After taking his leave of Zhang Erguo, Jiang Che returned to his own courtyard.
The rain had stopped, but the courtyard was wet and the sky remained gloomy. He could not lift his spirits no matter what.
He sat in a daze for a while.
Fate really was an inscrutable thing.
But that was as far as his sighing and lamenting went.
After this ordeal, both inside the Instance and out, there was one lesson he kept turning over in his mind.
Talent that had yet to bear fruit was all empty talk.
Jingxiao's favor, a True Disciple's words on his behalf-all of that came from other people. Zhang Pou had been willing to show him respect today because he chose to. If someone else refused tomorrow, what could Jiang Che, a mere Embryonic Breath cultivator, do about it?
Before this crisis, he had laughably thought he was riding high, that he had secured a foothold in the mountain gate.
Now he understood. It was all a tower built from sand, ready to collapse at the first gust of wind.
Luo Wenling had been right to lecture him. Cultivate diligently and reach Qi Refining as soon as possible. Everything else was empty talk.
He now had ample resources and no longer needed to wander aimlessly outside. He had already saved up thirty strands of [primordial origin first spirit], and whenever he wanted more, he could take them from the Instance. He carried Li Qiubai's insights into full aperture cultivation, possessed the fundamental cultivation method Jingxiao had passed down, and had abundant supplies besides. He lacked nothing.
For a long time to come, he planned to stay home, rarely venture out, and do nothing but focus on cultivation and opening his apertures.
Before entering seclusion to open his apertures, however, he