Cyan Yuan Pavilion.

Yang Chan arrived outside Yan Jinfeng’s room. He noticed that the number of guards along the way had increased. Clearly, the Cyan Yuan Pavilion had also been affected by the recent events.

Yan Jinfeng, Elder Ji Feng, and the others must have felt the situation in White Jade City growing tense. Bolstering their defenses was a necessary precaution to prepare for any contingency. It would also prevent anyone from infiltrating the Cyan Yuan Pavilion, or even the living quarters of the Cyan Yuan Sect Disciples.

They had even cleared out the adjacent rooms as a precaution against someone blending in. Yang Chan was quite satisfied with this level of security, as he himself was someone who valued safety highly.

The stronger the defenses, the safer they would be, and the more at ease he could feel.

"Disciple Yang Chan..."

Yang Chan stood at Elder Yan’s door. Before he could finish speaking, the large door swung open.

"Come in!"

Yan Jinfeng’s voice echoed from within the room, directly bidding Yang Chan to enter.

Hearing this, Yang Chan walked straight in. He immediately noticed that inside Elder Yan’s residence were not only Elder Ji Feng, but also Xu Gaocen and the other Direct Disciples who had come with them. It was a considerable number of people.

Evidently, they were about to discuss the day’s events and the Cyan Yuan Sect’s subsequent arrangements. For Yang Chan, this was good news.

’If I get the chance, I’ll join the group leaving White Jade City directly,’ he thought. ’I need to get out of this chaotic city and away from all this danger.’

In any case, the Pharmacist Exchange Conference was over for him. He hadn’t advanced, so the subsequent alchemy had nothing to do with him. As for missing the chance to observe the other Pharmacists’ refining processes, that wasn’t important to Yang Chan.

According to his original plan, he wouldn’t have even come to White Jade City, let alone watched these people’s alchemy techniques. It simply didn’t matter. He had Potential Points and a proficiency panel; for him, these improvements were just a matter of time. It wasn’t like he had no other way to advance.

Given enough time, he was certain he could surpass the two Advanced Pharmacists in the Cyan Yuan Sect, and even vie for the title of a Top Level Pharmacist, a rarity in Qing State. If he spent a few more Potential Points, he could even aim for a level beyond that. There was no doubt about it.

Therefore, for the current Yang Chan, avoiding the danger here was of paramount importance.

"Yang Chan, have a seat over here."

"Now that everyone’s here, I’ll tell you what Elder Ji Feng and I have discussed."

"Today, the refining of the Earth Element Supreme Pill, which the Emperor entrusted to the Pharmacist Alliance, has failed. The perpetrators must be powerful figures within the Capital City. There are very few factions capable of using experts at the level of Inner Refining of the Five Viscera as Deadpools and orchestrating such a thing."

"Regardless of which faction was behind it, it will be difficult for White Jade City to remain peaceful. We may even see significant chaos."

"Our original plan was to abandon the Pharmacist Exchange Conference and return to the Cyan Yuan Sect immediately. However, we’ve received word that the roads are not safe. Leaving now could expose us to even greater danger."

"Therefore, for the time being, we will all remain within the Cyan Yuan Pavilion. We are not to get involved in any of White Jade City’s affairs, and that includes matters concerning the Pharmacist Alliance."

"No matter what happens in White Jade City, the Cyan Yuan Sect’s stance will remain neutral. We will not interfere in other affairs. So, if anyone asks for your help, refuse them directly. It would be best to refer the matter to me and Elder Ji Feng to handle."

"These are my orders to you. Unless absolutely necessary, do not leave the Cyan Yuan Pavilion. Do not bring trouble upon the Cyan Yuan Sect."

Yan Jinfeng’s tone grew increasingly grave, making everyone understand the seriousness of the situation.

This incident was only the beginning, not the end. More was sure to follow. As long as they didn’t take the initiative to get involved, the Cyan Yuan Sect would not be significantly affected.

"Of course, you don’t need to worry. Elder Ji Feng and I have already negotiated with several other Sects to advance and retreat together. We will support each other at critical moments, so your safety is not an issue. As long as everyone behaves, there won’t be any major trouble."

Yan Jinfeng’s gaze swept over Yang Chan, Xu Gaocen, and the others. It was both a reassurance and a warning.

At a time like this, his words had to be firm for them to grasp what was at stake.

Yang Chan was somewhat disappointed by this outcome, but he nodded along with the others. He decided to treat it as a period of secluded cultivation in the Cyan Yuan Pavilion. He could improve his Cultivation and prepare more self-protection measures, lest he face danger with no way to respond.

The power created by the convergence of a Bone Marrow Cleansing Grandmaster’s Spirit and Divine Intent was formidable, capable of greatly suppressing even an Inner Master. However, it didn’t have much of a suppressive effect on Sword Intent.

He had felt this when the Bone Marrow Cleansing Grandmaster’s aura erupted, but he hadn’t used his Sword Intent to resist it. That was his trump card for self-preservation; there was no need to reveal it.

’However, if a Bone Marrow Cleansing Grandmaster really does attack me, I can use this Sword Intent to fight back. It would buy me more time to escape and avoid being suppressed,’ he mused.

With this in mind, Yang Chan naturally planned to allocate his Potential Points toward improving his Wind-Stepping Technique and his Sword Master class. He would adjust his strategy. His Martial Arts Cultivation, however, would continue to be improved without change—that was crucial and required long-term investment.

At critical moments, the stronger his Martial Arts Cultivation, the better he could protect himself.

At the same time, he needed to prepare various Hidden Weapons and Poisons so they would be ready to use at a moment’s notice. They could be used to deal with trouble and were also excellent for concealing his true Cultivation level.

While Yang Chan mulled over these thoughts, he also listened to Yan Jinfeng and Elder Ji Feng speak.

"This incident was just an accident. At most, our return to Qing State will be delayed by a few days, so there’s no need to panic. The Major Sects from all the states have united. No faction would be so blind as to offend all of them."

"The Cyan Yuan Sect is our safety net. As long as the Cyan Yuan Sect stands, no one will risk offending it to deal with us."

Elder Ji Feng also spoke up, his words meant to soothe the hearts of Xu Gaocen, Yang Chan, and the others.

Informing them of the situation was to make the group understand its gravity. The subsequent words were meant to instill confidence in the Sect, encouraging Yang Chan and the others to trust it more and increase their loyalty. This behavior was quite in line with their positions as Elders.

Whether they were Advanced Pharmacists or Inner Refining Elders, they naturally hoped that disciples like Yang Chan and Xu Gaocen would be loyal to the Cyan Yuan Sect and contribute even more to it in the future.

Ji Feng’s words did much to reassure the Direct Disciples.

Although these Direct Disciples hadn’t been able to enter the Pharmacist Alliance’s inner sanctum, they knew something of what had happened inside. The eruption of power from those two Bone Marrow Cleansing Grandmasters, the special envoys, was felt by many, and they were terrified by that power.

Thus, the words of Elder Yan and Elder Ji Feng acted as a calming pill, allowing Yang Chan and the others to feel relieved. They shouldn’t be too anxious, but of course, they couldn’t let their guard down either.

"We disciples understand."

Hearing this, Yang Chan and the others all responded earnestly, showing their understanding.