We're practicing all martial arts, so why did you switch to easy mode?

Chapter 208 Metamorphosis: A Path to Heaven for You (10,000 words)
Benefactor? Save my life?
The people in the distance were all stunned upon hearing this, and a variety of questions arose in their minds.

Only Emperor Qian instinctively looked in Su Chen's direction, but was suddenly startled.

Su Chen had long since disappeared. The bluestone ground was cracked like a spider web, and a wisp of dust rose up.

In mid-air, Zhou Tianci, who was charging towards Zhu Yan, heard the cry for help and instinctively froze.

The next instant, a faint sense of unease welled up in his heart, growing stronger as the whistling sound in his ears intensified.

Following the sound, Zhou Tianci was startled. What came into view was a figure rushing towards him like a shooting star.

"Who is this person?"

The same thought popped into Zhou Tianci's and Song Yang's minds.

But at this moment, Zhou Tianci had no time to think. Feeling the heavy pressure coming towards him, his eyes gleamed, he shouted softly, turned around, and threw a punch as heavy as a mountain straight at Su Chen.

Su Chen, who had just arrived, had a deep look in his eyes. The pressure Zhou Tianci exerted on him was even greater than that on Song Yang.

Facing such a martial arts expert, he held nothing back and went all out from the start.

The Twenty-Fourth Level: Sword Drawing Technique!
The ferocious fist gathered terrifying power, and the moment it was thrown out, it broke through and stirred up huge waves of air.

The air surged and pushed aside all the surrounding air, producing bursts of sonic booms.

This level of pure power attack is no less powerful than an impact of elemental force.

If he were hit, even Song Yang would be seriously injured.

With a solemn expression, Song Yang watched the two figures about to collide, and took advantage of the gap to frantically refine healing pills.

His strength was comparable to Zhou Tianci's, but because he was ambushed and injured, he was constantly restrained.

In addition, factors such as unstable cultivation level and the fact that demon blood warriors of the same cultivation level are stronger have led to his suppression in many ways.

The reason Zhu Yan was asked to help was to buy him time to recover from his injuries.

As long as he can catch his breath, even if he can't defeat Zhou Tianci, he can still escape unscathed.

Although Su Chen's move was somewhat unexpected, it suited his purposes perfectly.

He didn't expect Su Chen to fight Zhou Tianci for three hundred rounds; he only wanted Su Chen to buy him some time.

Suddenly, Song Yang's expression changed.

The two were far apart, but just as Su Chen drew his sword, he seemed to hear a nightmarish sound of a sword being drawn, deafening and startling.

He suddenly looked up at Su Chen.

A long beam of light seemed to trail from Su Chen's body, descending into the sky as his arm fell.

"This, this is..."

Upon seeing the sword energy stretching for hundreds of meters, Song Yang was greatly alarmed.

"That aura... it's the aura of a sword!"

What shocked him was not Su Chen's terrifying sword energy, but the faint aura emanating from the sword energy.

Sword stance!
Also known as the power of divine weapons, it can generally only be unleashed by divine weapons.

But at the moment, he did not sense the aura of a divine weapon from Su Chen's weapon.

How is it possible to unleash the power of a divine weapon without actually possessing one?

A hint of horror flashed in Song Yang's eyes.

And at this moment——

boom!
A deafening sound resounded through the sky.

The twenty-fourth level of sword-drawing technique, with a speed that was impossible to react to, slashed at Zhou Tianci.

Like a dazzling galaxy, it split the sky into two worlds.

"died?"

Zhu Yan stared intently at the sky, trying to pierce through the blinding light to see what was inside.

The Qian Emperor and his group, who were not far away, were also shocked by Su Chen's sudden move.

The sound of the explosion from the collision of the two attacks still echoed in their ears, sending chills down their spines.

"not dead!"

Song Yang composed himself and gazed at the sky. As the light faded, his expression suddenly changed.

In the dim light, Zhou Tianci still stood suspended in the air, exuding a ferocious and bloodthirsty aura.

The eyes, like those of a ferocious beast, slowly rose and fell upon Su Chen in front of him, filled with killing intent.

Roar!
A deep, guttural roar, filled with boundless fury, erupted from deep within Zhou Tianci's throat as it hurtled toward Su Chen.

"My benefactor, be careful!"

Zhu Yan snapped out of his daze, never expecting that Zhou Tianci would actually block Su Chen's powerful and domineering strike.

Seeing Zhou Tianci attack Su Chen, Zhu Yan's expression changed drastically, and he shouted a warning.

The earth-shattering impact sent Su Chen flying backward, landing on a pavilion behind him.

After he steadied himself, he was slightly taken aback when he saw Zhou Tianci, whose aura had greatly increased.

"Can't one strike kill him?"

He thought the twenty-fourth level of the sword-drawing technique would easily kill Zhou Tianci.

After all, he had personally witnessed the blade's energy strike Zhou Tianci.

I never expected it to turn out like this.

Su Chen's eyes narrowed as he watched Zhou Tianci attack again.

If one strike doesn't kill, then two strikes will do.

He gripped the steel knife tightly in his backhand, releasing a terrifying aura.

The steel knife in his hand seemed to sense its master's will and began to tremble involuntarily.

The Twenty-Fourth Level: Sword Drawing Technique!
Su Chen shouted and rose up with his sword, slashing down horizontally.

A dazzling blade of energy erupted from the tip of the blade, transforming into a hundred-meter-long streak of light that slashed towards Zhou Tianci once more.

All of this happened in the blink of an eye; all the movements were fluid and seamless, giving Zhou Tianci no time to react.

"Two cuts aren't enough? Then three!"

Noticing that Zhou Tianci had also blocked the second strike, Su Chen groaned and then swung his sword again.

However, despite being called the third strike, Su Chen unleashed four strikes in succession, attacking Zhou Tianci from all directions.

This time, Zhou Tianci was unable to stop him.

Although he dodged one blow, three more blows landed on him, freezing him in place.

The once indestructible body sluggish for a full half second before shattering instantly, bursting into bursts of blood.

Blood blossoms scattered, like a rain of blood pouring down from the sky.

"died!"

Seeing this, Song Yang was slightly lost in thought and muttered to himself.

The Emperor Qian and the others, who were not far away, also stared in horror at the rain of blood falling from the sky, unable to recover for a long time.

After killing Zhou Tianci, Su Chen's expression relaxed. The frequent use of the sword-drawing technique made him feel somewhat tired.

Fortunately, they managed to kill their opponent in the end.

This Zhou Tianci is the most powerful demon blood warrior he has ever encountered; he truly deserves to be the sect leader of the Demon Martial Sect.

I just wonder how this level of strength would fare at the Gathering Yuan Realm.

Su Chen steadied himself, then leaped back to the ground amidst the astonished gazes of the others.

Only then did they realize that the truly powerful one was not Zhu Yan, but Su Chen, who had never made a move.

Suddenly, Qianhuang's body trembled as he sensed a sharp gaze falling upon him.

That was the gaze of the ancestor, filled with a deep questioning tone.

It was as if they were questioning him: why didn't such a powerful Su Chen participate in the martial arts competition?

Emperor Qian was in a difficult position. If he had known earlier that Su Chen was so strong, he would have definitely let him participate in the competition.

With Su Chen and Zhu Yan present, this competition might end in just two rounds.

"It's all that brat's fault!"

Under the piercing gaze of the Qian Ancestor, the Qian Emperor could only smile awkwardly, but he had already decided to go back and "pamper" Qian Ruyuan properly.

"Your Excellency, are you alright?"

Song Yang walked over, his eyes fixed on Su Chen.

Hearing what Ancestor Qian said, he shook his head: "I'm fine."

He paused, looked at Su Chen, and asked, "Who are you?"

Upon seeing Su Chen up close, Song Yang finally remembered that he had met Su Chen before.

However, Su Chen did not participate in the battle at the time, so he did not pay attention to it.

"Your Excellency, this is Su Chen," Emperor Qian hurriedly introduced.

Upon hearing this, Song Yang cupped his hands and said, "Thank you for saving me, young friend Su."

He could tell that Su Chen was only at the Meridian Opening Realm, but based on Su Chen's strength in killing Zhou Tianci just now, it was enough for him to address him as an equal.

Moreover, Su Chen indirectly saved his life.

"It's alright," Su Chen replied.

After chatting with the group for a while, Song Yang asked Old Ancestor Qian and the others to leave, leaving only Su Chen and Zhu Yan behind.

the other side.

After leaving the villa, Zhou Hanwen and the others did not go far, but went to a forest and waited quietly.

"Tianci is dead!"

The commotion at the villa gradually subsided, and Zhou Hanwen, who had not received a signal from Zhou Tianci for a long time, sighed and said.

Upon hearing this, the Great Zhou Ancestor could not hide his surprise: "Song Yang has only just entered the Gathering Yuan stage, how could he possibly kill Tianci!"

If Song Yang escaped, that would be understandable, but Zhou Tianci would absolutely not believe that Song Yang killed him.

Not to mention that Old Ancestor Zhou didn't believe it, even Zhou Hanwen had many doubts and dared not believe it.

He personally trained Zhou Tianci, and he knew Zhou Tianci's abilities better than anyone else.

Logically speaking, even if they couldn't kill Song Yang, they shouldn't have been killed in return. There must have been some unknown twist of fate involved.

However, they do not know for sure at the moment.

"I underestimated that old fox Song Yang!" Zhou Hanwen sighed softly, his gaze deep.

"Then, Ancestor, does our Great Zhou really have to pay tribute to the Great Qian every year?" Ancestor Zhou asked somewhat unwillingly.

After hearing this, Zhou Hanwen shook his head and said, "Song Yang has already submitted his application to the sect and will leave Daqian soon. Then our people will take over. What does it matter whether he hands it over or not?"

Upon hearing this, the wrinkles on Old Master Zhou's face smoothed out.

"Let's go."

……

Song Yang left Su Chen and Zhu Yan behind and led them to a thatched hut.

Looking at Song Yang bustling about inside the thatched hut, Zhu Yan couldn't help but ask curiously, "Envoy Song, is this where you live?"

The thatched hut in front of them was dilapidated. Although it was drafty but not leaky, it did not look like the place where someone of Song Yang's status lived.

But Song Yang's actions of boiling water and pouring tea clearly tell the two that this is his residence.

This completely shattered Su Chen and Zhu Yan's perception of Song Yang.

"Please don't call me Envoy anymore. If you don't mind, I'm older than you, so you can call me Brother Song."

Song Yang gestured for the two to sit down and poured them a full cup of tea.

"This is tea made from Spirit Moon Silver Grass. It tastes quite good. You should try it."

Upon hearing this, the two exchanged a glance, sat down, each picked up a cup of tea, and took a small sip.

The aroma is slightly mild, but the taste is rich and mellow, quickly transforming into a weak amount of pure energy that stimulates the growth of vital energy.

"Good tea!" Su Chen and the other man said in unison, then drank the tea in their cups in one gulp.

Upon hearing this, Song Yang burst into laughter.

Seeing that their cups were empty, he refilled them and said, "When it comes to tea, you can only taste the true flavor when you drink it to the very end."

As he spoke, he picked up a cup of tea and took a small sip.

"Just like the thatched hut I live in, it may look dilapidated, but only the fish knows whether the water is hot or cold," Song Yang said.

Su Chen and Zhu Yan nodded, their faces showing deep thought.

Seeing this, Song Yang chuckled and said, "You may not understand now, but this is related to the true meaning of my martial arts. You will understand in the future."

"The true meaning of martial arts?" The two looked at Song Yang sideways.

Song Yang nodded: "Yes, every martial artist has their own true meaning of martial arts, but you are not at the level yet, so you don't know it for now."

"Please explain in detail, Elder Song," Su Chen said, cupping his hands in greeting.

Zhu Yan nodded in agreement; he himself did not know the true meaning of martial arts.

"Let's talk about it after you reach the Power Realm." However, Song Yang shook his head and didn't say anything more.

Su Chen was somewhat disappointed and continued to ask, "Could Elder Song please tell me what the next stage of cultivation is after the Meridian Opening?"

He only knew from Zhu Yan that the next stage after opening the meridians was the gathering of vital energy, but he had never heard of the realm of momentum, hence his question.

Song Yang did not hide anything from this question and frankly said: "After the Gathering Yuan, one enters the Power Realm. The so-called Power Realm is to comprehend the power of heaven and earth, thereby mobilizing the power of heaven and earth for one's own use and strengthening oneself."

You are cultivating the Yuan Power Martial Arts, so once you reach the Momentum Realm, you will be able to comprehend the Momentum of Yuan Power.

The power of Yuan energy is generally manifested in the forms of Yuan energy that you have learned in your daily studies.

He paused, then looked at Zhu Yan: "For example, your specialty is using elemental energy to condense flames into flowers for combat."

Then one can continue to condense the flame flower in this way until the limit is reached, only then can one comprehend the power of the flame flower.

With the added power, the power of your condensed flame flower will increase several times, or even dozens of times.

A casual strike possessed the power of flames, like the overwhelming might of heaven; ordinary Qi Gathering martial artists simply could not withstand it.

Then, he turned to Su Chen: "Just like your Divine Weapon Aura, even if you haven't reached the Gathering Yuan stage, you can still kill Zhou Tianci with the Divine Weapon Aura."

"The power of a divine weapon?" Su Chen was taken aback, his face showing doubt.

Song Yang seemed to sense something, his brows furrowing slightly: "You don't know?"

Su Chen shook his head.

This surprised Song Yang slightly: "You don't know? Then how did you use it? Even though it was only a trace, I couldn't possibly have misjudged it."

If Su Chen only swung his sword once, he might have misjudged the situation.

But Su Chen had unleashed six strikes, each imbued with the power of a divine weapon; even if he were old and his eyesight was failing, he couldn't possibly have made such a mistake.

Su Chen was still puzzled.

Song Yang remained silent for a while before explaining, "I don't know much about the power of divine weapons either. I only know that it can only be used with the help of divine weapons."

Unlike the power of Yuanli, which is comprehended and controlled by oneself, the power of divine weapons is mostly used with the help of divine weapons, and the user does not need to comprehend it.

The stronger the divine weapon, the greater its aura, and the stronger its user.

At this point, Song Yang was both puzzled and somewhat surprised: "What puzzles me is that you don't have a divine weapon, yet you can unleash the power of one. Perhaps I'm just ignorant and this is the first time I've encountered such a situation."

The primordial energy takes shape and transforms into all things, including the sun, moon, stars, mountains, rivers, flowers, and trees.

Once you have its form, you must understand its power; this is the power of primordial energy.

The power of divine weapons doesn't need to be so complicated; any martial artist with divine weapons possesses one.

The divine weapon possesses an unparalleled understanding of form and momentum.

Therefore, as long as a warrior possesses a corresponding divine weapon, he can unleash the power of that divine weapon.

These are Song Yang's interpretations, which may not be accurate, so he carefully informed Su Chen and Zhu Yan of them.

Although Su Chen understood, he naturally didn't know the reason since even Song Yang didn't know it.

However, he didn't dwell on it, perhaps it was because of the panel that he was special.

"After the Momentum Realm comes the condensation of the Martial Dao Primordial Spirit, followed by the Divine Intent Realm. I won't go into too much detail about these; you will know them when you reach the corresponding realms." Song Yang gave a brief overview of the subsequent realms.

Gathering Yuan, Momentum Realm, Martial Dao Yuan Shen Realm, and Divine Intent Realm are the four realms after opening the meridians.

After listening, both of them were deeply moved and their hearts were filled with emotion.

Song Yang remained silent, waiting for the two to calm down.

After a long while, Song Yang looked at the two of them and asked, "Su Chen and Zhu Yan, if I may ask, how many meridians have you both opened?"

Upon hearing this, the two knew that the important matter had arrived.

Su Chen replied, "I have opened up five profound meridians."

Zhu Yan then said, "I have opened up four profound meridians."

"As expected." Song Yang smiled with satisfaction. "I called you here today to ask if you would like to join the Ziyang Sect."

After stating his purpose, Song Yang looked at Su Chen, his words primarily directed at Su Chen.

“With your current strength, it will be difficult for you to make any progress if you stay in the Great Qian Dynasty. The Great Qian Dynasty cannot provide you with the soil for growth. Only by leaving the Great Qian Dynasty and seeing a more vast world can you make further progress. And the Ziyang Sect is one of your few options,” Song Yang analyzed.

Zhu Yan hesitated and politely declined Song Yang's offer: "To be honest, Elder Song, I already have a successor."

"That's a shame."

Song Yang sighed slightly. Although he liked Su Chen, Zhu Yan was not bad either. It would be best if he could be invited to join the Ziyang Sect.

Seeing Su Chen hesitate, Song Yang said, "Actually, joining the Ziyang Sect will be beneficial to both you and the Great Qian Dynasty."

"What do you mean?" Su Chen asked, puzzled.

Song Yang smiled and said, "If you join the Ziyang Sect, you will have the opportunity to become the ambassador of the Great Qian Dynasty."

"Old Song, what you're saying..." Su Chen understood the implied meaning and was startled.

Song Yang nodded: "That's right. The envoys stationed in the country are not fixed, but appointed by the Ziyang Sect. However, you can apply for this appointed position yourself."

At this point, he sighed softly, "I have at most one more year in Daqian. If you do not become Daqian's ambassador after one year, then the next ambassador will most likely be someone from the Great Zhou Dynasty."

"What!" Su Chen and Zhu Yan exclaimed simultaneously. From the moment Song Yang mentioned that Su Chen should join the Ziyang Sect to become a resident envoy, the two had a premonition that Song Yang might leave.

But unexpectedly, Song Yang's departure was so short.

It's one thing to only be able to stay for a year, but the most crucial thing is that the person who will serve as the envoy of the Great Qian Dynasty a year later is actually a warrior from the Great Zhou Dynasty!
Both Su Chen and Zhu Yan simultaneously realized the crux of the problem at that moment.

If the warriors of the Great Zhou Dynasty were to actually serve as envoys to the Great Qian Dynasty, would they hold the Qian Emperor accountable? Would they settle old scores for preventing the Great Zhou Dynasty from winning the martial arts competition today?

The former is almost certain to happen, but Su Chen and Zhu Yan are unwilling to gamble on the latter, even if there is only a one percent chance.

At that time, both of them may have left Daqian, but they still had relatives and friends in Daqian.

If the Great Zhou were to reopen old grievances and fail to find them, they would instead seek out their relatives and friends, which is something they do not wish to see.

Taking in the expressions of the two men, Song Yang sighed inwardly.

In fact, he was not a person of the Great Qian Dynasty. He served as an envoy to the country for training purposes.

Once he breaks through to the Gathering Yuan Realm, he will leave.

Before Zhou Hanwen revealed his wolfish ambitions, he had already submitted an application to the Ziyang Sect.

As long as someone purchases the Great Qian's envoy token from the Ziyang Sect within a year, he can hand over the token and return to his own country.

This is why he went to negotiate when he learned that the Great Zhou and the Demon Martial Sect had joined forces to attack the Great Qian.

In the past, he would have certainly taken a severe revenge on Zhou Hanwen, but now he is simply letting the two dynasties compete to determine the winner.

He told Su Chen and Zhu Yan the reason for this, on the one hand, to recruit disciples for the Ziyang Sect, and on the other hand, to repay some of the favors owed to the Great Qian Dynasty.

After all, during his time in the Great Qian Dynasty, the Emperor Qian had been quite respectful, and he did not want people from the Great Zhou to become envoys of the Great Qian Dynasty afterward.

After a long silence, Su Chen asked curiously, "Why can someone from the Great Zhou become the resident envoy of the Great Qian?"

"This is related to the rules established by the Ziyang Sect regarding resident envoys. The Ziyang Sect has too many subordinate dynasties, so appointing resident envoys is convenient for governance and also allows disciples to gain experience. Moreover, the Great Zhou also has a certain foundation within the Ziyang Sect, so..."

Song Yang didn't continue, but his meaning was clear.

In short, the Great Zhou had powerful connections, but the Great Qian did not.

"Then how does one become the resident envoy of the Great Qian?" Zhu Yan asked at the opportune moment.

"Join the Ziyang Sect, and then purchase the title of Ambassador to the Country within a year of my retirement. Once I agree, I will hand over the Ambassador to the Country token to you," Song Yang replied quickly.

"This price isn't cheap, is it?" Su Chen asked, seizing the key point.

Song Yang replied meaningfully, "It's cheap for some people, but expensive for others. It depends on your abilities."

Seeing that the two remained silent, Song Yang said again, "You two should think about it. There's no rush."

The two nodded.

Knowing that neither Su Chen nor Zhu Yan was in the mood for tea, Song Yang told them to go back and think it over.

The two agreed and got up to leave.

On the way back, the two of them were somewhat silent.

Su Chen looked at Zhu Yan and asked, "Is what Song Yang said true?"

Zhu Yan knew what Su Chen was asking, so he replied, "It should be true. In order to bind their disciples, sects will allow them to become ambassadors to their country, so that they can focus on their cultivation."

He paused for a moment and then asked, "My benefactor, didn't Song Yang say there's still a year left? By then, as long as we're strong enough, even if the martial artists of the Great Zhou become the ambassadors of the Great Qian, they won't dare to harm our families, right?"

"It's better to be safe than sorry." Su Chen shook his head, his attitude very firm.

Zhu Yan nodded: "That makes sense."

"Let's make plans for this as soon as possible."

The two returned to the palace and informed Emperor Qian of the matter.

They had assumed that Emperor Qian knew about this, but it now seemed that Song Yang had only informed the two of them for the time being.

Upon learning of this situation, Emperor Qian disregarded the need to entertain the two and informed his ancestor, Emperor Qian, of the matter as quickly as he could ever have done.

Emperor Qian's reaction made Su Chen and Zhu Yan realize that even if they knew, it would be of no use.

And indeed, not long after, Ancestor Qian came to see the two of them in person.

The goal was very clear: to get the two of them to join the Ziyang Sect and become envoys of the Great Qian Dynasty.

Zhu Yan declined again, so they placed their hopes on Su Chen.

Su Chen said he would have to think about it.

Before the decision was even made, Su Chen had already obtained more than ten Spirit Essence Pills, which were said to be all of Ancestor Qian's possessions.

After staying in the palace for a short time, Su Chen and his companion left.

Before leaving, I made a special trip to see Song Yang.

It was seven days later when they returned to Dafeng City.

According to Qian Ruyuan, after the Great Zhou army lost the martial arts competition, it withdrew from the territory of the Great Qian.

The rebellions in the other three prefectures were gradually quelled as the Great Qian army pressed in.

The Eastern Lin Prefecture has returned to a state of peace and tranquility.

Qian Ruyuan had obviously learned about the envoy from Emperor Qian, and planned to hold a banquet to welcome Su Chen back.

At the same time, it was also to test Su Chen's opinion.

However, Su Chen politely declined, and he disappeared as soon as he returned.

Half a month passed in the blink of an eye, and it was August 16th.

The Hong residence was unusually lively today because tomorrow is Su Chen's birthday.

For the past two weeks, Su Chen has been staying at Hong Ming's residence.

His life became regular and peaceful.

He might accompany Li Mo to practice martial arts, listen to music with Hong Ming, watch Tie Rang forge iron, or tease Li Yue...

The only thing he didn't practice was martial arts.

Instead of making him feel empty, it gave him a sweet sense of fulfillment.

In this peaceful life, Su Chen's heart gradually calmed down.

Hong Ming and Li Mo both remembered Su Chen's birthday. Knowing Su Chen's personality, they discussed it and decided to keep everything simple.

They plan to hold a simple birthday banquet for Su Chen.

There's no need to invite too many people to the birthday banquet; just invite some of Su Chen's acquaintances.

In fact, given Su Chen's current strength and status, as long as the news gets out, countless forces will come to congratulate him.

These days, whether visiting the Qiao residence, the Hong residence, or the Li residence, everyone is either rich or noble.

Little did they know that the figure dressed in simple clothes and busy every day would be Su Chen.

Early the next morning.

Before the birthday banquet even started, everyone who had heard the news rushed over.

There were a lot of people coming this time.

Fang Rou's large family, Li Mo's large family, Tie Rang, Qin Xue, Hong Chen, and so on.

Because we didn't hire many elderly nannies, we needed the help of the women in the family to do many things.

Li Mo and the others chatted with Su Chen.

In the simple courtyard, there were busy figures and cheerful laughter.

They were busy until noon, sitting around a long table, exchanging various congratulatory messages and toasting each other, determined to get Su Chen drunk.

In the end, only Su Chen and Zhu Yan remained sober; the rest were all too drunk to hold their liquor and were forced to drink.

The area remained lively in the afternoon.

Hong Ming had already invited an opera troupe to perform, and the crowd watched the opera or listened to the music.

The banquet was even more lively, and the entire Hong mansion was as bright as day, with laughter filling the courtyard and surrounding area.

Upon hearing the news, Qian Ruyuan and Qian Xingyue shamelessly rushed over, and the two joined in the laughter and chatter.

Like a normal birthday banquet, in addition to the usual food, there were also longevity peaches and longevity cakes.

The entire birthday banquet was filled with a joyful and harmonious atmosphere.

The wine and the moonlight were intoxicating, and the moon itself captivated hearts; the banquet continued until very late.

The drunken group stayed at the Hong residence and staggered back to their rooms.

After the endless excitement comes a dull emptiness.

After settling everyone in, Su Chen went to the courtyard alone. Hong Ming seemed to know that Su Chen was coming and was already waiting for him.

"What are your plans now that you've come back?" Hong Ming asked his disciple, pursing his lips.

He learned about the ambassador to the country from Qian Ruyuan and realized the pressure Su Chen was under.

During this time, Su Chen seemed happy, but how could he not see that beneath this happiness lay worries and anxieties?

Su Chen simply didn't say anything, nor did he want to shatter this happiness.

Su Chen didn't say anything.

Hong Ming sighed, "It's better to leave. Daqian is too small. Let's go to Ziyang Sect."

Ignoring Su Chen's expression, Hong Ming gazed at the starry sky.

"Under this starry sky, countless people live. We are like dust under the starry sky, weak and insignificant. But you are different. You belong to this starry sky. Going to the Ziyang Sect will allow you to shine even more brightly."

Hong Ming stared intently at Su Chen, a bright light flashing in his eyes.

Su Chen remained silent, knowing that Hong Ming was telling him to leave without worry and not to have too many concerns.

"Don't have too many worries, just do what you want to do."

Hong Ming spoke again, his eyes unfocused, as if lost in some kind of memory.

"Don't you want to see how the world will develop in a few hundred years, whether the Great Qian Dynasty will still exist in a hundred years, whether humanity will still exist in a thousand years, and what the world will be like in the primordial chaos ten thousand years from now?"

Suddenly, Hong Ming changed the subject and asked.

Su Chen glanced at Hong Ming in surprise. Hong Ming was deep in thought, his eyes unfocused: "I think, I really want to see."

After the fall of the Great Qian Dynasty, what kind of brilliance will the martial artists of the next dynasty display, and what kind of dazzling martial arts will they create?

But this is not my mission; it should be left to the next generation to pursue, explore, and research.

Master has grown old, but you haven't.

You have a wider sky to explore, where you can pursue a more powerful martial art, and where you can also take your master's place to appreciate the scenery from a higher vantage point.

Master doesn't want to be a burden to you.

My master hopes you will go and see the world hundreds, thousands, or even tens of thousands of years from now in my stead.

The voice was calm, yet carried a certain earnestness, causing Su Chen to fall into deep thought.

At this moment, Hong Ming stood up, patted Su Chen's shoulder lightly, and then turned and left.

Su Chen was the only one left in the courtyard.

"Senior Brother Li Mo."

A moment later, the drunk Li Mo came out, saw Su Chen in the courtyard, and walked straight towards him.

"Junior brother," Li Mo greeted him, then sat down.

A single sentence reveals the person in the dream.

"If you have anything on your mind, you might as well talk to your senior brother."

"Huh?" Su Chen was taken aback upon hearing this.

Li Mo laughed and said, "You're usually not this leisurely, taking time to spend with us. Are you planning to leave?"

His words carried three parts doubt and seven parts certainty.

Seeing Su Chen's hesitation, Li Mo understood and said, "Actually, my senior brother also encountered the same situation as you back then."

Do you remember when I made up my mind to join the army? My feelings were exactly the same as yours, full of worries.

But in the end, I made up my mind. Sometimes, life doesn't actually have that many worries.

He shared his recent reflections.

"A person's life is like the four seasons of gentle breeze: the spring breeze brings forth tender buds, the summer breeze stirs up dust, the autumn breeze sweeps away withered leaves, and the winter breeze buries the yellow earth."

Over time, the original appearance of the wind can no longer be seen.

But when the end is near, all that remains is the gentle breeze dissipating, the tender buds withering, the dust disappearing without a trace, the withered leaves falling to the ground, the mud dissolving into the water, and nothing left.

The wind is still the wind, the wind that is about to dissipate, the same wind that came.

If one cannot live forever, then everything is illusory; one cannot take anything with one when one is born, nor can one take anything with one when one dies.

So, junior brother, I've always wondered, is it possible to achieve immortality through martial arts?

Immortality, a word buried deep in Li Mo's heart, yet already taking root and sprouting.

However, his aptitude is limited, and he will probably never be able to cultivate to the end of martial arts, let alone achieve immortality.

Su Chen looked at Li Mo in surprise after hearing this, not expecting him to say such a thing.

"Haha, I was just asking casually, junior brother, you don't need to delve into it." Li Mo chuckled when he saw Su Chen's furrowed brows.

He got up, lightly patted his sleeves, and staggered away from the courtyard.

After an unknown amount of time, Su Chen slowly stood up, all the confusion in his heart fading away.

As Hong Ming said, Daqian is too small; he needs a broader stage to see a higher view.

Just as Li Mo asked, can one achieve immortality through martial arts?

He also wanted to know the answer.

After all, he's a time traveler!

Having transmigrated here, how could I be content without experiencing the various martial arts of this world?
Having shed the smell of alcohol, Su Chen strode away, his steps revealing a resolute determination.

Three days later.

After taking care of everything, Su Chen followed Zhu Yan to the imperial city.

Song Yang had told the two that they could come to see him once they made a decision, as he had other things to tell them.

After two days of travel, the two arrived at the capital.

Upon entering the imperial city, Emperor Qian received the news, but the two did not intend to go to the palace. Instead, they went directly to find Song Yang.

Song Yang still lived in that dilapidated thatched hut, and a faint, otherworldly aura was slowly rising from him.

Upon seeing Su Chen, Song Yang smiled. He knew Su Chen was coming, and he had already made up his mind.

Su Chen told Song Yang his idea, and Song Yang took out a token and handed it to Su Chen.

"This is the Ziyang Sect's recommendation token. With this token, you can join the Ziyang Sect directly without taking the assessment. As for the token for the envoy to the country, I will keep it for you for one year. Within one year, you can apply to the Ziyang Sect at any time."

Immediately afterwards, Song Yang introduced some basic information about the Ziyang Sect to Su Chen.

He took out a map and pointed to their location, saying, "This is the Great Qian Dynasty, hundreds of thousands of miles away from the Ziyang Sect."

If you want to reach the Ziyang Sect, you must take the Ascending Dragon Path. The Ziyang Sect has set up hundreds of Ascending Dragon Paths in order to recruit disciples.

The closest road to the Great Qian Dynasty, the Ascending Dragon Road, is located a thousand miles away near the Great Li Dynasty.

As he finished speaking, he pointed to a black dot on the map, which marked the end of the Ascending Dragon Path, stretching from the Purple Sun Sect all the way to the Great Li Dynasty.

Song Yang handed the map to Su Chen and instructed him, "Once you reach the Ascending Dragon Path, you will see the people from the Purple Sun Sect."

Then we can take the divine weapon and arrive at Shouyang City as soon as possible, which is the headquarters of the Ziyang Sect.

Of course, you can also travel along the Rising Dragon Road to Shouyang City on your own, but that would take up a lot of time.

Even with your best efforts, it might still take you more than half a year to achieve your goals.

Although no one dared to cause trouble on the Ascending Dragon Path of the Ziyang Sect, nothing is absolute.

There are many people with ulterior motives and ferocious monsters along the way. Even if I wanted to go alone, it would be fraught with danger.

By the way, if you encounter a danger that you cannot resolve, then show your token.

I have already left your aura on this token. Although you have not yet joined the Ziyang Sect, you are already considered half a disciple of the Ziyang Sect.

Anyone who isn't blind wouldn't intentionally offend a disciple of the Ziyang Sect, especially one on the Ascending Dragon Path.

Don't be afraid of having your token snatched. If anyone dares to take it, just give it to them.

Once the Ziyang Sect discovers this, this person and the forces behind them will undoubtedly die.

Su Chen hadn't expected the token to be so powerful, which instantly made him want to hide it away.

Seemingly sensing Su Chen's thoughts, Song Yang rolled his eyes: "Don't get any funny ideas. Once the Ziyang Sect finds out that you deliberately used the token to eliminate hostile forces, it won't be the Great Zhou Dynasty that will suffer, but you."

Upon hearing this, Su Chen gave an awkward smile and said nothing more.

However, even so, it's best not to reveal anything if possible, since people's hearts are unpredictable.

If someone foolishly pulls out their token at the slightest trouble, they'll definitely attract the attention of those with ulterior motives.

Speaking of the Great Zhou Dynasty, Su Chen asked a question: "By the way, Elder Song, doesn't the Ziyang Sect care about the fact that there are demon blood warriors in the Great Zhou Dynasty?"

"Why should we care?" Song Yang countered.

“Using demon blood for cultivation is also a form of martial arts cultivation. As long as it doesn’t cause widespread suffering, the Ziyang Sect won’t interfere. After all, there are too many martial arts cultivation methods in this world, and there are countless alternative martial artists like demon blood practitioners. Even if the Ziyang Sect wanted to manage them, they couldn’t manage them all.”

Upon hearing this, Su Chen and Zhu Yan frowned.

No wonder the Great Zhou Dynasty so brazenly used martial artists for cultivation; it turns out they knew the Ziyang Sect wouldn't interfere.

Knowing their concerns, Song Yang reassured them, "Don't worry, I won't let Zhou Hanwen run too far while you're away."

If even martial artists with four meridians can join the Ziyang Sect, then martial artists with five meridians are even more likely to join.

Given Su Chen's qualifications, joining the Ziyang Sect is almost a certainty.

He originally intended to do Su Chen a favor by directly supporting him to become the emperor of the Great Qian Dynasty.

Since Su Chen was unwilling, then the man surnamed Qian would have no choice but to continue in his position.

Besides, he still had a score to settle with Zhou Hanwen.

Both publicly and privately, he would look after Daqian and Su Chen and Zhu Yan's relatives and friends on Su Chen's behalf.

The three talked for a long time, and Song Yang told them all the things they needed to pay attention to.

The next day, Su Chen and Zhu Yan bid farewell to Song Yang and headed towards the Ascending Dragon Road in the morning light.

(End of this chapter)