Chapter 174: Chapter 165 Ancient Battlefield Evil Qi! Chapter 174: Chapter 165 Ancient Battlefield Evil Qi! In the seventh year of Jin Jingtai, on the fourteenth day of October, the Ascending Immortal Tower published the latest Hidden Dragon List, and Chen Yuan ranked in the top three hundred, at two hundred and eighty-five!
Compared to his previous ranking, he had soared significantly, jumping dozens of spots after the battle with Liu Changkong, causing yet another stir in Nanling Prefecture.
After all, only half a month had passed since then.
Such rapid progress in such a short time had sparked great interest in Chen Yuan, and some even placed bets on when he would enter the top two hundred.
And this tier was usually reserved for Heavenly Gang Martial Artists!
Many people guessed for Chen Yuan⊠one year!
This speed was undeniably fast, but some still believed in Chen Yuanâs potential.
Almost none of the top three hundred names on the Hidden Dragon List were Qi Absorption Martial Artists; they were all Condensing Evil or higher. Chen Yuan making the list with his Qi Absorption Cultivation was quite extraordinary.
Naturally, where there is joy, there is also sorrow.
Bei Haisheng, Lin Beihan, and Nie Qi Yun, among others, had very gloomy expressions when they heard the news, especially Bei Haisheng, who had a vendetta against Chen Yuan for the death of his son.
He thought about revenge every moment but had never found the opportunity.
So, he thought about creating his own opportunityâŠ
He couldnât let Chen Yuan grow any further, otherwise, how would there be a day for revenge?
And with the potential Chen Yuan had shown, he would certainly receive strong support from the Heavenly Patrol Bureau.
In fact, that was the case. Upon returning that day, Tao Qingyuan, in recognition of Chen Yuanâs merits in defeating Liu Changkong, rewarded him with many cultivation resources, causing both envy and jealousy.
Nobody dared to question it, though.
Anyone present that day could see that Chen Yuan had relieved Tao Qingyuan from a predicament and had faced a strong enemy alone, and Tao Qingyuanâs admiration for Chen Yuan was evident.
In that battle, Chen Yuan gained much!
Apart from Chen Yuan, Gu Hao, who stood up against the experts of the Heavenly Patrol Bureau to support his junior brother, also gained great fame. Good-natured people praised him for his loyalty and courage, despite facing powerful adversaries.
And he earned a good reputation!
The only loser was probably Liu Changkong.
OhâŠ
The authority of the court was also somewhat diminished.
But not too severely since no actual fight had occurred that day, and eventually, Chen Yuan emerged victorious, rounding off the events of that day satisfactorily.
Afterward, Tao Qingyuan did not go back on his word. He immediately reported the dayâs events to the state city, allowing the Golden Envoy to press the Qingyun Sword Sect to make amends.
But this affair still affected Chen Yuan. At least, the idea of climbing higher in the court was not as appealing as before,
perhaps even becoming a bandit in Jianghu was better!
But given his modest achievements in cultivation, no major sect would accept him.
At most, he would be merely a tool for the forces of the Demon DaoâŠ
Thinking about it, the court, although somewhat corrupt, was still the best place for him now.
Leaving the court was the least wise idea, at least for now!
Before he could make a significant impact in Jianghu, staying in the court was indeed safer!
Qingzhou State City, the heart of the region, one of the most important major cities under heaven, where the powerhouses outnumbered those in Nanling Prefecture by far.
Just the publicly acknowledged Core Realm powerhouses alone were four in number, along with tens of thousands of stationed troops; the Qingyun Sword Sect, although strong, was still far inferior to the court.
Gu Hao was confined for three months, and Liu Changkongâs name was removed from the Qingyun Sword Sectâs register, after conceding a portion of their interests, thus resolving the dispute.
The court wouldnât oppress too harshly, to avoid inciting a united front of resentment from some forces.
Chen Yuanâs name for the first time spread beyond Nanling Prefecture and circulated in Qingzhou City.
Amidst these external disturbances, Chen Yuan didnât care about them. These past few days, he focused solely on cultivating within the Heavenly Patrol Bureau to solidify his foundation, and he was also looking into the location of the âMoon Valley,â a chance emanating from the altar.
When he first sensed this location, Chen Yuan was relieved, thinking that this Yin Evil Land he had gained this time wouldnât be difficult, but when he looked it up, he realized he had thought too much.
There was no âMoon Valleyâ in Nanling Prefecture!
He searched through all the maps of Nanling Prefecture and its subordinate counties, finding no place by that name, just several dozen locations known as âvalleys.â When he learned this, Chen Yuanâs mood was indescribable.
Could it be that he wouldnât find it?
No, Chen Yuan later thought, since the altar had pointed him toward the location, it surely wasnât setting up difficulties on purpose.
So soon, Chen Yuan thought, perhaps⊠âMoon Valleyâ had already changed its name!
True to his thought, according to the information he gathered, many hills and cities had been renamed since the founding of the Great Jin.
Meaning, the New Dynasty!
The New Dynasty naturally couldnât use the old names of the lands.
Realizing this, Chen Yuan understood that to find Moon Valley, the first thing he needed was a map of the previous dynasty, the Great Chu.
Unfortunately, there was no such thing in the entirety of the Nanling Prefecture Heavenly Patrol Bureau.
Tao Qingyuan might know, but Chen Yuan didnât want to let him know, to prevent him from guessing some things.
It wasnât a matter of distrust, but Chen Yuan instinctively remained cautious of anyone.
During these days of recuperation, three of the Yunjiang Four Ghosts who had been sent out returned. Zhao Beishan had taught the Qi Absorption Technique to Zhao Nanshan and had taken him as a disciple.
But if one didnât know, they might still think they were brothers, for their names were indeed very similar.
As for the Black Jade Ointment Chen Yuan gave to Zhao Nanshan, it was of no use; it merely alleviated some injuries⊠Chen Yuan was not very surprised by this.
Because he had anticipated this before, he could only hope to find him something better in the future.
Wang Ping had not returned; he had already entered the Blood Refining Level, and with some elixirs Chen Yuan had given him, he was well on his way to Bone Refining.
He said that his current strength was too weak, and being by Chen Yuanâs side would only be a burden. He would wait until he had entered Bone Refining before coming to Nanling PrefectureâŠ
Chen Yuan couldnât help thinking that it might take a long time, and perhaps by the time he arrived, Bone Refining Cultivation would still be a burden.
Wang Ping had not come, and Chen Yuan wasnât too disturbed by this. His most important task at the moment was to locate Moon Valley, and for this, he decided to visit Ascending Immortal Tower.
Not having it within Heavenly Patrol Bureau didnât mean that this famous intelligence organization didnât possess it.
Ye Chenbai had made it very clear beforeâif Chen Yuan could pay the right price, there was hardly any secret in the world beyond his reach. However, that price had not yet been met by anyone.
After settling the Yunjiang Three Ghosts, Chen Yuan set off for Ascending Immortal Tower alone.
The Azure Flood Dragon Associationâs bounty on the Yunjiang Three Ghosts continued and even increased the price. For safetyâs sake, the trio changed their names and appearances. Unless someone was very familiar with them and saw them face-to-face, it was almost impossible to recognize their true identities.
And their mission was to keep a close watch on Bei Mansion!
In dealing with this old man, Chen Yuan had never taken it lightly.
âŠ
âŠ
âPatrol Envoy Chen has climbed to the top three hundred of the Hidden Dragon List in such a short time; that has shocked quite a few people indeed,â
Inside Ascending Immortal Tower, Ye Chenbai poured Chen Yuan a pot of fine tea.
Of course, the tea was good, but it was not Spiritual Tea.
Such a thing, aside from signifying status, was only permitted during oneâs first visit to Ascending Immortal Tower.
âWhen the wood is beautiful in the forest, the wind will destroy it. I would rather your establishment not roast me over the fire,â Chen Yuan shook his head; if possible, he did not really want to become famous.
It wasnât too late once he had the strength.
As for now, it would only attract some peopleâs killing intent.
And Ascending Immortal Tower using his name, not even offering him defamation compensation!
Ye Chenbai smiled without saying much, as it wasnât something he could decide. Besides, except for the initial resistance, who in the world didnât want to become famous?
The three lists of Ascension were a great opportunity.
âPatrol Envoy Chen, what information would you like to purchase this time?â
No one visits the temple without a cause; Chen Yuanâs visit was surely not for a casual chat but for a specific purpose. Ye Chenbai didnât want to beat around the bush and went straight to the point.
âIâm looking for a map of the former Great Chuâs Nanling Prefecture. Does Ascending Immortal Tower have one?â
Chen Yuan asked, his expression unchanging.
âA map of Nanling Prefecture?â
Ye Chenbai was slightly surprised, seemingly not expecting Chen Yuan to seek this piece of information.
âNot available in Ascending Immortal Tower?â
âWe do have it, of course. May I ask what Patrol Envoy Chen needs it for? Of course, if you prefer not to disclose, thatâs also fine,â Ye Chenbai said with a smile.
âThereâs nothing I canât disclose. I was scrutinizing records in the Heavenly Patrol Bureau and unexpectedly discovered that some of the place names didnât match, so I wanted to understand it more clearly,â Chen Yuan replied.
âI see, haha⊠Patrol Envoy Chen has come to the right place. Detailed maps of former Great Chu are almost extinct now, except in the Capital and some older Sects.â
âPatrol Envoy Chen, you can have it for a hundred silver ingots!â
After a moment of realization, Ye Chenbai stretched out a finger.
It must be said, that price was very expensive, as it was just a map after all. But after thinking it over, considering this was a unique business, it might be available in Qingzhou State City. However, it was too far, and Chen Yuan didnât have much influence over there. It was simpler to spend some money.
A hundred silver ingots might have been a considerable amount to the former Chen Yuan, but to the current Patrol Envoy Chen, it was no longer a significant sum.
With an elevated official status, making some money was simply too easy.
âAcceptable.â
Chen Yuan placed a few silver ingots on the table.
Ye Chenbaiâs lips twitched into a smile, and just like before, he slipped a note into the mouth of a decorative piece. It took less than a minute for someone to present a sheepskin map.
âBrother Chen, this is the territorial map of the former dynastyâs Great Chu Nanling Prefecture. Indeed, many places here have changed their names.â
Chen Yuan nodded. As he slowly unfurled the sheepskin map, many places had different names; for example, Nanling City was previously called Jiang City, probably named for its proximity to Yunjiang River.
Chen Yuanâs scanning gaze moved quickly, briefly skimming through before his eyes fixed on a place labeled âMoon Valleyâ!
In his mind, he compared it with the current map of Nanling, where Moon Valley was now called Black Wind Valley!
Located within a county under the jurisdiction of Nanling Prefecture, it wasnât particularly famous, and there seemed to be no black winds swirling around; he hadnât expected this to be the Moon Valley he was seeking.
Perhaps noticing Chen Yuanâs focused gaze, Ye Chenbai pondered for a few moments before saying:
âThe name of this place was changed because a great battle took place here during the era of former Great Chu!â
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The Ancient Battlefieldâs Evil Qi has arrived!!!
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