Third-grade Foundation Nurturing Pill

"Alright, whether you can become the Patriarch depends on your abilities. I can only follow the rules. Whoever gets the most votes among you will be the Patriarch," Jiang Tian said.

"Yes, Father. If there's nothing else, I'll take my leave now," Jiang Yunfeng replied.

"Mm." Jiang Tian nodded.

Jiang Tian was quite pleased that Jiang Yunfeng was willing to compete for the position of Patriarch.

Jiang Yunfeng returned home, where Jiang Chen was also staying.

As for the forty thousand spirit stones lost during the previous escort mission, Jiang Chen had given them to Jiang Yunfeng yesterday after the competition ended, allowing him to cover the losses.

This stain was now gone.

"Seventh Elder, I heard you've already compensated for the losses that were previously stolen by the Bloodfire Mercenary Group. Thank you so much," Jiang Yunfeng had barely returned when a group of people came looking for him.

These people were all clan members who had escorted the supplies with Jiang Yunfeng previously.

"That's right," Jiang Yunfeng said.

If Jiang Yunfeng hadn't compensated for the losses, everyone would have had to share the burden.

This was a family rule.

If one caused losses while responsible for a task, the losses had to be compensated by those involved, according to their level of responsibility.

"The announcement says you'll be competing for the Patriarch position. We will all support you," more than twenty clan members said.

These were all clan members who had been on the mission with Jiang Yunfeng.

Jiang Yunfeng's willingness to bear the losses alone had deeply moved them. Jiang Yunfeng had always given them a good impression, being a man of integrity.

Coupled with his act of covering everyone's losses this time, he had gained their approval, and they were all willing to support Jiang Yunfeng as the new Patriarch.

As for Jiang Hai, he was usually more overbearing, but his strength was formidable, and his connections were quite strong.

Jiang Hai primarily courted clan members at the Martial Master Realm and above within the Jiang Family, showing no interest in those at the Martial Artist Realm.

These people were mostly at the Martial Artist Realm, with one at the Martial Master Realm.

"Then, thank you all for your support," Jiang Yunfeng said happily.

After everyone left, Jiang Chen said to Jiang Yunfeng, "Father, it seems you are highly respected. I will help you in this competition for Patriarch. If the votes aren't enough, we can bring benefits to the family and use spirit stones to sway them."

"Use spirit stones to sway them? How many spirit stones would that take? A thousand spirit stones only count as one vote," Jiang Yunfeng shook his head.

He had already felt a pang of pain when Jiang Chen gave him forty thousand spirit stones earlier.

"Father, don't worry. I will work hard to earn spirit stones during these two months. The Patriarch position will definitely be yours," Jiang Chen said.

"Oh, right. I need to go into the Great Desolate Mountain Range for a while during this period to hunt Demonic Beasts and cultivate," Jiang Chen added.

Jiang Chen was currently at the Martial Artist Realm, Tenth Level. The Dragon King Secret Realm, which would open in a month, was also fraught with danger, containing third-tier Demonic Beasts with formidable strength.

The Dragon King Secret Realm held many resources. If Jiang Chen could advance to the Martial Master Realm, it would greatly benefit him when entering the secret realm.

At that point, even spirit herbs guarded by Demonic Beasts wouldn't be able to stop him.

"Chen'er, the Great Desolate Mountain Range is extremely dangerous. Can you manage on your own?" Jiang Yunfeng asked worriedly.

"Father, haven't you always been curious about why I cultivate so quickly? The cultivation technique I practice requires me to break through through constant combat. The Great Desolate Mountain Range is full of Demonic Beasts, which are exactly my target. Fighting them will allow me to advance faster," Jiang Chen said with a smile.

"Moreover, the materials from powerful Demonic Beasts are worth quite a few spirit stones. I want to aim for the Martial Master Realm."

"Chen'er, you've grown up. Your talent is far greater than mine. Qingyue Town is not a place for you. I support your decision," Jiang Yunfeng sighed emotionally.

He couldn't believe that Jiang Chen, at only eighteen years old, was aiming for the Martial Master Realm.

If Jiang Chen reached the Martial Master Realm, who in the Dragon King Secret Realm would be his match?

The Dragon King Secret Realm had a restriction: only cultivators under twenty-one years old could enter.

Those who exceeded the age limit could not enter.

With Jiang Chen's current strength, he had a good chance of joining one of the three major sects in Beihai County.

If he advanced to the Martial Master Realm, this matter would be very secure.

"Father, I bought you some pills. Take these to help you break through to the Martial Master Realm, Eighth Level, or even Ninth Level," Jiang Chen said, taking out a bottle of pills.

These were Third-grade Foundation Nurturing Pills that Jiang Chen had spent tens of thousands of spirit stones to purchase.

These pills had a powerful effect on enhancing the cultivation of Martial Master Realm experts.

If he took them, Jiang Yunfeng's strength could surge in a short period.

Jiang Yunfeng was currently only at the Martial Master Realm, Seventh Level, which was related to insufficient resources.

With sufficient resources, he would have long since advanced to the Martial Grandmaster Realm.

The reason many small factions couldn't become powerful in a short time was mostly due to a lack of resources.

Why were the geniuses cultivated by major powers so strong?

Often, it wasn't because these geniuses had higher talent than those from smaller factions, but because they had more resources.

With resource superiority, as long as their talent wasn't too poor, they could become very powerful.

"This is actually a Third-grade Foundation Nurturing Pill? Chen'er, this pill is extremely valuable. How did you obtain it?" Jiang Yunfeng exclaimed in shock as he examined the pill bottle.

This pill was too precious.

He had previously asked Jiang Chen how he got so many spirit stones, and Jiang Chen had simply said he entered a cave and found a storage bag belonging to a deceased cultivator.

Jiang Chen hadn't elaborated on the specific amount of wealth.

Jiang Yunfeng felt happy for Jiang Chen, seeing it as his son's fortunate encounter, and didn't press further.

Now that Jiang Chen had given him such a valuable pill, he felt that Jiang Chen must have acquired quite a fortune.

"I bought it with spirit stones. Alright, if you want to compete for the Patriarch position, your strength definitely needs to be even greater. You can't be weaker than the Great Elder, preferably stronger," Jiang Chen said.

"Okay." Jiang Yunfeng nodded, surprised that Jiang Chen could now help him with his worries.

Jiang Chen's current wealth was even greater than his father's.

Truly, the student surpasses the master.

This was something worth celebrating.

"Father, I'm heading out," Jiang Chen said before leaving home.

Jiang Chen didn't head straight to the Great Desolate Mountain Range. Instead, he went to the Martial Arts Pavilion.

Elder Huo was currently sitting on a small chair, playing with a small bird in a cage.

It seemed that his job at the Martial Arts Pavilion was quite leisurely.

"Jiang Chen greets Elder Huo," Jiang Chen said, bowing to him.

Elder Huo had been kind to him, earning Jiang Chen's respect.

"Not bad. Your cultivation has already reached Martial Artist Realm, Tenth Level. Your strength is improving rapidly; you haven't disappointed me," Elder Huo said with a faint smile after glancing at Jiang Chen.

Indeed, Jiang Chen's rapid advancement recently had surprised even Elder Huo; he was progressing faster than he had in his own youth.

This indicated that Jiang Chen's talent was greater than his own had been.

However, talent alone wasn't enough. One also needed a strong mindset and luck to become a true powerhouse.

The world was vast, filled with countless geniuses, yet only a few managed to become top-tier experts.

Most geniuses perished along the way.

The cultivation world was this cruel.

Elder Huo's current strength was earned through many trials and tribulations.

He had survived countless near-death experiences.

Furthermore, Jiang Chen had already secured the top spot among the Jiang Family's geniuses.

However, their agreement was for him to be the number one in Qingyue Town.

Perhaps only after the Dragon King Secret Realm concluded, if Jiang Chen ranked first in Qingyue Town, would the agreement be fulfilled.

At that time, Elder Huo would teach Jiang Chen the art of alchemy.

This was a test for Jiang Chen.

"Elder Huo, this is a gift for you," Jiang Chen said, producing a jade box.

This was a gift Jiang Chen had specifically purchased for Elder Huo: a fifth-grade spirit herb, Blood Jade Ginseng.

It was worth forty thousand spirit stones.

Jiang Chen knew Elder Huo was no ordinary person, so he wanted to build a good relationship with him. He understood the importance of social graces, especially since Elder Huo had treated him well.

"Oh? You're giving me a gift?" Elder Huo seemed surprised. He then took the box and discovered a thick Blood Jade Ginseng lying inside.

"A fifth-grade spirit herb, Blood Jade Ginseng," Elder Huo exclaimed, somewhat taken aback.

He hadn't expected Jiang Chen to give him such a valuable gift.

This alone was worth tens of thousands of spirit stones.

Tens of thousands of spirit stones was a considerable sum, even for the Jiang Family.

Jiang Chen was merely a cultivator at the Martial Artist Realm; where could he have obtained so many spirit stones to buy such an expensive spirit herb?

"Jiang Chen, where did you get this Blood Jade Ginseng? It's incredibly valuable," Elder Huo asked.

To be honest, Elder Huo was very pleased with Jiang Chen's gesture. However, Jiang Chen was currently in his prime cultivation period and needed resources more than ever.

"I purchased it from the Myriad Treasures Trading Company," Jiang Chen replied.

The Myriad Treasures Trading Company was a large establishment in Qingyue Town. Rumor had it that the company was very powerful and had many branches.

Jiang Chen wasn't sure if the rumors were true; he had only heard them.

Moreover, there was also a branch of the Myriad Treasures Trading Company in Yunluo City.

If the rumors were true, then the Myriad Treasures Trading Company was indeed a formidable force.

"A fifth-grade Blood Jade Ginseng would cost at least tens of thousands of spirit stones. Where did you get so many?" Elder Huo pressed.

"Elder Huo, do you really want to know?" Jiang Chen asked.

"I'm a little curious, where did you, a mere Martial Artist Realm kid, get so many spirit stones? You know, tens of thousands of spirit stones is more than a Martial Master Realm cultivator might have in total," Elder Huo said meaningfully, looking at Jiang Chen.

This kid has quite a few secrets.

Even though Jiang Chen won first place in the family competition before, the reward was only five thousand spirit stones.

Furthermore, Jiang Chen had previously paid off Jiang Yunfeng's loss of forty thousand spirit stones.

Elder Huo was aware of these facts; he was quite clear about some of the internal affairs of the Jiang Family.

Not to mention, this was a public matter.

"Recently, the Bloodfire Mercenary Group has been looking for someone," Jiang Chen said.

"That's true, but what does that have to do with the question I just asked you?" Elder Huo asked.

Suddenly, Elder Huo's expression froze. He seemed to have thought of something and looked at Jiang Chen with surprise.

"Could it be that you were the one who did that?" Elder Huo asked, taking a deep breath.

Although the Bloodfire Mercenary Group was nothing to him, Jiang Chen was only in the Martial Artist Realm.

Rumor had it that some time ago, someone had single-handedly infiltrated the Bloodfire Mercenary Group's stronghold, looted a large number of spirit stones.

They also killed dozens of mercenaries, including some Martial Master Realm powerhouses.

In the end, the mysterious person managed to escape.

This was a huge blow to the Bloodfire Mercenary Group, driving them into a frenzy.

Since no one else was in the Martial Arts Pavilion, Jiang Chen might as well admit it.

With Elder Huo's immense power, if he wanted to harm Jiang Chen, the latter would have no power to resist.

"That's right, I did do it. They stole things from our Jiang Family, and they almost killed my father. How could I let this go? I definitely have to make them pay," Jiang Chen said.

"So that's how it is. It makes sense that you have so many spirit stones now," Elder Huo chuckled.

He was very satisfied with Jiang Chen; he had great courage to dare to provoke the Bloodfire Mercenary Group alone.

And to be able to escape unharmed.

"My strength is still low now. Once I become stronger, I will absolutely not allow the Bloodfire Mercenary Group to exist," Jiang Chen declared.

He had already made an enemy of the Bloodfire Mercenary Group, so if the Jiang Family lacked the strength, eliminating the Bloodfire Mercenary Group would be the safest course of action.

"Not bad," Elder Huo nodded.

"I like your gift very much. I'll accept it," Elder Huo said.

"I need to go to the Great Desolate Mountain Range for a while. During this time, please take care of the Jiang Family for me, Elder Huo. I'm worried that the Bloodfire Mercenary Group might harm the Jiang Family," Jiang Chen requested.

Previously, when he went to Snake King Valley, Jiang Chen had clashed with members of the Bloodfire Mercenary Group, and he was worried they would find out his identity.

"So, you gave me a gift with this purpose in mind. It seems I can't just accept this gift for nothing. You're quite calculating," Elder Huo said helplessly.

"This..." Jiang Chen was a little embarrassed.

"Alright, as long as I'm here, I can ensure the Jiang Family's safety," Elder Huo assured him.

"Thank you, Elder Huo," Jiang Chen said gratefully, quickly bowing his thanks.

"Alright, scram, kid," Elder Huo said impatiently, gesturing for Jiang Chen to leave.

Jiang Chen then left the Martial Arts Pavilion.

After Jiang Chen left, Elder Huo looked at the Blood Jade Ginseng on the table and smiled. This kid.

Jiang Chen's figure moved rapidly through the Great Desolate Mountain Range. The outer areas were no longer sufficient for his needs.

He had to venture deeper, where there were more second-tier Demonic Beasts, and even some third-tier ones.

"Hegemonic Blade Art," Jiang Chen unleashed his blade technique.

A flash of blade light, and a second-tier Demonic Beast before him was instantly killed.

After absorbing the blood energy from its body, Jiang Chen's cultivation increased slightly.

He then quickly cut off the valuable parts of the beast.

These could be exchanged for spirit stones.

"The spiritual energy required to advance from the tenth level of the Martial Artist Realm to the first level of the Martial Master Realm is too immense. It seems that breaking through to the Martial Master Realm won't be easy. I need to kill more Demonic Beasts," Jiang Chen thought.

"It would be best if I could kill third-tier Demonic Beasts. That way, my advancement speed will be much faster," Jiang Chen mused.

But where could he easily encounter third-tier Demonic Beasts?

That required a certain amount of luck. Although the probability of encountering third-tier Demonic Beasts increased significantly by going deeper, it was still just a probability, not a guarantee of frequent encounters.

At least, in the two hours since Jiang Chen entered this area, he had only encountered a few second-tier Demonic Beasts and not a single third-tier one.