Supreme Alchemist-Chapter 2393 - 2383: Ying Rentian’s Little Thoughts

However, Long Yan certainly didn’t know exactly where he stood. Ever since he walked down from the Path to Immortality, Jian Wuchen had been staring at him relentlessly, making Long Yan feel extremely uneasy, though he didn’t know what to say.

"Who exactly are you?"

The words of Jian Wuchen carried a trace of doubt. Earlier, Long Yan had introduced himself as merely a Guest Elder of a Commercial Association. It was widely known that aside from the Shengdao Alliance, which could rival the Three Great Forces, most cultivators viewed commercial associations as refuges for those who failed to find footing elsewhere.

But the talent displayed by Long Yan now was clearly a stark contrast to the image of a struggling cultivator ingrained in everyone’s perception.

Everyone watched on as Long Yan walked out of the Path to Immortality. Though the air at the mid-mountain of Tianshan Sect was still relatively comfortable, a chill rose in the hearts of many cultivators. Was such genius really necessary?

"I am, of course, just a Guest Elder of a Commercial Association."

Long Yan looked directly into Jian Wuchen’s eyes and spoke slowly, yet his tone carried an unyielding determination impossible to convey in mere words.

Jian Wuchen’s face remained devoid of any expression, but the killing intent that had been lingering in the air instantly dissipated. Yes, if Long Yan had been lying just now, Jian Wuchen wouldn’t have hesitated to draw his sword and take off the man’s head.

As someone well-known in the Cultivation World, Jian Wuchen had encountered more than a few people who approached him with dubious motives. Naturally, such approaches were anything but pure, and Jian Wuchen had always kept those types at arm’s length. But Long Yan proved to be an exception.

The morning sword practice had already sent waves of shock through Jian Wuchen’s soul. Based on pure gut instinct, Jian Wuchen suspected that Long Yan knew something about him. After all, having one’s weakness grasped by someone else was never a pleasant situation, especially for Jian Wuchen.

Still, no matter how sharp Jian Wuchen’s gaze grew, Long Yan’s golden pupils remained unaffected, showing no signs of evasion—not even a flicker. This made Jian Wuchen begin to believe Long Yan’s words.

"Go investigate this Long Yan for me."

Compared to the tense atmosphere around Long Yan, Ying Rentian, on the other side, had kept his eyes glued to Long Yan’s figure. To a powerful general like Ying Rentian, a prodigy of this caliber was as enticing as poppy flowers.

The Qin Dynasty didn’t have a tradition of appointing a Crown Prince. The Emperor officially abdicated at seventy, and the various Princes were siblings, which avoided fratricidal conflict. As a result, some suggested using a competition between capable individuals under their command to decide the successor to the throne.

This method of selecting the heir received widespread adoption upon proposal. After all, the growth of a nation depended not only on the older generation; fresh blood was essential. Those in power needed more than intelligence and strength; they also required the art of governing people.

Ying Rentian had one elder brother above him and two younger brothers below him. The Fourth Prince was still an infant and posed no threat, but the other two were far from pushovers. Ying Rentian, as a military commander, was confident in the first two areas, but when it came to the third—the art of governing others—he lacked certainty.

The Eastern Ancient Clan had almost all withdrawn to verdant hideaways, rarely emerging except during times of national invasion. As such, most people fixated their attention on the First-Class Sects. The Crown Prince had apprenticed under the Haoqi Alliance, one of the Four Sacred Places, cultivating close ties between the sect and the Qin Imperial Family. The chosen candidate was naturally a rising star of the Haoqi Alliance.

The Third Prince, while uninterested in vying for the throne, sought the thrill of the pugilistic world. Yet this preference honed exceptional cultivation skills, allowing him to join a hidden sect. Without question, his team would draw members entirely from within this reclusive sect.

As for Ying Rentian himself, stationed for years at the border—fighting off Miaojiang in the north and guarding the River Sea to the east—the complexities of border warfare consumed his time and left little room to cultivate ties with cultivation sects. However, the current Emperor, Yin Fanghuai, was already sixty-eight years old, leaving only two years before his retirement. These impending concerns demanded Ying Rentian’s attention.

If Ying Rentian chose not to compete for the throne, given his renown at the border, he would likely suffer the fate of a "rabbit slain after hunting" in just two years. Thus, Ying Rentian decided to vie for the crown.

Evidently, Long Yan fit Ying Rentian’s criteria perfectly. If he didn’t seize the chance to enlist Long Yan’s help at this Tianshan Conference, his royal siblings might strike first.

Indeed, Long Yan’s stunning performance on the Path to Immortality stirred Ying Rentian’s plans.

Yet, more groundwork was needed.

As someone stationed at the border for years, Ying Rentian knew little about the art of governing people. If the conversation were about military strategy, he’d be able to expound eloquently. But regarding a genius from the Cultivation World like Long Yan, Ying Rentian truly didn’t know how to persuade him.

Nonetheless, one principle held true: flattery will always work where other methods fail. So Ying Rentian resolved to start by praising Long Yan.

After Long Yan’s record-breaking turn, several other geniuses seemed emboldened to attempt a challenge on the Path to Immortality. Yet success was rare. Even completing the stages, let alone surpassing Long Yan’s achievement, proved nearly impossible for most contestants. Naturally, these outcomes didn’t concern Long Yan directly.

After all, the record he left behind at this Tianshan Conference was unlikely to be broken.

"Though there’s still one person worth watching,"

Long Yan’s eyes narrowed slightly. Regarding Ying Rentian, who bore the title of the young "First Person" of the Qin Dynasty, Long Yan felt little concern. As the representative of the dynasty’s highest authority, that title was more a product of sycophancy than genuine merit. While Ying Rentian possessed some strength, it was insufficient to surpass Long Yan’s record.

The only exception was Jiang Wudao from the Shura Dao. When it came to this individual, even Long Yan found him difficult to fully discern. A faint intuition suggested Jiang Wudao’s strength might rival that of both himself and Jian Wuchen. It was possible the man had a secret technique capable of shattering Long Yan’s record.

Amid the crowd, Jiang Wudao seemed to sense Long Yan’s gaze, lifting his head to meet Long Yan’s golden eyes. Despite the considerable distance between them, Long Yan clearly caught the flicker of amusement in Jiang Wudao’s exposed gaze. frёeωebɳovel.com

Their exchange of eye contact lasted but a fleeting moment before breaking. Jiang Wudao merely shook his head lightly and stepped onto the Path to Immortality.

Because Jiang Wudao wore a mask, his expression remained hidden. Even after Jiang Wudao successfully cleared the Path, the cultivators present voiced little enthusiasm for him. Unless another contestant as remarkable as Long Yan emerged, it seemed unlikely anyone would rekindle collective interest.

Yet, Jiang Wudao himself appeared entirely indifferent to this lack of recognition. Picking a seat far from the other successful challengers, he settled down quietly, his movement as lifeless as a stone.

Long Yan didn’t devote much attention to Jiang Wudao, as he was now surrounded by so-called "geniuses," blocking his path entirely.

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