Chapter 14: Jiang Chen

"What truly defeats you is never others' criticism or mockery, but your own denial of yourself."

"Great wisdom stands alone, great goodness needs no aid—why fear walking alone? Why fear slander? Have you awakened yet?"

Upon hearing this, everyone felt a surge of warmth in their hearts, their blood boiling with passion.

Jiang Chen stood frozen in place, muttering repeatedly: "A new beginning... shattered, then rebuilt... misfortune turns to fortune..."

"What defeats you is your own denial... why fear walking alone... why fear slander..."

At this moment, Jiang Chen's once-dull gaze began to brighten gradually, as if a blazing fire had ignited within.

He clenched his fists, his heartbeat growing powerful and vigorous.

Yes, my dantian is shattered—but I'm not dead. How could I give up on myself because of this?

The clan chief is right—I should live according to my true heart, never doubt myself, ignore outside opinions, and choose to hold fast to my true self!

"Clan Chief! I understand!"

Seeing Jiang Chen's will reignited, Jiang Daoxuan's face showed satisfaction.

No wonder he's the chosen one—just a slight nudge, and he naturally awakens.

【Ding~ Detected that the chosen one Jiang Chen has regained his fighting spirit. Clan fortune +100】

Jiang Daoxuan hadn't expected such an unexpected bonus.

He smiled, pulled out two books from his body, and handed them to Jiang Chen.

"Take these—Thunderclap Palm and Qi-Introduction Scripture—and cultivate them. Others don't believe in you, think you're a worthless fool who falls and never rises again—but I, your clan chief, believe you are not."

"I, your clan chief, await the day you become a true man who shields this clan from wind and rain, just like your father—and never the worthless fool others call you!"

Hearing this, Jiang Chen's heart burned once more, eager to begin cultivating right now.

But when he recognized the names of the two martial arts, his pupils shrank sharply, filled with disbelief.

As a Jiang family disciple, how could he not have heard of the legendary Thunderclap Palm and Qi-Introduction Scripture?

Legend says these two martial arts were passed down by the Jiang family's first Purple Mansion ancestor centuries ago.

Their profundity made them the clan's core martial arts, reserved only for successive clan chiefs and Elders.

Yet such precious martial arts were now simply placed before him?

This truly left Jiang Chen feeling overwhelmed and honored.

You should know that Xuan-grade cultivation methods are generally only accessible to Purple Mansion cultivators.

Even during his time as an inner disciple at Qianshan Sect, the martial arts he accessed were mostly Huang Jie grade.

Martial arts above Huang Jie were entirely beyond his reach.

Only exceptionally outstanding inner disciples or true disciples had the privilege to touch them.

Thinking of the miraculous properties of Huang Jie martial arts, Jiang Chen's heart surged wildly; trembling, he extended both hands and accepted the manuals: "Thank you, Clan Chief's grace! Jiang Chen will strive forward with all his might and never fail to live up to your expectations!"

Jiang Daoxuan gave a slight nod.

【Ding~ Investment successful. Congratulations, host, you have received ten vials of Diamond Elixir】

【Diamond Elixir: Earth-grade supreme elixir. When consumed, enhances physical constitution】

【Ding~ Investment successful. Congratulations, host, you have received Earth-grade supreme martial art: Purple Thunder Palm】

【Ding~ Investment successful. Congratulations, host, you have received Earth-grade supreme scripture: Pure Yang Scripture】

As the rewards arrived.

Jiang Daoxuan, to avoid a mishap while traveling to the Tang family, immediately retrieved two martial arts from his system warehouse and transmitted them into his mind via infusion.

Within moments, Jiang Daoxuan mastered Purple Thunder Palm to its perfect level.

When unleashed, it could condense an intensely penetrating purple lightning bolt in the palm—once struck, even a normal Purple Mansion cultivator would explode into a bloody mist!

As for the Pure Yang Scripture he had mastered, it transformed his internal Qi into something supremely yang and rigid, repelling all evil, forming Pure Yang Qi!

Though his cultivation realm had not broken through, the quality of his Pure Yang Qi already dwarfed ordinary Qi by several times over.

In battle, if facing an enemy of equal realm, a single strike of Pure Yang Qi could shatter their Qi defenses effortlessly.

Feeling the vast power flowing through his body, Jiang Daoxuan's eyes gleamed with delight.

He could say without exaggeration that he could now effortlessly defeat ten of his former selves.

Then, Jiang Daoxuan gradually calmed his mind and turned toward the Jiang family members at the door.

Since he had already broken protocol to grant Jiang Chen the clan's core martial arts, to prevent jealousy and unnecessary conflict among other Jiang disciples,

Jiang Daoxuan decided to treat all equally: "After this battle, every Jiang family disciple—whether direct or collateral line—may now cultivate Thunderclap Palm and Qi-Introduction Scripture!"

Having obtained Purple Thunder Palm and Pure Yang Scripture, he naturally no longer cared for these two early Huang Jie martial arts; following the principle of repurposing waste, they were perfect for the clan members to cultivate.

As for the two Earth-grade martial arts he now possessed, he would not foolishly reveal them widely until his strength reached a sufficient level.

After all, Earth-grade martial arts were powerful enough to make even Star Wheel True Persons covet them.

If leaked carelessly, it would be like a child parading gold through the streets—if a Star Wheel True Person grew greedy, the Jiang family's current fragile state could not withstand the fallout.

At this moment, as Jiang Daoxuan's words fell silent,

All Jiang family disciples shouted in unison: "Thank you, Clan Chief! Clan Chief, Your Majesty!"

Previously, some had felt uneasy seeing Jiang Chen receive two Huang Jie martial arts—but now they were fully reconciled.

Two Huang Jie martial arts per person? What was there left to envy?

Murmurs of excitement rose one after another.

Jiang Chen only then noticed a crowd of clan members gathered at the door.

Seeing this, he felt puzzled and looked to Jiang Daoxuan, asking softly: "Clan Chief, what is this?"

"This trip—to annihilate the Tang family."

Jiang Daoxuan said casually.

Jiang Daoxuan said casually.

His tone was so flat, as if he were speaking of the most ordinary little matter.

Hearing this, Jiang Chen, however, could not remain calm no matter how he tried.

As a member of the Jiang clan, he was naturally no stranger to the Tang clan.

Setting aside that Tang clan ancestor of the Purple Mansion realm, just the Tang clan's Four Tigers alone were no simple lot.

The eldest, Tang Zhengyang, was at the ninth-layer perfection of the Innate realm; the second was at the sixth layer of the Innate realm; the remaining two brothers were also strong cultivators at the fourth layer of the Innate realm.

Such a lineup, no matter how one looked at it, did not seem like something the Jiang clan could handle.

Thinking of this, Jiang Chen could not help but show worry on his face.

Just as he was about to continue questioning, he suddenly noticed that every clansman present wore an expression of strong confidence, with not a trace of worry at all!

Noticing this point, Jiang Chen immediately realized that the development of events seemed to be somewhat different from what he had imagined.

Just at this moment, Jiang Daoxuan's voice came through: "Your cultivation base is currently nonexistent; going to the Tang clan together with us would truly be too dangerous. Go back for now, and wait until we return."

Although Jiang Chen possessed golden fortune, and most likely would not die in this small place called the Tang clan,

considering everything together, it was still best for Jiang Chen to remain at the Jiang clan's main base for now.

"Yes!"

Jiang Chen did not insist on following along.

He was well aware that his cultivation base was entirely lost, and he had already become an ordinary person.

If he went to the Tang clan, he would be unable to contribute any strength and could only be a hindrance; if danger arose, he would also easily cause his clansmen to be distracted protecting him.

This made the formerly proud and arrogant him truly somewhat hard to bear, so he simply did not go.