Returning after 10000 Years Cultivation - Chapter 174

As Lin Monong reminisced about the amusing incidents with her students from back then, memories of Jiang Tian’s own college days were also stirred up.

For anyone, university is an unforgettable experience. Back then, Jiang Tian was spirited and carefree, playful and active, living a life without worries—truly a beautiful time.

“By the way, Jiang Tian, what brings you to Jiangxi this time?” Lin Monong suddenly asked with a frown.

“Oh, I’m going to Poyang Lake in Jiujiang for the Martial Alliance Conference,” Jiang Tian replied casually.

“You know about the Martial Alliance Conference too?” Lin Monong was instantly astonished, her pretty face filled with disbelief.

The Martial Alliance Conference was extremely high-level. Those who attended were either wealthy magnates, high-ranking officials, or extraordinary individuals with remarkable talents—the cream of the crop.

Even knowing about this event required being part of a certain level of influential family or wealthy circle. Jiang Tian was just an ordinary person. How did he know about it? And how did he qualify to attend?

“You’re not planning to attend the Martial Alliance Conference too, are you?” Jiang Tian was also incredulous.

“Yes! I heard there will be many outstanding young talents there. I’m planning to find a good husband and get myself married off!” Lin Monong replied with a tinkling laugh.

Pressed relentlessly by the arranged marriage and facing a family with immense influence, she was hoping to find some backing to resist them.

And so, chatting and laughing along the way, that evening Jiang Tian arrived in Hongcheng, the provincial capital of Jiangxi.

Having driven continuously for over ten hours, Jiang Tian and the other two, being powerful cultivators, naturally felt no fatigue. But Lin Monong was an ordinary person with a delicate constitution. She kept complaining about backaches and sore legs from sitting and wanted to rest.

Jiang Tian was indifferent to this. After all, the Martial Alliance Conference wasn’t for another two days; there was no rush.

Gui Jiao Ti suggested in a low voice, “Master Jiang, Tianxi Hotel is an asset of the Jiangxi Zhao family and also a transit point for this Martial Alliance gathering. We might as well rest there. We might even run into some fellow practitioners.”

“Hmm, that’s fine,” Jiang Tian agreed readily.

Tianxi Hotel was also a five-star establishment, luxuriously decorated. Just this one hotel was worth several hundred million. The fact that the Jiangxi Zhao family had opened such hotels in seven or eight prefecture-level cities across Jiangxi was testament to their considerable strength.

Back in his room, Jiang Tian washed off the dust of the journey, video-chatted with Zhao Xueqing for a while, and was just sitting cross-legged in meditation when Tang Linglong knocked and entered, her expression seeming somewhat uneasy.

“What’s wrong?” Jiang Tian asked with a smile.

“Master, my grandfather just called. He wants us to return to Jiangbei immediately and not attend the Martial Alliance gathering,” Tang Linglong said softly.

“Why?”

“He received news that Mo Haoxiong’s grandson is also attending the conference. He’s afraid that…”

“That he’ll persuade the Martial Alliance to deal with me?” Jiang Tian said with a faint smile.

“Master, how did you know?” Tang Linglong was completely taken aback, her face filled with disbelief.

“Heh, over the past six months or more, I’ve killed quite a few people. For every person who supports and relies on me, there are just as many who hate me to the bone. I’m afraid quite a few people would like nothing more than to get rid of your master,” Jiang Tian stated calmly.

He was already used to this sort of thing. Back when he dominated the starry skies, he had enemies everywhere. Countless people gritted their teeth at the mention of him.

But Jiang Tian’s strength was overwhelming. What could they do, even if they ground their teeth to dust?

“Master, doesn’t it make you feel a little worried or… sad?” Tang Linglong asked timidly.

“A man who is not envied is mediocre. So what if the whole world is my enemy?” Jiang Tian sighed leisurely. “Often, when cultivation resources are scarce, it becomes an era of great contention. Resources are limited, but humanity’s desire to grow stronger is infinite! Which powerful figure in the world didn’t climb to their lofty position stepping over heaps of white bones?”

“So what if the whole world is my enemy? Master… he’s so domineering!” Tang Linglong’s gaze became utterly infatuated.

“Look at those crimson mountains—they are stained with the blood and tears of heroes. Look at the surging Yellow River—countless bones of great figures float within it. Moreover, your master does not kill the kind and good…” Jiang Tian couldn’t help but think of the Era of Stagnation on the Star Brilliance Continent in the extraterrestrial starry skies.

That planet once had an extremely prosperous cultivation civilization, even capable of building stellar-level ancient star-ships. But later, due to the excessive development of the cultivation civilization exhausting all resources, it became a wasteland of ruins and dust, thoroughly entering an Era of Stagnation where cultivators could hardly advance an inch.

On the Star Brilliance Continent, Jiang Tian had witnessed tens of thousands of cultivators fighting bloody battles, piling up mountains of bones, all for a single spiritual herb that was common on other continents. Moreover, they expanded everywhere, militarizing aggressively, having swallowed several other continents and planets.

Now, although there weren’t many powerful individuals on Earth, cultivation resources were even scarcer. So everyone would fight each other for them. This kind of contradiction was fundamentally irreconcilable—it was either you die or I die!

“Yes, Master, you are right. In fact, you have never actively attacked anyone. In secular terms, that’s called… self-defense and counterattack!” Tang Linglong’s eyes shone with admiration, also speaking up for Jiang Tian.

“If you’re worried about Old Master Tang’s concerns, you can go back. Your master can handle it…” A hint of kindness appeared on Jiang Tian’s face as he smiled faintly.

“No. Master, this journey is dangerous. Linglong wants to fight side by side with you!” Tang Linglong’s phoenix eyes turned sharp, a murderous aura radiating from her, her pretty face filled with determination.

“Very well. With your master here, you won’t suffer the slightest harm.” Seeing her sincerity, Jiang Tian thought to himself that this girl still had a conscience. He could only nod in agreement and smile, “Go and rest. Don’t forget to explain things clearly to Old Master Tang so he won’t worry.”

After Tang Linglong left, Jiang Tian continued to sit cross-legged in meditation. Around midnight, his divine sense suddenly detected two powerful auras entering the hotel. The corner of his mouth couldn’t help but curl into a faint smile.

“Hmm? Have some experts come to attack?” Normally, Jiang Tian wouldn’t pay attention, but after what Tang Linglong said, they were most likely coming for him. He immediately activated his divine sense, pushing it out in all directions like a tide, enveloping the entire hotel.

In Jiang Tian’s divine sense, ordinary mortals with no cultivation appeared as faint, small gray shadows. Iron Body warriors were like burning candle flames, Internal Force Masters were like blazing torches. And figures like Grandmasters Hong Tianzhao or Mo Haoxiong would be like great balls of fire, illuminating large swathes of the sky.

“Hmm? It should just be two Internal Force-level martial artists…” Jiang Tian discovered several torch-like fluctuations of true energy in the small bar on the hotel’s third floor. His divine sense immediately focused on and locked onto them.

“Is it Young Master He from the Hong family? You’ve come? I wonder what brings you to me?” An old man hurriedly greeted a young man, clasping his fists in salute.

Jiang Tian recognized this person. It was Zhang Wendao of the Five Tigers Severing Gate Saber, with whom Jiang Tian had had a run-in back in the War Dragons.

Hong Hetu? Jiang Tian’s heart stirred. He’d heard he was Hong Tianzhao’s son. It seemed he had come from Hubei province to meet this Zhang Wendao.

He saw Hong Hetu bow deeply, fists clasped, and say, “Master Zhang, I heard you are attending the Martial Alliance Conference this time. On behalf of my grandfather, I have a few words for you.”

“So it’s Elder Junsan who asked him to relay a message. Please speak, please speak!” Zhang Wendao was very courteous.

“Are you aware of that Jiang Tian from Jiangbei? He endangers the martial world, stirring up trouble. Even my father was killed by him. My grandfather knows you once served as a blade technique instructor for the War Dragons, so he’d like to ask you to put in a few fair words for our Hong family in front of Chairman Wei at the Martial Alliance Conference!” Hong Hetu said with a sorrowful expression.

Hearing this, Jiang Tian frowned. As expected, they were here for him. He wondered how Zhang Wendao would respond. He had shown mercy to Zhang Qitian that day; he should have felt some gratitude, shouldn’t he?

“Ah, what? That villain killed your esteemed father too?” Unexpectedly, Zhang Wendao immediately displayed inexplicable righteous indignation. He slapped the table and angrily exclaimed.

Then, with a face full of grief, he shook his head and sighed, “Nephew Tianzhao was a young grandmaster ranked in the top twenty of the Divine List! His death is truly a significant loss for the Chinese martial arts world!”

Hearing this, Jiang Tian shook his head in disappointment and let out a soft sigh. He hadn’t expected martial artists on Earth to be even more sinister and cunning than cultivators from the extraterrestrial starry skies. Outwardly humble and submissive, but stabbing you in the back—ruthless and merciless. He should have just finished off Zhang Qitian back then.

“It seems Master Zhang is truly a man of great righteousness! Our Hong family thanks you in advance!” Hong Hetu respectfully clasped his fists. Then he drew his treasured sword and declared passionately, “Now, the Shu Zhong Tang Sect, the Luoyang Golden Blade Wang family, the Lingnan Mo family, and other martial arts families have united. They plan to jointly eliminate Jiang Tian at the Martial Alliance Conference. Although I, Hong, am not particularly talented, I have reached the Great Perfection level of Internal Force. I am determined to personally slay the enemy to avenge my father!”

At this point, he sheathed his sword again and let out a deep sigh. “It’s just that I’m afraid that Jiang Taichu brat, knowing how formidable the Martial Alliance Conference is, won’t dare to attend!”

“That’s hard to say…” Zhang Wendao said with a deeply furrowed brow. “That kid, although arrogant and overbearing, is also quite cunning. It’s unknown whether he will walk right into the trap.”

Hearing this, Jiang Tian shook his head. He figured listening until dawn would just be more of their cursing him for being vicious and merciless. Losing interest, he slowly withdrew his divine sense and continued sitting cross-legged in meditation.

Several hours later, as the sky began to brighten, Jiang Tian slowly exhaled a streak of white light, ending his cultivation. A sweep of his divine sense revealed that Hong Hetu and Zhang Wendao were already sound asleep in a room, having talked late into the night. The coffee table was littered with cups and plates, and several beer bottles were scattered on the floor—clear signs of a very congenial conversation.

A mischievous idea struck Jiang Tian. He picked up a notepad and pen, wrote a note, activated a Wall-Penetrating Talisman on himself, and within a few breaths, passed through multiple walls to reach the room where the two men were. Then, he slowly pulled out Hong Hetu’s treasured sword and slipped the note into the scabbard…

After resting a bit longer, Tang Linglong, Gui Jiao Ti, and Lin Monong all got up. The group had breakfast, checked out at the front desk, and set off again.

By noon, they finally arrived in Jiujiang City, Hubei Province.

Jiujiang was backed by Mount Lu, overlooked the vast Poyang Lake, and had the mighty Yangtze River flowing around it. With fresh air and lush greenery, it was a beautiful small town with a pleasant environment.

The car passed through Jiujiang City and arrived at Hukou County under its jurisdiction. The venue for the martial arts conference was the Poyang Lake Water Manor, located near Hanpokou.

The Poyang Lake Water Manor was built nestled against the mountains and beside the water, covering a vast area with an antique charm. Gazing up at Mount Lu and overlooking dozens of miles of Poyang Lake waters and the endless eastward flow of the Yangtze River, it exuded great presence and depth and heritage.

In the parking lot outside the manor, luxury cars were as numerous as raindrops, with BMWs and Mercedes-Benzes aplenty. The entrance was bustling with noise, a dense crowd of people pressed together.

Financial magnates, local tycoons, cultural celebrities appeared one after another, among them no shortage of political figures.