Chapter 68: Accepting the Imperial Amnesty

In the martial training grounds, Jiang Chen was practicing his arts, accompanied by Mouse Tianjiao as his sparring partner.

At this moment, Jiang Chen was clad in the skin of an iron corpse, resembling a resurrected iron corpse himself, with a body as tough as bronze and iron, utterly disregarding Mouse Tianjiao's attacks as he forged ahead unimpeded.

Faced with such unreasonable force, Mouse Tianjiao could only retreat again and again; the occasional corpse fire falling from above left it in utter disarray. More than once, it cried out that its mouse life was at an end, yet each time, at the very last moment, it managed to "miraculously" survive.

"Using the iron corpse skin as a medium, I can easily transform my formless energy into yin energy, thereby activating the abilities the iron corpse possessed in life. Perhaps because I have preserved the remnant will of the iron corpse entirely, the powers retained by this demon skin are fairly complete. Though the yin armor is absent, the most formidable corpse fire remains."

Wielding the iron corpse skin's power at will, Jiang Chen formed a rough judgment in his heart.

"The Corpse Daoist's Yin Fiend Refining Corpse Method includes matching spells. With the iron corpse skin as a medium and careful study, it is possible to comprehend these techniques, which could enhance the iron corpse skin's combat strength to a degree. Yet, there is little need for this."

"The iron corpse skin's potential is ultimately too limited; it is suitable for occasional use, but fundamentally unsuited to serve as my natal demon skin. Its greatest function at this stage is to strengthen my physique, and combined with my martial cultivation, it allows me to unleash considerable power."

With these thoughts, Jiang Chen casually sent Mouse Tianjiao flying and stopped his movements.

With a simple gesture, the iron corpse skin transformed into a thin sheet, and Jiang Chen returned to his original appearance.

The skin-wearing technique had two applications. One was simply to use it; in this case, the demon skin acted like a special magical artifact, with certain mysteries but limited power. Unless the cultivator was stronger, they could rarely draw out more than eighty percent of the skin's original strength, and the skin itself could hardly advance further.

The other method involved refining the skin with one's true energy and imprinting a mark unique to oneself, forging it into one's natal artifact. In this situation, the demon skin and the cultivator were nearly one, not only easily drawing out more than eighty percent of its power, but also allowing for further growth. As long as the skin had sufficient potential, the cultivator could refine it to even greater heights, and even abilities not originally retained might be restored through continual refinement.

"Unlike ordinary demon skins, replacing a natal skin is not easy, so I must be prudent."

With this thought, Jiang Chen stowed the iron corpse skin away and walked toward the nearby pavilion.

Once Jiang Chen departed, Mouse Tianjiao could no longer hold on, sprawling out on the ground, its mouse face numb with exhaustion. It was simply too tired—unless a tael or two, no, just a bit of spirit sand appeared before it, it would not move a muscle.

On the other side, seeing Jiang Chen seated, Hongyu hurried forward with tea and several pastries she had prepared in advance.

"Master, the pear blossoms on the island have bloomed. I gathered a few, pressed them into pear blossom juice, and combined it with cream to make this pear blossom custard. Please try it and see if it suits your palate."

Gentle as water, Hongyu offered this special treat to Jiang Chen.

Hearing this, Jiang Chen was intrigued and turned his gaze to the pear blossom custard. It was served in a green porcelain cup, resembling pear blossoms amid snowfall, presenting a poetic scene.

"This is truly excellent."

After a taste, Jiang Chen's eyes brightened. The aroma of the cream blended perfectly with the pear blossom, and the delicate fragrance of the pear blossom dispelled the richness of the cream, making the two complement each other beautifully.

Hearing Jiang Chen's praise, Hongyu felt a weight lift from her heart, knowing her efforts had not been wasted.

Since learning of Jiang Chen's love of fine food, she often sought advice from the island's chefs in her spare time, even asking Wang Yuan for help in finding recipes. Of course, she had no intention of mastering every dish, but focused on pastries and tea, as cooking was the chef's job—her main aim was to grow closer to Jiang Chen.

Most importantly, her family background gave her some foundation in this area, and with diligent study, she quickly achieved results.

After Jiang Chen enjoyed a pleasant afternoon tea, Wang Yuan hurried over.

"Sir, many of the outlying bases of the River Bandits have been wiped out."

With a solemn expression, Wang Yuan reported all the relevant intelligence.

After listening, Jiang Chen's face remained unchanged.

"When the authorities strike, they do so with thunderous force. In a short time, they've uprooted the River Bandits' outposts. It seems the officials are determined to eradicate them. I suspect the government fleet has already completed the blockade of Bewitching Bay."

Shaking his head, Jiang Chen was not surprised by recent events; he had anticipated them.

"Sir, what should we do next? From what I've heard, the force acting this time is the River Governor's Office, far stronger than the troops of Qinghe County. If they are determined to suppress the River Bandits, Bewitching Bay's natural defenses may not be enough to stop them."

Wang Yuan's words were heavy, tinged with deep concern.

"Murder and arson, then receiving an official pardon—such things are common in Nanjing. Despite the recent unrest, the overall order remains. There is no future in being a bandit."

Sipping his tea, Jiang Chen shared his thoughts.

The River Bandits were a complete organization, and he still had use for them. Though the spiritual energy of the world remained thin, there were still spiritual items in the wilds, and he needed people to search and collect them for him. Rather than painstakingly building from scratch, it was better to utilize what already existed.

However, before that, the River Bandits needed to undergo a transformation.

Hearing Jiang Chen's words, Wang Yuan's eyes lit up. Being a bandit was said to mean feasting and drinking, but in reality, it was a hard life, living by the sword, with many hidden dangers. If they could avoid banditry, it would be ideal—but the challenge was persuading the authorities to accept their surrender.

"It all comes down to strength. A single battle will settle it."

Seeing Wang Yuan's curiosity, Jiang Chen casually remarked. The world appeared full of rules, but the ultimate reasoning was always force.

Hearing this, and seeing Jiang Chen so composed, Wang Yuan's restless heart calmed.

Soon, following Jiang Chen's orders, Wang Yuan quickly set things in motion.

"No destruction, no creation. This is the perfect chance to reorganize the River Bandits."

"There is said to be a treasure on Muyu Island. If possible, I am not in a hurry to leave for now. But if things truly become impossible, then I will simply slip away."

"As for the treasure on Muyu Island, that will have to wait for another day. The island will not run away, and if I miss it during this process, it simply means that fate does not tie me to it."

As he watched the setting sun, Jiang Chen's mind was filled with calculations.

Now that he had become a qi cultivator, he needed sufficient resources to sustain his cultivation. Otherwise, relying only on absorbing the world's meager spiritual energy, he would have no idea how many years it would take to open one hundred and eight apertures. To claim his share of profit and display his strength was essential.

In this land already claimed by others, no one would willingly share their profits with him. If he gained, others were destined to lose.