Chapter 117 - 4-10

Chapter 4: How About Older Sister Marries You_1

"What!" 

Yang Caidie covered her heaving chest, her face pale with fright, and said with a lisp, "You said, you said Yang Chen went to gamble with someone again?" 

"Yes, that's right." Gu Mingyue's cheeks flushed. 

Just as she was about to explain, Yang Caidie covered her head and fell heavily onto the bed, asking weakly, "How much did he gamble this time?" 

"Three hundred..." Gu Mingyue told her without any omissions. 

"Three hundred... Why is it three hundred again?" Yang Caidie felt bitter; the last time he gambled with the Wang Family, it was three hundred, and this time it was still three hundred. 

Why did her younger brother get involved with this three hundred? 

But soon, she resignedly said, "Three hundred it is then. As his older sister, I can afford it. Go tell Yang Chen that as a True Man, success and failure are common in the affairs of soldiers. He must not be discouraged and must not attempt to take his own life again. Three hundred Spirit Stones, I can still afford to lose." 

Obviously, in Yang Caidie's eyes, her younger brother was more important, and if she lost three hundred Spirit Stones, she lost them. 

Seeing Yang Caidie's heartbroken expression, Gu Mingyue blinked and said, "Well, Young Lady. Actually, this time Young Master... He..." 

"What's wrong? Did he gamble more than three hundred?" Yang Caidie widened her eyes, and she had just over three hundred Spirit Stones left. If there were any more, she really wouldn't be able to get them out. 

"No, no, I mean, Young Master gambled three hundred Spirit Stones this time, but the final result might be a bit different from what you think. Young Master... Young Master won." Gu Mingyue said. 

Hearing this, Yang Caidie didn't show a surprised expression, but instead patted Gu Mingyue on the head, "Mingyue, are you sick? As his older sister, how could I not know how much my younger brother weighs? That Yang Heng, a Tier 1 Middle-Stage Alchemy Master, even our Yang Family Grand Alchemy Master Second Master praised him, saying his Alchemy Talent is unmatched. Can my younger brother beat him? You're joking with me." 

Although she never blamed Yang Chen, as his older sister, she knew exactly what kind of person her younger brother was and what he was capable of. 

Her parents died early, and to put it bluntly, when her younger brother was young, she was the one who changed his diapers. She knew her brother all too well. But what could she do? He was her younger brother, and even if he was useless and a waste, he was still her brother. 

"It's true." Gu Mingyue didn't know how to explain and could only stubbornly mumble, "I saw it with my own eyes." 

"Really?" 

Gu Mingyue explained the ins and outs of the situation clearly. 

Yang Caidie was dumbfounded. 

She pinched her ear, "Am I dreaming?" 

"It should... not be a dream!" 

"What do you mean it should not be a dream?" 

"Because Mingyue feels like she's dreaming..." 

Yang Caidie slapped the table hard, then paused for a moment, "My hand hurts, so it seems I'm not dreaming. My brother, Yang Chen, actually won? Three hundred Spirit Stones, hahaha, three hundred Spirit Stones." 

A surprised expression burst across Yang Caidie's face. 

Gu Mingyue's face also beamed with joy. 

Yang Caidie slapped the table again, causing the table to wobble unsteadily, "Mingyue, what's my brother's favorite food? Today, I, as his older sister, will cook it for him. Whatever he wants to eat, I'll cook it. Three hundred Spirit Stones, that's so satisfying. I want to kiss my brother and see if he's come to his senses!" 

... 

Yang Chen took a small tour around the Yang family, visiting a few familiar places from his memory, before leisurely returning. Back at home, it was noon time, and he knew his sister Yang Caidie must be preparing meals for him. 

As expected, when Yang Chen pushed open the door, he was greeted by the fragrant aroma of food. The scent filled his nostrils, making him feel refreshed. In his previous life, he had not entered the Martial Arts world and could not avoid food. However, this was the first time he had encountered food with such a warm and homey fragrance. 

Yang Caidie... 

Yang Chen had an instinctive aversion to women because of the harm inflicted on him by Hua Wanru, so he was wary of anyone. However, when it came to his elder sister Yang Caidie, he could not feel any aversion at all, so he could not help but feel a genuine sense of family and love. 

"Yang Chen, you're back?" Yang Caidie said with a beaming smile, "See what your elder sister has cooked for you today? Braised goose, your favorite! Let me tell you, your sister has improved a lot in her cooking skills these days. I'll fatten you up for sure, haha!" 

Seeing his sister's candid laughter, Yang Chen knew Gu Mingyue had told Yang Caidie about his winning three hundred Spirit Stones. 

He smiled faintly then took out all three hundred Spirit Stones from his storage ring and said, "Sister, I'll give these Spirit Stones back to you." 

"Why are you giving them back to me?"Yang Caidie chewed her food. 

"Didn't I lose three hundred Spirit Stones? You helped me cover it at the time, so now I'm returning it to you!" Yang Chen replied. 

Yang Caidie blinked, "Let me tell you something, Yang Chen, all you need to understand is one thing. You are the only man of our lineage; in simple terms, you are the only one with the responsibility of carrying on the family line. So, your sister's things are yours, and yours, well, they are still yours. There's no need to give them to me." 

Yang Chen was completely dumbfounded. 

What kind of logic was that? 

Could this even make sense? 

"Sister..." 

"I've said that I don't want it. Hurry up and eat the goose." Yang Caidie ordered.Yang Chen looked embarrassed and then said, "Older Sister, actually, I have something to discuss with you today." 

"What is it?" Yang Caidie blinked her eyes. 

Yang Chen picked up a piece of goose meat and found it quite delicious. While chewing, he said, "I want to practice martial arts!" 

"No way!" Yang Caidie said seriously. 

Yang Chen slapped his forehead, knowing it would be like this. 

From the memory of this body's Yang Chen, he had digested everything just now. It could be said that Yang Caidie never thought of letting her brother practice martial arts. 

As expected, Yang Caidie put her chopsticks down and wiped her mouth, "Listen, my treasure. You know that your older sister is the number one genius among the women of the Yang family. How formidable is that black-haired wolf from the Sun Family who used to bully you? The equivalent of the Body Refining Realm Third Layer, your older sister just cut it down with one strike. You just focus on alchemy, it's not so hard. Practicing martial arts is more difficult and bitter, right? You'll be sweating all over every day. What if you get hurt? Wouldn't your older sister be heartbroken?" 

"But if I don't practice martial arts, how can I protect myself?" Yang Chen tried to persuade Yang Caidie. 

Yang Caidie raised her eyebrows, "I will protect you." 

"..." 

Yang Chen said unhappily, "Older Sister, you should think carefully. In the future, I will marry and have children. We can't live together forever. Can you take care of me and protect me for a lifetime? Fine, even if you can protect me for a lifetime, will you also protect my children?" 

Hearing Yang Chen's words, Gu Mingyue, who was eating at the side, felt that what Yang Chen said made sense. 

She is a maid, so she can't sit at the table to eat. Yang Caidie had told her that as well, but she felt that this was the rule and couldn't break it. So every time they had a meal, Yang Chen and Yang Caidie sat at the table, and she stood on the side. However, she could clearly hear their conversation. N/nêw n0vel chap/ers are published o/n n0v/e/(lb)i(n.)co/m

Yang Caidie, listening to Yang Chen's words, blinked her big eyes, looking cute and playful. It seemed that she also thought what Yang Chen said made sense. After considering it for a while, she finally seemed to make up her mind, "It makes sense. How about this? You're still underage now. After the coming-of-age ceremony in three months, you'll be an adult, and I will marry you. That way, I can protect you for a lifetime." 

At first, Yang Chen thought he finally persuaded his somewhat-explosive older sister with his eloquence. 

But soon he found out. 

My God, he is too naive. 

This older sister of his is really extraordinary. In order to protect him, she is even willing to marry him. 

Yang Chen knew it could work. 

Because Yang Caidie is not his biological sister; she was picked up by his parents. But, how her background came to be, he didn't know. Of course, he knew that he couldn't take this seriously, because his older sister had said many nonsense things in the past. 

Maybe it was just Yang Caidie's way of appeasing him. 

But one thing he noticed. 

Indulgence. 

This is true indulgence. 

Yes, Yang Caidie's love for Yang Chen is indeed indulgent. 

Now he finally understood why Yang Caidie's brother Yang Chen was so useless. How could he not be useless? With such an indulgent older sister, it would be strange if her brother wasn't useless. 

Yang Chen's talent in martial arts was actually not bad, even slightly better than Yang Heng's, but Yang Caidie didn't want Yang Chen to suffer. She didn't allow him to practice martial arts, and instead had him study alchemy because alchemy wasn't as hard as martial arts. However, the result was that 'Yang Chen' didn't have a talent for alchemy. 

As a result, this 'Yang Chen' found that both martial arts and alchemy were not his strengths, and eventually embarked on the path of a hedonist. However, his older sister always covered for him, no matter what he did. 

This made the current Yang Chen take a deep breath. 

He also knew clearly that Yang Caidie's indulgence was indeed out of love for her brother, but he couldn't let this situation continue to develop in a bad direction. 

With this in mind, he said, "Sis, are you serious?" 

"Uh... Anyway, you just don't practice martial arts." Yang Caidie replied earnestly. 

"Bang!" 

Yang Chen slammed the table violently and said fiercely, "Today, I will practice martial arts no matter what. Older Sister, I want to walk my own path. Even if you have ten thousand reasons, have you ever seen a man who lets a woman stand in front of him to protect him? I, Yang Chen, will never be the first man to hide behind a woman." 

"Since I am the only man in our family, I must take on the responsibility of being the only man!" 

When these words fell, Yang Chen turned and left. 

He wasn't really angry but had to be more decisive about important matters. If he continued to be weak on this issue and hesitated, Yang Caidie would only treat him as a child who would never grow up. He needed her to know that a man is a man! 

Yang Caidie was indeed frightened by Yang Chen's attitude. Honestly, this was the first time she saw her brother display such a manly attitude. 

"Ah, Ming Yue, did you see that?" 

"I saw it..." Gu Mingyue wiped her mouth vigorously, seemingly unable to believe it. 

Yang Caidie swallowed her saliva hard: "Just now, my brother seemed quite manly." 

Has Yang Chen finally come to his senses in the nick of time? "Not just seemed, definitely manly." Gu Mingyue said.

Chapter 5: Alchemy Insights_1

Yang Chen returned to his room and began sorting out his thoughts. 

Indeed, Yang Caidie was not his biological sister; she was the adopted child of his current body's parents. Put bluntly, they had no blood relation. As for who Yang Caidie's birth family was, no one knew. 

As for Yang Chen's parents, he couldn't even remember their faces within his memories. All he knew was that they had ventured into the Great Wild Hundred Clans in their youth and moved to the bustling area of ??North Mountain County. 

They had not returned for more than a decade, and no one knew whether they were alive or dead. In contrast, he and Yang Caidie were left as orphans, and their status in the Yang family was extremely awkward. 

As the saying goes, a child without a mother is like a blade of grass... 

If it weren't for Yang Caidie's astonishing talent, showing that she was no weaker than the men in the Yang family at such a young age, Yang Chen might have been expelled from the family register long ago. 

However, even so, if it were the old Yang Chen, he would have been expelled in the coming three months. 

Why would it be so? 

In three months, it would be the Yang family's Coming of Age Ceremony. 

This is a Clan Gathering that every young Yang family member must go through. It is a test for the young members of the Yang family. Only after passing this Clan Gathering will they truly gain the acceptance of the Yang family. Half a year ago, the Yang family had promulgated a new system: if the younger generation of the Yang family, who are participating in the Coming of Age Ceremony, did not show the strength of the First Layer Body Refining, they would be immediately removed from the family register. 

Being removed from the family register, simply put, means exile, being gradually marginalized by the Yang family. Whether you live or die, no one will care. 

Yang Caidie also knew about this. However, she had the mentality of "a dead pig is not afraid of hot water." With her protecting her younger brother, even if Yang Chen were to be expelled from the family register, she would still support him. 

But Yang Chen didn't want to be so humiliated as to be expelled from the family register at the Coming of Age Ceremony. 

"First Layer Body Refining..." Yang Chen muttered, "I'll set this as my goal for now. Otherwise, if I get expelled from the family register at the Coming of Age Ceremony, the lack of resources would be a huge problem." 

He gradually formed a plan in his mind. 

In his previous life, what he was best at was digging out a person's talent, using alchemy, various Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures, to cultivate a person with martial aptitude into an outstanding genius. For him, Yang Chen's current awkward position in the Yang family and rumors of his incompetence might cause some minor obstacles, but ultimately, none of these were major issues. 

However, the most troublesome issue now was a lack of resources, as his position in the Yang family was too awkward and he had no access to any. 

He possessed vast knowledge, but he was broke and penniless. 

Fortunately, he had a clear plan in his heart, and he murmured, "The most outstanding alchemist in the Yang family is the Second Master, one of the seven patriarchs of the Yang family. Today is his lecture day, and it is said that those who can please him will receive many rewards." 

Yang Chen was very interested in this "reward." As soon as he thought of it, he immediately set off. 

"Young Master, are you going out?" 

A smile appeared on the face of a servant who was sweeping the courtyard in Yang Chen's residence. 

Yang Chen glanced at the middle-aged servant and nodded, but he didn't have much affection for the man. This servant was called Zhou Huaiyi, and he was responsible for cleaning up the clutter in the Yang family courtyard. He was in his thirties and treated people respectfully. However, since being betrayed by Hua Wanru, Yang Chen's ability to observe people had improved. 

Zhou Huaiyi's eyes were filled with cunning and defiance. Although he seemed respectful, no one knew what he was thinking. 

But Zhou Huaiyi was just a servant, so Yang Chen didn't pay much attention to him. He nodded slightly, said nothing, and went straight to Elder Yang's place. 

Elder Yang, the most talented alchemist in the Yang family, was said to have reached the intermediate level of a Second Grade Alchemist at this age, making him the number one alchemist in the family. He was also considered a top-notch alchemist among the Great Wild Hundred Clans. 

This elder had the only Pill Refining Room in the Yang family, which was what Yang Chen cared about the most. 

... 

"During alchemy, the most important thing is the furnace fire, followed by adjusting and controlling the process. Your understanding and control of both will determine the quality and quantity of the final elixir," Elder Yang said as he sat at the top of the Pill Refining Room, stroking his white beard, lecturing the Yang family's alchemy descendants below him. 

At that moment, a sudden commotion occurred, causing Elder Yang to frown in annoyance. He saw the source of the noise was a young man from the Yang family suddenly appearing in the classroom. 

This young man of the Yang family was none other than Yang Chen who had rushed over from outside. 

"Yang Chen, didn't you hang yourself? How could you still come to listen to Elder's lecture?" A teenager sarcastically said, his words filled with disdain for Yang Chen. 

Yang Chen had long been the subject of mockery among many young members of the Yang family, mainly because he was too incompetent. 

Now that someone had taken the lead, laughter continued to pour in. The next moment, someone laughed even louder, "Yang Chen, you gambled with the Wang family and lost even your open-crotch pants. You didn't produce a single elixir with three furnaces of alchemy materials. If I were you, I would have hanged myself. But instead, you come to listen to Elder's lecture; that's simply an insult to Elder! You've already lost face for the Yang family; don't lose face for Elder too." 

Yang Heng, who had gambled with Yang Chen in the morning, was also among them. Now that he saw Yang Chen coming, his anger could not be contained. 

He didn't know how in the world Yang Chen had managed to refine those four Reverting Bone Pills. He only felt that Yang Chen had some skill in the area of Reverting Bone Pills. Upon seeing Yang Chen now, he didn't hesitate to ridicule him, "Yang Chen, when Elder gives lectures, we attendees should be punctual. But you just burst in here. Do you even care about Elder at all?"Elder Yang didn't have a particularly good impression of Yang Chen either, especially knowing that Yang Chen lost to the Wang Family and had tarnished the reputation of the Yang family's alchemists. However, as an elder of the Yang family, when he saw the students making a commotion, he snorted coldly, "You're all acting so frivolously, where is your dignity? Have you forgotten to show me, your Second Master, any respect?" 

Upon hearing Elder Yang's words, these Yang family brothers stopped their improprieties and immediately apologized, "Second Master, we know we were wrong." 

Elder Yang wore a stern expression but did not attempt to help Yang Chen. He did not even glance at Yang Chen and directly said, "Yang Chen, my class has been going on for an hour, and you enter halfway through. Do you even have any respect for me, your Second Grandfather? Now, stand in the corner and listen." 

"Yes, Second Grandfather." Yang Chen understood the rules and had no intention of complaining. He definitely wouldn't humiliate himself by trying to argue, so he simply stood in the corner. 

Seeing Yang Chen's miserable appearance, Yang Heng laughed and felt a great deal of satisfaction. 

There were also many boys who laughed at Yang Chen. Seeing him like this, they made mocking gestures, showing off their prowess against Yang Chen. 

Yang Chen was not about to lower himself to the level of these members of the Yang family. With his hands behind his back, he was focused and meticulous. 

Elder Yang found this somewhat unexpected since Yang Chen had previously fallen asleep during his class. But now, Yang Chen appeared energetic, as if he meant to pay full attention to the class. 

With some questions in mind, Elder Yang did not stop the movements of his hands. He spoke slowly, "I've explained the principles already. Now, I am going to refine a batch of first-grade elixirs called Clear Flame Pills in front of you. This pill is a high-grade elixir among first-grade pills, very difficult to refine. If you can successfully refine it, you would reach the level of a Grade 1 high-rank Alchemist." 

"Next, I will begin refining. What you can learn from my techniques depends entirely on your destiny." 

After Elder Yang finished speaking, all of the Yang family members present held their breaths and carefully observed Elder Yang refining the pills. 

Yang Chen also observed, though he wasn't trying to learn. Although Elder Yang's alchemy level was regarded as legendary within the Yang family, making people admire it, Yang Chen didn't consider him much. He was observing Elder Yang's refining process with other thoughts in mind. 

What intrigued him was that Elder Yang's alchemy skills were much better than Yang Heng's half-baked methods. His technique could be described as skillful and proficient. He had clearly grasped many truths of alchemy. 

"Elder Yang knows to add materials before controlling the fire. It seems he knows some intricate details of alchemy." Yang Chen thought to himself. 

Elder Yang refined the pills meticulously. About half an hour later, the aroma from the alchemy furnace began to spread. He slapped the pill furnace, and with a bang, two smooth and round pills jumped out and landed in Elder Yang's hands. 

Elder Yang's old face revealed a smile, clearly satisfied with the results of the refining. He held the two pills and scanned the crowd. 

Upon seeing Elder Yang's miraculous alchemy skills, many of the Yang family juniors felt envious. But when they saw Elder Yang's gaze at this moment, they immediately became serious. 

Elder Yang stood up and said, "Tell me, during my refining process, I intentionally slowed down my steps and techniques to help you learn better. Who can tell me what they learned from watching my refining process?" 

When his words fell, there was silence. 

This made Elder Yang's expression increasingly difficult to maintain. 

At that moment, Yang Heng cautiously raised his hand and stood up. 

Elder Yang felt a slight moment of joy, "Yang Heng, what did you understand? Tell me." 

"Second Grandfather, when I observed your refining process, I noticed that you added the materials first, then used the Fire Control Wood to create the fire. This is different from the method of igniting the fire first and then adjusting the materials that you taught us before. I think that this step must be the key point for refining the Clear Flame Pills." Yang Heng spoke confidently. 

Elder Yang sighed, his eyes narrowing, "You've only seen the surface, but you haven't truly understood the essence. Sit down." 

His words were quite tactful. 

Yang Heng's answer was like a blindfolded person trying to hit a target; he hadn't even grasped the outer layer properly. 

He had originally thought that by refining a first-grade high-level elixir on the spot and teaching the process today, he could discover some alchemy geniuses among the younger generation of the Yang family before the Coming of Age Ceremony. But he didn't expect the result to be like this; the most outstanding alchemy genius, Yang Heng, could only provide such a reply. 

"Does anyone else here understand anything from my refining process just now?" Elder Yang asked with a solemn expression. 

"Second Grandfather, I..." 

Next, several other young members of the Yang family tried their luck by answering, hoping to please Elder Yang. After all, gaining Elder Yang's favor was a blessing for the younger generation. Everyone knew that Elder Yang had no descendants, his entire life had been devoted to alchemy and the protection of the Yang family. 

Gaining his favor meant receiving Elder Yang's true inheritance. 

However, the answers from these youngsters failed to please Elder Yang. Instead, the old man's expression became more and more displeased, showing signs of anger. 

"Your answers have disappointed me greatly! Do you really think you can trick me with your wild guesses? Alright, does anyone else want to answer?" Elder Yang sighed, having already lost hope at that point. 

It was at this moment that Yang Chen, who was standing in the corner, raised his hand. "Second Grandfather, I think I might have understood something." Yang Chen said without sadness or joy.

Chapter 6: A Repentant Prodigal Son is Worth More Than Gold_1

Yang Chen's words undoubtedly provoked laughter from the entire audience, with many people thinking that he was merely trying to attract attention. Yang Chen had done this sort of thing before, and in the end, every result proved that he was nothing more than a clown. 

Yang Heng couldn't help but scoff from his seat, quickly saying with a stern tone: "Yang Chen, Second Master's lecture is no place for your wild antics. You are wasting our time and Second Master's time." 

"Weren't you just wasting Second Master's time?" Yang Chen replied slowly. 

"How can we be the same as you!" As soon as Yang Heng heard this, he scolded, "Everyone knows that you lost 300 Spirit Stones to the Wang Family, haven't you disgraced yourself enough?" 

Yang Chen raised an eyebrow: "Oh? So you mean you also want to reveal who you lost your Spirit Stones to?" 

Hearing this, Yang Heng's expression changed rapidly: "Yang Chen, don't slander me!" 

"I haven't even mentioned how you lost your Spirit Stones yet, what are you so nervous about?" Yang Chen grinned. 

Yang Heng glared with eyes wide open: "Yang Chen, good, you've got guts!" 

Yang Chen twisted his neck; he wasn't afraid of Yang Heng's threats. He didn't take Yang Heng's words seriously at all. If Yang Heng really wanted to cause him trouble, he wouldn't mind exposing Yang Heng's 300 Spirit Stone loss. He was curious as to why Yang Heng, despite losing to him, could still be so cheerful. 

At this moment, Second Master Yang spoke up with an emotionless face: "Yang Chen, although Yang Heng's words were somewhat excessive, if you truly intend to rely on blind luck, then don't bother trying." 

It wasn't surprising that he looked down on Yang Chen, as Yang Chen's reputation was so notorious within the Yang Family that everyone knew about it. 

Yang Chen respectfully bowed: "Second Master, when I observed your alchemy just now, I noticed that you added the materials first and then waited for about a minute before starting the fire. During this minute, you did a lot in the cauldron. I observed that you seemed to arrange the materials in specific positions inside the cauldron... " 

"Yang Chen, what nonsense are you talking about, what does arrangement have to do with alchemy... " 

"Shut up." Second Master Yang couldn't help but get angry at this point. 

He looked at Yang Chen with astonishment, his beard trembling: "Yang Chen, continue talking, everyone else be quiet." 

What a strange turn of events. 

It wasn't surprising that he was so emotional, as Yang Chen's words finally provided him with the answer he wanted. Wasn't the whole point of his deliberate slowdown to give the people below a better understanding of the details of his alchemy? 

Yang Chen continued humbly: "I have a very shallow understanding of alchemy, so I don't know the true intentions behind Second Master's method. However, I noticed that while Second Master was controlling the fire, he deliberately manipulated it to concentrate in the middle position, which tells me that the materials placed in the middle of the cauldron must be treated with high heat, while those on the side only require low heat. From this, it's clear that while adjusting and controlling the fire are two different steps, controlling the fire is actually part of the adjustment process as well." 

"Good!" 

Second Master Yang was overjoyed, laughing heartily: "Yang Chen, your words have deeply comforted me. Yes, adjusting and controlling the fire are two separate processes and steps, but who can truly comprehend that controlling the fire is also part of the adjustment process? I just don't know how much of my alchemy technique you've grasped by now." 

"After thinking about it, I believe I've understood about 50%." Yang Chen scratched his head: "I think if Second Master does it one more time, I'll understand completely." 

Of course, he was being insincere when he said this. 

He understood the principles of Second Master Yang's shallow alchemy technique just from watching it once. 

His starting point was too high; he had once been called the number one alchemy genius. He didn't care about the top alchemists of the countryside, let alone the ones in the entire North Mountain County. If he couldn't even learn Yang's alchemy technique, there was no point in mentioning his once-esteemed title of alchemy genius. 

To be called a genius, not only should he be able to learn Second Master Yang's alchemy technique, but he should also be able to learn techniques that are millions of times more profound than Yang's. 

Saying he understood 50% was merely to avoid causing too big a shock. 

However, he still underestimated the remoteness of the Hundred Tribes of the Great Wilderness. Even though he only said he understood 50%, Second Master Yang still stared at him in surprise, as if he had seen a ghost. 

"Is this true?" Second Master Yang asked, his face full of astonishment. 

"Second Master, don't listen to him. He's just trying to attract attention!" Yang Heng, seeing Yang Chen seizing the limelight, was immediately unhappy. 

How could this be? 

How could Yang Chen win Second Master Yang's favor? 

"If you think I'm lying, then why don't you try it yourself?" Yang Chen said expressionlessly. 

Even a mudman has a temper, and this Yang Heng was playing with fire. 

Upon hearing Yang Chen's words, Yang Heng immediately wilted, but to let him give up that easily was evidently not so simple. Gritting his teeth, he said, "Second Master, Yang Chen was humiliated by the Wang Family just a while ago, even losing our family's Purple Furnace. He even almost hung himself. How can we believe the words of such a good-for-nothing?" 

One should not hit a person in the face or expose their short-comings. 

Yang Heng exposed Yang Chen's short-comings, clearly intending to burn bridges. 

This caused Second Master Yang's face to darken, clearly unhappy about Yang Heng's narrow-mindedness. 

Yang Chen, however, remained composed and said: "Second Master, everything Yang Heng said is true. I, Yang Chen, have indeed been humiliated by the Wang Family and have been desperate to die. But I believe that in this world, as long as one acts with integrity and virtue, it is never too late to repent and change. How can one judge a hero by a momentary success or failure?""When I was feeling desperate, I suddenly realized my mistakes and even understood many philosophical concepts that I didn't understand before. My heart secretly vowed that I would never live like my past unfettered life. However, Yang Heng constantly pressured me and made things difficult. Tell me, if we judge heroes based on their temporary success or failure, who among us hasn't made mistakes? Should we judge our entire lives based on the mistakes we made at that time?" 

Yang Chen did not bring up the matter of Yang Heng losing three hundred spirit stones. 

Ultimately, he didn't want to pick on Yang Heng. 

Moreover, exposing Yang Heng's flaws at this moment would inevitably cause Second Master Yang to look down on him. DiiScôver 𝒏𝒆w stori𝒆s on no/𝒗/e()/lbin(.)c/o/m

With these words, he hit the nail on the head, which undoubtedly made Second Master Yang very delighted. He slapped the table suddenly, making a loud bang, and forcefully said: "Yang Chen, you're right, we should not judge a hero based on temporary success or failure. I know about some of your past deeds, but I can see that you've truly realized your mistakes. As a prodigal son returning, there's no reason why you can't have a bright future. Yang Heng, on the other hand, you, as a member of the Yang family, are constantly pushing others around. What kind of image does that project?" 

"Back in the day, I wasn't the most outstanding alchemist in the Yang family, and there were many people better than me. But now? I am the banner of the Yang family's alchemy. Who in the Yang family dares to claim that they are better at alchemy than me? Yang Heng, you are indeed the number one alchemist of the Yang family. But with your current mindset, how can you achieve greatness? You should learn more from Yang Chen." 

Second Master Yang's reprimand undoubtedly threw Yang Heng from heaven to hell. 

He trembled, looking at Yang Chen with venomous eyes, and hatred grew in his heart. 

Yang Chen did not care about Yang Heng's hatred and simply said, "I am grateful that Second Master understands me." 

"Yang Chen, you're being too polite. Just now, I also held a grudge against you and made you stand while listening to my lecture. But after hearing your words, I feel ashamed. You can sit down and listen to the lecture with them. I'll refine another Detoxifying Pill for you. If you can comprehend it all, I'll grant you whatever you want!" Second Master Yang promised grandly. 

This made Yang Chen very happy. All the young members of the Yang family wanted to win Second Master Yang's favor, and wasn't that what he came here for today? 

He hurriedly and respectfully said, "Thank you, Second Master, I will not let you down!" 

Many people nearby looked at Yang Chen with both envy and jealousy, wondering what kind of luck he had. Did getting humiliated by the Wang family somehow open up his mind? 

Most importantly, Second Master Yang made it quite clear. 

I'll refine another Detoxifying Pill for 'you'. 

Yes, for Yang Chen alone, not for them! 

The meaning was simple; Second Master Yang had not planned to refine a second Detoxifying Pill, but he made an exception for Yang Chen. 

Welcome indeed to luck. 

All of them were filled with jealous hatred, but they dared not speak up directly. At most, they could only glare at Yang Chen coldly. 

Yang Chen had already guessed that he would become the target of everyone's wrath. He didn't mind and continued to observe Second Master Yang's Alchemy techniques carefully. 

This time, Second Master Yang slowed down even more, so that Yang Chen could have a good chance to learn. After nearly half an hour, the alchemy process was completed. This time, with a joyful mood, Second Master Yang refined as many as three Detoxifying Pills. 

Second Master Yang was overjoyed and attributed the reason for producing three Detoxifying Pills to Yang Chen. If it weren't for seeing such a promising disciple like Yang Chen, how could he have been so delighted when refining pills? If his heart was not filled with joy and was mixed with emotions, there would only be two pills at most. 

Yes, the success of alchemy, to a large extent, is also related to the alchemist's mood. 

Holding the three Detoxifying Pills in his hand, Second Master Yang asked, "Yang Chen, how much of this have you grasped?" 

Yang Chen immediately stood up and respectfully said, "Fortunately, I think if nothing goes wrong, I should have grasped everything about Second Master's alchemy techniques and details." 

"Oh? Good, tell me about it." Second Master Yang said anxiously. 

Yang Chen recited Second Master Yang's alchemy steps and techniques in complete detail. He incorporated his own understanding, trying not to appear too astonishing but also to satisfy Second Master Yang. 

Listening to Yang Chen's words, Second Master Yang became more and more delighted. His beard seemed to jump up with his excitement. 

With clenched fists, he excitedly said, "Good, good, good! Yang Chen, from now on, my alchemy room will be your home. Others can only come when I give lectures, but you are different. You can come to the alchemy room whenever you want, and I'll teach you individually from now on." 

He joked. 

The Great Wilderness was a remote place. Although there were many tribes, their so-called geniuses were almost like trash compared to the talents from outside. He had been to a bustling city outside the Great Wilderness and knew that there were some geniuses in alchemy who could grasp the techniques just by watching others refine pills a few times. 

He was shocked by their amazing skills and realized that the Hundred Tribes of the Great Wilderness were far behind others in comparison. 

But What about Yang Chen? 

He understood everything after just two observations, even further analyzing the principles behind Second Master Yang's alchemy techniques and so on. Such an alchemy genius was actually born in their Yang family. 

What a pity that Yang Chen's talent had not been discovered due to his unfettered life. 

If Yang Chen had realized the truth about life earlier, would his achievements be worse than Yang Heng's now? 

Of course! 

A prodigal son who turns back is worth more than gold; it's still not too late!

Chapter 7: Betrayed Again_1

Having free access to Elder Yang's Pill Refining Room and receiving guidance from him was not just a great advantage, but also an honor - an honor that signified Elder Yang's approval. If Yang Chen received Elder Yang's approval in just three months for the Coming of Age Ceremony, even if he didn't enter the First Layer of Body Refining Realm, his family registration would not be revoked. 

A person who was valued by Elder Yang was an alchemy genius. Could the Yang family dare to expel a genius alchemist from the family registry? 

Everyone thought Yang Chen was incredibly lucky. 

Without a doubt, the most indignant person was Yang Heng 

. 

Yang Heng had an absolute sense of superiority over Yang Chen in both alchemy and martial arts cultivation. However, Gu Mingyue wasn't willing to submit to him, which always bothered him. But that didn't matter since he still had his sense of superiority over Yang Chen. 

But now... 

This sense of superiority was gone. 

He felt that he was the most qualified person to gain Elder Yang's favor, but today, that qualification was snatched away by Yang Chen! 

"Hmph, alchemy is just alchemy. Even if Elder Yang is in the Yang family, his existence is still dispensable. He might be good at alchemy, and Yang Chen might have gained his favor because Elder Yang sees his past self in him. But being unable to set foot in martial arts means he's still a waste, Yang Chen is still a useless person." Yang Heng thought to himself, this kind of self-consolation somehow eased his mind a bit. Th.ê most uptod/at𝓮 n𝒐vels a/re published on n(0)velbj)n(.)c/o/m

Yang Chen didn't know what Yang Heng was thinking, as he had no time to deal with him right now. Hearing Elder Yang's words, he quickly said, "Thank you, Grandpa Second." 

"Haha, no need to thank me. Although you have grasped my techniques and details, you still lack some experience to refine the Clear Flame Pill. In the future, come to your Grandpa Second more often, and under my guidance, with your talent, you may soon be able to refine the Clear Flame Pill on your own. At that time, you will be a Grade 1 high-rank Alchemist," Elder Yang said with satisfaction. 

"Thank you for your support, Elder Yang," Yang Chen was also overjoyed. 

Elder Yang waved his hand: "Alright, the class is over for today. You all go back. Yang Chen, you stay." 

Seeing this scene, Yang Heng and many others gritted their teeth with hatred, but they had no choice but to leave, not daring to go against Elder Yang's wishes. 

In the blink of an eye, only Yang Chen and Elder Yang were left in the Pill Refining Room. 

The more Elder Yang looked at Yang Chen, the more pleasing he found him, especially after hearing Yang Chen's words about not judging a hero by temporary success or failure. He could empathize with that feeling. Elder Yang said with his hands behind his back, "Just now, I promised to give you a reward and grant you a request as long as you could comprehend my Clear Flame Pill refining technique. Yang Chen, what is your request? Let me hear it!" 

Yang Chen had been waiting for Elder Yang to say this, so he immediately said with respect, "Grandpa Second, I want to ask for some materials to practice at home. I still lack experience in some elixirs." 

"Hahaha, your eagerness to practice is indeed commendable," said Elder Yang, who was not stingy at all. He was not surprised by Yang Chen's request either. 

An alchemist needs a lot of materials to practice in order to become successful. 

Without materials to practice with, becoming an Alchemy Master would be extremely difficult. 

With Yang Chen's astonishing talent, Elder Yang wouldn't be stingy. He spoke kindly, "Yang Chen, follow me." 

"Yes, Elder Yang." Yang Chen followed Elder Yang. 

As the Yang family's top Alchemy Master, Elder Yang possessed heavenly materials and earthly treasures, as well as Wild Spiritual Herbs, personally granted to him by the Yang family. Because a great alchemist like Elder Yang was undoubtedly a treasure for the Yang family. 

Therefore, very few people in the Yang family possessed wealth comparable to Elder Yang's. 

With Elder Yang's permission, Yang Chen quickly chose a few spiritual herbs and was very satisfied with his choices. 

He selected these spiritual herbs not for alchemy, but for other purposes. 

When he returned to the courtyard, Yang Chen had completely prepared himself. 

What he was going to do was a cultivation method known only to some powerful forces in the outside world - the Medicinal Bath! 

"Using a medicinal bath to nurture the body before reaching the Body Refining Realm is a necessary method for the major sects' forces. It's absolutely impossible to have it in the Vast Wilderness. However, my specially researched medicinal bath is even more advanced than those major sects. It's just a pity that although Elder Yang has quite a fortune, the spiritual herbs he possesses are still not sufficient to support the medicinal bath I need," Yang Chen sighed in his heart. 

The medicinal bath he required didn't have high material demands, but the Vast Wilderness was an extremely remote place, and heavenly materials and earthly treasures were extremely scarce. It was indeed difficult to meet his requirements. 

"However, having these spiritual herbs to make a medicinal bath to irrigate my body is enough. I can think about the future medicinal baths later," murmured Yang Chen. 

The Body Refining Realm, as the name suggests, is about refining the body. 

It is the foundation for martial artists and is divided into nine levels. 

This realm is about tempering the bones and every part of the body. The advantage of a medicinal bath is that it can help with the fundamental transformation of one's bones and physique, which cannot be achieved through cultivation alone. This is because the transformation caused by the medicinal bath is qualitative in nature. 

Once the medicinal bath is successfully used, Yang Chen would have a solid foundation. In the subsequent promotion process, he would achieve results much more quickly than others, giving him an extra edge. 

This is the most critical point. 

"I can't lose to others at the starting line," Yang Chen thought as he prepared the medicinal bath. 

He dumped all the spiritual herbs he had obtained from Elder Yang into the medicinal bath, and without taking off his clothes, he eagerly jumped into the bath.Once he entered the medicinal bath, in an instant, Yang Chen immediately felt the power of the spirit medicine sweeping up and down his body. The astonishing medicinal power seemed to want to penetrate his body through his pores, making him feel both joyful and painful at the same time. 

This feeling was something Yang Chen had anticipated. The medicinal power in the bath was, to some extent, remodeling his body. 

Yang Chen had never exercised since he was a child, and he was weak and sickly. The refining effect of the medicinal bath might take a very long time for him. 

The pain felt as if it could tear his body apart, but Yang Chen's will would not succumb to such pain. He gritted his teeth and persevered. Gradually, the pain disappeared, and the cool and refreshing feeling spread all over his body, making him open his eyebrows and take a deep breath. 

In addition, his body felt like a fish in water, seemingly gaining layers of strength in an instant under the nourishment of the medicinal bath. 

Such power was something Yang Chen had never felt in his previous life or this life. 

"First Layer of Body Refining Realm," Yang Chen said with a smile. 

Indeed, it was the first layer of Body Refining Realm. 

Haha, this is just too good. 

Yang Chen never dared to dream that he could actually set foot in martial arts. 

Reaching the first layer of Body Refining Realm might not be difficult for others, but it seemed an impossible feat for Yang Chen in his previous life. He was born without the talent to practice martial arts and was destined not to step into martial arts. He tried hard and looked for ways but ultimately failed. 

Who could understand the hardships along the way? 

And now, he has finally stepped into such a realm. Although it is just the first layer of Body Refining Realm, an entry-level phase, it is enough for him. At the very least, it symbolizes that he has indeed stepped into the world of martial arts. In the future, he can enter Dao through martial arts and stand at the peak of the vault of heaven! 

"Refreshing." Now that the effect of the medicinal bath had gradually faded, Yang Chen could also feel the stark difference in his body. 

After the medicinal bath ended, Yang Chen got up, changed into a new set of clothes, and went out to plan his next steps. 

As it stands, just reaching the first layer of body refining was not enough to satisfy him. The medicinal bath effect created by the resources from Elder Yang was too thin; he needed more resources to make a medicinal bath to nourish his body. 

Body Refining Realm is a foundational realm, and it is crucial to establish an excellent foundation at this stage. Otherwise, one would always lag behind others at the starting line. 

As soon as he finished dressing and opened the door, he suddenly heard a commotion outside the courtyard. 

"What's going on?" Yang Chen wondered, opening the door to look out. 

He saw Gu Mingyue's face flushed with anger, saying furiously, "Zhou Huaiyi, you actually betrayed the Young Master! Young... Young Master, when did you come out?" 

Yang Chen replied with a smile, "With the commotion outside, how could I not hear it in the room?" 

Gu Mingyue bit her lip, staring at Zhou Huaiyi and whispered, "Young Master, this... this Zhou Huaiyi." 

Yang Chen stared straight ahead, seeing that Yang Heng had somehow entered his courtyard, and Zhou Huaiyi was unexpectedly standing together with Yang Heng, his face full of a humble and submissive manner. He did not know when Zhou Huaiyi had decided to defect to Yang Heng's side. 

At this moment, upon hearing Gu Mingyue's angry words, Zhou Huaiyi scoffed, "Gu Mingyue, do you think everyone is as stubborn as you? Young Master Heng is the genius of our Yang family. I, as a servant of the Yang family, am not just a servant to Yang Chen. Following Young Master Heng is the path to a bright future; I have long abandoned the darkness to embrace the light." 

"Young Master, he... he!" Gu Mingyue gritted her teeth with anger but didn't know how to refute. "Our Young Master is not like what you said." 

Yang Heng sneered, "Gu Mingyue, what's the point in being so stubborn? Yang Chen is a waste who cannot practice martial arts. It's a well-known fact. Am I wrong in calling him a waste?" 

In alchemy, Yang Heng had repeatedly failed, and now he naturally sought a sense of superiority in martial arts over Yang Chen. 

Yang Chen, on the other hand, stood with his hands behind him, looking at Zhou Huaiyi and Yang Heng with great interest. 

Far from being angry, he even laughed happily. 

He had long seen through Zhou Huaiyi's treacherous intentions. Most importantly, he wondered how Yang Heng found out about his attempted suicide so quickly, and how the news of his attempted suicide spread throughout the Yang family so quickly. 

This matter was initially strange in every way; now that he thought about it, he understood. 

Most likely, Zhou Huaiyi had been in touch with Yang Heng for a long time; hence when Yang Heng heard about his suicide attempt, he came looking for his corpse with dog-like sensitivity. 

Zhou Huaiyi's betrayal was not at all surprising. 

Yang Chen remained calm and unmoved by this incident. 

Indeed, what he hated most was betrayal. 

However, Zhou Huaiyi was just a servant after all. His betrayal? One more wouldn't make a difference, and one less wouldn't be missed. Instead, sooner or later, he would let Zhou Huaiyi know how foolish it is to betray him. 

... 

Chapter 8: Unexpected Joy_1

Zhou Huaiyi didn't know what Yang Chen was thinking. Now that he had voluntarily switched sides and followed Yang Heng, pleasing his new master was definitely something he had to do. 

In an instant, he babbled sharp-tongued words, "Gu Mingyue, I don't mean to criticize you, but Young Master Heng is a talented and handsome man. He is destined to shine at this year's Yang family's 'Coming of Age Ceremony.' By then, he will undoubtedly be the target of the heavenly daughters from other clans." 

"Young Master Heng is interested in you, and that's your good fortune. Now is your chance to join him, or else when the Coming of Age Ceremony arrives, even if you regret and try to lick his toes, Young Master Heng may not even have any interest in you. Understand?" 

Yang Heng was very satisfied with Zhou Huaiyi's words. It had to be said that Zhou Huaiyi sure had a way of flattering people. 

He stroked his chin, as if genuinely trying to do Gu Mingyue a favor, and said, "Ming Yue, even if you don't want to join me, what future does Yang Chen have? He is now thirteen years old and still not at the first level of Body Refining Realm. According to the new rules issued by our Yang Family Patriarch, if he fails the Coming of Age Ceremony, he will definitely be expelled from the family. Then won't you, a maid, also be banished?" 

Gu Mingyue listened as the two slandered Yang Chen one after another, her pretty face flushed with anger. She stomped her foot and said, "Yang Heng, I forbid you to insult my young master! My Gu Mingyue and my family of three were saved by Sister Cai Die. Alive, I belong to Young Master Yang Chen and Sister Cai Die, and dead, we are still their loyal spirits. Just forget about it!" 

Seeing Gu Mingyue's demeanor, Zhou Huaiyi was even more sarcastic, "Gu Mingyue, look at yourself. You're so stubborn." 

"Had enough?" Yang Chen finally spoke lazily, "Zhou Huaiyi, you want to betray me and follow Yang Heng. For me, there's no loss. His absence doesn't make any difference." 

"Haha, Yang Chen, you're still tough-mouthed at this point?" Yang Heng sneered. 

Yang Chen looked at Yang Heng's unyielding appearance, and his heart was already on fire. He had given enough face to Yang Heng, but the latter didn't appreciate it and repeatedly targeted him. Yang Heng even dared to taunt him in Elder Yang's lecture and even now wouldn't give it a rest? 

At this, Yang Chen sneered coldly and said harshly, "Yang Heng, are you so determined to go against me? Aren't you afraid that I'll expose your loss of three hundred spirit stones?" 

"Young Master, he must have come in when he saw Sister Cai Die leave. How dare he enter our courtyard otherwise!" Gu Mingyue was indignant. 

As soon as Yang Heng heard about the exposure of the spirit stone loss, he was angry and ashamed. In fact, he was afraid of it the most, so he gritted his teeth and said, "Yang Chen, fine, fine, fine. Wait till the Coming of Age Ceremony, I will expose your true colors. When you are stripped of your household registration, I hope you don't cry too miserably." 

"Really? I'm curious how you'll make me cry miserably." Yang Chen smirked. 

"Hmph, Zhou Huaiyi, from now on, you follow me. Assist me and I will not treat you unfairly," Yang Heng said, his mouth curling up with a show of arrogance. 

Zhou Huaiyi hurriedly said, "Young Master, don't worry. My name is 'Huaiyi,' and I will only be loyal to my master with an undivided heart." 

"Hahaha, I have to say, putting you undercover in this waste's home for this period must have been frustrating for you!" Yang Heng said. 

"Yeah, following Yang Chen, I, Zhou Huaiyi, can't even lift my head when I go out. I don't dare tell anyone I'm his servant." Zhou Huaiyi feigned sadness. 

Yang Heng sneered at Yang Chen again, "Don't worry, when you follow me in the future, you can proudly announce that you're my servant. No one would dare to mock you. Let's go, I don't want to stay in this awful place any longer." 

Although Yang Heng was angry, he still dared not say much about Yang Chen's loss of spirit stones. 

So, without saying much, he turned and left. 

Gu Mingyue, worried that Yang Chen would be too heartbroken over this matter, hesitated for a while before saying with teary eyes, "Young Master, don't worry too much about Zhou Huaiyi's betrayal. In the future, I can do all the chores at home. You must not dwell too much on this matter!" 

She had seen Yang Chen show some signs of improvement, thinking that her prayers had made a difference, but she didn't want her young master to suffer another betrayal. 

Yang Chen listened to Gu Mingyue's sincere words, feeling warm inside. 

Although the Yang family was small, he had two loyal family members who never left his side, even in difficult times. In his previous life, he was dazzling and successful, but how many people could he trust? 

At this thought, Yang Chen sighed softly. True feelings were shown in times of adversity, and he saw Gu Mingyue's good intentions genuinely. This little girl really had his best interests in mind. 

"Don't worry, your young master isn't that fragile. Zhou Huaiyi's betrayal is just that. As I said before, my young master isn't lacking one servant. There's nothing to be sad about," Yang Chen said gently. 

Gu Mingyue finally heaved a sigh of relief, "It's great that the young master can let it go." 

"Zhou Huaiyi chose Yang Heng, and one day he will regret it. Alright, let's not talk about these things. Come with me," Yang Chen said. 

"Young Master, where are we going?" Gu Mingyue followed closely behind Yang Chen in her embroidered shoes. 

Yang Chen stood tall, his hands behind his back, "To the Li Family Commerce Group!" 

...The Great Wilderness is the most remote place on the continent, where it is said that not even the birds will flock. However, where there are people, there is business. With the Hundred Clans scattered throughout the Great Wilderness, there is no shortage of business opportunities. The Li Family Commerce Group is among these clans, conducting business with various tribes. 

Yang Chen weighed his options and decided that taking matters into his own hands would be the best way to obtain resources. Although Elder Yang is wealthy, his resources are lacking when compared to a trading company. Yang Chen decided to take a look at the Li Family Commerce Group, which is located near the Yang family, hoping to find something unexpected. 

"Please, come in," said a polite servant from the Li Family Commerce Group, welcoming Yang Chen and Gu Mingyue. 

At this moment, the two had arrived at the trading company. 

Gu Mingyue was obviously coming to the Chamber of Commerce for the first time, and seemed a little timid. She followed behind Yang Chen, wondering when he had been to the Li Family Commerce Group and why he seemed so calm and composed? 

Now, her pretty face was blushing slightly. She wasn't sure if it was just her imagination, but she felt that Yang Chen was infinitely more charming than before. 

Having seen much of the world in his previous life, Yang Chen was not easily impressed by a small trading company like this one. He casually said, "What I'm looking for is rather rare. I hope your Li Family Commerce Group can satisfy me." 

"Haha, Young Master, you've come to the right place. We guarantee you will be satisfied with our Li Family Commerce Group," boasted the servant. 

Yang Chen took the man's words with a grain of salt and began searching on his own. 

After a brief stroll around, Yang Chen's expression showed slight disappointment. Although the Li Family Commerce Group had a wide range of items in stock, none of them met his needs. Frustrated but not willing to give up, he continued to wander around the trading company. 

"Huh..." 

Yang Chen soon spotted a red, fiery-looking fruit on the counter, his eyes gleaming with interest. 

"Fire Red Fruit?" Yang Chen raised an eyebrow and grinned. 

The Fire Red Fruit was not an extremely rare item. In fact, Yang Chen had lowered his expectations as he hadn't planned on finding anything rare. The Great Wilderness was an impoverished and remote area, so even items that he considered to be common in his previous life were hard to come by here. 

This Fire Red Fruit, however, was easy to find in his previous life. 

It is a necessary ingredient for crafting the first-rank elixir, Gravity Pill. 

The Gravity Pill was an elixir invented by Yang Chen in his previous life. It allowed martial artists in the Body Refining Realm to unconditionally increase their strength by 300 jin (one jin is approximately equal to 0.5 kg). The value of this elixir was higher than that of the Clear Flame Pill, which Elder Yang was proud of, and was much harder to refine. A perfect First-Rank Alchemist who could refine Gravity Pills was not an exaggeration. 

For martial artists in the Body Refining Realm, the first level would grant them 100 jin of strength, the second level 400 jin, and the third level 700 jin. Each time their strength increased by 300 jin, they would advance one level in the Body Refining Realm. In simpler terms, the Gravity Pill could increase a Body Refining martial artist's strength by one level unconditionally. 

Although the pill's effect would diminish greatly after the first use, its immediate results were still impressive. In his previous life, Yang Chen didn't consider the formula for the Gravity Pill valuable, but he would always give one to a martial artist in the Body Refining Realm during training. 

The Fire Red Fruit was the main ingredient needed to refine the Gravity Pill. As for the auxiliary materials, they weren't difficult to gather, and Yang Chen had enough in stock. 

"This Fire Red Fruit came just in time," said Yang Chen, excited. With one of these fruits, his strength would immediately rise from the first layer of the Body Refining Realm to the second layer, or even close to the third layer. 

"Shopkeeper, how many Spirit Stones are needed for this Fire Red Fruit..." 

Before Yang Chen could finish speaking, a delighted female voice suddenly interrupted him. 

""It really is a Fire Red Fruit! The Li Family Commerce Group still has them! I want this Fire Red Fruit, Shopkeeper!" 

Upon hearing this, Yang Chen's brow furrowed, and he looked over to where the voice was coming from. At some point, a large group of people had entered the Li Family Commerce Group. The person who spoke was actually a young girl at the head of the group, about the same age as his older sister, Yang Caidie. 

Upon a closer look, the young girl was exquisitely beautiful, with an otherworldly aura, as if she had stepped out of a painting. She possessed an innate, unique temperament, coupled with her pretty features and distinctive eyes. She was even more beautiful than Gu Mingyue. 

However, beauty aside, Yang Chen was furious to see her trying to snatch away the Fire Red Fruit he had set his sights on. 

Did these people consider him invisible? 

With an expressionless face, Yang Chen said, "Ladies and gentlemen, I've been standing here, in front of this Fire Red Fruit, for quite some time now. Are you saying that you don't understand the principle of first come, first served? Should I, Yang Chen, explain it to you?" 

... Rêađ lat𝒆st ch𝒂/p/ters on n𝒐/v/𝒆/l(b)i𝒏(.)c/𝒐/m

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Chapter 9: Jade Person Syndrome_1

"Yang Chen?" 

"Yang Chen from the Yang family?" 

When the group of young admirers following the gorgeous young lady heard Yang Chen's words, they all started laughing uproariously, as if they were listening to a hilarious joke. 

"Who's Yang Chen?" 

"You don't know? There's a good-for-nothing in the Yang family. He's terrible at alchemy and martial arts. This year at the Adult Assembly, he's going to be ousted from the Yang family. If this guy calls himself Yang Chen, then it must be him, because no one would ever pretend to be Yang Chen." A handsome young man amongst them sneered. 

Gu Ming Yue, who had been following Yang Chen closely, originally had no idea what was happening, but when she heard each person's mocking words, her face turned red with anger: "You're the good-for-nothings! My Young Master is an upright and strong man!" 

Upon hearing the voice of the lady behind Yang Chen, these young men of unknown family backgrounds turned their gaze to her, their eyes shining, internally exclaiming about her beauty. 

"Humph, your master has a foul reputation which has even reached our ears, and you still call him a strong man? Your master lost a gambling match with the people from the Wang Family and even lost his trousers. Don't you, a little maid, know this? Oh, I remember, brother Wang, you're one of the Wang family members, you know about this, right?" 

The young master surnamed Wang chuckled: "Yes, I remember it clearly. Our elder brothers Wang Ren and Wang De gambled with this Yang Chen. But this Yang Chen was pathetically weak. He couldn't even refine a single Returning Bone Pill from three furnaces worth of ingredients. Oh, is your family heirloom, the Purple Furnace, still with our Wang family, Brother Yang Chen?" 

Hearing this, the young men burst into laughter again. 

Yang Chen would be lying if he said he wasn't angry. This 'Yang Chen' seemed to be infamous far and wide. It seemed that improving his current reputation was something he had to do. Otherwise, being looked down upon whenever he went out would not be pleasant. 

Just as Yang Chen was about to speak, the young woman surrounded by those young masters finally spoke: "Little brother, I am Feng Xuewu from the Feng family. This Fire-red Fruit is very important to me, so I hope you can let me have it!" 

Given Yang Chen's current age, being called a 'little brother' by Feng Xuewu didn't seem strange. 

"Young Master, the Feng Family...the Feng Family is one of the twelve great families among the Hundred Tribes in the Great Wilderness. Miss Feng Xuewu, renowned as one of the 'Three Great Women' and on par with Miss Caidie, is the Young Mistress of the Feng family. Even though I have never seen her before, I have heard of her. When I found out that this woman is the famous Feng Xuewu, I felt like retreating." Notified Gu Mingyue, quite panicked. 

Yang Chen also stroked his chin, feeling somewhat surprised. 

Among the many clans, there were strong ones and weak ones. The Yang family was a medium-level family, neither strong nor weak. Above the medium-level clans, there were the twelve most powerful clans, and the Feng family was one of them. 

But it was impossible for him to back down like this. He didn't feel any resentment towards Feng Xuewu. At least, her words weren't as harsh as those of the others. However, he could not disregard the mockery from the people behind Feng Xuewu. If he were to keep backing down, how would he be any different from the previous Yang Chen? 

He had to let them know he didn't have such a good temper. 

Yang Chen snorted coldly: "Miss Feng, are you saying that this Fire Dragon Fruit is important to you but not to me?" 

"Yang Chen, as the manager here, I have to tell you. The Yang family is a mid-level family, and the Feng family is one of the great clans among the Hundred Tribes. When you compare the two...haha, you should know who is more important." At this moment, the manager of the Li Family Commerce Association unexpectedly stood out. 

He continually mocked Yang Chen and adulated Feng Xuewu. He had clearly chosen his side. 

Unexpectedly, it appeared that the manager was siding with Feng Xuewu. 

Yang Chen glanced at the manager, a middle-aged man around forty or fifty years old, with a mole on his face. He had greeted those young masters as soon as he saw them, completely ignoring Yang Chen. 

The implications of his manner were more than clear. 

This made Yang Chen speak with a deep voice:"So, Mr. Manager, are you saying that the Yang family is easy to bother?" 

"Haha, Yang Chen, since you say this. As the manager, I was originally planning to save you some face. But since you don't want to save your own face, there's no need for me to do so anymore. The Yang family... I as a small manager, naturally can't afford to provoke. But do you really think that you, Yang Chen, a discard who the Yang family could throw away at any time, can represent the Yang family?" The manager laughed derisively. 

While talking, the manager sycophantically said: "Miss Feng, as long as you want this Fire-red Fruit, it is naturally yours." 

"The Fire-red Fruit was first spotted by our Young Master." Gu Mingyue, huffily, stamped her foot: "Don't you have any rules about first come, first served?" 

The manager did not even look at Gu Mingyue: "I am the head here, and naturally, my word is final."Seeing that the shopkeeper gave her the fire-red fruit, Feng Xuewu felt somewhat relieved. However, witnessing the shopkeeper and her pursuers oppressing the young man before her, she couldn't bear and sighed, "Yang Chen, although I don't know what you need the fire-red fruit for, I need it to save my mother's life. She is ill and desperately needs the fire-red fruit. I hope you can understand. " 

Yang Chen was quite discouraged by today's unsuccessful acquisition of the fire-red fruit, but there was nothing he could do. The shopkeeper's intention was clear—to favor Feng Xuewu was his game; what could Yang Chen do about it? 

However, upon hearing Feng Xuewu's words, he felt more kindly towards her and asked curiously, "Well, saving a life is of prime importance. If Miss Feng had mentioned this earlier, I wouldn't have competed for the fire-red fruit. May I ask, what illness is your mother suffering from?" 

All Feng Xuewu wanted now was the fire-red fruit to save her mother's life. Being questioned by Yang Chen, she blurted out, "I can't really explain my mother's illness. All I know is when she gets sick, her body trembles severely, and she feels extremely cold, breaking into a sweat now and then, but the sweat is unusually hot. It's very strange." 

"Oh?" Yang Chen queried with curiosity, "While she's ill, her face turns extremely red while her hands and body feel ice-cold, is it not?" 

"How do you know that?" Feng Xuewu widened her eyes in surprise. 

Upon hearing this, Yang Chen chuckled, "Miss Feng, your mother is suffering from 'Jade-like Person Syndrome.' When the symptoms flare up, she has difficulty breathing. It feels like she could die at any moment. I don't know why you are using a fire-red fruit to treat her, but I can assure you it won't help with her illness. On the contrary, long-term consumption can damage her health even more." 

In his past life, he was an expert in alchemy, so he was very experienced in medical treatment. Jade-like Person Syndrome is indeed a baffling illness, but for him, it was not an insurmountable difficulty. 

On the other hand, after listening to Yang Chen, Feng Xuewu's eyes widened in surprise. Her little mouth was open, revealing a lovely and mischief look. 

That's because, what Yang Chen said was exactly like her mother's symptoms without the slightest misalignment. 

"Are you saying that a fire-red fruit will only make my mother's condition worse?" Feng Xuewu was initially skeptical of Yang Chen's words, considering she had been hearing all the disparaging comments about him from her admirers. However, Yang Chen being of tender age, she didn't wish to oppress him in the same manner. 

But after listening to Yang Chen's realistic descriptions of her mother's symptoms, she had started believing in him. 

"Xue Wu, don't listen to his nonsense. Everyone here knows how useless this boy is," scoffed one of Feng Xuewu's admirers. 

Zhao Xiaowen, the shopkeeper of the Lee Family Commerce Association, echoed, "Young Master Sun is right. Miss Xue Wu, never heed the ravings of Yang Chen. This little guy lost badly to the Wang family in an alchemy challenge, lost not only the challenge but also his face. His alchemy skills are incredibly poor. And now he is pretending to be an alchemy maker? In the Great Wilderness we live in, with a hundred tribes inhabiting it; we don't even have a single alchemy maker!" 

An alchemy maker is a branch of alchemy, and it is a highly respected profession on the continent. 

Unlike regular alchemists, alchemy makers primarily use their skills to cure diseases. Regular alchemists concocted various kinds of elixirs with all kinds of effects. Compared to them, being an alchemy maker is more difficult and requires a heart passionate to heal and save lives. 

In his previous life, Yang Chen was not only an alchemist but also a well-known alchemy maker. Rêađ lat𝒆st ch𝒂/p/ters on n𝒐/v/𝒆/l(b)i𝒏(.)c/𝒐/m

Alchemy makers are indeed rare, and it's not surprising to not have one in the Great Wilderness. In fact, there are probably only a few throughout the entire North Mountain County. 

Upon hearing Zhao Xiaowen's words, Yang Chen didn't bother to argue. He lazily replied, "Whether you believe me or not doesn't affect me. As for the fire-red fruit, it's up to your commerce association to decide who gets it. I couldn't care less. Mingyue, let's go!" 

With that, Yang Chen made no attempt to stay any longer and turned to leave. 

However, seeing Yang Chen leave, Feng Xuewu hesitated and eventually called out, "Please wait, Brother Yang Chen!" 

"Does Miss Feng have anything else to say?" Yang Chen asked in confusion. 

Feng Xuewu bit her lip lightly, and her wavering expression was heartbreaking. After some hesitation, she finally spoke, "Brother Yang Chen, you just said that giving my mother fire-red fruit is indeed harmful instead of helpful, is it true?" 

Yang Chen responded with a rhetorical question instead of a direct answer, "Wouldn't Miss Feng know the answer if she thinks about it? I believe this is not the first time you have used fire-red fruit for your mother. But has it shown any improvement?" 

Upon hearing Yang Chen's words, Feng Xuewu's body slightly trembled. Her mother's illness was always a source of pain for her. Currently, she was desperate and said hurriedly, "Since Brother Yang Chen understands my mother's symptoms so well, do you, by any chance, have a solution to her problem?" 

Yang Chen didn't intend to reveal much about his skills as an alchemy maker. After all, his medical knowledge at just thirteen years old could draw much unwelcome attention. He only helped Feng Xuewu understand that her mother's illness doesn't need fire-red fruit as Feng Xuewu was not disdainful or mocking towards him. 

This was more than enough for the current him, which is why he didn't mind saying a little more. However, he hadn't considered treating Feng Xuewu's mother. 

But seeing Feng Xuewu's desperate filial piety, Yang Chen pondered for a moment and then said, "I can't guarantee a cure for your mother's illness. But if I could see her, perhaps I could figure out something. No matter the result, Miss Feng, please believe that the Jade-like Person Syndrome is a chronic disease acquired later in life, and it cannot be cured by a mere fire-red fruit."

Chapter 10: Shooting Oneself in the Foot?_1

For Yang Chen, the Jade Person Syndrome was not a big problem, but he still did not speak so definitively. 

Even so, it made the shopkeeper Zhao Xiaowen completely anxious. 

What's going on? 

He tried to please Feng Xuewu and belittle Yang Chen, just to connect with Feng Xuewu. Who is Feng Xuewu? An outstanding genius of the Feng family, one of the Three Great Golden Hairpins, the future high-level of the Feng family. If he could connect with Feng Xuewu, it would certainly be a great deal for him, just a mere shopkeeper of the Chamber of Commerce. 

As the shopkeeper of the Li Family Commerce Group, he may be called a shopkeeper in kind words, but in harsh words, he is nothing more than a watchful dog with an outsider's surname. 

As a result, who would have known that he provoked Yang Chen, and in the end, he himself didn't get close to Feng Xuewu, but this Yang Chen, whom he had belittled to nothing, got close to Feng Xuewu instead. 

In a hurry, Zhao Xiaowen hastily shouted, "Miss Feng, you must not believe Yang Chen's words. Yang Chen is one of the famous scoundrels, idle all day, living a profligate life. If you believe his words, you will regret it." 

Feng Xuewu originally thought that Zhao Xiaowen was kindly advising her, but when she heard the word "regret", she became angry. 

When a beautiful woman gets angry, it has a different charm. Feng Xuewu said coldly, "Shopkeeper Zhao, I have my own judgment on whether what I do is right or wrong. It's not up to you to interfere. Please have some self-respect!" 

Feng Xuewu's words made those suitors who were originally planning to interject give up their thoughts after seeing her determination to let Yang Chen help. 

They all watched Yang Chen coldly, wondering how on earth he managed to blindly guess the symptoms of Feng Xuewu's mother's illness and win Feng Xuewu's trust just now. 

At this moment, Feng Xuewu completely trusted Yang Chen's words. 

"Damn, this is so annoying!" Zhao Xiaowen was scolded and filled with anger. 

Didn't he just lift a rock and drop it on his own foot? 

He didn't please Feng Xuewu and offended Yang Chen instead. 

Fortunately, Yang Chen is not a big figure, and offending him is not a big deal. He can handle it. 

At the same time, Feng Xuewu hurriedly led Yang Chen outside the Chamber of Commerce. 

It turned out that Feng Xuewu's mother was resting in a carriage outside the Chamber of Commerce. Feng Xuewu rode around in the carriage, searching for the Fire Red Fruit to help her mother with her stubborn ailment. 

When he saw this, Yang Chen's appreciation for Feng Xuewu increased. After all, a filial person can't be too bad. 

"Mother!" Feng Xuewu arrived at the carriage and saw a pale middle-aged woman, her face filled with sorrow. 

Yang Chen closely followed Feng Xuewu and naturally saw the appearance of the middle-aged woman. At this moment, he confirmed his thoughts. Indeed, Feng Xuewu's mother was suffering from the "Jade Person Syndrome", as he had expected, and it had already reached an advanced stage. 

"Xuewu, who is this..." Feng Xuewu's mother spoke gently and kindly. Th.ê most uptod/at𝓮 n𝒐vels a/re published on n(0)velbj)n(.)c/o/m

Yang Chen smiled and said, "Aunt, try not to speak right now. Miss Feng, please come with me." 

Although it was just a glance, it was enough for Yang Chen to understand Feng Xuewu's mother's condition. 

"Yes." Hearing Yang Chen's words, Feng Xuewu hurried out of the carriage with him. 

"Xuewu, how is your mother?" 

"Yes, how is her illness?" 

Feng Xuewu's suitors behind her were all eagerly asking questions, fearing that if they were too slow or too late, they would be doubted by Feng Xuewu. 

Right now, Feng Xuewu didn't have time to deal with them. Her clear and bright eyes fell on Yang Chen, impatiently asking, "Brother Yang Chen, my mother's illness... " 

"Just now I didn't dare to say it in the carriage, but actually, there's not much of a problem with your mother's illness. It could be resolved in minutes, but the critical reason lies on this Fire Red Fruit!" Yang Chen said with great displeasure: "I don't know why Miss Feng let her mother take the Fire Red Fruit to deal with Jade Person Syndrome. But I guess it's mostly because someone misused the Five Elements Theory and thought that Jade Person Syndrome is a cold disease that needs the yang energy of the Fire Red Fruit, an Extreme Yang fruit, to wash away the coldness. However, this is not the case. Your mother is a woman without any martial arts training. Her body is weak and unable to bear the impact of the Yang and Cold energies. How could she endure it?" 

As Yang Chen's words fell, a handsome young man among Feng Xuewu's suitors became unhappy.He was the Wang family pursuer who mocked Yang Chen the most just now. His name was Wang Yun Kai. Hearing Yang Chen's words, his face instantly turned ugly. This was because the method of using Fire Red Fruit to cleanse the cold ailment was actually proposed by him. He learned the principle of the Five Elements Mutual Restraint from an alchemy book, thinking that the same concept applied to medicine. 

But how would he know that medicine was a hundred or even a thousand times more difficult than alchemy, and that the simple Five Elements Mutual Restraint could hardly sum it up? 

However, admitting that the problem was his would be akin to slapping himself in the face, wouldn't it? 

Wang Yun Kai shouted angrily, "Yang Chen, when will you stop spouting nonsense and swindling people?" 

Feng Xuewu was already annoyed at Wang Yun Kai after hearing Yang Chen's words. In fact, she really disliked having so many courting admirers following her around. However, she needed more people's help to save her mother, which was why she reluctantly brought along this group of pursuers, hoping for a miracle. 

But she didn't know that her choice almost harmed her mother instead. What use did a group of uninformed people have? 

Frustrated by Wang Yun Kai's words, Feng Xuewu angrily said, "Wang Yun Kai, my mother is resting in the carriage. Are you trying to scare her with your loud noises?" 

"I..." Wang Yun Kai's face flushed red, and in the end, all he could do was glare at Yang Chen. 

Yang Chen didn't care about Wang Yun Kai's anger at all. He directly said, "Now your mother has taken too much Fire Red Fruit, and the damage to her meridians is severe. Jade Person Syndrome has reached a critical point, and it's impossible to use ordinary solutions anymore! At least, Miss Feng can see that your mother is getting weaker day by day since taking the Fire Red Fruit." 

"This... You're right, Brother Yang Chen. It's just that my mother, she..." In the end, Feng Xuewu lowered her head earnestly and said, "Brother Yang Chen, do you have any solutions? If you can cure my mother's illness, I'll owe you a favor." 

Young Master Jun Jie, who was standing nearby, was furious. Many people dreamed of getting a favor from Feng Xuewu and couldn't. It was almost the best way to get close to Feng Xuewu. 

They all hoped that Yang Chen would show his true colors soon, and then they would deal with him properly. 

Watching Feng Xuewu's desperation, Yang Chen fell into deep thought. 

Honestly, curing Feng Xuewu's mother's illness was not difficult for him at all. It could even be called easy, considering her mother's critical condition was of no concern to him. However, at his young age, curing Feng Xuewu's mother's illness would be quite incredible. 

But after weighing the pros and cons and seeing Feng Xuewu's urgent filial piety, Yang Chen sighed and said, "Miss Feng, it's not difficult to solve this 'Jade Person Syndrome.' You need three types of spirit medicine. The key is in the correct treatment. These three spirit medicines are called Honey Flower, Money Grass, and Cloud-like Fruit. If Miss Feng can gather these three spirit medicines and brew them into a soup for your mother, she will naturally recover from her illness within half a month." 

"Yang Chen, all of these spirit medicines you mentioned are rare and precious. Are you deliberately making it difficult for Xuewu to find them so you can shift the responsibility from yourself?" Wang Yun Kai shouted angrily. 

Upon hearing this, Yang Chen's face gradually turned ugly, "Miss Feng, I just want to say one thing. I never wanted anything from you when I offered my help. Conversely, I could have pretended not to know anything about it today and avoided getting involved. But I still helped you out of respect for your filial piety. However, I don't want to help your mother and then have to look at someone else's face. Because you should know that I don't have to help you at all!" 

Yang Chen's words undoubtedly infuriated the young masters behind Feng Xuewu. What did Yang Chen mean? He was clearly insinuating something. 

Just a short while ago, he was a notorious waste, yet he dared to talk to them this way? 

Which one of them wasn't their family's prodigy? 

Wang Yun Kai was even angrier and said, "Yang Chen, I will only ask you one question. If Feng Xuewu's mother takes the soup brewed from these three spirit medicines and her condition doesn't improve, what will you do?" 

"Are you asking me to take responsibility?" Yang Chen laughed, "Miss Feng, I don't know if this person from the Wang family can speak for you, but I'm helping you, not him. If he can represent your thoughts, that's fine. Miss Feng, you can forget what I just said. As for your mother's condition, please find someone else to help." 

He was joking. When he was practicing medicine back then, when did he ever put up with this kind of frustration? Even when those important figures invited him to treat them, each of them acted proper, didn't they? 

Feng Xuewu also lost her temper at this point. 

This was her business, but her admirers kept attacking Yang Chen relentlessly. Wasn't that equal to not taking her seriously? 

Feng Xuewu's face turned red with anger, and she shouted, "Wang Yun Kai, I can make my own judgments on right and wrong. I'll handle my mother's issues myself. If you still want to interfere and make sarcastic remarks, I'll tell my father about it. If anything goes wrong with my mother, I believe my father will personally confront the Wang family." 

Upon hearing this, Wang Yun Kai trembled. Feng Xuewu's father was a well-known figure with great strength. His own elders didn't dare to provoke him, let alone himself? 

Feng Xuewu was clearly threatening him. 

With this thought, Wang Yun Kai could only glare hatefully at Yang Chen, obviously blaming him for everything that had happened. 

Feng Xuewu's pretty face was filled with worry. She hesitated and glanced at Yang Chen, her intentions now clearer than ever. 

Yang Chen had lived for more than a decade and could easily see Feng Xuewu's anxiety. He spoke stiffly, "Miss Feng, I know you don't trust my words. And I don't have anything to guarantee either. But if the soup brewed from these three spirit medicines doesn't work at all, I welcome Miss Feng to visit the Yang family and confront me any time."