The beginning of Dao Calendar year 3918 was a fairly peaceful time.
There was still constant friction between the various states, but at least no major event such as the destruction of a state had occurred for the time being.
April 13. A piece of news spread rapidly throughout the southeastern region.
The State of Qu and the State of Zheng had been old enemies for years, with a steady stream of minor clashes along their border.
On April 13, however, the State of Qu's frontier-defending general, a military cultivator at the Outer Tower realm, was assassinated on his way back to camp.
It was said that three people had attacked him, surrounding and killing the frontier general outright without giving him any chance to mobilize his army.
The killers claimed to be part of an assassin organization called “Hell Has No Door.” They had no stance or allegiance; they cared only about profit. As long as the price was high enough, there was no target they could not kill.
In the eyes of the truly powerful figures, this matter's influence actually had little to do with the emergence of a new assassin organization.
In the southeastern region, the small states including Qu and Zheng were all in an extremely awkward position.
To the north lay the State of Mu, to the east was the territory of the State of Qi, and to the southwest was the State of Jing.
They were surrounded by these powerful states and could almost never hope to rise above their circumstances.
A state like Yang simply attached itself to the State of Qi.
States like Qu and Zheng, on the other hand, insisted on remaining independent.
Anyone with clear eyes knew that the supposed enmity between Qu and Zheng could not stand up to scrutiny. The friction between them looked more like a declaration of attitude: This little brother has absolutely no ambition to rise up, so the big brothers around us can rest easy.
Yet at this time, Qu's frontier-defending general was assassinated. It was said that their “old enemy,” Zheng, had hired the killers in order to invade Qu.
Wasn't that absurd?
And yet this half-true, half-false news spread widely throughout Qu, stirring up the anger of many soldiers and civilians.
Qu's upper echelon could not publicly say, “Don't get the target wrong. Our enemies are not Zheng, but those great states.” With public opinion unable to be suppressed in time, the situation grew more and more heated.
As a hegemonic power in the east, the State of Qi naturally knew what was happening.
Once the Chongxuan clan learned of it, Chongxuan Sheng, who already had the qualifications to participate in some high-level deliberations, learned of it as well.
When he told Jiang Chen about it in the Celestial Residence Secret Realm, Jiang Chen, who was in the State of Yang and much closer to Qu, still knew nothing about the matter.
“It’s said that the leader is a traitor to the State of You,” Chongxuan Sheng said. “His name is Yin Guan.”
Jiang Chen’s heart stirred. “I think I know him.”
He then gave Chongxuan Sheng a rough account of how he had met Yin Guan.
Chongxuan Sheng pondered for a while before saying, “An assassin organization in such a hurry to make a name for itself isn’t worth much. It probably won’t survive for long. That Yin Guan you mentioned won’t benefit much from being a genius, either. Still, some things are hard to say. If you get the chance, you can contact him. Perhaps he’ll be of some use someday.”
Jiang Chen’s forehead was covered in black lines. “You say it isn’t worth much, yet you still want to make the best possible use of it?”
“We’re poor, so of course we have to be thrifty.” Chongxuan Sheng grinned. “The children of poor families learn to manage the household early.”
After saying that, he couldn’t help asking, “Is that Yin Guan really as much of a genius as you say? How do you think I compare?”
Jiang Chen thought of Yin Guan’s battle against Zheng Chaoyang outside the twenty-seventh city of the State of You and answered honestly, “He could probably beat a hundred of you.”
Chongxuan Sheng nodded. “Don’t lose heart.”
Jiang Chen said, “Hmm?”
“I can beat three of you now, which means he could beat three hundred of you.” Chongxuan Sheng beamed. “Just imagine how despairing that must be.”
Opening the Gate of Heaven and Earth was indeed something remarkable.
Jiang Chen had no way to refute that.
He could only silently add another mark to his mental account. Dead fatty, just you wait.
“But seriously, you really shouldn’t be in a hurry.” Chongxuan Sheng became serious. “We’ve both broken through step by step, with solid foundations. That Yin Guan, as you described him, had no choice but to realize his potential too early because of the environment he was in. That may not have been a good thing. He might lack the strength to follow through.”
Chongxuan Sheng came from a top-tier clan, after all, and had a broad field of vision. With a clear direction, he could also spot the problem at a glance.
Actually, when Jiang Chen first witnessed Yin Guan’s strength, it had been impossible for his heart to remain completely unmoved.
There were too many geniuses in this world. He was afraid of being cast aside by the era and losing the ability to determine his own fate.
That fear showed in the way he seized every moment to cultivate. It came not only from his desire for revenge, but also from the urgency of knowing that time waited for no one.
Back in Tangshe Town, Zhang Yuan had once said, “Every instant is pressing.”
It had not been merely a casual lament.
“I understand,” Jiang Chen said.
Take Chongxuan Sheng, for example. Although he had only reached the Soaring Dragon stage of the Dao meridian, achieving the Inner Palace realm was merely a thought away for him. He refused to do so precisely because he wanted to go farther in the future.
He was certainly not as powerful as Yin Guan now, but that might not remain true in the future.
Before their conversation ended, Jiang Chen casually asked once more whether Tiger Bind could be taught to others.
Chongxuan Sheng’s attitude was casual. “Since the Dao art was given to you, how you handle it is your own business. Even if you announced it now and spread it throughout the world, it wouldn’t matter.”
“Of course, don’t think about putting it into the Deduction Platform in exchange for Merit.” As he spoke, Chongxuan Sheng began to grin slyly. “Because I’ve already exchanged it.”
Jiang Chen: “…”
...
After another thoroughly satisfying defeat, Jiang Chen withdrew from the Ethereal Realm and decided not to fight the fatty again for the time being.
He had had enough of that smug, triumphant look. Besides, it was hardly right for a poor commoner like him to keep sending Merit to this rich man.
Jiang Chen did not pay much attention to the Hell Has No Door organization. Whatever happened in places like the State of Mo and the State of Zheng ultimately had nothing to do with the State of Yang.
Hell Has No Door. Hell Has No Door.
As he repeated the name, Jiang Chen could not help recalling the venomous curse of the white-haired old woman in the twenty-seventh city.
“I curse you! With my flesh and blood, my hair, my life, my everything, I curse you! I am willing to cross mountains of blades and the hells below, to enter the hells of raging fire. As long as you... suffer the same pain as I do!”
What kind of hatred could cut so deeply into the bones?
That city, that state... did they truly have a future?
...
After finishing his evening lesson, Jiang Chen was meditating.
The Buddhist school said, “Blessings are never cast away in vain.”
People throughout the world passed it down as, “Merit is never cast away in vain.”
The “blessings,” which originally referred specifically to Buddhist merit, had been broadened into “merit,” a word that could refer to all efforts and striving.
It meant that none of the merit or hard work in this world would ever be wasted.
Jiang Chen believed in this principle.
It was already deep into the night when he suddenly heard a thread of wind.
The wind squeezed through the window, soft and lingering.
Within a wisp of black shadow, a glint of cold light blossomed.
Jiang Chen abruptly opened his eyes. Tiger Bind activated!
The opponent was momentarily dazed, then broke free of the restraining wood energy. Still in midair, they twisted and turned.
Jiang Chen understood that he had already displayed Tiger Bind many times. If someone wanted to deal with him, they would certainly prepare for it in advance.
Fortunately, he had not placed all his hopes in Tiger Bind.
Long Lovesickness lay across his knees, ringing of its own accord within its sheath.
Clang!
A yellow talisman suddenly floated out and adhered to the sword. Long Lovesickness instantly fell silent.
It had actually been sealed for a short time.
The opponent had clearly studied Jiang Chen’s fighting style and made extensive preparations.
The black shadow was already close, but suddenly the figure’s vision wavered. What they saw seemed not to be Jiang Chen, but a single flower, many flowers, an entire sea of flowers.
The illusion Dao art, Sea of Blossoms.
The black shadow quickly calmed the mind and focused the spirit, dispelling the hallucination while searching for the true location of the target.
One flower after another bloomed, seemingly without end.
Jiang Chen was clearly sitting at the head of the bed, yet he seemed to be at the edge of the sky.
The black shadow suddenly sensed danger and flung out a yellow talisman. It exploded abruptly in front of them.
It turned out that the flower just now had not been an illusion at all, but a Flamebloom Jiang Chen had mixed into the sea of flowers.
After such a long period of study and practice, Jiang Chen could not make Flamebloom incinerate a city, but replacing the flowers in the sea of blossoms with Flamebloom was not difficult. The alternation between reality and illusion made it impossible to guard against.
A violent wind erupted, driving the Flameblooms capable of causing real damage away from the area in front of him. The black shadow seized an opening, burned up a talisman, and swept a finger across the eyes.
At last, the shadow saw Jiang Chen!
But a thorn-shaped crown flashed above Jiang Chen’s head.
The wood energy within the black shadow’s body instantly went berserk. This time, the measures prepared in advance could not resist it at all.
Crown of Thorns, layered with Tiger Bind.
The black shadow froze in place. By the time they broke free, Jiang Chen was already standing beside them.
He rested the sheathed sword against their spine.
The faint, razor-sharp sword qi told the shadow that if Jiang Chen released even a wisp of it, their Celestial Palace would be destroyed completely.
Years of painstaking cultivation would turn to ashes!
Yue Wen