Chapter 299: Chapter 22 Pre-battle Catch-up
"Cough, cough."
Jiang Li tactically coughed to ease his tense mood, then continued the conversation, "Third-rank shouldn’t act rashly, right?"
Mo Sect Master Juzi hadn’t even participated in the Sword Discussion Conference precisely because third-rank must not make rash moves. Once they did, it would arouse suspicion, and at that time, every third-rank Sixth Brother would pay attention, and any carelessness would lead to a collective strike from the third-ranks.
Mo Sect Master Juzi’s arrival at Divine Capital meant he was in for no small amount of trouble.
"Third-rank should not act lightly, for to do so would attract attention from all directions," Tianxuan said with a deeper meaning, "Divine Capital has already gathered three third-ranks."
The Emperor, Sect Leader "Heavenly Monarch" Gongsun Qi of Dinghu Sect, and Sect Hierarch Zhang Zhixuan of Taiping Sect—three third-ranks were already enough to draw the eye, not to mention the addition of Mo Sect Master Juzi...
The pressure wasn’t really on Mo Sect Master Juzi, but rather on the Emperor and the Sect Leader.
After all, this is Divine Capital, the Earth Plate of Great Zhou.
Jiang Li grasped the point as soon as it was raised and couldn’t help but sigh to himself: ’Just coming to Divine Capital involves so many intricacies; third-rank truly is the pinnacle of the world.’
Every move of a third-rank could trigger a world-shifting event. Even the most minor actions would be meticulously interpreted by others, to an extent no less than the interpretations of a Mr. Zhou in the textbooks from Jiang Li’s previous life—or even more so.
Such was the influence of a third-rank.
"If this turns into a fight, who knows how many casualties there will be," Jiang Li thought about the scene and felt uneasy.
The battle between Karma Tathagata and the Awakened resulted in casualties numbering in the hundreds of thousands.
Before Great Zhou was founded, a great battle took place in Yong Province, leaving behind Thousand Miles of Barren Land, with Yong’s soil infertile to this day.
The mere thought of a third-rank battle was terrifying.
"Relax," Tianxuan lifted her head, her soft hand leaving Jiang Li’s shoulder, allowing his body to loosen.
"I assure you, a third-rank battle is not so easily begun. Even if it does start, there will be those who smooth over the aftermath. Rather than that, because a third-rank battle might occur, the situation in Divine Capital will actually become more stable, as everyone will be extra cautious. In such circumstances, your battle with Yuan Zhen will be even less likely to be disturbed."
By then, even if a third-rank from Daode Sect personally came, the presence of other third-ranks would make it difficult for them to take action, and as for fourth-ranks... Tianxuan would handle them.
"Let’s go," Tianxuan patted Jiang Li’s shoulder and said, "You still have a few days. I shall help you catch up on your Mathematics, lest Tian Ji and Wuqu come to bother me again."
Speaking of this, Tianxuan felt somewhat exhausted.
Jiang Li’s disappearance from Iron Pillar Temple had already spread throughout Divine Capital, so naturally Elder Tian Ji was aware.
And so, he came looking for Tianxuan again, and with him, Elder Wuqu as well.
Having heard that Jiang Li vanished without a trace due to the people of Kunxu Immortal Palace, Elder Wuqu became anxious. No one was more upset to see Kunxu Immortal Palace gain an advantage than he was. Watching them benefit was more painful to him than taking a knife to himself.
So Elder Wuqu came to find him as well, hinting in their conversation that they needed to locate Jiang Li, to urge him to strive hard, to teach a lesson to the demonesses of Kunxu Immortal Palace next time.
Tianxuan made such an unexpected appearance not only because she sensed Jiang Li might encounter Mo Sect Master Juzi, but also to come personally to bring Jiang Li back for quiet preparation for the battle.
It just so happened that Jiang Li had also finished making his arrangements. Hearing this, he was moved to cultivate in solitude.
’The Fourth Prince will be handled by the Second Prince; only once the Second Prince wipes out the Fourth Prince’s support will it be my turn.’
Jiang Li stood tall and decided, ’Next then, it’s time to send Yuan Zhen on his way.’
As the thought crossed his mind, his Primordial Qi stirred slightly, and his Qi Mechanism surged like a dragon. The undulating ripples dispersed invisibly.
Iron Pillar Temple.
After a night of bustling about, the temple’s damaged areas had finally been cleared, and even some of the shallower damage had been repaired.
A green figure floated into the scorched gates of the West Wing Room ruins, then leisurely walked to the spot where the wing had been burned to the ground, standing right where Jiang Li had been sitting cross-legged before.
This was a young master who appeared to be in his early twenties. His looks were not outstanding but still carried an elegance beyond the handsome Feng Manlou. With a cultured and unconstrained air about him, he moved gracefully and dust did not touch his steps.
"Snap—"
The Green-clothed Young Master flicked his sleeve, producing a light sound. If Jiang Li had been there, he would have realized this sleeve’s direction and force mirrored his own move that had swept up the gentle breeze the night before.
In his eyes seemed to emerge scenes from the prior night, from the Wang family’s Wang Qianfeng being swept away by a flick of the sleeve, to the person falsely claiming to be from the Du Family being slapped to death, followed by the Azure Dragon shaking the Red Cloud.
Inferring from the external actions, the Green-clothed Young Master calculated all of Jiang Li’s movements and then, with a sudden flash, swept across courtyards and halls, flew out of Iron Pillar Temple, and landed on the road outside the main gate of the temple, wandering forward effortlessly all the way to where Jiang Li and Zhong Shenxiu had encountered each other.
"He left from the road in front of Iron Pillar Temple without hurry, indicating his leisurely pace. He was even able to meet and converse with someone here, which means he was undoubtedly uninjured,"
The Green-clothed Young Master mused softly, "Whether Jiang Li has lost his sharpness is difficult to judge at the moment, but his confidence is certainly unshaken. Even so, he still harbors a resolute will to win."
"As for the battle with Yuan Zhen, the odds are unknown. If seeking the Dao, one should fast and meditate to elevate oneself through the fight, to debate life and death with the sword. But if seeking victory, one can spare no effort and even accept help from others to augment his Incarnation Golden Core, replenishing the Five Virtues."
If it’s the Dao that one seeks, then the battle should be used for spiritual ascension. However, if victory is the sole aim, then all means, including relying on the power of others, are permissible. The only issue is that this might damage one’s sword heart.
An elderly figure quietly appeared behind him, his Dao Robe marked with the Yin Yang motif of Daode Sect.
Beholding the Green-clothed Young Master, the old Daoist inquired with a deep voice, "Fellow Daoist, do you think Yuan Zhen should seek the Dao or victory?"
"I hope he seeks the Dao, but the ultimate choice lies with Yuan Zhen himself. I cannot make that decision for him, after all, I..." The Green-clothed Young Master chuckled, "am but a stray thought severed in the One Qi to Three Pure Ones practice by your Sect Master."
"Even if just a stray thought, you are still the Sect Master," the old Daoist said respectfully.
His demeanor was exceedingly reverent, something unimaginable for anyone who saw that the Pill Dao Sect Master of Daode Sect would act in such a manner.
But if one knew whom he was speaking to, it would be no surprise at all.
Daode Sect was renowned across the world for Daoist Lord, but if one were to credit the key contributor to the Sect’s growth in the past century, it would be the current Sect Master—Taibai True Monarch Li Xuan.
For this Sect Master, the people of Daode Sect held extreme respect, even if the person present wasn’t the Sect Master himself.
"Then, seek the Dao," the Green-clothed Young Master declared decisively, "Yuan Zhen has done enough for Daode Sect, it’s time for him to pursue his own path."