Chapter 309: Chapter 74: Talented Youth_1
The East Saint Sect residence.
In mid-air, the furious voice of a blue-robed cultivator could be heard.
When the surrounding Golden Core truth-bearers perceived danger, they immediately became alert.
Ning Daohuan narrowed his eyes, a hint of unknown intention flickering in them, and his voice became significantly colder:
“May I ask where you hail from?”
“Have you come here to avenge Pang Xiao of the Mountain Sea Sect?”
“Pang Xiao…”
The blue-robed cultivator had just intentionally asked a scant number of rogue cultivators in the Chen State and roughly understood the situation.
This man was the newly advanced Nascent Soul cultivator who had been decapitated.
Upon realizing this, the blue-robed cultivator deliberately furrowed his brows and coldly said:
“You killed a Nascent Soul cultivator in the territory of the Great Jin Dynasty… and yet you have no idea who I am?”
“Do the cultivators from Chu have no sense of propriety at all?”
Upon hearing the words of the blue-robed cultivator, the surrounding Golden Core truth-bearers were somewhat confused, feeling only a slight sense of alarm at having been caught off guard.
However, Ning Daohuan, who was the Sect Hierarch and had steadily reached a higher rank, instantly felt his expression change dramatically upon hearing these words as a frightening possibility sprung up in his heart!
Considering this possibility and feeling the unfathomable cultivation base of the blue-robed cultivator further corroborated his guess.
Ning Daohuan’s typically domineering aura and cold attitude suddenly halted, and subconsciously, he lowered his tone and cautiously asked:
“You… you, you wouldn’t happen to be from the Great Jin Dynasty, would you?”
“As long as you are aware.”
The blue-robed cultivator gave him a cold glare:
“My Great Jin Dynasty long ago issued a strict order. Within its territories, no private fights are allowed among Class III and above practitioners!”
“Having struggled for hundreds of years, the Chen State had just managed to produce a single Nascent Soul cultivator, and yet you publically killed him, a severe violation of this law!”
Upon hearing this, Ning Daohuan was extremely certain about the identity of the blue-robed cultivator as the ‘Vassal State Guardian’!
It was said that these people were cultivators appointed by the Great Jin Dynasty to monitor their vassal states, each one exceedingly formidable, capable of suppressing an entire nation single-handedly.
Of course, the Great Jin Dynasty was not the only one with such figures. Dynasties such as Chu, Qi, and Yan also had them.
However, details regarding the others were unknown. Chu’s implementation of this system had long been slack, with no one overseeing it at all.
If not for this, the Tianmen Cult would not have been able to develop for so many years without interference.
Considering this…
A substantial sense of unease welled up within Ning Daohuan’s heart, and he hurriedly paid his respects, asking:
“May I ask… master, what is the punishment for breaking this rule?”
The blue-robed cultivator raised three fingers.
“You have three choices. Either follow me to the Great Jin Dynasty sometime later to serve a sentence of three hundred years.”
“Or, I shall execute you here and now, in accordance with the laws of the Great Jin Dynasty!”
“Or, you can help the destroyed Mountain Sea Sect in their reconstruction and leave them with sufficient resources for Nascent Soul cultivation…”
“The third option! Master, I choose the third option!”
Ning Daohuan hastily interjected without giving it a thought.
Establishing himself in the territory of the Great Jin Dynasty had long been his plan. Providing some resources in exchange for the formal recognition and protection of the Great Jin Dynasty was as good a deal he could hope for.
Although helping to rebuild the Mountain Sea Sect and leaving resources behind for Nascent Soul cultivation would inevitably inflict a long period of financial distress on him, it was still a far better alternative than captivity or death.
“I haven’t finished speaking.”
The blue-robed cultivator said solemnly:
“Additionally, this place originally belonged to the East Saint Sect… Despite the fact your sect is not under the rule of my Great Jin Dynasty, you audaciously took over the territory of one of my dynasty’s sects, disrupting order! You must be penalized for this!”
“You must find the East Saint Sect and return their property. Any losses must be compensated by you.”
“This…”
Ning Daohuan was instantaneously stunned!
He couldn’t help but glance at the purple figure chained by iron fetters in the distance, resentment and humiliation flickering in his eyes.
If it were anything else, even inviting Ji Lan and his losing soldiers back, it wouldn’t matter.
However, Fanming’s primordial spirit was of extraordinary value and of great use to him. If he had to return it to the East Saint Sect, wouldn’t that mean…
“It appears you’re not willing to choose any of these options. Very well, there’s another choice for you. You could leave the territory of the Great Jin Dynasty now and flee to Chu. You can give that a try.”
“It’s about time I rid myself of you annoying little demons.”
The blue-robed cultivator sneered.
His tone of voice didn’t conceal his distaste for the Tianmen Cult in the slightest.
Upon hearing his words, the surrounding Golden Core truth-bearers were all furious, yet none of them dared to speak up.
Didn’t you see that the Sect Hierarch, who had always been invincible, was acting so meekly before this man?
Meanwhile, Ning Daohuan couldn’t help but consider the option of fleeing, but promptly dismissed the idea.
Run away?
Where could he possibly escape to?
Although the Fenglin Continent was vast, there was no place for him to establish a foothold.
Among the five major powers in the continent,
Chu was in a state of decay, with its vassal states constantly fighting amongst themselves. It would only be a matter of time before the Incense Fire Dao swallowed them up.
At that time, under the fallen nest, he would not have it any easier than the others.
As for Qi, it was weak; Yan was dangerous; only Jin was the ideal place for him to establish himself.
“The third option… I choose the third option!”
In the end, Ning Daohuan gritted his teeth and spoke.
His gaze scanned the purple shadow between the distant mountains.
Humiliation was evident in his eyes.
Despite this, in his heart, he felt more determined than ever.
Seeing this, the blue-robed cultivator nodded as if he had expected such a response:
“So be it.”
“As long as you abide by the rules of the Great Jin Dynasty, despite my disgust towards you, the Great Jin Dynasty will not reject you.”
“Moreover, I will stay in the Chen State for only three years. Within these three years, you’d best arrange all this properly.”
