Chapter 20: Chen Zheng, you stole from Jubao Tower—run!

Chen Fu and Chen Biao were both stunned.

Because the silver short sword that Chen Zheng slipped into Chen Fu's hand turned out to be a magical artifact.

This is a celestial treasure that only a Divine Path Immortal Master can forge, and it is the coveted ultimate treasure of all Physical Body Realm Warriors, unattainable even with countless Mysterious Yellow coins.

Looking over the whole Chen family, there is only one magical artifact, passed down from the ancestor Chen Qian Zhi, called Golden Ray Armor, the clan's treasured heirloom; even the Family Head Chen Xingye is reluctant to wear it, fearing it would exhaust its celestial power, so he keeps it in a secret chamber as an offering.

As for the Magic Ship beneath everyone's feet, it does not belong to the Chen family.

Instead, Jubao Tower, to facilitate trade with the Chen family, leased it to them.

The Chen family must annually pay Jubao Tower a rent of twenty percent of the clan's total production in golden feather grass.

This shows how rare a magical artifact is.

But now, Chen Zheng casually produced a magical artifact comparable to the Chen family's clan treasure.

How could this be possible?

Where did this artifact come from?

Chen Fu looked up at Chen Zheng, stammering, "Brother Zheng... what is this?"

Chen Zheng replied with a faint smile, "Just a little trinket, a gift for your self‑defense."

"Give... give it to me?" Chen Fu's throat bobbed, and he swallowed a mouthful of saliva with difficulty.

Beside them, Chen Biao felt his head dizzy, and a little voice inside his mind shouted frantically.

Big brother!

Do you know what a magical artifact represents?

You actually say it's just a little trinket?

Just that!

Wait...

The more I look at this silver short sword, the more familiar it seems.

Chen Biao suddenly stepped two paces closer, carefully scrutinizing the sword in Chen Fu's hand.

Soon he seemed to recall something, his pupils contracting sharply, and he exclaimed hoarsely, "This... this sword is Wang Shan's famed magical artifact, the Silver Radiance Sword!"

Chen Fu's heart stirred at the words: "Wang Shan? Isn't he the Manager of Jubao Tower? I think he's also the person in charge of directing the demon‑hunting squads. How could Wang Shan's famed magical artifact end up in Brother Zheng's hands, could it be..."

At that thought, his small eyes suddenly widened to the size of a hawk's.

He understood everything.

This Silver Radiance Sword was, in all likelihood, stolen by Chen Zheng from Wang Guanshi.

This explains why Chen Zheng returned ahead of schedule and later claimed it was an "accident".

With that speculation, Chen Fu shivered violently, and the silver‑gray sword in his hand nearly slipped from his grasp onto the floor.

Chen Biao also seemed to piece together the "truth", his complexion visibly turning pale.

Chen Zheng's nerve is too bold.

He even dared to steal Manager Wang's magical artifact.

If Manager Wang discovers this, not only Chen Zheng will suffer, the entire Chen family will face annihilation.

What should be done?

Chen Biao stamped his foot anxiously.

Chen Fu gritted his teeth, shoved the Silver Radiance Sword back to Chen Zheng, and pulled his arm toward the window.

At the same time he urged urgently, "Brother Zheng, you must flee, jump into the sea and swim opposite to Ban Yue Fang Shi, as far as you can!"

"Why should I run?" Chen Zheng pulled his arm out, his gaze oddly fixed on Chen Fu.

"Chen Zheng, younger brother, now is not the time to be reckless; you should heed Third Young Master, jump into the sea quickly. It's best to sink the evidence to the seabed, so that Jubao Tower's investigation finds no proof and won't implicate the family," Chen Biao urged in a low, anxious growl.

"..."

Chen Zheng finally understood what the two were thinking; they assumed the silver‑gray sword's origin was illegitimate.

He shook his head and smiled wryly, just about to explain to them.

At that moment, a clan member hurried to the doorway and reported, "The master of Jubao Tower has arrived, waiting in the main hall, requesting to see Young Master Chen Zheng."

"What?"

"The master of Jubao Tower is here!" Chen Fu and Chen Biao's faces turned ashen, their bodies went limp, and they nearly collapsed onto the floor.

It's over.

This time it's truly over.

Chen Zheng's theft of Manager Wang's magical artifact has even provoked the master of Jubao Tower to investigate personally.

Before the Jubao Tower master in the Shen Tong Mi Jing, Chen Zheng cannot escape; he will be seized and the stolen goods recovered at once.

What to do...?

Chen Fu and Chen Biao were on the brink of despair.

"Hmm, I'll go see him now."

Chen Zheng, too lazy to bother with the over‑speculating two, nodded at the reporting clan member.

He placed the Silver Radiance Sword on the table and walked out of the room.

The Jubao Tower master would come looking for him, as he had expected.

You have arrived at this novel.

All because his performance on the Forty‑nine Islands was too outstanding.

Physical Body Eightfold can defeat Tenfold Manager Wang, and even a magical artifact cannot damage the physical body.

These series of feats, among the Great Immortal Sect, might not be considered a big deal.

But for the people of the small place Ban Yue Fang Shi, it is truly astonishing.

Thus, the Treasure Hall master who learned the news would have two possible reactions.

The first is to find Chen Zheng and act to avenge Wang Guanshi.

The second also involves finding Chen Zheng, but not for revenge—rather, to befriend him.

In short, the Treasure Hall master cannot stay seated.

Chen Zheng estimates that the Treasure Hall master will certainly choose the latter.

The reason is simple: there is no deep hatred between Chen Zheng and the Treasure Hall master, so there is no need to make it a life‑or‑death feud.

As for Wang Guanshi, he is just a lone ant; if he dies, he dies, and they can simply recruit another Manager to fill the vacancy.

Moreover, the status of a Feather Ascension Gate provisional disciple carries considerable deterrence against Free Cultivators like the Treasure Hall master, so they would not act rashly.

In the blink of an eye, Chen Zheng is less than a zhàng from the main‑hall entrance, about to see the Treasure Hall master waiting inside for him.

"When you meet the Treasure Hall master, you should kneel and beg for mercy together with me and the Third Young Master; perhaps the Chen family still has a sliver of hope," Chen Biao whispers pleadingly into Chen Zheng's ear as he catches up.

Chen Zheng is too lazy to bother with him; after a few steps to the hall entrance, he looks inside and sees two people standing one behind the other.

Standing at the back is Xu Guanshi.

The one in front is also an elder, whose hair is far more abundant than Xu Guanshi's, meticulously groomed, wearing a plain long robe, and exuding an extraordinary aura.

"Chen Zheng, that elder is the Treasure Hall master, a celestial of Shen Tong Mi Jing. Hear my command: prepare, kneel…"

Chen Biao bends his knees, poised to act, and whispers hurriedly to Chen Zheng, like a general issuing orders.

But before he finishes speaking, a hearty, long laugh from within the hall cuts him off: "Ha ha, I suppose this one must be a Feather Ascension Gate senior disciple, truly a person of remarkable bearing."

Feather Ascension Gate senior disciple?

Chen Biao and Chen Fu are startled.

What does that mean?

Where are any Feather Ascension Gate members here?

There is indeed a person of remarkable bearing, but not a Feather Ascension Gate senior disciple.

Both of them cannot wrap their heads around it.

Soon they have no time to ponder it.

Because they are again stunned to discover that the Treasure Hall master inside the hall is walking toward the entrance, smiling broadly, and says to Chen Zheng: "Brother Chen, I am Liu Suiyun, pleased to meet you, pleased to meet you."

What the heck?

The Treasure Hall master calls Chen Zheng "Brother Chen"?

So polite?

This…

In an instant.

Chen Biao and Chen Fu, as if struck by lightning, become rigid all over, like two millennia‑old corpses.

(End of chapter)