“What is it, senior apprentice-brother Long Chen?” Wang Mang, who was busy directing everyone, hastily ran over.

“If we continue like this, how much can we get after three days?” asked Long Chen.

“Ah, that’s a bit difficult to say. But in the previous generation, which was when I came, each person obtained plenty of points after exchanging the Neidans with the Dao Sect. For an outer sect disciple like me, that amount would take me five years of hard work to obtain normally,” said Wang Mang.

“It must have cost you a great deal to get such a job, correct?” Long Chen made a gesture with his hand, meaning money. Long Chen had seen this kind of routine many times.

“Yes, the only reason I could get this mission was because of the help from the Law Enforcement Hall. So senior apprentice-brother Long Chen, I truly am sorry,” said Wang Mang.

“I’ve already said not to bring up that matter again. As long as you don’t make yourself my enemy, I won’t make things hard on you. If you want to follow me, I also won’t treat you badly,” said Long Chen directly.

He could see that Wang Mang had many misgivings and was afraid he would make things hard on him in the Central Plains. Then he would really be doomed.

But in Long Chen’s opinion, he had just been used by others, and he could forgive that. If he wanted to join him, then he wouldn’t be petty. Everyone could talk openly.

“Junior disciple greatly admires senior apprentice-brother’s magnanimity. If the positions were reversed, I wouldn’t be able to have such an attitude,” said Wang Mang. After talking with Long Chen for this long, he sensed that Long Chen seemed to have the bearing of a king.[1] He didn’t put on airs, nor did he boss around others. Instead, he would occasionally joke and curse with the Dragonblood warriors rather coarsely.

But the more he acted that way, the more magnanimous he appeared. He was different from the experts Wang Mang had seen in the past. Long Chen possessed a kind of charisma that won him over.

“Let’s get to the important topic. Seventh rank Neidans should be more valuable than sixth rank ones. Why not draw over more powerful sea demons?” asked Long Chen.

“It’s not that we don’t want to, but that we can’t. Sea demons normally have their own range of movement. If they don’t smell blood, they won’t be drawn over. So our profit is mostly up to luck,” said Wang Mang.

“That’s what it was? Then if we ended up drawing eighth rank sea demons, or even ninth rank sea demons, what would happen?” asked Long Chen.

“That’s impossible. Eighth rank sea demons rarely appear, and ninth rank sea demons are on the level of a King,” said Wang Mang.

“Be quieter. Just tell me what would happen in that situation,” said Long Chen.

“Eighth rank sea demons we can handle, but if a ninth rank sea demon appears, Elder Sha won’t just stand still. He’ll end up taking action,” said Wang Mang.

“Then what about the Neidan?” asked Long Chen quietly.

“Hmm… according to the rules, everything obtained through the hunting is for the disciples. Even if the Elder had to interfere, he cannot share in the profit. Senior apprentice-brother… you…” Wang Mang nervously stared at Long Chen.

“That’s enough. There’s nothing else, so just peacefully get rich. Don’t talk too much.”

Long Chen’s mind sank into the primal chaos space. He quickly picked over ten medicinal ingredients. Refining them into powder, he also stealthily drew in some essence blood from the sea demons, using the Earth Flame to refine a special medicinal pill.

This pill had no tier. It was Long Chen’s own invention, and it didn’t really have any value. But it could completely activate the power of the essence blood, and once it was tossed into the water, sea demons would all be drawn by the scent of the essence blood.

Long Chen looked at the indifferent Elder Sha. A mischievous glint appeared in his eyes. If he had access to such a powerful helper, he should use it.

Stealthily dropping the medicinal pill into the sea, he saw that no one noticed his actions. The medicinal pill dissolved and an invisible fluctuation spread.

After completing this, Long Chen nonchalantly returned to the front of the bow. That was where Elder Sha was standing, so no one else dared to approach. But Long Chen did.

“Elder Sha, disciple has something he wishes to ask you. Do you recognize this?” Long Chen handed a violet jade pendant to Elder Sha.

Elder Sha received it. His pupils shrank. “Nine-line Soul Calming Jade? And the most precious violet jade one… There’s a formation within the jade. This is…”

Elder Sha’s old hand lit up, shining the light onto the jade pendant. Long Chen saw countless speckles appear on the pendant. Although Long Chen didn’t understand such things, he knew this was a kind of complicated formation.

“Does senior know its origin?” asked Long Chen, his heart skipping a few beats.

Elder Sha shook his head. “This formation is too complicated. I’ve never seen it before, and I can’t tell its origin. But this jade pendant is not something an ordinary family or power could possess. Nine lines is a representation of status, and considering the violet jade’s quality, whatever power it came from is probably something that exceeds your imagination.”

Elder Sha looked at Long Chen. He had an urge to say something, but in the end, he kept his mouth shut. He returned the pendant back to Long Chen and returned to his indifferent appearance.

Long Chen sighed inside. It seemed even Elder Sha’s knowledge was limited. But he had still learned a bit.

“Elder Sha, could you perhaps refer me to a certain direction?” probed Long Chen.

“The world is large. It requires you to walk it with your own feet. What difference is there whether I answer you or not?” said Elder Sha lightly.

Long Chen bitterly smiled. But his words were right. For him to learn about this now didn’t really have any meaning.

Once he reached that level, he would naturally learn the truth. Before he reached that level, what was the point of knowing? Elder Sha was clearly telling him that he didn’t have the qualifications to know such things.

Furthermore, Elder Sha strictly followed the rules. He didn’t like trouble, and although he had questions inside, he didn’t ask them.

Of course, that was the main reason Long Chen dared to ask Elder Sha about this. Because Elder Sha’s mouth was kept tightly shut, making it safe.

Originally, Long Chen had wanted to continue questioning Elder Sha and see if he could learn about the structure of the entire Martial Heaven Continent and the distribution of powers, but this reply of Elder Sha’s clearly showed that asking would be useless.

“Many thanks, Elder Sha.” Long Chen bowed slightly. Just as he turned to leave, Elder Sha opened his mouth once more.

“Let alone the entire Martial Heaven Continent, just attempting to stand out within the Xuantian Dao Sect will be very difficult. If you want to contend for supremacy within the entire continent, you should first set yourself up in the Xuantian Dao Sect.” A complicated expression appeared in Elder Sha’s eyes, and he couldn’t help but give Long Chen a final warning.

Long Chen was startled. Elder Sha didn’t like to speak, he hadn’t revealed his cultivation base, and he always appeared like a wooden old man, but Long Chen’s intuition told him his power was terrifying.

“Many thanks for senior’s pointers,” said Long Chen humbly.

“It wasn’t anything important. Once you arrive at the Xuantian Dao Sect, you’ll understand that even if you can dominate the other four regions, you still won’t have any superiority amongst the Central Plains’ heavenly geniuses. To sum it up, avoid pride and impatience, avoiding showing off your sharp point, be more evasive and sly, and your journey will be easier,” said Elder Sha.

“Disciple understands. Many thanks.” Long Chen bowed.

Although Elder Sha was being subtle, his meaning was obvious. Long Chen might be the top amongst the disciples from the Eastern Wasteland, Western Desert, Southern Sea, and Northern Source, but compared to the geniuses from the Central Plains, his foundation was lacking. He was losing right at the starting line.

In truth, the reason why the Xuantian Dao Sect had established branch sects in the four outer regions wasn’t because they had many hopes for the disciples raised there. To put it frankly, the four outer regions’ disciples were nothing more than cannon fodder, fireflies to show off the brightness of the moon.

Elder Sha was warning him kindheartedly. He had lived for a long time, and he had seen batch after batch of disciples who had gone to the Central Plains full of hope and passion, only to be given grievous blows from reality. He had seen countless promising geniuses fall one by one. Now he was almost numb to it.

It was precisely because he was numb that he didn’t have much interest in things anymore. He just did his job, following the rules. Rather than aiming for the best possible result, he just avoided making mistakes.

“Unfortunately, disciple’s stubbornness is something you’ve seen. No one can change me, not even the heavens. Others might find me foolish, but I am not a fish, so I don’t know a fish’s pleasure. In the same way, others are not me. What I want is to skyrocket, to be the Kunpeng that breaks through the restrictions of the heavens. Even if I fail, I won’t mind. If I didn’t have those guts, living wouldn’t have any meaning. However, disciple appreciates Elder’s kindness. If I have a chance, I will definitely return the favor,” said Long Chen.

Each person could have their own principles, and all those principles might sound right. But they might not suit you. As an expert, you needed to find your own belief, a truth that you believed in the most, a truth that wouldn’t change after ten thousand years, a truth that wouldn’t change in life or death.

Long Chen’s belief was that in his life, he had to go all-out. From the day he had cultivated the Nine Star Hegemon Body Art, it was fated that he could not walk the ordinary path. Since he was different from others, why bother taking on their principles?

Seeing that Long Chen’s thoughts weren’t affected at all despite his words, Elder Sha shook his head slightly and remained silent.

“Heavens, this many seventh rank sea demons!”

Suddenly, a startled cry rang out. Countless powerful auras rapidly approached the flying boat.

“They’ve finally been baited.” Long Chen smiled. Returning to the deck of the boat, he stood with everyone else. Huge waves surged in the sea below.

[1] The way of the king is contrasted by the way of the hegemon/tyrant. A king is benevolent and wise, while a hegemon/tyrant is tyrannical, arrogant, overbearing, etc.