Chapter 75: The Senior

In the early morning, the thick mist seemed to be parted by an invisible hand as a boat glided slowly along the fog-laden path into Bewilderment Bay.

“Uncle Mo, do you think my judgment was good or bad this time?” Standing at the bow, watching Wooden Fish Island draw closer, Lu Xuanping’s expression was rather complicated.

Back then, when he first met Jiang Chen, he saw not only a martial arts grandmaster but also a cultivator of considerable power. He had wished to befriend him, offering him a jade token as a sign of goodwill. Yet he had never anticipated that Jiang Chen would reach the Qi Refining stage so soon.

A martial arts grandmaster and a Qi Refining cultivator—such a combination was exceedingly rare, even in the Lu family, where no such figure currently existed. Most importantly, Jiang Chen had, fresh from his breakthrough, fought his third uncle to a draw.

Lu Chen Zhou, his third uncle, was also a dual cultivator of martial and immortal arts, exceptional in both. Ordinary early-stage Qi Refining cultivators were no match for him, let alone someone who had just ascended. This alone spoke volumes about Jiang Chen’s prowess. The value of a martial arts grandmaster who was also a Qi Refining cultivator was only growing.

Hearing Lu Xuanping’s words, the Daoist Mo standing nearby chuckled. “Your judgment is sound, of course. With your prior acquaintance, this negotiation should proceed smoothly. Not only can you trim the Gao family’s wings, but you may also draw a talented and promising cultivator into your own camp—a double gain.”

Taking a sip from his wine gourd, the Daoist Mo offered his thoughts. Jiang Chen’s meteoric rise had indeed caught the Lu family off guard, but so far, it was hardly a misfortune.

Lu Xuanping nodded, saying nothing more.

Before long, Lu Xuanping set foot on Wooden Fish Island, where Jiang Chen had already prepared a banquet to welcome him.

“Lu Xuanping of the Lu family greets the elder.” Lu Xuanping bowed deeply, both hands clasped, as he looked upon Jiang Chen, whose appearance seemed unchanged, untouched by time.

In this moment, the complexity within him reached its peak. He had once called Jiang Chen “brother,” but now he addressed him as “elder.” The contrast was difficult to put into words. He had imagined many scenarios for this reunion, but never this.

“No need for such formality, Daoist Lu. My surname is Jiang; you may still call me Brother Jiang. With your talent, you’ll surely attain Qi Refining in a few years. Let us treat each other as peers. Please, be seated.”

Jiang Chen smiled warmly, gesturing invitingly.

Relieved by Jiang Chen’s graciousness, Lu Xuanping regained his composure. He was confident in his eventual advancement to Qi Refining.

“Allow me to congratulate you on your ascension to Qi Refining, Brother Jiang. From here, your immortal path stretches limitless before you. This is a gift from the Lu family—please accept it.”

Knowing the purpose of his visit, Lu Xuanping quickly suppressed his inner turmoil, expressing his goodwill.

Jiang Chen accepted the gift presented by Daoist Mo without protest, letting Shitou take it aside. This exchange eased the atmosphere between the two parties considerably.

“Brother Jiang, to achieve mastery in the martial way and enter Qi Refining in the immortal path—such a feat I have never seen before. It’s a pity my own aptitude for martial arts is mediocre, otherwise, I would consider dual cultivation myself.”

After several rounds of wine, Lu Xuanping voiced his admiration.

Jiang Chen shook his head. “I spent twenty years on martial arts, and another twenty on Qi Refining. It may seem I have achieved both, but these years have slipped by. You are still young, with the Lu family behind you, sheltered from the storms of the world. Devoting yourself to the immortal path is the wisest course.”

As if Jiang Chen’s words struck a chord, Lu Xuanping was moved. After Jiang Chen gave him the jade token, the Lu family had looked into his background. Yet Jiang Chen’s connections were so simple that they uncovered only the years he’d spent among the River Bandits. Where he truly came from, or his real age, remained a mystery.

Now, realizing Jiang Chen was already in his forties, Lu Xuanping felt a trace of regret. For a rogue cultivator, breaking through to Qi Refining at forty was quite good, but only just. According to the patterns observed within the immortal realm, advancing before thirty offered the best chance of forging a solid foundation for the Dao. Sixty was considered the final limit; after that, it was almost impossible.

Given Jiang Chen’s talent, had he focused solely on cultivation, he might have achieved Qi Refining before thirty, even as a wanderer. Now, having missed that mark, the difference was vast.

“Thank you for your advice, Brother Jiang. I will remember it well.”

With a solemn expression, Lu Xuanping bowed respectfully.

Jiang Chen waved his hand. His counsel was sincere; for most who had the means, devotion to the immortal path was the best choice.

As for his age, it was half-truth, half-lie. His body’s bone age was twenty, but he had struggled for twenty-seven years in the apocalypse—forty years, all told.

After this honest exchange, they turned to business.

“Brother Jiang, the River Bandits have caused too much unrest. Many are dissatisfied. Now that the River Governor’s Office has mobilized, they cannot return empty-handed. The bandits must be wiped out, and Iron Butcher must die. This is the Lu family’s bottom line.”

Lu Xuanping’s tone was grave. In that moment, he seemed transformed—not merely an individual, but the representative of his family.

Jiang Chen nodded. “Agreed.”

Without hesitation, he made his position clear.

Lu Xuanping was momentarily stunned; he hadn’t expected Jiang Chen to agree so readily.

Jiang Chen smiled. “The River Bandits have always been disreputable—it is time for them to vanish. As for Iron Butcher, he is already dead.”

With these words, Lu Xuanping understood everything. Clearly, Jiang Chen’s intentions had long aligned with the Lu family’s. With this common ground, the negotiations proceeded smoothly.

Jiang Chen would cooperate with the River Governor’s Office in a staged campaign: the bandits would be eradicated, Iron Butcher slain. Afterwards, the River Governor’s Office would petition the court for Jiang Chen’s assistance in suppressing the outlaws, helping him found a legitimate sect and granting him control over Qinghe County.

Wooden Fish Island would remain Jiang Chen’s, merely under a new name.

“Brother Jiang, this is a gift my third uncle asked me to deliver.”

With the partnership settled, Lu Xuanping handed Jiang Chen a list. It contained the names of River Bandit remnants who had tried, through various channels, to reach out to the River Governor’s Office.

Jiang Chen was not surprised. Though he had once repelled the River Governor’s Office, most believed that if they were willing to pay the price, the bandits would eventually be uprooted. From the start, the two sides were never on the same level—the River Governor’s Office had the entire Southern Realm behind them.

Given such circumstances, it was only natural that some would reconsider their allegiances.

“Please thank Governor Lu for me.”

Jiang Chen accepted the list and tossed it to Mouse Tianjiao, who was gnawing on a roast chicken at his feet. He smiled.

Such actions were, in themselves, not uncommon—seeking fortune and avoiding disaster is only human nature. Their only mistake was choosing the wrong side. And so, with their negotiations complete, the demise of the River Bandits became inevitable.