Chapter 273: A Great Extortion, Making Out Like a Bandit
Leaving in a bedraggled and dispirited state, Iron Can’s mouth was full of bitterness. He finally understood that his father had always been rather dissatisfied with his performance.
It’d even reached the point where he wouldn’t hesitate to take action against his own flesh and blood!
Iron Can’s entire back was soaked through with sweat, and his head had beads of cold perspiration.
He’d always felt that as his father’s only surviving son, he was the beloved son of the heavens and it was natural that he could do what he wanted within and outside of the sect.
And he’s always done so as well.
Iron Long usually kept one eye shut with regards to all the random crap he committed and endured them usually.
But this time, he’d created one heck of a mess.
Particularly in involving Iron Dazhi as well, no wonder Iron Long had been enraged.
It was a good thing that Iron Dazhi hadn’t died. If he had, Iron Can had no idea what his father would do to him.
Iron Can finally understood at this point that the place of a direct son like himself in his father’s heart was less than that of a grandson, Iron Dazhi.
“Jiang Chen! It’s all because of that filthy animal Jiang Chen!” Iron Can thought carefully and felt that Jiang Chen was the source of all of his troubles. If it hadn’t been for Jiang Chen, why would so much annoying nonsense have occurred?
Iron Can’s very gums itched with hate as his eyes spat fire. He wanted to tear Jiang Chen to pieces!
But, he also knew that no matter how much he hated Jiang Chen, he could only hold his nose this time and endure. Getting his revenge would have to wait until next time.
“It’s all due to that old fart Ye Chonglou. If it wasn’t for him supporting Jiang Chen, what ability would that brat have to swagger around with?” Iron Can was equally unfavorably disposed towards Ye Chonglou.
He hated them from the depths of his heart, but the circumstances were greater than the person. He had to make haste and travel to the capital for negotiations.
He knew that if he didn’t take care of things as soon as possible and save the disciples, once the hall of law enforcement discovered that their disciples had gone missing, then another bit of trouble would appear out of nowhere as well.
……
Jiang Chen was leisurely sitting in his garden within the Jiang manor at this time.
Iron Can was sitting across from him with a few of his confidantes.
These two groups would like nothing more than to kill each other, but they had to sit across from each other at this time.
Iron Can was naturally doing so out of resignation.
As for Jiang Chen, he was already thinking of what he would extort out of the Iron family.
“Jiang Chen, I admit that I underestimated you before. I’ve come on behalf of my father, Iron Long, to speak with you. If you take one step back on this matter, my father will absolutely remember your favor. If you wish to enter the sect in the future, my father can help you and even mentor you!”
“Your father’s favor? Help me?” Jiang Chen smiled faintly. Iron Can wasn’t that stupid after all, he knew that using force wouldn’t work, so was he trying persuasion instead? Except, these acting skills that wouldn’t fool even a three year old were simply too clumsy.
If it’d been someone else here, Jiang Chen might’ve actually listened to him. But Iron Can possessed a narrow heart and was sure to take revenge for this slight in the future.
How could he possibly come to a compromise with such a character? How was it possible that they would forget past wrongs with a smile? This wasn’t Iron Can’s style at all.
He was just being forced by the circumstances and trying to use some small tricks.
If he handed the people over, Jiang Chen could promise that Iron Can would immediately turn viciously hostile.
Iron Can squeezed out a bit of a smile on his face with effort and tried his hardest to appear quite gentle.
“Yes, my father has always treasured talent, and there aren’t many who are worthy of his aid. Jiang Chen, this is a chance for you to redeem yourself and an opportunity for you to rise above the masses. Do you know how many in the sixteen kingdoms fight for a chance to prove themselves in front of my father and seek to win his favor?”
Jiang Chen laughed leisurely. “So it sounds like I should be shocked and flattered by this honor, agree with gratitude, and then pretend to change from being your enemy to becoming your friend with enthusiasm just like that?”
Iron Can saw that there was no sincerity in Jiang Chen’s supercilious smile at all, and knew that his words were being wasted.
“Jiang Chen!” Iron Can’s face darkened. “Are you an obstinate mule who’s hardened his heart to go against my Iron family? Have you thought about what you can gain in doing so? How much future will you have in the sect in the future after offending my family?”
Although these words sounded like threats, they did make a bit of sense.
If it was any other ordinary genius, they would’ve paused for consideration after hearing these words.
However, Jiang Chen was Jiang Chen. He had heard these kinds of words so often that calluses were beginning to form on his ears.
“Iron Can, I understand your sense of superiority. However, save your spit if you want to use the Iron family to threaten me.”
Jiang Chen’s tone was mocking as his expression suddenly chilled, his tone also dropping as well. “If the next words out of your mouth have nothing to do with the topic of ransom, then get the hell out! Negotiations are over and you can go back to prepare their funeral!”
“You…”
Iron Can had thought of many strategies on the way here and had finally decided upon this pretense of reconciliation to pull the wool over Jiang Chen’s eyes and make him submit.
He’d discovered once again that he was too naive.
This Jiang Chen wasn’t having anything he was saying and didn’t have the slightest bit of reservations towards his Iron family!
He used all his strength to restrain his urge to explode. Iron Can knew that he had no right to erupt in anger now. If he gave up the negotiations now, Jiang Chen would likely kill the others immediately!
His face beet red with restraint, Iron Can held his breath for a long time before finally saying, “Name your price!”
Jiang Chen beamed, “This sounds more like it.”
He then took out a scroll from his sleeve and placed it on the table, lightly pushing it over.
“This is my price. Remember, no bartering allowed. I will kill someone if you attempt to bargain with me once, and I’ll kill two if you talk back twice.”
Jiang Chen leaned back comfortably after speaking and drummed his fingertips on the table.
This was completely the tempo of swindling him out of an enormous sum!
Iron Can picked up the list knowing full well that an astronomical sum would be on it, but blurted out, “You’re… this is daylight robbery!”
“You’re right.” Jiang Chen wore a harmless smile on his face. “Isn’t robbery better than killing someone, hmm? Iron Can, stop dithering around. I’m saving you some face. If I was the one who’d failed this time, I’m sure I wouldn’t even have a full corpse by now. Therefore, my robbery is fully justified and a given.”
Jiang Chen’s tone was unhurried. Even during negotiations, he didn’t want to say any unnecessary words.
Iron Can’s hands gripped the list tightly, starting to tremble.
It wasn’t that the Iron family wasn’t able to afford such a list, but that this was asking for a lot, an absolutely enormous amount!
This ransom would severely dent the Iron family’s foundations!
Saint rank medicine ingredients were worth entire cities and treasures that were hard to come by in a hundred years.
One had to know that only original realm practitioners had the need to use saint rank medicines.
Although a spirit king would occasionally use saint rank medicines, but those opportunities were few and far in between.
Even a spirit king wouldn’t have that many stores of spirit medicines.
Even though the Iron family had an illustrious history and a rich foundation, they didn’t have that many saint rank medicines either.
Jiang Chen had asked for four times that amount in one go, and even specified the ones with attributes of fire and ice. This kind of request was particularly difficult.
The number of spirit rank medicines listed behind it from low to high ranks was an eye popping one.
It wasn’t that the Iron family didn’t possess this amount, but that this amount was truly frightening!
Even his personal property as a sect elder was far less than this , unless he dipped into the family clan vaults.
The value of these items were more than enough to trade for a sky spirit realm practitioner, not to mention these people!
The more he read, the more Iron Can trembled and panicked.
Jiang Chen was absolutely making out like a bandit.
Would an ordinary brat like him be able to digest these items?
Iron Can was infuriated, “It must be that old fart Ye Chonglou! Will that brat be able to use saint rank medicines, to say nothing of anything else? Is a small spirit realm practitioner worthy of possessing these medicines? This is definitely something that the shameless old fart Ye Chonglou had cooked up!”
Iron Can trembled in his rage, the muscles in his face twitching uncontrollably. That experience was like someone was trying to dig out his heart, liver, and kidneys.
He had had multiple urges to flip the table and leave, but reason won out in the end.
He knew that if he left, Iron Dazhi and the others would die as well.
Once Iron Dazhi was lost, then his end was at hand too.
“How about it Elder Iron? I’m a pretty virtuous guy huh? A thousand gold would be hard pressed to buy a life. I’m giving you a fair price now, I’m sure you can understand my friendly selflessness, hmm?”
Jiang Chen chuckled merrily.
Iron Can almost spewed out blood when he heard this.
“Jiang Chen, aren’t you afraid of dying from indigestion with this ridiculous price?” Iron Can said bitingly.
“Dying from indigestion? Wouldn’t that go along with your fondest desires? Elder Iron, you must hate me to death right now. Me dying would just so resolve one of your wishes. How about this, why don’t you double the price and try to stuff me to death, so that I would be deader than a doornail.”
“Shameless!” Iron Can had a belly full of rage and nowhere to vent it. He knew that the other was swindling him, but he was unable to negotiate.
Bartering once would result in one death!
Although Iron Can suspected that Jiang Chen was just threatening him, he didn’t have the courage to try.
He couldn’t afford to gamble.
Whether it was Iron Dazhi or Zhou Yi, or any of the 16 law enforcement disciples, he’d be unable to explain himself when he returned.
Jiang Chen smiled easily and stood up from the seat. He murmured as if to himself, “Time flies. It seems that 12 hours has already gone by. Do I really need to make preparations and go sharpen my knife?”
Iron Can finally couldn’t hold back any longer and spat out a mouthful of blood.