Sovereign of the Three Realms

Jiang Chen stayed in his residence for the next three days, not setting a single foot outside. He turned a deaf ear to all the occurrences and furor of the outside world, and declined all guests.

After breaking through to the fifth level, his martial dao inspiration geysered forth, forcing him to spend a great deal of time to digest the explosive changes after this breakthrough.

The God’s Eye and Ear of the Zephyr broke through continuously, stopping only at the 15th level.

Boulder’s Heart became even more stable at the 12th level.

Under his undying efforts, Psychic’s Head also entered the seventh level.

His increase in level also continued to bring inspiration for the boxing techniques of the “Divine Aeons Fist”. There were vague signs of him entering the great perfection realm of the nine cycles of blooming and wilting.

The eight styles as well as interpretations of the “Vast Ocean Current Splitter” also bubbled forth as well.

The explosive flood of inspiration made him incredibly excited. If he wasn’t in the secret chamber, he probably would’ve started practicing right then and there.

However, even simulating techniques in one’s mind was a type of consolidation.

Jiang Chen immersed himself in the world of martial dao and unleashed his inspiration to the utmost, digesting what his breakthrough had brought him.

…...

However, he was the subject of intense discussion in the outside world as his closed door session lasted for three days. All sorts of rumors and gossip kept surfacing.

“Do you see that? The so-called secular genius is so weak and fragile. A little setback is enough to do him in and make him give up on himself.”

“It looks like he truly was just a shooting star, burning out in a fleeting second. Is this kind of psychological strength worthy of being called a genius? What a joke!”

“Has this fellow killed himself because he couldn’t take the blow? Hahaha, it’s not easy for a mundane ant to make it to this step. Do you think we’ve been too cruel?”

“Cruel? Please. Having poor strength of heart makes him utterly unfit for the world of martial dao. If he wants to make it in this world, he must be able to accept this harsh reality.”

“He probably hasn’t committed suicide, but he’ll be finished for good after this. Forget it, it’s not worth talking about an ant with subpar strength of heart.”

Those so-called geniuses were all making critical remarks and putting on an air of noble aloofness.

“Pathetic.”

Chu Xinghan could only shake his head internally when he heard those words. These so-called geniuses were putting on too crude of an sham. With this kind of personality, they were destined to become cannon fodder for others on the path of martial dao.

Chu Xinghan didn’t believe that with Jiang Chen’s personality, he’d be knocked down permanently by this. He’d even wanted to take the risk of being killed in order to kill Long Juxue that day at the Second Crossing.

A man with that kind of determination wouldn’t be defeated so easily. This little setback was likely nothing in his eyes.

“Not emerging for three days, can it be that he’s converted fury to motivation and has decided to immerse himself in cultivation?” A thought flashed through Chu Xinghan’s mind.

It made sense to him. Jiang Chen had farmed almost two thousand points by now. He was solidly in the 50th percentile with his score and didn’t need to worry about demotion.

Perhaps he was making use of this opportunity to quietly immerse himself in training and reappear with renewed vigor after his humiliation.

Tang Hong arrived outside Jiang Chen’s yard at least ten times over the three days of seclusion. He paced back and forth outside the doors each time but didn't go in.

He’d always swing by after he finished his day’s missions.

Although he wasn’t afraid that Jiang Chen would want to take his life, he still felt a bit unstable that his boss hadn’t showed his face for a few days.

“These despicable petty characters all talk about someone behind their backs. Hmph, how is it possible that someone I’ve taken for a boss is defeated so easily?” Tang Hong was wholly dismissive of the gossip circulating around the outside world.

He didn’t think that his boss was the sort to give up on all hope after being knocked down.

His boss’ strength of heart was enough to even solidly triumph over Tang Hong, how could he possibly be defeated by this minor matter?

“When boss told me to leave that day, he said he wanted to train. Can it be that he’s broken through in his cultivation?” Tang Hong stood outside Jiang Chen’s yard and paced back and forth.

He wrung his large hands and appeared a bit agitated. He would occasionally tug at his straw-like hair and completely mess it up.

Despite his appearance, all the geniuses passing by avoided such a fierce fellow standing outside of Jiang Chen’s residence, deathly afraid of provoking this harbinger of trouble.

Everyone knew that Tang Hong was someone not to be provoked.

Those who’d talked about Jiang Chen behind his back was even more scared to bump into Tang Hong. They might very well be hauled in for a beating.

He’d never been the sort to just stick to himself.

No one would be able to withstand him if he went off into one of his moods. Who would dare irritate him, especially during circumstances like these?

However, those folks also muttered inwardly, Tang Hong isn’t right in the head, is he? He doesn’t latch onto the leg of the Iron family, but has taken some nobody from the mundane world as his boss instead.

This was as if a prince in the ordinary world refused to build friendships with noble sons and ran to call ordinary citizens his brothers instead.

To many, these actions were so idiotic, it was like his brain had been thoroughly smashed by a door.

Except, while these self-styled smart folk may indeed be stronger than Tang Hong in using small tricks and schemes, how many of them possessed his wisdom?

Tang Hong may have a direct personality, but that didn’t mean he didn’t know how to read people.

He’d formed a friendship with Jiang Chen after fighting him that day. Otherwise, why would he be willing to take Jiang Chen as his boss? It obviously wasn’t just because of the bet.

It was because Jiang Chen had easily trampled him in the areas of strength of heart and pills.

He’d even probed him twice in the area of martial dao before entering the Divine Maze Tower and had still failed to gain the upper hand.

This also meant that the secular genius’ potential in martial dao was absolutely not inferior to his, and his strength of heart and the dao of pills was far beyond his own.

And this kind of person had come from the mundane world!

A candidate from the ordinary world had easily defeated him in the areas that he was most confident in. Just how strong would he be if he’d been born in the sects?

Tang Hong was forthright, but that didn’t mean he was a fool.

His personality may be a tad bit crude, but he had a positive quality in that he wholeheartedly accepted and gave precedence to those truly stronger than him.

Therefore, his acceptance of Jiang Chen as his boss was an action brimming with the truest sincerity.

Aiya!

The door suddenly opened. Taken by surprise, Tang Hong, who was leaning on the doorframe, almost toppled inwards.

“Eh? Boss? You’re finally showing your face!” Tang Hong neatly ignored the fact that he’d almost planted his face on the ground and chuckled as he steadied himself, revealing a look of concern for Jiang Chen.

“The outside world is saying that you’re done for after being beaten down. What fecking bullshit. Boss, you should go, take a walk, and slap the faces of those sons of b*tches.”

Jiang Chen chuckled heartily, “Face slapping, is it? I happen to like that a lot. Come, let’s go slap some!”

Tang Hong had been partially joking, and blinked when he saw Jiang Chen taking it seriously. “Slap some faces? Whose?”

“Let’s slap whoever shows their face.” Jiang Chen was in a great mood.

After a breakthrough and three days of closed door cultivation, he need a place to vent his feelings after such enormous gains.

Slapping whoever shows their face! This was something else alright! Tang Hong was infected with the emotion in Jiang Chen’s words and started laughing heartily as well.

“Come, make a trip to the mission area with me.”

“Boss, you want to request a mission?” Tang Hong asked.

“Of course. My score won’t go up if I don’t do a mission.” Jiang Chen spoke the truth. Although his plan of grinding out points had been unscrupulously interrupted, that didn’t mean that he would give up.

“But they said that they would only let you request seven mission in the pill area each month.” Tang Hong still had some anger and frustration in his voice when he mentioned this, plainly still holding a grudge.

“Let’s not go to the pill area this time. Let’s go to strength of heart.” Jiang Chen smiled leisurely.

Tang Hong’s eyes lit up as he slapped his thigh. “Yeah, boss! Your strength of heart is even stronger than mine. I don’t think there aren’t that many in this quadrant who can rival you in terms of strength of heart. Come, I’ll keep you company. Are you planning on making trouble in this area now, boss?”

A hint of cold intent flashed through his eyes as Jiang Chen smiled faintly, “Hmph. They blacklist me in the pill area, I’ll go smack their faces in the strength of heart and let them know that the truly strong have no weaknesses!”

Since you’ve restricted me in the area of pills, I’ll go to the area of strength of heart instead. What can you do about that? Blacklist me again?

It would truly be the greatest joke beneath the heavens if Jiang Chen was blacklisted again.

To use underhanded methods twice because of the rise of a secular genius, those preeminent sect geniuses would really have no face left after that.

“Hells yeah, boss! I’m really looking forward to what expressions the guys who moved against you will have when they find out that you can still farm points in the area of strength of heart.”

“I haven’t the slightest clue what expression they’ll have, and I have no desire to find out. All I know is that they’ll have to swallow, mouthful by mouthful, all the shit that they spewed out.”

Jiang Chen’s tone was icy. He wasn’t an easy target for anyone, and wasn’t someone who wouldn’t be able to live without the four sects.

He was only treating the four sects as a springboard with his participation in the selection. It wasn’t that he couldn’t do without them, and he certainly wouldn’t stop living if he was forced to part with them!

Therefore, having been provoked, Jiang Chen wouldn’t play by their rules anymore.

When Jiang Chen once again appeared in the sky quadrant, those gossiping with rumors and speculations all shut up. They discovered that they’d sadly been seedy characters for nothing.

Look at this fellow’s aura and spirit! Did he look like he’d been knocked down? Was there any sign of him being done for?

“Hmm? That kid’s going to the strength of heart area?”

“Heh heh, he needs to gain some points. After all, he’s been banned from the pill area. He needs some points, eh? Otherwise, how ugly will this look?”

“The strength of heart area? Haha, that’s the hardest area to farm points.”

“Whatever, let’s wait for him to make a fool out of himself.”

Jiang Chen ignored all those murmurs. Using the truth to slap faces was much more convincing than any length of verbal sparring.

When he arrived in the strength of heart area, no one thought that this point fiend would once again draw back the curtains on the opening act of grinding out points.

Everyone thought it was normal when he finished the level one mission on the first day.

Folks thought his strength of heart wasn’t bad after he finished the level two mission on the second.

Some couldn’t sit still anymore on the third day because he’d once again completed the mission, easily gaining the forty points of a level three mission.

Many pairs of eyeballs were staring at him from behind on the fourth day, wanting to see him fail. Instead, they lost their eyeballs in shock when he passed.

A level five mission on the fifth day was once again a success.

To the consternation of all who witnessed it, this cycle repeated itself again and again in the strength of heart area. After disappearing for three days, Jiang Chen the point fiend had once again appeared to test the mentalities of the top geniuses, once again testing the psychological pressure they could endure.