Ancestral Hall Elder, Soul Clan Spy

This time, the person he sought was Elder Chen, the Ling Clan's most skilled Peak Eighth-Grade Alchemist.

Elder Chen was not originally from the Ling Clan. Back then, because of his exceptional accomplishments in alchemy, he had been invited by the Ling Clan. Later, he married into the clan and settled down in its Alchemy Pavilion, devoting himself wholeheartedly to alchemy.

Elder Chen's greatest passion in life was alchemy. He spent nearly every day in the Alchemy Room and rarely interacted with others.

The pills he refined were of full quality, pure efficacy, and consistently top-tier, far surpassing those of other Eighth-Grade Alchemists.

Many members of the Ling Clan sought him out for pill refinement. He was deeply loved and respected by the clan; going to him was never a mistake.

At this moment, Elder Chen was busy beside an ancient, simple alchemy furnace. The flames blazed fiercely as he controlled their temperature with one hand, his expression utterly focused.

It had already reached the final stage of pill formation, so Ling Yuan and Zi Yan did not disturb him.

After a while, the pill was complete, and the rich fragrance of an Eighth-Grade pill spread through the room.

Zi Yan wrinkled her delicate nose as she inhaled, looking rather intoxicated.

When Elder Chen saw that the visitor was Ling Yuan, he slightly cupped his hands. "Young Clan Leader."

Ling Yuan got straight to the point. "Elder Chen, I need you to refine a Source-Replenishing Pill for me. This is the formula."

As he spoke, he took a jade slip containing the Source-Replenishing Pill formula from his Storage Ring and handed it to Elder Chen.

Elder Chen accepted the jade slip and lightly brushed it with his fingertips. His soul force swiftly entered it, and after only one glance, he returned it to Ling Yuan.

Among Eighth-Grade pills, the Source-Replenishing Pill was not considered top-tier, nor was it difficult to refine. For someone like him, who had already reached the peak of the eighth grade, it was a piece of cake and required barely any thought.

"No problem, Young Clan Leader." Elder Chen's tone did not ripple in the slightest. "I already have all the necessary materials here. After some preparation, I can begin refining it. Once it is finished in a few days, I will have someone deliver it to your courtyard."

Elder Chen had an entirely businesslike attitude. He had no interest in socializing or flattering others and was wholly absorbed in alchemy.

Ling Yuan rather appreciated that about him. He focused single-mindedly on alchemy without engaging in empty pretenses. He was a true research-oriented talent, and people like that often reached the very pinnacle of their field.

Ling Yuan had long heard of Elder Chen's past. His talent in alchemy was indeed outstanding, and he had already gained considerable fame when he was young. He had even caught the eye of Yao Wanhuo, the Great Elder of the Yao Clan, who had invited him to study in the Yao Clan for several years. Under Yao Wanhuo's guidance, his alchemical techniques had become exceptional.

If they absolutely had to be compared, he might even have been stronger than Yao Chen. The reason he had not advanced to the ninth grade was that his cultivation had held him back.

He had remained stuck at the High-Tier Ban Sheng realm for years, unable to break through to Dou Sheng.

The path of alchemy required not only exquisite techniques, but also powerful soul force and Dou Qi as support.

This was especially true when refining Ninth-Grade Treasure Pills, which demanded an extremely high level of cultivation.

Without the protagonist's plot armor, it was almost impossible for someone at the High-Tier Ban Sheng realm to refine a Ninth-Grade Treasure Pill.

Ling Yuan thought, When I have the chance in the future, I could help him break through to the Dou Sheng realm. If he becomes a Dou Sheng, both his soul force and Dou Qi will increase tremendously. Perhaps then he can break through his bottleneck in alchemy and become a Ninth-Grade Alchemist.

At the thought of cultivating Ninth-Grade Alchemists, Ling Yuan could not help recalling several talented young alchemists from the Danta.

Cao Ying and Dan Chen—neither of them was any less talented in alchemy than Xiao Yan.

If their cultivation rose, becoming Ninth-Grade Alchemists would be practically guaranteed.

But how could he help them improve their cultivation?

Ling Yuan happened to possess the Burning Mantra. This cultivation technique relied specifically on Heavenly Flames, cultivated quickly, and was perfectly suited for alchemists.

With Xiao Yan no longer cultivating the Burning Mantra, Ling Yuan naturally would not waste such a heaven-defying technique.

He intended to personally cultivate an alchemist who practiced the Burning Mantra. Cao Ying and Dan Chen were both good candidates.

Perhaps they would also become useful support in the future.

Mm, in a few days, he would make a trip to the Danta and poach them.

While he was considering this, Zi Yan tugged on Ling Yuan and asked him to take her for a walk around the Ling Realm.

"Ling Yuan, you have no idea. I haven't dared go out these past few days. I'm almost bored to death."

Ling Yuan secretly found it amusing. Keeping someone with Zi Yan's lively personality cooped up in a room truly was hard on her.

He did not refuse. Besides fostering their relationship, it would also let the Ling Clan know that Zi Yan was under his protection, preventing any random nuisances from coming out to bother him.

"If you want to go out, then go out. What are you afraid of? Just treat this place like home. If anyone bullies you, tell them my name!"

Zi Yan felt warm after hearing Ling Yuan's words.

Home was a foreign concept to her.

Jia Nan Academy had taken her in, but it was an academy. It had not taken in only her.

She had no one there she was close to or could rely on, so it could not be called home.

As for the Ancient Void Dragon Clan, though they were her clansmen, they had abandoned her. That was even less like home.

Zi Yan looked at Ling Yuan, who was holding her little hand.

"Then if I cause trouble in the future, I'll say you told me to do it." A trace of mischief flashed through Zi Yan's eyes.

"Hey, I never said anything like that..."

The two chatted and laughed as they wandered through the Ling Realm. Ling Yuan explained to Zi Yan which places she could visit and which she could not.

"That side is the Combat Arena, where clan members fight. If your hands are itching, you can go vent there."

"That side is the Ling Clan Ancestral Hall. It is guarded by a Two-Star Dou Sheng elder and is a forbidden area. You absolutely must not enter..."

Ling Yuan pointed at a modest but ancient-looking building and warned Zi Yan.

The Ling Clan Ancestral Hall was where the Tuoshe Ancient Jade was kept. Even Ling Yuan could not enter without his father's orders.

The only elder guarding it was Ling Niu, a Two-Star Dou Sheng.

The Soul Clan had planted spies in the ancestral halls of every clan. Ling Yuan was basically certain that Ling Niu was one of those spies.

He had not exposed him because the time was not right yet.

Quite a few members of the Ling Clan saw their Young Clan Leader holding the hand of a little girl.

After labeling Zi Yan as someone not to be provoked, they began secretly speculating about the relationship between their Young Clan Leader and this little girl.

Many young women of the Ling Clan cast envious looks at Zi Yan.

In the Ling Clan, who did not know that Ling Yuan possessed the purest bloodline?

Handsome, talented, blessed with a rich Dou Di Bloodline, and the future Young Clan Leader—Ling Yuan was simply irresistible.

What Ling Clan girl had never dreamed of becoming the wife of the Young Clan Leader of the Ling Clan?

Yet the reality was that Ling Yuan had always immersed himself in cultivation, seemingly completely uninterested in matters between men and women.

The young women were anxious, but the elders were even more anxious. They feared Ling Yuan would not seek out a single woman or have a single child.

Behind the scenes, those old fellows had often instructed the younger women of their families to seduce Ling Yuan, saying things like, "As long as you win over the Young Clan Leader, I'll swallow my pride and ask the Clan Leader to give you a proper status."

The key was that even Ling Yuan's parents did not stop it; they had tacitly approved it.

It could be said that everyone in the Ling Clan wanted Ling Yuan to become a breeding stallion.

Seeing the envious expressions of those women who admired Ling Yuan, Zi Yan felt especially pleased.

She thought to herself that she truly was different. Others could not get close to Ling Yuan, but she could.