Chapter 7: I Can Still Be Saved

Jiang Xie was very much looking forward to seeing what kind of ability the second statue would grant him once it was fully activated.

After withdrawing from the palace, Jiang Xie examined his own cultivation.

He let out a faint sigh. “I started cultivating when I was six. It has been seven whole years, and I am still only at the third level of the Body Tempering Realm. This body really does not have any talent for cultivation.”

He felt utterly helpless.

When he was six years old, Jiang Fengliu had taught him about the path of cultivation for the first time.

Jiang Xie still remembered that scene clearly...

“Father, did you want something from Xie’er?”

Jiang Fengliu smiled at him with affection and said, “Xie’er, you are already six years old. It is time for me to tell you about cultivation.”

“All right, all right!” Six-year-old Jiang Xie clapped happily.

With the soul of an adult, he had long been full of anticipation for cultivation.

“Xie’er, remember this well. The path of cultivation is divided into several realms: Body Tempering, Yuan Condensation, Yuan Control, Soul Forging, Skyborne, Divine Power, Domain, Law, and so on.”

Jiang Fengliu began explaining the divisions of the cultivation realms to him.

The moment Jiang Xie heard this, he thought, Why are there only so few realms?

Was he really going to say something like, “The later realms are still too far away for you. You will naturally learn about them when the time comes”? That tired old cliché?

What pointless nonsense!

Would it not be better to say it all now? Why insist on saying that he would know later...

Making it all sound so mysterious. Was there some taboo involved?

Was it forbidden to speak of them?

Or was he afraid Jiang Xie would not remember?

Sure enough, Jiang Fengliu’s very next sentence was, “As for the few realms beyond those, they are still far too distant for you right now. You will naturally know them in the future.”

Jiang Xie immediately refused to accept that and said at once, “Father, just tell me everything now. I cannot be bothered to learn about it later.”

Jiang Fengliu had clearly expected that answer.

Jiang Xie had been exceptionally intelligent since childhood. It would have been stranger if he had not asked.

“Hahaha, I knew you would say that. The later realms are, in order: Sovereign King, Venerable Emperor, Saint, Supreme Saint, and Great Emperor.”

“Ohhh.” Jiang Xie revealed a satisfied smile.

“This is the Jiang Family’s cultivation art. Follow it and cultivate accordingly. Under normal circumstances, it should not even take a day for you to break through into the Body Tempering Realm.”

“All right!” Jiang Xie accepted the cultivation art with an excited expression and immediately began cultivating with all his might.

One day later.

“Xie’er, why have you still not broken through into the Body Tempering Realm? Did something go wrong in your cultivation?”

“Father, perhaps it is because I have been too lax.”

“You must never be lax in cultivation. Continue working hard.”

...

Two days later.

“Why have you still not broken through into the Body Tempering Realm?”

“Uh... perhaps I failed to grasp the key points.”

“...Then let me explain the important parts of this cultivation art to you again...”

...

One month later.

“Surely you have not still failed to break through into the Body Tempering Realm?” Jiang Fengliu’s face had already begun to twitch.

Jiang Xie scratched his head and smiled awkwardly. “Father, perhaps this cultivation art is not suited to me...”

“Then we will change to another one.”

...

One year later.

“Father, this cultivation art does not seem very suitable either...”

“You have gone through every cultivation art in the clan library!”

“But...”

“That is enough. I will go ask other factions for a few more...”

...

Three years later.

“Father, I am certain of it! These cultivation arts all have problems!” Jiang Xie declared with righteous confidence, his expression utterly serious.

Jiang Fengliu merely glanced at him. Without saying a word, he directly summoned two servants who had never cultivated before.

He personally handed them one of the cultivation arts Jiang Xie had already practiced.

Three days later, Jiang Xie looked at the two servants, both of whom had already broken through into the Body Tempering Realm, and found himself speechless.

Jiang Fengliu also seemed to realize something, and that very year, he started over with another child...

...

Four years later.

“Father, I broke through! I finally reached the first level of the Body Tempering Realm!”

“...Xie’er, perhaps you really are not suited to cultivation...”

“No! I have already broken through into the Body Tempering Realm! I am a genius!” Jiang Xie was beginning to sound a little crazy. “I can still be saved!”

“No, perhaps you truly have no talent for cultivation...”

...

Beginning in the fifth year, Jiang Fengliu gradually became distant from him.

In the span of a year, Jiang Xie would only see him a handful of times.

His younger brother, on the other hand, was extraordinarily gifted.

...

The sixth year.

Jiang Xie finally accepted the fact that he had no talent for cultivation.

For a time, he sank into utter dejection.

It felt as though life had lost all hope, and he drifted through his days in a daze.

It was also on one day in that year that he picked up a jade pendant and, upon closing his eyes, saw that palace in the darkness.

Later, he found a sword as well.

At once, it filled him with hope for this world once again.

Of course, it was also in that same year that he suffered several assassination attempts.

Had he not already obtained the power within the statue, he would likely have died long ago.

The seventh year, which was this year, his younger brother was only four years old and had already reached the ninth level of the Body Tempering Realm, while he himself was thirteen and still only at the third level of the Body Tempering Realm...

Coming back to himself, Jiang Xie let out a faint sigh.

Fortunately, he still had his cheat.

Otherwise, he really might have given up on life.

He also understood why Jiang Fengliu had grown distant from him.

It was to protect him.

The closer his relationship with Jiang Fengliu became, the more those who targeted Jiang Fengliu would set their sights on him as well.

Only through such distance could those ill-intentioned people be made to shift their attention away from him.

That was also why Jiang Xie had volunteered to move out of the family estate.

Jiang Fengliu had agreed without a word.

He had even sent Old Wu, an expert of the Skyborne Realm, to remain by Jiang Xie’s side as protection.

Drawing his thoughts back, Jiang Xie closed his eyes and began cultivating.

Over the past few days, he had felt that his cultivation seemed to have improved a little more.

Breaking through to the fourth level of the Body Tempering Realm now seemed possible!

.......

Inside Jiang City, at the Jiang Family estate.

“Fengliu, honestly, how could you just leave Xie’er alone like this?”

It was a woman’s voice, gentle and melodious, though at the moment it carried a trace of resentment.

Though Jiang Fengliu’s name contained the word “romantic,” he was not romantic in the least.

He was a handsome man with refined features and a graceful bearing. In his younger days, he had no doubt captivated countless young maidens.

Even now that he had reached middle age, his looks had not diminished in the slightest.

He could still charm any number of respectable married women.

Yet at this moment, deep weariness filled his face.

Jiang Fengliu sighed softly, reached out, and drew the woman before him into his arms.

Helplessly, he said, “Zhirou, you know as well as I do that I am doing this to protect him. Xie’er has no talent for cultivation, so he cannot stay too close to me.”

“If he does, he will become the target of those enemies.”

“I know... It is just, are we really going to keep ignoring him like this?”

The woman’s voice was full of worry.

“Once Yi’er grows up, it will be fine... There is no need to worry too much. I sent Old Wu to protect him. Besides, Xie’er is so clever. He will be all right.”

“Ah... I only hope so...”

.....

In the courtyard.

Only then did Ji Wuyue recover from her daze.

She felt that the iron chain binding her neck was already gone, and there was no one else around.

Only her.

Her eyes immediately lit up.

“So this little bean sprout really thought I had submitted to him? He actually left me here alone. I may not be able to beat you right now, but can I not still run?”

The little girl was overjoyed inside.

She secretly glanced at the door to the room ahead and, seeing no movement whatsoever, shifted her gaze toward the courtyard gate.

As long as she stepped through that gate...

She would be free!