Chapter 534: News Arrives, Yan You's Criticism

Chapter 534: News Arrives, Yan You's Criticism

December 27, 2024

Before he could voice his criticism, Yan You spoke up first.

"Sect Master, we told you more than a month ago, and we were very direct about it at the time.

This Su Xing has great talent, and his innate skill in alchemy surpasses even the core alchemists of Zhu Ming Gong!

You insisted on waiting and seeing, and waiting some more!"

Although Yan You was a core alchemist, this was the first time he dared to complain to his own Sect Master.

"The maiden has waited so long she's become an old woman, and the pavilions and terraces have turned into ruins.

I don't know what you all have been thinking about."

After Yan You's complaint, Wang Shanlin, standing beside him, also chimed in with his own grievances.

His tone was far from polite.

When Wang Shanlin finished speaking, even Qin Wei, who was next to him, wanted to add some critical words.

Seeing that he was about to speak, Chai Yongshan stood up and raised his hand to stop him.

"Are you three here to cause trouble together? Can't you discuss things calmly and rationally?

What benefits has Su Xing given you that you're here to lobby for him?

He's currently under a condemnation order, and the Odd Tower and Crystal Pavilion won't let him off easily.

If we rashly approach him, we'll only bring trouble to our sect.

As elders of Tahe Sect, can't you see these circumstances?"

Chai Yongshan's rebuke seemed to be far from over.

"As high-ranking sect members, if you don't understand the rules, how can you manage those below you?

Su Xing is currently in a difficult situation. If we show him the slightest favor, he'll immediately come to our side.

What's wrong with observing a little longer? If he encounters danger and can't protect himself, that's his own problem."

Chai Yongshan's words essentially made the thoughts of the Tahe Sect's upper echelon crystal clear.

But upon hearing his words, Wang Shanlin and the other two showed no sign of reflection.

Instead, they coldly snorted, irritating Chai Yongshan.

"Sect Master, don't always simplify matters.

Last time, you blamed us for Su Xing being taken away by Zhu Ming Gong.

You blamed us for knowing too little about that child, and then for reporting too slowly after learning more.

This time, we informed you so far in advance, yet you're still delaying."

Wang Shanlin's words were filled with reproach for the Tahe Sect's upper echelon.

After he finished speaking, Yan You spoke up once more.

"Sect Master, if you feel Elder Shanlin's words are biased.

Then, do my words as an alchemist hold no value?

I informed you that Su Xing is excellent in alchemy.

He can even craft pills like the White Jade Blossom Pill."

After Yan You finished speaking, this time, several other core elders stepped forward.

"You few younger elders, act with composure and carefully discern the matters you witness.

Think it through. If he truly has such ability, would Zhu Ming Gong have ended up in this situation with him?"

"You're right. Many times, we must peel back the surface to see the deeper reasons.

Only then can we avoid being misled."

Within the side hall, several elders continued to admonish Wang Shanlin and the other two.

Seeing their attitude, Wang Shanlin didn't hesitate and turned to Yan You.

Yan You then handed over an intelligence report to his Sect Master.

It wasn't surprising that Yan You received the relevant intelligence first.

Yan You was the head of the Alchemy Workshop in Tahe Sect.

All messages related to alchemy were sent to the Alchemy Workshop.

The upper echelon of Tahe Sect didn't pay much attention to matters concerning alchemy.

This incident at the Heavenly Alchemy Expo was, of course, related to alchemy.

After the report was delivered to Tahe Sect, the head of the Alchemy Workshop naturally saw it first.

Upon seeing the report, Yan You immediately sought out Wang Shanlin and Qin Wei.

The three of them had returned from Tian Gang City and had already reported the situation to their Sect Master.

Initially, Su Chen faced many dangers and troubles.

He was condemned for stealing alchemy techniques from the Odd Tower and Crystal Pavilion.

Together with Wuluan Manor, they targeted and suppressed him, and there was even a possibility that the entire Jin State would abandon him.

Offering help in such a situation was like providing charcoal in a snowstorm.

If Tahe Sect had concerns or reservations, they could secretly assist him privately.

A low-key exchange wouldn't be known to other sects and wouldn't cause much impact.

But by dragging things out, they ultimately missed all the opportunities.

Chai Yongshan looked at the message Yan You handed over.

The further he read, the gloomier his expression became.

The other elders beside him, upon seeing their Sect Master's expression, also sensed something amiss.

Their expressions turned serious and focused.

"These messages..."

"The messages are very certain. There were many witnesses, and those who saw it may number in the tens of thousands.

"Yan You guessed what his Sect Master would ask.

He was ready with an answer.

There was no trace of blame in Chai Yongshan's expression, unlike before.

He handed the letter in his hand to the other Elders beside him, and then Yan You, Wang Shanlin, and the other two looked at each other, their brows furrowed in concern.

'Could Su Xing really be that capable? Even the Cicada Pill can be crafted by him.'

As Chai Yongshan spoke, there was a hint of self-blame in his tone.

'Sect Master, we discussed this with you before. Regarding Su Chen, our understanding, even with the Five Peaks Mansion, is insufficient. Even the judgment from some time ago still has issues. At that time, we thought he had the ability of a Pill Master. Now it seems his skill in alchemy surpasses that of a Pill Master. The Odd Tower and Jade Pavilion combined couldn't craft the Jade Essence Pill, but he can.'

Regret also filled Yan You's face.

He himself had also underestimated Su Chen before, and at one point, his good relationship with Wang Shanlin almost broke.

Upon returning, he informed his Sect Master, and Chai Yongshan thought of a way to invest some manpower and resources to mend this relationship.

But it was delayed until now.

'Outside, there are at least ten Sects trying to curry favor with Su Xing. Not to mention whether they can acquire the technique to craft the Jade Essence Pill from Su Xing. Even just obtaining some Jade Essence Pills from Su Chen is extremely valuable.

Sect Master, we originally had a chance.'

This sentence made Chai Yongshan's heart skip a beat.

If they had followed Yan You's suggestion before, they would have invested in Su Chen before these events, becoming his backers.

Then they would have had the chance to become the second Five Peaks Mansion.

If the Tahe Sect could master the technique to craft the Jade Essence Pill, the entire sect would become the only dominant power in Jin State.

'Now, do we still have a chance?'

The surrounding Elders hesitated for a long time before they couldn't help but ask.

They had read the message and understood the whole situation.

Naturally, they were clear about what the Tahe Sect had missed.

'It seems there isn't much of a chance, but we can't say it's impossible. Elder Wang Shanlin and Elder Qin Wei, their relationship with Su Xing is still good. Last time, I went with Jiang Zhu to demand the pill. They have been protecting Su Xing, and he should have some goodwill towards them. If there's a chance, only Elder Wang Shanlin and Elder Qin Wei can talk to him.

A slightly better piece of news is that Su Xing doesn't have much goodwill towards the Five Peaks Mansion anymore. If we compete with them, and we get closer to Su Xing, it's not impossible.'

Hearing this, Chai Yongshan's expression slightly improved.

At least there was some good news, and it wasn't all bad.

Beside them, a Core Elder looked at Wang Shanlin and Qin Wei.

With some doubt, he asked, 'When did you two realize he had such abilities? Why didn't you tell us earlier? If we had prepared earlier, we wouldn't have caused all this trouble.'

Hearing this, Wang Shanlin couldn't help but smile wryly.

'Elder Zhang, we didn't realize Su Xing's capabilities. We just remembered the old times. We are people; we value relationships. That kid once helped us a lot. I and Qin Wei protected him, not because we knew of any potential he had.'

This answer silenced the high-ranking members of the Tahe Sect for a moment.

Relationships, this word seemed a little strange to them, but it was precisely this unfamiliar word that gave them a glimmer of hope.

As the sect grew larger, the entire collective seemed to become somewhat cold and indifferent.

Wang Shanlin's words even made Chai Yongshan, the Sect Master, fall into deep thought.

At this moment, the news had already reached Wuluan Mansion.

The events that occurred at the Heavenly Alchemy Expo had been conveyed.

And this matter was even more significant to Wuluan Mansion.

Before, in Jin State, Su Chen had competed with the young disciples of Wuluan Mansion.

The younger generation of Wuluan Mansion had been under the constant threat of Su Chen's surprise attacks.

The threat hadn't been eliminated, and now they received news about Su Chen again.

And this time, the news was even more shocking.

During this period, the younger generation of Wuluan Mansion rarely left the sect casually.

When they did go out, they absolutely wouldn't leave without an Elder from the Mansion accompanying them.

This situation led to a significant increase in Wuluan Mansion's demand for manpower.

Almost every activity required the accompaniment of a Transcendent Powerhouse from the Mansion.

This situation naturally brought about tremendous trouble and problems.

The Wuluan Manor, as a Great Sect, has countless matters to handle daily, each entangled with various interests.

It's impossible for them to focus all their attention solely on the younger generation. Besides, Transcendent Powerhouses also need rest and cultivation.

Having reached the position of Elder or higher-up in a Great Sect, they seek a slightly better life—a life of leisure and tranquility, with abundant resources and time.

These are the reasons why Warriors strive to join Great Sects, aiming for a respectable position within.

However, the current situation in Wuluan Manor is such that the higher-ups are fully occupied whenever they have free time.

Even if they wish to cultivate in peace, they can't find the time. With resources at their disposal, they lack the opportunity to use them.

This situation gives the Wuluan Manor's higher-ups a massive headache. The disciples below have already voiced their complaints more than once.

But the threat to the younger generation is very real and cannot be ignored or neglected.

Just now, news about Su Chen reached them, and everyone suddenly realized that Su Chen hadn't been lying in wait around Wuluan Manor.

All their previous caution and vigilance had been in vain. Despite knowing this, they had no choice.

By the time they received this news, Su Chen's whereabouts were once again unknown.

It's highly likely that he's already among them at this very moment.

Not only has the threat not subsided, but they've also heard bad news related to Su Chen.

Of course, whether the news is good or bad depends on whom it concerns.

For Su Chen, it's a piece of good news, clearing him of the unfounded accusations and slander.

But for the people of Wuluan Manor, it's an extremely terrible piece of news.

Moreover, there were just too many spectators at the Grand Elixir Exhibition.

News about that day's events spread through various channels and mediums.

The higher-ups of Wuluan Manor didn't want the disciples below to know about it, but they couldn't stop it.

With the news spreading like this, there's no way to contain it.

Many of the disciples in Wuluan Manor come from influential families. Even if Wuluan Manor blocks all the news, these disciples have their ways of obtaining information.

Once a small portion of the disciples knows, it won't be long before all of them are aware.

Main Hall of Wuluan Manor.

Today, everyone was supposed to gather here to discuss matters and plan their next steps.

All the Transcendent Powerhouses were tied up, unable to spare time for other tasks. This situation was not ideal.

It's manageable in the short term, but if it persists, many will start to complain.

Some might even cause a significant uproar.

This discussion in the Main Hall had been planned long ago.

But no one expected the terrible news from the previous day.

Su Chen's performance at the Grand Elixir Exhibition and its consequences became the focus of today's discussion.

"Everyone is aware of what happened at this year's Grand Elixir Exhibition, right?"

In front of the others, the Manor Master of Wuluan Manor, Hao Yuan, spoke with a gloomy expression.

The pile of bad news seemed endless, and they hadn't even cleared the previous ones when a new one arrived.

No one in the Main Hall responded.

Most people remained silent, but their expressions spoke volumes.

Their furrowed brows indicated that everyone was feeling uncomfortable.

This was normal.

The original problem hadn't been resolved, and now Su Chen had thrown a bunch of new challenges at Wuluan Manor.

Their desire for a peaceful rest seemed even more distant.

No one knew when they could return to their leisurely days.

"Elder Fan, you should be well-informed about this matter, right? You personally negotiated the cooperation with the Odd Tower and Crystal Pavilion. Have you been keeping an eye on it?"

Fan Chengyan, the one being questioned, also wore a troubled expression.

To clear Wuluan Manor's reputation as untrustworthy, she had expended considerable effort to set up this plan.

But now, this was the result she received.

"From this matter, I, as the Manor Master, finally understand why Zhouming Palace wanted to protect him.

This young man possesses the Jade Essence Alchemy Technique and can craft the Cicada Pupa Pill using it.

With such capability, there may not be twenty, but at least ten Sects would be willing to shelter him."

Hao Yuan looked at Fan Chengyan, his heart filled with resentment, a feeling that consumed his entire chest.

If not for Fan Chengyan and her disciples' arrogance and defiance, how could such a situation have occurred?

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end