Ancient Strengthening Technique

AST 0079 – Cang Lang Country of the Greencloud Continent

“Old man, how’s the strength of the Yan Clan, in the Yan Capital of the Yan Jiang country?”

Baili Jingwei gazed at Qing Shui, laughing as he answered with another question. “How much do you know about the world of the nine continents, or how’s your knowledge and familiarity with the Cang Lang country, and how much do you understand about your own power?

Under the sudden onslaught of the three questions, Qing Shui realized that truly, he did not know much, but since he didn’t understand, all he had to do was ask! The old man in front of him was definitely not someone ordinary. He should grab this chance to broaden his knowledge regarding this world he was living in.

“Please enlighten this young one.” Qing Shui sincerely implored.

Baili Jingwei smiled as he nodded his head.

“Under the heavens of the nine continents, our Greencloud continent is located at the westernmost boundary of this world. However, did you know that at the northern and western border of the continent, terrifying danger is abound everywhere. For example in the western region is the 10 million li mountains, which no one has traversed the entirety of it before, partly due to insufficient food and water.”

Qing Shui listened calmly as his thoughts spun back to the half-a-year span of time which he had spent in there.

Cang Lang country is one of the 81 countries in the Greencloud continent, and is also the located in the westernmost region. The land size that it occupied was immense, and was in a good strategic location.

“The people in the Cang Lang country, including the cultivators, there are very few of them who have left the country before. The majority of the citizens of the Cang Lang country would at most visit the boundaries between the Cang Lang country and other countries, or they would at most only travel to one of the 81 cities located within the country. Hundred Miles City is one such city, but it was one of the weakest and smallest cities.”

Qing Shui naturally knew this, as it was extremely tough just to find a Xiantian Cultivator in this city.

Baili Jingwei drank a sip of tea from his cup, as he swept his gaze onto the crowd on the streets as he lightly said, “Yan Capital is the capital of the Yan Jiang Country. And the Yan Clan could be considered the “royal” clan of the Yan Capital, and is the protector of the Yan Capital. As for the true strength of the Yan Clan, even I could not be certain. After all the strength which they reveal could just be a facade. After all, I’m not from the Yan Jiang Country, so there’s no way I could tell you for certain. However, one thing is for sure, the Yan Clan would definitely possess more than one Xiantian cultivator.

The words of Baili Jingwei caused Qing Shui to suck in a cold breath, so the Yan Clan could be considered the protector of an entire country. This spoke volumes about their strength!

“And here I was still thinking to stomp the Yan Clan after reaching Xiantian, what a joke, what a childish joke. That promise I made to mother, saying to give me five years of time… Could I defeat the entire Yan Clan in five years?” Qing Shui felt extremely bitter in his heart.

Lost in his thoughts, Qing Shui only recovered after he saw the grandfather and grandson duo staring at him with a weird look in their eyes, before breaking into a forceful smile.

“Old man, are there a lot of Xiantian cultivators out there?”

Baili Jingwei only lightly smiled as he shook his head, resting his hands on the table before stating, “Qing Shui, this world is controlled by the various reclusive sects and great clans, whoever has the strength, would have the authority to speak. Do you understand?”

Qing Shui pondered over the words before suspiciously stating, “I still don’t understand!”

“Okay put it this way, the Hundred Miles City is a small city of the Cang Lang Country, and for certain things, the Hundred Miles City would still have to follow the arrangement of the Cang Lang Country, and would need to pay tax and all. Do you understand now? This is because the strength of the Cang Lang Country is so much mightier than Hundred Miles City. You could say that the Cang Lang Country is the backer of Hundred Miles City!” Baili Jingwei glanced at Qing Shui as he slowly explained.

“You are saying that as long as one was strong enough, he could control a capital or even a country from the shadows?” Qing Shui asked with suspicion evident in his tone.

“En, you are intelligent indeed. Did you have some dealings with the Yan Clan in the past? If needed, I could help you, although I may not be able to help much, but for the little things, I would definitely be able to help.” Baili Jingwei smiled as he sincerely assured Qing Shui.

Qing Shui could sense that this Baili Jingwei was definitely someone with an extraordinary status. After all, despite knowing that the Yan Clan had sufficient strength to be the protector of the Yan Jiang country, he was still able to casually say such words.

“Thank you, if i really need your help, I would be sure to seek you out.”

Despite the casual way the old man spoke, Qing Shui could feel the sincerity in his eyes. However in this world there was no free lunch! Qing Shui did not believe that the old man would help him due to the pureness of his heart, it was just that he had not figured out what the motives of the old man were yet.

“Fine, if you need my help, just light up this “Cloudflame Cylinder”. As long as you are within the Cang Lang country, at the very most, just in 3 days, there would be people arriving to help you. And I too would rush there.”

After thinking for a bit, Qing Shui accepted the cylinder. It was just that Qing Shui was still young and somewhat ignorant. If he knew that the thing he held in his hands were a lifesaving signal cylinder from the “Heavenly Sword Sect”, no one would be able to predict his reactions.

“Thanks, old man.”

“No need for thanks, I said that we were fated to meet here. The meaning of fate, is very simple. It simply means that we can make use of each other.” Baili Jingwei maintained his warm-looking smile on his face.

Qing Shui felt what the old man said was true, as his estimation of the old man involuntarily went up a few degrees, but the words which he said caused Qing Shui to ponder slightly.

“Old man, since you said that we were fated to meet, could there be anything I can help you with?” Qing Shui decided to go straight to the point.

Baili Jingwei slowly said, “help or not, it doesn’t matter to me, since I do not know if you would be able to mature during the years which I’m still alive. However I can feel that the current you could be compared to a carp which will transform to a dragon after leaping over a dragon gate[1]. I’m doing this only to sow some karma, and leave a path of retreat for my descendents. “

These words caused Qing Shui to be dumbstruck. Baili Jingwei was planning too far ahead in the future. What made Qing Shui dumbstruck, was not because Baili Jingwei could tell that he was extraordinary. It was the fact that for a mere “promise in the future”, he wouldn’t hesitate to help Qing Shui against the Yan Clan!

“Do you really feel that I would have extraordinary accomplishments in the future?” Qing Shui laughed.

“Just my intuition, but it’s usually accurate. Even though I’m old, the shine in my eyes has not gone dim yet.” Baili Jingwei laughed, emitting a feel of a sage.

“I’m afraid that I would disappoint you.” Qing Shui sighed as he spoke.

“No worries, helping others is a form of joy as well. I will just treat it like an investment.” The old man continued laughing, as his clear eyes looked at Qing Shui.

“If you are right, and I become someone that was capable of shaking the world in the future, I will never forget your help and kindness.”

[1] chinese idiom meaning someone is extraordinary.