Nine Evolutions of the True Spirit

Chapter 267: Complications

The Qian Yuan Great Hall was a majestic building built on the waist of Qian Yuan Mountain. A line of cultivators were making their way up from the foot of the mountain to the hall.

At the hall entrance, a young man who was dressed plainly, was accompanied by Zhang Sheng-Qian and Zhang Sheng-Kun. They looked down from the mountain and saw Lu Ping and Yue Jiang-Rui going into the Bet of Cauldron.

Zhang Sheng-Kun scoffed at them, “What a joke, those rogue cultivators are still the same, lowly ants that think too highly of themselves. They could never understand the depths of Senior Brother Ye’s alchemy.”

“Junior Sister Zhang, please don’t say that. Don’t forget that the Northern League was founded by rogue cultivators in the first place, to unite all rogue cultivators in the northern region. Organizations like your Zhang Clan are only supported so that the league can optimize its control and influence in the region.

“Furthermore, most of us here are rogue cultivators, including the Great Ancestors on the mountain. If the Great Ancestors heard your words, the Zhang Clan would definitely be reprimanded. Even though Senior Uncle Zhang Wu-Duan is practicing on the mountain, I’m sure that even he wouldn’t be able to excuse the clan from your mistake. What’s more, his position on Qian Yuan Mountain might even be affected.”

Zhang Sheng-Kun’s face turned red with embarrassment. Zhang Sheng-Qian, on the other side of the plainly dressed young man, quickly changed the subject, and said, “Senior Brother Ye, in your opinion, who has a higher chance of winning the Bet of Cauldron?”

“It’s hard to tell. Yue Jiang-Rui’s cultivation method is highly compatible with his alchemy. As a result, even though he can’t enter the Core Forging Realm and become a true Master Alchemist, his skill at concocting half-step Core Forging Realm pellets is still incredible, and is admired even by my teacher. From the looks of things, the Li Clan’s alchemist is too reckless entering the bet. However, he isn’t panicking, so I guess he still has something up his sleeves. All in all, it’s hard to say who will win for certain.”

The Zhang Clan siblings were excited upon hearing the first half, but quickly changed expressions upon hearing the second half of the man’s speech. The siblings looked at each other and were a bit suspicious.

As if he knew what they were thinking, Senior Martial Brother Ye said, “The Li Clan is the weakest among the three clans. Even if it gets to retain its status as a medium party, it will only be able to get an extra 100,000 spirit stones per year from the spirit stone mine. What effect will that have on the Zhang Clan? With Senior Uncle Zhang looking after the clan, the Zhang Clan doesn’t even need those extra spirit stones. The ones you should really pay attention to are the Wang Clan!”

“The Wang Clan?” Zhang Sheng-Kun was slightly confused and said, “The Wang Clan should be in a difficult position now, right? It offended both the Northern League and Crystal Palace at the same time, what more can they do?”

Senior Martial Brother Ye said, “Which is why the Wang Clan needs to join one side to consolidate its position. As far as I know, the alchemist who represents the Wang Clan this time isn’t a weak one.”

Zhang Sheng-Qian, who had been frowning all this while, suddenly asked, “Could it be Crystal Palace again?”

“No way!”

Zhang Sheng-Kun shook her head, “Not to mention that the Wang Clan has already offended Crystal Palace, even if the Wang Clan had the cheek to beg for Crystal Palace’s support again, would Crystal Palace take the Wang Clan seriously?”

Zhang Sheng-Qian sighed, “Sister, did Wang Yi-Shan get expelled from Crystal Palace afterwards?”

Zhang Sheng-Kun was stunned, “No he didn’t… Was this a play that Wang Clan and Crystal Palace put on for the Northern League, or was Crystal Palace trying to imply something through Wang Yi-Shan?”

She shook her head, and said, “That’s not right either. Crystal Palace is attending the ceremony, it even sent an alchemist to the Alchemy Conference.”

Senior Martial Brother Ye slowly said, “Not one, but two alchemists, one of them came anonymously. I heard that Crystal Palace’s Master Alchemist Kun Shan is also here to observe the ceremony. However, one of his direct disciples who’s always beside him, wasn’t seen.”

The Zhang Clan’s siblings’ faces finally turned serious. After a moment, Zhang Sheng-Kun who was more anxious, asked, “Senior Brother Ye, you’ve been under Junior Uncle Qin’s tutelage for a long time and have received his true heritage. I think that you will be able to defeat Enlightened Master Kun Shan’s disciple.”

Senior Martial Brother Ye said solemnly, “Although I think that I’m not inferior to Enlightened Master Kun Shan’s disciple, to tell you the truth, both our chances of winning are the same. I guess we will only know after we compete. However, what I am worried about is not the competition between the alchemists from the organizations, but the alchemists from the other sects that are not part of the Northern League.”

Zhang Sheng-Qian was stunned, “Not part of the Northern League? Will there be alchemists from other East Ocean sects this time?”

Senior Martial Brother Ye said, “Yes, Crystal Palace is already here. Besides them, Violet Charm Pavilion, Thunderous Wind Island, and Sky Cleaving Sword Sect, three sects with the same strength as our Northern League, are also here. I’m afraid that their presence in this Alchemy Conference is not a good sign.”

Zhang Sheng-Kun was a bit anxious and asked, “Senior Brother Ye, are you sure you can beat these alchemists from the big sects?”

Senior Martial Brother Ye smiled bitterly, “Although I consider myself obsessed with alchemy, I think that my alchemy is still far away from Senior Brother Zhou Chuang.”

Zhang Sheng-Qian said happily, “Senior Brother Zhou Chuang? The senior brother who is under Grandmaster Alchemist Great Ancestor Hong Ye’s tutelage?”

Senior Martial Brother Ye nodded with a complicated look, and said, “In this situation, Senior Brother Zhou is Northern League’s best candidate to compete with those alchemists.”

Zhang Sheng-Qian clapped his hands together, and said, “What a relief! I have heard that Senior Brother Zhou is a genius alchemist, with him, we can rest assured.”

…

Qian Yuan Great Hall was extremely grand and spacious, so spacious that even everyone from the 126 parties couldn’t fill this magnificent hall.

Lu Ping, along with Li Mao-Lin, settled in their seats in the center of the hall. Lu Ping turned a deaf ear to the comments of the audience around them and remained calm. However, Lu Ping’s divine revelation was quietly observing the other alchemists in the hall. This was his first time seeing so many alchemists gathered together.

Although the Alchemy Conference forbade Core Forging Realm alchemists, who could guarantee that there would be no hidden talents in the crowd.

Whilst Lu Ping was observing others, others were also observing him. The Bet of Cauldron was known as the duel between alchemists, hence, it was natural that he was placed under a spotlight.

Lu Ping gave more attention to the alchemists from the Zhang Clan and Wang Clan.

The Zhang Clan’s alchemist was the plainly dressed young cultivator who was accompanied by the Zhang Clan siblings. He was sitting beside the Zhang Clan’s Enlightened Master, and when Lu Ping looked at him, he felt his gaze and also looked back. The two nodded softly at each other and smiled as a greeting.

Then, Lu Ping turned his gaze in the Wang Clan’s direction and was surprised to see Crystal Palace’s Senior Martial Brother Qi representing them.

Senior Martial Brother Qi was who Lu Ping met when he first infiltrated Hundred Flowers Land. He never expected to see Senior Martial Brother Qi representing the Wang Clan in this Alchemy Conference.

Lu Ping asked Li Mao-Lin quietly, “Clan Head Li, do you know the origin of the Wang Clan alchemist?”

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Li Mao-Lin froze and turned his head to look at Senior Martial Brother Qi, knowing that Lu Ping wouldn’t mention this person for no reason, so he asked, “Little Brother Lu, is there something wrong with this person?”

The conversation between Lu Ping and Li Mao-Lin could only be heard by the two of them, and the two ladies behind them, Li Xiu-Zhu and Chilian Ying.

“Do you remember the silver uniform cultivator at the mortal marketplace on Three Clans Island?” Lu Ping didn’t answer Li Mao-Lin. He turned his head back to Li Xiu-Zhu behind him and asked another question.

——

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