Demon Slaying, Gaining 60 Years of Cultivation From the Start

Upon hearing this, Gu Chen immediately declined politely, "Thank you for your kind offer, Brother Jiang, but after traveling all the way from Tiandu, my brothers and I are somewhat exhausted. We will forgo the banquet and you all may do as you please."

Gu Chen was never particularly interested in such gatherings to begin with, and what's more, given the current tense situation in the world, he was even less inclined to attend any banquets.

Even without needing merit points, Gu Chen didn't want to waste a moment of time. Whenever there was an opportunity, he would refine the Gangqi within his body through cultivation practices.

What Gu Chen was most earnestly preoccupied with now was the rapid cultivation of a special kind of Gangqi. The recent battle with the two old ghosts of the Blood Robe Tower had made him realize the significance of this special Gangqi.

At present, cultivating this special Gangqi was Gu Chen's primary goal.

Jiang Huan, still smiling, said, "That's fine, then we'll forget about today. How about we try for tomorrow?"

Gu Chen truly had no interest in joining their meal and socializing, and he shook his head once again, politely declining Jiang Huan's offer.

Seeing this, Jiang Huan's brows furrowed imperceptibly, and a hint of displeasure flashed in his eyes.

He felt that Gu Chen was being a bit too arrogant. After all, Jiang Huan was a Xuan Level Commander of the Jing Tian Department, while Gu Chen was merely a Yellow Level Commander. Despite Gu Chen's fame and strength, Jiang Huan still outranked him by one level.

With his strength and status, Jiang Huan's gracious attempt to host and befriend Gu Chen having been rebuffed, led to some dissatisfaction within him.

However, on the surface, Jiang Huan didn't express any discontent and merely nodded with a smile, "That's alright. Then, Lord Gu, you should have a good rest today. We can discuss any matters tomorrow, and we won't disturb you any longer."

With those words, Jiang Huan efficiently led the members of the Yan State Jing Tian Department away.

Gu Chen watched Jiang Huan and his men leave. With his keen sight, he naturally noticed the fleeting displeasure in Jiang Huan's eyes but chose not to comment.

After all, Gu Chen hadn't come here to make connections, but to kill demons and defend Yan State.

Before coming here, Qin Wu had told him to act independently. Even though Jiang Huan was a rank higher as a Xuan Level Guardian Commander, he was not in a position to control Gu Chen. Qin Wu had said that apart from the Guardian Commander of Yan State, no one had the authority over him.

Therefore, Gu Chen didn't pay much heed to Jiang Huan's change in demeanor and told his men, "Let's all disperse. We've been on the road continuously for a month, so everyone should take a good rest."

"Yes!"

Hearing this, Song Yu, Wang Yan, and the other Metropolitan Procurators breathed a sigh of relief. Led by some junior officials, they went to their respective accommodations.

The Jing Tian Department's compound in Yan State was vast, able to accommodate thousands of people without any issues, let alone just this handful of individuals.

Gu Chen did the same. Once a junior official had led him to a small courtyard with a pleasant view, he began his cultivation practice.

After all, if he couldn't find the Ancient Strange Object Sun Flame Stone, Gu Chen would have to figure out on his own how to cultivate the Sun Flame Gangqi.

As for Jiang Huan, Gu Chen didn't give the matter much thought. In his view, the most pressing concern was to strengthen his own capabilities.

...

At dusk, Jiang Huan along with three other Xuan Level Commanders and several Yellow Level Commanders arrived at the largest tavern in Yulong City.

"Oh my, isn't this Lord Jiang Huan from the Jing Tian Department? I wasn't aware of Lord Jiang's visit. Please forgive me for not welcoming you from afar," the tavern keeper greeted Jiang Huan and his entourage with a smile as soon as he saw them.

After all, although the nine provinces were in disarray, the Jing Tian Department was still regarded as a supreme authority by the common people, and no business owner in Yulong City dared to offend anyone from the Jing Tian Department.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

Even if they came to dine, the food was free. Not to mention, each year, the department received a generous sum as a goodwill payment from these business owners.

Otherwise, conducting business in Yulong City wouldn't be so easy, and disruptions could occur without the government's intervention.

The reason why this tavern was the number one in Yulong City was precisely because the keeper had cultivated a good relationship with Jiang Huan and sent him a significant amount of silver each year.

Therefore, seeing Jiang Huan arriving with others, the tavern keeper dared not show any negligence.

He had reserved the largest private room in advance for them, which would remain unoccupied even if Jiang Huan and his entourage didn't show up.

Jiang Huan remained expressionless. In response to the eager reception of these commoners, he just nodded indifferently and acknowledged them with a grunt through his nostrils.

In his eyes, showing a pleasant face to these common folk was already quite generous.

The keeper wasn't annoyed at this reaction, apparently used to it. He then personally led Jiang Huan and his party to the exclusive private room.

From the keeper to the attendants, everyone was extremely enthusiastic, presenting Jiang Huan and his company with an abundance of fine liquor and dishes. They served the food quickly, fearing that any delay might upset Jiang Huan.

Jiang Huan and his party didn't pay them much attention, instead, they began to eat and drink among themselves.

Soon, the wine flowed thrice, and the atmosphere in the private room grew even livelier.

The three Xuan Level Commanders present, aside from Jiang Huan, were Dong Ziwei and Le Zhengyang.

The three of them had the best relationship within the Jing Tian Department, and Jiang Huan, with the highest cultivation, was implicitly their leader.

Each year, Jiang Huan would share some of the benefits he received from various establishments in Yulong City with Dong Ziwei and Le Zhengyang.