Chapter 293: Chapter 202: The Great Battle of the Hundred Dynasties, Disciple’s Identity
"Alright!"
Upon hearing it was a matter of finding someone, the youth’s face lit up with joy; seeking someone was far more convenient than queuing for registration. As he took the Jade Token, the name he had just heard suddenly flashed through his mind.
Report to Luo Yu...
His body suddenly froze, his pupils trembling violently. He slowly turned around, his expression somewhat awkward, and asked in a very low voice, "Young Master, this Luo Yu you mentioned... is he the one who advanced to the Detachment Realm and is about to participate in the Grand Hundred Dynasty War?"
The youth’s voice trembled, afraid that his words would be overheard by others.
Along the way, he had wondered what Jiang Shu was going to the Luo Family for. But he had never imagined that this Young Master was seeking Luo Yu. And it seemed that the two were quite familiar with each other.
"If there isn’t a second person in the Luo Family named Luo Yu who has been ranked eighth on the Little Dragon Tiger List, then it should be him."
Jiang Shu’s words were mild, yet they struck the youth’s heart like a flood, almost causing it to collapse.
It turned out that the person he had been escorting this whole way was not some minor genius from the Little Dragon Tiger List of the state city, but someone on the same level as Luo Yu!
His hand holding the Jade Token trembled slightly. The youth took a deep breath and boldly approached the gatekeeper to speak.
Upon seeing the Jade Token, the Luo Family’s gatekeeper also straightened his posture and, without any hesitation, promptly reported it upwards.
A few minutes later, a hearty laugh came from within the Luo Family. Luo Yu strode out and immediately spotted Jiang Shu at the gate; the familiar aura from their encounter outside Qianyuan City was unmistakable.
"Brother Luo, it’s been a while."
Jiang Shu spoke first, his voice, carried by spiritual power, proving his own strength.
In Xuanxing, people mostly respect the robe before the person. In the Da Jing Dynasty, they respect the Realm before the person.
If he were merely at the Acupoint Passage Realm, even though he had once saved Luo Yu’s life, he would still find it challenging to speak to Luo Yu as an equal, let alone collaborate with him.
A Spiritual Shield blocked the surrounding perceptions, and Jiang Shu continued, "I am Jiang Shu from Yunzhou, here at the Luo Family to discuss another business deal with Brother Luo."
"Brother Jiang once saved my life; speak freely about anything," Luo Yu responded.
Even with his strong spiritual power, Luo Yu, who had advanced to the Detachment Realm, couldn’t help but be startled upon seeing Jiang Shu. He had never imagined that the expert who saved him back then was his own age. Moreover, not much time had passed. He himself, possessing the Treasure, the Golden Ape Futon, had only recently successfully advanced to the Detachment Realm. Yet Jiang Shu had also reached this Realm, his spiritual power no weaker than his own.
What incredible Martial Arts Talent!
"I just came from Qianyuan City," Jiang Shu got straight to the point. "Before I arrived, I received news that Tu Yuan would likely conceal his presence and come to the Royal City to kill you."
"Thank you for the warning, Brother Jiang," Luo Yu said, bowing first and then adding, "However, I was able to gain experience in Qianyuan City even when I was still at the Acupoint Passage Realm. Now that I’ve returned to the Royal City and advanced to the Detachment Realm, should I fear a destitute fugitive? If Brother Jiang has no other pressing matters, please come into the Luo Family estate with me. I will have a banquet prepared, and we can converse at length."
"Good."
Dropping the Spiritual Shield, Jiang Shu and Luo Yu shook hands and smiled, stepping into the Luo Family together.
"That was Young Master Luo Yu, wasn’t it..."
Outside the grand gate of the Luo Family, the air, which had become exceedingly quiet since Luo Yu’s arrival, finally began to flow again.
A retainer couldn’t help but speak up, his gaze fixed on the backs of the two figures, "I wonder who that Young Master is, to be able to walk side by side with Young Master Luo Yu. Could he be a hidden genius from some noble family?"
"I don’t know, he looks unfamiliar. But considering the fluctuations just now, he must have been communicating with Young Master Luo Yu using spiritual power. This genius is very likely also in the Detachment Realm!"
"I’ve seen portraits of the geniuses on the Little Dragon Tiger List, and he is definitely not among them. Perhaps he has been out gaining experience all this time. I overheard something about an ’old acquaintance from Qianyuan City.’ Wasn’t Young Master Luo Yu in Qianyuan City before? He’s likely a genius Young Master Luo Yu met there."
"To come so brazenly to the Royal City, he must not be a criminal wanted by the Dynasty. So, going to Qianyuan City was for gaining experience. This is another genius returned from gaining experience!"
"Gaining experience in Qianyuan City... those are all ruthless individuals. They not only possess the Realm but also formidable combat strength. It seems this genius will definitely be able to participate in the Grand Hundred Dynasty War. It won’t be long before we hear his true name."
The Martial Artists discussed animatedly, further firming their resolve to become retainers of the Luo Family.
At that moment, the youth stood dumbfounded. He had personally presented the Jade Token and watched as Luo Yu approached and conversed merrily with the Young Master he had led here.
This Young Master truly knew Luo Yu. And he himself was also a powerful expert in the Acupoint Passage Realm!
Listening to the private whispers of the Martial Artists, the youth suddenly clenched the Essence Yuan Great Pill at his chest.
This Great Pill—he absolutely could not consume it. He had to hide it, to pass it on!
「Luo Family.」
Inside the pavilion, dishes made from the meat of Fifth Rank Mutant Beasts were served at the banquet.
"I wasn’t sure what Brother Jiang preferred to drink, so I brought out our Luo Family’s prized Dragon Marrow Phoenix Blood Wine. This wine’s primary ingredient is the Essence Blood from a Sixth Rank Mutant Beast, the Lihuo Mingyun Sparrow—which possesses a trace of Phoenix Bloodline. This Essence Blood is then soaked with the tendons and bones of a Jiao Long."
"Each sip can temper the physical body and has a miraculous effect, especially for Martial Artists who have just entered the Acupoint Passage Realm. Of course, for those of us who have already stepped into the Detachment Realm, this wine serves merely to satisfy the palate."
Luo Yu introduced each dish and personally poured the wine, passing it over. "Thank you, Brother Jiang, for your assistance back in Qianyuan City. If there’s anything you need, as long as I, Luo Yu, can do it, I will not hesitate in the slightest. Everything is in the wine. Bottoms up!"
"Cheers."
Faced with Luo Yu’s warmth, Jiang Shu naturally wouldn’t refuse. He drank the Dragon Marrow Phoenix Blood Wine from his cup and spoke, "There’s a saying: ’One can be a thief for a thousand days, but one cannot guard against a thief for a thousand days.’ When I said outside the gate that I wanted to discuss a business matter with Brother Luo, it’s because I wish to join forces with you to kill Tu Yuan."
"I arrived very quickly, so Tu Yuan should still be outside the Royal City. You and I can intercept him there."
"Tu Yuan’s possessions will still be divided equally. My coming to the Luo Family is also to borrow Brother Luo’s connections, to see if I can borrow some Supreme Cultivation Techniques and Martial Arts. Concurrently, I’d like to learn some information regarding the Grand Hundred Dynasty War."
Jiang Shu spoke in an extremely calm voice, giving Luo Yu plenty of time to consider.
"That’s a minor matter."
With a wave of his Primordial Power, Luo Yu refilled their cups and nodded.
At this moment, he mistakenly believed that Jiang Shu had also reached the Detachment Realm. Naturally, he wouldn’t consider lending Cultivation Techniques a major issue. After all, with Jiang Shu’s current age and Realm, he could directly participate in the Grand Hundred Dynasty War. Befriending him in advance would only be advantageous, with no drawbacks.
"Our Luo Family has a collection of three Supreme Cultivation Techniques and six Supreme Martial Arts. Apart from the family’s core Supreme Cultivation Technique, Brother Jiang may peruse the rest."
"Brother Jiang has probably also discovered that after entering the Detachment Realm, the growth of one’s spiritual power slows considerably. Actually, the best way to address this is to participate in the Grand Hundred Dynasty War and join a Sect. Spiritual power, unlike Primordial Power, cannot be improved merely by practicing more techniques."
"In the Sects, there are various kinds of Elixirs. Brother Jiang might not know, but Supreme Elixirs are considered rare treasures in our Da Jing Dynasty. Yet, in the Sects, they are commonplace. They are even referred to as waste Elixirs there."
"This is because the true classification of Elixirs isn’t Low Grade, Middle Grade, Top Grade, or Supreme Grade. In the eyes of the Sects, all of those are merely Ordinary Rank Elixirs. For them, Elixirs that can truly be called as such start from the Spirit Rank."
"For example, a Spirit Rank Elixir, the Pure Essence Pill!"
As a genius from the Luo Family of the Royal City, Luo Yu naturally knew far more than Jiang Shu, who came from a small county town.
"This classification also applies to Treasures. The Treasures in our Dynasty are all Ordinary Rank Treasures, nothing remarkable. The truly Supreme items are Spirit Rank Treasures. Even some experts at the Furnace Fire Realm might not possess one, which shows just how precious they are."
"Brother Jiang might think that the Furnace Fire Realm is merely one Realm above our Detachment Realm, something one can easily break through to, and that not obtaining Spirit Rank Elixirs or Spirit Rank Treasures isn’t a big deal. Actually, that’s not true. The difficulty of advancing from the Detachment Realm to the Furnace Fire Realm is greater than that of an ordinary person cultivating Martial Arts all the way to the Detachment Realm."
"Furthermore, each stage of Cultivation within the Furnace Fire Realm is also extremely arduous. At this Realm, cultivators no longer train in Martial Arts, but in Divine Skills. Each Divine Skill requires years, even decades, or nearly a century of Cultivation to master. And only when one’s Divine Skills are continuously tempered by their Innate True Fire, and their True Yuan is condensed to the absolute limit, is there a chance to form a Primordial Pill and reach the Primordial Pill Realm—a feat achieved by less than one in ten thousand even among Furnace Fire Realm experts!"
"Experts who reach this Realm can be called True Men. Their lifespans exceed a thousand years, not to mention the might of their Divine Skills, which is simply unimaginable."
"If they were to come to a Dynasty, a single word from them could easily determine the fate of the royal family’s power."
"The imperial court, the nobility, the powerful clans—all are like ants before a Primordial Pill Realm True Man."
Luo Yu shook his head repeatedly as he spoke. He had reached the Detachment Realm before the age of thirty and considered his Martial Arts Talent extremely high, yet when speaking of the Primordial Pill Realm, he could only feel profound envy. It was like how the common folk from a county town in the Da Jing Dynasty might envy the lives of young masters from noble families in the Royal City.
Spirit Rank Elixir, Pure Essence Pill. Spirit Rank Treasure, Extreme Netherworld Thunder Tablet.
Only now did Jiang Shu fully comprehend how bountiful the inheritance left by Master Ming Lei truly was.
And these were merely external items. The true inheritance ought to be the Divine Skills contained within that Primordial Pill. If he could refine it, it would undoubtedly save him decades, perhaps even a century, of Cultivation time!
It seemed his decision to enter the True Martial Sect through the Grand Hundred Dynasty War was the right one. This Primordial Pill was too conspicuous. If he brought Master Ming Lei’s remains back to the True Martial Sect, even if he were fortunate enough to be accepted, this Primordial Pill would likely be beyond his grasp. Powerful Furnace Fire Realm experts would undoubtedly come to contend for it. Jiang Shu certainly didn’t believe that a Sect would be a tranquil haven for peaceful Cultivation.
"I’ve strayed from the topic. I wonder how much Brother Jiang knows about the Grand Hundred Dynasty War? The Grand Hundred Dynasty War is, in essence, a grand gathering where geniuses from hundreds of Dynasties come together to participate in a series of trials. During these trials, those who perform exceptionally well may earn the appreciation of the major Sects and be accepted as Sect Disciples."
Before they realized it, the pot of Dragon Marrow Phoenix Blood Wine had been emptied.
Luo Yu paused, then said to Jiang Shu with a solemn expression, "These positions are exceedingly rare. Sometimes, not a single spot is awarded in an entire session!"
"Securing one means truly leaping over the dragon gate, because that spot makes one an Outer Disciple! A true Disciple of the True Martial Sect."
"As for geniuses like us, even if we successfully pass the trials, the status we typically attain is merely that of... servant disciples."