The Heavens: Man Covers the Heavens, Refines Treasures to Become an Emperor

Jiang Xuan listened quietly, took a sip of tea, and asked.

Are there any suspects?

Gu Liang pondered for a moment.

"Among the businesses in Yanxia City that do our line of work, there are several large ones, such as 'Baoguang Pavilion,' 'Wanzhenlou,' and 'Qiwuzhai.' However, without evidence, it's not appropriate to make a hasty judgment."

Jiang Xuan put down his teacup and looked calmly at Gu Liang.

"Do you need my help to find out?"

Upon hearing this, Gu Liang abruptly raised his head and looked at Jiang Xuan. Seeing the other's calm yet sharp gaze, and recalling his swift and decisive actions just moments before, Gu Liang felt a warmth in his heart.

He had thought that they had become estranged after so many years apart, but he never expected that Jiang Xuan would still be so loyal and devoted.

He took a deep breath, nodded heavily, his tone carrying a sense of relief and determination.

"Jiang Xuan, thank you! I, Gu Liang, will remember this favor! If we can find out who is behind this, my Jin Yutang will reward you handsomely!"

Jiang Xuan waved his hand and said calmly.

"It's nothing, no need to be polite."

"Boss Gu treated me well back then, so now that we've run into each other again, I naturally can't just sit idly by."

Upon hearing this, Gu Liang's face showed a hint of bitterness, and he sighed.

"To be honest, Jiang Xuan, I've only been in Yanxia City for less than seven days. I'm completely baffled by the intricate relationships between the various forces here. How easy is it to find out who's behind this?"

He asked Jiang Xuan to sit down again, his expression becoming more serious.

"The reason I came to Yanxia City to open the Jinyutang branch is actually on my father's orders. My father's idea is to use Yanxia City as a new base, on the one hand to accumulate strength and resources, and on the other hand to prepare for future expansion into the entire Southwest Province."

He paused and continued to explain.

"Yanxia City is, after all, the capital of the Southwest Province, a place of thriving commerce and a gathering of talents. My father believed that only by establishing a firm foothold here could we truly attract outstanding business and cultivation talents, access higher-level resources and information, and thus lead Jinyutang to a wider world. I just didn't expect that before we could even establish a firm foothold, trouble would come knocking on our door."

Gu Liang rubbed his temples, looking somewhat troubled.

Jiang Xuan couldn't help but sigh after hearing this. Gu Yanping and his son were indeed not mediocre people; in just over a year, they had already turned their attention from Donglin City to the entire Southwest Province. However, recalling the shrewd and effective business and repair methods that Gu Yanping had demonstrated in Donglin City, it was not surprising that he had such ambition and planning.

"Boss Gu has big ambitions."

Jiang Xuan made a comment.

Gu Liang smiled, then, as if remembering something, looked intently at Jiang Xuan, his tone filled with amazement.

"Speaking of which, Jiang Xuan, you are the one who truly amazes us! I've only been in Yanxia City for a few days, and I hear your name almost everywhere I go! You defeated the genius of the Forbidden City's powerful clans in the arena! You're now a household name in Yanxia City! It's only been a little over a year, and the changes you've undergone... are truly astounding!"

he asked curiously.

"What exactly have you been through in the past year?"

Jiang Xuan remained calm, showing no pride at Gu Liang's astonishment; instead, he frowned slightly.

"A little bit of empty fame is just the beginning of trouble, not a good thing."

Seeing his reaction, Gu Liang couldn't help but laugh and patted Jiang Xuan on the shoulder.

"You are still so unique! Others would kill for fame, but for you it has become a burden."

He suppressed his smile and said seriously.

"However, if Jin Yutang can successfully establish itself in Yanxia City, it won't be leaving anytime soon. My father sent a message a while ago saying that he seems to have found a rather special path. If we can succeed, there might really be hope that Jin Yutang can develop into a first-class merchant firm in the empire! At that time, we might even be able to expand our business to more distant regions of the empire!"

As he said this, his eyes gleamed with longing and ambition.

Upon hearing this, Jiang Xuan was slightly shaken. A top-tier merchant guild in the empire? That was a behemoth capable of influencing the economy of a region and standing shoulder to shoulder with many powerful forces. Gu Yanping's plans were becoming increasingly ambitious.

Just then, an even more arrogant commotion suddenly erupted outside the shop, even louder than before!
"Get the hell out here, you bastards!"

"Those who injured our Biguang Pavilion members must be held accountable today!"

"Find the kid who hit someone! And the shop owner too!"

It turned out to be the same group of thugs who had fled in a sorry state earlier, now back. Judging from their demeanor, they had clearly called for reinforcements and were much more confident.

Gu Liang's expression changed, and he looked at Jiang Xuan with concern.

"Jiang Xuan, Yanxia City is a complex and treacherous place, with many intertwined forces. It would be best if we exercised patience for now and planned our next move."

"The shop's been smashed, so be it. We can just reopen it somewhere else. Please don't act impulsively again..."

However, before he could finish speaking, Jiang Xuan stood up, grabbed his arm, and said in an unquestionable manner.

"Hiding won't help. Let's go out and see."

"Jiang Xuan! You..."

Gu Liang wanted to persuade him again, but Jiang Xuan pulled him out of the quiet room.

Upon arriving at the shop's front, they saw a large, menacing crowd of at least twenty or thirty people gathered outside. Leading them was the same burly man in black whose wrist had been broken by Jiang Xuan and whose cheek was still swollen and red; he was pointing into the shop through gritted teeth.

Beside him stood an elderly man wearing a gray robe, with a goatee, a gaunt face, and half-closed eyes, exuding arrogance.

The old man sat imposingly on a grand armchair that seemed to have been moved from somewhere, like a general sitting firmly in the center of his command tent.

"Old Qian! It's that kid inside! He's the one who did it! He even boasted that he would protect Jin Yutang!"

The burly man in black spoke respectfully to the old man with the goatee, his tone filled with resentment.

"Yes! Mr. Qian, you have to stand up for us!"

"That kid is too arrogant! He doesn't take our Biguang Pavilion seriously at all!" The other thugs echoed, their anger rising.

"Azure Light Pavilion?"

Upon hearing these three words, Gu Liang's face turned deathly pale, and he gasped in shock.

"How could it be the Azure Light Pavilion?! We, the Golden Jade Hall, have only just arrived. How could we possibly offend such a top-tier power?"

He was filled with confusion and fear. The Biguang Pavilion had a huge influence in Yanxia City, and it was definitely not something that a newcomer like him could provoke.

Upon hearing the name "Azure Light Pavilion," a strange light flashed in Jiang Xuan's eyes, and a barely perceptible smile appeared on his lips, as if he had heard something interesting.

"People inside, listen!"

When the burly man in black saw Jiang Xuan and Gu Liang come out, he immediately roared arrogantly.

"If you know what's good for you, get over here right now and kneel down before Elder Qian to kowtow and apologize! Elder Qian is a highly skilled guest master invited by our Biguang Pavilion, with profound cultivation! Otherwise, you'll definitely regret it today!"

Gu Liang nervously tugged at Jiang Xuan's sleeve and whispered.

"Jiang Xuan, the Azure Light Pavilion is powerful, and this Old Qian doesn't seem like a good person either. We...we should think this through more carefully..."

Jiang Xuan seemed not to hear his advice. His gaze went straight past the clamoring black-clad man and landed on the old man with a goatee who had been resting with his eyes closed. With a playful smile on his face, he spoke softly.

“Biguang Pavilion…what a coincidence.”

His attitude completely ignored the so-called "Old Qian," which enraged the group of thugs even more.

"Boy! You are courting death!"

"With Mr. Qian here, how dare you be so arrogant!"

Seeing Jiang Xuan's state, Gu Liang knew he couldn't persuade him otherwise, so he gritted his teeth and stood beside Jiang Xuan, already prepared for the worst.

Just as the crowd was in an uproar, Old Qian, who had been sitting silently, finally opened his eyes. A faint aura of a cultivator spread out, and he snorted coldly, his voice carrying a condescending majesty.

"Hmph! Who is this brat who dares to be so arrogant and ignorant, daring to injure my Azure Light Pavilion..."

His words came to an abrupt halt!

Those eyes, which had been filled with arrogance and indifference, suddenly bulged when they saw the calm-faced young man in blue standing at the shop entrance, a faint smile playing on his lips! The color drained from his face instantly, replaced by extreme horror and fear, as if he had seen a ghost in broad daylight!
"You...you...you are..."

Old Qian's voice became sharp and trembling. He pointed at Jiang Xuan, his fingers shaking, and he couldn't say anything more.

The group of thugs, who had been excited by Qian Lao's words and waiting to see Jiang Xuan suffer, were now bewildered by Qian Lao's sudden and violent reaction, staring at him in confusion.

However, in Qian Lao's heart, a storm was brewing! How could he not recognize the young man before him?! The chase in the rainy night, the bloodshed in front of Guanchao Pavilion, and especially the terrifying figure in the arena who tore apart a thousand ghosts with a storm and forced the Huang family genius to admit defeat in public... had long been deeply engraved in the hearts of all the forces, large and small, in Yanxia City like a nightmare!

This is a fearsome figure who dared to publicly coerce even the young master of the Qi family, and who dared to forcefully defeat even the geniuses of the powerful clans of the Forbidden City! His own young master, Qi Yunxiao, was even subdued by him, and the Pavilion Master, Qi Xiaohai, strictly forbade him from provoking him again!
I... I actually led a bunch of clueless thugs to cause trouble for this scoundrel?! This is practically asking for trouble! If things go wrong, the entire Biguang Pavilion might be implicated!
Thinking of the possible consequences, Mr. Qian felt a chill run from the soles of his feet straight to the top of his head, and his inner shirt was instantly soaked with cold sweat.

Jiang Xuan's smile widened as he watched Qian Lao's distraught and terrified appearance, as if he were watching an amusing drama.

The burly man in black hadn't figured out what was going on. Seeing that Old Qian was pointing at Jiang Xuan and couldn't speak, he assumed that Old Qian was angry. In order to show off, he stepped forward and pointed at Jiang Xuan's nose, cursing.

"You little bastard! You still dare to..."

"Snapped!"

A resounding slap landed hard on the face of the burly man in black, silencing him completely!
It was none other than Mr. Qian who made the move!
Old Qian jumped up like a cat whose tail had been stepped on, his face ashen. He pointed at the stunned man in black, trembling with rage, and roared in a shrill voice.

"You bastard! Are you blind?! You dare to offend even Young Master Jiang Xuan?! If you want to die, don't drag me down with you! Don't drag the Azure Light Pavilion down with you!"

He continued cursing, still not satisfied, and rushed forward to slap the burly man in black several times, leaving him dizzy and disoriented. His cheeks swelled up instantly, blood trickled from the corner of his mouth, and he could only groan and beg for mercy.

This scene left all the thugs dumbfounded and horrified! Even the most foolish among them understood that this seemingly ordinary young man was someone they, and even the Azure Light Pavilion, absolutely could not afford to offend!
Gu Liang had been prepared to fight to the death, but this sudden reversal left him stunned. He looked at Qian Lao, who was whipping his subordinates like an angry bull, and then at Jiang Xuan, who remained calm and collected. Gradually, he seemed to understand something, and his gaze toward Jiang Xuan was filled with indescribable shock.

So... Jiang Xuan's influence in Yanxia City has reached this level? Even the experts of the Biguang Pavilion are like mice before a cat when they see him?
Old Qian was exhausted from hitting him and stopped, panting heavily. Then he turned around abruptly to face Jiang Xuan, forcing a fawning smile that was more like a grimace. He was almost bent over on the ground, and his voice trembled with fear.

"Young Master Jiang... Young Master Jiang Xuan! It's a misunderstanding! A huge misunderstanding! It's all because of these blind fools who offended you! This old man... this old man really didn't know you were here, otherwise I wouldn't have dared to come even if I had a hundred lives!"

Fearing that Jiang Xuan would be dissatisfied, he suddenly roared at the group of thugs who were already terrified.

"What the hell are you all standing there for?! Kneel down and apologize to Young Master Jiang Xuan! Beg for his forgiveness!"

The group of thugs suddenly realized what was happening and dared not hesitate for a moment.

They all knelt down with a thud, kowtowing repeatedly and begging for mercy while crying out for their parents.

"Young Master Jiang, spare my life!"

"I was blind and ignorant! I have offended you, young master!"

"We'll never dare to do it again! Please, sir, just let us go!"

Gu Liang was even more shocked to see the thugs who had been so aggressive just moments before now kneeling on the ground and kowtowing repeatedly.

He hadn't expected that Jiang Xuan wouldn't even need to utter any harsh words; simply standing there, he already possessed such a commanding presence!
Jiang Xuan's gaze calmly shifted to Old Qian, whose face was deathly pale and who was trembling violently.

Before Jiang Xuan could speak, Old Qian knelt down on both knees with a "plop" without hesitation, his posture extremely low, almost prostrating himself, and pleading in a tearful voice.

"Young Master Jiang Xuan! Young Master Jiang! I was blind and ignorant! I have offended your might! Please, Young Master, have mercy on me this time! I will never dare to do it again!"

Gu Liang was utterly astonished upon seeing this scene.

No matter how incompetent this old man Qian is, he is still a manager of Biguang Pavilion on the surface. How could he kneel down to Jiang Xuan so readily?

In reality, Gu Liang was unaware that this Old Qian was merely a marginalized, ordinary manager within the Biguang Pavilion, far from being a core figure.

Jiang Xuan, after his fierce battle in the rainy night and his rise to fame in the arena, had long been a figure secretly feared by more than ten powerful families in Yanxia City, who strictly forbade their disciples from easily provoking him! Even Qi Yunxiao, the young master of the Biguang Pavilion, had suffered a setback at his hands. How could Qian Lao, a mere steward, dare to show any backbone? (End of this chapter)