The disciples of the Gu family went to find Gu Yao, questioning his alchemy skills. The ability to learn the Gu family's alchemy is a sign of outstanding talent, and those from the Gu family are usually recognized and nurtured by the clan. Gu Yao, who has always been ignored as a waste, has actually risen above them?
Another purpose is, of course, to showcase to the Grand Elder and Gu Yan. Let's not talk about the Grand Elder's status in the family; being in his favor will undoubtedly elevate their positions in the clan. Gu Yan, on the other hand, is destined to enter the Long Immortal Sect. When he returns from the sect, leaking some information through his fingers will be enough for them to prosper.
However, upon arriving at the Tian family's territory, they don't find Gu Yao. Instead, Chi Changye stands in front of the tent, coldly observing the Gu family members. Tian family guards willingly protect the tent.
"Where's Gu Yao? Call him out! Did he see us coming and hide? Just because of a discarded member of the Gu family, he dares to flaunt the title of an alchemist!"
Chi Changye might be powerful, but could he really confront them in front of the Gu family elders? So, he bravely provoked.
"You're Gu Yao's lover, right? Able to do shameless things with Gu Yao on Grandfather's birthday. Truly a scum!"
"Noisy! Get lost!" Cold light flashed in Chi Changye's eyes as he sternly rebuked.
The leader, already stepping into the ranks of intermediate alchemists, blushed under the public reprimand. If it weren't for the vigilant Tian family guards, he might have signaled for an attack.
Unwilling to leave without seeing Gu Yao, they failed to notice that besides Tian family guards, there were cultivators from other factions watching them with a hint of mockery.
These self-important individuals were a step too late. Unaware that Gu Yao was currently inside the tent refining pills, initially, his aura remained concealed due to Chi Changye's formation.
Although they harbored doubts about Gu Yao's alchemy skills, they wouldn't challenge him at this moment. Whether Gu Yao has the ability or not, they'll wait to see if he can produce pills.
"Big brother, do you think these guys are foolish? They call Gu Yao a discarded member themselves, so why are they coming to our Tian family to look for the discarded member of the Gu family?" Tian Fei Rong said indifferently.
Tian Fei Yang glanced at his younger brother. What's not easy to understand about this? These are just people with narrow perspectives, thinking the Gu family's alchemy is unparalleled, unaware of the vast world outside. Such people would only embarrass themselves if they ventured out. Chi Changye's displayed strength impressed him, proving what Aunt said. Gu Yan's standing isn't as significant as they think, and one should have a broader perspective in the outside world.
Although the tent's aura didn't leak much initially, at the moment of pill refinement, the enticing fragrance of the pill drifted out. This made the waiting cultivators outside shine with excitement, all focusing on the tent. If it could materialize, the tent would have been pierced long ago.
"This is... the Returning Yuan Pill?" A member of the Gu family sniffed uncertainly, and others exchanged glances. The fragrance emanating from the tent is indeed, and could it be that Gu Yao has truly refined the Returning Yuan Pill? How is that possible?
The leading member of the Gu family had a fluctuating expression, turning pale and then green. After a short while, the fragrance of the pill diminished, but a voice came from the tent, "Brother Ye, the pill is ready."
Ignoring the various gazes outside, Chi Changye turned with his sword and entered the tent. In no time, he emerged with a jade bottle. Before he could announce the name, an excited cultivator ran over, "Is it my pill? Is it the Returning Yuan Pill refined by Master Gu Yao for me?"
Chi Changye tossed the jade bottle to the cultivator and calmly said, "Indeed, it's your Returning Yuan Pill."
The cultivator quickly opened the bottle to check. His excitement escalated as he threw a bag of spirit beads to Chi Changye and hurriedly ran off, as if afraid someone might snatch them.
Chi Changye tilted the bag in his hand, revealing over a thousand spirit beads. It seemed this person was quite sincere, but Gu Yao's pills were worth others spending a hefty sum.
Although others were slow to react, they soon snapped out of it. Did that guy run so fast because he thought they hadn't noticed? The Returning Yuan Pills in the jade bottle were all high and medium grades, not a single low-grade, making their gazes towards the tent burn with intensity.
"Master Gu Yao's alchemy is indeed superb. I've never seen any alchemist produce pills at such a speed with such quality."
"That's right. The more low-key, the deeper the hidden skills."
"Young Master Chi, does Master Gu Yao still take orders? I have some spirit herbs here, Young Master Chi, please consider..." A cultivator approached with a flattering expression.
Chi Changye replied calmly, "Gu Yao needs to recuperate. If you can wait, he will take orders, but there's no guarantee of immediate success."
"No problem, no problem. I can wait. Let Master Gu Yao adjust himself properly for alchemy! I understand the rules!" The cultivator quickly shook his head and waved his hand, jokingly acknowledging that it was crucial for Master Gu Yao to be in the best condition before alchemy. Otherwise, it would be a waste of the provided spirit herbs.
If, unfortunately, the pills were not successfully made, it would be considered their own misfortune. No alchemist could guarantee a successful pill in every attempt, even if they were a grandmaster.
Chi Changye then accepted the cultivator's spirit herbs and turned to deliver them to Gu Yao. In truth, the Soul Refining Technique used by Gu Yao didn't make him appear as exhausted as others might think. He just didn't want to reveal too much, so after finishing one batch of pills, he took out the Spirit Gathering Plate to meditate and practice.
Chi Changye knew that Gu Yao's condition was good, so he didn't say anything and left after leaving the spirit herbs. He continued to guard outside the tent, preventing any disturbance.
The members of the Gu family wanted to say something, but after opening their mouths, they couldn't utter a single word. When Gu Yao started refining the second batch of pills, and the fragrance wafted out again, the embarrassed Gu family members hurriedly retreated to their own territory with red faces. To other cultivators, even if no unpleasant words were spoken, it seemed like they were being openly mocked, and their faces were slapped resoundingly.
As a result, such situations frequently occurred on the remaining journey. Gu Yao became the most popular person, second only to Tian Ru, a Foundation Establishment cultivator. Although he couldn't guarantee a hundred percent success in pill refining, if the materials were wasted, Gu Yao not only wouldn't accept the other party's spirit beads but would also compensate with his own pills or talismans drawn by Chi Changye. Thus, it was a joyous arrangement for everyone.
The most displeased were the members of the Gu family. They felt that Gu Yao intentionally overshadowed them, but Gu Yao's success rate and the quality of the pills consistently made them anxious. So, no one from the Gu family dared to challenge Gu Yao publicly in alchemy, fearing self-inflicted humiliation. Privately, mentioning him was enough to make them grit their teeth in resentment.
The mood in the Lu family wasn't great either. If the Lu family hadn't broken off the engagement with Gu Yao, he would have been the future son-in-law of the Lu family, and they could naturally ask him for pills. Others would also look up to them, but alas, all of that was now nonexistent.
However, the guards of the Gu family and the cultivators who depended on the Gu family felt complicated. Although they also wished to gather their spirit herbs and seek pills from Gu Yao, they were aware that doing so would be a blatant slap in the face of the Gu family. Unable to withstand such consequences, they could only envy others in their hearts.
In this situation, they finally reached the location of the Ascension Conference, a city called Ten Directions City.
The closer they got to Ten Directions City, the fewer demonic beasts they encountered, and it was no longer a desolate scene. They occasionally met other teams participating in the Ascension Conference and even witnessed conflicts between groups.
Before entering the city, the team leader warned the younger members of their family to lower their airs after entering Ten Directions City. There were many Foundation Establishment cultivators inside, and the city lord might even be a Core Formation cultivator. Yuan Yang Town didn't rank high among many cultivation towns, so if they provoked other forces, the family might not be able to protect them. In extreme cases, sacrificing individuals for the sake of the family was possible.
As they finally arrived at the destination, the city known as Ten Directions City, the number of demonic beasts decreased, and the scenery became more populated. It was time to prepare for the Ascension Conference, where various challenges awaited them.
Some young masters and misses who had never left the influence of Yuan Yang Town felt uneasy after hearing these warnings. Were they supposed to act like shrinking turtles after entering the city? However, when they saw the carriages used by others and flying magical tools passing overhead, their reluctance faded a bit, replaced by envy.
Gu Yao, of course, wouldn't stay in the carriage. He walked into the city with Chi Changye. Observing the pedestrians around, curiosity flashed in his eyes. "I heard that Ten Directions City is full of cultivators, with no ordinary mortals. How many cultivators must there be?"
Just by looking at it from a distance, one could tell that this city was very large, not much smaller than a city in the Interstellar Alliance. If it were an ordinary city for regular people, Gu Yao wouldn't be surprised, but the fact that it was exclusively inhabited by cultivators exceeded his imagination. Forgive him; he was a cultivator from a humble background with limited exposure.
Chi Changye's eyes glinted with a smile. "This city is not considered too large. In the future, Little Yao will have the chance to witness even larger cultivation cities."
Xu Chen in his mind sneered, "Rare sights make you marvel. This city, which is nothing special, actually makes you exclaim. Don't embarrass yourself."
Gu Yao treated Xu Chen's words as if they were the wind brushing past his ears. So what if he had limited exposure? Everyone climbed up from the Foundation Building stage slowly.
Gu Yao and Chi Changye naturally followed the Tian family. Safety in numbers was always preferable. Other cultivators who relied on the protection of the Tian family left on their own, finding their places to stay. They planned to reunite with the Tian family after the Ascension Conference. The Gu family and the Lu family members each had their destinations. Without the various gazes monitoring them in the absence of the Gu and Lu families, Gu Yao felt considerably more relaxed.
Although the presence of Foundation Establishment cultivators wasn't surprising here, with Tian Ru leading the way, the Tian family found an inn for lodging. Gu Yao and Chi Changye were accommodated in a small courtyard with Tian Second Young Master. As soon as they settled in, Tian Second Young Master couldn't wait and came to knock on their door, inviting them to explore Ten Directions City together.
Tian Second Young Master's purpose in coming here wasn't to participate in the Ascension Conference but to experience the vibrancy and liveliness of Ten Directions City. So, staying in the inn was out of the question. Tian Eldest Young Master was worried, so he followed along.
Gu Yao also had the same intention, so he happily joined Tian Second Young Master, pulling Chi Changye along. Knowing that the expenses here were high, he felt justified after all the hard work he went through refining pills and selling them.