Sovereign of the Three Realms

Young master Ji San sighed, “It is just that ridiculous. Veluriyam Capital is situated in the southern part of the Upper Eight Regions, and its influence envelopes the entire region. However, Pillfire City is situated in the northern part of the Upper Eight Regions, and their influence spreads through the northern, northeast and northwest parts of the Upper Eight Regions. Their pill business can only be described as astounding. They’re just as wealthy as some countries.”

Pillfire City? Jiang Chen remembered the description that went with the name in the book Huang’er had given him. However, the introduction of the place within was merely a shallow overview. He continued to stare at Boss Li, “Who did you sell those two people to?”

Boss Li said, “I’m not sure. I only know that they belong to Pillfire City.”

Young master Ji San spoke angrily, “How dare you do business with them even with the knowledge that they are from Pillfire City? Don’t you know that Veluriyam Capital and Pillfire City are sworn enemies in the pill industry?!”

“This is the decision made by my family’s superiors. My status is low, and I have no say in this matter.”

Jiang Chen and young master Ji San were both dumbfounded by his answer. They kept interrogating him, but ultimately failed to glean any more clues.

“This matter is much easier to deal with now that we know where they’ve gone, brother. Should I send someone to Pillfire City to take a look around?”

Jiang Chen nodded, “Please. There is also one more thing I’d like to ask your help with, Brother Ji.”

Young master Ji San nodded, “Then let us speak outside.”

Jiang Chen had no interest in Boss Li. The accomplice of a crime was more than deserving of death, so naturally he didn’t bother to inquire into Boss Li’s fate. The Coiling Dragon Clan would deal with him. Soon, they were both within a private room. Young master Ji San turned to him, “You can tell me anything, brother. There is nothing the Coiling Dragon Clan can’t do in Veluriyam Capital.”

Jiang Chen didn’t try to hide his intentions. He told young master Ji San everything about his father, Jiang Feng.

Young master Ji San pondered, “Do you have any clues or keepsakes that are tied to your mother’s background?”

Jiang Chen shook his head. “None. I’ve also searched inside my old home, the Jiang Han manor, but there were no clues there either.”

“If there are no clues, then we can only inquire about him slowly through various channels. The search won’t be very efficient though.”

Jiang Chen also understood that searching for someone like this was akin to trying to find a needle in a haystack. But still, delegating the task to the Coiling Dragon Clan was far more efficient than having him searching around blindly. After all, he still had next to no foundation in the Upper Eight Regions. Most importantly, he couldn’t reveal his true identity yet. Otherwise, there were plenty of ways that he could spread his name through the Upper Eight Regions. If that happened, his father would naturally seek him out on his own.

But sadly, it wasn’t an option he could take. The Eternal Celestial Capital and the Ninesuns Sky Sect were still eyeing him covetously. He would only bring trouble to those around him if he spread his name.

“Brother Ji, how is the clan lord doing as of late?” Jiang Chen thought that he should repay young master Ji San a little, seeing that he had helped so much.

“The same as ever. The clan lord is afraid to cultivate because it would only quicken the rate of his cultivation dissipating. Therefore, he’s basically focusing on recuperating and maintaining his physical condition.” Young master Ji San’s tone was extremely heavy. This matter had become a constant worry in the mind of every Coiling Dragon Clan member.

An idea entered Jiang Chen’s mind. “Can you take me to the clan lord?”

Young master Ji San looked surprised. “Do you wish to meet the clan lord, brother?”

“Mm. I’d like to meet the clan lord and get some details on his condition. This way, if I meet my master again in the future, I’d be able to tell him any pertinent information. That way, he would be able to take the most appropriate steps.”

Young master Ji San nodded repeatedly, “You’re right, you’re absolutely right. I’ll apply for your entry right now. Please sit here for a moment while I go and facilitate this. I’ll be back right away. I’ll ask Captain Mo to accompany you while I’m gone.”

The moment he finished his words , young master Ji San strode away with hurried footsteps and an incredibly urgent look on his face. Jiang Chen understood that the Coiling Dragon Clan’s clan lord must be faring extremely badly from how anxious young master Ji San looked. Otherwise, someone of his bearing would never reveal such a look on his face.

After young master Ji San had gone out, Captain Mo came in and smiled, “The young master had requested that I keep you company for a bit, Pill King Zhen. I haven’t interrupted you, have I?”

“Don’t stand on ceremony, Captain Mo. Young master Ji San and I are as close as brothers, and you’re actually our senior, aren’t you? If you are going to continue speaking this courteously, then I’ll really have to leave.”

Captain Mo broke out in laughter, “Pill King Zhen, young master Ji San has had countless friends in his life, and I have come to know them all in one way or another. However, I’ve never been impressed by anyone until you showed up. That gamble you fought on the day of Taiyuan Tower’s opening was truly astounding.”

“You praise me too highly, Captain Mo. I was just lucky to have met my teacher in my youth, not to mention that I pulled a fast one during that bet.”

“Haha, the Majestic Clan’s the one who tried pulling a fast one. They came prepared, whilst you and Taiyuan Tower were given no choice but to accept their challenge. It was no simple feat to take on a battle you were unprepared for and then win the whole thing. House Wei is lucky to have met you, Pill King Zhen.” Captain Mo obviously enjoyed a high position under young master Ji San. He talked and laughed freely. The two had a wonderful chat while they waited.

A while later, young master Ji San came in with a beaming smile on his face. “The clan lord is very happy to hear your wish to visit him, brother. He’s asked me to bring you to him right away.”

Upon hearing this, Captain Mo hastily said, “Then go quickly, Pill King Zhen. Let us talk again later.”

Jiang Chen nodded and followed young master Ji San. Without bringing a single subordinate with them, the pair walked into the most important area in the entire Coiling Dragon Clan residence. There were numerous road blocks along the path to the clan lord’s residence. Even young master Ji San was not exempted from the checkpoints. Many inspections and stops later, they finally arrived at the entrance of a garden.

“Brother, my clan lord is a powerful person who’s only a single step away from becoming a great emperor. His consciousness is powerful and capable of divining many truths. In my opinion, you should not hide your identity from him. If he acknowledges you, then it may help you further in your attempt to establish yourself in Veluriyam Capital. Would you be alright with that?” Young master Ji San sent a message to Jiang Chen right before they went through the door.

Jiang Chen smiled. “Someone like the clan lord would never lower themselves to betray the likes of someone like me, so why would I hide it from him? Plus, you are my sworn brother. How can I possibly trouble you with such a thing?”

Young master Ji San was overjoyed, and he patted Jiang Chen’s shoulder. “You are a true brother! Now let’s go! We shouldn’t let the clan lord wait.”

The two entered the garden as they chatted with each other. The garden was extremely large, holding a stable tiny world inside. Following young master Ji San’s footsteps, the two arrived at an artificial mountain where the sounds of water burbled happily in their ears. There was a man standing beside the fake mountain, his hands behind his back. As he stood there, he almost seemed to meld with the landscape itself to form an ink painting that was full of extraordinary meaning.

“Pill King Zhen has come to visit you, clan lord.” Young master Ji San withdrew his usual flippant demeanor and spoke respectfully to the clan lord. It was obvious that he greatly admired the clan lord.

The person with his back facing towards them was neither tall nor sturdy, but the way he stood there gave off the impression that the world itself moved to a melody he controlled. When he turned slowly, the visage of a calm old man entered Jiang Chen’s eyes. However, the senile appearance that usually accompanied someone of his age wasn’t present at all.

“Well met, clan lord,” Jiang Chen moved forward and bowed to the old man.

“What were you saying just now at the entrance, Ji San? Pill King Zhen’s identity? Is there something else that you’re still hiding from me?” The old man’s tone was a third interrogative and two thirds teasing.

Both Jiang Chen and young master Ji San were shocked. Their communication had been through their consciousness earlier, so how on earth had the clan lord heard it?

“You little monkey. Don’t you know how many restrictions exist in this area? One of those is particularly tricky one that transmits consciousness messages straight to my ears. Didn’t you know of it?”

Young master Ji San clicked his tongue and couldn’t say anything for a very long time. Finally, he let out a wry laugh, “I guess not even consciousness messaging is reliable anymore!”

The clan lord smiled leisurely, “It’s not impossible. If you recognize this restriction for what it is and avoid their grasp on purpose, then you can continue to communicate by consciousness as usual. Most importantly, you let down your guard in the residence.”

Young master Ji San let out a small sigh of relief when he noticed that the Coiling Dragon Clan clan lord didn’t seem to be scolding him. The clan lord beckoned them over, “Come over and speak plainly, you two little rascals. Pill King Zhen eh? Hehe, from what I can see, you’re just twenty years old or so. That’s good. The saying that heroes can come from the youth isn’t wrong, considering that you were able to strike such a massive blow to the Majestic Clan. You’re also a successor of the Deviant Pill Faction. You’ll definitely go far!”

“Junior Jiang Chen has been forced to conceal his identity due to certain circumstances, clan lord. Please forgive my transgressions.” Jiang Chen could only sigh as he said this.

“Jiang Chen? You mean Jiang Chen of the Regal Pill Palace, of Myriad Domain? The youngster who killed an Eternal Celestial Capital holy king? Are you him?” The clan lord was obviously slightly surprised by the revelation.

“That would be this junior.” Jiang Chen was only twenty or so years old during this lifetime, so there was no shame in calling an old man who was over several thousand years old his senior.

“Well, isn’t that interesting. This is beyond my expectations. I’d known of Regal Pill Palace’s Dan Chi, and I’d always assumed he was the greatest genius in the Regal Pill Palace. But I never realized that you would be the true genius instead, Jiang Chen! I have heard quite some stories about your achievements. I hadn’t imagined that you would also be the one who’d thwarted the Majestic Clan’s scheme. Heroes truly do come from the young. How precious, how very precious!” The clan lord’s tone was full of praise.

“I am truly honored by your praise, clan lord,” Naturally, Jiang Chen couldn’t act as noble as he usually did before the Coiling Dragon Clan lord.

The Coiling Dragon Clan lord nodded slightly, a trace of appreciation appearing within his eyes. After a long moment spent examining Jiang Chen, he smiled. “It’d be strange if I gifted you another Imperial Advent Defense Talisman since Ji San has already given you his, but as the senior, it is also inappropriate for me not to give you a gift during our first meeting. How about this. I have two Sage Smile Pills here. It can increase a sage realm cultivator’s power unconditionally by a level without any side effects whatsoever. This is my gift to you. But you must remember that you can only take one pill. They cannot be used in succession.”

The Sage Smile Pill? Jiang Chen was rather moved. This Sage Smile Pill existed in his past life too. It possessed the same effects as the Origin Doubling Pill, which increased the power of an origin realm cultivator unconditionally by a level. However, the spirit ingredients of the Origin Doubling Pill—the Firstcloud Dew—was already incredibly rare. It was a treasure that one could only stumble across by chance. The spirit ingredients of the Sage Smile Pill were even rarer than Firstcloud Dew, and the pill itself even more so. He didn’t think that the Coiling Dragon Clan clan lord would give out two of such precious pills just like that!