"Yes, Master!"
Jiang Chen responded, his face aglow with anticipation and eagerness.
For Xie Xiaojing, the excitement was genuine and palpable.
Ji Ruxue, on the other hand, found it all rather mundane, with nothing particularly thrilling about it.
Subsequently, Ji Mingxiu commenced his instruction for Jiang Chen and Ji Ruxue, including Xie Xiaojing in the teaching as well.
As the session progressed, Jiang Chen began to raise increasingly profound queries, demonstrating a depth of understanding that caught Ji Mingxiu off guard.
He had never expected that Jiang Chen's questions would reach the level of sophistication associated with the Inquiring Journey realm.
Both Ji Ruxue and Xie Xiaojing were left in a state of utter confusion, their awe for Jiang Chen's comprehension ability deepening with each passing moment.
Nevertheless, Jiang Chen was careful to raise only a handful of these profound inquiries.
Had he posed more, Ji Ruxue and Xie Xiaojing might have begun to suspect that his previous interactions had all been a display, a pretense of ignorance.
Such suspicion would have done no good.
Eventually, the question-and-answer session concluded.
Next came the phase of active learning under Ji Mingxiu's tutelage.
Throughout this segment, Jiang Chen would often feign sudden realizations, eliciting repeated nods of approval from Ji Mingxiu.
As time slowly trickled by, Ji Mingxiu's hands-on teaching session eventually drew to a close.
"We'll conclude our lessons here."
Ji Mingxiu announced, then turning to face the trio, he said, "Jiang Chen, Ruxue, my duties sometimes require much of my time. You two should foster more communication in the future. Xiaojing, you join them as well."
"Yes, Master!"
Upon hearing Ji Mingxiu's words, Jiang Chen promptly responded.
"Yes, Holy Lord!"
Likewise, Xie Xiaojing, thrilled to her core, quickly echoed.
"Always busy, huh."
Ji Ruxue merely pouted, mumbling, yet she did not object.
"I'll take my leave now."
Ji Mingxiu said, getting up from his seat. "You three may continue discussing your recent insights to consolidate your understanding."
With a smile and a shake of his head, Ji Mingxiu vanished from the scene, leaving the three behind.
"So, shall we continue?"
Jiang Chen proposed, his gaze shifting between Ji Ruxue and Xie Xiaojing.
"Sure."
Xie Xiaojing immediately chimed in, her eager eyes darting towards Ji Ruxue, awaiting her response.
"Alright."
Ji Ruxue finally conceded. "Jiang Chen, the questions you posed earlier were a bit over my head as well. Could you elaborate on them for me?"
"Certainly."
Jiang Chen replied with a slight smile. "Let's start from the top."
With that, he began to explain, and Ji Ruxue and Xie Xiaojing immediately tuned in, their attention undivided.
Seeing this, Jiang Chen felt a surge of satisfaction within him.
This was precisely the outcome he had aimed for!
Subsequently, Jiang Chen delved into each question, expounding upon them in great detail.
As Jiang Chen's explanations flowed forth, the hours too, trickled away unnoticed.
In the blink of an eye, dusk had set in.
Recognizing the lateness of the hour, Jiang Chen rose from his seat, announcing, "It's getting late, and I have my own cultivation tasks to attend to. Shall we continue our discussion next time?"
"Shall we reconvene next time?"
As if mirroring his actions, Xie Xiaojing promptly stood up, looking expectantly towards Ji Ruxue.
"Indeed."
"Today's discourse was quite enlightening, and I need some time to fully digest it all. Therefore, I won't see you out."
Ji Ruxue nodded in agreement.
"Very well."
Jiang Chen responded with a smile. He then feigned a sudden thought, "Only cultivating within the confines of the sect isn't quite enough, don't you think? What if we plan a trip outside, to gain some hands-on experience?"
Indeed, his intention was clear.
He wanted Ji Ruxue by his side and even sought to bring her out from the Purple Heaven Holy Land!
Fang Yuan was certain to remain entrenched within the Purple Heaven Holy Land for his own cultivation.
By drawing Ji Ruxue out of the Purple Heaven Holy Land, Jiang Chen would effectively keep her out of Fang Yuan's sight.
Furthermore, Jiang Chen also had his own motivations.
To advance his cultivation methods swiftly, he needed to gather qi and blood energy.
Seclusion within the sect was insufficient for this purpose.
Judging from Ji Mingxiu's protective attitude towards Ji Ruxue, it was likely that she seldom ventured out for practical experiences.
Perhaps she had been yearning to do so for quite some time.
With this in mind, Jiang Chen anticipated that Ji Ruxue would likely embrace his proposal.
And indeed, she did.
"Venturing outside for practical experience?"
"That's a brilliant idea, and I'm all for it."
She mused, her eyes gleaming with a mix of excitement and resignation. "However, my father will probably object. He's constantly worried about my safety. If you could somehow convince him..."
"I'll do my best to persuade the Master."
"Wait for my good news!"
Jiang Chen assured her, nodding solemnly. "Oh, and one more thing, we've yet to establish any transmission imprints. Should we do so now?"
"Alright then."
Ji Ruxue said, her hesitation giving way to resolve.
She pulled out her transmission jade token, swapping imprints with Jiang Chen.
"Senior Brother Jiang Chen, here's mine too."
Xie Xiaojing also chimed in, handing over her token, her eyes twinkling with admiration as they remained trained on Jiang Chen.
The affection she held for him had clearly deepened, a development that Jiang Chen found deeply gratifying.
However, he quickly sifted through the implications.
While pursuing Ji Ruxue bore the goal of diminishing Fang Yuan's Heavenly Fate Value, turning down Xie Xiaojing could potentially allow Fang Yuan an opportunity to deplete his own Black Heavenly Fate Value.
He was mindful of this dynamic, yet it held little concern for him.
For, when he looked at Xie Xiaojing's information panel, he felt an undeniable sense of possession.
He would never allow a woman with feelings for him to fall into the arms of another man.
His approach to the situation was straightforward.
Xie Xiaojing's feelings for him were more apparent than those of Ji Ruxue, so he would simply let 'fate' take its course.
Where others might have been anxious about such a delicate balance, fearing it might impede their pursuit of Ji Ruxue, Jiang Chen remained composed.
His ownership of the Eternal Binding Vows Ring was a key advantage.
It allowed him to adeptly navigate Xie Xiaojing's affection without needing to directly reciprocate or reject her feelings.
His strategy was nuanced – subtly intensifying his presence in her heart, patiently waiting for the day her nuptial ring would manifest.
Subsequently, Jiang Chen shared contact details with Ji Ruxue and Xie Xiaojing before he and Xie Xiaojing left Ji Ruxue's palace together.
As they traversed the path, Xie Xiaojing engaged Jiang Chen in an animated conversation.
Their shared laughter and chatter echoed along their route, subtly fortifying the connection that was budding between them.
Suddenly, Jiang Chen felt a vibration from his transmission jade token.
Upon closer inspection, he discovered a message from Rong Liangcai.
The message conveyed that Jiang Chen's living quarters had been upgraded!
As a disciple of the Holy Lord, he was allocated a dwelling befitting his status by the sect.
This new abode was far superior to his temporary quarters and even surpassed those of some elders in terms of grandeur.
With a warm smile and a nod of farewell, Jiang Chen bade Xie Xiaojing goodbye, setting off towards his new domicile.
The Purple Heaven Holy Land was truly vast!
His new residence was situated quite a distance from the palace cluster of Ji Mingxiu and Ji Ruxue.
However, thanks to his Unbroken Thousand Strings Rainbow Boat, the commute between locations didn't take much time.
Moreover, being situated at a distance from Ji Mingxiu presented its own benefits.
At the very least, he wouldn't constantly be under Ji Mingxiu's divine sense.
This would make many things considerably more convenient.
For example, the unique aspects of his cultivation.
Jiang Chen's ability to dramatically boost his cultivation base simply by ingesting spiritual plants raw was quite unusual.
When it came to his martial practices, there were certain aspects he needed to discreetly shield.
Additionally, there were also some subtle strategies against Fang Yuan.
Naturally, it would be most advantageous if these remained covert.
As he journeyed, Jiang Chen was immersed in deep contemplation.
Presently, since he couldn't visit Ji Ruxue for the time being, it was the opportune moment to start taking action against Fang Yuan.
'Fang Yuan is undoubtedly making relentless efforts to enhance his cultivation base at the moment, and he might also be practicing martial arts.'
'I have to figure out a way to disrupt him without exposing myself.'
'...'
Jiang Chen's eyes flickered with the gleam of calculated intent.
Before long, he had formulated a few strategies.
'Major actions aren't feasible.'
'Nangong Wen and Shangguan Ning are currently at the Soul Refining realm equivalent, but it's uncertain what kind of special abilities they may have retained.'
'Hmm, first, I'll visit Fang Yuan, and then...I'll make sure other people pay him visits too!'
A faint smile materialized on Jiang Chen's lips as he pondered over his schemes.
He then returned to his dwelling.
His new residence, known as the Autumn Water Palace, consisted of an ensemble of eight palace structures.
A large spirit gathering formation had been constructed here, and the spiritual Qi was exceedingly abundant.
The palaces were shrouded in swirling mists, representing the condensed spiritual fog!
Moreover, this fog was filtered and devoid of impurities, making it the highest quality spiritual Qi suitable for cultivation!
"Yes, Master!"
Jiang Chen responded, his face aglow with anticipation and eagerness.
For Xie Xiaojing, the excitement was genuine and palpable.
Ji Ruxue, on the other hand, found it all rather mundane, with nothing particularly thrilling about it.
Subsequently, Ji Mingxiu commenced his instruction for Jiang Chen and Ji Ruxue, including Xie Xiaojing in the teaching as well.
As the session progressed, Jiang Chen began to raise increasingly profound queries, demonstrating a depth of understanding that caught Ji Mingxiu off guard.
He had never expected that Jiang Chen's questions would reach the level of sophistication associated with the Inquiring Journey realm.
Both Ji Ruxue and Xie Xiaojing were left in a state of utter confusion, their awe for Jiang Chen's comprehension ability deepening with each passing moment.
Nevertheless, Jiang Chen was careful to raise only a handful of these profound inquiries.
Had he posed more, Ji Ruxue and Xie Xiaojing might have begun to suspect that his previous interactions had all been a display, a pretense of ignorance.
Such suspicion would have done no good.
Eventually, the question-and-answer session concluded.
Next came the phase of active learning under Ji Mingxiu's tutelage.
Throughout this segment, Jiang Chen would often feign sudden realizations, eliciting repeated nods of approval from Ji Mingxiu.
As time slowly trickled by, Ji Mingxiu's hands-on teaching session eventually drew to a close.
"We'll conclude our lessons here."
Ji Mingxiu announced, then turning to face the trio, he said, "Jiang Chen, Ruxue, my duties sometimes require much of my time. You two should foster more communication in the future. Xiaojing, you join them as well."
"Yes, Master!"
Upon hearing Ji Mingxiu's words, Jiang Chen promptly responded.
"Yes, Holy Lord!"
Likewise, Xie Xiaojing, thrilled to her core, quickly echoed.
"Always busy, huh."
Ji Ruxue merely pouted, mumbling, yet she did not object.
"I'll take my leave now."
Ji Mingxiu said, getting up from his seat. "You three may continue discussing your recent insights to consolidate your understanding."
With a smile and a shake of his head, Ji Mingxiu vanished from the scene, leaving the three behind.
"So, shall we continue?"
Jiang Chen proposed, his gaze shifting between Ji Ruxue and Xie Xiaojing.
"Sure."
Xie Xiaojing immediately chimed in, her eager eyes darting towards Ji Ruxue, awaiting her response.
"Alright."
Ji Ruxue finally conceded. "Jiang Chen, the questions you posed earlier were a bit over my head as well. Could you elaborate on them for me?"
"Certainly."
Jiang Chen replied with a slight smile. "Let's start from the top."
With that, he began to explain, and Ji Ruxue and Xie Xiaojing immediately tuned in, their attention undivided.
Seeing this, Jiang Chen felt a surge of satisfaction within him.
This was precisely the outcome he had aimed for!
Subsequently, Jiang Chen delved into each question, expounding upon them in great detail.
As Jiang Chen's explanations flowed forth, the hours too, trickled away unnoticed.
In the blink of an eye, dusk had set in.
Recognizing the lateness of the hour, Jiang Chen rose from his seat, announcing, "It's getting late, and I have my own cultivation tasks to attend to. Shall we continue our discussion next time?"
"Shall we reconvene next time?"
As if mirroring his actions, Xie Xiaojing promptly stood up, looking expectantly towards Ji Ruxue.
"Indeed."
"Today's discourse was quite enlightening, and I need some time to fully digest it all. Therefore, I won't see you out."
Ji Ruxue nodded in agreement.
"Very well."
Jiang Chen responded with a smile. He then feigned a sudden thought, "Only cultivating within the confines of the sect isn't quite enough, don't you think? What if we plan a trip outside, to gain some hands-on experience?"
Indeed, his intention was clear.
He wanted Ji Ruxue by his side and even sought to bring her out from the Purple Heaven Holy Land!
Fang Yuan was certain to remain entrenched within the Purple Heaven Holy Land for his own cultivation.
By drawing Ji Ruxue out of the Purple Heaven Holy Land, Jiang Chen would effectively keep her out of Fang Yuan's sight.
Furthermore, Jiang Chen also had his own motivations.
To advance his cultivation methods swiftly, he needed to gather qi and blood energy.
Seclusion within the sect was insufficient for this purpose.
Judging from Ji Mingxiu's protective attitude towards Ji Ruxue, it was likely that she seldom ventured out for practical experiences.
Perhaps she had been yearning to do so for quite some time.
With this in mind, Jiang Chen anticipated that Ji Ruxue would likely embrace his proposal.
And indeed, she did.
"Venturing outside for practical experience?"
"That's a brilliant idea, and I'm all for it."
She mused, her eyes gleaming with a mix of excitement and resignation. "However, my father will probably object. He's constantly worried about my safety. If you could somehow convince him..."
"I'll do my best to persuade the Master."
"Wait for my good news!"
Jiang Chen assured her, nodding solemnly. "Oh, and one more thing, we've yet to establish any transmission imprints. Should we do so now?"
"Alright then."
Ji Ruxue said, her hesitation giving way to resolve.
She pulled out her transmission jade token, swapping imprints with Jiang Chen.
"Senior Brother Jiang Chen, here's mine too."
Xie Xiaojing also chimed in, handing over her token, her eyes twinkling with admiration as they remained trained on Jiang Chen.
The affection she held for him had clearly deepened, a development that Jiang Chen found deeply gratifying.
However, he quickly sifted through the implications.
While pursuing Ji Ruxue bore the goal of diminishing Fang Yuan's Heavenly Fate Value, turning down Xie Xiaojing could potentially allow Fang Yuan an opportunity to deplete his own Black Heavenly Fate Value.
He was mindful of this dynamic, yet it held little concern for him.
For, when he looked at Xie Xiaojing's information panel, he felt an undeniable sense of possession.
He would never allow a woman with feelings for him to fall into the arms of another man.
His approach to the situation was straightforward.
Xie Xiaojing's feelings for him were more apparent than those of Ji Ruxue, so he would simply let 'fate' take its course.
Where others might have been anxious about such a delicate balance, fearing it might impede their pursuit of Ji Ruxue, Jiang Chen remained composed.
His ownership of the Eternal Binding Vows Ring was a key advantage.
It allowed him to adeptly navigate Xie Xiaojing's affection without needing to directly reciprocate or reject her feelings.
His strategy was nuanced – subtly intensifying his presence in her heart, patiently waiting for the day her nuptial ring would manifest.
Subsequently, Jiang Chen shared contact details with Ji Ruxue and Xie Xiaojing before he and Xie Xiaojing left Ji Ruxue's palace together.
As they traversed the path, Xie Xiaojing engaged Jiang Chen in an animated conversation.
Their shared laughter and chatter echoed along their route, subtly fortifying the connection that was budding between them.
Suddenly, Jiang Chen felt a vibration from his transmission jade token.
Upon closer inspection, he discovered a message from Rong Liangcai.
The message conveyed that Jiang Chen's living quarters had been upgraded!
As a disciple of the Holy Lord, he was allocated a dwelling befitting his status by the sect.
This new abode was far superior to his temporary quarters and even surpassed those of some elders in terms of grandeur.
With a warm smile and a nod of farewell, Jiang Chen bade Xie Xiaojing goodbye, setting off towards his new domicile.
The Purple Heaven Holy Land was truly vast!
His new residence was situated quite a distance from the palace cluster of Ji Mingxiu and Ji Ruxue.
However, thanks to his Unbroken Thousand Strings Rainbow Boat, the commute between locations didn't take much time.
Moreover, being situated at a distance from Ji Mingxiu presented its own benefits.
At the very least, he wouldn't constantly be under Ji Mingxiu's divine sense.
This would make many things considerably more convenient.
For example, the unique aspects of his cultivation.
Jiang Chen's ability to dramatically boost his cultivation base simply by ingesting spiritual plants raw was quite unusual.
When it came to his martial practices, there were certain aspects he needed to discreetly shield.
Additionally, there were also some subtle strategies against Fang Yuan.
Naturally, it would be most advantageous if these remained covert.
As he journeyed, Jiang Chen was immersed in deep contemplation.
Presently, since he couldn't visit Ji Ruxue for the time being, it was the opportune moment to start taking action against Fang Yuan.
'Fang Yuan is undoubtedly making relentless efforts to enhance his cultivation base at the moment, and he might also be practicing martial arts.'
'I have to figure out a way to disrupt him without exposing myself.'
'...'
Jiang Chen's eyes flickered with the gleam of calculated intent.
Before long, he had formulated a few strategies.
'Major actions aren't feasible.'
'Nangong Wen and Shangguan Ning are currently at the Soul Refining realm equivalent, but it's uncertain what kind of special abilities they may have retained.'
'Hmm, first, I'll visit Fang Yuan, and then...I'll make sure other people pay him visits too!'
A faint smile materialized on Jiang Chen's lips as he pondered over his schemes.
He then returned to his dwelling.
His new residence, known as the Autumn Water Palace, consisted of an ensemble of eight palace structures.
A large spirit gathering formation had been constructed here, and the spiritual Qi was exceedingly abundant.
The palaces were shrouded in swirling mists, representing the condensed spiritual fog!
Moreover, this fog was filtered and devoid of impurities, making it the highest quality spiritual Qi suitable for cultivation!
