Iron Lotus Seed!

Chen Jichuan casually took out an Iron Lotus Seed and tossed it to Sheng Dayang. "This is an 'Enlightenment Lotus Seed' that Lord of Antarctic Eternal Life City obtained from a secret realm. This one is a First Rank lotus seed. It contains all the insights into the first layer of the Divine Pounce Blade from a Sixth Rank expert of an Earthly Fiend Sequence member in our Yan Tower."

"Enlightenment Lotus Seed?"

Sheng Dayang froze for a moment, unable to process those words.

Martial arts insights?

Stored inside this Iron Lotus Seed?

How could that be possible!

"This—"

Though Sheng Dayang was doubtful, he still accepted the Iron Lotus Seed before looking at Chen Jichuan. "My lord, how many merit points does this Iron Lotus Seed cost?"

"Thirty merit points."

"It can only be comprehended by one person. Once its insights have been absorbed, they will dissipate, and it will become useless. Find an auspicious day, hold the lotus seed, calm your mind, and visualize it. You will then be able to absorb its insights, which will greatly aid your cultivation of the first layer of the Divine Pounce Blade."

Chen Jichuan replied.

The material of this Iron Lotus Seed was ordinary. Chen Shaohe had refined it from pig iron, and it was only the size of a fingernail.

As for the lotus seed formed from the martial arts insights within his Dao Fruit, Chen Jichuan had exchanged it and attached it to the Iron Lotus Seed at the cost of one point of Origin Force.

The cost was practically nonexistent.

But this was only a First Rank lotus seed, containing merely the insights of the first layer of a single martial art.

If it contained the insights of the first two layers of the Divine Pounce Blade, the Origin Force expenditure would surge to ten points. A Third Rank Enlightenment Lotus Seed would cost fifty points.

The higher it went, the greater the expenditure.

By the Sixth Rank, the Origin Force cost would soar to one thousand.

Moreover, every Iron Lotus Seed could only be comprehended by one person. Once used, it was ruined.

Chen Jichuan was proficient in over a hundred martial arts. If he were to manifest all of them—

It would be an astronomical figure.

He did not dare imagine it.

"Thirty points?"

Sheng Dayang looked troubled and somewhat embarrassed. "This subordinate—"

He only had seven merit points in total.

How could he afford this Iron Lotus Seed?!

"This is a blessing bestowed by Lord of Antarctic Eternal Life City. Members of every rank are granted one for free; no merit points are required. You have only just entered White Jade Capital, so you receive the lowest-grade First Rank Enlightenment Lotus Seed."

Seeing Sheng Dayang's predicament, Chen Jichuan spoke brightly.

What was Sheng Dayang thinking?

He was not the sort to force a sale!

"For free?"

The embarrassment on Sheng Dayang's face immediately vanished. "Thank you, my lord. Thank you, Lord of Antarctic Eternal Life City!"

Everyone was happy to receive something for nothing.

His entire fortune consisted of only seven merit points, yet he had suddenly received an Enlightenment Lotus Seed worth thirty merit points. Though he did not yet know its effects, joy still welled up in his heart.

He put away the Iron Lotus Seed.

Then Sheng Dayang asked curiously, "This subordinate's qualifications are shallow and his strength is meager, so a First Rank lotus seed suits me perfectly. May I ask what rank lotus seed my lord received?"

"Ninth Rank."

Chen Jichuan gave a brief reply.

He did not linger there. Turning around, he departed and quickly vanished from sight.

"Ninth Rank?!"

Sheng Dayang remained where he was, his eyes wide. "Could a Heavenly Dipper Sequence member be a Ninth Rank expert?!"

Chen Jichuan had thoroughly bluffed Sheng Dayang.

Without looking back,

he headed straight for Lingchuan County.

He had now cultivated Hidden Force, and his internal cultivation had reached the sixth layer, already at the limit of the Later-Heaven Realm.

He was just one step away from perfection.

Then he would be able to enter the Innate Realm.

When he ran, he was faster than a thousand-mile horse. Mountains came, and he crossed them; water came, and he skimmed over it. From the southern border of Yangshuo County to Lingchuan County, a distance of several dozen li, he took only half a shichen.

Along the way,

he even had time to change his appearance and assume the identity of Liao Hua, the seventh Heavenly Dipper Sequence member of Yan Tower in White Jade Capital, to meet Sick Yuchi and Far-Sight Fang Dong.

He gave them Enlightenment Lotus Seeds and issued assignments.

Then he returned to Yangshuo County, changed identities again, and went to see Ugly Prince-Consort and Wind-Hearing Tan Zhang.

Finally, he passed by South Creek Mountain to see Sheng Dayang's son, Sheng Xiaotian, known as 'Suppressor of Three Mountains,' and gave him an Iron Lotus Seed as well.

After finishing all that,

the sky had already darkened.

Only then did Chen Jichuan return to Begonia Mountain.

'Divine Strategist' Sheng Dayang.

'Suppressor of Three Mountains' Sheng Xiaotian.

'Sick Yuchi' Fang Dong.

'Ugly Prince-Consort' Tan Zhang.

These were all the current members of White Jade Capital, among whom one was merely making up the numbers.

But Sheng Dayang was embedded in Wusheng Sect, while Fang Dong was embedded in Li River Gang. Both were shrewd and perceptive men. Once they established themselves, Chen Jichuan believed that the temptation of Enlightenment Lotus Seeds, martial arts, and medicinal pills would surely lead them to find Spirit Stones and Clam Pearls for him, easing his pressing need.

As for Tan Zhang,

the less said about him, the better.

Back at Begonia Mountain,

night had fallen.

Inside the small house, lamplight flickered.

More than ten scroll paintings hung before Chen Shaohe, each filled with dazzlingly chaotic patterns. The patterns themselves were utterly unremarkable, like the scribbles of a novice.

Yet Chen Shaohe studied them earnestly.

At times, he opened his eyes to inspect them closely; at others, he shut his eyes and pondered deeply.

It was not until Chen Jichuan pushed open the door and entered that Chen Shaohe realized his fourth brother had returned.

"Fourth Brother."

Chen Shaohe hurriedly rose to his feet.

Over the past two months,

Chen Jichuan often went out and only returned after nightfall. Chen Shaohe was no longer as jittery as he had been at first, but he still refused to sleep until Chen Jichuan came back.

When bored,

he would read the various books his fourth brother had brought back. As his fourth brother put it, this was 'recharging himself' and training his ability to think.

The more he read and thought,

the wiser he would become.

A few days ago, Chen Shaohe had also developed a fondness for 'looking at paintings.'

"How has it been going?"

Chen Jichuan pointed at the scroll paintings and asked Chen Shaohe.

At once, a troubled expression appeared on Chen Shaohe's face. "I have no clue."

He had studied the thirteen paintings for several days, but his mind was still a tangled mess.

"Do not rush when comprehending an Altered Ability."

"The runes of the Blood-Burning Art are complex. Each line is three-dimensional and layered upon the others. I exhausted every method to draw these thirteen paintings, but I may not even have reproduced them completely."

"Visualizing them according to these paintings is difficult unless one possesses heaven-defying comprehension."

Chen Jichuan smiled and comforted him.

The thirteen scroll paintings before Chen Shaohe were Chen Jichuan's work. It had begun as a sudden inspiration. Since he could copy Altered Abilities from people like Chen Shaohe and Sheng Dayang, could he then pass those copied Altered Abilities on to others?

If that were possible,

once Chen Shaohe learned the Blood-Burning Art, he could circulate his own blood and qi, saving Chen Jichuan a great deal of effort.

Thus,

Chen Jichuan began experimenting in the Great Yan World.

After repeated adjustments and deliberation, he finally produced these thirteen paintings.

But over the decades that followed, until Chen Jichuan died, no one in the Great Yan World had managed to comprehend the mysteries within the paintings.

How long had Chen Shaohe been trying?

It was perfectly normal for him to have gained nothing.

"I think I'm quite smart."

Hearing his fourth brother comfort him, Chen Shaohe felt somewhat discouraged.

Chen Jichuan smiled.

Reaching into his robes, he took out an Iron Lotus Seed.

This Iron Lotus Seed differed from those given to Sheng Dayang and Fang Dong. It had four patterns on its surface.

"Isn't this one of the Iron Lotus Seeds I refined?"

Chen Shaohe took it, looking puzzled.

Yesterday,

his fourth brother had asked him to refine dozens of Iron Lotus Seeds like this and leave patterns on them—some with one pattern, some with four or five, and some with six or seven.

Chen Jichuan had not explained their purpose.

Nor had Chen Shaohe asked.

"This is a Fourth Rank Iron Lotus Seed."

Seeing Chen Shaohe's indifference, the smile on Chen Jichuan's face deepened.

In truth,

when he had condensed his first Dao Fruit yesterday, he had not thought of this. Only after wandering about outside today did he suddenly remember—

Now that the Dao Fruit had formed,

why bother comprehending those dubious paintings?!

With a thought,

he poured his insights into the Blood-Burning Art into the Iron Lotus Seed. His Blood-Burning Art was at level four, making this a Fourth Rank Iron Lotus Seed that contained all insights from the first through fourth layers.

"Calm your mind and comprehend the lotus seed."

"See whether you can learn it."

Chen Jichuan said expectantly.

This single Fourth Rank Iron Lotus Seed had cost him a full two hundred points of Origin Force. If it could not produce results, it would be a waste.

"Alright."

Having stayed by his fourth brother's side, Chen Shaohe had seen plenty of strange things. He did not ask any questions now. Obediently, he sat cross-legged, adjusted his breathing, and calmed his emotions.

After he had settled himself,

he followed his fourth brother's instructions, held the Iron Lotus Seed in his hand, and focused all his attention on the cold seed.

He closed his eyes.

Countless streams of information surged in!

Tuesday, please vote with recommendation tickets!

.