Chapter 232: Chapter 232: A Frail Body Cannot Withstand It; Rosy Faces Are But Withered Bones

Yang Chan watched as an expert at the Inner Refining of the Five Viscera level died just like that, and he couldn’t help but sigh inwardly.

Within the Cyan Yuan Sect, experts at the Inner Refining of the Five Viscera level were few and far between. Their cultivation was even higher than that of the various Hall Masters, yet now one was gone in an instant.

From his appearance to his death, the entire process hadn’t even taken the time to drink a cup of tea.

’As expected, my current cultivation at the Inner Refining of the Lungs and Spleens level is still not safe. My decision to keep a low profile was absolutely the right one. I need to maintain this good habit, be even more discreet, and avoid attracting anyone’s attention.’

Yan Jinfeng, Ji Feng, and the others all had grave expressions. When the man in black appeared, revealed to be an expert at the Inner Refining of the Five Viscera level, Ji Feng had immediately moved to stand before everyone, preventing the man from attacking Yan Jinfeng’s group.

The other Sects reacted similarly to the Cyan Yuan Sect, moving at once to protect their Advanced Pharmacists. These Pharmacists were the foundation of their respective Sects and were extremely important figures. They absolutely could not be allowed to die in White Jade City, or their protectors would be cursed and condemned by everyone back in their Sects.

A single Advanced Pharmacist could refine numerous Elixirs, nurture many experts, and even train quite a few other Pharmacists. They were crucial figures and a core part of a Sect’s foundation.

After the man in black died, the Inner Masters sent by the various Sects for protection all breathed a sigh of relief. Then, they began to consider whether they should continue participating in the Pharmacist Exchange Conference.

They could all guess that the Pharmacist Alliance had failed in its refining of the Earth Element Supreme Pill. This was bound to cause significant turmoil and might even endanger their own safety.

Take this man in black, for instance. With his cultivation at the Inner Refining of the Five Viscera level, an attack on any single Sect would have a high chance of success. This was due to the disparity in power, not to mention the formidable Combat Power he could unleash by using a Secret Technique.

The Sects rarely arranged for experts at the Inner Refining Five Level to enter White Jade City.

For one, experts of this level held high status within their Sects. For another, such figures were usually tasked with guarding their Sect’s headquarters while preparing for their own breakthroughs. Furthermore, the situation in White Jade City was chaotic, and sending in top-tier experts could easily arouse suspicion.

The Emperor of the Great Zhou Imperial Dynasty was extremely suspicious and profoundly shrewd. It wasn’t wise to station overly powerful experts in White Jade City and risk provoking his paranoia.

Some Sects proposed withdrawing from the Pharmacist Exchange Conference, but the Pharmacist Alliance refused. Their words were high-sounding and righteous, but the representatives from the various Sects could still detect the underlying problems.

Under the current circumstances, the matter no longer just concerned the Pharmacist Alliance; it now involved the Imperial Family, and its impact was far greater than anticipated.

Yan Jinfeng and his group didn’t leave immediately. Instead, they contacted people from other Sects in small groups, clearly discussing matters of alliance. They had talked before, but now that a crisis had occurred, it was only natural to strengthen their connections.

The group walked out of the Pharmacist Alliance building. For once, they didn’t head to a brothel to listen to music but returned directly to the Cyan Yuan Pavilion. Clearly, the day’s events had caused Yan Jinfeng and the others to change their approach.

If nothing had happened at the Pharmacist Alliance, if the refining of the Earth Element Supreme Pill hadn’t failed, and if the situation in White Jade City hadn’t changed, they would have stuck to their original plan. They would have continued to eat, drink, and make merry in White Jade City, which would also have put the Emperor at ease. But now, someone had appeared who threatened their safety, so they naturally wouldn’t choose to visit a brothel. After all, the extra travel posed its own dangers.

Seeing this, Yang Chan let out a quiet sigh of relief. He too had felt that going to a brothel was unsafe. No matter which brothel it was, or even if it meant being served by a chosen courtesan, none of it was more important than his own safety.

’Beauty is but a bag of bones. I care far more about my own well-being. Everyone else is just a passing cloud on my Longevity Road, unimportant. The only thing that matters is to survive, to live a long life. That is the key.’

’No matter how nice the brothels are, as long as I’m alive, I can always go back. If I die, then everything is lost.’

As Yang Chan followed Yan Jinfeng and the others, he remained extremely cautious and vigilant, wary of a potential attack. Even knowing that those Iron Blood Warriors were hidden nearby didn’t change his careful mindset.

He was also beginning to understand why there were so many hidden soldiers along the roads. It was likely all in preparation for the refining of the Earth Element Supreme Pill. But even so, disaster had struck in the end.

Clearly, the power behind the attacker was anything but simple.

’Faced with this kind of situation, it’s better to keep a low profile and not get involved. Otherwise, with my current meager strength, I wouldn’t be able to withstand the consequences.’

’My cultivation is only at the Inner Refining of the Lungs and Spleens. If I interfere, I’ll be doomed beyond recovery.’

The man in black, an expert at the Inner Refining of the Five Viscera level, was a cautionary tale, making Yang Chan even more vigilant and determined to avoid such troubles.

When the group returned to the Cyan Yuan Pavilion, the Steward was so surprised he thought he was seeing things. Usually, they didn’t return until nearly dawn. A strange look flickered in his eyes, but being a sensible man, he didn’t ask what had happened. Instead, he simply inquired what they would like to eat.

Having reached his position, he knew very well not to ask about things he wasn’t supposed to know. Asking would only lead to trouble.

He would be told what he needed to know. Asking about what he didn’t need to know was simply looking for trouble.

Yang Chan ordered many specialty dishes. He needed to eat more to have the energy to exercise, to practice his fist techniques, and to cultivate. Of course, the most important reason was that delicious food provided him with 0.2 Potential Points daily, something he certainly couldn’t give up.

Although extra food wouldn’t increase his Potential Points, eating well was still an excellent choice for him, especially since his energy consumption was so high.

After placing his order, Yang Chan was about to return to his room when he was summoned to Elder Yan’s quarters. It was obvious they were going to discuss the day’s events.

This made Yang Chan’s eyes light up. If they were leaving White Jade City early, that would be excellent news for him.

’Life in White Jade City is comfortable, but I always feel unsafe. There are too many experts around, which gives me no sense of security. It wouldn’t be like this if I returned to the Cyan Yuan Sect.’

’As the dominant power in Qing State, the Cyan Yuan Sect is practically the local emperor there. Even the Government Office won’t provoke it. Staying within the Cyan Yuan Sect, I would basically face no danger.’

This feeling grew even stronger after seeing two Bone Marrow Cleansing Grandmasters take action today, not to mention the power unleashed by that Deadpool at the Inner Refining of the Five Viscera level.

If Yang Chan had the choice, he would return to the Cyan Yuan Sect without a moment’s hesitation.

White Jade City might be prosperous, with all kinds of flowers and fruits—a land of plenty, you could say—but in Yang Chan’s heart, it still couldn’t compare to Qing State.

Once he was back in the Cyan Yuan Sect, he could eat any fruit or admire any flower he wanted. People would even deliver them to him voluntarily, and it would be completely risk-free.

At the same time, he could also justify his promotion to Intermediate Pharmacist. Life would be incredibly comfortable.