Chapter 105: A Jiangcheng Man — What's the Price?

“You all can go back.” Jiang Changkong looked at the four students and waved his hand.

Killing the four didn’t trouble Jiang Changkong. The Qingyun Demon Hunting Squad was well understood by Jiang Haichuan and the others, and even the Chu family wouldn’t dare make a fuss.

“Thank you, President Jiang. When we return to Jiangshui City, we will definitely repay your kindness. How can we contact you then?”

The four hurriedly asked.

“If fate allows, we’ll meet again.”

Jiang Changkong left these words and turned to leave.

The reason he came here was purely to kill these three members of the Qingyun Demon Hunting Squad.

Saving them was merely incidental.

After they left, he returned, extracted the Essence from the four corpses, and burned the bodies.

Only then did he continue on his way to Shuiyun Mountain.

It wasn’t until evening that he stopped, already able to see Shuiyun Mountain in the distance.

Shuiyun Mountain lay beside the Jiangshui River, a vast river that flowed into the sea and teemed with countless Star Demons.

Jiangshui City was named after this river, and Jianghai Province derived its name from the river’s convergence with the sea.

The five cities of Jianghai—Jiangshui, Jiangcheng, Jiangyun, Jiangtian, and Jiangbei—all had names connected to this river.

As the surging river flowed, Jiang Changkong sat by the bank, restoring his Star Power.

After two hours, his Star Power returned to its peak. He took out some dried meat to eat and resumed his journey.

Shuiyun Mountain was nestled right against the Jiangshui River.

Most of the Star Demons ravaging the mountain had emerged from the river.

Reaching the foot of the mountain, he didn’t linger and began climbing directly.

In the darkness of night, the roars of Star Demons echoed incessantly.

A thick scent of blood wafted over, and a few minutes later, Jiang Changkong spotted several Star Demon corpses.

“They haven’t been dead for long. Pity, they’re only Second Tier.”

Jiang Changkong didn’t stop and continued climbing.

He wasn’t concerned about others being here.

The task was posted openly, so it was impossible for him to be the only one who accepted it. Jiangshui City also had its own Martial Arts Association.

Closing his eyes and focusing, his ears twitched as Jiang Changkong carefully attuned himself to the nearby sounds.

The faint rustle of the wind, the distant cries of Star Demons, and the sounds of combat all reached his ears.

Jiang Changkong leaped forward, agile as a large bird, soaring through the air.

After a few bounds, he arrived at the site of the battle.

Three young men—two with short hair and one with long hair, all at the Star Gate Initial Stage—were fighting amidst a horde of Star Demons.

Starlight shimmered brilliantly, its dazzling radiance piercing the darkness.

Sword beams swept through, swiftly cutting down the Star Demons.

But there were too many Star Demons. Though they killed quickly, they couldn’t keep up with the rate at which more surged forward.

“I really don’t understand why you took this lousy task,” said one of the short-haired men, his face covered in pockmarks.

“Yeah, these Star Demons mostly come from the river. It’s impossible to clear them all out—they just keep coming in waves.”

The other short-haired man also grumbled in frustration.

Jiangshui City had attempted to clear this area before, but it was always overrun by Star Demons again not long after.

They couldn’t understand why the Federation kept posting this task.

The long-haired youth said calmly, “These are the only tasks available in Jiangshui City. Do you two want to take on small-scale tasks instead?”

As the three conversed, they continued slaying Star Demons.

The pockmarked man glanced over and noticed Jiang Changkong. “Someone’s here. Coming to Shuiyun Mountain at this hour—must be here for the task too?”

“He looks unfamiliar, probably not from the Jiangshui City Martial Arts Association,” the long-haired youth remarked before calling out, “Brother, where are you from?”

“Jiangcheng. Jiang Changkong, here for the task,” Jiang Changkong replied.

“So it’s those people from Jiangcheng?” The pockmarked man’s face lit up with delight. “Come over here, we’ll do this mission together. I’ll give you a hundred points when we split the reward.”

“Zhang Kaiyun, that’s going too far,” the long-haired young man frowned.

“Don’t you start playing the saint, Ji,” another short-haired young man snorted coldly, glaring fiercely at the long-haired youth.

“A hundred?” Jiang Changkong frowned. The mission reward was a thousand points. With just the three of them, plus him making four, they were only offering him a hundred?

So the three of them would each take three hundred?

“Think it’s too little? That’s the going rate for you Jiangcheng folks. If you don’t take it, you’ll regret it when you get back,” the pockmarked man sneered.

“Let’s each rely on our own abilities. Whoever eliminates the most will complete the mission,” Jiang Changkong said indifferently.

They weren’t from the same Martial Arts Association. If he killed more, he would be the one to complete the mission.

“Are people from Jiangcheng this arrogant now?”

The pockmarked man’s expression darkened. “Get over here right now, or you won’t have a place to stand in Jiangshui City. And your fellow townsmen will end up in the hospital along with you.”

“Let me show you what price Jiangcheng people command!”

Jiang Changkong’s expression remained indifferent, revealing neither joy nor anger.

He took a step forward, directly entering the Star Demon horde.

Roar!

The Star Demons didn’t recognize Jiang Changkong as he intruded, pouncing on him immediately.

“Kid, you know what’s good for you,” the pockmarked man sneered, a satisfied look appearing on his face.

“These Jiangcheng people have long been beaten into submission… Wait, something’s off about this kid.”

The short-haired young man scoffed, but the next moment, his face showed terror. “The Star Demons approaching him are committing suicide.”

“Suicide?”

The pockmarked man was stunned. Looking over, he saw a Star Demon that hadn’t even touched Jiang Changkong suddenly twist its claws and plunge them into its own neck.

“What’s going on?” the long-haired youth was also shocked.

If it were just one, it might be explainable, but every Star Demon that approached Jiang Changkong was committing suicide.

They died by their own claws and Star Power, looking exactly like suicide.

Jiang Changkong walked with his hands behind his back, his steps slow. A faint Star Power fluctuation emanated from him, yet he made no move to attack as Star Demons rapidly fell.

In just a minute, Jiang Changkong had arrived before the three of them.

“You…”

“Now, tell me, what price do Jiangcheng people command?” Jiang Changkong looked calmly at the pockmarked man.

“I, I…” The pockmarked man opened his mouth but found himself speechless.

“Kid, Zhang Kaiyun was wrong this time. I think we should just let it go,” the short-haired youth quickly spoke up.

“Forget it, forget it. I won’t hold it against you,” the pockmarked man regained his composure, putting on a magnanimous air.

“Heh.” Jiang Changkong sneered. A powerful surge of Star Power erupted, creating rolling shockwaves that repelled the Star Demons. “One strike. If you survive, then we’ll forget it.”

“You…” The pockmarked man’s expression darkened. “Don’t get too arrogant. You may be strange, but you’re only at the Star Gate Initial Stage, just like me.”

“Brother, I think we should drop this. If things really escalate, it won’t be good for the talented youths of Jiangcheng either,” the long-haired youth tried to mediate.

“You can all three take it together,” Jiang Changkong showed no sign of backing down.

“Fine, Jiangcheng has really produced someone remarkable. Let’s see if your one strike can kill all three of us.”

The pockmarked man snorted coldly, his Star Power surging as sword energy flickered at his fingertips.

He decisively chose for all three to bear the strike together. Jiang Changkong was too strange; he didn’t dare be overconfident. Taking the strike alone would likely mean death.

Jiang Changkong raised a palm, gathering Star Power. A Taiji Diagram formed, then rapidly expanded.

A massive Taiji Diagram encircled the four, simultaneously forcing back all the Star Demons and clearing the space.

Witnessing this scene, the three couldn’t help but gasp in shock—was this really the Star Gate Initial Stage?

Clang!

A resonant sound echoed as a golden hilt flew out, the blade extending with a burst of red light, glowing like the evening clouds.

The three felt their hearts grow heavy, an unprecedented pressure weighing upon them as their Star Power surged forth.

Brilliant starlight tore through the darkness, three sword beams intertwined, and overwhelming sword energy swept forth, causing even the Taiji Diagram to ripple.

“One blade, the sunset.”

Jiang Changkong stood with his hands behind his back as the Sunset Blade, glowing like the evening clouds, descended through the air.

“Kill!” the three roared in unison, unleashing their three sword beams simultaneously.

Boom!

The Sunset Blade resembled the evening sun, its glow as fiery as the sunset, blood as vivid as the evening clouds.

A crimson flash swallowed the sword beams, indistinguishable whether it was the sunset’s glow or blood.

Thud!

Suppressed by the overwhelming Blade Qi, the three sank to their knees, dust billowing around them, their palms split open, blood gushing forth.

“Now, tell me again—what price does a person from Jiangcheng hold?”

Jiang Changkong stepped forward, standing before the three, looking down at the pockmarked face.