Chapter 4: The Weight of Strength

The market square fell into a tense silence.

All eyes were on Jiang Chen, standing casually with one hand behind his back, while the Blazing Cloud Sect disciple clutched his dislocated wrist, his face contorted in pain.

"You… you dare attack a disciple of the Blazing Cloud Sect?!" the injured man roared.

Jiang Chen remained indifferent, his sharp gaze sweeping across the two remaining disciples. They stood frozen, weapons drawn, hesitation flickering in their eyes.

The Blazing Cloud Sect was one of the three great sects in the kingdom. Their members were arrogant and domineering, but their strength was undeniable—at least by the weak standards of the Azure Sun Kingdom.

Most commoners wouldn't even dream of offending them.

And yet, a stranger with tattered robes and no visible cultivation aura had just crippled one of their own.

Whispers spread through the crowd.

"Who is he?"

"He's dead for sure… no one offends the Blazing Cloud Sect and walks away."

"But did you see how fast he moved? That disciple couldn't even react!"

The injured man gritted his teeth. His pride wouldn't allow him to retreat.

"Kill him!" he spat.

The two remaining disciples lunged forward, their swords cutting through the air with burning Qi. They were Foundation Establishment cultivators—stronger than most people in this town.

But to Jiang Chen, they were nothing.

Step.

Jiang Chen moved the moment they struck, his foot gliding across the ground in an elegant yet effortless motion.

The first disciple's blade missed entirely, slicing through empty air.

Before he could react, Jiang Chen's palm struck his chest like a hammer.

BANG!

The man flew backward, crashing into a stall of fruit and shattering the wooden crates beneath him.

The last disciple's sword came from the side, aiming for Jiang Chen's ribs.

Jiang Chen twisted his body, dodging the strike by mere inches. Then—

SNAP!

He caught the man's wrist and broke it in one swift motion. The disciple screamed, his sword clattering to the ground.

In three moves, the fight was over.

The marketplace was deathly silent.

Jiang Chen's face remained unreadable as he picked up the fallen sword, testing its weight. It was ordinary, just a mid-grade mortal weapon, but it would serve him for now.

He turned his gaze to the injured disciple, who was still groaning in pain.

"Strength determines everything," Jiang Chen said calmly. "Remember that before you throw your weight around."

With that, he turned away, as if the fight was no longer worth his attention.

The young boy, still on the ground, looked up in awe. No one had ever stood up to the Blazing Cloud Sect like that.

Jiang Chen extended a hand.

The boy hesitated for only a moment before grabbing it.

"What's your name?" Jiang Chen asked.

The boy swallowed nervously. "Xiao Yan."

Jiang Chen nodded. "You have Qi within you. If you wish to grow stronger, don't let yourself be stepped on again."

Xiao Yan's eyes widened. "I… I do?"

Jiang Chen could sense it—a faint but real trace of Qi hidden deep in the boy's body, unawakened but full of potential.

Before he could say more, the sound of hurried footsteps approached.

A group of armored guards pushed through the crowd. Leading them was a middle-aged man with a sharp gaze—Captain Liu Cheng, leader of Azure River Town's guards.

Jiang Chen glanced at them, already expecting trouble.

"Who dares cause trouble in broad daylight?" Captain Liu's eyes landed on the three fallen disciples.

One of them gasped. "C-Captain Liu! That bastard attacked us! He dared to defy the Blazing Cloud Sect!"

The guards tensed. The sect's influence ran deep in this town—offending them was no small matter.

Captain Liu narrowed his eyes at Jiang Chen.

"You must be new here," he said slowly. "Attacking sect disciples, even in self-defense, is dangerous. Do you understand what you've done?"

Jiang Chen met his gaze, expression calm. "I simply taught some bullies their place."

Some of the guards shifted uncomfortably. The surrounding crowd wasn't siding with the sect disciples—they had seen their arrogance for years.

Captain Liu studied Jiang Chen for a long moment. Then, to everyone's surprise, he sighed.

"Normally, I would arrest you," he said, voice neutral. "But I saw what happened. Those brats deserved a lesson."

The disciples' faces paled.

"B-But Captain Liu—!"

"Enough," Liu Cheng snapped. "You lost to someone stronger. Accept it and leave before you embarrass your sect further."

The disciples clenched their fists but had no choice but to retreat.

The crowd murmured in shock.

"Is the Captain really letting him go?"

"That means even the town guards are sick of the Blazing Cloud Sect's arrogance!"

"Who is this young man?!"

Jiang Chen gave Captain Liu a knowing look. This man was no fool. He understood the balance of power in this small town.

"You have my thanks," Jiang Chen said simply.

Liu Cheng smirked. "I don't know who you are, but be careful. The sect won't forget this."

Jiang Chen simply turned and walked away.

The Azure Sun Kingdom was a land ruled by sects and noble clans. Strength was the only law that mattered.

Today was just a small confrontation, but it made one thing clear—his rise would not go unnoticed.

Jiang Chen's path was set.

His next destination?

The Black Fang Bandits.

A real battle awaited him.

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End of Chapter 4