With the furious shout that resounded through the sky, the Xuan Clan disciples who had been about to surround Chen Yuyang all froze as if struck by lightning.
Their movements halted.
For a moment, they looked at each other in confusion and bewilderment, along with a hint of fear.
Following the voice, a slightly thin, aged figure appeared, flying through the air with a posture as straight as a pine.
The newcomer hovered above the arena with his hands behind his back, exuding an unspoken authority.
The Xuan Clan disciples instinctively lowered their heads upon seeing him.
The old man’s sharp gaze swept quickly across the field, first landing meaningfully on Chen Yuyang’s hand, then shifting to Xuan Tian, who lay unconscious outside the arena.
With a light tap of his finger, a gentle surge of spiritual energy rolled up the unconscious Xuan Tian and floated him up to stop beside the elder.
“Great-grandfather, my brother is…”
Xuan Ke stepped forward quickly and bowed respectfully to the elder in the air, hesitating to speak.
She had not been among the Xuan Clan disciples who had surrounded Chen Yuyang earlier.
For one, she also felt that Xuan Tian had acted disgracefully.
For two, she found ganging up on someone contemptible.
Xuan Ji ignored Xuan Ke’s approach and inquiry.
After confirming the extent of Xuan Tian’s internal injuries, his gaze fell back on Chen Yuyang.
Chen Yuyang met that gaze.
Those old, calm eyes, buried in wrinkles, revealed little emotion.
“Thank you, Young Friend Chen, for showing mercy.”
That simple sentence clearly stated his attitude as the Xuan Clan Ancestor regarding this matter.
He did not intend to pursue it.
Standing nearby, Xuan Ke’s eyes narrowed slightly at these words, hardly able to believe it.
‘Great-grandfather dotes on brother the most, doesn’t he?’
When Great-grandfather appeared, she had thought he would stand up for Xuan Tian.
But this was the result!
Xuan Ji, however, paid no attention to Xuan Ke’s surprise and continued speaking to Chen Yuyang, not hiding the praise in his words.
“I never imagined that Young Friend Chen is not only unparalleled in the Dao of alchemy but also a top-tier body cultivator.”
Chen Yuyang’s expression was calm, inwardly reassured.
He then cupped his hands toward Xuan Ji in the air.
“Senior flatters me.”
Xuan Ke, listening nearby, was utterly stunned.
‘Unparalleled in the Dao of alchemy… Hehuan Sect… Chen Yuyang…’
These words flashed rapidly through her mind, and suddenly, Xuan Ke also remembered.
Some time ago, clan members who had returned from the Alchemy Grand Competition had mentioned that name.
A young man who had shone brilliantly and achieved an outstanding rank in the competition…
‘So it was him!’
“Young Friend Chen, after the elimination rounds, would you care to visit my Xuan Clan for a chat?”
Xuan Ji asked with a smile, his tone gentle.
“It would be my honor to accept the invitation of a senior like you.”
One does not strike a smiling face.
Since the other party was courteous, Chen Yuyang naturally would not refuse and cupped his hands in reply.
“Good, good.”
Xuan Ji said “good” twice, nodded, and then said no more.
With the unconscious Xuan Tian, he flew off into the distance, turning into a streak of light that vanished deep into the Xuan Clan estate.
The competition continued.
However, after this disturbance, the atmosphere in the Martial Arena had clearly changed.
The Xuan Clan disciples who had previously surrounded them now dared not come within half a step of Chen Yuyang and Cloud Lian.
Even the other rogue cultivators looked at Chen Yuyang with awe and fear, instinctively keeping their distance.
Standing beside Chen Yuyang, sensing this change, Yunlian’s eyes sparkled with a strange light as she looked at the young man, unable to hide her amazement.
‘Even someone like the Xuan Clan Ancestor values Shixiong so highly. Is it because of Shixiong’s astonishing performance at the Alchemy Grand Competition?’
‘Shixiong… he really is amazing…’
In the following elimination rounds, Chen Yuyang and Cloud Lian passed without any suspense, successfully making it into the top four hundred.
After the presiding elder announced the results, another elder of the Xuan Clan, dressed in a deep blue robe, quickly approached Chen Yuyang from outside the arena.
The elder’s face bore a warm, spring-like smile.
Even toward a junior like Chen Yuyang, he showed sufficient respect, cupping his hands and saying, “Young Friend Chen, this way please. The Ancestor has been waiting in the main hall for some time.”
Chen Yuyang nodded slightly, turned to look at Cloud Lian, and signaled for the girl to follow.
Together, they flew alongside that elder toward the inner parts of the Xuan Clan estate.
However, heading into unfamiliar territory, Cloud Lian felt some concern and secretly sent a telepathic message to Chen Yuyang.
(Shixiong, what do you think the Xuan Clan Ancestor wants with you? He’s not trying to get revenge, is he? After all, you just injured his clan’s young master.)
Hearing this, Chen Yuyang, walking ahead, could not help but reveal a smile.
‘Shimei Cloud Lian is still too innocent.’
‘She imagines the people of the cultivation world as far too sinister.’
The Realm of Cultivation, while indeed a place where the strong prey on the weak, is not entirely a place of conspiracies without rules or order.
The reason a great clan like the Xuan Clan has stood for ten thousand years is not because they hold grudges and seek revenge for every slight.
On the contrary, they often possess an extraordinary tolerance and a perspective measured in centuries or millennia.
“It’s simple. There are two possibilities.”
Chen Yuyang followed the Xuan Clan elder while calmly replying to Cloud Lian via telepathy.
“First, seeing me as a talented person, they have the intention to recruit me, to win me over for their use.”
“Second, Shizun’s invitation has likely already been delivered to the Xuan Clan Ancestor. He naturally knows that the Sect Leader of our Hehuan Sect has stepped into the Great Vehicle realm. The status of a sect with a Great Vehicle realm expert goes without saying. Naturally, the Xuan Clan Ancestor will treat us with courtesy and be reluctant to offend us easily.”
“Of course, it could also be a combination of both reasons.”
“Another point: he invited me publicly rather than privately.”
“In private, I might have to be somewhat cautious. But with tens of thousands of cultivators as witnesses in public, he’s probably the one worried about me getting into trouble.”
After listening, Cloud Lian suddenly understood and nodded repeatedly.
The anxious heart in her chest finally settled.
The two followed the Xuan Clan elder through several courtyard walls and soon arrived before a large hall.
Seeing them, Xuan Ji immediately rose from his seat and took the initiative to cup his hands in welcome.
“Young Friend Chen has arrived. Please, come in.”
Xuan Ji’s gaze swept up and down Chen Yuyang, not hiding his admiration.
“Young Friend Chen is truly a youthful prodigy. My unworthy great-grandson caused you offense earlier. My sincere apologies.”
The great-grandson was, of course, Xuan Tian.
Chen Yuyang’s face showed an unconcerned smile, and he cupped his hands in reply.
“I hope Senior does not take offense. In a spar, it’s easy to lose control.”
“How could I take offense!”
Xuan Ji quickly waved his hand and said, “That boy is full of arrogance. These years, with everything going smoothly, he has become conceited and insolent, not knowing his limits or proper conduct.”
“This time, I should actually thank you for teaching him a lesson. Let him know that there are always greater talents beyond his own. Grinding down his temperament like this may not be a bad thing.”
Xuan Ji spoke with apparent sincerity.
Chen Yuyang could not tell whether it was genuine or feigned.
Still, he did not dwell on it.
With these words, the matter of Xuan Tian’s injuries was considered settled.
At that moment, Xuan Ke also walked in from outside and stood to one side of the hall, her gaze somewhat fixed on Chen Yuyang.
Earlier in the Martial Arena, her eyes had held a hint of disdain and contempt for him.
But now, there was attentiveness in those eyes.
‘He is outstanding and strong.’
‘Both his alchemy talent and the strength he just displayed far surpass my own.’
‘With such an exceptional person before her, Xuan Ke, who also considered herself a genius, couldn’t help but pay attention.’
After Chen Yuyang took his seat, Xuan Ji immediately asked, “May I ask if Young Friend Chen came this time to enter my Xuan Clan’s secret realm for training?”
“That is one reason,” Chen Yuyang replied honestly, without hiding anything.
“In that case, why bother with the elimination rounds?” Xuan Ji said generously, waving his hand.
“I will simply give you two spots to enter the secret realm.”
Upon hearing this, Chen Yuyang quickly cupped his hands and declined with a light smile.
“Senior, your kind offer is much appreciated.”
“However, this time, Shimei and I came down from the mountain specifically to gain experience and broaden our horizons. The elimination rounds themselves are a rare opportunity for training. Competing with various cultivators has greatly benefited me.”
“If I simply took a spot directly, although it would save trouble, it would also defeat the purpose of training, which would not be good.”
Xuan Ji’s eyes grew even more admiring upon hearing this, and he nodded repeatedly.
“Well said! For someone so young to have such thoughts is truly rare! I was being narrow-minded.”
Saying this, Xuan Ji stroked his beard, squinting his eyes as if pondering something.
After a brief pause, Xuan Ji changed the subject and asked, “Speaking of which, I have heard that the Sect Leader of the Hehuan Sect—that is, your Shizun—has successfully broken through her bottleneck and stepped into the Great Vehicle realm. Is that true?”
“Indeed it is. Shizun recently broke through smoothly, condensed her foundational law, and successfully entered the 1st level of the Great Vehicle realm.”
Chen Yuyang replied with a smile, inwardly understanding.
‘So Shizun’s invitation was indeed delivered.’
“Incredible!”
Xuan Ji clapped his hands and sighed repeatedly.
“I have heard that Sect Leader Tai is not yet fifty years old. To have reached such a level of cultivation is truly a prodigy. Even more remarkable is that Sect Leader Tai has trained an extraordinarily talented person like you, Young Friend. Truly admirable!”
For the umpteenth time, Chen Yuyang cupped his hands.
“Senior flatters me. I dare not claim to be extraordinarily talented.”
Xuan Ke stood to the side, silently taking all of this in.
She could see it.
Her own great-grandfather, the Xuan Clan Ancestor, the head of the family, was not just appreciative of this young man’s attitude but even somewhat… ingratiating?
‘For a powerful expert like Great-grandfather to treat such a boy with such courtesy…’
A strange feeling arose in her heart.
‘Is Chen Yuyang truly that valuable?’
Just then, a Xuan Clan disciple quickly walked in from outside the hall, bowed to Xuan Ji, and reported, “Ancestor, the young master has awakened.”