Supreme Alchemist-Chapter 2364 - 2354: So What?

Long Qingli could vaguely guess what matter Long Yan was entrusting to Shu Mountain, but an inexplicable and strange emotion surged in her heart. She hoped Elder Tiancheng would agree to Long Yan’s request, yet, paradoxically, she also hoped he wouldn’t.

"It’s a private matter of mine."

Long Yan looked at Elder Tiancheng with sincere eyes. If things continued at this pace, by the time he accumulated enough strength, Lingxi would likely already have married someone else. Thus, Long Yan had pushed his plan onto a tighter schedule.

"Where did you get a million?"

Elder Tiancheng did not intend to mock him, but judging from Long Yan’s attire, which, while valuable, was hardly comparable to a staggering fortune like a million, he couldn’t help but express doubt.

"Please trust me, Elder Tiancheng. I am now a guest elder of the Yanmen Commerce Association. Surely this should be enough to convince you."

Long Yan’s expression was slightly anxious, as if afraid Elder Tiancheng might refuse in the next moment. He quickly produced his identity token. He knew that although Lingxi’s so-called fiancé had disappeared without a trace, with two clans searching for him, it wouldn’t be long before he was found.

Therefore, Long Yan had to seize every moment. Otherwise, when the Emperor Clan located Long Qingli, he would have no choice but to act.

"Let me think about it."

Elder Tiancheng left with his belongings. Long Yan, no matter what, refused to accept the money. Though not adept at dealing with worldly matters, Elder Tiancheng could tell that Long Yan intended to tie Shu Mountain to his ship.

Seeing Long Yan exhale as if a weight had been lifted from his shoulders, Long Qingli stood silently behind him, her emotions in turmoil. Watching Long Yan strive so hard for Lingxi upset her. Just what was it that made Lingxi superior to her?

"You’re risking everything for Lingxi, yet she is busy preparing for her wedding in the Emperor Clan."

Driven by jealousy, Long Qingli blurted out the words unconsciously. The moment they escaped her lips, she regretted them. However, Long Yan merely paused briefly, then smiled faintly and responded, "She wouldn’t."

"How do you know that?"

Her temper flaring, Long Qingli purposely challenged Long Yan, although she didn’t understand why she felt the need to refute him. Was there, perhaps, a slim chance that she could someday take Lingxi’s place?

"Because she is my Lingxi!"

Long Yan declared resolutely, his tone unwavering. His sharp brows and bright eyes gleamed with a mysterious light that set Long Qingli’s heart racing, as though she held a little rabbit quivering in her chest.

With three to four days left until the Tianshan Conference, the group’s immediate priority was to find an inn to settle in. The city was bustling, yet due to the abundance of inns during ordinary times, they still managed to secure a room. However, a minor friction arose while booking the rooms.

"Shopkeeper, twelve deluxe rooms."

Just as Long Yan finished arranging their accommodations, four figures clad in gray entered the inn. The leader, a man around thirty years old, clearly the head of the group, radiated his True Qi ostentatiously, as though flaunting their status as cultivators to anyone who would see.

"These people truly are arrogant."

Yin Yue, with the bearing of a gallant heroine, commented to Long Yan. However, he simply smiled faintly and remained silent.

He had encountered too many people like this. To mortals, stepping onto the Immortal Path was cause for lifelong pride. Who knew, perhaps these were just the sons of some elite family.

Elite families, more enigmatic than sects, truly wielded power in the Qin Dynasty. They were the true backers of the Qin Emperor. While a dynasty naturally had its own realm of influence, these twelve people, accustomed to openly tyrannizing commoners, dared to act so brazenly even here in Tianshan City.

"Apologies, esteemed guests. We don’t have twelve rooms at the moment—only ten are left."

The shopkeeper, his face full of apology, addressed the gray-clad group with utmost respect. After all, both cultivators and members of elite families were not people a mere innkeeper could afford to offend.

"You arrived a bit late, guests. Originally, we had sixteen, but some were just taken by those guests over there."

Noticing the hostile look on the middle-aged leader’s face, the shopkeeper nervously swallowed and ungraciously shifted the blame toward Long Yan’s group. As for Long Yan and his companions, they continued eating and chatting without a hint of awareness.

"Hey, kid, give up your rooms."

The middle-aged man scrutinized Long Yan. Although his attire appeared expensive, the man prided himself on knowing all the prominent figures, and he had never seen anyone like Long Yan. On the other hand, the two young women accompanying him were strikingly beautiful.

"Why should I?"

Niu Shan didn’t even spare the gray-clad group a glance. He buried his face in his food, utterly indifferent. For him, mealtime was sacred. Meanwhile, Long Yan gently set his tea cup down and glanced at the people now surrounding their table.

When Long Yan spoke, the gray-clad group immediately surrounded their table. The middle-aged man scoffed contemptuously.

"Why? Because I am Lan Tianche, the Young Master of the Lan Family!"

As he introduced himself, Lan Tianche tossed a token onto Long Yan’s table, his face filled with smug malice. Yin Yue, of course, understood the Lan Family’s standing. Within the Qin Dynasty, the eight great families—Lan, Qian, Li, Chu, Ying, Sun, Zhao, and Zhou—each commanded powers that rivaled first-class sects. The Lan Family, though tied to Yanmen Commerce, typically maintained distance from them.

Though Lan Tianche’s self-introduction brimmed with pride, Long Yan responded by pulling out his own identity token—Yanmen Commerce’s Guest Elder badge—and placing it on the table in return.

"Yanmen Commerce?"

Lan Tianche, fully aware of what Yanmen Commerce represented, dismissed it with derision. To him, the commerce association was far inferior to his illustrious family.

"But surely Yanmen Commerce recognizes the Lan Family."

Speaking of his family filled Lan Tianche with an immense sense of superiority. He fully expected Long Yan to surrender the rooms upon hearing the name of his clan. To his surprise, however, Long Yan merely nodded indifferently.

"I do. So?"

The nonchalant reply, so casual it was as if he were commenting on the weather, infuriated Lan Tianche. Never before had someone ignored the weight of the Lan Family name. How dare a mere guest elder of Yanmen Commerce not show him the proper respect?

"So you’re saying you’re not going to give up the rooms today?"

Lan Tianche narrowed his eyes dangerously, his patience wearing thin. With even this affront, he was close to striking Long Yan. His gray-clad men, whose strength averaged at the first stage of Divine Emperor, stood by, ready to act. Apart from Long Yan, whose abilities he found unfathomable, the others at Long Yan’s table were all within his calculation and nowhere near a threat.

"And what if I don’t?"

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