Chapter 275: Giving Pointers to Lordmaster Ye Chonglou
Jiang Chen admired the mountains of spirit medicine in his manor and tsked in amazement. “It’s said that the sects are so rich that they have wealth flowing out of their ears, and it looks like those rumors weren’t unfounded. As one of the two great families of the Precious Tree Sect, the Iron family boasts of astonishing wealth. Most likely, these items are just a hair off their legs? It looks like I was still too kind and my price was too low.”
Jiang Chen finally understood now why Ye Chonglou had told him not to kill Iron Dazhi.
A defeated opponent like Iron Dazhi could be killed at anytime.
But even Ye Chonglou would find it hard to rapidly collect so many spirit medicines!
“It’s always been said that the Myriad Treasures Palace is rich and possesses extreme wealth, but it doesn’t hold a candle to the sect. In the end, the Palace is just an outer site. As bountiful as their treasures appear to be, it’s still nothing compared to that of a heavyweight within the sect.”
Jiang Chen knew that he had struck gold this time.
He couldn’t even store all these items in his storage ring.
Of course, Jiang Chen wouldn’t possibly swallow it all himself. Even if it were empty pleasantries, he still had to make a gesture or two. He selected two saint rank medicines and delivered it to the old tutor.
Jiang Chen knew that although the old tutor hadn’t gone to any effort in taking down Iron Dazhi and Zhou Yi, the Iron family wouldn’t have negotiated with him at all even if hadn’t been for the old tutor, not to mention docilely giving him the ransom.
Therefore, Jiang Chen’s extortion had still made use of the old tutor’s influence.
Thus, it was a natural course of action to share his gains with the old tutor.
However, when Jiang Chen delivered these items to the old tutor, the old tutor smiled and waved him off. “Jiang Chen, this old man won’t take these medicines from you. You caught them, I only gave you a suggestion and can’t share in the glory.”
“Lordmaster, this is a token of my appreciation, I won’t feel right if you don’t accept it.”
Ye Chonglou smiled, “Put it this way. These spirit medicines are indeed nice, but they will have much more use with you than with me. Besides, I have some saint rank medicines. Save them for yourself.”
The old tutor was resolute in not accepting. Jiang Chen didn’t continue to insist and put them away.
“Jiang Chen, even this old man hadn’t thought that the Iron family would be as mad as a march hare to make use of the time in which I traveled to the sect to attack the Jiang manor. It was a good thing that your methods were sophisticated, making my worries on the way back completely superfluous.”
“This kid is truly shamefaced to have caused the old tutor worry.”
“Alright kiddo, I don’t see the slightest expression of self reflection on your face.” Ye Chonglou smiled and suddenly became serious. “Jiang Chen, I was invited by forefather Thousandleaf to the sect this time to discuss matters regarding the great selection.”
“Oh?”
“The scale of this year’s great selection is unprecedented. I already mentioned the reason why last time. The selection is divided into two parts this time. The first part is to make a selection from the ordinary geniuses. Those selected will participate in a second part with the sect disciples. The second selection is the key. When the 16 strongest are determined, each of the four sects will receive four disciples for personal tutelage by each sect’s forefathers as their true disciples. They will also receive the sect’s most core and finest resources.”
“Core, finest resources?” Jiang Chen blinked. This happened to be precisely what he needed at the moment.
In the world of martial dao, the richest, core resources were controlled by the sects. Only a small portion was left to the mundane kingdoms and fought over by countless practitioners. It was a case of too many monks and not enough gruel to go around.
Within the sects, those who truly benefited from the resources were the geniuses at the top of the pyramid, those standing at the very peak!
Ye Chonglou nodded, “To put it simply, you’ll have whatever you want as long as the sect possesses it!”
This was undoubtedly the most exclusive treatment.
One had to know, the ones with the true power were the origin realm forefathers.
Even the sect head and the first of the esteemed elders didn’t have the right to touch the most exquisite items unless the origin realm forefathers nodded in assent.
The fact that the geniuses selected by this time’s great selection would enjoy whatever they wished for signified that they would enjoy treatement that even the sect head and esteemed elders couldn’t boast of.
“Lordmaster, it looks like that the sixteen kingdom alliance is indeed in a precarious situation. Otherwise, how could they have possibly put down their proud stances and offer such sweet rewards?”
Ye Chonglou gave a long sigh, “It’s actually bit late to only feel a sense of danger now. When I returned from my worldly travels, I had given the sects some hints not to remain static in their footsteps. It was a pity that no one listened to me then. They hadn’t realized at all how subpar the alliance was in the greater picture of the Myriad Domain. I hope there’s still a chance to salvage the situation now that they’ve realized where things stand.”
The lordmaster’s tone suddenly became a bit bleak as he looked at Jiang Chen, a flicker of light suddenly appearing in his eyes as a trace of hope shot out from them.
“Jiang Chen, I’ve heard that heroes emerge in troubled times. Perhaps, the chaos of the sixteen kingdom alliance is an opportunity for a genius of humble origins like you.”
To be born of humble origins was to be restricted by one’s circumstances. Many geniuses was resigned to an eventual fate of mediocrity due to a lack of sufficient cultivation.
This time’s great selection was undoubtedly a chance for those of the masses.
Jiang Chen smiled slightly and didn’t refute the old tutor’s words.
One had to say, the old tutor was an honest and sincere elder. Jiang Chen could feel genuine care from him.
His every word and advice had been approaching things from Jiang Chen’s perspective and been in consideration of his future.
This kind of elder was quite worthy of Jiang Chen’s respect.
He suddenly had the desire to help this old man.
“Old tutor, why is it that there are such low numbers of origin realm practitioners within the sixteen kingdoms? Is it that the sixteen kingdoms don’t possess enough resources, or insufficient martial dao legacy? Or is there another reason?”
Ye Chonglou sighed softly when he heard this, a trace of sorrow appearing on his face.
“Jiang Chen, to be frank, I’ve often contemplated the reason for this, but have never been able to come to a decent conclusion. Not enough resources is surely a reason, but although the neighboring great powers, empires, and dynasties possess more resources than us, it’s not to the point of an overwhelming amount. However, they have much greater numbers of origin realm practitioners. I guess it comes down to weak and insufficient martial dao legacies.”
The old tutor had indeed considered this reason before, but he’d felt that it was a matter with their martial dao foundations.
Each sect had only origin realm practitioner supporting them.
It was said that one tree did not a forest make, nor that only a single star of the show be a good thing.
Only one origin realm practitioner naturally couldn’t give rise to a system, and being unable to form a system meant that no cycle of being able to pass on one’s legacy could form.
There were too few origin realm practitioners, and thus they couldn’t corroborate their knowledge with each other nor practice their techniques.
That meant that within the origin realm, they were going at it solo. The possibility of improvement naturally decreased when a lack of interaction and sparring between peers existed.
When they reached the the origin realm, they couldn’t bear wasting time to teach disciples.
After all, having reached the origin realm, they wanted to make the best use of every moment to train.
The more they felt that, the more detached from the rest of society they become as they progressed through the origin realm and the less likely they had successors waiting in the wings.
Thus, the current situation was formed after a long period of time.
“I see that the lordmaster is well set in the spirit king realm, and not too far from the origin realm?” Jiang Chen started teasing out the topic at hand.
“It looks not too far away with just a half step, but it’s possible that I will never close this distance in my entire life. Jiang Chen, your natural abilities of comprehension are much greater than mine. I hope that you’ll have the right to assail the origin realm one day, or even higher!”
The old tutor had great expectations for Jiang Chen, and he’d never have thought that Jiang Chen was actually trying to give him some pointers.
Of course, as learned as the old tutor was, he would have never postulated that the young man sitting in front of him was the reincarnated son of the Celestial Emperor with a belly full of theories and knowledge of the heavens.
Jiang Chen smiled faintly and seemed to remember something, remarking, “Old tutor, I actually heard the elder mention something about the origin realm.”
“What?” The old tutor’s face, originally wearing a careless expression, suddenly flushed red as it was suffused with surprise and agitation.
“Jiang Chen, what did that elder say?”
His voice actually trembled slightly when he spoke. Jiang Chen had told him before that he had met an otherworldly elder when young and had spent several years with him.
Therefore, the old tutor had never felt Jiang Chen’s astonishing performance was odd.
However, when it came to assailing the origin realm, the old tutor couldn’t remain calm.
The origin realm!
That was something he’d striven to break through for sixty years and never set foot into.
It was very possibly a realm he’d never be able to set foot into his entire life!
It would most likely become the thing that he regretted the most in his life!
His eyes stared fixedly at Jiang Chen, his face full of expectations. Since that elder had mentioned the origin realm, it was surely something from his own experiences!
Ye Chonglou suddenly seemed to see a ray of hope.
It was like someone walking the dark for decades suddenly discerning a ray of light.
How would this not make him agitated?
Jiang Chen pretended to be quite natural as he thought for a bit, “The elder once said, to progress from the spirit realm to the origin realm, one has to siphon the essence from their spirit ocean to form an origin infant. What is meant by an origin infant is the concentration of spirit essence and its rise to a higher level. The formation of the spirit infant gives rise to countless arts and techniques that are enough to overturn the rivers and oceans.”
Ye Chonglou nodded. He knew of this.
“The elder also told me then that when forming the origin infant, it would be a difficult process if only relying on refining the spirit essence within yourself. Nine out of ten attempts would be unsuccessful. To truly form a origin infant, not only does one have to raise its spirit ocean, but one also has to practice the arts of the heart. The origin infant needs both consciousness and form. Without consciousness, it’s just a false infant. Only through daily meditation and continual training can one truly form a real origin infant within their bodies. The infant will naturally form in the marvelous instant that consciousness and form unite.”
This was the true heart of the matter, and Jiang Chen strove hard to speak of it like he was remembering something.
However, as calm as Jiang Chen’s tone was, it was like the evening drum and morning bell in a monastery, making one think deeply and petrifying Ye Chonglou instantly.