Chapter 1261: Besieged on All Sides
“Vastsea! You’ll regret this!” A terrifying ray of blinding
light burst out of Emperor Shura’s eyes. Fiery red beams abruptly floated over
his body, turning him into a ball of flames shooting up into the sky. He’d
summoned the Shura flames by igniting his bloodline!
The move wasn’t new to Jiang Chen. Emperor Shura had used it
once during the final round of the Vassal Meeting.
“I’ll kill all of you! Die!” Emperor Shura’s battle intent
grew more and more bloodthirsty as his bloodline powers burned.
Jiang Chen smiled blandly. “Hmph! Futile struggles by a
trapped beast!”
He brought out an ancient talisman as he spoke. It was the
Skyclearer Talisman that he’d taken from Imperial Prince Zhao during the fight
with Demon Emperor Bloodmalva. It was an incredible talisman from the ancient
ages. Even the demon emperor’s demonic miasma had been no match for its powers,
let alone a mere sealing glyph. Sadly, modern talisman masters were no longer
capable of creating talismans of this level.
Jiang Chen activated the talisman without hesitation.
The Skyclearer Talisman materialized as an ancient celestial
god and instantly shattered the sealing glyph with an overwhelmingly formidable
aura.
Jiang Chen was completely dumbfounded after witnessing this
might.
Ah… I’ve put such a fine talisman to ridiculously petty use.
He was filled with regret when he saw how powerful it was. He never would’ve
imagined that it would be so useful. Fortunately, this talisman can be used
thrice. I’ve wasted it once, so I’ll have to use it sparingly in the future.
Jiang Chen stowed the talisman back safely and activated the
Ancient Crimson Formation Disk. A formation designed for trapping enemies
instantly connected with the Nine Sparks Petalstorm Formation. The mountain was
completely wrapped in formations.
“Everyone, it’s time for you to display your skill!”
The three great emperor assassins that Emperor Pillzenith
were rushing up the mountain to encircle Jiang Chen, but they found themselves
trapped in a formation instead. When they looked up the mountain again, their
target had drifted away.
Whoosh whoosh whoosh whoosh! Figures kept surging out from
all directions around the mountain.
“Kill them!” Jiang Chen shouted.
Emperor Wellspring took the lead. The precious sword in his
hand slashed forward a dazzling arc of radiance that roiled towards Emperor
Shura.
Mo Wushuang didn't hold back either as he deployed his arts
and thundered towards Emperor Shura.
In terms of cultivation, Emperor Wellspring was possibly
superior to Shura, and Peerless’ was on par with Shura. Throwing in Vastsea
into the mix made for a three against one situation. Shura burning his
bloodline powers didn’t help it one iota. He’d been gravely injured by
Vastsea’s blow, so his battle strength was a far cry from his usual peak form.
Emperor Wellspring was teaming up with Peerless on the
mountain while the other nine wandering great emperors split into three groups,
surrounding the three assassins and attacking furiously.
Given how the premises were enclosed by a formation that
Jiang Chen was constantly monitoring and powering with the Earth Bodhisattva
Orb, the would-be attackers were fish in a barrel. Their only function was to
be beaten up. There was no escape to be had.
Although they had many trump cards to help them flee, they
didn’t have a chance to use them at all. Everyone was facing off with three
opponents. There wasn't much a cultivation gap between fellow great emperors,
so being disadvantaged in numbers meant that victory was impossible.
Besides, given the formation surrounding them, they’d have
to leave the current area first before they could use any escape glyphs. As
wondrous as their glyphs might be, they were useless when trapped in the
formation.
Increasing surprise assaulted Shura as he battled on. He’d
recognized the sword in Wellspring’s hand. “Emperor Wellspring, I have no feud
or conflict with you. Why do you force me so threateningly?”
Peerless however, shouted. “Shura, you upset the natural
order of things and even the heavens despise you! What more do you have to say
for yourself?”
“Pah! Mo Wushuang, I'd thought you were a man, but to think
you're willing to be Sacred Peafowl Mountain’s loyal dog! Is this all that a
wandering heavyweight is good for?” Shura may be receiving a beating, but his
mouth was working overtime.
Emperor Wellspring responded blandly. “Shura, I wouldn’t
make a move against you if we were outside Sacred Peafowl Mountain. The young
lord has paid us to protect him on these grounds, so I’m afraid my actions will
give offense. Just like young lord Zhen said, you wouldn’t be faced with death
if you didn’t go looking for it.”
Shura roared angrily as he’d been hit repeatedly as they
conversed.
“Vastsea, you traitorous scum who sells out his own master!
When have I ever mistreated you?? How dare you betray your master for personal
gain? Do you think you can wash yourself clean if you throw yourself to this
brat’s mercy? Do you want me to reveal all the ugly things you’ve done?” Shura
now turned his attention to Vastsea.
Emperor Vastsea’s possessed an incredibly thick face and he
retorted coldly. “Shura, there’s no point in trying to drive a wedge between
people now. I won’t regret any decision I’ve made. This way is still better
than yours to hell! I tried to convince you not to come back to Veluriyam Capital,
that you shouldn’t take the risk. But you decided to strike out on your own
anyways and dragged me down without my consent. Did you ever ask if I wanted
any of this?”
“Pfft, look at you finding excuses for being afraid of
death!” Emperor Shura was incensed beyond believe.
“That’s right, I’m afraid of death. It’s been a long and
arduous journey to reaching great emperor. Why should I accompany you when I
know that only death awaits me?” Emperor Vastsea didn’t deny things at all.
“Shameless, shameless!” Shura bellowed, apoplectic. “I’m
going to kill you, traitor, if that’s the last thing I do!”
A ghastly scream sounded in the distance. One of Emperor
Pillzenith’s great emperors was just a hair weaker than the rest. He’d suffered
a critical blow in his fight, which meant that the fight was soon to be
decided. Scrapes and surface injuries wouldn’t determine the winds of battle,
but fatal wounds could.
Repeated moves blasted into that great emperor as he
shrieked and howled in agony. His body was tossed up like a sandbag and light
from a sword flashed by behind him. It graced his neck, shooting a large head
up into the sky. Blood spurted out in arrows, marking the fall of a great
emperor.
None of the wandering great emperors were foolishly kind people.
Since they’d decided to take action, they wouldn’t just stop at first blood.
After offing one opponent, nine of them circled the
remaining two. The two fought with the desperation of a caged beast, but their
mindsets had become fragile with the demise of their companion. They put their
backs to each other and barely managed to defend their stance, but their
situation was perilous.
Emperor Inferno charged ahead, sending a dominating dragon
of fire churning towards the two. Emperor Reliance wasn’t to be outdone and
notched an arrow onto her bow, Lifereaper. She too was ready to take their
lives at any second.
“Daoist Inferno and Reliance, please hold!” The two broke
down and begged for mercy when they saw that the two great emperors had readied
their killing moves. The would-be assassins were in a disguise, so it was
impossible to tell who they were from appearances.
Emperor Inferno blinked when he heard the cry and sniffed
coldly. “How do the two of you know this great emperor?”
Lifereaper remained taut.
“Fellow daoists, we’re all wandering cultivators here, why
seek our deaths?” The two ripped off their disguises to reveal their true
faces.
“It’s you two?” Emperor Inferno started. He and Reliance
actually did know the two.
“The Jiao brothers of Mt. Huai?” Emperor Reliance was
startled as well.
“It’s us, it’s us.” The two begged piteously as they knew
they were dead without a doubt if the fight continued. “Daoist Inferno and
Reliance, we have the same roots, why torment each other like this? Why do
wandering cultivators have to make life difficult for other wandering cultivators?”
Emperor Inferno hesitated. He was a straightforward man, but
not someone who enjoyed killing for the sake of killing. If the two hadn’t
revealed themselves or had they been sect experts, he would’ve given the kill
order without another thought. But the two were actually wandering cultivator
experts and they all knew each other.
Even though the Jiao brothers weren’t as famed as he, they
still ranked at the top. In the world of wandering cultivators, the top experts
rarely tried to kill each other.
This was a slightly dicey situation now. Emperor Inferno’s
eyes flitted over to his counterpart, wondering what thoughts she had.
Emperor Reliance giggled. “Don’t look at me. Ole Brother
Hui’s over there dealing with Shura. You’re in charge here. We’ll kill them if
you say so and refrain if you say no.”
The other great emperors with them didn’t say anything, but
the answer was clear in their eyes. They would listen to Emperor Inferno. He
smiled wryly. “This is nuts. Jiao Yun, Jiao Feng, are you two mad? Why are you
involved in Veluriyam Capital’s internal conflict?”
The Jiao brothers complained ruefully. “Daoist Inferno,
we’re equally resigned. We’re not interested in this conflict at all! But we
owe some people some favors and they wanted us to come here to attack young
lord Zhen. There’s nothing we can do about it either.”
“This complicates things. We have a business transaction
with the young lord. If we let you go, we’ll be violating the principles of the
transaction.” Emperor Inferno mused. “It’s up to the young lord whether you
live or die.”
Sweat beaded the Jiao brothers’ forehead. They were
tremendously shocked that so many wandering cultivator heavyweights were
willing to listen to the young lord’s orders. What was going on here?
Chapter 1262: Jiang Chens Marvelous Move
In the wandering cultivator world, the Jiao brothers of Mt.
Huai had a certain degree of prestige. They weren’t as famous as the six
titans, but they still wouldn’t have come at Emperor Pillzenith’s beck and call
if he didn’t have dirt on them. Moreover, the emperor had told them that the
task wouldn’t be difficult. They just had to listen to Emperor Shura’s orders
and kill Veluriyam Capital’s young lord.
As long as they could pull that off, the debt they owed to
Emperor Pillzenith would be cancelled out. That was why the Jiao brothers had
agreed to help Pillfire City in the first place. The only reason, honestly.
They’d analyzed the situation before coming to Veluriyam,
arriving at the conclusion that the job actually wasn’t hard. After all, the
young lord was only an emperor realm genius. So what if he had an expert like
Mo Wushuang by his side? Could the five of them not deal with one measly young
lord?
Therefore, the Jiao brothers hadn’t expected anything
life-threatening on the trip. Even if they couldn’t kill young lord Zhen, they
should’ve had no problem making a tactical retreat. They hadn’t expected such a
drastic change in the situation.
They couldn’t even control their own lives anymore! This was
truly an astonishing turn for the worse. From what Emperor Inferno was saying,
if young lord Zhen didn’t forgive them, it was a very real possibility that
their peers would cut them down where they stood. After all, they were peers in
name only. Each man fended for himself.
“Daoist Inferno, you’ll be the laughingstock of the
wandering cultivator world if you kill us here. We are fellow wanderers. How
can we squabble among ourselves? Wouldn’t such a thing be ridiculed by
everyone?” The elder brother, Jiao Yun, protested loudly.
“That’s right. We’ve admitted defeat already. Daoist
Inferno, Daoist Reliance, are you really going to stamp us out?” The younger
brother, Jiao Feng, sounded just as resentful as his brother.
Jiang Chen had been observing the proceedings all this time,
and snickered when he heard what the Jiao brothers were trying to pull. “The
Jiao brothers of Mt. Huai, hmm? Your reputation precedes you. Are you a pair of
death-fearing cowards?”
The brothers knew the speaker was young lord Zhen. Though
they were inwardly furious, they didn’t dare to lash out. Their lives were in
the young man’s grasp, after all.
Veluriyam Capital’s young lord didn’t wait for a response
before continuing. “You call yourselves fellow wanderers. Are you saying that
your opinion of the two emperors here has decreased after you’ve seen them help
me?
“Why don’t you think about what you were doing by coming
here in the first place? Who sent you? Do you think it’s more honorable to
attack Veluriyam Capital at his orders? What, is Emperor Inferno and the others
not allowed to make a deal to assist my defense?”
Jiang Chen taunted the brothers with cold scorn. He could
see that the Jiao brothers were trying to use the wandering cultivator
community’s loyalty and justice as a tool. The brothers wanted to use something
for the common good selfishly to save their own lives. However, they’d
forgotten that Emperor Inferno and company were here to assist him with
self-defense. There was no shame in that whatsoever anywhere.
Countless experts in the wandering cultivator world were
hired for precisely such a task. This was a perfectly ordinary occurrence by
any stretch of the imagination. But the Jiao brothers had been hired to mount
an open assault on another faction. That was something entirely different. One
was premeditated murder, the other was justified self-defense.
When judged, the former were naturally the unreasonable
party. Therefore, Jiang Chen was obliged to jump out with criticism when he
heard what the Jiao brothers were attempting to do.
Emperor Inferno nodded at Jiang Chen’s words. “Jiao Yun,
Jiao Feng. You are wandering cultivator experts, and yet you attacked Veluriyam
Capital on behalf of another. What right do you have to tell us what’s right
and wrong?”
The Jiao brothers sweated in embarrassment. They had no
ground to stand on when a more serious, logical approach was taken. Why would
one bother to reason with dogs who had aggressively bitten them?
The brothers were both quite distressed. Jiao Yun was the
first one to express contrition. “Never mind, then. I suppose there are worse
ends than dying at the hands of one’s fellow wandering cultivators. Do your
worst.”
Emperor Inferno gazed thoughtfully at Jiang Chen. “Young
lord Zhen, the Jiao brothers of Mt. Huai aren't usually bastardly scum. We
fight for separate masters in this battle, but I must ask for mercy on their
behalf.”
The other great emperor participants were displeased by
Emperor Inferno’s intervention.
“Daoist Inferno, you couldn’t possibly be pleading for their
lives? If you do, then how will we get our Pinecrane Pills?”
“Isn’t that right? Now’s not the time for unnecessary
compassion, Daoist Inferno.”
“Daoist Inferno, I thought you were a decisive man. Are you
going to give up now for such a trivial reason?” Even Emperor Reliance’s eyes
glittered. She was considering the merit of her peer’s suggestion rather than
accepting it outright.
The wandering cultivators present were all acting for the
sake of their own Pinecrane Pill. They didn’t bear much actual loyalty to young
lord Zhen. Not killing the brothers of Mt. Huai was insufficient fulfillment of
their promises. If they didn’t use their full strength, then young lord Zhen
had the right to renege. If he did, then today would’ve been a big waste of
time.
That went against the reason they had agreed to come in the
first place. Even a man as influential as Emperor Inferno couldn't make the
decision in their stead. Unless… young lord Zhen also agreed to show the
brothers mercy.
The Jiao brothers finally understood what was going on. The
other great emperors’ murderous gazes made their scalps sting. The others in
attendance alone were enough to overwhelm them.
“Young lord Zhen…” Emperor Inferno wanted to keep trying.
“I know what you want to say, Emperor Inferno,” Jiang Chen
smiled faintly. “They were only working for someone else, so there’s no point
shooting the messenger. But if I don’t, will my Pinecrane Pill really be worth
the effort you’ve expended so far? A deal can’t be unequal.”
The young lord’s words made a lot of sense. There was no
room for Emperor Inferno to criticize him. Even the emperor himself thought
that it was unreasonable to expect Jiang Chen to pay for only what they’d done
so far. No man could accept releasing a bunch of ruffians who had come to his
doorstep. Emperor Inferno had no right to force Jiang Chen to do that.
“Ah, let’s wait until Old Brother Hui finishes his fight and
have him arbitrate.” He deferred to await further input.
Jiang Chen presented a slight smile in the meantime. “The
Jiao brothers, correct? I’d like to know what Emperor Pillzenith was able to
give you to get two wandering cultivator seniors to fight for him willingly?
Why did you risk your lives in coming here for?”
The youth was quite curious about this. If Emperor
Pillzenith had extensive control over the wandering cultivator world, then he
was a terrifying opponent indeed.
Jiao Yun sighed with exasperation. “There’s no point
relating the entire story. It would only bring us further shame. What can we
do? We owe him a favor. Kill us if you wish, young lord Zhen. We are in your
hands.”
Though the Jiao brothers showed occasional trickery, they
had a few shreds of dignity. They would never kneel and beg for their lives.
However, what Jiang Chen had just heard was material proof that Emperor
Pillzenith was involved.
Jiang Chen nodded slightly, his tone serious. “Jiao
brothers, Emperor Pillzenith hired you for this job. Similarly, I hired Emperor
Inferno and the others for one job only. If I don’t kill you, I’ll be at a
loss. Therefore, I have a suggestion that nets us both a gain in the end.
Whether you accept it is entirely up to you. Just like my deal with the other
wandering cultivators, I don’t wish to compel you either way.”
The lifeline that the young lord had thrown astonished the
brothers. Their heads perked up, their minds piqued.
Emperor Inferno blinked, glancing at Jiang Chen with
bewilderment. Emperor Reliance, on the other hand, carried a sweet smile on her
visage. Judging from her ponderous expression, she seemed to have guessed what
was going to happen next.
“It’s very simple. Veluriyam Capital has a lot of things
that need to be done, and quickly. If you are willing to join Sacred Peafowl
Mountain, you’ll not only live today, but also become esteemed guest elders of
our faction.”
Jiang Chen said this very matter-of-factly, but the content
shocked every wandering cultivator present. Young lord Zhen was recruiting the
Jiao brothers for Veluriyam Capital?
A strange scene, indeed. The other wandering great emperors
were a bit dumbfounded. How had it come to this point so suddenly and
unexpectedly? Hadn’t they been fighting just moments earlier?
They were wandering cultivator experts helping Veluriyam
Capital to rope in a few of their fellows. No matter how one looked at it, that
kind of situation was exceedingly odd. But further consideration revealed that
it made a lot more sense than one would expect.
Since the Jiao brothers’ lives were in young lord Zhen’s
hands, wasn’t it very appropriate that he would ask them to join up instead of
killing them? The young man himself said that they desperately needed talent.
The proposition came as a surprise to the Jiao brothers as
well.
“At the end of the day, it’s your choice,” Jiang Chen said
coolly. “I never force anyone to do anything. The fruits of such labor are
rarely sweet.”
The brothers exchanged several meaningful looks, clearly
communicating with each other. They’d been caught in a deathtrap. Either they
died here and now or they joined up. There was no third choice.
Death ended all things.
Joining up would elevate them to becoming esteemed guest
elders of Sacred Peafowl Mountain. There was nothing intrinsically wrong with
that. Perhaps it was a bit embarrassing from a self dignity point of view since
wandering cultivator experts generally prided themselves on their aloofness.
They never fawned over authority, nor did they bow to the prominent.
They were sure to receive disdain from the wandering
cultivator world if they suddenly attached themselves to Sacred Peafowl
Mountain. Even a giant like Mo Wushuang who’d done so to repay a kindness had
endured a similar, albeit reduced, reaction.
Their reputation wasn’t as strong as Mo Wushuang’s, so there
was no reason to expect any better. But what was a reputational hit compared to
death itself?
Moreover, there was nothing to lose and everything to gain
by joining Sacred Peafowl Mountain. Young lord Zhen’s current ability and
magnanimity showed that he was quite possibly capable of greater heights than
Emperor Peafowl. It wasn’t a bad choice when one thought about it.
If they had to enslave themselves to Sacred Peafowl
Mountain, they would’ve never accepted that condition. But if they could exist
on the same level as Mo Wushuang, that in itself was somewhat reputable. By
this point, the Jiao brothers had made their choice.
Chapter 1263: Immense Shared Joy
Wandering cultivators had pride, for sure. The Jiao brothers
of Mt. Huai had their own pride, but they were forced to relinquish their grasp
on it when confronted with life and death. Moreover, young lord Zhen had given
them an easy way out. They weren’t obligated to be slaves, but esteemed guest
elders instead. What more could they ask for?
Not surrendering at this point was completely foolish.
“We are willing to submit to your will, young lord Zhen.”
“Is that what you really think?” There was no hint of joy on
Jiang Chen’s face yet. “I repeat: the choice is yours, but you must live up to
it. Inconstancy or disloyalty will not be permitted at Sacred Peafowl
Mountain.”
The Jiao brothers were smart enough to understand that they
were being pushed to make a declaration.
“We brothers swear to the heavens that we shall be part of
Sacred Peafowl Mountain henceforth and perpetually stay loyal to it. Young lord
Zhen’s wish will be our command. If we break our word, let heaven and earth
smite us!”
They would be idiotic not to take the offered way out. A
declaration of loyalty was well within reason to demand. There was no reason
for them to hesitate. The oath to the heavens instantly made them closer with
the young lord and their new faction.
“Excellent. From today on, you two belong to Sacred Peafowl
Mountain.” Chuckling, Jiang Chen saluted Emperor Inferno with cupped fist.
“You’ve kept to your promises well. Our deal stands. There is one spot of
trouble that remains over there, though… what say you?”
Jiang Chen glanced coolly over in Emperor Shura’s direction.
Under the encirclement of Emperors Wellspring, Peerless, and Vastsea, the
former second-best of Veluriyam Capital was becoming increasingly desperate.
Instinct alone carried him onward.
The Jiao brothers cackled. “We’re fresh inductees into
Sacred Peafowl Mountain, young lord Zhen, so we haven’t contributed much yet. I
think it’s we should show our sincerity. Daoist Inferno and the others can take
a break. We’ll take their places instead. Shura is at his wit’s end, and his
strength is almost out.”
“Sounds reasonable,” Jiang Chen smiled faintly. “We’ll have
Emperors Inferno and Reliance back you up then. I’d like to ensure that he does
not escape.”
Though he knew clearly that Emperor Shura had been trapped,
Jiang Chen wanted absolute surety. He could not afford to allow a vital threat
to live another day. A destructive unknown like Emperor Shura had to be
destroyed immediately. Left unchecked, it was a thorn in his side that
continually pained him.
The Jiao brothers’ participation only made the situation
more lopsided. Emperor Shura still thought they were his helpers. He hadn’t
paid much attention to the fight nearby, and was therefore completely unaware
of the brothers’ change in allegiance.
“Good that you came, friends,” he shouted energetically.
“Let’s put our strengths together and get out here. We’ll come back another
day!”
The Jiao brothers traded a look, snickering internally
despite themselves. How had they followed such an idiot to Veluriyam Capital?
Wordlessly, the duo raised their weapons on Emperor Shura.
The desperate emperor was completely unguarded against them.
In fact, he’d had high hopes for their helping hand. There was no time for him
to react to their unexpected assault. He was suddenly mired in the middle of
five belligerent opponents.
Shrieking incessantly, he and his defenses began to weaken
as more wounds appeared on his body.
Intent on impressing the young lord of their new faction,
the Jiao brothers put a hundred and twenty percent into their efforts.
Individually, a single brother was weaker than Emperor Peerless. In tandem,
however, they were unquestionably mightier. Their fresh participation meant
that Emperor Shura’s only recourse was to take the incoming beating.
Thump! The attacks landed upon Emperor Shura’s body
simultaneously, disintegrating his Shura Rings of Life and Death completely.
The seven violet rings dissipated into thin air.
Because the Rings were the emperor’s most intimate defensive
treasure, his body was laid bare to the five assailants after it was destroyed.
Another combined attack was enough to smash the spiteful
emperor’s last hopes into smithereens. The terrifying energy reduced the man to
dust and ashes. The man who was once the number two great emperor of Veluriyam
Capital was dead. What remained of him was scattered upon the wind, lost in the
breeze at the foot of Sacred Peafowl Mountain.
Letting out a loud bark of laughter, Emperor Wellspring
returned his blade to its sheath. “I’ve done as you asked, young lord Zhen. I
can finally have some peace of mind for taking your Pinecrane Pill.”
“That is so. Well done, and thank you for your hard work,”
smiled Jiang Chen.
Emperor Wellspring waved a hand. “Now that I have the
Pinecrane Pill, please excuse me. I’ll pass on the Dragon and Tiger Meet.”
Today’s events were evidently more awkward than the senior
emperor would’ve liked. Out of so many great emperors here, he was the only one
to have gotten a Pinecrane Pill ahead of time. The others were still waiting in
line. Making his exit would help restore some of his personal dignity.
Jiang Chen laughed. “Senior Hui, today’s happenings were
only a small prelude to what is to come. There are many more causes for
excitement down the line. Why are you leaving so soon? What a pity if you do.”
Mo Wushuang chuckled as well. “Old Brother Hui, don’t blame
me for not reminding you later: young lord Zhen has prepared an excellent
program for the Meet. If you miss out, you’ll regret it for the rest of your
life. Don’t you want to hear the mysterious expert from Myriad Abyss Island
lecture?”
When he heard that, Emperor Wellspring couldn’t lift another
foot. “Young lord Zhen,” he coughed bashfully, “you’re definitely an expert at
tantalizing others.”
Jiang Chen flashed a winning smile. He knew from those words
that the senior emperor was no longer leaving. Emperor Wellspring was a
heavyweight in the wandering cultivator world. The Dragon and Tiger Meet would
be much less grand without his presence. There was no way the young man was
simply going to let him go.
As for the others, they wouldn’t leave now even if he tried
to dismiss them. They hadn’t gotten their Pinecrane Pills yet; in what world
would they be willing to leave?
Saluting with cupped fist, he addressed them once more.
“After the Dragon and Tiger Meet, I’ll refine the pills as soon as I get my
hands on the materials. I guarantee there will be no trickery involved.”
“Hehe, we’ll wait patiently for the good news.” Emperor
Reliance giggled.
“Of course. I won’t let any of you down. Right, one more thing.
Please keep today a secret. After all, Emperor Pillzenith had something to do
with this. I wouldn’t want you to antagonize Pillfire City over factional
affairs.”
These words improved the wandering cultivators’ impression
of him. Veluriyam’s young lord wasn’t attempting to blackmail them into joining
Sacred Peafowl Mountain. That was something they absolutely did not want to
happen.
They had helped for the sake of the Pinecrane Pill, not for
a long-lasting relationship with Sacred Peafowl Mountain. Similarly, they had
no intention of making an enemy out of Pillfire City. The enmity between the
two mega-factions was theirs and theirs alone. No wandering cultivator wanted
to get himself caught up in the chaos.
“Please inform the other great emperors that came today as
well. Let’s not let any wind of this out, eh?” Jiang Chen continued.
“No need to worry, young lord Zhen,” Emperor Wellspring
stated smoothly. “We are more than capable enough of shouldering any
consequences from our own decisions. Besides, is Pillfire City stronger than
all of us here put together?”
“That’s right. If Emperor Pillzenith knows what’s good for
him, then he’ll know that we had nothing to do with what happened today. If he
diverts his anger upon us regardless… well, we have ways of dealing with him.”
“That’s right. We are in the right on this matter and need
not consider Pillfire City’s stance. If we had been hired by you for an attack,
then we would be the ones at fault. But defending you outside of your home is
no problem whatsoever.”
“Plus, we had no idea this had anything to do with them
beforehand anyway.”
“Heh heh, even if we did? Are we wandering cultivators
scared of Pillfire City? It’s fine if there’s no trouble, but even if there
were… we wouldn’t just take it lying down.”
No expert in the wandering cultivator world could be
considered meek. Their actions had been preceded by the willingness to take
responsibility. What was a little risk compared to the payoff of a Pinecrane
Pill?
Their upbeat attitudes took the words out of Jiang Chen’s
mouth. He amiably escorted the wandering cultivators down the mountain with a
wide smile.
A little after all of them were sent off, Emperors Void and
Coiling Dragon arrived. Clearly, they had sensed the great battle occurring at
Sacred Peafowl Mountain. Emperors Petalpluck, Mountaincrush, and Skysplitter
swiftly followed.
“Vastsea, why are you here?” Emperor Coiling Dragon’s keen
eye spotted the other emperor from afar. He pounced on the man furiously. “Do
you feel no shame at showing up here? Do you think we won’t kill you for real?”
Emperor Vastsea felt quite awkward. Emperor Coiling Dragon
was the man he was most afraid of, and not of the man’s martial prowess, but
his acerbic tongue.
Jiang Chen put a stop to his friend’s impulsive with a wave.
“Calm down, everyone. Please hear me out. A little while
ago, Emperor Vastsea decided to return to the light. He has done Veluriyam
Capital a great service.”
“What?” Emperor Coiling Dragon thought he’d misheard.
Mo Wushuang stood forward to resolve the situation as well.
“It happened just now. Emperor Shura, in cahoots with Pillfire City, snuck into
Sacred Peafowl Mountain to assassinate young lord Zhen. Emperor Vastsea turned
at a critical moment to inflict a serious wound upon Emperor Shura, allowing us
the opportunity to decimate our traitorous foe once and for all!”
“Huh?” Emperor Coiling Dragon–no, all of the freshly-arrived
emperors–froze in place. Emperor Vastsea had turned… to inflict a serious wound
on Emperor Shura? Why did that sound so very strange?
Wasn’t he one of Shura’s loyal followers?
“There is nothing to suspect, gentlemen. Emperor Shura
pushed even his most intimate confidants away from him through his reckless
behavior. Emperor Vastsea turned back to the light because he wanted to avoid
certain death. That’s not a bad thing for our city as a whole. I would like to
request your charity in this matter. We all make mistakes, some graver than
others.” Jiang Chen attempted to help the former turncoat out of his bind.
“Hold on!” Emperor Void suddenly intensified his gaze.
“Vastsea, there’s only one thing I’d like to ask you. Did you participate in
Emperor Peafowl’s disappearance?”
Chapter 1264: Hearts Together
Emperor Void was a very scrupulous and thorough man, in
contrast to the more impulsive Emperor Coiling Dragon. The morality of the
issue was the first thing that came to the former’s mind. As expected, the
crowd’s collective gaze turned extremely solemn after the question was asked.
Emperor Vastsea had already sworn a vow of innocence to the
Goldbiter Rat King, but he understood young lord Zhen’s pardon alone wasn’t
enough if he wanted to return to Veluriyam Capital. He needed everyone’s
forgiveness and support.
“Everyone, you might think that I’m just trying to avoid
responsibility not matter what I say. Yes, I used to be on Emperor Shura’s
side, and yes, I did possess a fair share of complaints towards Emperor
Peafowl, but I swear Emperor Peafowl’s disappearance has nothing to do with me!
Emperor Shura single handedly planned all of it! May the heavens smite me if I
lie!” He pointed up at the heavens as he swore a solemn vow.
Emperor Coiling Dragon’s expression turned ugly. “And were
you the ones who spread rumors about Emperor Peafowl’s death in order to usurp
the throne?”
Emperor Vastsea nodded, clearly ashen with guilt. Indeed, he
was the mastermind behind the rumors and he’d once been extremely happy about
Emperor Peafowl’s disappearance. However, he quickly realized that Emperor
Shura had picked a fight that couldn’t be won. Regret and dejection flooded in
then. The crowd’s hostility wouldn’t be easy to diffuse, but he had no other
choice. He’d have to bear the shame and burden until he could finally earn
acceptance again.
“Vastsea, since you’re not directly responsible for Emperor
Peafowl’s disappearance, we’ll give you a chance to earn back our trust,
however difficult that may be. It's up to you to cherish this opportunity. For
now, cough up everything you know about Emperor Peafowl’s disappearance. Don’t
exaggerate or hide anything.”
The crowd nodded in agreement with Jiang Chen’s words.
Having been pardoned, Emperor Vastsea bobbed his head up and down rapidly and
spilled the beans. “Here's what I know…”
Emperor Coiling Dragon flew into a rage. “That bastard Shura!
Emperor Peafowl gave him so much guidance during his formative years. Instead
of paying it back, he conspired with the enemy to harm his benefactor?! What an
insatiable ingrate!”
Emperor Void sighed. “It’s fortunate that Veluriyam didn’t
fall into the hands of a villain like him. Our legacy and traditions from the
ancient times would’ve been ruined in an instant.”
Emperor Petalpluck and Mountaincrush exchanged glances,
their eyes filled with relief. They’d supported Emperor Shura calling the
Vassal Meeting and had actually been leaning towards supporting him.
They shuddered at that thought. If young lord Zhen hadn’t
immensely exceeded expectations and won the thirteen round competition,
Veluriyam would’ve fallen into Emperor Shura’s hands. To think that Pillfire
City was supporting Emperor Shura all along! Veluriyam Capital had nearly
fallen to Pillfire City by proxy. They would’ve been condemned through the ages
if they’d allowed that to happen.
“Pillfire City!” Emperor Coiling Dragon gnashed his teeth.
“They’ve gone too far! Shura is already dead, but we can’t put matters to rest
yet! The true mastermind is Pillfire City and Emperor Pillzenith! Shura is
merely their hound!”
“Yes. While we don’t know if Emperor Peafowl is still alive
or not, we’ll make them pay in blood!” The crowd boiled with fury. There’d been
no proof of the legitimacy of the rumors before this. People had been a little
worried, but not overly so. After realizing the truth, it was only natural that
they’d fly into a rage.
Veluriyam Capital had always been on equal footing with
Pillfire City. But to think that Emperor Pillzenith would have such a voracious
appetite. He’d made a move against Emperor Peafowl and attempted to gain
control of Veluriyam Capital!
The powerful Veluriyam titans weren’t going to take this
lying down. Even the normally aloof emperor, Petalpluck, was ruffled by what
had transpired. “Young lord Zhen, I’m ashamed. I was blind and thoughtless for
letting that bastard fool me! If it wasn’t for your insistence and gallantry,
we would’ve been sold to the enemy and we would be none the wiser! From tonight
onwards, the Petalpluck faction vows unyielding support to the young lord!”
“The Mountaincrush faction agrees. We offer unyielding
fealty to young lord Zhen if anything major occurs again in Veluriyam Capital!
Anything the young lord says, we will follow!”
“We support young lord Zhen!” The crowd also declared their
position.
Emperor Vastsea’s face was beet red. “Young lord Zhen, as a
sinner, I have no right to swear fealty to you, but may the heavens smite me if
I do anything to let Veluriyam Capital down in the future! My children and
their descendants shall forever be slaves, never to be liberated again!”
Emperor Vastsea had prostrated himself greatly. The crowd’s
hatred of him slowly diminished with this humble display. He was a great
emperor after all. Killing him would be momentarily fleeting, but he was more
useful to the capital alive. Young lord Zhen definitely had his reasons for
keeping him alive.
“Vastsea, it’s good to see that you realize your own
position. The Vastsea Retreat shall be returned to you, and you may keep your
title. However, you will be last in the rankings. I don’t like pretty words. I
only want to see action. If you truly are repentant, prove it and show your
worth with tangible action.” Jiang Chen didn’t deal too big of a punishment.
“Yes, definitely! I’ll show my sincerity through my actions!
If I ever let everyone down, feel free to spit in my face!” Emperor Vastsea was
elated.
Emperor Void and Coiling Dragon began to understand Jiang
Chen’s actions as they calmed down. Because Sacred Peafowl Mountain’s
foundation hadn’t solidified yet, letting Emperor Vastsea off the hook would
mean gaining another diehard loyalist. He would shed tears of gratitude as long
as he was capable of the slightest thought.
“Alright, now let me introduce two more of our fellow
comrades.” Jiang Chen pointed at the Jiao brothers with a faint smile. “These
are great emperor experts of the wandering world, the Jiao brothers of Mt.
Huai. I’m sure everyone has heard of them?”
The Jiao brothers of Mt. Huai?
Two of the greatest figures in the wandering world!
“Are they the same Jiao brothers that took the Upper Eight
Regions by the storm and upended many a great faction back in the day, Jiao Yun
and Jiao Feng?”
The Jiao brothers were elated that these great emperors had
heard of their name. Even though wandering great emperors were by no means
weaker than ones in a sect, they couldn’t help but feel a little self-conscious
and unconfident when faced with all these faction members.
“Precisely.” Jiang Chen laughed. “The two brothers and
Sacred Peafowl Mountain have become friends after a fight. They’ve officially
sworn to join Sacred Peafowl Mountain as an esteemed guest elder, never to
betray us.”
The Jiao brothers naturally wouldn’t go back on their words
after swearing such a solemn vow.
“Greetings, fellow great emperors.”
“I’ve long heard that Sacred Peafowl Mountain is filled with
great talents and an immense gathering of great emperors. It seems that the
rumors do not lie.” The two brothers were very sociable. It only took them a
short while to become well-acquainted with the circle, their speed of
familiarity quite surprising Jiang Chen.
Emperor Void and Coiling Dragon were equally impressed with
the young lord. They’d actually harbored doubts about the decision to host a
wandering cultivator gathering, but somehow the young lord had recruited the
two brothers before the Meet had officially started. And they also seemed
incredibly loyal and fearfully respectful?
What kind of magic does young lord Zhen have? The Jiao
brothers are famous savages of the four regions to the north east! How did the
young lord earn their unfaltering loyalty? Emperor Petalpluck simply couldn’t
understand. However, having more great emperors in Veluriyam Capital would
never be a bad thing.
Emperor Mountaincrush and Skysplitter were equally as
bewildered. But seeing that even a great titan of the wandering world like
Emperor Peerless had decided to join Sacred Peafowl Mountain, it wasn’t all
that incomprehensible to see the Jiao brothers do the same.
Emperor Shura’s death was kept a temporary secret as Jiang
Chen didn’t want to raise any unnecessary commotion.
...
Inside the young lord residence, the night had grown old but
Jiang Chen was still awake. He was writing scribbling something beneath the
candlelight. He mused deeply as he recalled the afternoon’s battle. After some
long moments, he finally unearthed a martial technique from his memories and
wrote it down.
Come dawn, he looked for Emperor Peerless and asked him to
bring the Jiao brothers with him to the back mountains.
The two brothers were still adjusting to life in a faction.
They’ve always lived in complete freedom so it was a little difficult to adapt
to rules and customs. However, they understood that this was no longer something
they could change. The brothers were incredibly anxious as Emperor Peerless led
the way.
Why had the young lord summoned them? They were worried that
Jiang Chen would send them on an impossible mission, such as assassinating
Emperor Pillzenith.
Jiang Chen stood atop the mountain and greeted the oncoming
group. The Jiao brothers dared not be rude and immediately made return
greetings. “This subordinate greets the young lord.”
Jiang Chen made a sweeping gesture. “You needn’t be overly
formal. Both of you are esteemed guest elders and needn’t bother with those
useless formalities with your great status. I haven’t summoned you here to have
you bow to me. Relax. What’s done is done, let us leave the past behind. I’ll
not cause you unneeded trouble nor will I force unfair treatment upon you.”
The Jiao brothers were ashamed. They’d been read like an
open book. It felt like someone had torn away their clothes in broad daylight.
Emperor Peerless smiled. “I don’t know how sincere you were
when you joined Sacred Peafowl Mountain, but I can honestly say that fortune is
favoring you you.”
The two brothers nodded agreeingly, but it was obvious that
their thoughts differed from their actions. They’d only joined Sacred Peafowl
Mountain because the circumstances necessitated it. To say that fortune had
favored them was a little difficult to believe.
Chapter 1265: True Submission With Good Grace
The experiences from Jiang Chen’s past life meant that he
had an excellent eye for people. The Jiao brothers’ lukewarm attitudes gave
away their lack of agreement with Mo Wushuang’s words. The young man was
perfectly fine with this. He knew that wandering great emperors tended to be
wild and untamed. The Jiao brothers had only joined up with Sacred Peafowl
Mountain out of necessity.
They needed to be more substantially convinced of Sacred
Peafowl Mountain’s greatness, of his own competence and skill as young lord.
Only then would he truly win their allegiance.
Tapping a finger against a nearby pine branch, Jiang Chen
looked at the Jiao brothers with casual nonchalance. “Gentlemen, when you
fought three to nine, your companion died in that battle. Did you consider that
if you were just a tiny bit stronger, perhaps you would’ve easily escaped from
those numbers?”
The Jiao brothers blinked, unsure why young lord Zhen was
suddenly saying something like this.
Jiang Chen ignored their reaction, carrying on with a
question. “Old Brother Mo, do you think things would’ve been different if, say,
either Emperor Everviolet or Sabledeep had taken their place instead?”
Mo Wushuang pondered a moment before responding. “Hard to
say. Emperors Everviolet and Sabledeep are some of the best of the best. If they
were set on making a break for it, they’d have a small chance even if they
fighting against nine others.”
“A small chance.” Jiang Chen nodded. “You’re right. The
world of martial dao can be a cruel place. A small difference in strength can
mean the difference between life and death. If Emperor Shura had been a bit
stronger, he could’ve escaped even with both you and Emperor Wellspring on his
tail. It’s a matter of cultivation level in the end.”
Emperor Peerless deeply agreed with this statement. “That’s
correct,” he nodded. “A hair’s breadth can turn out to be a world of
difference.”
Jiang Chen concurred. “I saw what went on during that fight
pretty closely. From that, I think I’ve noticed a few issues you may want to
address.”
“Issues?” The Jiao brothers blinked in unison.
“Yes, issues with both of your comprehension of martial
dao.” Jiang Chen smiled faintly. “You two have cultivated a martial technique
designed to be used in tandem with each other. However, cultivation-related
reasons have led to your inability to perfectly harmonize your strikes. This
has affected your battle strength when fighting together, yes?”
The brothers were bewildered. They couldn’t believe what
they’d just heard. Did young lord Zhen have eyes that sharp? They did have a
martial technique designed to be used in unison, but certain problems meant
that they couldn’t hone it to the peak of its potential. Because of this, they
couldn’t unleash maximum power in practical situations.
If the technique could be cultivated to its highest mastery,
their offensive and defensive strengths would be amplified by a great deal.
They could’ve fought their collective ways out then. This secret between the
two of them was entirely unknown to the outside world.
Yet, Jiang Chen had pointed it out at a glance. The duo
looked at the young man with doubt and distress.
“Young lord Zhen, if you’ll excuse me saying this,” Jiao Yun
couldn’t help but protest. “We’re pretty ordinary among our peers, but we are
still great emperors at the end of the day. You’re definitely a martial dao
genius, but you’re also very young. Were you really able to understand
everything you saw in that battle?”
Jiao Feng provided tacit agreement through inclining his
head. The brothers had fought countless experts, but none of their opponents
had ever been able to see the crux of their problem. The possibility that young
lord Zhen surpassed all of their former foes was incredible. Or was it just a
lucky guess?
As if he knew what they were thinking, Jiang Chen smiled
serenely. “That fight back there looked hectic, but there was nothing
complicated about it. I saw and understood all of it. You had three chances to
escape, but you were always one step short in the end. Once, you were forced
back by Emperor Inferno. Another time, intimidated by Emperor Reliance’s
arrows. And the last time, hemmed in by Ye Jianlei’s powerful sword aura. You
had a sixty-to-seventy percent chance at getting away in the final case, but
you were too scared of losing. I can sympathize. Losing often means instant
death, after all, but that’s what stopped you.”
Boom. The Jiao brothers felt their minds reel in disbelief.
The youth’s acumen was too piercing to take in. It was as the young lord before
them had said. They did, indeed, have three chances to escape, all three of
which they let slip away.
Ye Jianlei’s sword aura had presented the best window of
opportunity. Unfortunately, they hadn’t managed to grasp it at all, instead
being forced into a dead end. Jiang Chen’s pointing out of the fight’s
intricacies shook the Jiao brothers to the core. They finally realized that
Sacred Peafowl Mountain’s current young lord was much more astute than they’d
given him credit for.
He really had understood their fight earlier. He could
recount and analyze every little step. It was impossible to do that without
extraordinary perceptiveness. For the Jiao brothers, this only added another
layer of awe to the young lord’s person. They were beginning to comprehend why
he had become Sacred Peafowl Mountain’s young lord despite his inexperience.
Veluriyam Capital’s young lord, even! He seemed to have real talent.
Such keenness of sight from a young genius alone was quite
marvellous.
There was nothing easy about reading a brawl between great
emperors. One-on-one duels were a lot more apparent in their flows. Which party
was weaker, which party was stronger, where the dangers and flaws appeared, et
cetera… all of this and more was reasonably transparent to an adroit observer.
In a brawl, it was very difficult to keep a single pair of
eyes trained on so many people and details. But young lord Zhen had pulled it
off with tremendous aplomb. Slowly, very slowly, the Jiao brothers let go of
their pride. They were forced to admit that young lord Zhen’s martial dao
knowledge was expansive beyond compare.
In truth, Mo Wushuang was as surprised as they were. He’d
been occupied with Emperor Shura at the time and had missed the fight. Still,
the Jiao brothers’ expressions told him that young lord Zhen more than likely
had a point. Their reactions wouldn’t have been so exaggerated otherwise.
However, Jiang Chen went on as if he hadn’t noticed anything
out of the ordinary. “If your tandem technique had been just a bit stronger in
that battle, you would have certainly been able to break through Ye Jianlei’s
defense and flee. Well, have a sixtyish percent chance at least.”
With a flourish of his sleeve, he sent a few pieces of paper
airborne. They fluttered down to the Jiao brothers. The brothers took them
almost reflexively. A single glance was enough to blanch their faces.
The papers delineated each and every crucial moment in their
fight in excruciating detail. The descriptions were vivid and straightforward.
Moreover, one of the sheets showed them what would’ve happened if their
technique had functioned at its theoretical full power instead. The conjecture
that Jiang Chen had written was watertight.
The brothers were positively incredulous by the final sheet,
their bodies trembling in trepidation. Their expressions transitioned from
shock to joy, then admiration and gratitude. Gratefulness flashed in the
brothers’ eyes. “Did you pull an all-nighter for this, young lord Zhen?”
“I had a bit of time last night. A few idle thoughts about
what had taken place during the day, if you will.”
The brothers looked at each other, blatant admiration
brimming in their eyes. “Idle thoughts… just a few idle thoughts, eh. But
you’ve seen right through what we couldn’t in many, many decades. Are you
teaching us through these words, young lord?” Jiao Yun murmured.
Jiang Chen’s expression was mild. “You’re great emperors.
I’m only first level emperor realm. You can hardly call that ‘teaching’. Even a
wise man sometimes makes mistakes, just as a fool sometimes blunders upon
wisdom. A mere flash of inspiration, I assure you.”
The Jiao brothers were quiet a long while. Suddenly, they
took a simultaneous kneel. “Young lord Zhen, we were fools not to recognize Mt.
Tai. News of your genius have spread far and wide, and we were idiotic not to
believe them. There is often a kernel of truth buried in rumor, and in your
case, I think it encompasses the entire grain.”
“You’ve fully won our respect this time.”
“Please excuse our earlier rudeness, young lord Zhen. We
shudder to think of the extent we misrepresented you. Everyone knows that your
pill dao genius is unrivaled, but we can see now that your genius extends to
your martial dao as well. Having so much understanding of martial dao at such a
young age… that’s absolutely astounding.”
Like most wandering cultivators, the Jiao brothers had plenty
of pride and dignity. Even though the situation at the time had compelled them
to join Sacred Peafowl Mountain, they hadn’t really wholeheartedly submitted to
its authority. But that was no longer true now.
A few thin sheets of paper outlined the key to their life’s
cultivation. Furthermore, it clarified complexities which had formerly
perplexed them.
“We’ve always thought our technique was perfect, young lord
Zhen. We didn’t realize that the manuscript we were cultivating from was
incomplete.”
“If it wasn’t incomplete, your unified technique would be
many times more potent, no?” Jiang Chen smiled patiently. He had read virtually
every book in the heavenly planes. In his eyes, the strongest techniques of the
mortal planes were absolute simplicity. The barest amount of simulation was
enough to find and fill in their flaws.
But what was easy for him was a once-in-a-lifetime
opportunity for the Jiao brothers. It opened a brand-new door on their path of
cultivation. Henceforth, they entered new, much broadened horizons. How could
this not utterly satisfy the brothers?
Chapter 1266: The Meet Begins
Emperor Peerless was amazed that Jiang Chen was able to
subdue the rowdy Jiao brothers with a few simple strokes. He’d witnessed many
marvelous facets of the young man already, but every passing moment near the
youth showed that he’d still only seen the tip of the iceberg. The young genius
seemed to be a natural, inexhaustible goldmine. There was endless treasure to
be found within him.
“What do you think, friends? Did I deceive you earlier?” A
smiling Mo Wushuang looked toward the Jiao brothers.
Both brothers were ashamed. They cupped their fists.
“Brother Mo, we are the ones who couldn’t tell wheat from chaff. We thought you
were exaggerating, but we were the frogs in the bottom of the well all along.
There’s nothing more to say. We submit wholly and utterly.”
“You know, I have the same kind of pride that you do,”
laughed Mo Wushuang. “However, I’ve never regretted joining Sacred Peafowl
Mountain. I’ve only experienced satisfaction and delight since then. I’ve
walked this world thousands of years, never believing that there could be a
peerless genius anywhere… that is, until I met young lord Zhen. There are some
geniuses in the world that others aren’t meant to reach.”
Truly, the young lord was a genius.
Here was an emperor realm young genius who could instruct
great emperor experts on martial dao! That was jaw-dropping enough to shock the
entire world. But young lord Zhen had done precisely that.
No matter how big of an ego the Jiao brothers had
originally, they couldn’t maintain it in the face of this truth. As the saying
went, no matter how good one was, there was always someone better.
Today, they’d had seen the saying in action. Granted, their
pride was understandable given their status as great emperors. They’d reached a
pinnacle of martial dao, a level unattainable by the vast majority of mankind.
There were as many cultivators in the world as stars in the
heavens. Out of that, only a handful was ever visible. Only a handful ever rose
to the top. Each and every one who’d managed the feat had done so by wading
through innumerable dead. There might not be a single great emperor out of a
hundred million!
The Jiao brothers had always had a high level of
self-esteem. They didn’t especially respect even the biggest factions’ head
honchos. What was special about those high and mighty guys? They’d just been
lucky enough to be born into their circumstances. Their strength and status was
backed by their organization’s resources.
Wandering cultivators were completely different. They had to
fight tooth and nail for each inch of cultivation. Because of the hard work
required, they were unable to fully let go their pride. Jiang Chen’s singular
move had easily destroyed all of their self-pride.
The young lord waved a hand. “All three of you will be
strong pillars for Sacred Peafowl Mountain in the future. Please make
yourselves comfortable. I have other matters I must attend to. Please excuse
me.”
Having done all he’d wanted to do, he departed without
another word. The point of the exercise had been to display intimidating
prowess. He wanted to quash the Jiao brothers’ pride in order to integrate them
more fully into Sacred Peafowl Mountain. Otherwise, they would pose a problem
down the line for the faction as a whole. The others wouldn’t accept a pair of
arrogant men into the fold, regardless of their strength or expertise.
After the young man left for good, Jiao Yun let out a sigh.
“Brother Mo, who is young lord Zhen’s master? His martial dao knowledge is
terrifying.”
“Yes. I know he was an impartial observer, but that fight
took place at astounding speed. I’m surprised he managed to grasp as many key
points as he did. Even Emperor Peafowl might not have been able to fix the
flaws with our martial technique.”
Truthfully, it wasn’t a possibility but a certainty. There
was no way Emperor Peafowl would’ve been able to pull the same thing off. Jiang
Chen’s martial dao knowledge was peerless in the heavenly planes. Such ability
wasn’t something great emperors living in mortal planes could comprehend.
Mo Wushuang chuckled. “Like I said earlier, you’re seeing
only the tip of his proverbial iceberg.”
“What, this is just the tip?”
Emperor Peerless smiled coolly. “What, do you think the
young lord is limited to just this?”
The Jiao brothers were at a loss for words. After thinking
about it a bit more, they came to the realization that young lord Zhen was far
more unfathomable than they’d given him credit for. He had no end to his
ability. What among his recent accomplishments could be classified as ‘simple’?
For the Vassal Meeting, he had defeated a very prepared
Emperor Shura from an unfavorable position.
For the wandering cultivator meeting, he’d pulled out one
ace after another, overwhelming the competing Pillfire City with insurmountable
advantage – and crushing the other city’s face in the process.
At Sacred Peafowl Mountain, he had finagled an impressively
large lineup of wandering cultivator emperors to aid him. Killing Emperor Shura
had been a painless endeavor, one that’d earned him the brothers’ allegiance as
well.
And now, he had absentmindedly filled in each and every
little problem with the brothers’ martial technique. They finally had a chance
for a breakthrough!
Any of these things would’ve made even a great emperor the
focus of the human domain’s attention. Young lord Zhen was less than thirty by
all reports, yet had accomplished all of the above. What other name was there
for him other than ‘monster’? Or perhaps ‘miracle’?
“Brother Mo. Is young lord Zhen… really related to Myriad
Abyss Island?” Jiao Yun couldn’t help but ask.
“Yes.” Mo Wushuang’s answer was clear-cut. “However, Myriad
Abyss Island has many secrets. I myself am not privy to some information about
it, despite my closeness with the young lord. We are all wandering cultivators,
so I have a piece of valuable advice for you. Follow young lord Zhen loyally
and you’ll have a bright future ahead of you. Otherwise, I doubt we’ll have
much more room to grow. We’re already great emperors as wandering cultivators,
after all.”
The last part of his statement rang true. It was quite
unlikely for wandering cultivators to rise much higher than great emperor. The
first reason for it was that they lacked the resources available to someone
that hailed from a large sect. It was one of the most incontrovertible facts
about their existence.
Great emperors of sects always had various routes open to
them thanks to their sect’s resources. Wandering cultivator great emperors
didn’t have that luxury, and almost always had a much harder time finding
suitable materials and resources.
The Jiao brothers sank into deep contemplation. They no
longer questioned the veracity of Mo Wushuang’s declaration. They couldn’t tell
yet exactly how bright of a future they would have under young lord Zhen, but
the martial technique improvements they’d just received were enough to double
their unified attacking power.
……
After various tasks came to their inevitable conclusions,
the Dragon and Tiger Meet’s preparations were finally complete.
The weather of this particular day was sunny and fair. The
large square beneath the Veluriyam Pagoda was the staging ground for the event.
Honored guests from sects and factions all over were arrayed in areas reserved
for them. The wandering cultivators themselves were scattered all over the
square, with a large number overflowing into the streets.
At least a million had come for the festivities. Under
countless expectant eyes, the much-anticipated Dragon and Tiger Meet finally
began. The other great emperors of the city clustered around him, Jiang Chen
made a striking entrance into the event.
Special seating was arranged for all emperors and great
emperors in attendance, demonstrating the city’s respect for wandering
cultivator experts. Wandering cultivators below emperor realm weren’t allowed
to simply pack themselves in either. Every area was subjected to strict
supervision and control, ensuring that no crowding and chaos occurred anywhere.
The Peafowl Guard was assigned on patrol to remove any troublemakers.
Jiang Chen stood atop a lofty place, backed up by a troupe
of great emperors. The group made for an impressive tableau.
“Greetings, everyone. When we first decided we would convene
the Dragon and Tiger Meet, every faction in the human domain thought we would
fail. They thought that we wouldn’t have the clout after our recent issues to
draw in enough people. Your presences here has proven how ludicrous they are.”
The young lord’s rich voice carried into the wind. He had
imbued his words with a bit of dragon’s roar technique, sending them into the
audience’s collective ears.
“Some of you came here for the Pinecrane Pill. Some for our
pill dao academy. Some for the sake of my own humble self. Some, for ‘Myriad
Abyss Island’. And of course, some came purely to spectate. No matter your
reason for being here, I’d like to emphasize that anyone interested in making
trouble should put that away. I’m saying this up front: those who don’t will be
branded enemies of our city. We will spare no quarter.”
Jiang Chen’s tone and warning were both extremely stern.
“The Pinecrane Pill, the pill dao academy, the mysterious
expert from Myriad Abyss Island: all of those and more will be here. However,
the Meet will be far more exciting than that. If the Pinecrane Pill is simply
shown off and auctioned, how will our guests be satisfied? How will the
uniqueness of the Dragon and Tiger Meet be revealed? Veluriyam Capital has many
more things to offer from its coffers than that. Many events will take place at
the Meet, and many of you will benefit from each one of them.”
His gathering of his audience’s hearts proved reasonably
effective. The wandering cultivator giants weren’t displeased by the speech,
but the ordinary ones felt warmth in the cockles of their hearts.
Whether young lord Zhen could fully carry out his promises
or not, at least his attitude was there. The low-level wandering cultivators
hadn’t come for nothing.
“I’ve never been one for empty words. Allow me to announce
the first event. Dubbed ‘The Perceptive Eye’, it’s related to treasure
identification. In this round, any treasure that anyone can’t identify may be
presented. We will be responsible for giving you the knowledge you need to make
use of them. You won’t be disappointed! There’s plenty of gold in the sand
we’re about to sift through.”
Treasure identification?
Mentioning it was enough to instantly pique many people’s
interests. Every martial cultivator had an innate curiosity and desire for
treasure. That was precisely what Jiang Chen was banking on.
Chapter 1267: Sincere Invitation to Heavyweights
“Of course, we will not reveal the treasures’ owners for the
sake of secrecy and protection. There is no need to associate a treasure shown
here with someone’s name, lest there be problems down the line. I swear on my
internal demons that nothing will be revealed. If anyone is still concerned
with their personal safety, they can also submit the treasure to us for
immediate auction or transaction afterward.”
This was a necessary measure. If a low-level cultivator had
the misfortune to own some high-rank treasure, he was basically a
three-year-old openly carrying gold in the street. There was no guarantee he’d
keep his life, much less \treasure.
This ‘Perceptive Eye’ segment didn’t sound very entertaining
at first. Jiang Chen had actually spent a lot of effort coming up with the
idea. If he could find one or two particularly valuable items in this segment,
he would build up plenty of hype.
His purpose wasn’t actually to dig up anything obscure, but
to promote the legitimacy of the Dragon and Tiger Meet brand. Only then would
Veluriyam Capital become attractive to wandering cultivators over the longer
term.
Compared to Pillfire City, Veluriyam Capital didn’t lack in
just pill dao prowess. They also had insufficient draw for the public. Their
largest festival was the Veluriyam Pagoda Meeting, but that was something only
the city’s various vassals were eligible to attend. For wandering cultivators,
Veluriyam Capital wasn’t much more than a passing topic of conversation.
Jiang Chen had designed multiple segments ahead of time to
make the Dragon and Tiger Meet more attractive. Only then would it bring in
crowd after crowd on a consistent basis. Only then would wandering cultivators
have a habit of coming to the city.
When every wandering cultivator in the world developed that
habit, Veluriyam Capital would be as good as the Upper Eight Regions’ hub of
activity. Wherever that hub was, so would the human domain’s core be as well.
This incarnation of the Meet gathered not only wandering
cultivator greats, but attendees from various sects and geographical factions
as well. The world-famous first rank sects of the Upper Eight Regions were most
prominent among the invitees.
The Upper Eight Regions had a sect corresponding to each
region. Aside from Eternal Celestial Capital, the others were all honored
guests. The first rank sects had all sent big-shot representatives to the Meet.
As prominent members of their sects, they all had a degree of foresight and
vision. Some immediately realized Jiang Chen’s goal after hearing the plan.
Those who did drew in sharp breaths.
“Young lord Zhen is both youthful and ambitious. Either
Veluriyam Capital will be destroyed in his hands, or it will rise to truly
great heights!”
“A man so young is able to carry out such great feats. Young
lord Zhen must have a powerful backer. How could he be capable of so much
otherwise?” Some harbored a very real suspicion that Myriad Abyss Island was
secretly backing the capital.
Veluriyam’s own Emperor Petalpluck was just as astounded as
the rest. “Young lord Zhen’s presence and ambition has surpassed even the young
Emperor Peafowl’s. Is Veluriyam Capital headed towards great prosperity?”
Jiang Chen knew that his audience needed time to digest what
he’d said. He paused a moment before smiling and continuing.
“We have so many friends with us today. There are
heavyweights from the various sects, regional moguls and greats, and wandering
cultivator titans. As the host, it would be remiss for me to be the only man in
the spotlight. I would like to invite a few honorable and upstanding seniors in
the cultivation community to participate in this segment with me. We hold
transparency in our proceedings as one of our paramount values. Any worries
that I am doing this for private gain may be dismissed.”
The speech was generous and straightforward. The wandering
cultivators were won over immediately, offering up thunderous applause to the
youth. However, though the wandering cultivators were pleased at Jiang Chen’s
announcement, they were also a little concerned deep down.
They didn’t suspect young lord Zhen’s vision or ability, but
any selfishness on the young man’s part could lead to purposeful downplaying of
their valuable treasures. If other giants were thrown into the mix, there was
that much more guarantee to the fairness of the proceedings.
As Jiang Chen had guessed, the wandering cultivator world
had its fair share of successful treasure hunters, too. They didn’t necessarily
know what all of their spoils were all the time; but many of them didn’t dare
go to larger factions to identify their goods, lest they lose both life and
prize.
The opportunity they were being offered today was very rare
indeed. A great part of the wandering cultivators were severely tempted by the
offer.
“There are many esteemed characters here from all over the
Upper Eight Regions. I wonder if any of them might grace us with their
assistance?” Jiang Chen’s eyes swept over the giants’ faces, a smile hanging
upon his own.
Participation in such an event was good for the judges’
reputations as well. The youth’s gaze enticed some interested to come forward,
but they held their tongue out of momentary restraint.
Amongst the wandering cultivator experts, Emperor Wellspring
was the first to laugh. “Count me in. I respect you a lot, young lord Zhen.
Will you have me join you?”
The great emperor was the first to volunteer. His words were
even-handed and smart, giving full respect to the host.
Jiang Chen was quite pleased. “You’re one of the six titans
in the wandering cultivator world, Emperor Wellspring,” he chuckled. “I’m sure
our wandering cultivator friends will rest easier with you around.”
Many of the wandering cultivators in the audience nodded in
agreement. Emperor Wellspring was definitely in the top three among the six
titans, perhaps even second or first place.
If he were to judge in this event, the participants would
have a hefty guarantee. Very often, wandering cultivators tended to trust each
other more than outsiders. It contented many that Emperor Wellspring would
represent their interests by partaking in the event as a judge.
“Haha, young lord Zhen, the Great Yu Skysword Sect and
Sacred Peafowl Mountain are old friends. May I have a seat by your side?” Han Qianzhan
of the Great Yu Skysword Sect was the one to speak up second. In terms of
martial prowess, the Skysword Sect was among the eight first rank sects’
betters. As the sect head, Han Qianzhan’s presence was relatively unopposed.
“Excuse my lack of courtesy, young lord Zhen. Can I have a
spot as well?” The Celestial Cicada Court’s head, Su Huanzhen, followed closely
behind.
“Of course, of course. Both of you are among the most
prominent people in the Upper Eight Regions. You’re more than sufficiently
qualified, and I would be glad to have you.” Jiang Chen cheerfully granted
their requests.
He looked toward the other first rank sect representatives
as well. The only leaders from among the first rank sects here were the Han
brothers and Su Huanzhen. The other representatives were mostly third-ranked
personnel, or even fourth- or fifth-ranked ones. They lacked both in strength
and importance to all three of the current judges. Therefore, most felt
doubtful at their chances for a request.
Veluriyam’s young lord smiled. “I hear that the Sublime
Chord Temple has a method called the Warrior Buddha’s Eye. It can see through a
great many things in the cosmos, heavenly truths and mortal matters. An ability
like that would be a tremendous asset in identifying treasure. Is there an
expert from the Temple who would like to participate?”
He was openly courting the Sublime Chord Temple.
The Sublime Chord Temple was one of the first rank sects in
the Upper Eight Regions. They cultivated through the Buddhist dao of sentience
and existence. Its representative today was one of its high-ranking masters,
one Master Dong Ye. Incanting a Buddhist mantra, the master smiled. “How can I
turn down such a kind offer, young lord Zhen?”
He was certainly self-aware. He’d accepted the invitation
with no ceremony whatsoever.
Jiang Chen flashed a smile in return. “Is there anyone else
willing to participate?”
The Moon God Sect lacked anyone with much ability on the
subject. Its third-ranking sectmaster had no plans to participate.
The Empyrean River Palace had very close ties to Pillfire
City. Their retinue had only come to participate for the sake of saving face.
It was actually a question whether they’d come to spy or gather information.
Its main representative was only an elder, definitely not on the level of the
other sects’ representatives.
There was no reason for the man to volunteer. Being refused
would result in a massive loss of face. In any case, it would be a joke if a
lowly elder volunteered when many other important people did not.
Because the Ninesuns Sky Sect had made peace with Jiang Chen
only recently, their main objective here was already mostly accomplished. They
hadn’t prepared enough for the rest of the Meet, and didn’t quite dare to
participate in light of that.
The Heavenly Dragon Sect was the only one left.
The sect was a rather mysterious one. It declared itself the
heirs of an ancient dragon heritage. In terms of strength, it was the strongest
among its peers… or tied for it, at least. However, as haughty as the sect was,
its representatives didn’t seem particularly interested in adjudicating the
proceedings. No one else came forward to volunteer.
Jiang Chen didn’t push for anything. “With four giants
beside me,” he laughed, “I’m sure everyone will have much more faith in the
proceedings to come.
“I’ll repeat what I said: treasure identification is
entirely voluntary. If anyone is doubtful about Veluriyam Capital’s honor, I am
not going to force their hand. On the other hand, everyone who trusts us is
welcome to come forward.”
He waved a hand. “A moment of consideration, if you’d like.
Any willing participants can sign up over there. Emperor Peerless and the Jiao
brothers will oversee the registration. No risk of having your treasure swapped
for someone else’s, guaranteed.” Jiang Chen had thought out every step.
Mo Wushuang and the Jiao brothers oversaw registration
because they were wandering cultivators, and thus more easily won the trust of
their fellows. This alleviated suspicions to a degree, permitting increased
participation from the audience.
There were many wandering cultivators attending the Meet,
but few of them had noteworthy treasures. However, Jiang Chen was certain that
true treasures did exist. If he could dig some out, the impression of the
segment would be much improved.
Chapter 1268: Treasure Identification Begins
The enthusiasm of the wandering cultivators present was
slowly roused. The number of registrants climbed steadily, passion running so
high that the registration time had to be lengthened from one hour to two.
The heavyweights sitting in the honored guest area inwardly
marveled at young lord Zhen when they noted how eager the wandering cultivators
were. They had to admit that the young lord had the ability to turn stone into
gold. One had to know that that it was very difficult to interact with the
world of wandering cultivators. It was exceedingly difficult to get them to
wholeheartedly participate in anything.
Yet young lord Zhen had done it.
This treasure identification segment wasn’t a particularly
stunning part, but the young lord had managed to inject new life into trite
entertainment. He’d coaxed the wandering cultivators to let go of the doubts in
their minds and join in with full enthusiasm.
There were still some wandering cultivators who wanted to
sign up after two hours were up, but time was up.
“Everyone, I’m immensely touched by your support,” Jiang
Chen announced. “But we’re bound by the rules and have already increased the
time limit. I can only apologize to those who didn’t register in time. However,
the doors of Veluriyam Capital are forever open to you!”
Those who didn’t put their name down in time were awash with
regret. Why hadn’t they made their move earlier? If they hadn’t dragged their
feet, they would’ve made it in time!
The count of offered treasures was swiftly tallied. There
were more than 3,600 items in total!
This number was quite shocking. It would seem that the young
lord had underestimated everyone’s enthusiasm in the end. He’d originally
anticipated selecting one or two items for a few hundred or a thousand. But
with these numbers, it was much more likely for real treasure to appear in this
segment. Jiang Chen looked forward to the proceedings with great anticipation.
“Everyone, the treasures have been gathered. I must
reemphasize that ‘The Perceptive Eye’ will be conducted with utmost
impartiality. There will be no exaggeration or purposeful markdowns. We will
accurately reflect the true worth of these treasures.
“Of course, it wouldn’t be realistic to thoroughly evaluate
each item here. We’ll be grouping them into five grades. First grade is the
highest and will have twenty items at most. Second grade will be capped at a
hundred, third grade at two hundred, and I’ll have to offer my apologies again
to the fourth and fifth grade items.”
There was definitely treasure to be found in the wandering
cultivator world, but it wasn’t possible that everyone possessed it. Even
though it seemed that more than three thousand had been collected this time,
what could truly be hailed as treasure was undoubtedly a few small number.
Maybe only one in a thousand would be worthy of that title.
“Would the four of you like to say anything?” Jiang Chen
turned the floor over to the four heavyweights.
Emperor Wellspring smiled faintly. “Then allow me.
“Everyone, I’m sure everyone’s heard of young lord Zhen’s
reputation over the past couple of days. I’m Jing Zhonghui and am honored to be
raised as one of the six titans in the wandering cultivator world. I just want
to tell you that since I’m participating in this segment, I will be the very
definition of fairness. I’ll do my best for all of you so that your treasures
are excavated and appraised with their true worth. With my knowledge of young
lord Zhen, I have firm trust in his abilities and character. I’m sure he can
help all of your treasures shine with their rightful value!”
Emperor Wellspring’s popularity in the wandering cultivator
world was immense, even greater than Emperor Peerless’. His words instantly won
him a standing ovation.
“I’m the sect head of the Great Yu Skysword Sect and am old
friends with the young lord. I don’t represent anyone today, just my sect. I
will conduct this segment fairly and transparently, intermixed with no personal
desires at all. May the heavens and people abandon me if I let any selfish
motives color my actions!” Han Qianzhan knew that this was supposed to be a
show of support for the young lord and that he couldn’t eclipse his host.
Therefore, he kept his words short and sweet.
Su Huanzhen also piped in. “I admire only two in Veluriyam
Capital: Emperor Peafowl and young lord Zhen. I admire Emperor Peafowl’s
character and breadth of mind while young lord Zhen’s character and fathomless
knowledge draws me. Therefore, I trust him hosting this event and am very
willing to participate.”
“This humble monk is Dong Ye of the Sublime Chord Temple. In
the name of Buddha, I will be fair and objective with no pursuit of personal
gain at all.”
The judges’ declaration further put the wandering
cultivators’ minds at ease. They were wholly looking forward to the
identification now.
Of course, many knew that their items would be hard pressed
to be a first grade treasure. Being a second grade treasure would be fantastic
enough.
“Let us begin.” Jiang Chen announced with a smile.
The first to do in this segment was to weed out the fifth
grade items. These weren’t treasures. While it was overdoing it to say they
were just to make up numbers, they weren’t worth much at all.
The five randomly swept the items with their consciousness
and picked out two thousand items. All of them made a complete sweep in the end
to ensure nothing was overlooked.
They were in agreement. These two thousand could be
eliminated. The concurrence of all five meant that there was no possible room
for error.
Next were the fourth grade treasures. Another thousand items
were quickly selected from the remaining. These were just a bit higher than the
fifth grade items and worth just a little more, but it was still a stretch to
label these as treasures.
After sifting through for fourth and fifth grade treasures,
there were less than two hundred items remaining. Out of these, either the item
was noticeably higher quality than the others, hadn’t been fully identified, or
the judges disagreed on how to categorize them.
Surprises abounded in the world. Not even these heavyweights
could identify every piece of treasure. But even if they couldn’t, they could
still vaguely sense through their consciousness if the item in question was
valuable.
And yes, there was still no absolutes in the world. Some
exotic treasures appeared ordinarily common and was quite ambiguous to the
consciousness. It was very difficult to pin a definition on them.
The unexperienced might ignore them, but those in the know
would discover their value.
“Young lord Zhen, to think that there are quite a few
treasures in the world of wandering cultivators.” Han Qianzhan smiled as he
cast his eye over the remaining.
“Haha, we’ll have to ask Emperor Wellspring about this. He’s
a heavyweight in their world.” Jiang Chen smiled.
Emperor Wellspring laughed heartily. “The treasures in our
world pale in comparison to yours.”
Jiang Chen nodded with a faint smile. “That’s true, but what
amazes me is that there are actually a few good things in here. There’s
actually some surprises as well.”
“Oh?” The group’s interest was piqued. They’d gone over the
remaining 200 items multiple times. Although there were a few good items,
wasn’t it over the top to use the word ‘amazement’?
It would seem that young lord Zhen is still a young man
after all. He exaggerates a bit too much with his words.
Jiang Chen however, ignored everyone’s thoughts about him.
“Let’s sort the items into the remaining three grades. I think there’s around
150 third grade items.”
“Give or take.” Su Huanzhen nodded in agreement.
“What about second grade, young lord Zhen?” Master Dong Ye
smiled politely at Jiang Chen, seeming to want to test the young man.
“If we look at it in terms of spirit herbs, second grade is
the equivalent of earth rank and first grade equal to sky rank spirit herbs.
There’s about fifty second grade treasures.”
“But that leaves around twenty for first grade.” This took
everyone by surprise. Young lord Zhen had said himself that there wouldn’t be
more than twenty for the first grade treasures. But now he seemed to be
refuting his own words?
Jiang Chen offered a bland smile. “There’s definitely twenty
of them, but what’s most delightful is that there’s more than one treasure that
exceeds first grade.”
“Oh?” Master Dong Ye’s eyes lit up. With his Warrior
Buddha’s Eye, he was confident that none of the others present had appraisal
skill that was better than his. They might be stronger than his sect in terms
of martial dao, but he was firmly certain that he outstripped them in their
current arena.
Young lord Zhen however, was a slight enigma. The young man
wasn’t so easily seen through. He really did seem unfathomable.
“Young lord Zhen, there are indeed a lot of first grade
treasures, but it’s difficult to say for certain if there are any higher than
first grade.” Han Qianzhan couldn’t resist a word of caution.
“What do you think, Emperor Wellspring?” Su Huanzhen decided
to ask the wandering great emperor, who responded with a chuckle.
“My appraisal skills are probably the lowest out of all of
us here. All of you are immensely talented. I’m just tagging along. Let’s look
to young lord Zhen to ease our confusion. I trust him.”
Having received the Pinecrane Pill from Jiang Chen, the
wandering cultivator still felt that he owed the young lord somehow. Though
he’d helped in the fight against Emperor Shura, the late great emperor had
already been a dead man under the circumstances. There was no way he would’ve
escaped even if Emperor Wellspring hadn’t made a move. Thus, the wandering
great emperor supported Jiang Chen immensely.
“Let’s choose the third grade treasures first.” Jiang Chen
smiled faintly.
This grade of treasure didn’t cause much controversy. Though
they were higher rank than the fourth and fifth rank treasures, it wasn’t to
the point where they couldn’t be identified.
150 items were labelled as third grade, ushering in the
selection of second grade treasures. Things were slightly more difficult here,
but still didn’t pose much of a difficulty to these heavyweights. They had
their eyes on the first grade treasures.
Chapter 1269: Three Supreme Rank Treasures
There was very little dispute when it came to the second
grade treasures as well. The group had very keen eyes. Selecting those wasn’t
much of a challenge. Everyone’s selections consistently matched each other.
Treasures that were disputed or beyond their knowledge were
left untouched and unclassified. However, that still made for fifty-two second
grade treasures when the results were out, more than what they’d initially
expected.
The group didn’t pay it too much heed as second grade
treasures weren’t particularly noteworthy. They were most concerned that there
was twenty-four treasures left! This was much beyond their initial estimations!
The original count was that there’d be twenty first grade
treasures at most, but a full twenty-four? How were they supposed to classify
these items?
Some of these treasures were completely foreign to them.
Even a knowledgeable old hand like Emperor Wellspring didn’t dare casually
comment on these items. Han Qianzhan and Su Huanzhen were also a lot less
experienced than Master Dong Ye. Therefore, perhaps it was up to young lord
Zhen and the master to identify these items.
“Master Dong, do you see anything worthy of note? Why don’t
we pick a few and classify them as supreme rank?”
Master Dong Ye pondered solemnly. “Treasures worthy of note?
Young lord Zhen, this monk is truly unenlightened. What are the characteristics
of said supreme rank treasures?” The master thought that Jiang Chen was testing
him. He cautiously threw the hot potato back to the young lord.
Jiang Chen smiled. “There are three items which I believe
are worthy of being classified as supreme rank. The rest shall remain as first
grade treasures. What does everyone think?”
“Young lord Zhen, are you classifying the three as supreme
rank because of their extraordinary quality, or because you were forced to do
so as the number of items has exceeded your estimations?” Emperor Wellspring
quickly interjected.
Jiang Chen smiled. “The former of course. I wouldn’t
hesitate to classify five as supreme rank either if there were five that made
the grade.”
Master Dong Ye was taken aback. “Is the young lord really
certain that three items here are superior to the others?”
The master remained unconvinced. Even though a monk
shouldn’t be overly competitive, he was still a cultivator at heart. It was
only normal that he’d feel some semblance of competitiveness.
Moreover, he’d always been proud of his keen eye for quality
items. He didn’t think it was wrong to classify the twenty-four items as first
grade treasures. There were also indeed one or two items of even more superior
quality, but he remained unconvinced that there were three supreme rank items
among the lot. He felt that young lord Zhen was putting on airs to make himself
seem superior.
Jiang Chen smiled. “Let me select the treasures first and
give you all a detailed explanation. My words alone wouldn’t hold any weight.
We must all agree upon the classifications.”
He immediately identified the three treasures after
speaking.
One of the treasures was a jade token. There were ancient
symbols carved onto the slip, and looked impossible to comprehend.
Nobody was able to sort it, but one could easily tell that
it was no ordinary item. During the sorting, nobody had dared to issue a grade
as they didn’t understand it. They were worried that they’d be misclassifying
it.
The jade token had made it all the way to the end for this
very reason. Nobody brought it up as they didn’t want to reveal their
ignorance. They’d rather wait for someone else to bring it up. The crowd was
taken aback when Jiang Chen selected the jade token and wondered why. Did the
young lord really know it?
The other treasure that Jiang Chen selected was a spirit
herb. Su Huanzhen frowned at his decision. Master Dong Ye smirked a little as
well. It was evident that he didn’t think very highly of it.
Emperor Wellspring couldn’t help but worry for Jiang Chen.
He knew nothing about the herb, but Su Huanzhen and the master’s expression
clearly indicated that they did. Moreover, they weren’t particularly impressed
by that decision. Jiang Chen couldn’t care less about their opinions. He
proceeded to identify the third treasure.
It was a very quaint and unadorned talisman. Master Dong Ye
nodded faintly as he finally agreed with one of Jiang Chen’s choices. He’d
noticed the extraordinariness of the talisman, but he chose not to come to
conclusions as he was unsure of its origin. His hunch was confirmed when the
young lord picked it out.
“Young lord Zhen, will you be ranking these treasures as
well?” the master asked in a calm and collected manner.
“Haha. In my humble opinion, the jade token should be ranked
first, the talisman second, and the herb third. Of course, it’s only a shallow
conjecture of mine. Feel free to voice your opinions if you disagree. That’s
why I’ve invited all of you here. I welcome your advice as I’m still young and
inexperienced.”
Jiang Chen mouthed humble words, but he’d actually noticed
Master Dong Ye’s disapproving glances. He knew that the monk was skeptical.
Emperor Wellspring laughed. “Well, count me out then. I know
nothing about these items. I sense an ancient aura emanating from the talisman,
but I know nothing about its use. I can only wait for an analysis from the
experts.”
Su Huanzhen didn’t say anything. She recognized the herb,
but it was impossible that she’d question Jiang Chen’s choice because of her
relationship with Veluriyam Capital.
Han Qianzhan was the same as Emperor Wellspring. He could
tell that those three items are very extraordinary, but he couldn’t pinpoint
why.
Master Dong Ye didn’t remain reserved. “Young lord Zhen, I
agree with the talisman, but I don’t understand why you’ve selected the jade
token and the spirit herb. Since this is an open discussion, we shouldn’t be
lenient and accept your decision unquestioningly, or this exercise would lose its
purpose.”
The followers of Buddhism were sometimes very stubborn. They
were often very single-minded and inflexible, but Jiang Chen didn’t mind. In
fact, he admired such people.
“Master Dong Ye, perhaps you recognize this spirit herb?”
“If I’m not mistaken, it should be a Heavencloud Ganoderma.
I’ve come across this sky grade spirit herb before. But as the young lord has
mentioned, only sky grade treasures can be classified as first grade, and since
the fungi is a sky grade spirit herb, shouldn’t it be classified accordingly?
Does it really deserve a supreme classification?”
Jiang Chen nodded without dispute and pointed at the token.
“Master, what is your opinion on the jade token then?”
He’d ranked the jade token at the very top. To him, it was
clearly something very remarkable.
Master Dong Ye was very straightforward. “I don't recognize
the characters on the jade token. If the young lord wishes to classify it as
supreme rank, you have to tell us its origin. Or else, we’d be hard pressed to
believe that it’s actually the best item among everything else.
Emperor Wellspring laughed. “The others might not know the
young lord very well, but I can confidently say that he’s a flawless decision
maker. He must have his reasons for selecting the jade token. Young lord Zhen,
you needn’t keep us on tenterhooks any longer. We were told that your knowledge
is from Myriad Abyss Island, and that you’re much more knowledgeable than us. Surely
you can clear up our confusion?”
“Hahaha! Agreed! Young lord Zhen, stop keeping us in
suspense! I’m about to die from curiosity!” Han Qianzhan belly-laughed.
Jiang Chen nodded. “I recognize the characters on the jade
token. It’s actually an ancient scripture of an extraordinary martial
technique. After some evaluation, I feel that the scripture is very immaculate
and so is the ancient martial technique. Its potential is comparable, if not
better than the ultimate treasures from the great sects of the Upper Eight
Regions.”
“What?”
“It’s comparable to a sect’s ultimate treasure?” Han
Qianzhan and Su Huanzhen could barely contain their shock. Emperor Wellspring’s
jaw nearly fell off.
This information was too shocking as the human domain was
sorely lacking in powerful cultivation techniques, even more so for wandering
cultivators. Martial dao treasures had mostly been monopolized by the great
sects. Wandering cultivators often had to make do with items much inferior.
“Young lord Zhen, y-you’re pulling our legs, right?” Emperor
Wellspring could barely contain his excitement.
“I’ve already given my word that I wouldn’t lie during the
treasure appraisal.” Jiang Chen answered with a faint smile.
Master Dong Ye doubted Jiang Chen’s words in spite of
himself. Perhaps young lord Zhen isn’t mouthing empty words, but there's still
a possibility that he's mistaken. Maybe his observation is actually false?
Jiang Chen nodded with a smile. “Yes, that may be true.
However, I'm willing to bear the price of my mistakes. If the bearer of the foremost
supreme treasure wants to part with it in the end, I'll buy it from his hands
with a price that's more than adequate for a treasure of this caliber.”
The crowd was taken aback.
“Since we've vowed to have an open and fair discussion, we
should discuss matters related to the jade token at a later time.” Su Huanzhen
suddenly interjected.
“That’s also fine. We should discuss disagreements openly to
prevent further misunderstandings down the road.” Jiang Chen answered
straightforwardly.
Master Dong Ye wasn't convinced, but he still nodded without
saying much else. His gaze suddenly fell upon the Heavencloud Ganoderma. He’d
sooner die than classify this herb as supreme rank. He knew that it was a sky
rank herb as he’d encountered it before, but there was no way it was worthy of
such a high mention!
Chapter 1270: The Heavencloud Ganoderma
Master Dong Ye was a stubborn man who spoke whatever was on
his mind.
“Young lord Zhen, I can’t identify that jade token, so I
have no room to argue with you on that matter. However, I really think that the
Heavencloud Ganoderma is unfit to be classified as supreme rank. It’s only a
high-quality sky rank herb. You’ve already classified multiple sky rank herbs
as top rank, no? Why is the Heavencloud Ganoderma above its peers?”
The Ganoderma was indeed a sky rank herb. Su Huanzhen also
knew that because she recognized it. Neither Han Qianzhan nor Emperor
Wellspring could contend on Jiang Chen’s behalf. It would be unfair to give
that herb preferential treatment. What purpose did young lord Zhen have for
doing so in the first place, though? Did he have something else in mind?
Jiang Chen was immensely relaxed. He examined the Ganoderma
over with a patient eye, sighing. “This Heavencloud Ganoderma should be between
a thousand to a thousand two hundred years old. It’s been picked it a bit
early, alas. A three-thousand-year specimen would be five to ten times more
valuable.”
“Haha, some of the other sky rank herbs are a thousand five
hundred years old or more. If the Ganoderma isn’t even a thousand two hundred,
why do you prize it so highly, young lord Zhen?” Master Dong Ye was still
perplexed.
“If the Ganoderma’s medicinal effects were evaluated alone,
it would indeed be a mere sky rank herb.” Jiang Chen laughed. “Perhaps you
don’t know of one of its more unique properties, Master Dong Ye?”
The master was stunned, then shook his head instinctively.
He was good at identifying treasures, but he didn’t know about the unique
properties of spirit herbs. He wasn’t willing to cede the point just yet
though. “Please, go ahead.”
Smiling, Jiang Chen continued. “The pill dao world contains
tremendous variety. You are all amongst Divine Abyss Continent’s best experts.
I’m sure you’re no stranger to pills such as the Origin Doubling Pill and the
Sage Smile Pill?”
Master Dong Ye was impassive. “The Origin Doubling Pill is a
pill for origin realm cultivators. The Sage Smile Pill is a bit better, but
it’s designed for sage realm experts, yes? There’s nothing particularly
remarkable about that. Plus, the main material for the Sage Smile Pill is the
Celestial Grass. I heard that you managed to get your hands on a large batch of
the Grass, so you must have plenty of the pills now as well. What does that
have to do with the Heavencloud Ganoderma, though?”
The others were just as bewildered as he was.
Jiang Chen grinned. “That’s right, there’s no relation
between the Ganoderma and the Sage Smile Pill. But we have the Origin Doubling
Pill and Sage Smile Pill for origin and sage realm respectively. What about
emperor realm? Can’t we have a similar pill that unconditionally helps a
cultivator increase a level in the emperor realm?”
Emperor realm? Mass bafflement rippled through the crowd.
The only pills that were known to do that were the Sage Smile Pill and the
Origin Doubling Pill.
Furthermore, the former was difficult to find. One of its
main materials, Celestial Grass, was itself a sky rank spirit herb. Because it
could be refined into the Sage Smile Pill, it was both scarce and valuable.
Back then, a single specimen from Liu Zhen was enough to cause
a frenzied auction. Jiang Chen only knew later that there was a sizable clump
of the herb later on; Liu Zhen and his father Jiang Feng had discovered it
together.
The Celestial Grass had allowed Jiang Chen to refine a ton
of Sage Smile Pills, which proved very useful in substantially increasing
Sacred Peafowl Mountain’s strength.
“Young lord Zhen… can the Heavencloud Ganoderma be used to
refine a pill that unconditionally increases the level of an emperor realm
cultivator?” Emperor Wellspring was as surprised as everyone else.
Every level in the world of martial dao was stupendously
difficult. Especially in emperor realm, a fast rate of progress was considered
ten to twenty years, while a slow one, anywhere from one to several centuries.
If one could gain a level unconditionally, there would be
tremendous savings in both time and energy. Additionally, if pills of this
nature had nonexistent side effects, that destined it to be a hot commodity.
Unfortunately, the highest realm that one could advance
unconditionally with a pill in was sage realm. That was public knowledge.
Nobody had heard of emperor realm cultivators being able to do the same.
Han Qianzhan was overjoyed. “Young lord Zhen, does this
world really have a pill that does that for emperor realm experts?”
“Of course,” Jiang Chen smiled. “There are many marvels in
the world of martial dao. It’s not too far fetched a concept, is it, To have a
pill that unconditionally enhances an emperor realm cultivator once as well?”
Everyone was shocked. ‘Not too far fetched a concept’? No
one present had any experience with anything remotely similar! Did a pill like
that really exist within the human domain?
“Pillfire City has let word out that they have a recipe for
this kind of pill,” Master Dong Ye mused.
“As for whether they really do or not, they didn’t admit to
much either way. Still, some think it to be rather plausible.”
“Pillfire City likes to tantalize others. That’s certainly
something in their form to do,” Jiang Chen chuckled. “However, the Heavencloud
Ganoderma has nothing to do with that kind of pill.”
Nothing to do with that kind of pill?
Why would he mention all this if it was irrelevant?
There was dejected expressions all around. The crowd thought
that they’d just heard an explosive piece of pill dao hearsay. Was there
nothing of the sort after all?
“If the Heavencloud Ganoderma can't be refined into a pill
that enhances emperor realm experts, what value does it hold?” Master Dong Ye
doggedly stuck to his previous point of contention.
“The Heavencloud Ganoderma can't be refined into that kind
of pill. In fact, it would be a waste to. The pill it belongs to is designed
for great emperor experts. It will raise the level of someone like that by
one.”
Raise the level of a great emperor? The gathered crowd could
scarcely believe what it was hearing. Great emperor experts weren’t divided
into nine levels. Was young lord Zhen dreaming?
A helpless smile played at the corner of Master Dong Ye’s
mouth. He shook his head, displeased by Jiang Chen’s long-winded sophistry. But
as an ascetic, he wasn’t exactly in a position to break out in curses.
Jiang Chen was relatively bland with his gaze. “Great
emperors aren't separated into nine levels, but they have their own stages,
correct?”
“That’s so.” Emperor Wellspring nodded. “We have these
unwritten stages: half-step great emperor, initial emperor, mid great emperor
realm, advanced great emperor, supreme great emperor, and peak great emperor.”
“Sounds like six in total.” Jiang Chen smiled once more.
“Emperor Wellspring, you should be supreme great emperor, yes? Close to peak
great emperor? How long did you take to get from initial to mid great emperor,
may I ask?”
The emperor pondered the question a moment. “If I recall
correctly, a hundred eighty years in total.”
“Excuse the intrusion, Sect Head Han. What about you?” Jiang
Chen turned to the other man.
“I’m embarrassed to say I took about two hundred years too.
With the benefit of the sect’s various resources, to boot.” Han Qianzhan was amused
by the question. His current cultivation level was about the same as Emperor
Wellspring’s – between supreme and peak great emperor.
“Hehe, you’re both real geniuses. It took me two hundred
fifty years to take that step,” lamented Su Huanzhen.
Master Dong Ye was genuinely a bit flustered. “Truly, all of
you are the strongest of the strong. I only recently became mid great emperor
realm. It took me almost four hundred years to get here.”
This reflected upon the martial dao talents of everyone present.
Master Dong Ye wasn’t a great emperor expert fit to be the head of a sect. As
such, there was some expectation for his cultivation talent to be lesser to
everyone else’s.
“There is a kind of pill,” smiled Jiang Chen, “that allows
an initial great emperor to advance to mid great emperor within three years.
The chance of success? Over ninety percent. Would you consider that a free
level in its own right, hmm?”
Though the youth had spoken his words very smoothly, they
were still a thunderclap near his captive audience’s ears. An initial great
emperor, ascend mid great emperor within three years? Wasn’t that… too…
far-fetched?
“I’m not dreaming, am I, young lord Zhen?” Emperor
Wellspring chuckled. “I haven’t even heard of such a pill, much less seen one
in person.”
“Neither have I.” Han Qianzhan shook his head in agreement.
“Are you sure it exists at all, young lord Zhen?” Su
Huanzhen was taken aback a little as well.
“Before the Longevity Pill, no one believed that such a pill
could exist at all. Before the Pinecrane Pill, no one believed that a pill
could extend the lives of emperors or great emperors. Both existed, but had to
be dug up from the past. In ancient times, pills like those and more certainly
existed in the human domain… which, incidentally, proves that the pill I
mentioned is true!”
Jiang Chen’s tone was one of absolute certainty. His
listeners found it hard to doubt him. The Pinecrane Pill alone was already a
painful challenge to everyone’s worldviews. There was nothing they could rebut
him with if he used that as a talking point.
Much of Master Dong Ye’s dissatisfaction dissipated. He was
still doubtful, but he knew that he had no expertise to speak of regarding
pills before Veluriyam’s young lord.
Emperor Wellspring sharply inhaled. “Young lord Zhen, what
is the pill called? Can you tell us its name, if it exists?”
“Emperor Supremacy Pill. Its name comes from the idea that
the pill can help a great emperor to rise supreme above his current level.”
“Emperor Supremacy Pill! An excellent name.” Emperor
Wellspring slapped his thigh. “I wouldn’t believe these words if they came from
anyone else. However, I have no choice but to believe when it comes to you!”
Han Qianzhan grinned. “I believe him as well. Young lord
Zhen, do you understand how to refine the Emperor Supremacy Pill?”
“A bit of it, I suppose.” Jiang Chen saw no reason to be
humble.
A bit? Curiosity tugged on the audience’s heartstrings. If
the young lord was saying that, that likely meant he knew how to refine it very
well. Rife speculation ran through the crowd and eyes darted to and fro with
complexity.
