Sovereign of the Three Realms

Ye Chonglou was at the peak of fifth level origin realm. Gouyu and Xue Tong were both at fourth level, and the rest were both at peak of second level origin realm. Tang Hong was now an earth origin realm genius of the Rosy Valley, also at peak fifth level origin realm and was one of the more preeminent geniuses in the valley. However, Tang Hong had his own residence, and so didn’t live with Jiang Chen.

Jiang Chen was quite satisfied with everyone’s improvement. It’d only been three years after all, so it was very difficult already to improve themselves to this degree.

“Ah yes, Lordmaster, I’d like to speak privately with you.” Jiang Chen said to Ye Chonglou after greeting everyone. Ye Chonglou knew that it wouldn’t be a small matter if Jiang Chen was taking such precautions, so he quickly walked out with Jiang Chen.

“Jiang Chen, is something important about to happen?” Although the lordmaster didn’t normally set foot outside the residence, he was still very sensitive to the developments of the greater picture.

Jiang Chen nodded. “It’s very possible that some notable matters will happen. The Tristar Sect is colluding with the Ninesuns Sky Sect. I anticipate that disaster will soon descend upon the Myriad Domain. The scale and strength of this disaster may be large enough that a fourth rank sect such as the Regal Pill Palace may not be able to remain steadfast in its face. Therefore, for the sake of the future of the Precious Tree Sect, I have to recommend that the lordmaster take Tang Hong and the others back to the Precious Tree Sect right away.”

“Right now?” Ye Chonglou was a bit surprised. “Are we in that much of a hurry? Tang Hong would still like to participate in the Myriad Grand Ceremony and vie for a placement on the Myriad Hidden Dragon ranking!”

“There’s no meaning in that anymore.” Jiang Chen waved his hands. “In fact, it’s still up in the air whether or not the ceremony can be successfully held.”

“Things are that serious?”

“They might be even more serious than I’m describing. Palace Head Dan Chi is already prepared to dissolve the Regal Pill Palace at any time.”

Ye Chonglou’s expression instantly darkened as his tone turned grave, “Then it looks like the situation is at its worst.” He was an altogether decisive person. “Alright, then I’ll immediately go find Tang Hong and the others to take them back to the Precious Tree Sect. If the greater picture has reached this point, we’ll temporarily disband the Precious Tree Sect as well.”

To a certain extent, the Precious Tree Sect was the same kind of sect as the Regal Pill Palace. It was the sort that held the mentality of passing down their legacy of spirit through the ages. They would never bend their knee to enemies and be enslaved by others.

Jiang Chen nodded. “It’d be best to dissolve the sect immediately if you hear of anything and leave the Myriad Domain. No matter how troubled the times ahead may be, we will still meet again as long as we are all alive.”

Ye Chonglou patted Jiang Chen’s shoulder. “Jiang Chen, the luckiest thing I’ve ever encountered in my life, and my proudest, is getting to know you. Don’t worry, although my strength is humble, I’ve long since anticipated that there would be great changes in the Myriad Domain. To that end, I've made many preparations beforehand. Although they won’t affect the Myriad Domain as a whole, I’ve been able to design a few escape routes.”

“Ah. When does the lordmaster plan on departing?”

“Tomorrow.” Ye Chonglou was very firm. “I will take my leave from Palace Head Dan Chi tomorrow.”

Jiang Chen gifted another batch of Origin Fostering Pills to the elder. “Lordmaster, take these upper rank Origin Fostering Pills with you. You and Tang Hong will be able to use them for a long time.

“Also, here’s an Origin Doubling Pill for you. You’ll be able to rise a level without conditions after ascending to sixth level origin realm, and you’ll be able to assail seventh level origin realm in a short amount of time.” Jiang Chen took out a million upper rank origin spirit stones as well. “Here’s also a million spirit stones that I gained in the Mt. Rippling Mirage Pill Battles. It should be enough for the next couple of decades of use.”

Ye Chonglou felt a bit abashed and he sighed, “Jiang Chen, I’ve been benefiting from you all along. I am truly ashamed.”

“Please don’t speak this way, lordmaster. If it wasn’t for you taking care of me in the Skylaurel Kingdom, there wouldn’t be the Jiang Chen of today either.”

Ye Chonglou didn’t stand on ceremony with Jiang Chen and accepted everything. “Jiang Chen, as long as the Precious Tree Sect has you, the sect will undoubtedly one day be revived even if it is destroyed.” His voice thrummed with emotion.

“Oh right, Lordmaster, how is your Five Winged Phoenix-Dragon after it assimilated the bloodline of a true dragon?”

Ye Chonglou responded joyfully, “The Phoenix-Dragon is a descendent of the dragons alright! It absorbed the true dragon bloodline even better than I did. Its cultivation level has long since broken through the human sky origin realm. In my opinion, right now, it has more right than me to assail the sage realm.”

“The sage realm won’t be a problem after the baptism in the wood spirit spring. The lordmaster has great hope of making it to the sage realm.” Jiang Chen continued, “On another note, Tang Hong’s potential is excellent and I hope that the Precious Tree Sect will show him preferential treatment. If he can develop fully into his strength, his accomplishments in the future will be unfathomable.”

Even geniuses in small places have potential, but they simply lacked the resources to excavate it from youth. The differences between them and geniuses in large territories wasn’t in innate potential, but the amount of support and resources received during their development. This point was particularly noticeable for Tang Hong. After receiving large amounts of resources from Jiang Chen upon joining the Regal Pill Palace, the rate of his cultivation had improved ferociously, even faster than some Regal Pill Palace geniuses. From Jiang Chen’s perspective, if Tang Hong had received Cao Jin’s level of treatment, then his current accomplishments might even be on par with Cao Jin.

Xue Tong walked in after Ye Chonglou had finished speaking. “Young master, Miss Bi’er has sent over cultivation resources again.”

“What do you mean?” Jiang Chen started. Did Ling Bi'er know he was back? That was impossible.

“Ever since she returned from Mt. Rippling Mirage, Miss Bi’er has sent over cultivation resources every month and has taken great care of us. Some fellows came by a few times to start trouble in front of the residence, but Miss Bi’er soon taught them a lesson.”

Jiang Chen smiled and felt a certain empathy with Ling Bi’er’s desire to save her father. He’d owed the other a promise for three years now. It was high time to make good on it. He waved his hand, “I’m going out.”

Ling Bi’er was standing outside the residence, her frozen bearing at great odds with the rest of the surroundings. Even after three years, the ruthless blade of time had left no discernable marks on her. She was still as pure as water and detached as frost. However, her figure seemed to be a bit thinner and her charming face a tad skinnier.

It was usually Gouyu greeting Ling Bi’er, but this time the former hadn’t, instead sending Xue Tong notify Jiang Chen. After all, she’d come on time every month for the past three years, regardless of rain or shine to deliver cultivation materials. Gouyu had wanted to rebuff her in the beginning, but Ling Bi'er didn’t pester them or make any explanations. She merely put the items down and turned to leave.

Gouyu’s heart wasn’t made of rock or iron. She was slowly touched over the years by Ling Bi’er’s quiet, caring ways. Although they hadn’t exchanged many words over the past three years, only a look or a small gesture was needed to communicate between women, just as the fall of one leaf is enough to indicate autumn’s arrival. Gouyu was certain that one like an icy mountain such as Ling Bi'er was only extending her affections to them because of someone else.

Gouyu’s reaction to this had slowly melted from her initial rejection to hesitant acceptance. She now both admired and respected Ling Bi’er. To be able to continue steadfastly in this fashion for three years, no matter what her motives were, it was worthy of Gouyu’s respect.

When Ling Bi'er heard the footsteps, she was about to put her items down and leave, when she suddenly wavered. A look of disbelief shot out of those clear eyes.

Jiang Chen?

Indeed, the one who entered her sight this time was the familiar face that had always marked her dreams, and the one she’d thought about for a thousand days and nights.

Their eyes unexpectedly met. It was as if the last thousand days and nights hadn’t happened at all, as if time itself had been rewritten. Seemingly, she had only just left his residence yesterday, and had merely come again today.

“Have you been well, senior sister Bi’er?” Jiang Chen smiled leisurely.

Ling Bi'er suddenly whirled around and strode quickly in the other direction. After putting some distance between them, she couldn’t hold it in anymore, leaning on a nearby tree to quietly sob. She was a strong girl and naturally didn’t want Jiang Chen to see her crying.

After a while, she heard Jiang Chen’s footsteps coming from the distance and hurriedly composed herself, wiping her face clear of tears and adjusting her emotions. She knew that Jiang Chen had purposefully made his footsteps sound loudly from far away, likely to remind her that he was coming. When she thought about how a man with such a heroic air as him was so conscientious as well, Ling Bi'er couldn’t feel help but feel a surge of sweetness in her heart.

“Senior sister Bi’er, my promise to you is late by three years. How is your father? Let’s go take a look.”

Ling Bi'er knew that Jiang Chen was afraid she’d feel awkward and was proactively mentioning her father to distract her. The two walked side by side and soon arrived at Ling Bi’er’s residence. It was a good thing that Ling Hui’er was absent, so they were fortunately spared her antics. Jiang Chen walked up to Ling Su’s bed to see that his eyes were greatly sunken in. At first glance, he was all skin and bones.

“Thankfully I’m not too late. Senior sister, where are the spirit herbs?”

Ling Bi’er took out the four spirit herbs they had prepared in advance. Now that Jiang Chen had entered the sage realm, the strength of his consciousness had greatly improved. He was much more confident in curing this Miasma when compared to three years ago. It could even be said that he was now absolutely assured of success.

Yet even so, it took him seven days and seven nights before he finished thoroughly cleansing the Miasma from Ling Su’s mind. When he dragged himself out of the room with footsteps that spoke of exhaustion, he was greeted with the sight of an anxious Ling Bi’er.

“Senior sister, your father’s Miasma has dragged on for too long. It wouldn’t have been so complex to cure if it’d been just when he’d been poisoned.”

“Junior brother, then…”

“He’s completely fine. He’ll return to his usual self after a few days of rest and recovery.” Jiang Chen smiled easily.

Ling Bi’er swayed where she stood, and hastily reached out a hand to support herself, barely managing to keep her composure. Her lips vibrated slightly, tears welling up in her beautiful eyes. “Junior brother, thank you, thank you! I once swore an oath that I would serve whoever cured my father. In the future…” She bit her lip lightly and gathered up her courage to say, “I… I won’t refuse anything that junior brother wants me to do in the future.”

With Ling Bi’er’s personality, it was already an enormous act of courage that she could voice such words.