Chapter 1279: Those of the Regal Pill Palace Gather Again
Come to think of it, his road to here had been filled with adversity, hardship, and near-death experiences. But the clouds had dispersed and the sky was clear once more. Palace Head Dan Chi didn't know what to think. Happiness had arrived far too quickly and completely. His bottled-up feelings were finally able to be fully released into the world.
Elder Yun Nie was even more excited than the palace head himself. He grasped the other man's arms firmly, as if worried that his long-lost friend would fly away.
The elder and palace head hadn't enjoyed a particularly close relationship in the Palace's early years. Dan Chi taking over the helm had led to a massive push toward martial dao. The traditionally important pill dao was forced to yield its position, and the Herbal Hall its own leading spot to the Hall of Might.
Jiang Chen's entrance into Regal Pill Palace had been a lubricant between Elder Yun Nie and Palace Head Dan Chi, bridging the differences between them. Eventually, they became united in purpose. The two men had harbored a common ambition: revitalizing Regal Pill Palace. Alas, the Eternal Celestial Capital and Great Scarlet Mid Region's invasion had scattered that to the wind.
"Yun Nie, that we've reunited once more despite every peril… this means that heaven has watched over Regal Pill Palace. We shouldn't be so emotional." The palace head's outburst was only temporary. With minutes, he recovered the composure that suited a sect leader.
"You are right, Palace Head. Heaven watches over Regal Pill Palace and the Myriad Domain as well." Elder Yun Nie recovered himself as well before continuing. "I'll go inform Jiang Chen of the good news. He deserves to be brought here at once."
Palace Head Dan Chi waved a hand. "Yun Nie, we cannot live in the past. Jiang Chen has distinguished himself as an extraordinary star. He is both stronger and more eminent than I. It is I who should go meet him."
Elder Yun Nie considered this for a moment. "You're right. We're both exiles. Without his protection, our very safety would be in question, much less our prospects of rebuilding the sect."
"Don't be so hasty, Yun Nie. Tell me about Jiang Chen's experiences these past few years." Palace Head Dan Chi was worried whether he and Jiang Chen could interact the way they had all those years ago, given the disciple's current status.
The elder did so without a moment of hesitation. He detailed all minutiae of Jiang Chen's legendary exploits, emphasizing especially his careful protection and exhortation of Regal Pill Palace's former disciples.
Palace Head Dan Chi sighed after he heard all. "He occupies such a lofty position, yet doesn't forget his roots. He is a man with an excellent temperament. Bringing him from the Precious Tree Sect was the best decision of my life."
Elder Yun Nie sighed as well. "Absolutely. If it wasn't for your keen eye all those years ago – your small kindness to him – Regal Pill Palace would be just like every other sect in the Myriad Domain. Utterly destroyed, with no hope of restoration."
Both men sighed over their past losses.
"Which disciples are here in Veluriyam Capital from the palace, Yun Nie?" The palace head went on to ask.
"Among the four geniuses of the Sovereign Area, Shen Qinghong and Nie Chong are both dead. Jun Mobai was an undercover agent from the Ninesuns Sky Sect. Ling Bi'er is missing. Aside from Jiang Chen, only Mu Gaoqi, Shen Trifire, Rong Zifeng, Ling Hui'er, Ouyang Chao, and others remain from the younger generation. Thankfully, they've all progressed a great deal with Jiang Chen's help."
Having been specially rescued by Jiang Chen from Pillfire City, Elder Yun Nie hadn't expected so many surviving disciples to reside at Veluriyam Capital.
"Shen Qinghong is dead?" Palace Head Dan Chi shook his head sadly. "What a shame. The elders who were with me on our breakout attempt are mostly dead as well."
The duo exchanged lamented about their prior experiences.
…...
Jiang Chen's living quarters.
"Elder Yun Nie wishes to see me?" Jiang Chen blinked. What was the elder here for? It was really late. Did he have something important to talk about?
He knew how cautious and circumspect the elder was. With advance knowledge on how busy Jiang Chen would be over the next few days, he wouldn't have disturbed the youth without something sufficiently notable.
"Send him in."
In no time at all, the elder made his way into the room.
"Greetings, young lord Zhen." He came forward with a courteous salute.
"No need for such excessive politeness between us, Elder Yun Nie," Jiang Chen laughed. "You're in a rush. Did you have something important on your mind?"
Elder Yun Nie looked serious. "Yes, there is a very important matter." He nodded. "I've brought a past acquaintance. Do you have the time to see him, young lord Zhen?"
"A past acquaintance?" Jiang Chen was a bit taken aback, but the elder's quite solemn expression told him that he absolutely had to see who it was.
"If it's a past acquaintance," he smiled, "then we should be old friends already. Why didn't you bring him with you, Elder Yun Nie?"
The elder sighed. "This acquaintance is… a bit different."
"Please, invite him over immediately."
Elder Yun Nie nodded before turning back out the door. It wasn't long before he returned with another person in tow.
"Palace Head Dan Chi?" Jiang Chen thought his eyes were deceiving him. He hadn't remotely thought of the possibility of seeing the palace head here. Experiences from decades ago began to resurface instantly.
A reunion after a long time apart, especially after life-threatening danger in the interim, meant that both parties had a ton of things to say to the other. Even Jiang Chen could barely hold back his elation.
Perhaps Palace Head Dan Chi's cultivation level was insignificant within the Upper Eight Regions, but that didn't diminish Jiang Chen's respect for him one whit. Without the palace head, he would've stuck around at the Precious Tree Sect for a much longer time, missing out on several opportunities that had come later.
Therefore, Jiang Chen had always considered Palace Head Dan Chi as one of his talent scouts. The palace head had been the one to drag the young man out of relative obscurity.
Most importantly, Jiang Chen saw something special in the other man. Regardless of martial strength, he'd only seen the quality in a specific few.
Ye Chonglou from the Precious Tree Sect was one of them, Veluriyam Capital's Emperor Peafowl was another. There was a great difference between their comparative strengths, but they all had a unique aura. Therefore, Jiang Chen was overjoyed to see Palace Head Dan Chi once more.
After an extended period of greetings, the two parties finally got into recounting the particulars of their separate ways. Palace Head Dan Chi had succeeded all those years ago, but found the Palace occupied and under enemy control upon his return. He chose not to turn himself in, aiming instead to smash through enemy lines. The sect's other elders had died one by one in their noble attempt.
After being forced eventually to split up, Dan Chi survived only through superhuman perseverance. He outlasted both Eternal Celestial Capital and the Great Scarlet Mid Region's chase.
After that, he had changed his name to Tan Zhi, a name with very strong overtones about his former identity. But Tan Zhi had another layer to it as well; it was meant to constantly admonish him of the eventual goal to re-establish the sect. He had chosen the name, lest he be overwhelmed by prolonged misfortune.
"You've suffered greatly all these years, Palace Head Dan Chi," Jiang Chen sighed.
"How can the small problems I've faced compare to yours? I've heard from Elder Yun Nie what you went through to get here. My greatest decision in this mortal coil was to dig you out from the Precious Tree Sect," the palace head recounted emotionally once more.
"Back at the Regal Pill Palace," Jiang Chen sighed, "you treated me with great respect beyond my deserving. It was the least I could do to repay you and I only did what was my duty. Plus, Eternal Celestial Capital considers me a stubborn thorn in their side regardless. They would hunt me even if I didn't do any of that."
"The Eternal Celestial Capital is the only first rank sect absent at the wandering cultivator meet," Dan Chi suddenly realized something. "Is your identity known to them already?"
"They sent a saint holy king here to parley, but I refused," Jiang Chen affirmed.
Joy and affection filtered into the palace head's eyes. Elder Yun Nie was equally excited by those words. They could the young man's steel-clad resolve and attitude.
"My friends, though I am Veluriyam Capital's young lord, and thus bear a weightier responsibility… rebuilding Regal Pill Palace is still something that concerns me. I protected the palace's disciples and rescued Mu Gaoqi precisely to preserve a spark of the sect's heritage in order to one day re-establish it. Now that you've appeared once more, sect head, the day of the palace's reappearance is not far at hand." Jiang Chen made a very serious declaration.
His words inspired both the palace head and the elder. The speech was more than enough to assuage their worries, giving them genuine hope for their sect's tomorrow. If the sect had Veluriyam Capital's support, what could Eternal Celestial Capital do? Would it somehow become stronger than Veluriyam Capital?
"Alas, this old man's abilities are far too limited," Elder Yun Nie lamented. "The road to rebuilding the sect is long and arduous."
Hardship had advanced the palace head's cultivation with blustering speed. He had broken through to half-step emperor realm in only ten short years.
In the Myriad Domain of yesteryear, this level of cultivation rivaled the Great Cathedral's Sacred Elephant family head. However, it wasn't nearly enough to re-found an entire sect. Moreover, it was easy to call the sect reestablished, yet a great deal more effort was required for full revitalization.
Palace Head Dan Chi's gaze was burdened by the problems ahead.
"Young lord Zhen," he glanced at Jiang Chen. "I said all those years ago that the Regal Pill Palace will survive any storm, no matter how chaotic, as long as it had you. Today, less than a tenth of the palace's disciples remain and my personal prowess is anemic at best. The way to restoring Regal Pill Palace is burdensome and challenging. I'd like to humbly request your assistance in the matter."
"Please, Palace Head, don't say this. I too, must do my part in the Palace's restoration. In actuality, you have one of the most fundamental elements to reforming the sect already." Jiang Chen replied, smiling.
"Oh?" The palace head hesitated.
"An ancient martial method is recorded in that jade token, a method strong enough to be compared to any first rank sect's best methods. In fact, it actually surpasses them in numerous ways. You came upon such a valuable text as a wandering cultivator, Palace Head. It means that you are far luckier than the rest. There is no question that the Palace will soar to great heights in your hands."
None of this was false. It was a stroke of immense fortune that the palace head had both survived and received such an amazing find. As long as he was willing to lie in wait for a time, the ancient method would ensure there was substance behind his promise.
Chapter 1280: Opening of the Trading Fair
"This absolutely is a blessing of enormous proportions. Mayhap the disaster that befell us was just a minor obstacle on our path to great glory. In the end, the sect is to reach end new heights with the palace head at the helm."
Elder Yun Nie was someone who placed a lot of stock in the notion of fortune. He had experienced many things in the past couple of years and comprehended many theories. When it came to fortune, young lord Zhen was clearly a person with a great destiny in front of him. Everything he did was full of surprises. He could turn even the most dismal situations into something advantageous and procure victories.
However, the most important factor was that the young lord clearly supported Palace Head Dan Chi. The young lord wasn't going to use the opportunity of rebuilding the sect to seize the leadership. He was going to follow protocol to the letter and return authority to the palace head.
Jiang Chen had been in charge the rebuilding process up to this point and had delegated responsibilities to Elder Yun Nie. His attitude changed with the appearance of Dan Chi. It was a wonderful development for the sect that Jiang Chen was willing to hand over power back to the palace head.
If he'd remained in charge of redevelopment, everyone would only recall that the young lord of Veluriyam Capital had reconstructed the Regal Pill Palace. No one would care much about the sect itself. The connotations would be entirely different if Palace Head Dan Chi was the one leading the process.
Although Elder Yun Nie had a close relationship with Jiang Chen, the former still cared about maintaining the traditions, heritage, and legitimacy of the sect. Even though Jiang Chen was technically a disciple, he'd been studying under both Regal Pill Palace and Precious Tree Sect at the time.
"Young lord Zhen, are the methods of the ancient past really that magical?" Palace Head Dan Chi was slightly skeptical.
"Palace Head, only by cultivating it yourself will you know how true that is. However, this method requires you to reach emperor realm before you can use it. Only then can you reap its true benefits. You're wasting your time otherwise. Thus, your first priority is to reach emperor realm as quickly as possible."
Jiang Chen could tell that the palace head was only halfway there. However, Dan Chi's martial dao potential was much higher than Cheng Qian's. Even if Jiang Chen didn't help his old benefactor, the palace head could have broken through to emperor realm on basis of his own merits alone.
"Palace Head, it's probably best that you don't reveal your true identity for now. Why don't you continue being a wandering cultivator and remain at the young lord's residence? Once the Meet concludes, we can start the mighty feat of rebuilding of the Regal Pill Palace. Myriad Domain has languished in the hands of petty tyrants for long enough. It's high time that we took it back. Furthermore, it's about time that we collected the debt that Great Scarlet Mid Region owes."
Jiang Chen sounded quite remote. He had certain ideas of how to rebuild the sect; his blueprint was vast. Not only did it include rebuilding the Regal Pill Palace, but it also included taking back Myriad Domain, and even annexing the Great Scarlet Mid Region to form an area completely under his absolute control. That was his true goal.
He needed to bring all of the human territories under his control before the demons invaded. The race needed to band together as a cohesive whole. Myriad Domain and Great Scarlet Mid Region were the territories closest to the demons, particularly Myriad Domain. It was the tip of the frontlines.
Thus, it was especially important that he had these two areas in the palm of his hand. He would slowly reveal his ideas to Dan Chi later. It was too early to go into detail now.
Seeing that the powerful Jiang Chen was completely behind them, Elder Yun Nie and Palace Head Dan Chi were delighted beyond belief and headed back to their dwellings.
The rest of the night passed peacefully.
Elder Yun Nie and Dan Chi appeared together at dawn the next day. The palace head was still dressed like a wandering cultivator. The elder had a smile on his face. "Young lord Zhen, can I also partake in the festivities of the Dragon and Tiger Meet?"
"Yes, please enjoy yourselves. Make sure to keep an eye on your surroundings," replied the young lord in approval. "Oh right, it's best if you don't tell Gao Qi and the other young disciples what's changed. I'm afraid that they won't be able to conceal things because of their youth."
The elder laughed. "I've already discussed this with the palace head and we both agree on that point. We can tell everyone after the Meet concludes."
"Alright. The day's about to start, go on ahead."
General enthusiasm and participation had increased visibly after viewing countless wonderful treasures and events on the first day. Many hadn't brought out their baubles for the first segment. Now that they didn't have any doubts, they planned locate young lord Zhen at the trading fair and ask for an appraisal.
When Jiang Chen arrived at the gathering, he could see that the size of the crowd had increased by a large amount compared to the previous day. The excited and charged atmosphere quite pleased him.
"Young lord Zhen, there's certainly plenty of crouching tigers and hidden dragons at the gathering. I think that everyone has been buoyed by the splendid show from yesterday." Emperor Peerless was also very cheerful when he sensed the electrifying mood.
"Haha, I wonder how Pillfire's doing? We've gotten a good kick in this time and slapped their faces harshly!" Emperor Coiling Dragon was very animated.
Jiang Chen had a steady head on his shoulders and didn't let things go to his head. "Everyone should return to their own duties and not treat anything lightly. The Meet's just begun. Anything could happen before it's ended."
"Understood!" Everyone went back to their own areas.
Jiang Chen's appearance caused a stir in the crowd. They chanted loudly, "Young lord Zhen, young lord Zhen!"
"Young lord Zhen, we want to have another treasure identification segment!"
"Yeah, have another one!"
The wandering cultivators started clamoring for more, plainly caught up in the thrill of yesterday. Many of them hadn't taken action in a timely manner due to prudence. In the end, they delayed far too long and missed the window of opportunity entirely.After seeing the multitude of first grade items yesterday, and the three supreme treasures in particular, many of them felt that they'd stumbled into a fairytale. Dreams of overnight riches sprung up in more than a few individuals. They searched themselves for anything that looked promising, wanting to send them in for appraisal. Although most knew this was just a fantasy, this was precisely the kind of dream and legend that was most scarce in their world.
Jiang Chen stood up tall and a slight smile stretched over his face as he gazed out into the sea of humanity. The crowds extended far to the back for many kilometers.
"Everyone, calm down please." He stretched out his hands and pushed downwards.
The din slowly died down. Soon, no one made a peep. They stared at Jiang Chen and waited with baited breath to hear what the young lord had to say. Seeing their eyes full of excitement, he could easily guess what they were thinking.
Public sentiment can be useful. Jiang Chen was pleased and knew that he finally had their attention now. "Everyone, we have a strict schedule to follow for the Dragon and Tiger Meet. It would be very difficult to alter it. But I can sense your enthusiasm and desires. The following three days are set aside for free trading sessions. During these three days, the Sacred Peafowl Mountain will set up three trading districts with some purchase lists and free item appraisal. However, our time and energy are finite, so we will be filtering the requests. If you're unable to pass the tests, then you have no qualifications to enter these districts."
He paused for a second before continuing, "It will be the same as the previous treasure identification event. The Sacred Peafowl Mountain will be as fair and impartial as before. We will not exaggerate or make falsely low appraisals. No matter what type of treasure it is, we will give a fair pronouncement.
"Apart from this, the other Veluriyam great emperors will all be opening trading districts. In addition, the first rank sects will also have the qualifications to open transaction areas. At the same time, we will also open a special large trading district just for great emperors."
Jiang Chen had done all of this to win people's hearts.
After hearing his speech, many of the first class sects and the emperor realm experts were all surprised by his shrewd methods. Their admiration for him stepped up a notch. Young lord Zhen is clearly not a simple individual. This was beautifully done.
He continued, "Other than these special areas, there is also the largest trading district reserved for free trades. Within this section, all of our wandering cultivator friends can carry out whatever transactions they wish. However, please remember that the rules must be followed. Trades should be conducted fairly and no one is allowed to force purchases or sales. Shameful methods are strictly prohibited. Should anyone break these regulations, then they will be considered individuals who are no long welcomed within the Dragon and Tiger Meet. We will immediately expel any troublemakers. Should any malicious plots arise, we will immediately send to stamp them out."
No one felt he was bluffing. Within the Veluriyam Capital, the young lord indeed had the qualifications to carry out such a threat. As the young lord of Sacred Peafowl Mountain with a large group of great emperors, Jiang Chen had multitudes of troops beneath his hand. The capital was fully under his control.
"Alright, everyone should make their preparations. We will start to set up our trading districts. The trading fair will now begin!"
Sacred Peafowl Mountain had three sections available, with the most important district naturally under Jiang Chen's authority. As for the two remaining areas, Emperor Peerless was responsible for one and the four monarchs in charge of the other.
The responsibility of administering the qualification tests were given to Pill Kings Bu and Lu Feng, as well as Mu Gaoqi and Lin Yanyu. This was also a tempering trial for the latter two.
With stringent qualification rules, much of the pressure was off Jiang Chen's shoulders. After all, most who wanted him to assess their so-called 'treasures' couldn't even past the first test.
Even if they qualified after the first round, they would likely be stuck with the four monarchs and Emperor Peerless. It was impossible that all wandering cultivators had some priceless treasure.
There were occasionally a couple of objects that even Emperor Peerless couldn't identify, which meant they came to Jiang Chen, who would promptly accurate dissect their value.
Over half a day had passed for the trading fair and Jiang Chen still hadn't come across even one object that made his heart race.
Chapter 1281: Young Lord Zhens Acquisition List
Jiang Chen wasn't worried. He strongly believed that at least a few wandering cultivators would possess something desirable. They were probably just observing from the sidelines and were in no rush to take out their treasures. Wandering cultivators were often very distrustful. If they had any doubts, they'd much rather observe than take any action.
"Jiao Yun, spread the word that I'm buying a few items, the more of them the better. Price is negotiable as long as they can procure the goods." Jiang Chen handed a few scrolls over. "These are the list of items I require. Go ahead and announce them."
Jiao Yun accepted the decree and headed outside with the scrolls.
"Everyone, please hold your chatter for a minute! Young lord Zhen needs to purchase a few things! Friends who possess them are welcome to have a face-to-face transaction with the young lord! The young lord is willing to buy however many that you have! The price is guaranteed to be satisfactory!"
Even the distinguished leaders of the cultivation world couldn't help but pay attention to Jiao Yun, let alone the wandering cultivators. He unfurled the first scroll and called out, "The first item, Eight Treasure Cordyceps! It's an herb that's a collection of eight very rare and unique parasites! The young lord is prioritizing this purchase and is willing to pay a very decent price…"
The Eight Treasure Cordyceps wasn't entirely foreign to the cultivation world. Most cultivators had heard of it. It was just incredibly unique and strange. It seemed like a mere spirit herb at first glance, but that wasn't all there was to it. It was actually a spirit creature that appeared as a spirit herb at times, making it a very rare and precious herb-like creature. It was often used by pill masters in refinement as it was a very versatile ingredient.
However, the pill dao world hadn't truly unearthed the Eight Treasure Cordyceps' full potential yet. Its effects after being refined into a pill weren't much better than its raw form. Even though it was very rare and a quasi-sky rank herb, most saw it as an earth rank herb after judging its usefulness.
"No way. Young lord Zhen is buying Eight Treasure Cordyceps at a high price? Damn it! I sold mine long ago!"
"I've seen it at an auction before. It sold for a very good price then!"
"It's not particularly uncommon even though it's a rare sight. Why is the young lord purchasing mass amounts of it?"
"Yeah! Could it be that he has a way to massively profit from it?"
"I'm really looking forward to seeing what he does with it! If he hadn't explained the hidden properties of the Heavencloud Ganoderma, I probably would've just sold it as a common sky rank herb if I had it."
"Same. He has the ability to turn anything he touches into gold. Items show their true worth only in front of him."
"The Dragon and Tiger Meet has truly broadened my horizons. The heritage and profoundness of these great factions possess are truly unbeatable. I can't help but admit our inferiority."
"It depends. A genius of young lord Zhen's caliber is probably seen only once in every ten thousand years."
"I don't care what the rest of you think, I'm completely convinced by young lord Zhen now. I've long since heard that Pillfire City is the greatest and possess huge amounts of knowledge. I guess I agree with that, but their character far worse compared to young lord Zhen. Pillfire City is widely known for exploiting us wandering cultivators and sucking our blood dry."
"That's right. I really hope young lord Zhen will not follow Pillfire City's footsteps after he's grown famous."
"Never. Such practices were never seen in Veluriyam Capital when it was under Emperor Peafowl's rule. Young lord Zhen isn't that kind of person."
"Mm. As long as young lord Zhen continues to be this virtuous, my loyalty will remain with him and his capital, not Pillfire City." The wandering cultivators continued to chatter about their great curiosity over why Jiang Chen was purchasing such a peculiar item.
Jiao Yun explained the characteristics of the Eight Treasure Cordyceps before moving onto the next scroll. "The second item is a spirit creature called the Goldencrown Cloudcrane. As the name suggests, this crane has a very unique golden crown on its head. The young lord is willing to pay a very adequate price for this animal!"
Its name was much more foreign to the masses. Not many knew of it. The few that did only knew that it to be a very auspicious animal, weak in strength and cultivation level. However, its flesh was extremely nourishing, which made it a frequent ingredient for restorative purposes by advanced cultivators. In fact, its restorative strength was even higher than many saint pills. However, it was an extremely rare creature.
"The Goldencrown Cloudcrane is said to be extremely precious from head to feet. Its flesh heals the heavily injured and it's an overall healing agent."
"Is the young lord planning to refine restorative pills with it?"
"So the animal possesses extreme healing properties, but it can't actually revive the dead right? What on earth is the young lord planning to do with it? Everyone was scrutinizing Jiang Chen's purchases in order to predict what incredible marvel he was up to next. His miraculous achievements had been deeply entrenched in their minds.
Emperor Coiling Dragon and Ji San exchanged glances. They knew exactly why Jiang Chen was buying that creature. The Pinecrane Pill!
Back in the day, Ji San had purchased a Goldencrown Cloudcrane under Jiang Chen's recommendation in one of Veluriyam Capital's auctions. It was how they'd gotten their hands on the Pinecrane Pill later. If it wasn't for that purchase back then, Emperor Coiling Dragon would likely be a pile of bones by now.
Jiao Yun unravelled the scroll to show a drawing of the crane to everyone.
"Everyone, please take a closer look. If you possess this creature, please contact our young lord. This creature will be in much better hands if you allow our young lord to unearth its full potential." After displaying the second scroll for a while, Jiao Yun moved on to the third one.
"The third item on the list is True Heavensfall Iron, a very rare metal. Our young lord is also willing to purchase this at a very reasonable price. He's willing to give ten Longevity Pills in exchange for five kilograms of True Heavensfall Iron. For a fifty kilograms of iron, our young lord is offering a single Pinecrane Pill."
True Heavensfall Iron was the material for dirks that powered the formation. Jiang Chen had inherited the Heavenly Chalice Sword Formation from the Crimson Heavens Palace, the second of the Six Palaces of Heritage. It was one of the Ancient Crimson Heavens Sect's ultimate treasures.
Special lightweight dirks were needed for the formation, and they had to be forged out of True Heavensfall Iron in order to extract the formation's full potential. Ones made out of normal materials couldn't possibly withstand the formation's power.
Jiang Chen still remembered Venerated Skysoarer's advice and placed great importance on the formation.
In the ancient age, an expert from the Ancient Crimson Heavens Sect had used the formation to kill three experts of equal level, even though he'd merely mastered a fifth of the formation.
One had to understand that equal rank cultivators were often very well-rivaled in ancient times. Very rarely would there be a winner in a one-on-one duel. Fighting one-on-three was almost certain death. Thus, one could easily see how heaven-defying the formation was from its illustrious history.
Even though Jiang Chen was getting stronger at an alarming speed, the martial methods he could use to deal with enemies much stronger than him were simply too inadequate. He was more capable of dealing with enemies of the same level, but he sorely lacked a powerful sure-kill technique against enemies many levels stronger than him. Thus, mastering the Heavenly Chalice Sword Formation was of paramount importance.
"The fourth item is…" Jiao Yun moved onto the next scroll unhurriedly. Jiang Chen had given him five scrolls in total. He quietly took his leave after he was done with the announcement.
"Young lord Zhen, the task is complete."
Jiang Chen nodded. His priority right now were the first three items. The other two could wait.
Even if no wandering cultivator was in possession of these items, Jiang Chen believed that news of his purchase list would quickly spread throughout the human domain.
These items would surely show themselves on his doorstep then. These items were of little use to wandering cultivators, but in his hands, they'd turn into gold. It didn't take a genius to know what would be the better choice.
Cloudsoar Monarch suddenly approached from the side. "Young lord, an elder from a second rank sect seeks an audience."
"A second rank sect?" Jiang Chen was mildly taken aback.
Hundreds of factions, big and small, were participating in the Dragon and Tiger Meet. There were dozens of second rank sects in the human domain, a lot more than first rank sects. He hadn't arranged special seatings for these sects, not because he looked down on them, but because he had to give preferential treatment to first rank sects.
"Yes. They mentioned that they might have something which would interest the young lord."
"Show him in." Jiang Chen didn't discriminate.
A short and old man dressed in a brown garb soon appeared. His hair was half black and half white, presenting quite an eye-catching sight.
"Luo Tianshu, an elder of the Nirvana Sect, greets the young lord." This old man was more than aware that an elder of a second rank sect had no right to put on airs in front of young lord Zhen.
"The Nirvana Sect?" There were dozens of second rank sects in the human domain. Jiang Chen had heard of a few, but he knew very little about them.
Cloudsoar Monarch gave a quick reminder. "The Nirvana Sect is a second rank sect from the Swordfield Region. They are one of the most influential factions there."
"Swordfield Region?" Jiang Chen frowned when he heard that name. Unpleasant memories surfaced in his mind.
Chapter 1282: True Heavensfall Iron?
Swordfield Region was one of the largest mid region factions. They were slightly stronger than even Great Scarlet Mid Region. Back when Jiang Chen left Myriad Domain, setting foot for Veluriyam Capital, he'd ventured through Tai-ah City in Swordfield Region. His trip to the city had left him with many awful memories.
The Eternal Celestial Capital had attempted to trap Jiang Chen by spreading rumors that they were holding Palace Head Dan Chi in the city. Jiang Chen had seen through their ruse, but had ventured to the city anyways.
Tai-ah City had been in leagues with Eternal Celestial Capital and assisted them fully with their evil deeds. It was unlikely that Jiang Chen would've made it out alive if he hadn't been so resourceful. He countered their ruse with trickery and counter-lured them to a valley called Infant Shriek, taking them all out in one fell swoop with the local Divine Befuddlement Miasma.
The Swordfield Region and Tai-ah City had left Jiang Chen with a deep impression indeed. Just because he hadn't sought out Tai-ah City for payback didn't mean that he'd happily forgotten about the past.
Luo Tianshu was rather taken aback by Jiang Chen's cold response. Surely this was their first time meeting each other? Was that... animosity in the young lord's eyes?
Could it be that all factions other than wandering cultivators aren't welcome? That wasn't right! Young lord Zhen had been very courteous to guests from all walks of life and didn't seem to bear hostility towards anyone. Did he have some kind of prejudice against the Nirvana Sect?
That couldn't be it either! He hadn't seem particularly fazed at the sect name in the beginning. It seemed like his mood had only soured when the Swordfield Region was brought up.
Luo Tianshu's emotions were alternating between high and low. Even though he was an elder of a second rank sect, he couldn't help but feel inferior to Veluriyam Capital's young lord. If the young lord truly did have a rooted dislike of him, the entire Swordfield Region would likely be in trouble, not just the Nirvana Sect.
"Young lord Zhen, I hear that True Heavensfall Iron is on your purchase list of items?" the elder asked cautiously.
"That's correct. Elder Luo, please have a seat." Jiang Chen answered with a polite smile.
How could Luo Tianshu dare sit in front of Jiang Chen? "I'm fine standing." He smiled.
"Elder Luo, are you certain that your sect possesses some True Heavensfall Iron?" Jiang Chen had realized that he'd completely intimidated Luo Tianshu by now.
"I'm not sure of that, but based on Sir Jiao's description, I believe that we do possess a single piece of it."
"Oh? How big is it?" Jiang Chen's interest was piqued.
"About the size of a watermelon." Luo Tianshu answered truthfully.
"What?" Jiang Chen was taken aback. "The size of a watermelon? Do you know how much True Heavensfall Iron of that amount is worth?"
"Please enlighten me." Luo Tianshu smiled ruefully. "That thing is very heavy. Even though it's merely the size of a watermelon, it seems to be two or three times heavier than normal."
"It must weigh at least one fifty kilograms if it's the size of a watermelon." Jiang Chen answered solemnly.
He needed to forge eighty one Heavenly Chalice Swords. If each dirk was infused with one kilogram of True Heavensfall Iron, he'd need roughly at least one hundred kilograms of it. But only using one kilogram of True Heavensfall Iron in each dirk was a lot less than ideal.
In order to achieve his level of desired strength, he'd need to infuse at least two to three kilograms of True Heavensfall Iron into each dirk. And to reach absolute perfection? Four and a half kilograms. That made for a staggering three hundred and fifty kilograms of True Heavensfall Iron!
But if he could achieve it, the eighty-one dirks would transcend into the empyrean rank. In fact, even many empyrean experts wouldn't have weapons on the same level.
Jiang Chen had initially planned on infusing just two kilograms of True Heavensfall Iron into each flying sword to meet a baseline requirement. That alone would require more than one fifty kilograms of the material. However, Luo Tianshu was saying that his sect possessed a piece the size of a watermelon?
Regardless of the information's authenticity, Jiang Chen couldn't help but be immensely surprised. He initially thought that the second rank sect would only possess at most five kilograms, or the size of a finger. Luo Tianshu's response had truly caught him off guard.
"Elder Luo, getting your hands on such a large piece is no child's play. Are you sure you're not joking?" Jiang Chen growled deeply.
"I'd never dare." Luo Tianshu's forehead glistened with sweat and he offered a nervous smile. "I'm here to verify if the young lord wishes truly wishes to purchase the True Heavensfall Iron."
"Just that?" Jiang Chen's voice was filled with frost.
"N-no! I also wish to verify if your offer holds true!"
"Does it seem like we'd make an empty offer?" Jiang Chen was extremely displeased.
"Elder Luo, if one hundred and fifty kilograms of True Heavensfall Iron is what you offer, then three Pinecrane Pills is what you'll get. Any offers less than a fifty will be paid with Longevity Pills. I'll not entertain any haggling. You may save yourself the trouble and scram if that's your plan." Jiang Chen killed any opportunities for negotiation with a single sentence.
"Young lord Zhen, I don't have the Iron on me, but if you're interested, please feel free to pick a time and pay our sect a visit. Our sect master will be more than delighted to conduct the deal with you."
"Visit your sect?" Jiang Chen laughed. "Forgive me for being blunt, but I don't believe that the True Heavensfall Iron is worth a visit to your sect even if I have a need for it."
Luo Tianshu was merely testing his bottom line. If he agreed readily, the latter might come to a conclusion that he was desperate for the item. They'd surely raise the price then. Jiang Chen would never fall for such an amateur trap.
Luo Tianshu was slightly disappointed when he heard Jiang Chen's reply.
"Aii... but the Nirvana Sect is so far from here. The roads are fraught with danger and uncertainty. It seems this'll be a difficult business to do." The sect representative sighed.
How would Jiang Chen not see what Luo Tianshu was up to? "Our doors are always open if the Nirvana Sect wishes to see this deal through." He smiled blandly.
"Cloudsoar, please send Elder Luo out." Jiang Chen refused to give Luo Tianshu a chance to haggle.
Luo Tianshu had no choice but to awkwardly raise a cupped fist salute and leave. However, curiosity got the better of him before he was shown to the door. "Young lord Zhen, may I ask one last thing before I leave?"
"Speak." Jiang Chen answered indifferently.
"Your mood soured when you heard that I was from the Swordfield Region. Perhaps I have offended you in some way?" This was Luo Tianshu's main concern. He found the matter very strange and wanted to put his heart to rest by understanding why.
"You needn't worry, Elder Luo. The deal is on as long as there isn't any enmity between our factions. Everything else is just needless detail."
"Y-yes. Understood." Luo Tianshu felt a lot more at ease now.
Jiang Chen furrowed his brows in thought after watching the sect representative leave. The Jiao Brothers approached him. "Young lord, the Nirvana Sect doesn't know their place! They should've just offered the item to you instead of trying to cut a deal! Why don't we make a trip to their sect and retrieve the True Heavensfall Iron for you?"
'Retrieve' was an euphemism for what they were planning to do. Simply put, their intention was to waltz into the Nirvana Sect and conduct robbery in broad daylight.
Jiang Chen laughed. "It's not that I don't want to, but if everyone does the same thing, the human domain would be in utter chaos."
The Jiao Brothers laughed mischievously. They didn't mind. Thievery and plundering was the way of life for many in the wandering world.
"If you don't like that idea, why don't we make a trip to their sect and 'invite' their sectmaster for a visit? If he resists, we'll just come up with a contingency plan!"
"No need for that. They'll come again if they really possess a piece of True Heavensfall Iron. The Pinecrane Pill is a much more attractive item than a hunk of metal. It's nothing but a normal piece of refining material to them. The Pinecrane Pill however, is a miracle pill that will extend their lives." Of that, Jiang Chen was extremely confident.
As they chatted, Emperor Peerless took big strides and approached him with a smile. "Young lord Zhen, someone has just offered you something. Come take a look and see if it's a Heavencloud Ganoderma."
The Heavencloud Ganoderma?
Jiang Chen was taken aback. Hadn't it just appeared yesterday during the treasure appraisal stage? The herb was still on Sacred Peafowl Mountain! How could another one suddenly appear today?
"Come. Let's go take a look!"
The Jiao brothers were naturally elated by the news. They followed the young lord and Emperor Peerless with large strides.
A spirit herb was enclosed within an unadorned jade box. When Jiang Chen set his eyes upon the item, he could sense the powerful aura emanating from it. It seemed to have some kind of miraculous connection with heaven and earth.
"Young lord, it's this friend who brought this item to you." Emperor Peerless introduced the cultivator beside him.
"Friend, how should I address you?" Jiang Chen sized up the cultivator. The newcomer was completely dressed as a wandering cultivator. His eyes were filled with depth and mystery. One look was all it took to know that he was no ordinary person.
"I'm but a nameless wandering cultivator. My name is unworthy of mention. Young lord, what are your thoughts on this Heavencloud Ganoderma?"
Chapter 1283: Controversy Rises Again
Jiang Chen's gaze shifted from the wandering cultivator to the spirit herb lying in the jade box. The presence projected from this specimen was noticeably superior to the aura from the previous Heavencloud Ganoderma. Radiant light morphed around on it. It brimmed with energy, exuding a refreshing air that seemed to bestow a few more years of life by itself.
"Do you mind if I pick it up for a look?" Jiang Chen looked at the other again.
"But of course." The wandering cultivator was quite generous.
The young lord lifted the spirit herb without further ado and scrutinized it closely. With his eye for appraisal, it wasn't difficult to evaluate a mere stalk of spirit herb.
However, this specimen gave him an inexplicable feeling when in hand.
It was a Heavencloud Ganoderma without question, but there was something a bit off about it. The concentration of its energies indicated an age of six thousand years, but its appearance and various details made Jiang Chen feel that it was no more than a thousand.
This was extremely baffling, but a notion quickly flashed through the young lord's mind. Can it be… He looked meaningfully at the wandering cultivator.
"Friend, this is indeed a Heavencloud Ganoderma." Jiang Chen nodded without a flicker in expression. "Do you want to trade it to Sacred Peafowl Mountain, cosign it for auction, or just get an appraisal for it?"
The man smiled blandly. "I'd like for young lord Zhen to put a price on it."
"I already priced this spirit herb during yesterday's segment." Jiang Chen smiled back. "Would you like me to repeat myself?"
The man shook his head. "Mine is obviously superior in quality and appearance. Are you trying to pull the wool over my eyes, young lord?"
Jiang Chen chuckled and flicked another look at the Heavencloud Ganoderma. "Most people might be taken along for a ride, but I can tell that this one is only about a thousand years old. It's not much different from the one yesterday."
"How is that possible?!" The wandering cultivator lost his cool. "Mine's superior to the one yesterday in every way! Young lord Zhen, are you trying to keep the price down?"
"Sorry, but this is my judgment. If you think your Heavencloud Ganoderma is better than this, you can have someone else appraise it as well. But to me, it's just a thousand years old. No matter what other methods that've been used to make it appear otherwise, it's unrealistic to expect a six thousand year old price for a thousand year old specimen." Jiang Chen didn't spare any feelings with his response. He could tell that the wandering cultivator wasn't here to make a trade at all.
And indeed, the man sniffed derisively. "To think that the famous young lord Zhen only amounts to this much. Forget it, forget it. Let's just chalk it up to me being dumb and coming to the wrong place."
He packed up the jade box and left without another word to the young lord, muttering to himself as he did so. "There's as many experts at this wandering cultivator gathering as there are clouds in the sky. You might be blind to true value, but others won't be."
Jiang Chen snorted contemptuously and didn't stop the man from leaving. "Jiao Yun, keep an eye on him and see if he asks anyone else to appraise it. Tell me immediately if he does."
Jiao Yun nodded and tailed the cultivator after he was far off in the distance. Being a great emperor, it was simplicity itself for him to shadow someone.
Indeed, the man headed straight to the Sublime Chord Temple trading district after departing Jiang Chen's area. It looked like Master Dong Ye was his next target. When he saw this development, Jiao Yun about-faced and reported back to the young lord.
"Young lord Zhen, that dick went to the Sublime Chord Temple! It looks like he's going to ask Master Dong Ye the same thing."
Out of the seniors that Jiang Chen had invited to partake in the proceedings yesterday, the Buddhist master indeed had the best eye for treasure.
"Let's see what Master Dong Ye says first." Jiang Chen sounded quite detached. "I'm afraid this person hasn't come with good intentions. He probably wants to make trouble."
"So what if he does, young lord! We'll just throw him out!" The Jiao brothers were straight shooters and disliked wasting effort on talking.
"Heh heh, he'll make a big deal if he really is thrown out and slander the gathering. How can we let him do that? Let's see what he tries to pull first. Master Dong Ye cultivates the Warrior Buddha's Eye. He shouldn't be hoodwinked by these methods."
Although Jiang Chen cast a vote of confidence for the Buddhist master, he was inwardly skeptical. It wasn't just simply faking the vintage of the Heavencloud Ganoderma. The methods used were highly sophisticated, marking it as an uncommon forgery. If it wasn't for his abnormally keen eye and vast knowledge banks, he would've been hard pressed to note the problems.
Indeed, Master Dong Ye came rushing in with excitement not long after. The wandering cultivator was by his side.
"Young lord Zhen, this is a fantastic treasure, a wonderful treasure!" Master Dong Ye was taken over by enthusiasm. "Look at this Heavencloud Ganoderma. It's so perfect and not less than six thousand years! This kind of sky rank spirit herb is extremely rare! Come take a look!"
Jiang Chen didn't know whether to laugh or cry when he looked at the Buddhist master hopping up and down with joy. He looked meaningfully at the wandering cultivator, knowing that the fellow had purposefully not told the Buddhist master that there'd been a previous visit to the Sacred Peafowl Mountain trading district.
"Master Dong Ye, don't focus on the spirit herb just yet, think about this man's motive. You cultivate the Warrior Buddha's Eye. If you can see through to people's hearts, why don't you take a look at his?" Jiang Chen pointed at the wandering cultivator with a faint smile.
Master Dong Ye started. "What makes you say that, young lord?"
"Has he told you that he paid me a visit before going to you, and that I've already given him an appraisal?"
The Buddhist master blinked and shook his head. "No, he hasn't."
The wandering cultivator snorted scornfully. "If I'd said that, Master Dong Ye would've been prejudiced against me. So naturally I couldn't volunteer that. Young lord Zhen, your word alone doesn't represent anything, does it? Or do I have to give your appraisal result first when I visit any other place? You're not the leading authority in this field!"
"My my, don't you have a silver tongue." Jiang Chen smirked dismissively. "Master Dong Ye, do you really think that there's six thousand years to this spirit herb?"
"Is there not?" Master Dong Ye took another long look. "In my opinion, six thousand years is conservative estimate. Young lord Zhen, how old do you think it is?"
"I think it's only one thousand years old." Jiang Chen smiled faintly.
"One thousand?" Master Dong Ye jumped in shock and smiled ruefully. "Young lord Zhen, I too admire your skill, but an estimate of one thousand years is really too far off the mark. This specimen is obviously much better than the one yesterday."
"It seems that way, but only on a surface level. Master Dong Ye, this is why I advised a good look at this man's heart. He purposefully brought this spirit herb to sow dissension between the two of us so we'd fight and disrupt the order of this gathering. You are a mellow and kind individual, don't be taken in by him."
The master grew unhappy. "Young lord Zhen, let's not rush to conclusions. Even if you talk until the sun ceases to shine, that still doesn't make this Heavencloud Ganoderma less than a thousand years old. I would be so bold as to make a bet that if you invited everyone who knows spirit herbs to appraise this one, it would be older than a thousand years."
The Buddhist master had an ornery temper and had already been wavering between acceptance and rejection of the young lord to begin with. Given Jiang Chen's age, it wasn't very likely that the master would wholeheartedly submit to the young man.
It was obvious that this Heavencloud Ganoderma was more than a thousand years old! How would he possible believe the young lord? The young lord was patently lying through his teeth and insulting his Warrior Buddha's Eye!
"Please quell your anger, honored master." Jiang Chen's gaze was removed as he looked at the wandering cultivator. The latter had a half-smile on his face and was watching the proceedings with interest, as if wanting the show to grow bigger.
If that didn't tip Jiang Chen off to the fact that this was a troublemaker, then he'd be a real fool.
"Do you feel that your petty scheme has succeeded?" Jiang Chen tossed a jeering glance over.
"Young lord Zhen, you're the one holding the Dragon and Tiger Meet, so I can't do anything if you want to turn right into wrong. Your so-called objectivity yesterday was just a sham to trick honest people. This is your true self! You just want to depress the price with your insistence that my spirit herb is only a thousand years old. You might be able to get all the wandering cultivators in the world to buy your lies, but I won't fall for them!"
So it'd finally come. The fellow was showing his edge and true intentions.
With Master Dong Ye's temper, his eyes were wide with indignation at this point. "Young lord Zhen, if this really is your true character, then I was blind and a fool to have trusted you!"
The Buddhist master trained in his sect's vocal projection techniques, so his words exploded in the vicinity like a crack of thunder on a clear day.
They crashed onto Jiang Chen's heart with gravity. He abruptly realized that he'd underestimated this Buddhist master. Judging from the situation, Dong Ye was likely colluding with this wandering cultivator. Maybe it was even a meticulously laid out plot!
Thoughts flew rapidly through the young lord's mind as he assessed the most ideal way to deal with the matter. This bald donkey is a good actor. All was clear to him now. With some careful analysis, he realized that he'd been played from beginning to end by Master Dong Ye.
What was seemingly a stubborn and fiery temper was most likely an act, one that'd started the moment the Buddhist master had set foot on the stage.
Sublime Chord Temple isn't too far from Pillfire, and it's never had any relations with Veluriyam. It's only natural that they choose to stand with Pillfire. This bald donkey…
Jiang Chen was swiftly calming down after his initial anger. He knew that he'd underestimated Pillfire's resolve and activity.
Chapter 1284: The Matter Blows Up
Master Dong Ye's roar attracted gazes from all direction. The wandering cultivator took advantage of this to shout, "What a nice scheme you're hatching here, young lord Zhen! You built an open and fair image for yourself with yesterday's treasure identification segment, but you actually trying to keep prices low in private! Is this your so-called open fairness?? I say this Dragon and Tiger Meet is just a conspiracy for you to use your public office for private gain!"
The Jiao brothers were highly put out with these words. "You're just here to cause trouble, aren't you??"
The wandering cultivator didn't wilt in the face of aggression. "You're putting on some strong airs, Jiao brothers of Mt. Huai. What, do you use fists to do the talking when you're in the wrong, young lord Zhen? You might be able to threaten me, but can you threaten the millions of wandering cultivators in the world?" He struck a lofty, defiant pose.
The looks focused on them started filling with suspicion and doubt.
Jiang Chen waved a hand to have the Jiao brothers stop. Various Veluriyam great emperors flew over as well, sensing that something undesirable was going on. The young lord was scrambling for a response to this sudden development, but quickly calmed himself.
"What a grandiose reference to all the wandering cultivators in the world." His tone was detached. "Friend, I don't care where you're from and what motives you have. If you'd behaved yourself in the Dragon and Tiger Meet, my capital would've treated you as a guest. But I won't have any of it if you're here to cause trouble and throw mud. You keep mentioning wandering cultivators, so I'd like to ask you, what's your name? Who amongst the crowd here knows you?"
The wandering cultivator was unruffled. "Young lord Zhen, you keep making a big deal of wanting to know my background and name. Are you making your plans for revenge after the fact?
"Am I the only person here who's hiding my name and origin? It's not an easy world out there, so it's common for cultivators to conceal their names. You keep wanting to find out who I am. What for, hmm?" The man was quite glib and delivered an inciting, aggressive response. Each word targeted Jiang Chen, making the young lord out to be a gangster and a thug.
Jiang Chen smiled faintly in return. "You cower and hide but still pretend to such a self-righteous reason. Whatever then. You're going to all this effort so you can throw mud onto me. I'll let you throw to your heart's content today! Go on then, out with everything you want."
"What else is there to say? You're turning my six thousand year old spirit herb into a thousand year old one, nothing's more obvious than that! If I keep talking, who knows if the blood will rush to your head and you'll just kill me where I stand?
"I'm an honest, upright individual and Master Dong Ye verified my spirit herb with his Warrior Buddha's Eye. Even a blind man can see the difference between a six thousand and one thousand year old spirit herb! Young lord Zhen, I can only say that you're such an incredible hypocrite! It only took a day for you to rip off your mask of objectivity!"
One had to give it to him, the wandering cultivator had a way with words. He was so smooth that it surprised even Jiang Chen. The lines seemed well rehearsed. They were delivered with familiarity and each built off the one before. Not only did they throw mud onto Jiang Chen, but very rational mud at that. The sentiments within were highly inflammatory.
Han Qianzhan could finally bear it no longer and stepped in. "Friend, justice isn't necessarily on the side of whoever speaks the loudest. I trust young lord Zhen's character, and we're just taking your word for it for now. If you think you're right, why don't we lay everything out and made a thorough accounting of the facts?"
The sect head's words were a club of clarity to many wandering cultivators. They'd been leaning to their peer's side, but calmed down after hearing this rebuttal. When it came to conflict between wandering cultivators and sects, they'd naturally side with their own and subconsciously feel that a large faction's words couldn't be trusted.
But they agreed with Han Qianzhan's input. It'd been all talk so far. It was best not to jump to conclusions on basis on feeling closer to one side alone. Besides, given young lord Zhen's performance yesterday, he really didn't seem as bad as the other guy was making him out to be. If the young lord really was so rotten, then his acting skills were simply too good! He'd fooled all wandering cultivators in the world!
But again, it really hadn't seemed like an act yesterday. This gathering of his really had proven beneficial to many. Thus, the scales of people's hearts slowly settled back into a neutral position.
"That's right, back up those words! We can look at who's right together."
"Yep. Popular figures draw controversy. Young lord Zhen has such a great name now that it's possible someone's just trying to drag him down."
But the wandering cultivator had latched on and wasn't letting go. He smirked coldly at Jiang Chen, his eyes full of provocation and seemed to be spoiling for a fight. "Young lord Zhen, dare you testify against me in front of everyone?"
Jiang Chen snorted dismissively. "Prancing little clown." He ignored the other and strode onto the stage. "Get up here if you want to confront me. Master Dong Ye, please bestow us with your wisdom since you're a witness as well."
Dong Ye intoned Buddha's name. "I only strive for a clear conscience in my actions. I naturally must bear witness. Young lord Zhen, you are very mistaken in this matter."
Jiang Chen really wanted to leap into a flying kick with how prim and proper the Buddhist master was presenting himself. This bald donkey is damn good at putting on fronts!
The other wandering cultivator joined the young lord on the stage. "Words need to be backed up by facts. I seek justice today and welcome all friends to join me on the stage to impart their wisdom."
Jiang Chen looked coolly at the other man, not doing anything to stop him. Han Qianzhan however, again couldn't help himself. "The seats are full today and there are many experts present. No one can make you suffer an injustice if you're truly in the right. But no one can save you either if you're trying to sow confusion and drag the young lord down."
The man chuckled coldly. "Sect Head Han, we all know that young lord Zhen is a guest pill emperor of your Great Yu Skysword Sect. It's only natural that you'd speak up on his behalf."
Su Huanzhen had wanted to jump in as well, but she was stopped in her tracks when she heard this rejoinder.
Meanwhile, Emperor Dragontyrant of the Heavenly Dragon Sect was sniggering quietly. He was greatly hostile to Sacred Peafowl Mountain given Jiang Chen's earlier rejection and delighted to see someone making trouble for the faction. Jumping out to help was the last thing he'd do. In fact, he wanted to hop in on the action and get a few kicks in as well.
Surprisingly, Shangguan Yanqing of the Ninesuns Sky Sect stood up. "Friend, you don't need to be this worked up if logic really does stand on your side. The more you are like this, the more I suspect that something's afoot. How about this, although I'm no great shakes at appraising things, I can still tell the difference between a thousand year old and six thousand year old spirit herb. Count me in?"
"The Moon God Sect will participate as well." The third sectmaster had finally spoken.
"Heh heh, the Empyrean River Palace would never miss out on such fun." This sect was a diehard Pillfire supporter. They'd only sent an elder to the Dragon and Tiger Meet. He hadn't participated much all along, but that didn't mean he was going to sit out on everything.
"Haha, although my Heavenly Dragon Sect can't be bothered with these trivial things, we've always advocated justice and fairness. Count us in too!"
Su Huanzhen of the Celestial Cicada Court naturally wouldn't shrink away in moments like these. "My Celestial Cicada Court will participate as well!"
Over on the wandering cultivator side, Emperor Wellspring smiled. "I've always trusted young lord Zhen's character and am willing to stand forth on his behalf."
Emperor Inferno agreed. "I too trust young lord Zhen, count me in."
"Hehe, I quite admire young lord Zhen's youthful charisma. I'll partake as well." That was Emperor Reliance.
A bizarre situation had developed. The person facing off with Jiang Chen claimed to be a wandering cultivator, but the three wandering titans had chosen to side with the young lord instead of one of their own. Instead, the ones supporting the wandering cultivator were all sect representatives. It really was very strange.
Sharper wandering cultivators had already picked up on things. This wasn't a random occurrence at all, but a facing off between sides. Was this really premeditated?
However, most weren't thinking that deeply. They were incredibly excited. Having almost all the large factions and personages being dragged into this unexpected development was more exciting than any transaction. These kinds of conflicts were what they wanted to see the most!
There were seven representatives from various first rank sects and three wandering cultivator titans. That made for a total of ten, those of whom were the highest level of existences at this time's gathering. It was more than reasonable for them to appraise the spirit herb.
"Friend, bring out your spirit herb." Emperor Wellspring smiled faintly at the man. "Let me remind you that if you really are a wandering cultivator, I can promise that no one will harm you today whether or not your spirit herb is real. But if you're just making trouble using the wandering cultivator name, then I will spill your blood no matter where you're from, even if the young lord doesn't wish to pursue things further."
His words cast a deathly silence on the premises, making the atmosphere take a very weird turn. That had been an unabashed declaration of support for Jiang Chen.
Emperor Peerless also quietly marveled at the allure of the Pinecrane Pill. Having received the pill, Emperor Wellspring's favorable disposition extended to its creator, hence his great demonstration of support for the young lord.
"Emperor Wellspring's sentiments are mine as well." Emperor Inferno looked on coldly.
Emperor Reliance smiled easily. "Me, Old Brother Hui, and Old Brother Inferno are friends of the wandering cultivators. We'll seek justice on your behalf. But if you're an imposter… that would really be too wicked."
The man had never thought that three wandering titans would be so firmly in Jiang Chen's court. Even though he knew he wouldn't lose, he felt uneasy in that moment.
What if he was exposed? Even if the young lord didn't do anything to himself out of consideration of reputation, the three titans were equally personages that he couldn't afford to offend!
Chapter 1285: The Debate of the Heavencloud Ganoderma
Jiang Chen was at his calmest now. The three wandering great emperors' promises greatly relieved him. The stranger's attempt to speak on behalf of all wandering cultivators was done for. Given that the three titans of the sphere had spoken, the man would need to consider his next moves carefully.
The young lord glanced at the strange troublemaker with a cool smile. "Take out your supposedly six thousand years old Heavencloud Ganoderma. Isn't it easier for you to stoke the flames with so many more seniors around?"
The wandering cultivator's heart pounded. What had seemed to be a flawless encirclement now had a slight crack. A tinge of fear entered his mind. However, he couldn't do much else aside from continuing forward. Taking the spirit herb out, he proclaimed loudly, "You don't scare me, young lord Zhen. Now that more seniors are here, there's no way you can hoodwink all of us!"
He adopted a strained tone with malicious intent, fully bent on depicting Jiang Chen as an oppressive villain.
"Come, seniors and friends, one and all. How can my Heavencloud Ganoderma only be a thousand years old?" Pillowing the herb in his hand, the man showed it off to the heavyweights, muttering all the while. "Young lord Zhen, you say that my Ganoderma is the same age as the one yesterday. Why don't we compare them, hmm? Can you bring it out?"
The Ganoderma from yesterday was indeed on Jiang Chen's person at the moment. After the treasure identification segment, Cheng Qian had gone to Emperor Coiling Dragon to make a deal with Jiang Chen and Sacred Peafowl Mountain.
With a faint smile, the young lord took out the very herb that was the talk of the town.
"Hmm?" Everyone was taken aback by Jiang Chen's ready display of the Ganoderma.
"I'm curious, young lord Zhen. How did that Heavencloud Ganoderma come to be in your hands?" Master Dong Ye asked with a frown. His statement left a lot to the imagination.
That's right. Why was the Heavencloud Ganoderma still in young lord Zhen's possession? Shouldn't he have returned it to the wandering cultivator already? Did he…?
Some quick thinkers' thoughts immediately went to the nastier side of the spectrum.
"I'm curious too, young lord Zhen." The elder from the Empyrean River Palace began his question rather viciously. "It's only been a day. How did the Heavencloud Ganoderma slip into your possession in such a short span of time?"
As Pillfire City's dog, the Empyrean River Palace behaved within expectations by standing out to oppose Jiang Chen.
The Heavenly Dragon Sect's Long Baxiang sniggered. "I hope you didn't steal it via any underhanded means, young lord Zhen."
Jiang Chen's eyes were full of derision: derision for these supposed seniors, who, despite so advanced in age, behaved no better than clowns.
"I know what all of you are getting at. Trying to besmirch my good name, hmm? That's right, the Heavencloud Ganoderma came into my hands through perfectly upright means. I am its lawful owner."
"Heh heh, we're on Veluriyam Capital ground. No treasure owner could refuse an offer from you." Long Baxiang sneered.
To the side, Emperor Coiling Dragon couldn't sit still for much longer. "You there, Long so-and-so! Stop with your foolish insinuations. The owner of the Heavencloud Ganoderma willingly traded it to young lord Zhen. I'm a witness to that! If there was any coercion involved at all, then let heaven strike me with the force of five thunders. Aren't you here as Veluriyam Capital's guests? Or are you here to engage in debauchery and deception? That seems a lot closer to your real motives right now!"
The emperor's words were full of justice and reason. For a time, no one could utter a single rebuttal. Many fresh suspicions were assuaged. An oath like that from a great emperor was essentially definitive. No one could casually make an oath to heaven and earth like that.
Jiang Chen's expression remained impassive. He handed his own Heavencloud Ganoderma to Jiao Yun. "Here, give it to our fellow daoists to peruse. Remind them to pay attention to the roots, the lines on the leaves, and the shape of the herb's body."
Carrying out his orders to the letter, Jiao Yun immediately showed it to the others.
"Everyone, the young lord is a candid man, above resorting to petty tricks. However, he's also stated that anyone using those tricks in front of him will only experience shame. Pay attention to the details. Don't be deceived by your first impression."
All the onlookers began to compare the two spirit herbs closely.
From first impressions alone, they all noticed that the concentration of spirit energy coming from the two Ganodermas was vastly different. Moreover, the outward appearances of the two were too divergent. The new Heavencloud Ganoderma was clearly a lot bigger.
An idiot could see how the two differed with a cursory glance.
Even Emperor Wellspring furrowed his brow after seeing the clear-cut discrepancies. He didn't understand why young lord Zhen wanted to put them side by side in the first place. Not comparing them was surely better. There was such a stark difference when the two were held up against each other!
The elder from the Empyrean River Palace chuckled. "I'm a bit slow about this, so excuse me. How can anyone be confused about such an obvious gap?"
Master Dong Ye sighed. "You must give everyone an explanation, young lord Zhen. Forcibly giving a wrong evaluation for a transaction is at odds with the principle of fairness that you claim to uphold."
Long Baxiang chortled mercilessly. "I didn't expect a man so young to have methods so devious. You almost managed to fool the entire world! If not for this wandering cultivator friend's courage to stand up for himself, everyone else would've remained duped and taken the hit."
Each man's words were more hateful than the last's. The triple attack incited the emotions of a good amount of listeners.
Was young lord Zhen really a fame-chasing hypocrite? Was his 'fairness' just a rallying cry to trick wandering cultivators?
Many were filled with disappointment. They'd respected young lord Zhen a great deal before this, which had also improved their overall impression of large factions slightly. Perhaps young lord Zhen's faction really was different from the others.
It seemed that their illusion had almost been shattered overnight. Now, they felt that they'd been played for a fool. The atmosphere in the crowd took a solemn turn for the worse.
Still, a great swathe of wandering cultivators thought that the speeches so far were largely one-sided. Young lord Zhen hadn't defended himself yet.
If the two spirit herbs really had such a large gap, why would he have taken out his own to compare in the first place? Wasn't that putting himself at a bigger disadvantage? There was surely a reason for young lord Zhen's decision.
The sharper audience members weren't immediately influenced by Master Dong Ye and Long Baxiang's words, instead choosing to observe any further developments. On the other hand, those that supported Jiang Chen already were at a bit of a loss for words. At a glance, the difference was clear as night and day.
Countless eyes gathered upon Jiang Chen.
The wandering cultivator snickered a few more times. "It doesn't matter how you got your hands on the first Ganoderma, young lord Zhen. If you're intent on doing the same by robbing me of my own, then I'll give up my life in pursuit of justice!"
"Enough." Jiang Chen broke the silence with a furious thunderclap. Proverbial lightning surged from his eyes, forming an aura of killing intent that shot toward the other. That single word had been spoken with the fury of a dragon's roar, rattling his audience's eardrums. It shocked every listener in attendance.
The young lord's gaze was knifelike. "Stop making yourself out to be a victim. Your poor performance may be able to fool laymen, but it's far from good enough to hide from my observant eye."
He cupped his fist in a salute to the crowd. "Everyone," the youth proclaimed loudly. "I'm sure that you can see the huge difference between the two Ganodermas at a single glance. As long as you're not blind, yes?
"But us cultivators should know that what our eyes tell us may not be the truth. The disguise is done reasonably well, but it can't fool real experts. The Heavencloud Ganoderma may be an unfamiliar plant to you, but I know it very well. A true six thousand year specimen has jade-colored roots, and each whisker is perfect and vigorous like a dragon's. The counterfeiting techniques that went into this one are superb, but I'd assume that the artist hasn't seen an actual herb that old himself. What color is this supposedly older one's whiskers, hmm?"
The crowd looked at his behest. They noticed that the whiskers of the newer herb were a faint blue-green. Though they were a bit thicker than the ones belonging to the herb that Jiang Chen had produced, the color was identical.
"You're making things up, young lord Zhen." The wandering cultivator shrieked shrilly. "Is it supposed to be jade-colored just because you say so? Do you have any proof? It's just your baseless word alone without proof!"
Master Dong Ye incanted a Buddhist mantra. "Young lord Zhen, any further quibbling will only lower my opinion of you."
Instead of growing angrier, Jiang Chen laughed. "Master Dong Ye, I've been wrong about something all along. I thought that the Buddhist disciples of the Sublime Chord Temple didn't lie, but it appears that they're just conmen and cheats. Remember, Master Dong Ye, any falsehood is supposed to result in punishment in the hell of pulled tongues. If you can't enter nirvana as a cultivator of the Buddha Warrior's Eye, then I think that hell is where you'll end up. Do you dare swear on Buddha's name that you haven't lied in the matter? If you can make an oath to heaven and earth, then I'll disperse all of Sacred Peafowl Mountain's wealth immediately as compensation to our wandering cultivator friends here."
His speech was both resolute and unyielding, leaving Master Dong Ye at a loss for a reply.
"Like I said, the counterfeiting method is quite good." Jiang Chen continued with a frosty expression. "Alas, the counterfeiter is limited by his experience. Look again at the Ganoderma's leaves. A six thousand year old Ganoderma should have snaking patterns upon its leaves that correspond with the truths of heaven and earth. The ones on these leaves? Nondescript images still in the process of evolving.
"The lines on the Ganoderma's body as well. Many people don't know that they're very similar to tree rings and can be used to tell the herb's age. If the Ganoderma was six thousand years old, it would have sixty lines. How many are on this Ganoderma, eh?"
The crowd of wandering cultivators was collectively stunned by Jiang Chen's new information. Did the Heavencloud Ganoderma have so many distinguishing features? Was the second one really a fake?
Chapter 1286: Jiang Chens Wondrous Abilities
Jiang Chen's eyes were calm and forthright. The confidence he exuded made him that much more convincing. Meanwhile, his counterparty was sweating buckets. The latter's eyes darted around, as if looking for an escape.
But the young lord didn't even bother looking at him. He raised a cupped fist salute to the countless wandering cultivators below. "Dear wandering friends, you've traveled far and wide to attend our event for various reasons. As the host, I'm committed to giving you the best possible experience, but sometimes petty thugs can't help but want to ruin this for us.
"My conscience is clear. I determined from the very beginning that the Heavencloud Ganoderma is merely one thousand years old and didn't threaten or coerce anyone into selling it. May the heavens smite me if I lie!
"This man has repeatedly accused me of depressing prices and pressuring him into selling. If he dares to swear a vow to the heavens and profess his innocence, I'll distribute all of my wealth to everyone present as an apology."
It was a candid speech paired with a clear conscience.
The wandering cultivators below pondered deeply. It was true, it'd been only talk all along. Young lord Zhen didn't seem like the type of person that would coerce anyone into buying or selling things. Was that other fellow really just a troublemaker?
"Emperor Wellspring, that man claims to be a wandering cultivator. I request the three great titans' assistance in verifying his identity. I truly hope that he isn't an imposter trying to mislead the public. Just because I avoid trouble doesn't mean that I'm afraid of it!"
Emperor Wellspring nodded and glanced at the man. "Friend, cough out your name. If you're truly a fellow wandering cultivator, someone will definitely know you."
The man started to panic. He was no wandering cultivator!
He laughed coldly in order to change the topic. "Emperor Wellspring, who knows for sure that you've not been bought out by young lord Zhen? As a leading figure in the wandering world, how can you bend your knees to Veluriyam Capital? You're nothing but a disgrace!"
As a seasoned cultivator, Emperor Wellspring had faced all kinds of situations. He'd never fall for such elementary aggravation. He smirked coldly. "There's no use in trying to drive wedges between folks. I promise that as long as you're a fellow wandering cultivator, I'll not kill you even if you're in the wrong. But if you're an imposter, I'll have no choice but to slaughter scum like you to clear our name!"
"That's right! The wandering world runs by a rigid set of rules! There will be no mercy for imposters!" Emperor Inferno glared at the man intensely. "Remove your disguise and reveal yourself!"
Emperor Reliance smiled gently. "Looks like he really is an imposter!"
That man grew even more flustered. "Is there no more justice under the heavens? How can Veluriyam Capital be allowed to do whatever they please? My fellow wanderers, even the three great titans of the wandering world have sold their souls! How can they still be allowed to shoulder the fates of the wandering world?
"Master Dong Ye and Emperor Dragontyrant, are you going to sit idle and let Zhen do whatever he pleases?"
Master Dong Ye glanced at Jiang Chen. "Young lord Zhen, from the very start, you've only sung your side of the story. Unless you can show us a six thousand year old Heavencloud Ganoderma, I'll never be convinced."
Jiang Chen smiled out of complete rage. "Master Dong Ye, your opinion no longer matters after I've found out that you two are colluding. I won't kick you out as you're a guest from far away, but I truly hope that your actions don't represent the Sublime Chord Temple, or your sect will regret their decision one day."
"Young lord Zhen, is that a threat?" Master Dong Ye's voice was laden with frost.
"Threat?" Jiang Chen laughed coldly. "You must be mistaken. You aren't worthy of one."
He stepped forward and fixed a scornful smile on the wandering cultivator. "You want proof? Sure. Your counterfeit is far from excellent. You've merely applied a simple trick. It may seem perfect on the surface, but it's actually filled with flaws. Let me turn your so called 'six thousand year old' herb back to its original state."
This counterfeit technique was quite common in the heavenly planes. Jiang Chen was very skilled and knowledgeable in the art of pill making, so it came as no surprise that he was very familiar with such things. Moreover, the technique was extremely inferior to the ones he'd seen before.
A simple but clever formation had been used to switch up the Heavencloud Ganoderma's appearance, but to the layman, it was practically indistinguishable. Such petty tricks would never work on Jiang Chen. He wouldn't have minded it if that man had only tried to scam him, but that wasn't the case.
That man had gone to the depths of defamation out of evil intentions. Jiang Chen would never let this matter rest easily.
"Young lord Zhen, don't be rash." Master Dong Ye stepped forward in an attempt to stop Jiang Chen.
Jiang Chen laughed coldly. "Dong Ye, are you worried that I might reveal your little ruse and hypocrisy?"
"Young lord, I'm only worried that you might ruin the Heavencloud Ganoderma with your heretical techniques." Master Dong Ye answered coldly.
The young lord burst into laughter. "Are you telling me that there's a technique that can transform an herb from six thousand to one thousand years old? Master Dong Ye, listen to yourself!"
"Master Dong Ye, your reasoning doesn't make sense. With so many people watching, we'll surely notice if the young lord is up to something." Emperor Wellspring added.
"That's right. Master Dong Ye, you should stop interfering if you have no ulterior motives."
"Or perhaps you actually do?" Emperor Reliance laughed mischievously.
Master Dong Ye was humiliated. His composure was shattering.
Jiang Chen smiled blandly. He flicked a beam of energy onto the formation. A layman wouldn't notice as it was extremely well concealed, but it was as clear as day to him. The formation shattered upon coming into contact with his finger. It didn't take much effort to break through it as it was only a misdirecting formation.
A flash of light exploded for a moment, then slowly dimmed into a dark glow.
The Heavencloud Ganoderma seemed to have shrunk. Its aura and spirit energy was still there, but its appearance no longer seemed different from Jiang Chen's previous one. The crowd was rendered speechless by the abrupt change.
"Young lord Zhen! What evil method did you use to ruin my Heavencloud Ganoderma?" The wandering cultivator shrieked. "The heavens are watching, young lord Zhen! Aren't you afraid of retribution?!"
Jiang Chen snorted coldly at the man's shameless antics.
"Everyone, I've merely removed the facade on the herb. You must wonder how I've managed to make its quality decline so rapidly." Jiang Chen's eyes were filled with sincerity. "Instead of explaining it to you, why don't I keep the show going and show you something interesting instead?" He smiled nonchalantly.
"I'll make the six thousand years old Heavencloud Ganoderma reappear in front you." Jiang Chen's voice was filled with mockery, but his eyes were cold and sharp. "I once saw this forgery technique in an ancient text. However, it's evil and vile, so I've never once bothered to use it. Unfortunately, there are others who don't share the same sentiment and tried to trick me with that technique. Due to the circumstances, I've no choice but to perform it in front of everyone."
He walked up to the Heavencloud Ganoderma. Like an illusionist, he began to deploy the method. One had to use high quality spirit stones for the technique to work. He took one out, refined it, then executed the technique and applied it to the Heavencloud Ganoderma.
One had to be very meticulous when creating the formation as carelessness would lead to undesired results. One tiny mistake was all it took to ruin the entire herb. However, Jiang Chen wasn't bothered with such concerns at all.
His technique was immaculate. It only took a few back and forth motions to complete the formation. He infused the energy from the spirit stone into the formation and fully activated it.
The one-thousand years old herb was instantly filled with spirit energy. It seemed to have grown a lot bigger as well and had reverted to its previous state.
"Jiao Yun, let our fellow daoists have a look at it." Jiang Chen smiled faintly.
Jiao Yun was completely enthralled by Jiang Chen's skills. He offered up the Heavencloud Ganoderma excitedly.
"Everyone, this is a six thousand years old Heavencloud Ganoderma! Our young lord has made it five thousand years older in just a few breath's time!" He yelled with an eccentric cackle.
The crowd was flabbergasted by Jiang Chen's insane feat. Their gaze grew increasingly complicated. Admiration, wariness, and even fear could be seen within their eyes.
"What do you have to say for yourself?" Emperor Wellspring asked with a glare at the wandering cultivator.
"The victor is king. I have nothing else to say." He answered with an odd cackle. In the middle of his sentence, he snapped an escape glyph in half and shot towards the sky.
He was trying to escape!
Nobody had expected that he would have such a trick up his sleeves. Without adequate preparation, not even a great emperor could stop him after a powerful glyph had been activated.
"Not good! This bastard is trying to escape!"
"Ah! He's a troublemaker after all! He's even prepared an escape route!"
"Stop him!" The situation was incredibly chaotic.
Jiang Chen was the only one who remained nonchalant. A cold and sinister smile played on his lips. Want to escape? Never in a million years!
An loud and bizarre shriek suddenly echoed through the air. In the next instant, the man fell from the heights. It was as though an invisible wall had suddenly appeared in his path.