After they finished discussing these matters, Li Chen once again thought they were done, only for Great Elder Shen to bring up something else. "You have been studying the Confucian Dao lately, hoping to use it to temper your divine soul and cultivate a nascent soul?"
Li Chen said, "That is indeed the case."
Shen Longcheng said, "This is your private business, and I should not interfere, but I hope you understand what you are doing."
Li Chen said, "Elder He has cautioned me in the same way. I will be careful."
Shen Longcheng gave a noncommittal hum, then suddenly asked, "What do you think of the overall balance between us and our enemies?"
Li Chen smiled wryly. "This junior is merely a man of the underworld who has yet to acquaint himself with all the heroes beneath Heaven. What qualifies me to discuss the bigger picture?"
Shen Longcheng said, "Do not belittle yourself. Ever since you contributed the Swarm of Bees Technique and offered another possibility for mechanical intelligence beyond sentience, you have surpassed the vast majority of Puppet Masters. Otherwise, why would our sect have awarded you the title of Grandmaster Artisan?"
"But previously, aside from knowing that our sect has seven Grandmasters and nearly a hundred Grandmaster Artisans, you only knew that the Immortal Alliance has around thirty Great Powers of the Primordial Spirit Realm, and that the Great Qian Dynasty of the Righteous Qi Continent has roughly the same number across its civil and martial paths and the various other Dao paths, great and small. You still do not know the true reserves that our sect and the Outer Dao each conceal behind the scenes."
Li Chen said, "That is true."
Shen Longcheng said, "Then today, I shall tell you!"
Li Chen glanced at Shen Longcheng