Chapter 302 - 299: Return to Tian Nan City
"Changchuan, my boy. I was astonished to hear that you have advanced to the Soul Emergence Realm, and have even condensed a Spirit Body and Innate Divine Techniques..."
"The compensation for the ambush by the rebellious elements within the clan had already been prepared. Among the items were several Foundation Establishment Spiritual Objects, which had been scraped together to help you break through to Soul Emergence, just waiting for your return to claim them... But now, these things are likely useless to you. Please return to Tian Nan City so we can discuss exchanging them for something else..."
"While the Shen Family’s prestige cannot compare to the Dragon Cloud Sect, our family has stood for hundreds of years and still has some reserves. Whether it’s Middle Grade Spirit Stones for cultivation or precious elixirs that can improve the cultivation of a Soul Emergence Realm Cultivator, we have managed to preserve some over the years..."
...
「Three days later.」
After tying up loose ends, Shen Changchuan mounted Xiaofeng and soared high in the sky, flying toward Tian Nan City.
He casually glanced at the Communication Talisman sent by the Shen Family Ancestor from Tian Nan City three days prior.
He reread the contents carefully.
After confirming there was nothing else of note, he placed it back in his Storage Bag.
The contents of the Communication Talisman held no hidden messages.
The Shen Family Ancestor hadn’t beaten around the bush; he had expressed his intentions directly.
The gist of it was that he was shocked.
He had never imagined Shen Changchuan could successfully advance to the Soul Emergence Realm in such a short time.
Let alone achieve the condensation of a Spirit Body and a Divine Seed—a legendary feat said to be possible only for the peerless prodigies at the very apex of the Thirty-Six Domains.
He was utterly shocked by this.
He had never expected the Shen Family to produce another such Qilin’Er in this generation!
That’s right.
Another one!
In the Communication Talisman, the Shen Family Ancestor made no secret of another matter he mentioned.
Before this, his so-called brother, Shen Chong, had returned to make good on a bold proclamation from three years ago.
In the midst of causing a huge ruckus,
the Ancestor had witnessed Shen Chong display incredible power, far surpassing that of a typical Soul Emergence Realm Cultivator.
Only later did he learn that Shen Chong had also condensed a Spirit Body and a Divine Seed.
From his words,
Shen Changchuan could sense a hint of regret between the lines.
Inadvertently,
the clan had allowed one of its peerless geniuses to become its bitter enemy.
And this letter,
was also about the compensation for the assassination attempt by Shen Zhengming while Shen Changchuan had been away.
Before Shen Changchuan entered seclusion to break through to the Soul Emergence Realm,
he had already informed the Shen Family Ancestor about Shen Zhengming’s assassination attempt via a Communication Talisman.
The Shen Family Ancestor had replied to him after that.
The reply detailed the consequences: the direct bloodlines of those involved, like Shen Zhengming and Shen Shiyin, would be exiled; their family assets would be confiscated; and Shen Changchuan would be compensated.
However, at the time,
Shen Changchuan had already started his secluded cultivation for his breakthrough before the compensation could be delivered.
Now, several months later,
upon learning of Shen Changchuan’s advancement to the Soul Emergence Realm, the astonished Shen Family Ancestor,
had also invited him back to discuss settling the promised compensation.
The Ancestor’s intentions were laid out plainly in the Communication Talisman, with no beating around the bush.
Shen Changchuan considered this for a moment,
and decided to agree.
He would accept the Ancestor’s invitation,
and make a trip back to Tian Nan City.
’The Ancestor can’t be blamed for Shen Zhengming’s assassination attempt.’
’And while the mastermind, the Great Madam, went unpunished, her background is formidable, so that’s somewhat understandable...’
’The Ancestor’s handling of my mother’s situation wasn’t bad, either...’
Shen Changchuan mused to himself.
He didn’t really hold anything against the Shen Family Ancestor.
According to the news his maternal grandfather, Han Qinhu, had gathered on a subsequent visit,
after Shen Changchuan had joined the Dragon Cloud Sect,
his mother’s status had been rapidly elevated. She became one of his father’s few, highly ranked, and favored concubines.
Furthermore, she was assigned an Elder from the Soul Emergence Realm as a personal guard to prevent the Great Madam from making any treacherous moves against her.
Shen Changchuan didn’t know if this was the best possible outcome for his mother,
but at the very least,
her status within the clan had soared.
She no longer had to tread on eggshells like a common servant in the manor.
It was an immeasurable improvement over her previous life.
Moreover, with the abundant Immortal Cultivation Resources he had his grandfather bring back, including Essence Pills,
his mother had also managed to achieve Qi Introduction and step onto the Path of Immortal Cultivation.
Although achieving Spirit Awakening at her age had required a vast amount of Spiritual Objects, meaning her future accomplishments would be limited,
becoming a Cultivator would at least condition her body,
and extend her lifespan.
And because of this,
Shen Changchuan didn’t feel too much animosity toward the Tian Nan Shen Clan, or more specifically, toward the Shen Family Ancestor.
Of course,
because of the two and a half frustrating years right after he first transmigrated,
and the immense pressure from the Great Madam before his advancement to the Soul Emergence Realm,
he wasn’t about to develop any deep affection for the Tian Nan Shen Clan either.
Perhaps,
this was also why the Ancestor had asked him to return,
and had proactively offered to exchange the original compensation for resources suitable for the cultivation of a Soul Emergence Realm Cultivator.
The Shen Family had already lost one peerless genius, even turning him into a bitter enemy.
Were they really going to let another peerless prodigy slip through their fingers?!
...
Lost in his many thoughts,
Shen Changchuan rode on Xiaofeng’s back, heading toward Tian Nan City.
After a two-day journey,
he finally arrived outside Tian Nan City.
It couldn’t be helped.
Xiaofeng was, after all, only a Demon Beast at the Qi Introduction Ninth Layer Realm. Its flight speed wasn’t particularly fast, and it had to stop and rest after flying for a while.
And although a Cultivator in the Soul Emergence Realm could also perform Sword Flight,
at a speed vastly greater than Xiaofeng’s in the Qi Introduction Realm,
it was one thing to fly a few hundred li on his own,
but for a journey of ten thousand li?
Forget it.
Flying on your own consumes Magical Power,
and it’s exhausting.
A little slower was a little slower.
He didn’t mind.
However,
just as Tian Nan City came into view in the distance,
and a flicker of reminiscence crossed Shen Changchuan’s face as he recalled the two years he’d spent here,
his expression suddenly shifted.
His gaze snapped downward, toward a pavilion on a distant mountaintop.
There,
an aura he wasn’t intimately familiar with, yet one that was deeply etched in his memory, pulsed faintly.
Shen Changchuan hesitated for a moment.
He patted Xiaofeng beneath him, conveyed a message through his Beast Taming Technique,
and then recalled it into his Demon Beast Bag.
Then, he transformed into a streak of light,
and shot toward the pavilion on the mountaintop.
The distance of several li was covered in the blink of an eye.
Shen Changchuan’s figure landed just outside the mountaintop pavilion.
He glanced at the back of the figure before him and finally broke the silence:
"Shen Chong, long time no see."
Yes.
The person before him,
was the very one he had met in Wu Family Town several years ago, who had shown Shen Changchuan kindness and reminded him about condensing a Spirit Body,
and the one who had recently raised hell in Tian Nan City—his so-called brother, Shen Chong!