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Chapter 345 - 255: Discussing Secret Matters, the Ancient Nine Provinces! The Real Reason Behind Jian Province’s Backwardness!_2

Chapter 345: Chapter 255: Discussing Secret Matters, the Ancient Nine Provinces! The Real Reason Behind Jian Province’s Backwardness!_2


Ninety-nine!


Sixty-four!


Thirty-two!


"Could there really be such a twist in the Fu Family Sword Technique?"


Yan Chuan was stunned.


This kind of secret was probably unknown even to Fu Yunzhan, the direct heir, but the court’s ’Archaeological Department’ specializes in uncovering such anecdotes and past events, allowing them to trace the threads.


Including why the Purple Beard Sect targeted the Fu Family, it’s all crystal clear—


"In fact, back then, Fu Jiushou wasn’t the only one who accidentally entered the Mountain and Sea Realm at Qi Yun Mountain. A young disciple from the Purple Beard Sect also entered. He was far inferior to Fu Jiushou, and upon entering the Mountain and Sea Realm, he only acquired the ’Red Extreme Heart Method’ and ’Jiujiang Iron Lock Skill.’ After returning to the Purple Beard Sect, he labored over them for decades, achieving considerable success and recording the past events. This was eventually unearthed by Yin Huaidao, who then began coveting the Fu Family Sword Technique and finally took action."


Tian Jing revealed the secret.


Yan Chuan listened intently.


So, there was this deep connection between the Fu Family and the Purple Beard Sect, which explained why even Fu Yunzhan was unaware of the ’Qi Yun Mountain Sixty-Four Swords,’ yet the Purple Beard Sect knew of it and plotted against it.


The fate of the Fu Family had, it turns out, sown the seeds of disaster over a hundred years ago.


Moreover—


"Over a hundred years ago!"


"There were already people entering the Mountain and Sea Realm?"


The appearance of the ’Mountain and Sea Realm’ was far earlier than Yan Chuan had guessed.


But he still underestimated it.


"More than just over a hundred years ago."


"If you trace back a thousand years, there have been fleeting glimpses of the ’Mountain and Sea Realm’."


Tian Jing pointed towards Chess Stone Peak, "On top of Chess Stone Peak, the Immortal Chess Stone, it’s suspected to be a passage to the Mountain and Sea Realm. The ’Archaeological Department’ even suspects that this Immortal Chess Stone was brought back by the ancient immortal ’Fu Qiu’ and the legendary emperor ’Emperor Xia’ from the Mountain and Sea Realm two thousand years ago. A thousand years ago, during the North and South Three Kingdoms period, ’Sun Qiu’ and ’Liu Shengji’ played chess here and perhaps also accidentally entered the Mountain and Sea Realm. Later, during the Chen Dynasty, the passage to the Mountain and Sea Realm through the Immortal Chess Stone occasionally appeared and was recorded by contemporaries."


This tracing went directly for two thousand years.


"So early!"


Yan Chuan was shocked.


If that’s the case, he understood: "Therefore, the court, including the many Jianghu sects led by the Six Great Sects and historical families, could quickly rise in the new era because ancestors had either acquired heritages, after the great changes in heaven and earth, and more connections with the Mountain and Sea Realm, they took great leaps forward with these resources?"


"Exactly!"


Tian Jing nodded, smiled at Yan Chuan: "For example, my Tian Family, though not a first-rate martial arts family, has some renown in both the righteous and underground paths. Ancestors passed down many martial arts, most of which are ordinary, but some were still retained. After entering the new era, these originally dormant divine skills and absolute skills came back to life and could be relearned. I am forty-five now, and started practicing the family heritage ’Ming Xu Technique’ from the age of eight, solidifying my foundation over seventeen years. Twenty years ago, when the world changed, I accidentally discovered that the simplified absolute skill ’Yin Yang Guide’ could be practiced, to my great delight, and thus switched to studying ’Yin Yang Guide.’"


"Ten years ago, at the beginning of the Great Yan’s martial establishment, I cultivated the ’Yin Yang Guide’ to the third layer, reaching the eighth-grade limit-breaking."


What an impressive Tian Jing!


He has quite a background!


Yan Chuan originally thought he, like Jiang Bianliu, had rapidly grown in these eleven years since the Great Yan’s martial establishment.


This was not impossible.


Look at the "Human List"—


Yin Ye, Xu Yue, Gu Shiyou, they reached sixth-grade limit-breaking at a young age.


Then there’s Wu Yibai, only twenty-one years old, yet achieved the innate level.


Let’s not talk about these young ones.


Take Jiang Bianliu for example.


He had indeed only started seriously learning advanced martial arts, grown in Jian Province, and even then, over fifty years old when he began, he still reached innate in just eleven years.


So, although Tian Jing was strong, Yan Chuan thought he made fast progress.


Unexpectedly, Tian Jing had a head start!


This would explain why Great Yan had so many experts, countless limit-breaking peak and innate grandmasters.


Perhaps it’s family heritage!


Or ancestors’ legacy!


Or deep background!


Or incredible talent!


All these contributed to the numerous experts in Great Yan.


But Yan Chuan still didn’t understand one thing—


"Why are there no experts in Jian Province?"


...


"More than just Jian Province."


"The Fifteen States of Great Yan—"


"Ci, Mei, Shan, Mu, He, Ai, Ke, Qing, Peng, Bi, Sheng, Hui, Xiang, Jian, Ni."


"Within these, there’s the term ’Ancient Nine States,’ which refers to Ci, Mei, He, Ai, Bi, Sheng, Hui, Xiang, Ni."


"Shan, Mu, Ke, Qing, Peng, Jian are not among them."


According to the ’Archaeological Department’s research, the Mountain and Sea Realm initially connected with the ’Ancient Nine States,’ and in recent years, with the gradual development of the New Six States, only then did states like Jian begin to have ’Star Gates’ appearing.


"Fewer people."


"Fewer passages!"


"Naturally, they started later as well."


Tian Jing was sharing confidential information, mostly from ’Archaeological Department’s investigations, research, and summaries, which Yan Chuan could never know due to his status.


Even Jiang Bianliu didn’t know, not until he reached the innate level and revealed his strength prior.


Yan Chuan had nowhere to inquire.


Only now, from Tian Jing, did he learn the truth.


"Fifteen States!"


"Ancient Nine States!"


"So that’s how it is!"


Yan Chuan roughly understood why the ’Mountain and Sea Realm’ had closer contacts with ’Ancient Nine States,’ likely due to ’population’ factors.


Just like the ’Star Gate’—


Although the ’refresh’ of the ’Star Gate’ was irregular, it could appear even in remote backwaters, its ’growth’ relied on dense population and the Qi-blood supply from numerous martial artists.


This was visible.


The invisible might involve ’spiritual energy,’ ’primordial Qi’ and other mysterious aspects.


In summary—


It can’t do without ’places of outstanding people’!


The ’Star Gate’ is so.


The ’Mountain and Sea Realm’ is likewise.


...


"Let’s get back to the main topic."


Tian Jing provided Yan Chuan with some confidential information before returning to the main topic: "I can’t recall the background of those Four Swordsmen for the moment. Ideally, a master of their level would be registered in the Traveler Department, I shouldn’t lack impressions of them, unless they had never revealed themselves before. I’ll check it out for you in the coming days."


Even Tian Jing didn’t know the origin of the Four Swordsmen, so Yan Chuan certainly couldn’t find out either.


"Thanks, Brother." Yan Chuan didn’t decline.


Tian Jing smiled and continued, "As for Yang Yingxue, to dare to assault and kill our Martial Arts Academy’s professor, she is on a path to destruction. Brother, I will head to the Military Suppression Department later to ensure this demoness is captured and brought to justice!"


New Era!


It’s different now!


In the past, knights violated prohibitions with martial force, fighting and killing in Jianghu without restraint, but ever since the Great Yan’s martial establishment, agreements with various sects strictly prohibited slaughter.


Purple Beard Sect!


Yang Yingxue!


To even dare to intercept Yan Chuan!


The Military Suppression Department has been plagued by the Four Great Cults’ troubles recently, and with such a ’leisurely job’ delivered to its doorstep, they’d likely jump at the chance to handle it.


Perhaps even take the opportunity to strike a big blow at the Purple Beard Sect.


Yan Chuan is pragmatic.


Since Yang Yingxue has come to kill him, he certainly wouldn’t show mercy, nor let her go, nor insist on avenging by himself.


The Military Suppression Department!


It’s their duty, and they’re well-suited for it!


Perfect!


"Thank you, Brother!"


Yan Chuan immediately expressed gratitude and did not refuse.


...


The two talked and reminisced.


Discussed the Purple Beard Sect.


Talked about Yang Yingxue.


Tian Jing continued pulling Yan Chuan inside, speaking as they walked, "The day we parted, I said I’d prepare a grand gift for you. After thinking it over repeatedly and inquiring about your news on the journey from Jian Province, I’ve finally decided. You will surely be delighted with this gift."


"Brother initially was just one step away from breaking through to the innate level, whether I was there or not made no difference, I—"


Yan Chuan truly didn’t dare to take credit.


Being able to befriend someone like Tian Jing was already more precious than any gift.


Therefore, regarding the ’grand gift’ mentioned by Tian Jing, Yan Chuan was truly indifferent—


...