Chapter 368: A Roc's Journey of Ten Thousand Miles
The Ninth Princess nodded, standing upright and attentive, listening solemnly to every word Zhang Ruochen spoke.
Zhang Ruochen took out a string of storage pendants. It was crafted from crystal-blue ancient jade, exquisitely carved, and a faint chill could be felt when held in the hand.
Zhang Ruochen stepped forward and personally hung the storage pendant around the Ninth Princess's neck. "A storage pendant is not just for storing items. When you encounter danger, simply infuse your true qi into it, and it will activate the defensive inscriptions, saving your life. However, it can only be used three times. Ninth Sister, you must use it sparingly."
This was a protective treasure, and even more so, a space treasure. The Ninth Princess fully understood its value.
The Ninth Princess gently touched the sparkling, beautiful pendant, an indescribable fondness in her heart.
Zhang Ruochen continued, "Inside the storage pendant, I have placed several things for you. Among them, there are roughly five hundred thousand spirit crystals..."
Before Zhang Ruochen could finish, the Ninth Princess exclaimed in shock, "Five hundred thousand spirit crystals! Ninth Brother, I cannot spend so many resources. Ten thousand spirit crystals would be enough for me!"
Five hundred thousand spirit crystals were equivalent to five hundred million silver coins, more than the entire treasury of the Yunwu Commandery.
Not to mention the Ninth Princess, who was merely a cultivator at the Great Perfection of the Mysterious Extreme Realm; even for a cultivator at the Great Perfection of the Heavenly Extreme Realm, this was an enormous fortune.
Zhang Ruochen said, "If you follow the rules and cultivate conventionally, you wouldn't need that many spirit crystals even to reach the Great Perfection of the Heavenly Extreme Realm."
"But I am giving you these spirit crystals because I hope you can purchase the best body-tempering elixirs, enhance your cultivation, and refine your physique."
"At the same time, this saves you the time needed to go out and earn merit points through training. This way, you will have more time to focus on martial arts. Only then can you stay ahead of your peers."
"On the path of martial arts, do not be afraid to spend. No matter how many spirit crystals there are, are they as precious as time? While you are young, you must increase your cultivation at the fastest speed. Only then can your cultivation speed grow faster and faster, leaving other peers far behind."
"Are five hundred thousand spirit crystals really that many?"
"In truth, they are not. The top geniuses from half-saint families and saint clans spend at least one million spirit crystals during the Four Martial Realms. Even a prodigy like Di Yi, with his status, probably spends over ten million spirit crystals in the Four Martial Realms. That is why the martial artists of the Demon Ridge can never catch up to them."
"The gap will only grow wider."
The Ninth Princess felt that Zhang Ruochen's words seemed reasonable, but she still thought five hundred thousand spirit crystals were too many. How could she possibly spend them all?
Zhang Ruochen paid no heed to her hesitation and continued, "Besides the spirit crystals, there is something even more precious that I have placed in your storage pendant. It is an authentic half-saint sacred intent painting left behind by Mingguang Half-Saint. It is of no use to me anymore. But for you, it can help you cultivate your spiritual power and perhaps even allow you to comprehend the half-saint martial arts within the painting."
The Ninth Princess's mouth fell open, and she was too stunned to speak.
In the Western Courtyard, she had also seen half-saint sacred intent paintings, but those were merely rubbings, not originals. Even so, she could only study them for one day a month.
Now, Zhang Ruochen was giving her an authentic half-saint sacred intent painting. This treasure was definitely even more valuable than the five hundred thousand spirit crystals.
"Ninth Brother..."
The Ninth Princess blinked her beautiful eyes, completely frozen.
In the past, she only thought of her ninth brother as a genius, an extraordinary one at that, but she never imagined he possessed so many cultivation resources, richer even than the leader of a major sect.
It could be said that with the resources Zhang Ruochen had given her, the royal clan could recover its strength within a few decades.
Zhang Ruochen smiled. "No need to say more. I understand. You are my ninth sister. If I don't give treasures like the half-saint sacred intent painting to you, who else would I give them to? Ninth Sister, surpassing Fourth Brother in cultivation is only a matter of time. In the future, the Yunwu Commandery will be entrusted to you."
In truth, Zhang Ruochen also wanted to write down some martial arts technique manuals and give them to the Ninth Princess.
However, with his current cultivation level, he could at most write down spirit-level mid-grade techniques. As for spirit-level high-grade techniques, that would be very difficult. Unless Zhang Ruochen stayed behind to teach them personally, they would not be able to grasp the essence.
Clearly, Zhang Ruochen did not have that much time.
On the other hand, the library of the Martial Market Academy had a more complete selection of techniques for them to choose from.
Therefore, instead of passing on techniques that lacked essence, it was better to speak to Lei Jing and ask him to look after the Ninth Princess and Zhang Shaochu in the future.
With just one word from Lei Jing, the techniques of the Martial Market Academy would be theirs for the picking.
Zhang Ruochen believed he held enough weight in Lei Jing's heart, and Lei Jing would certainly be willing to help.
"Thank you, Ninth Brother."
The Ninth Princess extended her lotus-root-like jade arms, tightly hugging Zhang Ruochen's tiger-like waist, burying her face in his chest as tears streamed down.
She knew that her ninth brother was about to leave.
Perhaps he might never return. She just wanted to hold him a little longer.
Maybe this would be their final farewell.
The eagle leaves its nest, soaring ten thousand miles; the hidden dragon ascends to the heavens. The vast world is their home, and they may never return to the nest of the Demon Ridge.
...
At dawn, as the sun rose and the first rays of light fell upon the Demon Martial City, the glazed golden tiles of the entire city were covered in a layer of bright radiance.
A dragon hawk, its body over forty meters long, spread its wings and soared into the air, exuding a vast and majestic primeval aura.
With a flap of its wings, it stirred up a great sound of wind and thunder. Then, it shot into the sky, straight into the clouds.
At this moment, Lei Jing, Zhang Ruochen, Si Xingkong, Chang Qiqi, Duanmu Xingling, Lin Fei, Kong Xuan, and Guo Guo were all sitting on the back of the dragon hawk, heading toward the Eastern Domain Sacred Land to participate in the once-a-decade Sacred Academy examination.
The dragon hawk was Lei Jing's mount, a fifth-rank lower-grade savage beast. It had feathers like molten gold, a head like a divine dragon, and was majestic and powerful, truly a king among savage beasts.
Back then, Lei Jing had spent three years and fought dozens of battles with it before subduing it.
The dragon hawk's flying speed was astonishing. In just one day, it had already flown out of the Demon Ridge region. Below, the land was still covered in towering mountains and dense clouds, like a vast map painting.
For the first time, traveling to the distant Eastern Domain Sacred Land, everyone was filled with joy, excitement, and anticipation.
Even Lei Jing sighed with emotion. He himself had not been to the Sacred Land for a long time, having stayed in a small place like the Demon Ridge. The ambitions of his youth had long been worn away.
It was not until he began cultivating the "Blood God Sutra" that he regained his former confidence.
This trip to the Eastern Domain Sacred Land was not only to take Zhang Ruochen and the others to the Sacred Academy examination but also to seek an opportunity to break through to the half-saint realm.
On the ground.
The Blood Spirit King stood atop a mountain peak, gazing at the enormous dragon hawk, her brow slightly furrowed. "Could they be heading to the Eastern Domain Sacred Land?"
After entering the Demon Martial City, the Blood Spirit King had never found a chance to act.
It was not until today, when she saw Lei Jing leading Zhang Ruochen and the others out of the Demon Martial City, that she followed them out.
That dragon hawk had already flown beyond the borders of the Demon Ridge without any intention of stopping, which made the Blood Spirit King suspicious.
"In that case, I will go to the Eastern Domain Sacred Land as well. Perhaps it will help me fuse the half-saint light faster."
The Blood Spirit King looked back at the Demon Ridge, a disdainful smile appearing on her cold, pale face. Then, her body transformed into a cloud of blood mist and continued to chase after the dragon hawk.
On the back of the dragon hawk, Chang Qiqi was flipping through the "Eastern Domain Geography," growing more excited the more he read.
Si Xingkong was also reading the "Eastern Domain Geography," but the more he read, the deeper his frown became.
Chang Qiqi laughed heartily. "If I hadn't read this, I wouldn't have known. I used to be a frog at the bottom of a well. I thought the thirty-six commanderies of the Demon Ridge were vast enough, and that becoming famous in the Demon Ridge would make me a big shot. Now I realize that the Demon Ridge is just a tiny speck in the Eastern Domain."
Si Xingkong said, "According to the latest edition of the 'Eastern Domain Geography,' the Eastern Domain has a total of one hundred and six upper-class commanderies. As for lower-class and middle-class commanderies, there are about twelve thousand in total. Almost every year, new commanderies are established, and others are destroyed. Only those one hundred and six upper-class commanderies, with their strong national power and long history, remain relatively stable. What a vast world this is! Not just you, even I used to be a frog at the bottom of a well."
Lei Jing stood at the head of the dragon hawk, his body like an iron tower, exuding a dignified and imposing presence. "Those lower-class and middle-class commanderies were all once wilderness, overrun with savage beasts, barren lands. It was only after Empress Chi Yao ascended the throne that civilized nations were established. From this, it can be seen that Empress Chi Yao's civil and military achievements are truly unparalleled. Even among the many emperors of the recent ancient era, few can compare to her."
"Lower-class and middle-class commanderies have short histories and shallow foundations, so they change frequently. Only those upper-class commanderies have longer histories and more profound martial arts traditions, making their rule more stable."
"Of course, that is the history of the upper-class commanderies. In the face of the Eastern Domain Sacred Land, they are insignificant."
"Since ancient times, what people call the Eastern Domain refers only to the Eastern Domain Sacred Land. It has nothing to do with those commanderies carved out of the wilderness."
"In their eyes, we are nothing but uncivilized barbarians and savages."
When Lei Jing was young, he was heavily ostracized and looked down upon at the Sacred Academy. Therefore, he knew well the pride of the martial artists from the Eastern Domain Sacred Land. In their eyes, they looked down on martial artists from the various commanderies.
Not to mention the martial artists of the Eastern Domain Sacred Land; even the central court of the First Central Empire looked down on them, treating them as a group of barbarians.
That was why they tacitly allowed the establishment of commanderies. Otherwise, they would have long since changed the nations into prefectures and established a more complete system.
Zhang Ruochen nodded lightly. "The so-called upper-class, middle-class, and lower-class commanderies—over ten thousand of them combined—are far from matching the Eastern Domain Sacred Land."
"On that land, martial arts have developed to their extreme, even evolving into the sacred path. Moreover, the sacred path has already reached its great perfection, with some able to advance to the 'Saint King' realm, becoming the king of all saints."