Sect Master Descends the Mountain

As Qingyuan Sect dealt with its internal and external troubles, it continued recruiting disciples. Among them, Steward Disciples were the most numerous.

The purpose was to select those with outstanding aptitude. Those who rose above the rest not only possessed decent talent, but their loyalty was also assured. Having them become members of Qingyuan Sect was an excellent choice.

At the same time, it recruited disciples from Qingyuan Sect's affiliated forces who had comprehended Jing Power. By serving Qingyuan Sect, they could also receive greater protection from it.

During this time, Yang Chan saw many unfamiliar faces in the Medicine Hall. These people all wore proud expressions, but after sparring with the senior Formal Disciples in the Medicine Hall, that pride vanished.

They had been geniuses and rare experts in small places, but in Qingyuan Sect, they were utterly ordinary. The strength they had been so confident in amounted to nothing here.

The Formal Disciples of Qingyuan Sect all had exceedingly solid foundations, and they were gathered from among the more outstanding people throughout Qingzhou.

Some Formal Disciples had also risen from the many Steward Disciples, with exceptional abilities in every respect. Among those who cultivated the Ox Demon Strength Fist, the less time it took to comprehend Raging Bull Strength, the more outstanding their talent was, and the more highly Qingyuan Sect valued them. Such people were exceptional in every aspect, had the potential to become Personal Disciples, and were Qingyuan Sect's future.

As for those selected from other affiliated forces, there were requirements for the fist techniques they cultivated as well. Those who did not meet them were simply not wanted.

After passing through layer upon layer of trials to become Formal Disciples, they were naturally far stronger than geniuses from small places, because even among those who were originally geniuses, there was competition.

Yang Chan merely watched the show. The same set of fist techniques had already developed in many different directions within Qingyuan Sect. With monthly competitions as well, Qingyuan Sect disciples constantly summarized their experiences and naturally gained more insights.

He had not seen some newly arrived disciple rise up with overwhelming force, suppress all the other disciples, then defy the sect elders and toss out the line, "Thirty years east of the river, thirty years west of the river." Otherwise, he would have left Qingyuan Sect long ago.

When such a protagonist burdened by bitter hatred and trailing disaster appeared, no one survived wherever they went. Even sects would be wiped out.

If such a person appeared, Yang Chan could only learn from Han Paopao.

The Pharmacist training in the Medicine Hall had not been canceled, only postponed for a time. This did not affect Yang Chan, but Li Junhao, Shu Yu, and the others had complicated expressions, because they all wanted to use this opportunity to become Pharmacists.

If they became Qingyuan Sect Pharmacists at this time, they would certainly obtain more cultivation resources and could raise their cultivation to the External Refinement realm.

Over the past few days, the way they looked at Yang Chan had become somewhat strange. After checking the Library Pavilion of the Medicine Hall and consulting Pharmacists regarding the question Xu Gaocen had asked last time, they had confirmed that Yang Chan's answer had been the most accurate.

If Yang Chan's later answers had not failed to satisfy Xu Gaocen so much, the slots for Pharmacist training might have been decided on the spot.

Thus, their feelings were all complicated. The postponement of the Pharmacist training meant that they had greater chances, but they also regarded Yang Chan as a formidable opponent.

The reason was Yang Chan's answer to Pharmacist Xu's previous question.

Whether Yang Chan had guessed it or happened to have read records of it was unimportant. What mattered was that Yang Chan's progress was too fast. He was a powerful rival.

Yang Chan naturally noticed their changes and interacted with them far less, including Shu Yu.

He did not care about such things and even welcomed them. As his Pharmacist abilities continuously improved and his strength kept growing, these people could no longer help him with anything.

Less interaction could instead spare him some trouble.

Within the Medicine Hall, Yang Chan continued diligently carrying out his duties as an Alchemist Assistant, waiting for Dragon Kui to be delivered.

"I heard Sect Master Liu Xuan personally led people into battle to suppress Lingyu Palace, Taiyu Valley, and Nanhua Sword Sect."

"I heard Sect Master Liu has always wanted to break through to the Grandmaster realm. I wonder whether he succeeded."

"With the Sect Master personally descending the mountain, he most likely made a breakthrough. He'll directly suppress the Three Great Sects and bolster Qingyuan Sect's prestige."

News that Qingyuan Sect's Sect Master Liu Xuan had personally led people down the mountain had already spread throughout the sect.

Is this because a letter came back from the capital of the Great Zhou Dynasty?

The thought surfaced in Yang Chan's mind, but he could not be certain.

Not long after Qingyuan Sect sent a letter to the imperial capital, a reply arrived. Before long, Sect Master Liu Xuan led people away from Qingyuan Sect.

Yang Chan had also heard news of Liu Xuan's departure in the Medicine Hall.

Yang Chan did not know whether Liu Xuan had broken through to the Grandmaster realm, but since he personally led people down the mountain at this time, he should have had some confidence in stabilizing the situation. It was also possible that some message had come from the imperial capital.

But overall, the advantage still lay with Qingyuan Sect.

After losing one elder, Qingyuan Sect had targeted Lingyu Palace, Taiyu Valley, and Nanhua Sword Sect, killing six Internal Refinement Grandmaster-level experts from the Three Great Sects—two from each sect.

This was Qingyuan Sect's method.

When dealing with hostile forces, it naturally repaid them double.

Qingyuan Sect had lost an elder at the Internal Refinement Grandmaster level, so the forces that had acted against it had to suffer even greater and more miserable losses.

The deaths of two Internal Refinement Grandmasters were enormous losses for each of the Three Great Sects, because figures of that level were not easy to cultivate.

They did not rely solely on cultivation resources; cultivation aptitude mattered even more. Without sufficient aptitude, it was difficult to break through.

Thus, the Three Great Sects began joining forces. No single sect among them was a match for Qingyuan Sect. They could even be exterminated by Qingyuan Sect.

This was the strength of Qingzhou's most powerful sect.

Now that Qingyuan Sect's Sect Master had personally acted, he intended to settle everything with a single hammer blow.

In this year of great drought, disasters came without end. All kinds of internal unrest had arisen throughout Qingzhou. Sect Master Liu Xuan's choice to act at this time might also have been meant to stabilize Qingzhou's situation.

Yang Chan had his guesses, but he did not know the exact answer. Still, it was overall good news.

If Qingyuan Sect could suppress Lingyu Palace, Taiyu Valley, and Nanhua Sword Sect, the chaos should come to an end. That would also be a good thing for Yang Chan.

Although he had gained benefits during this time, what he preferred was peace. If he could remain safely in Qingyuan Sect for a hundred years, that would be even better.

By then, throughout the entire Great Zhou Dynasty, he would surely have few rivals, and his safety would be even more secure.

Sect Master Liu Xuan, you must completely deal with the people of Lingyu Palace, Taiyu Valley, and Nanhua Sword Sect. Don't leave behind any genius disciples, lest another bloody revenge-and-rise saga unfold.

Yang Chan silently wished.

He had not seen any protagonist-level figure within Qingyuan Sect, and naturally did not wish to see one outside Qingyuan Sect either.

Becoming a backdrop when that happened would be no good thing.

Dragon Kui will be delivered tomorrow. These accumulated Potential Points finally have somewhere to be used.

Yang Chan silently said to himself.

This time, he planned to use the Potential Points to improve his strength, so naturally he would not spend them elsewhere.