Yao Chen was slightly tired as he returned to the room he had rented. It had been a long time since he had refined for such an extended time. He had unintentionally refined too many pills due to how easy it had felt.
After resting a night, the next morning he was still a bit tired from using his Spiritual Perception yesterday. But that wasn’t necessarily a bad thing. As it slowly recovered, his Spiritual Perception would gradually become even more exquisite.
But this kind of state wasn’t suited to training Dou Qi or alchemy. The path of training was something that required both stress and relaxation.
He decided not to sell the Blood Enriching Pills to the Feng family’s Precious Treasure Auction. It was best for him to take advantage of this resting time and exchange the over two hundred pills for something he could use.
At the Hundred Herb Gathering, other than medicinal pills, there were also many miscellaneous goods. By paying ten Qi Support Pills as tax, anyone could set up a stand and sell things here.
Yao Chen was no longer wearing his black cloak at this time, but instead went in his original likeness. After paying the tax, he received a blank banner and found a spot. He then set up a medicinal stand and very simply put ten Blood Enriching Pills out. On his banner he wrote ‘bulk Blood Enriching Pills – only exchanging for medicinal ingredients’. He then sat down and gently used his Dou Qi to invigorate his spirit.
“Only exchanging for medicinal ingredients? How about Sky Rainbow Herb?”
In just a short time people had come up to ask him. Although the Blood Enriching Pill was just a first tier medicinal pill, it was needed in large quantities. In terms of effect, the Blood Recovery Pill might be better, but it was usually used as a life-saving measure. For small wounds it was better to use the Blood Enriching Pill.
“Ok, six for one.”
The Sky Rainbow Herb could be considered a pretty good medicinal ingredient. It was used when refining the Violet Flame Pill, so it was just what Yao Chen needed.
“Sixty of them for ten Blood Enriching Pills.”
“Ok.”
After the first person traded with him, others also came to exchange. Yao Chen didn’t care what they brought; he simply set up a proportion and exchanged.
The two hundred pills were quickly all exchanged and Yao Chen was gratified with what he had obtained. He had made quite a big profit. These ingredients were at least ten times what he had used to refine the Blood Enriching Pills.
But when he left he didn’t notice that in the shadows of the Hundred Herb Gathering were a pair of bloodshot eyes that were tightly tracking him.
“Boss, it’s him.”
“It’s just a kid. Are you sure?”
“Boss, I’m sure it’s him. No matter what, I wouldn’t deceive boss. Our brothers that went to rob him were all…”
“Ok. No need to explain it further. Follow him and find where he lives. Once that’s clear, we’ll make a plan. Remember, you can’t rush anything big like this.”
“Yes boss.”
The bloodshot eyes were fierce as he quickly followed behind Yao Chen.
Yao Chen returned to his residence. Now he had truly realized just how easy it was for an alchemist to make money in the outside world. Rare medicinal ingredients might be hard to obtain, but ordinary ones could be obtained in any quantities he wished. In the Yao clan, these ingredients all required one to gather them in the deep mountains or to exchange with merit points or medicinal pills. In comparison, these medicinal ingredients that could be exchanged with just two hundred Blood Enriching Pills made Yao Chen feel as if he had made a huge profit. Although they were low tier medicinal ingredients, but they were required in large quantities for high level medicinal pills.
Just as he was considering whether he should use these medicinal ingredients to refine more Blood Enriching Pills, he suddenly heard the sound of someone falling from his courtyard.
“Who is it?!”
Yao Chen charged out and saw a silhouette lying in the corner. Beside him was a familiar face.
“Elder!”
That person was the clan school’s elder Yao Lan. At this time he looked at Yao Chen and laughed slightly, “You Dou Formation wasn’t bad, but your awareness is lacking. You didn’t even know someone was following you this whole time?”
Yao Chen’s face turned red. After gaining such a huge amount of medicinal ingredients he had become too excited and forget to check behind him. “Elder, I… how did you get here?”
“I was just passing by. I didn’t expect I’d get to see you…”
Yao Lan’s gaze seemed to flicker.
Yao Chen suddenly felt a burst of fear.
“Elder, my mom… is she ok?”
Yao Lan sighed and shook his head.
Yao Chen felt as if he had been thrown into ice water, his whole body trembling.
“No, no, my mom, no… not possible… she was just tired… how could she not be saved…”
The Yao clan famous for their medicines. Who knew just how many sacred medicines they had? Even someone who had stopped breathing could be saved.
Two years ago when his father had died, it had only been because the clan head and the elders weren’t within the clan. But there was no reason they couldn’t save his mother this time!
“It’s hard to explain it. Yao Chen, return back to the clan. Luo Shan returned and he told them that the Tiger Flame Grass was given to you by him and fixed the misunderstanding. Go back. As long as you stay in seclusion for one year, then…”
“Why?!”
Yao Chen angrily started howling at Yao Lan.
“Two years ago, no one saved my father. Two years later, still no one saved my mother. Why would I ever want to go back to such a Yao clan?!”
“Going back is for you.”
Yao Lan sighed, “Cultivate within the clan for three years, and when you come out again I can recommend you to the alchemist guild…”
“Elder, I can’t go back.”
Yao Chen shuddered. His mother was no longer within this world; why would he go back to such a Yao clan? Seclusion? And then continue refining medicine for the clan?
Yes, the Violet Flame Pill did have a chance of breaking through…
Yao Chen quickly took out an alchemy scroll from his storage ring and recorded the pill formula for the Violet Flame Pill. “Elder, take it. I will absolutely not go back to the Yao clan.”
This Violet Flame Pill formula was in order to repay elder Yao Lan for what he had done for him. From now on, he would no longer have any relation with the Yao clan! He would become stronger, stronger, so strong that he could even look down on the Yao clan!
At that time he would fulfil his parents’ wishes and carve their names onto the Clan Monument!
“Sigh, I didn’t come here for the Violet Flame Pill.”
“But I thought I could only use this pill in exchange for peace?” Only now did Yao Chen feel as if he had truly grown up a bit.
“Yao Chen, your mom, that was an accident. By the time we found out it was too late…”
“Just consider it as me exchanging it for ten years of peace.”
Yao Lan’s face shook slightly, and he thought of something to say, but hesitated.
“Elder, I know who this person is. I think I still have some personal matters to take care of. Please forgive me for not accompanying you.”
Yao Chen picked up the person lying on the ground and started dragging him outside, his heart numb.
Hate and apathy caused Yao Chen’s body to tremble. His father shouldn’t have died two years ago. He would have been fine as long as they had been given a couple rare medicinal ingredients. But no one was willing to save him.
This time his mother had only been attacked by her blood and qi. Her body had been weakened from going out and working so much for him. But her condition wasn’t as severe as his father’s had been. Just a couple fifth tier medicinal pills could have cured her. But still no one helped her. Yao Chen was very clear that Yao Lan’s excuse of them finding her too late was a lie. There was only one reason: Yao Wangui! No one dared to offend him.
At this time, any fantasies about the Yao clan that Yao Chen had had were shattered. He had only one though – become strong. Only by becoming truly strong could he disregard everyone and not have to go through such cruel torment.
Vengeance!
Yao Chen took a deep breath and walked to an isolated area with no other people. Crack. Yao Chen directly cut off that person’s arm.
“AHH!”
That person awoke due to the pain and screamed miserably.
Yao Chen’s eyes were cold as ice. “Who sent you?”
“…”
The bloodshot eyes glared angrily at Yao Chen in a manner that suggested he wouldn’t yield even when facing death.
Yao Chen only smiled. Reaching out his hand with the Triple Flower Agglomerating Flame, a crackling sound-
His other arm was crushed! It wasn’t broken or cut off, but the very bones were crushed to powder. A three star Dou Shi paired with an alchemist’s techniques could grind someone up just like a medicinal ingredient.
“AH! You devil!... AHH!”
Yao Chen once more extended his hand, cutting off his feeling to his arm and stopping the pain.
“Tell me. Just one sentence. Who sent you?”
He hesitated, but looking at Yao Chen’s hand, he finally said, “The Violet Fiend Gang…”
“Where?”
“The north part of the city, Bitter Flower Yard.”
Crack! Yao Chen cut off his life. To be benevolent to enemies was to be cruel to oneself. He had to become stronger, so he couldn’t be softhearted ever again.
Bitter Flower Yard.
This was the property of Peak Martial City’s second largest noble family, the Mu family. It produced a kind of second tier medicinal ingredient called the Bitter Flower. It was a special local product of the city and many lower tier medicinal pills required large amounts of its essence.
At this time there was a gathering there. The Violet Fiend Gang, the Peak Flame Gang, the Zhenkai Group… all the leaders of the powerful gangs within a thousand miles were here with their right hands for a secret meeting. The Mu family’s ancestor, Mu Shaosen, was sitting at the head. At the center of their group was a long table with all kinds of food, drinks, and even the meats of some rare beasts. The Zhenkai Group’s head was half-man half-Magical Beast, and the subordinates he brought all preferred to eat bloody food.
Half-beast Zhenkai coldly laughed and picked up a powerful beast’s heart, swallowing it in one gulp. “When old Mu Shaosen makes a make then I have to move quickly. My subordinates all thirst for blood and if we continue waiting like this I’m afraid I won’t be able to stop them from going on a rampage.”
Mu Shaosen coldly said, “Those blockheads under you are asking for death then, not that I care. Without my Mu family, as long as you guys gave away even a hint of your existence then you’d only have one fate. Control your wild beasts. As for food, I’ve already sent people to prepare it.”
He clapped his hands and over a hundred ragged beggars were led from the side. Obviously they were food for half-beast Zhenkai group.
“Haha, I’m just joking. Don’t take it so seriously. Bring out some more human meat. Human flesh is the best tasting food to us Magical Beasts.”
“Give it a rest. Old Mu, Zhenkai isn’t wrong. Once the Feng family’s disciples that are outside return, our chance will have slipped away,” said the boss of the Violet Fiend Gang, Zi Wuxin.
Mu Shaosen coldly smiled. “No matter how long they wait it would be useless. We’re also waiting at the same time. You don’t need to rush it; Quan-zi will be coming from a large sacred hall.”
“What… could you mean… the Hall of Souls…?” said one of the gang leaders in shock. They all knew that the eldest son of the Mu family had an outstanding talent. When he was only three he had been picked to join one of the eight ancient powers, the Hall of Souls. Although he was only one of their most outer disciples, that was still an extremely frightening prestige within Peak Martial City. There was nobody who would dare provoke the mysterious and inestimable Hall of Souls.
“Hmph! Do you think someone like you can say the name of that sacred hall?!”
“Forgive me, I misspoke!” That gang leader gave himself a slap on his face without the slightest hesitation. The sound was very clear and it was obvious he had used his maximum strength for it. He didn’t have any of the imposing manner of the leader of one of the ten largest gangs within Grand Martial City.
“Don’t do it again,” warned Mu Shaosen. “This time it’s not just Quan-zi coming back. Our goal isn’t to just break the Feng family; we must completely destroy them! When that time comes, it’ll be up to you few to plunder the surroundings. However there is one item that you absolutely must send back should you find it. This was the order of the Hall of Souls.”
Everyone’s breath hitched. They finally understood why the Mu family would undertake such large movements that completely broke their relations with the Feng family. So it was actually due to the Hall of Souls’ meddling.
It seemed that in the future, Peak Martial City would only have the Mu family and the Yao family as powers. The Yao clan’s power wasn’t inferior to the Hall of Souls, but in terms of secretiveness, the Hall of Souls gave people an even more frightening feeling.
At this time, Yao Chen appeared on the large road outside the courtyard they were meeting in, his body filled with killing intent. His aura was circulating and condensed a semi-true Dou Qi armor. Although it wasn’t completely formed, the crystalline armor protected his vital points. This was something that only the Dou Qi of a Da Dou Shi could accomplish!
The special property of the Triple Flower Agglomerating Flame Technique was to erupt with three times the power. When paired with the Violet Flame Pill, Yao Chen’s strength had risen a whole class and he now possessed the power of a Da Dou Shi.
BOOM….
A strand of Dou Qi formed a dragon-shaped light that broke down the gate of the Bitter Flower Yard.
The death of Yao Qing caused Yao Chen to be filled with icy cold anger. He wanted to let people know that there was no one who could provoke him without paying a bitter price! Perhaps if he had understood this logic before, so many things wouldn’t have happened in the Yao clan.
That was why the Violet Fiend Gang would be the first offering!
However, Yao Chen didn’t know that within the Bitter Flower Yard wasn’t just the Violet Fiend Gang. Amongst them was also the ancestor of the Mu family who was known to be a Dou Ling!