Chapter 184: Omen

How had Su Chen managed to get the Six Countries to agree to his demands?

Actually, it was quite simple. He just utilized their greed and their predictable human tendencies.

Despite so many different situations occurring all across the continent, there were usually only a few ways used to resolve these situations: enticement, threats, emotional ploys, and reasonings.

There was no way Su Chen could threaten the six countries into submission, and there was no way he could pull off an emotional ploy or politically pressure them.

As such, Su Chen chose the simplest way he knew of resolving the situation: by throwing tons of money at it.

Throwing tons of money at both the imperial subjects and emperors as well.

His goal with the imperial subjects was to get them to help him create opportunities by putting in a good word for him, or, failing that, to at least convince them not to get in his way.

His goal with the various emperors varied from person to person.

Su Chen had enticed Liaoye Country, Empty Mountain, and Water Sheen with the improved bloodline techniques, and Long Sang, Wind Rising, Great Cloud, and Owl Country were all no exception either. After all, they were all willing to give it a try if all it meant was that they needed to mobilize a portion of their troops.

Su Chen didn’t need an entire army. He was able to get their agreement with a small exchange and by promising that Gu Qingluo wouldn’t leave behind any heirs in the outside world.

Su Chen also promised them that if they agreed to this condition, he would fulfill his end of the bargain even if someone else disagreed, causing the whole agreement to fall through.

It was difficult for the rulers of the Seven Countries to not wonder whether the other rulers would agree to Su Chen’s conditions. This way, even if one of the other rulers didn’t agree, none of them would come out worse for wear. And if the other six countries did agree, and the matter was carried out as planned, none of them could point the blame at any of the other countries - after all, they had all agreed.

There was no need to single out a group to bear all the burden. If they all bore it together, letting Gu Qingluo walk was a small matter.

Of course, given Su Chen’s status as the Worldly Sage and the promises he had made, the countries were willing to overlook the consequences of letting Gu Qingluo leave. Actually getting them to agree was a piece of cake.

Li Wuyi and Jiang Jusheng were no exception. The benefits they received were not a strengthened bloodline, but something else.

For instance, a few improved medicines - Su Chen was also an alchemist, after all.

A few rare resources - these rulers had no interest in Origin Stones, but they still cared about certain rare resources that couldn’t be found elsewhere. Su Chen had managed to store up quite a bit for himself after rampaging through Harpy territory. This was a perfect opportunity to put those treasures to good use.

Eternal Night had also allowed him to do so for this express purpose.

Retrieving the Immortal Soul and Neptune’s Eye was of utmost importance, and would be impossible to carry out without utilizing money.

With these conditions in place, releasing Gu Qingluo was a small matter.

Chu Yuan was rendered speechless by the six official edicts before him.

Finally, he let out a long sigh, “Sir Su, your skill truly astounds me. Since the other six countries have agreed, then I will permit it as well. Congratulations. Gu Qingluo may now accompany you wherever you go.”

“Many thanks, Your Majesty! I’ve incurred a lot of debt this time around,” Su Chen chuckled.

It was already quite impressive for Su Chen to promise these improved techniques to the Seven Countries. Perhaps he was the only person capable of doing this in the first place.

“But that also gives you an opportunity to research seven different Desolate Beast bloodlines, and the pressure to stop your research on the bloodlineless cultivation techniques has probably diminished greatly,” Chu Yuan said calmly.

“Indeed, I wasn’t able to hide it from Your Majesty,” Su Chen said with a slight smile, making no attempt to refute his claim.

Su Chen’s goal with researching the Seven Countries’ bloodlines was not only to get his hands on their blood but also to alleviate the enmity people felt towards him.

In the past, when Su Chen didn’t care about whether the nobles profited and only valued the bloodlineless cultivation techniques, the nobles viewed it as a great threat. That was why they had treated him with such enmity. This was obvious by the way that the Heavenly Might Battalion had been treated from beginning to end.

But as Su Chen accumulated experience, he learned to choose a smoother, less abrasive approach to resolving problems.

Since the nobles were afraid of losing the status that they had held onto for so long, Su Chen could think of ways to improve the power of their bloodlines.

Bloodlines still had their reasons for existing. Su Chen was merely taking away the barrier between cultivation realms, so there was still a gap in strength between those with bloodlines and those without.

Those with bloodlines were typically stronger than those without bloodlines when in the same cultivation realm.

Su Chen’s research had allowed those without bloodlines to reach higher cultivation realms, improving their potential.

As such, it was still possible to reconcile the two systems.

Previously, bloodlines held the advantage both in terms of cultivation and in terms of strength. In the future, they would still be stronger, and as long as they managed their position well, their superiority would still be undeniable.

Of course, there was now the possibility that this system could be overturned in the future.

Su Chen’s Primordial Blood Aspect was a perfect example of this. If he were to reach even higher levels in the future, it was possible that he would even surpass the growth rate of bloodlines.

But this was a secret technique that would only belong to the Boundless Sect. In the future, it would become a source of power for them.

In any case, Su Chen’s current actions were meant in part to appease the conflicting interests between him and the other emperors.

In the past, Su Chen had been intent on destructive reformation, destroying the equilibrium of the current situation while greatly increasing the potential of the human race. Now, he was taking the approach of a gentle breeze. He was no longer intent on stripping the nobles of their power, which was one reason why the enmity between him and the nobles had decreased.

Though this matter appeared almost impossible in the eyes of others, Su Chen was able to accomplish it with ease.

News that Gu Qingluo had been set free spread throughout the Gu palace, startling all of them.

This surprise was very quickly replaced with jubilation.

This jubilation was not merely for Gu Qingluo, but also for themselves - who knew when an opportunity like this might come upon them as well? Once a wall began to crack, other cracks would quickly appear. The Gu Clan’s members also wished for independence, and now it seemed that the door had been cracked open just a bit.

Gu Qingluo was also naturally ecstatic.

Her happiness was because she would be able to be with Su Chen.

The Gu Clan was filled with celebration.

Even the Gu Clan’s Ancestors, who rarely made an appearance for anything, were in attendance. It was obvious how important what had happened to Gu Qingluo was to them.

But to Su Chen and Gu Qingluo, this was not a big deal.

Their attention was placed on the Origin Bone Scepter.

The Origin Bone Scepter glowed with light, which gathered and converted into miniature script. Even though the words only hung in the air for a brief moment, Su Chen was able to remember them with his consciousness crystal.

As the image disappeared, Su Chen began to dictate what he had seen, and Gu Qingluo quickly wrote it down.

Very quickly, a record on how to improve the Great Wind Bloodline was transcribed down.

Yes, they were carrying out the research that Su Chen had promised to deliver.

This work, which might take months if not years, was almost instantly resolved by the Origin Bone Scepter and the consciousness crystal in exchange for “a few” Origin Crystals.

Of course, that didn’t mean it would actually be so easy to fulfill the requirements. Since the Origin Bone Scepter was making predictions from the future, the answer needed to be derivable, and certain other conditions needed to be met as well.

This “cheat code” was probably only usable by Su Chen anyways. Anyone else would have a hard time getting answers out of the scepter even if they used an Origin Beast’s Origin Crystal as the sacrifice, because most people wouldn’t have made such a breakthrough once in their entire life.

The Origin Bone Scepter was merely saving Su Chen time. In theory, as long as it was within your capabilities to do something, the Origin Bone Scepter would show you how to do it.

In a single night, Su Chen was able to come up with six of the seven improved bloodline cultivation techniques - he had already given Jiang Xishui the Water Sheen technique.

“This thing is really quite handy,” Gu Qingluo sighed in amazement as she watched Su Chen accomplish in one night what she had thought might take many years. “So why didn’t you do this earlier?”

“If they get their hands on it too easily, they won’t treasure it. I can’t tell them that I was able to fulfill my end of the bargain in a single night when they had paid such a tremendous price, right? Don’t worry, we’ll make them wait a bit longer. In any case, I only promised to deliver my end of the bargain three years from now.”

Gu Qingluo beamed and gently pinched Su Chen. “Only you could be this crafty. It seems you’ve thought of everything.”

“Let’s not talk about that for now. You’re up next, after all.”

“Me?” Gu Qingluo was taken aback. “You need me as well?”

“The Gu Clan’s bloodline is the human race’s most powerful bloodline. If I am able to improve its strength, that will be a great benefit to the human race as a whole. And even though you have some freedom at the moment, you will also be in more danger if you follow me. The Sky Armor is indeed powerful, but it is not invincible. Improving your bloodline is a must. I cannot allow anything to happen to you no matter what.”

When Gu Qingluo heard this, her heart was filled with sweetness.

Su Chen wasn’t as gentle as most other men. He wouldn’t say things like, “Don’t come with me, it’ll be too dangerous.” Instead, he did his best to help Gu Qingluo break through her fetters and increase her strength. This was what a responsible husband should be like.

A new round of sacrifices began to take place.

However, the Origin Crystal disappeared without revealing any image.

“Even a Lord Class Origin Crystal wasn’t enough?” Su Chen frowned.

After a moment’s thought, Su Chen placed King-Class Origin Crystal on the altar’s surface, along with a handful of Sands of Time and a few other supplementary ingredients.

These shortcuts Su Chen was trying to take were quite expensive. Countless Origin Qi Scholars would likely have fought to the death over the components Su Chen had just laid on the altar, but he was merely using them to try and ask a question.

A prediction finally appeared.

However, the prediction did not come in the form of an already written cultivation technique. Instead, a strange scene appeared before his eyes.

A firestorm was raging fiercely atop the surface of the sea. The sky was dark and cloudy as violent rain poured down from the sky. The immense pressure of the situation was deeply imprinted on Su Chen and Gu Qingluo’s hearts, causing them to involuntarily tremble in fear.

A human figure could be seen standing in the midst of the blazing firestorm.

Upon closer inspection, that person was Gu Qingluo.

She walked through the raging wind, rain, and flames. The flames didn’t appear to be harming her in the slightest, and a brilliant glow was emanating from her body.

Then, she turned around.

Her gaze was pointed right at Su Chen and Gu Qingluo, who were watching the scene unfold.

The illusory Gu Qingluo said something, but it was impossible to hear what she had said.

An instant later, the image disappeared without a trace.

Su Chen and Gu Qingluo were speechless.

After a moment, Gu Qingluo said, “What…… What was that?”

Why had such a strange sight appeared when they had only asked about how to improve the Gu Clan’s bloodline. Would Gu Qingluo find herself in this kind of a situation some day?

Was this a good thing or a bad thing? Was it good or bad fortune?

Su Chen didn’t know, but a trace of unease instinctively surfaced in his heart.