Chapter 1239: Escape
Emperor Pillzenith's tone was unkind. As an overlord of his time, he couldn't bear the spread of news that he'd been humiliated by a young man. It would damage both his dignity and Pillfire City's authority.
Emperor Peerless frowned. "We've given you face already, Pillzenith, not to mention you aren't welcome here in the first place. You're only humiliating yourself further with this nonsense."
While Shura had hated Jiang Chen the most out of those present, Emperor Peerless topped the list for Pillzenith. When his former love rival stood up to defend Jiang Chen, Emperor Pillzenith cackled strangely.
"You again. Do you live your life going backwards, Mo Wushuang? I still remember your pretentious tone when you turned down my offer to join Pillfire City and when you scrabbled against me for a woman. And look at you now, the more pathetic the older you get. How does it feel to be Veluriyam Capital's dog?"
If it'd been in the past, Emperor Peerless would've flown into a rage. But now, the great emperor merely looked back placidly as he responded, "I can only say that you're as naive as ever if you think you can provoke me with such words. We're both several thousand years old already, Pillzenith. I know what you want, where your ambition lies, but you may not know what I want now. We walk different paths. If you're smart, you'll leave and busy yourself with your own things. If you refuse, well, I'm sure the Upper Eight Regions will love to hear about your death in Veluriyam Capital."
Mo Wushuang spoke frostily, his tone tinged threateningly. The grudge between him and Emperor Pillzenith was insurmountable, and he wouldn't mind at all if he killed his rival here and now.
But at the same time, he was aware that his cultivation was still weaker than Emperor Pillzenith's. However, since almost all of Veluriyam Capital's great emperors were gathered at the moment, they might be able to eliminate Emperor Pillzenith if they attacked together. But that was a patently unrealistic daydream.
Emperor Pillzenith laughed heartily. "My death?"
He swept his glance over every great emperor present. "It's not that I'm boasting, but I doubt that the likes of Veluriyam Capital are able to kill me even if Peafowl was around. What do I have to fear from rabble like you lot, even if you come at me together?"
He really wasn't afraid of them. He might not be a match if all of them attacked at once, but he was confident that he could escape their clutches with flair.
Jiang Chen's forehead creased as he responded indifferently, "It sounds like you actually want to give it a try, Pillzenith. Shall I fulfill your wish then?"
The young man then pointed at the arena around them. "I knew that there'd be many complications during the Vassal Meeting, so I purposely set up a sky rank formation beforehand. Since you're so confident, why don't you give it a try?"
What? Emperor Pillzenith lost some of his bravado. A formation? A sky rank formation?
Emperor Pillzenith had witnessed the battle between Jiang Chen and Emperor Shura. Even he had to admit that the brat's foundation in formation dao paralleled the kid's mastery over pill dao. If Jiang Chen really had set up a sky rank formation in this arena, then his safety was precarious to say the least.
The more Emperor Pillzenith thought about it, the less confident he grew. Veluriyam Capital and Pillfire City were practically on opposite sides of the Upper Eight Regions, and he was the one on foreign turf. As powerful as he might be, he couldn't truly unleash his full strength here. That was the reason behind 'the strong dragon cannot suppress the local snake'.
At this point, Emperor Pillzenith knew that it was impossible he could somehow get the Pinecrane Pill from Jiang Chen. Not today, at least. Chuckling, the great emperor abruptly vanished into a streak of black light. His voice reverberated in the air. "I won't forget you, young lord Zhen. I'll repay ten times over the matters of today!"
He'd bowed out.
Jiang Chen smiled as he eyed a particular spot in the sky with the God's Eye and Evil Golden Eye. "Why are you running away if you're as bold as you claim, Pillzenith? Cut the ten times, hundred times nonsense. It's not like I haven't been to your Pillfire City. It's no dragon's den or tiger's lair. Cut the boasting and stop talking as if Pillfire City is invincible."
He didn't like shooting his mouth, but this was exactly the kind of moment when it was necessary. Publicly, Emperor Pillzenith was a top rate great emperor as famous as Emperor Peafowl. Not only was he Emperor Peafowl's match in terms of cultivation, status, reputation and authority, he even appeared to be gaining momentum. Jiang Chen had no doubt that a threat from someone like him would leave a black mark on the hearts of Veluriyam Capital's people. As young lord, he had to forcefully and confidently respond to the threat. Young lord Zhen wasn't afraid of Emperor Pillzenith! Therefore, Veluriyam Capital shouldn't be afraid of Pillfire City either, even with Emperor Peafowl absent.
Jiang Chen's handling of the minutiae was very effective. The vassals felt quite vindicated. After all, if Emperor Pillzenith really was as scary as he pretended to be, why had he fled the moment he heard about a sky rank formation? He just wasn't invincible in the end!
Emperor Coiling Dragon chuckled before asking Jiang Chen in hushed tones, "Young lord, did you actually set up a sky rank formation?"
Jiang Chen broke out in laughter. "Of course not."
The setup of a sky rank formation wasn't nearly as easy as he made it out to be. It wasn't something that could be completed in a day, and the amount of spirit stones it would cost was astronomical. He wasn't nearly so rich that he could set up a sky rank formation anytime he wanted to, not to mention that he had better ways to spend his time.
"So, that was just a bluff?" Emperor Mountaincrush rubbed his nose with a wry smile.
"Not really. He's just one man and hasn't reached empyrean realm yet. He's also afraid that all of us will charge forward together. Ambitious folks like him are especially afraid of death, despite the invincible mask they wear." Jiang Chen kept tearing Emperor Pillzenith down so he decrease the shadows and level of wariness in everyone's hearts.
No matter how powerful Emperor Pillzenith was, he was still just a great emperor. He remained vulnerable as long as he hadn't reached empyrean realm. The power gap between Pillzenith and the great emperors of Veluriyam Capital wasn't completely unbridgeable, either. Even if Pillzenith hadn't fallen for the bluff, Jiang Chen doubted that the great emperor would dare erupt in open hostility.
Veluriyam Capital might have lost Emperor Peafowl, Emperor Shura and Emperor Vastsea, there were still six great emperors present. If Jiang Chen, deploying strength close to great emperor, the Han brothers from Skysword Sect, Su Huanzhen and Sect Head Xia from Celestial Cicada Court were added to that count, then Emperor Pillzenith would be facing ten great emperors and one pseudo-great emperor. No matter how powerful Pillzenith might be, he wouldn't be able to face everyone on his own. It'd be committing suicide.
The Eternal Celestial Capital emperor chuckled drily when Emperor Pillzenith laughed. "Since the Vassal Meeting is over, I shall be taking my leave, young lord Zhen. Goodbye."
Then, he left without a backwards glance.
The emperor of the Eternal Celestial Capital! Jiang Chen leveled a cool, murderous glare at the departing figure. Neither of them had broken out in open hostilities just yet, but the emperor of the Eternal Celestial Capital had to be aware that young lord Zhen was Jiang Chen at this point.
Earlier, Jiang Chen had been forced to unleash the Bewitching Lotus of Fire and Ice in his duel against Emperor Shura. That was a tremendous hint about his identity. The Eternal Celestial Capital had to have picked up on that. They had an irreconcilable grudge with Jiang Chen and was sure to have made a thorough study of the young man.Even before the Vassal Meeting took place, the Eternal Celestial Capital had already suspected that young lord Zhen was none other than Jiang Chen himself. After the faction leader saw the Bewitching Lotus of Fire and Ice unleashed, he finally knew that their suspicions had been right all along. Assailed with emotions, he'd hoped that Emperor Shura would throw caution to the win and openly attack Sacred Peafowl Mountain. When both sides were sufficiently injured, he would incite Emperor Pillzenith into eliminating the hidden threat that was young lord Zhen once and for all.
But things hadn't turned out that way. After Emperor Pillzenith escaped with his tail between his legs, the Eternal Celestial Capital emperor feared for his own life. He was weaker than Emperor Pillzenith, and there was nothing he could do if Jiang Chen decided to make use of the collective strength and kill him here and now.
The Eternal Celestial Capital wouldn't even be able to complain if blame for Emperor Peafowl's disappearance was given as the reason. The Upper Eight Regions wasn't a place of reason or sense to begin with. Who would stand up for him if he was killed? The Eternal Celestial Capital was inferior to Veluriyam Capital. The faction would fall into disarray if he died, so what use was any talk of revenge then?There was nothing he could do now but flee. The killing intent in Jiang Chen's eyes lasted only for an instant. Veluriyam Capital was finally safe after Emperor Pillzenith and the Eternal Celestial Capital's departure.
"The Vassal Meeting is concluded. Please return to your accommodations, everyone. Arrangements for the pill dao school must be discussed further before we can proceed, so please gather here tomorrow so we that may take in your suggestions. When it's time, please don't be shy and offer as many helpful suggestions as you can."
The Vassal Meeting was over, but the excitement in Veluriyam Capital hadn't abated. Details of the gathering quickly spread to every corner of Veluriyam Capital. Everyone was taken aback by Emperor Shura's departure, but young lord Zhen's legendary exploits came as an even greater shock.
They were first sad that Emperor Shura was gone, but when the young lord Zhen's miraculous feats were mentioned, the continued presence of the great emperor seemed negligent. Emperor Shura hadn't contributed much to Veluriyam Capital despite living there for several thousand years. On the contrary, young lord Zhen had achieved many great things just a few years after rising to prominence.
Chapter 1240: First, Be Loyal To Young Lord Zhen
Stability had tentatively returned to Veluriyam Capital, and the negative effects of the rumors about Emperor Peafowl's disappearance were brought to a temporary stop. However, there were still some dissenting pessimism inside Veluriyam Capital. The fact remained that Emperor Peafowl had gone missing, and Emperor Shura and Emperor Vastsea had left Veluriyam Capital. They'd lost three out of eight great emperors in the blink of an eye.
It was no wonder that some people were downcast. However, the melancholy was quickly drowned out by the opinions of the majority.
"So what if we lost Emperor Shura and Emperor Vastsea? What exactly have they done for us all these years? They were just a waste of air and space!"
"Yeah, Veluriyam Capital will be the same with or without them. Who knows, maybe young lord Zhen can lead us to greater heights now that these troublemakers are gone."
"We should support young lord Zhen. He's a successful and refreshing young man. It would be a true disaster if Veluriyam Capital fell into the hands of someone as selfish as Emperor Shura!"
"True enough, Emperor Shura has neither virtue nor ability. He simply can't rule Veluriyam Capital. Young lord Zhen is definitely the better pick of the two."
"Young lord Zhen is practically perfect aside his martial dao strength, you know? Even Emperor Peafowl isn't necessarily better than young lord Zhen in things other than martial dao. Or maybe his master of talismans is slightly better than young lord Zhen's?"
"It's only natural for the new to replace the old. I think Emperor Peafowl was paving the way for young lord Zhen. That's why he gradually withdrew over the past few years."
"You're probably right. Emperor Peafowl is still powerful, but he hasn't focused his attention on Veluriyam Capital for quite some time. He must be planning to pass power down to young lord Zhen as soon as possible."
"Emperor Peafowl is truly all seeing. I wonder how he managed to raise a genius like young lord Zhen. With him at our helm, Veluriyam Capital's fortunes will hold strong for another ten thousand years, at least!"
At the young lord residence, the eyes and ears of Sacred Peafowl Mountain continuously fed the voices of the people to Jiang Chen's ears.
"Young lord, there are still some who are in doubt regarding your abilities, but the vast majority supports you and believes you can lead them to greater glory."
"Yes, the dissenting minority is drowned out by the majority."
The four great monarchs were likely the happiest out of everyone. For one, Sacred Peafowl Mountain had defeated Shura Retreat and solidified its rule in Veluriyam Capital. Secondly, young lord Zhen was easily the equal of a young Emperor Peafowl in both skill and temperament. In fact, the young lord was more decisive and daring when solving matters, so one might say that he was even better.Jiang Chen nodded. "I'd like to hear your thoughts. If anyone has an opinion to offer about the formation of the pill dao academy, please voice them now. We're all on the same side here. Let's make sure we're prepared when we discuss with the vassals later."
"I have no objections, young lord. A pill dao academy is a good thing that will benefit generations to come. Naturally, I wholeheartedly support its construction. There's just one thing that I'd like to emphasize. We must ensure that the students we enroll are absolutely supportive of Sacred Peafowl Mountain. They'll grow up to become the foundation of your rule in the future, so we must ensure that they are loyal to you, young lord." Cloudsoar Monarch gave his opinion.
Mo Wushuang also nodded. "Cloudsoar is right. You may have proposed the pill dao academy in consideration of Veluriyam Capital's future, but there's no harm solidifying your rule over your own subjects. They must learn, even if we brainwash them with this fact, that you're the lord of Veluriyam Capital and the ruler they are to serve loyally."
"What do you say, younger sister?" Emperor Peerless asked Huang'er with a smile.
Ever since Huang'er had defeated Li Jiancheng, everyone in Sacred Peafowl Mountain was seeing her in a new light. The fight made them realize that the amiable Miss Huang'er was actually an incredibly skilled cultivator and they respected her even more. Naturally, her opinion was a lot more important than before.
Huang'er smiled. "I agree with you, Brother Mo. Selfish motives aside, there's definitely a need for young lord Zhen to establish his authority. Otherwise, a second or third Emperor Shura may attempt to challenge our young lord's rule. We don't need more than one authority in Veluriyam Capital."
Jiang Chen laughed. "Won't that make me a tyrant?"
"Please don't joke around, young lord. I also think that they're right," Plumscore Monarch also expressed herself.
"I agree as well, young lord. Why had Emperor Shura dared challenge us this time? Because Emperor Peafowl gave him too much leeway back in the day. If His Majesty had put a stranglehold on the great emperor from the start, he would've never dared rise against us." Wildfox Monarch added.
"Yes, please think this through, young lord. Everyone in Veluriyam Capital currently holds you up as their ruler. Not even Emperor Petalpluck and Emperor Mountaincrush have any objections. You should seize this golden opportunity to solidify your rule. Once your reputation takes root in everyone's hearts, no one will be able to rebel against you." Cloadsoar Monarch advised.
"Don't worry, Emperor Peafowl entrusted this task to me, so there's no way I'll shirk my duties. However, please don't misinterpret Emperor Peafowl's intentions. He had a reason for indulging Emperor Shura. That being said, the past is in the past, so we should focus on the present. There are two things we must do for now. One, we need to form the pill dao academy. Two, we need to locate Emperor Peafowl. Though I don't believe His Majesty is dead, I don't think Emperor Shura would've dared rebel so brazenly if Emperor Peafowl was perfectly unharmed. He may very well have something to do with His Majesty's disappearance. At the very least, Emperor Pillzenith and the Eternal Celestial Capital's appearance during the Vassal Meeting was no coincidence." Jiang Chen spoke frankly since they were all on the same side.
Cloudsoar Monarch's forehead creased. "Do you mean to say that they've ambushed His Majesty?"
"Emperor Peafowl's cultivation is unparalleled. Shura can't possibly have the gall to harm His Majesty, right?" Everyone spoke their minds. Although all they thought that Jiang Chen's suspicion was reasonable, their trust in Emperor Peafowl was so deep that it was almost zealotry. None of them believed that there was anyone who could truly harm Emperor Peafowl.
Jiang Chen sighed quietly. "I sure hope that I'm wrong in this regard. For now, please pay attention to your surroundings and avoid making trips out of the capital as much as you can. I'm worried that Emperor Shura may try something drastic in his desperation."
"Yes, we should all watch our backs."
Chronobalance Monarch looked a little puzzled. "Young lord, we had the upper hand back then, haven't we? Why didn't we tried to kill Emperor Shura and pull out the thorn in our side once and for all?"
Jiang Chen broke into a smile. "Our advantage wasn't as great as you think. For example Emperor Pillzenith and the Eternal Celestial Capital may have interfered. Although we had the advantage of numbers, there's no telling if Emperor Petalpluck and Emperor Mountaincrush would exert themselves to the utmost. It would've been a pyrrhic victory even if we won. That's absolutely something I didn't want to see. Our enemies would rise against us if we were wounded, and that may even lead to a complete collapse."
"The young lord's words make sense. A pyrrhic victory isn't worth it." Cloudsoar Monarch nodded.
"Alright, let's turn our attention back to the academy. Where should it be built? How big should the scale be? Please speak your minds freely, everyone."
"We should establish the academy in a more prestigious part of Veluriyam Capital. In this subordinate's eyes, the Luojia Mountain Range is a good location. Large plains can be found at the foot of the mountain, and three rivers converge into a lake. It is a wonderful location with excellent fengshui, and it is very close to Sacred Peafowl Mountain. This makes it convenient for you to keep an eye on the academy, young lord."
"I suggest that we erect a sculpture of the young lord in the academy. The students should always be reminded that young lord Zhen is the one who founded the academy."
"You're right, that's a good idea."
"As for the scale, well, it can't be too small. I suppose we can split construction into several stages. For now, we'll focus on enrolling the youths of Veluriyam Capital. We can consider pill dao geniuses from the surrounding regions after that."
"Why must we accept geniuses from other regions?" Plumscore Monarch was a little reluctant.
Jiang Chen replied with a smile. "I suppose you all want an explanation. Very well, let me speak of when I visited Pillfire City. The biggest impression I walked away with was that Pillfire is a lot more active than Veluriyam. This activity is expressed in the exchange of all areas of study. In other words, Pillfire City is better at attracting surrounding experts because they offer a greater degree of freedom and attractive options. Do any of you know why that's the case?"
"Please enlighten us, young lord."
"The answer is very simple, really. Pillfire City is simply more open than Veluriyam Capital. True their pill dao foundation is deep, but no one power can grow strong on its own without outside help. That is why Pillfire puts great emphasis in expanding their influence in their territory, stretching out to the mid and southern regions of the Upper Eight Regions. Do any of you know why even areas closer to us prefer Pillfire City instead?"
Jiang Chen's subordinates fell silent as they considered the young lord's words. It wasn't like they'd never thought about this when Emperor Peafowl was still in power. They just hadn't thought about that deeply until today.
Mo Wushuang also sighed. "As you all know, I loathe Emperor Pillzenith. You might even call him my lifelong enemy. However, even I admit that Pillfire City's operation methods are quite impressive. The surrounding regions are very loyal to Pillfire not because Emperor Pillzenith is that impressive, but because Pillfire's fame and foundation are deeply rooted in their hearts."
"Do you mean that the ultimate objective of our pill dao academy is to attract geniuses from all across the land, young lord? Are we trying to make Veluriyam Capital everyone's top choice in the Upper Eight Regions, and even the entire human domain?"
"That's exactly what I'm planning. However, I need everyone's cooperation to make it come true." Jiang Chen sighed.
Chapter 1241: Jiang Chens Decision
The group reached a common consensus after some internal discussion. They greatly liked Jiang Chen's future plans for the capital. They understood how Pillfire City had come to surpass Veluriyam Capital after hearing his explanations and why the gap between the two factions was growing wider and wider.
The next day, the vassals gathered at Sacred Peafowl Mountain to discuss the founding of the pill dao academy. They were all very enthused, to say the least.
"Young lord Zhen, you must be the headmaster of the academy! We have complete faith in your knowledge of pill dao!"
"Yeah! We're in complete favor of the academy construction! The Bluesky Nation will contribute fifty million saint spirit stones to the cause!"
"Heh! The Great Qin Nation will contribute fifty million as well!"
"So will we!" The vassals were more than happy to donate generously. They were the leaders of their own respective factions. Veluriyam Capital oversaw a vast and expansive territory, rich with resources and fertile lands. Thus, many of them were quite wealthy.
What they lacked instead were opportunities and knowledge, and the pill dao academy would fill precisely that spot. Once the academy was built, their children and disciples would have easy admission as they'd contributed to its construction.
The crowd was riled up. Jiang Chen smiled faintly and listened to their chatter without interruption. Their enthusiasm was clearly due to personal reasons. By donating generously, they were hoping that they'd gain some recognition and benefits for their own factions.
He wasn't too bothered by that as it was proof that they were still hopeful and wanted something from Veluriyam Capital. Words alone wouldn't be enough to unite Veluriyam. He'd have to fulfill their personal desires and combine various self-interests into a common goal. Mutualism was the answer to a tightly knit society.
He'd combine common goals, his personal charisma, and various other governing techniques to propel Veluriyam towards a more prosperous and well-governed future.
The discussion was still roaring strong after three days and three nights. Various titans of Veluriyam Capital were also involved in the discussion. Finally, there was a unanimous decision to build the academy on the Luojia Ridge as it had fertile lands and good fengshui.
It was the region where spirit herbs were widely grown and harvested. The mountain ridge spanned thousands of miles and was located in the northwestern region of Veluriyam Capital. It acted as a natural barrier, shielding the capital from any threats. It was also a hunting ground.
Building a academy there was clearly the best choice and an enormous undertaking that wouldn't be completed in a day. Fortunately, the vassals were more than willing to donate. The great emperor factions were also very generous and supportive of Jiang Chen's proposal.
Money was no longer an issue, but the same couldn't be said for labor and materials. Normally, vast territories like Veluriyam Capital wouldn't have an issue with either as long as money was in abundance. However, Jiang Chen wasn't going to be half-hearted and lazy if he was going to build a academy.
He wanted the academy to be big and monumental. It would become a sacred ground for pill dao in the Upper Eight Regions! Jiang Chen had very lofty goals. He wasn't just aiming to snatch the crown away from Pillfire City. It would become the new hub for the entire human domain.
Veluriyam Capital would come to mind first whenever pill dao was brought up, not Pillfire City. Thus, he couldn't afford to skimp on the construction of the academy. He'd much rather extend the construction period a little.
"Everyone, I've long contemplated whether I should found a academy. If I'm going to build one, I intend to make it the holy land of pill dao. My goal is to make everyone think about our academy instead of Pillfire City whenever pill dao crosses their mind. This isn't something we can achieve in one day, but I hope to gain your support in this matter. I'm but one man. No matter how exceptional I am, I can never achieve this goal without your strenuous support!"
Jiang Chen spoke with utmost sincerity. He glanced at the crowd and continued. "I know that you may still have some doubts and think that my ambitions are incredibly unrealistic, but that's perfectly fine. Keep your doubts and give me the chance to prove you wrong. After I was made young lord, Emperor Peafowl tried to entrust Veluriyam Capital to me. I was too young then and never gave him a clear answer. With his disappearance, Veluriyam Capital is in greater peril than ever. If I don't do anything, we'll be targeted by the other factions like a piece of dangling meat. I'm not trying to raise false alarms. When Emperor Peafowl was around, no outsider would ever dare spy on our capital. However, snakes and rats have come poking with the rumors. Do any of you really believe that Emperor Pillzenith and the Holy Emperor were merely passing through during the Vassal Meeting?"
"Young lord Zhen makes a good point. Emperor Peafowl has always been our guardian. He's the very reason we've led such peaceful lives all these years. Now that the rumors have spread, trouble will surely come our way. Young lord Zhen is building the academy to unite the various factions in Veluriyam Capital and to demonstrate our resilience to the outside world!" Emperor Petalpluck spoke solemnly.
"Yes. We shouldn't leave anything to chance. Only after leaving home will one realize what they once had. Emperor Shura has deserted our capital. Thanks to his abilities, he can defect to any faction he wants to. However, do you think he'll ever receive the same prestige he had here? I think not!" Emperor Void piped in meaningfully. "The same applies to all of you. If the capital collapses, you'll never be granted the same title again even if you defect to another faction. No one will take a stray dog seriously."
The vassals nodded as they reflected upon those words. This wasn't a hoax. They were respectable vassals in Veluriyam Capital, but this title would be theirs no longer if the capital collapsed. Even if it was, their position would no longer be as secure as before. Also, they'd have to adapt to a new environment and face all kinds of prejudice and bigotry. Life would be so much better in their current territory.
Jiang Chen smiled faintly. "Everyone, you needn't overly worry. Veluriyam Capital will not collapse easily as we've been blessed with endless fortune since the ancient times. Moreover, Emperor Peafowl gave us a contingency plan before he left. It'll give us moments of respite during dire times. Haven't we already seen how Emperor Pillzenith ran away with his tail between his legs this time?"
This 'contingency plan' was a white lie. Jiang Chen knew that he needed to comfort his people during such times of insecurity. The best way to do that was to borrow Emperor Peafowl's name.
Even though the emperor hadn't given Jiang Chen any contingency plans, he did give important advice on how to rule the capital. Jiang Chen was told to rope in the other great emperor factions to keep Emperor Shura in check.
That particular angle had worked nicely. Without the complete support of the other emperors, Emperor Shura didn't have enough momentum to stir up much of a storm. It was a testament to Emperor Peafowl's judgement.
Jiang Chen suddenly turned towards Emperor Peerless. "Old Brother Mo, I have something to ask of you."
"Old Mo is currently Sacred Peafowl Mountain's honorary esteemed elder. Young lord Zhen, please feel free to speak your mind." Emperor Peerless emphasized Jiang Chen's status by publicly calling him 'young lord Zhen' instead of 'younger brother'.
"Old Brother Mo, since you were a renowned titan amongst the wandering cultivators, do you think that it's possible for us to host a gathering in the upcoming months?
"A gathering of wandering cultivators?" Emperor Peerless was taken aback. He pondered deeply. "They're proud and unbridled. It won't be easy to get them to attend. Unless..."
"Unless I tempt them with an offer they can't refuse?" Jiang Chen smiled meaningfully.
"Yes. I'm rather familiar with the wandering cultivator community. I have an old group of brothers that will surely heed my call, but I daren't place any bets on my ability to summon the rest of them."
Jiang Chen nodded. "Enticing them with profit is the best course of action."
Wandering cultivators were very different from cultivators belonging to a sect. They were more self-minded and independent. Or in other words, egoistic and self-centered.
Most of them had very cautious and proud personalities, and would never let themselves be ordered around. It was the biggest difference between them and the members of a sect.
One couldn't rely on power or authority to gather wandering cultivators. Only those who possessed great charm could do such a thing. They did exist, but they were far and few between. Profit was the best and surest way to summon the wandering cultivators.
"Young lord, why are you hosting a wandering cultivator gathering?" Emperor Peerless suddenly asked.
"I won't lie. Veluriyam Capital is in desperate need of talent and there are many crouching tigers and hidden dragons amongst the wandering cultivator community..."
Emperor Peerless smiled wryly before Jiang Chen could finish his sentence. "Young lord Zhen, surely you're not planning to recruit them?" His expression clearly implied that this would be no easy matter. "Then I'll cut straight to the point. There's no lack of powerful experts amongst the wanderers, but the stronger they are, the more eccentric and difficult to handle they are. The mediocre ones are of no use either. Like a pile of loose sand, they can't be relied on during a crisis. Loyalty is very hard to come by among the powerful. Truthfully, I don't think that it's a good idea to recruit them…"
Emperor Peerless was the only one who dared speak in such a blunt and straightforward way.
Chapter 1242: The Three Benefits
The others looked at Jiang Chen confusedly. Was young lord Zhen mad enough to pick a solution at random? Countless powerful factions had attempted to gather the strength of wandering cultivators for their own over the ages, but success was exceedingly rare.
There were more wandering cultivators than fish in the sea. A single sect or faction couldn't possibly take them all. Moreover, they tended to be an unfriendly bunch. Some were eccentric and bad-natured, others overly competitive and tough to handle.
A single wandering cultivator often fared better alone than a disciple from some sect. But in a group, they were nothing more than a ragtag bunch; hardly comparable to the disciplined team of disciples from the same sect working together.
If a wandering cultivator went up against a sect disciple who was on the same cultivation level and powerful treasures were banned on both sides, then the former would likely win out.
Their world was a crueler one. Wandering cultivators were forced to drift about, risking their lives at every second. Their survival ability and instincts far surpassed those of a sheltered student's.
But things would turn out rather differently if it was a hundred against a hundred. With equal cultivation levels, the wandering cultivators would be slaughtered by the sect disciples without question.
Sect disciples were strenuously trained from childhood; they were instilled with a sense of the group and knew how to coordinate with each other. Wandering cultivators, on the other hand, tended to fend for themselves.
That was why relying on them was considered a universally foolish maneuver. Many sects and experts had met with failure in their attempts. Too many to count, in fact. Some were even brought to ruin because of it. Wandering cultivators were just too complex a group. Neither martial prowess nor power alone could regulate them.
Maintaining his smile, Jiang Chen met his audience's eyes openly. Confusion was plain in their gazes, but he didn't mind their temporary misunderstanding. "Carry on, Old Brother Mo," he urged. "Let's discuss the problems associated with that idea. We can decide whether it's doable or not afterwards."
"There are many problems, as I'm sure you understand. The crux of it is that wandering cultivators are hard to govern. They prefer to be the masters of their own destinies. The whole will always be less than the sum of the individuals. I'm a wandering cultivator myself, so I'm not intentionally besmirching them. A singular wandering cultivator is stronger than most sect disciples, but a group of them is far inferior.
"Experts through the ages have dreamed about gathering wandering cultivators' support, but success is infrequent. The great war in ancient times was one such occasion. Wandering cultivator experts accomplished myriad heroic deeds in that conflict." Emperor Petalpluck was a deft historian.
Ancient times? That was too far in the distant past for most. Only a few scant volumes of literature remained from back then.
Jiang Chen nodded. "I know the disadvantages associated with them. But nevertheless, I trust that there will be a good number of wandering cultivators who may be convinced. You, for example, Old Brother Mo… or the Geng brothers. You are characters at the pinnacle of the wandering cultivator world. There are many characteristics unique to you that experts from sects don't share. You're unconventional, faithful to promises, unpretentious, and straightforward. You make your allegiances extremely clear."
Mo Wushuang roared with laughter. "That is true for many sect experts as well! You can't stick with generalizations."
"You're right! It's wrong to make sweeping statements about anything. Therefore, it's not too much to expect there to be gold hidden amongst wandering cultivators, people with unfulfilled ambitions. There are three reasons for convening this meeting of wandering cultivators. I'll go over them shortly."
His audience grew serious upon hearing those words. They were ready to listen.
"First of all, the wandering cultivator world has many heroic men like Old Brother Mo and the Geng brothers. We're good friends, and they're all terrifyingly proficient. This shows that there are crouching tigers and hidden dragons even amongst wandering cultivators. Even a few fragments of gold sifted from a sandy riverbed is more than a worthwhile effort.
"Second, consider that they can spread news throughout the world like no other. If we at the Veluriyam Capital are founding our own pill dao academy, our endeavor would be greatly enhanced with their assistance.
"Third, we're mired in rumor and gossip at the moment. No matter how we attempt to clarify things, the outside world believes that Emperor Peafowl is now gone. They'll see us as easy targets. We must use this opportunity to announce to them that they are incorrect. That quite the opposite, Veluriyam Capital will climb to greater heights still."
Jiang Chen's explanation was quite detailed. Everyone sank into silence after they heard it. After mulling it over, the young lord's words made a lot of sense.
"I didn't expect you to have pondered the issue so deeply, young lord Zhen," mused Mo Wushuang. "If you're not planning to recruit a large group of wandering cultivators under your banner, I think it's doable. Otherwise, there'll be too much chaff mixed in with the wheat. It wouldn't be worth our while."
"It's ever been the case that a small elite group is superior to a large, undisciplined collective. It's better for soldiers to be trained than numerous, and generals sly than bold. Veluriyam Capital isn't so poorly off as to need a large group of wandering cultivators to embolden us. I simply felt that there are many promising men within their ranks. They have the possibility of a far brighter future ahead of them, but they are lost in the world and wasting away their youth. Their talents would be better used elsewhere."
Mo Wushuang looked very thoughtful. He thought back to everything that Jiang Chen had given him, kunpeng blood included, and found himself in complete agreement.
"Don't worry, young lord. This old man will use all of my reputation to find you a few useful comrades," he declared.
"If your reputation is on the line, they're sure to come," Jiang Chen smiled. "That's not what I want, though. I want the city to have something that attracts their attendance."
"From what you're saying, young lord Zhen," Emperor Void suddenly piped up. "You want to enhance the grandness of the festivities?"
"Yes, the grander the better. If we can draw out a few antiquated hermits from their hiding places, so much the better. We want to make the best show of it that we can!"
"Yes. The more jubilant the affair, the greater the influence. Just as you said, young lord Zhen, Veluriyam Capital matches up evenly against Pillfire City in essentially every way imaginable, but the latter has focused on extending their influence. Meanwhile, we've been too demure about it as a whole. My guess is that you're using this meeting as a springboard to promote Veluriyam to the world at large," laughed Emperor Coiling Dragon.
"Exactly so. Veluriyam Capital must gain in influence. It must expand its reach. People from all the world should flock to it out of natural attraction. The reason that Pillfire City is so bustling is because of all the events that occur there. They've built up a lot of goodwill and authority. The satellite cities around it at the moment have intrinsically recognized their dominance."
"If that's the case, then there's a necessity for holding this meeting after all."
"How do we attract wandering cultivators here, young lord Zhen? Dangle profit before them? We'd have to spend a king's ransom to draw them in from all over the world."
"Profit is perfectly fine," nodded Jiang Chen. "But it's not for everyone. Something that everyone has ends up being worthless."
He smiled in cool confidence as he went on. "I only need to offer three things to bring them in. Firstly, the Pinecrane Pill."
"What? The Pinecrane Pill?" Everyone was stunned at the young lord's generosity. Was he giving away such a precious pill for free?
"Young lord Zhen, I thought you said that it was rare beyond comparison? Is it alright for you to simply donate it away?"
"No, not at all," Jiang Chen shook his head. "I only need to announce that there will be an opportunity to purchase the Pinecrane Pill."
Purchase? His audience's eyes collectively lit up. The Pinecrane Pill was a true miracle pill. Even giants who've secreted themselves would be tempted from their hideaways. Once word got out about the pill's amazing effects, the entire world of cultivation would be up in arms. News of the Longevity Pill had astounded people everywhere, and a new and improved version of the same could only produce better results.
Mo Wushuang slapped his thigh. "Genius. I think that idea is sound. What else?"
"Second, we will offer enrollment in the pill dao academy. If we open some slots to wandering cultivators, do you think that it will garner their interest?"
There were blinks all around, then gleaming eyes one by one.
"That's beyond tempting, young lord Zhen. Your pill dao is legendary in the Upper Eight Regions. Your fame surpasses Pill King Ji Lang's to easily rival Emperor Pillzenith's own. Wandering cultivators have always lacked avenues to better themselves, if they receive a chance like this..."
"There will be a mad dash in our general direction for sure."
"Haha, I'm a little worried now. How will Veluriyam Capital host so many people?"
"What's your third benefit, young lord Zhen?"
"The third thing I can offer is in-person martial dao exposure. I will invite a mysterious expert from Myriad Abyss Island to lecture."
"What? An expert from Myriad Abyss Island?!"
"Are they… an empyrean expert, perchance?"
Jiang Chen smiled enigmatically. "I can't tell you what their cultivation level is. But I guarantee that their lecture will shock each and every cultivator from the human domain."
Emperor Petalpluck couldn't resist his curiosity. "Are you acquainted with mysterious experts from Myriad Abyss Island, young lord Zhen?"
"Truthfully," Jiang Chen chuckled, "I was taught by one in my youth. Where could my pill dao expertise come from otherwise?"
There was mass astonishment in all present. They'd heard rumors of his tutelage certainly, but no one had heard him admit it in person before. How could they resist their surprise?
Chapter 1243: The Boundary Steles
In the martial dao world, the more mysterious one appeared, the more one was regarded with curiosity and fear. The human psychology was odd sometimes; instinctual caution was exercised for anything unknown.
For example, Jiang Chen's high fame elicited curiosity about his pill dao inheritance. Emperor Peafowl was powerful, but not so powerful in the area of pill dao that he could nurture a genius like the young lord. So how had the young lord come by his pill dao knowledge?
There were all kinds of rumors. So far, the most incredible version was that young lord Zhen had been taught by a mysterious expert in his youth. Moreover, this mysterious expert likely hailed from the legendary Myriad Abyss Island. Only those possessing higher knowledge knew of this mythical place. Not many knew at all.
Many experts even suspected that Myriad Abyss Island was just a product of the imagination. They found it difficult to believe that human cultivators could reach the heights represented by it.
But no one could offer a concrete answer. No one had interacted with anyone from Myriad Abyss Island before. That all changed when Jiang Chen shattered everyone's doubts by confirming that Myriad Abyss Island was a real place.
Emperor Petalpluck asked in complicated tones, "Does Myriad Abyss Island really exist, young lord Zhen? Is it really not a myth?"
"Of course it's real. The Divine Abyss Continent is bigger than we imagine."
Mo Wushuang nodded. "He's right. I've traveled to all kinds of places in the human domain. I've seen the borders of desolate wildlands. I've even reached the boundary steles that demarcate the limits of the human domain and other races. Many times, I've tried to pass through the boundary to see what kind of world lies beyond it."
Everyone shot Mo Wushuang looks of apprehension and admiration. Wandering cultivators truly were some of the wildest kind of people out there.
The boundary steles had always been a taboo. For generations, sect disciples were warned not to intrude into the boundary grounds, not to disturb the arrangements that were laid since ancient times, and not to leave their own territory…
Nearly every faction and cultivator in the human domain followed the ancient teachings and stayed away from the boundary steles.
According to the ancient records, there were many races on Divine Abyss Continent. After the ancient great war, long-standing power structures crumbled and the continent was in shambles. Wary and antagonistic of each other, the races decided to split the map, create the boundary steles to demarcate their territory, and keep to their own areas forever.
It was mutually agreed that any entity who moved past the boundary be killed without mercy. The intrusion would be seen as an act of war.
Thankfully, the ancient boundaries weren't easy to break through. Powerful restrictions and chaotic streams of power prevented any cultivator from passing into another race's territory. It was why everyone felt apprehensive, despite being impressed by Mo Wushuang's boldness. Had he succeeded, it might have been the start of a racial war.
Mo Wushuang laughed when he saw their expressions. "Don't look at me like that, I didn't really try to breach the boundaries. Plus, I would've died considering my cultivation level, and I have no intentions to die just yet, heh!"
Jiang Chen didn't know much about the boundary grounds at all. In fact, neither Honored Master P'eng nor Venerated Skysoarer had mentioned anything about the boundary steles. This meant that these taboo places had been built after their generation. They were ignorant because they had already entered the Veluriyam Pagoda by then.
"The boundary steles safeguards our territory, so it's best if they remain as they are." Emperor Mountaincrush sighed. "This is a rule that Veluriyam Capital has always obeyed."
"Yes, the boundary grounds shouldn't be intruded upon lightly. That's an old adage that's been passed down since ancient times!"
Mo Wushuang shrugged and smiled in response. "I admit that we wandering cultivators are less concerned with such things. However, from my experience I believe that the boundary grounds weren't built to prevent racial conflicts or wars at all."
"What do you mean?" Jiang Chen asked. Everyone was just as curious. What basis lied behind Mo Wushuang's claim?
"My guess is that the boundary steles are a product of the ancient great war. The Divine Abyss Continent was in tatters after it, and all races had holed up in their own territories, focusing on rebuilding strength and avoiding the demon race. They were terrified that war would break out once more. No one wanted the demon race to invade their territory, so they decided that they might as well delineate boundary lines. Therefore, the boundary steles weren't created to prevent racial conflicts, but as a safety measure in case the demon race rose from the ashes."
Mo Wushuang's tone grew furious when he reached this point. "The human domain sits the closest to the desolate wildlands. This means that the boundary grounds aren't protections, but obstacles that prevent the human race from escaping should a second demonic disaster were to befall upon us."
Jiang Chen's eyes lit up when he heard this. He hadn't realized that Mo Wushuang was so experienced and knowledgeable, and he found himself agreeing deeply with analysis.
The many races on the Divine Abyss Continent used to attack each other frequently. Constant warfare hadn't given rise to the thought of boundary steles. It was only after the great demonic disaster and the Divine Abyss Continent left in ruins that the boundary grounds came to be.
The desolate wildlands were to the southeast of the human domain, whereas boundary steles could be found to the southwest and northwest. The steles and wildlands linked together to form a long chain.
This meant that the human domain was stuck between a rock and a hard place. If the desolate wildlands were breached, the demon race would pour straight into the human domain. Worse, Jiang Chen's homeland, the sixteen kingdoms alliance, was the first place to bear the brunt of the demonic invasion.
The good news was that Venerated Skysoarer had told him that he could reactivate the Great Formation of Heavenly Soul Confinement to stop the demon race.
During the ancient great war, the leaders of the human race had created the Great Formation of Heavenly Soul Confinement to seal the entire demon race. Unfortunately, the demon race was too cunning to fall for the trap. They'd sent out scapegoats to take the fall.
If reactivated, the formation would be a powerful barrier blocking the demon race from advancing. It would force them to circle past the human domain and enter another race's territory to leave. They'd be someone else's problem then. It would cost them far too much to circle back to the human domain, a completely worthless effort.Even if a demonic invasion was inevitable, the human race would have at least bought themselves some time. Therefore, Mo Wushuang's story gave Jiang Chen some ideas, but he decided that it wasn't the time to reveal them just yet, not when Veluriyam Capital's morale was as low as it was.
Talks about the demon race would only add to the atmosphere of doom and gloom. Jiang Chen changed the subject with a smile. "Anyway, we're straying from the main topic. So, about the wandering cultivator gathering. Does everyone think that these three benefits are good enough reasons to hold a gathering?"
"Oh yes, definitely." Mo Wushuang was the first person to agree. "Any one of these benefits is enough to attract a large crowd of wandering cultivators, much less all three of them combined. That being said, I must remind you all that attracting such a large crowd of wandering cultivators isn't without its consequences. If we don't enforce proper rules and constraints, things can quickly dissolve into a mess."
Jiang Chen nodded. "This is where I require your help, great emperors. I need your elite troops to maintain order while the wandering cultivator gathering is ongoing. Everyone must contribute some effort in this event."
"Of course. We will do our best."
"I agree. it's our duty."
Ultimately, everyone thought that the benefits of a this gathering outweighed its cost. Veluriyam Capital needed a great event to show that they weren't headed towards a total decline. Also, everyone wanted to see what kind of surprises young lord Zhen would bring them. Jiang Chen looked at the vassals once more. "I also require our vassals to contribute in this event. First, everyone should keep an eye out for troublemakers. Second, we need to agree on a procedure to deal with the territories left behind by the traitors in the next few days. Should we send someone to take over now, or should we delegate them to other powers? At any rate, our first priority is to form a united Veluriyam Capital."
"That's right. No one can take advantage of us if we don't fight amongst ourselves."
"We especially must keep an eye out for people from Pillfire City. It's them or us. We can't let them out of our sight."
"Pillfire City…" Killing intent flashed through Jiang Chen's eyes. "One day, I will make sure that this name is no more!"
Jiang Chen and Pillfire City's relationship had deteriorated to the point of no return. He had known after the battle for the Longevity Pill that one of them had to disappear in the future. Moreover, he had a strong feeling that Emperor Pillzenith was involved in Emperor Peafowl's disappearance. There was no way the foreign emperor would dare cause trouble in Veluriyam Capital otherwise. Emperor Shura was also certainly a traitor who had sold his homeland for personal gains.
Jiang Chen went through the remaining tasks in similar fashion. He didn't need to worry about manpower at least. He was also worried about Veluriyam Capital's security, so he secretly sent out the Goldbiter Rats to patrol the surroundings. They would be able to report to him immediately if they noticed anything amiss. The Goldbiter Rats numbered over ten million in total. They could easily form lines of patrols that covered a radius several thousand kilometers around the capital.
Chapter 1244: The Moon God Sects Response
It wasn't long before news about Veluriyam's wandering cultivator gathering spread. It even had an extremely domineering name: the Dragon and Tiger Meet.
Young lord Zhen had named the gathering to celebrate the crouching tigers and hidden dragons of the wandering world. Of course, it was a pity that they were all unaffiliated free agents. The Dragon and Tiger Meet was a way to discover these dragons and tigers, and to display their talents for the world to see.
Emperor Peerless, a titan of the wandering world, had rallied his brothers and friends to the Dragon and Tiger Meet. He even assured that a huge surprise was waiting for them.
The news spread like wildfire. It only took a few days for it to disseminate throughout the human domain. Even northern based factions like Pillfire City and Tilted Moon Region received the news.
Within the Moon God Sect, a few high level executives had convened a meeting. The three sectmasters and a few holy maidens were in attendance. The chief sectmaster was holding a confidential letter in her hand with furrowed brows. She pondered deeply before handing it over to the second sectmaster.
The second sectmaster had a slightly more bigoted personality and was Holy Maiden Qingxuan's teacher. She was also the culprit that'd separated Jiang Feng and Xu Meng. Her mood soured after reading the letter. "Fame seeking miscreant! He's getting too big for his boots!"
Scorn appeared on her face as she threw the letter to the third sectmaster. This sectmaster was a little more pleasant and the most sweet-tempered among the three. She was slightly taken aback after reading the letter. "Such a huge shift has occurred in Veluriyam Capital? Dear sisters, this is a major news!"
Holy Maiden Qingxuan's heart skipped a beat when she heard 'Veluriyam Capital'. She had no feelings or attachment to that place in the past, but it was no longer the case. Ever since her parents had reunited, she no longer only had her mother. She now had a father and two brothers.
She'd actually known that she had a father and brother and had secretly sent men to the sixteen kingdoms alliance before to investigate. Unfortunately, they'd failed to bring back any findings.
Just when she'd accepted that Jiang Feng and Jiang Chen were long departed from this world, they suddenly barged into her life out of nowhere. The warmth of kinship filled her heart.
Her brother was currently in Veluriyam Capital as the young lord of Sacred Peafowl Mountain. A huge shift in Veluriyam Capital? Is he affected? Fraught with worry, she couldn't help but glance at the letter.
The third sectmaster smiled. "Qingxuan, do you want to have a look tii?"
Xu Qingxuan nodded without hesitation. "Isn't Veluriyam Capital one of the strongest faction in the Upper Eight Regions? What could've possibly happened?"
The second sectmaster's face darkened. "Qingxuan, you were never this enthusiastic. Why are you so concerned about matters related to Veluriyam Capital?"
Xu Qingxuan smiled playfully. "Honored master, you complain when I'm not interested in worldly matters, yet when I show concern, you say that I'm being too enthusiastic! Your disciple is at a loss!"
Xu Qingxuan had trained under the second sectmaster for many years. Naturally, she had her ways of dealing with her master. Most of the time, butting heads with the second sectmaster would only end in disaster. It was more likely to work if she took the opposite approach and spoke light-heartedly. After reading the letter, she passed it to Holy Maiden Xu Shan in a seemingly unintentional manner.
Xu Shan had been in charge of taking care of the Moon God Precious Tree, and her Yin Yang Reverse bloodline had caused the tree various ailments. Jiang Chen discovered the crux of the problem and unearthed Xu Shan's unique bloodline. He'd nursed the tree back to health and gave the sect a top notch genius with a unique bloodline.
Once widely regarded as trash, Xu Shan had leapt to the place of a holy maiden under the chief sectmaster. Her fame had even surpassed Holy Maiden Xiyuan, another one of the chief sectmaster's holy maidens.
Because of that, Xu Shan was extremely grateful towards her savior, Sir Shao Yuan. Later, rumors began to spread that Sir Shao Yuan was actually Veluriyam's young lord Zhen. The Moon God Sect had been skeptical at first, but after digging deeper, they verified that the rumor was actually true. It was a major shock to the sect. But to Xu Shan, her savior would always be her savior. His true identity didn't matter to her.
When she heard that a major incident had happened in Veluriyam Capital, she couldn't help but worry. She looked at Xu Qingxuan gratefully when the letter was passed to her. Without further ado, she immediately scanned the contents. Her frown grew deeper and deeper as her eyes scampered across the sentences.
A major power shift had occurred in Veluriyam Capital. Emperor Peafowl was gone missing and the second-in-line, Emperor Shura, had attempted a coup, threatening Sacred Peafowl Mountain's position.
In the most crucial moment, young lord Zhen turned the tides and led Sacred Peafowl Mountain to victory against Shura Retreat. Emperor Shura declared his departure from Veluriyam Capital soon after. The letter also mentioned that young lord Zhen was building a pill dao academy and was recruiting students from the entire human domain.
Other than that, Veluriyam Capital was also hosting a wandering cultivator gathering. All wandering cultivators were welcome to attend. Xu Shan was secretly worried for young lord Zhen after reading the letter. Hosting a wandering cultivator gathering was simply too much trouble for what it's worth.
Holy Maiden Xiyuan had taken note of Xu Shan's expressions. She was already incredibly unhappy about Xu Shan's meteoric rise. However, her rage had reached new heights just now when Holy Maiden Qingxuan had passed the letter to Xu Shan instead of her.
"Younger sister Shan'er, Why do you seem so worried for Veluriyam Capital when it's on the other side of the world?" Holy Maiden Xiyuan asked with mock concern. The crowd looked at Xu Shan curiously.
She had unsteady foundations as she'd just recently risen to the rank of holy maiden. She lacked the confidence to defend herself. Thus, Xu Shan was extremely flustered when she was put under the spotlight.
"Let me guess. It must have something to do with young lord Zhen, right?" Holy Maiden Xiyuan flashed a harmless smile, but her heart was filled with all kinds of malicious intent.
It was common knowledge that holy maidens weren't allowed to fall in love. Once they did, they would lose their position and their line in the succession. It was a long established rule in the sect. No one was exempted from it.
The sect cultivated quite a number of holy maidens and a majority of them would have a dao partner one day. However, they were never allowed to choose their partners. They were merely tools for creating marriage alliances.
Many factions in the Upper Eight Regions took pride in having a holy maiden as a bride. The Moon God Sect often capitalized on this and used a majority of the holy maidens for this purpose. Holy Maiden Xiyuan looked like she was making fun of Xu Shan, but she was actually pushing the latter into the flames.
As expected, the chief sectmaster's expression darkened. "Shan'er, it's a miracle that you've escaped a life of mediocrity. Surely you wouldn't waste this opportunity by falling prey to worldly temptations?"
Xu Shan turned as red as beet. "H-honored master… T-this disciple… doesn't dare." She stammered.
Holy Maiden Xiyuan laughed. "Hah! You dare say such things with cheeks as red as yours? I don't blame you. Young lord Zhen is the future ruler of Veluriyam Capital, a peerless young genius, and a sensation in the cultivation world. Moreover, he was your savior! I'm sure that young lord Zhen holds an unrivalled position in your heart."
Xu Qingxuan interrupted bluntly. "Holy Maiden Xiyuan, your imagination runs rather wild! Young lord Zhen has done Xu Shan a great kindness. Surely she has a right to worry about her savior? Why does it sound like a sin when it comes out of your mouth?"
Holy Maiden Xiyuan hated Xu Qingxuan just as much. The latter was the strongest holy maiden in the sect. Her popularity was much greater than Holy Maiden Xiyuan's. Many young geniuses visited the Moon God Sect just to sneak a peek at Xu Qingxuan's visage. Some even attempted to find out more about her through Holy Maiden Xiyuan.
A vain and narcissistic lady like Holy Maiden Xiyuan would never live this down and bore great amounts of hostility towards the other two holy maidens. One girl had stolen her limelight and the other threatened her position in the sect.
She lost her temper in an explosive burst when Qingxuan stood up for Xu Shan. "Qingxuan, this is a matter between sisters of the same faction! Why are you getting all agitated for?"
Xu Qingxuan was no slouch either. She laughed coldly. "Don't kid yourself. Who wouldn't notice your ruse? Matters between sisters? Who would ever want to be sisters with scum like you? Are they asking for eight generations of rotten luck?"
"Qingxuan, watch your mouth!" The second sectmaster immediately yelled as these words insulted the chief sectmaster's faction.
Qingxuan stuck her tongue out at her master and giggled playfully. "Chief sectmaster, master, and third sectmaster, haven't we gone off topic?"
The chief sectmaster had also noticed Holy Maiden Xiyuan's ruse. "Alright, that's enough." She said with a bland glare.
She turned her gaze towards Xu Shan immediately after that. "Shan'er, there's still no distinct proof that Sir Shao Yuan and young lord Zhen are one and the same. Even if they are, you have no business worrying about the debt that we owe him. You mustn't let your dao heart waver, nor should you ever fall prey to worldly temptations. Understood?"
Xu Shan nodded obediently.
"Alright, let us freely discuss Veluriyam Capital's matters. Second sectmaster, what is your thought on this?" the chief sectmaster asked as she shifted her gaze towards the second sectmaster.
"Do you really want my opinion?"
"Speak. Everyone is allowed to voice their opinions freely." The chief sectmaster was very open minded.
"Then I'll cut to the chase. Veluriyam Capital is on the other side of the Upper Eight Regions. We in the northwest while they're to the south. There are so many factions and nations between us, I'm hard pressed to see how their matters would affect us. Surely there's no need for us to discuss this?" The second sectmaster was the kind of person who would turn her back even on a friend. Her gratitude wasn't guaranteed even if young lord Zhen had saved the entire sect.
Chapter 1245: Holy Maiden Qingxuans Great Support of Her Brother
Vast disagreement rose when Xu Qingxuan heard the second sectmaster's words. Although she revered her master, she wasn't blindly loyal. Otherwise, she wouldn't have brought her mother to meet with her father and brother behind her master's back. Despite all of the brainwashing she'd endured over the years, it still hadn't been successful. She'd retained her own mind.
Her master's words struck her as biting the hand that'd fed them. Xu Qingxuan was quite dismissive of this. Her brother had saved the sect's Precious Tree!
The holy maiden liked to think in the long term as well. Ever since her parents had found each other, she'd begun considering the possibility of the family reuniting. If that were to happen, she'd have to spend some effort here to make the Moon God Sect accept Veluriyam Capital and young lord Zhen. Only when that happened could the dream of a family reunion become possibility.
Otherwise, that road ahead was fraught with difficulties in the current situation. It'd be better if it was up to the senior sectmaster. She at least was a bit more reasonable. Qingxuan knew her master quite well. That was a heavily prejudiced woman. In the second sectmaster's eyes, Xu Meng was a traitor and the shame of the faction. She hadn't killed Xu Meng only because she'd been worried about the effect on Xu Qingxuan. It was also the only reason why Xu Meng had been allowed to remain within the sect.
However, her master was her master. Although Xu Qingxuan was deeply disapproving of these actions, she would never openly rebuke her master.
"And what of you, number three?" The senior sectmaster turned to the third leader with a smile.
The third sectmaster smiled faintly in return. "Sacred Peafowl Mountain is indeed a bit far from us, but if it's proven that young lord Zhen is indeed the Sir Shao Yuan who cured our Precious Tree, I think we still need to keep this favor in mind. Perhaps we don't need to offer tangible help, but we're ethically obliged to support him. So perhaps we should offer a pronouncement that we support young lord Zhen taking control of Veluriyam Capital?"
The third sectmaster was a mild soul with clear separation of right and wrong. She wouldn't take a favor for granted.
"Support young lord Zhen? How can we do that?" The second sectmaster couldn't help but break in.
"And whyever not?" The senior sectmaster looked back, amused. "What are your thoughts?"
"Simply that we can't be certain that young lord Zhen is Sir Shao Yuan. Since we can't prove it, then we can just play dumb. I'm not being miserly, but we really can't release that kind of announcement. Pillfire City and Veluriyam Capital are bitter rivals, and young lord Zhen even more so. If we support him, that means we're offending the enormous entity by our side."
The second sectmaster was a pragmatist. She always approached issues from the perspective of the sect's profits.
Pillfire City was on the western edge of the Tilted Moon Region. A few steps northwest would bring them into Moon God Sect territory. They were neighbors in the truest sense. The sect was very wary of and sometimes even found Pillfire's domineering to be unbearable. But no matter what they thought about the pressure, this enormous faction would always be by their side. That fact would never change.
Since they couldn't change that fact, then they could only get used to having such a tyrannical neighbor. They had to endure things even if that meant coming off worse for the wear sometimes. Compared to Pillfire City, the first rank sect's foundations and strength was still on a different level. Such a great entity was absolutely someone they couldn't afford to offend.
Holy Maiden Xiyuan expressed her thoughts at this time. "Honored master, this disciple thinks that the second sectmaster makes a great deal of sense. As wonderful as Veluriyam Capital may be and as great a genius young lord Zhen is, they're still too far away. They're so far away that they have absolutely no effect on us. Anything that happens there feels like the stuff of story tales, with absolutely no impact on our lives. But Pillfire City is right next to us. Even a casual stomp is enough to send us reeling."
Her meaning couldn't be clearer. They couldn't support young lord Zhen no matter what, even if he had done the sect a great deed.
Holy Maiden Xiyuan seemed impartial and objective, but personal motive was the real driving force. She felt irritated at the mere thought of young lord Zhen. If it wasn't for that jerk sticking his nose where it didn't belong, how would Xu Shan have climbed to her current height and be a threat to her position?
Just cure the Precious Tree, what did you go dig up some Reverse Yin Yang Bloodline for?? Don't you know how unfair this is to other people?
These were the holy maiden's deepest thoughts. She was completely unable to accept the situation, so she hated that busybody young lord Zhen as well. Now that he was in trouble, she wished fiercely for the matter to become even more serious. It'd be best if there was civil war and a ton of people died!
Have her support young lord Zhen? Dream on!
Dejection flashed through Xu Shan's eyes when she heard her peer's words. But when she swept a look across Xu Qingxuan's face, she was startled to see that the latter was looking at her encouragingly. This bolstered the self-conscious holy maiden a little.
"I wouldn't dare agree with senior sister Xiyuan's words. Clearly knowing what's right and wrong is a basic requirement for cultivators. This is to be applied for everything from our own nature to the reputation of the sect. We might appear to be sly and clever if we play dumb, but we'll definitely become the laughingstock of the entire world. Whenever others talk of the Moon God Sect, they'll add on the description of heartless ingrates."
Even Xu Shan herself was surprised at how smoothly she delivered these thoughts. The senior sectmaster had always wanted to increase Xu Shan's confidence, but she knew that this wouldn't be accomplished overnight. So when she heard how her disciple had spoken up and was disagreeing with Holy Maiden Xiyuan, not only was she not unhappy, but rather pleased.
Xu Shan's martial dao potential had been verified, and her bloodline was indeed unparalleled. But if her confidence levels couldn't be enhanced, then even the greatest potential would be wasted on her.
So now four had expressed their opinions. Two were in support and two against. The senior sectmaster smiled and looked towards Holy Maiden Qingxuan. "Qingxuan, weren't you quite lively earlier? Let's here from you."
"Senior sectmaster, I'm not falling for that!" Xu Qingxuan giggled. "If I say what I think, I know my master will be unhappy again."
"You brat, say what you want to say, don't blame everything on me." The second sectmaster had a dark expression on her face.
"Then I'll say what I think?"
"Say whatever stupid nonsense you've got!" The second sectmaster had a fiery temper.
"Hehe! This disciple also thinks that we should support young lord Zhen. There's another reason apart from the help he's given us."
"What is it?" This drew general curiosity, but the senior sectmaster threw her a glare. She was irked by her disciple not backing her up, but was also used to her disciple being a headache.
"You darned girl, what do you know? What other reasons are there? I'm going to punish you severely if you can't think of a serious reason why!"
"Hehe, my reason is very important! But before I tell everyone, I'd like to ask, is Pillfire City and Veluriyam Capital the two strongest factions in pill dao in the world?"
"How can Veluriyam compare to Pillfire? It's at most one third of Pillfire's foundations, or even less!" Xiyuan instantly fired off.
"Then let's put it this way, if one thinks of Pillfire, they also need to consider Veluriyam. We can all agree on this, right?"
"What do you want to say?" Xiyuan smiled coldly.
"Simply that while it may currently look like Pillfire is ahead of Veluriyam by a lot, it's a different story when it comes to their heirs. We've all witnessed Pill King Ji Lang's empty showmanship and flashy theatrics. We've also seen young lord Zhen's mature generosity. I think it's quite obvious whose fortunes are greater. I don't think that Pillfire has anyone who can compete with young lord Zhen in pill dao in the future. The young lord is definitely a monster genius who appears once in ten thousand years.
"Isn't there talk of a Pinecrane Pill? The pill who can extend lives of emperor realm cultivators by a thousand years? Can Pillfire refine such a pill? Or setting that aside, can they even manage a Longevity Pill?
"What's most frightening about young lord Zhen isn't that he understands pills that no one knows of, but that his knowledge stores are much too vast. We all saw how he cured the Precious Tree, right?"
Her long speech won the senior sectmaster's approval.
"Quite right. Qingxuan, your comprehension abilities are indeed uncommon. You also analyze problems from a very deep angle. In my eyes, Pill King Ji Lang's fortunes are one fifth, or even one tenth of Sir Shao Yuan's. If the gentleman is indeed young lord Zhen, then I look very favorably upon Veluriyam and his pill dao academy!"
The senior sectmaster's personal proclamation surprised the second sectmaster.
"Senior sectmaster, do you mean that we're going to openly support the young lord? Even if he can defy the heavens in the future, we still have no need to offend Pillfire right at this very moment!"
"It has nothing to do with offending or not offending Pillfire. We just need to express our stance. Young lord Zhen rendered us a great service and out of this gratitude, we support his authority over Veluriyam. This is a very right and proper thing to do. Even if Pillfire is unhappy, they can't use this as an excuse to oppress our sect. Since when did a vaunted first rank sect have to consider the feelings of others when conducting our business? Pillfire is our neighbor, not our ruling nation!"
This was a clear announcement of the sect's attitude.
Chapter 1246: An Irate Pillfire City
"Senior sectmaster, please reconsider!" the second sectmaster urged.
The senior sectmaster waved her hands dismissively. "The decision has been made. We'll discuss this again after the wandering cultivator gathering is over."
The crowd had no choice but to swallow their arguments. Holy Maiden Qingxuan was elated. The senior sectmaster's attitude had given her a little bit of hope.
...
Meanwhile, Pillfire City had also received news about the wandering cultivator gathering.
Emperor Pillzenith had just returned from Veluriyam Capital, still dazed by what had happened. He'd been filled with ambition when he first set off, but had been forced to run away with his tail between his legs and was even played for a fool in the end by a nonexistent formation.
It was a smudge on his clean record. He grew more and more frustrated as his thoughts lingered on the incident. Why hadn't he thought clearly back then? A sky rank formation? How could the brat possibly set up a sky rank formation in advance? He clearly wasn't clairvoyant!
What frustrated him the most was the fact that his love rival, Emperor Peerless, had joined Sacred Peafowl Mountain.
"Shura, this is your mess. You better clean it up!" Emperor Pillzenith's pent up rage came bursting out when he set eyes Emperor Shura's face.
Failing to usurp the throne, Emperor Shura naturally had no choice but to defect to Emperor Pillzenith's side. The latter had gained a powerful pawn, but there was no lack of powerful beings in Pillfire City.
Emperor Pillzenith only valued Emperor Shura because of his strategic significance in Veluriyam Capital. Shura was a lot less useful if he wasn't in the capital. After all, Emperor Pillzenith's goal was to gain control over Veluriyam Capital through him. The former was extremely annoyed that this plan had been thwarted at the very last moment.
Emperor Shura was dejected. He grit his teeth. "Emperor Pillzenith, in my opinion, the dust in Veluriyam Capital hasn't completely settled yet. We can either give up, or we can double down and assert control through a show of force. Utilizing your fame, we can assemble a group of heroes and march to the capital to assert our dominance!"
Emperor Pillzenith snorted coldly. "You make it sound so easy! How am I supposed to justify those actions?"
The entire human domain would be horrified if he ignored the vast distance between the two factions and led an army there to interfere with Veluriyam Capital's internal affairs. There was simply no viable way to justify this open act of hostility.
If they were allowed to interfere with Veluriyam's politics, who was to say that they wouldn't interfere with another faction some other day? So while Emperor Shura's suggestion might seem perfect, it wasn't viable at all.
"Ji Lang, your nemesis young lord Zhen has achieved so much at such a young age. What's your opinion on this?" Emperor Pillzenith suddenly shifted his gaze. The person who hated Jiang Chen the most might not, in fact, be Emperor Shura. Pill King Ji Lang could very well claim the spot.
"Honored master, that brat is definitely an anomaly. Even someone as great as Emperor Shura was completely helpless against him. We mustn't view him as a young lord anymore. Instead, we should judge him with the same criteria as great emperors like Emperor Peafowl."
Pill King Ji Lang was a genius at retaining face. He'd lost to Jiang Chen twice and hated the young lord to the bone, but he had no qualms with putting the young lord on a pedestal just so that his defeats wouldn't seem too humiliating.
"Pill King Ji Lang is right. That brat is a monster. Emperor Pillzenith, we must eliminate him before he matures. Otherwise, he'll surely threaten your position and maybe even our city's position one day," one of Emperor Pillzenith's most trusted aides advised. He was similar in rank to Cloudsoar Monarch and also a peak level emperor. His name was Baili Shengzhi, Emperor Pillzenith's most trusted strategist.
"Baili, what's your recommended course of action?" Emperor Pillzenith valued his strategist's opinions greatly.
The latter hummed deeply as he pondered. "We can't engage in open hostility against Veluriyam Capital unless we can justify the mobility of our troops. The capital has a good reputation and young lord Zhen is growing more famous with each passing day. We'd be denounced as invaders if we march there. We can't afford to make this mistake."
Emperor Pillzenith nodded. Baili Shengzhi's words were in line with his worries. There were other dominant factions in the Upper Eight Regions as well. If Pillfire City caused a public outcry, these factions might retaliate in kind. The city was mighty, but not even the mightiest could withstand an all out attack from the entire Upper Eight Regions. The strong often had enemies operating within the shadows. They'd lie prone, waiting for an opportune moment to pounce.
"We can't attack in the open, but we can try some things from the shadow."
"Oh?" Emperor Pillzenith's eyes lightened up. "Do go on."
"Young lord Zhen's recent success must've inflated his ego. Why else would he host a wandering cultivator gathering? After tasting the sweet nectar, he must think that every wandering cultivator is as easy to recruit as Emperor Peerless."
"Mo Wushuang that idiot! First he acts all high and mighty, and then he willingly joins Sacred Peafowl Mountain to be their loyal dog. What a disgrace!" Emperor Pillzenith scolded mercilessly.
"Your Majesty, young lord Zhen will definitely become a laughing stock if he truly believes that wandering cultivators are so easy to recruit. This subordinate thinks that we can launch a two pronged attack."
"How do you propose we do that?"
"We can host a similar event and invite the titans of the wandering cultivator world. We'll offer great incentives to sweeten the deal, but we'll also have to be firm like an iron fist in a velvet glove. We'll let them taste the sweet nectar and then show them our might. Our target will be the wandering cultivators that are active around the northern region of the Upper Eight Regions. We need to emphasize that we'll become enemies if they show up at Veluriyam Capital."
Emperor Pillzenith frowned. "Surely such candid statements will not be well-received?"
Baili Shengzhi laughed. "There's no doubt. But we can always use someone else to say them! We'll hire a few wandering cultivators that are trustworthy and let them disseminate the news. Nobody can intervene as long as we don't admit to these statements."
Emperor Pillzenith pondered for a moment. "Hmm. It's worth a try. Upstaging Veluriyam Capital with a similar event seems like a good plan. However, you mentioned a two pronged attack. What else must we do?"
"We can also employ some schemes. We'll hire a few henchmen to stir up trouble in Veluriyam Capital and get them to cause some destruction at the event. It'll be a huge loss of face for both the capital and young lord Zhen." Baili Shengzhi had formulated a closely reasoned and well-argued plan. Emperor Pillzenith's pulse quickened with excitement.
"Excellent! Baili, I'm very pleased with your plans!" The great emperor burst into a hearty laughter. "Now, let's come up with a way to upstage Veluriyam Capital!"
Baili Shengzhi smiled. "Our city has always been more attractive than Veluriyam Capital. Even though we're one step behind at the moment, our city's heritage and your reputation should give us an edge in attracting these titans of the wandering cultivator world."
Veluriyam Capital had only just released the initial announcement without mentioning Jiang Chen's three benefits. Thus, Pillfire was unaware of Veluriyam's determination to host this event. Emperor Pillzenith would've been fraught with anxiety if he'd known otherwise.
Jiang Chen had chosen not to release all information in one go simply because he wanted to "Baili, I'll put you in charge of this. You have to make this event as sensational and unique as you possibly can. We need to take the limelight away from Veluriyam Capital!" Emperor Pillzenith was going all out
"This subordinate understands." Baili Shengzhi bowed to accept his orders.
"Ji Lang, assist Baili in this matter. Also, you'd best reflect on why young lord Zhen was able to defeat you and eclipse you in every single discipline. I'll be very disappointed in you if you've learned nothing from all of your failures.
This was an enormous blow to Pill King Ji Lang. After losing so many times in a row, Emperor Pillzenith had begun to doubt the pill king's abilities. He'd been fond of Pill King Ji Lang in the beginning because the pill king had seemed to possess even more talent in pill dao than the great emperor when he was young. His talent in martial dao was also comparable as well. A young genius like him was definitely a suitable candidate to inherit his legacy if nurtured well.
However, Pill King Ji Lang's two consecutive losses against young lord Zhen had caused a sliver of doubt to grow within Emperor Pillzenith's heart.
Pill King Ji Lang cursed inwardly while remaining respectful on the surface. "Honored master, your disciple will definitely learn from the humiliation."
Emperor Shura stepped forward. "My liege, this subordinate has yet to prove himself to your faction. Is there a way for us to contribute?"
"My liege, please give us an order. Brother Shura and I wish to prove our loyalty." Emperor Vastsea quickly piped in.
"Hmph! If you wish to prove your loyalty then get rid of young lord Zhen! That's the best way to prove your loyalty!" Emperor Pillzenith hectored angrily.