Chapter 129: The Envoy of the Black Tortoise

Before heading to the Spirit Medicine Mountain to challenge its masters, Jiang An arrived at the headquarters of the Villa to begin a period of seclusion, as the spiritual energy there was far more concentrated than in the outside world.

Furthermore, Jiang An made a request to the Villa: he wished to exchange for the spirit stones held within their treasury. It is fair to say that if one were to rank the places in the human world with the most spirit stones, the Villa’s headquarters would certainly be in the top three. These stones were primarily used for two purposes: maintaining the great protective formation of the mountain and fueling the cultivation of its members. Although spirit stones were in high demand due to constant consumption, Jiang An knew that a reserve stock must exist, so he approached the upper echelon with his proposal.

His argument was twofold: first, he would effectively be taking the Villa's reserve supplies, but he guaranteed that after the Divine Dao Assembly at the end of the year, he would enter the Meta-Energy Space and bring back even more spirit stones to replenish them. Second, Jiang An offered to address the current shortcomings of the mages, guiding them toward the true path of immortal cultivation.

The matter was ultimately left to the decision of the Black Tortoise Envoy, one of the four great envoys, as he was the one in charge of the spirit stones. The Black Tortoise Envoy was reasonably accommodating, given Jiang An’s reputation, but he set one condition: they would have a sparring match to see whether Jiang An’s ancient cultivation techniques or the contemporary talisman-based spells were superior. If Jiang An won, his terms would be accepted. Naturally, during the match, Jiang An was permitted to use only his internal mana, without resorting to other powers.

Contemporary mages exclusively practiced the talisman lineage, which had formed during the Age of Dharma Decline, particularly over the last one or two centuries. Due to the severance of ancient traditions, mages had become almost entirely dependent on talismans to cast spells. This was partly because their techniques produced impure, tainted mana, and partly because most advanced spells had been lost, leaving only basic ones. Given that talisman-based casting was faster, the current situation had solidified.

This sparring match was intended to test which method was truly superior. In the end, the Black Tortoise and all the witnessing mages were left in awe of Jiang An’s prowess.

"Brother Jiang, you once said that if a spell is fully mastered, it forms a spell rune, allowing it to be cast instantly with a mere thought. Having seen it just now, your casting speed is indeed faster than using talismans. Especially that final Thunder Dragon spell—to think you could cast it instantly! Are you proficient in all five elemental spells, and have you formed runes for every one of them?"

As soon as the match concluded, the surrounding mages swarmed him with excitement. Wang Bixuan, who was most familiar with Jiang An, asked this eagerly. This was the question on everyone’s mind.

"More or less," Jiang An replied vaguely. "In truth, the talisman path has its own advantages: it is easy to pick up, and casting is swift—after all, forming spell runes is quite difficult, and until one succeeds, one must rely on chanting and hand seals. It also conserves mana, as the spells on talismans only require a tiny spark of mana to detonate. But I have always said this: the drawbacks are far greater! Not only does it consume a vast amount of materials, but most importantly, it severs the path forward. Talismans are ultimately external objects. You may use them, but to rely on them entirely is to abandon the essence for the trivial."

"Fellow Daoist Jiang is right," the Black Tortoise Envoy sighed deeply. "In truth, no matter how traditions are severed, some remnants always survive. The Villa possesses several ancient cultivation manuals. However, they are obscure and difficult to understand, lacking the foundational components. Moreover, the density of spiritual energy today is far inferior to that of ancient times, which is why we turned to the path of talismans."

Jiang An had learned this during his conversations with Wang Bixuan. The Villa did indeed possess several cultivation manuals—not mere common scraps, but works of at least medium quality. Yet, they were notoriously difficult to practice, not only due to the missing foundations but also because there was no one to provide guidance. It was like a primary school student being handed a high school textbook; one might try to study it, but without a mentor, how could one truly comprehend it? Such self-taught geniuses were one in a million.

"Therefore, what I am providing the Villa is exactly what is needed: a foundational manual for the Five Elements, complete with annotations and a collection of common spells." As he spoke, Jiang An handed the Black Tortoise Envoy a prepared jade slip, within which he had imprinted the techniques using his divine sense.

However, there was one piece of crucial information he withheld: once the mages' shortcomings were remedied, martial arts grandmasters would also be capable of cultivating immortality.

The eyes of all the mages lit up. They watched as the Black Tortoise Envoy took the jade slip solemnly. After a moment of contemplation, he suddenly said, "You all may leave for now. I have matters to discuss with Fellow Daoist Jiang in private."

"Yes, Lord Black Tortoise." The other mages exchanged glances and left, filled with curiosity.

Soon, only Jiang An and the Black Tortoise remained in the valley. The Black Tortoise toyed with the jade slip in his fingers, looked into Jiang An’s eyes, and said slowly, "Fellow Daoist Jiang, would you be interested in succeeding me as the Black Tortoise Envoy?"

Jiang An was taken aback. "Why do you say that?"

"Heh, I am over a hundred years old and have held this position for seventy years. Naturally, I am thinking of retirement. It is not just me; the other three envoys feel the same. Is You Zai not the successor to the Azure Dragon? The White Tiger and Vermilion Bird have also largely identified their successors. Only my position as the Black Tortoise lacks a suitable candidate. I am not satisfied with the current candidate; his strength is insufficient. The other three potential successors are all great masters of the third realm, whereas in the mage lineage, only I have reached the level of a great master. The current candidate for Black Tortoise is not one, and he is a step behind the others, becoming a weak link. I had resigned myself to making do, but now, I feel you are far more suited to take up the mantle."

Jiang An had no desire to take on this burdensome role and prepared to refuse on the spot. "Lord Black Tortoise is too kind, but I consider myself..."

"Do not be so quick to refuse. Let me finish," the Black Tortoise interrupted.

"The matter is not as simple as you think. To be honest, the selection of the four great envoys is no easy task. As you likely know, the Guardian Villa inherited its legacy from the Guardian Dragon Villa of ancient dynasties. In the beginning, each generation of the four envoys could not serve for more than thirty years. After thirty years, they all retired. If an accident befell one, the others would even retire early to make way for a new generation. This is due to a specific cultivation technique."

"No matter what techniques they practiced before, upon taking office, each generation of the four envoys must concurrently practice the 'Four Symbols Soaring Technique.' This technique offers no help in combat and requires all four members to practice their respective parts simultaneously. They must gather for two days every month and practice for thirty full years! The goal is for the 'Four Symbols Qi' of the four individuals to meld and distill, eventually merging into one. This gives them a one-in-four chance of breaking through their bottlenecks to reach the realm of the Great Grandmaster!"

As he spoke, a flicker of longing appeared in the usually calm eyes of the Black Tortoise Envoy.

"Marshal Xiang was once the Azure Dragon Envoy and reached the Great Grandmaster realm through this method. However, the other three died in that global war, and only he survived to found the Guardian Villa. We old folks should have retired long ago, but the thinness of spiritual energy delayed us for years until suitable successors could be cultivated. We have now resolved to retire formally after the Divine Dao Assembly at the end of the year to enter seclusion and push for the next realm. But the current candidate for Black Tortoise worries me. The 'Four Symbols Soaring Technique' requires the four envoys to be of comparable strength; a significant disparity will not do. With your current qualifications, you are the most suitable successor. Not only is your strength formidable, but you are also a dual cultivator of magic and martial arts, ensuring that the four envoys are not without a mage. Being the Black Tortoise Envoy also brings great benefits—not to mention the status and privileges, you would have control over all the Villa’s spirit stones, which you need. Think it over carefully."

"There is no need to think it over. The greater the benefits, the greater the burden; I understand this principle. I am but a humble cultivator and have no desire to be troubled with so many affairs. Furthermore, if I were to suddenly replace the candidate who has waited for so many years, I would likely be creating a bitter enemy," Jiang An replied with a wry smile.

"As long as you are willing to take the position, you need not worry about any personal grudges. Do you know who the current candidate is? His name is Wan Liang, and he is my own son! The four great envoys, Jiang... there is a one-in-four chance of ascending to the Great Grandmaster realm!" the Black Tortoise tempted.

The Black Tortoise’s words left Jiang An feeling even more helpless. This old man was so selfless that he was willing to snatch the position away from his own son to give it to an outsider. As for the Great Grandmaster realm, Jiang An cared even less about it.

"No, thank you, Lord Black Tortoise. I appreciate your kindness, but I have no interest in the position of Black Tortoise Envoy and will not accept it. There is no need to persuade me further. You would be better off spending this time thinking about how to improve your son's cultivation."

Jiang An refused again, his tone resolute. The Black Tortoise Envoy looked disappointed and could only sigh. "In that case, I will not force you. Come with me, and take the spirit stones."