Death... and me
chapter-1709

With the Jhiod Sect's resources, immortal cultivation techniques, and connection with the powers of the center of the Realm of Gods, it made sense.

Philip nodded in response. "Such cultivation techniques would indeed cause a storm in continents like Lanqueas. However, for our Jhiod Sect, it's nothing much."

"I've been wanting to ask something," Rean intervened. "We came to Jhiod Sect to find a way to head to the center of the Realm of Gods. Even if we couldn't teleport there, we at least wanted the direction we should follow to go on foot. With that being said, what is this connection that your Jhiod Sect has to the center of the Realm of Gods?"

Philip didn't mind the question, replying, "Now that you know that your strength isn't anything much, I can finally enter the next topic, the offer. Our Jhiod Sect has a relation with the Jamai Sect of the Jamai Continental Empire."

"Jamai Continental Empire?" It was obvious that Rean's group had never heard about it.

Philip continued, "The Jamai Continental Empire is a power that controls twenty-two continents close to the center of the Realm of Gods. You could say that they aren't too weak even in that place. They're incredibly far from being the strongest, though."

Sam also added, "Of course, compared to them, our puny Jhiod Sect is not even worth mentioning in the same breath as them."

Philip agreed with Sam. "It's sad, but it's true."

Rean and the others couldn't help but sigh after hearing that. The stronger the power they met, the weaker they felt.

Philip didn't stop there, telling them, "Anyway, we have a way of sending your group to the Jamai Continental Empire."

Roan narrowed his eyes in response. "That's good and all. However, what's the catch?"

Philip smiled in response. "You told Libraia that you wouldn't be able to be part of our Yume Clan because you wouldn't stay for long. However, that's just perfect. The number of 'geniuses' at your level in the Jhiod Sect is severely lacking. Worse than that, my Yume Clan doesn't have anyone at your level at the moment. If things continue like this, we won't have any representatives during the next Jamai Sect selection."

"And now, you've got our attention," Celis said after that.

"Every one hundred years, the Jamai Continental Empire opens their teleport formations to its allied continents. During that time, the teleport formation connecting Jhiod to Jamai will stay open for seven days, which we will use to do business. It's also during this time that the Jamai Continental Empire does the same thing as our Jhiod Sect. They recruit outsiders," Philip explained.

Roan pondered over it for a bit before asking, "From the looks of it, your Yume Clan or the Jhiod Sect would gain something if one of the disciples is selected, right?"

Philip was happy that Roan understood, saying, "That's correct. In order to find talents to reinforce the Jamai Continental Empire's power, they will reward the allies who got their disciples into their empire. You can probably guess just how good this reward is for continents as small as our own, right?"

They all nodded in response. "You told us just how expensive it was to teleport from here to the center of the Realm of Gods. It was so expensive that even Rank Seven Divine Stones would be necessary. However, this Jamai Continental Empire is capable of keeping a teleport formation open to this place for an entire week. Not only to this place but to all their allies. This alone shows how wealthy they are."

"Correct." Philip nodded. "That's why I want you four to take part in this selection. Rean, Roan, Kentucky, and Celis, all four of you. If you end up being selected while you're part of our Yume Clan, the next position of sect master of Jhiod Sect will be pretty much in our hands next time."

The Yume Clan had two sect masters in the past, but it had been a long time since that happened. They obviously wanted to return to being the center of power of the Jhiod Sect again.

Min, who had been listening so far, couldn't help but ask, "If the center of the Realm of Gods is so good, why don't seniors use that chance to teleport and stay there? Even if your overall strength is just average in that place, it's still more than enough to live there, no?"

Roan snorted as soon as he heard that question. "Hmph! Which one do you prefer? To be the head of a chicken or the tail of a phoenix?"

"I..." Min immediately understood what Roan meant by that. "Please forget what I just asked."

Philip shook his head in response. "It's okay. Roan is right, so who are we trying to fool here? That's correct. Here, we have access to all the resources, even if they aren't as good as the ones in the center of the Realm of Gods. If we go there, chances are that we will fall behind in cultivation even faster than if we stayed here. That's why most leaders and beings in positions of power wouldn't even consider moving there. I just happen to be one of them, and I don't regret that."

"You shouldn't," Rean agreed with Philip. "You selected the most optimal path to reach your actual level. Only an idiot would regret that."

"True." Of course, Philip was happy to hear that. "However, it isn't the same for your group. If any of you really succeed in joining the Jamai Sect, then your future will be even better than what you can get here."

Philip continued to explain, "In the center of the Realm of Gods, Void Tempering Realm cultivation means nothing. That's because they have something called the Void Shattering Pill. You have no idea how much I envy them for that."

"Void Shattering Pill?" Those words caught Roan's attention.

Philip nodded, saying, "After you reach the age of five, you can swallow this pill and have your cultivation grow straight to the Void Tempering Realm."

"What?!" It went without saying that everyone was left aghast by those words. "Is such a thing really possible?"