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Chapter 504: Sword Embassy
🕑 Added 2024-08-30 13:00:13 +0000 UTCA week later, cultivators from all walks of life, those from powerful forces and loose cultivators with no fetters, arrived at the location where the masked-man in green robes resisted the lightning bolts. Although many of them had enmity against the other, none of them clashed, forming a queer yet peaceful atmosphere.
None of them dared. What if they angered the ascender? Would he not preach because of them? This was the first sermon from someone ascending in over ten thousand years. If they displeased him and he did not preach, they would be the sinners of the Zhong Realm.
There were a few close calls, but thankfully, no fights broke out. Soon, the masked-man appeared from the sky, and a medicinal fragrance filled the air. “You can address me as Ding Mian.”
Upon hearing this, the crowd of cultivators addressed him as Grandmaster Ding.
Ding Mian raised his hand, and the people hushed. “I don’t like to waste time, so I’ll start the sermon now.”
“The path of cultivation is split into two paths, the spiritual and martial paths. Because of the incomplete heritage and barren cultivation environment, the main path of cultivation in the low-rank and middle-rank realms is the martial path.” Ding Mian continued his sermon. He enlightened the natives of the Zhong Realm on the common sense of the higher realms. He didn’t teach a martial cultivation method because there were many, but he did make a relatively simple spiritual cultivation method, to the accolades of the people present.
The crowd thought Ding Mian’s sermon ended when he finished teaching the spiritual cultivation method, but it wasn’t the end. Instead, he expounded on the art and method of alchemy. The Zhong Realm did not have a good inheritance and did not even know how to forge artifacts or formations. It would not be an exaggeration to say that after today, the Zhong Realm would usher in a period of prosperity with alchemy at the head.
Ding Mian rose into the air after finishing his sermon on alchemy. He waved his arm, and a tear opened in the sky. When the crowd saw him ascend to a higher realm, they did not give up the opportunity. While Ding Mian ascended, a dense flow of spiritual qi flowed out of the tear. As the ones closest to the phenomenon, they absorbed it as much as possible for the greatest benefit.
When the crowd awoke, they couldn’t help but lament. Why couldn’t Grandmaster Mian preach for seven days and seven nights? This way, they would have much more benefits.
Still, that was only a thought and even if Ding Mian appeared again, none of them would really dare to force him to preach for seven days and seven nights. All the people rushed back to their homes in order to write down what they learned, lest they forget. Some even wanted to find a cauldron and attempt to refine pills on the spot. Even those who didn’t have the talent would search for suitable disciples and teach them the art of alchemy.
However, none of this had anything to do with Ding Mian, who had already ascended to a high-rank realm. Just like when he first entered the Zhong Realm, many cultivators arrived, wanting to solicit him to join their force, but just like before, he disappeared and hid himself. No matter how the forces searched, they could not find traces of Ding Mian.
Naturally, Ding Mian didn’t really find a secluded spot to cultivate until the Immortal Ascension Heavenly Tribulation arrived. He disguised himself to investigate the situation of the high-rank realm.
There were four top forces in the high-rank realm, but only three actually ruled the land. The fourth top-rank force comprised only one city, but it held a transcendental status. None of the other top forces dared to belittle it. The Sword Embassy had a connection to a force in the immortal-rank realm, and this wasn’t just a rumor, but a proven fact.
Ages ago, the former top forces allied together and attempted to destroy the Sword Embassy. As a result, those top forces disappeared while the Sword Embassy still stood. The current top forces still remembered the event, so they treated the Sword Embassy with great respect, and the Sword Embassy did not care about the affairs of the mundane world.
The Sword Embassy only had a few members and only recruited heaven-defying geniuses as disciples, an event which hadn’t occurred for millennia. They don’t even care about ascenders, but many cultivators still visited them. The Sword Embassy was the center of trade and prosperity. They often held auctions, which brought in all the major players of the high-rank realm.
Not only that, but as long as someone could bring a treasure or information that satisfied them, they would trade them valuable immortal-level techniques. It was because of the Sword Embassy’s possession of powerful technique that aroused the covetous hearts of the former top forces. Even the current top forces traded with the Sword Embassy.
Ding Mian appeared in front of Sword Embassy City. Even from afar, he could see the towering pagoda of the Sword Embassy. It seemed to have the ability to pierce the heavens and open a way to the immortal realm. He paid the entrance fee of three middle-rank spirit stones and successfully entered.
He walked around the city a bit and saw that the order was quite good. Even though the Sword Embassy ruled the city, they didn’t stop other forces from purchasing property. Now, almost all forces with enough power would purchase a piece of land for business. Some powerful forces even purchased land for residential purposes. Of course, most of the people who lived in Sword Embassy City were loose cultivators, who made up over half the population.
When Ding Mian asked about purchasing property, he learned that it was all sold out. You couldn’t buy a house even if you had ten times the money. The city had a rule that people without a place to stay had to vacate the city at night, so he booked a room for a month.
However, he didn’t stay in the room and went to the Sword Embassy instead. Guarding the gate were two soul nourishing grandmasters. It spoke volumes of the Sword Embassy’s power when they had two grandmasters guarding the entrance. In the high-rank realm, venerables and saints rarely appeared, meaning that the top players were grandmasters.
The two martial grandmasters only eyed Ding Mian as he walked in and did nothing else. They could sense his grandmaster-level cultivation base, but didn’t take it seriously.
Inside, long lines filled the hall. Even though he was a grandmaster, no one came forward, so Ding Mian could only line up like the others. In the line were cultivators of all ranks and from all walks of life lined up together. It should have caused a mess, but everyone was honest. Even if a foundation establishment disciple saw a grandmaster, the weaker cultivator wouldn’t be afraid. At least, inside the Sword Embassy.
After a few hours, it was finally his turn.
“Sir, I wonder what you came to the Sword Embassy for? Is it for buying or selling? Or are you putting something up for auction?”
Ding Mian reached into his sleeves and pulled out a jade bottle. “Selling.”
The beautiful receptionist’s smile didn’t change at all when she saw the bottle placed in front of her. She took it and pulled the stopper out. Immediately, a dense medicinal fragrance poured out, shocking her and those nearby. Any who smelled it would feel their spirits lifted and their bodies cleared. The other receptionists and cultivators on both sides stopped talking and stared at the jade bottle.
The receptionist forced herself to keep her smile, but it was obviously strained. She took a whiff, but she couldn’t identify the pill inside the bottle. She didn’t think it was because the pill wasn’t something well known. Something with such a dense medicinal fragrance couldn’t be something unknown. It was obvious that she wasn’t knowledgeable enough.
She put the stopper back into the bottle. “Sir, please wait a moment while I get an expert to identify this.”
Her attitude had changed. Although she had treated Ding Mian respectfully on the surface, he could still sense her bone-deep arrogance. Now, it was a different story.
The receptionist left after he nodded his head. While waiting, the conversations between the other customers and receptionists resumed, but they couldn’t help but glance at Ding Mian. More than a few engraved Ding Mian’s face into their memories and planned to contact him after he left.
Not long later, the sound of rushed footsteps appeared in everyone’s ears.
“Councilman Swordfive!”
The Sword Embassy didn’t have a leader, but a council that managed them. In total, there were ten council members, three upper members and seven lower members. Each council member was titled sword followed by a number suffix.
Swordfive was a middle-aged man with speckled hair and beard. His eyes lit up when he saw Ding Mian. “Young man, did you refine this?”
Ding Mian nodded. He had confidence to flee if the Sword Embassy had any negative thoughts on him.
Councilman Swordfive smiled. He glanced around and said, “It’s not convenient to talk here. How about following me to a private room?”
Ding Mian didn’t have any objections and followed the man, disappointing the crowd, who wanted to know what was going on. Even though they wouldn’t know the inside story, they knew someone worth paying attention to had appeared. After all, Swordfive was quite courteous to Ding Mian.
“I never expected that the new ascender would have such alchemical prowess. Even in the Sword Embassy, a high-rank Concealed Vitality Pill is rare,” Councilman Swordfive said.
Ding Mian showed a shocked expression, pretending to be surprised that the Sword Embassy knew that he was a recent ascender.
Councilman Swordfive allowed a prideful smile to appear on his face. “The background of the Sword Embassy is far more unfathomable than you or any forces can imagine. But, I’m not here to talk about that. Since you can refine the Concealed Vitality Pill, you must be able to refine other pills of similar rank. I want you to concoct a pill for me.”
Before Ding Mian could reply, he continued. “Of course I know the customary rules of alchemists. I’ll prepare the pill recipe and three batches of ingredients for you and give you the payment after the pill is successfully refined.”
Since Councilman Swordfive already said this, Ding Mian nodded.
Councilman Swordfive wanted Ding Mian to refine a Root Refinement Pill. It was a pill that could only be used by mortals, but it could improve a mortal’s cultivation talent.
It turned out that Councilman Swordfive’s descendants weren’t gifted with good spiritual roots. Because he only had a few more centuries left, he originally prepared to just leave enough to protect them after he died, but an outstanding disciple appeared among his descendants. The descendant had double spiritual roots, and one of them was perfect.
Unfortunately, the other half of the spiritual root was a shattered spiritual root. Not only would it not help cultivation, but it would negate the effect of the perfect spiritual root instead. So, he wanted to get a Root Refinement Pill to turn the shattered spiritual root into a fractured spiritual root.
Alas, the Sword Embassy didn’t have any Root Refinement Pill in stock, and none of the alchemists had enough skill. Councilman Swordfive was resigned to boost his descendant’s cultivation through resources, but Ding Mian appeared like a ray of light in darkness.
The councilman invited Ding Mian to live in his abode, and Ding Mian agreed. A month later, he successfully concocted the Root Refinement Pill, much to Councilman Swordfive’s joy. Not only that, it was a high-rank Root Refinement Pill, which meant that there was a chance to turn the shattered root into a flawless spiritual root, further enhancing his descendant’s talent.
Because of his joy, Councilman Swordfive gifted Ding Mian a mansion in the city and a silver sword token. Sword tokens were items given to outsiders to denote their status to the embassy. Few cultivators received gold sword tokens and even the leaders of the top forces only had silver sword tokens.
From that day on, Ding Mian became a famous person in Sword Embassy City and the entire realm. Many people traveled from all corners of the world to request him to concoct a pill for them. Ding Mian accepted some and rejected others.
During this time, many people had evil intentions about him, but Ding Mian rarely left the city, making their schemes fruitless. The number one customer of Ding Mian was the Sword Embassy, so they would naturally protect him.
Over five hundred years later, Ding Mian’s silver sword token had been upgraded to a gold sword token, but no one cared, because dense storm clouds had convened above him, raining down bolts of lightning.
