I Have A Qi Fortune Altar.
Chapter 414 - 414 351 Heavenly Palace_2

Chapter 414: Chapter 351 Heavenly Palace!_2 Chapter 414: Chapter 351 Heavenly Palace!_2 “Brother Chen, since you lack a fine saber to wield, why not visit Hidden Soldier Valley?”

“Brother Shangguan, if you have something to say, just say it.” Chen Yuan thought to himself, but his expression did not give anything away; instead, he calmly poured himself another cup of tea.

Shangguan Yu gave a hearty laugh and said,

“Very well, I’ll speak plainly then. There’s another person interested in that fine saber, and he and I don’t get along. If Brother Chen is willing, you could use this opportunity to give that fellow a good lesson.”

“Who is this person?”

“Yun Han of the Yun Family.”

“The Yun from the Five Families?”

“Exactly.”

“Brother Shangguan, you’re using me to strike at him.” Chen Yuan looked at him with a half-smile.

“I’m merely giving you a heads-up. If you aim to compete for that saber, you won’t be able to avoid this individual. If you are unconcerned about the saber, then naturally there will be no conflict between you.”

This was an open strategy, also inspired by Shangguan Yu upon seeing Chen Yuan use the Yan Ling Saber.

“Alright, since Yun Han has a grudge with Brother Shangguan, I will certainly teach him a lesson if the opportunity arises,” Chen Yuan replied with a light smile, though the chance of that was uncertain.

If he truly desired that fine saber, naturally he would contend for it; if not, he would not seek enmity with him.

“Yun Han’s strength is slightly superior to mine, Brother Chen might need to be cautious, but you need not take him seriously. Judging by how you handled your duel with Bai Changqing, defeating this man should pose no problem.”

“If this person is on par with Brother Shangguan, why has he never been ranked on the Hidden Dragon List?”

“Has Brother Chen forgotten what was just said? There are indeed many geniuses in this world who prefer to stay out of the limelight, and Yun Han is one of them; this trip to Hidden Soldier Valley should be his first step into the Jianghu.”

A smirk tugged at Shangguan Yu’s lips.

With Chen Yuan’s capabilities, the chances of him surpassing Yun Han were quite high.

“I understand,” Chen Yuan replied.

“Brother Shangguan, please tell me more about Hidden Soldier Valley.” Chen Yuan’s understanding of Hidden Soldier Valley was very superficial, certainly not as extensive as that of Shangguan Yu, a member of an established local aristocratic family.

From Shangguan Yu’s explanation, Chen Yuan felt he had gained some insight into the current state of Hidden Soldier Valley.

Hidden Soldier Valley seemed like a Sect but was in fact more akin to an aristocratic family; each generation of the Valley Master shared the Ouyang surname, allegedly descendants of the once-renowned swordsmith Grandmaster Ouyezi in the Jianghu.

This Ouyezi was no ordinary figure; his artifact-refining skills were sublime, famously crafting eight Divine Weapons in his lifetime, each astonishing the world.

Since the previous Valley Master’s death, there hadn’t been anyone in Hidden Soldier Valley suited to take up the mantle, as tradition dictated that only a Dan Realm Master could assume this position.

It is said that this was a decree from the ancestors….

Now, the control of Hidden Soldier Valley lay in the hands of the last Valley Master’s widow. She had a son, who, not yet thirty, ranked within the top fifty of the Hidden Dragon List—barely making the cut at number fifty.

Shangguan Yu said that the upcoming Divine Weapon Conference was organized by this widow to build momentum for her son to ascend to the position of Valley Master….

After listening, Chen Yuan nodded in appreciation and said,

“It seems the Lady indeed has some clever tricks up her sleeve.”

Although Hidden Soldier Valley’s Valley Masters have always been from the Ouyang Family, it doesn’t mean they completely control the valley; there are still many elders and guest elders present.

For a widow to achieve this much was no small feat.

“Lady Xu is not only resourceful, but over twenty years ago, she was also the number one beauty of Shuzhou. It’s a pity that soon after she married the former Valley Master, he died…”

Shangguan Yu sighed lightly, seemingly filled with regret.

“Leaving behind a son is at least some consolation to the Ouyang Family.”

“Brother Chen misunderstands; when Lady Xu married the former Valley Master Ouyang Ke, she was hardly twenty. How could she have borne Ouyang Zhi, who is nearly thirty?

In fact, Lady Xu was Ouyang Ke’s sister-in-law, later married to continue the lineage.”

“That’s indeed regrettable.”

Chen Yuan’s mind stirred.

“Yes, after Ouyang Ke’s death, countless suitors approached her, but she refused them all, fully committed to raising Ouyang Ke’s descendants….”

“Speaking of suitors, I wonder if Brother Chen has considered marriage?” Shangguan Yu paused in his speech.

“Hmm?”

“I have a younger sister, named Shangguan Hong, who is not yet twenty. She is quite talented in Martial Arts and is currently recognized as a genius on the Hidden Dragon List. If Brother Chen doesn’t mind,”

“we could perhaps…”

Chen Yuan looked at Shangguan Yu speechlessly, thinking he was a friend, but the man wanted him to become his brother-in-law?

Wouldn’t that inexplicably reduce his own status by an entire generation?

He then tactfully declined, stating that his heart was devoted to Martial Arts and he had no interest in romantic entanglements.

This left Shangguan Yu feeling somewhat regretful; he saw Chen Yuan’s extraordinary talent and limitless future potential, and wanted to bring a future ally into the Shangguan Family.

If there were other powers to support Chen Yuan, all the better; if not, the Shangguan Family themselves could lend their support.

“Well, well, it seems my sister is not fortunate enough,” he shook his head.

Chen Yuan said, “The Shangguan Family is a high-standing aristocratic family, capable of finding a suitable match. I will pass, Brother Shangguan; let’s remain friends only…”

After that, the two continued discussing matters of Jianghu, mainly focusing on Hidden Soldier Valley, for Chen Yuan had expressed his intention to visit.

As it happened, Chen Yuan indeed lacked a good saber that would suit him well; if he could find one to his liking, it would certainly be like adding wings to a tiger.

Although he prioritized physical strength, he also had a keen interest in studying saber techniques…

Inside the River View Pavilion, it didn’t take long for the two men to drink all the Spiritual Tea.

Afterward, the food and drinks served included Spiritual Wine and exquisite dishes, particularly a tail of Spiritual Fish, which greatly impressed Chen Yuan and made him appreciate the straightforward and unpretentious lifestyle of the aristocracy.

Spiritual Wine, Spiritual Tea, and Spiritual Fish—every item was imbued with Spiritual Energy. Even without practicing Qi, one could feel one’s cultivation slowly improving.

Well-fed and satisfied, the two men went outside the city to spar briefly. Shangguan Yu’s strength was indeed impressive; without using his physical qi and blood, he and Chen Yuan were evenly matched.

This exchange proved enriching for both, as they found much respect for each other’s skills.

It marked the foundation of their friendship.

This was also Chen Yuan’s second Jianghu friend, apart from Ye Chenbai.

His counterpart was exceptionally informed; knowledgeable in astronomy and geography, and the realities of Jianghu. He indeed stood as a paragon among the youths of aristocratic families, a product of a lineage centuries old.

With profound heritage…

During their time together, Chen Yuan also learned a secret, which Shangguan Yu, slightly intoxicated, let slip. He spoke of the Five Families of Jianghu—which were actually six during the era of Great Chu.

After the establishment of Great Jin, it became the Five Great Families…

It was a topic deeply taboo in Jianghu, never mentioning that other family, named the Sima Family.

Worth mentioning, the current Imperial Family of Great Jin also belongs to the Sima…

After spending a day in Guangling City, Chen Yuan made his farewells to Shangguan Yu. Before him now lay the most crucial opportunity—the Nameless Heavenly Stele!

Though without concrete evidence, he felt some guesses and premonitions.

This visit to the Nameless Heavenly Stele might just become the aid he needed to Breakthrough to the Heavenly Palace Level…

Only by reaching the Heavenly Palace Level could Chen Yuan truly possess the strength to rival the top five on the Hidden Dragon List. The Heavenly Element Level, in the end, fell a bit short.

Apart from him, each of the top ten on the Hidden Dragon List was at the Reach Profound Late Stage.

However, as he left, the news that he had killed Zhao Hao and driven back Bai Changqing finally became widely known and even reached those who had once received favors from Zhao Hao,

who sought revenge against him.

The result was that Chen Yuan blasted them to smithereens.

He also publicly declared, “Life and death are predestined, wealth and honor lie with heavens; those unafraid of death are welcome to seek revenge. I just fear there won’t be enough ghosts beneath my blade!”

————

Eight thousand delivered!

Speaking of which, no, let’s call it soliciting ideas—does anyone have any thoughts on the main character’s saber?

It can be named, and once adopted, 8.88 will be given.

Yes, preferably something with a bit of poetry, a bit of swagger.

As everyone knows, the author is terrible at naming, help him out…

I know my readers are all talented; this should be no challenge for you.