Chapter 754: An Audience with the Saintess, Saint Master Peak

“Let’s drop it for now!”

Gongye Zhe pondered for a moment, then slowly shook his head.

This latest move was retaliation for Yang Chan’s earlier actions against his people at the Spirit Medicine Tower. He had to give his supporters an answer; he couldn’t just stand by and do nothing while Yang Chan swept them all out.

That would have greatly disappointed his followers. In the future, they wouldn’t put their full effort into supporting him. This was all just a standard political maneuver.

And if he continued to act after this initial move, he was certain the Merak Saintess would intervene—not against his followers, but against him directly.

So, after some consideration, Gongye Zhe decided to back down.

Besides, Yang Chan had refined a Perfect Level Nourishing Vein and Bone Marrow Cleansing Pill. Very few people in the entire Merak Sacred Land could best him at refining that specific pill, and certainly no one among Gongye Zhe’s own supporters could.

Choosing a different elixir for the Pill Battle was also out of the question. Gongye Zhe remembered Yang Chan’s previous countermeasures all too well. This wasn’t some arrogant Pharmacist prodigy, but someone who strategized carefully before acting.

So, targeting him with such methods was pointless.

Unless he resorted to more… extreme measures. The kind that make people disappear, for instance.

But such methods weren’t easy to employ within the Merak Sacred Land. This was especially true when the target was someone like Yang Chan—a Third Level Alchemist with immense potential, who showed all the signs of becoming a Top Level Pharmacist. It would be exceedingly difficult to pull off.

Any attempt would inevitably cause a huge stir. The Sacred Land’s Law Enforcement Hall would undoubtedly be dispatched to conduct a thorough investigation, and the resulting uproar would be massive.

So, for Gongye Zhe, dropping it for now was the only option.

Yang Chan’s star was on the rise right now, but the future was uncertain. It was just like the situation with Baili Xi, whom he had been watching for years. He would wait for his chance.

He was a patient man and wouldn’t act rashly. He had already waited many years for an opportunity with Baili Xi. As long as he was still alive, there would always be a chance.

Only the one who survives to the end gets the last laugh.

Gongye Zhe understood all of this perfectly, which made the choice an easy one.

“Yes, I will follow your orders, Saint Son.”

Zhao Zizhen nodded upon hearing this.

The decision didn’t surprise him. He knew Gongye Zhe well; the man wasn’t reckless. If he were, he wouldn’t have been able to secure his position as Quasi-Saint Son.

He would back off immediately if he sensed things were going wrong, rather than stubbornly pressing the attack.

As for the arrangements concerning Baili Xi, Zhao Zizhen would naturally follow his orders on that matter as well.

“However, continue to gather intelligence on Yang Chan.”

“Just because we’re not targeting him now doesn’t mean we won’t in the future.”

Gongye Zhe glanced at Zhao Zizhen and continued.

He was also curious about the true extent of Yang Chan’s potential. It was essential to stay informed about someone with so much promise.

Lu Feng lost the Pill Battle to Yang Chan precisely because we didn’t know enough about him. If we decide to move against him in the future, having detailed intelligence will prevent us from being so reactive.”

“Rest assured, Saint Son. I will continue to gather information on Yang Chan and his associates. I’ll deliver reports to you periodically.”

Zhao Zizhen replied hastily.

This task fell within the normal scope of his duties anyway. More importantly, Gongye Zhe’s words meant the matter of the Pill Battle was closed, and he wouldn’t face any repercussions for it later. This was good news for Zhao Zizhen, so he agreed without hesitation.

It was a good thing he hadn’t been negatively affected. After all, he currently relied on Gongye Zhe’s influence to get things done. Otherwise, as an Elder who had only just reached the Initial Stage of the Bone Marrow Cleansing Grandmaster realm, he would hold no real power in the Sacred Land.

As long as he still held some authority, it was an acceptable outcome. Thus, he agreed at once!

…

「The Pill Pavilion’s Yuanqing Courtyard.」

“Pharmacist Yang, the Saintess wants to see you!”

Gu An came to the Pill Pavilion and found Yang Chan. After a few pleasantries, he got straight to the point.

Elder Xu Ling had already informed Gu An about this.

“When?”

Yang Chan wasn’t surprised. The greater his talent as a Pharmacist, the more the Merak Saintess would value him.

He knew this was an inevitable outcome after he had agreed to the Pill Battle and won.

“We’ll go to the Saintess Pavilion tomorrow morning.”

Gu An didn’t mince words, stating the exact time.

A hint of joy shone in his eyes. Being granted entry to the Saintess Pavilion was a sign of the Merak Saintess’s approval of them.

Back in the Cyan Yuan Sect, Gu An had been optimistic about Yang Chan’s prospects, but he had only hoped Yang Chan might be able to help him with alchemy in the future. The current situation, however, had far surpassed his wildest expectations.

He realized that since joining the Merak Sacred Land, Yang Chan’s talent for alchemy had grown exponentially. Now, he could even refine a Perfect Level Nourishing Vein and Bone Marrow Cleansing Pill, an ability that had long ago surpassed that of Elder Hua, the Advanced Pharmacist from the Cyan Yuan Sect.

Even Liu Xuan had sought out Yang Chan for his alchemy services. When Liu Xuan had wanted to refine the Auxiliary Spirit Cold Marrow Pill, he had asked for Yang Chan’s help, and the Pill Formation Success Rate had been impressively high.

In any case, Liu Xuan was ecstatic after receiving the elixirs, as the results had far exceeded his expectations.

Even most of the elixirs Gu An himself needed now were refined by Yang Chan, allowing his own Martial Arts Cultivation to advance at a rapid pace.

This gave Gu An a measure of confidence that he could break through to the Bone Marrow Cleansing Grandmaster realm.

Gu An possessed a Bone Marrow Cleansing Spirit Pill to aid his breakthrough. Once his Martial Arts Cultivation reached External Refining Five Viscera Perfection, he could attempt the breakthrough. He might not have had this opportunity back in the Cyan Yuan Sect.