Chi Changye waited outside the temporary Dan Shi Hall. When Gu Yao came out and saw him looking in a certain direction, there seemed to be a lot of noise outside. Just when she was about to ask something, Yan Danshi ran out from inside and excitedly said, "Han Chi Danshi from Changxian Gate has arrived. I heard that he has been invited to the Lord's Mansion. We will definitely have a chance to see Danshi Han later."
Gu Yao looked at Chi Changye in surprise, and he nodded and said, "Just now, a team of people passed by. The person being escorted was indeed Danshi Han Chi. The scene was quite grand, and the cultivators in the city seemed to have high expectations for Danshi Han."
Gu Yao had no intention of staying to watch and informed Yan Danshi that she had something to attend to. Then she and Chi Changye left the temporary Dan Shi Hall. However, instead of immediately going back, they went to the street outside. The street was originally quite deserted, but it became lively again because of the arrival of Danshi Han.Gu Yao, however, did not share their optimism. The situation was originally closely related to Changxian Gate, so why would they send people over now? "Brother Ye, do you think Changxian Gate is really willing to provide the antidote?" His greater suspicion was whether the person who created this poison had the antidote in their hands.
Chi Changye sighed and said, "We have to put on a show, at least. For the Lord at this time, having a sixth-grade Danshi join is a desired outcome."
Gu Yao mentioned the scarcity of materials. Without enough materials, even the most skillful woman cannot cook without rice. Now that Han Chi has arrived, he cannot expose his identity even more. As they walked and talked, suddenly a passerby grabbed Gu Yao's neck and started shouting, veins popping on his forehead. Someone nearby shouted, "Uh oh, he's definitely been affected!"
Immediately, an alarm sounded, and a team of guards quickly flew over from the sky, surrounding him in mid-air. Each cultivator flew out a chain in their hands and quickly bound the limbs and body of the affected cultivator. They took him away in this position. The cultivators around them finally breathed a sigh of relief, and the topic shifted from Danshi Han to the affected cultivator. They wondered when these days would finally come to an end.When the two returned to their residence, Lou Huaijing and Ying Muqing had also come back. They returned specifically because Han Chi had arrived. "Not only did Han Chi come, but Ning Hui is here too. Be careful, especially since he has seen you."
Lou Huaijing was somewhat worried. As both were alchemists, they must have had some interactions. He was concerned that Ning Hui might recognize Gu Yao, which would be detrimental to him. On the other hand, Lou Huaijing and Ying Muqing would be less recognizable, considering they had fewer opportunities for contact compared to Gu Yao.
"I understand. You also be careful. If it's not working out, we can leave," Gu Yao replied. He wasn't insistent on staying here to continue his research. He had collected all the necessary toxin samples, so he could conduct his research elsewhere. Staying here was mainly because it was the frontline of the incident, and he could exchange ideas with other alchemists, benefiting from collective knowledge.
However, Gu Yao was disappointed to find that the atmosphere for alchemist interaction here was not as vibrant as the alchemist guild on Tianlin Continent. Additionally, there was a strong hierarchical structure, making it challenging for him to participate actively. Most of the time, he quietly listened to others.
"That works," Lou Huaijing replied without much pressure. With the safety of their Patriarch ensured, his concerns were significantly reduced.
Just when Gu Yao was contemplating whether to leave, Tian Feirong and Xiao Pangzi, who had been out of contact for a while, finally got in touch with them. Gu Yao had sent them a message when they returned to land, but perhaps the distance was too great, and it was out of communication range, leading to the prolonged silence.Upon learning about the whereabouts of Gu Yao and Chi Changye, the two were about to rush over for a reunion, but Chi Changye stopped them. Instead, he made alternative arrangements and informed them of measures to defend against the creatures outside the city. Although they hadn't found a way to cure the affected cultivators, there were various methods to enhance defense.
Inside the Lord's Mansion.
A subordinate alchemist reporting to Ning Hui said, "... how can those ragtag group compare to Senior Brother Ning? I see them as a waste of time, taking advantage of Lord Guan's opportunity. Otherwise, how could they have a chance to get so many spirit herbs? Look at what results they've produced so far. When Senior Brother Ning and Senior Brother Han came over, they were all respectful, trying to show off in front of Senior Brother Han."
Ning Hui listened casually, not taking it too seriously. He was more concerned about another issue. "Are you sure there are no suspicious alchemists in the Alchemist Guild?"
The reporting alchemist reassured him, "Senior Brother Ning, rest assured. Those alchemists are just good-for-nothings. I've had someone keeping an eye on them. If anything unusual happens, I'll inform Senior Brother Ning immediately."
Ning Hui waved his hand, dismissing him. Since he arrived here, thoughts of Gu Yao from Tianlin Continent came to mind. He dared not underestimate the strength of this person. Though he didn't show it on his face, the incident with Li Qi made him more cautious. Even though there was no concrete evidence, even disciples within the sect suspected Li Qi of stealing someone else's spirit-refining pill formula.
Over time, Li Qi couldn't maintain his previous level of alchemical skill. Once this came to light, people believed he was guilty of theft. Now, even Master Han Chi no longer summoned Li Qi to his side. It was a clear signal that Master had given up on Li Qi.
Otherwise, the opportunity for this trip would have belonged to Li Qi, not him, Ning Hui.Ning Hui couldn't claim sympathy for Li Qi's fate. He wasn't sure if he could have controlled his desires if such a renowned opportunity had been presented to him back then. Fortunately, Li Qi had taken the lead, sparing Ning Hui from that chance. Otherwise, Li Qi's current fate might have been his.
Since Gu Yao appeared in Fengyan City, there had been no further updates. Ning Hui had an intuition that this guy was definitely alive and well somewhere, ready to emerge unexpectedly. Hence, he arrived here with a sense of suspicion, thinking that Gu Yao might be hiding within the Alchemist Guild. As a result, he ordered an investigation into the circumstances of those alchemists.
Ning Hui's intuition proved keen.
After a few days, Ning Hui noticed a decreasing supply of spirit herbs. Feeling uneasy, he sent someone to inquire about the situation. Before long, Liu, the reporting alchemist, returned and truthfully reported that the city was facing severe shortages in various resources, especially spirit herbs. External merchants were unwilling to take risks and deliver supplies.
The Lord of Guan City was also troubled. He had expected Han Chi's arrival to bring a batch of spirit herb resources, but now it seemed they had to be gathered from their own stores. It was as if a bigger appetite had come, and he feared that, without a solution to the poison and with the diminishing supply of spirit herbs, they might run out before the antidote was developed.
Just as the Lord considered whether to personally lead a team outside, a subordinate rushed in with joy, exclaiming, "Lord, good news! The Merchant Alliance has sent people to assist us. They've brought a batch of much-needed spirit herb resources!"
"Really? That's fantastic! I will personally go and welcome them!" Overjoyed, the Lord decided that the Merchant Alliance's aid was the much-needed relief. He led a large escort to repel the monsters and welcomed the Merchant Alliance's convoy into the city. Many cultivators in the city spontaneously came out to greet the arrival of the Merchant Alliance.
Gu Yao and Chi Changye stood by the window of a roadside tavern, watching the bustling crowd below.Gu Yao chuckled, saying, "It's Qi, the manager, leading the team. The Lord personally escorts them; it seems they highly value the Merchant Alliance's arrival."
Chi Changye smirked, "They have to value it. If this continues, they'll run out of supplies. To maintain the position of city lord, they must resolve the monster issue."
Coincidentally, on the opposite side's window stood Ning Hui and his disciple Liu Dan Shi. Seeing the scene below, Liu Dan Shi expressed displeasure, "When we came here the other day, we didn't receive such a grand reception. It's just a Merchant Alliance; can they compare to our Longevity Sect and a sixth-grade alchemist?"
Ning Hui, observing the city lord in the crowd, replied, "Now that someone is willing to come, it's a good thing for the city lord. Whoever helps him solve the problem, he will welcome with open arms. If someone can help him produce the antidote, he'll treat that person as an honored guest."
Liu Dan Shi confidently said, "Just an antidote, where's the difficulty when we have Master Han and Senior Ning? Give it some time, and the city lord will realize how wrong his approach has been."
Ning Hui, however, didn't agree. He furrowed his brows slightly. For some reason, each time he entered his master's alchemy room and saw his master's troubled expression, he had a bad premonition. If his master, a skilled alchemist, was helpless against this poison, he didn't know where to turn.
Ning Hui didn't recognize Gu Yao and Chi Changye across the street, but they recognized him. Yet, they casually glanced over and only discussed him after returning to their seats. Gu Yao noticed that Ning Hui looked somewhat different from the person they encountered in the secret realm.Since Ning Hui's arrival, he had heard mentions of Ning Hui and Li Qi in the Alchemist Guild. Many alchemists mocked Li Qi for his disgraceful actions, considering it shameful for an alchemist from a prestigious sect to behave in such a manner. They even speculated that Li Qi might be connected to the rumors about the Poison Alchemist being Yao Dan Shi.
As the crowds dispersed on the street, the members of the Merchant Alliance naturally headed to the City Lord's residence, receiving a warm welcome. Gu Yao and Chi Changye, however, stayed in the tavern. Before long, footsteps sounded on the stairs, followed by a knock on the private room's door.
"Come in."
A spiritual technique was cast, opening the door as two unfamiliar male cultivators entered. After they closed the door behind them, Chi Changye cast another spiritual technique, ensuring that the room was shielded from eavesdropping.
"Changye, Gu Yao, we've missed you so much!" The composure of the man who walked in first disappeared, and he eagerly extended his arms toward Gu Yao.
However, before he could reach Gu Yao, Chi Changye intercepted and coldly gave him a brief hug, then patted his shoulder, prompting the cultivator to show a wry smile.
Gu Yao also stood up, joyfully hugging him, "Tian Er, you're still the same. How's the little chubby guy?" He then turned to give a quick hug to the person behind.
The little chubby guy was also excited. They hadn't been apart for such a long time, and considering the precarious situation outside, they were constantly worried about Gu Yao and the others. "We're fine, although we encountered some challenges, we overcame them safely. How about you? We couldn't reach you all this time."
Not fully trusting the environment, the little chubby guy specifically set up an additional array before comfortably sitting at the table.The four of them sat together, sharing countless stories and experiences since they parted. Chi Changye had a smile on his lips, and truth be told, his bond with Tian Feirong and the little chubby guy had deepened compared to his previous relationships with fellow disciples. Observing the cautious actions of the two and sensing the increased strength in their auras, Chi Changye couldn't help but feel a sense of pride.
The experiences of Gu Yao and Chi Changye left Tian Feirong and the little chubby guy astonished. They had never imagined that the two of them had come close to becoming the creatures that now roamed outside. When the monsters appeared, Tian Feirong and the little chubby guy had speculated that it might be related to the faction they were investigating. After all, Elder Yin had mentioned peculiar cultivators, and even disciples from the Longevity Sect, Lou Huaijing and Ying Muqing, had ended up in dire straits. It was unclear whether they should pity Gu Yao and Chi Changye or not.
Tian Feirong and the little chubby guy's encounters were not as thrilling as those of Gu Yao and Chi Changye. Nevertheless, they had been targeted by the Longevity Sect a few times, mainly due to their intentional disruptions and chaos creation. They would intentionally cause disturbances, robbing a Longevity Sect spirit stone mine one day and taking valuable treasures from Longevity Sect disciples the next. Their simple plan was to create chaos, knowing that Gu Yao and Chi Changye wanted to infiltrate the Longevity Sect for investigation. Thus, they deliberately caused chaos to muddy the waters.
This strategy was similar to what Zhang Qianzhi had done before. It was unclear if their actions had any effect, but back then, no one bothered to verify the identities of those rogue cultivators, and they were directly sent to the island in the Bloodthirsty Forest.
Over time, they were pursued and intercepted by disciples from the Longevity Sect. During their escape, they fell into a dangerous situation but unexpectedly gained some opportunities within. After coming out, they behaved more modestly, seeking to gather information while remaining hidden. However, by that time, Gu Yao and Chi Changye had already been sent to the island.
They occasionally kept in touch with Zhang Qianzhi's pavilion. Later, when the monsters appeared, they also participated in the efforts to eliminate the creatures. After one such operation, they received messages from both Qianfeng Pavilion and Gu Yao, so they decided to follow the line suggested by Gu Yao and took the Merchant Alliance's transportation to come over.Tian Feirong took out a storage ring and handed it to Gu Yao, saying, "This is given to you by Master Zhang Ge. It's not included in that batch of supplies." Gu Yao scanned it with his divine sense and was overjoyed. All the materials he had listed were collected, and he also received many spirit herbs that were not listed on his list. Moreover, the quantity was very abundant, which was exactly what he needed most. Even if the Chamber of Commerce sent a batch of supplies, they would mainly be for Han Chi, the alchemist. There wouldn't be much left for him.
"Thank you! You guys risked so much to deliver it to me this time," Gu Yao said with a smile as he looked at Tian Feirong and Xiao Pangzi.
"We are good brothers!" Tian Feirong waved his hand with a heroic demeanor."Tsk, it's all because Master Zhang Ge sent Senior Yuan Ying to protect us, otherwise it would be really difficult to deal with those monsters outside. Brother Chi, you guys don't know, those demonic beasts outside have also turned into monsters."