"Shadow Blade is not an expert affiliated with my sect," Bu Yu replied nonchalantly.
It was necessary to maintain a stance of denial towards outsiders.
"Haha, whether he is or isn't, it matters not," Chang Dong smiled. "Rest assured, Grandmaster Yu, I understand my priorities. Although my two disciples have perished, I have forgiven Grandmaster Shadow Blade. Our top priority right now is to unite against Great Jin."
His sincerity seemed genuine.
"Very well," Bu Yu said, "I am willing to form an alliance, but only if you can convince Chu Ping. If we come to an agreement, let us all meet at Cloudhill on the 14th of August," Bu Yu proposed. She had no intention of meeting them in the Ninecaves Province or Yuanhu Province. Cloudhill was where she felt most secure. And with her junior brother, Huan Jian holding down the fort, she had full confidence in his ability to handle these two forces.
"Excellent." Chang Dong stood up and declared, "Then, I shall take my leave. Time is of the essence, I must make haste to the Ninecaves Province."
Shortly after, a disciple led Chang Dong down the mountainside.
Taking Shadow Blade into account, the Cloudstride Sect holds a minimum of two Chu-Jiang Tokens. If I can win over Chu Ping, he will bring at least two more. This balance of power will prevent either side from acting rashly against me.
Furthermore, with Great Jin as our common enemy, we will have a total of five Grandmasters. This will undoubtedly make Great Jin wary.
In 600 years, the Chu-Jiang Empire has produced three Heavenly Rankings experts, and numerous Grandmasters every generation!
I dont hope to obtain a Purplewood Spirit Fruit. But a few Redwood Spirit Fruits would significantly bolster Yuanhu Villa's chances of continuing its legacy!
At over 90 years old, Chang Dong gained much wisdom from numerous lessons learned over the years. He knew that being overly greedy could lead to great losses. Moderation was key.
Meanwhile, in the Cloud Hall, Bu Yu deliberated.
Originally, I had planned to visit Chang Dong. But it seems he has beaten me to it. It makes sense. Considering his strength, he is likely the weakest Chu-Jiang Token holder.
With the alliance of our three factions, we no longer have to fear Great Jin. I wonder who will lead Great Jins team. It is unlikely that Emperor Jin and Wu Chenggong will take action. Could it be Jin Yue?
With the guidance of the Heavenly Rankers and the size of their territories, the Great Jin Empire boasted an abundance of Grandmaster experts under their command.
Will Wu Yuan make an appearance?
Why did she not ask Wu Yuan directly? One pivotal reason was Huan Jian's reluctance to go, thus leaving the Cloudstride Sect with no other candidates. To go or not to go, the decision rested solely with Wu Yuan himself.
The details of the Chu-Jiang Immortal Realm and its significance were all written in the books she had gifted him.
I can only wait till August.
In the blink of an eye, August arrived.
In the height of summer, a large trading caravan snaked its way along the official route through the Danjun Province of the Great Jin Empire.
Countless mules and horses were burdened with goods. Numerous large carts were accompanied by hundreds of merchants and guards, who either rode on horseback or followed the caravan on foot.
"Brother Wan, youre still reading the 'Fengyun Chronicles'?" a man in black robes asked jovially, mounted atop a Blackfrost Steed.
"Yup," a youthful man in his twenties, draped in white robes that gave him the appearance of a scholar, chuckled as he waved the book in his hand.
He sat within the carriage, bouncing along as it moved, his complexion fair and bearing little sign of martial arts training.
"Brother Wan is certainly not one to hold back when it comes to spending. This 'Fengyun Chronicles' from the Starcom Consortium costs half a silver tael. Once you're done with it, let me have a look," the black-robed man said, his laughter echoing through the air.
"Sure!" said the young man in white with a grin. He resumed flipping through the book, absorbing the words on the pages.
"July, at the Skysaber Mountain of Great Jin, a land deity by the name Wan Liu appeared, floating above a thousand-zhang cliff. He said..." the young man in white read slowly.
"Brother Wan..." A boy of around fifteen or sixteen, dressed in linen clothing, stole a glimpse at the book and chuckled. "This news has already been widely spread. He's called Deity Wan. He shares the same surname as you, Brother Wan."
"He's not a deity, just a Heavenly Ranker," the young man in white corrected him with a smile.
"My mother told me that those in the Heavenly Rankings are deities!" insisted the boy in linen clothing.
The young man in white chuckled, choosing not to argue with him.
"Are you guys talking about Deity Wan?" The man in black robes atop the horse laughed. "I've heard that deities can walk on air and burrow into the earth. The founder of Great Jin, Imperator Jin, was a deity."
"Walk on air and burrow into the earth? I'm envious!"
"It is said that only those who surpass the Grandmasters are deemed deities." The boy in linen clothing's eyes filled with longing. "If I had the power of a deity, I would surely marry a hundred wives."
"Haha, Little Mao, you havent even grown into Big Mao and youre already thinking about marriage?" joked the man in black robes. [1] "Next time our caravan passes through the county city, I'll help you broaden your horizons."
"No, I want to save money for marriage. Big Brother Jia, you're heading down the wrong path, just like Brother Wan," said the boy in linen clothing. "You always make fun of my name, but if you continue to indulge in drinking, by the time we return to the Chu Continent, you won't have a single hair left on your head." [2]
"You little rascal," the man in black robes glared at the boy. "However, Brother Wan, next time you go, don't bring me along." The man in black looked at Wu Yuan, scrunching up his face as he thought about how much money he had left.
"I only made a single stop on this trip, and simply for a drink," the young man in white robes remarked casually, "It was you who insisted on staying the night, costing us ten silver taels."
The man in black sheepishly smiled in response.
The three companions continued to engage in casual banter. As traders, being on the road was tiresome and monotonous, and most were typically too exhausted to engage in much conversation. Yet, having rested in the city the day before and not yet enduring a full day's journey, their spirits remained high, and they found themselves with plenty of energy to spare.
"In July, there were indications of the Yuan Continent's Iron Cavalry mobilizing..." the young man in the white robe continued, flipping through the recently acquired Holy Continent Fengyun Chronicles.
Unlike the Land Rankings, Human Rankings, and Genius Rankings which were updated annually, the Fengyun Chronicles contained rumors and intriguing events from each continent and province. It served as a compilation of publicly made intelligence from the Starcom Consortium, although it lacked in-depth details. Nevertheless, it provided a general understanding of significant events throughout the world.
There are only ten days left until the opening of the Chu-Jiang Immortal Realm. The young man in white robes leisurely perused the book, deep in thought. Considering the speed of the caravan, we should be able to reach Ly City in the Chu Continent on time.
This white-robed young man was none other than Wu Yuan in a Transfigured state. After departing from Skysaber Mountain, he embarked on another journey. However, he no longer assumed the guise of a saber-wielding cavalier.
After the commotion at Skysaber Mountain, the name and image of Wan Liu are likely now etched in people's minds. The news should have spread far and wide. Wu Yuan shook his head.
He disguised himself once more, this time transforming into a scholar, and adopting the name Wan Shui. [3]
His new identity was a scholar visiting distant relatives in the Chu Continent. He was a martial virtuoso who was traveling alongside the merchant convoy for safety.
Wan Liu or Wan Shui, theyre nothing more than aliases. Wu Yuan didnt place much significance on these names.
There is a certain charm to being a trader. He reclined back in the cart filled with goods.
At Wu Yuans level, it didnt matter whether he was standing, lying down, or even sleeping. In every action, he cultivated. The most important aspect of cultivation was ones heart.
Nurturing the spirit, fortifying the soul, and attuning oneself to the nature of the world. The vast and boundless landscape, as well as the mundane world, are all aspects to comprehend, and serve as insights for cultivation.
This was where Wu Yuan diverged from The Sword Hierarch. The Sword Hierarch sought to sever emotional ties and tread the path to immortality in solitude, believing in contemplating the profoundness of nature. On the other hand, Wu Yuan believed that everything existed for a reason, and it was important to avoid extremes.
In merely a month of journeying across thousands of li, the amount of heaven and earth's power I can command has grown to 60,000 catties. Wu Yuan smiled faintly.
Although all Unity-level cultivators experienced rapid progress upon reaching this level, his rate of advancement remained astonishing.
My flight speed has increased to approximately 80 meters per second. It had been some time since he last tested it.
Upon achieving Unity, utilizing heaven and earth's power to sustain flight was far simpler than manipulating objects with Soul Force.
But though flying was well within Wu Yuan's capabilities, it was far slower than sprinting.
Running on the ground and flying are two distinct concepts.
As long as he harnessed the power of the air, could utterly subdue a Grandmaster in a single move. No matter how formidable a Grandmaster might be, their leaps could only carry them ten or so zhangs into the air before gravity brought them back to the earth.
As time passed, Wu Yuan's mastery of heaven and earth's power grew, and he was able to understand the power that those at this level wielded.
According to the books gifted by the Hierarchs, the Chu-Jiang Immortal Realm is a peculiar place where heaven and earth's power is suppressed, rendering it nearly impossible to mobilize.
It was precisely heaven and earth's power that allowed Heavenly Rankers to completely suppress the Land Rankers.
If I find myself unable to employ heaven and earth's power, defeating other Grandmasters would prove quite troublesome. Wu Yuan frowned.
However, Wu Yuan was not too concerned. Stepping into Unity constituted a holistic transformation, and mastery of heaven and earth's power was just one of the means at his disposal.
1. The word Mao () means hair. Another possible interpretation is: You havent even grown out your hair (from puberty)
2. See the previous reference
3. Fun fact: Wan Shui = Myriad Waters. Thousand Mountains, Myriad Waters is a common idiom (, qinshn wnshu) that means "to travel a long distance over mountains and rivers."
Lv City has been changed to Ly City.