Chapter 458: The Utmost Realm in the Myriad Domain
“Every powerful territory has a strong country exercising rule over the land. Some of the regimes hold actual power, others are just symbolic representation. But as long as there is one strong, ruling country present, that means this territory is united and as one. Right now, the Myriad Domain is a pile of loose sand, with no representative empire.”
“The highest form of organization we can aspire to in the lower and middle regions is that of ‘empire’. Only the Upper Eight Regions has the right to build a dynasty. What is a dynasty? An existence even stronger than an empire. A dynasty does not crumble even after weathering wind and rain. Some of the dynasties in the Upper Eight Regions have a history of over five thousand years!”
Dan Chi suddenly shook his head with a smile. “We seem to have gone off on a tangent. My greatest ambition in life is to rebuild the Myriad Empire. I don’t want the Myriad Domain to become someone else’s territory after a few hundred years, and us Myriad Domain natives to be someone else’s slaves. This is our territory, and our ancestors have sweated, bled, and developed the land here. We cannot forfeit this land on our watch!”
Dan Chi had never even spoken of this in the Regal Pill Palace.
But now, he had finally opened up his heart here today.
Not for anyone else, but for Jiang Chen.
“Jiang Chen, if you are willing to aid me, I will give you whatever resources you seek from the Regal Pill Palace.”
Dan Chi suddenly looked at Jiang Chen with ardent sincerity.
“Sage One, I am but young, isn’t it embarrassing that you are placing such value on me?”
Dan Chi waved his hand, “Jiang Chen, I am not one for pleasantries. Although the Myriad Domain is vast and there are many sage realm experts, there are few who have caught my eye in recent years. There are less than ten who’ve done so in the younger generation, and you, you are the only one who has bestirred my heart. I have a sharp eye for people and I see in you a great fortune. The level of your fortune is absolutely enough to cleave open new land. Don’t be in a hurry to agree either. This matter is easily spoke of but hard to attain. I hope you respond only when you’ve thought things through. Even if you don’t agree, the alliance between our sects will still be in effect.”
Dan Chi was rather open and aboveboard. He didn’t threaten Jiang Chen with the alliance.
Jiang Chen could see in Dan Chi’s eyes a true heart of great aspirations and lofty ambitions. This heart was enough for Dan Chi to place his life on the line.
Cleaving open new land and building an empire—that was an enormous temptation to any man with ambitions and ideals.
Jiang Chen was no exception.
In the world of martial dao, it was impossible to always avoid conflict and risk.
Jiang Chen knew that if he were to proceed down this path, it was impossible to pay attention only to himself forever. He had to make some decisions in the face of the greater picture as well.
He could also see that Dan Chi’s goals weren’t only for himself. This was an exceedingly rare point, and one that Jiang Chen admired the most.
“Sage Dan Chi, although I am not an ambitious person, this kind of challenge seems quite interesting. If there comes a moment in which you can use my paltry strength, I will absolutely not demur.”
Dan Chi laughed heartily. “Good, good! Although I know not where that phenomenon came from, it is surely an auspicious sign that it appeared in the Myriad Domain. I believe that this is an omen that our alliance is off to a perfect start.”
Dan Chi was always that confident and so full of boundless enthusiasm.
“Gentlemen, although the Precious Tree Sect is in a remote location, this is also an opportunity for the Precious Tree Sect. You too must make a decision if you are content in exercising sovereignty over a small part of the domain, or are willing to follow the development of the situation. It will be a bit too late to choose when the situation has already formed. However, any decision will bear its own risk. I will not force you in this matter.”
Dan Chi turned to speak to Forefather Thousandleaf and Ye Chonglou.
Having weathered so many trials, the two had long since thought things through.
It was also impossible to remain ruler of their own little plot of land in these times.
The Sky Sect had reached out with its evil paws and the Myriad Domain was in a perilous situation. The surrounding territories were a ticking time bomb, ready to explode at any moment.
Even if the Precious Tree Sect dug a hole to hide themselves with, they would be hard pressed to escape.
They were well aware that if it wasn’t for the Regal Pill Palace’s surprise appearance, it was an unknown if they would’ve been able to dodge this disaster.
“Sage Dan Chi, it’s impossible for the Precious Tree Sect to remain aloof in solitude as the greater picture develops. We are willing to follow behind the Regal Pill Palace and offer up what aid we can.”
Forefather Thousandleaf said this seriously.
No matter what, their footing would be a bit more firm in the Myriad Domain with the Regal Pill Palace’s backing. They’d have the taller Regal Pill Palace holding up the skies first if the latter happened to cave in.
If it was a disaster that not even the Regal Pill Palace could make through, then there was even less hope for the Precious Tree Sect.
Therefore, the smartest choice for the Precious Tree Sect now was to lash themselves to the Regal Pill Palace’s war chariot. They shouldn’t think too much or be a fence-sitter who swayed with every wind.
“Alright, since you are this forthright, I too will say this. As long as my Regal Pill Palace exists, so will the Precious Tree Sect.”
This guarantee was worth a thousand gold, and had more weight than any promise.
Forefather Thousandleaf and Ye Chonglou were overjoyed to hear this.
“In addition, the various powers will converge on the ruins of the Myriad Empire in three years to hold a memorial for the glories of the late Empire. This ceremony is held once every thirty years and hailed the Myriad Grand Ceremony. A new generation of the Myriad Hidden Dragon Rankings will be produced at this ceremony, and all the genius disciples will have the chance to cultivate in the Utmost Realm in the Myriad Domain.”
“The Utmost Realm? What is that?”
“The Utmost Realm is a kind of place that almost every region has. It’s a place in which the emperor realm experts enters at the end of their life, releasing the final essence of their life. The Utmost Realm is where the emperor realm cultivators of our Myriad Domain have gone to await rebirth since ancient times.”
The so-called rebirth was essentially death. There was almost no chance that an emperor realm cultivator would retain memories of their past life after going through the wheel of reincarnation.
Therefore, this kind of awaiting rebirth was basically just waiting to die.
However, an emperor realm cultivator was an enormous sum of riches to those in the lower regions. It would be such a pity if they fell just like this.
Therefore, the Utmost Realm was a place in which the emperor realm cultivators could preserve the final traces of their dignity.
They could leave behind their own heritage, life’s work, treasures, and matters of their life…
Of course, the Utmost Realm also represented a trace of hope.
If an emperor realm cultivator could receive the inspiration of others in such a realm and break through, they might transform into a Great Emperor after comprehending the peak of the emperor realm.
Their lifespan would be greatly increase all of a sudden.
Of course, the chances of this happening was one in a million. This had once occurred in other lower regions.
However, such a thing had never happened in the Myriad Domain. No one had ever emerged as if a butterfly from the cocoon after entering the Utmost Realm and ascending to Great Emperor.
Not everyone was lucky enough to run into something with such low chances.
“Jiang Chen, you’ve broken through to the origin realm at such a young age—your potential is absolutely amongst the top in the Myriad Domain. However, your origins were a bit lower and you’re temporarily behind the other top geniuses of the other sects. But, many things can happen in three years. I believe that you will absolutely catch up after three years. Your name is sure to grace the Hidden Dragon Rankings!”
Dan Chi encouraged Jiang Chen to the maximum.
Forefather Thousandleaf however, asked, “At what ranking does one need to be in order to enter the Utmost Realm?”
Thousandleaf was beside himself at the thought of the temptation of the Utmost Realm, but he knew there was no hope for him in this life. However, there were still a few young geniuses in the Precious Tree Sect.
“The top 100 can all enter. However, there are nine levels in the Utmost Realm, and different rankings will enter different levels.”
“Top 100, top 100…” Thousandleaf’s eyes swept past Tang Hong and the others.
It was obvious that he more or less had some thoughts.
Ye Chonglou however, asked, “Sage Dan Chi, at roughly what level will one need to be to rank within the top hundred?”
“Sixth level origin realm is the lowest. Even if one reaches the earth origin realm, one needs to display extraordinary arts to have a chance to enter. However, seventh level origin realm is a surefire bet.”
“This means that the top geniuses of the Myriad Domain have all reached the sky origin realm?!”
Thousandleaf was astonished.
“If the top geniuses couldn’t enter even the sky origin realm, then there really would be no hope for the Myriad Domain.” Dan Chi sighed. “Some of the top geniuses of a few strong flower regions are at the peak of the origin realm and half step sage realm. Some top geniuses in the mid regions are at the mortal sage realm, with even more uncommon ones at earth sage realm. As for the ones in the Upper Eight Regions…”
Dan Chi also sighed lightly when his words ended here. His cultivation level was to a perverse degree in the Myriad Domain to have reached fifth level sage realm in less than a hundred years.
However, if he was placed in the Upper Eight Regions, he would at most be on par with their first rate geniuses. Some of the better ones could even trounce him.
Those who were hailed geniuses were all below forty years old.
Those over forty would normally not be placed in the same age bracket.
Thousandleaf’s expression was as if a bitter gourd as he sighed ruefully, “Can there be sky sage realm powerhouses amongst the top geniuses in the Upper Eight Regions?”
“But of course.” Dan Chi’s tone had also grown exceedingly grave when he talked about this area of the world. “It’s a good thing that there’s not too many of them. Take the Sky Sect for example, that Feng Beidou is pretty strong, hmm? However, he’s nothing compared to their top geniuses. It’s said that there are twenty sky sage realm geniuses in the younger generation of the Sky Sect. Those who are even stronger made it to the peak of the sky sage realm at their young age, with all the momentum of making it to half step emperor realm. These previous geniuses were all born with golden spoons in their mouths. Their every step was taken in the fast lane, receiving all of the best resources and fortunes of the sect. Any of them would be personages who can summon the wind and rain in the Divine Abyss Continent after a few decades.”
Dan Chi’s words were a bucket of cold water over the Precious Tree Sect’s heads.
They’d been secretly delighted that they could strut about proudly with a genius like Jiang Chen.
However, they now knew how narrow minded and ignorant they were compared to the rest of the Continent.
It was rather Jiang Chen who flicked his eyebrows once after hearing all this.
“Half step emperor realm is it?” Jiang Chen nodded his head slightly. Although he was an incredible distance away from the emperor realm, he wasn’t discouraged at all.
He firmly believed that he would reach that step sooner or later.
All geniuses would be as substantial as the clouds in front of him when he reached that step.
There was no one in the Continent who understood the heavens better than him, and no one had the right to call themselves a genius in front of him!