Chapter 55

A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.

No matter how long the path of cultivation is, one must take the first step. Only by taking the first step can one hope to challenge the boundless Great Dao.

This "Shattered Moon Flying Knife" and the four accompanying divine techniques cannot be mastered in a day.

However, even learning a tiny fraction of them would provide a great deal of protection for Jiang Chen at this moment.

The "Seven Apertures Spirit" among the four accompanying divine techniques does not need to be practiced for now. Before the seven apertures have developed spiritual awareness, practicing this divine technique would be like seeking fish in a tree, with no hope of success.

On the other hand, the "Heavenly Eye Divine Pupil," "Wind-following Ear," and "Rock-steady Heart" can all be practiced now.

Jiang Chen, hungry and thirsty for knowledge, immersed himself in the cultivation and comprehension of these three divine techniques. Even a slight mastery of these three divine techniques would greatly enhance the cultivation of the "Shattered Moon Flying Knife."

The ultimate skill of the flying knife, when the manipulation technique reaches its peak, is nothing more than a competition of eyesight, hearing, and mental strength!

In recent days, the sparring warriors of the Jiang Han Hou residence have been very busy.

To train his eyesight, Jiang Chen had the sparring warriors continuously release flies, mosquitoes, and other small insects. Based on the speed, trajectory, and habits of these flies and mosquitoes, he had to find the one insect that had been marked beforehand.

It must be said that this training method was almost bordering on the extreme.

At first, Jiang Chen almost always failed. With hundreds of flies flying around, even if he stared, it was overwhelming.

However, after persisting for two days, Jiang Chen, relying on his eyesight, could already achieve a success rate of about one in ten.

Relying on his hearing, he could achieve a success rate of about one in twenty.

Mental strength training was the hardest, with a success rate of less than one in fifty.

After three days, four days...

Jiang Chen's progress was very obvious. By the fifth day, he could achieve a success rate of about fifty percent with his eyesight.

His hearing judgment could also reach a success rate of about thirty percent.

Mental strength judgment did not improve much, but Jiang Chen was not discouraged. He knew that mental strength training was the hardest and required the most patience.

Eyesight and hearing could be honed with time. However, mental strength required a calm and steady mind, and one must persist without any impatience.

As his eyesight and hearing improved significantly, Jiang Chen's cultivation of the "Shattered Moon Flying Knife" also proceeded in an orderly manner.

With powerful eyesight and hearing, Jiang Chen demonstrated astonishing talent and state in the manipulation of the flying knife.

The starting posture of the "Shattered Moon Flying Knife" was almost effortlessly mastered by Jiang Chen, and he quickly cultivated it to a perfect realm.

"It seems that powerful eyesight and hearing are indeed a great guarantee for cultivating the flying knife. And a strong mental strength can make the flying knife technique even more versatile."

Through the cultivation of eyesight and hearing, Jiang Chen became more perceptive and keen. Although the cultivation of mental strength was slow, it made him more composed and confident.

In less than half a month, Jiang Chen underwent a complete transformation. With the deepening of his cultivation, he could feel significant progress every day.

As time passed, the final assessment of the Qianlong Gathering finally arrived.

On this day, in the large square at the entrance of the Qianlong Gathering venue, all 108 descendants of the feudal lords were present.

Jiang Chen was no exception. He had made many preparations for this Qianlong Gathering and naturally would not miss such a grand occasion.

This could be said to be the first true challenge he faced since his reincarnation.

The Qianlong Gathering was also the first stage for Jiang Chen to prove himself. Jiang Chen did not want to lose!

The descendants of the feudal lords were all scrutinizing each other with various complex gazes, even engaging in confrontations.

In such a setting, everyone wanted to make a strong first impression, and no one wanted to lose their momentum before the start.

Therefore, various confrontational gazes filled the scene.

Jiang Chen saw Xuan Fatso and Hu Qiu Yue. Xuan Fatso's six pulses of true qi were already very stable, and in his own words, breaking through to seven pulses of true qi would take no more than two months.

As for Hu Qiu Yue, he was already at eight pulses of true qi. His appearance without holding back his cultivation caused a stir.

After all, eight pulses of true qi were absolutely at the level of the top ten feudal lords!

If Jiang Chen were to aim for eight pulses of true qi, his success rate would be over ninety percent. However, he did not deliberately do so.

Seven pulses of true qi and eight pulses of true qi had little impact on him at this moment.

Clearly, not only they had made progress, but others had also improved. Whether friends or enemies, each descendant of the feudal lords was making the final sprint for the Qianlong Gathering.

Therefore, when each person appeared, they had made some progress, more or less.

Yan Yiming, the descendant of the Yanmen Hou, who had been humiliated by Jiang Chen twice, had apparently obtained some miraculous elixir, not only recovering from his injuries but also advancing to seven pulses of true qi!

"Jiang Chen, you have used evil methods to ambush me multiple times. At the Qianlong Gathering, I, Yan Yiming, will definitely get my revenge. Now that I have entered the high-stage true qi realm, will your sinister tricks still work?" Yan Yiming glared at Jiang Chen from a distance, making a grand vow to severely punish Jiang Chen.

"Brother Chen, look over there, the descendants of the four major feudal lords! Tsk tsk, the four major feudal lords are indeed privileged, having two slots. That's a special right," Xuan Fatso said with a hint of jealousy.

According to the rules of the Qianlong Gathering, the top four feudal lords could have two slots in the Qianlong Gathering, selecting the best.

This was equivalent to an added layer of insurance, making the strong even stronger.

The four major feudal lords were Longteng Hou, Baihu Hou, Zhunü Hou, and Xuanwu Hou.

Jiang Chen, hearing this, cast a faint glance in their direction.

The disciples of the four major feudal lords indeed made a grand entrance. Especially the descendant of Longteng Hou, who had the air of a leading character.

The female, of course, was Long Juxue, the hot favorite for the Qianlong Gathering.

The male was Long Juye, Long Juxue's brother.

Long Juye, as his name suggested, was cold and proud, exuding a wild and fierce aura, like a dragon stirring up the sea.

Although his reputation was not as great as Long Juxue, who had the innate Qingluan body, he was more mysterious. It was said that his true cultivation was not inferior to Long Juxue, and his combat ability was even better.

In other words, with one son and one daughter, Longteng Hou had a double insurance, ensuring that the top position of the Qianlong Gathering would not fall into the hands of others.

The first feudal lord of the kingdom had their capital and their pride.

In comparison, the descendants of Baihu Hou, Zhunü Hou, and Xuanwu Hou were somewhat inferior.

These eight people walking together, although each had the air of a dragon among men, Long Juxue and Long Juye still stood out, surpassing the rest, making them easily distinguishable.

"Damn, what are they so arrogant about? I'll take you all down one by one sooner or later," Xuan Fatso said with naked envy and hatred.

It was not that he was naturally narrow-minded, but in the eyes of these people, he was never considered a person. Xuan Fatso was acting out of a sense of revenge after being looked down upon.

After a brief glance, Jiang Chen closed his eyes. He had little interest in these pretentious actions.

The four major feudal lords deliberately created a grand scene, trying to intimidate the other feudal lords and discourage them from easily challenging their positions.

This was a territorial instinct, which Jiang Chen found contemptible.

If the other feudal lords truly had the strength, they would not give up the opportunity to challenge just because of this show of force.

"Jiang Chen!"

This time, it was Hong Tiantong, the descendant of Zhunü Hou, who spoke first.

"Jiang Chen, I heard that something big happened at the Jiang Han Hou residence. Why are you here?"

Bai Zhanyun had now realized and no longer acted as Long Juxue's vanguard. Hong Tiantong naturally took over this glorious task with pleasure.

"Who are you? What does it have to do with you?" Xuan Fatso didn't care about the four major feudal lords; in his eyes, anyone who wasn't on his side was an enemy!

"Fatso, did your father never teach you the manners of a noble?" Hong Tiantong instinctively despised Xuan Fatso.

Jiang Chen raised an eyebrow, his cold gaze sweeping past Hong Tiantong: "Are you challenging me? If so, challenge me. If not, scram!"

"Is that you, Jiang Chen?" Long Juye, standing beside Long Juxue, his sharp eyes fixed on Jiang Chen, his wild aura openly surging toward Jiang Chen.

"I've heard of you. You seem to have taught Bai Zhanyun, that waste of space, a lesson? Good, I hope you don't disappoint me."

Bai Zhanyun, standing nearby, hearing Long Juye openly call him a waste of space, his face changed, but he ultimately held back his anger.

Jiang Chen, after a period of mental strength cultivation, had become even more composed.

Facing Long Juye's condescending tone, Jiang Chen didn't even blink: "A bunch of flies, noisy!"

"Good insult. What skills do you have? We'll see at the Qianlong Gathering. Arguing here is pointless," Xuan Fatso said with disdain.

Long Juye's face turned cold, about to speak, when suddenly a stunning sword aura descended from the sky, and with the sword aura landing, the graceful figure of Princess Gouyu appeared!

"True qi forming a rainbow? A master of eleven pulses of true qi?" The scene was in an uproar, and the gazes directed at Princess Gouyu were filled with more reverence.

True qi masters were not uncommon in the Eastern Kingdom, but most of them were at ten pulses of true qi.

Those who could cultivate to eleven pulses of true qi could be counted on one hand.

And Princess Gouyu, at just over twenty years old, had joined the ranks of the eleven-pulse true qi masters, which was truly astonishing.

Even Long Juye, with his wild eyes, was momentarily distracted by Princess Gouyu, forgetting his conflict with Jiang Chen.

As for Long Juxue, a hint of hidden killing intent flashed across her beautiful face, but it quickly disappeared, and a faint smile returned to her lips.

As if eleven pulses of true qi meant nothing to her.