Chapter 520: The Highest Good is Like Water!

Chen Tian had laid his intentions bare, and none of the cultivators present were fools.

The time had come to declare their allegiances.

Either join the vanguard, forging an unbreakable bond.

Or withdraw, preserving a final shred of face among peers.

Pei Mo immediately voiced his support: “Naturally, my blade presses forward without hesitation.”

Long Ao nodded with a faint smile: “Indeed.”

Xuan Zang drawled leisurely: “I care not either way.”

Chen Bo needed no further prompting; his oath had already been sworn.

Prior to this revelation, Tie Xin had indeed agreed to join the vanguard and march upon the Central Region.

Yet, after hearing the sheer scale of Chen Tian’s ambition, a deep hesitation took root in her eyes.

The karmic trajectory of this expedition was vastly different from what she had envisioned.

She sensed a profound undercurrent in the man’s words, as if thick veils of secrecy still obscured his true motives.

Chen Tian’s gaze turned solemn. “Junior Sister Tie, our vanguard cannot afford to lack a Formation Master.”

Tie Xin gritted her teeth and downed the remainder of her spiritual wine in a single gulp. “Joining is no issue, but I have one condition: you must aid my breakthrough to the Golden Core realm.”

A deeply satisfied smile curved Chen Tian’s lips. “Naturally. I shall spare no effort in assisting your ascension.”

Finally, only Jiang Chen remained undeclared.

Only this time, the gazes directed at him were steeped in complexity.

Long Ao had ceased his gloating; he merely stared at the floor, refusing to meet his eyes.

Pei Mo narrowed his eyes, an inscrutable light flickering within his pupils.

Chen Bo opened his mouth to speak, yet could not force a single syllable past his throat.

Xuan Zang remained entirely expressionless, casually swallowing a medicinal pill as he waited.

Tie Xin’s gaze darted continuously between Chen Tian and the broken prince, as if striving to glean the hidden truth.

Jiang Chen took a deliberate step back, his face a mask of profound apology. “Forgive me. I refuse to be a burden on the battlefield. I shall remain behind to manage your rear logistics.”

Chen Tian displayed not a flicker of surprise; he had clearly divined this outcome long ago. “Very well. There is no harm in that.”

Jiang Chen respectfully cupped his hands. “Then I shall leave you to your council. To prevent any unintentional leaks of your grand design, I will excuse myself from the remainder of this discussion.”

None voiced a word of protest or persuasion, merely tracking his silhouette as he turned away.

After all, he was a mere Spirit Farmer bereft of martial prowess, his sole earthly talent rooted in the soil.

With Chen Bo already pledged to their cause, adding or losing another farmer altered nothing.

However, just as Jiang Chen’s foot crossed the threshold, a needle-thin voice transmission from Pei Mo pierced his ears: “Once matters here conclude, I will seek you out.”

Feigning utter ignorance, Jiang Chen continued his steady stride out of the aquatic abode.

Moments later, he was soaring far away from Narcissus Peak.

Riding the icy streak of Shattered Moon Flowing Frost, his brows knitted together in a tight frown.

Something feels incredibly off…

Why did Senior Brother Chen Tian begin weaving this karmic web so early?

I am an immortal with endless days; I have no need to court death in their mortal wars. Playing the turtle is absolutely the correct Dao!

Truth be told, Jiang Chen’s mind was currently a tempest of chaotic thoughts.

It was only today-only in this very moment-that he finally glimpsed the true depths of Chen Tian’s terrifying character.

Prior to this gathering, the man had never leaked a single drop of imperial ambition.

Touching down within Red Leaf Valley, Jiang Chen discovered an unexpected guest awaiting him.

Having just descended from the dueling platform, Qing Xuan had arrived to seek repairs for his damaged folding fan.

Previously, Jiang Chen’s sudden detour to Crimson Fire Peak to force-ripen his spirit herbs had delayed this transaction.

Since both now found themselves with a moment of peace, it was best to mend the artifact immediately and spare them both the tedious travel.

Within the tranquil stone pavilion, the two men sat facing one another.

A freshly brewed pot of spirit tea rested between them, trailing fragrant wisps of steam into the air.

Jiang Chen furrowed his brow, ostensibly examining the intricate damage on the folding fan, though his mind remained anchored to the storm brewing at Narcissus Peak.

Qing Xuan’s perceptive gaze caught the subtle shift. “Is a heavy thought weighing upon your Dao Heart?”

Jiang Chen snapped back to the present. Lifting his teacup, he took a slow sip. “It is nothing of consequence.”

Qing Xuan offered a faint, serene smile. “All phenomena beneath the heavens flow according to their destined karmic currents. We need only fiercely guard our true intentions.”

Jiang Chen offered a dry chuckle. “Do all the disciples of your Hidden World Dao Sect possess such lofty philosophical realms?”

Qing Xuan shifted his gaze to the crimson canopy of the maple trees outside. Listening to the gentle burble of the stream beneath the small bridge and basking in the natural resonance of the valley, he spoke slowly. “The highest good is like water. Water nourishes all creation, yet contends with nothing!”

Jiang Chen mulled over the profound words. “Indeed.”

Following that exchange, a comfortable silence settled over the pavilion; some truths required no breath to be understood.

Several long hours melted away. By the time the sky had deepened into a starry black, the folding fan was flawlessly restored.

Qing Xuan stored it away with visible delight. He then retrieved his personal communication jade talisman from his spatial ring. “This allows for communication across vast distances. Should you ever find your mind clouded by unbreakable knots, seek me out at your leisure.”

Jiang Chen accepted the token with a look of surprise, turning it over in his hands as he nodded. “I will.”

A true communication jade talisman. This was the first time he had laid eyes on such a premium artifact.

It practically radiated a superiority far beyond a standard paper communication talisman.

Roughly three inches in length and one inch wide.

Its texture possessed the translucent sheen of congealed mutton fat, underscored by a faint, verdant hue.

Bereft of the brittle fragility of common talisman paper, it rested in his palm with a warm, jade-like smoothness.

Gripping it, he could acutely sense the subtle, rhythmic pulse of spiritual energy flowing through its core.

The face was etched with twin concentric rings of communication arrays, centering upon a distinct transmission seal.

A fingernail-sized indentation marred the back, serving as a socket for an exceptionally tiny Mid-grade Spirit Stone.

From edge to edge, it was a masterpiece of utilitarian craftsmanship.

Jiang Chen was just preparing to invite his guest to remain for the evening meal when a sudden ripple in the ambient Qi drew his gaze upward. A silhouette was cutting through the twilight skies toward the valley.

Given the hour and the prior arrangement, the identity of the newcomer was self-evident.

Qing Xuan’s divine sense also caught the approaching aura. He immediately rose to his feet. “Since another guest arrives, I shall intrude no longer.”

Jiang Chen did not press him to stay. “Very well. The next time we meet, the wine shall be on me. A personal vintage of my own brewing.”

A bright spark lit up Qing Xuan’s eyes. “I have heard many rumors of your personal brews. It is a profound regret that my lips have never tasted them.”

Truthfully, it wasn’t for a lack of desire on his part.

But in all his previous visits, Jiang Chen had never once offered.

Had the invitation been extended, he certainly would not have declined.

Following this exchange, Jiang Chen escorted Qing Xuan to the mouth of the valley.

Just as they arrived at the threshold, Pei Mo dropped from the sky like a plummeting meteor.

The two cultivators were strangers. Exchanging a brief, assessing glance, they brushed past one another without a word.

Jiang Chen respectfully cupped his hands. “Senior Brother Pei.”

Pei Mo jutted a chin toward the valley’s depths. “The open air is prone to listening ears. Let us speak inside.”

Sensing the gravity of his tone, Jiang Chen immediately guided him into the estate.

They swiftly arrived at the main reception hall.

Only after sinking heavily into a redwood chair did Pei Mo’s tense shoulders finally relax. He looked up and said bluntly, “Had you agreed to Chen Tian’s proposal earlier, I would have used everything in my power to talk you out of it.”

Jiang Chen arched a perplexed brow. “Why?”

Pei Mo’s expression turned grim. “Because the Central Region is the absolute vanguard against the demonic hordes. The environment there is a blood-soaked hellscape countless times harsher than our peaceful sect. It is a realm of absolute peril.”

Having waded through those bloodstained lands himself, he possessed an intimate understanding of the horrors that lurked there.

To drag a pure logistics cultivator like Jiang Chen-a man entirely bereft of killing intent-into that meat grinder was no different from courting death.

The spirit beasts bred within the Immortal Sect were pampered, lacking neither premium fodder nor spiritual springs. They lived in an era of coddled peace.

But the Central Region was a different world entirely; the abominations roaming those lands feasted on raw flesh and drank the hot blood of cultivators.

Once blood was drawn, their primal ferocity defied all rational imagination.

Furthermore, the deeper their wounds, the more terrifyingly explosive their combat prowess became.

They were even capable of weaving innate demonic arts and sorceries, rivaling the spellcraft of human experts.

Therefore, survival dictated that seasoned hunting parties of five to ten elites were required just to corner and slay a single great demon.

Jiang Chen nodded in solemn understanding. “So that is the truth of the matter.”

Pei Mo hesitated, a strange look crossing his face. “And also…”

Jiang Chen instinctively leaned forward. “And also what?”

Pei Mo let out a helpless sigh. “And also… if you ended up dead, where in the heavens would I find such excellent wine?”

Hearing this, Jiang Chen rolled his eyes so hard he nearly saw his own brain. “So that is the damn crux of the matter!”

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