Chapter 428: The Era of Yuan

Although he hadn't fully grasped the meaning behind Xiang Jianzong's words.

He understood the general idea, though.

Could it be because of the First Chairman?

The First Chairman really was impressive—even Xiang Jianzong gave him face.

"And in a certain sense, the reason he went through all of this is also somewhat related to me."

What does that mean now?

Clearly, Xiang Jianzong had no intention of explaining; after his moment of reflection, he turned his gaze to him.

"Speaking of which, you should know about some of Yuan's deeds, right?"

"This junior does indeed know a few…"

"Tell me about them."

Huh?

Chen Shang was taken aback.

"About Yuan himself—anything that doesn't touch the secrets of the Orthodox Alliance will do."

"That's not what this junior meant…"

Chen Shang paused, then began answering Xu Xing's question.

What kind of person was Yuan?

On this point, it had long been one of the most discussed questions over the years.

Chen Shang had his own view.

The first time he heard the name 'Yuan,' he himself was only at Return-to-Void, but the First Chairman's realm back then was even lower—he had just reached Jin Dan.

At the time, Chen Shang hadn't paid it much mind.

After all, the reason the name 'Yuan' ever came up was entirely because of 'Ning Wan Zhu,' that prodigy of Ling Yin Fang.

For a very long stretch, the world's perception of 'Yuan' was simply 'a lucky kid,' and people believed his rapid cultivation progress was all because he had luckily won the favor of Ling Yin Fang's prodigy.

Even though he reached Return-to-Void in less than three hundred years, he was still met with hostility from the major sects—even the disciples and prodigies of the Xian Sect.

After all, whether it was Ling Yin Fang's 'Ning Wan Zhu' or Cang Yu Lou's 'Ming Yu,' both had countless suitors.

It wasn't until Yuan reached Dao Merging at over six hundred years old, completely leaving behind his own generation and even the one before, that some of those voices finally faded.

Neither the Zhengdaoda Sect nor even the Liudaxian Sect of that time had a single person from his generation or the one before who could compare to Yuan.

After that, in just over two hundred years, he successfully advanced to Tongxuan.

All questioning voices vanished before his absurdly outrageous talent and brilliance.

After that, he founded the Orthodox Alliance and led the era's transformation.

Likewise, hardly anyone was optimistic about him.

After all, it was something even Xiang Jianzong had failed to accomplish.

Yet he still succeeded, and in the process advanced to Dongzhen, becoming one of the very top figures below the Xian Sect's Ancestral Master.

'The most dazzling figure in a thousand years'—this was not merely a title, but represented an era in which all cultivators became mere 'foils.'

Many prodigies of his generation were affected by this, their dao hearts shattered, and even now they're still stuck at Return-to-Void.

"Back then, when His Majesty the Holy Emperor invited the Wanfa Dao Sect to join the Orthodox Alliance, the Ancestral Master once asked him why he wanted to do all this."

After all, even among immortals, only Xiang Jianzong had ever attempted such a thing—and he had failed.

"How did he answer?"

"His Majesty the Holy Emperor said, 'When material needs and psychological needs are both satisfied, one naturally seeks self-actualization. To put it plainly, I don't like how this world works.'"

I don't like it, so I'll change it.

A very simple reason.

"He also said that although he had never met you, he knew you must have thought the same."

At this point, Chen Shang paused, suddenly recalling Xu Xing's earlier words.

Never met, yet friends…

Could it be precisely because of this?

"Well said!" Xu Xing seemed very pleased. "Indeed I don't like it, but I failed to change it."

"In that respect, Yuan is stronger than me."

What a pity we never got to meet…

"Don't worry. Once everything is settled, I will bring him back."

Bring him back?

Chen Shang looked up, about to say something, when his vision suddenly blurred.

A wave of dizziness—and before him lay an endless sea of clouds, churning endlessly.

He had been brought directly outside the Xiang Jianzong Hall.

Chen Shang: "…" Had he been sent out just like that?

Standing still for a long while, he glanced at the Ancestral Sword Token in his hand.

Sigh~

Letting out a long breath, he walked down the steps toward the foot of the mountain.

Hopefully Xiang Jianzong really can bring His Majesty the Holy Emperor back.

……

……

Meanwhile, outside the Xiang Jianzong.

The Danding Pavilion's "Free Trade Zone."

Because of the Xian Sect Grand Competition, it was far more bustling than usual.

People coming and going, a great hubbub.

A burly, eight-chi-tall man from the Long Xiang Qing Tian Sect, with a tiger's back and a bear's waist, stared with eyes like bronze bells, looking left and right, scratching his shiny bald head every so often.

An alchemist from the Jishi Valley, wearing a flowing blue wide-sleeved robe, strolled gracefully through the crowd.

!

There were even two charm cultivators doing a livestream…

Zhang Yunlu was also there.

Beside her was a little girl with a delicate, pretty face, looking not even a meter and a half tall.

She wore a blue wide-sleeved robe, with a jade tablet hanging at her waist, engraved with two bold, vigorous characters — Jishi.

It was Lin Xuanxuan, the prodigy from Jishi Valley whom she had met in the trial world.

After the trial ended, the two had kept in touch.

Now also at late-stage Jin Dan, she had successfully passed the selection tournament and come to participate in the Xian Sect Grand Competition.

Speaking of which, a year had passed and she still hadn't grown even a little, looking exactly the same as she had in the trial world.

Because she was still young, the only people she knew at the Xiang Jianzong were Zhang Yunlu and Chi Jiuyu.

Knowing Zhang Yunlu was in the same group, she sought her out, planning to study the competition rules together, and to have her show her around…

And this Xiang Jianzong Danding Pavilion "Free Trade Zone," as the Central Continent's famous "holy land for picking up bargains," naturally couldn't be missed.

"There really are a lot of people." Lin Xuanxuan looked around. "Let's go, let's go! Hurry, hurry, or my senior brothers will pick everything clean before we get there!"

Zhang Yunlu, pulled along by Lin Xuanxuan, saw her eager look and still offered a reminder: "A lot of the stuff here is fake, so do be careful."

"Don't worry, Xiao Zhang, I'm a professional!" Lin Xuanxuan said confidently.

Because she admired Chi Jiuyu, she always picked up her way of speaking.

"Besides, isn't this the 'holy land for picking up bargains'!"

Perhaps unable to bear letting her friend take a big loss right after arriving at the Xiang Jianzong, she still quietly explained: "Don't tell anyone I said this, but that reputation was spread deliberately by people who suffered losses and refused to accept it."

The stalls here were all set up by outside cultivators, with no guarantees and no after-sales service; one careless moment and you might even end up with a poisonous pill or something.

According to her senior sister's account, this place was one of the Xiang Jianzong's "three great traps."

"Huh?!"

Lin Xuanxuan paused.

By Xiao Zhang's account, it did seem a bit of a trap…

"Then how about we buy a little less?" Having come all this way, she really couldn't bear not buying anything. "How about this — 【Pure Moon Flying Sword】 sent me a dividend the day before yesterday; I'll spend that and then stop buying."

Zhang Yunlu: "…"

Fine, I talk too much.

Almost forgot she's an alchemist — a very wealthy one at that…

Not long after the two of them went in, Chi Jiuyu also arrived with Zhao Ruohan.

"I tell you, Little Zhao, are you really going to set up a stall here?"

"Mm."

"All your stuff is good quality — if you want to sell it, just list it on the Spirit Net, wouldn't that be easier?"

"Think of it as an experience. I've never set up a stall before; I don't really care whether I make money or not."

Chi Jiuyu: "…"

Fine then.

So it was just for the life experience.

My fault for talking too much.

Then, the two of them also walked in. (End of chapter)