This time, Jiang Chen was dead set on breaking through—he had resolved not to emerge from seclusion until he reached the sixth level of the Imperial realm.
He was already at the peak of the fourth level of the Imperial realm, so breaking through to the sixth meant skipping two full stages. For anyone else, this would be an immense challenge.
But for Jiang Chen, breakthroughs within the Imperial realm were not something he found particularly daunting.
His trip to the Falling Fragrance Valley had yielded tremendous gains—he had gained new insights into the martial dao.
These fresh insights would be instrumental in his push toward the sixth level of the Imperial realm.
Once he broke through to the sixth level, he could ride that momentum and charge straight into the seventh level.
In truth, reaching the seventh level of the Imperial realm was his actual goal for the next three to five years.
According to Exalted Venerable Chongxiao's description of the Six Palaces of Inheritance, to attempt the third palace with any reasonable guarantee of success, one needed to have reached the upper echelons of the Imperial realm at minimum.
The lower bound of the upper echelons was the seventh level.
Given the depth of his bond with Exalted Venerable Chongxiao, the latter would never have made such a claim without good reason.
Jiang Chen could barely contain his eagerness.
Back when Huang'er had been taken away by Elder Xi, Jiang Chen had been consumed by grief and fury—but he had also been starkly reminded that without overwhelming strength, he couldn't even keep the woman he loved at his side.
And this trip to the Falling Fragrance Valley had driven the point home even harder: without absolute power, he might not even be able to protect those closest to him.
Stimulated on all sides, Jiang Chen had never craved a rise in strength more desperately than he did right now.
Behind the Young Lord's manor, Jiang Chen sought out the Vermilion Bird divine beast before entering seclusion.
The Vermilion Bird had long grown fond of the Young Lord's manor—not merely because it was Jiang Chen's territory, but because of the Spring of Wooden Spirit.
Daily immersion in the Spring of Wooden Spirit's baptism had significantly restored the divine beast's vital functions.
Though the spring could not fundamentally reverse the Vermilion Bird's condition, the short-term improvement was unmistakable.
At the very least, it halted the relentless deterioration.
For the Vermilion Bird in its current state, that alone was the greatest guarantee imaginable.
"Senior Vermilion Bird, I'm about to enter seclusion for quite some time—a year at minimum, possibly three to five years, or even longer."
"Go ahead and seclude yourself. There's no need to come and announce it to me personally. Don't tell me you're trying to kick this divine spirit out?" the Vermilion Bird replied with a hint of amusement.
"Hardly, Senior. Stay as long as you wish. My manor could use a guardian of your caliber—someone from the ancient age to watch over our fortune," Jiang Chen said with a smile.
The longer the Vermilion Bird spent around Jiang Chen, the more it came to appreciate the young man's character.
"You're more than capable on your own—what do you need me for? The eight Giant Stone brothers aren't exactly pushovers. So, out with it. What did you really come here for?"
The Vermilion Bird could tell from Jiang Chen's evasiveness that there was something more he wanted to discuss.
Jiang Chen grinned. "As expected of Senior—you see right through me. The truth is, I wanted to ask for a few drops of your essence blood."
Ancient divine beasts despised being asked for their essence blood above all else.
An ancient divine beast's entire body was essentially essence blood. By rights, handing over a few drops—or even several dozen—shouldn't have posed any real burden.
However, ancient divine beasts valued their essence blood as they did their very lives, regarding it as something worth dying to protect.
As a result, they almost never parted with their essence blood unless it was entirely voluntary. After all, doing so carried certain risks.
The Vermilion Bird's tone immediately stiffened. "You want my essence blood?"
"Senior, I once cultivated a Dharma Aspect Divine Ability that uses the essence of primordial flame to simulate the Vermilion Bird's Dharma Aspect. Its power is formidable. Unfortunately, my Vermilion Bird Aspect possesses only its outward form but none of its spirit. The reason is that I lack the Vermilion Bird's bloodline. If I were to obtain even a trace of that bloodline, this Divine Ability would advance by leaps and bounds—increasing its power eightfold or even tenfold is not beyond the realm of possibility."
Jiang Chen's tone was entirely sincere, and he held nothing back.
The Vermilion Bird studied him for a long while. Seeing nothing but honesty in his expression—no shadow of sinister ambition—it let out a soft sigh. "Jiang Chen, not a single human—no, not even the great powers of the ancient age—has ever dared to ask me for essence blood. You are the first."
"If it puts you in any discomfort, Senior, pretend I never brought it up. I have plenty of other means to deal with my enemies."
Though Jiang Chen desperately wanted to bolster the Vermilion Bird Aspect's power, he was not the sort to impose on others.
If the other party found it inappropriate, he would not force the issue.
"Fine, fine…" the Vermilion Bird sighed softly. "Who told me to take a liking to you the moment we met? Who told me to keep accepting your favors? This once, consider it my way of repaying you. But Jiang Chen, remember this: ancient divine beasts hold their bloodline in the highest regard. The longer-lived the beast, the more obsessively they treasure it. If you were to rashly ask an ancient divine beast for its essence blood, it could very well cost you your life."