Chapter 82: Situ Teng Wants to Target the Women Around Chu Tian

After a long silence, Chu Tian spoke again.

"Longjiu, when is the auction scheduled?"

The auction he referred to was, of course, the mysterious sale on the outskirts of Sky Gate City.

The spiritual stones from the Wei family, as well as Su Dingguo's life-saving talisman, had both been obtained there.

"Master, the auction is set for two days from now. By then, Master Su and I will come to pick you up," Wang Longjiu said respectfully.

"Su Dingguo?"

"What do you think of him?"

Chu Tian asked in return.

"Master Su is a grandmaster of the Martial Essence realm. He is not only an honored guest of the Ancient Martial Administration Bureau, but also has considerable ties with Elder Wei."

"In the past, Master Su was absolutely an unreachable figure in my eyes, like an immortal seated high among the clouds."

Wang Longjiu sighed a little, a trace of reminiscence flashing through his eyes.

"And now?"

Chu Tian gave a light laugh.

"Now I am confident that one day I will surpass Master Su and ascend to the realm of a Martial Essence grandmaster."

Wang Longjiu looked utterly confident, and that confidence came from Chu Tian.

Being fortunate enough to become Chu Tian's disciple was his greatest source of assurance.

"Good ambition!"

Chu Tian praised him. This counted as not having taken the boy in for nothing.

Hearing this, Wang Longjiu was secretly delighted. To receive Chu Tian's approval was, of course, something that filled him with joy.

"This is the Heavenfiend Fist manual I wrote yesterday. Take it back and practice diligently."

"You've already seen the scene just now when I broke the tree trunk with one punch. When you can cultivate to the point where you can unleash that kind of force, you will have truly mastered this fist technique."

Chu Tian took a manual from his robe and tossed it to Wang Longjiu.

"Thank you, Master."

Wang Longjiu accepted the manual, his expression turning solemn.

Just now, Chu Tian had released his inner force and shattered a tree trunk as thick as a barrel with a single punch.

To produce that kind of power would require at least the strength of a Martial Essence grandmaster.

Wang Longjiu had never imagined that one day he too might stand at the pinnacle of the grandmaster realm.

Moreover, in Chu Tian's words, a Martial Essence grandmaster was merely the minimum threshold for mastering Heavenfiend Fist. If he continued cultivating this set of punches, the achievements he could reach in the future would be far beyond anything he had ever imagined.

"Keep practicing your punches here. I am going to find someone."

After saying that, Chu Tian flashed away and vanished from Wang Longjiu's sight.

...

A few minutes later, at Han Bao's residence.

Han Bao knew that Chu Tian lived in Cloud River Villa, so he had also bought a villa here. It was not far from Chu Tian's villa and could almost be called neighboring property.

"Han Bao, come out!"

Standing in the courtyard of the villa, Chu Tian roared at once.

Soon, a middle-aged man with a square face hurried out from inside. He was the head of the Han family, Han Bao.

"Were you the one who leaked the news that I possess the jade thumb ring?"

Chu Tian's voice was cold.

"Hall Master, it wasn't me!"

"I didn't even know that the news of your jade thumb ring had spread so wildly overnight!"

Han Bao was terrified. His knees weakened, and he dropped to the ground before Chu Tian.

"Really not you?"

A trace of scrutiny entered Chu Tian's eyes, as if he intended to pierce straight through Han Bao's heart.

"I swear, it really wasn't me."

Han Bao swore to the heavens, already breaking out in a cold sweat all over.

He had only just learned that the secret of the jade thumb ring had been exposed, and had not yet had time to report it to Chu Tian, yet Chu Tian had already come knocking on his door.

"Fine. Then I will believe you this once."

Chu Tian withdrew his gaze. He had never believed that Han Bao would betray him in the first place, and now that he had heard Han Bao's answer with his own ears, he was even more certain of his earlier suspicion.

"Thank you, Hall Master."

Han Bao immediately let out a breath of relief.

"I have something I need you to do."

Chu Tian instructed.

"Please speak, Hall Master."

Han Bao answered at once.

"I want you to go personally to Tai Chi Mountain, investigate the situation there, and then come back to report to me."

"This matter must be handled by you personally. You are not to delegate it to anyone else. Do you understand what I mean?"

Chu Tian's tone grew heavier. The matter of the jade thumb ring still gnawed at him. If he did not get to the bottom of the truth, he would never be at ease.

"Understood. I will head for Tai Chi Mountain immediately."

Han Bao nodded quickly and turned to leave the villa at once.

He knew that the leak of the jade thumb ring's existence had already caused Chu Tian to doubt him, but the news truly had not come from him.

Even if it was only to recover Chu Tian's trust, he had to handle the task Chu Tian had assigned him well. There could be no mistakes.

Even after Han Bao left Cloud River Villa, Chu Tian remained where he was.

He could tell Han Bao had not lied. So who had leaked the news of the jade thumb ring?

Back then, at Tai Chi Mountain, he had killed Wu Xingyan, drained the mountain's spiritual energy dry, and then returned to Sky Gate City.

If someone had discovered the whereabouts of the jade thumb ring, then he must have left some clue behind at the time. He had to send someone back to check.

At that moment, in the Si Tu residence.

"Young Master, the person we sent to keep watch on Long Tianjiao has confirmed that she has already returned to the Long family in Jinling and will not be coming back to Sky Gate City anytime soon."

An elderly man with white hair bent respectfully as he reported.

"Good. Without the obstruction of the Long family young lady, many things become much easier."

"Has the scout sent to Cloud River Villa today reported anything back?"

Si Tu Deng sneered and asked again.

"The person sent to Cloud River Villa today has already left."

The old man reported.

"Chu Tian didn't kill him?"

Si Tu Deng was somewhat surprised. He had assumed that with Chu Tian's decisive and ruthless temperament, if anyone coveted the jade thumb ring, Chu Tian would show no mercy.

"Young Master, are you really certain that the Dark Temple's jade thumb ring is in Chu Tian's hands?"

After hesitating for a moment, the old man still found it hard to believe.

That was the Dark Temple's jade thumb ring, the token that could command the entire Dark Temple. How could it end up in Chu Tian's hands?

But when he thought of Chu Tian being an eighteen-year-old martial sovereign, everything suddenly seemed to make sense again.

An eighteen-year-old martial sovereign was shocking enough; if the jade thumb ring had fallen into Chu Tian's hands, there did not seem to be anything so astonishing about it after all.

"I have my own sources. Since Chu Tian did not kill that scout, it only further proves my suspicion. The jade thumb ring is definitely in Chu Tian's possession."

Si Tu Deng was full of confidence, as though he truly had some channel of information.

"Young Master, you are not still planning to make a move against Chu Tian, are you?"

"Earlier, the family head would not allow us to seek revenge on Chu Tian in private. Why did you still send people to keep watch on him? Isn't that just asking for trouble?"

The old man hesitated, worried that Si Tu Deng would act rashly.

"Hmph, Father only said that we are not to strike at Chu Tian. He never said we cannot strike at the people around Chu Tian!"

Si Tu Deng said darkly.

"Young Master, do you mean the women around Chu Tian..."

The old man suddenly understood, but stopped short.