Entering Jia Ma

Wonderful!

Zhang Nian was overjoyed. First- to sixth-tier medicinal ingredients were commonplace, but seventh-tier ingredients were considered rare treasures of heaven and earth, and ninth-tier ones were exceedingly rare. With this medicinal-ingredient vault, he could save himself a great deal of trouble.

Besides, Zhang Nian already had a plan in mind. The system had said that pills from the medicinal-ingredient vault, if given to his disciples, wouldn't be returned—but it hadn't said that pills he refined wouldn't be returned. Heh heh!

That wasn't all. Once his cultivation fell, the vault would make his command of spatial abilities all the more apparent. He could also rely on that skill to keep his two disciples in line.

Inside the spatial rift, Little Zi Yan looked around curiously, asking childish questions every now and then.

"Master, where are we going?"

"Master, everything around here is so strange."

"Why are there little bubbles around me? Can I pop them?"

Zhang Nian said nothing. Instead, he casually tossed her a fourth-tier Zilan Flower and declared, "Be good, Zi Yan. Here, have this for a snack. We'll be there soon." Then he reached out and ruffled Zi Yan's little head. There was no denying that her innocent, adorable face was utterly irresistible. He glanced at Medusa, poised and coolly beautiful at his right, and the contrast between them was striking.

Before he could dwell on it, a brightness appeared ahead. Zhang Nian fell silent and focused his mind, checking the notification panel. There were still more than ten minutes. That would be enough.

Since he had chosen the Jia Ma Empire as his destination, he naturally had to make a bit of a scene. As for why he had picked the Jia Ma Empire, it was simply because this was a small place.

People in small places were easily satisfied. What Zhang Nian needed now wasn't some peerless genius. With the system, he could become the strongest himself. But he had to raise his strength as quickly as possible, and the best way was to increase his disciples' favorability. Higher favorability meant a better return multiplier. As for whether their innate talent was good or bad, he could find a way to change it.

"Rumble!"

Jia Ma Empire

Imperial Capital

A crack suddenly appeared in the blue-and-white sky. A black void, accompanied by rumbling thunder, seemed to tell the people below that this day was unlike any other.

"Gasp... This aura..."

At that moment, on mist-shrouded Misty Cloud Mountain, Yun Shan sat in a quiet chamber, momentarily stunned. This unusual aura filled him with fear—yes, fear. The commotion outside the door had caught his attention, so he immediately rose, pushed the door open, and flew outside. Yun Yun was organizing the sect's disciples, trying to prevent an even greater disturbance.

Yun Shan looked on with satisfaction. It seemed that in a few more years, he could officially let go of his responsibilities.

"Whoosh~"

"Whoosh~"

Several figures gathered above the Misty Cloud Sect. The first to arrive was Jia Lao, clad in a hemp robe—the guardian of the Jia Ma Imperial Family, Jia Xingtian.

"You noticed it too, right? This... I'm afraid a powerful expert has descended..." Jia Lao said little more. He would much rather this be the appearance of some rare treasure of heaven and earth. Otherwise, tearing through space was a Dou Sheng's ability.

"Phew... You may be right." Yun Shan's gaze was grave as he stared at the rift not far above. He could already sense three auras hurtling toward them: one Dou Ling, one Dou Wang, and another so unfathomable that sensing it was like throwing an egg against a rock. Even the briefest contact left his mind in turmoil.

"Well, look at this crowd." A wave of cold swept over them, making both men frown. This fellow still loved showing off his Ice Dou Qi. Every time he showed up, he had to make everyone shiver. It was none other than Ice Emperor Hai Bodong, though his strength had only just reached One-Star Dou Emperor. Little wonder he was feeling so pleased with himself.

"Whoosh~"

With a sharp sound as they broke through the air, three figures flashed past and came to a halt directly above the Misty Cloud Sect. Zhang Nian studied them. Judging by their auras, the one surrounded by cold was likely Ice Emperor Hai Bodong. The one in the hemp robe had to be Jia Xingtian, guardian of the Jia Ma Imperial Family. By process of elimination, the last one was Yun Shan. In the Jia Ma Empire, only two people possessed the strength of a Peak Nine-Star Dou Emperor.

The three had arrived first. They glanced at one another, then felt the aura of the expert above them. None dared take a step. They were, after all, people from a small empire. They knew what they were facing, yet couldn't overcome their fear. They were far inferior to the two elders of the Snake-People Tribe and the many elders of Jia Nan Academy.

Seeing that they made no move, Zhang Nian couldn't be bothered with these clowns. He turned to his two newly accepted disciples and smiled fondly. "What do you think of the scenery on Misty Cloud Mountain?"

Looking down at the mist-wreathed mountains and lush greenery, carefree Zi Yan had no idea what was about to happen. She spoke from the heart. "It's lovely here. I like it."

Medusa seemed to have thought of something. For some reason, she was actually looking forward to such a thing happening. The reason was simple: the Jia Ma Empire's treatment of the Snake-People Tribe had made her hostile toward everything in the empire. Her voice, as melodious as a nightingale's song, held a hint of bashfulness as she said, "I like it here too, Master."

Zhang Nian hadn't given it much thought. He glanced down, lifted his two disciples, and shot toward the ground.

A gust of wind swept toward them. A young man and two girls of very different appearances were approaching. One of the girls made the three men wary.

Snake-Person!

Could it be?!

They were filled with uncertainty. Could this be a powerful expert from the Snake-People Tribe, come to seek revenge?

The three had only just recovered their wits when the figures appeared before them in an instant. Zhang Nian's imposing presence made their hearts pound.

"My lord, may I ask what brings you here?" Jia Lao was the first to clasp his hands respectfully and bow. At a time like this, anyone who failed to read the room would only die sooner.

The other two followed suit. Who were they kidding? This was a Dou Sheng!

Zhang Nian raised a hand slightly. Space rippled around him like water, and in the next instant, Hai Bodong and Jia Lao were both sent flying beyond the barrier. The two outside breathed a sigh of relief. It seemed he hadn't come for them.

Within the barrier

Yun Shan nervously swallowed. He was the top figure in the Jia Ma Empire, but before Zhang Nian, he wasn't worth a damn. He knew that very well.

"Um... Saint, you..."

Zhang Nian raised a hand to stop him. There were only six minutes left, and he didn't want to waste time. "I've taken a liking to the Misty Cloud Sect. I'll keep this brief: three Eighth-Tier medicinal ingredients, and this mountain is mine."

Eighth-Tier??

Yun Shan couldn't believe his ears. This wasn't outright theft—it was a trade?

The Misty Cloud Sect's treasury held quite a few treasures, but the most precious were only some fifth- and sixth-tier pills and a seventh-tier medicinal ingredient. Eighth-tier was something he could never hope to obtain in his lifetime.

"Phew... Are you sure?"

He took a deep breath and asked again, his voice even more respectful than before. His back, which had never bent, now bowed at a sixty-degree angle.

Zhang Nian turned his palm over and casually produced three medicinal ingredients. With a flick of his wrist, Dou Qi wrapped around them and sent them shooting toward Yun Shan like meteors, stopping abruptly right before him.

"Payment received, goods delivered. From this moment on, Misty Cloud Mountain is my territory."

As soon as the words left his mouth, Zhang Nian waved away the barrier. An invisible force sent Yun Shan dozens of miles away. Then he turned both hands toward Misty Cloud Mountain, his gaze sharpening. In an instant, the heavens and earth changed color, and seven-colored light filled the sky. At the same time, the people beneath the Misty Cloud Sect's plaza were pushed away one by one, as if the surroundings had rejected them, and landed safely beyond the light.

"Rumble!"

As the world trembled, Misty Cloud Mountain, once a breathtaking sight shrouded in mist, seemed to be veiled. From the outside, it was no more than a hazy blur. Then a deep voice rang out from within, its Dou Qi carrying for thousands of miles.

"I, Zhang Nian, known as Saint Qinglian, have now settled on Misty Cloud Mountain in the Jia Ma Empire. The boundary of this place is clear. Do not trespass!"