Chapter 460: The Ident.i.ty of a Core Disciple
Venerated Ninelion did indeed greatly admire Jiang Chen. He even sought Jiang Chen’s opinion on the alliance during the banquet he personally hosted. Jiang Chen didn’t hold back either, offering up his a.n.a.lysis that with the current development of the greater picture, under the caveat that the Myriad Spirit Sect could retain its legacy, it wouldn’t be a bad idea to ally with the Great Cathedral. That would be lot more palatable when compared to becoming a Sky Sect va.s.sal.
Venerated Ninelion could also see that it would be very difficult to remain independent under the current circ.u.mstances. With the strength of those involved, only a finger would be needed to crush a mere sixteen kingdom sect. No matter how receptive or unwilling they were, the smartest thing to do in light of the circ.u.mstances was find an appropriate backer.
After catching up with Liu Wencai for a bit, Jiang Chen took his leave and descended the mountain, smiling when he left, “Wencai, I look forward to meeting you again in the Myriad Domain.”
Tang Hong also walked up and loudly smacked his fist onto Liu Wencai’s chest. “If you can’t make it into the rankings after three years, don’t go around telling others you’re my brother!”
Liu Wencai laughed heartily, “You too!”
Tang Hong cracked his knuckles, “I’ve already thought it through. If I don’t make it into the rankings, I swear to never return to the sixteen kingdoms!”
Tang Hong was brawny, quite oblivious, and direct as a cannonball. However, people like him had the most resolute determination. He would charge towards the target, taking long strides now that he had identified his new goal.
Riding his Goldwing Swordbird, Jiang Chen caught up to the entourage half a day after leaving the Myriad Spirit Sect. They all returned to the Regal Pill Palace after a few more days.
The Regal Pill Palace was located at the center of the Myriad Domain. Its territory was ten times larger than of the sixteen kingdom alliance The various large and small factions within it were as numerous as the hair on oxen. There were dozens of factions like the four great sects in the Regal Pill Palace’s territory. There were also a few sixth and fifth rank sects that docilely lived under the rule of the Regal Pill Palace.
The Regal Pill Palace complex was, at first sight, magnificent. It stretched deep into the mountains, with burgeoning flowers placed all over the central palace and residences. Yet among the beauty hid restrictions that protected everything within a few hundred miles. If it wasn’t for someone leading the way, anyone attempting to reach the heart of the Regal Pill Palace complex would be attacked at least a hundred times by the restrictions.
“Jiang Chen, holding this sect medallion will ensure that these ordinary restrictions will not attack you in the future. However, do not trespa.s.s into some of the core areas without authorization. Even sage realm cultivators might come off worse in an exchange if the restrictions activate.”
There were surely quite a few forbidden areas in a fourth rank sect.
Dan Chi brought Jiang Chen and the others to the Hall of Internal Affairs and arranged temporary quarters for them. “Jiang Chen, as new arrivals, you will enjoy the same treatment as my sect disciples receive. However, as they do to my sect disciples, the sect rules will also apply to you as well. You will all receive a status that corresponds to your cultivation level. Do you have any objections to this?”
The rules still had to be observed even after an alliance had been struck.
Jiang Chen smiled. “But of course. If us foreign disciples had a backdoor to take advantage of, it would too ludicrous for anyone to accept.”
The others all nodded as well, indicating no objection to these arrangements.
The Hallmaster of Internal Affairs didn’t dare drag his feet when Dan Chi himself had personally arrived, coming out to welcome the group himself.
Jiang Chen’s cultivation level was at the origin realm, making him a core disciple in the Regal Pill Palace. Therefore, he received a core disciple medallion. Having entered the sky spirit realm, Tang Hong received an inner disciple medallion. Lian Canghai, Xie Yufan and Iron Dazhi were all one step away from sky spirit realm and thus had to start at the level of probationary inner disciples.
No matter what, being a probationary inner disciple was still better than an outer disciple.
The Regal Pill Palace boasted an incredible amount of resources, supported by a territory abundant in natural wealth. Of that, there had been no exaggeration. Inner disciples, even probationary ones, had their own separate residences with private yards. Although the property was a bit small and close to the other inner disciples, it was still a private sanctuary. They wouldn’t have to be crammed in with others like the outer disciples. For a core disciple like Jiang Chen, the level of his residence was even higher.
The Regal Pill Palace possessed a mountain that contained Rosy Valley, in which the sect had hewn out a thousand areas in the walls as residences for their core disciples. As a core disciple, Jiang Chen had the right to take up residence in Rosy Valley. In addition, the resources allotted to core disciples were quite generous. Even though he was a fair distance aways from the true disciples [1], Jiang Chen didn’t have many requests since he’d only just arrived.
Status and benefits would be something one earned. He didn’t have to throw his weight around as the newcomer in the area. As time went on and his strength increased, these things would be naturally taken care of when his reputation was made.
The Hallmaster of the Internal Affairs had also said that the Regal Pill Palace wasn’t opposed to disciples earning resources through their own labor. Accepting sect missions, for one, was one of the best ways to earn resources. Many of the true disciples in the Regal Pill Palace used this method to acquire resources. The cultivation fanatics, in particular, were never satisfied by the regular resource allotment. They could only gain more through sect missions.
Once the arrangements were made, the Hallmaster led Tang Hong and the others to settle in. Gouyu and the other followers naturally followed Jiang Chen into the Valley. Many of the core disciples had followers. The Regal Pill Palace was theoretically unopposed to the core disciples having their followers.
There were even inner disciples who didn’t mind being the followers of some core disciples, just so they could obtain a better cultivation environment and move into Rosy Valley. With the others settled in, Dan Chi kept Jiang Chen behind and took him to the former’s residence.
As the head of the sect, Dan Chi’s residence was naturally the most sacred area within the Regal Pill Palace, located on a towering peak in the mountain valley. “Jiang Chen, you are the only one of the younger generation to enter my palace.” Dan Chi was less than a hundred years old. He was still a teenager in the world of martial dao, so he hadn’t taken a personal disciple yet.
Apart from a few medicine boys who served at his side, the entire residence seemed very quiet. Yet, Jiang Chen could see something in the layout, the terrain, and the way that spirit qi wreathed around the residence. This residence had been built according to the terrain and was absolutely the place in the entire Regal Pill Palace with the best feng shui.
“Jiang Chen, it’s just you and me here. Feel free to speak candidly of matters that you may not be able to at the foot of the mountain.” Dan Chi smiled.
“Sage one, I am very satisfied with everything, there’s nothing that I can complain about.” Jiang Chen spoke the truth.
“Haha, very good!” Dan Chi complimented. “I’d been afraid that with your youthful heart, you might feel put out if you felt that your treatment wasn’t as good as you’d thought it’d be.”
“The sage one jests. I have never complained about anything even when I was in the secular world. A holy cultivation ground such as the Regal Pill Palace is the foremost amongst the Myriad Domain, what could I complain about? Status and benefits will not fall into my lap. It would be hard for others to accept me if I enjoyed the highest treatment as soon as I arrived.”
Dan Chi wouldn’t have found it odd if those words were spoken by someone over a hundred years old. However, for a twenty year old like Jiang Chen to possess such bearing, not fighting or complaining for better treatment, it made Dan Chi feel that his hard efforts had not been wasted.
“Jiang Chen, I have to say that I greatly admire your bearing. With your mindset and att.i.tude, I’m afraid that the Myriad Domain will be unable to contain you sooner or later. You are no small fish to drift around in a small pond. I believe that in a decade or two, even the first ranked sects will be fighting over you!”
Dan Chi chuckled, “Jiang Chen, I’ll get the ugly words out of the way first. I will keep an eye on you here, but won’t give you preferential treatment. In the sects, the disciples are in constant compet.i.tion, and it’s impossible for internal conflict not to exist. Therefore, it will be up to you to slowly determine how to survive here. I am your patron, yes, but only in great matters. I treat everyone the same within the sect. You must carve out your own s.p.a.ce through your own efforts and have everyone submit to you of their own accord. Only then will you have the right to represent the Regal Pill Palace and face the geniuses of the other sects. This is how you will obtain the right to face the challenges on an even greater stage. Do you understand my words?”
It’d been said since ancient times that a strict master would raise highly accomplished disciples. Although Dan Chi didn’t count as Jiang Chen’s master, the former didn’t plan on letting Jiang Chen grow up in a greenhouse. He wanted to push Jiang Chen into the sect and have the furnace of the sect temper and mold Jiang Chen.
If Jiang Chen couldn’t even handle the compet.i.tion within the sect, that would prove Dan Chi’s appraisal wrong. I can give you resources and status, but not preferential treatment. This was the method in which Dan Chi would cultivate Jiang Chen. How would an even stronger wolf or tiger grow if he didn’t face compet.i.tion from his kind?
“Of course, I’ve done my utmost to recruit you to the Regal Pill Palace, and your Precious Tree Sect will certainly say I’m miserly if I don’t offer anything. I must present to you a welcoming gift. Jiang Chen, have your pick of methods, pills, origin weapons, or any other requests. Remember, you can only make one request.” Dan Chi smiled.
Jiang Chen would naturally not decline something like a welcome gift.
Dan Chi was his senior, if only in name, and so a welcome gift was only natural. There was nothing for him to feel embarra.s.sed about.
He didn’t lack any secret methods or arts, and didn’t want pills or the like. If he wanted, he could refine those himself.
Origin level weapons… the Redscaled Firelizard bone was the most ideal natural origin weapon. If he a.s.similated a few formations and glyphs into it after some refining, the bone would become even more powerful. Therefore, he really didn’t know what he needed at present.
“Heh heh, sage one, I really don’t know what I need right now. How about this, let’s keep this welcome gift on file, and I’ll come collect when I need it?” Jiang Chen asked in a half joking tone.
“Haha, alright, it will be as you say then.” Although Dan Chi thought this was surprising, he still readily agreed.
He was also privately curious, Jiang Chen doesn’t want anything? Seems like he lacks nothing. That also makes sense. The mysterious senior was so strong, would he leave Jiang Chen with nothing?
Elder Shun was always the best answer for anything that Dan Chi couldn’t puzzle through.
However, he never would’ve thought that what Jiang Chen possessed actually didn’t have much to do with Elder Shun. On the contrary, it was Elder Shun who needed Jiang Chen’s help.
“Alright Jiang Chen, the core disciples in the Rosy Valley must have learned of your arrival as well. They should all be waiting for you. Go meet your peers. Young folk should be with young folk and give rise to greater sparks. The friction between geniuses is what births cultivation inspiration and motivation!”
Dan Chi waved his hand and sent Jiang Chen out of his residence with a flicker of a formation.