Chapter 578 - 576: An Ominous Cloud

"Master, the Jiang Family is safe. All enemies have been eliminated."

The moment Jiang Chen received the message from Cyan Silkworm at the Alchemy Master Guild, he let out a heavy sigh of relief.

Then, a cold light filled his eyes.

’The time for a change of dynasty is fast approaching.’

He was truly enraged.

The Jiang Family was safe, but without the Infinite Sword Array, they would have been completely wiped out. That was not a result he was willing to accept.

However, he continued to wait for the perfect moment.

「Inside the Royal Palace.」

Lord Wen sat upon the Golden Dragon Throne.

"Is there any news?"

He looked down at his second son, Wen Shixi, and asked.

They were all waiting for Master Yuan Hui’s triumphant return.

However, they waited for a long time, but still, no news of Master Yuan Hui came.

Logically, with Master Yuan Hui’s Cultivation, it should have only taken him a single day to travel to Hanwu City, annihilate the Jiang Family, and return.

But now, a full two days had passed.

Yet Master Yuan Hui was still completely silent.

It was as if he had vanished from the face of the earth.

"Father, I have already sent men to Hanwu City to gather information. They should be back soon."

Wen Shixi was also suspicious.

The lack of news from Master Yuan Hui put immense pressure on him.

Because this situation was very disadvantageous for him.

Especially now that he was the sole heir to the throne.

He couldn’t believe that something had gone wrong.

They had never even considered the possibility that Master Yuan Hui might not return.

But now they had waited and waited, growing so anxious they were about to jump out of their skins, yet there was still no word from Master Yuan Hui.

The atmosphere was somewhat heavy.

"Report!"

Suddenly, a Martial Arts Sect expert entered from outside.

He immediately bowed to Lord Wen.

This was the very expert who had been sent to Hanwu City to gather information.

Seeing him, Lord Wen noticed that he had come alone.

He asked in a deep voice, "What is the situation? Where are Master Yuan Hui and the others?"

The man delivering the report spoke in a grave tone, "Reporting to the Sovereign, there is no trace of the National Preceptor and his men in Hanwu City."

"And the Jiang Family is safe and sound."

BOOM!

The news sent a violent tremor through Lord Wen’s entire body.

He exclaimed, "This is impossible! Impossible!"

Even a man of his status had lost his composure.

That’s right, he could not believe the news of Master Yuan Hui’s sudden disappearance.

Something must have happened.

But he didn’t dare to even imagine what that might be.

"Did they ever reach Hanwu City?" he asked again.

"In Hanwu City, I discovered traces left behind by the National Preceptor and his men, but they have vanished. There’s been no word from them at all."

"Even the City Lord’s Mansion in Hanwu City is completely empty. Only the Jiang Family, though they’ve shut their gates and aren’t coming out, is fully accounted for."

Lord Wen’s body shook violently.

"Cough, cough..."

He nearly choked, unable to catch his breath.

What did this news signify?

It signified that Master Yuan Hui had met with a fatal mishap at the Jiang Family estate.

"Also, I heard quite a few rumors in Hanwu City."

"Just the day before yesterday, a heaven-shaking Sword Intent emanated from the Jiang Family estate within Hanwu City."

This news made Lord Wen’s expression change once again.

He already had a guess: Master Yuan Hui and his men had been completely annihilated.

After waving his hand to dismiss the messenger, Wen Shixi’s face was deathly pale.

"Father, could it be... that they were really destroyed by the Jiang Family?"

Wen Shixi had no choice but to voice their shared suspicion.

The matter was too bizarre.

After all, with Master Yuan Hui’s Cultivation, he could basically run rampant throughout the Fire Sparrow Kingdom without fear.

Even if he encountered trouble, escaping shouldn’t have been a problem.

But now, he had simply vanished into thin air. It was terrifying.

Finally, Lord Wen said gravely, "Master Yuan Hui and his men are gone, never to return. I’m afraid they have already met a terrible fate."

Wen Shixi’s face drained of all color.

"Father, could it be that the Jiang Family of Hanwu City is hiding some terrifying power we don’t know about?"

The father and son were beginning to feel utterly flustered.

The situation was too strange.

"Perhaps we’ve underestimated the Jiang Family after all."

"And that Jiang Chen of the Jiang Family—isn’t he incredibly devious?"

Lord Wen took several deep breaths, suppressing the frenzy in his heart.

He felt like he was on the verge of collapsing.

The Jiang Family, it seemed, was a terrifying force hidden within the Fire Sparrow Kingdom.

Even if that wasn’t the case, the Jiang Family at least possessed an expert capable of killing a master at the Peak of Martial Arts Nine Heavens.

This situation suddenly filled him with an endless sense of dread towards the Jiang Family.

After a long time, they finally recovered from the shock.

Lord Wen’s expression grew even more solemn as he looked at Wen Shixi.

"Xi’er, now that the National Preceptor’s whereabouts are unknown, your safety is the most important thing."

"From now on, do not leave the palace, and whatever you do, do not run into that Jiang Chen."

He already felt that Jiang Chen had become a monster they could not handle.

Wen Shixi nodded.

"Father, I understand."

"But about the National Preceptor’s death, shouldn’t we tell Grandfather?"

"Perhaps if he takes action, we can still kill that monster Jiang Chen."

In Wen Shixi’s eyes, Jiang Chen was already a monster through and through.

The Jiang Family was not to be provoked, and neither was Jiang Chen.

Lord Wen fell silent.

Suddenly, he let out a sigh.

"Your grandfather is still in seclusion. It’s not a good time to disturb him."

"Unless it’s a matter of the kingdom’s survival, he definitely won’t come out of seclusion to help us."

"However, I have already tried to contact him. As long as he senses that our Fire Sparrow Kingdom is in danger, he will appear."

Lord Wen had already tried, but he couldn’t contact his father at all.

His father was also the most powerful expert in the Fire Sparrow Kingdom.

He has been in seclusion for several hundred years.

Now, even he didn’t know how powerful his father had become.

Wen Shixi felt a bitter taste in his mouth.

A single Jiang Chen had thrown the entire Fire Sparrow Kingdom into chaos, and their response had been utterly pathetic.

"Father, I will take my leave."

Wen Shixi’s heart was heavier than it had ever been.

It felt as if a heavy stone was pressing down on his chest.

"Xi’er, don’t worry. We still have your grandfather."

Lord Wen said again to Wen Shixi, trying to give his son some confidence.

Wen Shixi nodded and walked out of the Royal Palace with heavy steps.

Leaving Lord Wen alone, sitting on the Golden Dragon Throne.

His face cycled through shades of green, red, and black.

’Jiang Chen, oh, Jiang Chen, why don’t you just die.’

’You caused my son’s death, and even the National Preceptor’s death is undoubtedly your doing.’

’Just you wait. Sooner or later, I’ll destroy you with my own hands.’

Thinking about it further, Lord Wen felt incredibly stifled.

Even though Jiang Chen was in the Gambling City, he couldn’t kill him.

First, Jiang Chen was in the Alchemy Master Guild, a place beyond his reach. The power of the Alchemy Master Guild was no less than that of the Fire Sparrow Kingdom.

As long as Jiang Chen stayed in the Alchemy Master Guild, he was perfectly safe.

Thus, the current Jiang Chen was like a dark cloud hanging over his head that he couldn’t dispel.

On top of that, there was another person weighing on his mind: his third son, Wen Shiren.

He was currently hiding in the Guardian Hall, right under his nose, yet he couldn’t touch him.

That third son was still coveting his sovereign’s throne.

To be a sovereign in such a state was truly suffocating.

After leaving the main hall, Wen Shixi walked step by step toward his own palace.

’Jiang Chen, how am I going to make you die?’

’I wonder if Mr. Gu has found a way?’

He hurried toward his palace.