Chapter 79: Sophistry

“A hundred Dream Droplets to buy this cultivation technique. Even if you sold ten thousand copies, it wouldn’t be more than one million Spirit Stones. How many people within the Dreamrealm would buy your cultivation technique? As long as they secretly distribute it, you would sell at most a hundred thousand copies. That is also to say that you would make at most ten million for it, and that’s a high estimate. In reality, you might not even be able to sell ten thousand copies. Wasn’t that the case with your Adamantine Battle Body? Perhaps within a year countless tens of thousands will cultivate your Adamantine Battle Body, but there might only be a few thousands who will be willing to pay money for it...... That is the truth. Wanting to make a fortune in the Dreamrealm just isn’t practical.”

Within the tea shop, Zhu Chen was still going on and on trying to convince Su Chen.

Upon hearing what he said, Su Chen replied, “I think you misunderstand me. I’m selling Kaihuang’s Heaven not for money, but because I want others to learn it so that the human race can grow stronger.”

“To bring the human race to prominence?” Zhu Chen laughed.

He shook his head. “Before I came to look for you, I thought about it. Why would you sell it for such a low price in the Dreamrealm? I came to that conclusion in the end as well, but Prince Su, do you not feel that you are a bit too naive?”

“Naive?” Su Chen asked.

“Yes, naive!” Zhu Chen nodded his head with surety. “What do you think Kaihuang’s Heaven is? In the end, it’s just a common method for reaching the Blood Boiling Realm. Do you think that just based on this technique you can achieve some kind of change that will upend the human race’s current situation? Don’t be silly. That’s absolutely impossible.”

“I know that, but there will be somewhat of an increase, right? I can come up with Kaihuang’s Heaven today, but tomorrow I can also research new ways of opening the Yang Opening Realm without a bloodline or even the Light Shaking Realm and above.”

“Naive!” Du Zhen instantly said. “If these kinds of secret techniques were easy to create, how come the human race hasn’t advanced in tens of thousands of years? And so what if you can do it? Do you really think that you can change much? No, you won’t change anything, and even if you do, you will only bring disaster upon us!”

“Disaster?”

“Yes, disaster! Do you really believe that we don’t understand the thoughts of you bloodline-less commoners? All you want to do every day is break through the bloodline restrictions. You feel that as long as you accomplish this the human race will be brought to prominence. How absurd and ridiculous! That’s just simply impossible. If you don’t break through the bloodline restrictions, the human race still has a chance for survival. If your intentions are carried out, then the human race will really be doomed,” Zhu Chen coldly laughed.

His voice was a bit loud, attracting the attention of some of the people nearby.

Su Chen asked with interest, “Why does Sir Zhu say that?”

Zhu Chen said, “Prince Su, you must have read history books before, right? Do you remember why the Arcana Kingdom fell?”

Su Chen thought for a moment and then replied, “I think it was because of an Origin Beast, right?”

“That’s right!” Zhu Chen said. “When they were at their peak, they believed that they could conquer the entire continent. They repeatedly defeated the Beast Race, furiously pursuing them, but what about the Beast Race? All they did was one thing......awake an Origin Beast. As such, the Arcana Kingdom was no more.”

He gestured with his hands as if showing something shattering. “A large kingdom, finished just like that.”

Su Chen watched him.

Zhu Chen said, “A single Origin Beast wiped out the entire Arcana Race. The Arcana Race invented the Bloodline Extraction Instrument, the Origin Energy Temple, Sark’s Nucleus, Spirit Transformation Tool, Freedom Wind, and countless other incredible and majestic inventions. A kingdom that powerful was easily exterminated and pushed aside like a rotten log!”

Su Chen seemed a bit confused. “I already know that. What are you trying to say?”

Zhu Chen got close to him and said with a gentle laugh, “I just wanted to tell you that you shouldn’t even try to pursue your dream of bringing the human race to prominence. Ignoring the fact that you probably don’t have the ability to achieve it, even if you do manage to do it, you will discover that all you did was bring the human race disaster...... The same disaster that befell the Arcana Kingdom.”

Su Chen finally understood. “You reckon that it’s better for us not to grow strong because we will attract the attention of the Origin Beasts and bring about our own demise?”

“That’s not just my reckoning, but something that all of the Bloodline Nobility Clans acknowledge. The human race can never defeat the Origin Race. The only reason we have been able to carve a position for ourself on the Primordial Race isn’t because we are powerful, but because we aren’t powerful enough!”

When Su Chen heard this, he was stunned.

This was the first time he had ever heard about the human race’s future from another angle.

Although this line of reasoning had probably been tailored to fit their needs - for instance, strengthening the human race might not provoke the Beast Race for certain, and even if the Beast Race was provoked, they might not be able to awaken an Origin Beast - but it still had a unique thought and logic behind it.

Zhu Chen let out a satisfied laugh upon seeing Su Chen’s wide-eyed expression.

He said, “So now do you understand? Maintaining the current situation is the best decision at the moment. The human race is fine as it is, and it doesn’t need your interference. If you do too much for the human race, you will only harm it. Since that’s the case, why not think about scheming for your own benefit a little more?”

Su Chen repeatedly nodded his head.

This movement made Zhu Chen very happy.

“You’ve thought it through?” he asked.

“Mhm, now that you put it that way, I’ve definitely thought a few things through,” Su Chen said.

He placed his tea cup down and leaned against the chair to make himself more comfortable before he said, “I always wondered why no one was willing to publicly distribute a technique to reach the Blood Boiling Realm without a bloodline for the past few thousand years, even when more than one person had developed such a technique. Was there no one that had any selfless ambition? I wasn’t satisfied. I couldn’t understand it and I was in disbelief, but now I finally understand.”

Zhu Chen nodded his head. “That’s right. It’s not because they were all selfish, but because they knew there was no point. But don’t worry about it. It might be pointless for the human race as a whole, but it will still be very useful to specific Bloodline Nobility Clans. We looked over your Kaihuang’s Heaven skill, and it really is an outstanding technique, better than any we’ve seen in the past. That’s why we are so willing to cooperate with you.”

“How would our cooperation pan out?” Su Chen asked.

Zhu Chen said straightforwardly, “If I told you that I would give you Origin Stones, then that would be looking down on you. If you were willing to sell Kaihuang’s Heaven on the Dreamrealm for only a hundred Dream Droplets per copy, you probably wouldn’t agree to our cooperation even if I offered hundreds of thousands or even millions of Origin Stones. But some things simply cannot be bought with money.”

“Such as……”

“Status of a Bloodline Nobility Clan member!” Zhu Chen replied. “If you are willing, you can instantly become a son-in-law of the Zhu Clan. You also know how difficult it is for a commoner to become nobility. Marriages between commoners and nobility are usually forbidden, but our Zhu Clan is willing to make things easy for you. You can choose any woman of the Zhu Clan that has yet to marry and is of appropriate age. In the future, your status in the Zhu Clan will be that of an elder. You can learn any of the Zhu Clan’s cultivation techniques or secret skills and use any bloodline you choose. Also, any sons you have with a daughter of the Zhu Clan has the right to inherit your status as an elder!”

As Zhu Chen spoke, he grew more and more excited, but all Su Chen wanted to do was laugh. “So you came all this way to find me just to tell me that you plan on exchanging a woman for Kaihuang’s Heaven?”

Zhu Chen was dazed. “What? You aren’t happy with these conditions? No worries. If there’s anything else you need, just let me know.”

“Forget about it.” Su Chen shook his head and stood up. “I have to admit that you are very eloquent. There even was a moment where I was swayed by you. Yes, so what if the human race grows stronger? In the end, we won’t be able to defeat the Origin beasts. But......”

He paused for a moment. Zhu Chen suddenly felt his heart tighten.

Su Chen said, “But, just as you said, that is something to worry about when we grow stronger. If it’s that far away, why do I need to worry about it? You even said that Kaihuang’s Heaven can’t bear the heavy burden of bringing the human race to prominence. It can only give low-layer Origin Qi Scholars a stronger foundation.

“Since that’s the case, why waste it? You created it, so isn’t it better just to try and create some benefits for yourself?”

Su Chen coldly harrumphed, “Because I despise you lot. You Bloodline Nobility Clans are willing to do and say anything for yourself and your own personal gain. You keep saying that the human race cannot grow stronger, while on the other hand you say that Kaihuang’s Heaven isn’t enough to strengthen the human race. You are just trying to confuse me to make my dreams unclear. Yes, Kaihuang’s Heaven cannot bring the human race to prominence, but it gives low-layer Origin Qi Scholars hope and will serve as a stepping stone for breaking through the bloodline restrictions! If I keep it for myself because it isn’t able to completely break through the restrictions, then what higher-level cultivation techniques will appear? Without a solid foundation, how can you ever go higher?”

Su Chen’s words struck Zhu Chen and the others’ weak spot.

In the end, these people were still using sophistry to play with people’s hearts.

On one hand, they claimed the human race could not grow stronger, while on the other they claimed that your cultivation technique wasn’t strong enough in the first place.

But was there anyone who could possibly develop a way to reach the Blood Boiling Realm, Yang Opening Realm, Light Shaking Realm, etc. all in one breath?

These techniques were all developed one by one, then distributed, before research continued.

Without a technique to break into the Blood Boiling Realm without a bloodline, there would be no chance for a technique to reach the Yang Opening Realm without a bloodline!

Upon hearing Su Chen’s words, Zhu Chen also knew that his attempts to coax Su Chen had completely failed.

His expression slowly turned frosty. “So you’re saying that you’re refusing the Zhu Clan’s good intentions?”

“That’s right, I’m turning you down,” Su Chen replied.

Zhu Chen didn’t get angry. He only coldly laughed, “Youths with ambition are a good thing, but sometimes you need to learn how to do things after thinking about it! I recommend you not make this decision too hastily. Think about it a little more.”

“Are you just trying to pressure me because your bait failed?” Su Chen laughed.

Zhu Chen said slowly, “Perhaps you haven’t heard of the Zhu clan before, but it’s okay. I’ll give you some time to look into it. After you’ve looked into it, it won’t be too late to make a decision then.”

As he spoke, he placed his hands behind his back and slowly walked out of the tea shop.