Chapter 183 - 110: Dragon Elephant True Sect Disciple, a Shocking Secret! 10 Celestial Pillars, 9 Great Giant Houses, the Change of the Great Xuan Human Lord (Part 2)

Chapter 183: Chapter 110: Dragon Elephant True Sect Disciple, a Shocking Secret! 10 Celestial Pillars, 9 Great Giant Houses, the Change of the Great Xuan Human Lord (Part 2)

"Putting aside everything else, if people outside found out that ’Ye Wenjiang’ died here..."

"Those who didn’t know him wouldn’t be a problem, but those who did... they’ll only cause you endless trouble."

Duan Chenzhou patted Ji Xiu on the shoulder, his expression deeply enigmatic.

After hearing the full story, Ji Xiu was also taken aback.

’What did all those terms Duan Chenzhou just mentioned even mean?’

’The Great Xuan Human Lord, the pinnacle of the Six Great Xuan Registers—a position of supreme, unrivaled honor!’

’The Eight Days of Turmoil—the encroaching influence of the systems from the Outer Dao Celestial Universes!’

’The Sun and Moon Hall, an organization of the Lord of Humanity’s most trusted confidants—a singular honor!’

’As for the Ten Directions Celestial Pillars and the Nine Great Families...’

’They represented the very pinnacle of all the Great Xuan Sects and Noble Families.’

’Schools and Grand Lineages like those in Jiangyin Prefecture...’

’Compared to powers of that magnitude, they were just fledglings, barely starting out.’

’And as for Anning County, with its so-called businesses and Martial Arts Halls?’

’Those great powers probably don’t even know that such trivial things exist beneath the Schools and prefectural organizations.’

At first glance, it was enough to fill one with longing, to wish one could take their place.

But...

When he was the one caught up in it all...

Ji Xiu swallowed hard, unconsciously tightening his grip on the Sun and Moon Treasure Pearl he had looted earlier.

’That thing... it must be the qualifying token Master Duan was talking about, right?’

’In the past, it might have been a symbol of the honor and status required for an audience with the Lord of Humanity.’

’But now, the times have changed drastically.’

’In an age where even the previous Lord of Humanity was overthrown, an age where the Immortal Buddha and Outsider Dao can openly establish their own temples...’

’Holding this thing... wouldn’t that make me a traitor, part of a seditious faction?’

’For someone who operates at that level, dealing with me would be child’s play. Who knows, they might have detection methods other than what a pair of eyes can see!’

"This won’t do."

Ji Xiu, realizing the stakes, furrowed his brow:

’This object can enhance my Divine Soul and greatly advance my Dao Skill. One look is enough to tell its material is extraordinary; it’s a rare treasure.’

’But as the saying goes, a man is innocent, but his treasure makes him guilty.’

’This thing is a hot potato. If it’s exposed, it will bring endless disaster. I have the Primordial Daoist Talisman; this object is just a supplement at best. It’s precious, but not so much that I can’t let it go.’

’I should wait a few hours, then use the cover of night to sneak down to the docks and get rid of it!’

In a mere instant, Ji Xiu had made his choice.

He had already obtained a Secret Martial art and achieved the state of Mercury Blood Silver Marrow. If he just stayed on his current path, step by step, his future was bright. Becoming a Grandmaster, founding his own School—while not guaranteed, it was practically a certainty.

But...

If he got entangled in a change of dynasties and treacherous court politics, even if his involvement was infinitesimally small, a single misstep could mean his total ruin!

What’s more, this was a world of Extraordinary power, an age where Martial Artists became Manifested Saints!

In a world like that, reason meant even less. Even if he feigned madness to dirty his own name, some powerful figure could just pass by and obliterate him with a single slap, not giving him a chance to explain.

’I’ll get rid of it tonight. The longer I wait, the more can go wrong!’

His mind made up, he resolved to act.

He exchanged a few pleasantries with Duan Chenzhou, accepted Cai Ling’Er’s congratulations, and deflectively answered Ye Ningzhi’s eager questions. Ji Xiu handled them all with a few brief words, keeping an eye on the time before hastily throwing on his cloak, mounting his deer, and riding away.

In two days, it would be the New Year.

It was a time of new beginnings, a renewal of all things. Out with the old, in with the new.

Tossing this Sun and Moon Treasure Pearl into the water...

...could be considered a good omen in itself.

Jiang Li leaned against a wall, arms crossed, her Divine Soul radiating outwards.

Without anyone noticing—not even Duan Chenzhou himself, who had lowered his voice to speak to Ji Xiu—she had overheard the entire account. Now, a thoughtful expression graced her face.

Before long, she saw Ji Xiu’s retreating figure.

After a moment’s thought, she followed suit, her figure vanishing around the corner.

...

SPLASH! CRASH!

Under the night sky, only a sliver of the boundless East Canghai was visible.

Gazing at the shimmering surface of the water, Ji Xiu sighed. He took out a Glazed Bead that glowed softly in the moonlight. He rubbed it for a moment, a sense of pity welling up inside him.

’No wonder Elder Ye was nothing but a skeleton, yet he still clutched this Jade Pearl so tightly in death. It truly is something special.’

’But you and I... we just aren’t meant to be...’

Muttering to himself, he raised his hand and tossed the Jade Pearl toward the water. He turned, ready to mount his deer and leave, but suddenly—

Ji Xiu’s brow furrowed. He hadn’t heard the splash of the Jade Pearl hitting the water. He whipped his head around and saw a mass of Divine Thought, invisible to the naked eye, enveloping the bead.

It then rose slowly, landing in the palm of Jiang Li, who had emerged from beside him.

"You scared the life out of me, Miss Jiang."

Ji Xiu’s heart was pounding. Finally, he managed a wry smile.

’If someone who recognized this thing had caught me and decided to pin a crime on me, I definitely couldn’t have counted on Lord Zhao the County Magistrate. I wonder if even my Master could handle that kind of trouble?’

A smile touched the corners of Jiang Li’s eyes as she heard him. She commanded her Divine Thought to influence the physical world, forcefully compressing the Jade Pearl until it reformed into the shape of a Jade Token. Then, she brushed a hand over it, concealing the Qi Mechanism within.

"I didn’t see you looking the least bit scared, Boss Ji."

"But that conversation you had with your Master... you’re completely different from how you used to be. How is it that the stronger your Martial Arts become, the more cautious you get?"

Ji Xiu shook his head, his expression turning serious.

"This has nothing to do with a Martial Artist’s level of attainment."

"As the saying goes, there is always a person beyond a person, a heaven beyond the heavens. The higher you climb, the more cautious you must be. Don’t you understand that principle, Miss Jiang?"

Jiang Li toyed with the Jade Token. Hearing his words, she raised a delicate eyebrow, unconcerned.

"When you become a Grandmaster, you can dominate an entire County. When you achieve a Title, you can command an entire Sect or Prefecture to act as your proxy."