That such a talented and perceptive young man should come from a third-rate minor nation like the Eastern Kingdom truly made the Old Master sigh at the workings of creation—sometimes, it followed no rules at all.
He also secretly felt sorry for the Eastern Kingdom. Such a brilliant prodigy had failed to be recognized, allowing the talent to slip away. No wonder the Eastern Kingdom remained stuck as a third-rate power.
"Jiang Chen, this miraculous chance you encountered in your youth must not be spoken of to others. Otherwise, it would be a calamity for you, not a blessing." The Old Master couldn't help but remind him again.
He truly cherished talent, and in this young man, the Old Master discovered more and more brilliant qualities.
These qualities destined this young person to one day astonish all and soar to the heavens.
The immense potential and great fortune contained within this youth were beyond what the so-called prodigies of the Sixteen Kingdom Alliance could ever compare to.
At this thought, the Old Master's heart suddenly warmed. Perhaps, in this Jiang Chen, he could find a new object of his hopes? A new hope?
"Jiang Chen, Consort Dan mentioned to me that your demand for Spiritual Medicine has been great recently. By rights, with your current cultivation level, you shouldn't need so much."
Jiang Chen smiled, making no attempt to hide it. "Old Master, to be honest, the recent incidents have taught me a lesson. Until my strength is fully realized, I must improve the strength of those around me. Only then, when trouble strikes, can I protect myself."
The Old Master deeply agreed with this reasoning.
"I can provide some Spiritual Medicine, but after all, I operate within the mortal kingdoms. The resources I command are a mere drop in the bucket compared to the Treasure Tree Sect. So, if you need Spiritual Medicine, you must enter the Treasure Tree Sect. To put it nicely, it's to seek resources from the sect. To put it bluntly, it's to compete with other prodigies for those resources. On the path of cultivation, the majority are ultimately cannon fodder, mere green leaves. The ones who truly stand out are always just a few red flowers."
The viewpoint the Old Master presented was quite novel.
"This isn't scaremongering. Basically, while sect disciples may look impressive, in essence, most are the sect's slaves, its sacrifices. It's just that by carrying the sect's banner, they can still reap considerable benefits. The true winners are the minority who control the sect's resources—the high-ranking elders and those exceptionally outstanding prodigies."
Having said this, the Old Master glanced at Jiang Chen. He worried that this harsh perspective might seem absurd to the young man.
Unexpectedly, Jiang Chen wore a calm smile, his expression one of complete understanding.
Consort Dan couldn't help but frown. "Jiang Chen, do you understand what the Old Master means?"
Jiang Chen smiled. "The weak are prey to the strong. It's the law of nature. If everyone were equal, could it even be called a sect? It's like this world—the mortals are always the vast majority."
The Old Master was struck speechless again. He had worried a young person like Jiang Chen might not accept this truth.
After all, youths typically venerated sects as sacred grounds. For most young people, the sect was an untouchable sanctuary.
Revealing the sect's true nature, the Old Master had genuinely feared Jiang Chen couldn't handle it.
But now he realized he had been overthinking it entirely.
With just the phrase "the weak are prey to the strong"—four words—Jiang Chen had summarized the essence of a sect with perfect accuracy.
The Old Master couldn't help but ask, "Since that's the case, are you still willing to join the sect?"
Jiang Chen didn't even blink. "I must join."
"Once you join, you'll be bound by the Treasure Tree Sect's rules. Your enmity with the Tie father and son will further narrow your space, and even an outsider like me finding a word for you won't be so convenient..."
Jiang Chen smiled. "Just as the Old Master said, I'm joining the sect to seize resources. Rules are rigid, but people are flexible. Besides, I've heard the Treasure Tree Sect isn't entirely under the Tie family's control. Speaking of you, Old Master, the boy actually has a question."
"Oh?" The Old Master chuckled.
"With your strength and status, why are you not one of the Treasure Tree Sect's grand elders? Why is that?"
This question had crossed Jiang Chen's mind many times, but he had never found a clear answer. Since the topic had come up, he decided to ask.
The Old Master let out a long sigh. "That's a long story. It was probably about two hundred years ago. I once wagered a duel with an elder of the Treasure Tree Sect. The loser had to leave the sect and could never return. And I was the one who lost."
His tone was desolate. This was a topic he had never shared with the outside world. Even Consort Dan was hearing this secret for the first time.
Her beautiful eyes shot Jiang Chen a glance, blaming him for bringing up the Old Master's painful past.
The Old Master chuckled. "Don't blame Jiang Chen, Consort Dan. It's not that I didn't want to speak of these things, but I always felt it was unnecessary. However, Jiang Chen merits my making an exception."
"In truth, my loss wasn't due to a lack of strength. I only learned afterward that my opponent had cheated. And at the time, quite a few high-ranking members of the Treasure Tree Sect knew he had cheated, but not one of them stood up to say it. This made my heart grow cold."
Jiang Chen sighed softly, uncertain how to comfort the Old Master about these old wounds. As an outsider, he truly had little he could say.