Chapter 653: Who Gave Her the Confidence? (5K4)

Chapter 653: Who Gave Her the Confidence? (5K4)



Ye Lan turned her gaze towards the desk beside her.

Although she had been working at the alchemy furnace, she was well aware of the total amount of medicinal ingredients prepared and how many portions she had used.

Now, apart from the ones she had consumed, these ingredients were only missing one portion.

This meant that after Shen Yi picked up that thin book, he casually flipped through a few alchemy formulas and, on his first attempt, refined a flawless pill.

This was not something that could be achieved by someone with only a basic understanding.

The pills for a Seventh Rank True Immortal were not considered high-grade on the Fifth Peak, otherwise, they wouldn't be recorded in the introductory volume.

However, the issue was that Shen Yi was not a disciple of the Pill Peak, and he hadn't studied the precious legacies left by his master and the others. It was not appropriate to judge him by the standards here.

Just this bottle of pills was enough to earn him the reputation of having exceptional alchemy talent!

At this moment, Ye Lan saw Shen Yi reach out towards the second thin book, which was the second volume of the Tetragrammatic Alchemy Manuscript.

For some reason, her usually calm and serene heart suddenly felt a moment of unease.

"No."

Ye Lan instinctively reached out her palm and pressed down on Shen Yi's hand. Under his puzzled gaze, she bit her lip and eventually shook her head, "If you're interested, I can help you copy it down after we return. Don't study it on the mountain."

With such remarkable alchemy talent, she naturally didn't want it to go to waste.

But the timing wasn't right!

Taking on a disciple on behalf of her master was already likely to cause misunderstandings among the Sixth Peak disciples, making them think she was trying to reclaim her authority.

If this disciple happened to be skilled in alchemy, then even if she wanted to explain, she would have no defense, and others would never believe her.

Ye Lan was still the nominal Peak Master, and with her Fifth Rank cultivation, she wasn't afraid of any petty schemes in the dark.

But Shen Yi was different. Even if the Dragon Tiger Dao Fruit could protect him, if this was exposed, it would be a complicated situation for a Bodhimanda Arhat to become a disciple of the Divine Void Senior Ancestor.

Thinking negatively, those Senior Uncles and Senior Masters might have some connections in the Bodhimanda Sect. If they were to investigate, they might spread news about Shen Yi within the sect, causing trouble and inviting disaster!

Each peak had its corresponding resources, and these resources were abundant enough to support an entire lineage.

Wealth and power were enticing, and those people were not easily willing to give them up.

"..."

Shen Yi's expression remained calm as he looked into the eyes of the girl before him. In such close proximity, he could see the worry in her eyes.

After a moment, he suddenly smiled.

Although Ye Lan had always said she didn't want to compete and didn't intend to take anything by force, if that were truly the case, why would she have opened these introductory volumes in the first place when she knew she lacked alchemy talent?

Even if she didn't care about those cultivation resources or this mountain, she still cared about that small courtyard on the mountain and the statue of the Senior Ancestor enshrined within.

Since that was the case, why pretend to be indifferent?

Both of them had the same goal; she wanted to protect that small courtyard, and Shen Yi wanted the Void Dao Fruit.

To achieve this goal, there was only one condition.

That was for Ye Lan's Senior Ancestor to become the true Peak Master of the Senior Ancestor Peak, not just an empty title.

On this trip to the Divine Void Mountain, Shen Yi's greatest concern was the disaster that Ye Lan had mentioned.

But now, after witnessing the current state of the Fifth Peak, he had a rough guess.

All the peaks were thriving, except for the Pill Peak, which was in decline.

What kind of situation required a group of alchemists to be at the forefront while the other disciples remained unharmed?

If it were an external enemy, would a Great Enlightenment Immortal not dare to take revenge?

There were only two possible outcomes: either the enemy had been dealt with, or that person was someone even a Great Enlightenment Immortal couldn't afford to offend.

If it were the latter, how dare the Pill Peak keep the statue of Ye Lan's Senior Ancestor, and how could Ye Lan dare to travel the world?

It seemed that the eight peaks were not united against a common enemy.

When all these factors were added together, the answer was quite obvious.

Compared to an external enemy, it was more likely to be an internal problem.

"What's there to be afraid of?"

Shen Yi broke free from Ye Lan's palm, casually picked up the thin book, and turned to leave the alchemy room.

"..."

Ye Lan stared at the young man's departing figure, her mind going blank.

This young cultivator, who had come from a remote and impoverished area, had gained the recognition of Tu Di Gong and Meng Xiwen. He was efficient and decisive in his actions, carrying a heavy burden without showing any signs of distress.

Someone like him was certainly not a fool.

He must have known what this situation meant, yet he still took the alchemy book with such nonchalance.

Since her sect had nearly been destroyed in that incident, Ye Lan hadn't experienced this feeling of having someone stand by her side in a long time.

Yes, what was there to be afraid of?

It was the Divine Void Mountain that owed the Fifth Peak, not the other way around! Even if she didn't take the position of Peak Master, the alchemy books in the Secret Law Pavilion were left by her master and fellow disciples. Shen Yi was her own disciple, so why couldn't he see them?

"Why can't I?"

Ye Lan clenched her palm tightly, turned to glance at the medicine shelves, and waved her hand in frustration, storing all the heavenly materials into her storage treasure. Then, she took a step and left the alchemy room.

The two of them left the alchemy room one after the other.

The disciples who had been dozing off a moment ago quickly gathered around, took out jade slips, and began sending messages.

Soon, the young man from the small courtyard on the Pill Peak hurried over.

"Senior Uncle Liu!"

The disciples guarding the alchemy room welcomed the young man in.

"Did she refine pills?"

"Send someone to ask this Ye Ancestor what kind of pills she needs. Send her whatever she wants and get rid of this plague as soon as possible. It's annoying just looking at her."

Liu Ruifeng chuckled. If Ye Lan had this ability, the Fifth Peak wouldn't have needed his father to take over.

Oh, wait.

If Ye Lan knew how to refine pills, she would have likely died along with her unlucky master, saving a lot of trouble.

"Disciples obey," the guarding disciples bowed.

Currently, the entire Fifth Peak was under the management of Senior Uncle Ruifeng. If it came down to it, he was the legitimate Peak Master of the Pill Peak.

If it weren't for his cultivation being stuck at the Sixth Stage Heaven Transcender realm, unable to attain the Dao Fruit, Elder Mu Yang would have probably already brought this matter to the council.

The crowd rushed into the alchemy chamber.

Seeing the pitch-black alchemy furnace, even the ordinary disciples couldn't help but laugh.

"Hmph."

Liu Ruifeng wiped his finger along the edge of the furnace, examining the black soot on his fingertip. Disdain filled his eyes, and the worry in his heart finally eased a little.

With such skills, anyone with a shred of self-respect wouldn't dare come to the Fifth Peak to embarrass themselves.

"Alright..."

Liu Ruifeng waved his hand, ready to dismiss the others, but his gaze caught another alchemy furnace in the corner.

He furrowed his brows and slowly approached it, peering inside.

The furnace looked spotless, as if it had never been used. There wasn't even a trace of medicinal mist or residue, but upon seeing the faint spiritual mist lingering within, Liu Ruifeng's eyelids twitched violently.

He sniffed the faint fragrance of the pill, and in the next moment, his entire face darkened.

To refine a Seventh Stage Immortal Pill to this extent... This newcomer had ill intentions.

That despicable woman had indeed returned with malicious intentions.

She wanted to stir up trouble with the help of an alchemist. Ye Lan, you're dreaming!

"Go and keep an eye on that new youth. Report everything, no matter how small!"

Liu Ruifeng clenched his teeth in anger and quickly turned, heading towards the Sixth Peak.

This matter must be reported to his father immediately!

...

Divine Void Mountain, Pill Peak.

Inside the Secret Law Pavilion.

A group of disciples appeared to be flipping through alchemy books, but their gazes were secretly fixed on the figure in the corner.

The handsome youth in the black robe leaned against the wall, his slender fingers quickly flipping through the pages. After finishing a book, he would close his eyes and ponder for a long time.

His expression slightly changed.

When he opened his eyes, he would head back to the bookshelf and take another alchemy book.

"What is he doing?"

The disciples on duty glanced at each other, puzzled. Although Master Liu had instructed them to report everything, they couldn't quite understand the situation before them.

This new "Senior Uncle" didn't seem to be seriously studying the alchemy path. The alchemy books, filled with the essence of his predecessors and notoriously abstruse, would be replaced within a quarter of an hour in his hands.

It seemed like he was just flipping through them for fun, but his pensive expression made it seem like he was genuinely studying.

"Maybe he's searching for something."

One disciple suddenly realized, "After all, the Fifth Peak was once Master Ye Lan's sect. Perhaps there's some precious pill formula left behind that only Master Ye Lan knows about."

This person was pretending to be engrossed to hide his true intentions.

With this in mind, the disciple hurriedly tiptoed over and gathered all the alchemy books that Shen Yi had flipped through, intending to report to Master Liu.

However, as time passed, he finally noticed something amiss.

The youth's actions were not secretive at all; he was simply taking one book after another. If they followed him and collected the books... they might as well move the entire Secret Law Pavilion to the Sixth Peak.

"Pretentious." The disciple on duty clenched his teeth, leaving four words on the booklet: "Pretentious Nonsense."

...

In a corner of the Secret Law Pavilion, two figures stood side by side.

One was the Third Peak Master, known as Master Qianfeng, and the other was the beautiful woman from earlier.

They stood silently within the pavilion, as if invisible to those around them.

"Senior Sister Jinxue, what do you think she's up to this time?" Master Qianfeng asked, his gaze fixed on the youth in the black robe.

"I don't know, but I'm sure that if he continues flipping through the books, Senior Brother Muyang won't be able to sit still." Jinxue sighed helplessly. This young man's cultivation was only at the True Immortal stage, and his every move was likely influenced by Ye Lan's instructions.

This behavior was more like a provocation than studying alchemy.

This was what puzzled her.

What was Ye Lan's purpose in provoking Senior Brother Muyang? Could it be that her cultivation had improved, and she wanted to anger Muyang into a fight, not just in alchemy but also in combat?

Not to mention that Senior Brother Muyang had been in charge of two peaks for many years, and it was unlikely he would be provoked by such a simple tactic.

The gap between an ordinary Dao Fruit and a Great Dao Fruit was not something that could be easily bridged.

Unless Ye Lan had already comprehended the Void Sword Fruit and reached the Fourth Rank Realm, she wouldn't have the qualifications to challenge Senior Brother Muyang.

"Regardless, the Pill Peak must continue to function normally."

"Not a single Tribulation Pill can be missing from what Master requires."

Master Qianfeng exhaled softly. Among the Eight Peaks, only the Pill Peak couldn't afford any problems.

If something went wrong, the disciples who inherited the Void Dao Fruit, including himself, would be the ones to suffer.

The most terrifying aspect of the Divine Void was the word 'Void.'

It could represent the pursuit of the Great Dao through the exploration of the Great Void, or it could lead to sinking into illusions and being unable to escape.

The next moment, Master Qianfeng took out a jade slip and raised his eyebrows: "Tsk, the Eight Peaks Council can't be put off."

As his words fell, the two exchanged a glance, and their figures slowly dissipated from their original spots.

...

Meanwhile, Shen Yi, who had been in the corner, finally lifted his gaze and glanced at the empty space.

He didn't care about the affairs of Divine Void Mountain; he only sought the Void Dao Fruit.

Alchemy wasn't that difficult, was it?

【Remaining Demonic Beast Lifespan: Two Tribulations】

Shen Yi retracted his gaze, looking at the remaining demonic lifespan on the panel, and couldn't help but rub his eyebrows.

Tsk, this is really difficult...

After mastering the introductory volume of the Tetragrammatic Alchemy Manuscript, the ancient books in the Secret Law Pavilion were no longer unintelligible.

But understanding them was one thing; becoming proficient in this vast collection was genuinely challenging for Shen Yi.

In front of these abstruse texts, his claim of understanding a little became a reality.

However, the benefit was learning a bunch of miscellaneous pill formulas.

Not to mention, with enough heavenly materials, he could at least help Donglong King recreate a physical body and possibly break through to the True Immortal stage.

As for someone like Senior Xuanqing, it would be more challenging, as the Blood Rebirth technique required a drop of blood, and there wasn't even a drop left of him, only a wooden corpse.

"Let's go faster."

Helpless, he could only urge Qinghua to speed up.

...

At the summit of the highest peak, apart from Divine Void Mountain.

No longer was it a dilapidated courtyard like the one on Pill Peak, but instead, a grand hall stood tall.

Within the slightly dim hall, there were only eight chairs.

At this moment, a figure sat upright on each chair.

Among them was a young and pretty girl who looked too young and seemed out of place among the others.

Aside from her appearance, the aura surrounding her was also the weakest among the eight.

However, setting aside alchemy, even if they disliked this girl, none of the disciples dared to underestimate her in terms of cultivation realm and strength.

Being able to join the ranks of the third-generation disciples and stand among the seven senior ancestors already spoke volumes.

If she hadn't attained the Dao Fruit, let alone being a disciple of the Pill Peak's senior ancestor, even if she were his own daughter, she wouldn't have been allowed to sit in that position.

"Muyang, everyone is here. If you have something to say, you may speak."

In the main seat, the old man, whose face was already decaying and barely alive, slowly opened his eyes.

Despite his appearance, the moment he opened his eyes, almost everyone felt a thick pressure approaching.

"..."

Upon hearing this, a middle-aged man with a long beard and a dignified face, exuding a scholarly aura, slowly raised his gaze and looked at the girl across from him.

"Senior Brother, Muyang is just considering the friendship among the eight peaks and doesn't want to make a scene."

"Therefore, I've gathered all of you here today to sit together and ask some questions with the doors closed."

Hearing this, the other peak masters averted their gazes, not wanting to get involved in this mess.

"I want to ask."

Muyang Daoist slowly stood up, his gaze shifting from staring at the girl to looking down at her: "Since you left, why did you come back? You've caused panic and rumors to spread, as if wild dogs were fighting over food, leaving Shenxu Mountain with no face."

His voice grew more stern: "Is this what you're after?"

Under this questioning, Ye Lan fell into deep thought. After a moment, she slightly raised her head: "What rumors?"

Hearing this, Muyang Daoist's face turned cold: "Playing dumb, in just two days, everyone on the eight peaks, including the third-generation disciples, has been talking about how you want to return and retake the fifth peak."

"Do you dare say this isn't something you deliberately did?"

Ye Lan listened quietly, her tone still calm: "Retake? So I've already been expelled from Shenxu Mountain?"

"You..." Muyang Daoist paused, then furrowed his brows: "Don't be so sharp-tongued. It was your own inability to manage Pill Peak; you can't blame others."

Upon hearing this, the other peak masters slowly turned their gazes towards Ye Lan.

The closest one, Jinxue Daoist, gently patted her shoulder: "Lan'er, you know the importance of Pill Peak."

"So..."

Finally, Ye Lan stood up, her gaze meeting Muyang's: "What did I do wrong? I can't even return to my sect because I can't refine pills. I can't even keep my master's courtyard. I can't even..."

"Even my master's statue is to be replaced by yours, Muyang Senior Uncle."

"So, can you refine pills?"

Ye Lan's voice was calm, as if she were asking a simple question, but the last sentence caused Muyang Daoist's lips to twitch slightly.

She quietly took a step forward and walked towards the center of the hall, a little closer to Muyang: "After that incident, did anyone consider my feelings or comfort me? Did anyone give me time to recruit disciples and revive Pill Peak?"

"No, you all wanted to seal the mountain gate immediately and keep the scandal within the family."

Before she finished speaking, the half-dead old man's eyes suddenly turned sharp: "Enough!"

"Hmph."

Ye Lan took a step forward, stopping a few yards away from Muyang: "You can't refine pills either. I can do what you did... In just three days, you sent someone to take over the entire Pill Peak. All my fellow disciples perished, and I didn't even have the right to mourn for three days."

"..."

Muyang Daoist forcefully averted his gaze, looking at the old man in the main seat, and coldly said: "Lan'er's wings are truly hardened now, and she doesn't even listen to her senior brother's words."

"I indeed can't refine pills, but my son, Ruifeng, is the only one on the entire fifth peak who can refine Tribulation Pills."

"I'd like to ask, he took on the responsibility of the peak master, but you, who are in front of us, enjoy the title of peak master. Now, you even want to take back the authority of the peak master. Is this fair?"

Upon hearing this, the other peak masters simultaneously fell silent.

Ye Lan closed her eyes and exhaled softly: "You're wrong. I don't want those things. I only wanted that courtyard and my master's statue. He is the senior ancestor of Pill Peak, and his life's work has turned into the tens of thousands of pill scriptures in the Secret Law Pavilion. It's not too much to ask for his disciples to worship him."

Hearing this, Muyang Daoist's face lit up with joy.

He never expected this junior to back down. Was she planning to completely give up the position of peak master? But soon, he sensed something amiss: "Earlier? So what do you mean now? I can agree to most of your conditions. Others won't touch that courtyard, and your senior brother's statue can stay in the courtyard, but disciples can't worship it. Shenxu Mountain can no longer remember your master. You're old enough to understand..."

"..."

Ye Lan shook her head, interrupting his words.

On her pretty face, for the first time since entering this grand hall, a smile appeared: "I just want to remind you of one thing."

"What is it?" Muyang Daoist narrowed his eyes.

"I want to say that the rumor you mentioned earlier isn't a rumor; it's true."

Ye Lan's smile faded, and she spoke each word clearly, her gaze sweeping over the crowd before leaving the hall without hesitation.

It wasn't a rumor; she really wanted to retake the authority of the peak and reclaim the fifth peak!

The crowd stared at her departing figure, their faces suddenly looking strange.

The Ye Lan from before, when facing Muyang's actions, was like a child who had never experienced the world, and she could only leave Shenxu Mountain with a heavy heart.

But now, upon her return, where did she find such confidence? Who gave her this courage?

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end