Chapter 686 - 637: The Dust Settles: The Contest of the Genius Pharmacist

"That’s not entirely accurate. Yuwen Ze is twenty-three, and he still hasn’t been able to refine a Bone Marrow Cleansing Level Elixir, which puts him on roughly the same level as Yang Chan."

"On that point alone, Yang Chan is qualified to be one of the Stewards of the Spirit Medicine Tower!"

"Furthermore, the Saint Master previously entrusted Chiyu Peak to Liu Xuan of the Cyan Yuan Sect, one of our Affiliated Forces. This sent a clear message to everyone that the Holy Land values all its affiliates!"

"If the Pill Pavilion promotes Yang Chan to be one of the Spirit Medicine Tower’s Stewards now, wouldn’t that be consistent with the Saint Master’s intentions? It would also set an excellent example for our Pill Pavilion!"

"After all, the Pill Pavilion isn’t just home to Pharmacists cultivated within the Holy Land; we also have those sent from our various Affiliated Forces. We need to show these people a path forward. Only then will they be motivated to strive for more!"

"Yang Chan is the perfect choice for this!"

Shen Changfeng glanced at Ji Yu and spoke slowly.

His argument was well-reasoned, and it was clear he had prepared these words in advance, now seizing the opportunity to deliver them.

As his words reached the ears of the Pill Pavilion’s leadership, several of them sank into contemplation.

The biggest recent event, apart from the Purple Void Secret Realm and the Alien Race, had been the matter of Chiyu Peak’s new master. The outcome had been completely unexpected, and it had reflected the Merak Saint Master’s will, for he was the one who made the final decision.

Though their status as Top Level Pharmacists was transcendent, they weren’t completely immune to influence. Extremely rare items like the highest-grade Spiritual Materials, precious Ancient Texts, and the accumulated insights of their forebears could only be obtained through figures like the Merak Saint Master.

This was why Ji Yu had come to owe the Merak Saint Son a favor, and they were all in a similar position.

Even the Pavilion Master of the Pill Pavilion, Bai Keyi, was no exception; he too was mulling over Shen Changfeng’s words.

"Aren’t you reading too much into things, Vice Pavilion Master Shen?"

Seeing the tide turn, Ji Yu grew alarmed. ’This is bad,’ he thought, quickly speaking up.

He couldn’t let Shen Changfeng have his way. After all, the Merak Saint Son hadn’t just called in a favor; he’d also promised that upon succeeding, he would gift Ji Yu an Exotic Treasure obtained from the Alien Race.

This particular Exotic Treasure, obtained when they exterminated the Alien Race that had emerged from the Purple Void Secret Realm, was exceedingly rare.

The Saint Son hadn’t offered this Exotic Treasure before. But with the struggle for the Spirit Medicine Tower’s Steward position, he used it to enlist Ji Yu’s help. Ji Yu’s response had not disappointed the Merak Saint Son. He had been doing his utmost to block Yang Chan from becoming a Steward, while simultaneously pushing for the Saint Son’s own recommendation, Gu Gaoxuan.

"It is not for us to speculate on the Saint Master’s intentions, and the Pill Pavilion does not involve itself in such matters!"

Ji Yu’s words were sanctimonious, delivered from the moral high ground.

His words were intended as a decisive blow.

"You are the one who’s overthinking, Vice Pavilion Master Ji. The Pill Pavilion acts in its own best interest and for the development of the Holy Land. Everything we do is for the Holy Land!"

Anyone could speak such noble-sounding words, and Shen Changfeng was no exception. In fact, he could make them sound even grander and more righteous.

Invoking the development of the Holy Land was a way of seizing the ultimate high ground.

As members of the Merak Sacred Land, no matter how transcendent the Pill Pavilion’s status, it was still a part of the Holy Land. Its development was naturally the top priority.

"We are merely discussing the post of a Spirit Medicine Tower Steward. There’s no need to escalate the topic to such a level, Vice Pavilion Master Shen!"

Ji Yu’s expression flickered as he steered the conversation back to the Steward position.

He knew better than to dwell on such politically charged topics.

Word of their discussion would soon reach the Merak Saint Master’s ears.

A transcendent status didn’t mean they were above all scrutiny; there were still lines they couldn’t cross.

This wasn’t just true for them; even the Merak Saint Master had his constraints.

If his actions provoked public outrage, he wouldn’t be able to hold on to his position as Saint Master. The principle was the same for everyone.

Within the Merak Sacred Land, no one was truly invincible. A Blood Exchange Martial Saint might be at the pinnacle of the Taiyu Divine Continent, but the Merak Sacred Land had more than one.

"I have no objection to Yang Chan becoming a Steward of the Spirit Medicine Tower."

"I was the one who assessed Yang Chan previously. His talent in pharmacology is exceptional; he is more than qualified to be a Steward of the Spirit Medicine Tower!"

"Besides, I’m also curious to see who the greater genius is: Yang Chan or Yuwen Ze!"

Zhao Yu spoke up, siding with Shen Changfeng.

He already had a favorable impression of Yang Chan, and the prospect Shen Changfeng raised—a competition between Yang Chan and Yuwen Ze to see who would become the next Top Level Pharmacist—piqued his interest, which is why he spoke in support.

"I have no issue with Yang Chan becoming a Steward of the Spirit Medicine Tower,"

Pavilion Master Bai Keyi also spoke up, leaning in Yang Chan’s favor.

The Pill Pavilion needed to maintain a sense of balance. As its Pavilion Master, he valued this above all else. If one side gained too much influence, the entire atmosphere would turn toxic.

Of the three Stewards in the Spirit Medicine Tower, Yuwen Ze was one of the Merak Saint Son’s people, another was one of his own, and the one who had recently died of old age had belonged to the Quasi-Saint Son’s faction. This had maintained a relative state of balance.

Therefore, the choice between Yang Chan and Gu Gaoxuan was now a simple one.

Many were vying for the position, but the strongest contenders were undoubtedly Yang Chan and Gu Gaoxuan. The others all fell short, not just in terms of their skills as Pharmacists, but also in the power of the factions behind them.

Currently in the Merak Sacred Land, the Merak Saint Son and the Merak Saintess held the most power, and their rivalry was causing considerable turmoil.

If the Pill Pavilion wanted to remain relatively tranquil, it needed to ensure both sides were in a state of equilibrium. Only then could it minimize the impact of their conflict.