by Feng Yise
Finishing, the door shut with a bang again, and not a sound could be heard after.
Xin Yuanshu held the jade slip in his hand with a stupefied face.
He had already overlooked the way Ye Yuan and Lu-er treated guests and focused his attention on the latter half of Lu-er's sentence.
Shao Yun actually went into seclusion because of this jade slip?
With Ye Yuan's realm, what could the jade slip he carved be?
If one were to talk about something Ye Yuan had that Shao Yun would take a fancy upon, that could only be pill formulas!
Ye Yuan knew many pill formulas that the sect did not. This was already common knowledge among the elders. But would Shao Yun give up the challenge because of a pill formula?
Wasn't this taking things too lightly?
After thinking for a long while, Xin Yuanshu could not figure it out either. He decided to take a look at the jade slip first!
When Xin Yuanshu sunk his divine sense into the jade slip, he immediately understood why Shao Yun entered closed-seclusion!
Following that, his expression became as interesting as Shao Yun's . . .
. . . . . .
"Elder Xin has already gone for such a long time. Why isn't he back yet?"
"No idea. Could it be that the two of them are locked in a pitched battle?"
"How is that possible? Elder Xin's level is practically reaching Hall Head's. Isn't trashing Ye Yuan a piece of cake?"
"Then how do you explain why he hasn't returned yet?"
In the Pill Hall, two elders fell silent at the same time. Suddenly, they exchanged glances. Their eyes were filled with disbelief, but they chorused together, "Can it be a closed-seclusion too?"
Hence, they sent somebody to inquire again. The result they obtained was indeed a closed-seclusion!
The group of elders exchanged glances but did not know what to say.
This sort of situation was seriously too abnormal . . .
The Pill Hall's Third Seat and Fifth Seat went to find Ye Yuan to challenge him, but the result was that they entered seclusion bafflingly without even notifying them. What kind of situation was this?
"Just what kind of hex did Ye Yuan cast to actually let Elder Xin and Elder Shao enter a retreat with even giving us a heads up? They . . . didn't fall under some kind of hex, right?"
When encountering an inexplicable situation, people would naturally lean towards black magic.
The group of elders had nothing to say in response.
After a long while, an elder suddenly stood up and said gravely, "I'll go and meet Ye Yuan too. I don't believe that he can make me enter closed-seclusion too!"
Finishing, without waiting for the group to stop him, he directly hastened out of the door.
He left threateningly, but the result was that he . . . did not come back either.
That elder also directly entered a closed-seclusion!
The development of this situation was more and more peculiar. The elders felt that this was absolutely preposterous.
If it was only one or two, then fine. But wasn't three people somewhat unexplainable?
But this matter had yet to be concluded. In the following two days, there were several more elders who viewed themselves highly and were unwilling to submit that went to challenge Ye Yuan.
But . . . their outcomes were all . . . closed-seclusions!
Chapter 251 - Sorcerer Ye Yuan
The Pill Hall elders all entering closed-seclusions caused an uproar in the sect.
"Did you guys hear? More than eight elders announced closed-seclusions after visiting a Martial Hall core disciple called Ye Yuan's residence!"
"How can we not hear about it? The news about Pill Hall elders frequently entering and exiting the Earth Barracks has already given rise to much debate in the sect. It will be hard to not hear it. Now, they are all saying that the disciple called Ye Yuan is a sorcerer! It's rumored that those eight elders all went to find trouble with Ye Yuan. But they failed to daunt Ye Yuan. Instead, they chose closed-seclusion straightaway!"
"What sorcerer?! Those elders have incredible powers. They are all late-stage Sea Transformation Realm powerhouses! How can they be hexed by a puny little Spirit Condensation Realm martial artist?"
"En? Can it be that you know some behind the scenes stuff?" This disciple was clearly also a gossipy person. Hearing the other party, he could not help probing curiously.
The other disciple smiled mysteriously and said, "Hehe, talking about inside stories, I reckon that other than the parties involved, no one else knows. But I, a genius, discovered something fishy when I went through some careful deducing!"
The gossipy disciple's eyes lit up. This incident had already become the hottest topic in the sect these past few days. But nobody knew what happened in between, including those Pill Hall elders!
Now, someone actually said that he knew the backstory. This was clearly enough to whet people's appetites.
"Quickly say! What did you find?"
That disciple smirked smugly and said mysteriously, "Ever since the incident occurred, my initial view was the same as yours, which was Ye Yuan cast some spell! But after thinking about it, that's not right. Those few elders have unparalleled abilities. Even if Ye Yuan's enchantment was heaven-defying, it's also impossible to cross two major realms to cast a curse, right?"
That gossipy male thought about it and nodded, saying, "That's true. This explanation is unreasonable."
"Hence, I started to rack my brains to find what these eight elders have in common! To have made eight elders enter seclusion at the same time, Ye Yuan definitely prescribed the right medicine for the disease. Then what was this disease?" The disciple deliberately beat around the bush as he boasted.
The gossipy man was indeed very cooperative. He asked puzzledly, "Yeah, what is the disease? My God, just tell me. Is it fun to whet people's appetite?"
"I noticed that . . . these eight elders all issued level eight missions in the Support Star Pavilion before!"
"What? That's the common area you talked about? Hahaha, are you kidding? You mean that Ye Yuan answered all those level eight missions? That's how he made all eight elders enter closed-seclusion? Do you feel that it's possible?" The gossipy man felt like he was tricked and mocked him.
"Humph humph! You can't choose not to believe it! At first, I was also taken aback by this thought of mine. But this was the only possibility that I could think of. So I went to the Support Star Pavilion to inquire. Heh, then guess what?"
This time, the gossipy man was stupefied. He could not help asking, "What? Could it be . . . Ye Yuan really received all these level eight missions?"
"Nah. But . . . the day before Elder Shao Yun went to find Ye Yuan, Ye Yuan went to the Support Star Pavilion and stayed for an entire afternoon! He did not take on any missions. He just kept looking through missions on the mission jade wall non-stop!"
"Just based on this?"
"Just based on that! You have to know that Ye Yuan even took on Grand Elder's level nine mission previously! If he really completed the level nine mission, what does a few level eight missions even count as?"
"But . . . is this possible?"
"Uh . . . although I don't believe it either, I seriously can't find a more rational explanation."
. . . . . .
"Sect Master, this Ye Yuan is absolutely a sorcerer! You take a look at the Pill Hall now! How many elders are left?"
In front of Luo Qingfeng, Ouyang Yu denounced Ye Yuan as a sorcerer with bitter resentment.
Within two days, all the elders who went to Ye Yuan's residence all announced closed-seclusion.
Luo Qingfeng actually felt very uncertain in his heart too. But his expression remained unchanged as he said, "Ye Yuan is only a Spirit Condensation Realm martial artist while the elders are all Sea Transformation Realm experts. Furthermore, those few elders are all late-stage Sea Transformation Realm experts. How can Ye Yuan possibly cast any hex on them?"
"Th
en how does Sect Master explain this incident? If this continues, our Pill Hall is going to collapse soon! Without those few elders refining Quasi-Tier 4 medicinal pills, the Martial Hall elders are unable to cultivate! Sect Master, I suggest restraining Ye Yuan first to make him explain things clearly!" Ouyang Yu said furiously.
While these words had some threatening intent, what Ouyang Yu said was the truth.
These eight elders were all peak existences in the Pill Hall. Without them, they could not refine medicinal pills. If they kept staying in seclusion, problems would surface in the sect sooner or later!
Luo Qingfeng frowned and said, "Better wait another two days. Ye Yuan is a nominal elder that Martial Uncle Skymaple recommended. Before making clear of the situation, we shouldn't do anything rash."
"Sect Master! Didn't you notice that Martial Uncle Skymaple is also beguiled by Ye Yuan? He is a puny little Spirit Condensation Realm and low-rank Alchemy Master; what right does he have to be a nominal elder? Moreover, Martial Uncle Skymaple is currently in closed-seclusion too. Don't Sect Master find it strange?"
"This . . ." Being told of this by Ouyang Yu, Luo Qingfeng's determination appeared to be somewhat wavering.
"Sect Master! While I don't know what means Ye Yuan used, but don't tell me that you can carry on waiting in such a baffling situation right now? What if Ye Yuan really has ulterior motives towards the sect and we don't do anything? When the time comes, we'll be the Tranquil Cloud Sect's sinners!" Ouyang Yu pressed on tightly.
Luo Qingfeng's eyes glimmered. He nodded and said, "Alright then. This Sect Master will question Ye Yuan personally just what did he do to the elders! Come, men! Call Ye Yuan over for me!"
Luo Qingfeng left a trace of leeway in the end. If Ye Yuan were really innocent, then when Grand Elder exits seclusion, it would really not be easy to account.
. . . . . .
"Haha . . . Indeed, it really was like this! Indeed like this! Truly fantastical! For the Lucidum Bloodgrass to have such miraculous use, it's truly wondrous! I was saying why I keep being unable to refine the Spirit Wind Pill. Turns out that adding the Lucidum Bloodgrass together with the core ingredients can increase the circulation speed of essence energy!"
Inside Shao Yun's refinement room, he laughed madly.
He refined the Spirit Wind Pill every time according to the pill formula. But each refinement, the Quasi-Tier 4 medicinal pill, Spirit Wind Pill, would be low-grade or even worse.
Shao Yun kept being unable to figure out where the problem lied the whole time. It turned out that the pill formula itself was incomplete!
He had also tried to improve the pill formula, but it all ended in failure.
Left with no other choice, he hung this as a mission in the Support Star Pavilion in hopes that other elders or genius disciples could help to reform the pill formula.
But it had not been successful.
After Shao Yun took Ye Yuan's jade slip, it talked about the method to improve the Spirit Wind Pill. He was immediately hooked.
Alchemists were all a bunch of madmen. They could research a type of pill formula tirelessly without rest.
Shao Yun was troubled by this pill formula for many years. How would he be in the leisure mood to go bother about other things?
Hence, he chose to enter closed-seclusion right away to refine the Spirit Wind Pill according to Ye Yuan's method!
Sure enough, it was a success!
Chapter 252 - Sharpening One’s Knife
Spirit Wind Pill was a type of actual combat medicinal pill. Its applicability was very broad.
After consuming a Spirit Wind Pill, the martial artist could muster essence energy at an increased rate. When unleashing the same move, a martial artist who consumed a Spirit Wind Pill could save half the time!
At a realm like the Sea Transformation Realm, saving half the time to unleash a move meant holding an absolute initiative!
Your move was already released while others were still acc.u.mulating power to unleash their move. Which martial artist did not wish to have such an advantage?
If the Tranquil Cloud Sect's Sea Transformation Realm martial artists carried such a medicinal pill around with them, their combat power would undoubtedly soar!
It was precisely so that Shao Yun expended such a huge amount of energy on this medicinal pill.
But this sort of Tier 4 medicinal pills was really not so easy to refine.
The defective products that he refined not only had extremely severe side effects, but the medicinal effects also were not obvious either. Such a medicinal pill was clearly unable to be used for actual battle.
Now that he had resolved this difficult problem, Shao Yun felt reinvigorated, and his spirit refreshed. He decided to properly thank Ye Yuan!
As for the matter of finding Ye Yuan to compete, it was long tossed beyond the ninth heaven by him.
After exiting seclusion, Shao Yun ran straight to the Earth Barracks No. 72, but he just happened to bump into Ye Yuan leaving with a young man.
"En? Ye Yuan, Guo Bin, where are you guys heading to?" Shao Yun asked with a face full of smiles.
Ye Yuan was at a loss. He did not even recognize this person. He only remembered that Shao Yun seemed to be a Pill Hall elder. As for his name, he could not recall it.
When Guo Bin saw Shao Yun, shock was written all over his face. He hurriedly went up to salute. "Disciple Guo Bin has seen Martial Uncle Shao. Replying martial uncle, Sect Master made me call Ye Yuan over to question him. Did Martial Uncle Shao exit seclusion?"
"En? Question? Did something happen?" Shao Yun's face fell as he asked.
Guo Bin hesitated for a moment, but still summed up the incident simply. Speaking of which, Shao Yun was the first person sent to seclusion by Ye Yuan.
But when Shao Yun heard him, he immediately flew into a great rage. "Utter nonsense! What sorcerer? Ye Yuan is someone who rendered meritorious service upon the Tranquil Cloud Sect! Aren't I perfectly fine? When did I get hexed? Which bastard talked behind my back? Is this cursing this Elder? Come, I'll go along with you to see Sect Master together!"
He turned to Ye Yuan again and said, "Ye Yuan, I'm called Shao Yun, the Pill Hall's Fifth Seat Elder. Thanks to you, I finally successfully refined the Spirit Wind Pill!"
When Ye Yuan heard that, he immediately knew who the other party was.
Those few level eight missions were naturally incomparably easy to Ye Yuan. Therefore, he prepared over a dozen copies of jade slips.
Whoever came, Lu-er would directly hand the jade slip to him after enquiring that person's name.
It was also under such a circ.u.mstance that after eight elders announced closed-seclusions, nobody came by anymore.
Seeing Shao Yun express thanks, Ye Yuan smiled and said, "Just a simple matter that's not worth mentioning."
"Ugh, to you, it's a simple matter. But to me and the sect, it's a huge matter! Originally, when Grand Elder made you a nominal elder, I, Old Shao, was truthfully speaking unconvinced. But now, I'm sincerely convinced! Come, I'll help you explain to the sect master!"
Finishing, Shao Yun dragged Ye Yuan and walked off.
Guo Bin by the side was shocked to the absolute limit!
Nominal elder? What kind of situation was this?
A Spirit Condensation Realm core disciple was actually a Pill Hall nominal elder?
When he came to look for Ye Yuan just now, his attitude was quite arrogant and bossy. Fortunately, Ye Yuan was rather cooperative. Otherwise, he would have made a move.
Thinking of how he nearly struck out against a Pill Hall elder, Guo Bin could not help breaking out in cold sweat.
Offending one's superior, such a crime was not what he could afford to bear!
Guo Bin's status in the sect was even higher than Mo Yuntian and Xin Lie because he was Sect Master Luo Qingfeng's personal disciple.
Even with this layer of identity there, if Ye Yuan were bent on pursuing it, he would also land himself in serious trouble!
Moreover, Shao Yun even said just now that Ye Yuan's nominal elder was personally conferred by Grand Elder. Grand Elder was Luo Qingfeng's martial uncle!
After just two steps, Shao Yun suddenly thought of something and turned around to say to Guo Bin, "If you heard that just now, then fine. But you're not allowed to spread it around, got it?"
Guo Bin nodded mechanically, somewhat spaced out. Not sure if he really heard it or pretended to.
. . . . . .
When Luo Qingfeng and Ouyang Yu saw Shao Yun arrived together with Ye Yuan, they were at a loss.
"Why did you come, Shao Yun?" Ouyang Yu asked in puzzlement.
Shao Yun gave the two a bow and directly said, "Sect Master, Hall Head, you two are mistaken! Ye Yuan did not cast any spells on us but performed deeds of valor for the sect! If you punish Ye Yuan, wouldn't this disappoint the hearts of all the disciples and elders bitterly?"
"Deeds of valor? What does that mean?" Luo Qingfeng asked uncertainly.
Shao Yun recounted the process of the incident, leaving the pair staring with their mouth agape.
No matter how they racked their brains, they could not figure out just how Ye Yuan's Alchemy Dao level would be so high at such a young age? Could it be that he started learning alchemy skills in his mother's w.o.m.b?
"If my conjectures are correct, the other elders should be the same as me. Ye Yuan helped them resolve a problem that had troubled them for many years. That's also to say that our Tranquil Cloud Sect's Alchemy Path strength will take a huge stride forward! You guys tell me, did Ye Yuan perform valorous deeds?" Shao Yun was all worked up.
Luo Qingfeng and Ouyang Yu exchanged glances and saw the astonishment in the other party's eyes.
"Ye Yuan, why didn't you say earlier that you did something so big? We nearly wronged you!" Luo Qingfeng looked at Ye Yuan as he sighed emotionally.
Ye Yuan chuckled and said, "Actually, Grand Elder purposely goaded everyone to find trouble with me on that day. I guessed Grand Elder's intentions, so I also made preparations in advance. These few days, I avoided meeting people not because I want to put on airs in front of the elders, but because I was really training in closed-seclusion. The sect's grand competition is about to begin. I had just broken through realms recently and needed to consolidate my cultivation realm."