Chapter 431 Departure

Jiang Han was rendered speechless by Jiang Ran.

At last, he nodded.

“Young Hero Jiang, you really do have a knack for turning the other cheek. I am impressed.”

“But it seems the world has truly underestimated you, Young Hero Jiang.”

“What do you mean?”

Jiang Ran was intrigued.

“Though you are an Assassin, Young Hero Jiang, your ambition is anything but small.”

Jiang Han said calmly:

“You killed Chen Zixuan and took over the Blood Saber Hall.”

“You used the battle at Sunset Plateau to imprison me here, and now you plan to use poison to control my Flower and Rain Alliance from top to bottom, making everyone obey only your orders.”

“Among the Thirteen Gangs, the Thunderbolt Hall is now doomed to become a third-rate power.”

“Aside from my Flower and Rain Alliance and the Blood Saber Hall, the other ten gangs will certainly carve up the Thunderbolt Hall’s power for themselves.”

“No one will pay our two factions any mind. They won’t realize that your personal power already far exceeds that of any other single gang among the Thirteen.”

“And I imagine this is only the beginning.”

“Once you have full control of the power in your hands, turmoil is sure to befall the Thirteen Gangs.”

“Young Hero Jiang, could it be that you intend to swallow the Thirteen Gangs whole? To become the greatest gang under heaven!?”

He had been calm when he began speaking.

But the more he spoke, the more agitated he became.

A hint of madness even flashed in his eyes. His final words weren’t a question, but rather a statement filled with faint, eager anticipation.

As Jiang Ran listened, he started to feel that something was off.

‘This guy has quite an imagination. It feels like making him the Alliance Leader of the Flower and Rain Alliance was a waste of his talents.’

‘He should be a storyteller, trying to put master storytellers out of business.’

But seeing the look on his face, an idea sparked in Jiang Ran’s mind, and he chuckled.

“If that were the case, what would you do?”

Jiang Han studied Jiang Ran for a long moment, then chuckled softly.

“A word of advice for Young Hero Jiang: A leader must use both benevolence and might, and more importantly, must master the art of balance.”

“Poison can control the body, but not the heart.”

“If you apply this tactic to all Thirteen Gangs, I fear you will end up with nothing to show for it.”

“There is one other thing… that you should know, Young Hero Jiang.”

“…Go on.”

Jiang Ran blinked.

“The foundation of the Thunderbolt Hall, besides the Thunderbolt Skill and the Thunderous Heaven-Shocking Palm, is actually the formula for the Celestial Thunder Pearl.”

“Their territory, by comparison, is of secondary importance.”

“If you are truly serious about the Thirteen Gangs, you must put more effort into this matter.”

“Alright.”

Jiang Ran nodded and said with a smile,

“Rest for now. I’ll arrange for someone to escort you back to the Flower and Rain Alliance.”

“Thank you.”

Jiang Han bowed, then turned and sat back down.

Jiang Ran shot him a look, shook his head pensively, and turned to leave.

After leaving the dungeon, Jiang Ran rubbed his chin.

‘Jiang Han seems to be not only an overthinker, but also wildly ambitious.’

‘His change in attitude, from arrogant to deferential, is likely because he’s convinced himself that *I* have immense ambitions, that I’m focused on the Thirteen Gangs and want to build a grand empire.’

‘That’s why he’s giving me advice about benevolence and might, the art of balance, and all that…’

‘His telling me about the Thunderbolt Hall’s foundation stems from the same reason.’

‘Little does he know, I couldn’t care less about the Thirteen Gangs.’

‘What’s so great about having a massive faction?’

‘Your Flower and Rain Alliance is plenty powerful, but aren’t you still my prisoner?’

‘For me, the most important thing is still just trading people for silver.’

Still, it wasn’t a bad thing for Jiang Ran that Jiang Han thought this way.

He rubbed his chin, mulled over the whole affair, then returned to his room and had someone summon Xuanyuan One Slash.

He asked him about the Celestial Thunder Pearls.

After Xuanyuan One Slash finished listening, he didn’t hesitate at all and said directly:

“That’s the foundation of the Thunderbolt Hall!”

“Everyone knows that the Thunderbolt Hall has the Celestial Thunder Pearl, and the formula is top secret.”

“Celestial Thunder Pearls are easy to carry and far more powerful than ordinary hidden weapons. That’s what makes them their most valuable asset.”

“It’s how the Thunderbolt Hall amassed its great wealth.”

“So, they also sell these Celestial Thunder Pearls?”

A look of sudden realization crossed Jiang Ran’s face.

“No wonder the men from Heterodox Manor had Celestial Thunder Pearls… so that’s why.”

Xuanyuan One Slash laughed.

“Precisely. Has Master taken an interest in the Celestial Thunder Pearls? I’ll have the disciples of the Blood Saber Hall go and contend for them at once.”

Jiang Ran nodded, then shook his head.

The nod followed by the shake left Xuanyuan One Slash baffled. ‘What does that mean?’

“We can’t be hasty about this.”

Jiang Ran spoke softly:

“The Celestial Thunder Pearl is what everyone is after right now. If you send men to seize it, failing would be one thing. But succeeding would make us a thorn in the side of the other ten gangs…”

“There’s no righteous justification for taking it, so it’s a hot potato for whoever gets their hands on it. And yet, we must get it…”

Xuanyuan One Slash nodded, understanding Jiang Ran’s meaning.

“Master is right.”

“So, to get the Celestial Thunder Pearl formula, we need a two-pronged plan.”

Jiang Ran spoke softly:

“First, we can’t take it openly. If the opportunity arises, we can make a move in secret. If no one knows where the formula is, they’ll eventually have to give up their search.”

“Once the dust settles, we can rename the Celestial Thunder Pearl and reintroduce it.”

“By then, even if everyone knows what it is, they won’t have any proof. What’s done will be done. Who would be willing to start a war over it?”

“Second, if our only option is to take it openly, then we must have a legitimate claim.”

“The Thunderbolt Hall is in a precarious position. The families of Gu Renlong, the Dong Huai Sect, and Chi Lin will inevitably be implicated.”