Chapter 364: Giving You a Fortuitous Opportunity

Jiang Mu’s words made Ji Man’s face flush crimson, his handsome features twisting into a ferocious, murderous mask.

Although Chen Yuan’s public defeat of him had also made him angry and aggrieved, it was merely a contest of strength between Martial Artists of the same generation.

But now, Jiang Mu was humiliating his Ji Family Ancestors from Celestial Bright City. For Ji Man, who valued his family’s honor more than his own life, this was an unbearable insult!

However, what Jiang Mu said was, to a certain extent, true.

In the Ancient Era, the Martial Dao had not yet truly flourished as it has today.

Today, the world is teeming with Sects. Even if one doesn’t join a Sect, they can learn some skills by joining a gang or a martial hall. The only difference is the quality of the teaching—some are strong, some are weak.

But in ancient times, the Martial Dao was exclusively controlled by a few Clans and top-tier Major Sects.

It was nearly impossible for commoners to cultivate the Martial Dao. No one would teach them even the most basic and crude fighting techniques.

Back then, Unrivaled City was a supreme power in the world, even rumored to be the dwelling place of gods.

Therefore, Unrivaled City had countless servants attending to them, and one of the Ji Family Ancestors was among their number.

Jiang Mu called the destiny of the Celestial Bright City’s Ji Family Ancestor a joke. But in truth, how could someone who managed to unite the world and found a Dynasty in that era not be blessed by fate?

Among the many servants in Unrivaled City, most could labor until death without ever being rewarded with a Cultivation Technique. A single misstep that angered their masters could result in them being casually struck down and killed.

Only the Ji Family Ancestor, due to his competence, earned the appreciation of a powerful figure in Unrivaled City and was granted a Cultivation Technique. This itself was a sign of destiny.

After leaving Unrivaled City, the Ji Family Ancestor received countless fated opportunities, eventually mastering the Human Dao Divine Weapon, the Human Emperor Sword, and establishing the first truly unified grand Dynasty of the Human Race.

In those days, the Ji Family Ancestor was so formidable that even Unrivaled City had to yield to his might and dared not speak of his origins.

But after the Ji Dynasty fell, leaving only the branch of the Ji Family in Celestial Bright City, Unrivaled City no longer felt any restraint.

Of course, Unrivaled City wouldn’t go out of its way to publicize the matter, but it no longer saw any need to help the Ji Family conceal it.

So what if he was the first Human Emperor?

The Ji Dynasty once united the world, but now, all that remains is a single Celestial Bright City.

Only Unrivaled City could endure for all eternity, standing at the pinnacle of the Northern Lands, looking down upon the world!

“Jiang Mu! If you dare insult my Ji Family Ancestors again, I will fight you to the death!”

Ji Man’s expression was savage. The power of the Fire Phoenix coalesced on his Long Sword, threatening to erupt at any moment.

Jiang Mu sneered. “Is speaking the truth an insult now? Fight me to the death? You’re certainly confident.”

Ji Man took a deep breath and said gravely, “Jiang Mu, it is not my Ji Family that wants the Life Stone. It is the one in Ling Yun Cave who desires it. You should have heard of him.”

Jiang Mu paused, then chuckled. “So what? If he wants it, he can come to Unrivaled City and trade for it. It’s not like I stole the Life Stone from him. The fact that you, Ji Man, failed to obtain the Life Stone only proves that you’re useless. What does that have to do with me?”

Just as the furious Ji Man was about to retort, Chen Yuan suddenly interjected, “Are you two already deciding who gets the Longevity Hall? Do you truly see the rest of us as nothing?”

Jiang Mu turned his gaze to Chen Yuan and the others, raising an eyebrow. “Daoists of Yellow Court Temple and True Martial Temple. You fought quite fiercely outside. Your strength is commendable, and you haven’t shamed the name of the Four Daoist Courts. But permit me to be blunt: you are no match for me. If you fight me here, will you have any strength left for the upper levels of the Heaven-Reaching Tower? And you… Chen Jiutian, is it? From Zhenwu Hall, one of the Seven Alliances of the World. To be able to defeat Ji Man in a direct confrontation… your strength is impressive. It’s rare for someone from a humble, common background to reach such a level of Cultivation. However, the fact that Ji Man lost to you only proves he’s a true piece of trash. Celestial Bright City has truly fallen into decline these past few years. But no matter. It is a fortunate encounter for you to have entered this place alongside me. I will give you an opportunity. Serve as my guard within the Heaven-Reaching Tower. If you perform well, I guarantee you entry into Unrivaled City once we leave, and I will grant you a future of boundless prospects!”

There wasn’t a hint of condescension in Jiang Mu’s words; in fact, they carried a trace of admiration.

He wasn’t trying to humiliate Chen Yuan. He was genuinely offering him a chance, a fated opportunity.

To Jiang Mu, Heir of the Divine King, only Si Bai from the entire younger generation of the Jianghu could be considered a true rival. The rest didn’t even qualify as opponents.

In the eyes of Unrivaled City, among the Major Sects on the Wind and Cloud Rankings, only the top sects of the Daoist and Buddhist Lineages and perhaps Celestial Bright City possessed any real strength. The rest were nothing but rabble.

Even Zhenwu Hall, one of the Seven Alliances of the World, was no different from a mountain bandit’s fortress in Jiang Mu’s eyes.

Therefore, in his eyes, offering Chen Yuan a chance to join Unrivaled City was a heaven-sent opportunity for him to soar to greatness. He expected Chen Yuan to be moved to tears of gratitude and prostrate himself on the spot.

The corner of Chen Yuan’s mouth twitched into a strange smile. “I never imagined Unrivaled City was so prestigious that one must pass a test just to join. Unfortunately, I, Chen Jiutian, am no Ji Family Ancestor. I have no interest in being a servant, and even less in the future you’re offering. I will forge my own future with my fists and my blade, not accept it as a handout from others.”

Ji Man glared at Chen Yuan. ‘Go ahead and provoke Jiang Mu, but did you have to drag my Ji Family Ancestors into it? Damn you!’

Jiang Mu, however, wasn’t angry. He just looked at Chen Yuan in surprise. “Do you have any idea what Unrivaled City represents? My Unrivaled City is as eternal as the heavens and the earth, the abode of Ancient Divine Demons! When the Human Race was still mired in ignorant Chaos, my Unrivaled City already stood at the pinnacle of the world! No matter how the world’s Dynasties rise and fall, or how the tides of the Jianghu turn, only my Unrivaled City will endure for all time! Why did you enter this Heaven-Reaching Tower? Is it not for the various treasures and opportunities within? But the chance to enter my Unrivaled City is far more precious than any of those treasures and opportunities! Forget you—even your Grand Commandant of Zhenwu Hall, Chao Hongtu, would have been overjoyed back in his day. If he’d had the chance to join my Unrivaled City, he would have abandoned that pathetic Zhenwu Hall in a heartbeat to serve us. And yet you refuse. Do you realize you are turning down a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity?!”

Jiang Mu genuinely admired Chen Yuan and truly wanted to bring him into Unrivaled City.

Of the Northwest Two Cities, the structure of Unrivaled City was actually more akin to that of a Noble Family.

Within all of Unrivaled City, only those of the Divine King’s Direct Lineage formed the true core. Clan members like Jiang Mu, who possessed the core Divine King Bloodline, numbered fewer than twenty.

The rest were clan members from the Side Branch, but since it was extremely difficult for those with the Divine King Bloodline to produce heirs, even the Side Branch had fewer than a hundred members.

Thus, to maintain its strength, Unrivaled City would recruit many talented Martial Artists from the Jianghu to serve as its foundational power base.

Although these outsiders were still considered servants upon entering Unrivaled City, their status was much better than it had been in the time of the Ji Family Ancestors.

When the Ji Family Ancestor joined Unrivaled City, he was truly a servant whose main tasks were serving tea and waiting on those of the Divine King Bloodline.

However, Jiang Mu didn’t want to recruit Chen Yuan as a mere servant, but rather as a guard.

Every Heir of the Divine King required a core group from the Side Branch and a large number of powerful guards to act as trusted retainers.

Jiang Mu was still young. He preferred cultivating young Martial Artists his own age over recruiting the older ones already within Unrivaled City.

This way, when he eventually took control of Unrivaled City, his subordinates would have matured alongside him, becoming trusted aides he could rely upon.

Jiang Mu simply hadn’t expected Chen Jiutian to refuse his offer.

Chen Yuan raised an eyebrow. “I’m afraid I’m not worthy of such a fine opportunity to become a servant. Since you said Chao Hongtu would have been ecstatic to join Unrivaled City back in the day, why don’t you just go recruit him now?”

Jiang Mu’s expression darkened slightly.

He had been referring to the time when Chao Hongtu had just founded Zhenwu Hall, before it had become one of the Seven Alliances of the World.

The current Chao Hongtu was a Ninth Realm Celestial Profound expert, Grand Commandant of Zhenwu Hall—one of the Seven Alliances of the World—and reigned supreme over an entire province. How could he possibly go to Unrivaled City to serve as a guard?

“So be it. A frog at the bottom of a well cannot comprehend the vastness of the world. You have not yet reached the required Realm, so you cannot possibly understand what Unrivaled City truly represents. Only when you reach Chao Hongtu’s Realm will you realize that comparing rabble forces like yours to my Unrivaled City is like comparing a frog in a well to the moon in the sky!”

Chen Yuan stepped forward and declared in a low voice, “All I know is that taking what’s in this Longevity Hall won’t be so easy!”

Ji Man snorted. “Jiang Mu, if it were anything else, I would give Unrivaled City face and let you have it. It wouldn’t be an issue. However, this Life Stone is crucial to the grand plan of my Ji Family of Celestial Bright City. If you dare to vie with me for it today, this will end in a fight to the death!”

Qingchen and Zhong Li also stepped forward, their gazes resolute.

They were all top prodigies from the Hidden Dragon Rankings. Even if Unrivaled City was truly second to none, they would not choose to back down.

They could accept defeat, but they could not retreat in such a cowardly fashion.

It was just as before, when Qingchen had not particularly wanted anything from the Longevity Hall but still refused to back down when facing Ji Man and Zhong Li.

“Incorrigibly stubborn!”

The smile vanished from Jiang Mu’s face. He was done wasting his breath on them.

He pointed a finger at Chen Yuan and said coolly, “Flying Shadow, go deal with him. Let him learn what it truly means to join my Unrivaled City and become one of our own!”

As his voice fell, the light of an Array suddenly flared up at the entrance to the Longevity Hall, trapping Gu Lichuan and the others outside.

At the same time, a dark figure materialized from within the Array, shooting straight toward Chen Yuan.

“Rest assured, Young Master. I will teach this ungrateful fool the might of Unrivaled City. Prodigies from the Hidden Dragon Rankings? Before Unrivaled City, they are nothing but a joke!”