Chapter 78: Firmly Refusing to Become a Supreme Elder!

By the time evening rolled around, the bald elder had left.

Qin Zi, however, was still buzzing with excitement.

"Dad, I've heard rumors about the royal family's spirit pool. They say just one bath in it can instantly raise your cultivation by two or three minor realms, with no side effects at all! It's incredible!"

His face was flushed with excitement, and his body trembled with anticipation.

"Calm down."

Qin Chuan gently placed his tea cup down, then calmly wiped the tea that his excited son had spilled on his hand.

"Ahem, let me clean that up for you. I'll handle it."

Qin Zi awkwardly cleared his throat, set down the teapot, and crouched to wipe his father's hand, clearly embarrassed.

Qin Chuan didn't refuse. After all, a free servant like his son shouldn't go to waste.

As he thought back to the bald elder, Qin Chuan felt a twinge of emotion.

This world really wasn't as simple as he had first imagined. The truly powerful figures here weren't foolish at all…

In fact, this actually made his task harder.

If even a Saint Realm expert could display such poise and wisdom, then what about the Realm Emperors or Martial Emperors? Wouldn't they be even more composed, perhaps even cold and detached?

Could they be so detached that they feel no emotion at all?

If that were the case, and his son spent half a day insulting them without triggering any reaction, things would become difficult.

The worst-case scenario would be if one of these supreme figures didn't get angry but simply swatted Qin Zi like an annoying fly, killing him without a second thought. That would be a disaster.

After all, the system's rule was that Qin Chuan's power only increased when his enemies harbored genuine killing intent toward his son.

If the other party didn't truly intend to kill, and simply reacted instinctively or let some residual energy kill Qin Zi by accident… wouldn't that death be wasted?

"So, I need to focus on improving my son's strength as quickly as possible!" Qin Chuan thought to himself.

In fact, he had started to notice a pattern.

A person's tolerance level wasn't fixed—it varied depending on the individual.

For example, a Saint Realm expert might get angry if insulted by a peer. But if the same insult came from someone far weaker, they might not feel any emotional reaction at all—they'd just casually crush the offender like an insect.

In other words, people only hold grudges or take offense when the other party is near their own level. If the difference in strength is too great, there's no emotional investment.

It's like how you might be jealous of someone who's slightly better off than you, but you wouldn't be jealous of someone like Jack Ma—you'd just joke about how "that's my father" in the comment section of a live stream.

"You've got three days to prepare. Make sure your master is ready too. After three days, we'll head to the capital," Qin Chuan instructed Qin Zi.

"Got it!"

Qin Zi, now fully embracing his role as an obedient lackey, quickly retreated to his room to prepare.

Not long after, an elderly voice called from outside.

"Elder Qin Chuan, may I have a word?"

Hearing this, Qin Chuan stood up and went outside.

By the cliffside, where the evening light had faded into a deep purple, an elderly figure in a green robe stood, letting the evening breeze wash over him.

It was Zhao Fulong.

"Supreme Elder," Qin Chuan called out.

"Brother Qin Chuan, I must admit I underestimated you before. Having you serve as just a regular elder of our Seven Martial Sect was truly an injustice."

Zhao Fulong turned to face him, wearing a bitter smile. "I wanted to ask… would you be willing to become one of our Supreme Elders?"

Qin Chuan shook his head calmly. "I'm only a nominal elder of the Seven Martial Sect. I've said before, this sect is just a temporary stop for me. I won't be staying here forever."

"Ah, I figured as much."

Zhao Fulong sighed heavily. "I knew someone like you wouldn't stay in a small place like this for long."

Thinking back on everything, Qin Chuan asked, "You're not originally from the Nine Suns Kingdom, are you?"

"Heh, you saw through me."

Zhao Fulong chuckled self-deprecatingly. "Indeed, I'm not from the Nine Suns Kingdom. I came from the Eastern Region. But after over a hundred years, I've come to see the Seven Martial Sect as my home."

"After all, I grew up here, got married here. My son was born here, as was my grandson. As for the place where I was originally born… I can barely remember it."

Curious, Qin Chuan asked, "Do you still answer to that family? I mean, the Zhao family?"

"Heh, my family… doesn't have the surname Zhao," Zhao Fulong's smile became even more bitter, and he offered an apologetic look. "I can't speak about my family affairs. If I did, disaster would surely follow. I hope you understand."

"Fair enough."

Qin Chuan nodded, not pressing further. After all, it had nothing to do with him.

It was just a passing curiosity.

"Well then."

After a long pause, Zhao Fulong smiled. "At this point, whether you accept the position of Supreme Elder or not makes little difference. In the hearts of the sect members, your status is already on par with a Supreme Elder."

Qin Chuan said nothing but smiled.

Indeed.

When your strength reached a certain level, even without a title, people would automatically respect you.

It was an unspoken rule of the world.

Power commands respect.

This held true in any world.

However, Qin Chuan really didn't want to become a Supreme Elder!

Being a Supreme Elder wasn't just an honorary position—it came with responsibilities. Responsibilities that included looking after the entire sect.

Following the typical story arc, if he took on that role, the once stable and uneventful sect would suddenly be plagued by all sorts of problems. Enemies would emerge, disasters would strike, and one challenge after another would descend upon him.

He'd have to solve the sect's problems, provide resources, train disciples, and clean up after the juniors' messes. In the end, he'd be nothing more than a glorified babysitter… except he'd have to bring his own food!

Why bother?

There was no need!

That's why his mind was crystal clear on this matter.

Of course, if the Seven Martial Sect faced trouble in the future and the cost wasn't too high, he wouldn't mind lending a hand.

"Brother Qin Chuan, actually…"

Zhao Fulong seemed to hesitate, as if he had something more to say, but ultimately, he stopped himself.

"Is there something else?" Qin Chuan asked.

"Well, actually, the sect still has an ancestral treasure vault left behind by the founders. I think it would be appropriate for Qin Zi to select two treasures from it as a token of the sect's appreciation," Zhao Fulong said with a sheepish smile.

His heart raced with anxiety. He had almost blurted out the truth about the Great Catastrophe Pill.

He had been on the verge of confessing, but then realized… there was no way he'd be forgiven!

Telling the truth would be a death sentence!!

He now firmly believed that this man, whom even the royal family's ancestral elder treated with respect, had the power to kill him on a whim.

He deeply regretted his previous actions.

Back then, he hadn't known about Qin Chuan's true identity and had assumed that Qin Zi was just some kid with no real backing, easy to manipulate.

After all, that was how the world worked—the weak were prey to the strong.

But now, he was terrified to realize that Qin Chuan's hidden strength far surpassed his own.

"Supreme Elder is too kind," Qin Chuan responded with a smile.

He didn't know the full story, but he could sense that the old man was feeling guilty, probably because of something shady he'd done to Qin Zi. Now, he was trying to make amends.

But Qin Chuan wasn't worried.

After all, Qin Zi had a knowledgeable master by his side. Surely, all potential dangers had already been taken care of.

Three days passed in the blink of an eye.

Qin Chuan and Qin Zi once again set off for the grand capital city, but this time, they were headed straight for the royal palace!