Inside the guest lodge, Jiang Chen had already taken his leave, ordering his subordinates to properly attend to these distinguished guests.
Elder He's expression was grave. Clearly, his conversation with Jiang Chen had weighed heavily on his mind. It also left him somewhat self-reproachful.
Zhu Yun, standing nearby, said with some dissatisfaction, "Elder He, this Jiang Chen is young after all. His words lack all restraint. Isn't his talk just boosting demon morale and crushing human spirit?"
Elder He knew that Zhu Yun was simple-minded and blunt. He didn't respond directly, but instead looked toward Liu Yuan. "Liu Yuan, what do you think?"
Liu Yuan's expression was equally severe, clearly also pondering the matter seriously.
"Elder He, Jiang Chen's words are harsh, but in my assessment, they are not wrong. Since the great battle of antiquity, the human race has been vastly weakened. Many ancient legacies were either taken away to Myriad Abyss Island or completely lost. The human race's current foundation and strength are truly less than a tenth of what they possessed in ancient times. If the demon race can recover even thirty percent of their ancient power, we humans will find it extremely difficult to survive."
Liu Yuan's words were already somewhat tempered.
Elder He sighed softly. "At first, I too felt that this boy Jiang Chen was being alarmist. But upon careful reflection, he is indeed right."
"The Barbarian tribes, the Nandou Li clan — perhaps none of those are truly frightening. But if the demon race triggers a Demon Calamity, that would be catastrophic beyond measure. Absolutely terrifying."
After hearing Elder He's words, everyone felt a sense of heaviness settle over them.
These Heaven-rank experts rarely ventured into the mundane world anymore. They had not paid particular attention to the affairs of the human territories for a long time.
But the demon race was a threat none of them could avoid.
If the demons ever staged a comeback, even these reclusive experts would be impacted — and they would be among the very first.
So even though they called themselves reclusive powers, when a Demon Calamity erupted, there was absolutely no way to remain untouched.
Liu Yuan, however, was not as disheartened as the others. He smiled and said, "Elder He, in my view, while this boy Jiang Chen is clearly wary of the demon race, his words still leave a sliver of hope. He said, unless a tremendous turning point emerges. Perhaps the human race is not without the possibility of such a turning point."
Elder He's eyes brightened, and he too smiled. "Where do you think this turning point lies?"
"I can't tell yet, but this Glazed Royal City, and this Jiang Chen — perhaps they are part of the turning point. Elder He, I've heard that the Glazed Royal City was established by a great human leader of antiquity. And the Glazed Royal Tower is the legacy masterpiece that leader left behind?"
Elder He pondered. "There was indeed such talk, but it has never been verified. In truth, since the ancient era, in every generation, there have been Heaven-rank experts beyond the Emperor realm who tried to secretly explore the Glazed Royal Tower. Not a single one succeeded. They either retreated when faced with difficulty, or simply never came out."
One after another, additional reclusive Heaven-rank experts arrived.
Not every Heaven-rank expert had ties with the others. The later arrivals were clearly more mysterious, more low-key — even Elder He and the rest had not expected that these individuals were still alive.
After exchanging pleasantries, they each settled into the guest lodgings Jiang Chen had prepared.
Unquestionably, they had come not merely to attend the Martial Dao Tea Gathering. They also wanted to see what manner of person the recently famous Jiang Chen truly was.
Moreover, they wished to see whether this Young Master of miracles would actually deliver on some of his promised benefits.
The next day, the weather was fine and pleasant.
Jiang Chen rose early, steadied his emotions, freshened up, and then went to pay his respects to these Heaven-rank experts who had traveled so far.
Jiang Chen was extremely courteous to those who had come to lend their support.
The Martial Dao Tea Gathering was held in an open clearing behind the rear mountain of the Young Master's estate on Peacock Sacred Mountain. The location boasted excellent feng shui, high and expansive terrain, wonderful views, and outstanding scenery.
One by one, the Heaven-rank experts who had traveled from afar continued to arrive.
In the end, a full nine of them had come.
The number was somewhat smaller than Jiang Chen had expected, but with nine attendees, Jiang Chen was not too disappointed.
As the tea gathering commenced, Jiang Chen smiled and said, "Everyone, today whether it's tea or wine, there is plenty for all. Our Peacock Sacred Mountain is rather humble. If the fare does not meet your standards, please be understanding."
The tea and wine Jiang Chen had prepared were things that even Heaven-rank experts might never have truly tasted.
In particular, the wine — with Jiang Chen's brewing abilities, many great figures across the Myriad Heavens World had once come to his home specifically to beg for a drink.
This was a testament to just how deep and masterful Jiang Chen's brewing skills truly were.
Back in the mundane kingdoms, a casual batch of Nine Hua Jade Dew Wine had been enough to completely win over everyone in the Tiangui Kingdom.
And this time, in preparation for the Martial Dao Tea Gathering, Jiang Chen had painstakingly brewed a batch of truly Myriad Heavens-grade fine wines.