. But one thing was certain: Yang Wudi knew far more and in far greater detail than Jiang Bai did.
"Qin Shi Huang destroyed Wu? Why did you think of that?" Yang Wudi was stunned for a moment, then asked in surprise.
After saying that, he went straight to the point: "This matter..."
"Don't tell me it's not the right time to know or anything. If you keep playing this game, I'm quitting!" Before Yang Wudi could speak, Jiang Bai sensed something was wrong and immediately retorted.
Every time Jiang Bai asked Yang Wudi a question, he would make up an excuse, saying that it was not yet time. Jiang Bai was so tired of hearing it that he was fed up with it. Of course, he wouldn't stand for it anymore.
"Uh, Jiang Bai, I was just about to tell you this, why are you getting so worked up?" Yang Wudi was speechless at Jiang Bai's behavior and said something that left Jiang Bai speechless.
"Um, then you say..." Jiang Bai was embarrassed, her face slightly red.
He hadn't expected Yang Wudi to be so decisive this time.
"Actually, many people know about this. You don't know because you're too young and have no background. Although you've become the master of the Lingjiu Palace in the Great Snow Mountain, the Great Snow Mountain is powerful, but its foundation is still too weak."
"If it were the four great families, or even some other families and sects, this would not be a secret."
"Get to the point!" Jiang Bai was immediately annoyed when Yang Wudi uttered those two useless sentences and urged him on.
He's busy and doesn't have time to listen to Yang Wudi's nonsense.
"The key point is that Qin Shi Huang destroyed Wu!" Yang Wudi's words made Jiang Bai burst out laughing.
Damn, I know that's the key point too. If you're going to bring this up, why am I even asking you?
Knowing he had just messed with Yang Wudi, Jiang Bai honestly replied, "You can say whatever you want."
"snort!"
Yang Wudi snorted coldly before saying, "It sounds simple to say that Qin Shi Huang destroyed martial arts, but the result was that Qin Shi Huang destroyed martial arts and demons, and then he also exterminated immortals, demons, and gods. Ancient martial artists, demons, gods, demons, and monsters were all exterminated!"
"But to talk about this, we have to talk about the situation at the time."