Jia Xing Tian had made his challenge at noon, fought his battle in the afternoon, and departed by evening.
Unfortunately, Chen Guan was not able to witness the legendary duel with his own eyes. The back mountain was a restricted area of the Misty Cloud Sect, and Yun Yun had politely requested that he and all the sect's disciples remain at a distance. They could only listen to the distant rumbles and imagine the earth-shattering clash based on the tremors that shook the ground.
At first, Chen Guan had been quite worried, but as time passed and he detected no interference from the Hall of Souls, he relaxed.
It wasn't until night fell that Jia Xing Tian finally returned from the back mountain. He looked utterly refreshed, as if he'd just emerged from a long soak in a hot spring. The word "invigorated" was practically written on his face.
"Now, Chen boy," he began, pre-empting any questions. "I didn't mean to ruin your negotiations. I was just quietly enjoying the scenery. It was that old fellow Yun Shan who came out on his own initiative. I just… gently knocked on the door of his secret room."
"And I timed it perfectly. You should have finished your business by the time we started. It was a way for me to lend you some prestige. After all, a negotiation is only a negotiation when you have the strength to back it up. Without strength, it's just unilateral exploitation."
Tsk, tsk. Chen Guan was surprised by the old man's eloquence.
"You didn't use any Earth-rank Dou Skills, did you?"
"Of course not. I'm not a fool. I won't expose a trump card like that unless it's a true crisis."
That's good.
The two quickened their pace, chatting along the way, both quite satisfied with how their visit to the Misty Cloud Sect had turned out.
Meanwhile, inside the Misty Cloud Sect, Pill-King Gu He sat in his room, tapping his fingers on the armrest as he mulled over the information he'd just gleaned from a chat with Yun Leng.
Two knocks sounded at his door. After being granted permission, Mo Cheng, the First Elder of the Mo Clan who had yet to depart, walked in.
"Mo Cheng of the Mo Clan pays his respects to the Pill-King."
"Mm," Gu He grunted. "The Great Elder informed me that you wished to offer a batch of precious medicinal materials in exchange for a Blood-Burning Pill. I have agreed to this, but I hope you do not waste my efforts."
The Blood-Burning Pill was a fifth-grade medicinal pill. After consumption, it could grant a massive, short-term boost in strength, making it a coveted trump card for Dou Ling and Dou Wang experts. Even a Dou Huang could use it to gain a temporary star of power. Its only side effect was the burning of one's own lifeblood, which resulted in a period of extreme weakness afterward.
Mo Cheng, standing below, was stunned.
When did I ask for a Blood-Burning Pill? Why am I the last to know?
Fortunately, he wasn't a fool. He quickly processed Gu He's words and understood the hidden meaning.
"Yes, yes! Please rest assured, Pill-King! I will absolutely make the best use of its value!"
To refuse a pie that falls from the sky would be an insult to myself. He knew that both Gu He and Yun Leng were playing their own games, using him as a pawn. But it didn't matter. As long as he was happy to accept his role, everyone won. It was a classic case of one being willing to strike and the other willing to be struck.
After handing over the pill, Gu He glanced out his window in the direction of the Imperial Capital and made an excuse for himself.
I was merely cooperating with Yun Leng to win favor for the Misty Cloud Sect. I know nothing else.
Three days later, at the palace.
Chen Guan came to see Yao Ye early in the morning to say goodbye. With all his preparations complete, he was eager to go out and gain real-world experience. The Imperial Capital, for all its safety, lacked a sense of urgency. To truly grow, he needed to be baptized in blood and fire.
He had already made up his mind, so after meeting with Yao Ye, he stated his purpose directly.
Yao Ye looked up from the documents she was buried in.
"I agree," she said. "But you cannot leave until you break through to the three-star Dou Shi realm."
"Okay."
Chen Guan nodded without a shred of hesitation. His easy agreement was so unexpected that even Yao Ye was confused. From her understanding, once a young man like him made a decision, it was incredibly difficult to change it.
Her confusion didn't last long.
In less than half an hour, Chen Guan returned. The only difference was that he was now a three-star Dou Shi.
The quill in Yao Ye's hand fell from her fingers. She rested her delicate chin in one hand and began to doubt her own life. Silly me. I really should have seen that coming.
Looking at the young man with a hint of pride in his eyes, Yao Ye turned her head away. "Go away," she grumbled. "Your wings are strong now. I can't control you anymore."
In the past, she could at least suppress him with her superior strength. Now, even she was no match for him. Deep down, she wasn't truly worried. This boy had more trump cards up his sleeve than she could count. She was just… reluctant to see him go.
Chen Guan ignored her words and sat across from her, boldly reaching out to turn her head back to face him.
"Sister, don't worry. I promise nothing will happen. I'll be back in a year, a year and a half at most. No, one year. And I'll follow the old rules: I'll write to you once every two weeks."
Yao Ye rolled her eyes but didn't refuse, silently accepting the condition.
"Just be careful. The royal family can do less and less to help you now, so do everything within your capabilities. Oh, and take the two brothers, Wang Yan and Wang Dalang, with you. They can handle the daily troublesome matters for you. It would be good to have them there."
"Can they be trusted?"
"No problem. They were the ones assigned to protect you last time. After you disappeared in the Magical Beast Mountain Range, Wang Dalang risked his life to go deep into the mountains to find you. He almost died for it. Of course, it is always right to be careful with matters of extreme importance."
Chen Guan nodded seriously and agreed. If Yao Ye hadn't told him, he never would have known that someone had nearly died because of him. Although it was their duty, he committed the favor to memory, and his resistance to having them tag along vanished.
"I understand. Then that's settled. I won't go see Jia Lao; you can tell him for me, sister. I'll go to the Alchemist Guild to say goodbye to Yue'er, and then I'll be on my way."
Yao Ye nodded and watched him leave. Just as he reached the door, he suddenly remembered something.
"By the way, Sister Yao Ye, send someone to clean up the Mo Clan in Yancheng. They're hiding a lot of dirty things. It's disgusting just thinking about it."
"Okay."
Yao Ye didn't ask why. She knew Chen Guan's character. If he said it, then the Mo Clan must have brought death upon themselves. As for a valid reason, if she needed one, she could come up with dozens in five minutes.
After arranging everything, Chen Guan went to the Alchemist Guild. After bidding farewell to Yao Yue and Fa Ma, he met the Wang brothers at the city gate and left immediately.
Over the past month, while ordinary people had rarely heard of Chen Guan's exploits, the major powers had been paying close attention. No sooner had he left the city than news reached every influential clan.
Miteer Tengshan frowned and asked his steward, "What is Ya Fei doing?"
The steward replied, "To the clan leader, Miss Ya Fei is presiding over an auction."
So be it. An auctioneer must do her job diligently. Tengshan was speechless. The spark of interest he had hoped for between them had never ignited. The boy hadn't even set foot in the Miteer Auction House again, making his prior considerations seem redundant.
Back at the Misty Cloud Sect, Yun Yun was watching a strange battle on the training grounds. On one side was a Dou Wang elder. On the other was a lump of iron—the puppet.
The scene was bizarre. The elder, a three-star Dou Wang, was completely unable to damage the puppet. But correspondingly, the puppet couldn't truly endanger him either. Relying on his Dou Qi wings, the elder maintained his advantage from the air while the puppet could only attack by jumping. It jumped impressively high, but it looked utterly ridiculous. The longer she watched, the more she felt she was being mocked.
Just then, a letter arrived. She opened it and scanned its contents. Even with her impeccable manners, she was so angry she gritted her teeth and couldn't stop herself from cursing aloud.
Didn't he say he wouldn't leave the Imperial Capital for a few years?
"Little liar!"
***
(End of Chapter)
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