Chapter 640: Setting Out for the Myriad Grand Ceremony
Three Longevity Pills? Palace Head Dan Chi was stunned when he saw what Jiang Chen had brought out. “Jiang Chen, you refined all of this?”
Jiang Chen smiled and didn’t deny anything. “I’m afraid that Honored Master Tian Ming will come asking for the pills again this time at the ceremony. We can’t keep delaying the matter of making good on our promise.”
The look in Palace Head Dan Chi’s eyes was complicated as he gave a long sigh. His eyes remained fixed on Jiang Chen. “Those with ability can accomplish anything! Jiang Chen, it is the Regal Pill Palace’s greatest fortune to have you. If I take a moment to think back, although I have a few achievements to my name since becoming the palace head, mostly due to my ambitions, they’ve had a relatively minor impact on the greater picture over the past decade. But the most important thing I’ve done since becoming Palace Head is bringing you from the Precious Tree Sect to the Regal Pill Palace.”
With how the situation had developed, Dan Chi had to admit that all he’d done for the Regal Pill Palace had indeed greatly improved the sect’s standing in martial dao and immensely decreased the gap between the Regal Pill Palace and the other four sects. But the fortunes of a sect wasn’t something that could be changed by the careful planning and execution of a few decades. And yet the current situation of the Myriad Domain was so precarious that there was no more time left for Dan Chi to realize his goals and ambitions.
This was what depressed Dan Chi the most. He had so many thoughts, plans, and ambitions.
However—
With the current changes in the greater picture, there wasn’t enough time for him to realize them! Everything he had now was nothing more than a rock thrown into a lake when chaos inevitably descends. It would raise some ripples when thrown in, but nothing after it sank. It wouldn’t give rise to any waves at all. Now that he thought about it, the only thing he could be thankful for was the discovery of a group of young geniuses for the Regal Pill Palace. Jiang Chen for instance, and Mu Gaoqi. When it came to Shen Qinghong or Jun Mobai, Dan Chi still didn’t think much of them even though they’d broken through to the sage realm. There was too great a cultivation gap between them and their peers in the Myriad Domain, and they had much further to go to be compared to Dan Chi.
One had to know that at their age, Dan Chi had been poised to break through to the earth sage realm, and he’d been nominated to be the next palace head. His peers at that time in the various other sects had been dallying around the middle management tiers of their sects, with very few making it to an elder level. Yet Dan Chi had already guided the Regal Pill Palace for a few decades.
Whether it was compared to their peers in the Regal Pill Palace or in other sects, Shen Qinghong and Jun Mobai had nothing to boast about by breaking through to the sage realm after thirty years old.
The earth sage realm would be a dividing line, as would the sky sage realm. Even Dan Chi, with his heaven defying potential, had spent a few decades in the mortal sage realm. He’d only broken through to the sky sage realm in the past two years due to some fortuitous circ.u.mstances. Elder Shun’s pointers for one, and the benefits brought about by earth rank spirit herbs. Those had been critical. If it wasn’t for those, he would’ve needed another five to ten years to break through to the sky sage realm. Therefore, Shen Qinghong and Jun Mobai’s results didn’t put him in an optimistic frame of mind.
On the other hand, Jiang Chen and Mu Gaoqi were different, particularly Jiang Chen. When he’d first entered the Regal Pill Palace, he’d only been at first level origin realm. Now three years later, he’d taken an enormous leap forward and was now first level sage realm. This kind of speed of improvement would’ve left even Dan Chi in the dust back in the day. It’d be one thing if he only had a heaven defying cultivation speed, but his ability to challenge opponents levels higher than him was even more perverse!
He’d been able to render a ninth level origin realm opponent helpless when he’d been only at earth origin realm. Jiang Chen had been at ease even when facing off against a first level sage realm opponent! Although he hadn’t mentioned how he’d thrown off Elder Chen’s pursuit, it went without saying that Jiang chen had somehow killed Elder Chen! It was apparent from this just how stunning this boy’s potential was. As for being able to take down someone like Cao Jin, Dan Chi didn’t even dare think too deeply about it. He was now certain that the terrifying phenomenon he’d seen that day in the Precious Tree Sect had been from Jiang Chen breaking through to the origin realm. Otherwise, there would’ve been no reason for such stunning phenomena to appear without reason in a mere sixteen kingdoms alliance.
Dan Chi was now very much aware that Jiang Chen must be a genius who’d inherited the fortune of the heavens and earth. Even the Sky Sect wouldn’t be able to suppress him. The Regal Pill Palace wasn’t qualified to contain someone of such fortune. Dan Chi didn’t treat Jiang Chen as a mere disciple anymore, but as a potential who could impact the future of the entire Divine Abyss Continent! Of course, Dan Chi didn’t mention any of this to anyone, even those he was closest to in the sect.
Heaven’s secrets were not to be spoken of.
No matter what, the stronger Jiang Chen was, the more likely it was that the Regal Pill Palace would have to make use of his strength. No matter where his future lay, the legacy of the Regal Pill Palace wouldn’t perish as long as Jiang Chen lived. Therefore, Dan Chi firmly believed that it wouldn’t matter even if the Regal Pill Palace was disbanded. Its fortunes wouldn’t dissipate as long as Jiang Chen still survived. This was why he’d told Jiang Chen his thoughts of temporarily disbanding the sect. Dan Chi had wanted to see what Jiang Chen’s thoughts were. If Jiang Chen agreed, then Dan Chi would feel that his move was the right one to make.
As he thought about Jiang Chen, so did he think about Mu Gaoqi. Compared to Jiang Chen, the latter’s light was a bit more subdued, but with his innate wood const.i.tution, he would absolutely grow into a powerhouse that would impact the sect’s fortunes for the next millennia. With Mu Gaoqi’s potential, he’d grow into someone who would be able to shoulder the sect in a hundred or two hundred years, even without Jiang Chen. He’d be able to lead the Regal Pill Palace into the ranks of the third rank sects!
However, what was different about the two was that while Mu Gaoqi’s future could be estimated, what Jiang Chen would bring to the sect was something that even Palace Head Dan Chi couldn’t fathom. Jiang Chen’s potential was simply too strong, so strong that he’d be able to affect the entire chessboard of the Divine Abyss Continent.
“Palace Head, Elder Yun Nie has come to visit.” Elder Yun Nie came to visit as Jiang Chen and Dan Chi chatted.
“Haha, good timing! I haven’t told Elder Yun Nie that you’re back yet. His concern for you isn’t any lesser than mine.” Dan Chi waved his hand at Jiang Chen. “Your return can set his heart at ease.”
Elder Yun Nie seemed to be a bit thinner after three years. It was apparent that the pressure on his shoulders had been quite a burden over the years. Apart from the Longevity Pill, he was also preoccupied with the matter of the sky and earth rank spirit herb distribution.
“Oh? You have guests, Palace Head?” Elder Yun Nie tossed out an offhand comment when he glimpsed two shadows through the door. He immediately froze afterwards as the door opened to reveal Jiang Chen. “You… Jiang Chen?”
Jiang Chen rose to bow. “Greetings to Elder Yun Nie.”
Elder Yun Nie rubbed his eyes, shock writ all over his face. “It’s really you? Am… I dreaming?”
“Haha, Yun Nie, this is the biggest piece of good news that our Regal Pill Palace has received in the past three years. Jiang Chen actually returned a few days ago, and I’d planned on telling you before we set out for the Myriad Grand Ceremony.” Palace Head Dan Chi smiled.
Elder Yun Nie was delighted. “That’s absolutely wonderful!”
Palace Head Dan Chi summarized what had happened to Jiang Chen, and Elder Yun Nie’s face also flitted through a variety of expressions when Cao Jin was mentioned. He also greatly worried on Jiang Chen’s behalf.
“Good, fantastic! Jiang Chen, with your potential and fortune, you would outs.h.i.+ne even the top genius of a first rank sect, much less the Myriad Domain. The heavens are smiling upon the Regal Pill Palace!” Elder Yun Nie sighed.
When Palace Head Dan Chi brought out the three Longevity Pills, the sight left Elder Yun Nie completely flabbergasted and unable to speak. He looked at Jiang Chen, commendation and antic.i.p.ation in his eyes.
So what if the Myriad Domain was in a precarious situation and its future shrouded with uncertainty?
As long as the sect had geniuses like Jiang Chen and Mu Gaoqi, they would rise again even if all the various forces in the Myriad Domain perished tomorrow.
“Ah yes Palace Head, I came to ask if the list for the Myriad Grand Ceremony has been decided upon yet? Now that things in the region are s.h.i.+fting, I think that it’s best we prepare.” Elder Yun Nie recommended.
“I’ve already decided on the names, Yun Nie. We’ll only bring Shen Qinghong, Jun Mobai, Ling Bi’er, Nie Chong, and… Jiang Chen this time. I will lead with Elder Lian Cheng, you and Forefather Qi, Elder Hu will be in charge of protecting the sect.”
Dan Chi wanted to travel light this time and take less people with him. Elder Yun Nie had come this time to actually speak on Mu Gaoqi’s behalf. He had entered a critical moment at this time, and there was no need to give up on his closed door cultivation for the ceremony. Even if he was successful in making it to the sky origin realm, it would be very difficult for him to obtain a high ranking amongst the young geniuses. Therefore, it was better if he stayed behind.
When he saw that Palace Head Dan Chi hadn’t named Mu Gaoqi, Elder Yun Nie nodded. “That is just as well. It will be easier to respond if anything happens if we take fewer with us. Ah, Palace Head, what are your thoughts on the rumors of the Imperial Jade Seal and Guardian Dragon Seal?”
Dan Chi spread out his hands. “Rumors are rumors. Although I am tempted, we have no guarantee of making a play for these two items. Therefore, let’s leave it to fate.”
Elder Yun Nie thought for a moment and felt that this made a great deal of sense. Jiang Chen didn’t interrupt when he heard of this new topic. He wasn’t interested in the two treasures that signified power and authority, but the Paramount Realm.
Elder Yun Nie took his leave after the three chatted some more. They’d come to an agreement that the Longevity Pill would still be announced under Elder Yun Nie’s name, but they would reveal only one for now to sell to Honored Master Tian Ming. No one knew what would happen in the upcoming uncertainty, so there was no need to share the news of the rest of the pills.
Three days later, the Regal Pill Palace retinue for the Myriad Grand Ceremony officially set out. Palace Head Dan Chi and Elder Lian Cheng brought the group along, with only five young geniuses and a few elders and followers from the Hall of Might. Roughly thirty in number, Huang"er traveled with them as Jiang Chen’s follower.