Unstoppable Martial Arts: Starting with brother's wife and young sister Chapter 879 - 473: Bronze Coffin! (Part 3)

"Bang!"

Jiang Qi collapsed onto the ground with a heavy thud, murmuring to himself, "What kind of mess have I gotten into?"

"Winged Spin Dragon Beast..."

Why would anyone be so desperate to hunt that creature down!

...

Tucked away in the eastern reaches of the Eastern Continent lay an island, entirely veiled by powerful arrays and swirling mist.

This was the central hub of the Dark Moon Trading Company.

At this moment, Jiang Yudao’s voice echoed at the foot of their main headquarters.

"I require an audience with the Great Elder."

He called out to the sentinels stationed at the entrance.

"Pray, grant us a moment, Elder Jiang..."

"Let him enter at once."

An aged, resounding voice drifted down from the building's highest tier.

"Please, go right in, Elder Jiang!"

The guard threw open the massive doors, bowing respectfully.

"Hmph!"

Jiang Yudao offered a brief nod and marched inside.

The structure spanned ten stories; the Great Elder resided at the very summit.

As he ascended the wooden stairs floor after floor, reaching the tenth level, Jiang Yudao composed himself. He stood before the entrance, his posture reverent, and spoke in a subdued tone: "Jiang Yudao requests an audience with the Great Elder!"

"Enter."

"Yes!"

Jiang Yudao pushed the heavy doors open, stepped inside, and carefully pulled them shut behind him.

He walked toward the center of the chamber, where a purple copper coffin hovered in the air, casting a faint lavender glow.

The Great Elder of Dark Moon lay resting within the casket.

"Great Elder, I apologize for this intrusion, but the situation is dire and intricate, leaving me no choice but to disturb your peace."

Jiang Yudao spoke with profound respect.

Because the Great Elder’s lifespan was waning, Dark Moon had poured endless rare treasures into the creation of this coffin and the surrounding array formations to delay his demise.

"Speak. What has occurred?"

The elder, his silver hair wild and his skin as shriveled as a desiccated corpse, kept his eyes firmly shut.

"It appears that Prince Xuan of Moran Mansion is targeting us."

"And his motive?"

"He is hunting for the Winged Spin Dragon Beast!"

The creature was actually located on the island—a fearsome Peak Demon Beast at the seventh layer of the Dao Realm.

The true reason Jiang Qi remained silent—or rather, lacked the courage to mention it—was that the Great Elder consumed the essence blood of the Winged Spin Dragon Beast every month simply to survive.

It was clear how vital this beast was to the existence of Dark Moon. Jiang Qi had only pieced this together by chance through Jiang Yudao.

Inside the copper coffin, the Great Elder’s eyes snapped open. A murderous glint flared from beneath his sunken sockets, causing the coffin and the entire foundation of the building to shudder.

"The Great Elder is furious."

Jiang Yudao felt his heart skip a beat.

"Uncover his weaknesses and exploit them. If you cannot find any, dispatch our people to eliminate him quietly!"

The Great Elder’s voice was raspy and grave.

Although this beast was merely one among dozens he relied on, it was consistently within his top five most effective sources of sustenance.

Dark Moon possessed only two such creatures, and he required them monthly to maintain the barest semblance of health.

Whoever dared covet his beasts might as well be targeting his life. If that was the case, he would spare no effort in his retaliation.

Dark Moon preferred to operate as a legitimate business in the Eastern Continent, but that did not mean they were devoid of lethal power.

"Furthermore, command our allies to pressure the Three Judicial Departments. They have profited from Dark Moon’s charity for years; it is high time they repaid the debt."

The longevity of Dark Moon in the Eastern Continent was due entirely to these carefully cultivated connections.

Many prominent families and high-ranking court officials had lined their pockets with Dark Moon’s resources.

The annual investment was astronomical. Now that a crisis gripped the company, it was time for them to earn their keep.

"Also, you must personally meet with this Prince Xuan. Negotiate first; a peaceful resolution would be ideal."

"If an agreement cannot be reached, do not show him the slightest mercy."

"I will have the Second Elder accompany you."

After all, Jiang Yudao was only at the second layer of the Dao Realm; his strength was insufficient for this task.

"That would settle matters perfectly."

Jiang Yudao breathed a sigh of relief. Rumor had it that Prince Xuan was at the fifth layer of the Dao Realm, and going alone would have been a death sentence.

With the Second Elder, who stood at the peak of the seventh layer of the Dao Realm, the situation would be much safer.

...

Three days passed.

Jiang Yudao and the Second Elder arrived in Moran City.

"Greetings, Second Elder. Greetings, Grandfather!"

Jiang Qi was stunned to see them. He hadn't expected the Second Elder to personally arrive, a clear sign that this situation could spiral into total catastrophe if mismanaged.

"Take a seat. You are not at fault for the current state of affairs."

The Second Elder, clad in simple gray robes, appeared as a middle-aged man. He was the second-most powerful figure in Dark Moon, teetering on the edge of the eighth layer of the Dao Realm, and the hand-picked successor to the Great Elder.

"My gratitude for your understanding, Second Elder."

Jiang Qi bowed low, though he remained standing respectfully by the side.

"Tell me, do you have any idea what Prince Xuan intends to do with the Winged Spin Dragon Beast?"

"I have no insight into his motives!"

Facing his grandfather’s inquiry, Jiang Qi shook his head. "Others have inquired about the beast before, but I rebuffed them immediately. I never imagined that months later, Prince Xuan would come asking as well."

"It is not just that he is asking; he seems entirely convinced I know something."

Hearing this, the Second Elder narrowed his eyes. "Is it possible he already knows the beast is with us? Is this an intentional provocation?"

He shifted his gaze toward Jiang Yudao. "What is your assessment?"

"It is difficult to say. Prince Xuan is shrouded in mystery; there is no trace of his history."

"It is as if he simply stepped out of thin air."

Regarding Chen Xuan, he had once ordered Jiang Qi to investigate the Prince. On the surface, the record seemed clean, but anyone who had ever been linked to him was now dead, without fail.

This, in itself, was the most suspicious element.

He suspected the entire background was fabricated.

"Is that so?"

The Second Elder mused, then asked, "Do we hold any leverage against this man?"

Dark Moon had dominated the Eastern Continent for hundreds of thousands of years. They became the premier trade entity not only through wealth, but through the blackmail they held over influential clans and officials.

That was exactly why they remained obedient.

If they could find such dirt on Prince Xuan, the problem would be solved easily.

"Leverage?"

Jiang Qi began to dig through his memories.

Suddenly, his expression shifted drastically.

Observing the change, Jiang Yudao immediately pressed, "Did you find something?"