Martial Cultivator-Chapter 889.1: Not Revealed - Part 1
What does it mean to be above Nepenthe?
Jiang Wanfu was extremely clear about this. Once one reaches Nepenthe, even stepping forward is said to be as difficult as ascending to heaven. Don’t be fooled by the fact that nowadays, when talking about Nepenthe cultivators or Nepenthe martial artists, there seem to be quite a few. In reality, when compared to the entire world, these cultivators are truly just a drop in the ocean.
And what kind of existence lies above Nepenthe? In earlier years, in the world, this was purely a legendary existence, no one had ever seen it. It was only in the past two years, with the Demon Emperor and the Sword Sect’s Sect Master successively stepping into this realm, that being above Nepenthe no longer seemed completely hopeless. But this does not mean that the realm above Nepenthe has become like a cabbage on the street - if you want to reach out and grab one, you can.
If Daoist Wuyang could truly seize this opportunity and step above Nepenthe, there is no doubt that he would be a figure capable of standing shoulder to shoulder with the Dao Ancestor. Yet such a figure just died like that?
A few people were enough to kill Daoist Wuyang?
Who were these people?
Jiang Wanfu looked at the pale face of the young martial artist in front of him, his heart in turmoil. If it were not for today, if it were not for this person, no matter who spoke of this matter, he probably would not have believed it.
The fact was too incredible to be true.
Yet now, he could not help but feel that the young man before him was probably speaking the truth.
Chen Chao smiled. “Sect Master Jiang looking at this official like that makes me somewhat uncomfortable. Is there something on this official's face?”
Jiang Wanfu said self-deprecatingly, “My cultivation is insufficient. Hearing Your Excellency say this, my heart feels like a swing, swaying back and forth, unable to calm.”
“That is only natural. Sect Master Jiang may find it incredible, and may even think this official is lying to deceive you. You may hide such thoughts in your heart and verify them slowly. It does not matter, what matters is that the matter itself is true.”
Daoist Wuyang had indeed had his life cut off by them previously. Yet later, others intervened. Of course, if the Great Liang Emperor also counted as one of those few people, then there was no difference.
Chen Chao asked seriously, “Sect Master Jiang, how many cultivators are there in your sect, and what are their respective realms? What are their thoughts? What tasks do they seek? Speak freely.”
Since Jiang Wanfu had already decided to serve Great Liang, Chen Chao was not interested in trivial matters. He only wanted the most important details. If the other party was willing to entrust their lives, then he had to find them a good future.
Jiang Wanfu thought for a moment, then slowly said, “When the Myriad Blessings Sect was originally established, it was really only to give some pitiable people a place to go. Therefore, over the years of taking disciples, I hardly valued so-called talent, only character." "At this moment, the Myriad Blessings Sect had a total of 23 people, all martial artists. Excluding Jiang Wanfu, the remaining 22 included two who had just reached the Great Beyond, five who were in the Bitter Sea, the rest were only at Divine Trove and Spirit Platform, and one is my daughter.
Chen Chao glanced at Jiang Wanfu, knowing that the martial artist mentioning his own daughter voluntarily was no simple matter.
“As a mere martial artist, this Jiang considers myself among the best in the world. Teaching one’s own daughter to cultivate is not really a problem. But this daughter of mine, her talent is not ordinary. If she only becomes a martial artist, it would truly be a waste...”
Chen Chao looked at the little girl in the distance. The girl had been paying close attention to them, and though she did not speak, the slight furrow of her brows clearly showed she was worried about her father.
Chen Chao asked, “In which path does your daughter show talent in?”
Jiang Wanfu smiled. “A friend once saw her and said that my daughter might be a good embryo for sword cultivation.”
“Although this Jiang knows several sword cultivators, but regardless whether in number nor in realm, none of them are sufficient to serve as my daughter’s master. If Your Excellency can truly find a good teacher for my daughter, then from this moment, my life belongs to Your Excellency.”
Chen Chao raised an eyebrow. “Trying to become a female sword immortal is not so easy.”
In the world, cultivating in any path had always been more difficult for women than men, especially in sword and martial paths. Sword Dao was still alright, there had been a few female sword immortals. But the martial path... it seems no remarkable female martial artist had appeared.
“However, this official does have a friend, whose cultivation realm is passable, and recently became a great sword immortal. If your daughter truly has exceptional talent, this official can guarantee there won't be a problem with her becoming that friend’s in-name disciple. Whether she can formally acknowledge him as master and have my friend drink that cup of master-acknowledgment tea, that's hard to say.”
Chen Chao smiled and asked, “Sect Master Jiang, what do you think?”
“As for the other martial artists in the mountains, regarding their positions, should Your Excellency speak with them personally?”
Jiang Wanfu was overjoyed. In his view, just having Chen Chao arrange for Xie Nandu to become his daughter’s teacher was already excellent. Though Xie Nandu’s cultivation realm was not yet high, she possessed nine lifeblood flying swords; the only one in the world. She was destined to become a female sword immortal in the future. But what would happen afterward was uncertain. Choosing between a potential future female great sword immortal and a sword cultivator who was already a great sword immortal, Jiang Wanfu clearly understood.
Jiang Wanfu turned and waved to his little daughter over there.
She looked at her mother, who patted her on the head and did not stop her. The woman was not a cultivator and did not understand matters great or small. She only knew that whatever her husband said, that was it; he would never harm his own daughter.
The little girl ran over, looked up, and asked, “Father, are we going to buy candied haw?”
Jiang Wanfu was unusually serious as he said, “Xiao'An, quickly kowtow to this Your Excellency. He found a good teacher for you.”
The little girl let out a small “ah” and then looked at Chen Chao. She had seen this face many times before.
But at this moment, the little girl did not kowtow. She just looked at Chen Chao and asked, “How should I thank you? How about I treat you to that shop's buns?”
Chen Chao raised an eyebrow and suddenly asked, “Has that bun always been tasty?”
The little girl thought for a moment, shook her head, and said, “Not always. Sometimes it seems the person making the buns isn’t careful, so they don’t taste very good. But that only happens sometimes.”
“When the buns aren’t good, do you scold them?”
Chen Chao spoke slowly, seemingly asking about some trivial matter, but for some reason, Jiang Wanfu grew extremely nervous.
He felt there was more to it than that.
The little girl glanced at her father beside her, then spoke quietly, “I do scold them, but not to their face. Is that wrong?”
Chen Chao said, “I remember you always praise the buns every day at that shop.”
The little girl nodded and naturally said, “I only praise them when they taste good, so when they’re bad, I' definitely scold them. That way, no one owes anyone anything. Besides, I always pay for them.”
Chen Chao nodded in satisfaction. “That’s the way. With your temperament, I’m 50% sure that free teacher of yours will take you as a personal disciple.”
The little girl frowned. “Only a personal disciple? Can’t I be the final disciple?”
Chen Chao smiled. “That depends on your skill. But I wouldn’t want him to take you as a disciple and then stop taking others. A great sword immortal as a teacher, how many people could I trick using him?”
The little girl frowned at this, but it wasn’t anger. She simply waved her hand. Jiang Wanfu saw this and looked a little awkward, his daughter was perhaps a bit too bold.
______
