Purple Mist Dao Master-Chapter 838 - 545: How Can a True Man Submit to Others for Long?

Chapter 838: Chapter 545: How Can a True Man Submit to Others for Long?

"City Lord Sheng." Yan Chuan seated Sheng Xuan, laughing heartily, "Our meeting in the Tan Valley Realm is fate. Hearing my martial arts lecture breakthrough to the sixth rank is also fate. But truly, it is your own deep accumulation that matters. My lecture yesterday was just coincidental, merely helping you take the last step. Even without me, I think, in three to five months or at most three to five years, with enough effort, you would have reached the sixth rank."

"..."

Sheng Xuan was dumbfounded.

No!

Indeed, Yan Chuan lectured on the city wall yesterday, but he talked about ’Xingyi Boxing’, a boxing technique. It had nothing to do with the ’Evil Extinguishing Righteous Yang Saber’ he broke through with yesterday!

Yes!

He did gain some inspiration from Yan Chuan’s lecture yesterday, but those insights were the result of his own accumulation and self-study. Yan Chuan just happened to catch him at the right moment.

After all, the martial arts and weaponry Yan Chuan taught were so basic. How could it possibly help him comprehend the ’Evil Extinguishing Righteous Yang Saber’?

Even without Yan Chuan, perhaps he might have observed a mountain, a river, a fight between a snake and a turtle, or even a quarrel between shrews; any of these could have led to his breakthrough.

Yan Chuan?

Martial arts lecture?

Truly irrelevant.

Sheng Xuan hadn’t come today to thank Yan Chuan.

However, while Yan Chuan’s words seemed humble, to Sheng Xuan they sounded self-congratulatory. Sheng Xuan, who fiercely battled a sixth-rank ruin beast recently, remained silent upon hearing Yan Chuan’s words today.

"City Lord Yan." Sheng Xuan could only respond, "City Lord Yan’s lecture on ’Xingyi Boxing’ yesterday inspired me greatly. I came today to express my gratitude."

Hmm!

A verbal thanks!

No ’endless gratitude’, no ’ready to brave fire and water’, nor any ’willing to be a bull or a horse’, ’not fearing death’, ’bind grass for rings of gratitude’.

None of that.

Just an ordinary thank you.

"That’s not enough!" Yan Chuan furrowed his brow slightly, feeling rather disappointed with Sheng Xuan. He found Sheng Xuan even less gracious than Luo the Madman from before. Indeed, most geniuses were either selfish or opportunistic. Yan Chuan’s martial arts lecture could lead to breakthroughs, and he didn’t expect thanks, but at least some acknowledgment. Sheng Xuan’s behavior today made Yan Chuan regret investing in him.

This person.

Not one to befriend deeply.

The original plan to have Sheng Xuan explore ’Returning Ruins’ for treasures was immediately shelved.

Yan Chuan’s thoughts ran, yet he maintained a smile, "It’s all fate, a mere coincidence, no thanks necessary." Yan Chuan waved dismissively, then asked Sheng Xuan, "What’s the real reason you’ve come today, City Lord Sheng?"

Yan Chuan skipped the pleasantries and directly inquired about Sheng Xuan’s purpose.

To Sheng Xuan’s relief, he said, "I’ve come because of the beast tide disaster in the Tan Valley Realm. A sixth-rank Beast King appeared in Zongyang City among the Fourteen Ruined Cities. In my recent battle with it, I gave my all and we ended in a draw. Now that I’ve broken through, that Silver Moon Ferocious Wolf’s injuries are likely unrecovered. Strike him while he’s weak; I want to return to Zongyang City, join forces with City Lord Yan, and bring ninety-eight Divine Generals to form a ’Beidou Formation’. I’ll be the main force, City Lord Yan will assist, and with the power of the ’Beidou Formation’, we can surely eliminate this major threat!"

Sheng Xuan was not here to discuss; he had already formulated a strategy and was merely informing.

Promotion to the sixth rank!

Strongest in Tan Valley!

In Sheng Xuan’s mind, Yan Chuan and the entire Tan Valley Realm should revolve around him, the sole sixth-rank Divine General, following his orders and helping him hunt more high-rank Beast Kings to elevate himself.

But—

"The ’beast tide’ isn’t over, the situation remains unclear. As the City Lord of Mengsha City, City Lord Sheng’s current duty is to guard Mengsha City. As for the sixth-rank Beast King in Zongyang City, it’s not easy to deal with. Let me send someone to scout Zongyang City and assess the Silver Moon Ferocious Wolf’s situation before taking action."

"To rush blindly could endanger the three cities’ six million citizens!"

Yan Chuan spoke heavily, considering all angles.

Sheng Xuan, however, frowned—

It seemed Yan Chuan still didn’t grasp the power of the sixth rank. Did he think it was merely like a difference between the third and fourth ranks?

He seemed unconcerned.

Treating him like a subordinate?

Sheng Xuan felt displeasure within. Filled with exuberance from his sixth-rank breakthrough, his first decision was rejected outright by Yan Chuan.

Submission test?

Inadequate!

...

Sheng Xuan left with enthusiasm diminished.

"This Yan Chuan, civility and negotiation are futile, must it come to a fallout?" Sheng Xuan turned away, his face darkening.

A true man born under heaven, how could he simmer long in subordination?

Confident in his destiny, Sheng Xuan saw himself as the central figure of the world. Recently inferior in skill, letting Yan Chuan take control of the Tan Valley Realm was tolerable, but now as a sixth-rank powerhouse, the lost should be regained.

He assumed Yan Chuan would understand, but—

"Indeed."

"During the ’Heavenly Calamity’ and ’Beast Tide’, he widely opened city gates, winning hearts across the realm, consolidating power, how could he easily relinquish control?"

"Hateful and shortsighted!"

"Little knows that my destiny is unmatched, I care not for mere Tan Valley! My future lies in Mo Yin Continent, Yu Fang Dynasty, the legendary ’Mountain and Sea Pass’!"

"Yet he doesn’t understand and thinks I aim to contend with him."

"Truly laughable."

Sheng Xuan shook his head, looking down upon anyone in the Tan Valley Realm, even Yan Chuan with his fifth-rank combat strength. Holding the Tan Valley Realm was just a step in growth, forming alliances with Divine Generals to aid in killing more Beast Kings, advancing past Tan Valley, seizing the vast seas and skies beyond. By then, the Tan Valley could belong to whoever, for all he cared.

Laughable, Yan Chuan thought, that he was truly contending for Tan Valley.

However, for now, Sheng Xuan did need the Tan Valley Realm.

"Yan Chuan!"

"Enough!"

"As long as he doesn’t oppose me, I won’t hold anything against him."

"He’s been ruling the Tan Valley Realm for not long, and though he has won the people’s hearts, the Divine Generals are a different matter. Now that I’m Sixth Rank, I could recruit at least sixty to seventy percent of them. But the prerequisite is to keep them unaware that I intend for them to help hunt a Sixth Rank Beast King, otherwise, they will surely retreat frightened."

"I need to plan well."

"Moreover, Yan Chuan is actively hunting beasts in the Tan Valley Realm, exchanging military merit and essence stones for alien beast materials. Where did he get so many essence stones? And how does he plan to handle so many beast materials?"

"Could it be—"

Sheng Xuan’s eyes suddenly lit up, "Could it be that Yan Chuan has already found a route out of the Tan Valley Realm?!"

...

Yan Chuan watched Sheng Xuan leave, fully aware that Sheng Xuan was very likely to rebel.

This person is as cold-hearted as iron, focused solely on becoming stronger.

Whether it was Yan Chuan saving him from the Black Crowned Golden Eagle’s claws at the start of the Beast Tide or helping him achieve the Sixth Rank with martial arts lectures the day before, Sheng Xuan couldn’t recall any of these once their personal interests conflicted.

"Perhaps in his mind, sparing my life when the time comes would count as repayment."

Yan Chuan shook his head, feeling an urgent pressure building within him.

Sheng Xuan is an ungrateful white-eyed wolf. When the situation was against him, he could be restrained. Trapped in the Tan Valley Realm, Sheng Xuan was more obedient than anything. When asked to go from Yong Mountain City to Mengsha City, he complied, and when asked to hunt Fifth-Rank Ruin Beasts, he also followed, very obedient and well-behaved.

But now that he has taken the lead, the first thing on his mind isn’t gratitude but seizing control, wanting to boss Yan Chuan around and even overstep by maneuvering the hundred Divine Generals within the realm at his discretion.

Too abrupt!

"Inside, there’s Sheng Xuan with his rebellious nature."

"Outside, there are four Sixth Rank Ruined Beast Commanders among the fourteen ruined cities."

"Farther away, there’s ’Jade King’ in the Tiger Hunting Land, and ’Golden King’ on the Golden Flower Gu Mountain."

Yan Chuan rubbed his hands, feeling a headache, as the internal and external threats posed a series of thorny issues.

And him?

The strongest move, the Fifth Move of the High Grade True Skill "Wave Riding Micro Steps," called "Sword Net," just barely reaches the threshold of Sixth Rank, but its startup time is too long, nowhere near comparable to a genuine Sixth Rank.

He cannot win in a fight.

Even with Tan Yunqing’s help, it’s challenging.

Yan Chuan actually has another helper, Luo the Madman, whom Yan Chuan helped ascend to the Sixth Rank in the Danhu Realm, had promised to fulfill one request for him. However, even before the heavenly calamity, Luo the Madman and the Independent Practitioner Alliance had been cornered by the Thirteen Families of the Danhu Realm, and Luo’s whereabouts are unknown.

Whether Yan Chuan can find him is another matter.

If found, bringing him to the Tan Valley Realm is yet another difficulty.

Luo the Madman.

Can’t be saved.

Apart from Luo the Madman as an external assistance, who else is there?

Yan Chuan quickly thought of his next destination within the King City Realm—

"Iron Clothes Realm."

"Iron Clothes Sect."

"The Sect Leader ’Golden Silk Jade Robe’ Lv Zhong, ranked fourth on the ’Heavenly List,’ is reputedly a Sixth Rank expert!"

Yan Chuan pondered how to persuade this figure to come to the Tan Valley Realm to support him.

He gradually formed a plan in his mind.

August 11.

August 12.

August 13.

This time, Yan Chuan only stayed in the Tan Valley Realm for three days. During that time, he gave martial arts lectures, utilizing "Mutual Teaching and Learning" within three Guard Cities before the martial artists left to hunt beasts, reaping a wave.

Afterward,

August 14.

Yan Chuan rushed non-stop to his next destination—

Iron Clothes Sect!

Iron Clothes Realm!

...

July was full of disasters. 𝑓𝘳𝘦𝑒𝑤𝑒𝘣𝘯ℴ𝘷𝘦𝓁.𝑐𝑜𝑚

August confronted numerous challenges.

In less than two months, the Mountain and Sea Realm underwent catastrophic changes, with casualties too numerous to count and a complete upheaval of the situation.

August 14.

Yan Chuan traversed the Black Hawk Territory and the Eight Phases Realm. He arrived in Shan State, situated in the southernmost part of Great Yan, bordered by Jian Province to the west and Xiang Province to the north. One of the Six Great Sects of Great Yan, the Iron Clothes Sect, was located in the central part of Shan State, corresponding to the central southern part of the South Continent of the Mo Yin region.

Upon Yan Chuan’s arrival, before delivering any martial arts lectures, he conversed with ’Hidden Sword Immortal’ Master Zhong, one of the five friends of the Iron Clothes Sect, regarding the current situation in the Mo Yin region.

"Since August began, the Four Oceans have been entirely lost."

"The sea Ruins Beasts broke through many island nations and islands led by first-class kingdoms, leaving no trace of humanity in the Four Oceans."

"The ocean Ruins Beasts are not content with the Four Oceans; they took the opportunity to invade the inland. Numerous nations across the Four Continents have coastal territories or outlets to the ocean. Nations accessible to the ocean once envied by all, and many third-tier small countries could barely claim them, forced to remain inland, leaving the coastal areas to large countries to monopolize sea trade benefits."

"But this time, the first to suffer were the island countries in the Four Oceans, followed closely by these coastal big nations. The ocean Ruins Beasts surged from the Four Oceans like a tide, sweeping across the ocean coasts. The national defenses fell one by one under immense casualties, and in less than two months, almost all coastal nations abandoned their coastal territories, implementing a scorched-earth tactic, retreating again and again."

...