Transmitting the Elixir Technique for the Conception of a Spirit Seed

Zhiyu Hall.

Yan Chen followed Meng Lian and entered the hall one after another. As soon as he stepped inside, several scrutinizing gazes were cast upon him, neither kind nor evil, with inscrutable meanings.

"With such an attitude, is there really some kind of 'opportunity' here?"

Yan Chen raised his eyes and scanned the room. In a short while, he had a clear understanding of the layout of the hall and the distribution of everyone.

The small courtyard with its blue bricks looked shabby, but the Zhiyu Hall was decorated in an elegant and tranquil style.

The windows on both sides are adorned with clusters of flowers, and the tables and chairs in the hall are surrounded by lush orchids and bamboo. About a dozen people sit around the tables and chairs, seemingly inseparable, but their demeanor and bearing suggest two distinct factions.

Yan Chen glanced at the people's clothing and suddenly realized that all of them were wearing gray cotton robes, indicating that they were ordinary people.

This was nothing unusual, but what set him apart was that the disciple tokens at his waist all bore the inscription "Danlan Valley".

In other words, there were more than ten ordinary servants in the hall.

Was he the only one from the Valley of Molten Gold?

"Junior Brother Yan, please take your seat quickly. Judging by the time, Steward Zheng should be arriving soon!"

Seeing that Yan Chen had not moved for a long time, Meng Lian couldn't help but remind him.

"Thank you, Senior Brother Meng."

Yan Chen bowed and thanked him. Seeing that the other party seemed to have something to do and had to leave temporarily, he secretly pondered in his heart.

If I were to ask which of my actions over the past few days would have caught Danlan Valley's attention...

That must be the "method of forging materials" that he had figured out a few days ago.

The ability to control fire with strong earth, a harmonious and mutually reinforcing relationship, already demonstrates his "astonishing wisdom." His skill in controlling fire is also remarkable, proving him to be a truly talented individual!

After much thought, this is probably the only reason why someone like Master Zheng would develop some interest in him.

"But what is the purpose of your visit?"

With a thought flashing through his mind, Yan Chen continued walking without stopping, his brows calm and his demeanor composed, until he reached the banquet.

However, among the dozen or so people, there were only one or two empty seats.

Yan Chen didn't want to think too much about it and immediately sat down in a seat that was a little closer.

However, at this moment, a soft female voice rang out:

"Senior brother, that seat is already taken. Junior sister, there's an empty seat here."

The speaker was a beautiful young woman with bright, clear eyes, her hair tied in a slanted bun, her long black hair flowing down, and a jade and gold branch tucked into the end of her hair. Her refined appearance also accentuated her noble air.

Yan Chen looked at the woman and saw that there was indeed an empty seat next to her, so he readily agreed and nodded.

"Thank you very much, junior sister."

"You're too kind, senior brother."

The girl gently shook her head, her demeanor graceful and quite pleasant.

Yan Chen sat down beside him. Although the seats were close together, they were still more than half a foot apart, and their robes did not touch each other at all.

This caused a glint of surprise in the girl's eyes, and she couldn't help but glance at this senior brother a few more times.

Yan Chen paid no attention to this. He raised his eyes and glanced around. He saw that the others either closed their eyes to regulate their breathing, lowered their eyes to ponder, or were preoccupied with their own thoughts. Seeing this, his doubts increased.

He couldn't help but ask the girl beside him:

"I come from the Melting Gold Valley, and being new here, there are some details I am not quite aware of. Could you please enlighten me, Junior Sister?"

The girl smiled and said:

"We are both disciples of Yuxiu, what's wrong with that? Senior brother, please ask."

Yan Chen gathered his thoughts and said:

"Junior Sister, do you know why Steward Zheng summoned all these mortal servants here?"

Upon hearing this, the young woman glanced at Yan Chen with slight confusion, then realized that he was not a disciple of Danlan Valley, and explained:

"So that my senior brother may know, we have a tradition in the three lower academies of Danlan Valley that every once in a while, we select some 'alchemy seeds' from within the valley to come here and be tested by Steward Zheng."

"If you pass the test, you may have the opportunity to be taught alchemy techniques by the master. Even if you fail, it will not affect anything else, but you will be cut off from the master's lineage of alchemy from then on."

After hearing the other party's explanation, Yan Chen suddenly understood.

To cultivate the seeds of alchemy?

This confirms my earlier guess.

"Could it be... that I am truly a hidden 'alchemy prodigy'?"

As they were talking, another person hurriedly entered the hall and sat in the seat that Yan Chen had wanted to sit in earlier.

The girl suddenly said:

"Having said so much, I've forgotten etiquette. Junior Sister Yu Shunan, haven't you yet asked my name?"

Yan Chen said:

"So it's Junior Sister Yu. My name is Yan Chen, Yan of Shangyang and Chen of Shui Rong."

Yu Shunan blinked, somewhat surprised, and said:

"Shangyang Banquet... Senior Brother, are you from a local clan?"

Before Yan Chen could answer, someone nearby said sarcastically:

"Junior Sister Yu meant well but made a mistake by placing a young man from a rural clan among us ordinary people. Isn't that disgracing our clan's reputation?"

On the other hand, someone immediately retorted, and it was the person who had just taken his seat.

Then he said sharply:

"Zhao Dengke, stop your sarcastic remarks. If it weren't for the benevolence of our Confucian tradition in establishing the Confucian school, how could a vulgar country bumpkin like you be qualified to sit at the same table with us?"

The ordinary servant named Zhao Dengke, not to be outdone, calmly replied:

"You were just born into a good family, what's there to be proud of? If you weren't surnamed Cui, you wouldn't even have the right to step into my Zhao family's gate!"

The two seemed to have had some prior disagreements, and they started arguing as they exchanged words.

Cui Yongdao:

"Most of the land in Nanzhuo was cultivated and protected by our clan over thousands of years!"

"You ordinary people enjoy the shade and coolness of our homes, yet you turn around and say that we have encroached on your interests. Isn't that self-contradiction and utter nonsense?"

Upon hearing this, someone from the mortal background stood up and retorted:

"What your ancestors had in the past is none of your business. In other words, it is people like you, so vulgar, who are truly benefiting from the blessings of their ancestors. Otherwise, you probably wouldn't even have been able to pass the Taoist examinations. What right do you have to belittle our backgrounds?"

"Brother Huang and I are both from three of the most prominent families in the market. We have always been proud and virtuous. There is no need to get angry with this man."

Zhao Dengke waved his hand, then sneered:

"Don't think I don't know that you, Cui Yong, were able to join the Daoist lineage entirely thanks to your third uncle, who is in charge of the Hundred Herbs Academy."

"Now that Master Zheng has promoted the 'Seed of Alchemy,' you must have received inside information beforehand and been prepared, right?"

"you……!"

Cui Yong was speechless for a moment, and his face turned red with embarrassment.

Yan Chen was quite surprised as he listened to their argument.

He had never noticed it while he was in the Forging Academy.

So the class conflict between the Taoist disciples and the local clansmen was so intense?

No wonder I sensed something was off as soon as I walked in.

It must be that the resentment had accumulated over time, and the misunderstanding had persisted for a long time.

"Speaking of which, Senior Brother Li is also a disciple of Taoism, yet we get along very well. I suppose the extreme situation we are facing is just an isolated case."

"As for the three major surnames in the market, could it be Xuchun Ward? Zhao, Huang... and Li?"

Yu Shunan, standing to the side, looked slightly embarrassed and was about to explain to Yan Chen.

But then, Meng Lian returned.

Unlike before, he now had a mahogany tray in his hand, on which were placed more than a dozen large-bellied porcelain bottles.

Seeing this, the group that had been about to argue immediately lowered their eyes and fell silent, not daring to act presumptuously in front of the disciples in charge.

More than ten people stood up, bowed to Meng Lian in greeting, and paid their respects to the steward.

Meng Lian was fairly easygoing; he waved his hand, signaling everyone to sit down again.

He immediately put down the tray, picked up a porcelain bottle, pulled out the stopper, and slowly poured it out.

In an instant, a faint, lingering smell of decay filled the air.

Then one could see that a dark yellow medicinal seed was lying in Meng Lian's palm.

Meng Lian glanced at the crowd and said with a smile:

"This is the spiritual seed of the spiritual herb 'Water and Fire Vine'. This spiritual herb generates Wu Earth, contains Bing Fire, and likes Gui Water, but belongs to the Jia Wood category. It is quite unique and therefore extremely difficult to cultivate."

"And this is precisely the 'assessment' arranged by Manager Zheng!"

"Whoever among you can cultivate it to sprout within ten days will have the opportunity to receive a secret alchemy technique personally taught by Master Zheng!"

"This is—the 'Qingyuan Chengming Danjue'!"

……