Chapter 653 - 620: Who Can Contend, The Disciple Hierarchy of the Merak Sacred Land

To become a Hall Master on Chiyu Peak in the Merak Sacred Land, one naturally needed subordinates. Gu An, of course, intended to bring along those he was accustomed to working with. They would save him a great deal of effort and help him establish himself more smoothly in the Merak Sacred Land. These were all things Gu An had to consider.

Unlike Yang Chan, he had many people and matters to arrange.

Yang Chan, for instance, left most of the miscellaneous tasks to Han Bingyu, allowing him to focus solely on cultivation and alchemy. Even after becoming the Chief Pharmacist, this would not change. Gu An, however, couldn’t do the same; he had to personally manage everything.

Especially after joining the Merak Sacred Land, he would become a Hall Master of Chiyu Peak. It was like starting over from scratch, so having people he was used to working with would naturally let him achieve twice the results with half the effort.

It would also make his integration into Chiyu Peak much smoother.

Although he had no intention of competing with Liu Xuan, he certainly wasn’t going to let anyone take the cultivation resources he was entitled to.

Not long after Gu An left, Han Bingyu came to see him. She had clearly waited until Gu An was gone before approaching.

"We’re leaving the Cyan Yuan Sect to join the Merak Sacred Land."

"It’s scheduled for a month from now, but it might happen sooner."

Seeing Han Bingyu, Yang Chan got straight to the point, relaying what he and Gu An had just discussed.

"Make sure everything I asked you to prepare is ready. It’ll make our departure easier when the time comes."

Yang Chan had already made these arrangements in advance. He had seen the signs, and Gu An’s visit simply confirmed his suspicions.

"Yes, the preparations are underway. If I work quickly, it should all be sorted out within seven days."

Han Bingyu was extremely efficient and never procrastinated.

When Yang Chan told her to get ready, she began at once without any delay. That was why the timeline she gave was much shorter than what Yang Chan had expected. Her efficiency was remarkable.

"Good. Just handle the arrangements on your end."

"Once we go to the Merak Sacred Land, we probably won’t be back to the Cyan Yuan Sect for a long time. So, if you have any close friends, you should go see them after you’ve made your arrangements."

Yang Chan passed on the advice Gu An had given him to Han Bingyu.

Everyone was different, and he wouldn’t demand that others be just like him. People should do what they feel is right.

Han Bingyu was part of the Han Family, so she naturally had friends and relatives. In that regard, she was different from Yang Chan.

"Understood, Pharmacist Yang!"

Hearing this, Han Bingyu nodded solemnly.

Since she was going to the Merak Sacred Land, she naturally had to inform the Han Family and her relatives. Although their bonds had weakened considerably after she joined the Cyan Yuan Sect, she still had to say her goodbyes before she left.

Han Bingyu firmly believed that following Yang Chan was her best path forward, and she had never wavered in that choice.

"Nothing major has happened within the Great Zhou Imperial Dynasty these past few days. However, in the Rising Sun Empire, remnants of the Jin Meng Empire are stirring up trouble, causing some instability."

"The Emperor of the Rising Sun Empire, Ouyang Qingtian, has personally taken action to suppress them."

After listening to Yang Chan’s instructions, Han Bingyu reported the intelligence she had gathered.

Yang Chan had also tasked her with gathering information on the Rising Sun Empire, so Han Bingyu naturally came to report as soon as there was news.

"Mm, I understand. For the time being, don’t focus too much on intelligence from the Great Zhou Imperial Dynasty or the Rising Sun Empire, unless something happens that might affect our move to the Merak Sacred Land."

Once he joined the Merak Sacred Land, he wouldn’t need to pay much attention to the situations in the Great Zhou Imperial Dynasty and the Rising Sun Empire, as they would no longer affect him.

However, since they were still in the Cyan Yuan Sect in Qing State, Yang Chan added the caveat about it affecting their plans.

Yang Chan preferred a stable life, but stability wasn’t always something he could choose. That’s why he kept an eye on the Great Zhou Imperial Dynasty and its neighbors—to avoid being swept up in their conflicts again. He had no desire to be sent back to the front lines.

Experiencing that once was more than enough.

"Very well, I understand."

Han Bingyu was simply acting out of habit. She would only change her routine if Yang Chan requested it.

Even after hearing they were going to the Merak Sacred Land, and feeling this news might no longer be necessary, she still followed her original instructions without deviation.

It might sound rigid and inflexible, but it was, in fact, the best approach.

No one liked a subordinate who thought they knew better and made unauthorized changes.

Yang Chan’s arrangements were to be carried out according to his will. If he wanted her to continue gathering this intelligence, she would continue. If he didn’t, she would stop.

Obedience was sometimes extremely important.

Han Bingyu understood this well, which was why her work always satisfied Yang Chan. It allowed him to entrust her with more tasks, and his confidence in her grew ever higher.

He no longer hid many confidential matters from her, choosing instead to keep her informed.

"Alright, that’s all. You may go."

Yang Chan glanced at Han Bingyu and waved his hand dismissively.

As he watched Han Bingyu’s retreating figure, Yang Chan began to think.

He had two slots for people to take with him to the Merak Sacred Land, something Gu An had arranged.

The choices were naturally Han Bingyu and Princess Lan Yue; he had no intention of taking anyone else.

As for his Pharmacist’s Assistants, there was no need to bring them along. It was better to leave them in the Cyan Yuan Sect.

In truth, if he wanted more slots, Gu An would likely grant them if he just asked, but Yang Chan had no desire to do so.

The people heading to the Merak Sacred Land this time were different from those Lü Zhenghai had taken before.

The people Lü Zhenghai had taken before were essentially cannon fodder. Unless they could distinguish themselves, they would perish not long after entering the Merak Sacred Land.

Lü Zhenghai had explained the situation, but they still made that choice. Ultimately, it was up to the individual.

But this time, with Gu An, Yang Chan, and the others joining the Merak Sacred Land, the situation was completely different. Their starting status was the biggest distinction.

Upon joining the Merak Sacred Land, Gu An would become a Hall Master, the most powerful figure on the peak under Peak Master Liu Xuan. As for Yang Chan, his status as an Advanced Pharmacist would also grant him a respectable position.

The same applied to the others joining them. At the very least, they would become Inner Sect Disciples, even if their cultivation wasn’t quite up to par. Not everyone was granted such a status, which was why there was a strict quota on who could be brought along.

Take Han Bingyu and Princess Lan Yue for example. After joining the Merak Sacred Land, although they would still be under Yang Chan, they would also gain the status of Inner Sect Disciples of the Merak Sacred Land—a position of considerable standing.

Within the Merak Sacred Land, the lowest rank was Servant Disciple, similar to those in the Cyan Yuan Sect. Above them were the Outer Disciples. They were considered part of the Holy Land, but with cultivation generally at the External Refining Copper Skin or Steel Rebar stages, they were not highly regarded.

Next came the Inner Sect Disciples, who were finally considered valuable by the Merak Sacred Land. Their cultivation began at the External Iron Bone Refining stage. They were the bedrock of the Holy Land, and their status was not low at all. They could act in the name of the Merak Sacred Land, and lesser powers wouldn’t dare to provoke them.

Above them were the Direct Disciples. Their cultivation ranged from Inner Master to the Initial Stage of Bone Marrow Cleansing Grandmaster. They were the pillars of the Merak Sacred Land, the true elite. Their status was extremely high, and they could act as official representatives of the Merak Sacred Land.

Above the Direct Disciples were the Quasi-Saint Sons and Quasi-Saintesses. They were individuals of extraordinary talent, serving as candidates-in-waiting for the positions of Saint Son and Saintess. Their talent and aptitude were both of a superior caliber; none of them were simple characters.

Before a new Saint Son or Saintess was chosen, they would be selected from this competitive pool. Even after a Saint Son and Saintess were in place, these individuals remained as reserve candidates.

If something were to happen to the Merak Sacred Land’s Saint Son or Saintess, a replacement would be chosen from their ranks.

Finally, there were the Saint Son and the Saintess. Their status and position within the Merak Sacred Land were exceedingly high, second only to the Saint Master himself—even higher than the Grand Elder. Their potential was immense, with the possibility of becoming a Copper Skin Blood Exchange Martial Saint.

If they managed to break through to the Blood Exchange Martial Saint realm, even if they didn’t become the Saint Master, they could still become a Supreme Elder. Their status would be utterly transcendent. Naturally, they were also rivals.

After all, the Merak Sacred Land did not require its Saint Master to be male or female. Both the Saint Son and the Saintess had a chance to claim the position.