I have Taoism and can understand other worlds

Chapter 685 Bet
As the light of the Ascension Path faded, Jiang Wen, carrying the baby girl, returned to Baixi Divine Capital with Jiang Su and the others.

As soon as Fang stepped into the residence, Zhen, who had been waiting for a long time, excitedly came to greet him. She had now grown into a graceful young woman, and the outline of her former self could still be faintly seen in her eyebrows and eyes, but her temperament was different, with more serenity brought about by cultivation.

"Master! You're back!" Zhen exclaimed joyfully, her gaze immediately drawn to the baby girl in Jiang Wen's arms. "This is...?"

"Obtained on the Path to Heaven." Jiang Wen gently handed the baby girl over. The baby girl seemed to sense the change in aura, smacked her lips, and continued to sleep soundly.

He decided to keep the possible connection between the baby girl and Jiang Wenji to himself for the time being.

Zhen carefully took it, gazing at the exquisitely beautiful, radiant little face, her eyes instantly filling with tenderness. "She's so small, so well-behaved..."

She swayed gently, her movements somewhat clumsy yet incredibly tender. "Master, what's her name?"

"It hasn't been named yet." Jiang Wen looked at Zhen's focused expression, a gentle look appearing in his eyes.

Jiang Su, who had been standing quietly to the side, stepped forward. Her cool gaze fell on the baby girl, then she looked up at Jiang Wen: "This girl possesses extraordinary inner brilliance. Where did you find her?"

Jiang Wen remained silent for a moment before briefly recounting the fusion of the lotus platforms deep within the Heavenly Palace. He omitted the illusion of the goddess and related speculations, only stating that the infant girl had a peculiar origin and a profound connection with the Heavenly Palace.

After listening, Jiang Su did not ask any further questions. She simply reached out and gently touched the baby girl's cheek. A faint warmth seemed to melt into her usually cold eyes.

"Treat her well." She said only this, then turned and went back to her quiet room.

Zhen was completely immersed in the joy of caring for the baby girl, busily preparing soft animal hides to make swaddling clothes, and then searching for warm spirit beast milk, carefully feeding her. Having lost her parents at a young age, she naturally knew the taste of loneliness. Now, encountering the infant, she felt a deep sense of tenderness and affection.

Jiang Wen watched her busy figure, feeling a warmth in his heart. He entrusted the baby girl to her care for the time being, and then set off for the Sky Tower.

Inside the circular stone hall of the tower, all twelve elders were seated, including the elderly man in hemp clothing who was at the head. The atmosphere was somewhat solemn, and the main topic of discussion was the resettlement of the Hundred Barbarian tribes.

"...It is not a good idea for the remaining hundred barbarian tribes, numbering over a million, to linger on the outskirts of the capital for an extended period," said an elder whose body was wrapped in vines.

“In my opinion, we should give them that desolate red sand desert in the western border,” suggested another elder with a loud voice and a burly build.

Jiang Wen frowned slightly upon hearing this, and looked at the elders, saying, "The Red Sand Gobi Desert has a harsh environment and is devoid of spiritual energy. The Hundred Barbarians have just suffered a great calamity and have not yet recovered their strength. Settling them here is probably not a good idea, and it also fails to reflect the spirit of the Hundred Streams."

The old man in hemp robes raised his eyelids and looked at Jiang Wen: "What insightful opinion does Elder Thirteen have?"

Jiang Wen's identity was already common knowledge, and the elders of the Baiyi tribe knew whether he was from there or not. However, to Baixi and the Land of Divine Blessing, he was a great benefactor.

No one in the Baixi tribe dared to ignore his opinions. Now that he was speaking, everyone naturally listened attentively.

“In my opinion,” Jiang Wen said, his gaze sweeping over the elders, “the Bai Man tribe and my Bai Xi tribe are now in the same boat, both suffering from the Blackwater calamity. Why not put aside our past grievances and truly become one? I propose that half of this rich land from the Southern Forest to Falling Star Lake be allocated to the Bai Man tribe for joint development, mutual support, and protection of the peace of this divinely blessed land.”

Upon hearing this, a low murmur of discussion immediately arose within the hall.

The Southern Forest is considered a bountiful region blessed by the gods, the source of the capital's fruits and vegetables. Such a fertile land is a rare find even for the Hundred Streams tribe. Hearing Jiang Wen say that half of it should be given away, the elders became uneasy. "Half? Isn't that too much?" one elder questioned.

Jiang Wen said in a deep voice, "Although the Bai Man have suffered heavy losses, their four holy maidens are still alive, and their foundation remains. Rather than letting them be trapped in the borderlands and harbor resentment, it would be better to lend a helping hand and win their hearts. With the combined efforts of the two races, the blessed land can be more stable. Moreover, on the path to immortality, the Bai Man have also promised that if they can settle down in peace, they are willing to share some of their inherited secret techniques with our race."

When the secret methods of inheritance were mentioned, some of the elders' eyes lit up.

The old man in hemp robes pondered for a long time before finally nodding slowly: "Alright. We will proceed as the thirteenth elder said. The specific boundary division will be discussed and decided by you and the Holy Maiden of the Hundred Barbarians."

After the matter of settling the Bai Man tribes was settled, Jiang Wen changed the subject and put forward an even more surprising proposal.

"Elders, what is the root cause of the calamity of the Hundred Barbarians and the Blackwater Calamity?" Jiang Wen looked around at everyone, his voice clear. "In my opinion, in addition to the erosion by external forces, the bloodline method that the Hundred Streams tribe itself relies on is also a major hidden danger."

The hall fell silent instantly, and all the elders' eyes were fixed on him, filled with astonishment and confusion.

"Thirteenth Elder, what do you mean by this?" The old man in hemp robes asked in a deep voice. "The bloodline method is the foundation of Baixi's existence. It has been passed down for thousands of years. How could it be a hidden danger?"

“It is precisely because it has been passed down for thousands of years that its drawbacks have become so deep and difficult to reverse.” Jiang Wen did not back down. “As you all know, the ancestors of Baixi were ancient remnants who were stranded in the Land of Fallen Immortals. Your ancestors once possessed a battle technique that did not rely on external objects, but as time went by, most of the technique was lost, so they had no choice but to turn to studying this bloodline method that relies on the flesh and blood of gods.”

He mentioned the remnants of the Taicang clan and the lost battle manual. A trace of reminiscence and sadness flashed in the eyes of several of the oldest elders, indicating that there were indeed related records circulating in the clan.

“Firstly,” Jiang Wen continued, “the Bloodline Method relies on the flesh-like fungus formed from the flesh of deities to open and enhance, which is equivalent to firmly binding our cultivation path to the blessed land beneath our feet. If the blessed land were to completely fall into ruin one day, or if the flesh-like fungus in its immortal cave were to become further corrupted, wouldn’t the cultivation path of the Hundred Streams tribe be cut off?”

He paused, noticing a slight shift in the expressions of the elders, and continued, "Secondly, while the bloodline method can be mastered quickly, it has its limits and is prone to bottlenecks. More importantly, relying on the flesh fungus in the immortal cave for a long time will inevitably lead to being subtly influenced by its residual will. This is not a good thing for either the physical body or the mind. Haven't you all noticed that sometimes during cultivation, you feel restless and occasionally experience auditory and visual hallucinations?"

The elders looked at each other and remained silent.

“Thirdly,” Jiang Wen emphasized, “this method binds us to this place, making it difficult to truly transcend. Otherwise, why has no one been able to truly break through these shackles for thousands of years?”

After Jiang Wen finished speaking, everyone fell silent. Those who cultivated bloodline techniques naturally understood their advantages and disadvantages. However, having it brought up by someone else was still somewhat difficult to accept.

"Absurd!" A hot-tempered elder slammed his fist on the table. "The Bloodline Technique has been passed down through generations and has permeated every aspect of our clan. How many clansmen have cultivated according to it? How can it be changed because of your words? Besides, the ancient battle technique you mentioned is already incomplete. How can it compare to this Bloodline Technique?"

“It is precisely because the method of bloodline is so far-reaching that we need to plan ahead,” Jiang Wen said with a smile, meeting his gaze.

“I am not asking for the immediate and complete abolition of the bloodline method, that is indeed unrealistic. Rather, I propose to try to revive the tribe’s path of battle techniques. I can provide a basic method called the Four Symbols Battle Technique. This method draws on the spiritual energy of heaven and earth to temper the body and flesh, achieving balance and harmony. Young talents in the tribe can cultivate two methods simultaneously and observe their effects. It can also provide another way out for those whose bloodlines are thin and unable to make any progress.”

“The battle techniques of the various races are incomplete and cannot be practiced. How can you guarantee the effectiveness of your battle technique? If problems arise from practicing it, who will take responsibility?” another elder questioned.

"I'm willing to make the bet!" Jiang Wen said calmly, looking at the elder.

(End of this chapter)