Chapter 499: Not Contending in Prosperous Times, Not Hiding in Chaotic Times
Chapter 499: Not Contending in Prosperous Times, Not Hiding in Chaotic Times!
Soon, the three Spirit Root projections departed, vanishing into Azure Rock Peak.
Where they would go next and what tasks they would undertake no longer concerned Jiang Chen in the slightest.
As long as their physical forms held, they would operate autonomously, continuously expanding and funneling an endless stream of resources back to elevate his main body’s cultivation.
Spirit Stones, raw ores, Pills, and even peerless treasures plundered from secret realms.
Stripped of his three Spirit Roots, his cultivation forcibly downgraded from a Heavenly-Grade Golden Core to an Earth-Grade Golden Core, Jiang Chen paradoxically felt a profound sense of relief. Not a trace of panic marred his features.
A Heavenly-Grade Golden Core carried the inherent risk of being exposed.
After all, the next time he stood before his Master, it was highly probable the man would have ascended to the realm of a Soul Formation Heavenly Venerable.
Now, with his surplus Spirit Roots safely sealed and his overall power masked, even if piercing eyes detected his Golden Core, they would only register an unremarkable Earth-Grade baseline.
With measured steps, Jiang Chen strolled toward the Water Spirit Palace. Upon his arrival, Xiao Linglong had already completed her daily calligraphy and was quietly entertaining herself.“Linglong!”
“Daddy!”
“Are you bored playing by yourself?”
“It’s.. it’s okay.”
“Do you want to go outside?”
Xiao Linglong’s eyes sparkled with undisguised curiosity. “Are we going to that mountain again?”
Since half a year ago, she had been granted permission to leave the spatial realm.
Her excursions were strictly limited to Azure Rock Peak.
The location was absolutely secure and entirely isolated from prying eyes.
However, no matter how breathtaking the scenery, a child would inevitably grow weary of the same view.
Jiang Chen gently stroked the crown of her head, his voice softening. “No, not the mountain. Today, you are going to meet your mother.”
Xiao Linglong practically vibrated with excitement. “Really?”
Jiang Chen gave a slight nod. “Of course.”
She was already over five years old, rapidly approaching her sixth birthday.
Yet, she retained the petite, delicate stature of a toddler, looking as though time had simply forgotten to age her.
This was undeniably the result of her draconic bloodline clashing with her entirely unique physical constitution.
While her height and features remained static, her cognitive development had accelerated. Armed with literacy and age, her mind buzzed with a growing myriad of thoughts.
Sooner or later, she would chafe against the boundaries of the spatial realm and the confines of Azure Rock Peak.
Given her numerous successful outings, she possessed enough situational awareness to be introduced to Red Leaf Valley.
Sister Shuang had been persistently urging him to bring the child over, arguing that she needed a proper environment for a complete childhood.
Naturally, it also afforded Ruo Qunshuang the highly anticipated opportunity to experience motherhood.
It was a role she had been eagerly awaiting.
After spending an hour with Xiao Linglong, Jiang Chen faded from the spatial realm and stepped out of his secluded cultivation chamber.
Ascending the wooden stairs to the second floor, he found Ruo Qunshuang already resting on the heavy nanmu bed. She had shed her formal daytime robes in favor of a semi-transparent, unadorned gauze sleeping gown.
The fabric was impossibly light and gossamer-thin.
Even in the dim, ambient light of the room, the material clung to her frame, perfectly outlining her elegant curves.
Jiang Chen shed his outer coat and claimed the opposite side of the nanmu bed.
Sensing his presence, Ruo Qunshuang instantly closed the distance, curling softly against his chest. “Brother Qing, when I visited the Rain Pavilion today, I noticed a massive influx of foreign Cultivators touring the grounds.”
Jiang Chen draped his right arm around her shoulders, giving a slow nod. “There is exactly one month until the Thousand Sects Dharma Assembly commences. The trade embargoes between the three great Immortal Sects and the surrounding factions have lifted. The volume of personnel visiting the Spirit Farm to barter and purchase resources has multiplied several times over.”
Ruo Qunshuang shifted her slender waist, pressing herself intimately against him. “Does this indicate an impending, explosive surplus in Cultivation resources?”
Spearheaded by the three great Immortal Sects and supported by a massive coalition of Cultivation Sects, the sheer volume of resources flooding the market would inevitably forge a terrifying new generation of experts.
It was a convergence of Fated Chance and raw opportunity.
Countless practitioners were desperate to seize this tide, hoping to rocket to stardom overnight.
Jiang Chen turned his head to look down at her. “Why? Do you intend to participate in the Dharma Assembly?”
The so-called Dharma Assembly was, stripped of its pleasantries, a brutal tournament of mystic arts.
It fundamentally differed little from the formal disciple competitions of their youth.
The only distinction lay in its immense scale, rigidly segregated into three arenas: Qi Condensation, Foundation Establishment, and Golden Core.
Rumors dictated that Pei Mo, Long Ao, Tie Xin, Mo Yu, and Lin Yu were all slated to enter the meat grinder. As for Old Jin, his status remained unconfirmed; the old fox had been deeply preoccupied lately.
Ruo Qunshuang pouted slightly, a hint of grievance in her tone. “I considered it, but the saturation of experts in the Foundation Establishment bracket is simply too high.”
One had to understand the sheer magnitude of this joint operation involving the three great Immortal Sects and countless vassal factions.
The Qi Condensation bracket alone boasted tens of thousands of combatants.
The Foundation Establishment theater still hovered over ten thousand participants.
Even the Golden Core bracket, while naturally culled by the bottleneck, fielded over a thousand participants.
A wicked grin broke across Jiang Chen’s face. “It matters little. We will simply breed a genius of our own. By the time the next Thousand Sects Dharma Assembly arrives, our heir will sweep the entire board and pierce the heavens!”
Hearing his brazen claim, Ruo Qunshuang offered a shy, breathless laugh, her eyes shimmering with a sultry, spring-like radiance.
Having cohabitated for over a year, they possessed the undeniable reality of a married couple, regardless of official titles. She knew exactly what his words implied.
Instantly, the two intertwined like water and milk, harmonizing yin and yang in a joyous, dual-cultivation union!
…
…
A few days later, a massive delegation arrived, spearheaded by two of the great Immortal Sects and bolstered by numerous allied Cultivation Sects. A mix of core and formal disciples, they had come specifically to inspect the Spirit Farm.
As the presiding Spirit Cultivation Envoy, Jiang Chen was obligated to receive the vanguard.
The Dragon Tiger Immortal Sect dispatched Zhao Chengdao and Qian Duoduo.
The Inviting Moon Immortal Sect sent Fairy Crimson Fire.
The Rosy Clouds Immortal Sect was represented by Hong Fu.
The Ten Thousand Woods Sect deployed Lin Wei.
The Spirit Stream Sect, having swallowed the remains of the Nine Curves Sect, sent Mu Shuiyao.
Even the Azure Cloud Sect, a notoriously reclusive orthodox Daoist Sect, fielded a male Cultivator named Qing Xuan.
These individuals served as the Golden Core representatives for their respective powers, flanked by an ocean of Foundation Establishment escorts.
The usually tranquil core of the Cloud Sea Sect’s Spirit Farm transformed into a bustling nexus, swarming with unfamiliar faces.
Qian Duoduo of the Dragon Tiger Immortal Sect offered Fairy Crimson Fire a wide, merchant’s smile. “Fairy Fire! It has been years, yet you remain as fiercely radiant as ever!”
Fairy Crimson Fire cast a sidelong glance, an elegant eyebrow ticking upward. “I wondered who was polluting the air. If it isn’t Qian Shaoshao, famously crowned the Azure Realm’s most black-hearted profiteer.”
The smile froze solid on Qian Duoduo’s face. “Your words.. they wound me deeply.”
Fairy Crimson Fire curled her lip in disgust. “The supplies I procured from you back then were marked up by a full third over the external market value.
Had the quality been anything less than acceptable, I would have personally marched on the Dragon Tiger Immortal Sect and demanded your head.”
Properly intimidated, Qian Duoduo shrank behind Zhao Chengdao’s broad shoulders. Sweeping his gaze over the eavesdropping crowd, he hastily damage-controlled. “My pricing reflects premium procurement! The quality of my goods is absolutely infallible!”
On the surface, it was a desperate plea to Fairy Crimson Fire.
In reality, it was a calculated broadcast to the surrounding Cultivators, desperately preserving his future market share.
Zhao Chengdao waved a dismissive hand. “Everyone, cool your tempers. We are here on an inspection tour, not to initiate a sect war.”
Fairy Crimson Fire blatantly ignored him. Her piercing gaze swept the assembly before locking onto a specific target, her lips curving into a playful smirk. “The Azure Cloud Sect has always championed the reclusive Dao. What compelled you to abandon your mountain and brave the noise of the mortal coil?”
Triggered by her words, the surrounding crowd turned their collective attention.
They studied the Azure Cloud Sect representative, a man who appeared to be in his late twenties.
He possessed sharp, sword-slanted eyebrows framing long, narrow eyes.
His nose was straight, his lips a pale, muted shade.
His overall aura was profoundly elegant, radiating an immaculate, untainted cleanliness.
He looked as though he had stepped directly from a master’s ink-wash painting. He was instantly memorable, exuding a presence that demanded respect rather than hostility.
Under the weight of their scrutiny, Qing Xuan met their gazes and spoke with absolute, terrifying calm. “We do not contend in times of prosperity. We do not hide in times of chaos!”