Chapter 600: Junior Brother, Your Connections Reach the Heavens

Chen Shi knew he was poor, probably planning to join the heavenly soldier camps to scrounge a few months' wages and pay off the star raft fare. He chuckled, "A paltry boat fare, hardly worth mentioning? Senior Brother need not give it another thought."

"No. As Heaven moves forward, a gentleman strives constantly for self-improvement. I must repay this money to set my mind at ease." Jiang Guo said.

Chen Shi thought for a moment, then said, "You're already an immortal, and by rights the heavenly soldier camps don't accept idle immortals like you—only those who've just ascended from the lower realm. I still have a bit of face in the heavenly soldier camps, and I know King Li as well. If I put in a good word, I'm sure I can get you into the camps."

Jiang Guo's face lit up with joy. "Thank you, Junior Brother."

Chen Shi hesitated, then asked, "Senior Brother, is our Golden Turtle Island very poor?"

Jiang Guo shook his head. "It's not that we're poor, exactly. It's just that we have no money."

He looked somewhat melancholic. "These years, Golden Turtle Island hasn't had an easy time of it. Well, it was never all that easy before, but recent years have been even harder."

Hearing this, Chen Shi felt a bit hesitant—Golden Turtle Island was probably full of a bunch of penniless fools just like Jiang Guo.

The star raft set sail, and Chen Shi once again raised his Purple Heaven Immortal Gourd to collect Profound Heaven Extreme Radiance, preparing to refine his third and fourth Profound Heaven Sword Qi. The Primordial Chaos Sword Scripture required cultivation to one hundred and eight sword qi strands before one could be considered to have fully mastered this sword technique. He could currently control thirty-six strands of sword qi, and a mere two strands of Profound Heaven Sword Qi were far from sufficient to unleash the full power of his sword arts.

Take his earlier duel with Jiang Guo, for example—had he been able to command all thirty-six strands of sword qi at once, Jiang Guo would not have been so easy to deal with.

Seeing Chen Shi collecting the Profound Heaven Extreme Radiance, Jiang Guo shook his head. "Junior Brother, relying too heavily on external objects is not the way of a Qi Refiner. Our Golden Turtle Island lineage has a rule called 'a gentleman is no vessel.' It means a gentleman striking an opponent does not use sharp weapons. Using ordinary, everyday things is what truly displays one's skill."

Chen Shi's expression shifted to one of surprise, and suddenly he felt an instant kinship with Jiang Guo. He laughed, "I know that saying! The Master said it!"

Jiang Guo chuckled. "The founding Patriarch of our Golden Turtle Island lineage is the Master himself. Because the Master taught without discrimination, Golden Turtle Island came to be. As the saying goes, 'To pass the imperial examination and stand alone atop the golden turtle'—the name 'Golden Turtle' comes from precisely that."

Chen Shi's favorite sage of all time was the Master, and he immediately grew excited. He had assumed Golden Turtle Island was some destitute, shabby place that tricked outer disciples into joining so they could contribute their wealth—he never expected it to be the Master's own legacy!

"Our Master also has another title, called Lord Tongtian, the Heavenly Sovereign of the Primordial Beginning."

Jiang Guo lowered his voice. "Don't spread this around—this reputation isn't the best, and it tends to invite hostility. In public, we claim to be the Master's lineage."

Chen Shi probed, "Our lineage's reputation isn't very good?"

Jiang Guo hesitated, then nodded. "Though not good, it hasn't quite reached the point of making the Immortal Slaying List."

A chill ran down Chen Shi's spine—he realized Jiang Guo had spotted that the number one and number two names on the Immortal Slaying List were the very man and dog sitting beside him.

"Senior Brother, you mentioned 'a gentleman is no vessel,' but I believe your understanding of it is somewhat off."

Chen Shi said seriously, "The Master also said, 'A gentleman conceals his vessels upon his person.' This means a gentleman traveling abroad should carry hidden weapons on his body, ready for unforeseen circumstances. I believe these two sayings should be viewed together—that's how they should be understood."

He paused, then continued, "'A gentleman is no vessel' does not mean a gentleman needs no weapons, but rather that if one can strike without using weapons, one should avoid using them. However, a gentleman must always conceal his vessels upon his person—he cannot go without them. So a gentleman must always refine his weapons, but use them as little as possible in battle. That is what makes a gentleman."

Jiang Guo seemed lost in thought. "I can choose not to use them, but I must have them... So that's it, so that's it! Junior Brother may be an outer disciple, but your understanding of the Master's teachings has already surpassed mine by a wide margin. This older brother admires you!"

Chen Shi made a few modest disclaimers, then said, "I only have this bit of insight because I had an exceptional teacher guiding me."

Jiang Guo exclaimed in surprise, "This wise teacher of yours must have such profound insight—surely no ordinary person! I must meet them!"

Chen Shi laughed, "He's hanging from the willow tree in front of the Empress Temple in the lower realm, a talent unrecognized. Once you meet him, I'm sure you two will have a wonderful chat!"

On the star raft, other passengers turned to stare at them, but the two paid them no mind and continued their animated discussion.

Convinced by Chen Shi, Jiang Guo also began collecting Profound Heaven Extreme Radiance. His mana was vast and profound, far deeper than Chen Shi's, and he directly mobilized his divine abilities, forming a gourd that absorbed the Profound Heaven Extreme Radiance outside the star raft into its depths.

This technique was utterly masterful—even Chen Shi had to admire it. He thought to himself, "The Golden Turtle Island legacy truly is formidable."

The Tianluo Blood-Transforming Divine Blade and the Blood Lake Sutra were merely low-tier cultivation techniques of Golden Turtle Island! To think that among all the techniques Chen Shi had encountered in Western Ox New Continent, only the Great Wilderness Ming Dao Collection surpassed the Blood Lake Sutra.

"The Primordial Chaos Dao Scripture and the Primordial Chaos Sword Scripture are also Golden Turtle Island techniques."

Jiang Guo, having collected a gourd full of Profound Heaven Extreme Radiance, also began forging sword qi, and said, "The Primordial Chaos Sword Scripture is the foundational sword art that builds the base for Golden Turtle Island's swordsmanship. The Primordial Chaos Dao Scripture is likewise a foundational technique, used to select successors. If one achieves accomplishment in the Primordial Chaos Dao Scripture, one may formally become a Golden Turtle Island disciple. You've already cultivated both the Primordial Chaos Sword Scripture and Primordial Chaos Dao Scripture to an excellent degree. Once I attain True Immortal, we'll return to the island, and I'm certain you'll comprehend supreme arts even more powerful than mine."

Hearing this, Chen Shi felt a surge of anticipation.

The star raft docked at the West Heaven Expanse ferry crossing. Chen Shi, Black Pot, and Jiang Guo disembarked one after another. Chen Shi led Jiang Guo to the Celestial Way Residence, where he saw that during their absence, the Celestial Court's skilled craftsmen had already rebuilt every house and palace that Black Pot had torn down.

Arriving at his Celestial Way Residence, Chen Shi said, "Senior Brother, stay here for the next few days. I'll go ask King Li for a favor and get you into the heavenly soldier camps to draw a salary."

Jiang Guo quickly expressed his gratitude.

Chen Shi then went to the Heavenly King's residence to see King Li. King Li initially had no desire to receive him, but upon recalling that he had sent Chen Shi on that risky mission to Thunderclap Mystic Province, and that refusing might offend the Empress of Earth and that certain someone in the palace, he ordered his attendants to show him in.

"Chen the Heavenly Soldier accomplished great merit in the Mystic Province this time, capturing the culprit. I've recently been thinking of promoting you."

King Li said with a genial smile, "Do you think becoming a Regional Commander would be beneath you? However, your contributions aren't yet enough to warrant the rank of Commander. Moreover, your cultivation level would struggle to command respect."

Chen Shi said, "Whatever the Heavenly King arranges, I will obey."

King Li found this quite vexing. Had Chen Shi actually opened his mouth and begged for the position of Commander, he would have granted it. Though it would be a flagrant breach of protocol, it would also appease the Empress of Earth and that someone in the palace. But no matter what, Chen Shi simply refused to ask.

This official post—he couldn't give it away even if he wanted to!

"There's another matter. Chao Huang of Feng'an Commandery in the Mystic Province is dead. The Chao clan immortals and immortals of other surnames are all dead as well."

King Li glanced at him and said flatly, "Who did this?"

Chen Shi's expression remained unchanged. "I wouldn't know."

King Li snorted. "Murdering Celestial Court officials violates the laws of Heaven, a crime punishable by death. This time, Master Ge handled the aftermath with flawless precision, so nothing can be traced back to you. But there must never be a next time!"

He paused, then said, "So why has Chen the Heavenly Soldier come today?"

Chen Shi said, "I have a favor to ask."

King Li's spirits lifted, and he smiled, "Speak freely! As long as it doesn't violate the laws of Heaven and it's within my power, I'll do my best to accommodate!"

Chen Shi laughed, "I have a senior martial brother named Jiang Guo who wishes to join the heavenly soldier camps. He's not a newly ascended immortal, but a native of the Earth Immortal Realm, and he's already cultivated to Celestial Immortal. Could the Heavenly King arrange for him to join the camps?"

King Li was deeply disappointed, so angry he laughed. "You came all this way to ask me about this? Such a trivial matter—you could have just gone to the Fire Battalion's Regional Commander, and he would have arranged it for your senior brother. Why bother paying a personal visit to my doorstep?"

He was a dignified Heavenly King, and yet here he was handling such a petty affair today. Besides, what was so great about the heavenly soldier camps anyway? Who didn't know that the heavenly soldiers and generals under King Li's command suffered an extremely high casualty rate?

And yet someone was willing to give up a life of ease and comfort to come risk their life in the heavenly soldier camps!

King Li snorted, walked over to his desk, sat down, and prepared brush and ink. "Chen the Heavenly Soldier, what is this Senior Brother Jiang of yours? Where is he registered as being from? I'll write a personal edict that you can hand to the Fire Battalion's Regional Commander, and he'll be able to join the Fire Battalion."

Chen Shi said, "My senior brother's surname is Jiang, given name Guo. He's a native of Golden Turtle Island, and his teachings also come from Golden Turtle Island."

King Li shuddered, the brush and ink smearing across the paper. He swapped in a fresh sheet, his gaze flickering. "Jiang Guo comes from Golden Turtle Island? He's a disciple of Golden Turtle Island?"

"That's right."

Chen Shi smiled. "What the Heavenly King may not know is that I am also a disciple of Golden Turtle Island."

King Li's heart churned with stormy waves. He hastily finished writing the personal edict, stamped it with his seal, and said, "When Regional Commander Zhang sees my edict, he'll enroll Jiang Guo into the Fire Battalion. You may take your leave."

Chen Shi expressed his thanks and walked out with the edict in hand, then suddenly stopped and turned back with a smile. "Heavenly King, what's to be done with Chu Xiangxiu and the Earth God of Feng'an Commandery?"

King Li said, "That's no longer your concern. The two of them have been thrown into the Heavenly Prison, and when an auspicious day arrives, they'll be escorted to the Immortal Execution Platform."

Chen Shi expressed his thanks and hurried away.

"Golden Turtle Island... appearing again. And Chen Shi is actually a disciple of Golden Turtle Island too..."

Cold sweat beaded across King Li's forehead. In just a few days, Chen Shi had somehow acquired three major backers—that someone in the palace, the Empress of Earth, and Golden Turtle Island!

"Forget it, forget it."

King Li thought to himself, "Let them do as they please. This Fire Battalion—I'll just consider them all killed in action and pay it no mind. As long as I send out their monthly wages on time, that'll be the end of it."

With that thought, he felt considerably lighter.

Chen Shi brought the personal edict to see Zhang Xian, who was so frightened upon seeing it that he nearly kowtowed to the document before hastily enrolling Jiang Guo into the ranks.

Jiang Guo smoothly became a heavenly soldier in the Fire Battalion of the Chen Character Office under the Chen Character Guard.

"This junior brother of mine really does have connections that reach the heavens—he's got pull all over the heavenly soldier camps!" Jiang Guo thought with great delight.