Chapter 2: The Mysterious Jade Stone

  Chen Jiu was deep in thought when a small mountain bandit approached him: "Ninth Brother, the master is looking for you".

  Chen Jiu looked at this young servant, with a face full of slyness, and a smile that was full of kindness. However, when you know that this twelve or thirteen-year-old kid has taken the lives of over ten people, you absolutely wouldn't dare to associate this smiling youngster with a ruthless killer.

  I don't know what this little guy's past is like, but when it comes to fighting for the top spot or plundering goods, he's always the most ruthless and brutal one, even to the point of no bloodshed being unacceptable.

  Chen nodded: "I know, but your recent cultivation has improved again, how come you can walk without making a sound, it scared me."

  Xiao Shan chuckled: "Thanks to Jiu Ge's blessing, the master gave me a book on light body skills a few days ago, it seems that it has some use after all".

  Chen Jiubai gave him a glance and pretended to be angry: "You know that I, Ninth Brother, have no way to cultivate you, so you deliberately show off in front of me, right?"

  "How dare I, little brother how dare I? Although Ninth Brother you can't cultivate, but in our mountain village it's unknown that your old man is the one who says one and does two, leading our mountain village to revive as a wise man. Without this small soldier it would be okay, but the mountain village absolutely cannot leave without Ninth Brother."

  Listening to this corny talk, Chen Jiou got goosebumps all over his body and couldn't bear to let the guy continue speaking, or else it would have a terrible influence if others heard it.

  "Alright, alright, I'm scared of you. I really didn't expect your kid's face to be so thick-skinned. Where is the master waiting for me?"

  That little mountain bandit smiled with satisfaction: "It's in his own room, as if there's something big to discuss with you."

  Chen nodded: "Alright, I'll go see the master of the house. You just do what you need to do."

  After finishing speaking, Chen Jiu slowly walked towards the house that symbolized the big family. After Chen Jiu left, the little bandit looked at Chen Jiu's back with a face full of envy: "Ah, no matter how high the martial arts are, it's just a rough man after all. It seems that in the future, I need to learn from Ninth Brother more often. This blood feud doesn't know when it will be avenged."

  The leader of the bandits is, of course, the head of all the mountain bandits. No one knows the identity of the leader because the first batch of old followers have already died in the struggle for territory. Until now, the identity of the leader remains a mystery, a riddle that everyone wants to solve, but unfortunately, only the leader himself knows the answer.

  This is the best house in the whole stronghold, the Big Boss as the leader of the thieves, the first master of the stronghold, every time he goes down the mountain, he rushes to the front, can live in the best house, sleep with the most beautiful woman, drink the best wine, that's a matter of course.

  Because the entire village was built by Da Zhang himself, although he hadn't seen the best woman yet, Chen Jiu had already smelled the aroma of wine, at least twenty years old Qinglao wine.

  Qingluo wine is one of the most famous wines in this world, and it's usually only affordable for those high-ranking officials. However, even they can't afford to drink this twenty-year-old Qingluo wine.

  "Bang" "bang" "bang", a burst of knocking on the door, followed by faint sounds inside, as if someone was packing things up.

  After a while, a loud voice came from inside: "Who is it?"

  "I am Chén Jiǔ, the master of this house."

  A long, drawn-out sighing sound came from inside the house: "So it's you, young fellow. What took you so long? Come on in quickly."

  Then came a faint rustling sound of footsteps, the door creaked open with a "creak", and a woman, a very beautiful woman, with a flush still on her face.

  Don't get me wrong, the master of the house is not a woman.

  Good wine is available now, and there are also beautiful women. The master of the house is indeed the master of the house, controlling the best resources, even this beauty is as refreshing as a big white radish.

  "Having seen the lady," Chen Jiu hastily bowed and didn't dare look again.

  The woman nodded: "Your family is waiting for you inside, go in quickly."

  After she finished speaking, the woman walked out, apparently this beautiful woman wasn't someone who could be privy to such important matters of the mountain stronghold.

  Chen Jiu was already accustomed to the woman's behavior, and after walking in, he casually closed the door behind him. He walked down a corridor, lifted up a curtain, and saw a clay platform with a man sitting on it who had a refined face.

  If you hadn't seen it with your own eyes, you absolutely wouldn't believe that this man was the bandit who could make all the babies within eight hundred miles stop crying just by hearing his name.

  It seems that one really can't judge a person by their appearance. Who would have known that this bookish-looking man in front of us is actually the leader of the bandits?

  The master of the house gently put down the tea cup in his hand: "You little guy finally came, sit anywhere".

  Chen Jiu walked directly to a nearby cabinet, and with a light pull beside the cabinet, a chair appeared in Chen Jiu's hand.

  Relying on his line of sight, it was absolutely impossible to see the chair, yet Chen Jiu was able to directly feel for the chair under the cabinet, clearly indicating that Chen Jiu was very familiar with the layout of this house.

  Chen Jiuguo was indeed straightforward and sat down directly: "What's the matter with the master finding me?"

  At the side of the master's seat, there was a tea table or say a desk, and the cup of tea was on that desk. The master gently pushed the teacup: "What a pity, you can't practice martial arts, otherwise someone would be able to take care of my vast family business."

  Chen Jiubai didn't say a word, waiting for the next words of the master of the house. This kind of talk can't be responded to, and besides, the master's words can't be trusted either. If you really believe in the nonsense of that ruthless bandit leader who kills people without blinking an eye, then you're not far from death.

  As expected, the master of the house spoke up after seeing that Chen Jiu didn't react: "Following convention, is it still possible for merchants to pass through this place at this time?"

  Chen Jiuyi's heart was enlightened when he heard the words, and he already knew what the master of the house meant. He shook his head: "It's not good to say, unless it's an urgent matter, otherwise no one would travel during the New Year, especially when the mountain is closed due to heavy snow."

  The master of the house looked disappointed: "No one is passing by, so we have no income. The year-end is approaching soon, do you want us to let our old and young people starve?"

  It's clear that the master of the house is struggling inwardly at this moment, not eating or drinking. At that time, these subordinates will absolutely not be honest, and it's even possible that they will overthrow this master.

  Every year around this time, everyone is happily dividing the silver, but this year because of Fang Xian's matter, the master of the house has closed off the mountain, and for several months there has been no income. Everyone is struggling to make ends meet on the mountain, if they don't stir up some trouble then that would be abnormal. You should know, these mountain bandits are not a benevolent group.

  The tribute of the Fang Xian Dao, when the time comes, Fang Xian Dao will come to the door and it's likely to be a dead end. But if not divided now, with the New Year approaching and such a large batch of goods, the master can't divide them up and can't come up with a reason, this matter is really a headache.

  This is a disaster for Fang Xian's goods, and the master of the house dare not speak recklessly. If he says something wrong, it will cost him his life.

  Chen Jiuyi obviously saw the hesitation of the master of the house, whether to continue sitting in this position or for his life.

  Taking the position of the head of the household means dividing the family property, but after dividing the family property, there is really no way to explain it to Fang Xian Dao, and in the end, there will be only one dead end.

  Chen Jiuxian obviously disdains the way of being a big family, can't tell which is more important between life and power?

  After a while, the master of the house pulled something from under the table, and a package came out. It was quickly opened, and a burst of glittering treasure almost blinded Chen Jiu's dog-like eyes.

  It seems that the sound Chen Jiu heard outside earlier was these treasures.

  The master looked at Chen Jiu: "These are the most valuable ones in that batch of goods, you can pick a few, I'll send them out tomorrow".

  There is no benefit that cannot be cheap for outsiders. This sentence applies everywhere and in the eyes of the master, Chen Jiu is absolutely his confidant.

  Chen Jiuxin let out a sigh after hearing this, already knowing the decision of the master of the house. He opened his mouth wanting to say something, but in the end didn't say anything.

  He casually flipped through the items inside, and a palm-sized jade stone appeared before Chen Jiu's eyes. In a daze, Chen Jiu seemed to have seen a strange world gestating within this jade stone. As he picked it up, a warm and moist sensation spread through his hand.

  Chen Jiu's expression didn't change as he took the jade stone and several other interesting-looking small objects in his hand.

  "That's all," said Chen Jiu.

  PS: Seeking recommendations, collections, and likes.