The Road of Dynasties

Within a resplendent inner hall of the Great Qing Imperial City.

Lin Chen stood quietly on the crimson-gold stone floor, looking at Liu Jiang, Liu Cheng, and the others smiling at him. He could not help feeling somewhat uncomfortable.

At this point, if he still failed to understand what Liu Jiang and the others had in mind, then he would truly be too foolish.

Though revealing his strength would make many things easier for him, it would also bring some troublesome inconveniences.

Joining the Liu Clan of the Great Qing Imperial Family was something he had never considered. He would not consider it now, nor would he do so in the future.

Although the Great Qing Dynasty was a mid-level dynasty, far stronger than the Great Yan Dynasty, it was still nowhere near enough to satisfy him. His purpose in joining a super sect was very simple: cultivation resources. There was not a trace of personal entanglement involved.

He was not particularly unfamiliar with the super sects of the Eastern Profound Region, and he was even very familiar with some of them. However, that was merely a broad impression and a vague understanding. As for the specific sects and people, he still needed time to witness them one by one.

Yet he already had a relatively deep understanding of the Great Qing Dynasty. This differed from when he had first arrived in this world, when his impression of the Great Qing Dynasty had been limited to it being a mid-level dynasty, along with Su Kui and his sister, and Liu Ya—the three people who had survived the Hundred Dynasties War.

"Senior Liu Jiang and Brother Liu Cheng, I understand what you meant earlier. However, I do not intend to remain in the Great Qing Dynasty for long. I do not even plan to return to the Great Yan Dynasty. I merely passed through Great Qing City, so I can only appreciate the Great Qing Imperial Family's kind intentions."

Upon hearing this, Liu Cheng sighed softly but said nothing more. Liu Jiang, however, could no longer hold himself back. Anxiety appeared on his somewhat aged face.

"Little friend Lin Chen, my younger brother Liu Mu already explained your plans in his letter. But forgive this old man for speaking bluntly today: traveling from the Great Qing Dynasty to the Immortal Dynasty is not something even ordinary Nirvana Realm experts would dare attempt lightly."

"Although your talent in Spiritual Power is rarely seen in this world and your Symbol Master cultivation is quite high, you have yet to reach the level of a Heavenly Symbol Master. As for your Origin Energy cultivation, it is only at the Lesser Accomplishment of Qi Creation Realm. With such strength, traveling to the Immortal Dynasty would likely remain nothing more than a flower in the mirror, a moon in the water, even after ten years."

With the full revelation of Lin Chen's true strength, Liu Jiang's manner of speaking had grown far more courteous. None of his former arrogance remained, and he vaguely treated Lin Chen as an equal.

Lin Chen was slightly startled at those words before saying solemnly, "Senior Liu Jiang is right. However, I believe my strength will not remain unchanged forever. The road to the Immortal Dynasty can also be regarded as a form of training, and it will be even more beneficial to improving my strength."

Faced with Lin Chen's response, Liu Jiang sighed again before saying gravely, "Little friend Lin Chen, perhaps you do not know this."

"According to miscellaneous records left behind by our Liu Clan's forebears who entered super sects, one must travel eastward through the neighboring Ji Dynasty in order to reach the Immortal Dynasty from the Great Qing Dynasty."

"Afterward, one must pass through more than a hundred mid- and low-level dynasties, sixteen great high-level dynasties, and three super dynasties before arriving. The distance is immense, and the dangers concealed along the way are beyond what ordinary people can imagine."

"Even a Nirvana Realm expert traveling day and night without encountering any obstruction would need an entire year. Not to mention that during this time, you would have no one to rely on. Even if your strength improved again, without enough Nirvana Pills, how could you advance to the Nirvana Realm and stabilize the foundation of your cultivation?"

Hearing information so closely related to himself, Lin Chen's bright black eyes flickered, and his jade-white hand tightened slightly.

"It seems... Senior Liu Jiang has quite a good understanding of how to reach the Immortal Dynasty."

It had to be said that Liu Jiang's words had deeply stirred Lin Chen.

Traveling from the Great Qing Dynasty to the Immortal Dynasty was indeed a long and arduous task of extreme difficulty. Lin Chen had always understood that, but unlike Liu Jiang, he had not known the route from the Great Qing Dynasty to the Immortal Dynasty.

More than a hundred mid- and low-level dynasties, sixteen great high-level dynasties, and three super dynasties—yet these were merely the places one would pass through from the Great Qing Dynasty to the Immortal Dynasty, merely some of the dynasties under Nine Heavens Taiqing Palace's control. From this, one could see the vastness of the Eastern Profound Region, the boundlessness of the Tianxuan Continent, and the immensity of the Great Thousand World.

"Alas..." Liu Jiang sighed. "Having reached such an awkward level of strength, how could I remain indifferent to the world beyond the Great Qing Dynasty? It is simply that the road ahead is uncertain, and some paths are fraught with immense danger."

"In the past, those from the Great Qing Dynasty who failed to participate in the Hundred Dynasties War for various reasons all had thoughts of finding another route. Yet most of them returned in disgrace before even leaving the nearby Ji Dynasty. Some with firmer resolve never returned, but there was no news of them afterward either."

"Not every dynasty is like our Great Qing Dynasty, neither rejecting nor treating people from foreign dynasties poorly. Perhaps you have yet to gain a deep understanding of this. As for why this old man knows such secrets, it is because of my current strength and standing within the Liu Clan."

"Otherwise, my younger brother Liu Mu would have explained these things to you back in Qingyan City."

After sighing with emotion for a while, Liu Jiang explained further to Lin Chen. The meaning of his persuasion was abundantly clear.

"No matter how difficult the road ahead may be, I must travel to the Immortal Dynasty and join a super sect."

In the face of Liu Jiang's tactful discouragement, Lin Chen harbored no thoughts of retreat. His voice was filled with determination.

Just as Lin Chen's voice fell, a somewhat indifferent voice suddenly rang through the hall.

"There are many ways to join a super sect. Why must you insist on that one path?"

Lin Chen looked up at the newcomer. It was Liu Qian, the beautiful woman in purple who had previously told him to wait in this hall, along with several Half-step Nirvana Realm experts following her. What surprised him somewhat was that Liu Ya, who had drawn considerable attention at the Coming-of-Age Ceremony, had come along as well.

"Senior Liu Qian is right. There is more than one way to join a super sect, but this path is the most suitable one for me."

"There are countless dynasties in the Eastern Profound Region. For someone of my status, born in a dynasty such as this, the Hundred Dynasties War may be the most likely way to join a super sect. But the Hundred Dynasties War is only held once every twenty years. Eight years is simply far too long."

Lin Chen's expression remained calm. He did not change because of the purple-clad woman's rebuke and merely offered a brief explanation.

"It seems your mind is made up. You insist on going to the Immortal Dynasty?"

After hearing Lin Chen's explanation, Liu Qian did not continue trying to dissuade him and instead asked directly.

Lin Chen gave no verbal response, merely nodding.

Although rejecting the well-intentioned advice of a Nirvana Realm expert like this carried considerable risk, matters had reached this point, and he could not afford to think too much about it.

Moreover, he could sense that the Great Qing Imperial Family bore him no ill will. Whether Liu Cheng, Liu Jiang, or Liu Qian before him, all they wanted was to win him over. As for whether they would become enraged in the end, that was beyond his ability to predict.

"Although you are not from the Great Qing Dynasty, I do not wish to see a true genius die an untimely death."

"The road to the Immortal Dynasty is indeed the fastest way to join a super sect. Elders from Nine Heavens Taiqing Palace are stationed in that dynasty, making it far more reliable than the Wind Observers stationed around those high-level dynasties. But reaching the Immortal Dynasty is no easy matter."

"Since you are so resolute and insist on going to the Immortal Dynasty, further words are useless. From today onward, the Great Qing Imperial Family will not let you leave until your Spiritual Power reaches the level of a Heavenly Symbol Master."

"I believe that, in the future, you will understand why I am doing this."

"As for whether you are ultimately willing to join the Great Qing Imperial Family, you may decide for yourself then."