Ye Chonglou's words struck like a thunderbolt, leaving Patriarch Thousand Leaves pale with shock.
Jiang Chen, on the other hand, suddenly recalled an incident from the past. The first time he returned to the Jianghan territory, he had sent his cousin Jiang Yu to oversee a plot of spirit land belonging to the Jiang family.
The spiritual medicine on that spirit land had unexpectedly matured overnight.
Jiang Chen had investigated at the time and sent people to examine the surrounding areas as well. The conclusion was that the spirit land was likely a place of great ill omen.
The spiritual medicine maturing overnight was a harbinger of catastrophic fortune.
Later, Jiang Chen left the Eastern Kingdom, and all his closest relatives had departed from the Jianghan territory. As a result, he never pursued the matter further.
The reason was simple — he had already divined it as a sign of great misfortune, and so he had no desire to lift the lid on it or invite that kind of trouble.
Now, hearing Grand Tutor Ye's words, Jiang Chen suddenly connected what had happened back then with what the old man was saying, and he felt there was a very real possibility the old man was right.
"Chonglou, are you saying our Sixteen Kingdoms Alliance is actually a demon-sealing land?" Patriarch Thousand Leaves found it hard to believe. "If it is a demon-sealing land, then why would the Nine Yang Heavenly Sect establish a presence here?"
"I am only speculating. As for the Nine Yang Heavenly Sect, a sect of that caliber does not necessarily fear the Demon Race. Moreover, the edge of the seal is the most advantageous position for observing them. The sealed land also contains the fortune of the Demon Race. If the Nine Yang Heavenly Sect wishes to grow stronger, the fortune of the Demon Race, their treasures, their various reserves of power — all of it would be immensely beneficial. However, the surviving records concerning the Demon Race are far too sparse. I cannot determine the exact reason the Nine Yang Heavenly Sect established a foothold here. But if they have any reason to take an interest in a backwater like the Sixteen Kingdoms Alliance, the only explanation would be its connection to the demon-sealing land."
Ye Chonglou's sources and information were extremely limited, and his knowledge of the ancient Demon Race was pitifully scant.
As a result, though his deduction was startling, it failed to convince Patriarch Thousand Leaves.
Jiang Chen, however, believed it to about seventy or eighty percent.
"Jiang Chen, what do you think of Danqian Palace's proposal for an alliance?" Patriarch Thousand Leaves was clearly not particularly interested in the matter of the demon-sealing land. He changed the subject and turned to Jiang Chen.
"Matters of the sect are for you two patriarchs to decide. If there is anything you need me, Jiang Chen, to do, just say the word. As long as it is within my power, I will never refuse."
Patriarch Thousand Leaves was quite satisfied with Jiang Chen's reply. He smiled and said, "We intend to accept Danqian Palace's alliance proposal. However, they demand shared ownership of you. The problem is that both Patriarch Chonglou and I worry that the Treasure Tree Sect is far inferior to Danqian Palace, and we may not be able to keep you."
Though he said it in a joking tone, this genuinely reflected the concerns of both patriarchs.
Grand Tutor Ye also looked at Jiang Chen with a half-smile. "Jiang Chen, I trust your character completely, and I have unwavering faith in your potential. You are no creature meant to languish in a small pond — once the wind and clouds arrive, you will surely become a dragon. Given enough time, neither the Treasure Tree Sect nor Danqian Palace will be able to hold you. We only hope that the Treasure Tree Sect will always retain a place in your heart. If, in the future, your strength reaches its peak and conditions permit, you will offer the Treasure Tree Sect your protection."
Compared to Patriarch Thousand Leaves, Ye Chonglou was closer to Jiang Chen, so his words were more direct and more heartfelt.
In truth, Ye Chonglou trusted Jiang Chen deeply. He knew that Jiang Chen was a man who valued loyalty and righteousness, and that he would do this without being asked.
Ye Chonglou said this deliberately for Patriarch Thousand Leaves to hear — to dispel the latter's concerns and persuade him to place the Treasure Tree Sect's best resources at Jiang Chen's disposal, to fully nurture and support Jiang Chen.
"Rest assured, you two patriarchs — I, Jiang Chen, have never been one to forget his roots. During this time, while I have been comprehending the Dao beneath the Canxia Treasure Tree, everything I have gained has made me feel an ever-deeper affinity with the tree. As long as I remain a disciple of the Treasure Tree Sect for a single day, the sect will always hold a place in my heart. No matter what calamity may come, so long as I, Jiang Chen, still draw breath, I will ensure the flame of the Treasure Tree Sect never dies."
Both Patriarch Thousand Leaves and Ye Chonglou were overjoyed. They both knew Jiang Chen's character, and since he said this, it meant this was truly what he felt in his heart.
"You two patriarchs, the matter of the alliance is in your hands. I shall take my leave."
Jiang Chen knew nothing of Danqian Palace. Not only was Danqian Palace merely a top-tier sect in the Myriad Forms Territory, but even if it were a first-rate sect, Jiang Chen had no intention of leaving the Treasure Tree Sect for the time being.
Upon returning to his villa, Jiang Chen did not rush to cultivate.
At his level of Spirit King, he was only a single step away from the Yuan Realm. This step could no longer be achieved through tempering his Spirit Sea or circulating his meridians.
The key to breaking through to the Yuan Realm lay in his heart force — a breakthrough of spiritual awareness. Breaking through to the Yuan Realm required a flash of sudden inspiration and epiphany.
There were many Spirit King martial artists in the world, but among them, perhaps not one in a hundred ever achieved the Yuan Realm.
The tempering of heart force was a form of cultivation that was profoundly mysterious and ineffable.
Beneath the Canxia Treasure Tree, Jiang Chen always seemed to have more inspiration, and his meditation was remarkably effective. Deep down, he had a feeling that if he wanted to break through to the Yuan Realm as quickly as possible, he needed to meditate more beneath this tree.
That month of meditation had accelerated the advancement of his heart force realm at a remarkable pace. Combined with the fact that he had already cultivated the Heart of Rock, the dual effects had elevated his heart force realm like a rising tide, bringing it to the threshold required for the Yuan Realm.