Yun Qi's Secret Past

"Crack!"

A table was smashed to pieces by Xia Changfeng, who stood there with a ferocious expression, gritting his teeth and saying:

"Long Chen, Long Chen, if I don't tear you to pieces, my name isn't Xia Changfeng!"

This lantern festival had caused him to suffer a complete defeat, and he had even lost his capable assistant, Huang Shang, which made him incredibly furious.

This was completely different from his original plan. Not only had he failed to kill Long Chen, but he had also lost Huang Shang, and Wei Cang had lost precious beast fire.

The biggest winner of this confrontation was actually Long Chen. How could this not enrage him? He felt like his lungs were about to explode.

In a room where Xia Changfeng was, there was a man in his twenties wearing a long robe. As if he hadn't seen Xia Changfeng's rage, he leisurely sipped his tea.

As if that palm strike had vented a lot of Xia Changfeng's anger, his mood gradually calmed down. He respectfully said to the man, "Brother Luo, Long Chen has gone too far. I hope Brother Luo can help me vent my anger."

The man in white, called Brother Luo, gently put down the teacup in his hand and said lightly, "Changfeng, you disappoint me too much. Just because of a woman, you lost your composure.

That Long Chen is just a small fry. You need to remember the purpose of our visit to Phoenix Cry. If you delay this important matter because of this trivial trifle, neither you nor I can afford the consequences, understand?"

As he spoke, the man in white's expression turned grim, clearly displeased with Xia Changfeng's performance.

After the man in white's reminder, Xia Changfeng was startled. Thinking of the purpose of their visit, sweat broke out on his forehead.

"Thank you for your guidance, Brother Luo. Changfeng knows his mistake," Xia Changfeng said, quickly bowing.

Seeing Xia Changfeng like this, the man in white smiled slightly and said, "To achieve great things, forbearance is the most basic requirement. Why do you care about temporary gains and losses?

Besides, we have been planning this for so many years. That Third Princess is still yours. Think about it, when that Long Chen kid has worked hard for a long time and it still ends in vain, won't that be even more satisfying?"

Xia Changfeng's eyes lit up, and he then sighed, "Brother Luo truly sees far. I am ashamed, little brother."

"You are worried and confused. But honestly, that Chu Yao is indeed as beautiful as a celestial being, irresistible.

Chu Yao's red pill is yours, but Changfeng, when you get the beauty, can you let your brother also have a taste of the dew?" the man in white said with a smile.

Xia Changfeng's expression changed slightly, but he quickly concealed it, forcing a calm smile. "Changfeng is not someone who covets beauty. After this matter is concluded, of course, Brother Luo will have his share of the benefits."

"Changfeng, you don't feel uncomfortable, do you?" the man in white said, picking up his teacup and blowing on the tea leaves.

"How could I? Brother Luo is from the sect. I am still counting on your future support," Xia Changfeng said quickly.

The man in white laughed heartily, "Very good. This is what a true man is like, able to take and let go. Otherwise, how can one achieve great things?

Don't worry, as long as this matter is handled perfectly, the identity of an outer disciple is absolutely guaranteed."

"Thank you so much, Brother Luo," Xia Changfeng was overjoyed. Even the unhappiness in his heart just now vanished.

The man in white nodded, "However, you must be extremely careful with this matter. Not a single word must leak out. Otherwise, not only will you not get any benefits, but if the higher-ups blame us, we might both be in trouble."

"Brother Luo, rest assured. I am already giving it my all and will definitely handle things perfectly," Xia Changfeng patted his chest and promised.

"Good. Then my identity cannot be revealed, so I cannot act unless absolutely necessary.

You must speed up the process and strive to finalize the plan as soon as possible. Remember, the smaller the commotion, the better. It's best if it can be done without bloodshed," the man in white said.

"Most of the plan has been arranged now. The entire Phoenix Cry Empire is basically under our control. However, there is a problem now.

That is Marquis Zhenyuan, Long Tianxiao. Marquis Zhenyuan refuses to submit, and is unmoved by soft or hard tactics. He is truly a headache. He controls nearly a third of Phoenix Cry's troops. If he is not dealt with, it might affect our grand plan," Xia Changfeng said.

"Long Tianxiao? Long Chen? What is their relationship?" the man in white asked.

"They are father and son."

"Idiot! He is Marquis Zhenyuan's son, which means he is a trump card, a trump card to control Marquis Zhenyuan. You actually want to kill him?" the man in white roared in anger.

Xia Changfeng was speechless. He knew Long Chen was a trump card, but he couldn't stand seeing Chu Yao and Long Chen exchanging flirtatious glances.

"You almost ruined everything. Long Chen, you cannot touch him for now. Go and find more information about Long Chen and his family for me," the man in white ordered.

"Yes."

Xia Changfeng could only obediently leave. Watching Xia Changfeng's retreating back, the man in white coldly spat out two words:

"Fool."

When Long Chen arrived at the Alchemist Guild again, the alchemists who had been indifferent to him before now respectfully saluted him.

The alchemy skills Long Chen had displayed yesterday had spread throughout the entire imperial capital. Even under the opponent's near-cheating circumstances, he had won completely, which was shocking.

Long Chen, at the age of less than sixteen, had achieved the status of Pill Apprentice. His future was boundless. Even if they didn't curry favor with Long Chen, no one wanted to leave a bad impression on him.

Long Chen was still a little unaccustomed to this sudden warmth. He inquired and learned that Yun Qi was in his quiet room, so he headed straight there.

"Come in."

Just as Long Chen was about to knock, Yun Qi's aged voice came from inside.

Entering the room, he found Yun Qi sitting cross-legged on the floor. In front of him was a bowl containing water that was as black as ink and emitted a foul odor.

"Wei Cang's Yin Sha Palm has become much more powerful, but it is a crooked path after all and cannot achieve great things," Yun Qi said, looking at the black water in front of him with a look of disdain.

"Master, your hand is better?"

That day, Master Yun Qi had exchanged a palm strike with Wei Cang and was actually poisoned by him. Wei Cang's palm contained the Yin Sha poison.

"It took me all night, but I finally managed to expel it," Yun Qi said with a smile.

"It took a whole night?"

Long Chen was shocked. Master Yun Qi, with his profound cultivation and vigorous Pill Fire, still needed an entire night to clear the poison.

"You don't need to be surprised. Wei Cang's Yin Sha Palm is extremely venomous and has a certain restraining effect on Pill Fire.

Although it took me a night to clear the potent poison, Wei Cang will need a month to recover his strength. So, in the end, unorthodox methods can't achieve true greatness," Master Yun Qi explained.

Long Chen finally understood. Wei Cang, as a Pill Master, likely had limited attainments in Pill Fire, so he cultivated wicked combat techniques like Yin Sha Palm to counter other Pill Masters.

As a Pill Master, instead of cultivating his own innate flame, he practiced a poisonous palm. No wonder Master Yun Qi disdained him.

"Your injuries are already healed?" Master Yun Qi asked with some surprise.

"Heh heh, this kid's skin is thick and tough. A night's rest is all it took," Long Chen chuckled.

Master Yun Qi sized up Long Chen and sighed, "Originally, I hoped you would dedicate yourself solely to the Pill Dao. With your soul talent, you would have gone further than me.

But after last night's battle, I've changed my mind. Martial arts prodigies who can challenge those above their level are truly rare. It's quite a dilemma..."

"Heh heh, Master, don't worry. This kid won't give up either of them," Long Chen said. He truly thought so.

His martial path complemented the art of alchemy. Without alchemy, he couldn't even condense the Wind Mansion Star, let alone cultivate.

The second and third stars in the future would all require pills for condensation. Even the simplest condensation of the Wind Mansion Star had consumed countless pills for Long Chen.

In his memory, the condensation of each subsequent star required more than the previous one, an almost incalculable amount.

Though he hadn't deliberately calculated it, he believed he had consumed several hundred pills to condense his Wind Mansion Star.

Despite the immense consumption, the rewards were proportional. Otherwise, for a cripple like him, who lacked spiritual roots, to stand out would have been a pipe dream, let alone challenging those above his level.

"Dual cultivation of pills and martial arts isn't unheard of, but it's usually a loss-loss situation. Dividing your focus leads to twice the effort for half the results. Historically, those who practiced both pills and martial arts mostly wasted their years, achieving nothing in the end and regretting it deeply," Master Yun Qi shook his head.

Master Yun Qi's words were true. Even the greatest talent, without 100% effort to support it, might live an ordinary life.

Dual cultivation of pills and martial arts meant dividing all energy into two parts. The tragic lessons of countless people told future generations that it was a path of no return.

However, the talent Long Chen displayed in both the Pill Dao and the martial path was too astonishing. Even Master Yun Qi, a Pill Master himself, couldn't bring himself to tell Long Chen to abandon martial arts.

If one chose to cultivate pills, their spiritual energy would be entirely converted into flames, and from then on, they could only use combat skills of one attribute.

Although the power was immense, if they encountered water-attribute combat skills that countered their element, they would essentially have to flee.

But the status of a Pill Master was noble. Why would they fight with others? People would fawn over them, so who would dare offend a Pill Master?

While Pill Masters might not have terrifying combat power, don't forget that almost every Pill Master had significant backing. Some sects had to maintain good relationships with these Pill Cultivators to obtain the pills they desired.

It could be said that if a Pill Cultivator emerged, even someone at the Pill Apprentice level would be fought over by countless forces.

This was why Master Yun Qi was conflicted. But Long Chen wasn't conflicted at all; he had already planned his path forward.

"I came specifically today to thank you for your help yesterday," Long Chen was very grateful for Master Yun Qi's strong support.

"Heh heh, these are minor matters. You also helped me vent my anger yesterday, so if we're talking about thanks, I should be thanking you,"

Master Yun Qi chuckled, handing Long Chen a meditation cushion and gesturing for him to sit. "Do you know why Wei Cang and I are like fire and water?"