Jiang He had thought that Wang Hou would dissuade him, and did not expect Wang Hou to show interest in the celestial battlefield as well.
He laughed. “Right now, aside from the Ten Thousand Swords Sect, the various immortal sects, demonic sects, and daemonic cultivators are trying to journey across the stars to the celestial battlefield. But if you are going, I’m coming with you.’
At present, the Scaled Dragons of Shennonjia, several major Demonic Sects, as well as immortal sects such as the Taixu Sect had relocated a month ago, journeying across the stars to the celestial battlefield.
Aside from the Jiu Hua Sect and the Ten Thousand Swords Sect, every sect left was prepared to move as well.
Wang Hou had forbidden them from spreading their teachings on Earth, and after Wang Hou had broken the seal on Earth to create a new level in martial arts, Fortune Qi was prospering by the day for Martial Dao, mainly because all citizens in the Hua Nation were cultivating martial arts. Even average citizens could cultivate godly martial arts without the sects or legacies dividing them. That only increased the number of martial elites on Earth, in turn strengthening Martial Dao and only worsening the suppression of martial arts toward immortal arts.
While those beneath Heavenly Immortal-tier might not feel anything, Heavenly Immortals themselves were actually finding difficulty in gaining enlightenment on immortal arts while on Earth.
As time passed, the cultivators of Earth would never reach Heavenly Immortal either, since even Dumbo, Trumbo, and the others had to leave for outer space to invoke their respective retributions. And what should happen after they become immortal?
The sects’ departure was merely inevitable.
Of course, it would be nice to leave their legacies on Earth. After all, it was the homeworld, and cultivators had a higher chance of becoming an elite if they started out here. As such, both the Ten Thousand Swords and Jiu Hua Sects were waiting for their cultivators to weather their retributions and become Heavenly Immortal before assuming their own journey across the stars to the celestial battlefield.
But the problem was that neither Jiang He nor Wang Hou allowed it!
Most of the immortals had now left Earth.
When the secluded untitled cultivators and demonic cultivators were forced into the open and the Western Pantheon was dealt with, there would be no potential threats left on Earth, which was why Jiang He had the idea of heading to the Celestial Battlefield.
“Alright!”
Jiang He exclaimed in delight, “I’ll feel more confident if you were coming with me.”
Confident?
Wang Hou blinked, slightly puzzled.
Why would you need confidence since you’re not going to fight?
Hold on…
Remembering Jiang He’s accomplishments over the last year or so, Wang Hou’s grimaced and quickly said, “Jiang He, the celestial battlefield is different from Earth. There are endless legions of elites there, and the Saints are not to be underestimated. Do not be reckless if you are going there.”
“But of course!”
Jiang He spoke with justification, “I am going to the celestial battlefield mainly for trading. Would I have the time to start trouble?”
Oh, yes!
If their route was connected, he could visit the Nether River Patriarch and the Green Hill Foxes for a discussion and try to make peace… after all, it wasn’t nice to fight and kill all the time!
Moreover, unsolved problems left Jiang He always on his toes, affecting his sleep quality too.
Jiang He mainly thought that last part and did not say it out loud, which was why Wang Hou sighed in relief.
It would be good as long as they were not starting trouble.
Otherwise, even Wang Hou was worried he might get dragged into it and killed.
Smiling, he said, “If that is so, why don’t we leave in a week? I have just ascended my cultivation and need some time to strengthen it. Moreover, the hidden cultivators across the world still need to be exposed.”
“There is not telling how long we would be back in this space journey. I’ve prepared to share some of my learnings after cultivating the Martial Scripture so that other martial artists would not run astray.”
“Moreover, I’ve had some ideas recently and I could create a few additional martial cultivations for everyone.”
Wang Hou could not help chuckling at that, and paused before saying, “Naturally, my understanding toward the new martial arts system is not that deep either. Even if I could create new martial cultivations, it would at best reach the ninth or tenth tier.”
“That’s good enough.”
Jiang He said, “Your background is good. If your talent in creating cultivation methods is good too, wouldn’t you be making others irrelevant?”
Wang Hou was dumbstruck.
Are you talking about yourself?
Still, having hung around with Jiang He for so long, he naturally knew what and what not to do in a conversation… and if he had followed up on that topic, Jiang He would be putting on airs again and leave him irritated.
Chuckling, he said, “I can only hope that our successors would be able to innovate and create new martial cultivation, and only then would martial arts be able to bloom with versatility.”
The two then engaged in more small talk, and it was soon afternoon.
Wang Hou then offered to treat Jiang He to lunch, but he stood up and said, “I’ll take a rain check. I’m heading to the west to see what’s the deal with the Pantheon… by the way, what’s the name of the Sufferance-tier cultivator from the Ten Thousand Swords Sect who ran into a suspected Divine Envoy? Where is he now?”
After asking for the details, Jiang He darted out of the Jingdu City Martial Arts Department (MAD) headquarters. Charging his Martial Yuan Spirit so that it turned into a puff of dark clouds that carried his physical body along the way, the clouds rolled rapidly, covering several hundred kilometers in a flash.
And soon enough, Jiang He arrived at the Ten Thousand Swords Sect mountain archway.
The area had been bought up by the Ten Thousand Swords Sect. In fact, they kept up with the times and had a highway, connecting directly to the mountain archway, built.
As Jiang He landed outside the mountain archway, he did not need to say a word for several figures to fly out from within the Sect.
There were six Heavenly Immortals, led by Jin Sidao.
“Welcome, Mister Jiang.” He smiled in greeting.
Jiang He was aware that the Ten Thousand Swords Daoist and several True Immortals of the sect had left Earth around twenty days ago—they had visited Jiang He before they left.
As for the other immortal sects, demonic sects, daemonic cultivators, and the many immortals who returned to Earth, they had also left around that time or even as early as a month earlier.
Without spending time in idle talk, Jiang He cut to the chase and asked, “Is there a disciple named Wang Zhenren in your sect?”
‘Zhenren’ here actually referred to the Sufferance-tier disciple’s name, and not the honored title meaning ‘True Habitant’.
In fact, Wang Zhenren’s last name was Wang and his first name Zhenren. It was said to be a name given to him when his mentor had picked him up from among a bunch of beggars.
“Wang Zhenren?”
Jin Sidao nodded, saying, “He is with us, and was one of our inner elders when he was Convergence-tier, though it has been less than four months since he reached Sufferance-tier.”
“Of course, only Mahayana cultivators now are qualified to be an elder.”
Jiang He realized with a start.
It was little wonder why that name did not ring a bell.
He had met the Sufferance-tier cultivators of the Ten Thousand Swords Sect and aided them to ascend up to full-fledged Sufferance.
On the other hand, he barely knew a handful of Convergence-tier cultivators.
“Please ask for him. I have questions for him.”
Wang Zhenren flew out soon enough.
He was a rather elegant middle-aged man dressed in a blue shirt and carrying two longswords, one blue and the other purple. His complexion was not ideal, however, and his aura appeared a little thin.
Nonetheless, he spoke with slight reverence and a quiver in his voice when he saw Jiang He. “Lord Jiang He, did you ask for me?”
Jiang He nodded and said, “Tell me about what happened in the west.”
Wang Zhenren hence narrated in full detail, “I have been searching the oceans for a few days and about to head for a nearby city to rest. That was when I found several powerful energies hidden within the city.”
And the rest was history.
Wang Zhenren had found the lurking elites just as the elites found him. After they traded blows, the ones calling themselves Divine Envoys injured him but did not kill him.
“Not one of them were weaker than me, nor were their methods. They definitely had the ability to kill me, though I sensed that they had qualms against doing that.”
Wang Zhenren could not help being amused at that.
“Oh?”
Jiang He was quite interested.
There were a few Divine Envoys?
Still, he withdrew his smile in the next instant, then turned toward Jin Sidao and barked, “Jin Sidao, you are the chieftain of the Ten Thousand Swords Sect! What do you think you’re doing?”
“A disciple of your sect was wounded by a Western cultivator and have not recovered even now, but you’re not avenging him?”
As Jiang He spoke, he grabbed Wang Zhenren and said, “Come, take me to the west. I’ll settle the score for you!”
Wang Zhenren had a blank look on his face and could not react just then.
What… is going on?
In truth, Jiang He had his own plans.
Surely he could not go looking for trouble at the Western Pantheon without reason, could he?
He should at least find a tiny excuse!
