"Red Maple Valley may be a fine place, but how should we handle our relationship with Windrise Stronghold?" an elder asked gravely, his brow furrowing.
Chen Shi'an raised his head slightly. "I gave our relationship with Windrise Stronghold serious thought on the way back as well.
"I know something of the Desolate Ruins. Most of its strongholds are small, and most are simply places where Ranked Martial Artists fenced off a patch of land and set themselves up as kings of the mountain.
"The vast majority of their city lords are shortsighted men without great ambitions. But Windrise Stronghold is building a great city and taking in refugees. Their designs are far from modest, and their ruler is no ordinary person.
"Alchemists in the Desolate Ruins are few in number and low in rank. If our Earth Pill Sect moves to Red Maple Valley, we won't necessarily become enemies with Windrise Stronghold. We are more likely to become friends and partners.
"We need a stable environment in which to develop, while Windrise Stronghold needs pills. We can complement each other, which gives us a foundation for cooperation."
Many of the Earth Pill Sect's senior members nodded repeatedly at his words.
But someone raised a doubt. "These people from the Desolate Ruins are savage and belligerent. Can we count on them as partners?"
Chen Shi'an responded immediately. "I believe it can work. As I said earlier, Windrise Stronghold's city lord is no ordinary man. Other strongholds reject refugees and subject them to all manner of oppression.
"Windrise Stronghold, on the other hand, takes in refugees in great numbers, bringing them into its service to strengthen itself.
"That shows its city lord is a man of grand ambitions and far-reaching plans.
"If someone like him learns that our Earth Pill Sect has