"Hah…"
Jiang Zhenshan let out a long breath, the heaviness in his chest finally dispersing. A smile returned to his face as he cupped his hands and said sincerely,
"Congratulations, Elder Chu, on slaying a Saint!"
"Slaying a Saint…?"
Chu Xun murmured softly.
For a brief moment, strange ripples stirred in his heart—
Joy.
Excitement.
And a faint, indescribable heaviness.
But he quickly regained his composure.
He knew very clearly that this was not something truly worth celebrating. That Demon Saint had been suppressed for countless years; his cultivation had fallen too far. Even if he erupted with all his remaining strength, at most he could only approach the Saint Realm for an instant. Such an existence could no longer truly be called a Saint.
Killing him did not mean that Chu Xun already possessed the power to casually slaughter Saints.
However—
This battle still confirmed two crucial points for Chu Xun.
First, his current strength was already comparable to that of the Holy Realm.
Second, he still had not revealed everything.
The Great River Sword Intent.
The Chaos Sword Body.
The Ivy Sword.
None of these had been exposed.
Even if he were to face a true Saint in the future, he might not be able to win—but protecting himself would not be a problem.
"Elder Chu!"
"Elder Chu!"
Below, the Jiang clan elders gathered enthusiastically, smiles bright and sincere. Many of those who had previously remained neutral no longer hesitated—they had firmly chosen Jiang Chen.
With such a master behind him, entering the Holy Realm was almost inevitable.
Perhaps, in the future, Jiang Chen would even become the number one figure of the Eastern Region.
With such prospects, who would be foolish enough not to support him?
The elders of the three clans watched this scene with complicated expressions. Everything felt inevitable, yet when it truly happened, there was still an emptiness in their hearts.
In truth, the moment Chu Xun arrived at the Jiang family, many of their doubts had already faded.
When the Jiang family was in crisis, the entire Eastern Region had chosen to stand by and watch coldly. Only Chu Xun came—regardless of danger, regardless of consequence.
That alone was enough.
Much of their former dissatisfaction with Jiang Chen had stemmed from fear—fear that Chu Xun would offend too many forces and eventually bring disaster upon the Jiang family.
Now?
Chu Xun had proven everything with his actions.
He was worthy of the Jiang family.
Worthy of the title "Master."
From that moment on, their hearts had already accepted Jiang Chen.
Nearby, Jiang Jue stood silently.
His eyes were dim.
This was the closest he had ever been to the position of eldest son—yet he could only watch it slip farther and farther away.
There was unwillingness in his heart.
And fear.
Because he knew—
The turmoil in the forbidden area had originated from him.
"Elder Chu!"
"The matter is settled!"
"Come, let us drink!"
The silver-haired Sixth Elder laughed heartily, his spirits soaring. Looking back now, Jiang Chen's decision to take Chu Xun as his master had been more than right—it was simply perfect.
"Not urgent," Chu Xun said with a gentle smile.
A good deed should be completed to the end.
The demon had been dealt with, but the damaged sealing formation below had not yet been fully restored. Moreover, Chu Xun was genuinely curious about the Jiang family's ancient formation.
Recently, while reading in the Sutra Pavilion, he had studied not only cultivation techniques, but also formations, talismans, and alchemy. This was a rare opportunity to put theory into practice.
"Elder Chu, what are you planning to—"
"Bring the Star Stones," Chu Xun said calmly.
"The Heavenly Formation Stones."
"The Goldstones."
"And the inscribed runes."
The Jiang clan elders hurried to comply.
Before long—
Boom!
A vast, ancient aura spread through the air.
The previously damaged formation was fully restored—no, more than that. It merged seamlessly with the deeper layers of the formation, becoming even stronger and more complete than before.
The Jiang clan elders were stunned, then overjoyed.
They could also repair the formation—but never to this degree. This was as if the person who had originally set up the formation thousands of years ago had personally returned to reinforce it.
One elder couldn't help but exclaim,
"Elder Chu truly possesses great wisdom! Not only is his cultivation profound, but his mastery of formations is astonishing. He can already be called a grand formation master!"
Chu Xun merely smiled in response. A trace of doubt flickered in his heart, but he said nothing. Seeing the perfected formation before him, he felt a quiet sense of satisfaction.
"Elder Chu!"
"Please!"
This time, Chu Xun did not refuse.
Soon after—
The Jiang family's main reception hall.
Chu Xun was received with the grandest courtesy. The table was filled with exquisite delicacies, each dish rich in color and aroma. Just one glance made Chu Xun's eyes brighten—he had rarely indulged like this since arriving in this world.
"Please!"
After inviting Chu Xun to take the seat of honor, the silver-haired Sixth Elder laughed loudly.
"Elder Chu, come—try the wine I brewed!"
The Seventh Elder's eyes lit up greedily.
"We've all benefited today! This fellow usually hides this wine like treasure—today we finally get to taste it!"
The Sixth Elder glared at him.
"This wine is for Elder Chu! You freeloaders who just watched from the sidelines don't deserve it!"
Even so, he still poured wine for everyone present.
The fragrance filled the hall.
The aroma alone made mouths water.
"Elder Chu, please."
Chu Xun took a sip.
The taste was mellow and fruity, clearly brewed from rare spiritual fruits. But as it slid down his throat, a fierce heat bloomed—overbearing and intense. A single cup was enough to make an ordinary cultivator dizzy. Several elders already had faint red faces.
"Overbearing," Chu Xun said.
He drank it all in one gulp, closed his eyes to savor it, then opened them again—bright and clear.
The wine contained dense spiritual energy. Even his cultivation stirred faintly.
"Good wine."
Hearing this, the Sixth Elder beamed.
"One cup whets the appetite, two cups warm the body, three cups—just right to stir the blood!"
"Good," Chu Xun replied without hesitation.
The other elders followed suit, drinking eagerly. Even Jiang Zhenshan's eyes shone—he, too, was a lover of fine wine.
After the wine came the dishes.
Each meat dish used precious ingredients that would normally never be slaughtered lightly. Now they were cooked with great care, releasing pure, rich aromas. With one bite, the meat melted on the tongue—so perfect that any seasoning would have been excessive.
"Delicious," Chu Xun said sincerely.
The Sixth Elder laughed.
"Good food deserves good wine—come, drink!"
Gululu!
Only now did Chu Xun fully realize—
This silver-haired Sixth Elder truly loved wine.
And indeed, his wine was exceptional.
Paired with such food, it was nothing less than a rare enjoyment of life.