Obviously, these guards werenât at too high a level. Otherwise, they wouldnât be stationed at the door. Most of them were at the sky spirit or spirit king level, placing them at the same level as most of the core disciple followers.. They would only have the right to live within the Rosy Valley once they entered the origin realm. Before then, they could only slave away as someone elseâs follower or earn resources through missions.
Therefore, the origin realm was a moat in the top Myriad Domain sects. Breaking through to the origin realm opened up a wide path of light for one, but until one did so, oneâs fate was dipped in mediocrity. When a cultivator broke through to the origin realm, it was akin to a carp transforming to a dragon after leaping through the dragonâs gate.
But of course, there were more than a hundred thousand disciples who had yet to reach the origin realm, and only so many who could do so. It was apparent from a glance at the Rosy Valley that those who could break through were few and far in between, even in a fourth rank sect like Regal Pill Palace.
Even if Jiang Chen didnât have much seniority, he was still a core disciple in the end. If he really wanted to start a killing spree and find an excuse to kill a few guards, heâd be the one in the right no matter who he talked to.
Jiang Chen had weathered all sorts of violent conflict in the past of his rise. Killing intent formed naturally in the subtle undercurrents of his words. The guards all became as silent as cicadas in cold weather, not daring to make a peep.
They had received orders from others to find an opportunity to pick at Jiang Chen and make life difficult for him. But they were limited to his followers. Someone of Jiang Chenâs stature wasnât something they could afford to antagonize.
Jiang Chenâs followers were all very gratified by the scene he was making. They knew that his anger was for their sake, to gain face for them and back them up. All sorts of taunts and jeers had drenched them ever since theyâd first set foot into the Rosy Valley. As a result, the followers were feeling rather self conscious. Jiang Chenâs actions and words firmly tamped down the cracks in their dao hearts.
âTsk tsk, isnât your temper a bit big for someone whoâs just arrived in the Valley? Flaunting your status with a few guards at the gate? You think youâre hot stuff, do you?â A chilling voice rang forth not too far away, a few other mocking voices quickly following up.
âHeh heh, perhaps heâs used to being the bully of a little place and hasnât gotten rid of that nasty little habit after arriving at the Regal Pill Palace.â
âThis is the Regal Pill Palace! He should put away that country bumpkin temper of his from the sixteen kingdoms. Otherwise, heâs going to end up on the short end of the stick sooner or later.â These words were accompanied by the appearance of several figures.
Three core disciples blocked the path with their followers. Whether by chance or design, they happened to obstruct Jiang Chenâs path back to his own residence.
Jiang Chen smiled faintly and swept Godâs Eye over these fellows. They were roughly second and third level origin realm. This kind of character was likely cannon fodder for others in the Soaring Clouds area. He revealed a meaningful smile and slightly furrowed his brows, âGreat barkers are no biters. What do you mean by this?â
âA country bumpkin alright, no manners at all!â
âSomeone who dares offend even senior brother Yan Hongtu is seriously idiotic.â
The three fellows all spoke words of censure, completely forgetting that they were the ones whoâd jeered at Jiang Chen first and block the way.
Jiang Chenâs face darkened. He couldnât be bothered wasting more time with them, âTwo words. Piss off.â
It was obvious at a glance that Yan Hongtu had sent these minor characters to test him. Jiang Chen was utterly disinterested in playing along with this kind of farce. However, his attitude provoked anger from the others.
Although their positions were nothing much in the Valley, they were still core disciples after all and possessed the pride of one.
This was particularly true in front of Jiang Chen. They felt they were obviously superior in terms of seniority or cultivation level. Such as it was, it was the normal course of action to humiliate and trample Jiang Chen. However, this country bumpkin had dared to retort in such an arrogant tone? And that to three core disciples? This was an unprecedented affront to their pride!
âJiang Chen, it looks like we need to teach you what the rules of the Valley are!â The three core disciples glanced at each other, striking a formation in the shape of the å character, completely sealing off Jiang Chenâs path.
The Regal Pill Palace didnât forbid disciples from sparring with each other. Disciples only needed to request permission from the sect if it was a fight to the death. Otherwise, they were allowed handle minor scuffles and conflicts amongst themselves. Thus, these kind of face offs were quite common in the Valley.
âTrash like you want to talk rules with me? Iâll just ask you this, are you going to piss off or not?â Jiang Chen arched one brow and raised his voice.
âJiang Chen, Iâll give you two choices! Either you kneel down now and beg for mercy, or Iâll beat you until youâre on your knees and begging for mercy!â
Jiang Chenâs eyes narrowed to slits. His face darkened as he suddenly raised his right index finger, pointing into the distance.
âPiss. Off!â His shout rolled forth like a crack of thunder as the Evil Golden Eye shot out with a vicious light, cutting through the sky like a flash of lightning. A beam of starlight blazed out from his finger and swept through the void with boundless frostiness. The temperature in the air dropped in an instant, causing the very air to freeze.
The frighteningly icy light burst through the air, freezing the ground beneath the three core disciples in the span of a breath, the immense power of ice crashing down on them like a collapsing ice shelf.
âWhat??â
âNo!!â
Jiang Chen had combined the power of the Ice Lotus and the Supernova Point for this move. Its full name was the Profound Dark Supernova Point. This single point brought forth the chill of the deepest depths of winter, sealing everything in permafrost.
The restraining power behind the wintry current was quite domineering, instantly locking off the entire area. The three core disciples were encased in ice, their blood freezing at a speed visible to the human eye.
Their weak followers were almost instantly frozen into ice sculptures, with only a pair of despairing eyes exposed to the outside world, blinking frantically in their boundless fear and despair. It was as if theyâd experienced the most frightening thing in this world.
The three core disciples were scared out of their wits. They couldnât prevent this power of ice from invading their bodies no matter how they resisted!
Jiang Chenâs finger hung in midair. Their life and death rested on the slightest twitch of his finger.
A hint of a mocking smile appeared at his lips as he retracted his finger. The terrifying frosty power immediately dissipated and the brightness of the day was restored.
Blood and qi finally resumed their normal circulation finally came back when the pressure of the wintry force withdrew. The disciples circulated their qi for a few cycles before dispersing the icy energy that had invaded their bodies. When this was done, they looked at Jiang Chen with newfound fear in their eyes.
They were nominally of the same sect after all, so Jiang Chen hadnât struck a fatal blow. Heâd only given them a warning.
Nothing was more persuasive than the threat of death.
As arrogant as the three core disciples were, they too knew that it would have been as easy as the flip of a hand had Jiang Chen wanted to destroy them just now. How would they dumbly continue to block the path now?
As they looked at Jiang Chen leave with fanfare, the three bedraggled disciples looked at each other and saw a thick sense of dread in each otherâs eyes.
âThis kid... has such frightening power at a mere first level origin realm? Heâs completely on par with the earth origin realm geniuses!â
âAi, letâs not talk about it. Letâs go back and tell senior brother Yan Hongtu first. Weâve seriously lost a great deal of face this time.â
âJiang Chen...â
The three core disciples had been brought right to deathâs door and had lost all of their previous cockiness. Heads down, they walked off.
âYoung master, that finger just now was damn cool! When can I, Qiao Shan, be that amazing??â
âWeâll be able to do that sooner or later if we follow the young master. When we were bumming around in the Eastern Kingdom, when would we have ever have imagined that weâd enter the spirit realm one day?â Guo Jin had a great deal of faith in Jiang Chen.
âThatâs right! Letâs see if those dogs can still look down on us after the young masterâs made his move!â The Qiao Shan and Qiao Chuan duo were filled with a thick sense of pride in their words, feeling justified in walking around with heads held high.
Jiang Chen smiled faintly. âLetâs go back first. This matter isnât over yet. Those three minor characters were only Yan Hongtuâs vanguard, completely insignificant.â
Since Yan Hongtu was the tyrant of the Soaring Clouds area, there was no way he would let this matter rest. However, Jiang Chen wasnât afraid either. If one wanted to rise in the world of martial dao, there would always be a tiger or obstacles in the way.
If Yan Hongtu was so blind as to come knocking on Jiang Chenâs door, he would be kicked out in overwhelming style. There would never be an end to things if Jiang Chen gave way!
His intuition was quite correct. His residence was surrounded by people early the next morning.
To be more accurate, it was surrounded by a group of followers.
It looked like all the followers of the core disciples had been mobilized. They had all congregated outside Jiang Chenâs residence. They had gathered under the banner of forcing Jiang Chenâs followers out for inadequate cultivation. Even the errand boys were of the sky spirit realm!
Thus, they had come to protest with self righteous tones, denouncing Jiang Chen and wanting him to banish his followers.
Jiang Chen smiled coldly. Yan Hongtu is surely behind these people. âYou want to use this method to cause frustration for me?â He walked out leisurely and sized up the crowd. He estimated at least a thousand people were gathered at his door.
Jiang Chen wasnât one easily angered, but that didnât mean he had no temper whatsoever. âAll of you, shut up! I will count only to ten. If even a shadow of your presence is in my eyes after ten, Iâll annihilate every single one of you!â
Jiang Chen was truly enraged now. So much nonsense and irritating affairs had cropped up just two days after setting foot into the Rosy Valley. This was severely impacting his day to day routine.
âTen, nine, eight, seven...â
Jiang Chen wasted no more words and didnât attempt to convince these people. He knew that Yan Hongtu had sent all of them. They didnât dare not come, and indeed, had no choice but to come.
Therefore, no reasoning or words would sway them. The only option was force.
âSix, five, four, three...â
Jiang Chenâs tone grew frostier the more he counted down. Killing intent began to gather, and an icy chill pervaded the atmosphere.
âHmph! Jiang Chen, youâre simply too arrogant! This is the Rosy Valley, do you think you can kill whoever you want to kill?â
âThatâs right. Jiang Chen, these demands are all very reasonable. Youâre just opening up with death threats without even listening to them. Do you have any respect for the rules?â
âDonât think you can throw your weight around so brazenly just because you have some skills to your name. Your bit of cultivation is still far from the peak of Rosy Valley!â
Waves of provocative shouts rose and fell. Jiang Chen knew that the hand in the shadows had finally emerged.