The imperial grant of a hundred thousand Wan Yuan Stones from the Qi Court instantly filled Jiang Wang’s coffers.

This sum, however, was merely enough to settle the single debt incurred when Ye Qingyu had purchased the Opening Pulse Pill for Jiang Anan.

Yet, separated by tens of thousands of *li*, settling the debt in advance proved a challenge. No trading firm possessed the capability to remit funds across the vast expanse of the world. Even the most powerful nations could not achieve such a feat. Strong as the Qi Country might be, its Qi Knife Currency only barely managed to circulate throughout the Eastern Domain, still encountering covert resistance from various factions.

When entrusting Jiang Anan to cultivate at Lingxiao Pavilion with the aid of the Cloud Middle Order, Jiang Wang had vowed to repay whatever resources Lingxiao Pavilion invested in his sister.

This point, he never doubted.

Putting aside the distant future, speaking only of the present, if he could successfully secure the position of Pacifying Envoy for Rizhao County Town, these matters would scarcely register.

Among the individuals in Qingyang Town, Du Gu Xiao was on the verge of breaking through to the Opening Pulse Realm. Once the six-month period elapsed, Zhu Biqiong would return to Diaohai Tower. Zhang Hai’s reward would remain the Dao Yuan Stones agreed upon earlier. However, for someone of Yu Xiangqian’s strength, the previously decided Dao Yuan Stones were clearly insufficient.

He sought out Yu Xiangqian to discuss this, intending to convey his gratitude for the contribution. The “heart-to-heart talk” about the Unexpected Suspended Empty Temple was an unplanned detour.

Fortunately, the outcome wasn’t too bad.

Though he didn’t know if Yu Xiangqian had been truly persuaded, at least allowing him to vent his pent-up emotions was a good thing.

At the close of their conversation, Jiang Wang directly produced ten thousand Wan Yuan Stones and presented a list of the Dao techniques he was proficient in and could transmit externally, offering Yu Xiangqian a choice.

Yu Xiangqian accepted the Wan Yuan Stones without hesitation, remarking that these Dao techniques were too intricate and he was too lazy to learn them.

Though Jiang Wang was not stingy in sharing his knowledge, Yu Xiangqian possessed the inheritance of an Absolute Peak expert from the Flying Sword Era. His cultivation system was self-formed, and he likely felt little need for supplementary techniques.

“Gods and deities are different concepts. He said he revered his teacher as he would a god, yet you used Netherworld deities as an example. Truly not very persuasive.” Jiang Yan’s voice echoed as Jiang Wang pondered Dao techniques in the quiet room, reflecting on his earlier conversation with Yu Xiangqian.

This wasn’t Jiang Yan seeking companionship, but merely “proving his value.”

Jiang Wang understood clearly that this was because the Dao technique he was currently contemplating made Jiang Yan feel threatened.

The secret transmission first-grade middle-quality Dao technique, Jealousy Fire, obtained from the Qi Country’s treasury, typically had an entry threshold after the Inner Mansion Realm. However, due to the growth of his divine soul power, he could now barely grasp its essence and already felt its subtle wonders.

This was a mysterious Dao technique applied to emotions, communicating with spirits. It would prove immensely effective, especially in the battlefield of divine soul confrontations.

Hearing Jiang Yan’s words, he simply replied, “This, I truly did not know.”

“The term ‘god’ comes from ‘clothing Shen’. ‘Shen’ is the shape of celestial lightning. In ancient times, people believed lightning was unpredictable and boundless in power. Lightning, clothed and transformed, was thus considered a ‘god’. Gods represented invincible might and unfathomable ability.”

Jiang Yan continued, “In the very beginning, the Heaven and Earth Gate marked the boundary between humans and gods. All the world’s people considered the Tenglong Realm as reaching divinity! Because cultivators in this realm could fly through the heavens and escape the earth, surpassing ordinary mortals.”

“After the first cultivator to open an Inner Mansion appeared, the concept of gods extended upwards. For a very long time, the God-Descending Realm was viewed as reaching divinity, hence the saying, ‘I descend like a god.’ In ancient times, the God-Descending Realm was also called the ‘Immortal’ Realm, but later, it was proven to be ‘false immortality,’ and this name was abandoned.”

“Since ancient times, the concept of gods has always been in flux. Today, the path of cultivation is fully opened, differing from the past. Yu Xiangqian reveres his teacher as he would a god because he believes his teacher is omnipotent and invincible in his heart. He does not revere his teacher as a narrow definition of a god.”

“What deities are you talking about? What kind of existence is the White Bone Venerable God?”

Jiang Wang cooperatively asked, “What kind of existence?”

“Just as the human race opened the path of cultivation and stepped towards the extraordinary, there are deceased souls, those who cannot reincarnate, who wander through various realms, awaiting dissipation. However, among those unwilling to dissipate, there are also those with exceptional talent, who cultivate with their soul bodies and open the divine path.”

“After the divine path was opened, there were also those deceased who had not forgotten their memories, unwilling to reincarnate and start anew, who directly switched to cultivating the divine path. These individuals were often cultivators in their previous lives, thereby strengthening the divine path. And after the divine path strengthened, there were living beings who knew their cultivation prospects were bleak but possessed divine path talent, who directly abandoned their physical bodies and switched to cultivating the divine path. The divine path once dominated an era!”

“Narrowly defined deities, apart from innate spirits, mostly originate from ghosts who cultivate. Whether by condensing faith, intercepting death energy, or devouring resentment, the divine path is myriad, not all-encompassing…”

“Regarding the divine path, I don’t understand much, only what I learned through the White Bone Venerable God.”

Jiang Yan stated, “The White Bone Venerable God is an existence far beyond our reach. Its power in the Netherworld surely transcends the extraordinary Absolute Peak. But it is absolutely not ‘omnipotent’; it can be defeated.”

“So you used the White Bone Venerable God’s failure as an example to tell Yu Xiangqian that ‘even gods can fail.’ Though your reasoning has merit, in the eyes of those who understand these matters, it inevitably appears somewhat laughable.”

Jiang Wang didn’t mind. “Yu Xiangqian’s experiences are far broader than mine. He has a Real Person invincible master of that caliber, such an illustrious inheritance, his vision isn’t low. I think he should also know this point, right?”

“Yes,” Jiang Yan sighed. “Perhaps it’s because… you later mentioned that fatty which moved him. Or perhaps because… he also needs a reason to persuade himself!”

Both Jiang Wang and Jiang Yan understood this point.

But Jiang Yan specifically chose to “point out” the flaw in Jiang Wang’s words, not purely to correct him, but merely to display value.

By pointing out that “Yu Xiangqian should also know this point,” Jiang Wang was letting Jiang Yan know that he understood his thoughts and had received his good intentions, easing his heart.

Jiang Yan naturally understood “all in unspoken,” and then began to sigh.

Their relationship was complex, coexisting yet wary of each other.

Jiang Wang then asked, “The White Bone Evil God in the Netherworld is an existence that transcends the extraordinary Absolute Peak, so why does it descend to the world multiple times?”

“I only know that it wishes to achieve ‘Present World Deity’. But I am unclear on its meaning, nor do I understand the difference between ‘Present World Deity’ and ‘Netherworld Deity’. But I believe it is its further path!” Jiang Yan replied.

“I hear the White Bone followers often speak of the ‘White Bone Era,’ what does that represent? Like the ‘One Truth Era,’ the ‘Flying Sword Era’? Is it connected to the White Bone Evil God’s descent to the world?”

As soon as this question was posed, Jiang Wang’s heart sparked with a thought: perhaps opening the White Bone Era was the method to achieve Present World Deity! And Present World Deity was an existence further along than Netherworld Deity.

Of course, he did not communicate this idea to Jiang Yan.

“Perhaps only when this era truly descends will we understand,” Jiang Yan sighed.

Clearly, Jiang Yan was reluctant to speak too much about the White Bone Venerable God.

“What do you understand about the Suspended Empty Temple?” Jiang Wang changed the subject.

Since Jiang Yan was uncharacteristically willing to perform today, he didn’t mind extracting some knowledge.

“The Holy Land of the Buddhist Sect in the East, a very ancient sect, very strong, extremely strong! If you didn’t already possess a proper enfeoffed title from the Qi Country, who knows, you might have been captured and tonsured at the Suspended Empty Temple by now.”

“Does the Suspended Empty Temple have a tradition of forcibly accepting disciples?”

“Not that. However, for these powerful forces with unclear intentions, it’s best to maintain a respectful distance until we grow stronger.”

Perhaps feeling he had already said enough for the day, Jiang Yan sealed the Nether Candle and fell silent after uttering this sentence.

Leaving Jiang Wang to ponder the key points of Jealousy Fire alone.

He thought to himself, “Indeed, when that yellow-faced old monk Ku Jue was here, Jiang Yan was very honest.”

“Is it because… in front of strong individuals of that level, he might be discovered?”