Afterward, the Red Cauldron Emperor made numerous additional arrangements, summoning several important members of the royal bloodline one by one and explaining the current crisis to them in full detail.
"You are all of the royal bloodline — elite descendants of the Yan family. Now, the Red Cauldron Central Domain faces a calamity of extinction, and we may not be able to protect it. Therefore, the burden of continuing the Yan family's bloodline falls upon your shoulders. I have decided to send you out of the Red Cauldron Central Domain first, where you will live under assumed names. If, in a few decades' time, the Red Cauldron Central Domain remains unharmed, you may return. But if it falls, you will bear the shame of a fallen nation and the hatred of a ruined family. You must remember your mission. As long as our people live, hope lives. Are there any cowards among my Yan family descendants?"
"No!"
"We will follow Your Majesty's arrangements!"
"How could the fine sons of the Yan family possibly fear some country bumpkin upstart?"
Most of these royal Yan family descendants were at an age brimming with hot blood, and they had always been accustomed to arrogance. In truth, they did not submit to Jiang Chen in the slightest. They thought that boy was nothing more than a hick from the Sixteen Kingdom Alliance of the Myriad Domains — nothing worth fearing.
Even now, they still could not connect the renowned Young Lord Zhen, who had shaken the entire world, with that country bumpkin named Jiang Chen.
"Your Majesty, could the intelligence be wrong? How could some kid from a backwater like the Sixteen Kingdom Alliance rise to become the Young Lord of the Glazed Royal City in just ten years?"
"Perhaps it's just rumors spreading through the martial world?"
"That's right..."
The Red Cauldron Emperor roared like a clap of thunder: "Silence, all of you!"
The young men all feared the Red Cauldron Emperor greatly. They turned pale with fright, staring at him, not daring to say another word. Though among some of the younger ones, there was still a trace of dismissiveness in the corners of their eyes.
"My Yan family descendants — is there not a single person of discernment among you? If you truly believe this, then I seriously doubt whether the Yan family bloodline can be continued through you. Can the grand plan of restoring the Yan family be entrusted to your shoulders?"
"You say this Young Lord Zhen isn't Jiang Chen? Then explain this: at the Dragon-Tiger Summit, among the eight first-rank sects, why was the Eternal Heaven Sect the only one that did not participate? Explain why we sent so many envoys to the Eternal Heaven Sect and not a single reply came back?"
"Use your brains and open your eyes! The Red Cauldron Central Domain has already been abandoned by the Eternal Heaven Sect!"
"Perhaps tomorrow, perhaps in a few months, you could become refugees of a fallen nation, homeless dogs without a master — and even now, you still have no idea what's going on?"
After the Red Cauldron Emperor's furious tirade, his face had turned purple with rage. He waved his hand: "Elder Guo, you are responsible for escorting these fools out of our borders. This is all I can do for you. Once you leave the Red Cauldron Central Domain, whether you perish or thrive on your own — the ancestors of the Yan family will be watching over you from the heavens!"
The Red Cauldron Emperor's words struck like a bolt from the blue, and the royal descendants broke out in cold sweat. Only then did they realize that the situation truly seemed dire.
Elder Guo's face was expressionless. "Young masters, the Emperor's earnest intentions — you should remember them well. The situation is urgent and cannot be taken lightly. Come. This old servant will arrange for the young masters to leave our borders."
They had just sent away the Crown Prince, and now they were sending this batch of royal young masters out of the country as well. On this matter, Elder Guo was treating it with the utmost seriousness.
He knew that in circumstances like these, if the Red Cauldron Central Domain failed to join the Burning Cauldron City in time, there would be no escaping the fate of annihilation.
...
In the Sword Field Central Domain, Jiang Chen's contingent had already arrived in secret. The one receiving them was none other than the Langya Sect, one of the three great powers of the Sword Field Central Domain.
The previous trade of Celestial Meteorite True Iron had allowed the Langya Sect to find its true allegiance, binding them wholeheartedly to the Glazed Royal City. This time, having received a secret missive from the Glazed Royal City, the Langya Sect had long since made all necessary preparations.
The Sword Field Central Domain was not far from the Red Cauldron Central Domain, and the Langya Sect in particular was situated in the southwestern reaches of the Sword Field Central Domain — making it the closest of all the powers there to the Red Cauldron Central Domain.
"Young Master, Sect Master Wei Lang has arrived." Jiao Yun walked over and announced.
When Wei Lang saw Jiang Chen, his face broke into a broad smile. "This humble one is Wei Lang, here to pay respects to Young Master Jiang Chen. Last time, thanks to the Young Master's gifted medicine, I was able to break through to the eighth level of the emperor realm. Such a debt of gratitude — even if I had to serve you with straw sandals and a knot of reeds, it would not be enough to repay."
Jiang Chen appraised Wei Lang for a moment and smiled. "Sect Master Wei, you were a bit too hasty. If you had held on and aimed for the ninth level of the emperor realm instead, would that not have been better?"
Wei Lang chuckled sheepishly, a little embarrassed. "Couldn't wait, couldn't wait. Once I thought about the miraculous effects of that pill, I simply couldn't hold myself back."
Jiang Chen could understand that. The Imperial Ascension Pill allowed an emperor-realm cultivator to advance one full level unconditionally — anyone who got their hands on it would find it nearly impossible to sit still, eager to try it immediately.
"Very well. With your martial foundation, if fortune smiles upon you in the future, breaking through to the ninth level of the emperor realm should be quite possible. As for whether you can reach the emperor-sovereign realm... that will depend on your destiny."
Wei Lang was a shrewd man; he caught the subtle implication in Jiang Chen's words at once. His eyes lit up, and he bowed deeply. "This humble one only hopes to serve under Young Master Jiang's banner. In the future, when Young Master Jiang reigns over the human domain — even a casual bestowal of fortune would be more than enough for me to benefit immensely."
This fellow certainly knew how to speak.
Jiang Chen smiled but did not refuse him. What he needed was loyalty. If Wei Lang truly pledged himself and served him well, Jiang Chen would not mind bestowing further fortune upon him in the future.
"Sect Master Wei, do well. In the martial world, miracles do happen. Oh — where is Elder Luo?"
At the mention of Elder Luo, Wei Lang perked up. He stepped forward and replied with a grin: "Young Master Jiang, I sent Elder Luo to handle a matter. If all goes well, he should be back quite soon."