Zi Che Min smiled faintly and suddenly spoke up. "Patriarch Yan, I'd like to meet young friend Shao Yuan alone once more, if that would be alright? Rest assured, I won't try to poach him by force. If young friend Shao Yuan isn't willing, I won't press the matter. No coercion whatsoever."
The Yan family patriarch knew that with a request like Zi Che Min's, refusal was simply not an option.
"I'll lead Lord Zi Che there," the Yan family patriarch nodded in agreement.
"Please."
Before long, the group arrived at where Yan Qingsang lived.
Zi Che Min's brow furrowed slightly. He hadn't expected the Yan family to neglect a genius like Shao Yuan to this degree. Such a remarkable talent, yet in the Yan family, he didn't even have his own private courtyard. He was crammed together with Yan Qingsang — though "crammed" wasn't quite the right word.
Still, there was no denying that the Yan family's regard for a talent like Shao Yuan had reached a truly laughable level.
"Patriarch Yan, I don't mean to speak ill of your Yan family. It's just that, with a genius like Shao Yuan, you've really neglected him rather badly."
Zi Che Min sighed and shook his head repeatedly.
The Yan family patriarch felt a pang of secret regret. Now that he thought about it, it really was true. A genius that even someone of Zi Che Min's stature held in such high esteem — and in their Yan family, he didn't even qualify for a private courtyard. That was genuinely absurd.
"Young friend Shao Yuan, I am Zi Che Min. Might I come in for a visit?" Zi Che Min called out in a clear, unhurried voice.
Jiang Chen had already returned to his quarters when he heard Zi Che Min's voice and was slightly taken aback. He stepped outside and, upon seeing the Yan family patriarch accompanying Zi Che Min and the others, felt even more surprised.
"Lord Zi Che, what brings you here?"
"I simply couldn't stop worrying, so I came to have a look. I never expected young friend to be living in such modest quarters. I just gave the Yan family patriarch a talking-to — neglecting a genius like this is simply unacceptable."
The Yan family patriarch was mortified. With a bitter smile, he said, "Lord Zi Che, please go ahead and talk with Shao Yuan. I won't intrude."
Before long, only Zi Che Min and Jiang Chen remained in the courtyard.
"I must say, Lord Zi Che's visit truly caught me off guard." Rather than serving tea, Jiang Chen produced two of his finest wines to offer his guest — the Nong's Essence and the Drunken Immortal Brew.
"Oh? These are two different wines?" Zi Che Min hadn't taken a sip yet, but the moment the fragrance reached his nose, he could already tell the difference.
"They are. Each one is delicious on its own, but drinking them one after another reveals an entirely different kind of pleasure. Why not try, Lord Zi Che?"
Jiang Chen poured two cups and placed them before Zi Che Min.
Zi Che Min's interest was piqued. He chuckled, and the sight of the fine wines stirred his appetite. A moment later, both cups had been emptied.
Zi Che Min savored the lingering taste with boundless appreciation. "Magnificent! Simply magnificent! The mortal world now has two more divine brews to its name. Hahaha — young friend Shao Yuan, you never cease to amaze."
Jiang Chen smiled faintly. "Fine wine is a small matter, but within small matters, one can see glimpses of the greater truth. Within the trivial lies the great Dao. All things between heaven and earth operate this way."
There was a deeper meaning behind Jiang Chen's words.
Zi Che Min heard them and nodded in wholehearted approval. "A young friend of such wisdom — I truly haven't misjudged your worth. It seems your comprehension of the Dao has already reached considerable depths. When the day comes that you cultivate to the peak of the Emperor realm and attempt to break through to Celestial King, there will be absolutely no difficulty."
The Celestial King realm — in truth, it was about perceiving the laws of heaven and earth.
For a young man to possess such a profound understanding of the Dao was genuinely remarkable in Zi Che Min's eyes.
Jiang Chen poured two more cups and asked with a smile, "Lord Zi Che, you've come here for a reason, I presume? I'd be glad to hear your counsel."
"It's the same matter as before — inviting you to join the Eternal Sacred Land. With your talent, your ambitions should be grander. In the Eternal Divine Kingdom, only the Eternal Sacred Land stands at the absolute pinnacle. All other forces are small-time games. I've also heard that the Xiahou family has laid claim to you, but you needn't even consider them. Should the Yaochi Sect make the same demand, you needn't consider them either. The only option truly worth your consideration is the Eternal Sacred Land."
Jiang Chen nodded with a smile. "If I were to leave the Yan family, the Eternal Sacred Land would absolutely be my first consideration. As for the Xiahou family and the Yaochi Sect — those are possibilities I have never once entertained."
"Then, young friend — have you considered leaving the Yan family?" Zi Che Min asked with a slight smile.
Jiang Chen let out a soft sigh. "I have considered it. But no — I won't be leaving."
A flicker of disappointment crossed Zi Che Min's face, but he couldn't help pressing further. "Such resolve — I truly admire it. It's just that I genuinely don't understand. What exactly does the Yan family have that makes young friend so unwilling to part with them? Is it your bond with Yan Qingsang? If that's the case, I could bring Yan Qingsang into the Eternal Sacred Land as well."
There was no denying it — in his effort to recruit Jiang Chen, Zi Che Min was bending over backwards.
Jiang Chen spoke with genuine gratitude. "Lord Zi Che, my relationship with Yan Qingsang is certainly one factor. But there are other personal difficulties that I'm not at liberty to discuss in detail."