Sovereign of the Three Realms

The conversation with Huang’er astounded Jiang Chen greatly, but his curiosity about the Divine Abyss Continent grew as well. He’d traveled step by step, beginning from the Eastern Kingdom to the four great sects of the sixteen kingdom alliance, until he’d found out about the Myriad Domain. After entering the Regal Pill Palace, he’d discovered that the Myriad Domain was only a small area on the fringes of the human domain. The Upper Eight Regions was the core of the human’ domain, where the race reigned supreme. But now, Huang’er’s words had toppled his conception of the Divine Abyss Continent yet again. The human domain amounted a drop in the ocean compared to the entirety of the landmass. Though it wasn’t exactly insignificant, it could never again be seen as the core in Jiang Chen’s mind, at least not compared to Myriad Abyss Island.

Noting Jiang Chen’s odd behaviour, Huang’er was worried that she had damaged his proclivity for optimism. “Brother Chen, your talent is exceptional. The Divine Abyss Continent will not be able to limit you. I’ve no doubt that you can contend with even the master of Myriad Abyss Island one day,” she encouraged.

She didn’t speak solely to console him. As someone who’d been born on Myriad Abyss Island, Huang’er was quite knowledgeable and had seen many things, including countless geniuses. However, none impressed her as deeply as Jiang Chen did. The things that happened to him were almost mythical in the telling, shaking the girl’s heart time and time again. Jiang Chen’s occasional strokes of divine inspiration only served to enhance the impact he had, even on someone from Myriad Abyss Island like Huang’er. Understandably so, since even a place like Myriad Abyss Island was incomparable to Jiang Chen’s previous life.

Jiang Chen gave her a candid smile when he heard her words. “Huang’er, you don’t need to worry about me. No one will take you from my side – not Myriad Abyss Island or the Eternal Divine Kingdom, nor anyone else.”

If another had used the same confidence while speaking, Huang’er would perhaps have simply laughed. But they held a different weight when coming from Jiang Chen. She trusted him unconditionally.

Huang’er’s beautiful eyes lit up with joy, but she became more serious after it passed. “Brother Chen, please promise me something.”

“Go ahead.”

“If I disappear suddenly one day and am taken away back to Myriad Abyss Island, you must promise me that you won’t follow until you’ve become stronger than a Titled Great Emperor!”

“Titled Great Emperor?” Jiang Chen was startled.

“Yes. There are many powerful experts on Myriad Abyss Island. For the younger generation, reaching the emperor realm is rudimentary in terms of showing one’s strength. On the Island, emperor realm is just another realm. One is not qualified to be called a great emperor simply for having achieved it. Great emperor is a title of honor is unique to the human domain.”

Huang’er’s removal of the veil of mystique surrounding Myriad Abyss Island caused Jiang Chen to feel a kind of anticipation.

When I become a Titled Great Emperor one day, where do I go then? The worry was always on his mind. Jiang Chen’s vision was not limited to the human domain. His eyes were focused on the heavenly planes. Now that he’d heard of a place like Myriad Abyss Island, he did not feel defeat and helplessness, but rather the satisfaction of a fulfilled expectation.

“Brother Chen, Huang’er has never asked anything else of you. You must agree to this.” It was rare for Huang’er to be this stubborn about something. Her bright eyes gazed at Jiang Chen with a kind of earnest determination.

“Huang’er…” Jiang Chen was about to go on, but Huang’er’s slender, pearlescent hands clasped over his mouth. She shook her head slightly. “Promise me.”

Seeing her persistence, Jiang Chen knew he couldn’t persevere with sheer obstinence. “I promise,” he sighed softly.

Huang’er let out a breath of relief. “Brother Chen, this is a promise you must hold fast to.”

“Huang’er, don’t worry. Rather than looking for you when the time comes, it’s better to not let them take you away. After I cure you of the Curse, we’ll brave Myriad Abyss Island together, and turn that place upside down! What do you say?” Jiang Chen’s high spirits were infectious. Huang’er broke into a smile as well.

As the two of them were speaking, a message glyph came from outside the secret room. It was Shen Trifire. “Senior brother, Pill King Lu Feng has come to visit.”

Jiang Chen nodded, and walked outside, Huang’er close behind him.

Pill King Lu Feng was in a good mood as of late. He spoke exultantly when he saw Jiang Chen, “Master, I have attempted to absorb the reflections of pill dao you’ve given me over the past half-month, and have learned much from them. I’m eager to try out my newfound knowledge! Please give me some opportunities for field work.”

Translated, that was a request for a pill recipe from Jiang Chen. The Deviant Pill Faction’s recipes didn’t circulate very often in the outside world. Recipes of higher quality were even more pitiably rare. The pills featured by Taiyuan Tower—whether it was the Half-step Immortal Elixir Pill, the Heptarune True Dragon Pill, the Tiger Eruption Pill, or the Aeons Evergreen Pill—were all classics of the faction. Pill King Lu Feng had an itch in his heart that could now only be satisfied by hands on work.

“I can give you the recipe for a pill, and if you do well, we can list it as one of our featured pills as well.” Jiang Chen laughed.

“What? Master, please get to the point. I don’t like to be tantalized so.” Pill King Lu Feng’s impatience was plain to see.

“The Skyheart Nirvana Pill,” Jiang Chen announced smoothly. He’d seen the pill at the Mt. Mirage Pill Battles. Though it wasn’t a high-rank pill, it enjoyed widespread distribution.

“That’s great, master. Ole Lu will refine it with care—I won’t let the Deviant Pill Faction down!” Pill King Lu Feng was as excited as a child who’d just received a piece of candy.

“Before you rush off with happiness, there’s something I’d like you to pay attention to.”

“What is it?” Pill King Lu Feng blinked.

“Keep an eye out for something called the Requiem Wood. If you receive any news through your channels, I will teach you two more pill recipes which are better than the Skyheart Nirvana Pill in every way.”

“Requiem Wood?” Pill King Lu Feng was amazed. “That’s not something that’s easy to find.”

“You know what it is?” Jiang Chen was similarly astounded. The Wood was an esoteric item, so he was just trying his luck. He didn’t expect Pill King Lu Feng to have actually heard of it.

“Four or five years ago, a bounty appeared in the Upper Eight Regions, also seeking the Requiem Wood. The person who found it would be rewarded with an emperor relic! The news shook the Upper Eight Regions at the time, and searching for the Requiem Wood became one of the most popular tasks in the Upper Eight Regions.”

Jiang Chen’s insides churned at Pill King Lu Feng’s words. Four or five years ago was the time Elder Shun had departed from the Myriad Domain. Back then, Jiang Chen had still been with the sixteen kingdom alliance, and it was at Eternal Spirit Mountain that he’d first met with Huang’er and the elder. After that, Elder Shun had entrusted Huang’er to him before traveling the world in search of the Requiem Wood. Alongside him was the former Purple Sun Sect disciple, Chu Xinghan. Based on the timeframe, the reward for the Requiem Wood must have been set up by Elder Shun.

Standing beside Jiang Chen, Huang’er briefly froze as well. They exchanged a glance, and discovered implicitly that their line of thought led to the same place. Pill King Lu Feng only then noticed a stunningly beautiful girl by Jiang Chen’s side. He was overwhelmed by her remarkable appearance and manner. Staring dumbly at Huang’er, he stuttered, “Master, is this … your wife?”

“… Not at all, don’t be rude,” Jiang Chen scolded.

Pill King Lu Feng chuckled for a while, scratching at his head. “Master-wife, please forgive Ole Lu’s impudence. I’m a rough man, don’t take my words too seriously.” He saluted to Huang’er.

The latter smiled faintly back. “Pill King Lu Feng, did you see the one who listed the Requiem Wood’s bounty in person?”

The pill king’s expression blanked momentarily before he sighed, “No, I haven’t. What right do I have to request a visit of someone so much my senior? An emperor relic… even the seven emperors of our Veluriyam Capital may not, well…” Pill King Lu Feng trailed off. Something like that was beyond his realm of comprehension.

“Ole Lu, you should secretly try to keep track of any information about the Requiem Wood. Remember, if you have any news, notify me at the first opportunity.”

“Master, you can rest easy. I’m not much interested in that emperor relic. As pill kings, the dao of pills is the only truth for us,” Pill King Lu Feng laughed.

“Don’t worry, if you really do get the Requiem Wood, you’ll receive appropriate rewards as well.” Jiang Chen casually waved a hand, throwing a jade token towards Pill King Lu Feng. “This is the Skyheart Nirvana Pill’s recipe. Feel free to study it as much as you want. Remember, once you accept this legacy, you cannot betray it your entire life. If you do, even if the heavenly dao does not strike you down, I shall!”

“Master, you look too lowly on Ole Lu’s morals. We pill kings are always loyal to pill dao and our traditions. How could I betray it? If Ole Lu forsakes my master and my tradition, then let me be crushed into pieces, and perish under heavenly lightning!” Pill King Lu Feng loudly proclaimed.

“Good, if you maintain your loyalty, there will be far more surprises than you’ve ever dreamed of.” Jiang Chen didn’t forget to make a promise alongside his warning. Sure enough, Pill King Lu Feng scuttled away joyfully. His expression was sweeter than if he had drunk honey.

“Was that Elder Shun?” Jiang Chen looked at Huang’er.

She nodded, “It must be him, but I wonder where he’s gone now?”

“For someone capable of giving away an emperor relic, Elder Shun’s surely not just a great emperor realm cultivator, is he?” Jiang Chen laughed.

Huang’er inclined her head in confirmation. “Elder Shun is the foster father of my father, and the teacher who’d initiated my father into martial dao as well. He broke the fetters of the emperor realm over a thousand years ago, and received an empyrean decree.”

“So he’s an empyrean expert, then?” Jiang Chen was moved.

“Mm. Empyrean experts are common on Myriad Abyss Island, but they hardly ever leave. For them, any place outside the Eternal Divine Kingdom is too mundane. They are almost never willing to come out, because they are fearful of being tainted by the karma of the lower realms, and thereby have their cultivation progress affected.”

Jiang Chen smiled faintly, “Assigning truth where there is none.”

He was quite disdainful of that so called phenomenon. Smiling softly back, Huang’er nodded as well. She shared similar thoughts. Elder Shun had wandered the human domain for ten years, bringing her with him, but she hadn’t seen any such ‘karma of the lower realms’ affecting him. His cultivation was as robust as it had always been. To put it more plainly, it was just a type of estrangement between castes. Those within Myriad Abyss Island looked down on the entire world outside.

“Huang’er, do you think Elder Shun has secretly gone back to Myriad Abyss Island?” A sudden thought flashed across Jiang Chen’s mind. It was difficult to find the Requiem Wood in the human domain, but Myriad Abyss Island was so much superior. Perhaps it was possible to find the Wood there!