Chapter Eight: Su Cheng Breaks the Chain of Cause and Effect; Offenders Shall Be Punished Without Fail

“Jiang Cheng, do you think that gaining a slight inheritance is enough to establish yourself in Lingxiao City?” A cold snort echoed from afar, and suddenly, an overwhelming pressure descended over the Jiang family’s stronghold. The entire Jiang estate was shrouded in a terrifying force.

Jiang Cheng’s thoughts flickered briefly. He did not activate the mountain-protection formation but glanced toward Su Ruoxi nearby. After exchanging looks, the two grasped hands and stepped into the void, rising to confront the approaching Su family patriarch.

The Su family patriarch appeared in midair, followed by a group of Su disciples sprinting below. Standing with his hands behind his back, he glanced coldly at Su Ruoxi before fixing his gaze sharply on Jiang Cheng.

“Jiang brat, are you trying to deceive the Su clan’s offspring by hiding behind a woman?” The Su patriarch spoke coldly, his tone dripping with disdain and threat. “Today, the Su family comes not only for our honor but also to punish you for your betrayal and fraudulent marriage. Hand over the treasure, and perhaps your Jiang family will be spared!”

Jiang Cheng gently squeezed Su Ruoxi’s hand and said tenderly, “Good wife, you don’t need to say a word. Watch your husband deal with this old dog!”

A trace of shyness flickered in Su Ruoxi’s eyes, and even the spirit of her past life trembled faintly within her sea of consciousness.

Jiang Cheng cast a glance at Su Ningshuang, then fixed the Su family patriarch with a cold snort full of contempt. “Hmph, old dog of the Su family, have you lost your mind? Can’t tell black from white, shit from food!”

“How dare you! Youngster, you’ve just formed a nascent heaven and dare to speak recklessly!” The Su patriarch roared in anger. Two spectral nascent heavens appeared behind him, releasing an extremely formidable aura.

“Two nascent heavens!”
“The Su family patriarch is personally taking action!”

The Jiang family members watching were shocked, Jiang Cheng’s mother showed concern from a distance, but Jiang Cheng remained calm, showing no sign of being suppressed.

Jiang Cheng spoke coldly, with a hint of ice in his voice, “I broke the engagement? I deceived marriage? I once thought the Su family was just a few rotten apples spoiling the whole barrel, but now it seems the entire barrel is rotten! Bah!”

He knew without doubt that Su Ningshuang must have been twisting facts and spreading discord before the Su patriarch. That old man was likely feigning confusion rather than truly confused.

After all, Su Ningshuang clung to the ninth prince’s thigh, willing to be a concubine, while Su Ruoxi still benefited from the Su family’s favor.

The Su patriarch stepped forward, as if the heavens and earth responded to his momentum. His sharp features resembled a blade, and his eyes contained the power of thunder. His golden-trimmed robe fluttered like divine armor, and behind him, two nascent heavens overlapped like towering peaks. One nascent heaven was filled with cascading sword energy like a waterfall; the other roiled with thunder, seemingly a world of storms. Each step he took caused ripples in the void, shaking the Jiang family to their core, forcing many to their knees.

“Jiang Cheng, though you have some aptitude and fortune, you are still nothing but a frog in a well,” he said mockingly, hands behind his back. “Ruoxi, niece, watch carefully and don’t be deceived by this little thief. Today, I will settle this treacherous scoundrel for you!”

The Su patriarch believed Su Ruoxi must have deceived Jiang Cheng for the sake of the Su family’s inheritance or feared powerful cultivators behind the Jiang family, hence his temporary restraint.

Otherwise, how could a purple palace realm expert and saintess of the Linglong Sacred Land willingly forgo her own opportunity and marry into the Jiang family?

The Su and Jiang families had dealt with each other for centuries in Lingxiao City, and the Su patriarch believed he knew the Jiang family’s strength well.

Lacking a solid excuse and unclear about the Jiang family’s ultimate treasure, the Su family did not want to break the rules and seize it by force.

But now, with Jiang Cheng’s sudden rise, their treasure must significantly boost power.

They had to strike first.

Otherwise, the ninth prince from the Sacred Land would arrive, and with Su Ningshuang only a concubine and Su Ruoxi not truly Su bloodline, the opportunity would be lost.

If they took the Jiang family’s inheritance treasure, breaking through the nascent heaven and crossing the divine sea would be possible.

The Su patriarch raised his hand slightly, and the sky immediately stirred with anomalies: clouds churned, sand swirled wildly.

Behind him, the spectral nascent heavens spun violently, dust rising like a sand sea, rolling forward.

The terrifying pressure pressed down like mountains, suffocating all.

Jiang Cheng remained as steady as a rock, eyes cold and sharp.

He swung his left sleeve behind his back and slowly raised his right hand, pointing with two fingers like a sword at the Su patriarch. He spoke calmly: “All Jiang family members, see clearly, the world is neither black nor white, nor gray, but…”

He paused, voice dropping like thunder, “Strength!”

Before he finished, nine golden dragon phantoms roared out from the void behind him, each as massive as a mountain, surrounded by blazing yang energy, dazzling alongside the nascent heavens’ shadows. This overwhelming force swept the scene like a violent tide, forcibly dispersing the Su patriarch’s pressure.

“Heaven’s Punishment!” Jiang Cheng lightly shouted. Thunderclouds churned within the nascent heaven shadows; thunder roared like a thousand dragons, as if the entire sky was ignited with divine wrath.

The Su patriarch’s expression changed drastically, pupils shrinking violently. Trying to maintain composure, he asked, “Wh-what cultivation technique is this?!” His once arrogant tone now tinged with fear.

Jiang Cheng raised his hand, condensing thunder into a golden dragon that surged forth with destructive momentum, charging at the Su patriarch.

“Hmph! Petty tricks! How dare you talk about strength!” The Su patriarch snorted coldly, quickly forming hand seals. The two nascent heaven shadows exploded with fiery light, creating a golden shield to block the thunder’s force.

Yet, at the moment thunder met shield, the golden dragon roared fiercely, its thunder exploding and tearing the shield to pieces. The dragon, carrying wild thunderpower, struck the patriarch’s chest hard.

“Boom!” The Su patriarch flew backward like a stone thrown, trailing shockwaves, crashing hundreds of yards away.

He coughed up blood; his golden-trimmed robe was scorched black, chest still marked by thunder’s burn.

“This… Impossible!” The Su patriarch struggled upright, staring at Jiang Cheng in shock, voice trembling with disbelief. “You… you are so powerful!”

Jiang Cheng’s expression was cold and solemn. The nine golden dragons circled behind him, their voices like rolling thunder, imposing and unyielding. “You dare act arrogantly before me with only two nascent heavens? Since I have acted today, I will show no mercy!”

He raised his hand again; thunder condensed in the void, its sound overwhelming, causing the Su family to turn pale with fear.

“Su Ningshuang, today I will first strip you of your cultivation!”

The words struck like thunder, causing the Su disciples to retreat in terror, eyes filled with shock and dread, flickering between Jiang Cheng and Su Ningshuang.

Su Ningshuang hurried to support the disoriented Su patriarch, pleading anxiously, “Patriarch, save me! The ninth prince will surely thank you! If I’m crippled, the Su family… the Su family will be finished!”

The Su patriarch fell silent for a moment, looking at Su Ningshuang with complex eyes. Then he inhaled deeply, waving his hands to shield her behind him.

He forced a smile, speaking with forced kindness, “Young Jiang, the Su and Jiang families have long been friends, and you married the pride of the Su family. This must be a misunderstanding. I am willing to talk with you calmly to resolve this conflict. What say you?”

Jiang Cheng laughed heartily but with no real humor in his eyes. Standing with hands behind his back, his voice cold as frost, “Old man, do you even deserve that?”

His words struck like a hammer in everyone’s heart, silencing the entire Jiang family stronghold.

The onlookers were dumbfounded, eyes full of shock and reverence. None had imagined anyone would confront the Su patriarch so boldly, let alone humiliate him so mercilessly.

“Master is truly invincible! Even the Su family patriarch is beneath his notice!”

“The heavens over Lingxiao City have completely changed!”

“Our Jiang family head defeated a two nascent heaven expert in one move—what a magnificent sight!”

The Su patriarch’s eyes blazed, exasperated, “Jiang family head, be merciful! Ningshuang was once betrothed to you. From what I know, you two were childhood sweethearts and deeply in love…”

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