Chapter 1647: Prior to the Negotiations (One)
“Jian Chen, have you really surpassed Saint Emperor and reached the Origin realm in the past few decades?” Rui Jin asked in shock. He stared at Jian Chen closely, waiting for his answer.
Hong Lian and Hei Yu were fixated on Jian Chen as well. This question also weighed on their minds. They had no idea just how the outside world had changed during the decades they spent in secluded cultivation. According to their understanding, there were less than a handful of Origin realm experts even with the four races combined. If Jian Chen was one of them now, it would just be too shocking.
Jian Chen chuckled, “Seniors, many major matters have happened on the Tian Yuan Continent during the years you spent in seclusion. My personal strength has skyrocketed due to a few fortuitous encounters, so I should have already surpassed the Origin realm now.”
“What!? Surpassed the Origin realm?”
This time, the three of them collectively cried out. Their eyes widened and bulged as they were completely drowned in disbelief. Their hearts began to surge.
“Surpassed the Origin realm? How is this possible? It has only been so long,” the three of them murmured; they had become rather dazed. If it were not for the fact that they knew that Jian Chen was not someone who liked to joke around, they would directly believe that Jian Chen was kidding.
According to their understanding, Origin realm experts were unimaginably powerful. As for surpassing the Origin realm, such a matter had completely exceeded their understanding.
“Seniors, why don’t you go rest in the Changyang clan first? It’ll be convenient for me to slowly tell you what has happened on the Tian Yuan Continent as well,” said Jian Chen, inviting the three of them to his home politely.
Rui Jin sucked in a deep breath and slowly calmed himself down. He said, “Fair enough, we’ll go to the Changyang clan first then.”
Jian Chen brought Rui Jin, Hong Lian, and Hei Yu back to the Changyang clan in Lore City. As soon as they entered the clan, the three of them were secretly surprised as they could clearly sense all the Saint Emperors in the Changyang clan. There were so many of them even though several decades ago, they did not even have that many Saint Kings, let alone Saint Emperors.
“Looks like the world really has changed drastically in the years we’ve spent in seclusion. The overall strength of the world has been raised to a whole new level,” the three of them sighed emotionally. Originally, they thought that their strength after they emerged could allow them to be ranked amongst the apex, even if they could not become invincible. However, looking at it now, they just found the thought to be hilariously naive.
Jian Chen and the three others sat together in Jian Chen’s majestic residence. Then Jian Chen began to explain everything that had happened across the years to them in detail.
A few hours later, the three of them learnt about all the changes to the world in the time they were missing. It filled them with amazement.
“I never thought that the world would have changed so drastically in the decades we spent cultivating. Even so many Origin realm experts have appeared. The current age is so glorious that even the ancient times cannot rival it,” Rui Jin sighed emotionally.
“The current age belongs to Origin realm experts. Saint Emperors are no longer anything now. Since the crisis of the world has been averted, the laws of the world are approaching perfection, and origin energy is slowly reappearing. Obviously, I can’t let such a great chance slide through our fingers. As a result, I plan on continuing my cultivation and reach the Origin realm as soon as possible,” Hong Lian said sternly.
“With our current strength, we can no longer provide Jian Chen with any assistance. I want to keep cultivating as well and break through to the Origin realm as soon as possible,” Rui Jin also said.
Hei Yu glanced past the two of them and chuckled, “Looks like the two of you have been quite motivated. You want to go back into seclusion right after emerging. Oh well, since you plan on cultivating some more, I’ll go with you as well. Otherwise, our difference in strength will only become greater and greater.”
Under Jian Chen’s arrangements, the three of them remained at the Changyang clan to cultivate. Origin realm experts had made a few arrangements in Changyang clan long ago. The energy of the world was extremely abundant there, more than a dozen times more abundant than the protector clans, which earned it the name of the greatest cultivation location in the world. Some origin energy had even gathered there, so the effects of cultivating there were far greater than remaining in the necropolis. After all, the necropolis did not have any origin energy.
The three of them entered secluded cultivation and Jian Chen left the Changyang clan as well. As his two wives, Huang Luan and You Yue, were still in secluded cultivation, he had not seen the two of them when he returned this time.
Jian Chen visited Flame City afterwards. The Flame Mercenaries had already developed to a point where it had several million internal members and several tens of million external members. They had become a superpower that had branches littered across the continent, even extending into the sea realm, Wasteland Continent, and Beast God Continent. As the four races became united and abandoned their old territorial mindset, the Flame Mercenaries were no longer composed of just humans. There were members of the Hundred Races, Sea race, and magical beasts as well.
The Flame Mercenaries remained under Bi Lian’s control. As she spent just too much time managing the mercenaries, her strength had not progressed much at all. Even after consuming a Violet Cloud Peach and large quantities of other precious heavenly resources, she remained as a Saint King. Meanwhile, Dugu Feng, Xiu Tianyu, Wang Yifeng, Yun Zhen, Senior An, and so on had all reached Saint Emperor. Dugu Feng and Xiu Tianyu improved at particularly astonishing rates with their impressive talents, having reached the Fourth and Fifth Heavenly Layers after consuming heavenly resources.
Apart from that, Jiede Tai, who had originally joined him under his threats, had reached the Ninth Heavenly Layer of Saint King as well. In all those years, he spent all his time in Flame City apart from returning to his clan from time to time. His mindset slowly changed as well as Jian Chen’s strength gradually increased. He had been forced to follow Jian Chen originally, so he still felt rather reluctant before. However, not only did he treat himself as a part of the Flame Mercenaries now, he even took pride in it.
Jian Chen’s great-grandfather Bi Hai also remained in Flame City during all these years. He had basically become Bi Lian’s supervisor for cultivation. All the members of the upper echelon would always see Bi Hai urge Bi Lian to cultivate more patiently.
Three days later, Jian Chen left Flame City. When he reappeared, he was already standing on Three Saint Island.
As soon as he set foot on Three Saint Island, Shangguan Mu’er appeared before him silently. She stared at him for a while and said, “Jian Chen, I know that something has gone wrong during your secluded cultivation before. Tell me. I want to see if I can help.”
Jian Chen was stunned before smiling bitterly, “Looks like I really can’t hide it from you. However, this problem is rather difficult to deal with.” Jian Chen told her about the hidden problem that had appeared when he broke through to the ninth layer of the Chaotic Body.